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1.
I’ve been doing Jesse Trees with the kids ever since I learned about them. So we’ve done them in some form or another for over 10 years. You can see versions of what we’ve done in old posts. I think some of the first ones we ever did are here and here. One year we did cubes instead. In 2015 I found some great printables for the Jesse Tree and I hung them like a garland instead!
This year, I found something that’s just perfect. It’s small. It hangs on the door and the ornaments are velcro so they stick to it. I think it’s going to be perfect – and I didn’t have to print or make anything. Did I mention it was also under $20?
2. Every morning when Miss C. arrives for school, the first thing we have to do is walk the dog. We have a route that we take routinely and it’s about one-mile round trip. I started incorporating this into our day because to make a memory with her, I wanted to do something physical that was also fun, and I wanted the dog to get some exercise. Now whenever the dog sees Miss C., she just assumes that she’s going on a walk!
But yesterday I was reminded of what it is to be 6 years old. We were walking past piles and piles of leaves when Miss C. said, “Wait, grandma!” Then she started stomping and jumping and playing in the leaf piles as if it was the most natural and normal thing to do in the world – and I guess when you’re a first-grader, it is!
3. Last week we went on a homeschool field trip. One of the places we went to had an interesting display about John Brown, the famous abolitionist. I learned a few things. I didn’t know that this part of my home town was part of the famous underground railroad. I didn’t know that John Brown had so many children! His career as a sheepherder was presented as well and I found that to be particularly interesting. But as the field trip went on I realized that we weren’t really getting a complete look at the man. He was being presented as a martyr and the display was becoming to seem more like a shrine.
I was okay with it until the guide started asking the kids what John Brown would have thought about immigration. “Legal or illegal?” I asked. “Immigration, ” she replied. And then she mentioned something about who makes the laws about who can immigrate and who can’t – which I thought was an odd question for a history guide to ask. At that point, it was clear that she had an agenda. It was equally clear I wasn’t going to let her go there, and frankly, I think the homeschooled kids are not as easily persuaded and influenced on stuff like that.
Perhaps a more realistic look at Harper’s Ferry is here.
4. This week was our last week of co-op. I am so grateful because I was starting to feel a little burned out. In my logic class, we had started to finally touch on the different fallacies and we learned about Mood and figure with syllogisms. I didn’t really want to start anything new on the last class before winter break. So Rosie came up with the idea of playing Jeopardy! She designed the questions and made all of the cards. It was a good review and it was kind of fun!
5. Anyone who knows anything about the Apologia General Science book (at least the 1st and 2nd editions) knows that it is a very, very pro-young earth text. So to balance all of that out, I showed this movie from the Discovery Channel that presents the Old Earth paradigm. I told the kids I want them to be able to think for themselves and that whatever side they fall on, they need to be able to question whatever they read or hear. I also told them that since this is not a salvation issue, it’s okay to speculate on the age of the earth. They seemed to accept that pretty well. When we get back from break, we’re going to start studying my true love – Life and Human Anatomy.
That said, I think the Discovery movie pushed me further into the young earth camp.
7. One year ago, my son and his partner opened their very first micro eatery. They celebrated by opening an ice-cream store in the same space! I’m so proud of both of them!
6. Brave Writer is having their bit BLACK FRIDAY sale this week instead of Cyber Monday. This is your chance to save big on all of the great Brave Writer products including the Writer’s Jungle and Help for High School.
