Review~ The Easter Storybook

Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

After Ash Wednesday, I have been reading ans sharing wonderful stories of Jesus's life with my adorable first grade religious education students.  

I have been sharing stories from The Easter Storybook from David C. Cook. I love sharing stories about Jesus and hi life with my students. It helps them see why our faith in God is so important.

The Easter Storybook from David C. Cook is a collection of 40 stories that focus on Jesus's life. It's not  just a simple Easter storybook though. This fantastic book starts when Jesus is little and goes through his life. It includes stories when Jesus is in the temple as a child, his apostles, the last supper,  his crucifixion, and his appearances after he has risen from the dead. The 40 stories are fully illustrated in bright colors making them eye catching and appealing to young readers.  The books is geared for children ages 4-8, but the whole family can enjoy this beautiful book. 

The book is broken up into 40 stories with the hope that one story will be read each day during the Lenten season. Each page includes the day, a reference to the Bible passage (you could have older kids search for the actual bible passage), a quote from the Bible, the story, and a few questions for discussion. On the opposite page is the colorful illustration to go along with the story.

The Bible passage and questions help families walk through their Lenten journey. As children read through the book, they will learn about Jesus. They will learn who He is, what He did during His life, and most importantly why His death and resurrection are so important. 

(I apologize for the lack of pictures of the inside of the book. The book is in my classroom and the we have been quarantined at home so I haven't been able to take any pictures)

~ How I Used The Easter Storybook~

For this review, I received a physical hardback copy of The Easter Storybook written by Laura Ritchie and illustrated by Ian Dale . The book is a larger book which is perfect for little hands and for sharing as a read aloud. It's  90+ pages long. The color illustrations are fantastic. 

Since my kiddos are older, I received this review to share with my first grade religious education class. They were the perfect age to share this book with. My plan was to share on story with them each Sunday during the Lenten season. Obviously since the book contains 40 stories, I knew I had to pick a few I wanted to cover. Of course, I wanted to include the important stories about the last supper, Jesus's death, etc. Unfortunately, our classes were canceled this Lenten season due to the virus roaming around. I was able to only share two stories with them. The children enjoyed the stories and they were just the right length to share in class. I usually try to find a short story to read to go along with our lesson. The stories in The Easter Storybook are perfect for that. The language is simple and easy for kids to understand. The stories are short and hold the children's attention.We all know we're lucky if we can keep them focused for 15 minutes at that age.

My plan next year is to work into class the various stories in the book into the lessons we are covering during the year...the Story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus and his disciples, the Parable of the Lost Son, etc.

~ What I Thought of The Easter Storybook~

Overall, I enjoyed the storybook. The stories are the perfect length for kids. The pictures were colorful and appealing to children. They were a simple addition to our Lenten lessons. 

As a Roman Catholic I didn't find anything that went against our teachings, like I have in other children's books. The only flaw in the book for Catholics was that Jesus's mother, Mary was missing. Mary was an important of our Lord's life. I feel that the author missed that. Mary wept at the feet of Jesus when he was crucified. 

If you're looking for a new book to add to your children's Easter books, I definitely recommend The Easter Story!

Discover more about The Easter Storybook from David Cook

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Till Next Time,

Monique

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Happy Homemaker Monday~ March 30, 2020

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.



Good Morning! I guess I should say good afternoon since it's already 3 o'clock here. I hope you all had a peaceful weekend. We spent the weekend at home working around the house. Yard work, cleaning up the garage, raking leaves, etc. I hope you are all enjoying this time to recharge and relax just a little.

So let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday! I'm thrilled to be joining Sandra in her weekly series, Happy Homemaker Monday.

❀❀~The Weather~❀❀

Last week, we had a lot of rainy days. We were supposed to get rain on Sunday too, but thankfully the rain held off. Our temps have warmed up some so it was nice to get outside and enjoy the warm sunshine. This week looks like it will be a little cooler here again. I'm just ready for warm temps to stay. I can't wait to plant some colorful flowers around the house.

Monday~ Partly Cloudy 72*
Tuesday~ Cloudy 52*
Wednesday~ Mostly Cloudy 55*
Thursday~ Mostly Sunny 56*
Friday~ Sunny 61*
Saturday~ Partly Cloudy 64*
Sunday~ Showers 68*

❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀

I woke up with a headache and it seems to be hanging around. Migraines are the worst. Overall, I'm enjoying the time at home. It's nice to not have to run out and about everyday. I do feel bad that the kids are missing time with their friends, church activities, and their sport practices.

❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀

I'm trying to figure out how to keep the kids content and eager to do lessons, especially since the schools here have shut down for the remainder of the year. The public kid's assignments are not being graded and they won't have any end of the year testing. Since we homeschool, we still have to meet our regular guidelines. I'm not upset with that since it does help keep the kids busy. I just hope I can find ways to keep them motivated. I may have to change up our lessons a little.
I hope our country pulls out of this troubling times soon. I pray that we can slowly get back to our regularly scheduled program once May/June hits.
I'm praying we stay safe and healthy. They're predicting our numbers won't peak here for another 2 weeks. It's a scary though to think what may or may not be coming. Our state issued a stay-at-home order until June 10th.. We can only head out for doctors appointments, groceries, or other important matters.

❀❀~What they kids are up to~❀❀

They are working on the subjects we have been doing at home. They now have religion. math, and history to finish up. For co-op, they have a few more classes of Biology to complete.

Since Monday was a co-op day, they had no classes today. I'm sure they enjoyed the day off. They have classes this week and then are off for a week for Easter. We always try to make Holy Week important. I'm trying to figure out how to do that since all Masses have been canceled. We haven't missed an Easter Mass since Michael shared his pink eye with me 7 years ago. That was not a fun Easter.

I will say being on lock down has been a good and bad thing for the kids. At times they are driving each other crazy (lots of bickering), but then I see them playing board games, playing basketball outside, coloring the sidewalk with chalk (I didn't even no we had any left). It seems like it has brought them a little closer at times.


❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀

Coffee and two eggs scrambled. I really need to get back to eating better and exercising. I'm afraid if I don't I'm going to come out of this quarantine 20 pound heavier instead of 20 pound slighter

❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀

I have three books I''m currently reading through.

Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst

The Silent Ones by K.L. Slater

The Body in the Wake by Katherine Hall Page

The kids are still reading Robin Hood for history class. They said that they are having a hard time finishing it. Neither of them are enjoying it.

❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀

Nothing. I currently have nothing on my watch list. The kids are excited that Disney has put Phineas and Ferb back on. They loved that cartoon when they were younger and are excited to watch the reruns.


❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀

I'm still listening to my grandaddy's 1940's CDs. I love listening to them and thinking about him.
I'm also listening to Kenny Chesney. His music just brings summer and the beach to life for me. It makes me want to lounging in a chair sitting on a beach watching the waves roll in.

❀❀~What I'm working on~❀❀

An Easter Wreath and a Sunflower wreath for the doors.

I need to finish a few Christmas tree skirts. I'm also hoping to finally sit down and work on the quilt I started for our bed a year ago. Time flies by too quickly. It's nice to have some time now.

❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀

I still have a lot of things to do!
Deep Spring Cleaning...clean everything thoroughly...I have half the house down. I had to re-mop the floors when the do came in with muddy paws after all the rain.
Laundry...I'm washing all the curtains and bedding since I can hang them outside to dry on the line.
A bath for the dog
Clean and organize the basement
Clean the school/craft/sewing room

❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀

Laundry
Change the sheets
Clean the kitchen & living room
Vacuum and mop the floors again...the pets are all shedding and the dog keeps tracking in mud from all the rain. I have doggie footprints down my hallway
Write up 2 reviews for the Homeschool Review Crew
Clean the chicken coop
Eagerly await the arrival of baby chicks

❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀

Monday~Turkey meatballs, spaghetti, & salad
Tuesday~ Leftovers
Wednesday~ Sesame Chicken, Broccoli, Rice (had this on the schedule last week, but never made it)
Thursday~ Honey Mustard Chicken, potatoes, & green beans
Friday~ Potato Soup
Saturday~ Leftovers
Sunday~ Roasted Chicken , scalloped potatoes, veggies

❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀

❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀

Our country and our leaders
All the people affected by this virus. The first responders, the nurses, and the doctors taking care of all the patients.
My husband and all his staff. Praying they all stay healthy and safe.
My family


❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀

Wishing you all a wonderful week. 

Stay healthy and happy!

Till Next Time,

Monique

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Sunday Inspiration~ March 29, 2020

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

Till Next Time,

Monique

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Review~ Artists Activity-Pak from Home School in the Woods

Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We are in our 13th year of homeschooling. Oh where, oh where have all those years gone? Over those years, we have used most of the products offered from Home School in the Woods. I can't express to you enough about how much we have enjoyed their unit studies. When we were given the chance to review for this outstanding homeschool curriculum company, I was thrilled. Since Therese has expressed an interest in art history, I choose the Activity-Pak: Artists.

 Amy Pak, a fellow homeschool mom, created the company Home School in the Woods. The company offers families an amazing selection of unit studies to help them with their homeschooling journey. Families can bring history to life with Home School in the Wood's timelines, lap books, maps, and in-depth history unit studies. Their unit studies are filled with tons of information and offer students hands-on learning that is fun, engaging, and educational. There are no boring history lessons here. I promise your students will love them and you will not find them staring out the window with glazed over eyes.

The selection offered from Home School in the Woods is amazing!

History Through the Ages Timeline Materials

Creation to Christ

Resurrection to Revolution 

Napoleon to Now

Timeline Collection

Add-on Pak

Notebook

Binder for Timeline

Mystery of History Timeline Figures

Olde World Style Maps

World Maps

United States Maps

Project Passport World History Projects

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Greece

Ancient Rome

The Middle Ages

Renaissance & Reformation

Time Travelers U.S. History Studies

New World Explorers

Colonial Life

The American Revolution

The Early 19th Century

The Civil War

The Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression

World War II

Hands-on History Lap-Paks

Knights

Benjamin Franklin

U.S. Elections

Wonders of the World

The 20th Century in America

Hands-on History Activity-Paks

Make-a-State

Composers

The Old Testament

The New

Testament

Hands-on History Activity Studies

History of Holidays

Great Empires

The company offers some of their materials from the history studies in an A La Carte Projects section. This allows families to order just what they need. We've used and reviewed the Science, Inventions, and Mathematicians Timeline and the Art of Quilling project. 

You can read about the review here. The Art of Quilling project is a lot of fun.

~ Activity-Pak: Artists~

For this review, we received the download format of the Artists Activity-Pak. It can be purchased in CD form too. The Artists Activity-Pak introduces students to 33 artists whose lives span the centuries. Students will learn about the different art movements over the centuries...Baroque, Renaissance, Impressionism, Realism, Americana, Cubism, Modern, etc. The Artisst Activity-Pak is geared for grades 3rd-8th. It can easily be used for older students too.

The Artists Activity-Pak includes the projects to complete a lap book. Students will learn about famous artist, various styles of artwork, the different art movements throughout history, different type of medium used to create art, and a wonderful collection of vocabulary words pertaining to art. 

Activities included in the lap book...

~Art Media

~Art Movement

~Vocabulary

~Paint Like the Masters

~Artists Exhibition

The 33 artist covered are Da Vinci, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Wood, Picasso, Seurat, Cassatt, Sesshu, Michelangelo, Remington, Rembrandt, Rubens, Matisse, Potter, Manet, Juan de Pareja, Cezanne, El Greco, Dore, Gauguin, Rivera, Degas, Rousseau, Holbein, Dali, Copley, Grandma Moses, Rockwell, Raphael, Audubon, Goya, and Toulouse-Lautrec.

The Artist Activity-Pak also includes a printable artist sketchbook that students can use for their sketch practice. The sketch book contains 20 quotes from various artists.

To go along with the study of all these famous artists, the Activity-Pak includes 10 Paint Like the Masters! projects for the students to complete. While completing these projects, students will get a chance to try various artist techniques. 

Beside the lap book, the Artist Activity-Pak includes a file folder game, Art Gallery, to print out and play. Players of the game will travel around the board game answering various questions about the different artwork of 18 artists they have studied. The printable cards will have students answering questions about famous paintings, famous artists, medium used, and the year the artwork was created.

Since Therese is a little older and we've studied art throughout the years, we used the Artists Activity-Pak a little differently. One of the great advantages of holmeschooling.

I printed out the lap book projects and Therese completed them. My plan is to use this folder as a quick reference for when she does an in-depth study of art history next year as an elective for high school. This lap book will go in the front of her binder for a simple, yet effective reference guide. 

I opted not to print out the artist sketch pad since she already has one(actually a few) . I figured we didn't need to waste the paper. I do like the idea of the quotes. I may have her look up quotes from famous artist to add to her own sketch book. Research skills and penmanship practice at the same time.

The Paint Like a Master! projects are great. I didn't have Therese complete any just yet. Shes' done most of these when she was younger when I taught art at a local co-op. Having a mom who studied art does have its advantages. She's been more focused on her drawing skills lately. I'm hoping I can encourage her to give the ideas a go in the next few weeks, now that things are starting to calm down here.

So far I have not printed out the file folder game. I've looked it over and I am planning on printing it out for next year. I just didn't get a chance to print it out because of our ink situation for our printer. The kids have been busy with co-op work and I needed to conserve the ink. I didn't want them to run out for the work they needed to send in for grades. Ink is ordered, we're just waiting for it too arrive. 

The Artist Activity-Pak is filled with so much information. It's a great introduction to artist and the different art movements. It's the perfect tool for parents that have little or no background in art. It includes everything a parent and student would need to get a good introduction into the world of art and famous artist. Years ago, I actually created a whole art curriculum for my children. It took me weeks (maybe months) to collect the information, worksheets, projects, etc. 

This Activity-Pak eliminates all of that. It's simple and all planned out for parents.

So if your child has an interest in art, I definitely recommend this art lap book. It will teach them all about the artist and they'll have a blast creating their own masterpieces.

As I mentioned earlier, we've used most of the unit studies offered from Home School in the Woods. I'm amazed with all the ones the kids have used over the years. We've used all of the Time Travelers U.S. History Studies. We've used and reviewed the U.S. Elections Lap-Pak (perfect for the upcoming election), Wonders of the World Lap-Pak, Project Passport Ancient Greece , Project Passport The Middle Ages, Project Passport Ancient Egypt, and Project Passport Ancient Rome.

With the upcoming election, I would definitely recommend the U.S. Election Lap-Pak. 

It's great at explaining the entire process. You can read more about this fantastic resource over on the Home School in the Woods Blog. 

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Till Next Time,

Monique

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Review~ Math Galaxy eBooks

Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Math can either be fun or be a nightmare depending on the curriculum and child using said curriculum. Last month, we were given the opportunity to a few math eBooks from Math Galaxy.

Math Galaxy is a company that offers eBooks and apps for iPad and iPhone. Families can work through math programs for children of all ages. It's like having your own personal math tutor. Math Galaxy offers math for grades K-12th. Using bright, colorful illustrations, Math Galaxy helps students connect the abstract concepts of math to actual, concrete experiences. 

Math becomes real life!

Since we don't have an iPhone or iPad, we received the eBooks offered from Math Galaxy to review. The company offers over 30 different eBooks to cover a wide range of math concepts. 

The eBooks we received included four different bundles with each bundle containing 5 to 11 eBooks. 

Whole Numbers Bundle

This bundle contained 11 eBooks and covers a wide range of topics

1 to 2 Digit Multiplication

1 to 3 Digit Addition

3 and 4 Digit Multiplication

Expanded Notation, Order of Operations, & Number Patterns

Multi Digit Addition

Time & Money

Whole Number Division

Spelling Word Jumbles (Grades 3-5)

Length & Area 

Rounding & Estimating Whole Numbers

 Fractions Bundle

This bundle contained 8 eBooks and covers everything about fractions.

Add & Subtract Fractions

Equivalent Fractions

Fraction Word Problems

Identifying Fractions

Length & Area

Multiply & Divide Fractions

Reducing Fractions

Volume, Capacity, Weight, & Angles

Pre-Algebra Bundle (Decimals, Proportions, Percents)

This bundle contained 7 eBooks and covered a wide variety of topics presented during Pre-Algebra.

Decimal Operations

Decimal Word Problems

Length & Area

Percents

Ratios & Proportions

Understanding Decimals

Volume, Capacity, Weight, & Angles

             

Algebra Bundle

This bundle contained 5 eBooks covering topics pertaining to Algebra. 

Properties & Operations

Solving Equations

Word Problems

Exponents, Scientific & Metric, Notations & Operations

Linear Equations

The various eBooks are geared to a wide age range and grade level. Each eBook contains colorful images and a riddle for the student to solve. The eBooks are not to be used as a complete curriculum, but as a reinforcement aid for students who may need a little extra help. 

We focused on the Algebra Bundle since both kids are currently working through different Algebra curriculum. I know when I first downloaded the eBooks, I wasn't overly impressed. With the colorful graphics and riddles to solve, I knew my kids were not going to like the eBooks. I printed out a few pages for them to work on. They immediately complained about the "kiddy" look of the pages. I told them to just work on the problems. Neither one opted to complete the riddles. Michael was able to solve many of the riddles without even completing the problems. 

(A few pages are plan, as you can see)

The pages are well laid out. The instructions are simple and easy to understand. The pages are short enough that they can easily be done after a regular assignment. Answers are provided for each worksheet after the corresponding worksheet page.

The eBooks would be a great way to work on math through the summer. Parents can pick a topic ( or two) and work through the various concepts.

As a mom of two teens, I would say the books are better geared to students in the younger grades. I think most high school students will not appreciate the colorful graphics or funny riddles. Middle school students, I feel, would still enjoy it. That's just my personal opinion. Your student may like the graphics and riddles. 

The eBooks can easily be used by a younger, more advanced student in math. The pages would be a great way to keep them working on their math skills and have fun at the same time.

~Math Galaxy Apps~

Math Galaxy also offers apps for Math. 

The Apps that can be purchased for iPhone and iPad are: K-8th grade math, Pre-Algebra Fundamentals, Algebra Fundamentals, Whole Number Riddles, Fractions & Decimals Riddles, Time Tables Balloon Pop, Whole Numbers Balloon Pop, Word Problem Fun, Zombie Numbers, and SAT Math. If you have an iPhone or iPad, be sure to check out what Math Galaxy has to offer. 

Learning math can be fun and educational at the same time.

Learn more about Math Galaxy

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Till Next Time,

Monique

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Wordless Wednesday~Lounging Around

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

Just lounging around....

Till Next Time,

Monique

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Review~ Betty Greene from YWAM Publishing

Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Recently, the kids and I were given the opportunity to review another outstanding book from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series from YWAM Publishing. We've read and own a few of the other book titles offered from YWAM Publishing. We've enjoyed all the books we've read. They make a wonderful addition to any family's library. 

YWAM Publishing is an amazing company that offers families a fantastic collection of books about heroic tales of important people from history and missionary tales about daring, faithful Christians. Two of their most popular series are Christian Heroes: Then & Now and Heroes of History There are 50 titles to choose from in the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series. Heroes of History has 30 titles to choose from. I love how these two amazing series provide readers strong, faithful, determined, and patriotic men and women to learn about and look up to.

For this review, we received  a physical  Betty Greene: Wings to Serve from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series. This extraordinary book tells the story of Betty Greene, a missionary pilot who flew all over the world. Elizabeth (Betty) Everts Greene was born in 1920 in Seattle, Washington. She was an American pilot. At the age of 25, she took the skies starting her famous flying career. She was the first MAF pilot. As a Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) pilot, Betty flew Mexico, Peru, Nigeria, Sudan, and Papua New Guinea. During her daring missions, she was able to bring her two loves in life, flying and serving the Lord, together. 

"I believe that love is better than hate. 

And that there is more nobility in building a chicken coop

 than in destroying a cathedral."

~ Betty Greene

Betty Greene: Wings to Serve is recommended for readers ages 10 and up. The paperback book is 193 pages long. It's well written and easy to read. I love how the book brings the life of Betty Greene to life. The book is written in way that brings readers of all ages in. It's not a difficult read. It works great as a read aloud for younger readers and works just as well as an independent read for older readers. 

~Unit Study Guide~

To accompany the book, the company offers a unit study guide. This is a great way to use living books in your history lessons. We received the digital download of the unit study to accompany the book. We chose not to use the unit study guide for this book, but have used a few of the others in the past.

The Unit Study Guide is meant to go along with the book. The unit study guide is meant to be used by parents and teacher as a way to help reinforce learning. These books with their unit study guides are perfect for a living history style of teaching. We love this style of learning about history. 

No boring textbooks! 

The unit study guide offers curriculum that covers geography, history, bible verses, reading comprehension, vocabulary, creative writing, essay writing, art, and drama. Parents and teachers can look through the study guide and use what they like or they can use the entire things. One of the nice things about homeschooling is parents get to pick and choose what they want their students to work on.

Over the past few years, we've reviewed a few of the other titles offered. 

Be sure to check them out too!

Heroes of History: Corrie Ten Boom

Heroes of History: Douglas MacArthur

Heroes of History: Theodore Roosevelt 

Heroes of History: Davy Crockett

Heroes of History: Abraham Lincoln

Learn more about YWAM Publishing and all the great books they offer.

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Till Next Time,

Monique

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Happy Homemaker Monday~ March 23, 2020

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

Good morning dear friends...

I hope you are all well and keeping sane during these trying times. It's been a strange week here. I'm sure many of you have been experiencing the same feelings I've had this past week. Fear, frustration, hopelessness, and a odd numbness seems to have settled in, but I've also felt peace, tranquility, and a sense of calm. It weird!

I'm trying to avoid the news, whether it be real or fake. I miss good, straight forward old-fashion news The new right now just doesn't seem to help. Thankfully, my dear hubby is staying on top of it. He keeps us well informed. He's considered essential personnel, so he heads out to work everyday.

We're heading into our 2nd week of quarantine and life seems like it's at a stand still. Life had been crazy here, running around everyday, I often complained of not having any down time. I guess I finally got that down time. Sadly, it's coming at a cost. I worry about our nation, all the people affected, our economy, and all the workers that are working double time to make sure things keep going on smoothly.

It's not all bad though. We've had dinner together every night as a family. I'm finally getting a chance to get rooms thoroughly cleaned and organized. I've been able to start seedlings for our garden and we're hatching a few baby chicks to add to our flock.

I wish you all a wonderful, safe week. Stay healthy and trust in God.

So let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday! Now that the kids co-op classes have been canceled for the rest of the school year, I can get back to joining Sandra in her weekly series.

❀❀~The Weather~❀❀

Last week, we had two days that reached a high of 80*. It was wonderful to get outside and enjoy the warm sunshine. This past weekend was a little chillier, but not too hateful. Sunday was a high of 50, but it was sunny and the sun felt so toasty on your skin. Today is overcast and rainy. It makes for a mopey kind of day. The type of day you just want to curl up with a blanket and a good book.

Monday~ Rain ☔48*
Tuesday~Partly Cloudy ⛅57*
Wednesday~ Showers ☔ 55*
Thursday~ Partly Cloudy ⛅ 67*
Friday~ Showers ☔56*
Saturday~Showers ☔ 63*
Sunday~ Showers ☔ 60*

Our temps are finally warming up a bit. I just wish the rain would let up just a little. I need to clean out the flower beds to get them ready for some new flowers.

❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀

I little less anxious. I did get out for a little bit yesterday. My hubby and I drove around on the back country roads. The sunshine and fresh air was perfect. We saw the beauty of the trees starting to bud.. Just a tiny hint of green. I'm eagerly waiting for the Redbud trees to bloom. We saw plenty of baby calves running around. It was a wonderful reminder that life goes on even  during difficult times. We did stop into Target to get a few supplies. Still no toilet paper, but we're not quite desperate yet. We did find some ground meat, so that was a plus!

❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀

Honestly, I keep thinking about all the stuff I need or can do around the house. Last week, I did a few things around the house, but I wasn't nearly as productive as I should have been. I just wasn't motivated. Sad, but true. I guess we all have weeks like that. My goal for this week is too get more stuff done around the house. Craft a little and catch up on the kids scrapbooks. I'm currently working on their books from when we went to Disney World. I'm just a tiny bit behind. Therese is almost 15 and we went when she was 3! Better late than never.

❀❀~What they kids are up to~❀❀

They are finishing up the work for their co-op teachers. They both have things due today. After today, they'll only have their biology class to work on from co-op. Of course, our schooling here has not really been affected. They'll still work on religion, math, and history. They should feel a little lighter with some of their classes ending. They both have done an amazing job this year at co-op. Sadly, they will not be going back. The course selection for next year was not what we were looking for. Michael will most likely be heading to the local community college to take classes. Therese will stay home and work on her classes here.

❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀

Coffee, just one cup. I'm trying to cut back. I've noticed it has started to bother my stomach. It's not fun getting old. I made Therese and I an egg and cheese sandwich on gluten free bun. Udis changed their bread a little and it tastes really good. We were lucky to find bread. At the store all the bread was gone, except the gluten free loaves. It was perfect for us.

❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀

I just finished up a book from Nora Roberts called Blood Brothers. I've always been a fan of hers. I thought I hadn't read this series, but as a read the book I remembered bits and pieces of it. I'll finish the series once the library reopens.
I'm still reading Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, left Out, and Lonely by Lysa TerKeurst.

I also just finished up a children's book for a review I'm working on. The kids and I were given Betty Greene: Wings to Serve from YWAM Publishing. It's part of their Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series.

I have few titles on my kindle and a stack of books I can read. I just need to see what jumps out and says read me!

The kids are reading Robin Hood for history class. Sadly, It doesn't sound like they are enjoying it.

❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀

Therese and I have been watching reruns of Friends. It brings back memories of when I lived in New York. There are times I miss city life, but overall I'm happy out here in the country.
I started recording Gilmore Girls. I'm till I have season one, so I can start at the beginning. I've never watched it before, so I guess I'll see what it's about.

Therese and I still have to sit down and watch Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. We checked out from the library before it closed down. We have no idea when it will reopen.


❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀

I pulled out a few CD's my granddaddy had. When he passed I took them. They're songs from the 1940's. I love the music from then. I love the fashions. I always thought I was born during the wrong time period. It crazy how we feel drawn to particular things. As I listen to the music, I can picture my granddaddy and grandma dancing away.

❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀

Too many things to do!
Deep Spring Cleaning...clean everything thoroughly
Bathrooms
Laundry (it never ends)
A bath for the dog
A trim for the cat... the new long hair kitty requires a lot of maintenance
Clean and organize the basement
Collect items to donate
Clean the school/craft/sewing room

❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀

Laundry
Change the sheets
Clean the bathrooms
Vacuum and mop the floors...the animals have all started to lose their winter fur coats. I joked with my hubby we could make yard out of. It's every where.
Write up 3 reviews for the Homeschool Review Crew

❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀

Monday~Pork chops, stewed apples, green beans
Tuesday~ Tacos with shredded chicken, Spanish rice, corn
Wednesday~ Leftovers
Thursday~Sesame Chicken, Broccoli, Rice
Friday~ Salmon with Smoky Vegetable Hash (Whole 30 Recipe)
Saturday~ Leftovers
Sunday~ Roasted Chicken , scalloped potatoes, mixed veggies

❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀

❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀

Our country and our leaders
All the people affected by this virus. I pray things settle done soon. Praying people stop panicking, come together, and find some type of normal this this strange time.
My husband and all his workers. Praying they stay healthy and safe.
My elderly family members, neighbors, and the rest of the world. I hope they all have someone who can help them during this scary time.


❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀

Wishing you all a wonderful week. 

Stay healthy and happy!

Till Next Time,

Monique

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