Just checking in ...

Seagull tracks

Oh boy! The past year has found me terribly out of touch. It offered some challenging detours:

• I developed a terrible wrist-to-elbow problem from too much computer use, so naturally, I had to refrain from computer use (typing).
• More significantly, my husband was away for work for 1 year.
• To top it off, at his mid-way visit, I fell pregnant (unplanned).
• The first trimester found me very sick -- vomiting like I never had in pregnancy. Taking care of my 3 darlings on top of it all was by far the most trying experience of my life *thus far.*
• The day after we returned from 2 months with family in MN (survival escape), I developed a terribly pinched nerve in my right foot, which found me nearly invalid for a couple weeks.
• The nerve problem nearly went away (after getting rid of that mattress -- a comical recurrence in EVERY pregnancy), then I developed ridiculous varicose veins in my right leg, due to an ankle injury from when I was little ... and being unfit. It made standing very painful, but supplementing with horse chestnut extract has helped tremendously!
• I've been spending all my computer time in homeschool-related research and activities.

Oy, here I am now, pregnant, terribly out of shape, and expecting a newborn in less than 2 months!

Thank God my husband is home, breathing life into our little ones.

-------

On a homeschool note, I've been very intentional about further homeschooling Esther. We started "year 1" in a Charlotte Mason curriculum, but it was a bit too much too soon.

Instead, I'm completely relaxing any expectations of covering "ancient history" for our timeline and returning to a love of learning. We'll learn about all sorts of interesting people and events, and we'll add them to our timeline wherever they belong.

Afterall, Charlotte believed, according to principles 11 and 12 (AO summaries):

"We believe that childrens' minds are capable of digesting real knowledge, so we provide a rich, generous curriculum that exposes children to many interesting, living ideas and concepts." 

"Education is the science of relations" means that children have minds capable of making their own connections with knowledge and experiences, so we make sure the child learns about nature, science and art, knows how to make things, reads many living books and that they are physically fit."

I'm not worried one bit about diverging from the recommended sequence of readings. It may remain so for a few years. I know I just need to keep a rich, diverse array of living stories, experiences, and knowledge as a buffet before my little ones.

My 3 darlings exploring in much masterly inactivity
on a much-needed family getaway

More Organized!

It's been so long since I've blogged that I feel overwhelmed by the idea of sharing all the changes, discoveries, reorganization and the like that have transpired around here. So, I'll just share some of my favorite new "organization" changes ... all made possible by my dear husband being home for 2 weeks straight!

While he was home, he largely took the children off my hands so I could reorganize, plan, and the like. It proved to be a God-send to revive me and help me be prepared for the coming months. (We also enjoyed adventuring, working, and lounging as a family!)

I've created more proper places for things, even tractors:

This is my favorite change: I cut the legs off my first dining table from my single days! Tony and I both have back issues and are convinced sitting in chairs (as I'm doing now) is not a good habit. We've enjoyed having this table available for working while sitting on the floor. It also reflects light quite well, to keep us all chipper!

I designated this "tv" armoire (Craig's list bargain!) for homeschool items that only I remove -- mainly math and geography for now. When my husband was here, he added the two lateral shelves, then I recently added the individual puzzle map shelves. It was completely nonfunctional before the changes.

This may seem small, but it's huge: This is the lego oasis! George loves his legos, as do the others, but this rug is set apart away from all the other toys and books.

I've made several other changes in physical storage and organization, but the above are my favorites! 

Have you come across any great, new storage ideas that work well for your family? 

What's Off My Bookshelf?

I've been enjoying reading some really interesting books of late; mind you, many times the readings come in 2-minute sittings, and it will be a long time before I finish most of these books. Maybe you'll find some of them interesting ...

The Disappearance of Childhood by Neil Postman
This book, sold by Lamplighter Publishing, has been a surprising, interesting read. (I'm about half-way through.) Postman offers a history of the perspective on childhood through the centuries, really as an essay. In more recent history, the invention of the printing press opened the door for a new distinction between the child and adult, a child being illiterate and an adult being literate. He talks about the diversion of the view of childhood, between Protestantism (along the lines of John Locke) and Romanticism (along Jean Jacques Rousseau's lines) -- I find myself embracing aspects of both views.

As the book description suggests, he's going to argue later in the book:

"... childhood is a relatively recent invention, which came into being as the new medium of print imposed divisions between children and adults. But now these divisions are eroding under the barrage of television, which turns the adult secrets of sex and violence into popular entertainment and pitches both news and advertising at the intellectual level of ten-year-olds."

I can't tell you how pleased I am that I stumbled upon this insightful book. Understanding history never ceases to open my eyes to better understand our current world.

Endangered Minds by Jane M. Healy

The most recent chapter I enjoyed in this book made a strong case that Sesame Street not only doesn't achieve its goal of preparing children to read, but it fosters habits contrary to reading preparation. One quote from the meaty chapter:

"During the early years [skills necessary for the brain to be a comfortable place for real literacy to dwell] are best learned through active, hands-on experiences (e.g. playing, building, exploring, talking), and imaginative social play, and listening to enjoyment to good children's literature, not from a medium which has made a science of taking control of the viewer's attention."

The Amish in Their Own Words by Brad Igou

I've realized again and again in recent months that one reason my husband and I hold an approach very different from many others we know is that we're strongly drawn to and influenced by the same principles as the Amish: simplicity, family work, lack of indulgence, etc.

I was thrilled to come across this book at a library sale. Some great excerpts, from letters by Amish:

"Perhaps it is time for us to see that even good company, if it detracts from the ties between parent and child, can also be a harmful thing. ... It is true that young people need something to do. But parents should look harder for things they can do with the family that will serve to strengthen the ties between children and parents, rather than between children and their peers."

"This is the chief and principal care of the saints, that their children may fear God, do right, and be saved."

"I think it's more than the size of the group that makes young people act disorderly. What they need is an inward conviction against wrong. They need self-respect and parents who truly care and are a little more strict."

"I only hope more parents realize the dangers in letting their young girls go out (to work to help the family), away from home and under the influence of the world. Believe me, it's not worth the money. ... If my letter can help just one parent realize the dangers in working out, if I can save just one girl from the heartache I've been through, this letter will have been well worth my time."

The Mission of Motherhood by Nancy Clarkson

We've been reading this book at the new mom's heart book club, and while I don't really agree with Sally's entire worldview, I do appreciate her overwhelming desire to be a nurturing mother to her children. A couple quotes from the first 3 chapters:

"As we build, we need to check our progress along the way, keeping our overall purpose in mind and making choices that keep our building on the right track. We must assess our choices honestly to determine whether they are helping or hindering what we are trying to do."

"Matthew 6:20-21 encourages us: 'Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.' ... The kingdom of this world and all its pleasures last only for a time. My children will become my treasures in heaven if they indeed learn to love God and serve Him with their whole hearts. This is eternal work -- to train the hearts, minds, and conscience in righteousness."

Families Where Grace is in Place by Bill Hybels
What I've read from this book is encouraging in terms of remembering to have the best intentions toward our children, but I feel like it's written for parents who are bent on outward performance to look good for others, as opposed to matters of the heart. I'm bent on BOTH: the outward action as a matter of habit, self-discipline and willing obedience and the heart being bent toward their Creator and His good and perfect will.

I feel this book is so concerned about the heart that it forgets about the importance of the outward action as well. If someone comes from a legalistic background, this book is probably a useful read! I find No Greater Joy ministries nicely ties together the principles of the outward obedience and the inward heart and fellowship, which leads me to the next great read of late ...

No Greater Joy Ministries articles galore
I've been getting back into the articles written by the Pearls and other contributors at their website. Their book, To Train Up A Child, was the first parenting book I ever read. Taken (only) in its entirety, I feel the Pearl's guidance is a recipe for total success -- I stress entirety because just swatting is, as they say, harmful; on the other hand, loving, consistent (100%) addressing disobedience (often with swatting) in context of loving fellowship produces happy kids.

My husband and I are completely on the same page on this subject, so I've been able to rest in great peace. My children are also getting happier and more self-controlled, and my girl generally doesn't have teen sass attitude, which I believe is total poison to the soul and future happiness of young girls. (Uh, hem: "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall" ... I know!)

Here's an article from "Continuous Fellowship":

"Until we tie strings of fellowship all else is vain, even harmful. If you would train your children and you are prevented from using the rod, you still have at your disposal a tool that most of my readers have never effectively employed—continuous fellowship with their child. If you can create an atmosphere of trust and good will, you will greatly reduce the need to spank the small child, and nearly eliminate the need in children 8 or older. After you have established fellowship with your children, the next step in training is to gain their respect as a person of principle. Your children must know that you answer to, and act as representative of, a rule of law that is higher than your own personal preference. You have boundaries that you adhere to and expect them to do likewise. By reverencing boundaries in your own life you communicate that there is a Lawgiver higher than your own feelings and impulses. If the child is made to feel that he or she must obey you only because you are bigger or tougher, or because you have control of the resources, then your influence will extend only until they are big enough to rebel without severe consequences. But if the child treasures your fellowship and wants to please you, and on top of that the child wants to please the God that you please, then you have a solid foundation for training. The only battle left is the child’s flesh."

Parents & Children by Charlotte Mason

Read gratuit at Ambleside Online
I can't count the number of times my heart has raised in thanks to my Creator for the legacy of Charlotte Mason. She was so diligent, wise, and faithful, and I never cease to confront a new thought, idea, or perspective on life when I read her works. Here are a few excerpts I've been re-reading of late:

"The duty of parents is to sustain a child's inner life with ideas as they sustain his body with food."

"A child has affinities with evil as well as with good; therefore, hedge him about from any chance lodgement of evil ideas. The initial idea begets subsequent ideas; therefore, take care that children get right primary ideas on the great relations and duties of life."

"It is with the advance of years that a materialistic temper settles upon us. But the children live in the light of the morning-land. The spirit-world has no mysteries for them; that parable and travesty of the spirit-world, the fairy-world, where all things are possible, is it not their favourite dwelling-place? And fairy-tales are so dear to children because their spirits fret against the hard and narrow limitations of time and place and substance; they cannot breathe freely in a material world. Think what the vision of God should be to the little child already peering wistfully through the bars of his prison-house. Not a far-off God, a cold abstraction, but a warm, breathing, spiritual Presence about his path and about his bed––a Presence in which he recognises protection and tenderness in darkness and danger, towards which he rushes as the timid child to hide his face in his mother's skirts." [Disclaimer: I am very cautious in which "fairy tales" I allow.]

"... the introduction of such primal ideas as shall impel the soul to God is the first duty and the highest privilege of parents. Whatever sin of unbelief a man is guilty of, are his parents not wholly to blame?"

"Is it possible that the mother could, when alone with her children, occasionally hold this communing out loud, so that the children might grow up in the sense of the presence of God?"

I could go on forever ... one must read Charlotte's own words herself!

Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn

At a glance, it could look like Kohn's approach is the polar opposite of No Greater Joy; as I've delved deep into both perspectives, I find they share much in common: The parents' goal of relationship and fellowship with their children!

I love Kohn's constant questions that force me to consider whether or not I'm respecting my child as a person, as Charlotte Mason said we must see them. He's very reasonable and thoughtful in his recommendations.

Kohn's approach, however, does lack some hootzpah. Kohn doesn't seem to believe in God and judgment, so his approach is very open-ended, as far as teaching the child self-control and obedience, etc.

The Lamplighter by Maria S. Cummins
Free on Kindle!
I first sought this book because it's highly rated by Lamplighter Publishing and after which the ministry names itself. I am really enjoying the lovely redemption that occurs in the book repeatedly, as well as the incredible fortitude of character as a part of "doing one's duty." I look forward to offering this classic literature to my children some day.

The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth
Free on Kindle!
I also sought this book because of Lamplighter's leading. I don't feel it's as inspiring, in terms of character, as The Lamplighter, but it's an enjoyable, wholesome listen. (I'm listening to the Librivox.org version.)

The Iliad by Homer

I'd never read this epic before now, and I'm discussing it with the classics book club as well as with another friend.

It's interesting and will in the end make me "more educated," but I have to say, I could do without all the shallowness of pretty much all of the characters, men and "gods" alike.

I'm still using it to take away great lessons in character issues. I've listened to some of The Great Courses presentations to aid in my understanding. (Free at the library!)

A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel DeFoe

I found this book for 75 cents at the library, and it's been an interesting read. So far, my favorite excerpt is a very poignant treaty on trusting God blindly for health and safety vs. trusting God while doing our own parts to preserve our lives:

"The best preparation for the plague was running away from it. As to my argument of losing my trade, my goods, or debts, [my brother] quite confuted me. He told me the same thing which I argued for my staying, viz., that I would trust God with my safety and health, was the strongest repulse to my pretensions of losing my trade and my goods; 'for,' says he, 'is it not as reasonable that you should trust God with the chance or risk of losing your trade, as that you should stay in so eminent a point of danger, and trust Him with your life?'"

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

I have to say that while this book is full of vulgarity and despicable characters (including the hero), it was a life-changing book for me. Had I not committed to read it with the classics book club, I wouldn't have finished it.

I feel that Rand wanted to make a really powerful, important point about the importance of self-reliance and maximizing our gifts by our own efforts, regardless of what others' think. However, to make this point, she wrote an immoral story, but what can I complain, she herself lived an immoral life, having had an affair on her husband and dying without faith in her Creator -- a brilliant soul, lost for eternity.

The 2 most poignant characters, for me, were:

• Ellsworth Toohey: No one could better exemplify the "do" good ... no, the "think" good ... attitude of liberal elites who love to steal from people who work hard to earn money to give to those who don't ... while keeping them in a state of ignorant dependence and mediocrity. Toohey was the greatest of think gooders, and it was all for the sake of PRIDE. He not only disbelieved in God, but in a sense, he thought he was god. He is my favorite new novel character reference in the past year, at least. He reminds me of several politicians, past and present.
• Howard Rourke: He was the hero of the book, and apart from gross sexual immorality, he was a very respectable character. He gave me a healthy dose of self-contempt, in that he held onto his principles and values so deeply that nothing could cause him to compromise them. I tend to be quite dogmatic in the principles I follow, but I also get discouraged and aimless from time to time. Rourke made me feel like a doof, but at the same time, it inspired me to stop being pathetic and press on!!! You know, like a hearty, "Come on ... you go, girl!"

Rand was a staunch libertarian, after having lived through all the "altruism" of those involved in the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, followed by a lot of bloodshed, abuse and injustice by Lenin. She loved America, having migrated in 1926, and she loved freedom. She loved the freedom to work, to do, to think, to dream, to achieve and enjoy the fruits of her own labor. 

Here's are some excerpts from the novel (unfortunately since I listened to the book, I don't have my most favorite quotes available to share):

“It's easy to run to others. It's so hard to stand on one's own record. You can fake virtue for an audience. You can't fake it in your own eyes. Your ego is your strictest judge. They run from it. They spend their lives running. It's easier to donate a few thousand to charity and think oneself noble than to base self-respect on personal standards of personal achievement. It's simple to seek substitutes for competence--such easy substitutes: love, charm, kindness, charity. But there is no substitute for competence.”

“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received — hatred. The great creators — the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors — stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won.”

“When I listen to a symphony I love, I don't get from it what the composer got. His 'Yes' was different from mine. He could have no concern for mine and no exact conception of it. That answer is too personal to each man. But in giving himself what he wanted, he gave me a great experience.”

“The audience looked at him. They felt he had no chance. They could drop the nameless resentment, the sense of insecurity which he aroused in most people. And so, for the first time, they could see him as he was: a man totally innocent of fear. The fear of which they thought was not the normal kind, not a response to a tangible danger, but the chronic, unconfessed fear in which they all lived. They remembered the misery of the moments when, in loneliness, a man thinks of the bright words he could have said, but had not found, and hates those who robbed him of his courage. The misery of knowing how strong and able one is in one's own mind, the radiant picture never to be made real. Dreams? Self-delusion? Or a murdered reality, unborn, killed by that corroding emotion without name - fear - need - dependence - hatred?”

Next to Join the Book Rotation:

Real Boys by William Pollack
The book caught my eye after another similar book was recommended on a blog I visit. I don't know much about it ...

The Godly Home by Richard Baxter
A homeschool, homestead, patriot friend of mine recommended this book to me, and I look forward to getting into it in the near future! The Amazon description is enticing.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The classics book club has selected this book. I read it in high school (actually read it), but it will be more enlightening and creepy to read it at this phase of life, where we seem to possibly be entering such a strange 1984 Orwellian-style world:

"... a world of perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and public mind control, dictated by a political system euphemistically named English Socialism under the control of a privileged Inner Party elite that persecutes all individualism and independent thinking as thought crimes. Their tyranny is headed by Big Brother, the quasi-divine Party leader who enjoys an intense cult of personality." (thank you, wiki)

Where shall I continue to seek peace in it all?

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1) 

and

"I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

That's all for now. Have you been reading anything interesting?

We've Moved ... Out of Doors! (curriculum series, 5)

[This post is part 5 in a series on our "kindergarten" curriculum, listed in I Notified the Government! It covers "Science."]

The big kids' free play near a pond today apparently 

made them very affectionate toward one another as we 

hiked back toward the car. Go, nature study!

This comfortable weather has been such a dream! As of today, we've been hiking and/or exploring outdoors 7 days in a row.

I've been feeling that while most little people in the world have gone back to school in a classroom, we've also gone back to school, but in the school of much masterly inactivity, as well as guided moments and promptings by mom, in the classroom of the great world out of doors.

[ NATURE STUDY, OUT OF DOORS ]

We went hiking in a local nature preserve, and Jedediah

wanted to ask this man if he could help. I had to get the

words out, but Diah then went on to help the man 

transplant several potted plants into the ground. We'll 

check on them on future walks!

[ Our agenda ] Get out daily.

[ Duration ] For a long time; ideally several hours. 

[ Location ] Local parks, nature preserves, and the like. We like to visit new places and return to old places.

[ Resources, 1 ] I basically only bring ...

1. Food and drink
2. A bag to store collections
3. A book for mom to read; Esther chooses to bring her "learning to read" books

I feel like I'm finally living the counsel of the beloved Charlotte Mason, as I feel the need for no additional "academic" agenda for my kids at the moment, apart from time spent out of doors -- the weather is making it possible.

"Never be within doors when you can rightly be without ... Perhaps a mother's first duty to her children 

is to secure for them a quiet growing up time, 

a full six years of passive receptive life, 

the waking part of it spent for the most part 

in the fresh air."

— Charlotte Mason

For more excerpts from Charlotte on Nature Study for young children, check out the highlights from her book Home Education.

I do feel that we are living this advice for the current season; it was impossible for our family in the summer, and it may also be impossible in the winter. However, we are loving the current moment of spending several hours a day out of doors.

[ Resources, 2 ] Since we've fallen in love with this new lifestyle, I've decided to get quite serious about it. We've added ...

1. A hiking daypack for mom from an REI garage sale.
2. A hiking daypack for Esther from the same garage sale. She now "takes responsibility" for the following ...

• First aid pack
• Her own water and milk
• Her own sunflower seeds
• (Still her "learning to read" books)

[ Resources, 3 ] In addition to the books listed in "Our Nature Study of Late," I recently picked up two books from REI, our outdoor adventure outfitter of late! We've begun perusing the books, and I plan to slowly incorporate reading them aloud and practicing the activities with the kids when we're out, and home.

Nature School (Jedediah's choice)

The kiddos and I spent some time in this book tonight and really enjoyed some of the many clever ideas, including hooting out the window to the owls. We didn't receive a response but love the idea we first gleaned in Owl Moon. 

One Small Square: Woods (Esther's choice)

I look forward to reading this aloud to the big kids next time we're in the woods this week.

[ Repotting Wild Seedlings ] A couple days ago, the kiddos and I repotted several tree seedlings that had sprouted in our mulch. (Obviously, I didn't do the best job making the mulch thick in the spring.) They now water them daily, and I think we'll try to winter most of them outdoors.

[ At-Home Play ] Good, old-fashioned play in our yard. 

[ NATURE STUDY, INDOORS ] 

For our indoor nature study supplementation, we have a few little tidbits we're enjoying ...

[ Nature Table(s) ] Jedediah arranged our new and improved nature table, to supplement our first one (which was too crowded). I've been feeling I want to clear every surface in the house for our treasures! 

Based on some great ideas in Nature School, I plan to start labeling and better displaying some of our finds.

Feathers!

Magnifying glasses (cheap, second-hand finds).

(Wool from our shedding sheep, I mean rugs!)

Hay. (Leave it to Jedediah to find it!)

Purple coneflower/echinacea flower and seeds.

Shells.

Seeds.

Wood. The boys always grab it.

Rocks, flowers, and berries ... chicory, too.

Tree leaves, needles, and branches.

Rocks, which the kiddos wanted to paint, flowers (Queen Anne's Lace and Red Clover), and trees (River Birth bark and Juniper).

Finds from a family trip last Spring.

Insects (mostly) ... and mostly indentified, reptiles (snake ... poor thing), and invertibrate (fish spine). We've found most of these critters in our house or around our property.

Acorns! The kiddos, especially Jedediah, love collecting them. Esther prefers to point them out to Jedediah. From her earliest days, I've thought of her in terms of references to Ever After. Yikes! First, as a screaming babe, she was the Spanish princess who didn't want to marry the prince of France. When she's in charge, she's more like the step sister who didn't get to marry the prince. Yikes. May we become more like Jesus.

[ Mosquito Farm ] Come on! You know you want one! How does one acquire one? Scoop up all those squigglies in standing water in your yard! We've gone through a few cycles of larva, pupa, adult, egg, larva, pupa, adult ... etc this summer.

Hundreds of larvae!

A few happy pupas.

[ Ladybug Home ] Photo not available. We have two ladybugs in a jar, and they just need a sugar-water-soaked napkin and aphids. (No water droplets, apparently.)

[ Spider Home ] Similar to the ladybug, I think. We let the happy green thing go after 2 days.

[ Caterpillar Home ] We've watched a few turn into butterflies, but we decided to let the last one go early.

[ Homemade Displays & Montessori "Games" ] I adore Charlotte Mason and Maria Montessori, who apparently vehemently disagreed with eachother. They took exceptionally different approaches to the earliest years of life, but I love to glean from the wisdom of each. As such, this little section is thanks to Montessori! 

I created all these items after posting that nature study is very simple and these manufactured activities aren't necessary in the early years. I still believe that, but I was inspired to create. If you want any of these e-files, let me know, and I'll e-mail them to you.

Characteristics game, Montessori style, which I made.

The game, completed.

Dragonfly life cycle game and display.
(We have a real nymph Diah found, as well as a real adult, at our nature table.)

Mosquito display and life cycle game. We've watched the live life cycle
several times now.

We have several cicada adults and exoskeletons form molting.

Kingdoms of Life display/control chart

Kingdoms of Life "game"

Kingdoms of Life, individual sheets.

I also made a couple other "games" and displays on the breakdown of the animal kingdom. Again, let me know if you'd like them.

[ Books, of Course ] In addition to the 2 books pictured above, we have several nature reference books we've purchased new and second-hand, or that we're borrowing from the library. Our favorites are pictured in "Our Nature Study of Late."

Here's a picture of some chicory, which we looked up in our $3 (?) Wildflowers of North America book.

[ Videos, as Rarely as Possible ] Our newest Netflix find, in addition to The Incredible Journey of the Turtle and The Cave of the Yellow Dog, is Sweet Grass about a sheep farm in Montana. It's pretty slow and interesting, but you'll have to shut it off about halfway through to avoid the few cuss words!

The more I read (currently Endangered Minds), the more I am convicted that I should avoid all video as much as possible!!!

[ Binoculars ] We aren't currently using them too often, but we have them and use them to "check out" interesting finds outdoors.

[ IN 6 DAYS THE LORD MADE ... ]

I'm feeling increasingly convicted about "honoring the Sabbath" as a means to teach my children that God made nature ... and all laws of science! 

[ Sabbath Party ] It's nothing revolutionary, but we have a "Sabbath party" every Friday night after sundown. The kids love it, and I am turning down all opportunities outside and inside the home that would potentially cancel it.

After our candle lighting during night snack, and possibly scripture reading and chatting about the Sabbath, we have a party where we listen to praise music ... sometimes singing, dancing, playing, or chatting.

They remember the days and that it's the Sabbath better than I do! I think it's part of their inner rhythm of life.

As to "Sabbath keeping," I love this reminder from Romans 14:4-6 that it is before the LORD that we stand or fall ...

"Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it ..."

[ 7 Days of Creation Game ] To enforce the beginning of Genesis, we still like to play the 7 Days of Creation Game. 

I've updated it with more images and an improved control chart. I hope to update the initial post soon, as it's the most frequently visited one on this blog.

My favorite addition is Esther's tiny drawing for the Sabbath ... two candles.

I love that God put the fact that He created everything in 6 days right in the 10 commandments! It gives me great peace about the questions of macro-evolution, etc. I only pray that my children will believe His word that He is creator. Exodus 20:8-11:

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

Thank you, LORD, that we have this beautiful world to enjoy and where we can stand in awe of your amazing Hand.

[ MASON-INSPIRED RESOURCES ]

I don't currently use them, but I know of two great Charlotte Mason-inspired resources:

The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock: When my kiddos are older, we may incorporate this book more often. It's available for free electronically.

Handbook of Nature Study Blog: Home of the Outdoor Challenge Hour and Nature Study for Homeschoolers

Happy Autumn ...