Jul 21 2016

Princess Camp

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This week, my daughter and I attended Princess Camp at the Community Center in Gatlinburg. Janice Collart, who teaches tumbling and dance throughout the year, organizes a four-day princess camp in July. It is a drop-off event, but you know me. I don’t drop off my children somewhere in the name of education or fun.

Princess Camp - Day 3 outfit

Princess Camp – Day 3 outfit

While big brother was in Daddy Camp, i.e. he went with daddy wherever daddy’s job took him every day, my daughter and I went to Princess Camp. It was three hours every day – the fastest three hours I have ever experienced. They really kept the princesses busy.  Continue reading »

Jul 20 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 37

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Chapter 37 deals with Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei. The title is … May I just say – all over again – how much I am enjoying myself in history this year? My son loves science and a history lesson about scientists really grabbed his attention. My daughter liked the topic, too. I love it when the kids are listening.

The Solar System Coloring Page

The Solar System Coloring Page

The scientific method explained all over again, the facts of these good Catholic men going against an establishment they revered and feared – what’s not to like? Who needs fiction when we have history?  Continue reading »

Jul 19 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 29 – Child Guidance

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If you are a Christian parent, you will probably enjoy Child Guidance, learn a lot, and, at the same time, you will be challenged by it. It would be hard to read it in one week because it is such a deeply spiritual book. You would want to savor some of the principles outlined and really meditate and pray about them before you read more pages.

Child Guidance

It contains practical advice but also general principles in how to guide your child toward maturity. It also makes it clear that we cannot expect children to do and be something we are not, as parents, as adults. So you will be challenged to become a better person, a better parent, a better Christian as you read this book.

Continue reading »

Jul 18 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 36

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Chapter 36 explains more about the Reformation and the Counter Reformation. Personally, I have read a few books about the reformers and the amazing work of Melanchton. So I was glad to see Ms. Bauer mentioned his contribution to the Reformation. If you are looking for some good reading on the matter, you should read The Great Controversy – it’s about church history from AD 70 through the Protestant Reformation and beyond. You can read it for free here.

Stained Glass Coloring page

Stained Glass Coloring Page

The kids liked the story about the Council of Trent because of the two bishops who were acting silly. Also, because it took 18 years for this meeting to accomplish all its goals. That’s quite a meeting. Next time you have to sit through a one-hour meeting somewhere, before you complain, remember the Council of Trent.  Continue reading »

Jul 17 2016

Soccer Camp

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Last week, my children attended Soccer Camp. The official title of this event was Elite Camp and it was organized by Smoky Mountain Soccer Academy. They met Monday-Friday, 9am-11am.

Soccer camp for ages 3-6

My daughter (red shirt) with her age group and Coach Zach plus assistants.

The weather was nice. We had two days with overcast skies, so the sun did not beat on us too badly. However, my children still got quite a tan during the rest of the days, despite the sunblock I applied on their faces, arms, and legs. Continue reading »

Jul 16 2016

Free Folk Music

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Just in case you did not know, at ReverbNation you can listen to free music created by people who are not rich and famous yet. Their songs are lovely. They speak about the human condition more so than the tunes that sell millions of records and win Grammy awards.

Ed Lee, homeschooling dad, folk singer, song writer

Ed Lee, homeschooling dad, folk singer, song writer

You can find country, folk, acoustic, alternative, pop and all kinds of other styles of music. Today, I would like to feature an artist I know personally: Edgar Allen Lee. We call him Ed. He and his wife homeschooled their children when it was not cool to homeschool, through the late 80s and 90s. Their son is a lawyer and their daughter, who has a college degree, works in the administrative office of an American symphony orchestra.  Continue reading »

Jul 15 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 35

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Chapter 35 dealt with the Renaissance – another dear topic to my heart. I liked how Ms. Bauer explained the new way of thinking and the scientific method. Observation is at the heart of this new way of thinking and one of my children in particular, who loves science, really tuned in for these concepts.

Paper Maker Coloring Page

The printing press is the most influential innovation in the history of humanity.

Narration went well and so did the questions. Sharing the markers for coloring – not so much. Sibling rivalry takes on new heights in the afternoon, when they are tired and have had a full day. This week they attend Soccer Camp in the morning. Then, today, it just so happened they had their weekly violin lesson via Skype.  Continue reading »

Jul 14 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 34

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Chapter 34 or Martin Luther’s New Ideas is probably my favorite topic in medieval history. I love the Protestant Reformation and all that it entails. Luther is my favorite reformer, though I appreciate what each one has done for the cause.

Martin Luther coloring page

Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg and the world was never the same.

We learned the basic facts through the first story. Then, through the second story, which dealt with Henry VIII, we learned how these new ideas coming from Germany could be taken too far when people are blinded by greed, jealousy, pride etc.  Continue reading »

Jul 13 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 2, Chapter 33

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Spain, Portugal, and the New World or Chapter 33 continued the violence theme but from a different perspective. I think it is important for children to understand that Europeans used to look at black-skinned or brown-skinned people as if they were not fully human. Also, that slaves were brought from West Africa and how this was done and why.

Conquistador mask with a pink beard

Conquistador mask with a pink beard

We got a chance to color a conquistador and to learn the word itself. We made a conquistador mask. My daughter was appalled that the mask had a beard. “I’m a girl! How can I wear this with a beard?” she asked. So she colored the beard pink. Problem solved.  Continue reading »

Jul 12 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 28 – The Catcher in the Rye

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The Catcher in the Rye is not only a classic, it is a controversial classic. At some point, it was the most required and the most banished book in America’s classrooms. Published in 1941, it has sparked controversy among teachers of English literature and also among critics, who struggle to decide which genre this book belongs to. Is it a novel? Is it a memoir? Is it an autobiography? Is it something else altogether?

The Catcher in the Rye

I read portions of it in my English class growing up in Romania and, of course, I read the plot online, but have never read it word for word. Its language, I really dislike. That’s probably why I have stayed away from it all these years. Plus, once you have solved your own adolescent angst, it is so hard to go through it all over again even vicariously.  Continue reading »