Homegrown Learners: December 2011

Dec 30, 2011

Reader Favorites from 2011

6:00 AM | Written by Mary Prather |

It's fun looking back through the blog stats (just the basic ones you can find in Blogger) to determine the top posts of 2011. These are the posts that received the "thumbs up" from Homegrown Learners' readers.

Personally, my favorite post in the list is #3 - just because we learned so much in this artist study and my children STILL talk about John James Audubon.

Comments are still open on these posts, so feel free to comment or just enjoy the reading. Hopefully there are some good links that can be helpful to you.

Top Five Posts of 2011:

1. The First Day of Not-Back-To School

2. Are You a Homeschool Ambassador?

3. Artist Study - John James Audubon

4. I Can't Run The Race Anymore!

5. Immersing Ourselves in History - Monsters, Demons, and Winged Beasts, OH MY!

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Dec 29, 2011

One Last Hurrah in 2011

5:48 PM | Written by Mary Prather |

I am thankful for these last few days of 2011...a time to reflect, relax, and regroup.

We are spending time with family in the mountains of North Carolina. There is nothing like fresh air, beautiful scenery, and not much to do!

Today we ventured to Carl Sandburg's home in Flat Rock, NC. The kids earned their Junior Ranger badge and we ALL learned so much. First order of business for the new year is further study of Sandburg and writing some of our own poetry.

Sandburg wrote Rootabaga Stories for children, which I found as a free download via Project Gutenburg, so I anticipate Sandburg being our read aloud selection next week.

ALSO...

I am trying out a new app, Blogsy, for iPad. Writing this post on the iPad is cool - but I have not mastered adding my own photos or links....YET.

How are you spending these last days of 2011?

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Dec 27, 2011

Looking Back at Christmas

12:25 PM | Written by Mary Prather |

I just had to chronicle our 2011 Christmas before too much time passed. I think we've finally gotten the hang of a stress-free, CHRIST CENTERED Christmas. My husband and I give each of the children one gift. By the time they receive things from other relatives, they are blessed beyond measure. We don't indulge in a lot of gift buying, either. This year we gave a gift to Love Without Boundaries instead of buying lots of presents.

This was the scene on the day of Christmas Eve... I was in the kitchen baking, and G was playing Legos at the kitchen table. Notice on my iPad I have Plan to Eat (which I LOVE and it has helped me become very organized!)... the recipe is for a Meyer Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake. I think it's the best cake I've ever eaten. No joke.

Brother and sister ready to go for Christmas Eve service. Each year I take their picture by the tree... it struck me this year how big they are getting.

Miss B and her good friend at church. We have been blessed by the friendship of this little girl and her family this year - it is one of the things I'm grateful for as I look back on 2011.

The photo is a bit blurry (I think the waitress just wanted us to get out because we were the last ones there!). We enjoyed a relaxing dinner with some good friends after church.

In Christmas PJs and ready for bed - it was nearly 11 p.m. at this time. Everyone was tired!

We did a little present opening on Christmas morning - with more to come later in the day at Granddaddy's house. Our dog, Gizmo, seemed to be anxious to see what was in his stocking.

The Christ Candle on Christmas morning. We had a leisurely breakfast and sat around the candle. The gift of Jesus Christ amazes me - there are no words.

The table Christmas morning. In years past I have been concerned about using the fancy dishes and having everything just perfect. This year, I used paper plates and napkins and it was JUST AS NICE. I think the Christ Candle in the middle of the table is what really matters.

I just had to include a picture of that cake I talked about earlier. There was a cranberry filling inside, and when the cake was warm I had poked holes in it and poured a lemon juice/sugar mixture inside. Oh, it was so good!

On to granddaddy's house for gifts and dinner. My children are so blessed to have a grandfather that cares so much about them and is so interested in their lives. He lost his wife almost seven years ago, and I'm always amazed at the little things he does for my children, in addition to babysitting, taking them for haircuts, etc...

He knows Miss B is into baking... so he got her a Whoopie Pie Kit from Williams Sonoma - complete with the pan and everything. What an AWESOME GIFT!!

Here's Aunt Julie and Uncle David with daddy -- opening a very special present from Granddaddy...

a goat from Heifer International. Each of the three children received this gift.

Next it was GMan's turn. I knew ahead of time what this was going to be and I KNEW he would LOVE IT! What little boy wouldn't enjoy a huge Erector set?

It inspired a BIG HUG and I'm sure it will provide a lot of education and fun.

Other highlights included the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter. This one is actually a puppet, too! Did I mention her big gift from dad and I was an iPod touch? Now, I know this is a controversial gift, but we have seen the educational value in it. She loves playing word games, texting with her friends, and listening to her music. She's wanted one for nearly a year and I was so happy to see her excited!

Check out this Lego game... I had no idea Lego made games that were so simple and fun. We have been playing this one a lot!

And every child needs a pair of spy glasses so they can see who's sneaking up behind them. (Way to go dad - great stocking stuffer idea!)

The Lego Apple Tree House was a huge hit, too. Oh, how we love Legos.

Now we are off to North Carolina for a post Christmas vacation. I've been putting homeschool plans together for the New Year and every SPECK OF LAUNDRY IS DONE.

How was your Christmas? Are you ready to start the New Year??

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Dec 26, 2011

Our Favorite New Book

9:04 AM | Written by Mary Prather |

It's a privilege being a Tommy Mommy. I love the resources we are offered each month, and I appreciate the opportunity to share them with you.

Heroes & Villains of the Bible has been a book all of us enjoy. From the preface:

Heroes & Villains of the Bible uses God's Holy Word to empower your child to make right choices. Read this book with your child. Examine the choices of these heroes and villains. Then use the lesson presented with each story to help your child see how those choices - apply to his or her life today.

The book contains 25 stories from the Old Testament and 25 stories from the New Testament. The stories are of men AND women. At the end of each story is a little lesson for the children, along with a simple sentence to help them remember the story. For example, in the story about Gideon (which my son has read aloud to me numerous times) the point to remember is:

God can make a hero out of anyone who believes.

Each Bible story is 5-6 pages long and can easily serve as a morning or evening devotion. There is one well done picture that goes with each story.

We've been having my son read the stories aloud to us and it's working well. The book is well suited for children in elementary and middle school.

If you'd like to learn more about the book, please view the flipbook below. This book would make a great gift, or I think just a wonderful addition to your homeschool Bible library. I know it's helped my children to learn about Bible heroes and heroins and then relate in a meaningful way to them.

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Dec 24, 2011

Advent Anticipation

3:07 PM | Written by Mary Prather |

Isn't this what Christmas is all about? I love this simple representation of the Baby Jesus my son made in Sunday School. It's about God's gift to us - a gift that repairs all of the brokenness and sin in our world.

I have (what seems like) a million little things to do today. I decided instead to spend some time with my family, have a long phone conversation with my sister who lives out of town and let some of the details GO. My house isn't perfectly clean. I even have a couple of gifts that aren't wrapped yet.

It isn't about all of the hustle and bustle on Christmas Eve as people search for that "perfect" gift. It isn't about that perfect Christmas meal, the perfect dress, or the perfect family gathering.

If we would just STOP and be QUIET we would know that gift has been given to us over 2,000 years ago.

It's really hit me the past couple of weeks that my life needs to be more SIMPLE. I need to start saying NO to so many of the activities that just create noise and stress in my life. I need to start being quiet and listening to what God wants me to do.

A few days ago I posted a status on FB that said something to the effect of feeling a huge change coming and how I felt restless. A friend of mine replied, "Mary, you are describing Advent perfectly!". Maybe I have gotten it somewhat right this year by slowing down and focusing on Christ. I am feeling a sense of anxious anticipation right now... not sure what it's about, but I'm excited to find out.

I wish all of you a blessed Christmas, and many blessings for the New Year.

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Dec 21, 2011

Stay in Touch! Blessings in Everything...

12:02 PM | Written by Mary Prather |

The past week has definitely had A LOT of bumps. A broken washing machine, a van that needed repairs.... but as I thought about them all I realized what a blessing I have these things and what a blessing I can get them fixed.

I'm trying to find the blessings in everything.

That van that broke down -- it's paid for, and we broke down right in front of a toy store and a Dairy Queen - plenty to do while we waited for the tow truck!

So much to be thankful for... thankful my rough and tumble boy didn't hurt himself worse when he fell off of his BMX bike the other night. Seeing your son's face meet the pavement and hearing his cries can sure make a mom run FAST!

Thankful for a Christmas concert planned and executed by Miss B and GMan... it was really good, too!

The blessing of Sunday School teachers who love my children is huge... don't you love the cute little bags we put together for them? (found these at the dollar spot at Target - I had to dig for them, but I found 10!)

Thankful for our milkshakes and the tradition we have with them each year!

And then I'm thankful for a rainy day spent at home making gingerbread men... Miss B hummed the whole day, a sign I know she's TRULY happy.

I'm also thankful for a huge basket of Christmas books! Our newfound favorite Christmas read aloud is The Twenty Four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle. Have you ever read it?

I'm finally very thankful for some much needed perspective I've gained this week.

You'll notice the Facebook and Twitter links are gone from my sidebar. I've decided to focus on blogging for my children and to focus solely on homeschool ideas/sharing. When I really sat and thought about it -- Twitter followers and a FB page are anything but eternal.

If you want to stay in touch, please sign up in a reader, or get Homegrown Learners updates emailed to you. Those of you who read this blog are a tremendous blessing to me.

Have a blessed Christmas!

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Dec 19, 2011

Out & About Today - And Christmas Wishes

5:30 AM | Written by Mary Prather |

So happy to be guest posting today at The Tuckers Take Tennessee... about having an Advent full of music.

It's also Holiday Traditions week at Three Thinking Mothers. Join me there as I share our family's favorite holiday tradition.

Many blessings for a JOYOUS, PEACEFUL, and MEANINGFUL Christmas!

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!
~Charles Dickens

*Collage Friday will resume Friday, January 6.... please join me then!

Labels: Guest posts | 0 comments

Dec 16, 2011

Collage Friday Second Edition ~ Birthdays and Music

8:25 AM | Written by Mary Prather |

Welcome to the 2nd Edition of Collage Friday!! Please feel free to make your own collage of the week, grab the button from my sidebar, and link up below. It's a great way to recap the week!

If you missed the first edition with a tutorial on how to make a collage, click here.

If you missed my "pour your heart out get your priorities straight slightly ranting" post earlier in the week, you'll know why I'm going to be backing away from the blogosphere. I was truly overwhelmed with the supportive comments and private notes I received after this post. I think this problem is EXTREMELY COMMON in the blogging world!

I will continue Collage Friday (it's such a great way to document what we do) and an occasional post, but I've decided to make an investment in living my life rather than blogging about it!

1. Thursday was National Cupcake Day. A very sweet friend of ours left two beautiful cupcakes on our front porch last night and when we arrived home we had a wonderful dessert!

2. Miss B's Christmas piano recital was last night. I'm always so very proud of her. She played three pieces (one of them was a duet with mom, so that was fun!) and had her own little cheering section from our church there. We LOVE our little Lutheran church.

3. A day was spent in Atlanta riding Macy's Pink Pig and eating lunch at The Varsity - two of Atlanta's institutions. The Pink Pig has been a Christmas tradition for over 60 years. The best thing about this day was the fellowship we enjoyed with another homeschool family. I got some very good MOM TIME chatting with my friend, Rhonda.

4. Miss B and her friend, Madelyn. These two are thick as thieves and it's very cute - I'm thankful she has such a good friend in her life.

5. We played UNO a lot this week! We're keeping a clipboard with the scores - it's a running tournament this holiday season.

6. LEGOS, LEGOS, and more LEGOS. This is a set GMan chose for his birthday. He built several sets all by himself this week. The focus and determination was astounding.

7. Do you love the Lego cake we made? This was a group effort between my children and I. We used this tutorial and I used a recipe for this wonderful little book! Homemade frosting made it good, too. YouTube was our favorite resource this week - is there anything you can't learn on YouTube?? On G's birthday we went bowling and had a family party - it was perfect!

8. A very happy seven year old at the Lego outlet store! He pooled birthday money and a gift from his dad and I to pick some sets he had been wanting. I am SOLD on the educational and creative value of Legos - in my opinion there's nothing better for little boys this age.

9. If you're a musician, this will make you laugh. I just saw this last night on Facebook and I laughed out loud. We've had lots of music this week between a piano recital and our daily Christmas hymn singing and the music playing at all other times!

Not pictured: Many read-alouds, a short Poinsettia unit study, completion of a unit about Charles Dickens and his life and times, and introduction of area and volume in math.

Happily linking with Susan for Favorite Resource this Week, and with Kris, for the Weekly Wrap-Up!. All of these pictures were taking with my iPhone, so I'm also linking with Dawn for Camera Phone Friday.