Week in Review: October 12-16

Grace-Filled Writer

The beginning of this week was a little harder than usual. My husband was away at his annual District Conference for all the pastors in our district of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. We did just fine on our own (It was only one night after all!) but my husband is a very hands on dad, so even just a night away left my girls missing him a lot!

We kept our routine as usual for the most part. Daddy did come home with a cold that is now making its round among the rest of us. Thankfully it doesn’t seem all that serious so we’re hoping to bounce back soon.

Here is a peek at what school looked like this week…

Rose – 5th Grade: Creation to Christ Unit 22
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Rose has really enjoyed the notebooking pages in Creation to Christ. We really like the erasable gel pens from Frixion and there are often coupons for these in the Sunday paper. For coloring pictures and the timeline portion we use sharpie markers. We have worked towards neater handwriting without lines as well as proof reading. One of the best ways we work on that is for me to read her work out loud phonetically. This helps her hear both her grammar and spelling mistakes…and sometimes it gives us quite a giggle! This is also a little secret way I’m helping my perfectionist daughter treat her mistakes a little lighter. When we can laugh about it together she doesn’t take it so seriously. 
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We started reading about Cleopatra this week. Rose reads her story time assignments to herself. Running three guides and a part-time business from my home teaching piano every afternoon means we have made a few changes to how the Heart of Dakota guides are done. I don’t mind because we still discuss the reading selections. I like how much my girls are learning independently. 
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Here are my girls working on their weekly history projects. They were so sweet chatting away as they worked. Rose kept telling Beth how much fun her project was going to be. My girls get really excited about seeing one another do things. I used to wonder what it would be like when the were all doing projects and if they would wish they were doing each other’s. I certainly would understand that, but they seem to just take it as a matter of “this is how we do things around here”. They also are really great about complimenting each other’s efforts which is sweet to observe. 
Beth – 3rd Grade: Preparing Hearts for His Glory Unit 5 (1st half)

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Beth never really seemed interested in art until this year. She was not at all excited when we first began Draw and Write Through History, but now she really seems to like it. She takes more time with her drawings and I even catch her drawing the same thing later on just for fun sometimes. 
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Cursive is getting much, much easier. It’s just a matter of time. Her letters still seem a bit awkward, but I know it will come. Her printing seemed to improve overnight this summer and we will keep plugging away at cursive!
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Here she is working hard at her Egyptian hieroglyphics project. She was frustrated at first because it wasn’t turning out like she expected. So I helped her see how best to etch in the hieroglyphics, she smoothed out my work and did her own pretty quickly. And yes, her body position is just about as awkward as it appears in this picture! The way my kids contort themselves while they study amazes me, but I’m glad we have the freedom for this. Beth is typically the one wanting to work on the floor. Rose likes to sit at a table Grace would rather dance her way through her work!
Grace – Kindergarten: Little Hearts for His Glory Unit 28
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I love this picture! While Grace and I were working on Spelling Beth couldn’t help but listen in. She was supposed to be doing her copywork I think, but I didn’t really mind. Every time Grace spelled something correctly she would say, “That was good!”
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I have a favorite handwriting program (Fundanoodle!) but, when you are gifted a handwriting series for free, you say, “Great!” and fly with it! My girls have honestly all used something different and they’ve all done fine. Grace is now in the second handwriting book for Handwriting Without Tears. I was having her do 1 page a day, but she has been asking to do more, so I think I may plan more for this coming week. 
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Grace is so excited about her history now and sometimes enjoys reading it on her own. I have a feeling watching her big sisters do this is part of the reason, but I’m grateful she finds so much joy out of learning on her own. We actually call her our little dictionary because she loves to define words and if she doesn’t know what something means she’s quick to ask. She is always thinking and driven by curiosity. Her eagerness to know more is contagious!
Did you have a good week on your own journey through Heart of Dakota? We’d love to hear about it! Don’t forget to link-up below!

The Carols of Christmas: A Booklook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Christmastime is here…

Okay, so not really, but who is with me in looking forward to the Christmas season? One of my favorite things about the holiday is the music. I have several books which talk about the stories behind the hymns, but I had yet to come across one which focused on the Christmas Carols…until now!

What first struck me was the simplicity of the layout. I love that each of the 21 songs are categorized into themes. Topics range from specific dates, to Scripture, to aspects of the season. I do think I would have preferred the topics be more consistent, like all Scripture references or all aspects of the season. There are one or more songs included, both religious and secular. I was a little surprised to find the secular songs included, but found their stories just as interesting. 
I was pleasantly surprised by the details in this book. Each of the songs is studied in depth to a degree I did not expect. The author delves into the backgrounds and lives of the lyricists and composers in much more detail than I thought. While it is interesting, in some ways it distracts from what I am most interested in, which is a concise understanding of the song’s story. There are also moments of explanation about the musical aspects, which as a musician I did find interesting, but I think it could be a little too much information for those who may not be musically inclined. 

Perhaps it is because of my experience with other stories-behind-the-songs books, but this one did not keep my attention the way I had hoped. I would most likely use this as a reference book rather than just sit and read it through for pleasure. Still, the writing is high quality and well done and I think it would be very helpful tool for musicians and church leadership alike during the Christmas season.

More for Girls Only! Devotions: A Tyndale Blog Network Review

Grace-Filled Writer

One of my favorite things as a pre-teen and teenager was my Brio magazine. Did any of you read that? This sweet devotional reminds me a lot of that magazine and all the reasons I loved it. Within the pages of this 60-day devotional is encouragement which feels relevant for girls of this generation.

Each devotional in More for Girls Only! Devotions by Carolyn Larsen from Tyndale Publishers has a story and Scripture to engage young girls. I am having both my 8-year-old (Beth) and 10-year-old (Rose) use this book. While Beth does like it, I think she may be a little on the young end. There is nothing inappropriate at all but my girls are still very much little girls and not growing up as quickly as some of their peers are. I love that about my girls. Either way the content would be appropriate for all little girls considered preteens.

Carolyn Larsen is a new author for me and I appreciate her easy style of writing. As I read through some of the stories and devotionals I felt as if this was the kind of woman I would love to have in the girl’s life as a mentor. My daughters are so very blessed to have many women in their life who care about their spiritual growth. While I’ll probably never meet the author in person I have a feeling she is the kind who looks for opportunities to mentor young girls with whom she is in contact. Her stories and Scriptural application are both relevant and engaging.

Both of my daughters really like the layout of this devotional. In addition to the opening story and Scripture there is a quiz, extra verses, biblical application, and challenges. All of the topics are age appropriate. Even the topic on purity does not delve into the sexual aspects of purity but rather what it means to have a pure heart.

This is an excellent devotional that a young girl desiring to grow in her faith will enjoy!

Disclaimer: I received a paperback copy of More for Girls Only! Devotions from Tyndale Publishers as part of  the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation. 

The Big Pig Stampede: A Tyndale Blog Network Review

Grace-Filled Writer

My kids love when packages show up in the mail, especially when I open it and it is a new book to read! Rose snatched this one up before I even had a chance to crack the cover. I was actually intending Beth to read it first, but since Rose was three chapters in before I realized she had it, I changed my plans!

The Big Pig Stampede by Bob Hartman from Tyndale Publishers is a retelling of the life an miracles of Jesus from the perspective of a young boy, Gideon, known as Goat Boy. This new perspective is a great way for kids to relive the biblical accounts of Christ’s life.

Rose loved the humor. Since she read this as part of her school assignment I gave her one or two chapters to read  a day. While I intended for her to take two weeks to finish it, she was done in only one because she kept reading ahead. I certainly don’t mind when my girls get captivated with a book! I often heard her laughing as she read. She would also read me passages that she really enjoyed.

What I appreciated was even though it was from a different perspective, the author remained true to Scriptural and historical facts. I love when they get a new perspective, but not at the expense of Scriptural accuracy. This author is new to me, but I was very pleased with his storytelling because it was accurate as well as captivating.

Rose has already asked me to get the next book which isn’t even published yet! I’m sure this is a series which will remain a household favorite for years to come.

Disclaimer: I received a paperback copy of The Big Pig Sampede from Tyndale Publishers as part of  the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation. 

Week in Review: Ocober 5-9

Grace-Filled Writer
Our weeks are in a nice routine now so that when we do deviate from the “normal” like last week it really isn’t a big deal and feels more like a break. The only frustrating thing for the girls this week was that their year-round school friends from across the street were on break and we kept plugging away. It was nice that their friends didn’t have homework in the afternoon and could play longer! Especially once the rain subsided. We certainly got a “wetting” as Winnie the Pooh would put it! 
Beth – 3rd Grade: Preparing Hearts for His Glory: Unit 4, 2nd half
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Beth has settled into our routine with Preparing much quicker than I anticipated. She seems to take added workload a little more in stride than her older sisters. Perhaps knowing what is coming helps her in that way. The only thing she does not love doing right now is the cursive copy work. We did however manage to get through it this week with minimal sighs and no complaints. This may have been due to the fact that she lost certain screen-time privileges for pulling out her complaints the week prior. 
When it comes to whining and complaining I take the timeless advice of Barney Fife…
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Beth really loves her history projects. I’m doing much, much better this year about making sure they happen but it is easier that she is taking two weeks for each unit. We’ll see if I continue to do this well once we move to full-speed! 
Grace – Kindergarten: Little Hearts for His Glory: Unit 27
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Grace loves studying her Bible verses out of her “real” Bible as she loves to call it. She can read them on her own and seems to feel very grown up as she studies in another room and comes back to recite to me. We talk about what the verses mean, but she needs much less help from me. While it is a little bitter sweet sometimes I love that she, and her sisters, are becoming independent learners. I’m facilitating the process, but they are understanding how to discover and discern for themselves which is really what my purpose is. 
History is so much fun with this little sweetheart. She has such a passion and excitement for life! We spent some time learning about George Washington these last couple of weeks and she is very much anticipating our visit to Washington DC very soon which will include a visit to Mt. Vernon. 
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A couple of years ago we were gifted a set of Handwriting Without Tears. While it isn’t the program I recommend most often (I really like Fundanoodle handwriting!) I can’t complain about free! She does tend to rush a lot when she writes and we are working mostly on taking time to do the best she can. I tell her, and her sisters, quite often that I do not expect perfection, but I do expect their best effort. 
Rose – 5th grade: Creation to Christ: Unit 21
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When we started Write With the Best I was a bit nervous. I kept seeing comments that people did not like it so I was a little nervous. My background as an English teacher tends to make me very, very picky about what kind of Language Arts materials we use. I can say now we absolutely love this program! Here are some of my reasons…
1. Using the model of classic literature
2. Editing practice
3. Focusing on one concept in each lesson
4. Small steps for longer lasting projects
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Rose has also been excited to get back into the Draw and Write Through History books now. She loves these and her art is improving all the time. She usually uses a pencil to draw, then outlines with an erasable pen and colors with sharpie markers. The results have been really beautiful. 
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The girls finish up math and language arts after their science class on Wednesdays. This was one of the first days of sunshine in the south after all that rain! They enjoyed a honey lollipop on the back porch while doing their reading. All three girls are here, but Grace is sitting on a little stool in between the older two lower on the ground. 
Great week for us! How about you! 
If you are an HOD blogger make sure you link up below! 

Week-in-Review: September 28 – October 2

Grace-Filled Writer
This week was a little different from our normal…I feel like I’m writing that all the time! Perhaps I need to realize there really isn’t a “normal” when it comes to homeschooling, or life in general really. The beauty of homeschooling is that when regular life throws us some abnormal along the way we can bend and flex to accommodate with ease.

So what threw us off our normal this week? 
Just a little something we like to call Global Focus Week! 
International workers Raymond and Mary Ebbett joined us for 4 days, sharing about what God is doing in Spain. Twice a year we are blessed to hear about what is happening around the world within our denomination as well as in cooperation with other organizations on behalf of the gospel all around the world. Talk about a wonderful learning opportunity! In addition to hearing all about God’s work, they also brushed up on their geography, a bit of European history, and a few words of Spanish! 
Since we were out late every evening and I know from previous experience that my girls will be super tired and have a harder time focusing. So we kept school focused on Bible and history knowing these are the most fun for them to do. They also completed several chapters in Life of Fred and continued in their books assigned for literature. 
Heart of Dakota is so rich that even only using the history and Bible for the week we still had a full school week. Here are a few highlights…
Grace: Little Hearts for His Glory Unit 26
Grace has started reading some of her history on her own and her sisters also love reading with her. I’m sure this is part of being the littlest learner in the house and her observations of all that has gone on around her for as long as she can remember. She enjoyed learning about George Washington in her readings. 
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This week she also enjoyed using a manipulative called a 100s board with tiles. We have a couple of very good friends who happen to be retired teachers and bless us with some wonderful treasures every now and then. This wonderful gem came with a great book with all sorts of activities for all elementary ages. And it came to us just as Grace began studying the patterns found in the 100s board. 
Beth: Preparing Hearts for His Glory Unit 4 (1st half)
Rose is really enjoying this guide. She especially liked the book Life in the Great Ice Age. Half-pace has been perfect for her just as it was for her older sister. She has really gotten into drawing with Draw and Write Through History. I’ve also been excited that see almost overnight her print has become amazingly neater. She does not prefer cursive, but we are persevering and I hope to see this improving soon as well. 
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Right now Beth is reading Diary of a Real Payne. This Christian fiction enthralled Rose when she read it a couple of years ago and Beth has been giggling her way through as well! I love when my girls recommend books to each other. It’s so fun to see them sharing their joy of reading together. 
Rose: Creation to Christ Unit 21

Rose really loves her studies. Quite often she will work ahead without telling me because she loves what she is learning. We moved this week into the life of Christ. We use a different Bible from Master Books and I really like it even though some of the chapters are missing. When that happens she just reads from the actual text in Scripture. 

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She really enjoyed getting back into Life of Fred this week. We used it consistently last year but had not added it back in since we started back full-schedule yet. I’m so grateful for that series as it helped her love math again!
Don’t forget to check out what else was happening in the Heart of Dakota world in other homes this past week!