I borrowed a wonderful idea...

One of my favorite blogs is Impress Your Kids! I highly recommend this blog for oh-so-worthy-of-our-time activities to do with our kids to instill bible verses in their hearts!

So, a few weeks back, while perusing this blog, I saw an adorable idea that I knew I wanted to copy!

In the boys' old rooms, in our old house, I stenciled a Bible verse on each of their walls. In Sharpie.

I'll wait while you catch your breath.

After about, oh, 7-8 coats of paint, one could barely make out the sleepy-time blessing! Lesson learned, folks! No sharpie on the walls for us anymore. Particularly rental home walls! Eh-hem!

When we bought our house 2 years ago, I was determined to create a vinyl version of the verses they would like on their walls. Easier on the walls and budget, you know!

So, when I saw Amanda's idea for a canvas art project with their favorite saying from the "Jesus Storybook Bible", I knew this would be the perfect way to accomplish what we wanted!

I started with my oldest's favorite verse because he has loved this verse for a long time and instantly jumped on this idea!

I started with a blank canvas (obviously)...




Then, I whipped out my handy-dandy Cricut Expression and went to work cutting letters out on clear contact paper.



Once the letters were cut out and placed on the canvas, J. went to town painting with the colors he had chosen at the craft store!




Now for the fun part! Once dry, you get to pull off each letter! Kind of fun and therapeutic (don't judge me).




And the finished result? Unique, personalized wall decor that speaks to my son's heart because it is his favorite verse! It is there to remind him, in good times and bad, not to be fearful and to rely on God to get him through!



Thanks, Amanda at impressyourkids.com for this awesome idea!! I'll post when my other son does his canvas project! Of course, that is once he decides on a Bible verse!

Goodbye, 35...

So, today marks the first day of being 26.. ah hem, I mean 36. I closed the chapter on my 35th year of life and begin with eager anticipation of what my 36th year might hold!

With the closure of my 35th year, my 35 book challenge to myself ended as well. 35 books in a year, from Aug. 8, 2010 to Aug. 8, 2011. This may not be a big deal for some as they may read this many, or more, books in any given year but for me, over the last few years, I was lucky to finish 2-3 books. This made me sad. I have always enjoyed reading. Heck, my degree is in English with an emphasis in literature. I enjoy a good story, folks. However, with kids, and kids' activities and home responsibilities, volunteer responsibilities and, well, life... I found less and less time to read the books that I had been wanting to read. I had collected more books on my shelves than I had read. For shame.

Thus, my challenge last year. I am proud to say that while I did not meet the 35 book goal, I did make the 29th book goal. I was 6 short of the goal. This goal, while not completely met, has challenged me to continue on. To read as many, or more in the upcoming year. The books I read over this last year have been informative, challenging, thought-provoking and, at times, life changing. Who wouldn't want to add some more of that to their lives?!

With that, I reveal my reading wish list for the upcoming year. Perhaps you'll be encouraged to read along with me!

READING WISH LIST FOR 8/9/10-8/8/11

Fiction
* Rebecca
* The Good Earth
* This Book Will Save Your Life
* Pillars of the Earth (didn't get to this last year)
* The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
* Johnny Tremain
* Mysterious Benedict Society

Parenting
* What He Must Be... if He Wants to Marry my Daughter (reading to gain insight for my boys)
* Parenting the Way God Parents
* Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right
* Strong Willed Child
* Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends
* Faith Training
* The Mission of Motherhood
* Say Goodbye to Whining
* Life Skills for Kids: Equipping Your Kids For the Real World


Family books
* The Well-Versed Family
* Amazing Adventures, Creative Connections, Daring Deeds
* The Case for Family Worship
* Five Signs of a Loving Family
* Heaven at Home: Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home

Health
* The Inflammation Syndrome
* Stop Inflammation Now
* Healthy Heart Miracle
* The Metabolic Plan
* Don't Eat This Book

** Actual books read may change on a whim from this scheduled list due to mood, interest, personal application, etc. ;)

Sheri's Daybook

Outside my window...
the birds are chirping and we're watching our dog race back and forth through the yard

I'm thinking:
I need to get more lesson plans done today

I'm reading:
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
(and starting my new year of reading challenge). I LOVED this book when I read it in middle school/early high school!

I'm listening to:
the boys giggling over breakfast. I'm not sure what's so funny about breakfast but they are having a great time giggling!

I'm thankful for:
Chris. He is an amazing husband and friend! I'm so glad I get to do life with him!

I'm cooking:
Quite possibly Baked Potatoes or Chicken and potatoes... whatever I do it has to involve potatoes because I bought the BIG bags at Costco and need to use them!


From the school room:
the faint pleas of organization are calling my name!


I'm creatiing:
a master plan for our school year right now


I'm hoping:
to try a modified version of the workbox system in our school this year. We don't have the space for the traditional system, so I'm creating my own. We'll see how it goes!

I'm going:
NOWHERE today! I've got to get some more plans in place! Tonight, we're going to Union Gospel Mission with the youth group!


One of my favorite things is...
spending time with my boys. I love them so much!


A few plans for the rest of the week:
planning for school when it starts next week, planning for SEEDS and organizing the school room!

2010-2011 Homeschool Curriculum

There's nothing like making something 'official' than by putting it in writing (and post it for 2 people to read - lol!) :)

Curriculum/School Plan for 2010-2011

Foreign Language: Spanish (both boys, through co-op)

Math: Teaching Textbooks Josh - 5/6th; Jake - 3rd

History: World - Mystery of History (review and finish the remaining parts of book)

U.S. - Story of US, supplemented with History Pockets, biographies, U.S. States study and Presidents study

Fort Ross study - co-op class in preparation for field trip

Science: Apologia Science - Zoology - Swimming Creatures of the fifth day

Music: Piano lessons - 1x/week (plus practice)

Art: Art History, Art projects through Science and History

Spelling: Spelling Power

Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing DVDs

Grammar: Shurley English
English from the Roots Up, vol. 1 (Latin and Greek roots to be added to spelling lists)

Reading: various age-appropriate classics for grade level with study guides

Logic: Fallacy Detective (Josh)
Safari Logic, Book 1 (Jake)


Weekly activities:
Cub/Boy Scouts
SEEDS Bible nights
Family nights
Swim team (in Spring; winter session - possibly)

Breathing new life into our Family Nights...

With the very packed schedule that we, willingly, took on in the Spring, our family nights have been non-existent, sadly. Our boys beg for our family nights when we get off schedule which is heart-warming because it means they are meeting a need within them of building family unity and community. Yet, there are seasons in the year that our schedule shifts and family nights become a lower priority. I wish it weren't true but that is our reality. I would like to change this, though, and make it a consistent priority in our lives. After all, we've only got the boys for a little bit longer before they branch out into the world and start their own families.

As I work on a new program for our church, that emphasizes family nights, I'm revamping our family nights that will be starting in August. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities and the organizational ideas I am getting just by lurking around the internet!

I'll post some pictures and my plan once I've pulled it all together!

"Here we are now, enterain us"...

I've been thinking alot about the state of the American church recently. Actually, for more than a year. I am troubled by what I see in the actions that churches take to be "relevant". What does that word even mean nowadays, anyway?? Does replicating a concert like worship atmosphere make worship "relevant"? Does flashing images, strobing lights and a full band constitute relevancy? I think the church, as a whole is suffering from an identity crisis and isn't even aware of it.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the word relevant as "a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion c : having social relevance".

I'm guessing that churches are trying to hit the 3rd definition but are missing the mark entirely. While trying to be socially relevant, churches are creating a co-dependency on being entertained while at church. Concert equivalancies, strobing lights; feel-good sermons; feel good lyrics; fun children's activities; fun classes.

Many leadership teams are quick to scold their congregation to "not come expecting to be entertained", yet, unintentionally or not, train the people to expect just that. If you analytically look at a typical modern church service what it produces is entertainment. Their actions speak louder than their words.

The church is teaching the congregation how to judge our experience on any given Sunday based on entertainment values. Did the music "move" *me*? Did the promo video make *me* feel good or proud or happy (or plug in an emotion)? Did the church provide fun to my children while I was in worship? Did I see *my* friends there? Did I get compliments on *my* contribution to the service?

I will often hear that the worship service (more specifically the music) was "great" but what does that mean? Based on what criteria? How well people performed? How well one praised God? If the latter is true, should we really be patting ourselves on the back for how well we gave back to God?

Don't get me wrong... I'm not a killjoy. I enjoy fun and highly encourage it! I enjoy being enterained but I don't think the church should be the venue. The church is so quick to flash lights, provide a 40,000 egg hunt at Easter, and create a concert feeling that they've lost their true purpose in the process. Is church about making me feel good each Sunday? Is that it's social relevancy nowadays? I ask because that is what churches are emphasizing, whether they mean to or not. I don't think church should be about *me* or you or anyone else. It's about coming to a place to give our worship to God. It is also about being taught what the Bible says.

The church has confused "social relevancy" with entertainment, blurring the line and confusing the two. Social relevancy is... being applicable, effective, needed in our society today. Yet, more and more are turning away from the church and, often, God than ever before. Clearly, our entertaining is not working, yet we're too stubborn (dare I say, prideful) to recognize that.

Shouldn't the church be known more for it's helpfulness to those in need on a consistent, reliable basis than for what it produces on a Sunday morning (or pick another day of the week)? Shouldn't the church spend more time in the neighborhood it serves each week than on what it produces? Shouldn't the church be encouraging to "go out" instead of "come in"?

I pray that we, as the Christian church, would examine our activities and the motives and purposes behind each one. I pray for true simplicity to be embraced by the church. I pray the teaching of God's word become a primary focus in each congregation. I pray, especially, for leadership to reclaim the church's identity in a community that is hurting and struggling. I pray that I nor anyone else seeking to praise God on Sunday would come with a "entertain me" expectation.

Sanity in a school planner? I can only hope...

This is the glorious planner that will help keep my sanity for next year. At least, I hope.




This is the Teacher's schedule page where I can keep track of the master school schedule as I plan out my days.



This page is to record the first semester's goals that I want to accomplish with the boys. There is another page to record the second semester's goals also.




There is a section for recording field trips and monthly expenses for each month as well as books you'd like each child to be reading.



This is the student planning page which allows you to record which curriculum you will be using for each child you have. It even allows for space to record books and other items needed to be purchased throughout the year and record when you need to go grab it!



Each month begins with a full month at a glance calendar and then has weekly pages to allow more detailed planning.



There is a page to record weekly grades for each child.



There are even these encouraging articles at the beginning of each month.



This planner includes four cute, card stock quality report cards to make your child's schooling "official", should one desire.




Overall, this planner has got me very excited! Not so much about planning because I LOVE planning! I'm a planner, what can I say?? :) This planner is exciting because of its organization. It allows for space to include all of the most pertinent information in one place. There are even places to record chores for each child, your weekly and monthly cleaning routine, family budget, etc. Despite my fatigue from this year setting in, I'm very excited as I look forward to the next school year! Check it out at www.homeeducatingfamily.com