Sep 24, 2009

Happy Birthday to.... Me!

In keeping with tradition I will post about my birthday. I turned 45 this past Thursday. As usual David took the day off and as usual, (I'm not complaining) since he's in the middle of buying all the vehicles for his company, he ended up doing a lot of work from home.

In an unusual way that was good. The kids and I got to see how dedicated to doing his best he is. How much he cares about the details of the job and how he goes the extra mile to get the job done.

So, how did we celebrate?

  • I got my drivers license renewed.


  • I got a new 'Stir Crazy' popcorn popper


  • I got a new synch cradle for my Palm Zire 71 that friends gave me


  • I got the 3rd Sovereign Grace songbook
  • I got 'Sense & Sensibility' on DVD (much to the chagrin of the males in the house)
  • I got $$ from my in-laws and I ordered yarn today from knitpicks. I'm going to make a pair of felted slippers and a dressy short sleeved sweater.
  • I got to spend the day with my family and even though David was working, he was home and that made the day very special.
So 'Happy Birthday to Me, and I don't feel a day older, but hopefully I AM becoming wiser



consumer search: love what you buy

Several months ago I discovered this website. It was probably a link from one of the many yahoo groups I belong to. Since I have found it to be so helpful, and informative and, best of all, FREE! I thought I would tell you, my loyal followers about it.
It's the same idea as 'Consumer Reports' magazine, but free.

Sep 9, 2009

Heart of Dakota, Creation to Christ

This year we are actually following a preplanned curriculum. I love it!! Everything is laid out in the teachers manual with a two page spread for each day. Each unit takes four days. We are using a variety of publishers such as Apologia for science, Rod & Staff for grammar, Write with the Best for writing, Saxon for math.

If you go to the web site, http://heartofdakota.com/ you can download samples of all levels of the curriculum, order a catalog, and join a message board. The author is active on the message board and also answers emails with questions.

We are three weeks into the year and are really enjoying every minute of it. The only thing I have added to our day have been Latin vocabulary, spelling, and guitar. With guitar my goal is to have Daniel continue to improve and teach me at the same time. We'll see how that goes. My fingers do not want to form the chords as easily as he makes it look.

The biggest things I love about this curriculum?

1. Everything is SPELLED OUT! In the event that I am sick, or when David and I go out of town in a few weeks, anyone will be able to take over.

2. The children can self-teach. Really! It's that well planned out!

3. It's completely biblical. All the history and Bible lessons flow together chronologically.

4. Even though I bought more books this year than I have ever bought for school in my life, I was able to buy almost every thing second hand. AND these books are worth keeping. As Charlotte Mason says, "No twaddle".

5. It is leading us into a deeper understanding of who GOD is, it is challenging us to think for ourselves.

' One of the most wonderful things about knowing GOD is that there's always so much more to know, so much more to discover. Just when we least expect it, He intrudes into our neat and tidy notions about who He is and how He works.'
Joni Eareckson Tada

Sep 6, 2009

Happy Birthday Daniel



WOW, Daniel is 13. He was a Labor Day baby in 1996. Our pastor at the time stopped by the hospital on the way out of town to pray with us. Fortunately Daniel had made his entrance by then!




It's hard to believe that only thirteen years ago he was a tiny 7# infant and now he is becoming a young man. (No 'teenagers' allowed in the Gibson household, only young men and ladies).




To celebrate we spent the day with Dad, and went bowling. I think it will soon become a favorite pasttime. We went to Fryes Lake Lanes, where if you go at the right time, (Thursday after 1pm) Eddie will probably be there, and if you ask he will give you tips on improving your game. Eddie is one of those guys who loves the game and wants to see young people do well form the start.








Hopefully the kiddos and I will be able to bowl at least a couple of times a month during the day and David will be able to join us on his days off.





To all my 'FRIENDS' on facebook

I am closing my facebook account. If, in the future, you want to know what I am up to, then please feel free to call me or even write me a letter. I am home most of the time. Since we homeschool, afternoons are best for phone calls, and it does usually take me at least a few days to respond to a letter. But I will respond. And I LOVE getting a real letter in the mail.
If it is urgent, an email is okay, but definitely not my preferred method of communication.
You may be wondering why I am choosing to quite using something so easy to use such as facebook. Did you read the article I linked in my previous post? No? Then here is the link again...http://voices.allthingsd.com/20090825/how-facebook-ruins-friendships/ read it.
If you truly are my friend, then we will work to maintain our relationship. How many people do you have on your 'friends' list. 100? more? Can that many people truly be your friend? Acquaintance maybe, but FRIEND? Come on, people, get real. Friendships take work. Facebook doesn't require any effort.
Neither does blogging for that matter. BUT, I am going to keep my blog, because it is an easy way to get pictures to Aunt C whom we call regularly as well as to other real friends that are now in other states and to whom we either write or call.
So, good-bye Facebook. it was fun for a while, but not worth the isolation that it caused, or the 'fake' friendships that it encouraged.
Join me if you dare in building real relationships, full of life, promise, trust, and encouragement.






How Facebook Ruins Friendships

Read the article I've linked and tell me what you think.