Adventures in the Land of Mossflower!

Hi there! James Martin here! Mom and I are currently reading the book "Redwall" by Brian Jacques! I've been a fan of the series for 7 years and I got hooked to the series when I first started. I was blessed enough to even meet the author myself! I wanted to read this with Mom for a long time and we are finally doing it! We are currently on Chapter 11 and we are reading with the dramatized audio book. This is my fourth time reading it, and Mom is reading it for the first time. She says she is really enjoying the book. It is an incredible book. I highly recommend this to lovers of medieval literature, fantasy, and adventure books!  It's worth the read!

An Old Friend Acquires Some New Friends

Years ago, Michael introduced me to James Herriot and the wonderful stories he penned.  Now the children have really fallen in love with the series as well. We have watched it and listened to the Audio books together some over the years, but now they are really caught up in the stories and characters. 

Comment Issues

I am so glad to be back on this blog, and I appreciate the comments I received from Miss Lynda.  Sadly, I am having some kind of problem with posting my comments. Blogger won't allow me to sign in and post. I really don't understand given the fact that I can make new posts. Thanks for your support, Miss Lynda. I think the curriculum you mentioned is Sonlight. They really are wonderful with regard to reading.  You just can't go wrong with a reading-based program (as long as the material being read is edifying).

Through Golden Windows

This is a set of books published by the wonderful Grolier company in the late 1950's/ each volume contains stories centered around a particular theme.  We bought our beloved set from a used book store in Oak Ridge, TN several years ago. Two of the volumes deal directly with American History, including stories about the great explorers.  We have brought these volumes down to the school room and we're making good use of them.

This year with Virginia's history work, we are taking a very unique approach. We are reading and reading and reading some more--a textbook, story books, and  biographies (including some that Michael had bought many years ago for his nephews).  We are acompiling a notebook of work as well:  copywork, artwork, maps, and so forth completed by Virginia will give her at the end of the year almost a scrapbook. with her History projects.  I love the notebooking method of homeschooling, and think it can be adapted successfully with almost any curriculum or learning styles.

Some thoughts about A Beka:  their product is unbeatable in quality of teaching and organization. I have just never seen anything better.  But I really missed doing  the work with the kids like we did when we first started. This year, I took Virginia out of the A Beka program.  We have a very strong collection of curricula from which she is working--we returned to Modern Curriculum Press for some items for one last year. I think we will return to A Beka, at least in math and science, next year.  But I have to tell you., returning to working with Mom has brought us closer together.

I'll give an update on the boys next time.

We're All Still Here!

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I regret to say that I have neglected this blog!  My post tonight (below) was the first I had posted in some time. We are all still here, and I am grateful to God more each day for what He has done for our family. Today, I was able to be home with the boys as Dad took Virginia to our monthly food distribution program, "There's Hope for the Hungry." This is a highlight of Virginia's month. Today, her best friend Joshua was able to attend as well. Both have truly grown up in the Church and under the tender love and admonition of the Saviour.

Fall is our favorite time of year, and it is finally getting cooler.  I think I will bring in my mums tonight as we have a frost warning in effect, and I don't know how hardy they are going to be.

Tomorrow, I would like to post about our school work so far this year. I am very pleased with the paths that the children are taking. Stay tuned!

Getting to Be That Time Again . . .

Every year about this time, we read Washington Irving's marvelous classic, The  Legend of Sleepy Hollow. What a fabulous story and author!  I always loved the Walt Disney animated version when I was growing up--it seemed to capture Ichabod Crane just as Irving imagined him.
And my goodness. could Irving turn a phrase!
 It was the very witching time of night that Ichabod, heavy-hearted and crestfallen, pursued his travel homewards, along the sides of the lofty hills which rise above Tarry Town, and which he had traversed  so cheerily in the afternoon . . . All the stories of ghosts and goblins that he had heard in the afternoon now came crowding upon his recollection. . .

Did You Hear?

Yes, the students are all abuzz--another semester of Classical Latin!  This semester, we have 39, not counting the delighted instructor! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the dream come true! And thank you Drs. Caner, Reynolds and Justus, for believing in me and this endeavor.

 I love my students this year, and have quite a few siblings of last year's group.  The summer class was outstanding!

We are still working on the on line version.  It will not be taught until next year, but that is actually a blesssing.

"Labor me vocat!"

Getting Ready

Praise the Lord for His goodness. We are getting ready to begin another school year. This week, we went to an A Beka Conference with our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Prussia. They never oversell or undersell; they listen to what we need for our family and try to put together the best package for us. We are so grateful for them and for the A Beka resources.

This year, we are using a combination of materials for all three children.  John Thomas is taking three classes at the College and taking Physics and British Literature with the A Beka program. We are so pleased with this combination.

James Martin has the heaviest A Beka program, but he will be doing a couple of history projects with me and the other kids.

Virginia will be working with a variety of resources, including some old favorites from Modern Curriculum Press and Christian Liberty Press. She will be back in A Beka next year, but i wanted a real hands on approach with her subjects this year. She will be "reading and writing" across the curriculum.There are so many elements of the Charlotte Mason approach that I love; I want to incorporate "narration" as much as possible, and in fact, hope to adapt this skill in some form in my college classes.

We are all very excited and so grateful to the Lord for His role in making this endeavor possible.