tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11272651138778821502024-03-14T13:53:49.742-04:00The Joy of Homemakinggodlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.comBlogger1271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-35753787880048891732015-04-08T14:09:00.000-04:002015-04-08T21:24:41.870-04:00Intentional Easter | Giving Meaningful Gifts Throughout the Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpdh3ZZnwKt6VleRvLM1n4MrGtlZp5VhmK1146XxYZZZOre9C19Z_A8Ee15ABNmmZxmpNuf8f4Ea9IHUUUdshCctl6MHUlyc4bHTgkvLIAlYmhhvmBNydPSgTmS30ebWktl20FPpnjJ0/s1600/intentional+easter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpdh3ZZnwKt6VleRvLM1n4MrGtlZp5VhmK1146XxYZZZOre9C19Z_A8Ee15ABNmmZxmpNuf8f4Ea9IHUUUdshCctl6MHUlyc4bHTgkvLIAlYmhhvmBNydPSgTmS30ebWktl20FPpnjJ0/s1600/intentional+easter.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #999999;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
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After my initial post on an <a href="http://godlyrose.blogspot.com/2014/11/intentional-christmas-preparing-your.html" target="_blank">intentional Christmas</a>, I began really thinking about ways to be intentional with other holidays and events.<br />
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Valentine's Day and a birthday have come and gone, and those were thought out with intent (and if I ever find myself with some time like I found right now, I'll tell you about those).<br />
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This weekend was all about Easter. Because I knew how busy we were going to be (I am currently the interim Children's Ministry Director at our church so Easter weekend was really busy), I planned ahead of time some crafts that we would do together. We also began our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602006512/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1602006512&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2DIVOJOYTBNEVGRT">Resurrection Eggs</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1602006512" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576731391/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1576731391&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=LFN6BX4G4U3TW2FB">Benjamin's Box: A Resurrection Story</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1576731391" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i> week and a half before Easter so we could make our way through them in a relaxed manner.<br />
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I also carefully thought through our Easter outfits. Our church was having services on Saturday night and Sunday. I knew my family was going to attend on Saturday night, so I purchased new items reflective of the time they would be attending church but also items that could be worn multiple times throughout the hot summers in here Florida.<br />
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We have always given our children an Easter gift of some kind, but this year, I thought about the intent of the gifts. Was it just to give them "stuff" or was it to provide items they needed (and wanted) and would continue to use?<br />
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We chose to give each child a keepsake box with identical items that were gender specific.<br />
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Both children got:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CK6SLTY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CK6SLTY&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=VWYXFDSF7EGE3OPG">toothbrush</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CK6SLTY" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (so they can use the Disney timer app)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T6P4KUG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00T6P4KUG&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=GQJGC7DQMI7WTJV3">toothpaste</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00T6P4KUG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (again, so they could use the Disney timer app)</li>
<li>sunglasses (with their favorite characters on them)</li>
<li>A sticky-climbs-down-your-fridge-when-you-throw-it type thing</li>
<li>A movie (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O4ZC57I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00O4ZC57I&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=WDBYNSDQUDIRA6CX">Big Hero 6 </a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R86KXM4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00R86KXM4&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2O2B242LR7IMTWSK">Annie </a>)</li>
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In addition Ian got <img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00R86KXM4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A63YEBW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00A63YEBW&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=45XECRTLGVV46O2I">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Underwear</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00A63YEBW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and Addie got a set of headbands.<br />
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We stayed away from the candy knowing that our family would be giving them lots of candy later on Sunday afternoon (hence the need for fun toothbrushes and toothpaste!).<br />
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I know that none of our gifts to the kids will end up in the garbage or a garage sale. I know that the movies purchased will provide entertainment to them as we take long trips during the summer (digital downloads are awesome!). I know that needs and wants were met within a reasonable budget. I am thankful that each child knows that they are equally loved because they received the same gifts. <br />
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After the kids opened their boxes, Addie burst out with, "This is the best Easter ever!" I think that somehow, even she understood what made this Easter different from past Easters.<br />
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(And don't worry, I didn't forget about my husband. He had to hunt for his gift! I used this <a href="http://www.thedatingdivas.com/you-me/show-him-the-love/easter-egg-hubby-hunt/" target="_blank">free printable</a> from the <a href="http://www.thedatingdivas.com/you-me/show-him-the-love/easter-egg-hubby-hunt/" target="_blank">Dating Divas</a>.)godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-17333045531706834982015-02-10T19:53:00.000-05:002015-02-19T12:43:52.031-05:00Motivate Your Child | Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
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Have you ever tried a new system thinking it would help motivate your child to take responsibility of certain chores or just to be an active and involved member of your family, only to find that the system works for a few days or (if you're lucky) weeks and then the thrill and excitement wear off. (Yes, my hand is raised!)<br />
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After reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0529100738/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0529100738&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=4FWWC6CRRW5GMU5A">Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0529100738" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i>, I realized that the methods I was using were only using external means of motivation. And quite honestly, external means only motivate us for so long.<i> Motivate Your Child </i>teaches parents through real life example how to give our children the gift of internal motivation.<br />
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There are so many books on the market that give general ideas, blanket answers, and a one-size-fits-all answer for raising and teaching children how to do what is asked of them. <i>Motivate Your Child</i> is the first book I have read that gives at least two to three examples per chapter of real life families and situations and how to approach each situation in a way that will not only correct the behavior in the present but will also impact the child's heart for the future.<br />
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Have you ever read a situation and thought to yourself, "That is my family they are talking about! I dealt with that same situation last week!" I cannot tell you how many times I had those same thoughts run through my head as I read this book.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #990000;">Every once in a while a book comes your way that really impacts and changes the way you approach what you "normally do." "Motivate Your Child" has made me realize that we need to teach our child to be motived by internal means (conviction) because our ultimate goal of correction and loving discipline is to bring them to Christ.</span></blockquote>
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Although I read this for the review, I can tell you honestly that I will be rereading it again in the next month with my husband. As parents, it is so important that we are on the same page when it comes to raising our children for the Lord, and using the same techniques and having the same information can make a huge difference.<br />
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Child raising books are everywhere, but this one deals with more than just raising a child. It deals with the heart of child with the ultimate goal of bringing our children to Christ- not just having "good" kids. I don't just want kids that obey and are good. I want kids who have a relationship with Christ, and because of that relationship are motivated to obey and be good.<br />
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If you are tired of trying a new technique every few weeks to keep your children motivated, I would recommend that you pick up a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0529100738/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0529100738&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=4FWWC6CRRW5GMU5A">Motivate Your Child</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0529100738" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> today. The first time your child shows motivation because of what is happening in their heart, you will reap the benefits of your investment.<br />
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To learn more about this book and its authors, check out their <a href="https://www.biblicalparenting.org/motivateyourchild/" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-78185052696276475122015-01-29T16:33:00.000-05:002015-01-29T16:33:29.084-05:00Motivate Your KidsI am excited to share with you about a new book I’m reading this month -- <a href="http://www.biblicalparenting.org/motivateyourchild/default.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told</a>. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Isn't that what you want for your kids?<br />
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<a href="http://benandme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/150-preorder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="$150 preorder" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5301" src="http://benandme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/150-preorder.jpg" height="372" width="372" /></a></div>
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<br />
<blockquote>
God's Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live.<strong>Motivate Your Child</strong> is a practical book that explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.</blockquote>
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This is the newest book by parenting experts, Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN from the National Center for Biblical Parenting (NCBP), also authors of The Christian Parenting Handbook.<br />
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In order to motivate parents to Pre-Order the book, the NCBP is offering a $150 package of resources for FREE! There are video, audio and print items that can be used on a variety of devices. You can learn more on the <a href="http://www.biblicalparenting.org/motivateyourchild/default.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book Website.</a><br />
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You can Pre-Order the book now from any retailer, and then follow the instructions below.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0529100738/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0529100738&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=MJB3CFUC4WH7OKBV">Pre-order from Amazon</a> INSTRUCTIONS: Purchase the book. Email the receipt to gift@biblicalparenting.org. The NCBP will send you the link and a special code to access these downloadable products. This offer is good until January 31, 2015.<br />
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godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-40203790518527984032015-01-09T20:52:00.003-05:002015-01-09T20:52:43.344-05:00Growing Up Social<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was recently given the opportunity to review the new book by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane entitled <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802411231/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802411231&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=YSNOG3NPZE3PHMSK">Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World</a>.</i> As I read this book the one feeling I continued to get was that of<br />
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CONVICTION!<br />
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I heard the comment once, "What parents do in moderation, the children do in excess."<br />
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The more I delved into this book, the more I became aware of how much screen time I allow myself on a daily basis. The more I became aware of that, the more concerned I became about how that would affect how my children would view screen time.<br />
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It is amazing how screens subtly make their way into our lives, our daily routine, and our family time. Reading this book made me aware of each moment I held my smartphone, picked up the tablet, turned on the TV, or sat down at the computer. It caused me to put my phone on silent during certain times of the day when I needed to be present for my children. It made me close up the entertainment center so the TV would not be visible in the living room. It made me unsubscribe to a lot of emails that I received so I would only receive emails that were relevant and important. It made me assign specific times in my day to sit at the computer for work related items.<br />
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What can you expect to get out of this book? Here is what has been said about the book.<br />
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<i>Although parents are not able to monitor every minute of their child’s screen time, they can guide them to make positive choices by example. Growing Up Social offers practical guidance on: </i><br />
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<ul>
<li><i><b>Parenting Your Child Through Screen Life:</b> Using technology to educate children on social skills, communication, gratitude, responsibility, and privacy; teaching them that people come first, and technology comes second. Understanding the A+ skills of affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. </i></li>
<li><i><b>Screen Time and the Brain:</b> Understanding how screen time is strengthening some parts of the brain (quick decision making, visual acuity, and multitasking), but weakening other parts (one-on-one people skills, empathy, reading, writing, and sustained concentration). </i></li>
<li><i><b>Screen Time and Love Languages:</b> Expressing love more effectively to your child, who is often engaged in screen time, by understanding their “love language.” (physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, and acts of service) </i></li>
<li><i><b>Screen Time and Parental Authority:</b> Implementing boundaries regarding screen time (i.e. during dinner time, bedtime, school hours). Advice if you find your child is involved with cyber-bullying, sexting, or viewing pornography. Abiding by a “screen safe family pledge.” </i></li>
<li><i><b>Screen Time and Unhealthy Lifestyle Patterns:</b> Preventing unhealthy habits caused by excess screen time, including a sedentary lifestyle, isolation from others, unhealthy eating habits, lack of sleep, and aggressive behavior. Also impacted is a child's inability to have healthy, positive friendships face-to-face.</i></li>
</ul>
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Growing Up Social had so much to say. Words that will stay with me for many years to come as Brian and I raise our children in this digital age. Here are a few excerpts from the book that I hope will capture your attention and make you more curious as to what this book has to offer you and your family.<br />
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<i>Technology is here to stay, and we believe you can find positive ways to utilize it for your relationships. No doubt your child is going to use emails, texts, and smart phones as he grows into an adult. (pg. 9) </i><br />
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</i> <i>The AAP recommends that children older than two years old should get no more than two hours a day of screen time. This means if your child is on the computer for one hour at school, they should only have one additional hour at home. (pg. 19) </i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Many screen-savvy teenagers are not taught to treat people with respect and courtesy online. Navigating friendships on a screen can seem more transactional than with humans. You can delete friends who bother you and just get new ones. People can be treating you like a commodity; they are there for your convenience to meet your needs. (pg. 63) </i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Parents are needed more than ever to provide instruction, correction, and positive modeling to a child regarding screen time, even if this digital world seems like unfamiliar territory. We live in a brand-new era when children are digital natives and many parents are digital immigrants. In other words, many children know more technology than their parents, and that is quite different from how the world worked hundreds of years ago. (pg. 169) </i><br />
<i><br /></i>I am very particular about which books I keep long-term. This is one of those books I intend on keeping and reaching for every couple of years as a reminder of being intentional with our screen time as a family.<br />
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<b>About the Authors:</b><br />
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Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of 31 Days to a Happy Husband and 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife. She has been a featured guest on Fox & Friends, The Today Show, The Better Show, TLC’s Home Made Simple, The 700 Club, Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah and Family Life Today radio. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Arlene worked as the Associate Producer for Turning Point Television. Arlene earned her BA from Biola University and her Masters in Journalism from Regent University. Arlene lives in the San Diego area with her husband James and their three young children.<br />
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<a href="http://www.arlenepellicane.com/">www.ArlenePellicane.com</a><br />
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Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The 5 Love Languages. With over 30 years of counseling experience, he has the uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to human behavior, showing readers not just where they are wrong, but how to grow and move forward. Dr. Chapman holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively, MRE and PhD degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has completed postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.<br />
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<a href="http://www.5lovelanguages.com/">www.5LoveLanguages.com</a>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-37466552150721925772014-12-23T00:00:00.000-05:002014-12-23T00:00:01.055-05:00What to Remember When Taking Pictures on Christmas MorningAs I was going through my camera after Christmas last year, I had to chuckle as I tried to find those perfect shots of our perfect Christmas.<br />
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This is what I found instead and decided to share with you so you will remember when you are trying to get those perfect shots on Christmas morning what really qualifies as a perfect photo.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can forget about being in a photo yourself. Unless you can sign your name to each photo taken, there will be no proof that you were even there for Christmas.</span> <span style="font-size: large;">(And if there was a picture, it is pretty safe to say you deleted it before anyone had a chance to see it.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your subjects will move right when you snap the photo.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwJuj-Quzo6EMOiRfSEUtRSqc2cK7CEPp4vA6_MqakgS-of0PMxPLs9iHa4eSBs9Ye5aOxTVRocSrGl39OFRzGsaDBplznkOwWODSsK2AiBXt3XfKx9o9zxsu58e3x9Axz8UiqJIAb1w/s1600/c+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwJuj-Quzo6EMOiRfSEUtRSqc2cK7CEPp4vA6_MqakgS-of0PMxPLs9iHa4eSBs9Ye5aOxTVRocSrGl39OFRzGsaDBplznkOwWODSsK2AiBXt3XfKx9o9zxsu58e3x9Axz8UiqJIAb1w/s1600/c+blog+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When you try to get pictures of the kids playing with their new toys, they will most likely be playing with the toys their siblings received.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnM8jVwga3C2Z6Rq6Kxt64VPAv42P-W1pQS6-LWIvjgXm9Qu8HNrW1gm1pgYoBsVUR-GRw0kAZfZCMM4Fbe4u4g-KpKrva6X32U7ZWD5RcVoCK0bDgk58s2JxX5D8ekP5b9vVqtw6HMo/s1600/c+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnM8jVwga3C2Z6Rq6Kxt64VPAv42P-W1pQS6-LWIvjgXm9Qu8HNrW1gm1pgYoBsVUR-GRw0kAZfZCMM4Fbe4u4g-KpKrva6X32U7ZWD5RcVoCK0bDgk58s2JxX5D8ekP5b9vVqtw6HMo/s1600/c+blog+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioBNLwjC97THMZEEXabZ41M48KaKLvLO6lpMSIkGtn7L0egIE1GrZ2m7kJ8hXChi6TMMdLZNl_5HHO78OENgRwy7EZOfSa7lJzEzxVrcFGxzfb3r2mvkkAluHqDok7Pa6dnvewRmMXFE/s1600/c+blog+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioBNLwjC97THMZEEXabZ41M48KaKLvLO6lpMSIkGtn7L0egIE1GrZ2m7kJ8hXChi6TMMdLZNl_5HHO78OENgRwy7EZOfSa7lJzEzxVrcFGxzfb3r2mvkkAluHqDok7Pa6dnvewRmMXFE/s1600/c+blog+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not everyone will cooperate with you. Okay, let's be realistic- no one will cooperate! And some photos may come out dark.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSd-3F-ToWNXtmfiBmlsuNDw7xU_RLbMQ9tzeNTaVrPVqji7viv5gteoAv4RkxgNmfzc8wSSJ5VerE8s5eSUi33HVwXgWW1NGpovnFot1u65FNa-aKQhNsKb9MDe5hM27TJ_wt2-OINoM/s1600/c+blog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSd-3F-ToWNXtmfiBmlsuNDw7xU_RLbMQ9tzeNTaVrPVqji7viv5gteoAv4RkxgNmfzc8wSSJ5VerE8s5eSUi33HVwXgWW1NGpovnFot1u65FNa-aKQhNsKb9MDe5hM27TJ_wt2-OINoM/s1600/c+blog+3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hair will most likely still be messy from their night of dreaming about Christmas morning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtufqoVtLgIDbkABYxDIXZpjbTlYc3Q8o_lfUfZHSTp2eGhzM973EoDtJt56CdVunbISXNKR6ngLRqLQzmz3bxKS3IR_8kl-ClKCvJZKPoHJE2j4T0t65LvBMZiT6tgB2XqeOb14z0XWA/s1600/c+blog+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtufqoVtLgIDbkABYxDIXZpjbTlYc3Q8o_lfUfZHSTp2eGhzM973EoDtJt56CdVunbISXNKR6ngLRqLQzmz3bxKS3IR_8kl-ClKCvJZKPoHJE2j4T0t65LvBMZiT6tgB2XqeOb14z0XWA/s1600/c+blog+5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When you ask them to look at you, they will probably break out into some awkward pose you have never seen before. This is probably due to their extreme excitement.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSklQjxNfDIout0PdwLPyHhx9PudnbhKNPujZXvM146rBwPlircZwpXvuh6g9Y2wzp8eEm9bW1fI8LyCg8ShP6u0g_WUxE3NxfJtXuJZak2Ge9_xIg79TVpe6YPVg3sarHdzgQtO7I60A/s1600/c+blog+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSklQjxNfDIout0PdwLPyHhx9PudnbhKNPujZXvM146rBwPlircZwpXvuh6g9Y2wzp8eEm9bW1fI8LyCg8ShP6u0g_WUxE3NxfJtXuJZak2Ge9_xIg79TVpe6YPVg3sarHdzgQtO7I60A/s1600/c+blog+13.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But.... those aren't really the shots you will want to remember for years to come anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The poses you will want to take are the ones when no one is looking at the camera because they are snuggling and so involved in the special Christmas movie that comes after all the gifts have been opened.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VhoXvtCDlEty9pGtrG9eygevNOB58UdNFw53cPqQ-7SrdAEgSNMW4E_Sd7LtPTS4MgGKYXuDJ7UYpDKhr9j4nkQRRAEteOjlx95oou8-Z95MlnwQOHQL3aRbOWm9-nH1QnkUNBeeINY/s1600/c+blog+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VhoXvtCDlEty9pGtrG9eygevNOB58UdNFw53cPqQ-7SrdAEgSNMW4E_Sd7LtPTS4MgGKYXuDJ7UYpDKhr9j4nkQRRAEteOjlx95oou8-Z95MlnwQOHQL3aRbOWm9-nH1QnkUNBeeINY/s1600/c+blog+6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The photos of a happy child playing next to his exhausted father.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHer2BtKPssbS8DIWlHUqdzAvMrKHm7W5SvoiDcDjyISdkd5_LZjoqszXxMP0KFkxrbCjlRCMubl2VoxlV60jdE9QO-AVFeMVoHb7ux5o4I6VD_Nt5Cq3BfnMnz6MJGZD2SItYxw61VM/s1600/c+blog+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHer2BtKPssbS8DIWlHUqdzAvMrKHm7W5SvoiDcDjyISdkd5_LZjoqszXxMP0KFkxrbCjlRCMubl2VoxlV60jdE9QO-AVFeMVoHb7ux5o4I6VD_Nt5Cq3BfnMnz6MJGZD2SItYxw61VM/s1600/c+blog+7.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The smiles of gratitude for a day that went above expectations.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9LOMyva6qUoYOhAL3MbXDQtD7E5WYgiBLF_W_cLr7MpIxxjXLN8ApXLEWKgkgXH7z4Yxs350KPCvF6LvIWflghbBYuXaB8WG__M8eaAsjunVYG1X7B7DzxkhnsMuovZSegfbEGrmYbA/s1600/c+blog+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9LOMyva6qUoYOhAL3MbXDQtD7E5WYgiBLF_W_cLr7MpIxxjXLN8ApXLEWKgkgXH7z4Yxs350KPCvF6LvIWflghbBYuXaB8WG__M8eaAsjunVYG1X7B7DzxkhnsMuovZSegfbEGrmYbA/s1600/c+blog+8.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The sparkle of eyes that are truly experiencing Christmas and all of its thrill for the first time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsuZPMqylVzRM4TgAqzQj5a-lWmH7MB5y54W7rRI06BKCmsZakEHKZTHU-vfS_TFK1vMPm-eiCrKevfgMA8zL7XIxcTMbn8xv1b4M_x_bM_s-88I3FCejDYEFzPSO8xxH4-XyLSRE6fU/s1600/c+blog+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsuZPMqylVzRM4TgAqzQj5a-lWmH7MB5y54W7rRI06BKCmsZakEHKZTHU-vfS_TFK1vMPm-eiCrKevfgMA8zL7XIxcTMbn8xv1b4M_x_bM_s-88I3FCejDYEFzPSO8xxH4-XyLSRE6fU/s1600/c+blog+9.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The way your child clings to his daddy because for some glorious reason, that he doesn't understand, Daddy didn't have to go to work today.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQGWqbB5p1UE5ylCZAsDN7P8drjSZq1EDhiFurxDdamwEaVbU9sQ6fOxa32esFe_qTGkbZDGVHiIU9Q6FQqfm49P6-isdbrfZYMLgim5WA4mNlCpqe2n8P821p16B7O58m10-qlLAy0s/s1600/c+blog+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQGWqbB5p1UE5ylCZAsDN7P8drjSZq1EDhiFurxDdamwEaVbU9sQ6fOxa32esFe_qTGkbZDGVHiIU9Q6FQqfm49P6-isdbrfZYMLgim5WA4mNlCpqe2n8P821p16B7O58m10-qlLAy0s/s1600/c+blog+10.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your husband and son playing with each other and interacting with each other the way </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">only </span>fathers and sons can.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9-PD_7C9yC86OWT4t3JUhjId20X7KGvBIdUTLFMi-3WiBuaAKU4tgEdH9wjZ4auYiG17bGtukFcqs3bAmc7UAohUVGjXoF2Rjx1TkcTbSCCO646-Gv8PlUR4jXJ5i6R2nhxM04CxHYg/s1600/c+blog+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9-PD_7C9yC86OWT4t3JUhjId20X7KGvBIdUTLFMi-3WiBuaAKU4tgEdH9wjZ4auYiG17bGtukFcqs3bAmc7UAohUVGjXoF2Rjx1TkcTbSCCO646-Gv8PlUR4jXJ5i6R2nhxM04CxHYg/s1600/c+blog+11.jpg" /></a></div>
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Because, after all, Christmas isn't about the presents under the tree. It is about relationships. The relationship that God wants to have with us, so He sent His Son Jesus as a Baby that first Christmas so long ago.<br />
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<br />godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-8198586637027081292014-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:002014-11-26T07:10:43.237-05:00Intentional Christmas | Our Christmas List<i><span style="color: #999999;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
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Yesterday, I shared how we have chosen to be<a href="http://godlyrose.blogspot.com/2014/11/intentional-christmas-preparing-your.html" target="_blank"> intentional about Christmas</a> this year.<br />
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Would you like to see the real life way we are putting our desires into action?<br />
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Here they are in no particular order. The actual main items our children will be getting on Christmas Day. I did not include stocking stuffers, since I bought them on clearance at the beginning of the year. (Amazon prices change without notice, so prices may have changes since our purchase of them.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310746264/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0310746264&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2NCLMM3H5F4OOIB3"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0310746264&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0310746264" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310746264/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0310746264&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2NCLMM3H5F4OOIB3">Adventure Bible, NKJV</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0310746264" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1574218964/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1574218964&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=GRX2HJ5AJHMCB72R"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1574218964&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1574218964" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1574218964/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1574218964&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=GRX2HJ5AJHMCB72R">Totally Awesome Rubber Band Jewelry: Make Bracelets, Rings, Belts & More with Rainbow Loom(R), Cra-Z-Loom(TM), or FunLoom(TM)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1574218964" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMC6KAC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DMC6KAC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=TMFC4CDV3U24ZAJP"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00DMC6KAC&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00DMC6KAC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMC6KAC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DMC6KAC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=TMFC4CDV3U24ZAJP">Twistz Bandz Rainbow Loom</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00DMC6KAC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1562477722/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1562477722&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=JW7NRUVTETTZMM3R"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1562477722&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1562477722" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1562477722/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1562477722&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=JW7NRUVTETTZMM3R">Welcome to Samantha's World-1904: Growing Up in America's New Century (American Girl)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1562477722" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HS5JMQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003HS5JMQ&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=MIAW6FBEOD7TOGUV"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003HS5JMQ&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003HS5JMQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HS5JMQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003HS5JMQ&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=MIAW6FBEOD7TOGUV">Skip Hop Zoo Pack Little Kid Backpack, Owl</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003HS5JMQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9CY2T6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I9CY2T6&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2PTMBVKRD2KNLRYR"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00I9CY2T6&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00I9CY2T6" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9CY2T6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I9CY2T6&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2PTMBVKRD2KNLRYR">Disney Doc McStuffins Beach Towel Pink</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00I9CY2T6" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MGTP7D8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00MGTP7D8&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=W7W36PMSIKQRPBKG"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00MGTP7D8&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00MGTP7D8" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MGTP7D8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00MGTP7D8&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=W7W36PMSIKQRPBKG">Boy's Spiderman Beach Towel</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00MGTP7D8" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414348304/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1414348304&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=RBPO3CZZYATWDUS4"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1414348304&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=thejoyofhom-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1414348304" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414348304/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1414348304&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=77QCKG5XDAQ5KRMS">My First Hands-On Bible</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1414348304" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-23020891980024841832014-11-24T00:00:00.001-05:002014-12-05T12:48:37.559-05:00Intentional Christmas | Preparing Your Heart and Home for an Intentional Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOhVZEbJEz031NV1FKMYepSER7OxO_ccv8XyyNX7IKTKziIPGhWMztbEDh1wCpXKwT1MjyOo71O774AlA8zKOuAi8wkOSvZ9fiVDW4j6tv8ba7d-hdhuf6EQlX59X_W69BufcRMzVU_A/s1600/Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOhVZEbJEz031NV1FKMYepSER7OxO_ccv8XyyNX7IKTKziIPGhWMztbEDh1wCpXKwT1MjyOo71O774AlA8zKOuAi8wkOSvZ9fiVDW4j6tv8ba7d-hdhuf6EQlX59X_W69BufcRMzVU_A/s640/Christmas.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
Brian and I have spent considerable time talking through what we <b>really</b> want for our children.<br />
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We want them to: <br />
<ul>
<li>value their relationship with the Lord</li>
<li>value their relationships with us and each other</li>
<li>find their worth in Christ, not in their stuff</li>
<li>develop an attitude of gratitude, not an attitude of entitlement</li>
<li>see that stuff does not matter, people do</li>
<li>learn that the money God gives us has to be spent wisely</li>
<li>choose experiences over things </li>
</ul>
With those goals in mind, we have altered what Christmas will look like for us this year and every year after.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #990000;">We are choosing to scale back, not just on gifts, but activities.</span></h3>
For the last few years, I have wrapped 24 books and had my children open one every day until Christmas. This year, we are taking a break from the daily book. Instead, we will be learning about the character of God with<i> Melk the Christmas Monkey</i>. We want to redirect our children's focus back to the Lord and off of the commercialism of the season.<br />
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We are involved in many church related activities, but we are making sure that we do not overwhelm our calendars. We want to sit back after Christmas is over and reminisce, not crash. <br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #990000;">Christmas will be practical, but it will still have the element of Christmas wonder that children look forward to. </span></h3>
Our home is a decent size, yet space is still at a premium. Once the wrapping paper has settled and the toys have been played out for the day, the issue of finding a place for all of these things comes up. For us, practically speaking, the items we purchase for our children are already having "places" prepared for them. Bookshelves are being purged of "froo-froo" books to make room for books that will last for years to come. Toy boxes are being purged to make room for gifts that family may be giving. <br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #990000;">It will have purpose, but it will still be fun. </span></h3>
My children are involved in a co-op and we also take field trips and visit family frequently. One of the things I know they could benefit from is a backpack. Brian and I have chosen to use a back pack as their "stocking" and some of their smaller gifts (under pants and socks) will be put inside of it.<br />
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Addie is now old enough to have a "real" Bible. Because we also want Ian to have a Bible of his own, we have gotten both of them age/reading level appropriate Bibles.<br />
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We live in Florida. In the summertime, pools, beaches, and backyard water fun are a part of our daily existence. We decided to gift each child a beach towel featuring a character they prefer. <br />
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<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #990000;">The gifts that we are giving our children have been intentionally chosen, based on shown interests and needs that they have.</span></h3>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">Addie is completely immersed in the Rainbow Loom phase despite the fact that she does not have an actual Rainbow Loom (hers is like a super simple version of the real thing and is not capable of making anything more than a simple bracelet). We have watched how she learns what she can from cousins and friends and has even learned to use her fingers to make some rings. We decided that she has shown us that she is ready for the real Rainbow Loom as well as a book to help her make some fun accessories.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">Ian on the other hand needs a bicycle. Our road was recently paved, so we now have a great place to ride bikes (our road dead ends and we have no traffic). Addie has gotten to ride her bicycle while Ian chases her with the best attitude ever. Once Brian heard him say, "My legs are tired. I need a bicycle." No worries, Little Man. We have you covered.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">We are staying away from the "toys" this year. In all honesty, they have plenty of toys, and I have found that the fewer toys they have on hand, the more they play with their toys. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">I love that I can depend on several family members and friends to gift us things that are practical and are also needs. Several of my aunts are great at getting my children clothes and pajamas. One aunt in particular always purchases great quality shoes for them (a huge blessing to us!). One of my dear friends almost always gifts us pajamas- something I appreciate so much because it is a need but not something I like spending money on. One of their aunts always calls or texts to find out what our kids want or need. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">An intentional Christmas does not mean you have taken the fun out of Christmas. It means that we are making the thrill of Christmas last much longer with gifts that will be used for a long time to come.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow I will be sharing a list of the items we have actually purchased for our children as we work towards as intentional Christmas. </span> </span>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-34334382820632888182014-11-10T00:00:00.000-05:002014-11-10T00:00:04.856-05:00Guest Posting | Kids Don't Care About the Packaging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, I am posting at <a href="http://wp.me/p3MoW8-1jT" target="_blank">Frugal Homeschool Family</a> where I am sharing about a frugal way to give Christmas to our families. Our children don't generally care about the packaging their gifts come in. I will be sharing how we have given a great Christmas to our children by shopping in places other than retail stores.godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-9354334933409399642014-11-03T00:00:00.000-05:002014-11-03T10:03:33.282-05:00Remembering Veteran's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
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Veteran's day is coming up, and I really think we need to talk.<br />
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You see, for the majority of our country, Veteran's Day is viewed as a day off of work and school, a day to get stuff done, and a day to visit one of the many parks open free of charge in celebration of Veteran's Day.<br />
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However, Veteran's Day is a day of remembrance.<br />
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Of remembering those who have served of nation and us in our military during times of war and times of peace.<br />
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Of remembering the memories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice defending those who could not defend themselves.<br />
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Of remembering the families left behind- either by the death of their soldier or because he has been deployed.<br />
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And especially remembering our loved ones who have served or are currently serving, and teaching our children to hold them in honor and respect for the choice they have made to serve their country.<br />
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How can we prepare our children for Veteran's Day?<br />
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Here are a list of books, crafts, and ideas that we can start working on the week before Veteran's Day, so our children can be prepared for what Veteran's Day truly stands for.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Books</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HCGVEDM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HCGVEDM&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=XSGGJ3W7UMSBL4JL">I Miss Daddy</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HCGVEDM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Acacia Beumer<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0516274996/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0516274996&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=AYR7V7VJJGUMW5MO">Veterans Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0516274996" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Jacqueline S. Cotton<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1598452908/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1598452908&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=MRSU2A5PEAE6P6JS">What Is Veterans Day? (I Like Holidays!)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1598452908" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Elaine Landau<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395629772/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0395629772&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=T53KN6E4IEHDGX4P">The Wall (Reading Rainbow Books)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0395629772" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Eve Bunting<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590787544/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1590787544&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=SSBZZLCETXENQRO7">The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1590787544" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Barbara Walsh<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585362166/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1585362166&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=JX7T5AVEXG2XD3BY">America's White Table</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1585362166" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Margot Theis Raven<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LKSOO9Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LKSOO9Y&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=UETE5RKCPP2LCGCU">Veterans Day for Kids! - The Amazing Story of Veterans Day</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00LKSOO9Y" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Ian D. Fraser<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0075N7GAW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0075N7GAW&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=EWGQTHNPH6NCKPR5">The History of Veterans Day for Kids</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0075N7GAW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Josephine Madden<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VT59GI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007VT59GI&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=RVZXQR4HKHF7I2PI">Hero Dad</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007VT59GI" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Melinda Hardin<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Music</span><br />
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Now would be a great time to teach your children the theme song to each of the branches of our military and other patriotic songs.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3FU01O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00C3FU01O&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=QCZ36PSDJZCHEK5V">Military Medley: Army, Navy, Marine, AIrForce Themes Songs</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00C3FU01O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AJBXTW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001AJBXTW&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=Y3SCUMANFRCRTLQI">Bugle: First Call (Kentucky Derby)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001AJBXTW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QC4EMK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002QC4EMK&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=5IFEW5XQ52ZNMVYZ">Star Spangled Banner (The National Anthem)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002QC4EMK" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010HPQGK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0010HPQGK&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=XEDZ2CY664PE7BSA">Battle Hymn Of The Republic / Patriotic Anthem / American Civil War Music</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0010HPQGK" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AJBXXS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001AJBXXS&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=JXI24ZKC7WC2PW6J">America the Beautiful - Instrumental</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001AJBXXS" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057TM4EE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057TM4EE&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=GAUYIQRLI6YHZQZY">The Army Goes Rolling Along (The U.S. Army Song)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057TM4EE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057TM5PW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057TM5PW&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=WOGIR4OK7RGFMC2M">Anchors Aweigh (The U.S. Navy Song)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057TM5PW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057TM8YA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057TM8YA&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=XNHOWHV4RMLFVAZ7">Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder (The U.S. Air Force Song)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057TM8YA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057TMA34/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057TMA34&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=4E7F2ACI3KQ5XDDM">The Marines' Hymn (The U.S. Marine Song)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057TMA34" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057TM6JW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057TM6JW&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=RZLUMNNBVDGV6DZX">Semper Paratus (The U.S. Coast Guard Song)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057TM6JW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Crafts</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/soldier-craft-for-veterans-day.html" target="_blank">Soldier Craft</a><br />
<a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/simple-american-flag-craft-for-kids/" target="_blank">Simple American Flag Craft for Kids</a><br />
<a href="http://pattiesclassroom.blogspot.com/2013/11/veterans-day-art-and-activities-for-kids.html?utm_source=feedburner" target="_blank">Veteran's Day Art and Activities for Kids</a><br />
<a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/poppies/" target="_blank">Poppies</a><br />
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It is also a great time to print out some patriotic quotes to be displayed. My friend Amy has put together a great round-up of <a href="http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com/2013/06/free-patriotic-printables.html" target="_blank">Patriotic Printables</a>.<br />
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Let us determine to take the time to teach our children about this very special day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I am linking up at: <i><a href="http://momstheword--livingforhim.blogspot.com/2014/11/making-your-home-sing-monday-linky-party.html" target="_blank">Mom's the Word</a></i>, <i><a href="http://mrsteelovelifelaughter.com/2014/11/november-mommy-monday-blog-hop-ready-go/" target="_blank">Mommy Monday Blog Hop</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.lifeoffaithblog.com/2014/10/mommy-moments-119.html" target="_blank">The Life of Faith</a></i>, </span>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-56694713728841906682014-10-25T00:00:00.001-04:002014-11-01T09:51:50.945-04:00Melk, the Christmas Monkey<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://paradisepraises.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Melkwho-e1413437129221.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Click on the photo to learn more about Melk)</td></tr>
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That's right! There is an adorable little monkey who is creating quite a stir in the Ladouceur residence! He made a quick little appearance in the month of September and then scurried away to hide until late November.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Who is this little Monkey?</span></h3>
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Well, his real name is Melchior Noel Yule, but he prefers being called <a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank">Melk</a>. Melk's mission in life is to tell children all about God and His great love. He would love to visit your family for 30 days to teach your children about the character of God.</div>
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Melk came for an early two day visit to our family, where we got to play with, interact with, and learn from him. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NoqgJ_1sUS5XCqEPZwGn1N13b9e6pLGPgXL3vufTdzpSM6eJTT34PlC8dw8UNoTFNK1Nueq5KnV_HK0NmteWPeJovzE-IQ2ZNKPRV2OkFpmRffU5qZV1LdvA8thmMvvnwBsPfMa3b9U/s1600/10007402_10204545124285790_4377026268330754649_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NoqgJ_1sUS5XCqEPZwGn1N13b9e6pLGPgXL3vufTdzpSM6eJTT34PlC8dw8UNoTFNK1Nueq5KnV_HK0NmteWPeJovzE-IQ2ZNKPRV2OkFpmRffU5qZV1LdvA8thmMvvnwBsPfMa3b9U/s1600/10007402_10204545124285790_4377026268330754649_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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Melk is nocturnal, so he is awake while your children sleep. When they wake up, your little ones will find out what Melk has been up to! He is never mischievous, but he is always involved in some kind of activity that your children can join in when they find him.</div>
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One morning, he had been gluing marshmallows to a paper to spell out the word "happy." He then went on to share (with Mommy as the interpreter) that it made God happy to create the world and each one of us. He shared some Scripture with the kids, and then invited them to help him finish his craft.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MJpD8SsiYEfXCZHV14dR1LGi1Bc1d7LQ9gOX5T9pmlNHbT31GrcCEiDb8BvHe-ExBbrFgisk9B9VmQFTHfqs55rwAqhHmONCtisSdMbkV095jjhyphenhyphentjHzXRVe1RdZ3tjQji67tsD7Pq0/s1600/Melk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MJpD8SsiYEfXCZHV14dR1LGi1Bc1d7LQ9gOX5T9pmlNHbT31GrcCEiDb8BvHe-ExBbrFgisk9B9VmQFTHfqs55rwAqhHmONCtisSdMbkV095jjhyphenhyphentjHzXRVe1RdZ3tjQji67tsD7Pq0/s1600/Melk.jpg" /></a></div>
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Another day, my kids woke up to find <a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank">Melk</a> reaching his way into a jar that had candy on the bottom. During breakfast he taught us that God's Word is sweet using the Psalms as the base for our lesson and discussion. Of course, being the sweet, kind, generous little monkey that he is, he shared some candy with my children after our lesson (I made the exception to let them eat candy after breakfast, because Melk asked so nicely). </div>
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Melk will come back to visit us at the end of November to help keep our hearts and spirits in line with what the real purpose of Christmas is- the celebration of our Lord Jesus. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Some reasons I prefer Melk as a daily Christmas visitor</span></h3>
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I love Christmas, but sometimes, the act of preparing so many different activities can become overwhelming. Melk is going to be our only daily activity for Christmastime this year. Katie Hornor (the author of<a href="http://paradisepraises.com/estore-ebooks/?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank"><i> Putting on the Spirit</i></a> devotional) has already done all of the planning. All I have to do is follow her directions. She has given a list of what is needed, links to the downloads of the crafts suggested, and what activity Melk should be working on when the children find him in the morning. </div>
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I appreciate that Melk is never found getting into mischief. He is always doing something sweet, fun, productive, or enjoying Christmas with the innocent wonder of a child (like the morning my children will find him sleeping under the tree).</div>
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Rather than being someone who reports back to Santa about how the children are behaving, Melk points children to God and explains Biblical truths in easy to understand ways. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">What do I get when I purchase Melk, the Christmas Monkey e-book? </span></h3>
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If you purchase the <a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank"><i>Melk, the Christmas Monkey</i></a> e-book between November 1-8, you will also get a pack of free Melk coloring pages.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1500945706/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1500945706&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=USQP2DL2D2H345NP">Melk, the Christmas Monkey: Teaching God's Character through Bible Lessons and Activities the Entire Family Can Enjoy</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1500945706" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </i>is also available through Amazon as a paper back book or Kindle edition.<i><br /></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh722oOGwlcNDx7YHqUsEkahP-d47SmtXQH3SH1BAwCIYGq5Dj9jyMeD-3eg8ddc-_xRf72m9g1yGlicexUiPqMLJn688oUBQlII0u12_CV0xioHX8ipPh3vouEJk0WDX_aIJDZj07aVV4/s1600/melk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh722oOGwlcNDx7YHqUsEkahP-d47SmtXQH3SH1BAwCIYGq5Dj9jyMeD-3eg8ddc-_xRf72m9g1yGlicexUiPqMLJn688oUBQlII0u12_CV0xioHX8ipPh3vouEJk0WDX_aIJDZj07aVV4/s1600/melk1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Katie is also including a set of journaling pages for your children to document their adventure with Melk. These can be downloaded after your purchase.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYUsW95ep38QV2jhU8V-kA4U97EdjMnvn3idkRHw2ZAuhnDQ8vGNuZDG351MD1B2nYAzo4IEoXPAq9W9K85Mftca_am8w_v0eGwqdU0dnicVFvDRzsepDaSSpAzHLQ4EGKZg60_amDlM/s1600/10679739_10152804910317780_4041317300328737518_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYUsW95ep38QV2jhU8V-kA4U97EdjMnvn3idkRHw2ZAuhnDQ8vGNuZDG351MD1B2nYAzo4IEoXPAq9W9K85Mftca_am8w_v0eGwqdU0dnicVFvDRzsepDaSSpAzHLQ4EGKZg60_amDlM/s1600/10679739_10152804910317780_4041317300328737518_o.jpg" height="640" width="497" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Where can I purchase Melk?</span></h3>
Your "Melk" will be a completely separate purchase. Although he is called the Christmas <b>Monkey</b>, you are free to use any stuffed animal you have on hand and change him to "Melk, the Christmas Moose, Giraffe, Puppy, Etc." This is the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C3J6IQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001C3J6IQ&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=J5KYAJCD6SDVAV5Z">Melk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001C3J6IQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> we chose to go with through Amazon (you do not get to chose which monkey you will be sent, but we were happy with the Melk we received).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcl2jaeTq1Vr67pb-xD73WM6OeboRr1i5tuqebQ5hY1_0HfMiX028CwJPok8_u4ffOLKvJqMcH1oDCCZ8mdZciIM92v3jX3XE_P0u6OR-mdxW8uOJw1Gv8pLSUqrXUBdM6LIPCneA31Y/s1600/melk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcl2jaeTq1Vr67pb-xD73WM6OeboRr1i5tuqebQ5hY1_0HfMiX028CwJPok8_u4ffOLKvJqMcH1oDCCZ8mdZciIM92v3jX3XE_P0u6OR-mdxW8uOJw1Gv8pLSUqrXUBdM6LIPCneA31Y/s1600/melk2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Your purchase of Melk the Christmas Monkey e-book will bless others</span></h3>
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Katie Hornor is not only a great author, she and her family are missionaries in Mexico. The funds that come in from November 1-8 will go towards the yearly Christmas outreach they do for the children in the area of their church plant. This outreach includes a small, meaningful gift and Gospel tract. </div>
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<a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://paradisepraises.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Coming-November-1-2014-5-e1413437031466.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Would you like to try a Melk lesson before purchasing?</span></h3>
We thought you might! By visiting the <a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank">Melk website</a>, you can download a free lesson and give it a try with your family. <br />
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<a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://paradisepraises.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/melkfreechapter-e1413436902818.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Melk is sure to become a family tradition</span></h3>
Melk came to visit us in September and my children are already looking forward to his next visit. I know that when he gets put away with our Christmas decor, my kids are going to anxiously await his next visit. This sweet little guy whose sole purpose is to point our children's hearts towards the Lord will always be welcome in our home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOI3dDnXZL2eHMWnIFh5R1_tT0_eofBLbXx3Km-uV6hzvcHqpFrw0lWhAOKDpiKzBkCKfXR5AykdZZ9jbUEhPOMoldFiyEOpCvxnaPyDWR-ovW5pwRhxH6Jf40DbcGrXSnNJH5e6eq-4/s1600/melk3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOI3dDnXZL2eHMWnIFh5R1_tT0_eofBLbXx3Km-uV6hzvcHqpFrw0lWhAOKDpiKzBkCKfXR5AykdZZ9jbUEhPOMoldFiyEOpCvxnaPyDWR-ovW5pwRhxH6Jf40DbcGrXSnNJH5e6eq-4/s1600/melk3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F1B7g82t90qaAwL5vjE7Kh74rD52ury78LGSW6Qxyqh2KKZg4QK0EsRkWpBYcq3c-biTsqOrYQAuU2K9ouvW77yW6a4srOO518t-iytiofhHhB8WUNWPpqfxOxMbQ2371xqWUhO9e_o/s1600/10614345_10152709569427780_8321828841891112393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F1B7g82t90qaAwL5vjE7Kh74rD52ury78LGSW6Qxyqh2KKZg4QK0EsRkWpBYcq3c-biTsqOrYQAuU2K9ouvW77yW6a4srOO518t-iytiofhHhB8WUNWPpqfxOxMbQ2371xqWUhO9e_o/s1600/10614345_10152709569427780_8321828841891112393_n.jpg" height="146" width="320" /></a></div>
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-9132145504280662832014-10-21T00:00:00.001-04:002014-10-21T06:02:31.106-04:00Classical Conversations | How Much Does It Cost?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5KBhROIS5R1vNaEhlEitPedUatcgO0SrPvHMZrgfWZ-o-6D6x9WSGUoCSGBUdYnyWynzizwR37lVp-pKkYbB_7biHO3P6CdBj0KT7q9NFYkjjPUck9ahfvmalwQDKmnFmsXMCNuukJA/s1600/CC4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5KBhROIS5R1vNaEhlEitPedUatcgO0SrPvHMZrgfWZ-o-6D6x9WSGUoCSGBUdYnyWynzizwR37lVp-pKkYbB_7biHO3P6CdBj0KT7q9NFYkjjPUck9ahfvmalwQDKmnFmsXMCNuukJA/s1600/CC4.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><i>This post contains affiliate links.</i></span><br />
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When I first heard of Classical Conversations my first question was, "How much will it cost?"<br />
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As the couponing, make my dollar stretch, stay ay home mom, it took me a year of praying and a parent practicum to fully understand the value and worth of the education my children would be receiving.<br />
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If you have looked into Classical Conversations, you know there is a cost involved. Costs vary from co-op to co-op and family to family, but the fees cover registration and supply fees. Foundations, Essentials, and Challenge each carry a different cost- Foundations being the easier of the three and Challenge requiring a greater level of instruction by the tutors.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">So How Much Does It Cost? </span></h3>
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<a href="https://www.classicalconversations.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2014%20reg%20form%20all%20prog%20web%20posting%20final.pdf" target="_blank">Here it is laid out for you</a>. Tuition for Foundations is $350 per year, registration is $75 for the first child ($50 each additional child), and a $50 supply fee. Depending on where a CC community meets, there may also be a building use fee. For my daughter to be in the Foundations phase of CC this year cost $480. <i>(You can read <a href="http://godlyrose.blogspot.com/2014/10/what-is-classical-conversations-and-why.html" target="_blank">here</a> why we have chosen Classical Conversations for our children)</i><br />
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Now before you gasp at the sticker shock, consider, we only bring a snack and lunch to co-op. Markers, crayons, pencils, photocopies, paints, art supplies, science project materials, and scissors are all provided for us because of our supply fee <i>(Essentials only has a $20 supply fee because their work does not require the same type of supplies that Foundations does)</i>.<br />
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As we began to weigh the cost, we thought back to the Christian school I worked at for ten years, which is considered the most reasonably priced private Christian school in our area. Between registration fees, entrance exam fees, book fees, the purchase of school uniforms, back-to-school supplies, weekly pizza day (optional), field trip costs, and the tuition for the full year of attending the academy, <b>we averaged that it would cost about $5,000 per year to attend this particular private, Christian school</b>. In relation to that cost,<b> $480 is quite doable for an education that we believe is exceptional for our children.</b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">What Do You Have To Buy?</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></h3>
When it comes to curriculum, one of my favorite aspects of CC is that what I buy for Addie will also be used for Ian when when he starts. So for example this year being our first year, I had to purchase the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982984596/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0982984596&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=INRFISDCNBVAFELL">Foundations: The Weekly Grammar for Classical Communities (Classical Foundations)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0982984596" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> Guide which contains all of the information needed for Cycles 1-3 ($60) and the tin whistle ($10). I chose to also purchase the Cycle 3 audio CDs ($30- which we listen to while driving in the car and in the house in the morning) and the History Timeline Cards ($88). When Ian joins CC next year, I will only be purchasing one tin whistle so that he can have his own and the set of audio CDs which accompany Cycle 1. The Foundations Guide remains the same yearly, and the Timeline is relearned on a yearly basis. Until both Addie and Ian complete the 6th grade, they will be using these same materials every year.<br />
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Once I have all 3 cycles of audio CDs, until Addie enters Essentials, I will not have to make any other purchases.<br />
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As we expand on what is being learned in our history and science, I can go to the library to borrow books and use what I already have in our home library. I am opting not purchase any other books for our schooling, because I know that once my children enter Essentials and Challenge, I may need to make some large book purchases. But again, whatever I buy for Addie, Ian will use when he enters that phase.<br />
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The cost of a home education is a personal decision that each family has to make. However, if you choose to make the investment into a Classical Conversations education for your children, I believe it will be money well spent.<br />
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Also in this series:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://godlyrose.blogspot.com/2014/10/what-is-classical-conversations-and-why.html" target="_blank">What Is Classical Conversations and Why We Chose It </a></li>
<li>Why Co-op Day Is So Important in Classical Conversations?</li>
<li>How Do We Memorize Our Classical Conversations Material?</li>
<li>How I Supplement Classical Conversations</li>
</ul>
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-77057595915002104992014-10-20T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-20T00:00:08.809-04:00Teaching My Preschooler | A Relaxed Approach<span style="color: #999999;"><i>This post contains affiliate links.</i></span><br />
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I know that it seems that I have slacked on this series, but, truth be told, Ian's learning has looked a lot different over the last few weeks than it has in the weeks prior.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi0I26EuStp1E6e1pDTHQPI1EeZiQA9DXST7Z9JvulJEPtQyqaUFntvJANkkeGqXEUjaP1WSPUhF1L-tf0BnX2vmOsBzwZ3bQS5rGFHY7CX5Wo3pzcqwqP7c4JDmZyuVmKB1uVS2YcQM/s1600/Ian+School3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi0I26EuStp1E6e1pDTHQPI1EeZiQA9DXST7Z9JvulJEPtQyqaUFntvJANkkeGqXEUjaP1WSPUhF1L-tf0BnX2vmOsBzwZ3bQS5rGFHY7CX5Wo3pzcqwqP7c4JDmZyuVmKB1uVS2YcQM/s1600/Ian+School3.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Our learning time on some days has involved a lot of coloring, reading stories, and listening in on what Addie is learning. </div>
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On other days, our learning has revolved around making crafts and painting (a huge hit with my little man).</div>
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Some days our learning consists of reading a book along with a CD and then playing some games with the manipulatives that have come with the story. We loved the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1427235104/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1427235104&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=F52HPOTMFEAYYTVC">Brown Bear book and CD storytime set</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1427235104" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for activities like this. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rjNoKIyYDLlZlOaCK_WdNosJU5tUIukSI0hyDB4AQo7rNQagC6czQgjXqDWdcv0Cx1gxHjzIFVqDEsRfFtCkCd4CPyF_Yutel6k4DzcUwhCe8mbtYnF4P_Ztys4bAIt6LOP0iUWJf1s/s1600/Ian+school1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rjNoKIyYDLlZlOaCK_WdNosJU5tUIukSI0hyDB4AQo7rNQagC6czQgjXqDWdcv0Cx1gxHjzIFVqDEsRfFtCkCd4CPyF_Yutel6k4DzcUwhCe8mbtYnF4P_Ztys4bAIt6LOP0iUWJf1s/s1600/Ian+school1.jpg" /> </a></div>
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My other approach lately has been to just make up pages in his composition notebook. We have traced his right hand and left hand, I've drawn out numbers and letters for him to color and add stickers to based on the number or letter we are talking about, and some pages are dedicated to practicing letter formation.</div>
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Life has been beautifully busy recently, but we have managed to maintain a loose learning time for Ian. I prefer this to a strict "learning time" for him because lifelong learners are developed when they do not see learning as fitting into a specific time slot, but as a natural ongoing flow to life. </div>
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</iframe><br />godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-47177574377201075762014-10-16T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-16T00:00:01.040-04:00Love Letters from God | Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was recently sent a copy of the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310733847/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0310733847&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=ODMVOM5QLMK7YGF5">Love Letters from God: Bible Stories</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0310733847" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i> by Glenys Nellist and illustrated by Sophie Allsopp. I will tell you all about this book, but let me just start out by saying that when your 3 and 6 year old ask if you can read them the "Love Letters" book throughout the day, you know it is book that kids "get" and truly love.<br />
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There are children's Bible story books a plenty, but Glenys Nellist has taken a completely unique approach to sharing these Bible stories. Much in the way that I retell Bible accounts, Glenys shares the accounts from the point of view of the characters in the story- not as an outsider looking in. What might Jonah have been thinking when he ran away from God? What might Eve have thought as she touched and ate the fruit? Might David have had the courage to go against Goliath because he knew that God was with him?<br />
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Each account walks children through the Bible account in a way that they will understand and gives them a Bible verse (God's Wonderful Words to You) which carries on the main theme or even a phrase that Glenys made sure was a part of the account.<br />
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However, the part that my children loved the most, was the "Love Letter from God." At the end of each account is a little flap that opens up to a "letter" which starts out "Dear ____________." The first time I read it and added my children's names in, they both sat up a little straighter and their eyes got bigger! The letter goes on to make the Bible account applicable to the child's life and shares how they can also have what these Bible characters and heroes had because God gave them the courage, strength, protection, etc. and He will give them those things as well.<br />
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The words are beautifully written and stand on their own quite well, but there is truly nothing like a well-written book with beautiful illustrations. Sophie Allsopp has done a superb job in her illustrations. This is an example of illustrations being beautiful enough to stand on their own, yet support the words in every way. <br />
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I am so glad that I was able to review "<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310733847/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0310733847&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=ODMVOM5QLMK7YGF5">Love Letters from God: Bible Stories</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0310733847" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i>." It is definitely one book that we will be keeping in our library for years to come. <br />
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-57884890050218673782014-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:002016-02-15T18:52:55.915-05:00What Is Classical Conversations and Why We Chose ItImagine that you are building a house. What would be the first place that you would start (assuming the land has already been cleared and permits are pulled)? <br />
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The foundation.<br />
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In education, having a strong foundation is critical to building upon in the future. If the foundation is weak (facts are not memorized, dates and people are abstractly learned, and each subject is seen as being completely separate and on its own), future information will be harder to grasp and eventually the foundation will fall apart leaving a very frustrated student.<br />
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As Christian homeschooling parents, having a God-centered curriculum was our main concern. Having a curriculum that reinforces our faith, beliefs, and would help our children critically understand why we believe what we believe AND give them the strong foundation in academics was hugely important to us. <br />
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That is why we chose to use Classical Conversations as our children's curriculum, not just for this year but, Lord willing, for the rest of their education.<br />
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From K4-6th grade, children are given a strong foundation. In fact during these "Foundations" years, children memorize 7 pieces of information per week (24 weeks per year) through songs and rhymes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Timeline</li>
<li>History</li>
<li>Math</li>
<li>Science</li>
<li>English Grammar</li>
<li>Latin</li>
<li>Geography</li>
</ul>
They also memorize a passage of Scripture in Latin and the English translation, the books of the Bible, and the Presidents of the United States. While they are learning all of this information, they are also learning how God, His hand, or plan can be seen in each and every subject.<br />
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There are 3 cycles in Classical Conversations, with each year covering one cycle. Every three years, children relearn the same information solidifying what they learned previously and allowing the child to learn more the second or 3rd go around.<br />
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For example, right now we are in Cycle 3 which focuses on American history. We are reading a few biographies on the people we are learning about, watching videos and movies based on the historical events we are memorizing, and reading historical fictions based on times periods we are in. In three years when we are in Cycle 3 again, Addie will be in 5th grade and able to be assigned biographies to read on her own while I read to Ian at the level that he will be at.<br />
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Which brings me to another aspect of CC I love. Both of my children will be learning the same exact information, but I can take it to the level each child is at. For instance, next year Ian will be required to join CC because he will be four and on campus. I will only be having him memorize the information as best he can.... with no pressure.... and if he wants to listen in on what I do with Addie, he can.<br />
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Right now, my daughter will learn over 500 pieces of information this year alone. Do I expect her to understand fully everything she is learning, grasp every concept, and be able to explain everything she has memorized? No, and neither does the founder of Classical Conversations. That is why children cover each cycle at least 2 times in elementary school. Each time they review something, a little more will stick, a little more will be understood, and their foundation will be that much stronger.<br />
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Does my daughter understand everything she has learned? Almost! She amazes me with everything she has absorbed so far. In fact, I love that as she is going through her day and hearing something completely unrelated to our schoolwork, she relates things back to what she has learned on her own. For example, she was reading a storybook and in it the author wrote out each of the five senses without naming them as such. She gasped and shouted, "Mom! Those are our five senses!" (which she had just memorized for science a few weeks prior)<br />
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When my children reach 4th grade, they will enter a new phase of the program called "Essentials." This phase of the program spans 4th-6th grades, and English grammar becomes the focus of their educational program. They will have a huge text book that they will work through each year from beginning to end. The first year is meant to familiarize them with the information. The second year things in the book begin to make sense and pieces fall into place <i>(now that they and you are out of shock from the first year of Essentials and the intensity of the program)</i>. The third year, essay writing becomes easier and all of the grammar information they have learned now is completely understandable in their minds <i>(per kids in our co-op who are in their final year of Essentials)</i>.<br />
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Because of what Addie is memorizing for English Grammar in Foundations, she will not have to learn parts of speech and how to use them simultaneously. She will have memorized what the parts of speech are, which words fall under each part, and what sentence parts are. I am not bothered that she will not know how to use them until she reaches 4th grade. I know that when the time comes, having a strong foundation will benefit her when it is time to build a structure on her foundation.<br />
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As they leave Foundations and Essentials, my children will reach the Challenge stage. In the Challenge stage, literature, critical thinking, and expressing their thoughts correctly in persuasive, thought provoking ways becomes a huge focus of their education. Speech making becomes a frequent assignment, giving them the skills to think critically on their feet before an audience- a skill many adults do not have.<br />
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During the Challenge phase, parents are encouraged to begin allowing their students to work independently and to become a resource instead of being an instructor. This teaches students responsibility and time management. <br />
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Addie is loving CC. I love seeing her love for learning bloom in a way I have never seen before.<b> The child asks to study!</b> She has us all humming her memory songs along with her randomly throughout the day. She asks to listen to the "Timeline Song" (which she is up to date with in her memorization). She randomly starts skip counting as she is walking through the house or folding laundry. One day, for fun, she sat down and began drawing out the human body complete with simple skeletal, muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems and then proceeded to explain to us why people get heartburn.<br />
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I am so thankful to God for Classical Conversations.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I am linking up at: <i><a href="http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/fun-freebies-and-outdoor-fall-activities-at-family-fun-friday/" target="_blank">Happy and Blessed Home</a>, <a href="http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2014/10/pin-junkie-blogiversary-party.html" target="_blank">The Pin Junkie</a>,<a href="http://www.chaoticblisshomeschooling.com/1538-2/" target="_blank"> The Homeschool Nook</a></i></span>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-32730005947690867012014-10-13T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-13T05:42:34.064-04:00You Have Been Invited! | A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you looking for a book that is filled with Scripture for your children? I recently reviewed <i>You Have Been Invited!</i> by Brian Howell at <a href="http://www.ccbreview.blogspot.com/2014/10/you-have-been-invited.html" target="_blank">Christian Children's Book Review. </a>Come by and check out this great book!godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-38821604279401917992014-10-09T14:21:00.000-04:002014-10-20T13:51:41.250-04:00In My Son's World......<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hnkFa-eis5Zltyg1BLjLWfKDxGIrHssusIlaljszDEpZ7b1nKZAIcdquklIqhzQ3gDhcMfoGK_hiIbguLk-VZee3TZKA7v8elbShaWsOHddKRFNyUEaWFlIumXNANPF6bgMljZCCCxE/s1600/boys+world+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hnkFa-eis5Zltyg1BLjLWfKDxGIrHssusIlaljszDEpZ7b1nKZAIcdquklIqhzQ3gDhcMfoGK_hiIbguLk-VZee3TZKA7v8elbShaWsOHddKRFNyUEaWFlIumXNANPF6bgMljZCCCxE/s1600/boys+world+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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In my son's world.....<br />
<br />
he may wake up and announce that he is a dinosaur <br />
or a big, daddy hippopotamus <br />
or a cheese-spider (yes, you read that right)<br />
or a bluebird<br />
or a black horse.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
......and that's okay because he is 3.</div>
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In my son's world.....<br />
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a chair is actually a tall mountain to be climbed and conquered<br />
not a seat to be sat in.<br />
How silly would that be!<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
...and I am learning to be okay with it because he is 3.</div>
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In my son's world......<br />
<br />
toy dinosaurs eat Barbies<br />
tables are meant for sitting under<br />
and laundry baskets are made for climbing into<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
....and I am learning to embrace the adventure of each activity because he is 3.</div>
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In my son's world....<br />
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Moses parted the Red Sea <br />
Samson knocked down buildings<br />
David killed giants<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
......and I am always looking for ways to introduce him to new Bible heroes because he is 3. </div>
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In my son's world.....<br />
<br />
jumping<br />
hopping<br />
running<br />
rolling<br />
are all modes of getting from point A to point B<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
.....and I am learning to step over, around, and not get in the way because he is 3.</div>
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In my son's world....<br />
<br />
a boy's world.....<br />
<br />
strange noises<br />
loud noises<br />
quiet noises<br />
sudden noises<br />
are all effective methods of communication<br />
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....... and I am learning to roar with the best of them because he is 3.</div>
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In my son's world.....<br />
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I can play along <br />
I can climb mountains with him <br />
I can find new places for him to explore<br />
I can make sure knows what a real hero is<br />
I can let him be mobile <br />
I can teach him which noises are appropriate and when to use them<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
...or I can squash everything that makes him an intriguing little boy with a heart full of life. </div>
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Most importantly, in my son's world.....<br />
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He is my little knight.....<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
.......and I am his Mommy.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I am linking up at: <i><a href="http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/fun-freebies-and-outdoor-fall-activities-at-family-fun-friday/" target="_blank">Happy and Blessed Home</a>, <a href="http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/2014/10/filming-of-partners-in-crime-in-london.html" target="_blank">Rooted in Thyme</a>, <a href="http://www.bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2014/10/anything-goes-linky-176-features-and.html" target="_blank">Bacon Time</a>, <a href="http://thefreshmancook.blogspot.com/2014/10/celebrate-it-blog-party-13.html" target="_blank">The Freshman Cook</a>, <a href="http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2014/10/pin-junkie-blogiversary-party.html" target="_blank">Pin Junkie</a>, <a href="http://www.lifeoffaithblog.com/2014/10/mommy-moments-117.html" target="_blank">Life of Faith</a>, <a href="http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/inspiration-monday-linky-party-28/" target="_blank">Your Homebased Mom</a>, <a href="http://amamasstory.com/2014/10/mama-moments-monday-link-13.html" target="_blank">A Mama's Story</a>, </i></span>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-31142098695555052692014-09-18T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-19T18:47:23.348-04:00Teaching My Preschooler | Weeks 2-4 | Ian's Homeschool AdventureSchool has continued as usual, although my blogging time has been cut short a bit. Ian has an intentional learning time 2-3 times a week based on how much learning he actually wants to do. After all, he will turn 3 this Sunday, and school is not a requirement at his age.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqR5DQv_tG-J0wbsnYPhmBMtpxEaZJeQIuesvsuKZc2gs_nKX8Nm0nJx5IEuph0sYfjzFx1xtTGgYJhZoql412VZ-EoMW-RhxsfMn6rPYuB7nEqgfja43pQjzGjxD9t041Qcd3Fo3SlEg/s1600/reading+bud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqR5DQv_tG-J0wbsnYPhmBMtpxEaZJeQIuesvsuKZc2gs_nKX8Nm0nJx5IEuph0sYfjzFx1xtTGgYJhZoql412VZ-EoMW-RhxsfMn6rPYuB7nEqgfja43pQjzGjxD9t041Qcd3Fo3SlEg/s1600/reading+bud.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is what Ian and I have done over the last three weeks.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Week 2:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Monday: </span></span><br />
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We worked on p.7 of <a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168289" target="_blank">Numbers and Skills with Button Bear</a> which focused on the number 2. We read our stories from last week (which are listed below), and we also worked on P.7 in <a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168238" target="_blank"><i>Letters and Sounds for 3's </i></a>which focused on the letter "B."<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday: </span></span><br />
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We read stories and colored the letter B.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday: </span></span><br />
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We did p. 9 in both our Letters and Numbers books and then made "B" characters based on what we found at this website.<br />
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<i>(Note: I did have a writing practice page for him for each day in our composition book for the letter B, but he was totally not interested. He has "mastered" the letter "A" and only wanted to write A's. So he did.)</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xRahzOHZXIuNhdP0ZP1zeeEsHZ0btuwZHSD9rFwB81KRNrkfx7rcYGuAP4wwdwMnsX4gzLE78xOqP2b8bPmxtZZUTfcZv_YbeKzfnv4TmenxjtifONslkRpPhglNQQ_oPG_e1OFcTHk/s1600/Blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xRahzOHZXIuNhdP0ZP1zeeEsHZ0btuwZHSD9rFwB81KRNrkfx7rcYGuAP4wwdwMnsX4gzLE78xOqP2b8bPmxtZZUTfcZv_YbeKzfnv4TmenxjtifONslkRpPhglNQQ_oPG_e1OFcTHk/s1600/Blog+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Week 3:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday: </span></span><br />
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Letters and Numbers books p.11 (letter "C and review of numbers 1 and 2) and we read stories. Letter writing practice in his composition book.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday: </span></span><br />
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Letters and Numbers books p. 13 and more stories. Letter writing practice in his composition book.<br />
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<i>(Note: Because of the holiday weekend, and Ian being so used to not having our normal structure because Daddy had a 5 day weekend-<b> which we totally loved!</b>- we eased ourselves back into our "schedule" with Bud. He enjoyed writing his "C" way better than he enjoyed being shown how to draw a "B.") </i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Week 4:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Monday: </span></span><br />
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Letters and Numbers books p. 15 (letter C and number 2) and lots of stories<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday: </span></span><br />
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Just stories- lots of them!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Friday:</span></span><br />
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Letters and numbers books p. 17. We traced his hands in his composition book and he colored them. We lightly touched on the fact that he has a right hand and a left hand. <br />
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<i>(Note: Small children can learn just as much if not more by being read to.... and they learn to sit attentively for a reasonable amount of time. And you can't beat the snuggles that you get from that!)</i><br />
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</iframe><br />godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-38791982341562965602014-09-17T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-17T00:00:02.873-04:00Watch Out for Those Sneaky Charges!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqSIbt0-ZGEBCnaNYCsIo3P_nvEjb6WLjh0DJWp8BomhRqQGOZPbLOcEHVlRV4ckR_Za4ES3F_1iZBeiv2DyIop7TxjXGb-Z6BZXyQEZo_0iMIyBBZYyfheSww-rqDmR6czDLTquVLUY/s1600/watch+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqSIbt0-ZGEBCnaNYCsIo3P_nvEjb6WLjh0DJWp8BomhRqQGOZPbLOcEHVlRV4ckR_Za4ES3F_1iZBeiv2DyIop7TxjXGb-Z6BZXyQEZo_0iMIyBBZYyfheSww-rqDmR6czDLTquVLUY/s1600/watch+out.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
Today I am at <a href="http://wp.me/p3MoW8-1jV" target="_blank">Frugal Homeschooling Family</a>. We are always looking for ways to save money, but sometimes we end up paying just as much, if not more, than we intended to because of sneaky charges. Today I am reminding you, especially as the holiday season approaches, to <a href="http://wp.me/p3MoW8-1jV" target="_blank">Watch Out for Those Sneaky Charges!</a>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-20917131561293919242014-09-15T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-15T00:00:06.594-04:00Melk the Christmas Monkey<a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk?ap_id=godlyrose" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://paradisepraises.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MelkbookComingNov1.300.jpg" /></a><br />
If you are like me, then you have already begun planning for Christmas- checking the gifts you already have on hand, planning for your annual family get-together, deciding what kind of decor you plan on using this year, and which traditions you want to begin.<br />
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I am so excited to be part of the launch team for a new tradition for our family. Melk, the Christmas Monkey will be joining our family this year and teaching us throughout the month of December what the characteristics of God are and how we can apply those characteristic into our own lives.<br />
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The concept is similar to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976990709/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0976990709&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=NHV22UVFZTASQMAI">The Elf on the Shelf</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0976990709" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, but with Spiritual benefits for our children and families. <br />
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I will be giving my review of the book during the week of October 8, but if you would like a sneak peek into what the Melk lessons are like for yourself, why not visit <a href="http://paradisepraises.com/melk/?ap_id=godlyrose" target="_blank">the Melk landing page</a> to get two FREE lessons (or click on the photo of Melk to be directed there).<br />
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I love the fact that each of his quirky little activities have already been planned out , which eliminates me having to plan for one more thing each day.<br />
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More details on when you can purchase Melk and his book will be coming in October, so stay tuned!godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-6209595714848677062014-09-14T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-14T01:06:47.214-04:00Jump! | A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbGRLRe4iZXbsshHdZzV7MDrUsHlbRlTZiNaWWwGW_TBpmqqbh_WkdEivAoZxwTgGpkwrnz6UpdJI5-dNJgq4oFnQezfv_Y2hg5neCS68JT4eTP46NUZdecX2Dh41aXTWV0sgQ2ScZvU/s1600/jump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbGRLRe4iZXbsshHdZzV7MDrUsHlbRlTZiNaWWwGW_TBpmqqbh_WkdEivAoZxwTgGpkwrnz6UpdJI5-dNJgq4oFnQezfv_Y2hg5neCS68JT4eTP46NUZdecX2Dh41aXTWV0sgQ2ScZvU/s1600/jump.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><i>This post contains affiliate links.</i></span><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N975GGO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00N975GGO&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=WLSKP723AHGKBVHF">Jump</a></i><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00N975GGO" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Julia Dweck is a beautifully illustrated, colorful adventure that is guaranteed to get your child to jump out of their box and into the world of adventure that awaits them.<br />
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Jack loves popping up out of his box, and then going right back down into it. One day, Jack's spring breaks, and he is flung out of the safety of his beloved box. Yet, despite his initial fears of being out of his comfort zone, he finds so many different ways to jump- ways that show him that life is full of adventure, as long as he is willing to jump!<br />
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I think my favorite line in the entire book is "to think outside the box, first take a leap of faith and trust!"<br />
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If you have read any of my reviews from Christian Children's Book Review, you know that illustrations are a huge selling factor for me, especially since I have an almost 3 year old, non-reader. Pictures help tell the story for him. The illustrations in this book are fantastic! I love Brian Allen's style of illustrating. The colors are so bright and vibrant, and the drawings are clear and relate directly to what is being read. I loved each and every illustration.<br />
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At the end of the book, there are some extra pages which are a wonderful addition, especially for elementary aged children. The first is a fact page of animals that jump. The next page is a scramble game which takes words from the story, scrambles them up, and the child has to unscramble the words to remember the places that Jack jumped.<br />
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The last page is my favorite. the author, Julia Dweck, guides children through a series of questions and answers in writing their own fictional story complete with characters, settings, characters, and a plot.<br />
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She has two more books in the works, and I look forward to reading those as well. Right now, through Amazon, you can purchase the Kindle version of this book for $1.99! A great price for a great book!<br />
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-1958905209453492142014-08-26T00:00:00.000-04:002014-09-19T19:01:54.385-04:00Week 1- Ian's K3 Adventure <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJbB4DKNgzDSobn1J2GHtAJlIP0N2ykUSUV2mtBx1Yjl_0smgg_BCSBkXo8oIlqxt3_V3LN9MjfxhZB1T8JriaLQIhEqYA_F1A3mMYQ1nlxvSnK10qPBr-J0TX8IgBInZYe9P1_5EqX0/s1600/ian+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJbB4DKNgzDSobn1J2GHtAJlIP0N2ykUSUV2mtBx1Yjl_0smgg_BCSBkXo8oIlqxt3_V3LN9MjfxhZB1T8JriaLQIhEqYA_F1A3mMYQ1nlxvSnK10qPBr-J0TX8IgBInZYe9P1_5EqX0/s1600/ian+school.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><i>This post contains affiliate links.</i></span><br />
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I have never seen someone so excited about learning!<br />
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I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that he has watched his sister learn for the last almost 3 years or that there is a lot of coloring involved or that he has his own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles folder, but what I do know is that when I say that it is time to learn, he gets very excited!<br />
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As promised, I will be sharing with you what we did on a weekly basis.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wzo2pdmSPT2A3nSrp4qmvEWC48-A91s1Iq8405B4nhJpJ_hyphenhyphenAKK8kseyXilomr0i1ji_Cxj_vZ1o2vf2wRBAyWlW97SsnEO5UPNmFFBx6hJa81qo7Xn9Z7el4w2zX4vBAuqhhR4euso/s1600/995626_10204299728551050_76205527584423314_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wzo2pdmSPT2A3nSrp4qmvEWC48-A91s1Iq8405B4nhJpJ_hyphenhyphenAKK8kseyXilomr0i1ji_Cxj_vZ1o2vf2wRBAyWlW97SsnEO5UPNmFFBx6hJa81qo7Xn9Z7el4w2zX4vBAuqhhR4euso/s1600/995626_10204299728551050_76205527584423314_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Monday:</span></span><br />
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I drew out (freehand) a capital A and a lowercase a and had him color while we said the sound that the A makes. (We are specifically working on the short vowel sounds right now.)<br />
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I purchased a composition book for Ian and made four sections on each page. In each section we practiced writing the capital and lowercase A's. I held his had and guided him in the writing. We did not focus on writing "on the lines." We focused on the hand movements of writing the letters while chanting "line, line, SMILE" for the capital A, and "circle, LINE" for the lowercase.<br />
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We did page 1 in our<i> <a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168289" target="_blank">Numbers and Skills with Button Bear</a> </i>from Abeka books. We also read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069C5OMC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0069C5OMC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=P5KCIZ43XPSFXJAJ">Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 (Chicka Chicka Book, A)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0069C5OMC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i> and<i> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0517800578/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0517800578&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=A2XSTMDRYQ6MLEBB">Five Little Ducks (Raffi Songs to Read)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0517800578" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday:</span></span><br />
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We did page 3 (first page) in our <a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168238" target="_blank"><i>Letters and Sounds for 3's</i> </a>from Abeka books.Again, we practiced writing the letter A in our composition book and we read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439274621/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0439274621&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=LUNP4K7KKNRHU3EW">A, my name is--</a></i><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0439274621" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. <br />
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For math we read <i>Chicka Chicka 123 </i>and <i>Five Little Ducks </i>again.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday:</span></span><br />
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He had fun gluing cereal to the letter A on page 5 of the<i> Letters and Sounds for 3's</i> book. We practiced writing our letter A's and we read <i>A, My Name Is--</i>, <i>Chicka Chicka 123</i>, and <i>Five Little Ducks </i>again.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday:</span></span><br />
No school for Ian. However, we began learning his Bible verse for Cubbies (Awana program).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBB0x69a1ZpLqYE2_LrDuO3eqXXGMKBiouE8tlPUM_xjIger-Hewlqb0XTVxNv8bHpbnxpDkpZT5smjmtCcpgEnMFT_ohO0G_iQhhv1GPFWnzDK2Ix6upTLLWAUUL-HN0lBWESNDtrbX0/s1600/10570345_10204289885344976_5117173343222034962_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBB0x69a1ZpLqYE2_LrDuO3eqXXGMKBiouE8tlPUM_xjIger-Hewlqb0XTVxNv8bHpbnxpDkpZT5smjmtCcpgEnMFT_ohO0G_iQhhv1GPFWnzDK2Ix6upTLLWAUUL-HN0lBWESNDtrbX0/s1600/10570345_10204289885344976_5117173343222034962_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Friday:</span></span><br />
We made letter A crafts that I found on<a href="http://fowlsinglefile.blogspot.com/2011/03/alphabet-projects.html?m=1" target="_blank"> this website</a>. We practiced writing out A's, and we did page 5 in Numbers and Skills with Button Bear. We did not read stories. <br />
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Learning for Ian is centering around fun more than academics. I do not want his day to revolve around "school." I want his day to be about fun and play. I love that he is asking to do "chores"- what he calls his learning time for some reason. Videos are a part of our day. He loves <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TKUXUC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001TKUXUC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=HC67IZAVGPNK6UTT">LeapFrog: Letter Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001TKUXUC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U7NW20/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001U7NW20&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=MAURUBX6A64PKKOW">LeapFrog: Talking Words Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001U7NW20" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and I am all for using resources that help make my job easier.<br />
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This week, we are working on the letter B. Tune in next week to see what we did to learn all about the B and the number 2.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thejoyofhom-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0517800578&asins=0517800578&linkId=54DMMUMLDDOJXSLO&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
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</iframe><br />godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-9078506927106305872014-08-25T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-25T09:53:51.487-04:00Mary & Martha ABC Magnets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUZHEVBz_ZrmEP8WLO2PV_SgrHhDeXs1lz9QRs6Vvj1ZjEwigRnzgy75j868OvbghI0vJiUvpInk8DwsjVo9Z02nH0CL5oOHELaxtTBqy9Ujf5bwr0GeRJJjP4LZufz7o9nN_bmAupu4/s1600/magnets1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUZHEVBz_ZrmEP8WLO2PV_SgrHhDeXs1lz9QRs6Vvj1ZjEwigRnzgy75j868OvbghI0vJiUvpInk8DwsjVo9Z02nH0CL5oOHELaxtTBqy9Ujf5bwr0GeRJJjP4LZufz7o9nN_bmAupu4/s1600/magnets1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I think it is safe to say that most of us have a refrigerator.<br />
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And for those of us us that have children, those refrigerators get covered in art projects, simple drawings, and assignments that gave been well done.<br />
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For me, finding magnets to hold all of these treasures has always been a challenge. In general, magnets just do not appeal to me. Until......<br />
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I was sent a box of <a href="http://www.mymaryandmartha.com/SHEILASHYNSKI/" target="_blank">Mary & Martha ABC Magnets.</a><br />
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These rectangular magnets are strong enough to hold the construction paper and card stock crafts my children bring home from Sunday school, yet pretty enough to be displayed on their own.<br />
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Each magnet has a character quality word that begins with that particular letter of the alphabet along with a simple sentence using the word. For example, "H" says "helpful" and "Use your hands to help others."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRnk3wrQmg0NjUlkxrsKxMmMHdsiRWG0wU_nkbuo5GGomz4xNUhTQnNL6-L1vYM5r43or3cnZml3-ZxW7F8TPH7Aid1ZCZosjYFoBVtL07NxWcYi3XTGEbHFPix_F2saUB1Z2sYkZldY/s1600/magnets6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRnk3wrQmg0NjUlkxrsKxMmMHdsiRWG0wU_nkbuo5GGomz4xNUhTQnNL6-L1vYM5r43or3cnZml3-ZxW7F8TPH7Aid1ZCZosjYFoBVtL07NxWcYi3XTGEbHFPix_F2saUB1Z2sYkZldY/s1600/magnets6.jpg" /></a></div>
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These letter magnets are great to use with young children who are learning their alphabet. Not only can they learn their letters, but they can also learn a character quality at the same time.<br />
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Another way that I have used these magnets is lining them up to spell a family member's name, snapping a picture with my phone, and sending them the photo. It has brought encouragement and joy, and the reply text was always so appreciative.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IxJlk120qVsrndLH3LV95vBfwNLI6y3kVlAS3U3hlfH5qsyoYpCuNcAng18ohpNS0N39hew1OQ_DUt9eM78Qc3JA8JDERwze7QomGvY5r_RwZ4a1-kXrZiHgXC1-BJs9NkFtMm2yZFA/s1600/magnets+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IxJlk120qVsrndLH3LV95vBfwNLI6y3kVlAS3U3hlfH5qsyoYpCuNcAng18ohpNS0N39hew1OQ_DUt9eM78Qc3JA8JDERwze7QomGvY5r_RwZ4a1-kXrZiHgXC1-BJs9NkFtMm2yZFA/s1600/magnets+6.jpg" /></a></div>
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These magnets retail for $22 for a box of 26 magnets (one for each letter of the alphabet). The magnets are fairly thick (not cheap flimsy magnets with a vinyl covering) with the letter being mounted on several layers of thick paper that have been glued together to keep them sturdy.<br />
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Sheila from <a href="http://www.mymaryandmartha.com/SHEILASHYNSKI/" target="_blank">Mary & Martha</a> has generously offered to give a set of these magnets away here on my blog! To enter the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter below. <br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/666c2faf0/" id="rc-666c2faf0" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-44173692969470051592014-08-04T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-04T08:11:28.055-04:00Homeschooling My Three Year Old | A New Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="color: #999999;">This post contains affiliate links.</span></i><br />
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This year, we will begin a new chapter in our homeschooling adventure- the "homeschooling" of our three year old!<br />
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I use the term "homeschooling" very loosely here, because I have chosen to take a very different approach to schooling with Ian than I did with Addie.<br />
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With Addie I had a self-imposed goal of teaching her to read by two and a half. Well, she didn't learn to read by two and a half, and she even became frustrated with reading for a bit. <br />
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For Ian, our approach will be very different.<br />
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His structured learning time will only be three times per week.<br />
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He will learn to read when he learns to read- no mommy-imposed timelines for him.<br />
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His learning time will include having mommy read lots of books to him that include stories about letters and numbers.<br />
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Part of his learning time will still include my favorite learning videos, and some of his learning will come from a group learning time with his sister.<br />
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Lord willing, at the beginning of each week, I will be sharing with you exactly what our lesson plans were for the previous week, what we did, and what we used. Our first day of school is August 18, so you can expect to see our lesson plans for that week at the beginning of the following week.<br />
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Below are the current resources I have collected over the summer for Ian's structured learning time. <br />
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For our actual curriculum, we are using two workbooks from Abeka.<br />
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<a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168238" target="_blank">Letters and Sounds for 3s </a><br />
<a href="http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=168289" target="_blank">Numbers and Skills with Button Bear</a><br />
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The following are videos and books that we will use to supplement what we are learning in the workbooks.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TKUXUC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001TKUXUC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=RKD7JI62NENZPW5M">LeapFrog: Letter Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001TKUXUC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U7NW20/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001U7NW20&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=GDIPHAYBB66AHYIX">LeapFrog: Talking Words Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001U7NW20" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439274621/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0439274621&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=2T6QWDYEZYSQFUQK">A, my name is--</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0439274621" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0066U1SJU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0066U1SJU&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=KXGKEUJJRENMIYUS">Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0066U1SJU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069C5OMC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0069C5OMC&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=QD7TOHD4DBICNRWP">Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 (Chicka Chicka Book, A)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0069C5OMC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0152163565/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0152163565&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=IN2LGIOUSCV3OR4T">Counting Crocodiles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0152163565" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881069930/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0881069930&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=HZX4WNDGGJENM4HS">More M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Math</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0881069930" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158685318X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=158685318X&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=7W2UZUU3SMWDNUV2">Pig, Pigger, Piggest</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=158685318X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0517800578/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0517800578&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=CJBCEKLAGPGZM3D6">Five Little Ducks (Raffi Songs to Read)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0517800578" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416903259/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416903259&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=YHIGUGD3HOKZRVUL">Little Quack's Hide and Seek</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416903259" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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I am sure that more items will be added to this list throughout the year. If you follow along on Facebook, I will let you know when items are added to this list.<br />
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I am excited about the upcoming school year.<br />
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I am looking forward to having a much more settled schedule.<br />
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I am looking forward to being home more.<br />
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I am looking forward to spending large chunks of time teaching and learning with my children.<br />
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It's going to be a great school year!<br />
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</iframe>godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-90404586164581322502014-07-29T14:21:00.001-04:002014-07-29T14:46:37.357-04:00Nan's Journey | A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-AsgV3Mbs4DSV0tHo-vsC5UdPPDsYG6tdapVzcBPuJJIBiKrFWCXHvWMQN3oBtFcPp5XdABHgjFp2bM4T0tQUpk6Y5itXh2rWy4USNAdc7PwsqzOhlSKnn1j3v5x5G71rg3ZyYWk8DY/s1600/10347534_10203078345992825_3110570099639951535_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-AsgV3Mbs4DSV0tHo-vsC5UdPPDsYG6tdapVzcBPuJJIBiKrFWCXHvWMQN3oBtFcPp5XdABHgjFp2bM4T0tQUpk6Y5itXh2rWy4USNAdc7PwsqzOhlSKnn1j3v5x5G71rg3ZyYWk8DY/s1600/10347534_10203078345992825_3110570099639951535_n.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><i>This post contains affiliate links.</i></span><br />
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I was recently part of a review team for a series of Western based Christian novels by author Elaine Littau. Honestly, I am not big on Christian romance novels. Since getting married and living out my own love story, I have not had an interest in reading anything that might have a romantic twist to it. However, <i>Nan's Journey</i> had quite a different affect on me.<br />
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Nan is a fifteen year old girl who has had a hard life. Her father passed away when she was quite young and her mother remarried a horribly cruel man. Not long after, Nan's mother passed away leaving Nan and her brother at the mercy of their step-father and his new wife. Nan experiences a number of life changing moments- almost losing her 6 year old brother to the internal poison of a festering wound, being accepted unconditionally by a beautiful couple who know God's love and want to share it with Nan and Elmer, meeting a young preacher who has lost the love of his life, being assaulted by some mountain men, becoming pregnant because of the traumatic experience, and marrying the young preacher who wants to save her reputation during a time when an assault on a woman was considered her fault.</div>
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One of my favorite parts of the story was the way the author wove in aspects of the Gospel based on the experiences that Nan had lived through. For example, the story begins with a beating Nan received at the hand of her step-mother. Nan took this beating in order to spare her younger brother the beating that should have been his. The author uses one of the characters to explain to Nan that the same way she took the beating for her brother, Jesus was whipped for our transgressions and took the penalty of our sins upon himself. At least four times throughout the book a direct connection was to our need for salvation and how one can receive it. </div>
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I am a busy mom, who has recently taken on a part time position at our church, yet I was able to finish this book in two evenings. The writing is wonderful- very much a story with a clear direction, yet with twists and turns that keep you at the edge of your seat. There is enough detail to let your mind picture the setting, yet not not so much that it takes an entire paragraph to describe one aspect of a room. There is a definitely a beautiful balance in Elaine's writing.</div>
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We were able to participate in an author's interview as part of this team. Here are some of the questions and answers that I think are the most applicable to this review.</div>
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<b>Who is your favorite author? What books have influenced you most?</b><br />
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Living authors: Janette Oak and Francine Rivers. Those from the past: Grace Livingston Hill and Hilda Stahl.<br />
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Janette Oak’s <i>Love Comes Softly</i> series influenced me a lot because it begins with the start of a family and continues through the generations. I like that format. Hilda Stahl’s <i>White Pine Chronicles</i> had such unexpected twists and turns, I want to write like that.</div>
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<b>Where did you get some of your ideas for a Christian Historical Fiction?</b><br />
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For <i>Nan’s Journey</i> the idea came while I was doing dishes one day. I remembered a scene from the television series, Gunsmoke. A teenaged girl had been severely beaten. Her back was bleeding. As a little child, I had never seen anything like that. My mind whirled. Who hurt the girl? How did she get to the doctor? What happened to her after she was treated?<br />
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I couldn’t remember how the episode ended so I sat with a legal pad and began to write Nan’s story. I spent a couple of hours writing and my sons got home from school. It was time to be a mom again. I put that legal pad up and dug it out several times in the seven years it took to write it.<br />
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For <i>Elk’s Resolve</i> I decided to write a sequel for<i> Nan’s Journey</i> while I still had some courage. My husband helped me brainstorm with ideas about how and when some of the characters would find one another. Many times, just before awakening, ideas of the next scene would go through my mind.<br />
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<i>Luke’s Legacy</i> was the book that left me in tears most of the days I wrote it. I think it is an emotional book. I find it interesting that this one is my husband’s favorite. I love the character called ‘Purdy’. She says what a lot of us would like to say but have been taught not to say.<br />
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<i>The Eyes of a Stranger</i> came to me as I was thinking about mail-order brides. My first thought was, “If someone ordered me, I’d be sent back for a refund.” The story went on from there.<br />
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Some of the chapters from <i>Timothy’s Home</i> came from something that happened when I was three or four years old. My nephew and I were playing with my teenaged brother’s twenty mule team model. Somehow it was broken. Fifty years later I found a model and began putting it together. The kit had a history and interesting facts about the mule team. I researched online and had to use this hard fought knowledge in a book. I don’t like to waste a bit of research if possible.<br />
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The Series was completed with those five books. I sort of thought I was through writing but…<br />
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<b>Is there a message in your novels that you want readers to grasp?</b><br />
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Each book has an overlying theme, but the main thing each book carries is that God loves you. He has provided a way for you to overcome your struggles, and He will never leave you in your mess when you ask Him for help.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008JLPJA8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008JLPJA8&linkCode=as2&tag=thejoyofhom-20&linkId=UG4XKF6ZZ5DQLN5H">Nan's Journey (Nan's Heritage Series Book 1)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thejoyofhom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008JLPJA8" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is available for purchase through Amazon for $0.99 for Kindle.<br />
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</iframe><br />godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127265113877882150.post-90015038286721869172014-07-22T00:00:00.000-04:002014-07-22T00:00:02.280-04:00A Mother's Love: That FaceI recently had the opportunity to guest post at <a href="http://bphotoart.com/a-mothers-love-snapshot-story/" target="_blank">Betsy Finn's photography blog</a>. This post made me really look into my heart in order to pull out the feelings that a particular photo I took conjures up when I look at it. Sometimes we need a photo that will remind us of what is truly important for us as moms to focus on. The post is titled <a href="http://bphotoart.com/a-mothers-love-snapshot-story/" target="_blank">A Mother's Love: That Face</a>.<br />
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godlyrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989496246015265363noreply@blogger.com0