Saturday, December 24, 2016

It's About the Cross



The lyrics of "It's About the Cross" remind us what Christmas is all about!


It's not just about the manger
where the baby laid
It's not all about the angels
who sang for Him that day
It's not just about the shepherds
or the bright and shining star
It's not all about the wise men
who traveled from afar


It's not just about presents
underneath the tree
It's not all about the feeling
that this season brings to me
It's not just about coming home
to be with those you love
It's not all about the beauty
in the snow I'm dreaming of


The beginning of the story is wonderful and great
But it's the ending that can save you
and that's why we celebrate!


It's about the cross, It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It's about God's love nailed to a tree
It's about every drop of blood that flowed
From Him when it should've been me
It's about the stone that was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life some day
It's about the cross


Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Christmas Traditions



Our family Christmas traditions are all about keeping Christ in Christmas. We do not celebrate Santa Claus, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here are our top three Christmas traditions that remind us what Christmas is all about.





#1 Christmas Story
Every year, before any gift can be opened, we gather around the Christmas tree and my husband reads the Christmas Story from Luke 2.



#2 Three Gifts
Every year, my girls have three gifts under the Christmas tree to be opened on Christmas Day after we have read the Christmas Story. You may wonder, why three gifts? Because baby Jesus received three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.




#3 Birthday Cake


Every year, we have a special cake among the desserts, a birthday cake for Jesus. This year, the request is a German Chocolate Cake.

Our family has a couple other Christmas traditions; but these are our top three because they remind us what Christmas is all about, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.




Sunday, December 11, 2016

Teaching with Toddlers



If you have toddlers, your homeschool has to be designed with their needs in mind. Otherwise, you are going to be frustrated, and they will feel ignored. Here are three tips for teaching with toddlers.


1. Maximize naptime. If you have maintained a routine and schedule for your kids, then you should have an afternoon naptime to take advantage of. This is when you pull out the science experiments and art projects that cannot accommodate your toddler's involvement.


2. Purchase special materials just for school time. Set up a school area for them and place special items in a box that may only be used during school time. Puzzles, dry-erase workbooks, craft supplies, and any other special items that are available - will keep many toddlers occupied for the time you need to teach a brief grammar or math lesson to other children.


3. Raise independent learners. If we have designed a homeschool that expects independence and self-government from our students, our older students should be able to complete their studies while we work with our younger students.


Happy Homeschooling!

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology



Apologia's Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology is an in-depth study of the human body. Your student will examine the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, digestive, circulatory, immune, and nervous system. They will also study nutrition, health, and embryology to see what makes each of us a unique creation of God.


The junior notebooking journal includes lesson plans, vocabulary crossword puzzles, lapbook-style books for students who benefit from a hands-on approach, and copy work to help students develop their handwriting while hiding God's Word in their hearts. Projects in this course include creating an edible cell from JELL-O, testing bacteria content around the house, discovering your student's blood type, and even building a stethoscope!