Rocky Ledges

31 January 2012

We cleaned the house today, every last nook and craney. I even managed to get all the laundry put away and hung up and my room cleaned and Ember's room cleaned and cleared of the boxes that had been abandoned there. I am so proud of my kids (and myself!). It was a big task, but it needed doing and now that it is all clean it will be easier to keep it that way if I can just stay on top of it.

I finished The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'amour. Very excellent book. If you haven't read it, do so. I spent more time reading Charlotte Mason and reviewing some of the TJ Ed stuff. I am going to give myself a day before I start reading the next book, Little Britches by Ralph Moody. I am so glad I am doing this. Reading brings a whole new level of understanding and judgement to my daily interactions with my children, husband and others.

We drove out to Antelope Island again after lunch, I packed us a dinner this time. We drove to one of the beach locations and walked out on the half frozen sand for quite a distance before we were stopped by the water. The kids played there for a little bit then we drove around and read some of the plaques around the island and hiked up a trail to an overlook. It was fun, if not a bit nerve wracking having my kids up on the tops of rocks like that so close to an unforgiving drop. I just had to keep telling myself that the best way for them to learn safety was to experience places where caution was required. I knew they wouldn't fall, and if they did it wouldn't have been very far, most likely slip a few feet is all, but it was still nerve wracking.

Everyone made it back to the car safely and after taking a picture for a couple who had apparently been waiting for us to come back down the trail for just such a purpose, we climbed into the car and ate dinner. I gave the kids their journals again and they made their entries for the day.

At home we settled down on the couch and I read them stories, first from the Bible and then a few of their picture books. What a pleasant way to end the day!

Inspiration

27 January 2012

Reading, reading and more reading. I have been reading The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'amour as well as Charlotte Mason's Original Homeschooling Series Volume 1 Home Education. I have to admit I am making much better headway on Louis L'amour's book than on Charlotte Mason's. Most likely because I am taking notes on the Charlotte Mason book. It is filled with very truthful and valuable information. I fear I will never be able to get through all six books in the series. Ah well, for now I need to focus on reading the books on my assigned reading list from TJ Ed, I have six books I need to read for that alone and hopefully do so in a 2 month time frame.

I also read a little bit more of Dracula by Bram Stoker to the kids today. We came across another food "Robber Steak" and decided to make it for dinner tomorrow night because we would have to go grocery shopping to get the ingredients and I wasn't in the mood to pack up the kids to go to the grocery store that late in the day.

Four years ago my husband and I were introduced to The Dave Ramsey Show on the radio and we soon bought his book. It was so full of common sense ah-ha's for us that it changed our lives forever and we spent the next thirty months getting out of debt living as God would have us live. When I read A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille and as I read Charlotte Mason's book(s) I have the same feelings. Charlotte Mason has so much information in her book it sends my mind reeling but gets me excited. This is down to earth, practical information that makes an enormous change in our well being, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I feel like I want to shout it out to the world from the tops of the highest peaks. My soul weeps knowing that an overwhelming majority of people will not accept such knowledge when it is presented to them and even more will not seek for it.

Whether or not people accept the knowledge is not up to me, however I can do my best to be an example and mentor to others so that they might see the fruits of my labors and want it for themselves. The old saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." has a whole new meaning to me now. I may not be able to make him drink, but I can inspire him and let him choose of his own accord what he will do.

Overcoming Our Computer Addiction

26 January 2012

It was computer day again today. My kids are used to being able to play on the computer for as long as they want, whenever they want so long as there is no homework. Well, since I took them out of public school I decided that we needed a more structured way to deal with the computer time. My husband and I decided that limiting their computer usage to 2 to 3 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays would be a good place to start. 

I haven't set the best example for them on this as I played World of Warcraft from the time my oldest was only 9 months old until almost a year and a half ago. It was a hard addiction to kick. To entertain my kids while I played, and because children learn by example, each of my kids has been playing on the computer since around two years old. Now before you go and get all up in arms about how horrible it is that my kids start playing on the computer at age 2, let me tell you that I have been diligent in teaching them where they are and are not allowed to go on the internet. Which basically comes down to you can't go anywhere but Friv, NickJr, Poptropica, Playhouse Disney, and Starfall. (Starfall is an awesome website for preschoolers btw, my two boys taught themselves the alphabet and their numbers up to 12, without my input at all!)They know that there is big trouble if I find them on any other site that I have not approved.

All that aside though, I agree that we, as a family have had way too much time on the computer and not enough time playing together and being outside and active. Hence the drastic change. But of course, if I am to expect my kids to stay off the computer, I have to set the example. So I have immersed myself in everything I have known I should be doing for a very long time but have always for an excuse not to. Like doing laundry everyday and reading more books, keeping the house clean and orderly and spending more time actively doing things with my children. So, while my children played on the computer I cleaned the kitchen and did the laundry, taking short breaks in between to read my book, The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'amour.

I have never been a fast reader and in the past it has usually taken me several months to get through a 400 page novel. But I am determined to read this book in a week and it is nearly 600 pages. It is a big goal, but I know it is possible. I have done it before (when I read the first Harry Potter book I finished in in 2 days!) and I can do it again, and continue to do it from now on. It seems a little slow starting as I generally read fantasy novels it is taking me a little bit to get into the setting. Wild west is definitely different than enchanted forests.     

Booklist

25 January 2012

Today I read the appendixes in the book A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille and have found that I really need to take two months to prepare myself to teach my kids with this method. We went to the library and I let each of the kids pick out 2 books and I checked out my person list of assigned reading. The books I checked out are as follows;

The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'amour
Little Britches, Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
Laddie, A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton Porter
Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

I started reading The Lonesome Gods first because several of my immediate family members love Louis L'amour and I had never read his work before. When I looked at the list of titles of 200 of the suggested classics I recognized most of them, though I am ashamed to say I had only read two of them and both of them before the age of ten! I have a lot to learn, but I am excited about it now. I have a reason to read these books. I will learn from them, they will be my mentors.

On a side note, at church on Sunday I was asked to be the coordinator for the 8-11 year old girls Activity Day once a week. I am excited for this opportunity to serve my community and to get to know the young girls in the neighborhood. Ra will be eight this summer and it will be a great opportunity for her to make new friends and for me to be able to get to know her friends as well. I hope to be able to use some of what I have learned from the TJ Ed and Charlotte Mason in these activities.