Cup of Grace Studio

2011-06-05T14:33:00.001-07:00

It seems to me if Christians wholesale say a certain "form" of art is "wrong" or against God, what we effectively do is cut ourselves off from being at the table for many conversations. We simply won't be at the table of "Modern Art", "Abstract Art" "Rap Music" or what ever else is going around. I'm not saying that it is the duty of every Christian to participate in every art form, or art at all for that matter but it doesn't seem right to see some forms of art as more godly than others. I applaud the efforts of painting schools to teach the techniques of the master painters of the past, but there should also be the realization that these are techniques and nothing more. If painter wants to learn them, if the Romanticism era really makes their heart sing, then by all means! But there is nothing more "godly" about that sort of Romanticism except for the godliness of pursuing a discipline whole heartedly for the glory of God.

I think I need to read "How Shall We Then Live" again. I think I simply disagree with Francis Schaeffer. But maybe I don't remember what he said like I should. As if I should be cheeky enough to disagree with Francis Schaeffer!

2011-05-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

For awhile I've been feeling like I've wanted to start a new blog to just focus on art and culture and Christianity intersecting culture and all that sort of thing. Not that I claim to be an expert in the area but I just find it interesting. So if you are interesting in that sort of thing too, you can join me here:

http://kerrileanne.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Sale in the shop

2011-05-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

A 10 day sale-through the 21st of May take 10% off your order total, with coupon code "SPRINGFLING"~celebrating the fact that we have had three days without rain!

Gotta love Oregon!

Honesty in Art

2011-05-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

I got to work in my local art guild's gallery for the first time. It was nice. QUIET. Much, much quieter than at home. :)

Anyway, while I was there a man came in to buy a metal sculpture of fish that he has seen earlier. He was so excited to buy this sculpture! His wife was walking behind him chuckling at how much he loves fish. I could tell he loves fish! As he was checking out he was looking it all over musing on how he would hang it, then he found a pine needle on it which delighted him because it seemed to give him some clue as to how the artist made the piece. Left it out in the sun perhaps? He was delightful. As he left he mused as to whether he should send the artist a picture of where he puts it, do you think he would like that? Of course he would like that!

It got me to thinking about people who buy art and the responsibility of us who make art. These two men, the artist and the buyer, both apparently love fish! And some how that love of fish connected them through this piece of art and the artist made this other man very happy by enabling the buying man to give voice to his love of fish!

I just thought that was kind of cool and reminds me of the calling of an artist. In a way you are aiding people to give voice to their loves and feelings by giving them form and color in a way that conveys more than what the actual thing just looks like in real life. That's why I'm not a fan of super realistic art. There should be something else there, something more. Something that not only says "fish" to the fish lover, but emphasizes what they love about fish.

I guess this was all the more striking to me because I am not into fish. All the while he was buying it, he was so delighted and I was just thinking "fish".... But that's a good thing. His new piece spoke his language to HIM. It wasn't for me anyway. He and this artist were having a conversation of sorts (though the artist was no where around) and all I was to do was to help him facilitate the conversation (Mainly by taking it off the wall and putting it in his hands and leading him to the cash register as he was just kind of gazing at his fish not knowing where to go..) and get out of his way!

Anyway, I found him delightful. I think God gave me that experience to show me something. I want to keep my art fresh and honest. So when somebody thinks enough of it to engage in conversation with it, it will be an honest heart felt chat. :)

{this moment}

2011-05-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

From SouleMama

Do you have a {this moment} up? Leave me a link and I'll come say "hi"!

Jostie Flicks

2011-05-04T10:01:00.001-07:00

Our family has ten kids. And nooooo dishwasher. So they found this video very, very funny.
Actually this family (I think they have 11 kids) has made a few vidoes that really rang true for my kids. I think there's kind of a "large family fraternity" of sorts. Whenever they meet kids from families with more than like 7 or 8 kids they have instant points of commonality. They also liked the one about being left home alone... eating chips for dinner, jumping on top of a car... and the boy by the piano who is apparently the sensitive one...

"It's fine if you give them small amounts and you help, help, Help them..."

New in the Shop

2011-05-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

"Twins"

These two buildings stand side by side in downtown Portland. In the afternoon the sun reflecting off the building next to them causes reflections to dance all over them. They are like a canvas being painted on by the sun!

This Moment

2011-04-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

via Soule Mama

2011-04-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Kim @ Life in a Shoe is having a giveaway of these cute hair clips.

Lilla Rose has a lot of cute stuff, so it's hard to chose, but if I won I think I would like this one:

https://secure.lillarose.biz/MemberToolsDotNet/(S(qyp5at4eim5obtff1ucw4yqq))/ShoppingCartNew/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=17981&CatalogueID=204&PartyID=-1&PartyGuestID=-1&InternalUse=1&ProductGroupString=67.72

Simple and sweet and not too hard to match. :)

New in the Shop

2011-04-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lemons on a Blue Cloth

I feel like I ought to say something about Easter, but since I spent the day sleeping while the family had dinner at church, it didn't feel like it happened. I'm still feeling a little under the weather-ish today. Hope nobody else in the family gets it.

So I hope you had a happy Easter!

Cheers! I'm going back to bed.

Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended

2011-04-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ah, Holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided by Thine own rejected,
Oh, most afflicted

Who was the guilty? who brought this upon Thee?
Alas my treason, Jesus hath undone Thee.
Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied Thee,
I crucified Thee

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered
For man's atonement, while he nothing heeded
God intercedeth

For me, kind Jesus was Thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life's oblation
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion
For my salvation

Therefore kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee
I do adore Thee and will ever pray Thee
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving

New in the Shop

2011-04-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Hearts

I love the bleeding hearts that grow in my garden. They come back every year in the spring to greet me, they are amicable and get along with everybody. But they don't care to be picked much. So I painted some so they could be brought inside without harming their sensibilities.

2011-04-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Etsy is an amazing place really. It's an absolute maze of people, all different types doing all different kinds of things. From grandma types crocheting Barbie doll dresses to fine art going for thousands of dollars. It's easy to get lost in the sea. But after a while, you start to recognize people, know where they hang out and what they do. It's just a wild, vast community.

Anyway, I came across these gals who are on a treasury team I'm on. (Actually nonteam, to be technical, but that's an Etsy fine line thing.) Anyway, I thought their name was kind of eye catching and fun "Drapes of Wrath". Doesn't that kind of make you want to put on an apron and beat up on some eggs? Heheh.

Aren't these adorable? But my favorite was this:

Hows that for barbecue with style?

If you want to make your own they have the instructions here:

http://drapesofwrathaprons.blogspot.com/2011/04/goodwill-to-good-lookin-lions-club.html

Too Fun! :)

Artist Statement Revised

2011-04-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

"All my life I have been blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest. Everywhere I go I am always inspired and exhilarated by the beauty that continually surrounds me. Desire to give voice and thanks for that beauty through art wells up inside me.
I believe art is important. Through art we surround ourselves with images that contribute to influencing our hearts. I believe that surrounding oneself with pictures of beauty, strength abundance, grandeur and joy contribute to building those qualities in our own lives. I want to create art that assists us in focusing on what is real and good and true in this world.
I am also a believer in the Living God of the Bible. I hope through my art to give thanks to Him and also to remind myself and others of His goodness, promises, and commands whether through image, symbol, or word. I believe art is an act of worship. I like to work with different mediums depending on the message or image I am attempting to portray. The vast array of materials to artists in these days are a constant inspiration and temptation to me.
"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, fear before Him all the earth." Psalm 96:9"

I revised my artists statement on Etsy today. I don't want to come across as "preachy" But I do want to accurately portray who I am as an artist and why I chose to paint the things I do and where I am coming from.

Thoughts?

2011-04-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I did finally experience that Portland oddity otherwise known as VooDoo Doughnut. Everyone lately has been going to VooDoo Doughnut. I tried to go once before but the line was down the street and around the corner, so I had to wait for a more opportune time. So when we saw there was one right by the church where the kids were having the speech competition, we (Elisa and I) decided to give it a whirl. May I say? I don't get it.

Now, I don't think I'm all that thin skinned. I was fine with the whole horror flick sort of aura, the voodoo jelly doughnut, coffin maple bars, etc. All just for fun, and of course it's a pretty eye catching sales gimmick. But I'm not into upside down crosses and pentagrams and there was a lot of that there. But not only that, it stank. And it was scuzzy. And my apple fritter was doughy and undercooked. And for the rest of the day, no matter how many times I washed my hands, I could smell it. All in all, it was just plain gross. Yuck. So I can cross that one off my bucket list, and I will never do it again. I'm sure they are really sad and will miss me frightfully.

Anyway, on to the speech tournament. Are you down? Do you need a bit of encouragement for the generations to come? Go hang out at a NCFCA speech tournament. Wowzers. You can hear the gospel presented from 50 different directions. You can listen to debate on whether or not we should change nuclear policies dealing with Russia. You can hear how to solve world hunger. (Plumpy Nut. It's the best thing since sliced bread.) You can hear Natural Law debated. Golly, it was fabulous. I love this sort of thing. I felt like my mental muscles were weight lifting all day long. And as that kid in the suit two sizes to big for him is calmly and rationally discusses the effect of Natural Law on the Nuremberg Trials you kind of have to pinch yourself and remember, he's maybe 15? 16?

I'm so glad Elisa is excited to do this. I wish I had gotten my older children into it. No matter what field of study they may want to pursue in the future, being able to present yourself, speak easily and think on your feet will be an asset, whether artist, teacher, scientist, lawyer....Hey, even auto mechanics need to be able to talk to their customers clearly and inspire confidence!

It was so interesting to be able to judge at this event. If you live near a tournament they always really need judges. They let the parents judge, but if you come in as a community judge (with no kids competing) they give you first pick of the events you want to take. They feed you good food all day long and there was coffee with real cream (Not just the powdered creamer stuff.) and candies on the tables. And you get to watch future leaders in the making honing their skills. You will feel very appreciated. It was a really quality event put on by good people.

Well that's my sales pitch!

2011-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have been such a whirlwind of activity for us! I have been judging at the regional finals for the National Christian Forensic and Communications Association. (Mercifully, usually abbreviated to NCFCA) It was a wonderful time, really, with a lot of thinking involved. But of course with me gone for two days the house is an absolute disaster! So I will write more about the event later. For now, I will post a picture if my latest addition to the shop:

Sunflowers

Hope you have a great weekend!

{this moment}

2011-04-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

from soulemama's blog

New in the Shop

2011-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Grape Hyacinths

Grape Hyacinths. They are such a lowly common flower, but they are so pretty when you really stop to look at them. I like to showcase less showy flowers and show them in a different light. Often they are like the people we meet in real life, they may seem common, but if you stop to look at them they are beautiful and sweet in their own way. These rewarded my efforts with a sweet fragrance to accompany me as I worked.

2011-04-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I was featured in this treasury today! And I'm also figuring out Craft Cult.... :)

2011-04-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition."

-Jeremiah Burroughs
"The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment"

New in the Shop

2011-04-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Summer Abundance

10x14"

Every year my family tries to get out to a farm to pick peaches. The trees are so heavy with them that they seem relieved to be freed of their burden. Then we bring these juicy treasures home to store up and enjoy over the winter, so we can remember the abundance of summer.

What we're up to....

2011-04-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Not much swinging, but still a lot of puddles. The last picture is of a "creek" that flows by our house. In that picture it's pretty sedate, on rainy days it can be quite the babbling brook. The boys and one of the neighbor boys are always building dams and floating boats on it. Either that or scooping up the algea and throwing it at the girls that reward them with screams. What is it about the masculine psyche that finds such satisfaction in a blood curdling feminine scream?

It's also the time of year that I start talking about moving to Texas. Everybody knows that and so they say to themselves "Just hold on, summer will come and then she'll forget all about it."

Well it would be nice to be DRY for a while!

What's going on at your house?

New in the Shop

2011-04-04T15:26:00.001-07:00

Trillium Spring

Modern Relief

2011-04-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

I thought this was very cool and just wanted to pass on the link. Modern Relief, a group of modern style quilters is selling raffle tickets for a chance to win one of their beautiful quilts and then giving the proceeds to Mercy Corp for Japan aid. I just thought that was a neat way to raise funds.

Neat.

Link via Sew Paint Create.

New in the Shop

2011-04-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Spring Magnolias

11x14"

2011-04-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

I was doing the classic science experiment of putting eggshells in vinegar to demonstrate what sugar does with a person's teeth with the boys. All day they were impatient to check it and see what would happen to the shells in the little cup on the counter but I made them wait until after dinner to give the vinegar time to work. Finally the dinner dishes were cleared away and it was time to view the results. I got the shells out, showed them how they were all dissolved and crumbly and Noah and Zeke were looking but Owen started getting restless and retreated to the background to pace and mumble as he does when he's feeling disgruntled. Finally I look up from my lecture on tooth brushing to ask what ever is the matter with him. "Oooooo," he puffs. "I thought they were going to explode or something."

!!!

Does he really think I would let him have sugar ever if there was a chance of his teeth exploding? I can tell he's going to be a tough one to sell on science experiments.

Art with Salt - Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) True blood portrait ...

2011-03-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Saw this at Gurney Journey and thought it was cool.

2011-03-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

I've been slowly adding a few things to the shop. This is todays addition:

Spring fiddleheads 17x11"

40.00

I've always found new fern sprouts rather fascinating. The way they unwind themselves into the air. :)

Waking Up

2011-03-26T04:36:00.000-07:00

Margaret posted a new blog link up thingy over at Two Kid Schoolhouse that looked interesting. It's called Five Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama and the idea is she gives a topic and your write for five minutes about whatever comes to mind that day. Well, it isn't Friday anymore, my day was packed. But I liked the idea and thought I would give it a go anyway.

The topic today is "Waking Up"

And I think that is appropriate because lately I feel like I have been waking up. Waking up to how my own thinking has hindered me and actually held the things I've truly wanted over the years from me. I've always been in the "If you don't expect things to be too good you'll never be disappointed but occasionally you might be pleasantly surprised" camp. Eeyore-ish. I thought I was being realistic or something. But this last year I think God has really been working on me about this.

I've been struck in the Bible how often God prints in very matter of fact ways impossible things and expects us to believe it. The sun retreating a couple degrees because a king asks for a sign of reassurance. Sampson carrying off the gates of a city. Not to mention a sea that parts, a virgin who gives birth, a boy who kills giants, an ax head that floats, a man swallowed by fish and lives to tell about it, on and on it goes. I've been reading the Old Testament in chronological order to my boys (we are now in Daniel) and sometimes I am just struck at how on the surface it stretches my credulity almost to absurdity! But yet I believe it all to be true and I read it to my boys and I want them to believe it is true. Why has God filled His book with all these stories? Why not just tell of our sin, tell us how to live, you know, leave it at Proverbs and the Epistles and stuff like that? Why all these wild stories?

Well, maybe because He wants us to live as though we expect Him to do the same for us. Maybe "Realistic Pessimism" is not just "kind of a downer but all too often true" sort of thinking but actually antithetical to the Christian calling of faith and hope? What king is honored by little, tiny requests offered in a "Well, I know this is an inconvenience but if you get a little chance..." sort of attitude. Maybe He wants us to ask for bigger things. Maybe He wants us to look at our difficulty and obstacles and see them as opportunities for us to see just how loving, forgiving, generous and joyful that our God really is.

So, for me, that is "Waking Up". And I pray to continue to Wake Up!

Just Wake Up Already!

More Painting

2011-03-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been experimenting with using acrylics as a water medium and then adding pastels over the top. I like spontaneous looking paintings, like Stephen Quiller, who is one of my all time favorite artists. I feel like my painting voice is coming back and that makes me happy.

2011-03-08T02:49:00.000-08:00

When Renoir was an older man he was afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. During the last years of his life the pain was so bad he was confined to his home and he painted on in great pain. Matisse was much younger than he was but they were good friends and Matisse often visited him. Once when he was watching Renoir paint on in pain he asked him how why he continues when it was obviously so painful to him. Renoir replied "The pain passes, but the beauty remains."

Isn't that how we should be when difficult times come to us? To be patient as the Lord refines and shapes us, but ever with the hope that when the pain passes, the beauty will remain. I find that very hopeful to think on.

Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son

2011-03-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Alright! It's time to get up and clean up the house!!

Painting

2011-03-03T12:36:00.003-08:00

Lately I've been playing around with water color landscape abstractions, combined with colored pencil.

10"x14"

5.5"x8.5"

4"x6"

They are calming to do. After getting the boys' schoolwork done and dinner going the older kids and I have been clearing off the dining room table and watching The Cosby Show on instant on Netflix and working on various pieces. Am I the only one who feels very nostalgic about the Cosby Show? They were so nice and normal when my own family life was so crazy. I watched it every Thursday night as a kid. I get such a kick out of looking at the clothes and stuff. My daughter commented on how we were so into crazy , bulky sweaters. To True! To aquire a new cozy sweater was pure bliss in the 80's. And we did like things bulky, at least on top. And the colors are so bright and primary and solid looking. Maybe that's why I went for tie-dye-too many clearly defined edges! Anyway, it's funny to watch them again. I think we are on like season 6. In I think 4 days. Kind of bad, huh.

Kerri

2011-03-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

Some of Forrest's Recent Drawings

2011-02-28T09:14:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things in the whole world to do is to poke around Portland with no real agenda. And some of my favorite company to do that with are my girls.

Last week my girls got invited to do some voice recognition recordings for a doll thats being developed. The ones doing the developing needed samples of girl's voices from the targeted age groups and my girls were invited to come do some samples. Always up for an easy $20 (well, mostly always) and an excuse to head into Portland we grabbed the chance.

This is a new sandwich stand in NW. Grilled P&J. Sound wierd? They were so good! Fiona got the Oregonian. Hazelnut butter, blue cheese and I think strawberry jelly. Me, the Thai, orange marmalade, hot pepper sauce, hmmm... can't remember the rest.. But it was really good. And Irene got one with peanut butter, bacon, and I can't remember what else. Hers was sooo messy. But they were all really good. I thought the whole idea of the stand was really fun and creative though. We'll definitely go back when out that a way.

The differences in my girls personalities was very marked when walking past the windows of this shop. Fiona (The youngest of the three middle girls) saw all the pink and bling and about had a heart attack. "Oh, mama can we go in there ohpleaseohpleaseohPLEEEEEAAASE!!!!!!"

But walking in Elisa says "PINK. Why? Why? Why?!"

This is what a telephone pole looks like after 50 years of concert posters are stuck to it. Kind of gross, really.

Red door on the Episcopal Church.

William Temple House.

Portland provides metal rings along the sidewalk for folks to tie up their horses.

Elisa had to go into the Jaguar Dealership on Burnside. Here she shamelessly covets. :)

I'd rather something a little more sedate.

It was a fun day. Elisa took the pictures, my camera being out of batteries. If I'd have taken them there would be ones of them reading the manga books at Powells. I love that I can go shopping with my girls and have a great day together. :)

2011-02-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

Fooling around with odosketch. Pretty fun little art site. Found via How About Orange.

Etsy treasury

2011-02-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to be featured in a treasury on Etsy. Treasuries are the way Etsy folks share what they like with others, give compliments or create a visual shopping wishlist. They are fun to make and people form whole groups around making treasuries. Shayleen is in one, because she loves making them so much.

Anyway, today I woke up to snow on the ground and the message that this item

Was featured in this treasury.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d6666376ce58eeff4c7a34f/etsymoms-who-paint

Looks like a pretty good day. :)

Portland Weather Incident Alert

2011-02-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted this on facebook and I thought it was pretty funny, mainly because it is all too true. :)
At the end of the video you may think he is exaggerating about the enormity of the danger, but the following video confirms that Oregonians driving in snow are indeed about the most dangerous creatures on earth.
(Yeah, I know, I can talk, I take Tri-Met everywhere.)

Truly terrifying, isn't it? We think the Portlandia show is making us look like idiots, but we do a pretty good job without their help.

Well, a little snow was falling as I walked up for milk but it has all gone away so I guess we are safe....for now....

Schooling Subjects

2011-02-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

Margaret brought up a couple points in her comments that I thought I would comment on in a post. I think mainly there is this tension that all home school moms have of if we are doing enough, doing the right thing, focusing on the right things etc. There are a lot of voices clamoring for attention in the home school world and many of them have their own agendas too. From curriculum they want to sell, to just having the desire to want to be the "advice givers" to the homeschooling community. Or just really enthusiastic about what they are doing and want to share the enthusiasm. Sometimes even that can send one home examining what they are doing at home and whether or not they should change things around and do what so-and-so is doing.

Are there some core things all home schooling kids should cover?

Well, I have a short list of things I really want all my kids to know, so I will put them forward here and they can be taken or left as one sees fit.

Bible. Backward, forward, inside out, upside down. Grand scope of sweeping through the history of Israel to the little details of symbols and (in our church this comes naturally) chiastic structures.

Church History. Have you ever pondered why history is read through political eyes? The rise and fall of governments and kingdoms? But our children have citizenship in a kingdom that has been since the beginning of time and has a future that will never end. Thus I would put forth that church history is the most important history they can study. I feel it's more important that they know the stories of the saints, martyrs, theologians, reformers and missionaries than it is to know kings and presidents. We do all history, of course, but I do try to cover this one as a priority.

Work. Not my strongest because it is usually painful for both me and them, but I'm trying to do better.

Math facts. Math was miserable for me simply because I didn't know my facts by heart. I really try to make sure these are drilled in.

Now the next two are ones that I wish I had done better when my older ones were younger but I want to make sure it gets into my younger ones. One is a positive attitude. I have been known to be a bit of an Eeyore. But when I started hearing it echoed by my children I decided that wasn't such a good thing. I am seeing how limiting the negative attitude and negative self image are and I'm really working on how I self talk and how I talk to them. After all, it really doesn't matter what a wonder kid you may have if they don't believe they can do anything they won't try. I want to work on instilling in my kids that they can do anything God is calling them to do and they can learn anything they need to learn. I wish I had done better at this for my older ones.

The other is Speech. Elisa has been attending a speech group connected with this national group. I can't tell you how impressive these kids are. They know what they believe, but not only that, they know how to say it. This is where tomorrows leaders are being made.We put Forrest off graduating for another year just so he can at least take one year of it, and I plan to make all my kids go through it. We are using the Jeff Meyers book "Secrets of Great Communicators" as our home study and Elisa is working on a speech for a competition on Sadhu Sundar Singh. Next year Irene will start.

Jeff Meyers makes the point that if you will over come your fear of public speaking and will learn to do it well, you are already ahead of 90% of the people because most people won't speak. It's exciting that there is one subject that can put your kid that far ahead in the game.

Of course we do do science, math, literature, art, but all my kids have varied experiences in these areas. For example my son hates to read fiction so the only lit he's really had is what I've read aloud. Shayleen on the other hand reads everything. Forrest does a lot of music. Elisa won't touch an instrument, but she does more science... I just figure we all have our place in God's world....

College, languages....

2011-02-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

Kerri, I have a couple quick questions on which I hope to get your input (and your readers' input, too!).
1) How important is college education for you for your kids? What part do you see college playing in their education?
2) When and how do you introduce foreign languages in your home-school program? I'm interested in both ancient and modern languages.

Thanks, Tim

Hmmm...

There's two ways of looking at college. There's the "It isn't about training for vocation, it's about getting my child the best, biggest education possible" view, and in that case I see college more as a luxury than necessity. Not that it's a bad one, it's a really good one, but I would have to weigh the cost of sending a kid to say a school like New Saint Andrews against what sacrifices would have to be made to send them there. Right now, as our finances are, the things we would have to give up at home are just far to great to even think about it. But if I had a more liberal income and the child was a motivated scholar and looked to me with imploring eyes "Oh, PLEASE I just really want to study under Peter Leithart," I would really do my best to try to give them the opportunity to go. After all, *I* would love to go too, so maybe they could pass me their books when they were done...

But I also really want my kids to realize that learning is something we ALWAYS do. I love to learn new things. Learning makes life interesting. It makes you more interesting (unless you start getting a big head about it, then it makes you a colossal bore.) My kids accuse me of not being able to have fun because I don't like fiction, and if they let me pick out a movie solely based on what I'm interested in it will probably be a documentary (which is why I almost never get to pick out the movies. :) I think college can be a great, GREAT asset to an education, but I don't want them to get that helpless mindset that it seems like most Americans have that says if you want to learn something you have to take a class.

Also, just because I think some colleges are worthwhile, it doesn't mean they all are. Unless you have a real clear vocational reason to go to something like a state school it could be a big waste of time and money.

Which comes to the other reason for college-vocational training. In which case it would depend on what the kid wants to do. My son is training in landscaping with his uncle and general contracting with his father. Either one of those vocations could give him a living that he could support a family with if he chooses to do so. But he is also very interested in art and he is going to a small, private art school for that. I think it will be better for him to do that and build a portfolio and experience because in the art world people judge you more on what you can do than where you went to school. I think getting his education done and getting an early start on gaining experience will be better for him than poking around for four years in a proper art college and spending a whole lot more money.

But then, that same kid also entertained ideas about becoming an economist and really wanted to go to Hillsdale for while. It that case I would get praying and really drive him to get the best transcript possible because college would be an absolute necessity.

So, in short, it depends on the kid, what they want to do, how studious they've shown themselves to be, what they need to equip themselves for their calling, etc.

Foreign languages....

Mostly, I just have to prioritize my time and money. We've dabbled in languages but I think the modern languages are really hard to learn on your own at home. My son tried to teach himself Japanese and got a little ways with it, but that is one thing that I think it's easier just to go ahead and take the class. I haven't had time to try Latin. I have a lot just trying to teach my older girls algebra and speech (and learn it along with them) and drag my boys through their school work. But if I had a bright kid and started with it young I think it would be fun to do the "Cat in the Hat" in Latin books with them.

Our church has a private school and they teach the kids Greek and Hebrew. I have had one daughter express interest in going, so we'll see.

I guess that isn't much help. But I did think the ideas for teaching the Classical Languages in the Bluedorns book Teaching the Trivium seemed really workable though. That might be worth reading for you.

So, I guess my all around answer is.... It just depends....

2011-01-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

I've been reading "Meet You at the Top" by Zig Ziglar to my kids, and I decided to put his goal setting into practice. This is a set of stairs that go up a bluff in my town.

Actually they start here.....

I am running up them every day. That is my goal. I have done it almost every day for two weeks. Of course I am gasping about half way up. I have to stop, catch my breath and carry on.

This is my reward at the top...

When I took these pictures a woman asked me about it and I told her I was documenting my goals. She said she knows people who run up and down them ten times a day. Crushed...

2011-01-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

Well, the Christmas tree is finally down, the eggnog has dried up and I think we got the last pine needle swept away. It's time to settle in and get down the good ol' routine of school work and more school work. I have to admit, I like the predictable quiet routine of winter and early spring. Quiet, predictable... and not a whole lot of interruptions so I can really focus and feel like we are making progress.

I'm still working on the basics a lot with the boys. Math, Reading, etc. We do a lot of reading aloud too. They like to get out their Legos and listen. That's always nice. Right now we're reading "The Golden Goblet" I read it to my older kids when they were young and it's an old favorite. I'm really liking "The Story of the Ancient World" that I am also reading to them. It ties in Old Testament History with other things that were happening in the region at the time. The boys have had a lot of these stories read to them several times so it's kind of a review with a few new things thrown in, but I heard once somewhere about the "Law of the 17th Mention" and so I figure this is their 17th mention. They should be pretty solid on at least the main Old Testament stories after this.

The older kids have a few changes that should prove interesting. Forrest has been really pursuing art lately and we are enrolling him in a Christian art school next term. I'm hoping he can come home and teach me stuff. :) It is only one day a week though. He is really looking forward to spending one whole a day a week just drawing and focusing on art! He is also learning landscaping and working for his Uncle. I'm thinking he could make his "bread and butter" living on landscaping and then work on art in the evenings. I'm excited for the doors I see opening to him. He's been working so diligently.

Elisa, too, is looking at some new adventures. She has decided to join Rainmakers, a Christian speech club. I am really excited about this! I took my older two kids to a competition a couple years ago for this group and it was very impressive. I also hoped one of my kids would get interested but Shayleen just didn't want to and Forrest is always so busy. Now Elisa is getting older and she's shown an interest and I'm just so thrilled. I know she will be challenged, but I also think she will have a really great time. The kids who are involved all seem to really love it and they talk about the wonderful friends they have made through the groups. I hope she will make some really sweet, encouraging friends. I think it will be a real blessing for her.

She's also going to take a world history class with one of her good friends and she's saving her money to go to Teen Pact leadership school in the spring. Good thing she's been babysitting a bit. :)

It's really fun to see her blossom and take on these new things. I always kind of hoped at least one of our kids would take an interest in these kinds of things, but Shayleen just isn't all that adventurous and Forrest is just... busy. I'm thinking Elisa will be fun. She's so ready to try new things and meet new people. I hope I get to tag along, at least a little bit.

Well, I guess that's all that's newsworthy around here. I hope the day find you warm and content and basking in the faithfulness of the Lord.

Kerri

new catch up

2010-12-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

It's true. I tend to just drop off the face of the earth at times. The muse leaves for a moment, I get out of the habit and next thing we know a month has gone by. It isn't on purpose, truly. And we haven't been eaten by rhinos or anything. It's just life keeps coming and I lose track.

So, what has been going on? Well, Thanksgiving, relatives, Christmas shopping, per usual. We had a really nice Christmas this year. I've come to the realization that I really like hanging out with my family. So far all my kids have become fun interesting people that I like to talk to, each in their own way, and that is something to be greatly thankful for.

Elisa and Shayleen have a bit of news. They have been scouted for a modeling agency and now are being represented by Muse Models here in Portland. They haven't gotten any paying jobs mind you, but the owner of Muse seems to feel pretty confident that they will. No, he hasn't sold us a $2000 photo package. :) They do the pictures for free and they seek out jobs for the girls and they get a cut when the girl gets a job. So I figure they wouldn't waste time on girls they didn't have a reasonable expectation of being able to make a little money with, anyway. There are probably some who would disagree with my allowing them to make a move in this venture. And I realize there are pitfalls everywhere. But, the owner is a married guy, has 4 kids (which by Portland standards is a rather large amount) and he was very understanding about conservative standards. Basically if a girl doesn't want to do lingerie, swimwear, alcohol, cigarettes and (oddly enough) fur there is a form that goes with her profile and she marks those things and they simply won't call her for those jobs. But this agency does catalogs and such so there should be plenty for them to do if they get picked for the jobs. They said Shayleen may be getting a lot of shoe ads because she has small feet and most of the girls they represent don't fit the standard model shoe size. I'm good with that!

Actually, they had been approached a few times before by another agency. The first time we got a card I laughed and threw it away. The second time I looked up a few things, said "I don't know..." and threw it away. There were some things about that particular agency (not Muse) that I wasn't too sure about. But Shay asked if she could just pray about it and if it ever happened again could she please just check into it? Well, it happened two more times after that in one day, so after looking at Muse and googling the owner's name and everything else, I let her go in for a meeting with him. Well, so I guess the rest is history.

I relented also because my kids have always been interested in media oriented subjects. Forrest used to do a lot of stop action animation with Legos when he was younger, now he's drawing a lot of manga, Elisa loves photography and perseveres with her cheap hand me down pocket camera, Shayleen has always loved clothes, clothes design, sewing, costumes... I thought maybe this is an opportunity for them to get a look into that world, develop some of these interests and skills, meet some people, and yeah, make a little money because Shay would sure love to get her little Volvo fixed up!

When my kids were younger I had a much more defensive posture against the culture. But I want my kids to grow up to be culture shapers, culture makers even. I want to be careful with them, but I also don't want them to get the idea that culture is something we fear or withdraw completely from. I want them to have the feeling that God wants them to be challenged, to try new things, to get "out there". It's a fine line, and I hope we are doing the right thing, but we'll take it one day at time and see how it takes shape.

Other than that it's the typical Oregon story of neverending rain, grey skies, puddles, dripping trees,(though today the sun is out a bit, I should step out for some vitamin D)...

I've been thinking about moving my blog to a web address that is more in keeping with the title. I'll see if asking Shayleen to do some bogging design for me puts her over the edge...

I hope all is well with everyone else and y'all have a happy New Year. :)

2010-11-12T02:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I was saying I had a lot of thoughts about "Radical Homemakers" . The thing is, my thoughts are very conflicting. I decided that I just really never was the target audience for that book and even though on the surface there are a lot of things I may hold in common with the author and the people she highlights, they are just that-surface similarities. But we didn't start at the same starting point and while our point may in some cases may be the same, ultimately if we were to meet at a party our conversation would be all "shop talk" and that's about it.

If you read the book did you get an eerie feeling that you were reading one of those "the case for homeschooling" books/articles from the 90's? It was all there-the industrial revolution, men leaving the home for work, the shift from the home being the center of production to the outer work sphere, all of it. I guess my very initial feeling toward the book was frustration and or annoyance because the author seems to think that she was the first to realize this (or her movement). She mentions the "Stay at Home Mom" sort of stuff coming from the Christian community that came out years ago but dismisses it all as being only in a sort of "women should submit to men" sort of mind set like we weren't interested in community, health, rejecting the materialism of the yuppie lifestyle, neighborhood safety or any of that. No. we were only interested in the whole submission thing. But these modern tomato canning young moms, they got it figured out. So, yeah. A little annoyance there.

I mean, I agree with a ton of the externals. I agree that baking your own bread, not going into debt for a car, canning tomatoes, growing a garden, all of these things when we put effort and love into them are important things. I agree that there has been a shift in our society from the home being the center to career and materialism being our god, really, considering all we do to satisfy it as a nation. Rand does work for some of these people, who pick their one kid up from day care at 7:00pm and dinner is a tray of "lunchables" as he's falling asleep on the couch. It's really sad. I wonder what on earth his happy childhood memories will be? It's a pretty soulless way to live.

But it also reminds me about how during my Grateful Dead days most of the really hard core hippie types were really the rich kids from Long Island and places like that. They lived on mommy and daddy's trust money all the while despising all that mommy and daddy stood for. They were the angriest bunch among us. It almost seems like they are the target audience for this book. Which I suppose serves it's own purpose. Canning tomatoes and having a garden rather than going out to have a career and make a bunch of money probably does seem radical to them. To me it's SURVIVAL. At own point the author (with a serious, straight face I'm sure.) comments that while she can't determine what people's incomes should be, a family would do well on $10,000 a year per person. Well YEAH. I *GUESS*. Honey, if we made $10,000 a year per person we would be making $120,000 a year which I can assure you is NOT happening around here by any stretch of the imagination. So this is radical?

See. I'm not the target audience.

It almost kind of displays the fruit of an age segregated society. The author writes about these things like they are so radical but they are what our grandmothers and great grandmothers did without ever considering it to be radical. It was life. Service to family. Do what needs to be done. Maybe being shut up in school all day with only one's peers is the reason for the whole mindset.

Anyway, it was interesting to look at the way the author thinks, but I don't recommend the book and I hope nobody bought it on my account. I only meant I was reading it, not that I actually recommend it. :) I saw it on a few blogs and picked it up at the library because I was curious. But you'd get more substantial reading material by reading a Ball Canning cook book or for plain ascetic looks at community and family life I really love the intros to Cooks Illustrated magazine. If Christopher Kimball wasn't such a rocking good cook I'd think he missed his calling as a writer. As it is I grab every Cooks I can find just so I can read his intros.

"The world over, it would appear that life is lived countless miles from where we wish we still were. I know that to be true thanks to modern poets who, when they speak fondly of home, mean some other hallowed ground, either distant or in times past. Here in the mountains life isn't always easy, but we are deeply rooted in the center of things, just a quick step away from where we have always wanted to be and the people that we had hoped to become."

Cooks July/August 2007

That's the vision of home I want to give my kids. It isn't a movement. It's just love.

2010-11-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days I have just not been feeling up to par. Earache, sore throat, wheezy and coughing... I feel like someone been sitting on my chest. Why do I always get sick when the weather changes? And why am I always off guard and surprised when it happens? Blah. I just feel like sitting in my chair and vegging out on movies.

On Sunday I sat and watched "League of Grateful Sons" which I got free from Vision Forum months ago but haven't watched because I knew it would make me cry. Well, it did, but it was really good too, I must admit. In the movie this poster came up

which I thought was rather appropriate for election day. *sigh*.

But I am never one to just sit so I took the opportunity to work on this as well

I tried quilting years ago when we were first married. But I am not an organized, precise person. No matter how carefully I cut out those little squares my corners just never, never did line up. I gave it up for a while but then through reading a few articles in Threads (long lost and forgotten) I decided maybe it didn't matter if the corners didn't line up! Maybe the world could make room for a disorganized free for all quilter like me? I tried out my theory on this quilt for Elisa

No worrying about corners. It was my first attempt at hand appliqué as well, and I embroidered lots of Scripture verses into it. Well, it won't win any prizes at a quilt show for sure, but she loved it. It's about 7 years old now and needs some mending and it doesn't quite completely cover her anymore, but she still keeps it on her bed and I pray the verses are emblazoned on her mind!

Anyway, back to the blue one, I machine pieced it, but I am hand quilting the layers together. I used only scraps from my sewing stash (including the batting which is made of flannel I had around.) I am just randomly quilting circles all over it in different colored embroidery floss.

Today I will go turn in our ballots, thats for sure. (Praying, praying the whole way.) Dinner-meatloaf, salad and spaghetti squash from the garden with a little spaghetti sauce on it and French bread.

I haven't finished Radical Homemakers. Maybe now I will go and read the rest, while the house is quiet and nobody else is up....

What's up with you?

2010-10-30T04:57:00.000-07:00

These are my most recent doodles for the 100 day challenge...Which for me will be like a 25 day challenge, since I started so late. Anyway, I was just playing around with water colors. It has been a long time since I have picked those up. Painting with kids around is a challenge because they always want to join in, and also they get into them. That's why I moved to colored pencils a while back. Once Forrest ate a tube of Cobalt Blue. I did thank God I used water colors at that point and not oils-the only effect on him was interesting diapers-but that's about the time I put the paint away. (he was about 2) Colored pencils are really nice because they are simple to get out and use, the kids can easily join in, they give bight, clear color which I like, you can get amazing detail with them and they are easy to clean up after. They also forced me to focus on drawing skills rather then to depend on the nice swooshy, swooshy looseness of the paint. But their drawback is that they take longer to create with, the public isn't as familiar with them so they are harder to get exposure with, and they usually bring in a lower price than paint. Also they have to be framed behind glass and some people don't like glass over their art. Though that's true of water color as well.

But there are artist who have taken colored pencil to amazing levels of art and I do think eventually they will be a well respected medium to work with.

Here are a few of my favorite colored pencil artists.

Susan Brooks

Barbara Edidin

Bet Borgeson

Graham Brace

Pamela Belcher

Enjoy!

2010-10-28T03:38:00.000-07:00

I know, I haven't posted. Sometimes life is just very mundane. :) For example, my day today-woke up about 5:00 and did some drawing and watercolor doodles. Girls got up, made breakfast, and I read the Bible and catechism study to my boys, clean house, the usual stuff. Then the boys come up and say the washer machine is overflowing so I go downstairs to investigate. No, it was the toilet, not the machine. Bring on the bleach. Clean it up and wonder to self who could have been standing there flushing the toilet over and over because there was clearly more water there than just one flush. Throw away little area rug-not nice enough to bother with. Listen to boys read their lessons, daughter leaves for church decorating-we have an All Saints Day celebration on the 31st. Note to self, look for costumes tomorrow. Other kids leave for various piano and violin lessons. More schoolwork. Suddenly very tired. (I had about three hours of sleep the night before) so put boys in care of 14 yr old and went for nap. Got up to coffee brewing (yeah!) and husband saying no, it wasn't just the toilet, it is the main water line to the house. Tell renters no water use. Call Roto Rooter. Guy comes out and says it will be about 500.00 (at least) owing to our basement , heaviness of tools, safety requirements, etc. Really, really nice guy, suggests we call around, smaller company may not charge so much. So I do call around. Finally got a quote of 250. Hubby is inspired to buy his own tool and decides to try himself. Please go get him beer. Yes, beer is probably a good asset for a job like that. Go get beer and also tater tots-Wed is my night to make left overs and quickie food for dinner and the kids want tater tots. Older kids come home from choir and lessons, we talk and eat tater tots. Husband succeeds with water line. Yeah! Tell renter, you guys can flush the toilet now, aren't you happy? :) They are, we chat, they make pie, I go to bed. I need to call the plumber in the morning and cancel.

Tomorrow, schoolwork, (a trend?) house cleaning (definitely a trend), steak fajitas for dinner, and I've got to, got to look for those costumes.

See? Mundane. Who could be interested? I ask you?

Things to be thankful for....

2010-10-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Typical Oregon Sky

Well, I like it anyway..:)

Full woodpile

Candle light in windows

Triolet

George MacDonald

Oh that men would praise the Lord
  For his goodness unto men!
Forth he sends his saving word,
  —Oh that men would praise the Lord!—
And from shades of death abhorred
  Lifts them up to light again:
Oh that men would praise the Lord
  For his goodness unto men!

What are you thanking God for today?

On the drawing board...

2010-10-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Oregon Forest

Vintage Dance

2010-10-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

Last week Shay and her friends had a vintage dance. It was really fun to see all the vintage outfits people came up with. There was everything from the 80's to the 1950's. And the boys all said "Hey, vintage! That means I get to wear a white t-shirt and Levis!"

Margay Hoi

Post Jig

Well, Forrest was content with the jeans and Tee...

But not all the boys. Some were more spiffy.

Shay (center) and some bestie friends.

The pictures were taken by a friend of Shay's, she's very talented. :)

drawings for today

2010-10-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Are you bored of my scribbles yet? :)

Well, tomorrow I will stalk fellow bloggers, steal photos and post pictures of Shay's vintage dance. Ohhh, the girls were so pretty!

2010-10-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

I'm taking part in a artist challenge on a "Cloth, Paper Scissors" forum that is intended to get participants to create at least one piece of art a day for 100 days. The idea is not so much to create great pieces of art but to keep the creative spark going through out our day and remind us to think artistically. As we all know it's so easy to put our own interests on the back burner as we shop, care for our families, clean, work, etc. I am late to the party so I'm doing as many as I can, but I think there is about 25 days left. Anyway, here are some of the fruits of my labors. :)

The bottom two were doodles done during church. Drawing helps me not to space off. The communion cups inspired the one with the wine glass.

2010-10-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

I hear that in the world of personality types there is like 5% extreme introvert and 5% extreme extrovert and then the rest of the world falls in between somewhere. Whenever I've taken any type of personality test I always fall in that 5% extreme introvert.

My bestie Mrs. Darling however-well, I don't know if she's ever taken a test but if she did she would be in the 5% extreme extrovert I am quite sure. Which is why we get along so well. She talks all she wants with me, (unless I have some bee in my bonnet, then she gets to listen a little) and she doesn't obligate me to talk. It's a good working relationship.

So the other day she comes over and we got to discussing vacations and how she doesn't want to Disney World again, they've done it so many times. Through the course of the discussion she realizes that I really have no clue what all there is at Disney World. The more she described it the more I got that horrifying feeling of noise, crowds, over stimulation, and wondering where on earth a person could get some peace! That is how I know I would feel there, just by the way she was describing it, that is. And I was thinking the perfect vacation for me would involve quiet, books, art supplies, and no phone, people... just quiet.

So, I told you that to tell you this. Here it is. My perfect vacation spot.

All I need is someone to pack in all my paint, fabric and knitting supplies. I would like the mirror room please.

What is your dream vacation?

2010-10-12T13:23:00.001-07:00

I got home from an early morning trip to the store and my, everyone is in a funk. And I have to admit that I have a hard time pulling them out of one when I'm tempted to go into one myself. But maybe a little Natalie Merchant will help. (Elisa would like me to say that she is not in a funk. Well, it was the general atmosphere. Maybe not everyone.)

I love Natalie Merchant. And I REALLY love the Chrysler building.

2010-10-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

OK, one more thing about the Christmas thing and then I'll get off the soap box.

One of the biggest complaints against it is that the roots are pagan. One person has commented about how Christians are unknowingly celebrating a pagan holiday. I just feel like saying "and your point is...." The thing is, if nobody even really remembers these so called gods anymore hardly (Except the Christians who want to keep pointing them out) how can it be a pagan holiday anymore? Isn't the fact that nobody remembers them and only really associates the day with the birth of Christ a true example of the reality of Christ's triumph over these gods? And if we retreat from the day and point out the gods (that nobody else remembers) are we not in fact reviving them and giving them back power? Are we not supposed to be taking over these things? We should find another pagan holiday to take over!

When we lived in a really, really liberal weird area of Portland there was a coffee shop by us (run by witches) that was closed all day for winter solstice but only closed a half day for Christmas. If Christmas is so pagan, why weren't the witches wanting it?

And as for celebrating the Jewish feasts, isn't that kind of a return to Judaism that God warns against in Hebrews and so forth? I'm not going to go as far as to say it is WRONG to do this, but it seems to me that to replace distinctly Christian culture with the holidays and customs of Judaism is a step backward. But Christians seem to be falling all over themselves to please the Israelites these days. I find the whole thing perplexing. Is it a kind of "white guilt" sort of thing-since we did treat them shamefully for years? I guess that's another topic... Obviously I'm up with insomnia again. But what about you, do you find it perplexing?

I know probably nobody who reads my blog really has much to do with this argument. I'm still kind of detoxing from my uber conservative days I guess. It just frustrates me.

2010-10-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

I am a member of an email group for homeschooling, having larger than usual families, moms. Every year this argument starts going round about the holidays. Our church has a wonderful Reformation Day party that my children (all of them- from the little guys to the 18 year old) look forward to with gusto so Halloween really isn't an issue for us. Secular celebration with the unbelievers in my neighborhood? Or celebrating with all their best friends, running around in historical garb, playing games and eating candy... no brainer.

But CHRISTMAS. Then the argument starts over Christmas. That is was pagan. That it is all about materialism. That we should celebrate the Jewish feasts because they are more Biblical, etc. Well, I'm not usually one to get all in a knot over email loops and I'm more of a libertarian, each to his own sort of person. But at the same time I remember being on those lists as a young mom and feeling guilty that maybe I was being worldly and these moms had more experience than me and were plainly more godly than me... (I mean after all, if they have 10 year old they must be really experienced, right?) and I just grieve for those moms who maybe influenced by this sort of thinking as I was. So I wrote this reply.

I have been a homeschooling mom for 18 years now, and have been around and in various elements of the homeschooling world for all that time (and before, as I always knew we would homeschool and bought my first books before my oldest was conceived!). I remember as a young mom hearing about Christmas being pagan and we didn't really celebrate Christmas for years. Sometimes we would go to the mountain and play in the snow, sometimes we would stay home and make a nice dinner and play soft music..

I am sorry now that I didn't celebrate more with my older children.

I still have all my ten children at home, I have the benefit of regaining some of those years through still having very small children and I (and their older teenage siblings) thoroughly enjoy Christmas through their eyes. But I regret that I did not make more of an effort to make that time of year a wonder filled time of year for my older kids. What if I didn't have those younger ones, that I could change and model joy rather than dreariness to? What if my older ones had never been able to enjoy a joyful celebration of Christ's birth in my home?

I do not believe in celebrating the Jewish feasts. I do think we should study them and know all their Biblical importance, but I am not called to be a member of old Israel. God has created the church. We are to have our own symbols (he changed circumcision to baptism, Passover to the Lord's Supper, Sabbath at the end of the week to resurrection at the beginning, etc.) We are the "called out ones". I want my children to take part in this new community called "the church".

It is not a command to celebrate Christmas, but it is a joyful privilege. If one of a tender conscience doesn't feel comfortable with elements of it, I certainly wouldn't ask them to do anything to harm their relationship in the Lord. But I also would not encourage young mothers who want to celebrate the seasons with their little ones to abstain on the basis of someone else's conscience, but only if the Word of God prohibits. God tells us not to add to His word. Sometimes I catch one of my kids saying "Mama said" when that wasn't what I said. Who is in trouble there? Be careful when you cause doubt on another person on the basis of your own opinions, rather than on the Word of God. I do believe a case can be made Biblically for not allowing our children to sit under the tutelage of instructors that will overtly teach them falsehood. I don't see the same clear case for Christmas.

I don't want to make anyone feel badly for what they chose to do if that is honestly what they want to do. But my concern is for the young mothers out there, dealing with so much burden, guilt and judgement in the world. Christmas is a glorious time for children. It's the one time of the year that Christ's name cannot be avoided. Take them to the parades. Get a tree. Talk about "Light", "evergreen", angels, shepherds, whatever your heart desires and rejoice in the Lord with thankfulness for whatever He provides for you to be able to do (present wise.)

Kerri

I wish I was more eloquent, but I've done what I could.

2010-10-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

When I was young I used to dream of the day when we would have a large family. I saw an article once on a mother/daughter artist team and their house was full of paintings, paints, yarn, fabric and I dreamed of the day MY house would be like that. Only multiplied over many times. People would be drawing, painting, playing music, cooking... All that creative energy, all the color, all the fun...

Now I walk around the house and I see all the paint, all the books, yarn, cooking, piano playing, violin playing, fabric, embroidery floss.... and I say... "Goodness Gracious! What is all this mess! Can't the house stay clean for five minutes for crying out loud?????"

New Shop Item

2010-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Wading Great Blue Heron

11x14 with colored pencil and oil pastel on vellum finish acid free paper

*sold*

Weekend Visitor

2010-10-04T02:53:00.000-07:00

Rand's mom has had a series of little possum babies captured in her garage. We think the mother died. Anyway, in the interest of biology...or something... he brought one of them home for the kids to see. Irene kept it in a bucket in her room for a few days. Mainly, I think, she liked the shock value in showing him off to her friends. :) But he started to get a little grumpy (can't imagine why) so we soon let him go.

We had a pet rat for a while. It took me a little to get used to her, but I really didn't mind her. She was actually very sweet. I've heard of people keeping possums. But I don't think I could EVER get used to one, even if it was tame. For some reason it just gave me the willies every time I looked at it.

I recently read this book to my boys

and it was a lot of fun. It was all about all the wild pets the author kept with her kids over the years. We learned a bit about crows especially, reading it.

But on the whole, I think I prefer pets of the domesticated sort.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-09-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Outside my window... The gold finches are enjoying all the sunflower volunteers we have in the yard

I am thinking... about the sermon on Romans I am listening to: Ray Stedman on Romans "From Guilt to Glory"

I am thankful for... Christ's righteousness. Mine just doesn't cut it.

I am wearing... Floral t shirt, Coldwater Creek jeans, Keen shoes

In the learning room... The dining room? Art supplies everywhere. Mine and the kids. :)

I am remembering... The fall air reminds me of the happy times I spent riding horses as a kid.

I am going... hopefully nowhere!

I am currently reading...

and have a lot of thoughts about it...

I am hoping... ~that Rand will be able to fit in a good size job before the rain really sets in.

On my mind... My "to do" list

Noticing that... Noelle needs tending to!

Pondering these words...

"In a utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected."

~Charles Dickens~
British novelist
(1812-1870)

From the kitchen... Elisa making lentil soup in the crock pot. I love the feeling of dinner being "already made." We will add baked potatoes and a steamed vegetable later.

Around the house... Laundry to fold, cleaning to do, but I hope I can work on a quilt I am making this afternoon. :)

One of my favorite things... Coffee in the morning!

A picture to share:

Zeke likes the beach.

Simple Woman's Daybook

New Shop Item

2010-09-24T21:35:00.001-07:00

Owl on a Snowy Night

Hiking on Mt. St. Helens

2010-09-24T12:34:00.001-07:00

2010-09-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

The other day Zeke comes to me and he says "Mama! Now that it's fall you can make chicken and duckelings!" (I know it's ducklings, but that's how he says it.)

"What?"

(Before he was excited-Zeke usually is excited. But now he's hesitant...)

You know... that soup that you put the baby ducks in?

That blessed boy thought I was putting baby ducks in his soup?! I'm horrified! It didn't seem to bother him though...

In which I tell a sad, sad story...

2010-09-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

My drawings are like children to me. I fuss over them, I love them, I get angry with them... I had the most lovely time drawing this one...

I love bright, clear colors. I was so happy with the way the orange and the green were getting along..

And then...

(No it wasn't the boys this time.. their destruction would have been more complete...)

But still, and then I went outside to take pictures and!!!!!!

Spots!!!!

What on earth are they!!!! I don't know. *sigh*

Well, what to do. Keep it? I put it into the shop anyway, at half price. (and included pictures of the spots) They don't show that much. I think once it's framed nobody would notice. But man, I could just cry. Think I'll have a bowl of ice cream instead. *sigh*

Have you tried the new Tillamook Ice Cream feature flavor, Cinnamon Bun swirl?

Ommygoodness.

Yum.

Giveaway!

2010-09-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

There is a giveaway at My Heart and Welcome To It. Head on over and enter!

New Item in Shop

2010-09-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56330490/dogwood-original-colored-pencil-artwork

2010-09-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Apparently I took the wrong button from my daughter's blog yesterday. I linked her blog, but I meant to link her shop. So here's the right one:

Also, we have had another birthday. :)

Joseph is four.

And can I just say, the whole idea strikes me as really, really wrong. :/

2010-09-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

I only have a couple of minutes to check in, but I wanted to mention that Shayleen has opened an Etsy shop.

And my second daughter, Elisa has started a photography blog.

Capturing Life One Picture at a Time.

I know they would be encouraged if you would stop by and say "hi!"!

Now to get to the Monday morning catch up.... Yiy.

And now for something completely different...

2010-09-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

Haha, it makes me happy. And it's good house cleaning music.

2010-09-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

I hope nobody who comments here is thinking I am criticizing their blog. Not everybody HAS to do a certain kind of blog, and there's nothing wrong with Victorian if you really do like it. (And Wayside Wanderer, I found your blog because Marbel suggested it as a "beautiful blog." :) And not everybody has the time to edit HTML (or has a teenage daughter that you can ask to do it for you) I'm probably over thinking as my son always accuses me of doing. (He over thinks too!)

I guess my lament is like Mrs. Darling said in the comments and in writing this is really true too. There are SKADS of Christian writers out there, but all the books seem to kind of follow the same theme (Historic Christian probably romance in there too type.) and they are pretty shallow. Christian music? Same thing. Why?
Are we stretching ourselves? Has our God gotten smaller? Are we more comfortable with predictability and things that go a little different scare us?

I don't know. I just wonder about these things. I hope I haven't made anybody feel bad. It's more my own personal lament than directed toward any certain person... It's my own thing, I'm sure.

But isn't it weird? On one hand the wishy washy thing, the "anything is art" thing and on the other all the predictable Hallmark card-y stuff? I can't solve it. I'm not really an artist, maybe that's the thing. I feel like if I call myself an artist there's some sort of responsibility that goes with it and frankly I don't think I fill it. Maybe I'll call myself a decorator.

And now that I've completely made NO SENSE I'll go clean the kitchen and do something predictable.
:)

More Art

2010-09-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

Well, this is what happens sometimes when you drink coffee laced with espresso late in the evening. You get a blog post at 3:00 am.

So what is art?

Wikipedia defines it as such: Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging symbolic elements in a way that influences and affects the senses, emotions, and/or intellect.

I just went to church's website (a CHURCH mind you. I won't link it.)Where art is defined thus:

Art is whatever someone consciously calls, ‘art' .

Yowzers.

What's really odd is that in that same article there is a picture of Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" uh that is urinal. Marcel Duchamp was a leading voice for the Dada movement.

This is from the Dada Manifesto:

A Young girl commits suicide. Because of What? DADA The spirits are telephoned. Who invented it? DADA Someone walks on your feet. It's DADA If you have serious ideas about life, If you make artistic discoveries and if all of a sudden your head begins to crackle with laughter, If you find all your ideas useless and ridiculous, know that

IT IS DADA BEGINNING TO SPEAK TO YOU

I'm sorry, but Dada is not art. Not as art is historically defined. Dada is anti-art. And I DON"T want it speaking to me. And the thought that someone writing on a church blog would think that it is really depresses me. Doesn't that little excerpt just breath sulfur?

Enough of those late night creepy thoughts.

Rich Bledsow, a recent speaker at our churches family camp defined art as taking the ordinary making it unfamiliar and giving it back to you in glorified form. That rang true with me. Why would people want paintings of things they see all the time? Pears and houses and flowers and boats on the water... We love these things. They are beautiful. They are good. When we isolate them in a piece of art and glorify them and present them in a new way for the viewer we share with them the goodness of God. "See these beautiful oranges? God was so good to give them to us."

So I guess what I'm trying to say is there must be some higher definition of art.

My fonts are all wonky with the quotes I've put in. Sorry if it seems like I'm yelling. Really, I'm not. I can't get the bold to turn OFF!

There. Kindof. Anyway.

Goodnight.

What Is Art???

2010-09-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of our stopped by last night and I was in the kitchen painting. He said, "You know what I don't like about painting? It's so imprecise." I had to laugh. Well, he's an engineer. I can see how my impreciseness may bug him.

But it did bring up an argument that has been going on in my head for years and years and has been more on my mind lately because my pastor was giving sermons on beauty and also because I have been trying to take more time lately to develop my own painting and drawing skills. What is art? Is anything with a frame on it art? Just because it's in your head and you give form to it with some creative process, and it serves no functional purpose otherwise (as opposed to invention, like the invention of a can opener, say.) and you put lighting on it and ask people to come look at it, does that make it "art"? Can a Christian use abstraction as art ever? If you say no, (and some Christians do) then is copying as nearly as you can to the real life subject "art"? Is absolute skill in accurate drawing the highest skill an artist can develop?

Anyway, when I was younger I read quite a bit of Mennonite stuff. I read at one point an article about Christian art and they made an assertion that Christians in drawing and painting were to accurately portray God's creation. To do otherwise would be to set oneself up higher than God in a way, to portray a reality different than the one he has portrayed. So not only would complete abstraction be out but also tweaking reality into something that couldn't be, like painting apples blue. I think Francis Schaeffer also saw abstraction in art as a progression in man's rebellion against God in the western culture. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, it's been a long time since I've read "How Then Shall We Live".

But Francis Schaeffer was a premillennialist. His view of society was that man would be in rebellion and so the way he would interpret new cultural shifts and such would be in line with his eschatology.

But I wonder if abstraction is actually an expression of rebelling against God in and of itself. It seems to me that before the invention of the camera the primary purpose of art would be to reproduce images one wanted to carry through life with them, even if they couldn't be there or have that person forever. Abstraction would have been an annoyance! I mean if you wanted a portrait of your wife you wanted a picture of your wife! But since the invention of the camera people can have those pictures. So what is the point of the artist now? Is there one? Or has the camera replaced him?

At least I know that as an artist I spent some years trying to represent things as I saw them and these are the questions I asked myself as I drew. Personally, it seems to me that if a person is drawing to accurately represent something, even if it's something beautiful, you might as well use a camera. A camera will always be able to be more accurate (even though it does have some distortions of it's own.) and photography can glorify and enhance a subject just like an artist can.

So, then. Is abstraction a rebellion against God? Or is it a natural shift in the art world as artists work to redefine their craft in the face of technological advancement? Is it a sign of regress in culture? Or actually a result of progress?

More later.

2010-09-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

Zeke turned 6 back in May. But he told us at that time that his hearts desire was to take snacks to Oaks Park in a lunch box. (Somebody asked us recently why our kids always ask for weird things for their birthday. Well, it's true, they do. Noah asked for a garbage truck once and last year Owen said he wanted coffee and carrots.)

Well, Oaks Park isn't open in May, so he had to wait. After I heard about the library reading program's free day, he had to wait even longer. (Well, do you know how much it costs for our family to all get ride bracelets at Oaks Park?!?)

Joseph, well armed.

We should have done our family portrait here. Wish I'd have thought of it!

Noah

Zeke

Well, it was a pretty fun day. The big kids had a few friends there and went on the Screaming Eagle over and over. Oaks Park is a pretty fun and we have gone there for years. I'm sure all my kids will have fond memories of that place.

Drawing Today

2010-09-06T19:30:00.001-07:00

Twin Rocks, Oregon

2010-09-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Remember I was talking about free stuff on the internet the other day? Well, I just hit the Mother-lode. I may never be able to get off my computer again.

http://www.openculture.com/

Forrest is definitely taking one of those free computer science courses.

2010-09-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Another thing that has helped to make canning more smoothly is that I have discovered that playing a movie makes the work a little more enjoyable. I usually don't allow movies during the daytime but peeling and coring are pretty brainless activities, so it's nice to have something else to do with your mind.

Certain movies have a certain feel. Some seem like summery movies, some fall, winter, etc. Here are some movies we especially like to watch in the summer. Not necessarily new, just favorites.

I love Sophia Loren in this... And oh, yeah, Cary Grant too. :)

The girls and I are unashamedly fond of "chick flicks". But even Forrest liked this one. It had some pretty funny spots. It's PG-13 so you might want to review the reasons and see if it would be OK for your family. There wasn't anything super overt, but a few brief moments...

Love "The Importance of Being Ernest" Can't even think how many times we've seen it. Besides, it has Colin Firth. :)

This is the Bollywood version of "Sense and Sensibility"and it is very sweet. Not good for watching when you are supposed to be doing something with your hands (because of the subtitles) but very good for a late night movie with the windows open and summer night air coming in...

Oh this is a hoot, cuz it's so cheesy! But I love cheesy things, so I never get tired of it. You know if you kiss a girl you gotsta marry her cuz it's the code of the hills...

And for more on India, this is a keeper. It can be sad and hard to watch in spots, but the hopeful, triumphal theme is a balm over it all. Very good movie.

I love all the old Disney Classic animation movies, but Sleeping Beauty is my favorite. I love the different drawing style in it. I will watch movies just for the visual interest and this one is one of the best for that.

Am I the only one who thinks Hayley Mills is just too cute? Shayleen and I like to watch this just for the clothes.. So fun, so retro..

Maybe we watch too many movies...

Well, do you have any summer movie recommendations?

2010-09-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Welp, it's that time again...

Time to bring in the harvest. :)

When my kids were younger I both relished and dreaded these days. The hot summer days when I would can 300lbs of peaches all by my own lonely self... and then move on to 200 lbs of tomatoes, 150 lbs of pears, go to the bathroom and cry...

I mean, I wanted to do it, nobody was making me. I wanted to have all that food in my basement when we needed it. I believe in supporting local farmers as much as we can. I wanted to have good wholesome food on the shelves. I wanted to be ready for Y2K when we might be required to hole up in the basement and live on peaches and pickles for 6 months...

Bot oolala the mess. The fruit flies.. the WORK!

Because don't let any pretty canning pictures fool you, canning is work-at least if you do it on any real scale. Maybe just blithely boiling up one canner of applesauce...

Anyway, now I have help and it isn't so bad.

Boy, he's studying that, isn't he?

Iced coffee. That counts as help.

Supervising is hard work too. :)

Well, so far I've only gotten berries and made applesauce. And I didn't can the sauce, I froze it. I think it tastes better that way.

But today it's gloomy and rainy and I'm wondering if there will be much by way of peaches, tomatoes, etc. We've had such a short summer this year! Even though I personally prefer cooler weather, I'm hoping for an Indian summer so we can get more canning done and Rand can fit in an outdoor job he's been trying to get in.

What are you putting by?

New Items in the Shop

2010-08-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

Bless Sign 5 1/2 x 4 inches

Mushrooms 5x5

Love 5x4

I was so happy because I also found a scroll saw at a garage sale and I can cut out my own shapes. :)

Halloween Cat 8x8.5

Candy Corn Treat 7x8 1/2

Moon Face 12x8 1/2

2010-08-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

Today our family gains yet another teenager...

Irene is 13. She is our zany one. Loved most by dogs and babies. But especially dogs.

Our little dachshund is lost without Irene. When ever she goes somewhere to spend the night he wanders from person to person and looks so sad and lonely..

Happy Birthday Irene!!!

2010-08-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

This is a painting I have in my shop.

It is also what I am working on today.

(That is, I'm working on ignoring him. The painting is done.)
:)

2010-08-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Of course another place to find stuff to homeschool with is the internet. Oh, how far things have come in homeschooling! I remember as a young mom with Shayleen and how all we had was supermarket workbooks, library books, the Teaching Home magazine (how I LIVED by that magazine!) and eventually when she was I think 3rd or 4th grade a local Christian bookstore devoted it's basement to homeschooling material....

Anyway, NOW, there are so many resources. Ambleside Online is the place to start for me. What an incredible wealth of resources are connected in to that site. I assumed everyone in homeschooling knew about them but in the last week I talked to a couple people who didn't. So if you haven't done so already, check them out. If you like to you can whole heartily go with their curriculum or if you're like me and cannot seem to stick to a recipe but like to see what other people are doing you can peruse it every time you do lesson planning. They also have an email list through Yahoo. But if you subscribe, be ready for lots of mail. I personally delete more of them than I read, but through that list I have found lots of stuff and I also know that what ever question I have about anything school-ish I will be able to get an answer through those ladies. They take this stuff really seriously, I can tell you!

From there you will naturally progress to Libri Vox. Need a breather? Set the kiddos up with an audio book. Libri Vox has volunteers read aloud books that are in the public domain. We have really enjoyed the history books, "Our Island Story" (British history) and "This Country of Ours" (American History) I've heard that their reading of Robinson Crusoe and Pilgrim's Progress are very good. I also plan to make use of some of their poetry since I'm having one of my girls read Tennyson this year.

Another must know site is the Baldwin Project. Ooo, who even needs to go to the library when there are such treasures? If I had more than one computer I might not bother. The Baldwin Project is focused on children's books, all online. Want to read about King Alfred? Read some Nathaniel Hawthorne? How about some fun Thornton Burgess animal books? They're all there.

And if you get through all those and you still haven't had enough free books, try Project Gutenberg. I haven't used them much because I have found so much at the other two sites. But they have an absolute ton of stuff.

So, you've got your books covered.

How about art lessons? DrawSpace. Oh yeah. Enough there to keep you going for a while. And for art history you can look at many wonderful paintings at Olga's Gallery.

Also, never neglect YouTube. (There are some art lessons there, though not as thorough and well laid out as drawspace.) But you can also find grammar lessons, foreign language lessons, music by about any composer you like (my son often refers to YouTube when trying to figure out a violin piece.) just tons of stuff. It can take a bit to organize the information, but it is amazing the wealth of knowledge that can be gleaned there. Usually the videos are done by people who are passionate about a subject and want to share what they know!

Free worksheets and coloring pages abound. But my favorite for Bible pages is here.

Make your own math worksheets.

Another good source for worksheets is http://softschools.com/ I have used them for handwriting, but there is a ton of stuff there.

Do you need help with geography? Maybe keep the younger kids hypnotised err, I mean productively entertained for a bit while you help the older ones? http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/ I really like the geography games and I use them a lot but the boys also play some of the math and grammar games.

How about stuff for the older kids? http://www.khanacademy.org/ This is an absolute treasure trove of higher math and science help. Really a fantastic resource and obviously a labor of love for the guy that is putting it out there.

Would one of your kids like to learn web design? My older two taught themselves HTML http://w3schools.com/ They have a bunch of tutorials, not just HTML.

Here is a site I have used for Bible Study:http://padfield.com/ So far we've used it for the book of Matthew and I liked that-so far-I think he does a pretty good job at asking the study questions in a straight forward way and I haven't felt like he's interjected any particular doctrinal view point. But I always feel like I have to watch Bible studies closely and I read over assignments before giving them. I haven't found one yet I could endorse without reservation. But I really did like the study we did in Matthew there, and there are maps and time lines, etc. where applicable.

Well, are you over whelmed yet? Need help organizing? I have used the forms/calenders and so forth here and found them really helpful. http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/ She has a lot of stuff on that site, but I haven't fully explored it other than the organizing stuff.

OK, I guess this isn't really very schooly but I love this site of vintage paper dolls. Maybe it could fit in with an art project. http://tpettit.best.vwh.net/

I haven't really even scratched the surface of all the stuff that's out there. There's NASA, National Geographic, etc. I'd love to get your favorites!

And swimming, well, it is fun just to go to a lake, take a lunch and let the kiddos learn... Do some nature study there... and you don't get all that chlorine in your eyes... :)

2010-08-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

So if you are home schooling, you don't want to take any money from the state and you don't have a whole lot of money to spend, what do you do?

Well, the first and most obvious answer to that is a library card. Now I do know some people who hold similar convictions about libraries as I do about state money and I understand that. I'm thinking we need to kind of work through transition time as a society, on one hand not just going along with the crowd and on the other realizing even the best we can do isn't perfect. I have found a lot of stuff at our church library as well, so that could be a place to look. Maybe as we homeschoolers read and buy more books an out come of that will be more private libraries springing up. That would be really, really neat. Imagine libraries privately own and free of the ALA!

Anyway, if you can get a book and you have internet access, you can get a lot of mileage out of one book. For example last year I checked out "Where Do You Think You're Going Christopher Columbus" by Jean Fritz for my boys and read it aloud to them. I also bought three (because I am teaching three boys at almost the same level) of those brad holder peechee type things at Fred Meyer for .39 apiece. And there we begin. Day one I would read the book until it felt like a natural stopping point (that particular book isn't divided into chapters.)Then I would copy off a picture that goes with the book (in this case a picture of a map of Italy.) then I would have the boys color it and copy a sentence that I had written about the reading. In this case it was "Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy." So we practice handwriting, they learn to recognize the shape of Italy, we talk about how all sentences start with a capital and so do names of people and places because they are proper nouns. Then the next day I read a portion and on that day I have them tell me back a narration about the book. Basically they just tell me the story back and I write it down for them they way they want it. (My 9 year old son is very particular about his narrations.) All my boys are still at the stage where their brains work faster than they can write things down so I write it for them but my girls write their narrations on their own.

So we follow this, each day alternating between them writing a sentence and labeling a map or coloring a picture copied from the book (at least in this case the pictures were black and white and several were good for coloring and writing a caption underneath) and narrating. You can see it's very simple for me and they enjoy it.Other than math, which I still have struggles with getting the boys to sit down and do, they are reasonably willing to come to the table and do the work. I think they are getting a good deal out of it. (Any experienced home schooling mom knows the feeling of "Ugh" when your child is presented with something you KNOW you covered and they cannot remember a thing from it.)

We also read a biography of Sam Colt last year which the boys enjoyed, as I knew they would. But Owen (the 9yr old) really latched onto the fact that what he invented allowed people to make repeated shots out of a gun rather than having to stop and reload between shots. Later when we were reading Laura Ingalls he commented that this was before Sam Colt so if Pa had to shoot a bear he would have to get it in one shot. If he missed the bear would have eaten him before he would have time to reload!

This brings me to another thing that we do which is called "Book Of Centuries". I know some people really like to read all of history in chronological order. Maybe it's because I tend to over think things but I never found that workable for me. I could never seem to decide on when to move from one era to the next and often there were books I wanted to read for a certain time period but it would be over the boys' heads. So I decided to cut myself loose from that expectation and I just read what ever looks interesting and important and then we file it in our book of centuries. If it's a page for a person I will just find a page from a book or a coloring page online from a significant event for a person's life and we'll write a caption and file it in the right time period in our 3 ring binder. For Renoir, for example I found a coloring page online for one of his best known paintings so I printed that off and we labeled it with his name and the date of the painting. I may point something out like "Look, Renoir painted this painting ten years after Sam Colt died." I don't want it to be complicated which I found time lines to be, trying to figure out how much space to give time periods and such.

Anyway, this is basically what I do for the history portion of our homeschool (geography, handwriting, some grammar get incorporated in as well.) You can see that this is very inexpensive. I generally buy a notebook for a book. (we read several biographies last year.) Then there is paper, printer ink, internet connection, (I use the web a lot for free map outlines.) The book of centuries is in a three ring binder but expect that to last a few years.

2010-08-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

The air smells like fall! It makes me so happy. I love fall, I love the fresh cool air, the crispness... It gives me so much energy and joy!
We have been peeling apples for applesauce, making crisps, pies etc. I took pictures but I can't post them because my usual computer was a sick puppy and I am using my MIL's laptop in the mean time. It is amazing how hard it is to get used to a new computer. Probably about the time I get used to the set up of this one it will be time to switch back. I can't wait to get back onto our own computer though, where all my pictures and favorites and all that are...

Are you ready for the school year? I am tidying up the schedule, but I think we will be ready to start next week. The kids have been put on notice. This is your last week. Make use of it.

Recently there was a discussion on taking govie money for schooling over at Tim's blog. He put forth his reasons for not taking the government route and I whole heartedly agree. My feeling about the government is the farther away the better. I can't deny that at times the money has it's allure, and it would be so luxerious to walk into a book store (or have the UPS guy drive up) and get all these new books at once, enough for everyone...all at the same time.... and swimming lessons and art supplies...*sigh* Snap Out Of It! (Well, I'm only human you know...)

But I don't. Why? Especially when we have had years where we could have really used the help and really with the number of kids we have we could probably get a good chunk of money?

Well, for one thing, when you sign up with those programs you are no longer considered a home schooler. Your child is now a public school child. The state has the same interest in your child as they do any other public school child. I just don't want them being that interested in my children. I don't want them feeling like they have a need to shape and mold my children's values.

I also have a general conviction that it isn't right to force other people to pay for our stuff. I know families who have had to move, put their taxes on their credit cards, etc, etc. Taxes are too high. We pay taxes not only in income taxes, but on our property, in the way of fees and permit fees, business fees, tolls, etc. etc. and not only that but in the price of everything we pay for there is the cost of all the taxes and fees of everything that item has gone through. From the income taxes of the workers who made it, the trucking, the business liscences, etc. etc. on and on. I know people justify taking money by saying that they have already paid in, why not take it back out? But that just broadens and furthers the whole thing. I for one am not going to take part in it as far as I am able. I do not think it is right to take other people's money to pay for my children's swimming lessons. I just don't.

I want my children to be trained to be independant minded. I don't want them to grow up thinking that you turn to the government for help with all your personal problems. That just isn't the government's job. I want my children to grow up to be resourceful and problem solvers on their own and in times of real need to turn to their God, family and church. How can I teach them that if I am standing in line looking for handouts? If we need to move to a smaller house, do without new clothes, eat beans, so be it. But I want my children to view life as free men, not as creatures of the state.

Many people wonder at how easily the younger generation has swallowed socialism. Is it any wonder at all? They are being raised in a socialist institution that is hallowed and untouchable even by the most ardent conservative-the public school system. I may be one small bump in that road, but I will not just flow along with it.

Of course there are two directions a person could be moving if they were questioning taking the government home learning route. They could be homeschoolers who are just tired of being poor or who are entranced with getting a microscope or something like that. Or on the other hand there could be someone who now has their children enrolled in a brick and mortar public school and are considering home schooling but don't have the confidence to go it alone yet. To that person I would say whole heartedly "go for it." It's still better than having to have them away in the government's care all day. But to the prior... Well, consider your path. Is it really worth it to give up your freedom and independence?

2010-08-17T08:30:00.001-07:00

Well, this weekend was certainly a mixed bag.

On one hand one of my family's favorite past times is jet skiing. My husband shares ownership on a pair that have been in disrepair for awhile for a number of reasons and recently we were able to get them fixed. That has been a cause for great rejoicing. For my husband because he loves to go, for the kids because they love to go, and for me because I can see a definite benefit for my husband when he gets to do things like this (You know the old proverb about Jack and all work and no play and all that) and because while everybody else gets to go I stay home in a quiet house and do my own puttery type things. So that is a good thing.

The bad thing is that while jet skiing somebody broke into my husband's van and stole his wallet, his phone, tools, blah, blah, blah. I'm not sure if the monetary loss is even as bad as the headache of replacing all this stuff and the loss of all the business contact's phone numbers and people at present not being able to get a hold of him via his business # and all that rigmarole. Ugh.

This summer-actually, this last year, there have been things that have really kept me stressed out. I find myself almost whimpering, begging God not to destroy us, praying, praying, but not the good kind, the kind of a trusting child looking to her Father for help, but the kind of a fearful, servile slave, not expecting anything good, expecting every miserable prophecy my gloomy nature can produce... Writing it down seems so.. stark.. but that's how it goes.

Finally I was walking up to the store the other day and God and I had a good talk. About how when I was young and everyone told us if we had more than two children, home schooled, did the things we thought we needed to do to walk in obedience to God, that we didn't listen. We believed God was our help. When they said, "Well, you know, folks can't live on one income these-a-days" We didn't listen and believed God was our help. And God HAS been our help. He hasn't let us down yet. Where did my spunk go?

About how I used to see change as adventure. How I was eager for what ever was next, how I eagerly looked for His direction, His plan and not my immediate circumstances to define my future and what He could do.

When did I get so fearful? When did I get so.... Pasty???

Then He showed my a picture of a trailer in a trailer park. "There", He said. "If I took your house, everything you own and there you are in that trailer, but you can still teach your children, love and train them, love your husband, know my presence, would that be so horrible?"

No, really, it would not be. It would be hard, but I could do it. It wouldn't be the end of the world.

So quitcher whining.

OK. Sorry.

I really feel like a corner was turned for me. And the proof of that was that when all that stuff was stolen from my husband I didn't freak out. I thought, "well, we'll see what God is doing here."

And that was my mixed bag weekend. :)

(Oh, and as a PS, it isn't like we are in foreclosure or anything..It's just how those fears come to a person in the night.)

David Gray - You're The World To Me Solo

2010-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Just for love.

2010-08-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

So, nobody has any beautiful blogs to suggest? Are we all only reading political news or something? :)

Well, I'll give out a few so when your thoroughly sick and disgusted at the news you can go and remind yourself that there is indeed still beauty in the world.

A new favorite for me is Sacred Cake. She assembles lovely jewelry and posts with heartfelt honesty about her life and family in Michigan.

Bloom-Beautiful pictures and posts about knitting, homeschooling and Montana.

Bee House Hives-more knitting, more Montana, more beautiful pictures. :)

I swear my cousin Sarah can make something beautiful out of a can of spray paint and a chain link fence. She hasn't posted in a while, but she has some great tips on her site. She stops by here sometimes so maybe we can inspire her.

An old favorite from me is Anna Maria Horner. The first time I found her blog it was Christmas of 2008. This picture of her girls were at the top of the page and I just thought "Wow, that woman has my brain!" Of course, not really. But the way she does color and pattern are so inspiring to me and if I had the time, energy, materials and could make magic come out of my fingers... Well, this was the closest I had seen at the time. She really inspires me. :)

Anyway, close the politico page, msn news, where ever your head has been stuck and refresh yourself with a look at pretty things. :)

2010-08-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

I put a new item up in the shop.

This is a name sign I made for Fiona. She is so happy with it! When I was a girl, I could never find anything with my name on it. It was such a bummer. They always had it spelled Carrie, which isn't quite right when your name is Kerri. So, no bike licence plate or personalized pencils for me. *Pout, Pout* Ah well, life goes on right?

I'm also working on putting up new pictures of the other stuff. My daughter thought her camera was broken because she was trying to load the pictures into the wrong place. So I took the prior ones with my husbands phone. Not the best set up. I have a lot to learn about picture taking.

I'm having fun learning about this whole Etsy thing, but there are so many people on it! It's a little mystifying. A little at a time, I guess. :)

Feedback? I would love to hear suggestions and/or comments!

2010-08-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

I'm in love.

I picked this up at Michaels yesterday. It's scandalously expensive for a magazine, I must say. But oh, swoon. Every page is a feast for the eyes, a tidbit of encouragement, a vision wanting to happen.

You know when you were a kid, maybe there was a fun uncle giving helicopter rides on the lawn, or a really fun looking ride at the fair, and you could only think, "Wow! Me too! Me too! I wanna do it too!" It wasn't enough to watch someone else experience the exhilaration, you must experience it too!

I think as adults we still get that feeling. It may be from watching people in love, or holding a new baby of their own, taking a trip, skydiving, (or for my husband, jet skiing and mountain climbing.)we just wanna do it too!

I get that feeling from watching people create beautiful things. I wanna smear paint, clip fabric, paste, draw, and make the pictures that are in my head come out into the real world. I love that sort of thing. Walking around in an art supply or craft store is a chance for me to hyperventilate. Blogs that are beautiful, make everyday life beautiful, encourage others to take stock of the beauty in their own life... swoon. That's the stuff of heaven for me. I'm going to try to carve out a moment to visit some of the blogs in here.

What is your "I wanna do that too?"

What are your favorite "beautiful blogs?"

2010-08-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday a dear friend of mine took my daughter Elisa and I out for my birthday.

First we went to the Decorette Shop in SE Portland. Lately my girls and I have been watching lots of cake decorating videos on YouTube. Anything you want to learn in the whole wide world, I swear it's on YouTube. My son listens to Japanese lessons, Fiona is trying to learn Celtic dancing, there are grammar videos... Everything. But lately, for us it's the cake decorating videos. My bright idea is that if God ever blesses us again with gentler financial days and we don't need to rent out the upstairs, the girls could get the kitchen upstairs certified and make candy and cakes up there. Maybe, maybe not, but in the meantime it's fun to investigate the whole cake decorating thing. There are so many tips and accessories and colors and of course GLITTER. We just bought a couple new toys and continued on.

We hit St. Cupcake on Belmont and got a goodie.

Poked around Noun.

Wandered up to Za Zen and my daughter got a good deal on a dress and I saw some of the coolest shrinky dink earrings. I will definitely have to play with that idea! Those aren't them, I got that pic off a tutorial page.
I'm sure, like most things, it's harder than it looks. But the learning curve is part of the fun...

It was a good day. The weather has been perfect classic Oregon, 82 or so with a hint of a breeze. Perfect to me anyway. Today I hope to get some lesson planning done. Wish me luck!

2010-07-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday.
I was born in 1968. This video was made in 1967, but the one from 1968 cut off. So, I'm pretending it was from '68 because I had my heart set on it.
Anyway, this was always one of my mostest, bestest, favoritest song as a kid, so I wanted to post it.

The Moody Blues were the first concert I went to when I was about 13. I think we paid $12.00.

2010-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well... I've decided to buck up and get over my stage fright, and opened an etsy shop.

Also, I thought these two talks by Scott Brown on courtship were really good.

Hope your summer is a beautiful one!

2010-07-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Doug Wilson has a post about worldliness over at his blog.

I have to admit.. I have mixed feelings about Doug Wilson. Sometimes I think I know what he's talking about and others I plain don't. And even when I do think I know I have an unsettled feeling that I will be wrong in the end and that somehow my being wrong will expose something about me that I won't quite like exposed, except I don't know what, because I'm not absolutely sure I know what he's talking about.

But he had a few blogs posted a few links to blogs I had never read before- Stuff White People Like and Unhappy Hipsters. I had never heard of those blogs. But he said (I think) they were something you could turn up on if you were turning wordly so I would like to know what they are! So I click over.. Now, stuff white people like is clearly written by a guy who is plain unhappy that he wasn't born with cooler skin pigment. I mean, sure, white people like picking their own fruit, but I don't think it's limited to only white people. But the unhappy hipsters... half the pictures on that site were from Dwell magazine! And *I* just publicly acknowledged that I like Dwell magazine! Before the whole world!!!! On the internet!!! (Never mind I think like 5 people read my blog-that's beside the point. You never know when your next door neighbor will google some random thing and suddenly be paging through years of all your stuff.. I digress..)

Should I take that post down? Examine my inner soul as to whether I am indeed on the path to perdition.. err liberalness? One commenter said (I think) that this is the first step to endorsing you know whose marriage... AAAaaaaagh!!!!

And NOT ONLY THAT but there seems to be some question as to whether one can buy a low flush toilet and not be sinning. Dear readers... I must confess... I HAVE A LOW FLUSH TOILET! BY CHOICE! (And you know, it works fine, thank you very much.)

So what I want to know is, now do I have to be self conscience about my low flush toilet every time I have friends over? When they ask "Where's the bathroom?" do I have to say "Oh it's right over there, please excuse the low flush toilet, you know my husband is a contractor and we get these types of things cheaper than everyone else we wouldn't have paid full price for it I just like to save money on my water bill, don't you know it's not that I'm cowtowing to the greenies, I think it's horrible how their inflicting their low flush toilet laws on everybody else and I'm not saying everybody has to have a low flush toilet but it is kind of nice when you have so many kids because you know they do tend to flush a lot... heh heh..."

Just when I was starting to get over my social awkwardness... Now this happens...

2010-07-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Gustav Klimt

Farmhouse With Birch Trees

Just because it makes me happy.

I wish it was bigger though...

2010-07-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

First, if I may just mention, there is a facebookathon for friends of a friend. They are trying to get together the funds to bring a kid home from Ethiopia. For these folks, $5.00 here, $10.00 there can make a big difference, and there are easy buttons to use your card so it's really easy to pass them on a couple bucks. They also have t-shirts and stuff like that.. So if you're so inclind, I just thought I'd pass that on...

Anyway, even though I've gone through a lot of homeschooling methods I find the one that resonates with me most is the Charlotte Mason method. I didn't do this one with my older two (why is it that what you're looking for is always in the last place you look? One of the great mysteries of the universe..), I'm incorporating it more with my middle girls, and starting out with it with my boys. I have never read the full Charlotte Mason series but I have read some other books that summarize her take on education, my favorite being the Karen Andeola's Charlotte Mason Companion. I use Ambleside Online a lot and I am on their mailing list. Though I do not follow it the way some people do. I do not follow the years exactly because there are some books that I just don't care to bother with, some that may be in a previous year (to where my child is) that I don't want them to miss, etc. Also, they tend to have a lot of books going at one time, and I would rather to have maybe two or three books, but then read more of them in a day and finish them faster.

The thing with Charlotte Mason that I especially like to emphasize is the narration. I find having a child repeat back to me the contents of a chapter (or for younger children a page or a paragraph) gives me a much better picture about what that child got out of that chapter than having them answer key questions. In times past I put one of Owen's narrations here. He enjoys narration and took to it like a duck to water.

In the books I have going at any given time I usually chose the one I feel is most important at the moment and do narrations out of that one. I don't have the boys do one everyday. (They are still working directly with me, the girls are more independent.) For example we recently read Where Do You Think You're Going Christopher Columbus? by Jean Fritz. One day I might copy a picture from the book, the next have them narrate a paragraph. The next day label a map, the next day narrate a paragraph. All of these I put together in one of those little paper notebooks that use brad clips to keep things in. Each boy has his own little book. They love having their own book that they made and get them out and look at them on their own. Which means the book doesn't last long sometimes. It's then I pause and ask myself, "What is the goal. That we have memorials of all their schoolwork? Or that they enjoy learning, indulge their curiosity in good ways, etc." So I leave them be. But I should probably put up a few, just for memory sake.

Time to make breakfast...

2010-07-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

By the way, I was joking a little bit with the post below, but not really. All those things are actually things that I have beaten myself up over-or maybe that other woman has-at other times. Maybe not stringing harps, but for sure stress over wondering if we are doing enough on the intellectual plane and if I'm wrong to be so neglectful of Latin. I can see the value of Latin and have we've dabbled in the roots area but I kind of feel like maybe we shoud be paying more attention to it. And even as I was typing it, part of me was thinking, "Well, yeah, that's how it oughta be... If we just get our schedule tighter, if we train those boys better, if I get up earlier..."

The thing about this woman is she is just like Bev said. She always comes to me at the point of my failure and she never sees the things I do well. She gives me these pictures of the way I ought to be, but she never presents it all at once, so I could really see all of it together. I mean there are so many hours in a day. And she is unrelenting in her expectations. Everyday, all day... I think I should name her like Bev does, maybe that would help me to keep her more under control. Sometimes recognition is the key.

Anyway, back to homeschooling. I did mean to get there.

The reason I went over some of the stuff (two posts ago) about the things I think are pretty foundational in the way to think about school is I think if we keep some simple things in mind our schooling will be more of a joy to us, and more impactful. We ought to know why we are doing what we are doing-not just in homeschooling at all, but in the subjects we are presenting. Why did I make Shayleen do that chapter on Chinese history three times? I can't really remember. I don't think it was probably a very good reason.

On the whole, I think if your homeschooling time is just one big long chore, then you are probably doing something wrong. I'm not saying there are never times to discipline or buckle down and do something not-so-fun, but I don't think that should be the majority of the school day. Especially in the younger grades.

There is a lot of talk about the "simple life". People crave a simple life. They know they are scattered, indecisive, and feel overwhelmed with the choices they have. Often we are presented with a vision for "getting back to basics" and are told if we just get back to sewing our own clothes, canning, making our own bread and cheese, etc. that that will be the simple life. But that is not the simple life. Often is just ends in more burdens, guilt and complexity in trying on that level to discern what is best.

I think the path to the simple life is to fix your eyes one one goal and follow that one with your whole heart. Do not allow your eyes to wander from the right or to the left.

What is the chief and highest end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Not to get in a higher math book that the other kids, not to show your public school teacher friend that homeschooled kids can and often do perform well on the SAT, not to figure out neat projects so you can take pictures and put them on your blog, not to pressure your kids into some performance level that will kick you up into the "Oh So Stellar Family" tier at church. Not so you can show other prospective families what a good catch your son/daughter will be in marriage.... no no no no.

To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

More later.

2010-07-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

There is this woman who follows me everywhere.

She came along about 20 years or so, about the time I was getting ready to get married. She made all sorts of promises. She told me that if I did everything just the way she does my husband would adore me, my children would all be obedient and smart and I would be the happiest, most fulfilled woman on earth..or at least pretty close.

She is perfectly thin. She has no stretch marks even though she has 12 or so children. She works out every day. She never eats cookies when she shouldn't. Her children are all clean, straight, matching, have fresh haircuts and perfect manners. They all have aspiring interests like learning Chinese and biological engineering. They string harps while they speak Latin to each other, always politely, of course. Her house is organized and she knows where everything is. The kids' (She doesn't call them kids though. She calls them Lambs.) schedule is perfectly laid out and they all get up and get straight to work without being told. Her vegetable garden flourishes and she spends many enriching hours working in it with her children as she lovingly discusses all the ins and outs of life with them, and works on their memory verses. Her children can recite large portions of scripture. Dinner is always lovingly made from scratch with fresh baked bread. Not just regular meals. Things with butter and wine and matching table settings. Nobody says "Awww, I don't like spaghetti." when they come to her table. She is also interested in her own personal enrichment and she studies art, literature and other sundries of interests. She always has a serene smile. Her house is adorned with her handmade quilts, canned friuts and vegetable and her children wear her hand knit sweaters and sweetly sewn jumpers. (the boys have matching ties) Sunday morning at her house always goes smoothly, with homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Her windows are clean. Her bathroom is clean and decorated with matching towels. Her kitchen is freshly painted with homemade curtains. Her drawers are neat. Nobody ever has to rummage through three drawers to find the measuring spoons. Her Christmas decorations are all organized, and they go up the day after Thanksgiving. Not one of them gets broken. She is always a sensitive friend. She always remembers to buy card and never puts them on the microwave and forgets to mail them out. She always remembers thankyous. She volunteers for many church needs, bringing meals (Not in disposal containers. Nice ones. That match.) to all who need them, with homemade desert included, maybe some flowers as well from her yard. Her laundry always smells really nice. Like lavender. Her babies smell freshly washed. She has a side business where she makes "egg money" for little goodies for her family, and all the kids get valuable business experience through working in it.

Her sons are strong and courageous. Her daughters the very embodiment of feminine virtue.

She is an understanding listener for all her friends. She is a sweet loving support to her husband. She never raises her voice, always knows where the line is between being a counselor to her husband or a nag. She always talks kindly about everyone.

The problem with this woman is I cannot disagree with her on any of it. Everything she tells me is right. But she wears me out sometimes.

2010-07-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

The way the free market works around here...

Irene buys a Blow Pop for .25.

Papa trades a Coke for the Blow Pop.

Irene sells Coke to Elisa for 1.00.

I think Irene should be in charge of finances around here, somehow I gotta find a way to capitalize on this....

2010-07-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

The other day I was over at my friends house chatting with another mom that I don't know as well and we were talking about home school methods. It is hard for me to sum up my home school methods because I have traversed every method promoted out there... I think.. and like any vagabond, have picked up a few things here and a few things there and learned from trial and error and what worked with one kid doesn't always fit with another and on and on and on... (yes, I know that is a run on sentence. My whole homeschooling life has been one big run on sentence.) But anyway, I have always enjoyed finding out what other people are doing. Especially people who have older and or adult children. There are a lot of really enthusiastic young moms out there who are all ready to detail every aspect of their plan for child raising and homeschooling. I know they have good intentions (mostly. Though there are those who simply aspire to be the next rock star of the home school scene and want to be acknowledged and admired. Give those girls a wide berth. At least until they get a little humility under their belt... Which they will...) But the older women can give a more realistic idea of what to expect, what worked for them and why...

Anyway, since I like to know what other people do and benefit from it, I thought I would post a little about what we do. Maybe it'll give a resource or thought for someone who would like some new ideas.

Now remember-I am a mom with ten kids. I am also a non driver. I am certain that if I had only a few kids and a car there would be at least some things I would do differently. I am not into following methods to the letter. I am on a mailing list that is centered around a particular style of teaching and sometimes the women just agonize (it seems to me) over what book goes where and where to start and how much of this or that... I think we are so fearful of thinking for ourselves and we just want someone to take us by the hand and guide us through every little step...

Anyway, here are some basic things I think are true of child raising and general and schooling specifically (not in any particular order. I write these posts off the cuff as I'm sure you can tell):

Children are people. Can I just say, I think we forget that? They get bored, discouraged, overwhelmed, just like we adults! Why do we put burdens on their young frames that they aren't meant to carry?

They are not here to pad our egos, fulfill our unlived dreams for us, show the world our superior teaching skills, get a job that will make a bunch of money, get married just so we can have grandchildren, etc. etc. etc.. Some of those things may happen, but they are side effects, not the goal.

They are here for a purpose. It is to glorify God. Education is a tool God can and probably will use in their life to fulfill that purpose, along with other things. But it is a tool and not the end in itself. The glory of God is the end.

Part of the glorifying of God is the expansion of His Kingdom. Education should reflect the goal of kingdom expansion (though I think I would define that more broadly than a lot of the church today. Maybe.) and priority should be given to subjects that can contribute to that goal. but...

God does a lot of things for the pure joy of it. How else can you explain flowers blooming where no one can see them? So if the necessities have been covered I see nothing wrong with a kid taking time for something for the pure fun of it, like researching the history of baseball or learning to play the penny whistle, as my 16 yr old son is in the basement doing right now...

Children have been created for certain positions in God's kingdom. I know there is a basic knowledge that every kid should know. Bible, phonics, math (to a certain level) I would put in things like church history and general history and a basic science education. But I also think there should be a lot of individualization too. The education my 16 yr old son got is simply not the same one my 18 yr old daughter got. She is much more literature focused, types faster, sings, plays piano, bakes... Forrest focuses on composing music, economics, violin, and sheet rocking of late, and displays a shocking lack of knowledge about classic literature (at least to Shayleen) Elisa (14) so far hasn't done any music really, though I keep praying for a flute for her... She reads astronomy books for fun... So, like I said. Different.

And I think getting to know your child is an intrinsic aspect of homeschooling. They are like presents we get to unpack slowly. What all has God put in here? I don't think you can home school well if you don't take time just to delight in the person God has created in them.

People learn things better if they are actually interested in the thing you are trying to teach. I will never forget making Shayleen do a certain chapter about Chinese history over 3 times when she was about 10. She never did pass that chapter review, but she did proclaim henceforth that she hates history. I think that was a big mistake on my part.

Well, I better go make breakfast now. The natives are getting restless. More later.

2010-07-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

Forrest came upstairs the other morning and we had to snap this picture of him...

Kinda like, don't you think? It made me laugh.

Cup of Grace Studio

Sale in the shop

Honesty in Art

{this moment}

Jostie Flicks

New in the Shop

This Moment

New in the Shop

Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended

New in the Shop

Artist Statement Revised

{this moment}

New in the Shop

New in the Shop

What we're up to....

New in the Shop

Modern Relief

New in the Shop

Art with Salt - Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) True blood portrait ...

Waking Up

More Painting

Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son

Painting

Some of Forrest's Recent Drawings

Etsy treasury

Portland Weather Incident Alert

Schooling Subjects

College, languages....

new catch up

Things to be thankful for....

Triolet

George MacDonald

On the drawing board...

Vintage Dance

drawings for today

New Shop Item

Weekend Visitor

Simple Woman's Daybook

New Shop Item

Hiking on Mt. St. Helens

In which I tell a sad, sad story...

Giveaway!

New Item in Shop

And now for something completely different...

more art post

More Art

What Is Art???

Drawing Today

New Items in the Shop

David Gray - You're The World To Me Solo