Four Suns and Four Faces {Virtual Fridge}

This Week
We've been working our way through more ArtAchieve lessons.  Today's lesson is from Level 1 lesson 10 Four Suns with Four Faces.

Top - Ethan **** Bottom - Nathaniel

Top - Laura *** Bottom - Mine

Are you on INSTAGRAM ?  You can now use your IG account to link up an show us your art adventures.


This weeks Feature

This weeks feature is a tutorial from over at ABC's and Sweet Tea: Easy Fall Craft with Edyn.
Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.

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Blessings
Chareen

Connect with me

 

Your hosts are

Add YOUR LINKS from your BLOG or INSTAGRAM

Please NOTE by adding your links to the Virtual Fridge link up YOU are giving the hosts of the Virtual Fridge link up permission to use a photograph from your blog to feature 

your ART along with a link to your art/tutorial.

An InLinkz Link-up

Lissy's Frozen Chocolate Delight {THM S}

This morning I awoke to beautiful spring skies! I'm looking forward to warmer weather and frozen treats! I've been especially keen to make a treat which I saw on a friends Facebook time line. Lissy is an inspirational cook (keep those ideas and photo's coming!) and I've been admiring this recipe all winter long! I messaged her over the weekend and she has given me the freedom to share this recipe with you. If you are on a low carb' diet or following the Trim Healthy Mama plan (this falls in the S food category) then this will be on plan for you.

Lissy's Frozen Chocolate Delight

Ingredients

• 3.5 oz (100 grams) 85 % cocoa dark chocolate
• Half pint (240 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream.

Optional

• 1 Tblsp (15 ml) Gelatin (optional)
• Gentle Sweet

Method

• Take your favorite chocolate (if you're doing THM do 85% dark or an on-plan chocolate like Lillie's) put it in a bowl broken into very small pieces. 
• Bring a half pint of heavy whipping cream (or any other milk-like product: almond milk, cocoanut milk, half n half, etc) to the point of scalding (but not boiling). 
• Pour over chocolate, and let it sit WITHOUT siring for a few minutes, then gently mix until well incorporated (you're basically making a form of chocolate ganache). 
• Put into popsicle molds and freeze!

Extra tips

•  Add a table spoon or two of gelatin for an even fudgier consistency. 
•  If you're doing THM, add a little Gentle Sweet for added sweetness.

SUPER EASY! This is an "S" treat on THM. Enjoy!

Pin this recipe

My blender is making a reappearance

Over the past couple of years I've been trying to regain my health and part of that journey is learning about eating healthy real food. It's spring down under and I decided to get on the scales to see what my weight currently is.  My daughter has been home for her 21st birthday celebrations, it's been cold, oh the excuses go on and on, but the heart of the matter is I have not been following my healthy eating plan and have been feeling worse for wear. The experience has made me realise that in order to regain my health as well as a healthy weight I need to get better at choosing to eat well.

With the weather warming I'm looking forward to adding healthy Trim Healthy Mama smoothies and fat stripping frappe's into my daily routine.  I think my blender will be getting a really good workout this spring and summer.  Can you recommend your favourites for me to try ?

 In hind sight I wish I had tried to make some more soups and healthy warm sippers using my blender over winter. This is a lesson well learned after getting on the scales and seeing what my over indulgence over winter has done to my weight and general well being.

I have tried all types of blenders and a fair few of them have ended up in the trash!  Experience has taught me that it is worth saving up and purchasing a quality blender if you want a trouble free experience making healthy smoothies and  smooth soups without fuss and which are easy to clean and use.   My friend Amy at Encouraging Moms at Home is giving away this sweet Nutri Ninja Blender  to celebrate the launch of her Ten Day Smoothie Challenge. To enter the giveaway, you will need to go to her  Smoothie Challenge post and leave a comment and then follow the Raffelcopter link to register your entry.

There are several other ways to enter, following me on instagram, following Encouraging Moms at Home, and bonus entries for referring up to ten friends!

You must be 18 years old or older and live in the United States to enter this giveaway
. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Painted Wooden Dinosaur {Virtual Fridge}

This Week

There's been much excitement this past week as Jane is home from the UK to enjoy a visit with us :)  It's been so much fun having her sunny personality at home.  She gifted this cute wooden dinosaur to Nathaniel and spent this morning painting it with him. 

This weeks Feature

This weeks feature is a Washi Tape Votive Holders tutorial from over at Our Unschooling Journey Through Life.
Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.

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Blessings
Chareen

Connect with me

 

Your hosts are

Add YOUR LINKS from your BLOG or INSTAGRAM

Please NOTE by adding your links to the Virtual Fridge link up YOU are giving the hosts of the Virtual Fridge link up permission to use a photograph from your blog to feature 

your ART along with a link to your art/tutorial.

An InLinkz Link-up

Traditions and your family ...

Creating family memories and traditions is something that is very close to my heart and has been for many many years.  Traditions within your family is the cement, the foundation and the core of your family identity.  It's the anchor that helps your children know who their family is and keeps their hearts alive with joy and anticipation.  It's the activity they remember as adults when they reflect on when they think back on their growing up years.

Traditions can be created on purpose or evolve over time, they create our family identity and teach our children something of the reality of God in our lives.  Special moments don’t just happen they are planned on purpose.  Consider creating links between generations so that our children understand the heritage that is theirs.

What does the bible say?
I got to thinking about why would we have traditions and realised that the Lord Himself would create memorials when ever He did something for the Israelites.  Traditions help the Jewish people KNOW who they are.  It defines them as a culture!

Jesus himself told the disciples "Do this in remembrance of me ..."

Psalm 77: 11—12
I will remember the deeds of the Lord,
I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works,
and consider all your mighty deeds.

Define Tradition

• a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time
• a long-established custom
• the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation
• an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior
• cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions

Dr. Dobson says:‘The great value of traditions comes as they give a family a sense of identity, ‘belongingness’. All of us desperately need to feel that we’re not just a cluster of people living together in a house, but we’re a family that’s conscious of its uniqueness, its personality, character and heritage, and that our special relationships of love and companionship make us a unit with identity and personality.’ 

Pondering the words above I realised that as a family our morning cup of tea together is something we've always done.  It's a natural part of our identity.  It's not something we have to work at or something that is forced.  It's something we do because we love doing it together.

A few years ago I attended a workshop with Diana Waring and she shared the story of how her family found their own family tradition. I was particularly struck with her sharing how she was trying to do all this stuff with her family because it was what "everyone else" was doing and she felt she was not a good mom if they weren't doing it.  She came to realise they were doing stuff just for the sake of doing stuff and no one in the family was enjoying it. One day she realised what their family enjoyed doing over the holiday season was their own personal family tradition and it took no effort to do because everyone wanted to do it.

Frequency of Traditions

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Yearly 
• Holiday Specific
• Life change/milestone traditions
• Graduation traditions
• Birthday traditions
• Milestone traditions
• Wedding traditions
• Seasonal traditions
• New Year traditions
• Farewell traditions.

Some ideas to cultivate as a traditions

• Read a book aloud together Every Day.
• Not Back to School Party This is one that surprised me. We never set out to make it a tradition but it's one Nathaniel and his friends ask about every year.
• Celebrating Advent
• Christmas Traditions This is one I'm particularly passionate about!
• Enjoying a cup of tea together as a family before beginning your day.
• Weekly family movie night
• Favourite weekly family meal on a certain day of the week (Our family meals was macaroni and cheese and to this day it's the meal my siblings want when we get together with a particular pudding!)
• Holding hands when we pray a blessing on the meal.
• Board games night
• Attending certain annual events (for us this is Night Zoo, Christmas in Melbourne and Winter Fireworks in Docklands) 
• Eating a particular treat over the holidays which is ONLY eaten then.  We have a waffer biscuit we all enjoy and I only purchase them for eating during Advent.
• Going out once a month for a special treat (ice cream, donuts, lunch etc)
• Taking a picnic basket with a pre-packed flask on field trips.

Now a tradition is not a rut. A rut is doing the same things year after year because you don't have enough imagination to do anything new. A tradition is something you do once and discover a joy so deep that you do it again, Christmas after Christmas, to keep on savoring it and make it last -  Franklin Saunders (page 23 At Home in Dogwood Mudhole )

Further Reading on the WWW

•  The Family Traditions “Master List”
• 60+ Family Tradition Ideas  over at The Art of Manliness
• Creating a Positive Family Culture: The Importance of Establishing Family Traditions
• Why Family Traditions Matter (Plus 15+ Ideas To Get You Started) 

“Celebrations are the ritualized interruptions in the continuum of daily life which remind us who we are, where we came from and where we are going.” -Milo Shannon-Thornberry

For more information on Traditions the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.

Homeschool & Home Management

Home management and house cleaning along with homeschooling full time in the mix is certainly not my strength...  A google search will soon reveal many many fabulous ideas on how to perfect the art.  So today I will not be sharing any miracle method or technique to be successful in perfecting these two things and keeping them in balance.

Keeping it real:  Mount Washmore is my never ending nemesis.  Mount Ironmore ... say no more. Dishes in the sink, lets just say I'm so grateful I have an electric maid (aka dishwasher) who washes the pile of dishes I create in feeding my family every single day.   Since this is not my area of expertise I will leave it to my Crew mates to encourage and equip you.

I have learned that the key to making house cleaning more attainable is having an organized home / home school area and finding your rhythm and what works for you during your particular season of life. What works well for one person might not work for you so experiment and try new things until you come to a place of contentment.


Further Reading on my blog

• House Cleaning and Home School ? Here I share my experience of the seasons of life and how they affect our ability to manage our homes well. 
•  Schooling in the Kitchen
• Homeschooling and Cooking a Healthy Adventure  

Recommended Resources 

•  Motivated Moms is a fabulous resource.  In here you will find a small list of daily things to do which in turn keep your home clean and tidy.  I found using this means that I don't have another thing to figure out it's already done for me.  It's a 15 minute list of things to do.
• The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight  
• Home Management, cleaning & Maintenance Tips over at The Happy Housewife. 
• 31 Days to Clean Challenge
• 34 Weeks of Clean 

Pinterest

• Chores
• For the Home
• For the home - Cleaning
• Homeschool Organisation
• Mother Culture
• General Organization

For more information on Home Management the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.

What about Homeschool Planning?

Thinking back to when I was researching home educating one of my biggest concerns was how will I know how much to do and when to do it ?  I was petrified I would not do enough and as it turned out I was doing far too much and overwhelming my six and four year olds. Homeschool planning is as individual as homeschool families.  There is no one perfect way to do it. Today the Schoolhouse Review Crew are sharing their insights on homeschool planning.

To give you a little perspective on my approach to planning I would like to share a little background about our homeschool journey. Years ago when I was looking into Curriculum options there were a few available with planning sections semi-done for you.  One of my personal passions is literature and after months of prayer and searching we settled on using Sonlight Curriculum for our first year of home educating.   Two things swayed me towards using Sonlight.  The first was the wonderful literature which is the core of the program and the second was their instructor's guides!  It took all the stress of wondering what to do out of my day.  It was like having a veteran coach sitting with me and telling me exactly what to do next and how.  It was  my record book and activity guide all in one.  It set the pace and gave me samples of what to expect and equipped me the parent with all the information I needed.    We homeschooled for a few years using that then tried a few other options but to be honest the guidance I received from those guides has been my saving grace on more than one occasion and they still influence how I do things now 19 years later.

We have used many different types of home schooling over the last nearly two decades and at present we are pursuing a delight directed approach mixed with Charlotte Mason Philosphy/approach. I've become an eclectic homeschooler and do not follow a written plan. I do each day what we know and follow the same rhythm we have for the last few years.  We home educate year round and role onto the next thing on the list when we finish the thing we are currently on.

Things to consider

• Find a planner that suits you. Some of us are natural planners and it's easy and for others its a journey of self discovery.  This is normal. There are a number of options from paper planners to digital support and planning. 
• Research your local laws pertaining to homeschooling as this will influence how much detail you will need in your planning.
• Your plan is your SERVANT.  It's there to serve you and help you homeschool your children successfully.  It should never be your task master.  
• Decided what you need to do daily and set the list aside.  
• Start SLOWLY!  Do one thing and then gradually add in one more thing until you have it all happening the way you want. I highly recommend Successful Homeschooling Made Easy eCourse to help you on your journey. 
• Do NOT add in anything just because another family is doing it.  Remember to remain TRUE to yourself and who you and your family are. This is my number ONE RULE.  It's the true secret to freedom in your homeschool. 
• Do not be afraid.  Fear will rob you of the joy of the wonderful years of home educating and enjoying your children fully as they grow. 
• Schedule time out in your daily plan. 
• Make regular time for Mother Culture in order to prevent burn out.

A word from my *Daughter Jane on Planning to Homeschool.

Take a deep breath and rest easy in the knowledge you are about to embark on one of the greatest journeys of your life.

Some days it's okay to just remember to take it at your own pace and to have patience with yourself. Often when you are weary, we are too. It's okay to take a day off to have a picnic.

Being home-schooled was one of the greatest blessings my mom has ever given me, and I am thankful every day. It enabled me to pursue the subjects that I was passionate about and helped me to work at my own pace.

I do believe you need to be willing to compromise and shape your curriculum to work around your family structure.

Make sure you remember to have fun, and it's okay to change things up!

Here on the blog
Over the years I have shared my thoughts on a number of different aspects of homeschool planning. Here are some of the posts I would encourage you to read: 

• What about daily Schedules ?
• Field Trips.  How important are they? 
• What about Dad's role in our homeschool ? 
• Our Rhythm and why we homeschool year round ...
• Planning to Homeschool through the High School Years 
• Be True To Yourself - Unlocking FREEDOM 
• Co-Op…or Not? Why? or Why Not?
• How Important is Alone Time and Home Schooling ?  
•  Some thoughts on Mother Culture 
•  Mother Culture - Time Out {Homeschooling Essentials}

"Every lesson must have its own time, and no other time in this world is there for it. The sense of the preciousness of time, of the irreparable loss when a ten minutes' lesson is thrown away must be brought home." - Charlotte Mason Companion page 93

Recommended Resources

• You can read about our home school journey and the books that influenced our choices and styles.
• My top FOUR books for Homeschool Parents
• The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight  
• Successful Homeschooling Made Easy Course
• Homeschool - Daily Schedule by Mary Lou
• Sample Schedules on Simply Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason advised the teacher to replenish her soul with a continual supply of ideas. ...stimulates your educational thought in many directions and keeps you from drifting into mere routine... Do not think this is a selfish thing to do, because the advantage does not end with yourself."

 On Pinterest

• Homeschool Planning Know How 
• Homeschool Planners & Record Keeping Resources
• Homeschool Organization
• Delight Directed Learning 
• Charlotte Mason 

For more information on planning and home educating the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.
 

Help! What is Homeschool Curriculum?

 Curriculum a subject that has become as wide as the oceans and can be a rather daunting tide to wade through when you're starting out. I was fortunate enough to begin home educating back in day when online hadn't even been invented yet and all my information was found through visiting friends.  I spent months visiting many patient and gracious home educating families to see what they did, how they did what they did and asking many many questions.  After months of searching my husband asked in desperation "What ARE we going to use?" because I would come home every week with something new and say "This is definitely the one!"

Through this experience I began a love affair with homeschool curriculum which lead to me joining the Schoolhouse Review Crew in 2013 as a homeschool Curriculum Reviewer. I enjoyed my first year looking over curriculum so much I reapplied and did a few more years on the crew as a reviewer (2014, 2015) This year I've been working for the Crew helping with their blog and done a few reviews on my blog of products I'm passionate about.


Whether you are new to home educating, looking into possibly homeschooling your children or a veteran homeschooler the word curriculum is one you will often hear.

What is Curriculum?

• noun: curriculum; plural noun: curricula; plural noun: curriculums
• the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. "course components of the school curriculum" synonyms: syllabus, course of study/studies, programme of study/studies, educational programme, subjects, modules

Do I need a Curriculum to home educate?
NO!   In essence many curriculums out there are what someone else has created to meet a need within their own homeschool.  Other parents have liked what they see and asked to copy it and from this a new curriculum is birthed.   The rule of thumb for EVERY home educator to remember is: Curriculum can become a your best friend or your dreaded task master.  Curriculum needs to serve YOU.  Not you the curriculum.

How do I find the RIGHT curriculum?
When it comes to it you need to consider a few things which come with experience and you need to ask yourself a few questions before you begin.

1. What are the country/state legal requirements for me to home educate my children. In some countries this will determine the type of curriculum you may need to use.
2. IF you are bringing your children from traditional school to home take some time to detox school from your system, build new routines and get to know your students.  Find out where they are at and build a relationship with them. Find your own personal rhythm. This will go a long way in helping you determine what will work for your family. In homeschooling we educate according to where our child is at in each subject area.  In other words my 5th grade student may be doing third grade math, seventh grade spelling and fifth grade history. 
3. Choose something that you will enjoy doing.  As the saying goes "If Mama aint happy no one is going to be happy"
4. Remember Curriculum is NOT set in stone.  Use what you've chosen for four months.  Write down what you like and what you don't and then let that guide your choice for a new path.

HELP! I'm overwhelmed with where to start...

1. Ignore Google, go and buy an ice cream and relax.
2. Go to the library find a couple of twaddle free books (here is a list of our 6 favourites) and Read Aloud Together Everyday. (You can find a list of my book list resources here.)
3. Become equipped: Know What YOU think and Why.
4. Request a couple of curriculum catalogs: Sonlight, Rainbow Resources and Christian Book Depository. Take some time to read them become acquainted with what you like and the terminology.
5. Set a budget and then purchase what you need.  This can be from numerous sources OR you can buy a complete curriculum in a box.  IF you have the time then attend a local curriculum fair. 
6. If you can't attend a fair then be sure to check out the following posts:
   
   • Virtual Curriculum Fair 2014
   • Virtual Curriculum Fair 2015
   • Virtual Curriculum Fair 2016

Curriculum Choices 
Click on any of the graphics below to find out more about some curriculum options for that subject.

What if there is NO money for curriculum ?
No problem.  There is a lot of FREE curriculum available today courtesy of many clever home educating families and the internet.

One word of caution don't become overwhelmed!  Pinterest is another fabulous resource and there are many wonderful homeschool people on their who share amazing ideas and resources but don't measure your own success based upon their polished presentations!

I have written more on this topic here: HELP There's NO money for Curriculum! 



You CAN homeschool for FREE
Here are some links to get you started, click on any of the graphics to find out more:

On Pinterest

• 5 Days of Homeschool 101
• Homeschool For Free
• Homeschool Products I love 
• Homeschool Curriculum

For more information on Curriculum and home educating the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their thoughts and linking up below.

Super Science Homeschool Giveaway

August is a wonderful time in the year for me as it signals that the end of winter is coming and that soon spring will be here in all it's fine glory and the promise of warmer days and summer.  It means a greater desire to be out of doors exploring nature and pursing nature journaling.  I love looking over the web to find resources and going through my resource list of over a hundred links. For those of you wondering if nature study is possible in winter I would like to encourage you that yes it is.  The Homeschool Blogging Connection team  would like to invite my USA homeschool friends to an exciting Super Science Giveaway which is sure to inspire you in your science studies this new homeschool year .

Here’s what you could win:

OMAX 40X-2500X Lab Binocular Compound LED Microscope with Double Layer Mechanical Stage and Digital Camera $239

• This is a digital biological binocular compound microscope that includes a digital imaging system. 
• The digital microscopy comes with a 45° inclined 360° swiveling binocular sliding viewing head, two pairs of widefield eyepieces, four achromatic objectives, stain-resistant double layer mechanical stage with scales, coarse & fine focusing, NA 1.25 Abbe condenser and variable intensity LED transmitted illumination system. 
• It offers six levels of magnification power: 40X-100X-250X-400X-1000X-2500X. 
• The USB digital imaging system that captures microscope images and live video on computer. The included software compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 can be used to make measurements.
•  You can view and capture the images on iMac or Macbook with Mac OS too. It is easy to mount a dark field condenser to switch a bright field microscope to a dark field microscope. This type of digital compound microscopy is perfect for teaching demonstration and clinical examination, laboratories and advanced applications.

An awesome (and useful) I Believe in Homeschooling tote ($12) Perfect for the library, field trips, church activities, and more!

• Large main compartment with a snap closure. 
• Front pocket with Velcro closure. 
• Shoulder strap is 22". Navy/natural 
• Dimensions are 16: x 11.5" x 4.5"

Exploring Creation with Biology (high school) from Apologia Educational Ministries  $256.50

This is an award-winning, college-prep biology course that provides a detailed introduction to the methods and concepts of general biology. With a strong emphasis on vocabulary and experiments, the course provides the student with a solid background in biology which is presented an in a readable, conversational tone.

The Biology Super Set includes five items from Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Biology product line: the textbook, tests & solutions manual, student notebook, MP3 audio CD, and video instruction DVD.

Please Note: Winner may alternatively choose any science curriculum from Apologia’s Elementary Science sets (Zoology, Astronomy, Botany, Human Anatomy, Chemistry/Physics). Prize includes the textbook, choice of notebooking journal, and audio MP3. ($95)

The Deluxe Adventure Pack with 10 Unit Studies from Adventure Homeschool $190.00

• The Adventure Pack – Hands on Learning Kit comes with binoculars, magnifying glass, fossil kit, shell kit, owl pellet king & much more. 
• It includes 10 complete weekly Unit Studies for the family. Help them learn to recognize the fingerprints of the Creator!

 The total retail value for this giveaway is over $685+

Please note:

1. Entry is open to residents of the USA only.
2. You must be 18 years old or older to participate.
3. You need to have a shipping address in the United States to enter. 
4. Prize fulfillment is dependent on each individual company represented and is not the responsibility of Homeschool Blogging Connection. 
5. Winner must respond within 48 hours or forfeit prize to a new winner. 
6. Please use a current, valid email address to enter so that you receive the winning notification should you win. We will not be sending you any other emails.

 Entries for this giveaway end on August 8th. a Rafflecopter giveaway