A Ten O'Clock Scholar

Saturday Evening Blog Post for October

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:03:00 +0000

Here's a fun round-up of posts from the last month.

Swing by to read and/or submit your own!

I chose to submit two posts: Holy Poverty and Embracing All Hallows Eve because they're about something I love: the Church Year!

Have a lovely Saturday!

Finding Excellence in Home Education Resources

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

My family began our home education journey nearly 7 years ago. If you are a home educator, you probably remember all the resources you devoured as you tried to wrap your head around this crazy idea called Home Education. I was blessed to have access to a great local church's library that stocked quite a number of home education resources which I quickly worked my way through.

There were so many resources that had a great influence on our home education journey, but the one that has had the best and most enduring influence is the CiRCE Institute.

The CiRCE Institute is committed to promoting and supporting classical education in the school and in the home. CiRCE's president, Andrew Kern, is a man with a great sense of humor and humility. He's written books, articles, blogs, and each year presents a knock-out conference that features speakers like:

Dr James Taylor

Martin Cothran

Ken Myers

Cheryl Lowe

John Hodges

Tracy Lee Simmons

James Daniels

Evan Wilson

Wes Callihan

Cathy Duffy

Bryan Smith

Vigen Guroian

Laura Berquist

Andrew Pudewa

I've had the privilege of attending one of the conferences and have purchased 3 of the conference CD sets, which I listen to regularly for inspiration and encouragement. I cannot recommend CiRCE as a source of inspiration and information for home educators highly enough!

So, how would you like the opportunity to enjoy some free resources from the CiRCE Institute? Read ON!

CiRCE has just recently launched their 2009 Fundraising Campaign called "Further Up, Further In". If you make a donation of ANY amount, you will be able to download SEVEN conference talks. The conference talks usually are priced for download at $6 a piece, so this is an excellent opportunity!

The talks available are listed on CiRCE's Fundraiser page. There are some excellent speakers! (Harris, Kern, Pudewa, Taylor, Berquist, Myers, and Daniels)

I hope you'll take a moment to follow those links to CiRCE's home page and Fundraiser page and consider supporting this organization that does so much to support classical educators.

I'm not getting any payment or freebies for this promotion . . . just the joy of sharing CiRCE with you and the pleasure of helping them keep doing the work they do.

Daybook - Tuesday, November 3rd

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Daybook, or perhaps Nightbook, for November 3rd, 2009

outside my window . . .

The night has fallen suddenly. It will take a few days for me to get used to the earlier sunsets.

in the kitchen . . .

Cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot yesterday, broth made in said crockpot overnight, and chicken and rice soup tonight. Super easy and delicious!

around the house . . .

My laundry is seriously starting to pile up.

from our studies . . .

We finished House of the Sixty Fathers today. Such a sad, sweet story. The last word: The heart understands without words. Proud of eldest son (DS 13) who made a great effort with his Logic this week . . . my brain hurts, though. Middle son (DS 10) loves perimeter - I'm thinking I can sneak in some addition practice with perimeter problems. Middle daughter (DD7) is making great strides in reading!

thinking about . . .

introverts and the church - how modern evangelicalism's extroversion tends to look on introverts as less spiritual.

~~~

listening to. . .

my kids experimenting with a tin can "phone" - although I think they've given up on the phone part and are just knocking it around the house.

thankful for. . .

that crockpot chicken - I was under the weather today and not having to cook was a lifesaver.

pondering the words . . .

You do not realize the value of the good you are doing. Think of how the farmer sows without seeing his crop in front of him. He trusts in the land to deliver his harvest. So why don't you put your trust in God? The day of the harvest will surely come.Imagine yourself in the middle of the planting season. The more we sow today, the more we can reap tomorrow. Remember those words of Holy scripture: "He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps 125:6).

St Augustine, Sermon 102,5 - HT The Happy Catholic

reading . . .

Flannery O'Connor: The Complete Stories, Lost to the West, and still the Divine Comedy

kids are reading: Wind in the Willows, Children's Homer, Pocahontas and the Strangers, The Dawn Treader, The Lord of the Rings, and just finished H

ouse of the Sixty Fathers.

creating . . .

trying to finish up some hats . . . just haven't found the time, yet! But at least now I have a wonderful yarn tote from my friend, Julie, to carry my project around with me.

~~~

one of my favorite things . . .

My mini rolling oil heater. It takes the chill off our bathroom on these early fall and winter mornings...it is so toasty warm!

milestones in the past week . . .

Baby L has 4 teeth coming in, that is a total of 6 teeth!

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .

Going to see a show at our Children's Theatre on Thursday, and African music and dance show!

a picture thought. . .

Youngest daughter (DD1), aka Baby L, and I enjoying a giggle and a box of dots.

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Saints and Seasons - November 2009

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Upcoming Saints' days and seasons for November.

November 1
All Saints

November 2
All Souls

November 3

Richard Hooker

November 10

Leo the Great

November 11
Martin of Tours

A Trio of royal women Saints:

November 16

Margaret of Scotland

November 17

Elizabeth of Hungary (Anglican churches traditionally celebrate her on the 19th, but I'm sticking with the Roman church's date since it works so nicely to celebrate all three back to back)

November 18

Hilda of Whitby

November 22

Christ the King Sunday

November 23

Clement of Rome

November 29

First Sunday of Advent

November 30
St. Andrew

This is not a complete list, but reflects important Anglican and traditional Western church observances. If you have some you'd like to add, please leave a comment. And if you post about how you celebrate a feast day or season, please feel free to leave a link in the comments, too!

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All Saints' Day

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Too tired to blog, so here are some links . . .

Updated to add a HT to my bloggy friend Jessica at Homemaking Through the Church Year for the first link below.

Susanne Dietze at Tea and a Good Book has a lovely post on All Saints. I hope you'll stop by and enjoy the whole thing. Here is a snippet:

"But these capital “S” folks aren’t the only ones invited to the All Saint’s party. We are too, and it’s an interesting perspective to realize that we live among saints, present and future (as we do future non-saints). As C.S. Lewis put it, each person we encounter is immortal and heading toward one of two eternal destinations. If that statement doesn't shake you into trying to woo others heavenward, I don't know what does."

John Mark Reynolds blogs at The Scriptorium: "Never Alone: All Saints Day":

There is hope, because someone, some hundreds of thousands probably, have faced worse and gone one to victory. God’s grace is sufficient and the ever growing band of victorious Christians is to His glory and honor. We never are alone in our struggle, because millions of brothers and sisters are done with their labor and wait for us to join them.

What are we doing for All Saints'? Well, the girls and I stayed home (Baby L was wiped out and so was DD7) while boys are off at church. I'm roasting the pumpkin seeds right now. We will meet hubby and boys at Trader Joe's after church and then we are headed to Costco to stock up on supplies. Home for naps and the football game. I might get adventurous and make pumpkin puree today (to later turn into pumpkin pies). I have 4 mini pumpkins that did not get cut or painted, so they are just perfect for pie-making!

Welcome to November!

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Our Halloween - 2009

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:13:00 +0000

Our old neighbors (Dear Neighbor's family) joined us for Trick-or-Treating. It is a tradition and wouldn't be Halloween without their company! Here are some photos from our day . . .

Everyone is anxious for the Trick-or-Treating to begin!

Here's our Jack-O-Lantern.

Daddy and LoveBug (dressed as a flower - the flower headdress made by her big sister).

The Whole Gang!

The HAUL. Our kids have three days of unfettered candy access (and then it all gets tossed out).

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Peter Piper's Picks: Oct 31st - Halloween Edition

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

All Hallow's Eve

Fast Facts about Halloween 2009. 23.8 lbs of candy consumed per capita by Americans in 2008. Whoa.

So, how much do you know about candy? Take the Candy Quiz and find out. Did you beat my score of 12 out of 15.

Some fun Halloween recipes. Our family favorite Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (we sprinkle ours with Old Bay Seasoning for some kick!)

This is a creative and FUN professor from Biola University. Enjoy his Halloween math lecture.

Want a meaty read while you sit by the front door passing out Halloween candy? Try Monsters and the Moral Imagination.

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Embracing All Hallow's Eve

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My husband and I have decided that, whatever the original basis for this holiday (a debate in itself), since it has been a Christian Holy Day since the 9th century (actually as early as the 4th century, but on another day of the year before it was transferred to Nov 1st) we are going to continue to celebrate All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween.

We will carve our pumpkin tomorrow and roast the seeds.

Our kids will dress up as Rambo, a Native American, the Little Mermaid, and a Flower. I'll sit on the front porch enjoying talking with the neighbors as they shepherd their little masqueraders around. Hubby will take to the streets with our gang catching up with some of our neighbors, including those we only see on this night. (Ah, modern life!)

The kids will return with smeared face paint, pounds of candy, and funny stories to tell about the Fun and Spooky house one neighbor runs each year. (The people who run that house are considered the nicest in the neighborhood by all the kids!) We'll talk about some of the scary costumes they saw and some of the funny ones. And we'll have a chance to talk about our victory over death and all the evil of the world, and why we take this night to poke a little fun at that which, as Christians, ultimately has no dominion over us. But also about the reality of evil in this world and our need to keep our guard up.

Many Christians will not agree with us, and that is OK. I'm not going to try to convince you one way or the other, but if you are interested in reading some of the reasons Christians choose to continue celebrating Halloween, read on . . .

A good basic, protestant apology:

"Thus, the festivities on All Hallow's Eve were the Christian's way of laughing at death and evil, something we can do in certain hope of Christ's victory over the powers of darkness. The Church for centuries, however, has seen All Hallow's Eve not as a glorification of evil, but as a chance to affirm eternal life in the face of the death of our mortal bodies. Just as Easter is a celebration of Jesus' victory over death and evil, so is Halloween!"

Some background on the early Christian celebration of All Saints:

"At the end of the third century and the beginning of the fourth the most vicious of all persecutions occurred, that of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). The martyrs became so many that in some places it was impossible to commemorate even the most significant of them. The need for a common feast of all martyrs was becoming evident. This common feast became a reality in some places, but on various dates, as early as the middle of the fourth century."

Image Source

A North Carolina Homeschooling mother I'd really like to meet, Sally Thomas, and one of my favorite First Things contributors offers her thoughts on The Drama of Hallowmas:

"To step outside on Halloween dressed as someone—or something—other than yourself is to step into a narrative that acknowledges that the membrane between our workaday, material world and the unseen realm of spirits is far thinner and more permeable than many of us like to think."

iMonk has a provocative post (My Annual Halloween Rant):

"It bothers me that the Biblical message about Satan would be co-opted by the fear-mongering and manipulation of the hucksters. (Read The Screwtape Letters for some real Satanism.)"

and a The Great Pumpkin Proposes a Toast (don't miss it!):

"Particularly painful for many of us are the escalating attacks of religious people on the realm of the imagination. We have suffered from those who see the imagination as a gateway of evil, rather than a canvas on which human nature itself paints the picture. We have been blamed for violence and even death, things we would not even know were it not for human beings investing us with those actions in their own minds. It is as if some religious people actually believe that we exist- that we are real and were somehow a threat to them."

What are you doing for Halloween?

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Fun Latin Phrases

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

While I'd like to start my kids on Latin early in their academic careers, that hasn't happened, yet. So, instead of kicking myself, I've found another way to at least get some Latin into their heads. Memorizing verb conjugations, noun declensions, and vocabulary is certainly another way, but we are having a blast with fun Latin phrases.

Want to give it a try? Here are some resources:

Latin For Fun this blog has a link to the list I use.
Modern Life Latin Phrases (there is at least on curse word, so don't just print this and hand it to your kids)
For older students
Quotes with a sense of humor

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Daybook - Monday, October 26th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Daybook for October 26 , 2009

outside my window . . .

the trees here are almost in full autumn color; lots of green tipped with yellow and orange.

in the kitchen . . .

the weather looks like "soup weather", probably a potato soup.

around the house . . .

unpacking from my weekend retreat in Myrtle Beach.

from our studies . . .

added some "poetics" to our studies: picture study, composer study, poetry memorization, book of centuries, and nature study. The younger kids (7 and 10) really enjoyed the new activities.

thinking about . . .

Christmas only being 9 (or is it 8 now?) weeks away.

~~~

listening to. . .

my kids watch "To Catch A Thief".

thankful for. . .

a long walk on the beach.

pondering the words . . .

"He leads me beside still waters"

reading . . .

rereading my notes from my weekend retreat.

~~~

one of my favorite things . . .

a cozy, warm wrap my mom gave me for my birthday.

milestones in the past week . . .

my first overnight away from Baby L. It was a little stressful for her, and I missed her, but she did fairly well.

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .

two birthday parties for DD7 this weekend, and of course Halloween!

You might enjoy reading more Daybooks at Peggy's place.

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A new wind blowing in our homeschool

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:59:00 +0000

Yesterday was one of those homeschool days you'd like to encase in plastic and pull out every now and then when you need some encouragement. I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but it did, and it was delightful!

How long I'm not sure, but with growling intensity I've recently felt the keen lack of the more "poetic" in our homeshcool. It came to a "head" of sorts in a discussion on an online classical education group and on Cindy's blog. So, over the past week, I've spent some time reviewing what we are doing and what we are missing.

I'm quite committed to the classical model, but there are aspects of Charlotte Mason that go along well with that model: nature study, picture study, composer/music study, poetry memorization, and some others.

On Thursday, I rolled out a new plan for my younger students incorporating these. Here is our basic plan (new stuff in italics):

Morning Time
Bible reading (at breakfast)

Music (just enjoying while we do our chores: Brahms' Hungarian Dances this week)

Tongue Twister (for enunciation)

Poetry (reading)

Memory: a bible verse and short poem for DD7, and Pslam 23 and "Song of Mr Toad" for DD10

Latin Phrase (we are "memorizing" a latin phrase each week, some quite funny)

Saints & Seasons: Reading from _Trial and Triumph_ each day, or a saint bio on their feast day

Individudal Studies with each student

Math and English Studies, now including narrations and eventually dictation

and what I am calling "Copia", meaning abundance. One of the following each day:

Shakespeare (_Tales from Shakespeare_ for DD7, 1 play per semester, slowly read with DS10. ),

Historical Tales & Bios (_Fifty Famous Stories_ for DD7, _Augustus Caesar's World_ by G Foster for DS10),

Literature (_Winnie the Pooh_ - DD7, _The Hobbit_ - DS10), and

American History stories (various biographies for DD7, starting with _Pocahontas and the Strangers_, and _This Country of Ours_ for DS10).

CC Memory Work and Literary/Classical stories

Quick review of Timeline, Math, Science, Bible on Th, Fr and Timeline, Math, History, Geography on M, Tu.

Alternating between worthy children's literature and classical stories: _Wind and the Willows_ and _The Children's Homer_

Afternoon Time

Science reading and activities (Th, Fr) and History reading and activities (M, Tu). These readings go along with our CC history and science memory work.

Composer Study (Tu)

Nature Study (Tu, Th) - very brief observations, but with "Park Days" here and there.

Picture Study (Thurs)

Book of Centuries (Fr)

Most of this new stuff comes from Ambleside Online's suggested rotations and resources. If you are not familiar with Ambleside and would like to add the poetic to your day, you'll find Ambleside an excellent resource. And it is Entirely Free.

This post is part of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschooler's Weekly Wrap-Up.

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Daybook - Monday, October 19th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Daybook for Monday October 19th, 2009

outside my window . . .

it is frosty! The early morning frost has melted off, but the thermometer still says it is c-c-c-old!

in the kitchen . . .

oh, my kitchen is an absolute MESS. No cooking will be attempted or even thought about until I manage to get the dishes done.

around the house . . .

the house is a bit the same as the kitchen. I think we are going to have a "clean up" day around here. (Very Busy Weekend - always leads to a Very Messy House)

on my iPod . . .

more CiRCE conference CDs. Also, two episodes of CharlotteTalks - one with Richard Dawkins and the other with Bishop John Spong. If you are around me and I'm muttering angrily to myself, I'm probably listening to one of these two guys.

from our studies . . .

hopefully, an India Lapbook. Also, we are thoroughly enjoying getting to know Tien Pao from "The House of Sixty Fathers".

~~~

listening to. . .
hubby's conference call . . . daughter "flying" her paper mermaid around the house, I suppose she is "swimming" her about rather than flying . . . creaking of the floor upstairs means another child may be rousing.

thankful for. . .

a beautiful drive through the mountains yesterday to see family. The mountains were topped with a delicate frosting of snow that melted into gorgeous fall colors further below.

pondering the words . . . From Cindy at Ordo Amoris (Dominion Family):

II Corinthians 3:6 "the letter kills but the Spirit gives life."

In fact, as much as we need systems, ultimately they will kill us. The life is in the blood. This can almost be applied across the board.

Grammar is a good thing. We cannot write without it. We cannot communicate without it but it isn't the only thing. If we approach writing as a purely grammatical exercise we will kill ideas.

Systematic theology is a good thing. We cannot understand the Bible without it. But if our theology is merely systematic it is dead.

The law (Pentateuch) was a good thing but it was powerless to save.

Systems are tools. They help us find the real things. Unfortunately, many people are happy when they have found a system. They never look up from their scavenging in the rubble to see the reality of the thing they are searching for.

Very often it is the conservative, Christian wing of the world that enjoys substituting the tool for the thing. The problem is that you can have a measure of success with a system but in the end you are left bankrupt and confused (Col 2).

Read the rest.

~~~

reading . . .

a new First Things magazine came in the mail this weekend! Still reading Divine Comedy, Four Loves (re-read), Flannery O'Connor's collected stories, and Lost to The West. And probably another book or two I've forgotten about.

creating . . .

finishing up a crochet hat for DD1 and starting one for DD7

praying . . .

for our women's retreat team and a dear family coming up on a difficult anniversary.

~~~

to foster rhythm and beauty . . .

after an unusually busy weekend, we are going to take the day to get our home and routine back in order.

to live the liturgy . . .

adding night prayer to my daily prayer.

to educate faithfully . . .

feeling a lack of the poetic (and I don't just mean poetry) in our homeschool, so I'm reviewing what we are doing a bit to see where we might foster that a bit more.

~~~

one of my favorite things . . .

my delightfully cozy flannel sheets!

milestones in the past week . . . Baby L has learned her first sign: "More"! She's found this particularly helpful when asking for second sharings of ice cream from big sister. (We've decided to teach some "baby signs" to help her with her language which can be delayed in international adoptees. We haven't necessarily seen any signs of that, but hope it might help to get out in front of it, as they say.)

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .

getting ready for our church's annual Women's Retreat this weekend!

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Peter Piper's Picks: Oct 17th - From my Google Reader

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

A great post from Jen at Conversion Diary about going against God's will and what you do when you have. Here's a snippet:

"I've stopped spending so much time asking 'Was this God's will?' and am trying to spend more time asking, 'How can I serve God in love at this moment, right now?' Maybe the situation I'm in is the result of a bad move, but as long as I keep turning to God there will be an opportunity to bring love out of it."

Cindy at Ordo Amoris has me rethinking my homeschool "toolbox":

"Systems are tools. They help us find the real things. Unfortunately, many people are happy when they have found a system. They never look up from their scavenging in the rubble to see the reality of the thing they are searching for. "

A new-to-me blogger, Parchment and Pen, is celebrating his 3rd anniversary running down Top Ten Things I Know About Blogging and Bloggers Three Years Later.:

"7. Writer's Block for Bloggers: Blog about Blogging"

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Feast Day of St Terese of Avila: Oct 15th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

This is a repost from last year. The Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila coincides with an event called "Blog Action Day". Last year the subject of Blog Action Day was "Poverty". This year's is on "Climate Change" . . . and I just don't have it in me to blog about this. It just seems like too much of a modern-day bogeyman: possibly based on real concerns, but exaggerated to grotesqueness and used for its fear impact.

Today is Blog Action Day. Today is also the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila - a woman who embraced poverty.

St. Teresa was born in the 1500s to a wealthy family and eventually became a nun. In conjunction with St. John of the Cross, she founded a reformed order of nuns called the Discalced (Shoeless) Carmelites. (Shoelessness is a symbol of humility and poverty.) She believed her call from God was to "Holy Poverty".

When I think about the calling to holy poverty, I think of it as a specific Vocation (that is vocation with a most definite capital "V") - not something that the average Christian is called to, but perhaps I don't have the right understanding about that.

When we embrace the truth that all our possessions are only given to us to enable us to do the Lord's work - God's provision for us - suddenly we are in the midst of a dichotomy: ultimate poverty and ultimate wealth. We are entirely poor because nothing we have truly is ours - it belongs entirely to God...and yet, we have a God who "owns the cattle on a thousand hills." He owns it all and can provide for us all that we need and more.

This attitude toward belongings may not lead us to a vocation of Holy Poverty (big H, big P), in which we eschew owning anything, but it might lead us to holiness in poverty (little h, little p) by allowing us to look at our belongings and money as not "owned" but "held in trust". When we hold our belongings "in trust" we are able and willing to freely give to those in need because we understand that "it" all belongs to God anyway.

Want to read more about Holy Poverty?

In honor of St. Teresa of Avila's Feast Day, here are some links and bits of information for you to learn more about her, her order, and her call to Holy Poverty.

A prayer for St. Teresa of Avila's Feast Day
Father, by your Spirit you raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus to show your Church the way to perfection. May her inspired teaching awaken in us a longing for true holiness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A retelling of her story geared toward young children. And one for older kids and adults. And one more if you'd like a more complete biography.

She is a patron saint - against bodily ills, headaches, sickness, and heart disease, of lace makers and workers, of those who have lost parents, of people in need of grace, of people in religious orders, and of people ridiculed for their piety, of those in opposition to the Church authorities. She also authored two great spiritual works: The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle.

Meals are always a fun way to celebrate a feast day (it is a FEAST day, after all). I love gixing something from the Saint's home culture. Maybe you'd like to start the day off with St. Teresa's bread (similar to french toast). Or enjoy a Spanish feast for dinner (paella, gazpacho, or a tapas meal, and don't forget flan for dessert).

Updated: Hey - my friend Amy at Splendor in the Ordinary has a nice post on St Teresa of Avila, too! And if you are interested in Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change, check out the home page for links to lots of bloggers.

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Daybook - Tuesday, October 13th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:58:00 +0000

My Daybook for October 13th, 2009

(yes, a day late!)

outside my window. . . the sun is just about at its midpoint for the day. Warm, bright, and sunny with no clouds.

I am listening to . . . my kids taking their lunch break and watching "Leave It To Beaver"

I am wearing . . . jeans, pink short-sleeve top with a long sleeve cream top underneath. Somewhat messy curls pulled back by a headband. Danskos as usual.

I am thankful for . . . a relaxing evening at the bookstore.

I am pondering . . . the idea that that which is built on the solid rock of Christ will last, but this doesn't only apply to spiritual things! "...by the grace of God you may write a poem that will last through eternity...." James McDaniel. What an impetus to the creative spirit!

I am reading . . . finally spent my birthday book money: Czeslaw Milosz's collected poems, a collection of Flannery O'Connor's stories, and Lost to the West (a book about the Byzantine Empire). Still reading Dante and still re-reading the Four Loves (CS Lewis).

I am praying . . . for our mission team in Ghana.

from the kitchen . . . hubby made venison chili last night, and it is delicious!

around the house . . . pulling out the lap blankets and warm down comforters for the coming cool weather.

on my iPod . . . the usual NPR downloads and James McDaniel's CiRCE talk on the Incarnation of Christ's the impact on education.

living the liturgy . . . trying to get back on track with morning and night prayer using the Divine Office podcast. If you don't know about this podcast and are trying to pray the office, I highly recommend it.

educating faithfully . . . learning about ancient India this week, reproduction in animals, reading The House of Sixty Fathers, Children's Homer and Wind in the Willows. We've finally started nature notebooks! I hope I'll keep them up. I think we'll alternate these with our arts studies each week (2 days on each). I'm unsatisfied with our science right now. I'd hoped to do more hands on lapbooks and such. We've done one (and it was a hit), but I just feel unsettled about this area of our studies. Considering using Apologia's Zoology 3 for the rest of this semester.

one of my favorite things . . . my recently rediscovered sunshine yellow cafe au lait cup. Perfect for my morning coffee (au lait, of course).

milestones in the past week . . . Baby L went right into one of her godmother's arms without a second of hesitation!

a few plans for the upcoming week . . . Saturday middle son has his first "Club 56" event (club 56 is for 5th and 6th graders, sort of a pre-youth group), hoping to meet my Dear Neighbor for coffee Saturday AM, and Sunday is a celebration of my grandmother's birthday! We'll be heading back to the mountains for a big family celebration at my Aunt and Uncle's cabin. This will be the first time she's met some of her more extended family.

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Novel Nobel Nod

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:49:00 +0000

(Ok, do you not love my catchy title? Doesn't remind you of those snappy newspaper titles from the 1920s? All right, enough of that....)

By now you've likely heard about the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to President Obama. So, what do you think about that?

I thought this post from the New York Times did a decent job of reporting the varied responses (world wide and from previous Nobel Peace Prize winners) to the Nobel Peace Prize announcement.

I have great respect for President Obama, but find that his nomination and subsequent award so early in his presidency does make one wonder about the Nobel selection process. I have no doubt that he is fully capable of achieving the Nobel Peace award in his lifetime, but I am dismayed that he has received the award for intentions and not results. Our previous two sitting presidents who have received the award are Woodrow Wilson for the founding of the League of Nations and Theodore Roosevelt for the 1905 peace treaty he drew up between Russia and Japan. You can read more about other prize winners at the Nobel Peace Prize home page, if you are interested.

My dismay is no reflection of my opinion of President Obama, but rather on the selection process of the Peace Prize. To give it for less than herculean or lifelong efforts and actual achievements cheapens its impact, in my opinion.

So, I ask again, what do you think?

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God's grandchild

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:51:00 +0000

from Dante's Inferno: Canto 11

"Turn back again, " I asked, "to where you said
that usury offends the Power Divine,
And pray explain to me this knotty point."

"Philosophy," my master answered me,
"To him who understands it, demonstrates
How nature takes her course, not only from
Wisdom divine, but from its art as well.
And if you read with care your book of physics,
After the first few pages, you will find
That art, as best it can, doth follow nature,
As pupil follows master; industry,
Or art is, so to speak, grandchild to God.
From these two sources (if you call to mind
That passage in the Book of Genesis)
Mankind must take its sustenance and progress.

The moneylender takes another course,
Despising nature and her follower,
Because he sets his hope for gain elsewhere."

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Daybook - Monday, October 5th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:02:00 +0000

October 5th, 2009

Outside my window... chilly air, dripping sky, croaking crows.

I am thinking... about the young family that looked at my Dear Neighbor's house yesterday (Dear Neighbor has moved and their house is still for sale after a year!). I almost can't imagine someone else inhabiting those rooms that are so familiar and dear to me.

I am thankful for... the beautiful, fall-colored flowers hubby brought home this weekend. They are lovely on my dining room table.

I am wearing... dark denim jeans, white "peasant" blouse under a pink, ruffle-edged cardigan,and my favorite shoes: brown Danskos.

I am remembering... our missionary friends in the Philippines suffering through the worst typhoon in 40 years and another one arriving quite soon.

I am going... to the vet's office today. One of our kitties has a nasty looking tooth. Then art class later today with my eldest daughter (7).

I am reading... Divine Comedy, The Edge of Evolution, catching up on my "First Things" subscription, and re-reading The Four Loves.

I am hoping ... to listen to another CiRCE Conference CD today.

On my mind... a man at church whose oddly-inappropriate behavior has worried a few of us.

From our studies... enjoying our tour through Ancient Rome (Horatio at the Bridge, Hannibal and the elephants, Julius Caesar, Brutus, Antony and Cleopatra).

Noticing that... while I lost many of my files in my recent computer "exorcism", the dear does seem to be a happier machine.

Pondering these words... "As they go through the Bitter Valley, they make it a place of springs. The autumn rain covers it with blessing." from a version of Psalm 84:6.

From the kitchen... Bran-Banana Muffins for breakfast and probably a pot of soup for dinner.

Around the house... enjoying my new candles, they smell heavenly!

(Slatkin and Co - on sale 2 for $20 at Bath and Body Works - worth the price! I burn them daily and the 14.5 oz will last me 3 months or more. Thanks to Dear Neighbor who introduced me to these wonderful candles on my birthday!)

One of my favorite things... the cozy way my baby daughter slumps on my shoulder as we rock at night.

Have a blessed Monday!

Enjoy other daybooks at Peggy's A Simple Woman's Daybook

Saturday Evening Blog Post

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Here's a fun round-up of posts from the last month.

Swing by to read and/or submit your own!

I chose to submit the 8 Habits of a Happy Homeschool Mama post since it has gotten a number of comments, and it is really the only substantial content I've posted in September.

St. Francis of Assisi: October 4th

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Saint Francis of Assisi is a popular medieval saint associated with animals, nature, and vowed poverty. He is the patron saint against fire, of animals, those dying alone, ecology, families, fire, lacemakers, merchants, peace, zoos, Italy, and Assisi, in particular.

There are not any specific foods associated with St. Francis or traditionally served on his feast day, but since he was from Italy, perhaps an Italian feast might be appropriate! I did come across a reference to a trial by fire that St. Francis endured, so perhaps a flaming dessert of some sort might be a fun adventure!

Assisi is located in the Umbria area of Italy. Perhaps you would enjoy learning a bit more about this part of Italy? The Basilica of St. Francis has wonderful architecture and frescoes.

Activities

Have a Blessing of the Animals for your pets.
Many Catholic and Anglican churches (and perhaps other denominations as well) offer a "Blessing of the Animals" on St. Francis' Feast Day. Here is a simple service you can do with your family and friends if your church doesn't have an official Blessing.

Provide your pets with some special treats.
If you don't have pets, or even if you do, consider taking treats or supplies to an animal shelter.

Consider a trip to the zoo.
Get up close and personal with animals from all over the world!

Care for wild animals in your yard and neighborhood.
Make a bird feeder, or buy one, and hang where you can watch your winged visitors. Put out special treats for other critters, too!

Color a picture or icon.
An Icon, from Waltzing Mathilda (a blog with lots of resources and particularly coloring pages for the liturgical year!). A coloring page with a prayer by St. Francis.

Read a story to your children.
A list of books for young children with links to lists for older children, as well. Here are two stories you can read online: God's Troubadour, a story for older children; and another by Amy S teedman that is a bit shorter and for younger children.

Give a lesson.
This is a nice lesson plan for a larger group of children or classroom setting focused on teaching kindness to animals.

Read the Bible.
The Anglican readings for St. Francis' feast day.

Learn more about St. Francis' legacy.
The Rule of St. Francis - I find it particularly interesting that he specifically addresses brothers who will be ministering to Muslims. It makes me want to read more on his writings about Christian witnessing and outreach to Muslims. GK Chesterton's treatis on St. Francis - This may be something you'll want to print out as it is a bit long to read on a computer screen, at least for me.

Pray.
A Collect for St. Francis' Feast Day:
Father, you helped Saint Francis to reflect the image of Christ through a life of poverty and humility. May we follow your Son by walking in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, and by imitating his joyful love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Peter Piper's Picks: Oct 3rd -

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

My blogging friend, Amy at Splendor in the Ordinary, has started a really lovely series of Tea Time posts for sharing the Church Year with your kiddoes. Our afternoons are such that an organized Tea Time will only cause me undue stress, but I'm thinking about incorporating her ideas into our evening "Family Time".

Another Anglican blogging friend, Jessica at Homemaking Through the Church Year, is showing off a beautiful head of hair ... a Crown Braid style that is making me long for long hair. If you scroll down on my blog you'll see how long my hair was last year...it is well above shoulder length now. I like it, but when I see Jessica's pretty do I get a little misty-eyed.

A new-to-me blog, Scholium, has linked to a discussion by Fr. Patrick Reardon on the importance of the family table. Now, I know you know this, but do you Know It? Recently, when listening to the CiRCE 2009 Conference CDs, I got to thinking about the Nature of a Meal and realized we (my family, I mean) were sometimes letting the dining slip into mere eating. Fr. Reardon has given me a bit more inspiration in the proper direction.

I stumbled onto Susan's blog: Susan's Pendulum. She's witty, interesting, and a rich thinker. She also knows a funny joke when she sees one. Check out Today's Laugh. Of course, that would be a today that is two days old, but still. . .

And two posts of a theme at iMonk this week: The Older Teaching the Younger - Part 1 and Part 2 just left me a bit slack-jawed. I see this happening in my own church a bit. There is a mooring that has been cut. How do we re-tie it before we are entirely adrift and lost at sea?

Blogging has been so spotty. Baby is doing wonderfully, but suffering through two new teeth. My eldest's study schedule is still needing LOTS of mom-guidance. And my computer has been in the hubby/tech support hospital lately. I now have a newly refreshed (read: entirely deleted and reloaded) hard drive. Currently, we have a severe lack of testosterone in the house. All the men are gone for the weekend. It is just daughters 1 and 2 and Me! Oh, and 2 female dogs and 2 female cats. Shhhhh..... don't tell my husband: We are going out for Krispy Kremes and Starbucks in the morning. I had big plans for my weekend, but I think this will have to do.

Don't forget tomorrow is St. Francis of Assisi's Feast Day!

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8 Habits of a Happy Homeschool Mama

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:33:00 +0000

For most homeschoolers, school is in session and has been for a number of weeks. We are on week 8, which is about the time I usually start pulling out my hair a bit. How about you? I think what happens is we start to let our habits slide a little bit in the busy-ness of our day. So, in an effort to refresh my memory, I'm looking back over my habits to see where the slide might be occuring.

Good habits help keep me sane and our homeschool happy. Here are some that I've found particularly helpful:

Habit #1 - Routine is your friend!
Some people like those wonderfully detailed MOTH schedules. Others abhor them (that'd be me). My family needs a routine, and I bet yours does, too. However, our family life also requires a good deal of flexibility on a day-to-day basis. So, instead of adopting a time-based schedule, we use a task-based routine.

I've orgnized our day around certain "hard-stops": breakfast, baby's nap, lunch time, read or rest time, dinner, etc. After breakfast, we have devotions and then finish chores. When the baby goes down for her morning nap, we start school and work hard. After lunch, we have "read or rest" time. After "read or rest" everyone gets their chores done, etc. You get the idea.

However you decide to order your day, by MOTH or "hard-stop", keeping a routine gives your kids an expected pattern to their day. You save yourself and them a lot of frustration.

Habit #2 - Don't answer your phone just because it rings!
I do not answer the phone during school hours. In fact, in our home we rarely answer the phone because we are almost always in the middle of something (school, chores, a meal, a nap). When my phone rings and I answer it, it can easily derail my day. The kids scatter while I talk and then I have to spend 30 minutes corralling them back to their tasks.

So, instead, we listen as the caller is leaving a message and if it is truly an important and/or urgent call, THEN and ONLY THEN do we pick up. During our next break, I sit down and return any calls necessary.

So, if you have an answering machine, USE it...if you don't seriously consider getting one.

Habit #3 - Know what you are having for meals each day.
Having a house full of kids all day, every day can mean a lot of time in the kitchen between snacks, meals, and more snacks. They have to eat, so there is no getting around that, but it sure makes life easier when you know what you are having at each meal and for snacks, too.

Dinner is the most important meal to plan, then lunch, and then breakfast, and then snacks. If you can only handle planning for one, make it dinner. Donna Young's website has wonderful planners, including meal planners. Spend some time each week planning out your meals for the week.

At the very least, make sure you know what you are having for dinner each morning. Allow yourself the time needed to do any prep work, defrosting, marinating, etc. In fact, many times you can get some of this prep work done during the day rather than waiting until 5:00. Also, make sure you have all the ingredients on hand!

Always keep the ingredients on hand for an easy, family favorite dinner. Ours is Tuna Tetrazzini. Everything can be kept in the pantry and needs no defrosting or prep. Other ideas: "Taco Night" and "Breakfast for Dinner". These favorite easy meals are wonderful to pull out when you need to "punt" (see the next habit for an explanation of "punting"). And don't forget keeping meals in the freezer! There are many websites and cookbooks that have great ideas for "freezer meals".

Consider making a master schedule of meals. One particularly busy year, I set up a 4-week rotation of about 15-20 simple meals (dinner). Then I didn't even have to plan each week - it was already done for me!

Habit #4 - Know how to PUNT.
Ok, you are going to have many of THOSE DAYS during your homeschooling career. If you are like me, that might be once a month or even once a week! :) On these days you have to know how to "punt" - a term that means, "setting aside the lofty plans and just getting the job done any way you can". Plans fall apart, kids get sick, moms get sick, friends need big favors, etc.

So, how do you know when to "punt"? Anytime you are feeling overwhelmed and "normal" seems beyond your reach it is time to punt!

How do you "punt"? Keep a PUNT plan in your head - maybe even make a special PUNT box. In this box, keep fun, educational games, activities, books, movies. Throw in some special art and/or craft supplies, too, if you like. This is a good time to plan simple meals (like the "family favorite" mentioned above). Remember, kids CAN live on cereal for a day or two if they have to!

Habit #5 - Nurture the Nurturer
Take care of yourself. I repeat...TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Get good rest. Do not feel guilty about taking the appropriate amount of time for rest that you need. Keep in mind this can change depending on your activity level and your season of life. If you are not well-rested you will be more prone to grouchiness. And, did you know, overeating!

Refresh yourself. Introverts need time alone to be refreshed. Extroverts need time with others to be refreshed. Get real and accept that this is the way the Lord made you - and it is GOOD. Find ways to provide this time for yourself on a regular basis.

Cultivate your own mind. Read books and magazines of interest to you - only for you. Spend some time learning something new or researching a subject you are interested in. There are some great online magazines and blogs that will challenge and inspire you - and most of them are FREE!

Habit #6 - Refuse to feel the need to defend your choice to homeschool.
Sharing your reasons for choosing homeschooling with someone is one thing, but don't feel that you need to defend the whole of homeschooling everytime someone questions or disparages your choice. A simple, "We find it works best for our family and our children," will surely suffice. And if not, just change the subject. "Oh, Norma, have you been doing something different with your hair? It looks just lovely!" Develop a thick-skin and a healthy sense of humor - you really can't homeschool without either.

Habit #7 - Find an "accomplished task".
With motherhood and homeschooling come many, many tasks that are never ending: laundry, meals, kitchen clean up, cleaning the house, planning school, etc. All of which are tasks that have no completion point. (Oh, you complete them for one day, but have to repeat them again the next.)

Find an activity that you can point to at the end of each day or week or month to see an "accomplished task". Try scrapbooking, painting, sketching, photography, crochet, knitting, quilting, etc. Whatever you enjoy!

This blog is one of my "accomplished tasks". Each post is complete and finalized when I'm done. I can look back and see what I've accomplished. Another hobby that I enjoy is crochet. I've always got a project or two going!

Habit #8 - What habit do you have that keeps your homeschool a happy place? Leave a comment!

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Peter Piper's Picks - Sept 19th: Constitutional Edition

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

St Januarius, St. Theodore of Tarsus

One of my favorite speakers and writers and bloggers, Andrew Kern, blogs about US Consititution Day, Sept 17th. Did you learn the Preamble to the Consitution by watching Schoolhouse Rock, like I did?
ps - if you are a classical home educator, Mr Kern's organization is one you should know: CiRCE Institute. Their most recent conference is out on CD and it will rock your world. Seriously.

What's up in consitutional law these days? Spunky, as usual, has got her ear to the ground. Did you know education is not supposed to be controlled at the federal level? Hard to tell from the recent rhetoric coming from the White House. Check out these two posts (and others...and the comments section, always hopping at Spunky's place) - lots of solid info and many, many links to the issue at hand.

And who do we have in charge (dealing with our constitutional rights)? According to the witty and ascerbic Camille Paglia, "feather-preening bourgeious liberals" and the "back-biting mess" of the GOP. I don't agree with her politics, so it is surprising to find myself agreeing with her. But, I shouldn't be entirely surprised. This same phenomenon (having more in common with someone whose politics are WAY different than mine) happened to me while in Ghana a few months ago.

Finally, some good advice for Christians undertaking debate or discussion with others over political matters (or any matter, really) from Scriptorium Daily: 7 Suggestions for Christians in the Public Square.

Have a beautiful weekend, y'all!

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Peter Piper's Picks Sept 12th: Literary edition

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +0000

My 17th Wedding Anniversary

I don't know. Do you really buy that biologists can do research on literary history? Evolution science explaining literature? If we turned it around the other way, would the scientists put up with English professors contributing research on scientific theories? Do we let science go too far?

Free is good, right? The internet is Free and has many benefits. But, have you noticed that often it is just plain faster, and easier, to use a BOOK than the internet? So, apparently "Free" does have a cost after all . . . T.I.M.E. and maybe something more.

Why Modern Composition Theory fails. And what to do about it. The first in a series.

Why academics must write beautifully. Have you noticed that some academics wear their "boring" writing as a badge of honor? But why? Why shouldn't all writing, no matter the topic, be artfully written?

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Obama meets Wordle

kerrysblogs@gmail.com (Kerry) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:54:00 +0000

Obama's Speech, Wordle-ized.

I think if you click on that it will take you to a larger version of the Wordle (and you can see the words a bit better). If that doesn't work, try this link directly to Wordle.

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