Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Friday, April 13, 2018
Weekly Wrap-Up # 3~ School's half way over
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It has been forever since I did a weekly wrap-up. September was my last one to be exact. Where have these past few months gone? I swear this year has flown by. We have been busy. I honestly can't tell you exactly with what, but each week has brought on new challenges and adventures. Some years are just like that when you home school.
So what have we been up to?
School, of course! Things have been going so-so. We've made a few switches over the past few months. The biggest one is Michael is back to using Saxon for math. Teaching Textbooks was just too easy. I felt is was a complete waste of time for him. Oddly, he is enjoying Saxon now where before he dreaded. Sometimes mom does know best. I guess he needed to learn this on his own. He now has to do math over the summer, but he doesn't seem to mind.
Therese had try-outs for a play. She is now officially old enough to join our local drama club and was thrilled to be able to try out. She did a great job. Prayers she lands a role would be greatly appreciated. We're looking into voice lessons for her. She's thinking about joining the swim team if she doesn't make the play.
Michael started a new shooting team. He gets to practice his shooting and hopefully be able to compete if he's good enough. He was excited to be able to actually join the team.
Their Founding Fathers class is going exceptionally well. They really enjoy the class and have learned a lot from their teacher.
I've been planning for next year already. I am about half way done with our lesson plans. I hoping to be able to enjoy the summer months!
What I'm reading....
For my mom's book club, I've been reading The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos. I've also been reading through various curricula for next year. We officially start high school next year.....ugh!
What the kids are reading......
For English, Therese is reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Michael is reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
For history they are currently reading a handful of books about World War II. I really need to post about all the fun stuff they are working on in history.
For fun, Therese is reading Botanical Beauty, Your Own Beautiful: Advice and Inspiration from Chelsea Crockett , and Fabulous Teen Hairstyles.
Michael is reading a ton of books about Star Wars. This is probably because the new movie was released on DVD and he got it in his Easter basket.
Photo of the week....
Till Next Time,
Monique
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Review~ Princess Cut from Watchman Pictures
Watchman Pictures is a Christian film company whose focus is to provide movies for families to enjoy together. They want their films to be pleasing to families and God. Not only is an important to provide families with clean, wholesome movies, they want the films to be well done.
For this review, we received a DVD copy of Princess Cut. The DVD sells for $14.99 but is currently on sale for $9.99. The film runs 97 minutes. It has earned various awards from the Christian Worldview Film Festival and the Pan Pacific Awards. It's earned the approval of the Dove Foundation.
What is the story behind Princess Cut?
Princess Cut tells the story of a Carolina farm girl named Grace, played by Ashley Bratcher. Grace, a young lady in her early 20's, has been dreaming about her knight in shining armor or "Mr. Right" for years. She longs for the day when her prince charming will slip a princess cut diamond on her finger. After 15 months of dating Stewart, Grace is looking forward to a special evening out. Will her dreams come true? Will Stewart vow to love her forever?
"Stop chasing love and let God lead you"
Grace's evening doesn't go as planned. Stewart turns out to be a not-so-nice guy. He leaves her dreams crushed and heart broken. Grace turns to her parents for help and guidance. With the help of her dad, Grace sets out on a journey to discover what love is and what it truly means to love someone.
What Did We Think of Princess Cut?
Therese and I both enjoyed the movie. Therese turns 13 this month and I think it was a wonderful film to watch together. I loved the Christian themes portrayed in this film. Trusting in God and waiting for the right time is a wonderful lesson for young adults to hear and learn. I felt the movie did a wonderful job getting the Christian belief of dating and marriage across. It portrayed society's view of what dating should be like, while showing why that way doesn't always work. I loved how the film delicately approached issue many young girls face while dating. Some issues that are scary. We live in a very different world. I worry what my children will face when they are dating. I know I had my own issues to face while traveling the dating scene. This film offers a wonderful starting point for those dating concerns and issues that may arise.
The film is well done. The quality of the film is superb. The graphics and images are crisp and clear. The actors did a fantastic job. They brought the story to life right before our eyes.
Find out more about Princess Cut and Watchman Pictures on social media.
Want to see what other families thought of Princess Cut?
Click on the link below and read a few of the crew reviews.
Till Next Time,
Monique
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Happy Homemaker Monday~ April 9, 2018
I haven't done this in awhile, but I am joining Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy Homemaker Monday.
We had a busy weekend. Therese needed some new clothes for summer (not like we need shorts yet here), so we had a fun filled girl's day out shopping. She found a comforter she likes...maybe a gift for her upcoming birthday.
Of course on Sunday, we attended Mass and I taught my religious education class filled with energetic first graders. It was donuts Sunday...need I say more.
Hello Monday Morning~
We woke up to chilly temperatures and snow flurries. Hello spring....where are you? Thankfully, we had a cozy fire already going to stay warm and toasty. I really am ready for sunshine, warm temperatures, and open windows.
After my morning coffee, I headed out to check on the girls and Colonel. They haven't been liking these fluctuating temps either. I took a special treat with and was shocked when our favorite hen didn't show up.
She always comes running for her yummy goodies. Michael headed over to the coop and saw her laying against the wall. Sadly, she had passed away sometime last night. She was a sweet girl, full of spunk, and we will miss having her following us around the yard. Blackberry season will never be the same without her.
Today, we are back to school after a 2 week break for Easter. The kids and I were actually looking forward to getting back to our lessons. I honestly think this was a first.
This week's to do list...
Monday...
Back to school
Laundry
Vacuum, since a certain kitty likes to pull out the Easter grass from the kid's Easter Baskets
Tuesday...
Founding Fathers coop
School
Auditions for Therese
Wednesday...
School
Trip to the library
Laundry
Shooting team practice for Michael
Thursday...
School
Laundry (hoping for warm temps so I can hang out the clothes)
Friday...
School
Homeschool skate in the afternoon
Laser tag with friends
Date night with hubby
Saturday....
No plans yet
What I'm currently reading...
Diary of a Country Priest by George Bernanos
The menu for this week....
Monday~ Leftover pot roast, mashed potatoes, & veggies
Tuesday~Instant Pot Italian Chicken, potatoes, & salad
Wednesday~Lemon Chicken, rice, & green beans
Thursday~Chicken Fried Rice
Friday~ Night Out
Saturday~ ?
Favorite Photo captured...
What I'm creating this week~
Absolutely nothing! I need to head to the craft store to get supplies to make some new spring wreaths for the house. Oddly, I can't find my old ones and I can't remember what happened to them.
Words for thought~
Over the past few weeks, I've been planning the kids lessons for next year. We enter high school next year and I'm a tad bit worried. Suddenly it seems so much harder. The self-doubt has definitely set in and i'm constantly worrying about if we are doing the right thing, are they taking the right classes, will they do well, will this prepare them for college, will they succeed in life, etc. Prayers for finding peace during this transition would be greatly appreciated.
Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Review~ Nature Unit Studies from Creation Illustrated
Unit Studies have been a huge part of our educational learning over the years. They are a great way for kids to learn more about something they love. Recently, we were given the opportunity to review two unit studies from Creation Illustrated. Creation Illustrated not only sent us two unit studies to review, but they gave us access to the magazines, Fall '17 Digital Edition and Winter '18 Digital Edition, that go along with those studies for us to review.
What is Creation Illustrated?
Creation Illustrated is a Christian company that wants to share the wonders of God with others. They are currently in their 25th year of sharing their wonderful nature magazine.
Creation Illustrated is separated into 3 sections...Nature, Scripture, and Living. The magazines is for nature lovers of all ages. The magazines offer a another addition to any homeschool families curriculum. It's perfect for a nature study that brings in the beauty of God and the world He created for us.
For this review, we received two unit studies, Snow and Pine Trees, from Creation Illustrated. These unit study are available as a digital download. Click on the unit study you want to learn about, add it to your cart, and buy it. The Snow Unit study and the Pine Tree Unit Study are $9.95 each, but are currently on sale for $6.95. That's a 30% saving for you.
Creation Illustrated currently offers eight unit studies for purchase. Students can learn about animals, a National Park, trees, flowers, and weather. They offer a small, yet wonderful collection for nature lovers.
We choose to focus on the Pine Trees Unit Study and the Fall '17 Digital Edition of the magazine. The Pine Trees Unit Study is geared for students in grades 5th through 8th. The unit study is 16 pages long. It is filled with lessons that incorporate reading, Bible study, science, geography, vocabulary, spelling, and art. There are links to articles to read, educational videos to watch, puzzles to solve, and fun facts to learn.
The Pine Tree unit study offers students seven links to read to learn more about Pine Trees. They even offer 5 links to various YouTube videos about pine tree. It's nice to have all the information ready to go. There was no searching for information and videos on the internet. It saves homeschooling moms time with the planning allowing more time for fun. An answer key is located at the end of the unit study. Parents and students can easily check their work and find out an answer if they have troubling finding it during their studies.
The other unit study we received to review was all about Snow. The Winter '18 Digital Edition magazine had a wonderful collection of articles about snow and Alaska to go along with this unit study. I would have loved to review this one when we had snow, but sadly this past winter was not filled with snow. Maybe next year we can dig in deeper into this unit study about snow.
Want to learn more about the unit studies offered from Creation Illustrated?
Check them out on social media....
Be sure to stop in and read a few more reviews about these fantastic nature unit studies from Creation Illustrated.
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