We Are Busy Training Knights!

Yes, you read that correctly- Knights!  Swords, code of honor, the works.

Let's start at the beginning.  We have always been big fans of the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.  My husband's long time mentor fanned that flame years ago when our oldest son was young and since then we have become collectors of all things King Arthur-y!  (yes, I made that word up!)  Our book cases overflow with tales of long ago and we admit to watching more than a few movies based on the same premise.

There is just something that speaks to a young boy's heart when he hears words like honor, courage, swords, code and yes, fighting!  You can just see their eyes light up and they seem to stand just a bit taller.  I love that!

When I was offered the chance to be part of a book release for Heather Haupt's new book, Knights in Training, I jumped!  And maybe begged!  I am, after all, training TWO knights!!  Ages 9 and 15!

Let me just tell you up front, moms of boys, you need this book!  Seriously.

I figured I would like it.  Instead, I loved it!

Heather has done her research, not only by raising two knights of her own, but really looking into what being a modern day knight means to our young boys.

Knights in Training is 277 pages long and is divided into three parts-

• The Boy-Raising Adventure
• The Chivalry Challenge 
• Continuing the Quest

The first part, The Boy-Raising Adventure talks about boys in general, how they are different from girls, (can I get an AMEN!?) and why we do not want to raise "typical" boys. A lot stood out to me in this part, hence the prolific highlighting in my book, but this is the quote that stood out to me, the one I needed to hear-

"Take boys as they are and provide them a context to grow into the strong, self-determined heroes they aspire to be..." p. 38

As a mom of two girls born first, I like quiet, orderly behavior.  I don't "get" rough housing and most things boys.  I am having to learn the value in those things and allow my boys to become the men God intended them to be.  Yes, they need to learn to be polite and courteous, and sometimes even quiet, but in most cases that is simply not their natural bent.

 

The second part of the book,  The Chivalry Challenge is where you will find the meat of the information.  Each chapter is based off the 10 points in the Code of Chivalry.  These include-

• Love God
• Obey
• Stand Against Injustice
• Protect the Weak
• Respect Women
• Don't Give Offense
• Speak Truth
• Be Generous
• Persevere
• Pursue Excellence

 
This part of the book is full of encouragement and ideas as well as a few challenges.  Each code is stated and then defined by Heather.  She tells what it looks like in practice as well as what it doesn't look like.  Using examples from her own family she tells what teaching these concepts might look like.  At the end of each of these chapters is a section called Throwing Down the Gauntlet.  Here she gives specific activities you can use to teach your kids the specific concept.

Sword fights?
Polishing silver?
Jousting?
Playing games?
Serving others?

These ideas and many more have made the learning so much more fun.  Well, maybe not the polishing part.  But by mimicking the chores a page or squire would have done, we can teach our boys discipline, hard work and patience.  We can teach them integrity and how to put others first.  By hanging up our Code of Chivalry poster we are reminding ours sons daily the behavior we expect from them.  And by loving them and embracing their "boy-ness" we are telling them that God indeed made them in a special way.

The final section, Continuing the Quest, is about just that!  How we can make these lessons stick!  Also included at the end of the book is a great chart of age appropriate chores as well as a fabulous resource list!  We had several of the books Heather mentioned, but have added a few new ones to our wish list!

Speaking of wish lists, you need to add Knights in Training to yours!

Knights in Training is now available to purchase and you can follow Heather on Facebook as she encourages you and others in the Chivalry movement!

May we encourage and love our boys daily, as we train them up in the way of the Lord!

 Blessings,

Knights in Training- Author Interview, my thoughts so far and more...

 

If you follow me on any social media, and if you don't - come join us, (Links at the bottom of the page!) you know that I have begun reading a new book called Knights in Training, written by Heather Haupt.  Well, actually I am almost finished with it.  A review of it will be posted next Friday but today I wanted to share with you a few quick thoughts from me and a few Q and A's from Heather.

Who is Heather?

Heather Haupt is the mother of three knights-in-training and a spunky little princess. She wants to be intentional during these years of parenting and raise children who will make a difference in this world. Heather is an educator, writer, and popular speaker. Recognizing the brevity of childhood and the power of a parent’s influence, she encourages and equips parents towards intentional parenting, pursuing God, and delighting in the adventure of learning. She is the author of Knights-in-Training: Ten Principles for Raising Honorable, Courageous, and Compassionate Boys as well as The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks. She writes at www.heatherhaupt.com.


Friends, let me tell you, Heather is a bold writer and a champion for boys and families.  It is obvious from page one of her book to the very end that this is where her heart is.  In Knights in Training she calls families to "inspire today's generation of young boys to pursue honor, courage, and compassion."  She is encouraging moms and dads to issue a Chivalry challenge to their boys, and she is equipping her readers with creative ideas to help them along the way.

It only took me one chapter to know that this was a movement I wanted to be in on and our two boys quickly gathered all the books we had on the subject!  Since then, well, things have been busy around here.  I can't wait to share some of that with you next week in our full review.

Until then, I want to give you a quick glance at the background behind this book and share with you details on how to buy it, and possibly win a copy!

Let me let Heather fill you in:

What was your main goal in writing Knights in Training?

I wrote Knights in Training to help parents tap into the heart of their boys and utilize a boy’s inner dreams and drives to propel them into a future of meaning and purpose. We all love our kids and want to be purposeful during this season of childhood – enjoying the little moments as well as preparing them to succeed in life, but sometimes in the busyness of life we lose sight of HOW to make that happen. My goal here is to provide a common language and a roadmap for this exciting journey of boyhood so that one boy and one family at a time, we can restore civility and courageous compassion to our communities. 

 Which part of researching Knights in Training was the most personally interesting to you? 
 I’m a history buff, so delving into some of the primary documents and really discovering how this idea of chivalry took shape and force during the middle ages was fascinating to me. Delving into the past also reminded me that there is nothing new under the sun. We see the same challenges with human nature, our bent to wander from the Lord, from the right path as well as the importance of inspiration and ideals in captivating our imagination and calling us back to the way we ought to go. When we step into the past, we discover that young men in the middle ages struggled with choosing the easy path, that younger sons in the nobility lost sight of their purpose and meaning and were tempted to take the easy path of living a life of listlessness and apathy and yet how deep down they all wanted to find purpose and meaning.

What inspired you to write Knights in Training?

Coming up with the idea for knight training was birthed out of a desire to be intentional in raising my boys. When I saw that their love for everything battle meshed well with my discover that chivalry was far more than how a man treats a woman. I knew I wanted to embark on a season of knight training and pursuing living by this code that for the knight’s of old was an entire way of living. Little did I realize that embarking on this initial season of knight training would alter the way we viewed our role as parents and forever shape the way my boys viewed these years of childhood. I wrote the book to really flesh out what it can look like to celebrate boys for who they are and cast a vision for a life of adventure embodying the spirit of a modern-day knight. Boys are getting a bad rap these days. Part of that stems from how we approach educating boys as well as a lack of understanding and appreciation for what makes them unique. Our world needs good men and my aim with this book is to strengthen the resolve and equip parents to reach their boys by appreciating who they are and how they are wired as well as inspire them to become the men they are meant to become.

___________________________________________________________________________________
 
Right now Knights in Training can be pre-ordered and you won't have too long to wait because it is almost release time!

 A Knights in Training Book Release party is scheduled for next week, Tuesday, May 30 from 9-11pm (EDT).  Be sure to join us for a chance to win some fun prizes and hear more from Heather!

See you back next week for our full review on this awesome book!


Family, Faith and Fridays Facebook page

Blessings,

City on a Hill Studio- Manhood Journey Homeschool Review Crew Review

Life was easy when I had just girls.  Really it was.  As long as you dressed them in pink and talked about rainbows and ponies, things went well.  OK, maybe it wasn't quite that simple, but it seemed like it at the time.  Especially now that I have two boys.  Things don't seem as easy anymore.

So when we got the opportunity to review Manhood Journey Father's Starter Kit by Manhood Journey and City on a Hill Studio- I said yes, please!  A chance for my husband to use a review product and fill me in? even better!


Let's chat about what is included-
The Manhood Journey Father's Starter Kit includes a group discussion guide, a one on one guide to be used for fathers/mentors and sons, a DVD which introduces all 6 modules and can be used for promotion purposes,  and 10 "maprochures" which can also be used to advertise the program to your intended groups well as let you see what the additional module choices are.  Also included as a bonus is the book Wise Guys -Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You by Manhood Journey co-founder, Kent Evans.

So what is this thing called Manhood Journey?  Think of it as a cross between a Bible Study and Mentoring young men program.  This non-denominational program helps fathers (or other significant men in your sons' lives) disciple and mentor your sons, ages 8-17.   Each module (the starter kit contains the module Embarking) is meant to take six weeks to complete.  Based on your personal needs and interests, you can choose the order in which you want to do the modules.

Module titles include-

Embarking
Working Well
Manhood Myths
Clean Hearts
Standing Strong
Leading Lessons



Using Manhood Journey-
It's easy really!  This is one of those open and go programs, which is a good thing since I handed it to my husband and said- go!  Each session (week) starts with a Word for Dad to help prepare him for the lesson.  It gives the theme for the week, supplies the Bible verses that will be covered, and gives some fun ideas to use to engage your sons.  Each session is then broken down into 4 parts.  Building Our Relationship gets dad and son warmed up and talking.  Knowing God's Word allows them to read and study God's word while applying it to everyday life.  Serving Others is the section that allows them to take the lessons learned and apply them to their everyday lives- putting words into action.  The last section, Talking With God, is a time for prayer to wrap up their time together.  The guide actually tells you what to say, suggests questions and conversations starters, and give you activities to tie into the lessons.  While there are assignment suggestions like drawing things you are discussing, there are also practical suggestions like go outside and throw a football together.  Make no mistake, this is intended for men and sons to use.  Sorry moms, you are out this time.  Each lesson can take about 40-60 minutes to complete.  Because my husband just used this program with our 15 year old, he used the 1 on 1 guide.  If you intend to use it with a group of young men, for example in a youth group, you would use the group discussion guide.

Study begins with the “Five Big Rocks,” or attributes, of a godly man, which father and son are encouraged to memorize.
1. Trust God
2. Know his Word
3. Pray Fervently
4. Build relationships
5. Serve others

The chapters for Embarking include-

• Week 1: Preparing for the Journey
• Week 2: Setting Out on the Journey
• Week 3: Relying on the Compass
• Week 4: Seeking Guidance Along the Way
• Week 5: Encountering Others Along the Journey
• Week 6: We Have Embarked- Where to Next?

While I think it was rather awkward for my guys to get started, they did fine once they got started.  The laid back, conversational bent to this program allows for easy father-son interaction.  It is set up so you can make it fit your needs, as you pick and choose what to discuss.  While it is hard not to listen in, I would encourage you moms out there to let the guys take charge and make this their time with your sons.  So often for moms, at least for me, it is easy to jump into a conversation.  Let's make this a special time for our husbands to take charge and mentor the boys in our lives.  I think you will find it is a blessing to them all.

A note about Wise Guys- 
Friends, I love this book!  Kent Evans wrote this book to inspire young men in their life journey.  Taking examples from his own life, he introduces men who have made a difference in his life and shares the lessons he learned from each of them.   Here's why I love this book.  In my experience, preaching to boys about the things you want them to learn just doesn't work.  Your mouth opens, their ears close, right?  But when a man tells a story, people listen.  Especially younger men.  It just works somehow.  We haven't shared this book with our son yet, but we are excited to do so.  I think he will enjoy Kent's humor and honesty.  It is also my prayer that he will learn a few lessons along the way!

Lessons from the Closet

Can I just be honest and admit to you that last year was one of my scariest years of parenting?  I mean, I was parenting a 13 year old boy, ALONE!  Ahhhh, the responsibility.  There were more than several times I thought I would have to put him in a box and ship him to his father.  Not for anything he had done, but just because I felt so inept at parenting a teen boy.

Oh, how I am glad that year is over.  And oh how thankful I am he has a father that invests daily into the lives of he and his brother.

But hey, I have also discovered a little secret that may be what I was missing last year.

Dad parents him in the closet.

No really, stay with me here.

It is a phenomena that I have just recently noticed.

You see, more than several times in the past few months I have wandered past our master closet to hear voices coming from it.  And every time I check to see what is going on in there without me the conversation seems to lull.  No mistake about it though, my husband and one of the boys would be chatting in the closet.

I was starting to take things a little personally until I caught wind of snippets of the conversations.  Moms are stealthy like that, you know! ;)

The truth I learned- there were a lot of lessons being taught in that closet time.

Simple lessons like-

What color socks to wear with church pants.

Which side your belt goes into the loops of your pants.

No, that shirt does not match your pants.

Or a few deeper ones-

When you are disrespectful to you mom, you are disrespectful to me.

A repentant heart is a heart that makes a change.


See, not necessarily things I am incapable of teaching, but rather things that just seem to mean more when coming from a father or father figure.

We need the men in our lives to step up and take an active role in the lives of our children.  We need the men of this country to invest in the younger generation of men we are raising up to be leaders. While mommies are so important and have their own wealth of information to share, I am thankful that there are men able and willing to guide the young men in our lives.

The first being their father.  He is pretty special indeed!

Linking up with friends-

Blessings,

Schooling Boys

Before I had kids I knew everything about them.  I mean, I was a Child Development major for pete's sake.  I studied hard, read a lot of books, took a bunch of tests, and graduated Magna Cum Laude.  I had this thing called kids mastered!

Then I had one.  And three more to follow.  And I decided that I did not know much at all.  As a matter of fact, there are still times 21 years later that I am pretty sure I know nothing.

One of the brilliant things I was taught was that boys and girls are really not that different.

Oh, really?

See, I had two girls and I taught them school.  It went fairly well, despite a few bouts of emotional tears centered around math.

Then I started teaching my first son.

I thought he would NEVER learn to read.  He did eventually and now has his nose buried in a book often, but for several years I could not decide if he was failing or if I was.

Then I started teaching my second son.

I thought he would never sit still.  He... well, let's just say we are still working on that one. ;)

Guess what?  Those are two things I never dealt with while teaching my girls.  Never.  Now, I know that every child is different and some things just can not be put in a male/female box, but after over 17 years of this homeschooling gig, I am convinced that sometimes you just have to school boys differently!

So how do I school my boys?

With excitement.  Lots of lots of excitement.  Add fire or water to anything and you will have their attention.

With noise. The louder the better.  When they can be loud, they are happy.

With movement.  There are not many boys who will just sit at a desk for hours and work quietly (see, there is that noise thing again). To help with fidgeting, we change locations every few subjects.  Some subjects are at the computer desk, some on the couch, some at the kitchen table.

With interest.  My boys are not content to learn something just for the sake of learning it.  But, if I can tie the not-as-fun subject, math, for example, into a favorite subject, then I can catch their interest.  For one of my sons, all it takes is relating history to what he is learning.

With passion.  If I am bored with a subject, you can bet my boys are too.  If I get excited about what we are studying, I hear that excitement repeated when they share with dad that night what they learned.  I am amazed at how my passion affects theirs.

With fun.  Yes, you can make schooling fun.  While I do think it gets more challenging as they get older, my boys love games.  So we make up games, we have competitions between each other, and we laugh.  A lot.

With encouragement.  Boys just seem to thrive on the "go team" mentality.  Maybe it is their sports gene. ;)  But when I am their cheer leader, they push on harder than ever to complete a task.

And finally-

With love! OK, so that one goes with all my kids.  Cuddles go a long way for any child.  When children feel loved, they usually cannot help but love in return.

All photos by First Noelle Photography

 Let's don't get so busy "doing" school that we forget to love our children first and foremost.  I want them to know facts and figures, sure, but I want them to know they are loved most of all.

Linking up with friends!

Blessings,

Are You Logical?

One of the blessings I had this year in homeschooling has been to work with our co-op's middle schoolers and high schoolers as their coordinator.  Luckily for me that is just a fancy word for helping decide on classes and finding teachers for those classes.  Pretty simple, actually.  I shared with you a few months ago about our etiquette class I taught, but I thought I would share our latest class with you as well- Games and Logic.

The class was my brain child, but honestly I wasn't sure what it would really look like at first.  I had a few middle school boys that needed a class, no prospects for a teacher, and no ideas.  Not sure where this idea even came from, but boy am I glad I let it grow.

I have to tell you I had such fun with this class.  Go figure.  I am not even a big games gal, and logic? No way!

But these boys rocked my world.  And entertained me.

And I am so proud of them!

There are many ways this could be run but here is what we landed on.

Each week we began with a quick warm up activity to get our brains working.  One that we really enjoyed was this simple castle puzzle.  The boys had no picture to go by, they just knew all the pieces went together to form a castle with no gaps in the pieces.  I allowed them to work together as well as individually and we even timed them to see if they could beat their times.  Another game I found at Target was IQ Fit.  It has several different levels of play and we, meaning them, took turns solving the puzzles.  We also played the old game Jenga to see how high we could get it, trying a random play and then one only pulling out middle pieces and one only pulling out outside pieces.

After that we concentrated on a main game or project.  One day we did logic games like the card game Set. Other days we worked on brain teasers and riddles.  One day we challenged each other with board games.

Rush Hour

I think the boys would say that their favorite day was a Lego challenge.  What guy doesn't like Legos, right?  That day each boy had to build a small original creation and then create the directions to build that design.  After taking it apart, another boy had to see if they could build the identical creation following the instructions.  Of course, that led to lots of building afterwards, but they did have fun!

With each activity we did, we took time to talk about how they went about solving or strategizing and comparing each of their styles.  It was fun to talk about learning styles and have them see how someone else might take on the same project differently.

And me?  Well, I just got them started and then sat back and watched.  Sometime I think we parents forget how amazingly cool our kids are.  And how fun it is to see their minds work!  I loved getting to know these boys and just watching them interact.  They formed friendships, learned some new skills, and hopefully learned a little bit about themselves as well.

I would call that a successful class!  How about you?

Linking up with friends!

Blessings,

The 12 Things I Want to Teach My Boys

There are four kiddos in our family.  Two girls and two boys.  And let me tell you, I have decided that boys are harder to raise.  Seriously!  The girls were easy- mostly.  But the boys, wow.  There are so many things that we feel we need to teach them.  We want them to be ready to take on the world, marry if they so choose, and make a mark on the world for God.

So my boys, here is what I want to teach you!

RESPECT- For authority, for adults, and for girls.  We require "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" in our home to foster a sense of respect for those that are older than us.  We try to teach our children to look people in the eyes when speaking to them, to stand when someone older enters the room, and to defer to others.  Do we miss the mark sometimes?  Yes!  But we are all a work in progress.

CHIVALRY- I know that most guys do not show up on white horses and sweep ladies off their feet, but we do still believe in chivalry in this house.  Opening doors for ladies, offering your seat, or walking on the street side of them down the street.  I want my boys to treat the woman in their lives in such a way that makes them feel special, cared for, and protected.

HOW TO LOVE-  This is a hard one to teach in some ways.  We shower our kids with love and hopefully they see that and emulate it.  While we do not encourage too much "PDA" as my grandmother used to call it (public displays of affection), we do want them to see a healthy marriage where hugs and kisses are given freely and "I love you" rolls freely off our lips. We want them to know that God wants us to love our spouses like He loves us- sacrificially.

HOW TO BE A GOOD FRIEND- A friend loves at all times.  Are we teaching patience, humbleness, listening skills?  Are we teaching our boys to lay down their life for a friend?  To stand by them through thick and thin?  In our life of moving every few years are we showing them how important true friends are and how to work hard to have them and keep them?

HOW TO BE A PROVIDER- We want to teach our men to be the providers of their families.  We want them to know that money is not everything but it is something important to have a handle on.  We want them to be good stewards of their money and be able to lead their families in those skills.  We also want them to understand that providing is not just about money.  It is equally important to provide stability, love, and support to their families and friends.

MONEY MANAGEMENT- Dave Ramsey anyone?  ;)  Actually, any wise spending plan will do. I am convinced one does not have to make millions to be able to provide.  Thank goodness, right? Good money management and a good plan will take you far.  When you know where your money goes and you are a good steward of what God has blessed you with, you can not only provide for and bless your family but others as well.

SELF SUFFICIENCY- Too many kiddos today carry an entitlement mentality around with them. They believe they can always get what they want and not have to work for it.  That mom and dad will always provide.  We want our boys to know that we will always be there for them, but we also want to teach them the life skills they need to be able to be a functioning adult in the real world.  Things like changing the oil and tires on a car, survival skills and situational awareness, how to wash clothes and the dishes, what to do with a hammer and nails, and how to start a fire, cook a meal, and fire a gun.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR- Don't laugh, but there are too many young people out there who have never been taught what not to wear.  Or at least how to dress appropriately for certain situations.  We want to teach our boys that what they wear to hang out with their buddies is not the same thing they wear out to dinner.  And those things are different from what to wear to a funeral or an opera.  We teach them to think multi-generational, as what you think is ok may not be for your grandparents.  My husband tells the boys that you can never be overdressed, but you will stand out like a sore thumb when you are underdressed.  Clothes don't make a man, but they sure make an impression!

HOW TO BE A LEADER-  Of their homes.  Of their communities. Of their families. I want them to be bold in leadership without being a tyrant.  To lovingly lead their future wives and children with clear direction and a lot of love. I want them to learn that leaders often lead from behind- being a cheerleader and motivator.  Other times call for leaders to forge the way for others-being the first to clear the path

HOW TO BE A PROTECTOR- Can they defend themselves and others against harm?  Are they situationally aware at all times?  Right now that job in our family is that of my husband, but eventually the torch will be passed to our boys for their own families and we need to be teaching them those skills. Even more than that, are they being taught to protect others' freedoms, emotions and hearts?  Do they put others before themselves?

PURITY- It may not be what society teaches, but it is what we teach in our home.  Our bodies were meant to be shared only with the one God calls us to partner in life with.  No one else.

FAITH- Our family grows in faith daily, but we work hard at it.  We have nightly family devotions and we work hard to point our kids to God.  We want them to not just know God but to have a relationship with Him, to love Him with all their hearts and to cling to Him always.  Life is not always easy and it frequently throws us a curve ball.  Faith can and will see you through!

Oh friends, the list could go on and on.  Some days the weight of it all overwhelms me, especially in this season of our lives.  But the importance of it all pushes us forward with determination.  God has made these boys with amazing potential, and I pray that we as parents will help them reach it!  May we trust in Him to guide us and then allow Him to get ALL the credit.

Linking up with friends-

Blessings,

A Week of Ants

I will have to say that some of the most fun memories of my older kids and schooling them have been fun science projects involving animals.  We have watched caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and ants make mazes before our eyes.  But that seems like forever ago. 

Now that I have a five year old in the house I am determined that he not miss those same opportunities just because he is the fourth child and mom is old, I mean tired.

So look what came to our house this week!  ANTS!

Would you think I was crazy if I told you we have had the most fun with these silly creatures?  Or that we have wasted spent more time just watching them?  They really are amazing.  Before when we have watched ants we have done the typical sand ant hill thingy.  (technical term, I know!) This time I thought the new gel would be fun.  OK, let's be honest, I do not even think the gel stuff was around the first time I did these.   It is so much easier to see the tunnels.  It is amazing that the habitat can go from one small tunnel to a complete maze in just a few days.  They are hard workers.

Are we?

You know I had to make a lesson out of it, right?  So tonight everyone had to come to the table with a few ant facts to share.

Here's what we learned-
CJ- Ants like to eat my food. 
       Ants make tunnels.

SP- The wood ant has more than one queen in a colony of one hundred thousand workers.
        Some tropical ants make their nests in trees by sewing leaves together.

RNP- Ants form 15-25% of the terrestrial animal biomass.
           The sting of a bullet ant is given the highest rating on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index.
           In India a paste is made of the green weaver ant and it sold with curry as a condiment.
Yes, my teenager is a smartie britches! ;)
  

Watching ants also opened up a lively conversation about what the Bible says about learning from the ants.

Are we teaching our kids to be hard workers?

Are we teaching our kids to be diligent?

Are we teaching our kids team work?

Are we teaching our kids to be good communicators?

Are we teaching our kids what the Bible says?

There are lessons everywhere if we look for them.  Even in a tiny little creature like an ant!

What are you teaching your kids this week?

Blessings,

CREW Review- Growing Up Wild

WOW!  We have found a new favorite for family night!  And yes, we all want to move to the jungles and be missionaries.  Well, OK, some of us more than others, but I won't name names!

Meet the Wild Family from Growing Up Wild!

That's Hudson, Morgan, Asher, mom and Dad and Kian.

Like us they are an ordinary family that loves the Lord.  Unlike us, He called them into ministry for Him to the highlands of Papua, Indonesia, to spread the Gospel to the Wano people.  The 5 videos, each running about 45 minutes each, are a result of 3 years of hard work by the family themselves to help the viewers better understand the life of a missionary, to better understand the life of the Wano, and to challenge children to "impact the world for God's glory".

Recently our family received Volumes 1 and 4 to review.

Volume 1 -

 Home Sweet Hut- Get a glimpse of The Wilds' every day life and where they live

Supply Trip- How do the Wilds get their food?

Sun and Water- How these elements of nature affect the Wild family



Volume 4-

Amazing World Around Us- Meet many jungle animals

Adventures in Culture- Highlights the culture

Tribal Calling- How the Wild family received their ministry calling

What sets these DVDs apart, aside from their amazing videotography and professional editing, is the fact that each set comes with a second CD that includes an Activity Guide for parents and educators to use to further the discussion and learning. Loaded with ideas for hands on projects, written assignments and field trip ideas, these Activity Guides contain web site links, charts to fill out, things to ponder and above all Scripture to inspire you.  My favorite activity was figuring out how many supplies you would need for three months in the jungle and how much it would cost you.  It really makes you start to think about true needs versus wants!   If Unit Studies are your mode of teaching, these Activity Guides will keep you busy, or you can, like us, watch the videos during family movie night as a time of reflection, learning and entertainment.  The possibilities are endless!



Note- If your family is uncomfortable with native people scantily dressed, you may want to view these DVDs first before sharing with your children.  Also, in Vol. 2, Adventures in Culture, you will see the boys get their noses pierced.  It is not for the faint of heart, but my boys were impressed. 

You can buy each of the Growing Up Wild DVDs for $18.99 a piece, or save 15% and buy all five for $80.99.  For a sneak preview of several of the videos go here and enjoy!  That is all it took to get us hooked.

We enjoyed these immensely and have added the three we don't have to our Christmas list.  I think you will find yourselves watching them a lot!

To see what fellow CREW members had to say about Growing Up Wild, click on the banner below!  Several CREWMATES were able to use the Growing Up Wild videos in their church for mission related projects.  You will enjoy reading about the fun snacks they served and how they brought the videos to life with the children they worked with!

  Disclaimer- We received Volumes 1 and 4 of Growing Up Wild in exchange for our honest review of the products.  Opinions expressed are our own and were not influenced by the company in any way.

Garden Visitors

Our summer garden is starting to come to a close, partly because the harvest season is winding down for the things we planted and partly because the farmer girl is not here to tend to it anymore.
But have enjoyed it and benefited from it...

 from squash, potatoes, onions, peppers and a few zucchini, to cantaloupe that we thought were watermelon at first, to enough tomatoes to freeze lots of tomato sauce and even some spaghetti sauce.  It has been fun for the girls of the house to see the fruits of our labors.

The boys,
well what's been fun for them were the visitors we had!

Deer!  Sorry no pictures, but there have been several.

A snapping turtle!  Did you know those little creatures are mean?  And will stand you off?  A make a weird hissing noise?

A skink.  Not to be confused with a skunk!  Again, no pictures...those critters are fast!

Lots of caterpillars.  One of which CJ finally talked me into bringing inside in the bug catcher.  And can you believe it, it actually lived, made a cocoon and turned into a butterfly!  I have paid companies to do this little experiment in the past.  No more!  There is a garden full of those wonders.

And then just recently, some kind of snake!  Luckily for me, the skin was all that was around to see at the time.  I jumped down into the garden bare foot and landed on it.  It took me a second to register it was the shed skin and NOT the actual snake, but I do think that in those few seconds my heart may have jumped into my throat!  While I am not terribly distressed over snakes, I prefer NOT to step on one!

This is minus about three more inches of skin that tore when I picked it up.

I am sure there have been more, like the raccoon we saw the wildlife protection people carry away in a trap last week and even possibly the fox we saw wandering the neighborhood at the first of the summer, but for now these will do for entertainment.