I Just Gotta Brag

Spent $31; saved $82.

Here's what I got:

20 cans diced tomatoes

8 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats

6 boxes Grape Nuts

6 boxes Shredded Wheat

2 boxes Mom's Best Sweetened Wheat-fuls

18 Balance bars

There's nothing quite like that "coupon high". hehehe

Loving the Little Years

I recently spent my Vision Forum coupon on this book and I absolutely LOVE it! I mean L-O-V-E, love it. This is not the type of book you read cover to cover, it's the type you read a little bit at a time, so that you really absorb all the wisdom in it. I can't say enough about this gem.

The author is a mom of 5 children, 5 years and under. She explains how she learned about the "bulk effect":

Our OB told us in advance that having the twins was not going to make us twice as busy (we had two at the time), but rather exponentially busy. Every time you add a child to your family. . . you are exponentially increasing.

I understand what she means. When Julia began going through the terrible two's, I didn't just have to train her. I had to train all of the other 6 to know how to correctly handle her fits, so that they weren't making it worse by giving in to her every time.

I had to learn how to hold Judah after nursing him so he doesn't spit up on himself. So I also had to teach 6 other baby-eager children how to hold him so he doesn't spit up on them either.

While there is much more child training, I also have a lot of help. I don't do anything alone.

A big family is big work. But oh such big rewards!

Urgent Calls Needed

“So tonight, I am proposing that every state—every state—requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.”
—President Barack Obama
last night’s State of the Union speech.

I was shocked when I heard that. Under our U.S. Constitution, education matters are left to the states. Our Founders wanted decisions about education and a host of other matters left to the states and local government so that these important decisions that affect every family could easily be influenced by the real decision makers: parents and the family.

Parents—not the federal government and certainly not the president—are the ones who should decide how children are educated and when they’re ready to graduate from high school.

But last night, President Obama made it clear that he thinks the federal government should be in the business of telling states how long children should stay in school.

Call Now!

Right now, please call the White House and your members of Congress, and give them this message:

“Last night, President Obama called for the government to mandate that all children stay in school until they graduate or turn age 18. This is not the federal government’s responsibility. Leave education decisions to parents, not federal bureaucrats. Tell President Obama to withdraw his compulsory attendance mandate immediately.”

• The White House: 202-456-1414, or send an online message.

Winnie the Pooh

As part of a Charlotte Mason education, my children begin their schooling with Beatrix Potter and A.A. Milne. I admit that with my four big kids, I skipped Winnie the Pooh. So, with Daniel and Lydia I was determined not to miss it. I'm so glad I made that decision. I am LOVING Winnie the Pooh! It is so funny!

However, I've decided that Winnie the Pooh would be better suited for reading to bigger kids, and I plan to read it to my four soon. While my kindergartners enjoy it a lot, they don't appreciate the humor as much as I do.

If you homeschool, or even if you don't, don't let your kids escape childhood without a relationship with the genius of A.A. Milne. His humor in Winnie the Pooh, and whimsy in his poetry, really should not be missed.

You won't regret it.

2011 in Review

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Love Costs Everything

Persecution is a reality for nearly two hundred million Christians around the world. Daily, they risk their lives simply because they believe in Jesus. They could surrender, or convert, or quit but the love of Jesus is worth the sacrifice. For many of them, this road leads to death.

"Love Costs Every Thing" Trailer from CIY Move on Vimeo.

Warning: Viewer discretion advised. Not for young children.

Hymn Study

Each month, we choose a new hymn for our hymn study. I find a youtube video of the song with lyrics and we play it three times each week. We usually have all learned it by the end of the month and we enjoy singing together each morning after breakfast.

ALL of us sing it, whether we know the words or not. Case in point:

(Note: For the first 30 seconds, Julia is watching all of us who were trying to coach her to do her thing. But then she takes off, much to our delight!)

Enjoy!