Nine Weeks, But Who's Counting?

Ok, I am.  Not sure if it is my obsessive personality or just to make a point, but yes, I am counting how many weeks we are living out of suitcase.

We did break down and buy some more hangers (among other stuff I won't even mention) and have hung a few things up but you get the point.  This little temporary stay in a fun AirBNB has turned into the never ending adventure.

9 weeks and counting.

And counting.  And counting.  With a possible end in sight, but I am too afraid to even get excited about that so let's just not mutter a date for now.  Suffice to say, we have rented this place for another month.

We have owned and sold other houses with little difficulty.  I do not remember losing sleep over inspections.  And appraisals.  And the closing dates.  To say this has been a lesson learned is an understatement.

To say I NEVER want to move again is an understatement.

I wanted to give Arizona a five year trial.  HA!  At this point I hope to grow ancient here.

I used to be adventurous when it came to moves.  I have done it a lot, written about it a lot, and actually found it to be quite fun a few times.  Now I just find it tiring.  And lonely.  But mostly tiring.

So for those who are still reading, eyes glazed over, what have we been up to?

Ashton started a full time job as an office manager at a local performing arts studio.  She will be back to taking quilt orders (two a month, so get on her calendar early!) once we get into the new house.

Riley completed her two online courses and is filling her time with voice lessons and reading a copious amount of books.  She leaves for school on August 25th, but we are not talking about that right now.

Salem has begun to study for the ACT,  spends a lot of time in coffee shops and exploring the area with his sisters, and is getting ready for a 10 day trip to Alaska with his grandparents.

Colby is doing full time school now, 6th grade.  He also just made the swim team and spends a lot of time trying to perfect his strokes.  He keeps busy in the pool here and begging people to play games with him.

Clarke and I are busy trying to sell one house and buy another without losing our minds.  In the meantime, he continues to enjoy his job.  Who knew just being around helicopters daily would bring a spring to his step.  OK, who are we kidding?  We ALL knew that, right?  We are settling into a church, making a few new friends, and eagerly awaiting the time we can feel like we have really begun this new chapter of our lives.

I made a note from church a few weeks ago when the pastor mentioned the phrase "just a vapor"  It reminded me that not only is this season of our lives, as crazy as it seems, it is just a vapor.  Indeed our time on this planet is indeed a vapor.

May we live it well, as God intends for us to.  May we bring him all the praise he deserves in our lives, whether we understand his plan or not.

Because believe me when I say, it IS ALL his plan.

And it is good.

Blessings,

Geology for Kids- Review with a lot of Gushing!

 Sometimes we get reviews that are a good fit for our family.  Other times we get one that is just good timing.  And sometimes, like this past month, we get a review that is not only a good fit for our family, but the most perfect timing too!  Bonus!  Such is the case for Geology for Kids- A Biblical Approach to Earth Science and Earth History kit, by Partick Nurre from Northwest Treasures.

 As many of you know, we are in temporary housing, 8 weeks and counting, with a lot of time on our hands.  I brought a few school things with us to work on, but nothing significant.  In my defense, I had no idea we would be spending the summer as nomads.  I realized quickly we needed to start some school to not only stay busy, but to also just GET started with a new school year.  Problem is, all of our life to include school supplies and curriculum are in storage somewhere and to simply start over was going to be quite costly.  I have been trying to piece things together and this review fell into my lap!  My science for 6th grade problem was solved.  It doesn't hurt that it is Geology, which thrills Colby.

Let me start by telling you that Geology for Kids is a young Earth, creation based curriculum, as is all of the curriculum created by Northwest Treasures.  That is so important to me because of our family's beliefs.  While I enjoy teaching science, there have been times in the past that I have had to stop on numerous occasions and remind my kids that we do not adhere to the "millions of years" belief, and that we do not believe in evolution.  It is refreshing to know that the science we are studying is being taught by a believer that holds to the same beliefs we do.  It's just one less thing for me to have to worry about.

Geology for Kids is a 147 page, soft color science book about Geology, intended for 4th-8th grade students.  It is full color and dotted with many pictures and graphics.  Comprised of 6 sections is has 22 chapters and can be used for a semester of teaching.

Sections include-

• Introduction to Biblical Geology
• The Two Contrasting Views of Earth History
• The Rocks and Minerals of the Earth
• Fossils and Noah's Flood
• Dinosaurs and Noah's Flood
• The Ocean

The book also includes fossil card templates and rock groupings charts.  When you buy it as a kit, you will also receive a Journal for your child as well as several bags of rocks, minerals and fossils-60 total. (quite possibly Colby's favorite part, of course!)  A materials list is included in the book for additional materials you will need for activities presented as well as a "how to" section that encourages you to cover only about 2-5 pages a day, a few days a week.  While it can be done independently, the author encourages you as a parent to walk through the course with our child and I have to second that.  Some of the words are quite big and harder to pronounce and it is a great gateway to open Biblical worldview conversations with your children.

The pages in the book are quite interactive and often will ask personal questions as well a geology related questions, with room to write directly in the book.  The first section explains a biblical background to science and worldview and has you look up and memorize quite a bit of scripture.  Every so often Rock Man Pat  (a character version of the author), will ask a little "did you know" question or fact.

In addition to the questions sprinkled throughout the book, the journal has a corresponding section for each section in the book that has additional questions, much like a review or test.  There are also a few sections that are labeled quizzes, comprised of just a few questions, Periodically you will find projects that include doing additional research to write a paragraph about a new learned fact or drawing pictures to show what your child has learned.

How we have used this program and our thoughts-
(Beware, this is where the gushing comes in.)

Colby and I decided to work on science three days a week during the summer months.  Each of the 6 sections are divided into "parts" and so we do one part each lesson.  If you found that to be too much information for your child, you could most certainly break it down into smaller chunks.  I thought we might have it, but he loves this book and doesn't want to stop mid section.  If it gets to be a lot we have sometimes taken turns reading.

He has answer the questions himself in the book and where it asks you to memorize scripture, we have written that scripture in as well.  Some activities have called for more writing or drawing so we have done that one separate notebook paper.  We have since gotten a dedicated science notebook, (remember all my supplies are packed) and the rest of his work outside the journal will be done in it.

As for the journal, we now complete a section right after we read it.  We waited in the beginning, but it was too much for him to write (capable but not happy!) and required us trying to remember too much at once.  I have tried treating them like a mini quiz to challenge him to remember as much as he could before going back to the book to look up any answers he did not know.

We are just now getting around to the chapters that really begin to explore the rocks in the kits, but let me emphasize how important the first few sections are.  Listen to this-

"Why would people want to tell a different story from that of the Scriptures?  Realize that the debate over Scripture and Science is really not about science but about rebelling against our Maker." (p.30)  

Throughout Geology for Kids, author Patrick Nurre points us back to the Creator of Earth and His Word.   This is not an evolution bashing book, but it IS one that shows where evolution theories came from and how they work against what the Bible teaches us.  It speaks of Creation and the Flood and is unapologetic in its teachings.

It is refreshing!  And convicting!  And interesting!

And Colby loves it!  What more could you want from a science program?

Oh, I know, videos!  Got it!

In addition to the Geology for Kids Kit, we were also given access to a video series called Dinosaurs and the Bible also by Patrick.  We are currently working our way through Dinosaurs and the Bible, shown through a vimeo subscription, and loving it as well.  I mean, who doesn't love dinosaurs?  Colby and I had intended to watch alone, but now are going to include our family in our viewing time, knowing they will love them too!  There are 6 sessions to watch and each are about 16-21 minutes long. 

Our Crew was able to review several other courses to include Taking the Mystery Out of Geology, Dinosaurs and the Bible, and Geology and Apologetics.  Be sure to check out their reviews!

Be sure to check out Northwest Treasures on their website or on Facebook.  Science never looked so good!

Progeny Press Has Literature Guides for YOU!- REVIEW

I am going to let you in on a little secret about our family...we love to read.  I mean, like REALLY love to read.  All six of us.  We aren't too picky, just give us a book and we are content.  And probably with said book in a corner reading.  Which is why I love Progeny Press and having the opportunity to review new literature guides they offer.

This time up, we had the opportunity to use The Scavengers eGuide for grades 5-8th.  Because we are still in temporary quarters and have decided to begin our new school year early, the timing for this review was perfect.  I did a quick order of the book and downloaded the literature guide and we were ready to go.

Let me give you a real quick overview of the book.  The Scavengers, written by Michael Gilleland, is clearly a middle school book.  It tells the tale of a girl named Maggie and her family who are living as scavengers "outbubble."  Quickly you realize there is indeed an "underbubble" area as well, though details of that far off place are offered only sporadically.  Instead you mostly learn of the world that Maggie (who likes to refer to herself as Ford Falcon), her parents and little brother Henry (Dookie) live in.  Mystery and intrigue are prevalent in this book and our original two-chapters-a-day plan quickly went out the window.

Colby, age 11 and a new 6th grader, and I took turns at first reading a page at a time to each other, but quickly he decided that he wanted to read the whole chapter himself.  After that he would read a chapter to me, then I would read one to him, usually continuing until I called uncle.  We had a hard time stopping because of the suspense, especially towards the end of the book.


So about those literature guides...

Let's start with the fact that they are from a Christian perspective. Four different levels are available- Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Middle School, and High school. All e-guides offered by Progeny Press include basic information on the story and author, as well as suggested pre-reading activities, general comprehension questions, critical thinking questions, vocabulary, suggested additional reading, scripture references and more.  The Scavenger e-guide is 73 pages long and an answer key is provided.

You can choose to download and print out your study guide or you can now use the interactive eGuides that will download to Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 and just type your answers in and save them, depending on which way you prefer.  In the past when we have reviewed various levels we usually print out a copy since I am a hands on paper kind of person.  This time around, due to the fact that we are currently without a printer and Colby now enjoys typing on the computer, we used the interactive eGuide method.

The 59 book chapters are broken into 7 separate sections in the guide.  My original intent was to read the chapters for each section and then complete the corresponding section of the study guide.  That worked for the first two sections, but once we sped up our reading, I admit we did the guide a little behind.  The one danger I see is we had to backtrack and re-read a few sections to refresh our memory about some of the smaller details.

Each separate section follows the same pattern- vocabulary, basic factual questions, thinking about the story section, dig deeper questions and finally, optional activities.  The vocabulary is often a matching exercise but sometimes will have you write your definition and then look up what the dictionary says and write that as well, while the question sections offer short answer, multiple choice or longer answers.

Optional activities encourage you to research or try something that is discussed in the book.  In the case of The Scavengers, one of the suggested activities was to research and try your hand at Morse Code.  We spent some time doing just that and decided we stunk at that kind of communication and would have not been good at it at all!
 

Most of the additional activities offered at the end of the study guide are time and research intense so in our current living situation, we have decided to skip those for now.  However, Colby really wants to try to recreate the water telescope described to use on the pool.  Once we get settled into our new house I am going to put his father right on that project! ;)

Let me tell you why I love these guides!

• They make us slow down!  We all tend to devour books at a quick pace and move on, so these guides make us slow down a bit.

• They challenge our vocabulary.  It is one thing to think you know what a word means, but when you have to stop and actually TELL someone the definition, well, you get the point.

• They make us think!  Simple rote fact, comprehension questions my kids usually master.  But once you start to dig deeper, especially with my middle schooler, I am often surprised at concepts he doesn't quite get simply because we have never discussed them before.  These guides often teach him new things outside of just the basic what-did-you-read facts.

• They allow us to incorporate scripture into all aspects of our lives.  Several questions in each section require you to look up scripture and then apply it to the book and your lives.  It is a good reminder to our family that our Christian worldview does and should affect all aspects of our lives and how we process information. 

• They are easy to use.  Regardless of which format you choose to use them in, Progeny Press has made it easy to download and print or download and use these guides.  They are straight forward and while very thorough do not have a bunch of unneeded fluff!

 So do we love them?  Yes!  Do we recommend them!  Absolutely!

With so many to choose from and 4 levels to choose between, you are sure to find one to fit your studies and excite your children!

We are already gearing up for our next one!



Parent Warning- There are some intense scenes in this book, including Maggie's parents disappearing and her brother being injured.  There is talk of funny "creatures" called grey devils, as well as futuristic times of government takeover.  If you have a sensitive child, I would highly recommend you read the book first to determine if your child is ready for it.  Maggie is quite snarky at times and uses the word "butt" often, so we had to have a gentle reminder that was not an attitude or a word we used.

Bible Study Guide for All Ages

Sound familiar to you?  If you have been around Family, Faith and Fridays for a while now, you may remember that we reviewed Bible Study Guide For All Ages years ago, when our youngest was just 6.  At that time we were using the beginner level, but this review time we have been using the Advanced level, intended for 5th and 6th graders.  Spoiler alert- loved it then, love it now.

So what is it?  
The Bible Study Guide For All Ages is a Bible curriculum for groups or individuals that comes in four levels- Beginner (3-K), Primary (1st-2nd), Intermediate (3rd-4th), and Advanced (5th-6th).  If completed you will cover the Old and New Testaments in 416 lessons.  If you are teaching separate ages, the different levels run the same allowing you to cater to each child at their individual level.

There are two main parts to the program- the Teacher's Guide and the Student Pages.  You will complete the front and back for one lesson.  The student pages are consumable so you need a set for each student, and the Teacher's guide pages are identical to those pages, except they have the answers as well as any extra information that might be helpful in teaching, such as what parts of the time line need to be added if you are using that resource and what places need to be added to the wall map if you are using that.  Additional scriptures are listed for your reference as well as a place for you to add any additional notes you may want to use while teaching.

You can also buy a pack of Bible Book Summary cards, as well as a CD with original songs on it to help with memory work.



If you have the room, there is also a wall map and time line set that is to die for!  Seriously, makes me long for a dedicated school room to put it all up on the wall.





How have we used it?
Because our oldest son has grown out of the age range for this program, Colby, age 11, got to use it alone this time around. He is perfectly capable of doing the lesson by himself, but for the most part we did the lessons together, 2-3 a week depending on our schedule.

Each lesson begins with a Remember It? section, reviewing what you learned in the previous lesson.  There are spaces on the student pages for your student to write down the answers.

Following that there is the Memory Workout section.  Here your child reviews 2 things they have learned, whether a song, divisions of the New Testament, or something similar.  Every few days those are changed up a bit to keep it interesting.

The Guess What... section gives additional historical information such as why a firstborn child was considered special (when the father died he was given twice as much as other children) or what a cupbearer's responsibility was (to taste the king's food and wine to make sure it wasn't poisoned.)

The Time Line Activities or Map follow and have your child filling in details of the time line that is on their page, or labeling the map with places talked about in the lesson.

Get Active is intended to further explain the lesson, usually with group activities.  These are usually active lessons, requiring your child's participation. Since we are using this with just one child, I read ahead and see if there is an activity he can do alone or just with me.  It is hit or miss, but I will say that if you are teaching in a group setting the activities are great for getting kids up and active.  It would be a good way to either start the lesson or give kids a creative break in the middle.You know how squirmy Sunday School kids can get!

The last section on this front page is Apply It!  Here your child looks up a scripture and answers a few questions.  It always ends asking the child how this applies to their life or what is God saying to them.

On the back side of the page is where your child can really work independently- Discover the Bible.  It begins with the Bible chapter being studied, and I take that time to read to Colby.  He then works through the numbered questions one at a time and asks me if he needs help or is confused by anything.  Often the questions require just a one or two word answer, but your child will also be asked to draw pictures and look up scriptures.

I love that, while the content of the study is thorough and makes Colby think not only about what he is learning but also encourages him to think how to apply it to his own life, it is also lighthearted and fun enough to keep him from being overwhelmed with busy work.  The pictures often make him laugh and he is still young enough to enjoy drawing quick pictures.

My only complaint with this curriculum is the page size.  Silly I know, but you know how particular we homeschool moms can be! ;)  The pages are approximately 8.5x14 and therefore awkward to store on a shelf with our other books and notebooks.  I can see how this size would benefit a larger group setting, but I would love to see a version made that uses the typical 8x11 page that could be hole punched and added to a three ring notebook.  Not a show stopper, but it would be a perk.

Regardless of the page size, we are enjoying Bible Study Guide For All Ages and look forward to continuing to work through the additional lessons!

Still in the Desert

Literally.  And figuratively!

Monday will mark our 6 week point of being in Arizona.  6 weeks!  It doesn't even seem possible in some ways.

We do love the area.  It is beautiful and it is sunny.  Seriously sunny!  We have seen rain once and it was just a few sprinkles (regardless of the fact that the weather app notified me of rain and flooding), and wispy clouds three different days.  It was funny, they were here and then they were not.  Not sure where they went but they didn't stick around for long.

That I can get used to!

So people keep asking if we are settling in.

That's where the STILL IN THE DESERT figuratively part fits in.

Another dust devil

 Oh my word, are we in a desert.  Dry and lonely.

Did I mention lonely?  We went to a family friend's house this past weekend (had a blast) and it hit me that they were the first people I had talked to, outside my family and the shop cashiers and a few sweet friends on the phone, in FIVE WEEKS!

OK, I said hi to the greeters at church and asked a few questions there, but I am talking about real conversations, people.   It's not that I don't like my kids and husband, but well, even then there is not much to talk about after 5 weeks in an Airbnb.


Needless to say, we are growing weary of our current housing status.  We are eager to move into a house we can call our own, establish some friendships, and move on with our lives.  Oh, and get our stuff out of storage!  I am ready for my own bed, my own dishes, and the rest of my clothes.  We have bought and read way too many books (there IS such a thing) and played way too many games!  It is like a never ending vacation, and while I know that may sound like fun to some, let me assure you it is not all rainbows and ponies.  The space seems to shrink daily, tempers run short, and there is a shortage of things to do. 

I have bought plates because I was tired of washing the same 6 three times a day, more forks for the same reason, a mixing bowl because there was not one here, and numerous other things to "get by".

Doing vacation in an Airbnb is one thing, but dong life is by far another.

By now I am sure you are saying what a whiny lady!  Right?  I promise I only whine a few times a week.  Mostly.  But this is a real blog with real people behind it and we are just trying to keep it real.  So while we are ever so thankful for this new job, and new state- we are anxious to find new friends and a new place to live.

Until then, would you whisper a prayer that our Nebraska house sells?  And that if you call me to chat you don't catch me in one of my whiny moments! ;)

Blessings,