Archive for Family

Apr

Hands-on Science!

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

Yes, please! I wish every concept of science could be taught through hands-on activities. I retain what I learn, so much better, and therefore, I’m able to teach it better! When I present it well, and my students get their hands on it, their minds seem to follow and stick with it much easier.

Take the instruction from AIMS Education Foundation, for instance.

Click the graphic to read The Story of AIMS as told by the founder.

AIMS is an acronym for Activities Integrating Mathematics and Science. They’ve been around since 1981. Their goal is to integrate science, mathematics, language arts, social studies, etc., just as they are integrally connected in the real world, and this makes AIMS products effective. We recently had the opportunity to use and review Earth Rocks!.

Click graphic to see PDF formatted preview pages.

More than 300 pages, covering 50 lessons and hands-on activities. Students explore soil, rocks and minerals (noting that there is, indeed, a difference in the two,) the water cycle, weather, and erosion. They identify and classify renewable and non-renewable resources, and spend time discussing pollution and solutions. The book is large, regular 8 1/2″ X 11″ black and white printed pages, bound between a high-gloss, paper back cover. The content is written for grades 4-5, but I found it adaptable to younger and older ages, with little extra effort. The book is non-consumable, but many pages must be copied/printed for use by a student. Earth Rocks! can be purchased for $29.95. It is also available, in its entirety, in downloadable PDF version, for the same price.

AIMS Education Foundation has many Activity Books, Lab Kits, Components, and Resources available. Their Rock and Mineral Set, for $24.95, is a great resource for Earth Science, and Earth Rocks!. The books can be used in any order, and together could fulfill requirements for a full curriculum. For us, they are outstanding supplements to our Science or Math curriculum.

We did not work through Earth Rocks! in a specific order. This week, April 10, 2012, was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of The Titanic. Earth Rocks! has a lesson on Ice Sculptures. The topic is Glaciers. Timely, yes? Every lesson includes Key Questions, a Learning Goal, Guiding Documents, Science, Integrated Processes, Materials needed, Background Information, the Management and Procedure of the lesson and activities, Connecting Learning and Extensions. The students make a glacier, which was our tie-in to the history of The Titanic, but the lesson rolled us right into how glaciers create valleys, and change the surface of the Earth. Great information; well organized hands-on activities make AIMS a welcome resource! Earth Rocks!, in itself, gives us nearly a year of one-a-week supplemental science lessons.

My TOS crew mates reviewed several different Activity Books; so, you’ll want to click the graphic below, and follow the link to read their blog posts.

Blessings,

Disclaimer* A copy of this product was given to me, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation for my reviews on this blog. The opinions expressed are my own.

Categories : Family

Comments (1)

Feb

It is Beeyoutiful!

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

A month ago, or so, my youngest daughter came across a basket of her baby things, items that were used in her nursery, that I had put away until I could decide what I would sentimentally keep and what I would discard. She asked if she could use the baby lamp in her room now. “Oh, pleeeeease.” I didn’t put up much resistance and said, “sure.” Over the course of the next couple of days, she moved that lamp to several locations in the room, until she found “just the perfect place.” During one of the moves, the lamp shade was bumped and her chin hit the hot light bulb. Please, don’t ask me if I was still okay with my “sure” instead of my usual, “no, leave it alone, it really isn’t necessary.” It burned, blistered, and hurt. I treated it, prayed over it, and loved-on her. She said, “I’m okay, I’m okay,” with watery eyes and a forced smiley-grimace. Actually, she’s one of my easy ones, when it comes to getting hurt. She’s calm, collected and trusting.

The next day I got Miracle Skin Salve, from Beeyoutiful, in the mail. I knew there was a product arriving any day, but I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know what. Not one to believe in coincidence, I was thrilled with the Divine intervention that had my little girl covered before I even knew she’d need it.

The insert telling me about it says: “This delicate, summer-leaf-colored cream, full of skin-soothing, natural ingredients looks as healthy as it is. Spread on a dab of Miracle Skin Salve to treat:

• Cuts and abrasions (cover with a bandage if necessary!) • Stubborn splinters (to help them work their way out) • Insect bites and stings • Inflamed and swollen injuries or bruises • Painful hemorrhoids • Diaper rash and tender bottoms • Dry, chapped skin • Minor burns • Yeast-related rashes like eczema and psoriasis • Cold sores • Post-staph infection and skin surgery sites (to reduce scarring apply daily for 2 to 3 months).

You’ll notice fast healing thanks to the miraculous blend of ingredients that moisturize and soothe while providing anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory aid to skin irritations and injuries. These reliable, natural ingredients give Miracle Skin Salve its power: Coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, bee propolis, organic plantain leaf, organic comfrey root, organic calendula flowers, and essential oils of lavender and rosemary.

So many natural, healthy ingredients in it that even though I wasn’t familiar with the product, yet, I was comfortable trying it. “Beeyoutiful skin products contain NO Parabens, Formaldehyde, Petroleum derived ingredients or SLS Detergents. They are all manufactured in the USA, using pure, all natural ingredients.” By this time, the area on her chin was weepy and raw looking. I gently dabbed the Miracle Skin Salve on her burn and it instantly soothed it. She wasn’t sure if it would sting, or not, and it didn’t. It has healed nicely and we continue to use it, to reduce any scarring to her face.

I find comfort in knowing I have it in the house, in case of emergency, but also for the little things, like splinters and insect bites. It is $15 for 2 oz. or $25 for 4 oz., and I honestly think it’s worth it! It is effective and it goes a long way.

My youngest grandson was born on Christmas Eve, just over a year ago. He is a bright, beautiful, allergic-reaction-waiting-to-happen! Yes, he’s allergic to nuts and peas and… He also has atopic dermatitis. It is a type of eczema, with skin inflammation, rash, and intense itching. Because he’s a baby, much of it is located on his face and head. My daughter has gone through several products in an attempt to manage it and keep him comfortable. Cetaphil Moisturing Lotion was the best she had found, but he would still have miserable outbreaks and the patches were never completely cleared. Nana (that’s me) to the rescue, with my latest discovery, the Miracle Skin Salve! I slathered his little face and ears with it, and within an hour or two all the redness and inflammation was gone. We could still see and feel a residual rash, but it worked so well, so quickly, that I gave my daughter a teaspoonful to use on a continual basis. It worked miraculously! It completely cleared his rash! She was so excited to see his baby-smooth skin, again. She bought the 4 oz. container, has used it generously, every other day, and it’s lasted about a month. Different things can cause an eczema outbreak, but the peace of mind we have, knowing she can now manage it, keeping him healthy and happy, is priceless.

I also used the B.A.L.M. Beeyoutiful All-Natural Lip Moisturizer is a keeper! “Conventional lip moisturizers can be harsh and even damaging to fragile lip membranes with chemicals and fuel derived bases. Beeyoutiful’s all natural Lip Balms offer you a choice of a soothing, healing lip balm that you can be confident in the ingredients, knowing you are using the very best on your lips!” At $3 a tube we can each have our own and I don’t have to feel guilty for hiding mine!

At Beeyoutiful.com they believe “that each individual is responsible for their own health.” They are caring for themselves and their families, just as we are, and they desire to share the tools; the products, that are beneficial to them. They want to “aid others in obtaining and maintaining good health.”

On their site you’ll find useful information:

The Articles section ~

Preparing for Pregnancy Video Series
Anemia
Heartburn
Frankincense Essential Oil
and more

Nutritional Supplements ~

Bone and Joint Health
Circulatory Support
Pregnancy and Prenatal
Weight Management
and numerous others

Natural Skin Care

Eucalyptus Bath Salts
Milk & Honey Facial Bar
Miracle Skin Salve
Lavishmint Hydrating Toner
and many other items

Please, follow the links I’ve provided throughout this post and take a few minutes to check out the various products available from Beeyoutiful. Their website is easy to navigate, and you can Shop by Product or Shop by Health Concern. If you want to investigate further, click on the graphic below to read other reviews by my crew mates.

Comments or Questions?

Contact:

Beeyoutiful.com

Box 1

Nunnelly, TN 37137

1.800.556.0967

Blessings,

This product was given to me, free of charge, in exchange, for my honest review, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation for my reviews on this blog. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks for sharing your comments.

*Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : Family, Health, reviews

Comments (1)

Jan

It’s a Wrap!

Posted by: PK | Comments (2)

At our house, a school day might begin something like this…

A Younger Child: “Hey, Momma, did you know that all of the Anderson’s have the flu?”

ME: “I didn’t. When you talk to Katie, find out if they need anything.”

Younger Child: “Okay.”

An Older Sibling: “Did you know that our great-great-grandmother died from the flu? Nana was born in 1912, so she was only six when her mom and her little brother died in 1918.”

ME: “The worst plague in America was the Influenza Epidemic of 1918. More people died from the flu in that year than died in all of World War I.”

Younger Child: “She was younger than me.”

ME: “She was. Then, her dad died when she was just 12. She was your sister’s ages living through The Great Depression.”

Older Child: “1929-1939 or 41, or something?”

Younger Child: “What’s The Depression?”

ME: “I’ll tell you what, after breakfast, I’ll show you some pictures of kids during The Great Depression. I’ve got a book, someplace. I’ll find it. It’s called Children of the Great Depression. Just the photographs will give you a good idea of what The Great Depression was, but we’ll talk about it, too.”

At this point, my brain is charging ahead with plans for today and tomorrow, and beyond.

THINKING: “I’ll make breakfast a little hardier than I initially planned, so I can just give them bread & water for lunch. Seriously, hunger was real during The Depression. Maybe we’ll follow a bare-bones-potato-soup recipe for dinner and eat by the light of an oil lamp.”

I know my older ones read The Great Depression, America 1929-1941, by Robert S. McElvaine, but the mids haven’t, yet.

THINKING: “I’ll pull that out and we can read excerpts from it, to everyone, but they can work on reading the whole thing, themselves, over the next week. They’ll definitely need to start a vocabulary/spelling list. I have some Penmanship/Copywork pages I can add for the younger ones and an essay assignment for the oldest.”

DANCING INSIDE MY HEAD: I can download an instant e-Book from Zeezok Publishing! One of their Z-Guides to the Movies for the Depression era. I’m pretty sure they have one for Kit Kittredge, and since we already own the movie we could actually work on it this week. They love that movie, but with the Z-Guide they’ll see it in a whole new light.”

Books, movies, the internet. The library, Netflix, museums. I use them all. Anything and everything that I can get my hands on and afford, that will stimulate my children’s desire to learn and successfully educate them.

Zeezok Publishing has been providing materials for the homeschooling community since 1993. They’ve published government and history texts, and sixteen classic biographies on the great composers. In 2010 they introduced us to Z-Guides to the Movies.

Each Z-Guide is developed for a specific movie. We’ve found many of the movies at our local library; most are available for rent on Netflix, Zeezok sells a few and some you may already own. There are more than 30 Z-Guides available, now, and another 25 are due to be released in the spring.

$12.99 gives you access to an instant e-Book download, of your choice, or you can have a CD shipped. Many topics and time-periods are covered -

Ancient Civilizations

16th, 17th, 18th & 19th Century Europe

American and French Revolution

Westward Expansion

War Between the States

The Roaring Twenties and The Great Depression

World Wars 1 & 2 and Post-WW2

and the Vietnam War

You’ll get a topic, time-period overview; a movie synopsis, giving you an understanding of the relationship between characters, events and situations. A list of review questions to be discussed and answered as the movie is being watched, and additional activities prompting research and writing. My favorite section of every Z-Guide is the Filmaker’s Art and Dramatic License Activity. I do not have the ready knowledge that I find in this section. Even as my children are learning, so am I.

“The Filmmaker’s Art activity helps the student recognize the tools being used to influence the viewer.” Without the Z-Guide, I don’t always discern these as clearly. “The various guides discuss how filming techniques, music, lighting, humor, character development, irony, foreshadowing, and even character names are used by the director and producer to influence the viewer to get their agenda across.” Z-Guides to the Movies has changed the way we see a movie and that’s their goal. They “want the student to be able to discern not only the agenda of the movie, but also how they are being influenced by it. The goal is that when the student goes to the theatre and watches a movie, he walks out not thinking it was an entertaining movie, but understanding the bigger message behind each film.”

My children are enhancing their critical thinking skills. Besides movies, they now look at reading material differently, and also examine the influence and impact they may have on others with what they personally write or visually and musically produce.

I think Z-Guides are impressively thorough. In 2011, I used one with The Hiding Place. Click the link to read my review.

Recently, we did, indeed, use the Z-Guide for Kit Kittredge. Written for elementary and middle school, it was easily adaptable to include our K5 through high school and adult.

Topics and Activities covered ~

The Great Depression

Journalism

Prejudice

Family Unity

and Hobo Life

It was a perfect wrap to an interesting study!

The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew has had the opportunity to review several different Z-Guides. Click on the banner below to read what my crew mates thought of each one.

Comments or Questions?

Contact Zeezok Publishing

email -

info@zeezok.com

write -

P.O. Box 1960

Elyria, OH 44036

call -

800.749.1681

440.782.1193

and

facebook

The next time you study, tie everything together with a Z-Guide and a family movie night!

Blessings,

I am not affiliated with Netflix and I receive no compensation for references.

*Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

I appreciate your encouragement. Thanks for your comments. PK

Categories : America, Family, History, homeschool, Movie, success, TOS

Comments (2)

Nov

Heart Cries

Posted by: PK | Comments (6)

Usually, when I write a post I edit it a dozen times or more. I try to use good grammar and proper sentence structure, check the spacing between my paragraphs and graphics… It doesn’t matter. It is so unimportant in the real scheme of things.

This one, I can’t even see clearly. Thankfully, it’s typed, because if it were hand written it would be a mess. My heart is so heavy and it’s tears won’t stop pouring from my eyes.

I am in agony over mothers beating, abusing and killing their children. Every day, another story. Some say it’s always been like this and it’s just being reported more often, now, but even if that’s true, honestly, it doesn’t make me feel any better for the children or their momma’s. I know I can’t expect different from those that have no relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that the heart of God grieves more than mine, but I figure, He’s God, He can take it. I know Satan is afraid of the men and women these murdered children could have become. My heart cries as if I’ve lost one of my own. It literally feels unbearable. I can’t breathe because of the pain.

I’ve always wanted to travel. Load my family into a travel trailer and go. See the country. Show them God’s wonders and man’s handiwork. But, I would gladly give up the possibility of that dream in exchange for a piece of land, with a big house, where those that are labeled: unwanted and annoying, loud, crying and obnoxious could be dropped off before their mother’s can’t take anymore and beat them to death. I wish I could build a “There’s Enough Love Here” House.

Stop killing your babies and let a me love on them for you, until you come to your senses, or forever if you’d rather. I understand that you might be so hurt yourself that you’re empty of love and patience. I don’t pretend to know your story, but I will not judge you. I just want you to stop and listen to me. There’s enough love here for you, too. I don’t want to read or hear that you were just so tired of the inconvenience or the noise that you beat your child into silence. I’m willing to help you.

I have no money, no land and no big house; so, needless to say, aside from praying and rattling the gates of Heaven on your behalf, I’m really of no help. But, I wanted you to know that I’m willing. Someone does care. Ask for help and if you’re turned away, ask someone else, and then someone else, until you find a me that can help you and your child. You are not alone.

May God have mercy on us and forgive us our sins.

Abiding in Him,

Categories : Family

Comments (6)

Nov

Thoughtful Consideration

Posted by: PK | Comments (2)

As parents, we encourage our children to “court” their future mate, simply, seeking their affections, getting to know them, with the intention of marriage. The “dating game,” sifting through humans and discarding them along the way, is not one we play.

I recently “met” author Gary Bower and his wife, Jan, when I read their book, The Person I Marry – Things I’ll Think About Long Before Saying I Do, and I recognize kindred spirits. There’s a glimpse of their hearts on every page. Gary’s is shared through the sweet rhythm of his poetry and Jan’s, through the expressive brush strokes of her oil paintings. He is the author and she is the illustrator. Just as they made 12 beautiful children together, they now make beautiful children’s books, together.

Gary writes, “It’s ‘who’, not ‘what’ that makes a great wedding.” “What makes a princess? What makes a prince?” “Something that’s inside, something much deeper, will help me determine which one is a ‘keeper’.”

Each page prompts a thoughtful consideration, and possible discussion on what to look for in a potential spouse.

Kindness, Tenderness, Graciousness, Generosity, Friendship, Determination, Joyfulness, Tolerance, Respectfulness, Devotion, Commitment, Modesty, Moral Purity, Trustworthiness, Truthfulness, Contrition, True Love and more.

“The vows I’ll say I mean to keep, so I’ll look hard before I leap,” reminds Gary.

The Person I Marry from Bower Books.

The Person I Marry won the 2010 Christian Small Publisher of the Year award. It has an appeal to all ages. It is a comfortable, snuggled-on-the-couch lap book, 32 pages, hard bound. From educational tool, conversation starter to lovely gift idea – birthday, engagement, wedding and anniversary, it is worth the $11.99 retail and has the potential to become a family treasure.

You’ll find other wholesome books in the “Bright Future Book” collection, by the Bowers:

There’s a Party in Heaven – hope of a future; comfort for those who face the loss of a loved one.

The Jingle in My Pocket – practical ideas and healthy attitudes about money.

What Do Heroes Wear? – finding purpose by serving others.

And poster-size, stunning art prints of Jan’s illustrations with verses of Gary’s poetry, when you browse the Bower Family Books website. (Please, follow the links I’ve included throughout this post.)

You can contact Gary and Jan Bower at:

Bower Books & Fine Art

7700 Timbers Trail

Traverse City, Michigan 49684

Call ~

888.898.3207

231.941.0899

Email ~

garybower@charter.net

I’m grateful for the “introduction” to Gary & Jan, through The Person I Marry. I look forward to getting to know them better.

Gary blogs @

“Daddy Says…”

Thoughts from the Heart of a Father of Twelve

and I can follow

on facebook

Many of my crew mates have known the Bower’s for years, while some have just met them, but you can read all of their reviews by clicking on the TOS graphic below.

I appreciate the Godly direction, inspiration and quiet affirmation of The Person I Marry. It’s been a joy to read it to my children. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too.

Blessings,

*Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : Art, Books, Family, homeschool, Reading, reviews, TOS

Comments (2)

Oct

You Can Say Anything

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

In our house you’ll find a new game for Family Game Night. The latest family edition of North Star Games‘ wildly popular Say Anything.

I’ve said before that I look for ways to keep my children connected to one another. It may only be a fine thread of similarities or a few shared memories, but since there are so many of us and the age range between our oldest and our youngest is more than 25 years, it is an important thread. Say Anything Family is ideal for this! It’s designed for 3-6 players, ages 8 and up. It takes about 2 whole minutes to learn how to play and actual game time tends to be an easy, quick, fun 30 minutes.

Start with 60 question cards that are protected by a glossy coating on each side, 3 questions per side = 6 questions per card = 360 questions total. 6 individual dry-erase boards, with color borders and 6 dry-erase markers. 12 player tokens (betting chips) and a SELECT-O-MATIC 6000 (no spinner) with printed pics of color-coded meeples. 1 pre-printed dry-erase score board and a sturdy, colorful, full-size page of rules.

Basic play: A “judge” draws a card and asks a question. The other players answer the question, write their answer on their white board, and quickly submit it to the judge. The judge picks up the state-of-the-art SELECT-O-MATIC 6000 and secretly chooses the picture of the meeple that corresponds to the color border on the white board that has his favorite answer written on it. The other players then use their tokens (2 each) to bet on which white-board-answer the judge chose. According to scoring rules, points are tallied. The SELECT-O-MATIC is passed to the next player and a new round begins. Two turns as “judge”, asking 2 questions each, and the game is done. The player with the highest score wins!

The laugh-out-loud fun is in the questions and the answers! This game builds relationships. My generations-apart-children get to know each other better with each round they play. I learn more about the heart and mind of a grand child or a niece when I play with them. Yet, no one (but me, of course) is really paying any attention to this, they’re just having a blast playing a great game!

Questions include -

What’s the most important quality in a friend?

What would be the best city to live in?

What’s a father most likely to forget?

What’s my biggest guilty pleasure?

What’s the most annoying thing about being a man?

What technology don’t we have that I wish we did?

You can learn much about a person by how they answer these questions. Do they answer with truth and facts, according to what they think or what they think the “judge” will think? Do they answer with humor and jest or in-all-seriousness? Do they have a clue or none? Ah, the possibilities, they can say anything! And the interchange between players, while trying to convince the judge which answer to choose, is entertaining by itself!

My husband and I also have future plans for Say Anything Family. We told our in-house kids, those not yet out-of-house-grown-and-married, that this will be an outstanding game to play before they can get married. A You-Want-To-Marry-My-Daughter?-Just-Choose-Half-a-Million-Correct-Answers-And-We’ll-Give-Our-Blessing Game! =) Yes, it might take several rounds of play, with a few questions rigged to elicit valuable information, but it’ll still be quicker than the fourteen years that Jacob had to work and wait for Rachel (Genesis 29.) They think we’re joking…we’ll see.

Last Thanksgiving, when our whole extended family got together, we introduced everyone to Wits and Wagers, another game by North Star Games that I got to play and review. This year we are excited to share Say Anything Family. There’s not a doubt in my mind that they’re going to love it!

You can find North Star Games at local toy and game stores, like Target and Toys “R” Us, and online at Amazon.com. Say Anything Family usually retails for $19.99.

Click the TOS banner and link below, to read other reviews of these games, written by my crew mates.

Comments or Questions?

Contact:

telephone – 301.493.4331

email – Sales@NorthStarGames.com

and

facebook

Let me know what your family thinks of North Star Games.

Blessings,

Thanks for your comments.

*Contents of this blog and photographs are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : Family, Games, Parent's Resource, Reading, reviews, TOS

Comments (1)

Oct

A Wholehearted Conversation

Posted by: PK | Comments (10)

Over the years, I have often been asked, “How can you homeschool your children,” usually quickly followed by, “I just don’t think I’m smart enough to do that!” Inevitably, I respond by assuring them that I don’t believe that I have all of the answers to my children’s educational needs, or that I’m even required to, but I can find the answers. After early elementary school, academically, my job is one of teaching study skills, application and discipline, providing large doses of encouragement and support, and supplying necessary resources. I am better equipped and empowered when I utilize resources for parents, too.

A recent conversation with my friend, we’ll call her Heidi, went like this:

ME: “I have a TOS crew review to write on a huge book! It’s 8 1/2″ X 11″ and more than 350 pages! If I could own only one book for homeschooling (counting curriculum, but excluding The Bible, of course) it would be this one.”

[Her face looked a bit shocked. I've been homeschooling for more than 25 years; so, I definitely had her attention.]

HEIDI: “What! What is it? Above curriculum? How? Why?”

ME: “Ultimately, I can pull teaching material from anywhere, but this book reminds me of why I homeschool. Why I do it now, why I did it then and why I would do it all, again, but do it better! The authors say that those reading it usually fall into 1 of 3 categories:

Those that are already using a wholehearted approach to teaching and have followed their leadership for years. This book was actually first published in 1994 and revised in 1996. It is now (2011) in it’s third printing, with more than 100 new pages added and a large portion of the original pages rewritten. Content and resources needed to be updated and they, like most of us, have learned a thing or two in fifteen years. These readers will discover a new or forgotten morsel of truth in this edition.
Those, like me, who have been homeschooling for cen-tu-ries (intended hyperbole) and are in need of affirmation, inspiration or even a little coaxing to continue on this path. When I started reading this book, I wondered why I didn’t have it in 1994 or 1996. I was homeschooling then, why now? Because now is when I need to be reminded of my desire and my right to raise our children “in the fear and admonition of The Lord;” to emulate and teach an I’m-all-in-(body, mind, heart, soul and strength)-devotion to God, consistently and constantly. This book has been a transfusion to my life-battered being. I remember why.
Those who are fresh to the idea of homeschooling their children. The young explorers that appreciate having good navigational tools at hand. A compass, a map and a light for the way ahead. This is a guide, written by those that scouted and traveled the road before you. This book is a vision shared, one of “Wholehearted Learning – a Biblical, commonsense, discipleship-based lifestyle of home education using real books, real life, and real relationships.”

“It’s an apologia WholeHeart publication and it’s titled, Educating the WholeHearted Child, by Clay and Sally Clarkson.

It gives you a layout, a design, a plan…to make your home “a heart-filling, rich, and lively learning environment where your children will love to learn as naturally as they love to play.”

HEIDI: “Are you a speed reader? Did you read the whole thing? Can I read it when you’re finished with it?”

ME: “You know that I can read quickly, but you won’t believe it, I’ve actually written in the margins of this book.”

[Her brow furrowed and comprehension was a bit slow. We do not write in books unless they are consumable workbooks. It is a firmly established momma-law, taught from the time my children are knee-high to a grasshopper.]

HEIDI: “YOU wrote in the book?”

ME: “I did. I’m an adult and it is my book! It is a high gloss paperback, but it is clearly non-consumable. I’ve found myself wanting to savor it and digest it. I’ve highlighted sentences and paragraphs! I haven’t read the whole book, yet. I’ve never lost sight of the destination, but this book has renewed my joy in the journey of homeschooling! I’m not in a rush to read it, just for the sake of reading it, I want to sort of meander along and absorb my surroundings. At the moment, my youngest child is only 7 years old, so I don’t foresee being finished with this book any time soon. You’ll want your own clean copy, anyway. Put it on your Christmas list and I’ll see what I can do.”

HEIDI: “That’s a nice thought, but I don’t know if I want to wait until Christmas, that’s 60 days away. How much is it?”

ME: “Sixty days, are you kidding me? (Between the heart palpitations I’m thinking, where has the year gone!) It’s going to be here in no time! (Think peace, I think. Don’t freak out! Enjoy Thanksgiving, first, my brain tries to reassure me.) Educating the WholeAHearted Child is $22.00. It would be the best gift to get if you’re even considering homeschooling.

It has chapters pertaining to: HOME, LEARNING, METHODS for Discipleship Studies, Disciplined Studies, The Study of Ideas, Discovery Studies and The Study of Living with an eye on your child’s Divine design and natural bent, and LIVING.

You can look up *https://apologia.securesites.net/pdfs/TOC/297.pdf to see the Table of Contents in detail, and if you go to *https://apologia.secutesites.net/pdfs/sample/297.pdf you can view a sample of the entire 1st chapter. You’ll notice there is additional information along the margins of the main text, Scripture references and notable quotes. There’s even more in other chapters, throughout the book. You’ll find answers to questions, like What about Socialization? Information and statistics. “…nearly 4 percent of the school-age population are homeschoolers.” That’s more than 2 million K-12 children in the U.S. that are homeschooled, which is considerably more than the estimated 30,000 when I began to homeschool. There are recommended resources and suggested math tools, lists of good books and field trip tips and rules.

Starting in chapter two there are italicized notes, under the heading of IN OUR HOME. Located at the bottom of a page, these snippets offer a glimpse into the Clarkson’s own home. This is what you’ll read on page 217, “With all the baskets lying around our house, someone might think we like to shop at the local Farmers’ Market. Except for one thing – they are all filled with books! Next to just about every comfortable couch or overstuffed chair, there is a big can or wicker basket of fruits and vegetables for the mind. The baskets were originally filled with random or topical selections of books (holiday, illustrated stories, heroes, preschool, etc.). Later we turned them into personal reading – one for each child and one for library books. We change the selection periodically with input from the children. It’s so fulfilling to see our children grab books to read alone or together stretched out on the couch or stuffed into the overstuffed chair. Now if we can just find a good Farmers’ Market for books.“ With all of their years of personal education, experience and accomplishments, Clay and Sally Clarkson seem very humble. I didn’t find judgment or absolutes in this book. I encountered an undeniable love of Christ, family, life and learning, and the desire to pass that on to anyone and everyone that will listen.

Oh, I almost forgot, there are also more than 15 essential, time-saving, record-keeping, organizational forms at the end of the book. One of my favorites is the “My 24 Family ‘Ways to Be” – Godly Character” form. The “Ways to Be” are from Our 24 Family Ways: A Family Devotional Guide by Clay Clarkson from Whole Heart Press. 24 Character traits and their descriptions are listed and memorized. They are all simply and clearly written, but we’ve been concentrating on three for the past few weeks. #8 Forgiveness – Treating someone who has offended me as though I had never been hurt. #18 Peacemaker – Finding a way to avoid or end a disagreement rather than to begin or win it. #21 Integrity – Knowing what is right and living that way.”

HEIDI: “I don’t think you have to convince me. I think it’s more of a decision of when, not if; so, if I decide that I can’t wait until Christmas for this book, or if I decide to give it to myself for Christmas, but at an earlier date, where can I find it?”

ME: “Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. has a website at *https://apologia.securesites.net/ and you can find it there under apologia Press, Resources for Parents, along with Read for the Heart, another apologia book, by the Clarkson’s daughter, Sarah, that I reviewed this past May.”

or Contact:

Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc.

1106 Meridian Plaza Suite 220

Anderson, IN 46016 US

telephone – 888.524.4724

and

Questions or Comments for the Clarkson’s can be addressed to:

Whole Heart Ministries

P.O. Box 3445

Monument, CO 80132

email – www.wholeheart.org

telephone – 888.488.4466

ME: “I’ll let you know, Heidi, when I get my review posted and you can read my final thoughts about it then. But, honestly, I suspect it’ll sound a lot like this conversation, shared straight from the heart. I’ll attach a link to my crew mates reviews, too; so, you can read some other opinions.”

And so it is…

There’s little more to write for this review. I think Educating the WholeHearted Child is a treasure chest full of God’s goodness, and every time I dip my hand into it, turn the page, I pull out another priceless gem. I find it remarkable that this book has made such a defining impact on my life. I trust God that His timing is perfect and this is the exact place of weariness that I needed it’s restorative power. I am ever in awe of Him and His great love for me and the family that I adore.

Blessings,

Your comments are most welcome. Thanks.

*Contents of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Categories : blessings, Books, Family, homeschool, Parent's Resource, reviews, TOS

Comments (10)

Oct

A New Day!

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

I proclaim -

“I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes it’s boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!”
Psalm 34:1-3

Thankful for a new week ahead. I’m tired of compromise and mediocrity. It’s taken me longer to reach this limit than it should have. Nasty things, these two! “Forgive me, Lord, my heart cries, and set my feet on higher ground.”

com·pro·mise: an endangering, especially of reputation; exposure to danger, suspicion, etc.: a compromise of one’s integrity or beliefs.

“God’s Word will never pass away, but looking back to the Old Testament and since the time of Christ, with tears we must say that because of lack of fortitude and faithfulness on the part of God’s people, God’s Word has many times been allowed to be bent, to conform to the surrounding, passing, changing culture of that moment rather than to stand as the inerrant Word of God judging the form of the world spirit and the surrounding culture of that moment. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may our children and grandchildren not say that such can be said about us. “ ~ Francis A. Schaeffer, The Shelter

me·di·oc·ri·ty: “a middling condition,” a middle state, moderate.

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I will spit you out of my mouth.” ~ Revelation 3:15-16

I’ll let you know how my follow-through goes on my proclamation. Wish me well. I covet your prayers.

Blessings,

Categories : Bible, Family

Comments (1)

Sep

Let the Games Begin!

Posted by: PK | Comments (1)

According to their website, Griddly Games is committed to “bringing innovative and engaging games to people ‘across the grid.” They’ve consistently gained recognition for their ingenuity and creativity in designing games that are fun and educational. Many of their games have won the Teacher’s Choice Award for the Classroom and the Dr. Toy Winner award, among others.

We like board games at our house. I buy them new and second-hand. Some have been given to us as gifts and some as hand-me-downs from children or families that out grew them. We’ve even been known to create a few of our own over the years. I have boxes with the games intact and then I have boxes or bags of pieces, to replace pieces that inevitably get lost. The family that plays together gets to know one another better! Chess, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Sorry, games of memory and concentration, Wits & Wagers, card games like War, Go! Fish and Golf, Yahtzee!, Boggle, Chutes and Ladders and Pictionary come to mind with ease. Several have been played by all eleven of our children, at one time or another, while others are special editions or upgrades. Griddly Games are new to our house, but Wise Alec has become a fast favorite.

Wise Alec is an educational trivia game “covering topics in History, Science and Spelling.” Nature Nuts is a stand alone, nature trivia, travel game, and a Wise Alec expansion set.

The box has a magnetic lip on the lid that is excellent! This is a no game board = play anywhere kind of game. Slips into the beach bag. Travels well to doctor’s and dentist’s offices. Rides well on long car trips and suffers no ill effects when played sitting Indian-style on the bed.

Designed for 2 – 6 players, ages 8 and up. In my opinion, it easily accommodates more players because in it’s simplest game the die is rolled, questions are asked & answered and points are tallied. Plenty of questions for everyone! Each card, Animal, Plant, and Earth has two levels of questions, novice and expert. (The cards are a little thin and gloss-coated on the graphic side only; so, not quite as durable as I like.) The Wise Alec cards pose challenges that may cost the player points or add bonus points.

Brain Teaser ~ Name 3 mammals + 3 points
Action! ~ Make your best fish face + 3 points
Yoga Time! ~ Do the tree pose. Hold your arms above your head with palms pressed together. Lift one leg off the ground so that your foot rests by your other knee. Hold for 30 seconds. + 7 points
Tongue Twister ~ Real rock wall. Repeat 5 times. + 5 points
Yes! ~ You do your 3 r’s: you recycle, reuse and reduce! + 2 points
Study Break! ~ Hop from side to side 15 times. +3 points
Oops! ~ You put old cheese into the composting bin! - 2 points (We threw out one Oops! card ~ Your horse passed gas! – 2 points - It seemed like unnecessary coarse jesting and we didn’t want to encourage it.)
plus, Double Chance!, Roll Again!, and Still My Turn! cards.

We’ve learned something new every time we’ve played this game! You’ll find the Wise Alec Family Trivia Game, Wise Alec: Nature Nuts, retailing for $14.99, Wise Alec: Civilize This and Wise Alec: Sports Buffs, along with other Griddly Games, at your local toy/game stores and at various online retailers. Discover the fun at Amazon.com!

This graphic is from Kidz Zone. A place for kids to play interactive online games and print coloring sheets! A Griddly FREEBIE!

Contact:

Griddly Games, Inc.

633 – 5960 No. 6 Road

Richmond, BC V6V 1Z1

604.249.5020

and

This little cutie is the profile pic for Griddly Games facebook page.

Stop by and tell them Knee Deep In Grace sent you!

The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew, my mates, have points of view to share with you.

Check ‘em out and let the games begin!

Blessings,

*Contents and photographs of this blog are copyrighted; they are the property of Knee Deep In Grace and may not be used without written permission.

Thank you for your time and your comments. I appreciate you! PK

Categories : Award, Family, Games, History, homeschool, Nature, Reading, reviews, Science, Spelling, TOS

Comments (1)

Sep

Hog Wild!

Posted by: PK | Comments (3)

Several years ago, my nearly-city-born husband worked on a pig farm. What an experience! The smell permeated everything – your hair, your skin, clothing, the dog and the car. But, being the positive force that he is, each time we pulled into the driveway he would say, “Ah, smells like money!” Nothing else needed said, because we were quickly reminded that this was how our bills were being paid and groceries were bought. I can say that we learned a lot about pigs and I’m extremely thankful that it was just for a season.

Pig Pen – an enclosure where pigs are kept.

Pig-headed – stubborn or obstinate.

Piglet – a young pig. Little pink friend of “Winnie-the-Pooh.”

image by Disney

Pig Lard – the rendered fat from a pig.

Pig Latin – a version of language formed from English by transferring the initial consonant of each word to the end of the word and adding a vocalic syllable, usually /a/; so, Penny becomes ennyPay.

~ And our newest favorite ~

Pig Pile – “The Hog Wild Card Game” by R & R Games

This card game is designed for children ages 7 and up, but it was fun for the whole family. The game box is thick and sturdy, the cards are high-gloss and my youngest daughter says, “The 40 plastic pigs are fun all by themselves! Especially if we build Lego pens and fences.” Created for 3 – 6 players, but adaptable to more, by adding another set of number cards and a Hog Wild card for each player after the sixth. It takes a few rounds of play to accumulate the most pigs and win the game! Along the way, the young players are reinforcing their number value; less than/greater than.

Pig Pile retails for $15.95 and is one of many great games by R & R Games. You’ll want to check out:

Pants on Fire, where “Stretchin’ the Truth can be Hot Stuff!” for ages 13 and up.

And, new this year, Ticked Off. “The game that gives you the opportunity to crush (and impress) your friends with your vast knowledge. Beat the clock and beat your friends!”

Card Games

Family Games

Party Games

Kids Games

Strategy Games

and more.

You can find other reviews on Pig Pile

and

Flea Circus, a crazy game of cats & dogs, for ages 6 and up,

when you visit The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew Blog. R & R Games is offering a 20% discount to anyone purchasing Pig Pile or Flea Circus after reading a TOS Crew review. Use coupon code CREW20 at checkout, now through December 31, 2011.