Amish Values for your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher

It's time for another book review!  What can you learn form the Simple Life?

When it comes to strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much we can learn from the Amish. Just how do they establish such strong family bonds, such deeply held values, and such wonderful family traditions? In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shares the secrets of Amish family life. In this inspiring and practical book, you will meet real Amish families that are a lot like yours. Through their stories you'll discover how to

slow down
safeguard family time
raise children who stand strong in their faith
prioritize what's truly important
Amish values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy--without selling your car or changing your wardrobe.
 check out more here

I just loved this book.  I sat down one evening, opened my copy, thinking that I would just read maybe a chapter or so....before I knew it.... it was one o'clock in the morning! 

We can learn so much from others, and the way they live their life.  For example, Suzanne wrote a chapter called "The mud hole".   In this chapter she tells a story about an Amish family.  The family pet has died and dad told his boys to dig  a whole so that after Dad did all the errands, they could bury the dear old family pet.  The boys found a mud hole, while working and decides that playing was funner than digging the whole for their lost loved pet.    Dad comes home to find that the whole has not been dug and the boys had played in the mud hole.... What did dad do?  He dug the hole and buried the pet.  (This story is just so cute!  Can you see your little boys and maybe girls doing this!... I can!)

As I read that story, I started thinking about all the times when life is hard , times are tough, kids are being kids and wonder  is it so bad to just let kids be kids.  Yes, Dad could of fussed the boys and made them finish the hole, but he knew they needed to be kids.  Do we have to have our Kids in every spot, dance, or competition there is?  What has happened to those days were kids played in the sprinklers, rode bikes down the street or played hide and seek with neighbors? 

This book is filled with cute, thought provoking and some sad stories.   YOU will find yourself thinking: what can I learn from the Simple life?   I know I did.

 How can you  find your copy of  Amish Values for your Family....

“Available August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Sewing class has begun

Both of my girls want to learn to sew.  My oldest, J, has been doing a little of it here and there. 

Here is some pictures of a project the girls worked on recently.

We used this pattern (with a few modifications for J's size).

These J, made for herself.

These are for K, J made these also!

                                                                

 K, wanted to sew , this is her first time to use a sewing machine. 

I gave K, this paper and told her to practice sewing straight lines. I think she did a good job. What do you say?  I am so proud of both my girls...

Well, the sewing classes will continue....

First Week of School...Done!!

We have just completed our first week of the new school year.  So far, so good!  The girls have been working hard and are enjoying their new books.   There were a few bumps in the road on Wednesday, but those have been taken care of and hopefully a new attitude will stay! :)

Now, we are off to enjoy the weekend!  Have a great day!

Do you like my picture?  Schooling on the Cheap Side

This has been my goal for 2011-2012 school year.    Get my supplies as cheap as possible.  The Internet has been a great way for me  to "shop" for homeschool deals. 

I have become a fan of Currclick.com.  They have some good and cheap unit studies, guides for books, and etc.  Simple Homeschooling has quickly become a favorite of mine.   JoAnna (the author of Simple homeschooling) has written some great history Curriculum.  I was very happy to say the least, when I saw that she has written a new American history for  middle school and high school.    Her ebooks are very cheap and the unit activities are fabulous.  I am so excited to use her new American history this year with both my girls!  

 I have also found state histories that I will be using this year with my youngest as we "travel the USA" learning about each state that makes up our great nation.

I have found great prices on used things from homeschool classifieds.  Cheap teacher manuals for my science curriculum. 

I am watching stuff on Ebay as well.  (Cheap, cheap, cheap!!)

If all goes as I pray it does, than I will be able to start the school year off  with less than ONE HUNDRED Dollars!!!! 

YaYYYYYYY!!

Needless to say that I am SCHOOLING ON THE CHEAP SIDE this year!

Happy Homeschooling everyone!

Summer fun....

I  just realized today that I have posted anything in a while.  We have been keeping ourselves busy this last month.  IN the beginning of July, the girls and I headed off to youth camp.  I can not tell you what a blessing that week was for me!  As a parent, you always pray that your children would have their own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You teach them the word, but they have to make that choice themselves.  I was blessed to see that my girls were getting "in" and getting something from the Lord.   On service that stands out is when Bro. Michael Tom preached about the "old boat church"... One point he made clear, stay in a church that is going it feed you spiritual!  Don't settle for a church that will entertain you.... to many people want entertainment.  He had all of the youth get up and come on the platform who wanted to get in the "old boat church"!  EVERYONE OF THOSE YOUTH RAN.... yes  I said RAN to that platform!  The Lord moved mightily in that service.    I could go on and on about that week, but for the sake of time I will not. 
We came home on Friday evening and my husband told me that we would be able to move out to were he worked in just a few days.  I knew we would be moving, but I did not know the exact time and place it would be taken place, so as you can imagine... I Had to get on the ball and start packing!
We were able to move the last weekend of July... just a few days ago...  That was an adventure of its own!
First let me say, that we are in need of rain... very much in need of rain.  Well,  on the day we were to move, we had a chance of it, so we decided to "hurry" (as if you can) and move all of our stuff.  We did load one, and all was going good.  But driving to the ranch with load two... it started to sprinkle.  I started to pray hard that it would just hold off for a few more minutes.... I had my electric piano in the back of the truck and I did not need nor want it to get rained on!  The Lord answered my prayer... it did not start to rain until I had my piano in the house!  We got wet and our stuff was wet, but we were able to get it all in the house during the rain....  what memories! 

We are now living on a ranch of about 9000 arces.  We are loving the peacefulness of country life.  We have inherited some 14 or so cats!  Some are wild, but the kittens my girls are playing with... so we will try to find them a home.    Do you know anyone who wants a cat?