planting seeds

My five year old found great joy in planting a few seeds yesterday. We used egg shells, and placed them in dixie cups. He filled each shell with dirt, placed a few seeds in, and watered each, just a bit. He is watching closely for seed development. What a marvelous way to demonstrate God's creation to our little guys and gals.
Have a great day.

Stretching the dollar

Okay, it's obvious to conserve car trips, take a list to the grocery and stick to it, etc. For the average American family, these minor steps may not be adequate. Assuming that your home is affordable, and you've had no major crisis hit recently, lets discuss some other budget cutting measures. First of all, cell phones are a luxury that we have quickly become dependent on. I have a tracphone that I use for urgent needs only. Initially, this was quite a change, but now the kids have gotten used to calling home first, and leaving a message if needed. When we travel, I use a calling card from our hotel room. Again, an adjustment, but a great way to save $50.00 per month.
Secondly, with daylight hours increasing, consider holding off on your satellite t.v. I recently learned that up to twice per year, you may put your satellite service on hold. This would increase your childrens imaginations, help the whole family to become more fit by getting off the couch, and save a minimum of $40.00 per month.
Thirdly, try increasing the air temperature in your home by at least 2 degrees for summer. A little hotter, yes, but the energy savings would be great.
Fourth, plant a garden. In the midwest, it is now time to set out your plants, and sow your seeds. You can grow your own produce, and cut down on the amount of lawn you need to mow. Next time, lets discuss some money-saving meal ideas.

Another Childrens Book Report

Its me agian the 11 year old girl that likes to tell you about books. Today the book I would like to tell you about is called: The Bad Begininning, witten by Lemony Snicket. It is about the three Baudelaire children, Viliot, klause and sunny. In one day they hear lots of heartbreaking news. I won`t spoil the whole book for you but a little to tell you about It. Then the kids keep hearing more and more bad news. This book can get pretty sad and sometimes scary, but it is a very good written book. It is great for kids about 8 and up.

A Childrens Book Report

I am an 11 year old girl who would like to tell you about a book I just finished reading. The book is called Miranda and Sarlight, the book is about a girl that lives with her grandparents and then comes to love one horse. Miranda is the childs name and she does get in a good amout of trouble during her journey to owning a horse. Miranda has a friend, Chris who takes her to Shady View Boarding, where Miranda first sees Starlight. There are 6 books of this series. The first one is called Miranda and Starlight. You can purchase these books at www.Ravenpublishing.com or at www.Amazon.com . I strongly recommend this book for your children.

Finish Strong

We are in our final 6 weeks of the current homeschool/school year. Encourage your student(s) to finish strong! Despite lengthening daylight hours, keep regular bedtimes to the best of your ability and maintain your normal, daily routines. Encourage your students to eat healthy breakfasts. Ward off the temptation to complete assignments quickly, rather than ensuring quality work is done. Continue to make time for family dinners. Communicate with your children in a language they readily understand (note my writing on the love languages). Lastly, look forward to the rewards at the end of the school year-maybe a family trip, a celebration dinner out to eat, a few days to sleep in, summer camp, or visits with grandparents. Summer will come soon enough, but help your students to finish the school year strong!

Family Vacation

Spring break is typically a stay-at-home vacation for us. However, we ventured westward this year. Many of the mountain regions have experienced LOTS of snow this year. As midwesterners this was quite a treat for us. We enjoyed skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and beautiful scenery. I cherish each moment that we have together as a family, for with teens, I am fully aware that all too soon, these group outings will not be so frequent or even possible. Be creative, plan a trip together that fits your budget. If leaving home will not work for you, plan a vacation at home-no laundry, minimal dishes and cooking, little driving, no cell phone, phone, or email, and even let friends and family know that you will be on vacation. It's amazing how refreshing the time away from regular activities can be.

Pet Ownership

Considering whether or not to adopt a pet is no small task. Sure, pets are great companions, very forgiving, and sometimes protective. However, we all know they eat a lot, need exercise, and a shovel/scoop is standard equipment for most. We have found that owning pets helps our children by fostering responsibility, observing the result of God's marvelous creation of animals, and builds self esteem/confidance. Too often today, children have few responsibilities outside of themselves. There are so many important lessons to be learned in life, and animals are a perfect opportunity for children.
Learning to love AND feeling the grief and pain of loss are very important lessons. In our culture of cell phone texting and email, communicating normal emotions are often left out of the equation. Owning and caring for a pet will allow your children to come face to face with these emotions. Depending on your living situation, consider adopting a cat, dog, fish, hamster, rabbit, horse, goat, sheep, or bird.