Whole Hearted Christain Homeschool

Our Afternoon Walk

2012-01-26T16:31:00.003-08:00

Hudson Samuel, You Are Nine Months!

2012-01-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

What Has Huddy Bear Been Up To?

2012-01-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Hudson still loves to nurse on demand. He occasionally will eat some fruit or veggies but he mostly perfers breast milk (smart little guy). He does like to snack on puffs by Plum Organics. The other day after his nap, he woke up still half asleep. He must have being dreaming about eating them because he put his cubby little hand up to his mouth and started chewing while his eyes were still closed! It was so cute!

When he wants your attention, he will say, "Ooh" a bunch of times. Once he gets your attention he just laughs. The other day I was busy and once he got my attention he made the cutest bashful face. He buried his face in his highchair. One morning, when he woke up, he saw that his brothers were still alseep. He crawled over to them and cried out, "Ooh" over and over again to get them to wake up. What a little stinker he is! He knows how to wave and he's clapped his hands a couple of times. The first time I saw him clap was when we went to the Christmas parade. It was so cute! He is enjoying playing with his toys now more...where as before he wasn't as interested unless it was a box or a piece of paper. Mostly he just wants to be held by his mommie. I can't argue with that!

He now has 4 teeth! Two in the front and two on the bottom. Poor little guy has been teething like crazy. He has been in a lot of pain. He still loves his baths and loves to have his play time with his bath toys. He loves his walks we take everyday. We usually go for about an hour...sometimes longer. He likes to have his daily routine and he is very high maintenance. He tries to get into anything and everything that he's not allowed to. If he doesn't get his way, he sure lets his mama know about it! It makes me really wonder what kind of toddler he will be! Yikes!

He is such a sweet cuddle bear and loves his kisses and hugs from mama. When I rock him, massage or pat his little back...he sings a sweet little song and lets me know he's in sheer bliss and is completely relaxed. He is just so sweet and lovable.

Jonah Tyler, You Are 7 Years Old!

2012-01-07T20:17:00.000-08:00

Today my 2nd born son Jonah, turned seven! I can't believe how much he's grown! He has such a sweet and tender spirit. He's always been my peacemaker. He is my pride & joy. I got teared up just thinking about the day he was born. What sweet memories I have of him.

Jonah is really into Clone Wars, so he and I decided to use that theme. I was very happy with how the cake turned out. Yoda's lightsaber looked like it was really glowing a fluorescent green! I also surprised him and had his radio control giant flying shark filled with helium. That turned out to be real fun for the boys, although we have to hide it from the cats! I'm sure they would enjoy popping it! Hudson (my youngest) just stared at it. He seemed a bit confused as to why a big shark was swimming through the house!

Happy Birthday, Jonah!

Scenes From Christmas Morning

2012-01-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

Hudson Samuel, You Are 8 Months Old!

2012-01-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

Yummy Candy Apples, A Gingerbread House, A Christmas Kitty and Football Too!

2012-01-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

More Pictures Of Seal Beach

2012-01-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas Time At Embassy Suites

2012-01-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

A Day At Seal Beach

2011-12-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Don't Blink......

2011-12-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Children grow up way too fast. I remember the day this picture was taken at my moms. We had Cainen, my oldest take a picture with his two cousins, Kelsie and Carson.

Now look at them. Is it really possible they have grown this fast?

I love this picture of Hudson. This was taken after one of our walks. I love to bundle him up and stroll down to the cute little village next to my moms. I can just imagine Jimmy Stewart running down the snowy streets of Bedford falls. What's Christmas without watching It's A Wonderful Life? I think I'll watch that movie this week.

I love this picture of all the cousins together. They all have grown up so much. Where does time go?

Here they all are together with my mom in front of the Christmas tree. They all had such a good time together.

Christmas Time With The Cousins

2011-12-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Brothers 'til the end.

2011-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

All for one and one for all
My brother and my friend
What fun we have
The time we share
Brothers 'til the end.
~Author Unknown

Never make a companion equal to a brother. ~Hesiod

Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply... ~Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~Marc Brown

A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams. ~Author Unknown

When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life. ~Antisthenes

My Blue Heaven

2011-11-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy is now crawling! A part of me is happy to see such an exciting milestone occur and the other half of me is sad. How can he be crawling already? Wasn't he just born? His newborn days went by so quickly and I can hardly recall him being tiny. Although, I must continually remind myself that I do not have small babies to begin with.

Not only is he crawling but he's pulling himself up and hanging on to furniture. He loves to explore. I gave him a banana the other day. It was his very first solid food. I smeared just a tad on my finger and he absolutely loved it! Though, his face did show some confusion when he first tasted the banana but them he forcefully shoved my finger into his mouth to get some more! He really is a pretty high maintenance baby. If he is not nursing in my arms than he must be the center of attention. He loves to play with his brothers and he seems to think that he's not a baby. Rather he's a big boy that can take on the world. Have I mentioned how strong he is? He continually amazes me. I feel as though I have a toddler already rather than a six month old!

One of my many favorite things about this blue eyed angel, is that he loves to give his mama kisses on the chin and cheeks and his hugs are so precious. He is just such a sweet baby boy! Another favorite of mine is when he gets excited, he turns his ankles and wrists in a circular motion and shakes his hands at a pretty rapid pace. One of the things he has done since he was only a few months old is that he brings his two thumbs and two index fingers together while he rotates his wrists. It's just so cute! I have to make sure I get that on video tape!

Have I mentioned how much Hudson loves to nurse? Apparently not all babies moan or talk while they nurse. After talking with a few other mommies, I realized that. All three of my boys made/make sweet noises while they nursed, so I guess I just assumed all babies did. It's just so precious to hear Hudson do it. He sounds like he's in pure heaven.

Hudson can have a pretty bad temper when he doesn't get his way. He just knows what he wants and if he doesn't get it, he will certainly let you know!

I love feeling his soft hair. It feels like velvet. He actually has a lot of hair but with it being blond you can't tell as much.

Sometimes I get lost looking into his baby blues. My beloved grandfather had blue eyes. I am truly blessed to have that reminder of my grandfather who awaits us in heaven. I am reminded of the song my grandfather always used to sing. My Blue Heaven. That's how I feel when I look into my sons eyes. He's my blue heaven.

Halloween

2011-11-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hudson At Six Months

2011-10-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

My Three Pumpkins At The Patch

2011-10-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Homeschool Projects, Cooking & Halloween Decorations

2011-10-07T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hudson Samuel, you are mama's big boy!

2011-10-07T22:16:00.000-07:00

My Boys

2011-09-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

~ Fun Times ~

2011-08-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Cainen's Birthday Weekend

2011-07-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

Hudson At Three Months

2011-07-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

My Sweet Boys

2011-07-07T21:09:00.001-07:00

Hudson At 2 Months

2011-06-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Hudson, so I put up one in black & white and one in color.

My Tumb Sucking & Budda Belly Boy

2011-06-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

♛ Hudson At 7 Weeks ♛

2011-06-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

~ Lazy Summer Days ~

2011-06-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

Cainen loves his baby brother so much. I love seeing the two of them together. Cainen is such a good helper! He always tries to calm Hudson down when he cries.

Cainen was telling Hudson a story here and he was very intrigued!

Of course if Hudson sees me, he can get a bit distracted and cry for his mommie.

We took the boys to the river again. They swam a little but the water was really chilly. The boys mostly climbed trees and did some exploring.

♛ Hudson At 5 Weeks ♛

2011-05-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

~ A Day At The River ~

2011-05-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

~ Hudson's Bath ~

2011-05-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Hudson enjoys his bath so much. While I am cleaning him, his brothers will pour warm water over his tummy and legs to keep him from getting cold. He seems so relaxed. After the bath, I bundle him up in his towel and give him a massage using his baby lotion. He LOVES that part. He always falls asleep right after. He is such a sweet baby boy and he has brought us all so much joy. I can't believe he is one month old today! I will post some one month pictures of Hudson later.

♛ Hudson Samuel At Three Weeks ♛

2011-05-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

~ Brotherly Love ~

2011-05-10T18:07:00.001-07:00

♛ Hudson's Birth Announcement's ♛

2011-04-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

These are the two birth announcement's I decided on for Hudson. I had a $20.00 coupon at shutterfly.com and decided to get the blue & brown one. I really like how the picture turned out using the sepia color. I got the vintage toile one at tinyprints.com. I really wanted that one because it matches Hudson's bedding.

Hudson's One Week Pictures

2011-04-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

♛ He's Here! ♛

2011-04-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hudson Samuel was born on April, 22nd at 12:47 am. He weighed 9 pounds 1 ounce and 20 1/2 pounds. On the nights of April 19th and the 20th, I was up all night with strong contractions. So, it worked out that I had it set up to go in at 6:00 am on the 21st (Hudson's due date)to be induced. When I went in, I was already dilated to 3 cm. I had pretty steady contractions all morning. I could tell my body was getting ready, so at that time, there was no need for pitocin. By the afternoon though, my contractions had pretty much stopped. So, I gave the ok to help my labor along.

By about 3:00 in the afternoon I felt something pop and I knew right after that my water had broke. The contractions got REALLY intense after that. At this point, I was completely and utterly exhausted. I hadn't slept good in weeks. With my last son, I went without epidural. They had given me too much and I had no feeling in my chest, so I told them to take me off it completely. I was able to labor for 23 hours and push Jonah out without pain medication. That's why I thought I could do it with Hudson. Boy, was I wrong! I have heard some mothers compare labor to severe cramping or pushing out a watermelon. For me, that is putting it lightly. I would compare the pain to having my insides being ripped apart from the inside out. I now know each labor is entirely different because with Cainen & Jonah, it wasn't NEAR as bad.

Since Hudson was sunny side up and I was having intense back pain, I tried different positions to get him to move in the right direction. After trying to endure the pain for hours and reaching only 6 cm, I begged for the epidural. I was finally able to relax a little and get the rest I had needed for weeks.

When my Doctor came in at about 11:00 pm, he said I was at 9 cm. After that everything was such a great experience! The Doctor came back in after the nurse told him Hudson was crowning. I only had to push twice! My wonderful Doctor told Aaron (my husband) to deliver Hudson. So, Aaron got to deliver our baby boy! Aaron laid him on my chest and he stopped crying immediately. He was so awake and alert. He nursed right away for a good amount of time. The hospital was very understanding about my desire to not interfere with my time with Hudson. They NEVER took him away from me once while I was there except for his circumcision. I had him on my chest for a very long time and then I gave them the ok to weight him and bathe him in front of me. They did not push giving him the Hepatitis B shot. I know that all these things should be done this way anyway but with giving birth in a hospital, you never know what nurse could be pushy, thinking she knows more than the mother.

When they checked him for jaundice the next day, he had no trace of it. His complexion is just perfect. I can't believe it's already been a week since I was in labor with him. He is so precious and I am so grateful for the all the love, prayers & support I have received. He nurses so well. Since I nurse on demand, it's just so easy to co-sleep with my little prince. I love to smell my breast milk on his lips. I love the sounds he makes. I am so grateful to God. This time last year, I had lost my little baby but God is always full of new beginnings. So, here I am with my baby boy in sheer bliss. I have been having a hard time getting back to feeling good again. I am in a lot of pain still but it is so worth it. I will update again soon!

♛ An Upate On Hudson's Arrival ♛

2011-04-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the Doctor. I still have not dilated at all. With me being 40 weeks this Thursday and having high blood sugar, my Doctor was hoping Hudson would have been here by now. On the 21st (Hudson's due date) I will be going in at 6:15 to take medication to help my cervix ripen. If there is no progress, I have the choice of going home later that day and wait for things to happen on their own or stay at the hospital and wait there. He said to do plenty of walking between now and then. Which I haven't been doing a lot of since I have been having so much pain with my bladder. For those of you who don't know I have Intersitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome) Which started two weeks before my last son was born. During delivery I had major trauma to my bladder and since then, things have never been the same. Every day life can be difficult with this chronic condition. Please pray that that my issues with my bladder will not be a issue with this delivery.

I really want to do things naturally and so does my Doctor but he said with high blood sugar, I do risk still birth because of the placenta deteriorating or loosing amniotic fluid. Most Doctors would have taken Hudson by 39 weeks. I am just concerned because I have not dilated at all and I don't want to risk a C-Section. With my last delivery's I was in labor for 23 hours and on the verge of having C-Section and then at the last minute I dilated to a 10.

Please pray for a safe, fast and easy delivery. For a healthy boy and for God to calm my fears. Thank you everyone for all for constant prayers, love and encouragement!

♛ 38 Weeks! ♛

2011-04-10T14:47:00.001-07:00

Well, I am 38 weeks and three days! I am hoping & praying Hudson comes soon! I just can't wait to hold him! On Thursday the 7th I went to the Doctor and I have not dilated at all. Hudson's head is way down and ready to go! Even though I have high blood sugar, the Doctor is not concerned with inducing. He says too many Doctors do that now days and risk a C-Section. He doesn't believe I will go as far as full term though because he said Hudson looks ready to go! Please continue to keep us in your prayers!

Here's some pictures of Hudson's crib, highchair and other goodies waiting for him!

~ My Sweet Boys ~

2011-03-31T17:30:00.001-07:00

Yay for 37 weeks! Not too much longer! Here's a picture of my sweet boys! They can't wait till their little brother Hudson is here!

~ 35 Weeks ~

2011-03-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Yay for 35 weeks! Maybe Hudson will make his world debut in two weeks! I STILL need to put up pictures of my tummy! But first, I need to have some good shots taken. I feel a bit overwhelmed lately. I still need to wash all Hudson's clothes. His custom bedding has not come yet for his crib and the house is a mess! I am really behind in school but I figured we can catch up this summer. As soon as I get my duffel bag in the mail that I ordered from Target, I can pack for the hospital. Here's a picture of the bag I got. It matches perfectly with Hudson's baby bag, stroller & car seat.

My husband & boys will be painting Hudson's high chair a blue robins egg color. Yay for a vintage shabby chic look! I hope to post pictures of my belly soon!

~ Going Home Outfit ~

2011-02-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

It's been hard finding the right kind of going home outfit for Hudson. When my boys were newborns, every baby boutique shop carried Carousel Boutique, Feltman Brothers & Petit Ami. I always have loved the old fashion look on newborns with the smocked rompers & layette. I called several stores and I have been told that most places have stopped selling them because people want clothes that are more trendy. We'll, that was a big disappointment to hear because I have the sweetest rompers for my first two boys to pass down as heirlooms. I have handmade crochet baby blankets, sweaters and booties all tucked away for their wife one day. Thankfully I found a store in L.A that still sells these sweet little going home outfits. Now I only need to decide which one I like the most!

~ 32 Weeks! ~

2011-02-24T14:16:00.001-08:00

I am just about done with everything I need before Hudson's arrival! I just need Hudson's going home outfit and lots of diapers! I even picked out his birth announcements! I think it matches his bedding and I can't wait to see his picture on here!

I just ordered his crib & custom bedding (although I've always co-slept with my babies until they were 2 1/2 years old) I just felt like I needed to nest and have a spot that was all for Hudson. I still wanted to be able to decorate. When my boys were younger, I used to put them in the crib for play time or if I needed to clean up and my back was killing me from carrying them. I am a big fan of co-sleeping though. A baby is used to being inside it's mother. A mothers sighs, rustlings and even snoring are stimulating to a baby, helping to pull him out of any too-long or too-deep sleep. SIDS is one reason why I would never want my baby away from me. I don't believe in letting babies "cry it out" or "self soothe themselves". This is not spoiling....it is nurturing my baby that has needs and cannot take care of himself. Parent can't spoil an infant. Babies cry for a reason. Babies need to be close to the breast for a reason. After all, they only stay little for a short time.

These last weeks I have bought stuff from Babies R Us, Esty, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Target & Nordstrom. I can't wait to see the blankets my mother made for Hudson! She is also sending some nursing PJ's and more baby clothes she bought. Now, for my purchase at Winter Promise for next years curriculum! Thank goodness for our tax return! Here's a couple of pictures of the cocoon I decided on for Hudson's first pictures.

I was hoping the weather would be better this weekend for some pregnancy pictures, but it looks like it is going to rain again. Perhaps next weekend.

~ 30 Weeks And Counting ~

2011-02-11T18:40:00.001-08:00

It's getting closer! I can't wait to see baby Hudson!

How Far Along: 30 weeks down, 10 more to go!

Hudson should weigh around 3 lbs 12 ounces and be about 16 in. long! I'll find out this coming Thursday!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I lost ten pounds in the first trimester and have gained 14 pounds altogether.

Maternity Clothes: A mix of both.

Gender: he's a he!

Movement: All day every day!

Sleep: Some good nights, some bad. Mostly bad.

What I miss: Not having to check my blood sugar levels all time.

Cravings: Apple Pie (which I can't have) Jumba Juice (which I can't have either)But oh so worth it!

Symptoms: WELL - bladder issues for one. Cramping and other pains. Hudson likes to camp out and kick me like crazy.

Best Moment This Week: Everyday brings new happiness knowing I'm getting closer.

I am so excited about getting Hudson's outfit my mother bought for him to wear in the hospital. I had his initial put on it. I bought it at Restoration Hardware.

I also bought him these cute overalls with his name put on it.

I need to find a cute going home outfit for him too!

Week 29 And Counting

2011-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

I just bought this hat for Hudson off of Esty! I think it's so cute! Although, there are several other hats I want to get for him for his first pictures.

Here are some of the other ones I want to get! They are so cute!

Esty has such cute ideas for photo props using baby cocoons and hammocks.

I'm just trying to figure out what I want the most. So many great choices!

I decided on this bedding from Copage Designs. I plan on getting the matching lampshade, diaper stacker and a few other things to match the bedding.

I am 29 weeks and it has been so exciting to know that I'm almost there! It has been hard because I have had reacurring UTI's and I have been on three different antibiotics. I have horrible symptoms again and I dread having to take medication again. It's hard because I never really know if it's a UTI or a flare-up from having Interstitial cystitis. I'd love to take something natural but unfortunately, everything that is natural has cranberry in it and that is like pouring acid on my bladder. I am praying & trusting that God will continue to protect baby Hudson from all these infections I have had. I have been in SO much pain!

I cannot wait till April and I get to see his face!! I am looking into having a doula there with me when I give birth at the hospital to keep those Doctors in line. I would like things to stat as natural as possible and I heard Kaiser is pretty good about having mid-wives there with you too. So, we shall see!

Today my stroller I have wanted for so long is expected to arrive! Thanks to my wonderful mother, sister and family friend,Linda! You wouldn't believe how hard it was buying this! That's a whole other story though and would raise my blood pressure to go into it! So, I'll just tell you how excited I am! I have the matching baby bag to go with it and my mother is knitting a blanket for Hudson too to match. My son will be styling in his new travel system!

Hudson Samuel

2010-12-28T14:47:00.000-08:00

How Far Along: 24 Weeks down...16 weeks to go!

Size of baby: Baby is the size of an ear of corn and gained about 1/4 pound since last week.

According to Baby Center, at 24 weeks a baby usually weights a little over a pound. My big boy Hudson, weighed a pound and 1/2 four weeks ago!

Total Weight Gain/Loss:I lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and gained 9 pounds back.

Maternity Clothes: A mix of regular and maternity.

Gender: Boy!

Movement: All the time and getting stronger!

Sleep: Sleep has never been good.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: Apple Pie! Which I can't have due to having high blood sugar.

Symptoms: Bladder pain, tiredness, round ligament pain.

Best Moment This Week: Everyday!

Milestones: Getting closer to Spring & 3rd trimester everyday!

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Hudson got some really cute vintage clothes from my favorite shop, Melange! His daddy bought them for Christmas.
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Here's the bedding I picked out for Hudson.

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Here's the stroller I want to get from Target.

~ Thanking God For A Heartbeat! ~

2010-10-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

I am so very happy that I have made it to 13 weeks! I am so very grateful to God!

~A Lazy Homeschool Day~

2010-09-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

We have mostly been dong our school in bed. I have been really sick with this pregnancy. Honestly though, I have enjoyed doing school in my bed more than at our dining room table. It just seems so much more relaxing. I think this is one of the best things about homeschool. The closeness and unlimited hours we get to spend together. My boys are the best of friends and that makes everything worth it. Even on the days when I feel like I can't get out of bed because I'm so tired. During this season in my life, it reminds me of what I read in the book, "I Saw The Angel In The Marbel" by Chris & Ellyn Davis

Why did we choose to Homeschool our children? Over the years, as I have been asked this question, Iv'e usually spouted off reasons such as: "We want the freedom to select teaching materials that reinforce our religious beliefs and moral standards. We want to provide the academic superiority of a one-on-one teaching situation. We want the ability to monitor our children's socialzation experiences. We want to tailor the course of study to the individual. We want the flexibility to create more family time. We would give the academic statistics on Homeschooling vs Public school" These are the reasons I clung to as I tried to convince our family, friends and even curious strangers that we were not really crazy for keeping our children out of that traditional and highly revered American instiution-the public school.

But, when I'm perfectly honest with myself, those are just secondary reasons why I chose to teach our children at home. The real reasons are the matter of the heart. Home schooling was and still is attractive to me in part because of the images it evokes: children snuggling on the couch as I teach them to read; little boy's faces alight with excitement as they assemble model rockets; my son absorded in a book while lying on the back of his pony; cross-country trips in the car learning about the Oregon Trail; acting out the battle of Yorktown with boys who have muskets slung over their shoulders; twlight adventures collecting lightning bugs; the pride in a child's voice as he says, "Look how well I wrote these letters!"

To me, home schooling speaks of close family relationships, highly valued home and family life; happy children who love learning; restoration of excellence; freedom to pursue individual interests; entrepreneurship; recapturing meaning and purpose to life; and discovering one's destiny.

In the end, no matter what the generation, teaching our children at home has little to do with academics or with shielding them from secular influences....it has always been a matter of the heart.

~Our Curriculum 2010-2011~

2010-08-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Common Years

2010-08-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

"I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain." ~John Keats

Is Twilight Wrong For Christians to Read?

2010-07-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

I have read a lot of posts that have been put up on facebook about Twilight. Explaining why the books are so evil and sinful to read.I have read comments on certain sites accusing women like myself, that we are not really saved and we have been compared to a harlot. Wow! There is a lot of judgment and legalism going on here. I think Christians are being hypocritical when they speak against Twilight. I grow weary of the hypocrisy and the judgment from Christians while at the same time they read other books that portray the very things they are accusing Twilight of. Christian parents will allow their children to read Romeo & Juliet. If Romeo and Juliet didn't destroy the moral core of young people after 400 years of being stupid and wreckless, how can a fantasy about non-existing vampires & werewolves be a problem? In Romeo and Juliet, we have Juliet lying to her parents, a secret marriage and teen suicide. What about Wuthering Heights (transcendence/mysticism, cruelty and torment of others, strong passion and hatred)? Or "To Kill a Mockingbird (rape, racial issues, extreme racism)? These books are classic literature, reading requirements and generally suggested in homeschool curriculum. If fantasy has been accepted for centuries how is it now a problem?

As a fellow blogger pointed out, "Does this mean, as Christians, we should do away with Snow White and the apple - a perfect metaphor for the Garden of Eden? And what about Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid? In combination, all these depict temptation from demonic forces, damnation, hellfire, evil, sin, fear.........and the list goes on. Does this mean we should not allow our children to read fantasy books? Should we be concerned that Fantasy literature is terrifying and will damage our children psychologically; that our children will think that fantasy literature is reality? Where do you draw the line?"

Christians say it's bad because of it being about vampires. I can read Twilight in good faith the same way I can read, Lord Of The Rings, Chronicles Of Narnia and Pilgrim's Progress. All of which are full of witches, "good wizards", sorcerers and mythical creatures. I actually think a wizard being portrayed as being good is worse than a bunch of fictional vampires who know that they are killers. At least the vampires in Twilight strive to fight their nature and be good. We all know that vampires are not real, but there are many satanic people out there that do practice witch craft. That, my friends if not fictional. There really are witches out there that practice pagan rituals and Lord Of The Rings, portrays a wizard as being good. When Star Wars came out, all the Christian's were up in arms about that because it was very New Age and now the movies are accepted into many Christian homes.

Everyone speaks against how obsessed Bella is with Edward. Yet if Bella were portrayed as a strong independent women, we would hear how she is a feminist. It's a no win situation. Elizabeth from Pride & Prejudice fell in love with a rich and handsome man. Christians could very well say that that is teaching girls to be superficial and shallow. Yet, we all read that book. We as Christians love to read the classics like Wuthering Heights. Was not Cathy obsessed with Heathcliff? Consider the following quote:

If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it."
- Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights

Consider this quote from John Keats. "I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain."

It sounds beautiful to me. To be that much in love. So poetic. Apparently though, it's a sin to love someone that much. Christians put a spin on it and say it's wrong because your looking to a man to fulfill a void in your heart other than God. The God I serve though, is a poet and He said, "It is not good for man to be alone" Does that mean that God realized He was not enough? Of course not. But He does desire us to love and be in love. I imagine that the love we read about in romance novels and great classics is much the same way it was with Adam & Eve before sin came into the world. Heaven forbid you enjoy a good romance! That must mean you don't love God enough! A lot of Christians try to make it out to be a bad thing to be, "unconditionally and irrevocably in love" with a man. But we must all ask ourselves how we would feel if the love of our life died or left us. If Christian women were perfectly honest, they would have to admit that we all desire romance and it's not a sin. If we are mature enough and see FICTION for what it is. If we raise our teens and instill in them right from wrong, good from bad, fact from fantasy, they then should be able to use good discernment. If they are weak minded and easily influenced by outside forces, then we as parents need to take a step back. The claims against Twilight could be said about almost every fiction book I can think of. If your teenage girl has trouble distinguishing between what is appropriate in reality, and what is going on in a book, then obviously you have failed as a parent. I have read and loved all four of the books and I can tell you, other books and movies are a lot worse. Children should know the difference between fantasy and the real world.

I am all about sheltering my children to a certain extent but not exposing my children to some imperfect things in this world can be a major problem. The thing we must do is teach them to think from a critical and biblical worldview and discern what is truth and what is not! This movie is a perfect example of how to discuss things your teenage daughter. Reading imperfect books with your teen will make it a safe environment. Giving them practice while spotting the well-hidden and even attractive lies that are being feed to those without a discerning mind.

I have heard people say the only reason Edward doesn't want to have pre-marital sex is because he didn't want to lose control and kill Bella. Stephanie Meyer, the author of the books, makes it clear that Edward wanted to protect Bella's virtue. He wanted to wait till marriage. Which would explain why they waited till they got married and why Bella was STILL human at that time. Edward was utterly disgusted with people that had shallow, vulgar and improper thoughts about women. He is a very respectful fictional character. In the book they're not having pre-marital sex, they're not doing drugs, they believe in hard work and education, they believe in lifetime commitment and family, they believe in living non-violently, they defend their loved ones to the death if necessary, and they form alliances and work together with their enemies to fight a bigger evil. Yeah, a really bad message for our youth. People have also said that Edward is very controlling of Bella, when really he is very concerned for her safety. Also, Bella was not trying to kill herself, she clearly states that in the books and movie.

Funny how we never hear Christians speak against Spiderman and Iron Man with good looking women. Or Return Of The Jedi with a half naked Princess Leia. Men with super magical powers. Christian's are quick to criticize the Twilight movies, and yet praise far more violent and unrealistic fanboy films and a million other comic book films for males.

Twilight is not the Bible, people in these books make bad choices but the question is what can we learn from them? I think David Quine says it best.

“What is the nature of man? What is the essence of who we are?” Where am I from, and where am I going? I love reading literature and asking our children, “What is this person saying about God and the universe? What is this person saying about the nature of man?” In two books that deal with monsters (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson), one author believes that man is basically good. Shelley believes that man was created kind, benevolent, and generous, and society turned him into a monster. She says then that if you could simply correct society, then man would behave properly. This is not at all the biblical view of man. However, in Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you think as you read that there are two separate, distinct individuals. Then in the end you realize that hiding deep within Dr. Jekyll is a Mr. Hyde because Stevenson believed that man has an evil nature. Left to himself, the evil nature would totally control the person, which is the biblical position. Man is separated from God, and the result is that he has an evil nature. In a sense what these authors have done is taken a plot with characters and themes and tied basic ideas of life into their stories. We must be helping our children to recognize those false ideas that have been wedded to stories and recognize the true ideas.

Can reading Frankenstein bring glory to God? I believe it can. But if we go by the standards of those that are against Twilight, we must admit it cannot bring glory to God. Therefore we should not read anything with fantasy at all. Period. You see, there needs to be more consistency with our beliefs. Not contradictions and loop holes.

In closing, Twilight promotes abstinence, young marriage, pro-life views, and a man being in charge of a relationship. This book (unlike others) does not promote drug use, excessive violence, or promiscuity. The Cullen family strives to live a moral life. A lot can be learned in from these books.

A Summer Day

2010-07-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

A Day At Jenkison Lake

2010-05-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

My Handsome Boys

2010-03-31T11:02:00.001-07:00

Some Truths To Remember

2010-03-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

Don’t ever let the cost of having a child keep you from having a child. You’ll never be ready if that’s the case. God will provide.

"We live in a nation where one out of every three babies ends up in an abortionist's trash can and where survivors commonly see Barney, Dora the Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants, the daycare worker, or the public school teacher more than Mom and Dad." - Dr. Patrick Johnston

"Don't forsake your children - the only earthly possessions you can take to heaven with you - for the temporary crumbs of career and possessions." Dr Patrick Johnson

"The state's desire for children is to get a good education to become workers in the global economy, my desire for my children is to get wisdom to become disciples who glorify the Lord Almighty. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Therefore, any national standard will never be our standard." -Spunky Homeschool

My Sweet Boys

2010-03-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

What We Have Been Doing In School

2010-03-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

We have been really enjoying school! Last week we learned about the state of Louisiana. We listened to jazz music from Louis Armstrong and made Red Beans & Rice. It turned out real yummy! The boys loved it!

Last week Jonah learned about turtles and how we should not quit but preserve. Here is Jonah's badge he made for Turtle Week.

For science we did a seed experiment by putting seeds on a plate with a dry napkin and covering it with foil. Then we placed seeds on another plate with a wet napkin and covered it with foil as well. With two identical situations we saw what happens to seeds with water and seeds without water.

Here Cainen made a Lamb with the Bible verse he has been memorizing.

Cainen also learned about how the New England Primer was the book used in homes and schools. He learned how it taught moral values as well as the alphabet, often using ideas from the Bible. I also had him make a horn book!

A New Blessing From God

2010-02-22T14:18:00.001-08:00

Saturday night I found out I am expecting a baby! When I first found out I was literally jumping for joy! My heart was racing with excitement and it felt as though the whole world was rejoicing with me. I couldn't have wiped the smile off my face even if I had to. God truly has blessed Aaron and I! I know it's just another example of His unfailing love and grace. I decided to wrap the positive home pregnancy test in a gift bag and let Aaron and the boys open it. Of course Aaron was so excited but my boys were not so sure what the gift was all about. Their daddy explained it to them. Jonah said, "so if there are two lines does that mean we are having TWO babies"? Such a adorable response!

I cannot even begin to express my boys excitement. They continually talk about the baby. When we all woke up yesterday, Jonah drew a picture of our family with the new baby.This spring, we are also looking into moving into a new house! I am so excited! I couldn't be happier!

Spending The Day At The Museum

2010-02-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

"We're not trying to do School at Home. We're trying to do homeschool. These are two entirely different propositions. We're not trying to replicate the time, style or content of the classroom. Rather we're trying to cultivate a lifestyle of learning in which learning takes place from morning until bedtime 7 days each week. The formal portion of each teaching day is just the tip of the iceberg”. -Steve and Jane Lambet

For our anniversary, I really wanted to go to the art museum. Especially since the current exhibition was the gilded age era. Since my boys are artists themselves, they enjoyed the museum as well. Some of the paintings were truly remarkable! The museum was originally a Victorian mansion built in 1872. I enjoyed the beautiful architecture, design and rich colors throughout the mansion almost if not more than the paintings themselves. The beautiful crown molding, stair case and lighting was extraordinary. There were lots of Biblical paintings there as well and I truly was pleased to see that. I loved so many of the paintings, it was hard to pick which one was my favorite. They were all so beautiful.

Valentines Day With My Boys

2010-02-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

We all had a great day on Valentines Day. I surprised the boys when they woke up with our dining room table all decorated with yummy treats and stuffed animals. I made oatmeal for them and put it cute little glass shaped hearts. Aaron and I took the boys to the park to let them play and let our dog, Edgar play at the dog park. We then went to a couple of stores that Aaron and I had been wanting to go to. For dinner, we went out to eat at a yummy Mexican restaurant. For a family project we went by Lowe's and picked up some vintage white paint so we could paint my old rocking horse my grandparents bought me when I was one years old. The boys got to help their daddy paint it. I am reconsidering the color though, I'm not sure it works well like I had hoped. That night we put the boys in bed and Aaron and I enjoyed a movie while enjoying Cheesecake and wine together.

Nest Week In My Father's World

2010-02-19T09:10:00.000-08:00

Jonah really enjoyed making his nest badge to wear. He was really excited about wearing it. He also painted a tree and then added torn paper leaves and some cotton clouds. I had bought some Spanish Moss at Michaels and it worked out great for the nests. Jonah gets so excited about school and begs to do it everyday!

Apple Week

2010-02-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

We are just now done with Apple Week in My Father's World K. Jonah has mostly been doing the projects in Adventures with his brother. I plan on getting caught up before summer. Jonah will be officially starting Kindergarten this fall. I am very excited! He really enjoyed learning about apples. We talked about the fruits of the Spirit and how we as God's children will have fruit in our lives just like apple trees. We also taste tested the apples to see which one tasted the best. We also made a tree by tracing Jonah's hand for the trunk and branches. I read a book about Johnny Appleseed and then Jonah colored a picture of him. Jonah does such a great job coloring, he colors better than I do! All the boys in my life are such good artists!

Our Curriculum For 2010-2011

2010-02-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

After much consideration I have decided that I will not be using My Father's World for Cainen this year. With My Father's World, Cainen would be going right into learning about other countries and cultures. Although I want Cainen to learn about the rest of the world, I felt that he needed to have a complete overview first of American History. Then when he is older he can of course go into more depth. Also, before he learns about other people's religion, I want him to have a full understanding of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. Cainen still has a lot of questions about God and I don't think throwing in Buddha at this point is such a wise decision. Although I do fully intend on teaching my boys about other religions so they can defend their own faith when they are older. I plan to pick back up with My Father's World later. We will be starting this fall where we left off in American History. He will be learning about the Civil War, the Conestoga wagons, the immigrants coming to Ellis Island and the Great Depression. He will also be learning about the Underground Railroad and World War II. Cainen is particularly excited about learning more about the Wright Brothers great invention and the hands-on fun he'll be able to do like gold panning, setting up war campaigns & spying out enemy secrets. I look forward to learning more about other countries with Cainen in the coming years. I can't wait till we learn about the brave missionaries and I want my boys be able to defend their faith. To know why they believe what they do. I want them to be fully equipped. As David Quine says, "Properly equipping our children to stand firm in Christ in the 21st Century is our responsibility as parents."

CAINEN - 3rd GRADE

BIBLE STUDY:

* Daily readings from the Bible
* The Old Testament & New Testament Activity-Paks from Homeschool In The Woods
* Leading Little Ones To God
* An Honorable Boy from Queen Homeschool
* The Armor of God: a Children's Bible Study in Ephesians 6:10-18
* Proverbs People

For next year, I would like to look more into Character Sketches. My friend recommended it to me and it looks really good.

CHARACTER:

We will be reading books from Lamplighter
* A Puzzling Pair
* Christie's Old Organ
* Teddy's Button
* The Basket Of Flowers
* Little King Davie
* Clean Your Boots, Sir?

We also will be reading books from Yesterday's Classics
* Tales and Customs of the Ancient Hebrews
* America First
* American History Stories, Volume I and II
* Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans
* The Dutch Twins
* Mother Stories
* The Burgess Bird Book for Children
* Among the Farmyard People

Beautiful Feet has a wonderful teaching Character Through Literature Study Guide that I plan on using with Cainen either this coming summer or next. I have the study guide and most of the books.

POETRY:

* A Child's Book Of Poems
* A Child's Garden Of Poems
* The Seasons
This is the best poetry book that I have come across for my boys. I found it at a homeschool resale shop. It truly is a gem! The poems were first compiled by Louis Lawrence between the years 1887 and 1890.
* A Book Of Americans
This is another wonderful poetry book. It was first published in 1933 and it has a poem for many great Americans.
* Lessons from Nature: Poems for Boys and Girls
John Bunyan the author of Pilgrim's Progress wrote this great poetry book.

READ-ALOUDS

While I know we wont have time to read all of these books, I plan on reading at least some this coming school year and carrying these great classics on over to the following school years. Cainen really loved Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island, so I am really looking forward to reading these with him.

* Pilgrims Progress
* Swiss Family Robinson
* 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
* Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes
* Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
* Adventures Of Robin Hood
* The Call Of The Wild
* White Fang
* Oliver Twist
* The Red Badge Of Courage
* Tom Sawyer
* Knights Of The Round Table

Winter Promise also has their own readers that come with their Language Arts program that I will be getting.

COPYWORK:

We will be using Queen Homeschool for all of our copywork. They offer copy work for cursive, math facts for memorization, picture study, narration and poetry appreciation.

WRITING SKILLS:

* Story Starters

MATH:

* Teaching Textbooks
* MathTacular

HISTORY:

* American Story 2 from Winter Promise
* Time Travelers History Studies- The Civil War

NATURE STUDY:

* My Nature Journal
* Keeping a Nature Journal
* Handbook of Nature Study
* Fun With Nature

LANGUAGE ARTS:

* Language Arts 3 from Winter Promise
* First Language Lessons For The Well-Trained Mind
* Primary Language Lessons

SCIENCE:

I have some wonderful books from Answers In Genesis and Apoligia but I feel the books that I have are a bit advanced for my son. I plan on using them next year. So this year, I decided to use Winter Promises science program. Cainen wants to learn about animals so we are doing their Animal Habitats program.
* Animal Habitats
* ACSI Science Grade 3 Student Book
This science text book from ACSI and The Complete Book Of Animals looked really good to me and I thought that I could always use it along with Animal Habitats.
* Complete Book of Animals

ART:
* Artists Activity-Paks
* Come Look With Me
* I Can Do All Things
* Art Notebooking Pages

MUSIC:

* Composers Activity-Paks
* Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells
* Mozart, The Wonder Boy
* Handel at the Court of Kings
* I, Vivaldi
* Meet the Great Composers
* Famous Composer Pages
* The Story of the Orchestra Book

JONAH - K

Since Jonah will be done with My Father's World K by this summer and he technically doesn't start kindergarten till this fall, I felt he wasn't ready for MFW 1st grade. So I have decided we will be using Heart Of Dakota. I really love My Father's World and it is sad that I wont be using them this year but I look forward to trying Heart Of Dakota. They also use the Charlotte Mason method and I am pretty excited about using them!

* Little Hearts For His Glory

I am really excited about using all the books from Heart Of Dakota! The Singapore K math looks really good!
* Earlybird Kindergarten Math

The Reading Made Easy and the Hide 'Em in Your Heart CD looks really good too!

Jonah will be following along with Cainen in science as we learn about animals.
I bought him several books to correlate with Cainen's studies. Here are some of Jonah's books.

* Animal Habitats: Learning about North American Animals and Plants thru Art, Science & Creative Play
* My Big Book of 5-Minute Devotions: Celebrating God's World
* Eric Carle's Animals Animals

I wanted Jonah to do copywork as well so I bought him Language Lessons For Little Ones. I can't wait to get this in the mail! Queen Homeschools Website says this book has picture study, narration & poetry appreciation.

I am looking forward to a year school year!

A Day Spent At The Philharmonic Orchestra

2010-01-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Week 14 In Adventures

2010-01-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Last week in Adventures we learned about Delaware, Pennsylvania and Georgia. On the day in which we learned about PA, Cainen got to make the Liberty Bell. He did such a great job writing the scripture verse on the bell. He has beautiful handwriting, much better than mine I dare say. It was a lot of fun making it! For Georgia, we made a yummy peach cobbler, since GA is known for peaches. Yesterday we learned about Connecticut and their state bird the robin. So, we made robin nests that the boys could eat! For grass we used shredded wheat, for twigs we used chow mein noodles, for mud we used melted chocolate and peanut butter. As always Jonah was thrilled about eating this interesting creation of his but Cainen, not so much! This week I am going to have the boys do some nature study outside. Using their binoculars, we will be able to look for birds and journal our findings. Oh, the joys of homeschooling!

My Thoughts

2009-12-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

I love this picture so much. I really need to have it framed. I love seeing how much my boys love their cousins. It's such a great feeling watching them hug each other and be so affectionate. I love seeing how Cainen takes care of his youngest cousin Sydney. I know he would be wonderful with a younger sister. It makes me get so excited to see what God may have in store for us as Aaron and I would love to have more children.

Old Town Sacramento

2009-12-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

My brother had been really wanting to see Old Town Sacramento, so we decided to go out there. Of course the kids had a great time running around together and looking at all the trains. We took some great pictures that day and we all enjoyed just being there together.

The Park & Nature Study

2009-12-29T09:32:00.001-08:00

After we went rock painting, Aaron and I took the kids to the park for some fun! Afterwards we did a little nature study with them. The kids had a blast! We took them to McDonald's and then ended the day with a movie night! I wish I had of taken a picture of all the kids eating their popcorn while they laid together on the pallet we made on the floor. Such great memories!

Rock Painting

2009-12-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

The kids loved doing this so much. I loved just watching them make their own creations. Aaron and I really enjoyed having all the kids for the day.

Christmas Time

2009-12-29T09:10:00.000-08:00

We all had a great Christmas! My brother came in from Southern California to visit us. My boys love their cousins so much, they are so close to each other. We all really enjoyed ourselves!

The Nutcracker

2009-12-28T11:49:00.001-08:00

I surprised the boys and took them to see The Nutcracker. They had no idea that I had this planned for a long time. They were so surprised and excited. The looks on their faces were priceless. The boys have always loved this enchanting play. We have been learning about Tchaikivsky in school this year, so this was a real treat to enjoy hearing his music played live by the Philharmonic Orchestra. The boys brought binoculars to see the dancers up close. It was so adorable watching them, their eyes gleamed with anticipation and excitement. The beautiful scenery and graceful dancing was so exciting for them to watch. The boys loved watching the mice battle it out with The Nutcracker and of course Jonah loved the swirling candy canes and all the other yummy treats. I know the boys will have memories that will last a lifetime.

A Christmas Country Spelling Bee

2009-12-21T00:24:00.000-08:00

Cainen did such a wonderful job during his performance. He practiced for a very long time. He had a small part in the play and he remembered his line perfectly. He spoke loud and clearly. He sounded so adorable when he said,"Does an angel get his wings?" It reminded me of the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." He sang and danced his little heart out. I couldn't help but cry when he prayed in front of everyone and thanked Jesus for dieing on the cross. I was not expecting that. Afterwards he told me, he didn't care about candy...he just wanted people to know Jesus. As a mother, nothing could be sweeter or more rewarding than hearing such a powerful prayer from their beloved son. Being a mother is hard sometimes but when I hear a prayer like that, it's as though I can feel God's love & reassurance. Even though I make many mistakes, I am reminded that God honors those that honor Him. So, on the days in which homeschooling seems a bit overwhelming, I can always feel God cheering me on... showing me the path that I need to continue to take. So that in the end my children will have His word written on their hearts and through it all Christ may be glorified.

Christmas Treats!

2009-12-21T00:18:00.000-08:00

This was a fun night. I decided we would make these cute little Christmas trees! They turned out to be a real hit! Even Cainen who doesn't like sweets enjoyed them. Afterwards we made little reindeer cups and filled them with popcorn and hot chocolate. They got to have a movie night and they really enjoyed themselves!