The Locked Door

It started with a locked recipe box and escalated to a sizeable box with a combination lock.  Neither was very effective.  When the family lock boxes--with all their fancy security features and homemade measures that would have made Dumbledore proud--were successfully invaded, we realized we were up against a daunting group of adversaries.  So, we padlocked the utility room/office/exercise/storage room.
The immediate benefits of having a space so completely off-limits made themselves felt most forcefully during Christmas.  For the first time in years our second looked surprised on Christmas day.  Certain sweet treats last for more than a day now.  Mom and Dad can enjoy Propel Zero with our workouts without having to go out to the car to retrieve one.  Sometimes a big problem needs a big solution--in our case a whole room.

Soiled Faces

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And lighten with celestial fire; Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost Thy sev’nfold gifts impart. Thy blessèd unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love; Enable with perpetual light The dullness of our blinded sight. Anoint and cheer our soilèd face With the abundance of Thy grace; Keep far our foes, give peace at home; Where Thou art Guide, no ill can come. Teach us to know the Father, Son, And Thee, of both, to be but One; That through the ages all along This, this may be our endless song. Praise to Thy eternal merit, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Taken from The Divine Office.

Happy First Birthday, Harriet!

The first draft of my novel is complete. It is still an absolute mess, but the ideas are good. I think I can tell this story. The question now becomes how well can I tell this story. I don't know, but I can do better than this. I need to redraw the outline and then I'm going to experiment with a more stylized approach. But that will have to wait until after Lent. I am setting Harriet aside, except for the dull task of typing her, for all of Lent. No new outline. No breaking out storyist. Nothing but my poor, sad, inefficient, typing. She should enjoy a good nap.

Pastor Ed

I have long admired Ed Dobson. It began during my college days at Liberty University, where he was a frequent speaker. He audaciously believed that if you follow scripture it will work, and that faith moved him to take on some risky business for Jesus' sake. He is also an excellent speaker. When I lost all faith in church, it was to the shelter of Calvary Church we ran. I still couldn't sit through a service, but I could stay in the building. I liked feeling that with Pastor Ed putting Jesus first we had half a chance. In the end I just wasn't meant to be a Protestant.
Ed's new project of telling his story about the adventure of dying is his bravest project to date. There is no greater terror than death. I wonder if Jesus tells us not to fear so often because death is such a constant worry, or if death is our final exam in obedience and he wants us to be prepared. Ed's writing is clear without cutting into our courage. He offers his honest experience so that we may share his honest hope. He is making meaning out of the dark.
Visit him here.

Resources for Human Anatomy and the Medieval Period for Homeschoolers

This year is my favorite homeschooling year so far. I've always enjoyed teaching human anatomy for science and the Medieval period is my favorite for history. We've acquired a number of resources and this year I think we're getting the most from them. It's great to have so many things to recommend.

Human Anatomy

I base our work on The Teaching Company's Understanding the Human Body. Dr. Goodman divides the body into systems then use the first lecture for anatomy and the second for physiology. The lectures are fascinating. I provided my kids with My First Human Body Book by Dover and at first they colored away. As the year has gone on the videos take more and more of their attention.

The Body Book
This reproducible book allows you to build a complete model of the human body out of paper. We love this part of our studies sitting around the table coloring, cutting and gluing and all of it coming together in a great model. Very engaging.

Blood and Guts
This is an oldy but a goody. I worked my way through it when I was a kid. The experiments are fun and doable, and the text is interesting.

Gross Anatomy
The book live up to its name, but it's still fun even so. There is a lot of good information tossed into some disgusting illustrations.

Human Anatomy Floor Puzzle
Perfect for those days when kids need a break.

SomeBody
Fun little game with lots of facts and Colorform organs. It's a quiet mellow experience that exposes players to lots of great facts.

DK Human Body
Terrific app. I let the kids use it for reference on their own, or we sit and marvel at a systems organs together. Lots of views and good information about how things work.

Body Walk
Another great app, especially for my smaller ones. The cartoon body can be explored or put together as a puzzle. All my kids have played with it.

Human Body
This is the paper version, and it breaks things down a bit more. It isn't as exciting as watching the heart beat and the lungs breathe, but the extra depth sometimes makes it preferable to the kids.

The Squishy Human Brain
I lucked into this at Sam's Club. We investigated so many parts of the brain that I would have glossed over without this hand's on brain that we could dissect. We loved it so much that I bought The Squishy Human Body. It should be a great surprise when we get to the end.

The Medieval Period

The Story of the World Volume 2
I base all our history work on Susan Wise Bauer's endlessly fun Story of the World curriculum. As always she focuses on the whole world not just Europe, so we are treated to information about Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas. Do buy the activity book. The added help and information are quite worth it.

The Medieval World
Turning once again to the Teaching Company, I bought The Medieval World course, and we have greatly enjoyed Professor Dorsey. Not just a march through time, all aspects of medieval life are touched on. This is a great strategy for spicing things up for mom. My kids enjoy it, but I'm the one with renewed interest.


The History of the Medieval World
Around fifth grade it's time to step things up.  These older students work their way through a parallel Susan Wise Bauer text.  They read the daily chapter, collect important facts and write a summary in a composition book.  This is a great way to keep everyone together while challenging older children to go further.

Life in a Medieval Castle and Village Coloring Book
I love Dover Coloring Books. They are a perfect pairing with Teaching Company Videos. This coloring book has terrific illustrations that require sharp colored pencils. We also have Knights and Armor and Medieval Fashions. Beautiful and educational.

How Would You Survive the Middle Ages?
I had to hunt this up second hand, but it' is so engaging that I'm in the process of collection other titles in the series. We have lots of those Eyewitness guides and the similar Barnes and Noble Series, but this is worth stretching for. Grownup aren't the only ones who like the idea of knowing how to survive. Great hook!

The Medieval World Series
This set published by Crabtree Publishing Company, is a great mix of medieval illustrations and the glossy pages kids love. Fascinating and beuatiful, the subjects covered are detailed and intriguing, my favorite being Medieval Medicine and the Plague.


Medieval Castle
We gave them this for Christmas. It's perfect for their Schlech toys. Brings all those books to life

Life as a Viking, A You Choose Book
I bought several You Choose books for the period and they make a nice break when we want to have some fun. They do not spare on the details of living a Viking life, so not for little ones. I'd say 7 and up.

Reading

I do my best to tie the kid's reading practice into whatever we are studying. The younger ones keep practicing with age appropriate reader, but once they reach 5th grade or a readiness for advanced work I try to choose work either from the period or about the period or scientific subject.

Stories of Roland Told To Children
This is a great little chapter book with stories from The Song of Roland retold for kids. I use a bunch of these for those who feel too old for a reader but who are too young to work through translations.

The Rule of St. Benedict
I always wanted to read what real medieval people wrote when I was a kid, so I'm always looking for things of that kind that are manageable. The Rule of St. Benedict is one of those books. The chapters are short and there aren't very many of them. Most of the work is practical and of the kind that still occurs today.

Redwall
This series is set in an abbey, and it is just the ticket to lighten up reading time. Every kid needs a peanut butter and jelly book now and again.

Math

Math is covered by Horizons and we work on it a lesson a day. I do like to pull math in when I can.

Sir Cumference
I found this series and went a little wild. Take for example Sir Cumference and All the King's Tens. So funny and very medieval. Funny and educational, perfect any year, but unbearably awesome on our medieval year.

Cut Sluice

They wring up the choir
Pour out fire
Flood Stage

For dissent sees sake
Damn the whole thing

Knitting Take 2

A few years ago, I bought a knitting booklet and was all excited about teaching myself to knit. I did fine on my own until I came to the purl stitch. It seemed impossible to do without three hands. If you can't purl your knitting options are limited, so I put it aside and the predictable thing happened--the kids tore it all apart and lost the stuff. The needles made excellent fairy swords, but they were bent and unusable after a particularly challenging duel with Captain Hook. (He must prefer crochet.) It was all alright. I wasn't ready yet.
This Christmas one of our daughters was given a sewing machine with all the attendant notions and we signed her up for a class at our local JoAnn's, which also offered knitting classes. Two for the price of one sweetened the deal. I found myself in the very capable hands of Jo, who can not only purl, she has made her own clothes, not just sweaters, but skirts and dresses. With her help I managed the trifecta of casting on, knit stitch and purl stitch. I forgot them all later that day, but the Internet seems to be swimming in very useful knitting videos.
Stitch by stitch it is coming along. I'll enjoy take two, they're small.