Fall Into Reading 2011 - Update

Here's my reading list:

1)  Educating the Wholehearted Child
2)  Raising Real Men
3)  Falling to Pieces
4)  The Christmas Singing 
5)  Three Cups
6)  Pilgrim books to the kids in November
7)  All the Christmas books I can get my hands on!

Want to join us?  Click the button for information and get reading!  The challenge ends December 21st.

We Carve Pumpkins

We carve pumpkins.
My husband explains why here.


The Fabulous Fall Link Up

Autumn Fires ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

"In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail.

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The gray smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all,
Flowers in the summer
Fires in the fall!"

- Robert Louis Stevenson

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Grasp fall for all it's worth!
Enjoying the season,
Laura

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May I suggest?
Harvest Lane Cottage: Autumn Thoughts...
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Something to Think About... Christmas Preparations

Hello Ladies!
The Maple Leaf Festival is now history for Carthage. What does that mean for me? It means the time is going to go faster and faster until New Year’s Day! I am all for preparing early for Christmas.  What I’ve found is that if I’m not ready by early December, I spend all of December in a stressed out frenzy. That’s not the kind of memory I want my kids to have of me!  Am I jumping the gun? No, I don’t think so. I want to be mindful of my time so that I can enjoy December and Advent with my children. I want the focus to be on Jesus, not on the fuss of it all.

How are you doing? Are you thinking through what you want to do yet? Any presents made or bought or planned yet? Think about what you want this season to be like. Think about what meals you’ll be preparing, what snacks and baking you’ll want to do. Think about the gifts you’ll want to prepare. It’s not too early to start getting it all down on paper.

No idea where to begin? Begin with prayer! Ask the Lord how you can honor Him with the celebration of His birth. He’ll put some ideas in your head. You’ll probably find that you can simplify a lot.

Now is the time to talk with family members about scaling back on gift giving this year before anyone gets caught up in the gimme spirit instead of the Holy Spirit. It can happen to adults, too. We just paint a pretty face over it,  and call it the spirit of giving.

Well, I suppose I’ve given you something to think about.

May God bless you with peace, hope, and focus this holiday season!
Laura

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May I suggest?
Christmas Wishes...

Want to be Knitting Mittens for Your Kittens?

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Hope 4 Joplin

Hope 4 Joplin

If you'd like to help the families of Joplin, you can do so through Joplin Family Worship Center's Disaster Resource Center. We have helped thousands of volunteers to find ways to help in Joplin's recovery. We also provide food, clothing, and household goods directly to citizens of the community who were directly impacted by the tornado by destruction of their homes or loss of their jobs. We are able to do so only because of the generosity of people from all across the country.

There are lots of ways to help.

Go to Hope 4 Joplin to find out how you fit into the recovery picture.

Thank you for helping Joplin Family Worship Center help Joplin.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in Joplin Missouri!

7 houses

7 days

Thank you Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

Get involved! 

Christmas Wishes... Want to be Knitting Mittens for Your Kittens?

Want to be knitting mittens for your little kittens for Christmas?  I learned to knit mittens last year by watching a series of video tutorials from Knit Picks. 



The instructions are clear.  My kids loved their mittens.  They're all asking for another pair this year!  Wool mittens are so very warm.  Give it a try.  If you can knit and purl, you can do this.  I buy my supplies at Knit Picks.

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May I Suggest?

My Littlest Kitten Now Has Mittens

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Wrapping Up Christmas

October Thoughts ~ Joseph Pullman Porter

"Crispy air and azure skies,
High above, a white cloud flies,
Bright as newly fallen snow.
Oh the joy to those who know October!

Colors bright on bush and tree.
Over the weedy swamp, we see
A veil of purple and brown and gold.
Thy beauty words have never told. October!

Scolding sparrows on the lawn,
Rabbits frisking home at dawn,
Pheasants midst the sheaves of grain,
All in harmony acclaim, October!

Brown earth freshly turned by plow,
Apples shine on bended bough,
Bins o'erflowed with oats and wheat,
And satisfaction reigns complete. October!

Radiant joy is everywhere.
Spirits in tune to the spicy air,
Thrill in the glory of each day.
Life's worth living when we say, October!"
- Joseph Pullman Porter

Carpe Diem ~ Seize the Day

Carpe Diem ~ Seize the Day

This is it. 

This day. 

 It's all we have. 

No promise of tomorrow.   

Will you find joy in this day? 

Look for it. 

 It's there. 

Perhaps hiding under the surface. 

Search for it like treasure.

Nehemiah 8:10

"Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord.  Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

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May I suggest?

Hidden Treasure

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Autumn Thoughts ~ Emily Dickinson

"The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on."

- Emily Dickinson

 

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week...  Suddenly... my eldest son took a job with NCR traveling state-to-state cleaning cash registers for Wal-Mart.  I had about four hours from the time he told me about it until the time he left. 

In our homeschool this week...

We've been working on getting a schedule down.  We're doing much better.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Require children to read an hour a day every day even on Christmas.  Start with half an hour a day when the children are very young and build from there.  Even if they're just looking at pictures, they're building the habit of books.

I am inspired by...

beautiful music.  I'm listening to "Sonata For Violin & Continuo In A Major, Op. 2/2, Rv 31: II. Corrente" by Antonio Vivaldi on Pandora right now.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We're going to the Maple Leaf Festival in Carthage, Mo this weekend.  We'll likely see lots of folks we know.

My favorite thing this week was...

getting together with old and new friends at my homeschool support group.  We all went out for pie. 

What's not working for us...

clutter.  I'm still trying to eradicate it.

Questions/thoughts I have...
I'm wondering if I'm losing readers because I've been writing so many reviews lately.  I know my numbers are increasing; but, I don't want to lose anyone. 

I'm reading...

Raising Real Men and Educationg the Wholehearted Child

I'm cooking...

I'll be making a batch of my family's favorite cookies.  I've made these since I was about ten.  I don't even know where I originally got the recipe.  I just know everyone loves them.

I'm grateful for...

a canoe!  Michael's been working with a man at our church on some projects and just getting to be good friends.  He's like a grandpa to Michael.  He suprised Michael with it Thursday evening.

I'm praying for...

my son, Matthew, as he ventures out into the world.  The pain in my arm to ease and then disappear.  Yes, it's my left arm.  No, it's not my heart.  I saw the doctor yesterday.  He gave me a fancy word for tennis elbow.  All I know is the pain radiates and up and down my arm from my elbow.  Ow!

A photo to share...

The sky in Joplin, Missouri immediately after the tornado.
May 22, 2011

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May I suggest? 

"Were You Affected by the Tornado?"

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October Kids' Picks

Books my children are picking off the shelves, baskets, or piles that are overflowing in our home!

Emily's picks:
Hitite Warrior  by Joanne Williamson
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

Michael's picks:
Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
Tucket's Ride by Gary Paulsen
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

Amy's picks:
My Side of the Mountain by Jean George
A Long Way from Chicago By Richard Peck
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Shared with:
Cozy Book Hop

God's Glory Reflected in Nature

Nature reflects the Glory of God.

May we too reflect His glory.

Homeschooling Inspiration: One of my Favorite Paintings

The Shell by William Adolphe Bouguereau.

Available from art.com .
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May I suggest?
Home... Emily Dickenson
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Titus Tuesdays - Show & Share - Take a Look Tuesday  - You're Gonna Love it Tuesday - Tuesdays with a Twist - Tuesdays at Our Home -  Backyard Farming  Connection - Totally Talented Tuesdays - Show and Tell Tuesdays

Feeling Alone or Abandoned?

"God is with thee in all that thou doest."

~Genesis 21:22

Sometimes we feel all alone.  Sometimes it feels like we make every decision on our own.  Sometimes we don't feel like we have anyone to turn to.  These are the times that we need to remember that we are never alone.  We have a father in Heaven who has promised never to leave us or forsake us.  Call out to him in those moments when you feel like you are in this all by yourself.  He's always listening.

Don't know him?  He's just waiting for you. 

Click here to meet Jesus yourself.  You'll be glad you did.  You will never be alone again.

God bless,

Laura


Christian Blogger Linkup Share Your Cup Thursday

Friday Frugal Friday - Feathered Nest Friday - Home Sweet Home - Grace & Truth - Fridays Unfolded - Sweet & Simple Fridays - I'm Lovin' It Tuesday  Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays - Titus 2 Tuesdays Party

It's My Favorite!

Leaves just tinged red and gold

The slightest chill on the breeze

Sun playing hide and seek

Can we read in the tree, please?

Pulling out the recipes

for all the soups and stews

It's still dark in the morning

Just one more time- hit snooze

Crafting, cooking, reading, cleaning

Learning, planning, dreaming

Secret plans for Christmas gifts
Talking about the holidays and scheming!

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May I suggest?
Autumn Thoughts...
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Grace at Home

Thanks to Lizzie of A Dusty Frame for sharing this.

Searching for or Being a Virtuous Wife

"Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies."
NKJV

Who indeed?  As I think of my daughters, whom I am privileged to train up for the Lord, I wonder.  Who will be searching for a virtuous wife?  Will my future sons-in-law be willing to search and wait upon the Lord?  I pray they will.  Do you pray for your children's spouses?  Do.  It is every bit as important to pray for them as it is for your own children. 

Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines virtuous:

1. Morally good; acting in conformity to the moral law; practicing the moral duties, and abstaining from vice; as a virtuous man.
2. Being in conformity to the moral or divine law; as a virtuous action; a virtuous life.
3. The mere performance of virtuous actions does not denominate an agent virtuous.
4. Chaste; applied to women.

How do we become virtuous?  

We must seek help from God and godly mentors.  This is a prayer that God wants to answer.  We must be transformed by the power of the washing of the Word.  We are changed by studying the Word.  We must ask the Lord what it looks like to him.  Ask him what he wants our lives to look like; then, repent as needed and ask him to empower us to become the virtuous women he desires.

Seek out older women who are living virtuous lives.  If you have daughters, you are an older woman.  You must seek God and be the virtuous woman to them.  If they see you do it, they will  believe it can be done.

Laura
Blessed

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May I suggest?

Something to Think About... Words Matter

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