Keep these snacks on hand for your on-the-go middle schooler:

• Whole grain pretzels
• Bagels (top with peanut butter. low-fat cream cheese, local honey, or spreadable fruit)
• Microwave Popcorn (look for the less salt, less butter varieties)
• Yogurt (Save money by getting the larger containers rather than single-serving sizes. Top with homemade granola, nuts, or fruit.)
• Raisins
• Fruit (Choose from what’s in season and on sale!)
• Cut-up veggies like carrots, cucumbers, or celery and keep them stashed in the fridge for easy access. Accompany with ranch dip, pimento cheese, or natural peanut butter.
• Juice pops (Make your own by freezing 100% juice in ice trays or Popsicle molds)
• Cheese and whole wheat crackers

What are your kids’ favorite healthy (or at least healthier, LOL) snacks? (When I was in middle school, I loved English muffins topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese, slid under the broiler for just long enough to brown the edges and melt the cheese. Ohhhh, the days when the metabolism was high….)

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Donald Whitney Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 1991, p. 227, Used by permission of NavPress – www.navpress.com, All rights reserved. For more information please see the website www.BibicalSpirituality.org.

You know those days. We all have them. You struggle to get phonics done. You struggle through math. You’re moving about the speed of a slug stuck on something sticky, and the kids aren’t moving at all. They keep falling out of their chairs. They keep whining.

And at some point, you decide to chuck it. This just isn’t working for you today.

I had one of those days yesterday. I peered out the window, and I said, “You know what guys? Let’s go to a sugar bush!”. And we did.

For those of you not blessed enough to live in the Great White North, where we sit under mounds of snow for months on end, you do not know the joy of maple syrup. For in March, the sap begins to run. And many of our friends operate small maple syrup “factories”. So we headed out to the woods, and emptied about 35 10 gallon drums of sap into even larger drums for them, all ready to boil down. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too! And we came home with a whole lot of syrup.

The funny part is that once we arrived home, we did actually finish geography. They didn’t get that behind. But sometimes you have to know when to give up, and that’s the beauty of homeschooling. When you’re in school, you only take field trips on the assigned days, and who knows if those assigned days would have actually been productive ones to work? We can take off anytime when we really need a break.

Our family has several places that we take off to. One is a nature conservatory/wetlands boardwalk where we look at toads and frogs and tadpoles and snakes and turtles and geese, all at different times of year, to see the changes.

Another is the waterfront, where we take bike rides and watch turtles and fish. This time of year we start planning picnics occasionally, when we’ll bike somewhere nice to eat, and then come home for the afternoon. I’ve tried doing school on these picnics, but I always find the paper blows away or someone loses a pencil. So it often sounds more idyllic than it really is!

Field trips are great, but sometimes you need somewhere to disappear to, if only for an hour. So what do you do when everyone is stir crazy? Where do you go? Tell us in this meme!

Sheila is the author of four books, including To Love, Honor and Vacuum: When you feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother. She blogs at To Love, Honor and Vacuum!

The title is “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go,” written in 1882 by George Matheson. Matheson said about this hymn:

My hymn was com­posed in the manse of In­ne­lan [Ar­gyle­shire, Scot­land] on the ev­en­ing of the 6th of June, 1882, when I was 40 years of age. I was alone in the manse at that time. It was the night of my sister’s mar­ri­age, and the rest of the fam­i­ly were stay­ing over­night in Glas­gow. Some­thing hap­pened to me, which was known only to my­self, and which caused me the most se­vere men­tal suf­fer­ing. The hymn was the fruit of that suf­fer­ing. It was the quick­est bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the im­press­ion of hav­ing it dic­tat­ed to me by some in­ward voice ra­ther than of work­ing it out my­self. I am quite sure that the whole work was com­plet­ed in five min­utes, and equal­ly sure that it ne­ver re­ceived at my hands any re­touch­ing or cor­rect­ion. I have no na­tur­al gift of rhy­thm. All the other vers­es I have ever writ­ten are man­u­fact­ured ar­ti­cles; this came like a day­spring from on high.

Here are the lyrics that poured out from Matheson’s encounter with God that night. They are deep. They are rich. Print them out and meditate on them. Be gripped – overwhelmed- as I was, by the Great Love that will not let us go…

1. O Love that wilt not let me go,
   I rest my weary soul in thee;
   I give thee back the life I owe,
   That in thine ocean depths its flow
   May richer, fuller be.
2. O light that foll’west all my way,
   I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
   My heart restores its borrowed ray,
   That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
   May brighter, fairer be.
3. O Joy that seekest me through pain,
   I cannot close my heart to thee;
   I trace the rainbow through the rain,
   And feel the promise is not vain,
   That morn shall tearless be.
4. O Cross that liftest up my head,
   I dare not ask to fly from thee;
   I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
   And from the ground there blossoms red
   Life that shall endless be.

About Mary Kassian: Mary Kassian, the founder of Girls Gone Wise, is an award winning author, internationally renowned speaker, and distinguished professor of Women’s Studies at Southern Baptist Seminary.  www.girlsgonewise.com

Everywhere I go I meet mothers who are really wanting to have children, who have a heart for the Lord, and children to follow after Christ, but they’re crying out and saying, “It’s a struggle. It’s a challenge. We’re swimming upstream to raise godly children in this culture in this generation.” I suppose that’s been true in every culture and every generation, but it’s certainly very true today.

Our guest today is no more an expert than anyone, but she is a woman who has committed herself to the authority of God’s Word and has lived out its principles and has seen God give her children a heart for the Lord. Now, as a mother of three and grandmother of eight, she is sharing that message with women all around the world through her ministry that is called MotherWise.

Denise Glenn, the founder of MotherWise, serves along with her geophysicist husband who is partnering with her in this ministry. Denise, thank you so much for joining us to talk about how mothers can be wise in the ways of God.

You can listen to the Radio Cast at www.reviveourhearts.com

Sam Storms
One Thing, Christian Focus, © Enjoying God Ministries, 2004, p.59. www.enjoyinggodministries.com. Used by Permission.

Jema at Rough Cut Gems is asking if the teen years have to be so turbulent. I have been a little hesitant to post on this because my own children are not yet grown up. So my credibility is not super strong, but I am seeing encouraging signs. I would like to share a conversation I had with my son.

A few months ago I took Jason (14) out to lunch. Actually, he suggested it and he was buying so off we went to Arby’s for the 5 for $5 special. While I watched him eat his four sandwiches in the length of time it took me to eat one, we chatted about a lot of different things. When there was a lull in the conversation, I switched the subject to a scripture that I had been meaning to ask him about. Proverbs 22:36 says “My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways.” This seemed like the appropriate time to ask him if we still retained his heart even though he was in the middle of growing from a boy to a man.

To Read the Rest of this amazing conversation visit: Spunky Homeschool

Blessings,
Karrie

The first series is fairly well-known world wide and it is the ________ for Dummies series.  A comprehensive series covering everything from cellphone use and website creation to English grammar and physics this series has got it all.  Some of the titles we have used include Canadian History for Dummies, Chemistry for Dummies (comes in an educational bundle with a student workbook at Amazon),  Basic Math and Pre-Algebra for Dummies (also has a workbook) and the Ancient History boxed set. 

The _______ for Dummies books take the reader through information in a logical or chronilogical order allowing him to relate new information to previous chapters which is beneficial to students.  The books are well indexed and allow readers to easily return to information they may have missed and they also point readers to information coming later in the texts.  In the end there is a _____________ for Dummies book on almost any topic imaginable as well as a For Dummies website with articles and posts written to extend the materials covered in the books. 

The second set of books we discovered were the “Painless” books.  Painless Grammar, Painless Math, Painless Calculus, Painless Fractions, Painless Writing and the list goes on to include more topics and an entire line of Painless _______ Junior books as well.  The unique thing about this series is the way the books are laid out.  Each book tackles a topic by breaking it into subtopics and then giving readers a lesson, an opportunity to try it through exercises and a comical “what if” section. 

These books use humor and basic concepts to drive lessons home and engage the reader to the point where no matter the age they want to learn.  The various levels make them appropriate for every grade or age level.  These books can be purchased through Amazon and are a must for every homeschooler. 

Blessings,
Karrie

Homeschoolers have many curriculum choices and educational methods at their disposal from pre-packaged curriculum focused on workbooks to hands-on education. A homeschooler who chooses the hands-on method of homeschooling is responsible for providing all of the necessary materials their child or children will use in their studies. So how can a homeschooling family save on these costs? There are actually several simple ways to accomplish this.

Money Saving Tips for Homeschool Science Lessons

When teaching science to a homeschool student, parents may cover a large variety of topics in a relatively short period of time. If there is more than one student and they are at different grade levels, the approach used to teach a topic might be different for each. Where a third grade student may study the anatomy of flowers, a student in the eighth grade may study a plant’s biology, which means each student may need different materials such as plants of various sizes and types as well as microscopes or dissection tools. Here are some tips on where to find the necessary tools for science classes:

• Local florists often have a discard corner filled with a variety of flowers they are unable to sell. These will ultimately end up in the garbage at the end of the week. Often if you ask they will either give you stems from this corner or charge only a nominal fee.
• Laboratories undergoing renovations or equipment upgrades may have items such as microscopes for sale at a minimal fee. And often other tools like magnifying glasses are available as well. Don’t be afraid to call and ask.
• Schools liquidate their textbooks and supplies periodically when there are curriculum changes. Items such as textbooks, scientific slides and other resources can be purchased or bid on during these times. Colleges and universities do so quite often.

English Resources For Homeschoolers on A Shoestring Budget

Teaching English can perhaps be the most costly of all subjects. Books needed to meet each students requirements change often more than once a year and many are needed to keep a homeschooler engaged in the process of learning. These are some tips that work well:

• Organize a book-swap with other local homeschooling families.
• Check out second hand book sales at local schools and libraries.
• Buy large lots of books from auction sites such as Ebay.
• Frequent local second hand bookshops and see if any will offer credit on old books.

Community Resources Worth Contacting For Multiple Subjects

Homeschooling families have the ability to tap into great local resources when planning lessons on a variety of topics. Many of these organizations will provide tours, courses and workshops for free, a nominal fee, or on a donation basis. Some local organizations worth contacting are:

• Local health units who often provide information sessions and workshops on health related topics.
• St. John’s Ambulance, an organization that provides training in CPR, first aid and babysitting.
• Local museums often put on workshops geared to children of varying ages
• Conservation authorities may conduct things such as pond studies and nature walks.
• Organizations such as toy-lending libraries and youth drop in centers often organize special courses and or workshops.

Homeschooling families can trim their home education budget and still provide quality-learning opportunities outside the public school realm. Being creative pays off when looking for lesson materials and allows families to save for a rainy day or something special the family would like.

Originally published at: Suite101.com

A photo with my daughters favorite quote. She created this.

     With classes starting again soon for those of us not schooling year round and changes happening for many of us in terms of older children returning to school or younger children being ready to start schooling, this can be a really challenging time of year for parents.  Many parents are now actively planning their lessons and activities for at least the first few months of school and it can be taxing on both time and energy.  So, I have compiled a list of quotes that will help to lift both the spirits of mom and dad and the spirits of the students. 

I hope you will enjoy these quotes and please keep your eye out for reviews of books and curriculum to help in your homeschool classroom!

“Promise me you will always remember – You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think”
~Christopher Robin to Pooh

Everything you need is already inside. Just do it.
~Bill Bowerman (quoted in Nike’s ad for Olympic 2008) 

Live for something. Do good, and leave behind you a monument of virtue that the storm of time can never destroy.
Write your name in kindness, love, and mercy, on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with year by year;
you will never be forgotten.  No, your name, your deeds, will be as legible on the hearts you leave behind as the stars
on the brow of evening. Good deeds will shine as the stars of heaven.
~Chalmers

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
~Arnold H. Glasow

What you are is God’s gift to you. What you do with yourself is your gift to God.
~Author Unknown

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up
~Thomas Edison

Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
       ~Malcolm Forbes

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
       ~William Arthur Ward

Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing.   �
       ~Kim Rohn

The foundation my parents laid down with our faith continues to be my core.�
      ~Christy Borgeld