It's March! {HSMJ Week 5}

Sunrise at Foxhill in Beremboke, VIC

 In my life this week…

• I've always wanted to write the bible and many years ago when Timothy and Jane were younger I started but I never finished even one book...  There was a family who challenged each of their children to write out the whole bible word for word during their teen years and this really touched my heart. Candace over at His Mercy is New has a challenge this month to write out the book of Philippians along with a FREE printable.  It's been good to slow down with the Word and begin a new tradition.   
• I found a new homeschool Mom on IG (Follow Heather @lifeofahomeschoolmom) who has a photo challenge for the month March that looks like fun.  
• Amy from over at Homeschool Blogging Connection also has an IG challenge for the month of March and three participants will win a $10 amazon gift card!
• Needless to say these three challenges have kept me on my toes this week ...
• On Monday we went up to Foxhill to house-sit for a few days for one Paul's work colleagues. It's always so good to go up there and enjoy the sound of silence.  There is no phone coverage for our network so we are phone-less and without internet while there.  
• I have decided to re-read some of the books I first read when I started home educating years ago before the internet became my main source of information.  I've taken For The Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay off the shelf again.  Let me just say WOW.  There is so much richness I had forgotten.  I have been inspired to write out quotes in a journal which in turn is helping me slow down and bask in the excellent information I have found here.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• Clarissa has an Ultimate List of Homechool Curriculum Reviews.
•  The Colored Pencil Drawing Course
• Jeannie Fulbright has just updated Exploring Creation with Astronomy and Apologia are giving  a set of FREE downloads to us.
  * Sample of the updated textbook
  * Sample of the Junior Notebooking Journal
  * Sample of the Notebooking Journal
  * FREE Astronomy activity e-Book 
• The 2016 Language Arts Virtual Curriculum Fair is up.

"Identify the child's actual needs and capacities, to serve him as he is, on the basis of what is right and good for him as a person." - Susan Schaefer Macaulay. For The Children's Sake Page 14

In our home school this week…

• We finished reading Adam and His Kin this week. 
• And continued reading:
  The Trumpet of the Swan. 
  History of Australia. 
  Usborne Time Traveller
  Little Pilgrim's Progress
  Leading Little Ones to God
  Exploring Creation : With Astronomy
  Story of the World 
• In Favorite Poems of Childhood we read the poem The Walrus and the Carpenter on page 40-43 by Lewis Carroll. It sparked a memory from my childhood watching a Disney movie but I couldn't remember what it is so we looked it up on YouTube.  Oh my we had so much fun watching this clip Walrus and the Carpenter. It brought the poem to life! It also helped Nathaniel understand what the poem was about.
  
  
• We're trying to grow Mushroom with our kit fromFluidgrowers.
• We FINISHED listening to our Audio book: The Fellowship of the Ring Book 1 by J.R.R.TOLKIEN. Read by Rob Inglis
• Began reading In Grandma's Attic again.  Oh my I'd forgotten about the wonderful truth hidden in this biographical tale. 
• We read another Robert E.Wells book this week.  Is a blue Whale the Biggest thing there is? Did you know that it would take you three weeks at ten hours a day to count to a million?

My favourite thing this week was…

• I loved listening Good Good Father over at Counting Pinecones.
•  This is What Happens When Satan Steals Your Motherhood

Things I’m working on…

• A review of the Clever DIY boxes.

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• It's always fun to read Homeschool success stories.  I enjoyed this one this week - Homeschooled Siblings Win TV’s Cupcake Wars
• I read an interesting article about Adult Coloring Books and Mandalas, A Warning For Christians. I do love the beautiful books out there but this is a timely reminder to choose carefully before we purchase and colour.
•  

 I’m cooking…

• I'm trying this one out - Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce 
• No-Cook Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding 

Blessings
Chareen

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Week 3 & 4 {HSMJ}

In my life this week…
Wow those two weeks sped by a lot faster than I expected.  Why is it life seems to zoom past when you get older ?  I've always enjoyed the idea of writing out scripture and have done so a few times in the past.  This month over at His Mercy is New Candace is inviting us to write out Philippians in the month of March.  She has a FREE printable (you can download it without subscribing) to help keep you on track. She has a page full of links to FREE monthly calendars and printables to pray God's Word.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• 9 Features of a Charlotte Mason Education by Michelle.
• I love book lists and rediscovered this one by Jimmie Ultimate List of Living Books Based Curriculum
• Geography is one of those subjects that is rather difficult to find good books on. Wonderful Charlotte Mason style geography books available free online
• Have you seen this ? Music Education for Everyone with Hoffman Academy  
• Are you studying the oceans or microscopes ?  Check these pictures:  A Single Drop of Seawater, Magnified 25 Times
• 10 FREE Online Homeschool Resources 
• Discovered a new history resource this week.  Have you heard of Realm of History?  Check out this one: Animation showcases the Pompeii disaster with accurate 3D rendering of the events
• Here is another interesting history resource: HistoriCool
• Stanford professor urges teachers to rethink math instruction 

In our home school this week…

• We are continuing with recorder lessons and am pleased to say we will be graduating to book two soon.
• We've continued making wonderful things from Clever DIY. This week he made three key-rings with the contents from their January box - My Room.
• We're looking forward to growing mushrooms with our mushroom mini farm.
• This week we continued reading:
  Ten Boys Who Didn't Give In
  The Trumpet of the Swan. 
  History of Australia. 
  Usborne Time Traveller
  Little Pilgrim's Progress
  Leading Little Ones to God
  Favorite Poems of Childhood.
  Exploring Creation : With Astronomy
  Story of the World 
• We continued listening to our Audio book: The Fellowship of the Ring Book 1 by J.R.R.TOLKIEN. Read by Rob Inglis
• We watched Titanic 100 years in 3D and The Great Pyramid from Ancient Megastructures.
• For fun we read What's Smaller than a Pygmy Shrew and How do you lift a lion ?  These two books are a fun way to introduce microscope biology and physics.
• In science we started reading What's Under the Sea? 
• We have nearly finished reading Adam and His Kin and I'm so pleased that I added this to our list of books to read out loud together.
• We watched a short episode on Venus on Toons TV: The Rocket Science Show and presented by Jim Green (Planetary Science Division Director NASA. )
• For art this week we commenced a See the Light project with Pat Knepley.  We did lesson one of Repeated Sweets.

My favourite thing this week was…

• Reading this beautiful article about how an actor felt about the audience's response to an autistic child's panic during his performance.  My faith in humanity is restored :) Broadway Star has a message to the Austistic Child Screaming at His Show - and it's AWESOME
• I loved seeing this beautiful wedding dress and even more that she made it so she can wear it after her wedding  Woman Spends 5 Months Crocheting A Wedding Dress On The Bus. Here are some photo's from her wedding

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• American College of Pediatricians Sounds Alarm About HPV Vaccine (Gardasil)
• The Teen Brain: It's Just Not Grown Up Yet
• 10 Things You Should Know About Aspies  
• I found this article interesting.  A lot of natural good advice for anyone even if they do not have bi-polar. ( How I'm Helping My Kids' Bipolar Disorder Naturally)
• I love this beautiful article about how a cat became a child's therapy animal and is helping her to live a 'normal' life How This Cat Helps A Little Girl With Autism Live Her Life To The Fullest
• Scientists Discover Children’s Cells Living in Mothers’ Brains Turns out mom's are connected to their children more literally than we originally thought.  
• I love encouraging feel good stories and it's even better when I see young people helping others like this Tim Tebow hosts ‘Night to Shine’ prom for tens of thousands of special needs kids (PHOTOS)

Blessings
Chareen

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Week 2 {HSMJ}

A photo posted by Chareen (@chareenr) on Feb 9, 2016 at 7:18pm PST

 In my life this week…
It felt really great to be blogging again and journaling my school week. I was so pleased to read this article Is the ANZAC Spirit Dead? by Sydney Criminal Lawyers. Our family has been personally impacted by this very thing.  It saddens me deeply that this is the case in Australia.  There is NO ANZAC Spirit at all.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• Art Matters for Education and the New Workplace
• Stanford professor urges teachers to rethink math instruction 
• Morning Basket – Term 2 Plans, Tools, and Printables to Share 
• Notebooking and Classical Conversations 

In our home school this week…

• I think that pets are a vital part of a healthy childhood.  Although as I get older I find I do not have the energy to keep up with keeping pets like cats, dogs and birds.  I do however have a love for hermit crabs.  I think they are the cutest things ever!  Last weekend Paul purchased me a Krabooz and this week I was blessed with some new hermit crabs.   They seem to be happy and Paul has managed to video one of them exchanging his home for a new one!
•  Nathaniel and I watched the documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey which has sparked the interest in all things puppet around here.  I managed to find a reasonably priced Bert puppet as a surprise for Nathaniel and he has been enjoying creating some home movies with him.
• This week we continued reading:
  Ten Boys Who Didn't Give In
  The Trumpet of the Swan. 
  History of Australia. 
  Usborne Time Traveller 
• We continued listening to our Audio book: The Fellowship of the Ring Book 1 by J.R.R.TOLKIEN. Read by Rob Inglis
• Nathaniel finished  reading Tuts Mummy: Lost- and Found and was inspired to build Tut's tomb on Minecraft today. 
• We added Little Pilgrim's Progress and Leading Little Ones to God to our read aloud pile. The title of the latter book is rather deceiving as this book is so much deeper than it's title.   
• I also added in daily poetry reading.  I've blown the dust off of  Favorite Poems of Childhood.  I loved reading this book to Timothy and Jane and am enjoying introducing them once again to Nathaniel.  It's rather interesting hearing a child with ASD's perspective on poetry ...
• Our family movie was Inside Out and All Creatures Big and Small this week.
• We also printed out some Valentine's hearts with scriptures on them about the characteristics of God's love from Kim Sorgius.
• On a scientific front we enjoyed watching Sharks 3d and Ocean Wonderland 3D
• We recommenced recorder lessons and continued with our art drawing lessons.

 Things I’m working on…

• I feel so blessed.  This week Wren from FinchnWren blessed me with a blog award: Sisterhood of the World Bloggers. 

My Faith

• I really like the look of Sally & Sarah Clarkson's new book: The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming. Sally and Sarah are hosting a book club working their way through the book over at Sally Clarkson.
• Have you heard of Verse-Mapping ?  This looks interesting -  Verse-Mapping 101: Steps to Study the Bible Like Never Before

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• I was a little shocked (and at the same time not shocked) after reading about the outworking of the Safe Schools Coalition program being implemented here in Victoria.  "14-year-old son was told he could wear a dress to school and that male-born students who identified as female could use the girls’ change rooms and toilets."
  **Safe Schools Coalition** "It’s being presented as an anti-bullying program but the education department said it’s a sexual diversity program."
  ** Are you aware of this policy ?
  ** Did you know it is law and schools have to comply with it by 2018?
  Are your non-homeschooling friends aware of this policy ? Read more about it here: Mother pulls children from Frankston High School over transgender awareness rules
•  It's been a while since I've visited Erin at Seven Little Australians.  It's been fun chatching up on what their family have been up to.  I enjoyed her post on Reading to Teens and catching up on their new roof and continued extension journey to their home.
• Meet the world’s leading expert on why kids build forts. What he’s learned is both fascinating and inspiring. 

 I’m cooking…

• 5-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

It amazes me how many younger people are starting to realize that social media is not true social interaction. Prince Ea has put up a video on YouTube with a gentle reminder: Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?


Blessings
Chareen

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Begining of the New School Year {HSMJ}

 In my life this week…
I didn't realise how much I had missed reading out loud to Nathaniel over the last month.  This week we eased back into home educating and next week will be our first full week back for 2016.
This week was filled with excursions and the Not Back to School Party on Friday.  It's so much fun to build this new tradition with new friends and old alike.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• How Do I Homeschool When My Days Are Crazy? 
• Have you seen Here to Help Learning ?  If not I highly recommend you pop on over and take a look.  I'm super impressed. 
• Archaeologists Dig Up An 800-Year-Old Native American Pot. What They Found Inside Is Changing History.
• Here’s Why Writing Things Out By Hand Makes You Smarter 
• How to Teach Students Note Taking Skills
• 30 iPad apps for stuendts with special needs 
• I'm loving my new membership over at Homeschool Copywork.  Amy has the most amazing downloads

In our home school this week…

• We finished watching What's in the Bible? with Buck Denver this week.  I've been a Christian for forty plus years and I learned so very much watching this series with Nathaniel.  I highly recommend it to you.  If you have a Schoolhouse Teachers membership you can stream these via Right Now Media.
• Nathaniel explored many areas of science at Science Works on Monday. Our favourite was the Lightening Room Show.
• We watched Starlight at Science Works
• Commenced Australian History studies by reading: History of Australia
• Our two read alouds are: Ten Boys Who Didn't Give In and The Trumpet of the Swan. 
• Nathaniel made a Wooden Pen Holder from Clever DIY
• We continued our Orphs of the Woodlands story online. 
• We watched London's Lost Cities from Cities of the Underworld: Complete Season One. We were amazed at what lies beneath London in the United Kingdom.
• Nathaniel is reading Tuts Mummy: Lost- and Found to me and I'm reading the chapter on Ancient Egypt in the Usborne Time Traveller to him.
• Paul taught some life skills after our tire got a puncture and had to be repaired.
• For family movie nights we watched:  Night at the Museum 2 and All Creatures Big and Small.
• Our Audio book is: The Fellowship of the Ring Book 1 by J.R.R.TOLKIEN. Read by Rob Inglis. This is so beautifully read and well worth seeing if your local library has it.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

• Monday launched our 2016 year with a Field Trip to Science Works.  We really enjoyed going to the Lighting Show.  
• Boys Brigade commenced for 2016 on Tuesday evening.  
• Thursday marked the beginning of our drawing and art class for the year.  Paul made seed pod swans with the children based on an art project he did when he was in primary school.
• Thursday evenings we are attending swimming lessons.
• Friday was the Not Back to School Party which H.E.N organised.  Wonderful day out for the family.

My favourite thing this week was…

• I loved reading this “Mama & Me” Journal In fact I still have the booklet that my daughter and I used to write to each other in. It's a very precious keep sake.

 Things I’m working on…

• Reviving my blog.  This little space of mine has been left unattended and loved upon for too long and I've missed it greatly.
• Valentines Day letter exchange.

My Faith

• I've loved the books I've read by Paul Tripp.  This article was interesting Change The Way You Pray
• One of my favourite biblical woman to follow online is Courtney from Women Living Well. It's been a while. This is such a timely message to us Never Lose Your Hope in God 
• Have you seen this ? Read Through the Bible With Us 
•  Incredible Proof for Why You Should Have Faith in the Bible

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• I rather enjoyed reading this GP's perspective.  It was good to be reminded that I am the parent and not my child.  Parents: You’re not doing your job. Sincerely, expert and author Leonard Sax
• This article was so refreshing to read.  I wholeheartedly disagree and am saddened by the fact that this shop owner was attacked and his attacker got away with it.  This article was refreshing because it's so good to hear someone calling a spade a spade for a change Something Rotten in the Town of Terrigal 
• I enjoyed this article.  I think that too many of the commenters got hung up on the details rather than the heart of the message to married couples.  What do you think ? She Divorced Me Because I Left Dishes by the Sink 
• If you're a photographer this is an interesting article 8 Free Places to Promote Your Photography Business Online  
• I'm always astonished and encouraged by the honesty of people.  Sarah Mae - My Abortion
• On one hand I am really touched by this mothers response but on the other I'm not so sure at all This Mother's Reaction to Her Son's Fit of Anger Can Teach Us All a Lesson in Parenting  
• Here is an interesting letter from a High School student to his school life: Dear School, It’s Not Me, It’s You
• Wow Autism was first diagnosed in 1938 Donald Grey Triplett: The first boy diagnosed as autistic

 I’m cooking…

• This weekend I would like to try out this recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Onion, and Garlic
• I really enjoy eating Snickers bars so I think I shall try out this shake: Snickers Protein Shake
• I was inspired by Homemade Cashew Milk that I decided to make my own Almond Milk.  I was surprised at how easy this is to do.

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

I'm so very proud of my sister. She is currently training to participate in the Melbourne Weekend to End Women's Cancer. She's in need of some sponsorship (she needs to raise $2,000 in order to participate in the walk). If you are able please will you pop on over and sponsor her ? Her Participant ID is: 131063-0 IF you are in Australia you will receive a tax deduction receipt for your donation. Much appreciated :)
Blessings
Chareen

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First Homeschool Mothers Journal for 2016

 In my life this week…

• It's a new year and new beginnings.  I get so frustrated with resolutions because I'm not real good about following them through.  
• I've joined four other wonderful women and helping to co-run the Schoolhouse Review Crew which has been a steep learning curve.  Meet these ladies by clicking on their buttons below. This year the crew have nearly 200 homeschool bloggers for you to meet.  There are 60 new ones for you to meet over at:  Meet a Homeschool blogger

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• 15 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Mess With A Homeschool Mom 
• I think I would like to include some pastel art in our home school in the year ahead and this looks interesting 100+ Free Art Lessons for All Ages
• Have you seen these ?  IQube - The Ultimate Toy for Learning Electronics
• With it being the beginning of the year I've been looking at different journaling methods have you seen this: How to Bullet Journal: The Absolute Ultimate Guide   

In our home school this week…

• We're in planning mode for 2016

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

• This week has been both busy and quiet.  Busy because I have a number of 20 something olds visiting.  One from New Zealand, one from across town and my daughter is home on holiday from the UK.

My favourite thing this week was…

• This is an interesting read: 8 reasons you should bail on your Bible app and get back to your hardcopy
• Oh I loved reading this perspective “You’re Hurting Her!” A Story of Consent in the Santa Line What do you think ?  

 Things I’m working on…

• decluttering and cleaning and surviving 42'c days in Melbourne.
• Scheduling my days to include time for my new adventure with the Schoolhouse Review Crew.

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• Marriage Harmony
• I loved seeing the photo's in this schoolbus transformation in a perfect world I wouldn't mind having one of these and touring Australia with Paul taking photographs and showing the world what a wonderful place we live in.  I can always dream can't I ?  
• I blamed my wife for our messy house, I was wrong for many reasons I enjoyed his perspective ...
• Incredible Proof for Why You Should Have Faith in the Bible
•  The Bible is True: Ancient Scripture In Odd Places

 I’m cooking…

• No idea. I have plans to Menu plan for next week.  I will let you know how that goes.
• January Printable THM Menu
• I am looking forward to trying this out:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars (Sugar-Free, Grain-Free, Low-Carb)
• This THM board is very appealing: Trim Healthy Mama Desserts 
• I am also really keen to try this new recipe by Briana Thomas  Chocolate Truffle Fudge

Blessings
Chareen

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