Homeschooling in the Garden of Life

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T14:49:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure when it started and how it has grown to such proportions or why our family seems to make such a holiday in the middle of winter cold but ..... Valentines Day has come again and we've done it up in typical Kronz fashion with fun, gifts, and food!

The day begins with a fun-filled scavenger hunt all over the house and yard where the children read a riddle on red heart-shaped cards, leading them eventually to a gift for each of us.

This year the cards were anywhere from the refrigerator to the music room, and culminating with their love-filled gifts in the cold of early morning at the mailbox :-)

Unfortunately, Sis and I have been ill with a bad head cold for the past week and a half and didn't have the energy to do the baking we both desired .... but our sweet neighbor came to the rescue with yummy cookies from her own oven -- one for each of us.

Isabelle enjoys setting and making the table beautiful for our delicious Valentine's dinner! Joe and I will celebrate with a special banquet we are attending on Friday. This day will be a family affair.

We hope this day has found you celebrating those you love with all that brings your hearts joy!

My Sons -- the Black Belts

2012-02-01T04:14:00.000-08:00

After a little over 3 years of effort, weekly classes, nearly daily practice, private lessons, bloody noses, bruises, and even sometimes tears ..... my boys finally earned the privilege of wearing black belts last night.

They have worn 3rd degree brown belts since May, and only earned this privilege after testing twice and practicing many hours under the direction and encouragement of their much-respected Sensei.

Isaac is now one of the youngest black belts at the Nampa School of Karate. I believe he will wear this honor well.

Josiah's belt is inscribed with his name as well as the words: HONOR Proverbs 15:33.

Isaac's belt is inscribed with his name and the words: COURAGE Joshua 1:9. I encourage you to look up these verses as they have special meaning and symbolism to each of my boys.

It is now a privilege to sit with the black belts, to help teach, to lead through example, and to rise up in a myriad of ways.

Their Sensei is a giant of a man with a tender and compassionate heart. He has been an excellent example of leadership to them through these years and we are immensely grateful for his investment in their lives. God has been so very faithful in this journey.

Capstone Student Legislature 2012

2012-01-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

We just completed another week at the Idaho state capitol participating in Capstone Student Legislature. With suit coats donned and hours (10+) worth of homework completed and in tow, my two young men joined forces this year and had a great experience learning about our state government.

I was privileged to serve as Registrar (2011/2012) for this amazing event and therefore had the opportunity to help first hand as well as sit and observe for most of the days they were in attendance.

This was Josiah's 4th (and final) year to attend. He had a great time enjoying what has become a highlight of his year. He served in a variety of capacities as a student leader including acting as "Representative E.Z. Toopersuede" in the opening humorous skit about how a bill comes into law.

Isaac was by far the shortest among the 44 other students (it is like reliving Josiah's first year), but he held his own quite well and participated with confidence. Isaac earned a full ride scholarship to attend Capstone next year after receiving the highest score among new students on his homework which is turned in on the opening day. Isaac labored for 15+ hours on this difficult homework, so we were thrilled to see his efforts pay off.

Both boys had several speaking opportunities including the reading of their bill (each student creates a bill and then defends it through several floor sessions of debate).

These are long days of sitting, touring, debating, and learning. Isaac behaved marvelously in spite of the many opportunities for distractions. Along with touring the state capitol, the new students also met personally with our State Treasurer, State Controller, and Attorney General. In addition, they were privileged to sit in on a floor session of the Idaho House of Representatives as well as listen to personalized speeches from several Representatives and Senators.

As an alumni, Josiah was one of four students chosen to serve as Committee Chair. This is a great opportunity and responsibility as he must observe parliamentary procedure and act in fairness in this position as his committee evaluates and debates a variety of bills.

Josiah also, as an alumni student, spends several hours prior to Capstone week reading and studying a mock court case. During Capstone week, the "Capstone Supreme Court" meets, presents evidence, and is eventually evaluated and judged based on their arguments. Together with a team of licensed attorneys brought in for two days, Josiah and other alumni present arguments towards their case. Josiah was the final speaker, answering and rebutting the opponent's arguments on behalf of his "legal team" in this picture.

Both boys participated in several hours of floor debate, presenting arguments and thoughts on the passing or failing of particular bills written by their co-students.

Students, both new and alumni, are nominated by their fellow committee members to run as Representative or Governor. Josiah was nominated and elected as a Representative in 2010. This year he was nominated and elected as the Capstone Student Legislature's Governor!!! This is an esteemed and honored position, requiring the giving of a 4 minute speech to parents, staff, students, and honored legislators present during the Capstone graduation ceremony. Josiah wrote and presented a wonderful speech imploring his fellow students to get involved in their local government and make a difference based on the lessons learned during their Capstone week.

As Governor, he also has the privilege of veto power on certain bills and presents the students with their graduation certificates. This was a tremendous and truly meaningful end to his final year as a Capstone participant.

It's going to be hard to go back to real life after this!! :-) But alas, the classes and tests resume and the laundry awaits!

Horse Update ... No Words Needed.

2011-12-29T15:15:00.001-08:00

A Christmas to Remember!

2011-12-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, you are seeing this correctly .... Isabelle's Christmas dreams came true this morning as she looked out the window to see her Daddy standing out in the field holding her very own horse. "Buck Christmas Kronz" is the latest member of the Kronz family farm. He is a 13 year old roan paint quarter horse with many years of 4H experience working alongside children. He is 14 hands high and a gentle giant. Here's how it happened .....

We had sought out a friend 3 months ago to begin looking for the right beginner horse for our little horse lover. Last week, he found this horse and felt sure that it would be just the right fit for Isabelle. And so ..... after we opened our stockings and gifts this morning and everyone was enjoying their presents, Joe announced that he was going out to feed the animals. I stealthily kept watch from the upstairs window and when he had the horse positioned where we could see it from the door, I called down to the kids to "Come up here! Dad has one last gift he wants to show you!!" They came racing up and Isabelle stopped dead in her tracks looking out the door. Words cannot describe the sweetness of this precious moment!! She was in utter disbelief and then the tears began to flow as she kept asking, "Is it for ME?? Is it to be MINE??!" I was crying, she was crying, Josiah was trying to get pictures in all the frenzy. It was precious.

I had her clothes hidden and ready for me to quickly help her into them (as at this point, she really couldn't even think straight!). She and I got outside as quick as possible and I snapped these pictures of her and her Daddy .... making his daughter's dream come true.

Isabelle had an apple ready to feed her new horse as she quietly spoke to it all the fond things she has been waiting to say if this moment should ever happen ....

This picture, although blurred, has the tender look on Isabelle's face that communicates perfectly how she was feeling. It is absolutely thrilling to help make a child's dream come true.

A Christmas to remember!! Merry Christmas everyone! Much love from the happy, growing Kronz family

Merry Christmas -- A Year in Reflection

2011-12-09T07:37:00.001-08:00

The past year has felt like a blur, and yet .... as I've taken the time to gather photos here and recount our various adventures, I feel incredibly blessed. Although you are more than welcome to spend a few minutes looking through the many old posts on our family blog (they will give you a more detailed version of our life and goings-on as a family as well as cover many things that I've missed in this post), I've gathered the highlights of our year below.

There is definite joy in the remembering .....

It was during the Christmas season last year that we made the huge decision to go ahead and support Josiah in having a final recital as a violinist. The venue was selected, the invitations mailed, and the songs practiced for many hours prior to this performance. We were blessed beyond measure to be able to celebrate the conclusion of Josiah's formal violin study in a way which told of his efforts and dedication while simultaneously walking through a bit of family history in the various speeches given.

God was incredibly faithful in answering our prayers that HE would be glorified through our words and music. Friends and family were able to attend as well as perform. This is an incredibly sweet memory and a highlight of our 2011 year.

All three children have continued playing their instruments in some context. Isabelle plays both the violin and piano and has quite a musical gift when she puts her heart into it. Isaac continues playing the piano and enjoys composing on the computer in his spare time; and Josiah, although no longer taking lessons, has had several opportunities throughout the year to continue playing and performing.

It was a snowy Idaho winter which made for quite a few ski trips and playtimes outside once all the school books were tucked away. Yes, we still homeschool -- my 13th year actually! Josiah is now a senior and will graduate this spring, Isaac a freshman, and Isabelle in 4th grade. They are all excellent students with unique strengths. Josiah is our reader, politician, and historian, with plans towards law school in the coming years. Isaac, while still loving athletics, is emerging with his own academic strengths including learning to program computers on a basic level. Isabelle is our creative one, artist, lover of animals, and science-minded girl who carries her first-aid bag wherever she goes.

Our springtime focus revolved around a three week cross-country trip in our RV which we documented through an ongoing blog entitled "Kronz Cross-Country Adventure". This was a dream come true for Joe as we traveled all the way to the east coast and home seeing a variety of sights along the way. It was a growing time for us as a family and a blessing to be able to accomplish, but we were all glad to get home!!

Life on our little farm wouldn't be complete without projects .... and we've got LOTS of them! A big accomplishment for Joe and the boys was the completion of our new chicken coop as a gift to Mom this early summer. Affectionately named the "Taj Ma Chicken" by Joe, it is quite a sight to behold inside and out.

Gardening is a passion of mine and this is one of my favorite stages to capture with the camera. We had two gardens last year -- one quite large to hold the larger crops (including wheat!) and this smaller one named the "kitchen garden" which has just about anything you can imagine (with the exception of brussel sprouts!). Isabelle now gardens a portion of this with me and we have fun dreaming and planting and harvesting together from April through October.

Although we've recently added a new puppy to our menagerie, our golden retriever "Kale" is still our gentle giant keeping watch over the farm and always ready and willing for a good romp in the yard. He is Isabelle's nearly constant companion through the summer days and has learned to accept good-naturedly her various pursuits with him (dog trainer, horse back rider, sled dog driver, etc.). Raising animals has provided some tremendous opportunities for our children to grow in maturity, compassion, and responsibility, not to mention the unconditional love the animals offer 24 hours a day!

Work is a constant here on our 8 acres. Winter is the only season when there isn't daily outside chores beyond your scope of imagination (and if Mom thinks real hard, she can always come up with some even then!). We now have three official mowers in the family and there is always somewhere needing to be mowed! We're so thankful though and have been purposeful to provide these work opportunities for our kids to live and think outside of themselves and instead focus on serving eachother and family as a part of a bigger team.

We have an assorted menagerie here on the "farm". The ladies above give us farm fresh eggs on a daily basis -- enough to eat and to sell to neighbors.

The goats (Clara, Starlight, and Daisy) are still an absolute delight -- serving as big dogs when Isabelle gets the hankering. We had two of them "married" (smile) this fall and hope to welcome some baby kids in early April. We'll try our hand at milking them then and see how that fits our lifestyle and needs as a family.

I spend most of my time serving my family, but when I do have extra time, I love making things beautiful outside. While the boys were away for a week in July fishing in Alaska, Isabelle and I spent many a moment on this porch eating and talking and reading together. The daisies were in full bloom for over a month so there was much reason for me to linger in the gardens ....

I forgot to mention that we also raised turkeys this year, one of which we roasted and enjoyed for Thanksgiving! We round out the "farm" with 3 barn cats, a bunny rabbit named "Benny", and several thousand bees from which we harvest honey each fall.

We said a long and tearful goodbye to our dearest of friends, the Coose family, in early August. They are now living in Australia, a world away and are missed terribly .... but are forever in our hearts. This was a point of transition and grieving for both Isabelle and I with tears still shed on occasion, but we are so thankful for godly friendships which stand the test of time and continue in spite of the miles.

As this year draws to a close, we are already anticipating all that lies ahead for 2012. Projects, camping, traveling to see family and friends, new work opportunities and growth in a variety of ways are all on the horizon! The highlight of the year however will likely be the high school graduation of our oldest son -- first homeschool graduate in our family.

Josiah is growing into a tremendous young man with many goals ahead. He will graduate in May and continue to study towards the completion of his online college degree (estimated completion in early fall 2012). He has the privilege of interning for a local state Representative this winter, working in the State Capitol and gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Joe and I celebrate 21 years of marriage in just a few weeks and find it hard to believe at times that God has brought us this far as a couple, a family, and as believers in Christ. God continues to provide more and more opportunities for growth as we offer to Him the praise deserved for the blessings He has bestowed. We rejoice with you this Christmas and holiday season and encourage you to seek Him with your whole heart as you reflect on the birth of His Son. Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Tea

2011-12-08T04:44:00.001-08:00

Isabelle and I had the privilege to share an afternoon with a precious Momma/daughter pair over an old-fashioned Christmas tea party.

The table was set with care, candles lit, and hot chocolate poured to accompany our homemade cinnamon walnut crescent rolls. Yum! Throughout this school year, we have been enjoying a Bible study designed for mothers and daughters which culminates every few months in a tea party where we have the opportunity to share what we've learned, as well as to study together God's Word on subjects ranging from friendships to a child's relationship with God. It has been a sweet time of learning and growing for Isabelle and I, and even sweeter to finish it off with this time of hospitality.

"Tea" was followed by pictures and stories from the Mamas on the couch telling of the day when this particular little one came into our lives. This was followed by a Christmas craft and finished off with decorating cookies and fellowship. God is so good to provide friendships along the way as we grow alongside our children!

Puppy Update

2011-12-08T04:32:00.001-08:00

Well, we're one day short of "Snow" being a member of our family for two weeks. She really is quite precious and a very good dog, but it hasn't been easy ........

A four day bout with explosive diarrhea out of puppy (she had mistakenly been fed adult dog food the morning that we picked her up from the breeder) combined with a two-day stint with the stomach flu by Isaac shortly into her first week meant that bonding wasn't the easiest thing to insure happening; however, Isaac has made up for lost time and .....

is now handling over 90% of the responsibilities and playtime linked with the puppy (not easy to do as an active and full-time high school student). He has her crate trained for up to a few hours, enjoys playing with her, and no longer thinks the end of the world has come when she has an "accident" in the garage. They are both growing in maturity through this experience which is a wonderful thing to watch! Keep up the prayers on his behalf!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-27T16:59:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration here at our little farm. It was a small celebration -- only feeding 13, with three of those being tiny waifs of little girls who hardly eat enough to keep themselves alive :-)

We roasted the smallest of our homegrown turkeys -- 16 lbs. and basted her with freshly picked rosemary from my garden along with butter and garlic. My home smelled heavenly.

I spent two hours creating these little candied creatures. They were a big hit (and might I say even a favorite dessert?) with young and old alike. They were also adorable sitting in front of the children's place settings.

Of course, Thanksgiving day was just the precursor to the really "big" event here on the farm -- and that was the arrival of our new yellow lab puppy "Snow". She is adorable, full of life, and already quite obedient for 7 weeks. All seems to be going fairly smoothly and Isaac has been an able student as he bonds with his dog. More pictures to come!!

Happy Birthday Josiah

2011-11-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

And so it is that 17 years ago today, a young man came into my life after 13 hours of labor, 9 days overdue, and with hardly a sound. He and I stayed awake nearly that whole night looking at eachother ....... Although I am a born-again believer and remember with vivid color the moment in which I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, it is these early morning hours with this sweet new creature which have served to change me like no other.

We have been buddies and friends and confidantes from the beginning. I, his biggest fan and never far companion, and he, a gentle and understanding hug never far away. With Joe spending so many of those early years away from home, Josiah and I discovered the world together -- always talking, always observing, forever near my heart.

We have shared a tremendous amount in these 17 years. He has been such a blessing in my life. His personality and zest for learning and living have stretched and molded me to be the person I am today. He is a tremendous gift for this little family. Loved and adored by all .... Happy Birthday my precious son.

Early Christmas present

2011-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the family: "Snow" Lynn Kronz. Born Oct. 5. Arriving home November 25th. Belonging to Isaac Len. Beloved by all.

Autumn Joy

2011-10-26T08:26:00.001-07:00

The cold nights and frosty mornings have made their return, along with the red shafted flickers and magpies which bring color when all else begins to fade.

My children are spending hours in the downfall of leaves from just two trees. There are over a hundred others on this property yet ready to fall.

Our Ash tree is magnificent with the sun's first rays on it. I'm soaking it all in ..... Pumpkin blessings to you my friends.

October

2011-10-18T18:39:00.003-07:00

October is one of my favorite months. The weather is beautiful, the shadows changing, and my children have a constant carpet of leaves on which to play. I only wish it lasted longer ....

This sweet girl is growing up much too fast. I am holding on to each day with a pang of bittersweet in my heart. Now that the trees are dropping their bounty of leaves, I know that a portion of each afternoon will be spent in her raking and throwing and playing amongst the piles.

This has been a month in which we experienced a long-awaited celebration. Joe arrived home early one evening with tremendous news .... a milestone for us as a couple and as a family.

He carried me over the threshold (again) and we spent the evening celebrating as a family with football and a campfire complete with singing, stories of happiest memories, and marshmallows while under the stars.

Our days are filled with our schooling at home, and our evenings are now filled with extracurricular activities from violin to karate, Bible studies to Science Club. Isaac is excelling in his academic year and here is completing an experiment during Science Club. We have 12 families represented this year!! It is a great group of kids (and parents) that we're hoping to now hold on to through Isaac's Chemistry year.

Isabelle's latest passion is tree climbing and she spends hours in our weeping willow tree making friends of the birds and bugs, talking and reading and singing and dreaming and writing. I've gotten over my worry about her falling (mostly) and am so thankful she has this "special place".

She's labeled one of the rungs leading up to the lowest branches and I just had to take a picture of her adorable writing and pictures. Kale (our dog) sits at the base of the tree whenever she is there, keeping her company and giving her a constant companion and tireless listener.

Last weekend we harvested our honey for the year. It was a banner year for our bees. We shared the experience with a favorite family of ours who's daughter is interested in bee-keeping. She and Joe suited up to go gather the hives and bring them to the garage where a crew of eager workers were on hand to do the work needed to harvest (and to lick up the accidents).

My flower gardens are still blooming -- showing off their autumn plumage in great style. Even my perennial garden is still filled with color. I'm soaking it all in knowing that a hard frost is likely just a week or two away.

God has been so faithful to help me "rejoice in Him always" in spite of some difficult days this month. His creation is ever before me as a reminder of His unending love, and His peace "which transcends all understanding" is guarding my heart and mind as I trust in Him day by day. Autumn blessings to you all.

Oregon Coast 2011

2011-10-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

We've been privileged for the 5th year in a row to spend a few early autumn days at the Oregon Coast. This place is precious to us -- not because it's necessarily the most beautiful beach location (I can personally attest that North Carolina's or Maui's beaches are far superior) or because the weather is always nice (rarely hits above 70 degrees) or because the blue skies draw us in (I'm wondering if there has ever been a fully cloud-free day at this place) ....

I think the reason we return year after year is because it is one of the few places where we truly relax. We take our towels and chairs, our frisbee and buckets and kite, our diet cokes and double stuff oreos (a tradition!) and plop ourselves in the sand to marvel at the beauty of God's ocean and treasure the joy on our children's faces as they play in the sand and surf. We talk and sit in silence. We read and take walks and beach comb finding yet more shells and rocks that I'll have to find a home for upon our return.

Again this year, we were privileged to have my Dad and his wife join us for part of our trip. Grandpere (my Dad is Canadian and this has always been his name to my children) is a professional artist and spent several hours painting beside Isabelle while teaching her how to use acrylic paints, blend colors, etc. They both created masterpieces that will be treasured for years to come :-)

We spent Saturday at the Evergreen Aviation Museum (the home of the Spruce Goose) and the accompanying watersides. Seeing and climbing inside an actual B17 (guided by an 86 year old WWII vet who fought and flew in one!) was a highlight of our day.

For a family who has visited some of the best museums in the country, this was actually quite a highlight featuring military aviation, space travel and technology, gun history, and several other interesting facets of American history. If you're ever in the area (McMinnville, Oregon), we recommend a stop over here (we spent 6 hours here, but you could easily enjoy it in less time).

We finished off our trip with shopping, visiting tide pools, spending a morning at the beach, eating delicious food (the crab cakes here are wonderful), watching movies, and playing games. It has been a sweet and much needed time of rest and relaxation for which we are so thankful!

Autumn and Lessons Learned

2011-09-22T10:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of my favorite season of the year -- autumn. If I had the privilege of having another daughter, I would name her Autumn. The colors, the changing shadows, the cool mornings, the purposefulness without busyness, the holidays and focus on being praiseworthy .... all the reasons I love this time of year.

It has taken me over a week of snatching pockets of time daily to accomplish our yearly autumn-time harvest for decorating our home and property. This seems to be my new reality -- snatching pockets of time. God is stretching me in this as I much prefer staying at a task until I see it to completion. This "season" in my life is not allowing for much of that. Instead, daily -- minute by minute, I focus on serving my family in new ways and often little bits at a time.

The root cellar has been filled with a much more realistic and manageable amount of produce -- pumpkins and potatoes thus far. The leftovers serve as decorations and gifts to friends and family. Although early, we harvested and tilled under our large garden last weekend bringing a large "ahhhhhhh" to my spirit in spite of the inevitable tear or two that fell at the bittersweet reality .... another year has passed. They go so quickly now.

I've learned some lessons already in our first 4 weeks of homeschooling. I learn just as many as the children do :-) God is teaching me the practical side of LOVE. Through a diligent study of 1 Corinthians 13, I'm realizing that love is action, purposeful and meaningful. It is truly dying to my own flesh and giving of myself in innumerable ways. It takes time and patience and much, much prayer.

I'm learning that multi-tasking in every area is not necessarily good for my soul. Learning to slow down and savoring the simple things done by themselves is becoming a cherished thing in my life. I look forward to putting this concept into practice in the weeks to come. Blessings all!

Saving the Taste of Summer

2011-09-05T13:44:00.001-07:00

Tomatoes dripping from their vines . . . it is time.

Herbs gathered (basil, parsley, oregano), shallots and garlic cut ....

The secret ingredient (besides heirloom roma tomatoes) is several cans of tomato paste. Don't tell.

A little girl willing to chop and dice and wash makes it all worth the effort.

A year's worth of homemade spaghetti sauce on the pantry shelves for weekly recipes involving pasta and deer sausage .... my favorite meal!

The Close of Summer

2011-09-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

The books were placed on respective shelves, the markers replaced, curriculum absorbed and planned, schoolroom cleaned and cozy .... another school year has begun again for our family.

This will be my 13th official year walking this road called "homeschooling".

I notice each year how there are fewer and fewer toys, and instead the shelves now fill up with electronics or microscopes or professional art supplies .... my kids are growing up. I have been so privileged to have grown up alongside them.

We ended the summer with two weeks of purposeful time to enjoy the warmth and joy and anticipation that late summer brings. Fridays all through the summer were reserved for Rec. Nights with the families from our church. All ages participate -- making this a dynamic time of social interaction and great athletic and competitive fun.

It's quite a group taking over one of the local parks to play soccer and ultimate frisbee!

We began our formal school schedule the last week of August. Each day is packed with music, athletics, and academics combined with hours of read alouds, chores, and fun play time together.

Isaac, now officially a high school student, has an intense schedule and the addition of two tutors and one outside class per week. Here he is greatly enjoying his hour long tutoring session with a local homeschool dad/computer programmer. Isaac is intent on learning computer languages and the basics of computer programming. Thus far, it has been a good fit for him!

Josiah has a few homeschooling classes left to complete including a time of reading and sharing (Aristotle style) with me each day on subjects ranging from balancing checkbooks to spiritual leadership. His afternoons and some evenings are spent doing his ADL (accelerated distance learning) -- most of which involves doing college level reading and writing (a whole lot of it!). He is excelling at this and receiving high grades for his efforts in spite of being a 4th year college student at age 16 :-)

Much of my day is spent teaching and or facilitating learning for Isabelle. She is continuing her violin and piano studies as well as learning all of the 3 R's at a 4th grade level. In addition, she is studying Latin and Spanish (very lightheartedly) with our beloved Spanish tutor of several years. The hour with Haline is one of her favorites in the week.

It is rare to have all 3 children at the homeschooling table now, but I seem to remain put while they come to me during their scheduled times. I do cherish this one 30 minute segment when Josiah works alongside us in the homeschool room.

Isaac has always been an independent learner and prefers to study on his own with an occasional check-in and help preparing and studying for tests. It is such a blessing to use every single room of our house each day -- from bedrooms to music room to exercise room!

Isabelle's math studies have been a bit more exciting for her this year when she is given the privilege of solving her problems on her old-fashioned slate that we bought at the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum during our spring cross-country trip. Smile.

We finished out our August with an English Country Dance practice at our home in preparation for a Sweet 16 dance for the young ladies at our church this Friday night. Being raised Nazarene, this was quite a new experience for our family, but we all had a total blast!! Even Isaac, who was quite hesitant at the thought of actually holding the hand of anyone other than his sister or mother, found himself laughing and out of breath. This good old fashioned, clean fun was a joy to host and a sweet time of fun and fellowship with our church family.

I changed the calendar over to September today, writing out all of the various classes and opportunities for fun and service throughout the month. It's hard to believe that another summer is now behind us. There is much to look forward to however, tomato sauce to can, gardens to harvest, pumpkins to pick, instruments to be played, races to be run, learning to be experienced, classes to attend, and moments to be cherished! Good bye to a blessed summer ...

Boy Becoming Man

2011-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

My middle son turned 14 years old yesterday. Of course we began the day with presents and whole wheat buttermilk pancakes (a tradition began with my oldest child's first birthday).

While not receiving anything on his "wanted list", I think Isaac was pleasantly surprised with the gifts he received, including his own BB gun given to him by his brother. The morning was spent with uninterrupted Daddy time -- the very best gift of all. Computer installation (Isaac is becoming a computer geek), a chess game, basketball and baseball, climbing trees and time just talking and tickling ensued.

Isaac is a precious gift to our family and is cherished in many ways. He is growing more mature and sober-minded with each passing day. Happy birthday sweet son! You are loved.

A Tender Ending to Another Summer

2011-08-16T10:45:00.001-07:00

The countdown is on ... and my 13th year officially homeschooling is about to begin. We have had a full August, culminating in this final week purposefully at home with only a few preparatory projects in mind. The school room has been cleaned and rearranged, books and curriculum set stately on their respective shelves, and schedules written and rewritten to adapt to new classes and changes expected this year. Each day, as the number decreases on our back porch chalkboard, our anticipation and excitement rises at the thought of another school year ahead.

I am at the place that I love about summer .... the weeds are tired and the plants are thriving. It is a time when my eyes can wander over the landscape and treasure the beauty rather than seeing what needs to be done. Each morning, as I open our front door to allow the morning sunshine in, I see this treasure of a flower -- my favorite of the year -- it is ripe with the boldness of a year gone by and another emerging. I have captured it in every light and it still continues to bring me to a quiet stillness each and every day. I love coneflowers (echinacea), but the orange is above all my favorite.

Our back porch is my refuge during these slowed down moments. Dead heading flowers and rereading my sign reminds me daily to be purposeful and prayerful through all of my tasks.

We said the last of our goodbyes to the Coose family when we were able to meet Andy for a snack prior to his flying away (they are now safely and happily lodged in Sydney, Australia through the grace and mercy of God). As their godfather, Andy is absolutely cherished in the hearts and minds of my children.

Yes, I grew wheat. It was an experiment really .... but it turned out fruitful. No, I do not intend to thresh it (this time), but will use it to create some autumn decorations for our home and others. It looks splendid waving majestically next to my 10 foot tall Indian corn!

I forgot to mention earlier that we have done a bit of home maintenance over the summer, including re-carpeting all of the bedrooms on the main floor and finally moving the bunk beds out of Isaac's room and investing in a new handsome bed and night stand. He is maturing and it was time to "let go of childish things" .... but it was quite a transition for him and hard for him to say goodbye to the bed he has slept in since he was a year old!

August is the month when yellow flowers display their glory. Sunflowers should be Idaho's state flower as they grow quite wild here and show up in my gardens with careless abandon. These combined with the black-eyed Susan's (another favorite) rival the sun in the early morning hours.

Although never more than enough for a good batch of pancakes, my blueberries continue to grow and offer their delicious fruit year after year. I believe that this may be my favorite shade of blue...

We enjoyed four glorious days in the mountains camping along the shores of Lake Cascade for our church Family Camp. These days are the highlight of our summer and year as we all so enjoy the fellowship of our church family. Isabelle especially found her niche with a sweet group of girls this year, spending hours on or in the water.

The boys bide their time playing games of all sorts (here Isaac is learning under a young man from our church who is working to become a chess master). Frisbee, football, card games, swimming, and waterskiing were enjoyed by all.

Back at home, we've spent our hours in yard/garden maintenance, service to others, reading, playing, and harvesting. Josiah opted to continue his college courses through the summer, taking a 6 month course and compacting it into 3 months! He is determined, and yet -- we work to keep him humble and fun-loving through hikes and bike rides and camping trips. He is definitely missed (even though he is at home buried in books and computer)!

This is his final and senior year at Kronz Mountainsage Academy. Yes, he did already earn his diploma and is actually finishing up his final year of college courses, but he still is only 16 and my sweet son. He'll graduate this spring with the Idaho State Homeschooling class of 2012 in what proves to be a really tremendous ceremony (May 26th for those family members reading). He'll spend his mornings this year working on some life-skill training and discussion, with his afternoons dedicated to his accelerated distance learning. I am "treasuring all these things in my heart" and praying for God's continued direction and blessing on this, his final year.

We will resume our school year on August 22nd. Isaac will be beginning his first high school year, Josiah finishing his last. Isabelle is still young enough to treasure the little things like nature study and reading picture books snuggled close in .... sigh. I'm cherishing each day knowing that all too soon, I will blink and it will be her posing for a senior picture. Blessings all!

The Close of a Sweet Chapter

2011-07-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

This month has been a full one involving the packing up and eventual move of my best friend from childhood and her loving family. They are moving to Australia -- so far, far away. Yesterday, we said our final goodbyes.

While the parents have been a part of our lives for years (my best friend married a distant cousin of Joe's), the last 3 years we have had the privilege to live within 25 minutes of each other, often sharing time together on a weekly basis which has enabled our children to become close friends as well.

It is humorous that our girls inadvertently dressed alike on this final day -- as too many times to count, Dyana and I have shown up at one another's homes dressed similarly. We have the same tastes apparently. Our girls are following suit :-) Isabelle adores Sarah and considers her a "sister" just as I do Sarah's momma.

Older, wiser, and much much humbler .... this friendship has stood the test of time (nearly 30 years!). What a blessing.

Thomas and my boys have a special relationship revolving around Legos and army men and trains and made up stories about "Ham, Bacon, and Sausage" told with great gestures and heroic voices, and often done best in the comfort of the hammock.

Sarah is a one-of-a-kind girl (now, young lady). Her creativity and imagination have deeply impacted Isabelle and have nurtured her to be the bright ball of sunshine that she is in our family.

Both Isabelle and Sarah are only-daughters. This fact has bonded them in a unique way.

As they have matured, they now have discussions about the important things in life as well as about horses and dolls and imaginary people and plays. I caught this moment in one of their favorite places -- under the branches of our weeping willow. Sarah will be irreplaceable in my little girl's life.

Growing up alongside each other has been so very sweet these past years.

Bon Voyage dear friends! You will be so missed ....

Garden Update

2011-07-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

With our overcast day, the light was just right for some garden update pictures. All is doing well after a cold and wet spring. I was telling Isabelle that it is already time to harvest our first set of beets, the peas need to be pulled and the plants given to the goats, and the bolting spinach and swiss chard fed to the turkeys.

The flowers are delighting in our weather and everything is nearly in full bloom, including the daisies. I try to truly enjoy this window of time, for it will pass quickly and too soon things will begin to bolt and grow tired and brown.

Our back porch has been revitalized now that the hot tub is no longer taking up a large portion of it. Believe it or not, I've actually sat in those chairs a few times already :-)

Our turkeys were attacked recently by a dog or coyote which jumped the fence and took two -- leaving only their entrails as evidence :-( The remaining five have been moved to a safer, albeit hotter and less attractive, pen.

The "big" garden is slow growing and daily filled with a new set of hundreds of weeds .... grrrrr. I've had more weeds this year than ever and am usually at a maintenance phase by now, so it has been a bit frustrating. We've only had about 2 weeks of summer weather though so hopefully with the heat, the plants will take off and overtake those pesky weeds!

It is truly a sight to see pansies still blooming in July here -- a testament to our mild weather! They are beautiful though!!

Porches are a blessing from above! Isabelle and I enjoy eating our breakfasts here during the mild summer mornings we have to ourselves.

I love red geraniums! They breath happiness ....

The perineal garden is thriving with the daisies and cat mint in bloom and the hollyhocks and cone flower soon to follow. We trimmed our lilacs fairly severely last fall which equated to no blooms this year. Josiah's allergies thanked us :-)

Thanks for checking! Hope these photos have encouraged and inspired you!!

Springtime through June

2011-07-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that a true summer "break" is not really in our vocabulary :-) Especially not in June when we tend to leave academia behind and focus on some extracurricular activities that are uniquely suited to warm weather and a more relaxed approach to living.

June brought with it more mild temperatures (averaging 62 degrees!) and lots of rainfall. This afforded us time to get some projects completed prior to the scorching dry heat which our region is known for. As you can see, other than some landscaping around its base, our chicken coop is complete and really quite adorable with window box, outside pen, step ladder to the inside coop, as well as a huge rooster flag pinned up inside to motivate my "ladies" to lay more eggs with their poster boy in full view :-) Joe affectionately nicknamed this the "Taj Ma Chicken" and well .... I suppose it fits.

Our field was absolutely beautiful in its full growth, up to my waist and waving in the wind. It's always such a shame to cut it and have it baled, but Josiah's allergies thanked us once it was all over. Joe loves to see a field with bales on it (he should have been a farmer) and so I had to take a picture for posterity's sake. Take notice of the snow still on the mountains in the background. We did pull over 200 bales off the field -- enough to supply our goats through winter and sell to a few neighbors. No profit here ... we're just thankful to call it even on the deal; but it is satisfying to grow our own hay to supply our animals for the winter.

June was horse-riding lesson month. Isabelle was again privileged to learn under one of our horsewomen from church -- a talented young lady just barely 17 but with a gift for teaching and encouragement. Isabelle excelled riding "Sparky" this year -- a 4 year old that was tamed and gentled by her teacher. Isabelle was able to retrieve, bridle, saddle and ride this year completely on her own!! It was amazing to watch and brought tears to my eyes more than once.

My sweet little girl is growing up and loving life each and every day!

God has so richly blessed us with families to walk alongside us in helping our children learn these skills that we are so lacking. Her horse lessons this year were beyond inspiring and were much anticipated throughout the week!

Alli and Isabelle enjoyed riding and galloping through the pasture for their final ride this summer. These are precious memories for my young horse lover.

If you look closely at the picture below, you will see that we, after 10 years of discussing it, finally put new carpet in all of our bedrooms. This was quite a feat - requiring our hiring some young men from our church to move everything out of the bedrooms and into the garage. A day later, they moved everything back in! It was a bit of a mess to say the least, but afforded some great opportunities for deep cleaning as well as simplifying and organizing.

In moving the furniture, I opted to put our original cradle (which was used by all of my babies) in Isabelle's room. Without her knowing it, I arranged it lovingly at the foot of her bed with her dolls laying inside - prepared for her to be tickled with her own "baby bed". I brought her in for the final peek, and had to laugh as she instead exclaimed:

"Oh Mommy!! My own HOSPITAL BED!!" Smile. It's official .... the girl was destined to be a nurse. The has the most compassionate and nurturing spirit of anyone I've ever known.

It wasn't long before she had a ziploc bag filled with water hanging from the bedpost, complete with I.V. line (yarn), and I.V. (syringe inserted with a sewing pin). One doll had "yellow jack" and another had a broken collar bone. Since that day, the poor dolls have had a myriad of ailments, broken bones, and near death experiences. Isabelle dresses up in her nurse uniform, keeping the room dark and quiet and studying about herbal cures in her spare time :-)

As a diversion, we were privileged also this June to have the charge of my best friend's children who stayed with us for 4 days while their parents attended meetings in Washington D.C. Having 5 children under my charge did not feel much more different than having 3, perhaps even easier as they entertained and enjoyed each other's company so much that all I had to focus on was keeping them clean, clothed, and fed!

Sarah and Isabelle have been precious friends for many years. It is so sweet to see this friendship develop and mature with each passing year. We will miss them so very much when they move to Australia later this summer :-( We're getting our passports ready!

Of course, no summer break would be complete without the token backyard swim lessons. Isabelle has progressed to being an advanced swimmer with her brothers. As we only swim a few times a year, and usually not in pools but in lakes and ponds, I feel that swim lessons are invaluable and necessary to any good education and character!

Isabelle and Isaac enjoyed doing some interesting tricks off the diving board on their final day.

As it is our intention to provide our family and children in particular with a community of friends, we look for all sorts of opportunities to live out hospitality. We hosted a dessert for over 75 one evening this past month for a pastoral candidate, his family, and several families from our church. It was a great evening of fun for the nearly 50 kids present!

In addition, we hosted our 2nd annual Game Day for young men ages 12 and over with their willing Dads! We filled the garage this day as the boys and men played Risk, Settlers of Catan, and Cashflow -- eating all the food that I continually brought out to the garage!

This is a blessed time of friendly competition and relationship building as they play board games, ultimate frisbee, and ping pong in between trips to the endless pizza and chip counter.

Our side pasture is looking very picturesque with our new drought resistant and allergy-friendly grass, trees, and berries. It gets used quite a bit when we have kids over.

As you can see, Josiah is no longer the shortest!! :-) He's tipping the scales at over 140 lbs and has shot up to 5'7" in one year with still much growing and maturing to be done. God is so good.

July is looking much quieter around here. The boys and Joe, along with Grandpa and Uncle Jeff are heading to Alaska for a week of fishing while we girls are going to enjoy pie for dinner, breakfast on the front porch, long walks, girl movies, and shopping galore :-) Camping is in the works as well as garden maintenance, part-time jobs for the boys, continued karate and violin lessons, and summer learning time. I pray that your summer is joy-filled and warm with happy memories! Blessings y'all!!

Summer .... Finally.

2011-06-10T14:16:00.001-07:00

It's always surprising to me how little of a desire I have to blog in the summer time. Life is usually less routine for me and any extra time I find usually involves me having my hands in the dirt, spending time with my family and friends, or seeking ways to be a blessing to others. Sitting in front of the computer is something I save only for the most urgent of email communications or research ... nothing more I'm afraid, so you may only see me a spare time or two until our school year resumes again this coming August.

Life has been full this past month. It was a month of "finishings" as we completed another year of violin and piano studies. Isaac and Isabelle performed beautifully in their spring recital. Our sweet friend of 11 years has been their teacher and does a tremendous job to inspire and encourage musical excellence while still maintaining joy and balance. This is what I am always striving to achieve with our music studies. I am so thankful for teachers who can help us with this along the way.

Isaac performed both a solo piece and duet with his best buddy. It was a tricky duet with a lot of rhythm challenges, but they rose to the occasion and performed beautifully. Isaac has recently taken off with his piano playing and has composed a few beautiful pieces. He enjoys regular time on "Garage Band", combining his keyboard and computer skills in neat ways.

Isabelle was sooooooo nervous to play in this recital, but did a great job with her two page piano piece. With her natural talent, all music comes easily to her by ear; but she continues with lessons in order to gain a stronger framework for theory and technique. She is a natural performer and seems to pull out her best in front of an audience. Because we have been between teachers and yet continuing to learn at home, she was also privileged to play her violin for the audience which has given us motivation for our at-home practice. She resumed lessons with our original teacher this past week and has already gained a lot of new-found confidence as she enters a more joy-filled environment for playing and learning.

Josiah officially completed his formal violin training with a final lesson and studio recital last week. This, as you can imagine, is bittersweet as he says goodbye to his teacher and moves beyond what has been a daily part of his life for 9 1/2 years. We are praying that the Lord opens doors for him to have informal opportunities for performance and fellowship with other players. In the meantime, he and "Edward" (his violin) have remained close and he has plans to continue playing for his own enjoyment and learning new songs without the pressure and time constraint of daily practice. He has a few odd jobs this summer and is currently putting in 20+ hours learning the fine art of painting trim in our latest rental. He is growing in character and in life skills this summer when not sitting at the computer working on his 400 level political science courses.

We are all trying our wings at having wide open days ahead of us. Isabelle has grand plans of herbal pursuits, dog training, and making a wide assortment of tools and toys from willow branches -- all made in the nook of our giant weeping willow where she spends many spare moments.

The boys have been busy continuing karate -- having recently tested and achieving their third degree brown belts!! This has been an awesome choice in terms of time usage as they have gained physical prowess along with an amazing amount of head knowledge and visual spatial skills. Isaac's ability to memorize has skyrocketed since starting karate. They will spend the next year working toward earning their black belts.

Last weekend they spent 2 eight hour days studying about judicial process through attending Generation Joshua's iObject program. Josiah was able to stand strong in a leadership position and Isaac did great hanging out with the teens! Isaac is a popular young fellow and, in spite of his short stature, is always a favorite with his many friends. He has a busy summer ahead as his pursuits are starting to take a lot of his time. He continues learning computer programming with a local homeschooling Dad whom we have hired to come and facilitate his learning weekly. In addition, he will begin a more serious study of robotics which he hopes to continue through the school year. He is wanting to get a head start on his Algebra this summer and is already nearly through the summer book list of advanced literature I had set out for him! This combined with a little part time neighborhood job, opportunities to serve others, weekly rec nights with our church, and helping out around here will keep him busier than I would like!

Josiah was also privileged during our statewide homeschool convention to stand at the College Plus booth as a student ambassador for the program which he is excelling at. He had several opportunities to share with interested teens and parents. The boys will return to Alaska with Dad, Grandpa, and Uncle Jeff this July while we girls look forward to quiet moments of eating whatever we want, whenever we want!

Isabelle resumed her riding lessons as well last week. We have a talented student teacher who gets Isabelle in the saddle and riding throughout her lesson. She adores this time and is longing for her own horse. In the meantime, she is getting plenty of practice with animal care as we daily manage our dog, Kale - 3 barn cats - 20 or so laying hens - 25 fryer chicks being raised to butcher - 7 turkey pullets - 3 goats - 1 rabbit - and 1 fish! I'm personally hoping the horse can wait .... but tell that to her Daddy!?!

The rest of the summer holds with it plenty of gardening, camping, swimming, reading, walking, and learning alongside each other. We have friendships to foster and new ones to make. Our weekly family nights have resumed where we enjoy an informal meal with my parents and brother's family, allowing all of us to share more time with my 4 precious nieces. Although we have yet to reach 80 degrees here and have had more rain in a month than we've had in half of a year, still ... we're counting our blessings and looking forward to more! Give me a call, send me an email, or better yet -- come and visit and we can talk face to face (a novel thing these days!). The welcome mat is out and the back porch is lit :-)

Happy summer y'all!

Home Again!

2011-05-17T19:26:00.003-07:00

We arrived home to spring! Blooming trees and green plants abound.

Our pasture is just a few weeks from needing to be baled and cut. This is great frolicking fun for one little girl and her goats.

The Kale dog was so happy to see us. The kids and I poured out of the RV before the tires had a chance to cool down in order to give him 3 weeks worth of snuggles. His tail hasn't stopped wagging :-)

We're experiencing another wet and cool spring (our third .... so much for global warming!) which does make for some beautiful moments for the shade loving plants.

More chicks arrived (these will be to raise, butcher, and eat I'm afraid) as well as turkeys to raise.

The weeds, other than those taking over the raspberry patch, have been manageable as long as my small staff spends their allotted hour-a-day doing yard work (usually weeding) alongside me.

Boys are becoming men and handling bigger responsibilities including mowing, edging, building, and moving. This is a blessing for them as well as for us.

The goats remain a favorite diversion each day. This is our inquisitive "Daisy" who nosed the camera as I giggled to take her picture. They are adorable -- just like big dogs!

The garden is growing its cold-weather crops. Seeds are being placed -- more each day awaiting the sun and the heat that is classic Idaho.

February's new chicks are just a month or two from beginning to lay. They have been moved temporarily to the turkey pen as they anxiously await the completion of their new home ....

Joe and Josiah are spending an hour or two each evening working toward finishing the outside attached pen to our "Kronz Coop". There are many details to consider as we have large numbers of birds of prey.

My work load is shifting as we finish up our schoolyear -- needing only to complete World Geography and science at this point as well as continuing to practice hard for end-of-year music recitals.

Isabelle spent several hours yesterday with bare feet in cool grass. She is most comfortable here .... at home with the sun on her face and all of her favorites at her fingertips. We're counting our blessings!!

Cross Country Adventure

2011-04-22T04:17:00.001-07:00

We're taking a trip .... a long awaited one. After many years of talking about it, we are finally embarking on a cross country RV adventure as a family. Aiming to spend several weeks through many states, we hope to see sites old and new, historical and otherwise :-) If you'd like to keep up with us as we travel, please visit kronzadventure.blogspot.com. Otherwise, we'll see you upon our return. Happy trails!

Farm Addition - Giddy over a Chicken Coop!

2011-04-05T17:11:00.001-07:00

After asking for over 4 years, my sweet husband gifted me with the most adorable chicken coop today!! I am just so excited about getting our chickens out of our barn and into their own space with fresh air and sunshine. We still have much to do to retrofit it with chicken yard, nesting boxes, etc. but I just had to share our new little addition to the "farm"!! Thank you honey! :-)

Still Glowing ... More Recital Pictures

2011-04-03T13:11:00.001-07:00

We are all still glowing in the days and now weeks following Josiah's recital. Of course, life has moved forward, but I'm not wanting to forget the tremendous outpouring of heart, soul, and music that occurred that wonderful evening. I just received a disc with pictures taken by a talented young photographer in our church. Please take the time to enjoy her beautiful work at her website: (http://theworldthroughacameralense.blogspot.com/).

The afterglow and taking formal pictures as well as sampling the delicious desserts -- all home baked and served by friends in our church family. These gifted ladies spent hours baking, freezing, shopping, and serving on our behalf!

I made the mistake of putting the pictures in the opposite order -- this is of the applause and standing ovation Josiah received at the conclusion of his recital. I can see that smile in my mind even now ....

Our accompanist and friend did a truly outstanding job. He was so patient, encouraging, and diligent in all his efforts. They made a great team.

Josiah gave his personal testimony and essentially presented the Gospel to his audience as well as sharing his journey as a musician. He is a gifted speaker. I never tire of hearing him....

We had an entry way table with memorabilia, an enlarged photo of Josiah playing his violin, and a framed photo showing only his hands and violin scroll. Surrounding this photo was an oversized mat in which we encouraged audience members to sign and write something personal to Josiah. It will be a treasured keepsake for a lifetime.

The church elder that also baptized Josiah this past summer, played with Josiah and Isabelle and led the audience in singing Josiah's favorite hymn -- "Amazing Grace." Oh .... how I wish my Grandparents could have seen and heard this! I know that my Grandfather would have been so moved by this testimony of music ....

We will cherish this evening and this memory for the rest of our lives. I am so so thankful that we had the opportunity to share God's work in the life of our family through the gift of music.

Josiah's Solo Recital

2011-03-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday evening, the culmination of hours of practice and prayer came together in a grand finale of sorts as Josiah closes out his violin studies. With nearly 175 people in attendance, we were privileged to share the testimony of God's work in his life and in the life of our family through music, speaking opportunities, and prayer.

Our church embraced this event with tremendous support -- offering their services from sewing table toppers, to decorating and setup, baking, photographing, serving, and cleanup. It was a beautiful portrayal of the Body of Christ in action.

Josiah played 7 solo pieces as well as accompanying a singing piece and playing in two trio pieces, one of which was with his brother and sister.

We are still glowing after this memorable evening, ever so thankful for God's provision in allowing us to commemorate and celebrate Josiah's journey as a musician.

Curriculum Choices

2011-03-11T08:44:00.001-08:00

Over the years, I've had several inquiries re: our curriculum choices. For those of you outside the homeschooling world, you would be astounded at the number of options we homeschoolers have at our fingertips. It is a beautiful thing and yet another reason I love homeschooling!

I love curriculum and the varied choices we are able to make based on our particular child's strengths and weaknesses, learning style, and academic level. I tend to cut-and-paste wherever I can and custom create a homeschool curriculum based on the above things. That being said, it is important that you know that I am terribly strong-willed and tend to shy away from curriculums which tell me what to do, what to say, on what day, and in what order. While we are a very routined homeschool, we are not highly scheduled and prefer to leave open some availability for real life and service opportunities (which provide plenty of learning experiences all on their own).

The following are the curriculums that I would recommend. They allow for flexibility, tend to be easy to use, are not stringent, and encourage learning (in a joy-filled and often family oriented way).

Math

I have tried every math curriculum available with the exception of "Math-U-See" (which although excellent in the grade-school years, I knew would be detrimental once my children approached advanced math). Instead, we've used "Abeka" math from K-6th grade (www.abeka.com). It is colorful, easy to follow, has excellent suggestions for fun review and fact drills to do with your children, and is the best curriculum I have seen in re: to covering every aspect of math, from calendars to measurement, to long division.

Math during the gradeschool years is best done together, with parent and student sitting side by side, loads of encouragement, and quick corrections when mistakes are made. The only drawback with the "Abeka" math curriculum is it is a full grade level ahead, so at any point that you change curriculums, be prepared to be one year above your child's current grade.

Since I believe strongly that math must be taught, for upper level math I choose between "Saxon" math using the "D.I.V.E." cdRom (tried and true, black and white, gets the job done -- but few to no bells and whistles) or "Teaching Textbooks" with accompanying cdRom (excellent teaching, colorful, self-grading system with sound effect rewards, and highly engaging teachers). I would encourage you to stick with the same curriculum from pre-algebra onward as they have a specific scope and sequence which can only be fully accomplished with consistency of use. I would also encourage you to have your students only complete every other problem unless they are having difficulty in an area which may require extra practice. Hundreds of problems a day is not necessary and is a terrible use of time (not to mention, will create a hatred of math with your student).

Language Arts

I have some definite opinions re: Language Arts -- particularly in the younger years. I believe that spellers are born, not made and, in general, spelling programs are a waste of time and a drudgery of learning. Instead, I value the importance of reading great literature to my children and having them read it as soon as they are able. I have found that spelling comes with writing and typing papers on their own (which I begin around 5th grade). In the meantime, encouraging creative writing followed by correcting misspelled words is also free and easy.

In addition, my children complete copywork from an early age (I write a sentence or passage -- from a poem, a Bible verse, or piece of literature and have them study and copy it). Mistakes or sloppiness equates to doing the entire work over again. Period. Sloppy writing and careless writing is not acceptable in this little homeschool.

Finally, I begin to teach writing through the use of narration (a Charlotte Mason philosophy) which involves my children, beginning in preschool, to tell back to me in their own words what they learned from my reading or theirs. As they get older, I write down what they tell me and we make "books" of their knowledge. Around 5th grade, we transition to them writing their narrations and then slowly I help shape their ability to write by having them write first paragraphs and then eventually papers (thesis papers of 1200 words or more by 9th grade). This is my strength and I teach classes on writing so it is easy for me to help them in this regard. Good writers become good speakers -- the disciplines go hand in hand and both are very important skills that we believe our children will need to excel in this world of communication. Thus, a speech class is always a part of our high school study.

I do believe in teaching basic grammar beginning at around 3rd grade and I've always used Rod and Staff's English Grammar books for this. The exercises are Biblically based, easily completed orally, and can be completed one or two lessons at a time. From here I use a combination of the above + "Easy Grammar" workbooks (simple yet effective). I have enjoyed using "Learning Language Arts Through Literature" for the middle and high school years. The concepts presented are applicable and taught through the use of good (mostly) literature; however, I find that my kids still need some daily grammar drills not given in LLATL, and so I supplement with "Easy Grammar" or "Daily Grams" during these years.

Now I do have a new find which I'm using this year with my 8th grader. It appears to be a gem and, for the first time, I have found something which is Biblical and incorporates everything I could want in a Language Arts program. It is called "Character Quality Language Arts" and I've found it to be excellent. It is very spendy and consumable however, so make sure you want to use it prior to buying. You can read more about it at www.timberdoodle.com. If you choose to use it, I would not use it for more than one year at a time as the work becomes monotonous. Allowing a year in between would be helpful.

Reading

I hesitate to even consider this a subject! Reading is a part of life -- happening throughout the day, every day!! I have read aloud to my children since the time they could be propped in my lap :-) Through history, science, music, art, and geography -- plenty of reading and reading aloud occurs in our family. I have always read to my children during lunch. This reading is reserved for the great classics which we all love regardless of age level. We also go through spurts of reading aloud at bedtime. Currently we are reading the unabridged version of "Swiss Family Robinson" and are all on the edge of our seats, drinking in the ingenuity and rich language used by the author and characters.

Science

Science is an underserved subject among homeschoolers. This is very unfortunate. In knowing this, and because of my husband's bent toward science, we have always had science as a part of our day. In the gradeschool years, we study various scientific subject matter -- deciding at the beginning of the year what topics to cover and then making time each day to spend reading, studying, and discovering about it.

Beginning somewhere in the middle school years we switch gears and head into deeper textbook learning using the "Apologia" texts. We follow these fairly closely, doing all of the reading, experiments, study guides, and tests. In addition, we host a monthly Science Club where Joe offers a quiz, lecture, and hands-on experiments (labwork) to go with the learning of that month. We share this with several other families and have been doing this to some extent for the past 9 years!

Science seems to also just be a part of life for us. My husband is a pathologist so we have microscopes and huge books full of disgusting pictures. When an injury occurs or minor surgery needs to be done (lots of stitches with two boys), we do it at home. Isabelle serves as nurse and loves it. In addition, we have animals and nearly 8 acres. Each of my children have been forced to become naturalists of sorts simply by my passion for gardening and animal husbandry.

Bible

Again, I hesitate to consider this a subject because it is so much a part of life. All of my children have individual Bible reading and devotions on their own in the early morning hours. They begin even prior to reading as Mommy would always come in and read a Bible story or passage prior to starting the day. In addition, we switch between studying the book of Proverbs and going through the Catherine Vos "The Child's Story Bible" (irreplaceable!!) throughout the year during breakfast. In years past, we have studied one book of the Bible intensely through children's Bible quizzing. The boys each know Genesis, Exodus, 1 & 2 Samuel, Matthew, and Acts intimately. Since discontinuing quizzing, we have opted to memorize large portions of Scripture as a part of our breakfast time routine. During our quizzing years we memorized over 100 verses together. Now we keep up with these through regular listening as well as work diligently to memorize whole chapters or passages throughout the Bible. This has been invigorating and completely fulfilling as we can now encourage one another as well as others through the recitation of God's Word.

History

I tend to balk at canned history curriculums and would never dream of handing my children a history textbook. Instead, we attempt to make history come alive through the reading of real books, 'living books' if you will -- books that teach while also telling a story. To date we have studied Ancient history (3x), Medieval history (2x), Early American history (countless times), and Modern World history (1x). This semester we are studying World Geography intensely. This has been fun, but I think we will all look forward to returning to history next fall.

I have used Susan Wise Bauer's "Story of the World" books from the beginning and still enjoy and glean much from them. I read them aloud (please don't just have your children listen to them -- some of the chapters really should be discussed if not omitted from a Christian home) to my children. We answer questions together and do daily mapping activities as well as a few fun hands-on activities (i.e. making salt maps of Alexander the Great's conquests). We combine this (as a spine book) with a great little history curriculum called "Biblioplan" (www.BiblioPlan.net). This Christian curriculum offers great reading suggestions for grades K-12. In addition, it gives timeline suggestions and excellent writing ideas (the main reason I first bought it). I have appreciated every reading suggestion they give and we have invested in a library of close to 500 books of all levels to supplement our history study -- each of them hand chosen which have stood the test of time (and have the wear and tear to prove it!).

I do not use a hard-core history curriculum such as "Tapestry of Grace" or "Sonlight" because I do not believe that doing so would provide a balanced approach to our little homeschool. TOG, although excellent, is overwrought with details which completely overwhelm most users. I have seen that far too often, using such a curriculum results in other (equally important) subjects being neglected. While the study of history is highly valued in our family, it needs to remain as just one of many. I also feel strongly that we must choose carefully (without simply following the constraints of a curriculum provider) the reading material our children read. A book that perhaps has been on the required reading list of public schools for the past 50 years is not necessarily going to serve any useful purpose in the life of my child. There are so many excellent classics out there, I choose to set the twaddle aside and instead give my children an appetite for excellent literature. When they've spent their childhood feasting on tasteful and inspiring literature, it is unlikely that worldly trash will fulfill their desires.

Foreign Language

Joe and I always wanted our children to have a working knowledge of Latin. It serves many purposes, giving children proficiency in the English language as well as providing an excellent jumping off point for learning other languages. Because of this, we study Latin beginning in the first grade. I use a simple and easy Latin program in these early years called "Latin's Not So Tough". At only 5 minutes a day, my students learn the Latin alphabet, diphthongs, and basic words by third grade. After they have mastered these plus another year of vocabulary, we switch to using the "Latina Christiana" DVD series. Beginning with "Prima Latina", my kids have a strong grammar/English lesson within the context of learning Latin. By 6th or 7th grade we have gone through 3 years of Latin using this curriculum. At this point I factor in regular time each day using the computer to learn basic Spanish through the "Rosetta Stone" curriculum. This was designed for business people or travelers wanting an instant immersion into basic Spanish. It is fun, colorful, and easy to begin but is in no way adequate as a language program by itself. By 8th grade, we begin Spanish I using Bob Jones University textbooks, DVD's, and worktexts. This provides the language mechanics, vocabulary, and writing/listening necessary for me to feel confident in offering a high school credit on a transcript. With Josiah at this stage, I hired a tutor from a local college as well as sought out opportunities for him to study in classroom and private settings. In following this regime for 2 years (completing BJU Spanish II and part of Spanish III) and through the intervening summers, he was able to CLEP test out of two years of college level Spanish at age 15. In our area of the country, a small proficiency in speaking and understanding Spanish will prove to be invaluable . Not to mention, now Josiah is the Spanish tutor!! :-)

Music and Art

I believe strongly in the value of music education. All of my children have been exposed to beautiful music both live and recorded since before their birth. We study the major composers about every other year -- their lives and their music. In addition, each child has taken private music lessons since approximately kindergarten onward. Piano, violin, guitar, and drums have all had their place in our household; however, only the first two have been played with consistency and vigor. Learning a musical instrument is powerful brain food, but even more importantly it teaches the power of self-discipline and broadens a person's character and ability to work for something which isn't always immediately beneficial or beautiful.

Since we have two grandparents who are artists (professionally), art is another area of study that we do not neglect. Although we have not been privileged to see many great works of art up close and personal, we have studied copies of beautiful and intriguing paintings as well as the lives of the artists themselves. A fantastic (and often free!) resource for music and art study is the curriculum of a fellow homeschooling mom at www.harmonyartmom.blogspot.com. I have used her curriculum as well as my own and have always found it useful.

Computer Skills/Software

My children have always been adept at using the computer. I'm not sure how exactly this happens, but somehow it does. We've used "Typing Instructor" and "Mavis Beacon Typing" for all of our kids as well as the awesome software found at Critical Thinking Skills (www.criticalthinking.com). In addition, we have Google Earth and Google Sketch Up and various other programs on our computer for easy access. Everything we choose for our children on the computer must have educational worth or else it is folly and a poor use of their time. In addition, using the computer is a privilege granted when all other work is done and only if outside play options have already been exercised. I realize that there is a high likelihood that my sons may have jobs requiring them to sit at the computer for long periods of time and, in light of this, I prefer to keep their focus in other places while they are young and able.

Other (engineering, P.E., Geography)

Engineering (aka - blocks, Lincoln Logs, Magz, Wedgits, Tinker Toys, K'Nex, and Legos) all play a major role in our little homeschool. In fact, up until about 5th or 6th grade, I allot regular scheduled time for this in our homeschool day. Putting together puzzles and building things -- both from instructions and from their own imaginations, is valuable visual spatial skill building and something we encourage.

P.E. happens everyday. I am an active person -- needing regular daily exercise combined with fresh air to fully thrive. I just assume the same of my kids and they have always been a part of my daily activity. Walks, hikes, bike rides, tennis games, ping pong, skiing, roller blading, basketball, football, trampolining, and more recently - karate are all a part of life now. I think too often we put an emphasis on learning a "sport" over gaining lifetime proficiency in simply being active. I wish we had time for more actually. Something I'd love to take up is canoeing ... maybe someday.

Geography for us is nearly always combined with history and current events. This important and valuable subject is often overlooked. I personally only know geography from learning it alongside my kids. I was fairly geographically illiterate up until a few years ago. Thankfully, my kids all love studying about different cultures and we've had many an interesting afternoon playing geography games and/or watching a DVD about a certain location or culture in the world. I've enjoyed using "Trail Guide to World Geography", "The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide" and "Eat Your Way Around the World" as spine books for our formal geography studies. Each child also has his/her own atlas based on age and ability.

Conclusion

Let me just encourage you that there is no "perfect" curriculum out there. We are so privileged to have choices as homeschoolers. These are the choices which have worked for us and, more importantly, that I have enjoyed using. I think that is key -- if Mommy isn't happy, no one is!

Also, please know that NONE of these worktexts have I just set in front of my student and expected him/her to go it alone. There is a time and place for encouraging independent study (beginning around 6th grade), but prior to that it really is important that you are a part of the picture. It is disturbing to me how many homeschooling Moms I see and interact with regularly who really have very little influence on their child's learning. Setting a stack of pages and workbooks in front of your child and assigning number of pages completed is not homeschooling in my opinion. Homeschooling involves actual sitting and learning side-by-side with your child. It involves laughter and tears, effort and frustration (for both of you!). The process is and should be character building for you and your child. Embrace this. It is a God-given gift and mandate from the Lord .... and one that I am incredibly blessed to pursue every day for nearly 12 years now.

May God bless your continued efforts to daily influence the life and learning of your children.

All resources, unless otherwise mentioned, can be found at www.cbd.com or www.amazon.com.

Happy Birthday Isabelle!

2011-02-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

My sweet girl turned nine years old yesterday! It's hard to believe, but true. We began celebrating last weekend and enjoyed a full day on her birthday as well -- complete with number 9 homemade pancakes for breakfast!

It was an odd assortment of gifts this year as Isabelle is happiest with a stick, some mud, an animal or two and perhaps some thread and paint :-) Big brother Josiah gave her a new hat to wear (to match his) as they venture out to do the animal chores each morning. Isaac provided a new "sporty" outfit for when she and he play football together. Mom and Dad provided a new fish and some little fun things to nurture her creative side.

Nana sent a hoop skirt with overskirts -- a wonderful gift for this imaginative girl who spends a majority of her time wearing dress-up clothes. Thankfully, she always has a willing brother or Daddy to partner with her for a dance or jig.

We enjoyed a "tea party" of sorts at a local tea house complete with hats and precious friends whom we love to share time with. Making memories is my favorite part of motherhood ...

Isabelle chose to spend her birthday morning at the ice rink with friends -- where we enjoyed skating, hot chocolate, lunch, and homemade birthday cake together. We ended the day at Grandma and Grandpa's for her yearly celebration dinner where Isabelle was gifted with an heirloom sewing caddy filled with lace, ribbons, material, and buttons. She was in seventh heaven yesterday and will be occupied for days to come with her new supplies towards creativity. Happy birthday sweetheart!!

Quote for the Day

2011-02-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

Isabelle leaned in and climbed up into my lap on this eve of her 9th birthday. She has been "making memories" all day, according to her -- for "everything will be different when I'm nine." And so she snuggled close, belly to belly and said in her sweet soft voice,

"You have no idea how much this lap means to me."

Smile. Oh yes ... I really do.

Love, School, and Cupcakes -- A Full February

2011-02-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

I've just finished tucking in my younger two and saying goodnight to another Valentine's Day on the Kronz farm. I'm not sure why, but we began making a big deal about Valentine's Day when we moved to Idaho. We start the day with a treasure hunt for the kids complete with heart shaped clues which lead them all over the house (and this year, even down to the mailbox in below freezing temperatures!). We enjoy pink pancakes for breakfast and usually take a portion of the day off to enjoy baking sugary sprinkle-laden treats and make homemade Valentines. Somewhere between wake-up and bedtime, Joe and I sneak off for a lunch or dinner or movie alone, but for the most part -- it has become a family holiday.

This year we began what I'm sure will be a new tradition -- a fondue dinner and dessert. Aside from making a huge mess, this was a great experience in working side by side with my kids as we prepared meat, vegetables, and bread with two different cheese sauces for dipping. Dessert was a variety of fruit and cakes complete with hot fudge and caramel dipping sauces. It all turned out delicious (if I do say so myself!). The highlight for me was watching Isabelle take such pleasure in decorating and setting the table all by herself. She was delighted with candles and beautiful heirloom glasses complete with hearts galore and red napkins.

I had Frank Sinatra Sax playing on the stereo complete with candlelight which led to my husband and I finishing off the evening with dancing much to the delight (and chagrin) of my children. Josiah stepped in (and on my toes) and tried his hands at it as well. Isabelle delighted herself with a broom for a partner and all was laughter and fun and another good memory ....

Aside from today, February holds 4 family and extended family birthdays so it is a busy month for us. In fact, February is one of those months that I hold my breath through as so much falls on my shoulders to complete and bring happiness to -- the ultimate job of a Mommy. I have been blessed in the mornings by Isabelle making my tea (peppermint with a teaspoon of organic sugar). She delights in bringing it to me while I am still at my desk with Bible and prayer list in hand. With her white frilled bathrobe tied gently around her waist and her stunning blue eyes amidst bed-frayed hair, she is a beloved sight in the dark morning hours. Her spirit of servanthood is a blessing to me and to everyone in our family.

Some other happenings included Legislative Day -- another day at the Capitol where the homeschoolers of Idaho state share displays, information, live music, and homemade pies with our lawmakers and state leaders throughout the day. Josiah was privileged to stand and share at the Capstone table throughout the day as well as to play his violin as background music for all present to hear.

He is looking sharp in his suit, don't you think? He is so immensely comfortable here -- it is a blessing for him to have these opportunities to learn about our state and its leaders in this venue. Lest I forget -- Josiah also received his driver's license this month!!!!! I must confess that I am much more excited about this than he is, but he is slowly getting used to the idea after spending some melancholy hours grieving over the loss of us always going everywhere together. I am happy to give him some wings in this regard and am thankful for the extra hours at home to teach my younger two unfettered.

In the meantime, the days are cold and indoor play has become the norm for Saturdays and late afternoons. My younger two begged me to take a picture of their "store" which was added to and reorganized and used for recreation for a couple of days before Mom couldn't stand the clutter anymore and all had to be put away.

A very brown landscape on a mild winter day means Isaac takes every opportunity to play football with his favorite opponent -- 4 year old "Kale". Our golden is truly a part of the family in spite of being an outside dog. He looks forward to his Isaac-time each afternoon. Spring is just around the corner :-) The birds are now regularly arguing in the blue spruce outside my bathroom window and I can literally smell the earth waking up ....

Late winter chores await outside, but for now ... I'll just enjoy my tea. Blessings everyone! Thanks for all the comments. They are an inspiration to keep blogging in spite of the fullness of life.

January = Capstone

2011-01-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

We've just landed after a week with one or both of the boys being at the state capitol to attend and participate in Capstone or Stonesetters Student Legislature. Between keeping them clothed, properly ironed, present, and prepared -- it is an exhausting week for me, but a happy one when seeing all that they are learning and the joy that they experience in the process.

Isaac thrived during his first day at the Capitol. Along with writing and defending a bill on the floor of the student "legislature", he was also privileged to meet two of his Representatives, hear a state Senator share from her experience, and tour the Capitol (which included getting to sit in the speaker's chair in the Idaho House of Representatives).

Isaac rose to the occasion, offering much testimony and debate during the session as well as listening attentively to all that he was taught. I was extremely proud!

Josiah participated in his 3rd year of Capstone Student Legislature which lasted through the week. He was privileged to participate again this year in the "How a Bill is Made" skit presented to both groups (he played Representative E.Z. D'Persuade :-) which was a lot of fun for him and his friends. In addition, he served on the Education Committee with past state Representative and producer of the award winning DVD "Agenda" Curtis Bowers -- a tremendous privilege! He was selected to be a candidate for Governor this year but regretfully he did not win the election this year. He learned a lot however and enjoyed the process of working along some talented young men and women.

In addition to presenting and defending his bill (which passed also!), he stood to offer debate on several occasions. Capstone week is what Josiah looks forward to all year long and he is never disappointed with the wonderful opportunities for learning it provides. Now on to more opportunities in the political arena as we look toward Legislative Day in just a couple of weeks!

Christmas Season Memories

2011-01-01T10:45:00.001-08:00

The Christmas season has drawn to a close. I wept bittersweet tears as we put away the decorations this year .... I am so very aware of the fragility of life and wanting to live out praise and thanksgiving as we celebrate the close of one year and the opening of another.

God is so good and we continue to celebrate His greatest gift even though our weekly Advent focus is no longer tangible.

Our month was a lovely one, with many opportunities for celebration and reflection. Although we had to lighten our projected plans due to illness, we were thankfully able to participate in many of our December joys. Near the middle of the month we shared a beautiful brunch with the Coose family where we were privileged to present Josiah with his High School Diploma in front of his adoring and supportive godparents.

Josiah worked diligently through the summer and fall semester in order to achieve the credits needed to accomplish this goal. He will begin online college courses this semester as well as continuing as a student of our homeschool. He needed his "official" diploma in order to enroll online but will not be graduating until 2012.

Isabelle and I (along with Dyana and her children) had been studying the Christmas traditions of cultures around the world through the month. Each family decided on a country to study in-depth and then shared their findings with each other in a short presentation for the Dads and siblings :-)

If there was one word which described our month it would be MUSIC. We had two recitals as well as a Christmas concert which Josiah was privileged to play in as a part of the small orchestra. This was a tremendous blessing for him as he was able to use his musical skills and talents for the glory of God. His time in practice and performance was rich with joy, fellowship, and meaningful learning.

Isabelle and Josiah played in their Christmas violin recital and had the privilege of starting the recital playing a trio with Isaac accompanying them on the piano! This was Isaac's first public accompanying experience and he performed beautifully.

Isabelle played her piece with ease and only a small bobble of a mistake. This was her last recital with her current teacher as we are pulling her out of Suzuki violin and practicing at home for the remainder of the school year --- praying for direction and clarity in regard to her vision as a future musician. She and I are excited about this new venture and looking forward to joy-filled times of music study and better theory understanding in the future.

Josiah played the Fiocco "Allegro" with exceptional tone! He is a gifted solo performer. I am awestruck at each and every recital at the beautiful music he is able to perform.

The following week saw Isaac and Isabelle playing in their informal Christmas piano recital with Ms. Jodi -- our beloved friend and piano teacher.

The weekend before Christmas, we brought in our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree (so named after Daddy took the chain saw to it). Smile. I love that my children still love and honor and look forward to our many traditions, including decorating the tree together with music and humor all mixed in.

It was Isabelle's turn to put on the star this year. This coveted spot is planned an entire year in advance!

Christmas morning found us all delighted and oh so thankful for the generous hearts of family. Isabelle received her own "nurse's bag" complete with stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, reflex hammer, eye chart, nurse's book, and various other nursing odds and ends. The boys enjoyed receiving and playing a 6 hour game of "Cashflow" with Dad throughout the next 2 days. We were blessed to be able to provide for some unnecessary wants as well as some needs this Christmas. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow ...

And now, with the decorations away and the celebrating drawing to a close, we focus on all that lies ahead. Academics, Sr. recitals, vacations, projects .... we are so very thankful for the freedoms and liberties to look forward to such things. I hope your Christmas season was 'finished well' and that the smiles on your loved-one's faces are still glimmering with joy.

Happy New Year!

Balanced Perspective -- Living Out a Christ-Centered Christmas

2010-12-09T04:27:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it is because I've already lived much of my life as an all-or-nothing person that I now search earnestly for a balanced perspective on so many things:

- Traditional medicine vs. naturopathic means of finding healing

- Eating organic foods vs. eating a good old-fashioned (trans-fat filled) donut now and again

- Living with an agrarian focus but all the while buying our dog food at the local D&B

- Celebrating a harvest celebration (Halloween excluded) vs. ignoring the whole pagan event.

The Christmas holiday is no exception. In the past few years, God has been so good to help me to be purposeful to create a Christ-centered focus during the month of Advent whilst still participating in the various traditions our culture has created (gift giving, Christmas cards, parties, musical opportunities, etc.). I have felt tremendously blessed by these efforts which focus on three things:

1. Preparation prior to December - I work diligently to do all of my gift buying, making, and wrapping before December 1 arrives. I also aim to have our Christmas cards addressed and written prior to that date. Our schedule is meaningfully planned and carefully kept open so as to not overwhelm us during this month. Days are marked and guarded carefully as simply "family days" where we can enjoy games, Christmas movies of old, and family-favorite comfort foods in the company of "just us". Finally, we usually decorate for Christmas just after the Thanksgiving holiday, allowing me (in particular) to really focus, change my heart, and slow down. Being purposeful to get these tasks out of the way has been tremendously freeing as it enables us to be relatively free from the anxiety often associated with the season. More importantly, it clears our hearts and minds so they can be Christ-centered and Advent-focused in our day by day walk through the month.

2. Keep Christmas giving-centered and simple - Keeping the holiday giving centered really begins at Thanksgiving time when we aim to be service oriented in living out our thankfulness for the many blessings God has given. This giving-mentality continues into our Advent season as we are very purposeful as a family to pray for and then give to a needy family that God has brought into our lives (all you have to do is pray -- He will be faithful to bring someone into your life). This looks different each year but has included: providing groceries and personally shopping for the family, actually traveling to and decorating/holiday baking for the family, buying and wrapping gifts for the family members, giving gift cards to the members so that they can buy gifts for each other, buying needed items such as blankets, paying for a heat bill so that the family can be warm through the month, or whatever else might be needed.

In addition to giving to others outside our family, God has been so good to help us keep our focus giving-centered within our family. This has been a tremendous blessing to my husband and I as we've found our children to be far more interested in giving to each other and others (using their own hard-earned money) than they are in curiosity regarding what they will receive under the tree on Christmas morning. It never fails that their faces are exploding with absolute delight as they are anxious to give their gifts to each other and to us first. Gifts given need not be extravagant or expensive. For those who will appreciate it, a handmade gift filled with the sacrifice of time and giving of the heart is always much more meaningful than something haphazardly chosen on your latest trip to WalMart. Our generosity towards others within the presence of our children and our purposeful giving in meaningful ways to them as well has proven to be very effective in encouraging generous hearts in our children.

3. Be diligent and purposeful to communicate Christ - this takes purpose, effort, and a daily walk with God as the busyness of the season can so easily undermine your efforts. We choose carefully how we decorate our home for the holiday -- focusing on God's gift of beauty through nature, the nativity, and the warmth of home and all that it represents. We've been purposeful to keep Santa out of our decorating as well as our focus for the holiday; however, we have taught our children about Saint Nicholas as well as the Christmas customs taught around the world. In our family, we participate in a daily Advent devotional reading as well as a weekly (Sunday evening) Advent lighting complete with the study and exegesis of God's Word on the meaning of the candle being lit, hymn singing with a carol that represents that meaning, lighting of the candle, and family prayer. I have a few resources (listed at the bottom) which I've used over the years to help me plan for this. I typically sit down in the quiet of an early morning and plan our Advent celebration just after Thanksgiving when my heart is full and my mind is fresh. Our many, many read aloud sessions with deliciously beautiful illustrations are focused on telling the story of Jesus' birth as well as celebrating the tradition of giving, not on the antics and adventures of Santa Claus or snowmen running from monsters.

This is the first year we have also put out a "Happy Birthday Jesus" jar sitting next to two Compassion International catalogues showcasing the needs of poorer countries and the gifts (typically in the way of buying animals, seeds, or donations toward well-drilling) which we can buy. Family members can donate spare change, their allowance for the month, or any amount of money that they feel called to give. My youngest has embraced this to the fullest, heading straight to her piggy bank and emptying its contents to go in the jar. Smile. She looked right up at me with those bluish green eyes and rosy cheeks with a look of sincere and tender affection and said, "Mommy, God loves a cheerful giver!" She is so right. She went to bed with dreams of giving ducks, chickens, seeds, and goats to our motherless Compassion Child (Agatha) living in Tanzania who is able to go to school and receive a Christian education through our monthly giving.

While I greatly appreciate the concern many have in not wanting to support the commercial frenzy that Christmas has become and therefore losing sight of the true purpose and reason for Christmas, I believe that it is possible to walk this path with a balanced perspective and enjoy a Christ-centered Christmas alongside some cultural traditions. Each family must respectfully and faithfully search out the answers and method that best fits their convictions of the heart. God is and continues to be faithful to reveal this in His own timing. Blessed Christmas to you and yours as you celebrate His birth in your own unique ways.

Resources:

"A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season" by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

"Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas" by Sharon Jaynes

"Family Celebrations at Christmas" by Ann Hibbard

"Christmas Gatherings: How to Host Evangelistic Christmas Gatherings" by Joyce Bademan.

Project Angel Tree -- Prison Fellowship www.angeltree.org

Operation Christmas Child -- Samaritanspurse.org

Jesse Tree patterns and information -- Proverbs31.org or www.aholyexperience.com

Advent Season

2010-12-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

The quiet has returned with the snow this week. I forget how much sound the outside makes -- the mowers, the goats and cows and roosters, the birds of prey circling overhead, the tractors and four-wheelers. The six inches of snow quells all of that and the air is finally still.

Christmas is here. Snug blankets on the couch signify that our evenings of reading each night have returned. There suddenly seems more time in my day . . . more darkened hours to fill with light. Needy arms await soothing as time seems to stand still.

The music of the season has returned, as have the tastes. Ginger and molasses and mint and chocolate become intermingled in our days. The decorations are arranged and the special trees are in their places awaiting each day's lighting. I think I love the twinkle of Christmas lights in the early morning hours more than any other time ...

Our Sunday evening advent times have returned with reading and sharing, singing and lighting. Each child carries a candle to bed singing "Silent Night" until that one final silent night when anticipation meets with joy.

Pictures of us from years gone by draw me in to remember .... and sometimes weep. It is all happening so fast. How I cherish each passing year. Praise God for His gift of Christmas. I do.

The Giving in Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

We have snow on the ground with fall leaves sprinkled on top. It's an amazing contrast as we transition seasons. I love this time of year ... love the quiet and the purpose that comes with preparing for a feast and giving of gifts.

Each year we have prayed earnestly (usually beginning in September) for the Lord to reveal to us a way that we can serve and give outside of ourselves during the holiday season. We usually pray specifically for God to give us a family to bless. He is always faithful to answer. There is so much need right now -- families struggling to stay in their homes, families moving with a few days notice after the bank arrives on their doorstep and orders them to leave. Families hungry, cold, dealing with severe health issues and no insurance to pay .... families so alone in their suffering.

This year we have been privileged and blessed beyond measure to meet some of these needs. My children will be able to touch and speak to and serve some of those needy families tomorrow evening as we help to serve a meal to nearly 2,000 residents hopeful for a warm meal and a smile of lovingkindness. We will deliver bags of joy and gift cards of hope in the days to come. This is Thanksgiving. It is giving with thanks ... blended with humble adoration of a great big God who knows all the needs and sees to it that they are met. Seek out ways to give this day. All you need to do is pray. He will be faithful to answer.

And then he turned sixteen ....

2010-11-17T07:15:00.001-08:00

This morning I sat at my devotional desk, where I've sat so many times before, looking at the three pictures of my wee babes. Josiah's is when he is just hours old, already alert and happy and interested in everything around him. As I held that picture in my hands, I prayed and cried out to my Lord for the heart and life of my child -- now taller than me, definitely smarter than me, and quickly approaching independence and responsibility well beyond his years. Sixteen.

We tried to decide just when we began the tradition of the number pancakes -- likely when Josiah was 3 or 4 years old. It is a well-anticipated tradition ... each number filled with sustenance and time and love.

His face is changing, had to finally shave off those long hairs growing over his top lip. A late bloomer physically like his Momma ... God has used this humble beginning in his life to grow him more like Him. I am so proud of the man he is becoming.

My children are the dearest of friends -- one of the many, many tremendous benefits of homeschooling. Isabelle and Isaac spent a good deal of their own money to buy him a gift he'll use time and again. They were so anticipating giving it. The joy on their faces was worth more than the look on his ...

I've held it together these days and weeks leading up to this momentous day in our family. A simple prayer for the blessing of our food and the life of our firstborn allowed the floodgates to flow freely. My children are quite accustomed to my tears .... here I receive a Momma hug as I weep into the neck of my man-child.

Who am I to deserve this greatest of gifts? Thanksgiving brings contentment. I am ever so content .... to God be all the glory.

Study of Trees

2010-11-07T04:21:00.003-08:00

We've enjoyed a truly beautiful autumn. The weather has been warm, the nights and early mornings chilly and crisp. It is only now that the ground below my feet feels differently and the sun's angles have shifted on our daily walks. This past month Isabelle and I have studied trees for our science unit study. It has been delightful!

Along with tree shapes, sizes, bark rubbings and identification, leaf types and walks galore, we finished off our study with a field trip to a city park filled with a wide variety of leaves. We shared our study with dear friends who came, taught what they had learned, and listened as we did the same.

Dear dear friends and extended family to boot, we are so privileged to share these relationships now. The kids enjoyed the large open spaces, the squirrels, and variety of trees (the Moms enjoyed a diet coke and quiet conversation amidst a picnic lunch and rounding up kids).

A scavenger hunt was on the schedule as well as measuring trees, finding leaves and nuts, and leaves the size of one's hand. It took 3 children to encircle this tree!

Ahh, the delight and wonder found nearly daily on the face of my precious daughter. Does learning get any better than this?

The glory of autumn is coming to an end and the dark mornings and nights are closing in. God has been so good to help us relish it one tree at a time this season. Happy autumn to you!

Bounty

2010-10-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Our little farm is slowly being put to bed in winter preparation. Gardens tilled, pantry filled, and last fruits being savored. Isabelle and I found two apples missed on one of our trees. We relished their crunch and flavor .... things always taste better when grown by the sweat of your own brow.

Each night as the table is set, I notice the light fading with autumn's shift. The bounty of God's gifts are centerpieces in our hearts and minds as we finish well another season of agrarian living.

Beans and potatoes are tucked away safely awaiting a mid-winter meal when their homegrown taste will bring comfort like no other.

I am filled with thankfulness for yet another season of bounty. Gardening is such a process and so fulfilling. Learning abounds through every planting, every evening session of weed pulling, every bean and squash and berry ....

So thankful for the promises He gives through the land. We've been entrusted to use it wisely. In this season of our lives, that involves work, side by side effort, sacrifice, and giving.

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Genesis 8:22 This is God's promise to all gardeners :-)

"Thanksgiving brings contentment, " says Elizabeth Elliot. Right here, right now, in this moment ... I am very content.

Harvest Home

2010-10-02T17:05:00.003-07:00

God granted us a beautiful reprieve this September. Although it was filled with work (the "busy at home" kind), it was filled with purposeful and meaningful pockets of time.

We took our yearly vacation to the Oregon Coast during this month. It was perfectly clear and beautiful our entire weekend. We spent hours on the beach relaxing and playing, but also searching for local tide pools.

My Dad and his wife, Bonnie, were able to join us for the weekend. The kids played a million games of pool with Grandpere and loved every minute of their visit.

My children are an adventurous bunch! Here they climbed up into a cave along the side of the ocean cliffs! This is what memories are made of ....

Homeschooling has continued in spite of nearly weekly interruptions due to various weekends away camping or vacationing, as well as days when the harvest is too much for me to handle alone and all hands are called to help pull, dig, pick, peel, can, etc. Isabelle and I spent our science time during September studying ocean life in preparation for our tide pool visit. We were able to gather several specimens to bring home and study. We added them to what we've already had collected and created quite a display for Daddy and the brothers to admire :-)

Although our weather has not been the most suitable for growing pumpkins or tomatoes, we have enjoyed a massive harvest of fruit, beans, berries, and gourds. I've been able to freeze or can a variety of fruits and vegetables -- always such a blessing. In addition, we put our first produce in the root cellar today (potatoes, pumpkins, and carrots) to see how they fare through the winter. We have enjoyed sharing much of what we've grown with family and church friends who were willing to come and dig, bag, or pick what they would like to take home.

This September, the boys achieved the milestone of testing for and receiving their brown belts in their continued study of karate. It will take them over a year of testing before they are even able to test for their black belts. They really enjoy and gain a great deal physically and mentally from this sport.

We have all spent hours on the back porch canning up a storm. Homemade spaghetti sauce (with all our own home grown herbs, onions, and garlic), peaches and peach jam from our huge harvest of peaches this year, apple pie filling and applesauce as well as dried apples, berry preserves, and green beans happily fill my pantry shelves. We also harvested honey after a two year rest for our bees.

The gardens are now tilled under and the last of the canning will be done in a day or so. This is such a busy and yet rewarding time of year. We are counting our blessings one by one as God continues to sustain us for the tasks at hand.

Back-to-(Home)School

2010-09-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

It seems that no matter how many years I do this, I still can't wait to fall back into the routine of walking my children through the day as they learn and grow and become ....

Freshly sharpened pencils and anticipation combined with resolve makes for a glorious start of my 12th year of homeschooling.

Little fingers work in earnest to shape new letters, read new words, and enjoy finally being involved in every part of our homeschool day. Growing fingers work harder math problems, type papers at the computer, and anticipate classes of growing complexity.

We sit morning after morning and through a portion of each afternoon studying and reading and writing here. This table, filled with lines and holes and markings from years gone by, is likely going to be my most treasured piece of furniture when, at last, this room sits quiet and empty.

This large home filled with small rooms is God's continued gift to us as each and every room is used daily. Music fills the morning hours with violin, piano, and guitar. It is a crucial and highly valued of our daily routine .... a gift beyond measure.

Nooks for imaginary play and shelves and shelves of books make our homeschool room a place of comfort and joy nearly every day of the year. Atmosphere is everything -- whether it is a corner or a room. I continue to be purposeful to provide warmth in the midst of learning. It is HOME schooling after all.

Activity balanced with quiet, intense learning is always the way we have educated our whole hearted children. Karate practice (both boys are soon to be brown belts), runs around the yard, purposeful fitness times, and daily walks keep us awake throughout our days.

This couch is now beginning to wear thin in places after years of being sat on, laid across, hung from, and tumbled over. It is where I sit and read, one child (sometimes two) on either side, head's snuggled on my shoulder, legs touching, breath making quiet rhythm to my words. Cherished moments day after day.

The crockpot is now officially my best friend. Filled in the wee morning hours with nourishing and often home-grown food, it soothes us all day with its comforting smells and the promise of reprieve as evening approaches.

Art supplies and blocks, table space and maps, Legos and books and room to stretch and tumble and build huge creations .... this is where you'll find me. This is where my cup is filled. Homeschooling continues to be my calling and passion with blessed assurance .... I continue to run this race with perseverance.

July & August - Better Late than Never

2010-08-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

This summer was the shortest in my memory. The days slipped through my hands like grains of lakeshore sand. Yesterday, I indulged myself in a good long cry .... knowing that another summer was nearly over and feeling as if I had so little to show for the time. This is life. I must embrace whatever comes my way.

But there were pockets of time, pockets of joy amidst a stress-filled July and August. There were wildflowers along the gravel road of Scriver Creek -- our yearly camping destination as a family.

There were many many joy-filled moments surrounding water for my kids. Trips to the water park for screams of anticipated fear, swimming at the godparents' community pool, swimming in lakes and ponds for hours in a row, swimming lessons with the Blackhursts for yet another year (our 9th!), and of course, running through sprinklers on foot or huddled in the Ranger racing through the field as the pasture sprinklers blast away.

There were moments of quiet exploration, moments of quiet reading, moments of just quiet. Praise God for those moments. There weren't enough of them to suit my needs .... but they were what was given and so I will be thankful. I am learning ...... "Thankfulness brings contentment." - Elisabeth Elliot

And there was always this little one to light my world and my days, to make me laugh and ponder and be amazed at her creativity with string or dirt or all things first-aid. She is a gift beyond measure. I praise You God for this treasure.

And of course this one ..... with unceasing energy which, if not carefully directed, can create chaos and laughter and mischief in two seconds flat. He, forever my comforter and caretaker, was busy with games and balls and buildings of assorted shapes and colors. He is always ready for a competitor. I was willing but not able as much as I would have liked .... but again, it was what I was given and so I will be thankful.

And this one. Smile. He grew weary of studying by the middle of July and I was so glad. We missed him, his funny accents to smooth out the wrinkles of attitudes and grumbling and life amidst daily chores. We missed his willingness to put off being 15 1/2 and instead join into a world of Peter Pan or Adventurer or Patient or Evil Villain. And so, he came back :-) and we read under the willow tree (only twice, but it did at least happen!). He helped in a myriad of ways. We can now entirely count on him. What a gift -- trust, responsibility, accountability. He is becoming a man. Thank You Lord.

And then it happened again. Another year passed and another birthday arrived. I now have two teenagers and the wrinkles under my eyes prove that I am aging right along with them. Oh, but the blessing and gift of motherhood!! It's worth a thousand wrinkles.

So... another summer draws to a close. Homeschooling resumes in full fervor. My 12th year. Isn't that amazing? What's really amazing is JUST HOW MUCH God makes up the difference. The nights feel cooler and I'm having to wait longer each morning before going outside for the morning show of pink and purple sunrises, the sound of roosters crowing far and near, the stirring of the neighborhood, and the smell of freshly mown pasture grass. I'm hanging on to the green and the warm just a little longer . . .

A Weekend to Remember -- Josiah's Baptism

2010-08-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

We were privileged beyond measure to spend 3 glorious days in the mountains alongside Lake Cascade participating in our church's yearly Family Camp.

The Sunday service included a baptismal service which Josiah had prepared to participate in.

He gave a beautifully written and delivered personal testimony of his walk with the Lord and his decision to make a public profession of his Christian faith through the ordinance of baptism.

One of the elders of our small Bible church baptized Josiah in this amazing setting.

Isn't God so very very good?

Along with this meaningful experience, we also spent an amazing 3 days fellowshipping with dear friends, new friends, and fellow believers who have made similar decisions with their family as we have in ours. The activities were varied, but all fun and all with friends alongside.

Isabelle spent at least 4 hours each day in the lake waters. Her eyes were completely bloodshot by the time we pulled out, but it was worth it to see her swim so well and enjoy herself.

Isaac waterskied for his first time -- getting up without a hitch and not even getting his hair wet! Our little athlete loved this experience and was so happy with himself for this accomplishment.

My kids spent a decent amount of time in the boats either tubing, skiing, or just along for the ride.

I'm so glad we brought Isabelle's bike. There was a loop around the campground which she likely rode nearly 100 times alongside friends young and old.

Ultimate frisbee was played for hours. Praise God, there were only minor injuries throughout the weekend. I love our church for the age-integrated focus it takes. All are welcome and my kids interact with young and old alike. This is one of the many bonuses of homeschooling.

Isabelle enjoyed taking many pictures -- particularly of the many puppies which joined us for camping this year.

Games, games, games. If they weren't running, they were playing games of all sorts.

Football, Isaac's sport of choice, was enjoyed by many. He held his own against the big guys.

I caught Josiah in a cerebral moment. No studying was allowed this weekend, but he found reading material somewhere! :-)

Each evening was spent in 2 hours of worship, singing, testimony, Bible reading, and prayer. What a beautiful, memory-making weekend for our family. We are so so blessed.

Early July Gardens

2010-07-06T13:45:00.001-07:00

Idaho Suzuki Institute

2010-06-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Isabelle and I just concluded our third Suzuki Institute since she has been studying violin. The 37th Idaho Suzuki Institute held in Nampa was a great learning experience by three of us this year. Isabelle and I attended her Book 2 level classes, I attended parent classes, and Isaac enjoyed attending in the afternoon and taking enrichment classes.

Isabelle enjoyed arts and crafts as one of her enrichment classes. They did some very interesting and creative projects this year (but mostly she just enjoyed visiting with the other little girls while they worked on detailed tasks with their hands besides playing their violins!).

Isaac loved his chess class and received some good instruction to help him polish his (already excellent) skills. He told us tonight, after the final concert, that he never lost a game during the entire week!

We were very privileged to work with out-of-town teachers including one of our very favorite from so many years past -- Diane Austin. Mrs. Austin spent three years in Japan working with and being taught by Mr. Suzuki. Her soft spoken nature, sweet spirit, and encouraging words are always a real boost to our morale each year. A majority of the violin technique we have learned and put into practice during our 8 years studying with the Suzuki method can be attributed to her capable teaching.

Both Isabelle and Isaac had a blast learning basic drumming skills using buckets. Yep -- buckets. They worked like a charm, were easily moveable, and gave a tremendous sound. After the first day, they were hooked (it was like a "Stomp" concert each day of class). Isabelle was two beats behind all of the other (older) students her first two days, but she pressed on with a determined spirit and conquered this class with a great attitude and a joy-filled spirit. In the end, it was her favorite class of the day.

Orchestra is always a challenge for my Suzuki ear learners and this year was no exception. As always though, it ends up being a favorite hour once the music is learned. Isabelle's teacher for orchestra is a gifted lady with enthusiasm through the roof! What a great atmosphere for my children to learn the gift of playing with others.

Our final day held a series of various concerts throughout the afternoon. We were entertained by the immensely talented Suzuki piano students (Isaac was relieved to hear that he has already learned and played several of their repertoire songs in spite of taking traditional piano). Next, the enrichment classes entertained us (choir, musical theater, folk dance, and fiddlers) including the drumming "bucket club" which Isaac and Isabelle performed in. They did awesome! It was really cool.

And finally, came the final strings concert of cellos and violins. It is an exhausting (lots of waiting and squirming and being shhhhhh'ed by the teachers) but also exhilarating and inspiring as level by level, beginning with the most advanced students, all of the violins join one another through a myriad of repertoire songs . . . all of which are memorized and deeply ingrained in the students through years of listening and playing and performing.

Isabelle played beautifully when her turn came. At her first Institute concert (at age 4), she got on stage and began playing, only to become completely engrossed in all the musicians playing around her. She ended up playing that early concert completely turned away from the audience and facing her fellow musicians, watching them with complete joy as she played with them. The only problem was .... she was in the front row!! :-) But alas! She's grown and matured and this time faced the audience like a good little musician.

The concert ends the way every Suzuki student begins -- playing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. No matter how many times I hear that song or see this concert played out ... I always cry. This journey towards musical excellence has been such a rewarding challenge every step of the way. I am so incredibly blessed to walk this path alongside my children. I praise God for His gift of music and for enabling us to give this gift to our children as we train them up.

Shakespearean Debut

2010-06-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

The past two nights, Josiah has participated in the Shakespeare play "Twelfth Night" put on by the teens of our church. It has been an incredibly fun experience for Josiah (and us all!) as he has had some unique experiences to fellowship with other Christian youth while learning to act and discourse in Shakespearean verse.

The kids had an hour of "quarantine" inside the house prior to the show beginning each evening. It was incredibly touching and inspiring to see them initiate on their own the using of that time in worship ... all gathered around the baby grand piano and singing hymns lustily together. They made an incredible choir! It was the most moving part of the whole experience for me .... as I stood in the background humming along, tears rolling down my cheeks in thanksgiving for such a unique and incredible church body.

Isaac and Isabelle, among their friends also dressed in costume, were privileged to serve during the production, offering plates of cookies and water to the audience at intermission and after the play.

Josiah had only a small role, perfectly suited to his crazy academic schedule this year, and played "Valentine", the guard and kinsman of Duke Orsino.

His few lines were spoken well and with great volume and clarity (spoken from a proud mom).

A job well done to the whole cast and crew!! Thanks for another great experience and memory maker for my kids!

Horsin' around

2010-06-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Isabelle has the grand privilege of having a month's worth of horseback riding lessons this June.

It has been an incredible experience, with Isabelle learning details in regard to handling a horse, as well as walking, trotting, and loping.

She is now big enough and strong enough to control a horse using her leg muscles.

She's doing beautifully and loving every minute of it!

It's only a matter of time . . . . . .

More Recitals

2010-06-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

Isaac had his spring recital just two days after Josiah and Isabelle had theirs. It made for a musical week! He played his solo beautifully with excellent tone and dynamics. He is a wonderful and creative musician.

Playtime after the recitals is always the best part (that and the many desserts!).

Isaac also played "Chariots of Fire" as a duet with his long time friend and buddy.

Isabelle also had her Suzuki Book 2 graduation recital this weekend complete with friends joining us for a time of devotion, celebration, performance, and brunch. Her friends were also able to share in the experience and add their talents to the intimate time of fellowship.

Congratulations musicians!!

Goats + Girl = Pasture Dreaming

2010-06-09T20:36:00.001-07:00

Sweet companions on an early summer's eve . . . .

Brothers

2010-06-09T20:31:00.001-07:00

Summer times nightly include frisbee, discussion, joking, playful punching ....

Arguing, consoling, understanding, encouraging, challenging . . . .

And above all -- loving. Brothers. Can't live without them.

A Month of "Finishings"

2010-06-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

Our literal garden is just taking off, growing lush in this mild and temperate spring. The daisies will bloom in another week or so and hopefully the heat of summer will accompany them. Our May and early June have been filled with finishing well. Whether it was with character development, academics, club responsibilities, or saying goodbye to long-term tutors, each day has held with it bittersweet moments of completing the tasks God set before us this year.

Isaac accomplished a character-building goal in completing his "Happiness is a Choice" chart (yes, you read that right). As I believe discontentment can become a habit, when I see it show itself in the character of my children, I work to correct it either through motivation or work (and sometimes both). When Isaac began to display this negative character trait, I created a chart with 21 spaces to fill in on days when he displayed a joy-filled attitude in his work and his play. His reward -- starting a savings account in his own name. Isaac has always enjoyed counting, earning, and saving his money. Doing this was motivation indeed! And, we all reaped the benefits of his improved mood!

This year, in addition to our "big kid" Science Club, I also held a Jr. Science club at the same time for the younger siblings. We studied Apologia's Zoology text and delved deep into the world of animals. The kids gave multiple presentations throughout the year as well as read, took field trips, enjoyed guest speakers, took quizzes, played games, and had a blast learning with each other. This was the last year for our "big kids" ... after 8 years, they closed off the sequence with Chemistry.

Now .... we start all over again next year with Isaac studying General Science. Josiah will serve as a student teacher alongside Joe, while Isabelle and I will be their assistants. We have 12 kids with their families lined up to join us in our next academic year, and 4 more on a waiting list!!

Our final two modules involved spiders and worms (as in the kind that grow inside of YOU!). Here Isabelle is reading her report about the jumping spider while simultaneously displaying her home-drawn picture. She had some funny stories to go with it (we have a lot of jumping spiders where we live) and kept the kids (and herself) laughing.

I just had to show off my precious Lily of the Valley which has now grown a bit rampant in one of my perennial beds. The smell of these and so many flowers is just out of this world. I love gardening for the distinct purpose of enjoying such fragrant and unique flowers. God's creation daily astounds me . . . Our gardens are growing well including massive amounts of fruit on our trees. Lord willing, I will be doing a lot of canning this year. Applesauce, apricot and berry jams, peaches, green beans, spaghetti sauce ...... I'm getting inspired (and tired!) just thinking of it!

Isabelle raided my closet, dressing in everything white she could find as well as my wedding veil, growing aged and dingy hanging in my closet. She is so creative -- every day coming up with a new idea, project, or find. I recently (and accidentally) hoed the legs off the side of a toad in my garden (I thought it was a weed!). Isabelle was thrilled and begged to keep the frog until it died for the specific purpose of dissecting it with Daddy. Unbelievably, this is exactly what they did within a day or so of its capture! She spent a full 20 minutes that evening giving me detailed descriptions of its lungs, heart, spine, and leg muscles. She definitely did NOT get this ability and interest from me!

The boys went through their trimester karate testing and did excellently, receiving many positive remarks from their judge. They both passed and earned their green belts (one level away from brown). This was a great accomplishment and one that they worked toward with nearly daily practice at home or at the dojo. Check out the smile on Isaac's face (you can click on the picture to make it larger)! That is one proud green belt.

As with everything in karate, there is ceremony and respect shown to both instructor and student. Here Josiah is receiving his green belt from his Sensei with a bow of honor.

With the sun and the green came a variety of accomplishments and finishings for Josiah. He finished Algebra II (praise God!) and said goodbye to his weekly tutor. In addition, after receiving two years of private instruction from our beloved Spanish tutor Haline, Josiah completed his third year of high school Spanish and was able to receive one full year of college level Spanish by taking a College Spanish CLEP test (to date, Josiah has received 66 college credits -- his first two years of undergraduate work are now complete at age 15 1/2). This was bittersweet for us as Haline has become a welcomed member of the family! Josiah also completed his Research and Report Writing class culminating in an 8 page (single spaced) research paper entitled "The History of the U.S. Military Small Arms" (smile. Only my son would choose a topic like this).

We also participated in our Idaho state homeschool convention last weekend. My favorite author and mentor for many years -- Sally Clarkson and her husband, were the featured keynote speakers. Our family was privileged to provide taxiing for them to and from the convention each day, as well as hosting them for a meal in our home. God has and continues to use Sally in a mighty way as she gently guides moms worldwide, through her six books and many speaking engagements, to seek to live out Godly and joy-filled motherhood (to learn more, see my sidebar to the right. Her ministry is Whole Heart Ministries. Check out the website I list).

Along with the academic year drawing to a close, our musical year also celebrates the year with recitals galore! Last night, Josiah and Isabelle performed beautifully for a small audience. Josiah closed out the concert with an incredibly moving performance of "La Folia" by Corelli.

Isabelle about gave me a heart attack when practicing the morning of the recital and seemingly forgetting the notes that needed to be played!!?! But, alas! She performed beautifully the Boccherini Minuet with poise and intonation. She is now beginning Suzuki's book 3 and will be attending Idaho Suzuki Institute later this month. She will hold a small, informal performance and brunch gathering to celebrate her graduation from Book 2 this coming weekend. Isaac has his piano recital tomorrow night and then we will all take a well-deserved break from our instruments, resuming lessons in August.

Although we are officially on "summer break", we never stop learning alongside eachother. Isabelle (under Isaac's guidance) is learning to type this summer, Josiah is hoping to finish 4 high school credits through the summer as well as take Driver's Ed., and Isaac wanted to begin his 8th grade math (pre-Algebra) early this summer so as to get a head start on next year. Everyone will enjoy hours of long walks, reading hours, bike rides, and stories under the willow. The weeds and gardens beckon every day as do the ever-growing menagerie of animals. Friendships will be strengthened and enjoyed, family night BBQ's will continue (we had our first of the summer this evening), and camping trips planned and lived out.

God is so good to give us summertimes! I cherish them. Nothing is more important than the gift of today.

Springtime Camping in Yellowstone

2010-05-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

We returned home late Sunday after spending a long weekend camping in Yellowstone. The weather was great and the wild animals abundant -- especially the bison. We saw many baby bison alongside their mothers as well as packs of bachelors along the side of or often in the middle of the road.

We camped with some new family friends and their eight children. The kids had a blast playing ultimate frisbee among the trees when we weren't out sightseeing.

Campfires, smores, hot chocolate, and hot dogs roasted over the open fire were all a part of our days.

Isabelle was privileged to get to hold baby Jamison for a few minutes each evening. Even though our family is relatively small, God continues to bless us with many like-minded families who have several children of all ages.

We all enjoyed waiting to watch Old Faithful geyser do its thing!

More frisbee, lots of laughs, screams, and active play with kids of all ages.

On our final day, just our family stayed to walk through the Norris geyser basin. It is a beautiful sight but also quite a hike. Sissy is a bit worn out here. It's time to head for home.

But not before one more memory is made ..... We love Yellowstone!

Spring Garden Snapshots

2010-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

A wet and cold spring has left us fairly behind in our growing season, but there is still so much beauty, I couldn't help but take a few pictures to share. I see this birdhouse garnished in clematis out my kitchen table window each and every day. I am so blessed.

Our eastern facing shade garden with fragile blueberries and iris amidst the candytuft -- the seed of which I bought at Mount Vernon -- George Washington's glorious farm still kept in perfect condition for tourists. Supposedly the seed is original to the farm. It is neat to think that we have a piece of history growing in our garden.

My organic seed mesculin is delicious and ready to eat. It is a great blend of bitter and smooth greens -- hearty and nutritious. The buttercrunch lettuces are slower to grow but should be eatable within another week or so. My spinach (which overwintered and served as great food for the bunny!) is already bolting. It's hard to imagine that I'm doing a second planting in May already. My goal is to keep lettuce/spinach/swiss chard readily available throughout spring, summer, and fall. I'll let you know how it goes.

Peas were planted late but have enjoyed our chilly spring. The chives are always the first green in the garden and are ready to flower. I'm experimenting with some different forms for the climbers to go up. I enjoy the rustic look in just about all of my decorating -- even in the garden.

Bearded iris are blooming on my south side. These were my grandmother's favorite flowers and purple was her favorite color so I think of her each time I see this giant of a flower off of my back porch. They are over 3 feet tall and just spectacular in detail.

Pots of annuals are strewn on back and front porch alike. As always, I enjoy a variety of colors -- always with bits of orange thrown in. I've found these antique buckets to not only look unique but also to serve double duty as great weed buckets for my many, many impromptu trips into the kitchen walled garden.

Apricot colored tulips which turned a parrot orange upon opening were stunning in my perennial garden this year. From Holland, these tulips stood nearly 3 feet tall and withstood the mighty winds we have throughout springtime here. Tulips remain my favorite flower. Simple, elegant, unassuming ... I love them. I planted 50 bulbs alone in this one spot. It was a beautiful effect and one that I enjoyed each time I drove up to home.

God doesn't give us storms without intensely stunning sunsets and rainbows to follow. This one filled the sky from horizon to horizon.

May - Already

2010-05-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

Today is May 1. Unbelievable! My life is so rich and so full that the days turn into weeks with a blink of an eye. April has been a growing month for us -- not only in the return of green and gardening, but in the depth of our souls as God has brought us through another trial leaning on Him and undergirding us in a way that is miraculous.

Our past month has involved a lot of slowing down. As our extracurricular activities draw to a close, we're allowed more leisure and work time around our home and little farm. There was a renewing of friendships between siblings as the sun brought more hours out of doors and rainy days allowed for hours of talking and playing and listening to audiobooks together - contemplating the important things in life (such as: "Can animals really talk to people if you listen hard enough??"). Above is a picture of Isabelle and Isaac deep into listening and occasional questions while listening to Dr. Doolittle.

I noticed a strong return to pastimes of old during afternoons of freedom. Isaac is our resident collector, organizer, and money counter. I allowed him to clean out Dad's car (always an adventure) and to package up all the loose change. His reward: he gets to keep the money and add it to his soon-to-be-realized bank account which will be opened upon his completing his "Happiness is a Choice" daily chart which is emphasizing a willingness and joyfulness found in obedience through work.

Isabelle is fully reading. I mean REALLY reading. In two week's time, she has read three substantial books. Here I found her delightfully cozy on the porch swing, wrapped in blanket, completely immersed in "Wind in the Willows". She didn't even look up when I took her picture. Her latest ambition after reading oodles of books on Helen Keller is to learn sign language. She is fascinated and inspired by Helen's courage and determination in spite of obstacles. I love when my children have heroes. This has been a great lead in to discussions on character and stick-to-it-ness. Isabelle and I are enjoying giving secret messages to each other by spelling out words using the sign language alphabet :-)

The month has been either beautifully sunny or windy beyond measure. It is a late spring and a cold one. My cold weather crops were planted a month ago but the tender plants will have to wait a bit longer until we are steadily in the 70's. In the meantime, the garden remains a vast empty slate that is wonderful to imagine. Ten yards of bark have been placed throughout the yard and garden. All that awaits is warmth and sunshine!

Our additions of the goats has been a good one. Isabelle is learning responsibility, the boys are realizing daily how very invaluable they are to do the "strong jobs" such as hauling buckets of water for their sister. Needing to be home twice a day to bottle feed them has kept us grounded and more purposeful. Animals are almost always a God-designed tool for calming us down. I knew this when we talked originally about getting them and I'm so thankful that we've been able to have this experience. They are definitely people lovers and cry for Isabelle at her usual "goat time" in the afternoon if she is late.

May brings more finishing up. The end of our homeschooling year occurs officially in a couple of weeks. Josiah completes Chemistry and Science Club for him (we start all over with Isaac next year). It will be the ending of several things for Josiah -- these are bittersweet days for him. Please keep him in your prayers as he endeavors to accomplish so very much at such a young age. He is so driven and ambitious and feels a definite call to finish well and finish soon. Joe and I often ask him what he's in a hurry for ... but he has a plan in mind and is anxious to fulfill it. He is four credits from completing his high school diploma and has plans to complete those classes this summer. Driver's Education is on the list of things to do along with participation in a Shakespeare play, violin and piano recitals, continued participation in Men's Bible study with our sweet church, weekly recreation nights with teens and young people from Columbia Bible Church, planting the garden, potentially beginning our remodel, camping with friends in Yellowstone (hoping to see ever so many baby animals!), and Josiah completing his second year of college via testing. It should be a fun month ahead!

Dandelion Princess

2010-04-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

One sweet little girl .... plus

One obliging pasture .... plus

One April sunshiny day .... equals hours of joy.

Goat Kids Added to the "Farm"

2010-04-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

We picked up our Nubian kid does yesterday and brought them home after much anticipation and preparation. We were privileged to meet them at the Sater farm when both were just a day or two old and chose these two little ladies out of 9 or 10 others. The one above is "Letty-bell" named after Joe's sweet Grandma who was very instrumental in his life. She is blond, brown, and very sweet natured.

This wee one is named a variety of things (Isabelle has difficulty choosing just ONE name!). Thus far, she has been dubbed "Zoe Starlight Little Lady Kronz" ... but I've noticed that 'Starlight' is the name Sis uses most often when talking with and about her. I would imagine her name may change a few more times before one sticks. She is one of a quadruplet birth, thus her smaller stature. Her markings are very pretty however. She is rusty brown with white ears and very timid in nature.

We will bottle feed these little ones for another month, slowly working to transition them to alfalfa hay, grain, and other treats. Isabelle spent the evening in their pen playing with them and awoke early to feed them. I half expected for her to ask if she could sleep with them! This has been an exciting adventure for us as we all enjoy having more animals (it feels more "farm-like", don't you think?). Our hope is that this will be a good "test" for Isabelle in caring for livestock prior to moving up in size and responsibility with other noble creatures :-)

When we pulled into the driveway with our new members of the family in the back of the car, excited to show them their new home, Isabelle was giddy with anticipation and exclaimed,

"This is our new life now, Mommy! Let's go enjoy living it!!"

New smile

2010-04-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

After a year and a half of suffering, what seemed like a hundred orthodontist appointments, many doses of Motrin, a whole lot of money spent, and several milkshakes to get him through - Josiah now has a beautiful smile to show for it. Smile :-)

March -A Month of Beginning and Finishing Well

2010-03-26T04:49:00.000-07:00

Home

Life has been full, yet I continue to live in a state of thankfulness.

Thankful for the precious commodity of sleep (having lived without it for a portion of my life, I know just how meaningful it is) with absolutely no difficulty in switching over to daylight savings time this year. God is good.

Thankful for good health. Just now in the midst of our first real virus this academic year, I am immensely blessed to have experienced wellness through a busy fall and winter with no more than the occasional sniffle.

Thankful for movement -- my daily walk and stretching times bring me right to my knees

nearly every day as I live out gratitude for my health. Prior to having a hysterectomy, I often wondered if these simple extras were a thing of the past. I do not take this daily gift for granted any longer.

Thankful for a marriage that is entering its 20th year with a man who continues to love and support me in spite of myself. We are dreaming big dreams this year, one of them including a major renovation to our home which is just now on the drawing board . He and I - we're really good at dreaming and have been doing it walking side by side since first meeting and walking the sidewalks of our alma mater nearly 24 years ago.

Thankful every day, in spite of runny noses and bad attitudes, in spite of another meal yet needing to be cooked and eaten and cleaned up after, in spite of schedules and scheduling an endless list of 'have to's' . . . . how I'm thankful for this privilege called motherhood.

Homeschool

Creativity in homeschooling must occur when your 8 year old breaks her right arm. We've been creative with her writing -- doing most lessons orally. Creative with violin -- plucking the strings rather than bowing, focusing on vibrato and strong playing fingers, singing while fingering our songs, making charts to motivate and bring joy to our practice in spite of playing one handed for a month. Creative as she practices her piano - one handed, learning theory and rhythm in a whole new way. Creativity in her play (no climbing, no riding, no falling).

Character development (both mine and theirs) is the biggest daily lesson in our homeschool. One son well-engaged in puberty and another on the brink .... requires daily patience and prayer and lots and lots of hugs, assurance, discipline, and training.

Academics are still going strong. In the midst of a full-fledge study of WWII, we have enjoyed reading and read-alouds, DVD's and discussions about the holocaust, Nazi's, battlefronts and battles, airplanes and their crew, and leaders and their motivations. We have watched and listened to survivor stories and have been truly impacted ... as we should. This is how to study history.

Science Club is going strong as are any number of extracurricular activities. We have brought in reinforcements in the form of graduated homeschool students now in college or beyond who can serve as tutors in areas I am unprepared (or unwilling!) to teach. Algebra II, Advanced Spanish, guitar, and sewing (for the little one) are all areas of study where my children now have the benefit of learning under the guidance of another. They are thriving and I am grateful for the resources to add this to our schedule this year.

The children are developing their own individual bents which homeschooling seems to especially foster. Josiah is accomplishing his goals toward high academic achievement and has earned a significant amount of college credits this year in addition to his heavy academic load and broad range of extracurricular obligations. Isaac has determined that, although academically capable, his passion for physical prowess, strength, and speed is what brings him the most joy. This requires great creativity and prayer in re: to scheduling and sacrifice of time. Isabelle is a voracious gatherer of information and loves putting into practice all that she learns. Microscope experiments, gathering and planting, creating and painting, organizing and nurturing .... she is a lover of all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small.

Farm and Garden

Work which has been slow and steady has reaped great rewards on our little farm.

The root cellar is nearly complete and awaits only a door.

A small portable greenhouse has been added to the farm -- completely put together and built by Isaac and his neighbor friend during their weekly engineering time.

We will enjoy growing many of our own seedlings this year within in its light-filled walls.

A new large garden has been added to include the companion gardening of large crops including potatoes, corn, beans, and pie pumpkins. The soil has been amended and will hopefully reap a great harvest over the coming months.

The walled kitchen garden has been planted with its cold weather crops. Isabelle and I wait in anticipation for those first green shoots of lettuces, spinach, radish, and onions to appear. She has an expanded plot this year with high hopes of filling it with medicinal herbs so that she can "better prepare herself for her nursing ambitions". Smile.

Chicks are currently peeping up a racket in the barn, awaiting their growth to be joined with the older birds.

Turkeys will be brought to their rightful pen come June, and two adorable nubian goats kids (both does) will be making their home with us in the coming weeks.

The honey bees did not survive the winter and so a new set will need to be brought to the hives in time for the fruit trees to flourish in their array of sweet-smelling blossoms.

Kale (the giant golden retriever) will soon receive his summer haircut.

The bunny rabbit has been moved to his outdoor location behind the trees where it seems dozens of birds have decided to nest this year!

The cats remain lazy excepting when it comes to finding and destroying those nests!

All is well here on our little piece of heaven. God is so good.

'... His eye is on the sparrow .... and I know He watches me.'

Starting Over

2010-02-28T05:48:00.000-08:00

It's been a winter in my life for 6 months.
A growing, hurting, learning-how-to-forgive winter.
People can hurt you. Deep unkind, unfair, unjustified hurts.
Sometimes they mean to. Most often they don't.
This is the first time I've been the recipient of someone's held-onto bitterness.
Years worth.
I'm still grieving.
Still wishing there was something I could say or do besides the many, many "I'm sorry's".
Wishing and praying and trying so hard to believe that, in the end, this too will pass and all will be well.
I'm not sure that I will ever know what it is like to trust -- truly trust -- again....
but I can start here.
And so I am.
Welcome to my world,
and to my heart. This is who I am, who God created me to be.
Good, bad, ugly, seemingly unrealistic ....
this is me. God knows.

This is my harvest of days.

Reclaiming Summer and Moving On

2009-08-12T17:36:00.001-07:00

It's been a full summer. Too full. I sat down on August 1st, took one look at my calendar ... and cried. Lessons and social functions and obligations and various doctor appointments and trips filled each square. These were all good things, but none of them allowed for restful days. So I made some phone calls and cancelled what I could in order to reclaim what was left of summer. It was a much needed choice and we've all enjoyed having a bit more leisure to read, play, work, garden, and just BE.

I've also made a difficult decision to move on from regular posting at this blog. In a variety of ways, I've come to realize that it unfortunately can sometimes serve as more of a divisive tool than one of encouragement. This is very sad to me, but beyond my control. This blog serves as a journal of blessings in my life. I've found it is so much healthier and brings so much more joy to LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of life. Of course, this doesn't mean that I am perfect. Those who know me well, know THAT well : )

A dear friend recently commented, "You know, if I don't bless someone with who I really am, than I just choose to not be around that person because it only serves to damage them without my ever intending to." And so:

If you are truly blessed by what you see and hear and read through me ...

If you don't struggle with comparisons or feeling "under par" by visiting my blog ...

If you are encouraged and challenged by what you find at Homeschooling in the Garden of Life,

And don't actively seek out ways to find untruth in my words or actions or lifestyle choices --

Please contact me either by leaving a comment or contacting me personally and I will share with you my new anonymous blog site (which, by the way, is still under construction so please be patient). But please -- only do so if you can honestly answer yes to the above questions. Life is too short for all of us and reading something that doesn't bring edification and joy to your life is not worth reading at all.

Thanks for understanding. Wishing you all joyful and tender moments as you homeschool in the garden of life.

-- Kristi

Garden Update -- Mid August

2009-08-12T07:41:00.001-07:00

I'm joyfully at home ... weeding and watering and harvesting and canning and counting my blessings one blessed day at a time.

County Fair Winners!

2009-07-24T07:31:00.001-07:00

Imagine our delight when we arrived at the County Fair last night to see how aptly rewarded were the efforts of Isabelle and Isaac for their year-long projects! Isabelle received a first place ribbon for her "horse blanket" quilt. She was delighted and could hardly wait to have her Nana see (Nana is a professional quilter with lots of fair ribbons to her name!).

Isaac spent many, many hours putting together his working K'Nex roller coaster and earned a champion ribbon for his efforts!! This was especially exciting because he REALLY wanted a big ribbon for this project. He (and we!) were all smiles as we congratulated him on his success. In addition, he also won a first place for an original Lego USA flag he designed and built, and a fourth place ribbon for an original K'Nex car. Congratulations to my talented kids!! : )

Finally Forty

2009-07-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a beautiful day where those whom I love and who love me right back, have celebrated my life and truly made me feel special. Thank you. I haven't felt too contemplative about this whole mid-life thing. I've been so blessed ... I just feel incredibly, overwhelmingly ... grateful.

Grateful for life. Grateful for grace and mercy extended to me daily by my Savior. Grateful for forgiveness. Grateful for someone who loves me each and every day in spite of my wrinkles, my flaws of character, my very daily struggle with being human. I'm grateful for the incredible gift of children and the awesome opportunity to spend just about every waking minute walking alongside them in learning and loving and laughing and growing.

In forty years I've learned:

- the older I get, the less I know.

- that over and over God removes people from our lives in order to draw us closer to Himself.

- that good health is a gift beyond measure ... and should never be taken for granted.

- that life is fragile, easily taken in the swiftest of moments. Enjoy it. Revel in it. Cherish each moment as a gift from God.

- that being "busy at home" (Titus 2:3-5) is the best kind of busy.

- that pleasing my husband through my daily choices brings me the greatest joy in life.

- that "setting my mind on things above" (Col. 3:2) and "giving thanks in all circumstances" (1Thess. 5:16-18) is truly the key to all happiness while here on this earth.

- that I can choose to be right or I can choose to be happy. I used to choose the first one. I'm learning to choose the second.

- that the Bible is a road map, a handbook, a guide to every aspect of life. It is my greatest consoler and surest friend.

- that relationships that stand the test of time (and sin) are more precious than pure gold and should be handled with great loving care.

- that children are God's gift given specifically to keep us on our knees before Him.

I am blessed beyond measure. No, my life isn't perfect. Sometimes I'm grumpy. Often I just don't want to cook : ) Frequently I struggle with being more of a "Martha" than a "Mary". People sometimes dislike me just because of the way I live my life. I can err on the side of being stern rather than gentle and kind. My need for order can be debilitating at times. I am human. Just a regular person with regular struggles. But ... I am also forgiven and hold fast to the promise of my salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord (1 John 1:9). He is merciful, keeps no record of wrongs, and loves at all times (1 Cor. 13). This was and is and will always be the greatest gift I could possibly receive.

I'm finally forty. I wouldn't go back. I'm happy to be right here, right now. There's so much to look forward to ........

Summer Blooms

2009-07-22T12:49:00.001-07:00

Homemade Yogurt

2009-07-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying trying many of the homemade recipes I've been reading about in so many of my agrarian lifestyle books. One of them is homemade yogurt. To begin, you'll need 1 quart of whole milk. Raw dairy milk is best; however, I do not have a source for this so I buy organic whole milk. In addition, you'll need at least 3 tablespoons of organic whole milk plain yogurt. "Nancy's" brand is excellent. Finally, you'll need 1/3-1/2 cup of dry milk as well as a sauce pan and thermometer.

Clean, sterilized canning jars work well. 1 recipe will fill 4 1/2 pint jars. Make sure they are sterilized or else any remaining bacteria can cause your yogurt culture to not "take".

Pour your milk into your sauce pan and turn it on medium heat. Stir frequently until the milk forms bubbles along the side of the pan (about 120 degrees). Turn the heat off and add your dry milk. Allow the milk to cool to 110 degrees before adding 3 tablespoons of your plain yogurt. It may sound like a lot of work, but this entire process takes about 10 minutes total.

Pour into your canning jars and tighten lids. Place jars into a pre-warmed crockpot (turn it on low for about 20 minutes prior to working with your milk mixture). Turn OFF the crockpot, put on lid, and wrap with a towel to keep it warm. Allow your yogurt to sit in the crockpot overnight.

In the morning, remove jars and place in the fridge. This is plain yogurt and thus is tart to the taste. If you prefer sweetened yogurt, you can either add sweetener (1/3 cup of honey, sugar, maple syrup, or other sweetener) and some vanilla to the milk mixture when you add the dry milk, or you can sweeten it yourself with homemade preserves and jams after it has cooled.

The resulting yogurt is delicious, homemade, better for you, has no preservatives or artificial colorings, and is less expensive in the long run. Once you've made your first batch, you now have your own "starter". Keep 3 tblsp. of your homemade plain yogurt to use for your next batch. Delicious and simple!

Creative Earning - 7 Year Old Style

2009-07-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today Isabelle announced that she would be opening her own hair dressing salon. All of us were busy with Saturday chores well after she had completed hers, therefore no one paid much attention until the sticky notes announced the way to her room (her brother later revised the sign using his computer knowledge).

Here we were met by a very gracious and anxious-to-please "hair comber" ready and waiting with combs, spray bottle, and pitcher with water (to "keep you comfortable"). Her brothers jumped on the bandwagon and each took turns willingly having their hair sprayed and combed.

The cost? A mere $.01. Of course, each boy chipped in a hefty tip and Isabelle happily earned a small living today (at least enough to buy a pack of gum anyway!).

Turkey Pen Completion

2009-07-18T12:51:00.001-07:00

Well, Joe and the kids worked for over a week in the hot evenings to fence, gate, and provide shelter for our turkeys. They were quickly outgrowing their pen in the barn and so the clock was ticking to get this project completed.

It turned out great and our little gobblers are happy to have the space to roam. Josiah learned some valuable construction and roofing experience on this little shelter, while Isabelle and Isaac earned the title of "painters of the year" after spending a scorching day painting it. The kids painted themselves more than the actual shelter. I think I shall be combing paint out of Isabelle's hair for weeks to come! : ) It was worth the experience and something that they can all feel proud of.

Let the Season Begin

2009-07-17T04:55:00.001-07:00

A neighbor graciously allows us to pick fresh ripe apricots to our heart's content each July. Her trees are very old and produce amazingly regardless of spring weather. This year Isabelle and I picked once on our own while the boys were away, and then picked again upon their return. They are able to climb to higher branches and get some of the best fruit.

I usually make preserves -- simply sugar and fruit boiled down with the impurities and froth ladled off the top. This year's apricots were very sweet. Pure delight can be found in a ripe apricot!

I had to dust off my canning pot for another season of canning. I usually can all of our own spaghetti sauce for the year, as well as other fruits and vegetables. We have very little fruit on our own young trees this year due to a late May wind storm that froze most of our apples and apricots.

Canning can be a long process unless you get into a quick routine of all that must be done: jars sterilized, pots out for cooking, ingredients ready, spoons/ladles/paper towels on hand, and canning pot boiling.

The final result is a pantry full of color and homemade goodness. I have been making my own yogurt lately. The jams and preserves make a perfect fruity compliment to it! Happy canning everyone.

Reading Recommendation

2009-07-13T04:36:00.000-07:00

I just read Sally Clarkson's most recent blog post entitled "A 'Go To' Friend". Wow. This is inspiration at its best. The person she describes has the character I so admire in a friend, AND is the person I so desire to be. I am so blessed to have a small handful of "go to" friends and pray that I too, am one to them. Read it when you get a moment. If you'll scroll down my blog's sidebar to the section entitled "Blogs I Visit" -- Sally's is the first one listed entitle 'I Take Joy'.

Blessings as you grow and learn.

Alaskan Fishing Trip

2009-07-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

My boys and Joe just returned home from a week-long trip fishing in the wilds of Alaska. They took Grandpa with them (because he's the only one who really knows how to fish!). Each morning they were up early, seeking to catch their limit.

In addition to fishing, they also did some hiking and exploring, including going inside "El Capitan" -- a famous cave known in this area of Alaska.

They stayed a "153 Fishcamp" (www.153fishcamp.com) -- a rustic Christian camp which houses a group of fishermen (and women if they are so inclined!) for a weeklong stay. The housing was rough at best, but it did keep the rain off. The camp director and his family provide all meals, guidance fishing, a halibut fishing trip or two, great company, and evening devotions. Because of this, the boys were able to meet several new dads and sons. Afternoon pastimes often included sword fighting with sticks. "Boys" of all ages participated : )

Josiah went halibut fishing with a small group. Although he didn't personally pull one in, it was a great experience! We will have fish to last well through the winter. Praise God for a stocked freezer!!

Isaac enjoyed fishing with Grandpa and here is pictured with one of his salmon catches.

Isaac was pretty nervous about being away from home for a week so I had prewritten a letter to him each day which he read before going to bed. In a couple of them I included pictures of his sister and I, as well as some extra spending money. It turned out -- he was just fine. He was having too much fun to think of me back home!!

Joe and Grandpa had a deal -- Grandpa did the "hacking" and Joe did the "packing" in the outdoor filet and packing station. I bet it smelled pretty doggone fishy around there!

Joe and the boys said that there were a dozen or so Bald Eagles soaring over their fish camp area. Isaac told me that they would swoop so low that you didn't hear them until they were very close. Aren't they beautiful?

Josiah had the privilege of reeling in several fish of all sizes. He was Grandpa's helper on many occasions. I think they had a lot of fun together doing what Grandpa loves to do more than just about anything.

Here are my boys (men) on the ferry with the Alaskan coastline behind them. They had a wonderful time and made fantastic memories for years to come. We're glad they're home.