This is my 12th/13th year to homeschool. I began midyear, after being thoroughly disapointed and discouraged with our schools here. The teachers quit trying to teach my children, who were bored in their classes. (I'm assuming you know bored children do anything to be un-bored!!) So, after seeing the teachers quit teaching my oldest son, I talked to Jerry and we decided that I could do a better job.
I began with an inexpensive all in one curriculum workbook, since I was starting a bit after mid year. It was ok, wasn't too impressed with it. He did learn, it was just not very interesting.
The next year, I tried Alpha Omega. Then SOS, then Abeka.... By this time, I was homeschooling my daughter, as well, so I was buying for 2 grades. I wasn't pleased and the kids were bored! Care to add up how much money I threw away?
So, I began googling. There were a few resources for homeschooling for free, but you had to spend hours looking for them. What a difference a few years makes! Now, it takes hours to go through the results!
So, I've decided to share some of our favorite resources. Here are my tried and true Bible resources along with the ages I use them for. Some color pages, I will use all through high school, as they still like to show their artistic ability.
For Younger kids (Pre-kinder through about 1st grade)
http://akidsheart.com/bible/bible.htm This site has a quite a few bible stories with color pages and online activities, a memory verse section (some can get pretty long), and crafts for kids! Love the memory verses!
http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/clr-indx.html#bible has awesome color thru the bible sections. Great for all ages! If you look around the site, you will find resources for teens, adults, movie and game reviews, even the Dinosaur issue is discussed!
Lower Elementary (1st - 3rd grade)
http://www.gardenofpraise.com/bibleles.htm This site can be used for beginning readers - each lesson can be printed or your child can read along on the computer. There is a printable worksheet/test upon completion.
Also, if you look around, you will find a wonderful bible study for young ladies here.... great for mom's too!
Mid-Elementary thru Jr high
http://children.calvarychapel.com/site/curriculum.htm I use this for older kids. Detailed worksheets for going through the entire bible. Each lesson has about 7 pages - the last one being an ink hogging puzzle (I rarely print the last page) There are no answer keys I'm aware of.
Teens - mostly girls
http://gardenofpraise.com/godseg.htm is the newest one I've found. I have done some as well as giving them to my daughter. There is a link to another page with even more young women studies.
http://www.christianteenbiblestudy.com/ I liked the free one so much until I purchased the set. My daughter likes them more than any other study I've printed for her. This is the only one for sale, but we really liked it and it was so inexpensive.
Bible Tools
I have used a few online and tried a couple of download bible study programs, and I prefer Bible Explorer http://www.bible-explorer.com/ You can get over 200 free bibles and books with the free program. The bibles are reasonably priced. I like the multi window feature. AND, if you are reading a passage you wish to study further, you click on the passage, and the program displays all your resources on that topic, including commentaries, devotionals, art, maps, counseling, theology, etc... There is also a bible reading program that allows you to miss a few days and catch up, instead of always feeling overwhelmed when you have to take a few days off.
Tips For Older Kids
As my kids get older (or got older) they wanted to learn new things. You can purchase wood plaques at hobby stores, tracing paper and a wood burner tool for under $20.00.
Have your child trace the bible color page onto the plaque and trace using woodburning. If you use oil pastels, they can color areas. Then cover with a bit of a glaze. A little creativity and you can make clocks (clock kits sold), jewelry boxes, wall hangings, name plaques, etc....
You can also find a free cross stitch or embroidery program (or just trace). Trace the color page onto cloth and you can do a cross stitch or other embroidery. Plastic canvas works well, too.
Younger kids can trace a color page onto a blank tote bag, backpack, tshirt, apron, etc... and color or paint using fabric crayons, markers or paints.
Want to expand? How about beading? Buy alpha beads and let the kids make bracelets, bookmarks, etc, with their fav verse! Spell the book and verse, maybe add a few colorful beads or charms...
An older child could spell an entire verse with beads on wire and wrap a votive or other candle. (place on a candle holder, add a few glass rocks and you have a beautiful gift for a few bucks!!)
These are not all my resources or ideas for teaching bible, but they are my favorites and the ones most used. I find and try others, but keep coming back to KidsHeart, Garden of Praise, Calvary Chapel. Enjoy.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
We have a groom...
No, not the wedding kind. Pixie was groomed. No trimming, but she got everything else.
It took us months to get her comfortable enough with the groomers to let them take her away from me for a few minutes for her bath. Elsie and Jennifer have been absolutely awesome in working with her!
Every week, I took her to Petco to visit the groomer. They would spend a few minutes getting Pixie familiar with what would happen during a groom.
Well, on Monday, August 3rd, Pixie received her first Strawberry Lemonade Spa treatment with a Blueberry Facial.
She did well until about halfway through, and I had to go help them hold her. She was then able to continue the grooming.
So, after about 30 minutes, Pixie had been fully groomed in her spa day, she received a strawberry lemonade collar charm and smelled wonderful for about 6 hours! At that point, the dog in her took over and rolled in the grass to get the "pretty" smell off. Not to worry - this mom bought puppy safe scented conditioning spray... LOL
As you can see, the final results. She was a bit antsy when they tried to clean her tear staing, so I cleaned them at home. However, she is fully conditioned, moisturized, pampered, and "charm"ing... Notice her charm - almost as big as she is! The bows lasted a couple of hours but matched her charms and a t-shirt I bought her! This is one pampered pooch!
It took us months to get her comfortable enough with the groomers to let them take her away from me for a few minutes for her bath. Elsie and Jennifer have been absolutely awesome in working with her!
Every week, I took her to Petco to visit the groomer. They would spend a few minutes getting Pixie familiar with what would happen during a groom.
Well, on Monday, August 3rd, Pixie received her first Strawberry Lemonade Spa treatment with a Blueberry Facial.
She did well until about halfway through, and I had to go help them hold her. She was then able to continue the grooming.
So, after about 30 minutes, Pixie had been fully groomed in her spa day, she received a strawberry lemonade collar charm and smelled wonderful for about 6 hours! At that point, the dog in her took over and rolled in the grass to get the "pretty" smell off. Not to worry - this mom bought puppy safe scented conditioning spray... LOL
As you can see, the final results. She was a bit antsy when they tried to clean her tear staing, so I cleaned them at home. However, she is fully conditioned, moisturized, pampered, and "charm"ing... Notice her charm - almost as big as she is! The bows lasted a couple of hours but matched her charms and a t-shirt I bought her! This is one pampered pooch!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Rescuing dogs
I've now had Pixie, my rescue chihuahua, for about 2 months. The changes in her are remarkable!
She had a floppy ear and was very insecure! She barked and whined anytime someone left the room. She had to be constantly by or on me.
Now, she is much more secure with her new home. She sits with me in the mornings, during prayer and bible time. As the kids begin to get up, she will slowly decide which child to spend time with, and sit with that child. Around noon, when hubby gets up, she sits with him a while. Evenings, she sits with someone or by herself! More and more often, she will lay on the floor, a pillow, or sofa, by herself for a nap. sShe does not feel the need to be on top of someone to be secure.
She will go into her crate when we leave and only bark a couple of minutes before quieting down to play and rest. When we return, she does not go into a barking frenzy, but waits until we open the door. She then jumps from person to person to greet them.
Her floppy ear is now standing straight out - Yoda style, just like a chi is supposed to do! She is getting a bit more fur, and it's much softer. She has gained over 3 lbs, and is borderline chunky. We call it "fluffy", as the humidity here makes for bad hair days for all... LOL! (yeah, vet didn't buy it either!)
We began with Science Diet and switched to cooking for her very quickly. She does not like her veggies, unless they are little frozen bits. But dogs are carnivores, so veggies aren't a necessity. If the dog feels the need for greens, they instinctively know which grass to chew on and how much.
Now that I see all the changes in her, I wish I had blogged and photographed each step!
I do have 2 short videos of her... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerEM16prg0 is her "princess dance" and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqy3ZJk is my grandson laughing at her playing! (adorable baby laughs here)
I have decided that I will rescue another dog, but a bit later. Pixie has a lot to teach me about rescue dogs. And like Pixie, when the dog and the time are right, it will just happen.
She had a floppy ear and was very insecure! She barked and whined anytime someone left the room. She had to be constantly by or on me.
Now, she is much more secure with her new home. She sits with me in the mornings, during prayer and bible time. As the kids begin to get up, she will slowly decide which child to spend time with, and sit with that child. Around noon, when hubby gets up, she sits with him a while. Evenings, she sits with someone or by herself! More and more often, she will lay on the floor, a pillow, or sofa, by herself for a nap. sShe does not feel the need to be on top of someone to be secure.
She will go into her crate when we leave and only bark a couple of minutes before quieting down to play and rest. When we return, she does not go into a barking frenzy, but waits until we open the door. She then jumps from person to person to greet them.
Her floppy ear is now standing straight out - Yoda style, just like a chi is supposed to do! She is getting a bit more fur, and it's much softer. She has gained over 3 lbs, and is borderline chunky. We call it "fluffy", as the humidity here makes for bad hair days for all... LOL! (yeah, vet didn't buy it either!)
We began with Science Diet and switched to cooking for her very quickly. She does not like her veggies, unless they are little frozen bits. But dogs are carnivores, so veggies aren't a necessity. If the dog feels the need for greens, they instinctively know which grass to chew on and how much.
Now that I see all the changes in her, I wish I had blogged and photographed each step!
I do have 2 short videos of her... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerEM16prg0 is her "princess dance" and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqy3ZJk is my grandson laughing at her playing! (adorable baby laughs here)
I have decided that I will rescue another dog, but a bit later. Pixie has a lot to teach me about rescue dogs. And like Pixie, when the dog and the time are right, it will just happen.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Coffee Cookies
1/2 cup cooking oil
4 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBS instant coffee crystals
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Mix oil, cocoa, coffee crystals, and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between. Add vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and refrigerate several hours.
Heat Oven to 350. roll tsp size ball into powdered sugar and place on greased baking sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes.
4 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBS instant coffee crystals
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Mix oil, cocoa, coffee crystals, and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between. Add vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and refrigerate several hours.
Heat Oven to 350. roll tsp size ball into powdered sugar and place on greased baking sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes.
Friday, July 3, 2009
A man's dinner (or how to bribe your husband)
This dinner is a husband pleaser. It does not contain items from the government food pyramid, rather from the real man's triangle.
Thick pork chops - NOT boneless. (real men pick them up and eat them!)
Potatoes
Ranch style beans
Ice cream
Double stuff oreos
Chocolate syrup
Air freshener (lysol or stronger)
How you cook the pork chops depends on him... to just make him smile, you can broil them. To make him do backflips, fry them!
Mash up potatoes - the way HE likes them. That means a little salty...
Ranch style beans
Serve with his favorite beverage. For extra brownie points, serve on a TV tray with his favorite movie or sport on! And if you really want him to smile, let him wipe his hands on his shirt or the sofa...
When he's so stuffed he can't move, fill a big bowl with ice cream and top with oreos. Liberally drizzle chocolate sauce. Remove his dinner plate and place ice cream on his tv tray.
Do not expect him to do dishes this night - he's as stuffed as a tick and can't move.
Once you join him in the living room, expect "manly noises" to begin. Have your lysol ready, or invest in a timed automatic sprayer. Set for most frequent sprays on man dinner night.
Thick pork chops - NOT boneless. (real men pick them up and eat them!)
Potatoes
Ranch style beans
Ice cream
Double stuff oreos
Chocolate syrup
Air freshener (lysol or stronger)
How you cook the pork chops depends on him... to just make him smile, you can broil them. To make him do backflips, fry them!
Mash up potatoes - the way HE likes them. That means a little salty...
Ranch style beans
Serve with his favorite beverage. For extra brownie points, serve on a TV tray with his favorite movie or sport on! And if you really want him to smile, let him wipe his hands on his shirt or the sofa...
When he's so stuffed he can't move, fill a big bowl with ice cream and top with oreos. Liberally drizzle chocolate sauce. Remove his dinner plate and place ice cream on his tv tray.
Do not expect him to do dishes this night - he's as stuffed as a tick and can't move.
Once you join him in the living room, expect "manly noises" to begin. Have your lysol ready, or invest in a timed automatic sprayer. Set for most frequent sprays on man dinner night.
Dog teaching God...
Since I've adopted Pixie, I've seen a variety of lessons God is trying to teach me in her!
First, I have promised to pray regularly, but always get tired, something comes up, don't feel like it, etc... Well, we adopted our dog and dog's don't know excuses. They know routine. If you wake up every morning and take them outside, then to your prayer closet, they learn that after waking up, the prayer closet is the place to go.
So, when I have a lazy day and try to sleep in, she whines until I get up. When I have a lazy day and try to sit and watch tv instead, she whines at the door of the classroom until I sit in the chair where she gets on my lap.
Since none of my friends are up at 5:00 am to chat, there is no excuse once I get to my desk. A little, abandoned dog has taught me a lesson on commitment. On being faithful.
Second is unconditional love. I am the one who rescued the dog, I cook for her, I train her and she is mine. But, let my granddaughter hold her cookie too low, and Pixie loves her for being short and "offering" a treat. Rub her belly and she loves you. It's not what you have done repeatedly for her, you just walk in my house and she is ready to love you. It's really that easy!
Third is how to rest in God. My husband is a doom and gloom kind of person, searching the net for all the doomsday info. It gets rather scary for the kids to hear it, and depressing to hear all the horror going on. I was getting very stressed over it, until I began to watch my dog. She has her "people" for times. Every morning, she lays on my lap, and just rests. No cares, no worries, just rest. Every afternoon, she rests on hubby's lap or by his leg. Every evening, it's the kids, taking turns to share the love with all of them. She doesn't worry about food, money, or chasing cats (ok, sometimes she will stop and chase a cat). But resting in God is that easy. You just DO IT.
So, I guess Preacher Pixie was supposed to be my dog from the start. She kept running away from people to get to me, because I've been praying for help to be faithful in my prayer life, to learn to love unconditionally, and to rest in God and not worry.
Now, should I tell my pastor that my pooch is preaching and reaching me better than he is at the moment?? LOL!!
First, I have promised to pray regularly, but always get tired, something comes up, don't feel like it, etc... Well, we adopted our dog and dog's don't know excuses. They know routine. If you wake up every morning and take them outside, then to your prayer closet, they learn that after waking up, the prayer closet is the place to go.
So, when I have a lazy day and try to sleep in, she whines until I get up. When I have a lazy day and try to sit and watch tv instead, she whines at the door of the classroom until I sit in the chair where she gets on my lap.
Since none of my friends are up at 5:00 am to chat, there is no excuse once I get to my desk. A little, abandoned dog has taught me a lesson on commitment. On being faithful.
Second is unconditional love. I am the one who rescued the dog, I cook for her, I train her and she is mine. But, let my granddaughter hold her cookie too low, and Pixie loves her for being short and "offering" a treat. Rub her belly and she loves you. It's not what you have done repeatedly for her, you just walk in my house and she is ready to love you. It's really that easy!
Third is how to rest in God. My husband is a doom and gloom kind of person, searching the net for all the doomsday info. It gets rather scary for the kids to hear it, and depressing to hear all the horror going on. I was getting very stressed over it, until I began to watch my dog. She has her "people" for times. Every morning, she lays on my lap, and just rests. No cares, no worries, just rest. Every afternoon, she rests on hubby's lap or by his leg. Every evening, it's the kids, taking turns to share the love with all of them. She doesn't worry about food, money, or chasing cats (ok, sometimes she will stop and chase a cat). But resting in God is that easy. You just DO IT.
So, I guess Preacher Pixie was supposed to be my dog from the start. She kept running away from people to get to me, because I've been praying for help to be faithful in my prayer life, to learn to love unconditionally, and to rest in God and not worry.
Now, should I tell my pastor that my pooch is preaching and reaching me better than he is at the moment?? LOL!!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Two year olds are awesome!!!
After years of avoiding working in the 2 year old room at our old church, I signed up to coordinate the toddler room. The kids have begun to have small group lessons in a separate room, to avoid distractions of too many kids or toys.
This has the little guys actually listening to and learning the lesson! Last Sunday, I had my first 2 yr old say our memory verse... well, a shortened version supplied by the curriculum we use. I gave him a hi-5 and he kept saying it. He actually shouted it when he changed rooms!!
We then had a situation with a toddler and his brother getting sick. The little guy was concerned so I asked if he wanted to pray. He said yes and took my hands. Well, all the kids saw us praying and began to grab hands. Before I could finish a prayer condensed and simplified for 2 yr olds to repeat, almost every child in the class was in the circle trying to pray.
Since, other kids have begun to say our memory verse. When a child falls (which always happens in groups of kids) we pray "Ouchie go away in Jesus name". I start and several of the kids will come up and say their version while laying their hands on the fallen child.
Seeing these little guys and their innocent faith is so awesome! I have been truly blessed to be allowed to work with them.
This has the little guys actually listening to and learning the lesson! Last Sunday, I had my first 2 yr old say our memory verse... well, a shortened version supplied by the curriculum we use. I gave him a hi-5 and he kept saying it. He actually shouted it when he changed rooms!!
We then had a situation with a toddler and his brother getting sick. The little guy was concerned so I asked if he wanted to pray. He said yes and took my hands. Well, all the kids saw us praying and began to grab hands. Before I could finish a prayer condensed and simplified for 2 yr olds to repeat, almost every child in the class was in the circle trying to pray.
Since, other kids have begun to say our memory verse. When a child falls (which always happens in groups of kids) we pray "Ouchie go away in Jesus name". I start and several of the kids will come up and say their version while laying their hands on the fallen child.
Seeing these little guys and their innocent faith is so awesome! I have been truly blessed to be allowed to work with them.
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