HSMJ - Like thieving quilters we steal ...

In my life this week…

 I have had so much fun using the rafflecopter to draw and announce the winners of my blog birthday giveaway.
Visiting homeschool friends and planning a birthday dinner later this month, and realising that it's only four months till we drive with my parents on an adventure to far north Queensland to see the TOTAL solar eclipse in November.
Exploring the resources available on Pinterest and discovering some great YouTube clips for a unit study on the Olympic Games.

In our homeschool this week…

• We continued with ABeka maths.
• Continued studying the life of plants and watched episode on Traveling on The Private Life of Plants.
• Finished reading Long Walk to Freedom (children's version) in our South Africa Studies. I grew up in South Africa and still learned a lot from this book.  I have the original and am inspired to now read it.
• We continued reading The Story of the Olympics.
• Sir N is making good progress on reading book one in the I Can Read It! series.
• We explored the Zoo at Night.
• Went to the State Library of Victoria where we had a look at two exhibitions: Mirror of the World and The changing face of Victoria.

Top L - built a lego Sea Shepherd  R - Colouring the South African Flag
Bottom L - Night Zoo  R - Expedition Earth Passport

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• 10 pieces of advice you would give to a new homeschooler Blog Hop over at Many Little Blessings.
• Deborah over at the Paper Maid has a new blog roll for you to link up with.

I am inspired by…

• Loving the Mothers we are.  This is a must read for every homeschool mom you know.  I think I need to read this once a month !  Short sweet to the point and deeply impacting.  Here is a snippet:
  
  One of the hardest jobs we face is learning to appreciate the mothers we are. Like thieving quilters we steal bits of other mothers, from dreams, books and playground conversations, and stitch them together into an ideal mother. We hold it up to the light and admire its colours and patterns and despair that we will ever match its splendor....
  
  do pop on over and take a moment to finish reading this over at Handmade Homeschool. I have struggled in this area for years. My goal this year is to be true to myself.

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

• On Saturday we went to see Peter Rabbit's Birthday at the Clock Tower.
• Wednesday we visited with some friends for a play date.
• Thursday we joined another family to visit the State Library of Victoria. We had a great time exploring this beautiful old building.
• We also went to Werribee Open Range Zoo to explore the Zoo after dark.

My favorite thing this week was…

• Having some of my thoughts on blogging confirmed when I read Guidelines for Blogging by Keenpin' it Real. I feel so encouraged when I see the Lord answering my questions through others.
• Looking through my Sonlight Catalog and deciding what we need to purchase to upgrade my Sonlight Core B 

What’s working/not working for us…

• 
  

Questions/thoughts I have…

• I am looking for bloggers who homeschool and have an "only" child.  With Sir N being ten years younger than his siblings I feel like I am on this steep learning curve and looking for some support.

Things I’m working on…

• Finding balance and catching up on my One Year Through the Word.
• A blog post on resources to do a unit study on the Olympic games.

I’m reading…

• What I don't show you (and why I blog carefully) over at Small World at Home.  Great article on the ethics of what you blog about.
• The Silence of Older Homeschool Moms over at  Take Up and Read.  An encouraging post on blogging about home schooling high schoolers.
• Parenting Boys: What Boys Need From Moms Really encouraging read for us Mom's who are home all the time with our boys.   
• Rules for Blogging Like a Good Girl over at Apron Strings and Apple Trees.  (Pssst confession time I struggle with this too ....)

I’m cooking…

• Gluten Free bread. 

On Pinterest I found...

• Teaching Blog Addict.  Wow what a great set of boards.  If numbers are anything to judge a board by they have those with 6685 followers. They have 64 Boards and 2380 Pins. The boards are set up by Grade and subject.
• Sara Hart  has 71 boards and 10 430 pins for you to have a look at.
• Penny * Arnold has 156 Boards and 6860 Pins.

I’m grateful for…

• The extra hours my husband has been given at work this week. Our car needed a service and now we have a little in the bank to take it in.

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

"If you are in a "lonely place" its because God is calling you to "The secret place". Its a place away from the praise band, choir, noise, and the view of man. Its the place God calls all of humanity, though very few find it...Intimate Fellowship.."  - Deborah's status on Facebook.

Wow what a week !  My favourite part of this journal is linking up and reading what my new bloggy friends are all up to.  Don't forget to pop on over and check out, support and encourage others on this journey.

Blessings

This post is linking to:
Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
iHomeschool Network
Collage Friday

Cranky Old Man ....

Cranky Old Man.....
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Source:  Facebook  Shared with permission.
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne .. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.  

UPDATED: 25 JULY 2012

Dear Adam

I apologise for using a picture of your grandfather and daughter on this post.  When I originally received it there was a note attached: Permission to share.  As you requested in your comment I have removed it. I would like to thank you for blogging about this beautiful picture it is a really precious family moment, one to definately treasure as well as for taking the time to let me know that the person who "shared  it with permission" had not done so in all honesty.

May your memories continue to be a blessing to you and your family.

Chareen.  

And the winners are ....

Thank you so much to every one who partook in my blog birthday giveaway. I had so much fun meeting you all and playing with the Rafflecopter!

And the Winners are:

The winner of Just Plain Nora
written by Jenn from Little Homeschool on the Prairie
is Lisa.

The winners of Jimmies 2 eBooks are: 

Catherine from Serenades and Solace and Rachel M an avid blog follower.

The winner from Deborah TpT Store over at The Paper Maid 

is Elizabeth from Mrs. Polston's Kindergarten.

a Rafflecopter giveaway