Yes Latin!

Latin is a great language to study and I am surprised by the backlash as to why study Latin. Latin is the base of all Romance languages and therefore makes learning those languages easier. Studying Latin also makes learning English grammar at a young age much easier because English grammar is much more complex.

In fact this year I think my boys learned as much English grammar in our Latin curriculum as they did in their English grammar studies.

Now does any one actually speak Latin in the world- no, not officially. It is an unspoken language at this point in history but half of all English words come from Latin and knowing Latin words actually expands English vocabulary because of all the derivatives that we use.

 For example- my sons learned the Latin word patria- which means fatherland, or country. From that word you find our word patriarch, and patriot! After the boys memorize what patria in Latin they will be able to recognize more complicated vocabulary as they are reading.

Another wonderful benefit is that our Latin curriculum teaches us prayers in Latin and they are beautiful to hear at the table or anywhere!

For example-

The Sanctus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Dominus Deus Sabaoath
Pleni sunt caeli et terra, gloria tua
Hosanna in excelsis
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
Hosana in excelsis

Translation:
Holy, holy, holy
Lord, God of hosts
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed in he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest

As you read through the Latin I am sure you will recognize many words and can figure out other derivatives. Sanctus means holy- sanctified, sanctuary. Terra- terracotta pots, terra means earth. Gloria means glory. Benedictus- blessed- blessing, benediction.  Learning Latin is truly beneficial and I am finding that learning it as an adult is even more fun because naturally my vocabulary is much larger than my boys vocabulary so I immediately recognize and can name derivatives.

The Latin curriculum I chose to start with is from Memoria Press. Memoria Press is a classical christian education curriculum company (should I have a comma in there somewhere? punctuation is not my strength,;.-.). Their beginning Latin program is called Prima Latina and it is for grades 1-4 and is designed for students and teachers with NO Latin background! We ordered the student guide (x2), teacher guide, the DVD set, the flash cards (which are also for Latina Christiana the next level), and the pronunciation CD. I don't know if I'm allowed to use this picture- new to blogging- but if I'm not then it will disappear at some point.



The DVDs are great and essential to the success of the program! They are expensive but worth it! I imagine you can resell them for at least half the value when you are done. I will be hanging on to mine for the girls to use when they are ready.  Leigh Lowe who is the creator of the series along with her mother Cheryl Lowe teaches each lesson on the DVDs. She goes beyond the lesson that is printed with more explanation of the material and help with pronunciation. She also reviews material previously learned. The lessons are short- 15/20 minutes max. 

There are 25 lessons total and after 5 lessons there is a review lesson so you can make sure your student has mastered all the material to that point. I will tell you that the flash cards are really for the next level and so there are more than you need and there are some missing that you do need. We did not use the pronunciation CD but I think we will listen to it over the summer as we eat lunch.

After we watch the lesson on DVD we turn the page and do a few of the review questions that are provided. Typically we would watch and do some review on Tuesday and then review for mastery and finish the workbook review on Thursday. I kept the flashcards (I ended up making my own for Prima Latina) on a ring in the kitchen and would quiz the boys at meals. We only did one lesson a week and sometimes would take longer to review so the boys had the lessons down. The first two prayers the boys memorized but then we got to the Our Father in the spring and between the slightly complex nature of it and spring fever, we do not have that down. So we will likely take longer to finish the curriculum than we should but that's okay and we can be flexible with our schedule because we homeschool!

If you do not homeschool but want your child to have the benefit of learning Latin you could easily do this program in the afternoon or evening.

I would be lying if I said that Latin was the boys favorite subject. It's not but we do it because I know it's beneficial for them. I have made it more "palatable" for them by using treats. We had Latin Lollies at one time which were lollipops that were to be consumed only during Latin. We made Latin time snack time and recently finished up Easter candy while watching our Latin video. I think they have manipulated me into providing food and sweets at off times :) but that's okay, whatever works!

Another layer to our Latin is that we are returning to Classical Conversations next year and in that program we memorize Latin each year. So I think they will be glad that we spent the year studying when we get back to CC next year and they breeze through the Latin memorization.

If you are interested in purchasing Prima Latina you can do so at the Memoria Press website. You can also find the curriculum on Amazon and Christianbooks.com among others. If you order from Memoria Press though they send you a nice Christmas card with a discount towards a purchase and you get a free subscription to their magazine The Classical Teacher- it's fabulous! I love the articles and feel smarter after I've read it :)

Overall, I am so glad we added Latin to our curriculum and we will keep up with it for as long as we are led to!

Cloth Diapers Anyone?

So we are already breaking so many norms... we have four kids, we home school, I still nurse my almost 12 -month- old.... why not break one more and start using cloth diapers?

I was reading a link at Home school Freebies about saving money cloth diapering. Considering we have spent a small fortune on disposable diapers and wipes with our children and considering that two of the four have required (one currently) fancy chlorine-free, all natural type diapers why not look into cloth for the remaining few months of our diaper time? Chloe is almost 12 months and will probably be in diapers for another year. Hence, I clicked a link and then had a headache for two days as my mind was blown by the complicated nature of cloth diapering. Long gone are the burp cloths and pins!

Capitalism has struck the world of cloth diapers. For those who are familiar with classical education- I had to learn the grammar (or vocabulary) of cloth diapering. Yes cloth diapering has it's own grammar believe it or not.



I am going to attempt to make your cloth diapering query easier by going through a brief summary of the options (some not all) and provide links (some not all) to websites and videos that were immensely helpful to me.

After learning my cloth diapering grammar and taking two Advil I ultimately had to just dive in and order a few to try them out. And I will tell you in advance, regardless of how complicated the following information may seem, we are going to be using cloth diapers in the house probably 80% of the time. So that's an 80% or more diaper saving! I think that money can be used elsewhere!

But on to the links and vocab!

Okay, so when you are considering cloth diapers you want to learn about all the different types and then consider the cost of each option. I was happy to learn that some of the least expensive options- those closest to the true old fashioned way- are overall not only the most economic but also easier and cleaner and easier on baby's skin.



The Types: (this is not a joke)

1. Old school- cloth diaper (bleached cotton, unbleached cotton, unbleached organic cotton, Indian cotton, Chinese cotton) This option comes in what's called a prefold diaper- which looks most like the diaper burp cloths your friends monogram for you when you have a baby and the larger swaddle type. There are YOU TUBE videos that show you how to fold both types. The prefolds and you-fold type can be used with a diaper pin (not really used anymore) and this cool invention called Snappi which looks like a plastic y with hooks on each of three tips that hold the diaper together at the groin. Again, you tube videos!

2. These cloth diapers and snappi's can be used with a basic diaper cover. Some diaper covers have snaps and some have hook and loop (Velcro- but they can't use the word  Velcro so they all say hook and loop or other various code words which at first just confuse the mind!) Some of the diaper covers are sized and some are one- size with snaps along the rise (code for groin) that can be adjusted to fit newborn to toddler. The basic diaper cover can be made of many types of material from cotton, to polyester/cotton and are waterproof. The better ones have gussets at the leg which offer another layer of protection from potential leaks.

3. Fitted diapers- imagine a burp cloth diaper cut and sewn to look like a diaper. These are small and you can use snappi's or pins to secure and then cover with a diaper cover or forgo the snappi and just secure it with a diaper cover. These come in cotton, hemp and other blends. You have to have a diaper cover with these unless you want to change their clothes, your clothes, the sheets, the carpet...

4. The inserts - There are also cotton, microfiber, and hemp (and combinations)inserts that are essentially and I'm sorry to gross out male readers but they look like large, thick, maxi-pads. These inserts may be sized, or one sized (in that case you fold the top or bottom to fit in the cover if need be)with snaps, without snaps, curved, or rectangular and depending on the cover may just lay inside, or may lay in a separate plastic piece which is snapped or sewn inside of the cover. These can be removed when soiled and another put in it's place assuming the cover is still clean.



5. All-in-ones- These are essentially a diaper cover and cloth diaper all sewn together so that you can put it on and take it off like a disposable diaper. The interior lining is very soft and made of microfiber and cotton. Some are completely made of hemp. The microfiber wicks away moisture and the hemp is ultra absorbent which is why they are used. Hemp tends to be the most expensive of the materials. When this diaper is soiled you put the whole thing in the diaper pail and get another one! Which can crush your spirit after going through a wash series and dry cycle only to have it soiled- but Hey! that's cloth diapering.






6. All-in-twos- These are your all-in-one diapers with a built in pocket or tunnel underneath the top lining where you can add extra inserts for more absorbency (like for overnight or if you have a heavy wetter). The tunnel also allows the diaper to dry faster in the dryer or on the clothes line outside.

7. Pocket diapers- These diapers consist of a diaper cover with a soft microfiber lining that is sewn into a pocket which you stuff with whatever material you choose. You have to stuff them though as the liner is thin and is not to be used alone.

I believe that is all the options, or the options I studied anyway. Pheww. So, you pick your type. You won't know which will work best and I would not just go with the cheapest option. There are a thousand different opinions when you start to research and I suggest you do your own research! Then just get a few and vary the types. I purchased some prefolds, covers, a pocket diaper, a few all-in-ones and some with snaps and some with hook and loop. I figured after trying the types I could pick up a few more of my favorites, which I may, but I find I like the variety and use the different types at different times.


Cleaning and drying them is a feat at first. When you get your diapers and inserts you have to prewash them several times initially so they are the most absorbent. Cotton needs 5-7 times, hemp up to 10 depending on what you read. All of the diapers and inserts I purchased had instructions. You also cannot use just regular detergent because it can be irritating to baby's skin. So the best option I found was Ecos free and clear which you can purchase at Whole Foods and other type stores. Do not get the lavender scent and do not get any other "free and clear" soap. There are other options listed on the web but this one was most readily available to me.

Another item you need is a wet/dry bag. You can get it in a pail-liner type and line a trash can with it or the one I purchased and like has handles and I hang it from a knob of baby's dresser. It has a zipper to keep in the stink. But I read about a nifty product called Bac-out by Biokleen which I found on Amazon for $7.99 and on sale at WF for $5.99. It is a spray that you spray onto the diaper after you have dumped the solids  (code for poop) into the toilet. The spray takes away any smell and works on the stains. It works. The wet bag has little to no odor compared with my stinky Diaper Genie for disposables.

SO diapers, Ecos soap, Bac-out, wet/dry bag- you're good.

Here is what a diaper change looks like for me.

Chloe needs a change. She has a poopy diaper. I give her something to hold in her hands to play with so her hands immediately don't dive into the diaper area. I remove the insert and fold the poo inside and place to the side. I use cloth wipes and diaper spray (California baby but will use homemade recipe later) to clean her bum. Place cloth wipes aside. Put new insert or new diaper on Chloe. Set Chloe on the floor. Take poo filled diaper and wipes to bathroom. Dump solids in the toilet and flush. Rinse out diaper and wipes in sink (they also have this nifty sprayer you can attach to your toilet and use the toilet water to clean the diaper off). But all our water goes to the septic area anyway. So rinse out wipes and diaper and then spray with Bac-out, toss in wet bag and zip up.

After a day or so I take the partially full wet bag to the washing machine. I do a cold rinse and spin first with no detergent. Then I do a HOT wash with a small amount of Ecos with an extra rinse. Then I do 3-4 cold rinses/spins with no detergent. Then I put them in the dryer. I have been using a high setting as our dryer is elderly. Most everything dries the first cycle. You really can let thin diaper covers with no lining air dry. The all in ones take at least two dryer cycles to dry which for some is the major con. I fold them up, re stuff the types that need stuffing and take them upstairs.

I am very surprised at how relatively easy it is. I'm doing laundry every day anyway and have not found the extra to be a problem.

 We were spending at least $50-60 a month on diapers /wipes just for Chloe ( I also have a potty training 2-year-old). So after 2-2 1/2 months we will be saving a lot of money.

Cloth diapers range in price from $11 for a set of prefolds and one cover to $18 for one all-in-one. You  can certainly pay more (fancy pants on etsy!) and a little less. There are several websites that sell cloth diapers but for me I found that after researching what I wanted to try Amazon had competitive pricing and I get free shipping through my prime membership and no tax- so it was the cheapest way to go. You can also find seconds sales and used cloth diapers. There are whole websites and several of them that are devoted to the resale of cloth diapers! Amazing!

All in all, I am excited to take this step for our family. Wish I had done it three kids ago! Think of all the money we could have saved and think of all the waste that we would not have added to the environment?!

Some great educational links:

www.kellyscloset.com
http://simplemom.net/cloth-diapering/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVo6SMebcX8  (this was the most amazing 7 Part! video series by Jaimee Gleisner)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1TJiFywfC4 (this video series is just plain funny but also answers lots of questions)
www.amazon.com

Google cloth diapers and you will find more than you want to read!

I hope this information gets you started. Have fun and at some point you just have to order something and do it. I do believe you could spin your wheels researching and going no where if you are not careful. Jump in, save money, help the environment!

*some pictures used from www.simplemom.net . she has great info!

A Student of the Bible

Do you study the Bible?

If you do or if you don't or if you do but need some help there is a wonderful free publication called Becoming Magazine that you should check out. The current issue is about becoming a student of the bible and there are lots of really good articles to help get you started! I have been priviledged to be able to write for the magazine and also have an article in this issue so check it out here!

On the website, you can also put your email in to receive updates on new issues and community events that are held at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.

Here is a teaser....

What do you think of when you think of your body? Does your mind jump to your thighs or those few extra pounds? Maybe you are training for a marathon... or bathing suit season.  We spend a lot of time toning, trimming and tucking our bodies- taking care of our health and physical bodies can become all consuming!

 Lots of words may pop to the surface of your mind with regards to your body but does the word “temple” ever make the top 10? If you are a Christian, your body, first and foremost, is a temple of the Holy Spirit! 

 

But, why is that important and what was the temple exactly? ... keep reading over at Becoming Magazine!

 

 

A Boys Life

Where the Wild Things Are? Where are those wild things? In an upstairs bedroom of my house apparently!

On Friday morning I went upstairs to attend to the baby but made a pit stop in the boys room.

I was a little over come by their world as I stumbled into their boy-cave. Instead of pitching a fit first thing in the A.M. though, (who wants to wake up to that?) I took pictures and tried to appreciate the evidences of little boy that was pocketed all over their room. They didn't mind at this age but I'm sure the pictures would not have been appreciated if they were more pre-teen.

LIFE SPEEDS BY AT TOO FAST A PACE! And though it seems strange I find myself already saddened by their growing up like I was a year away from empty nesting... my oldest is 8.. get a grip momma :)

But, "Hey!", as Si on Duck Dynasty would say, I love my kids and the more I am around them the less I want to be without them! A break here or there is nice but I still miss them when they are gone. I really like the people they are becoming and I'm grateful in this season to be their momma.

Back to the original point- boy caves. Here is a pictorial journey into the lives of my two little men- enjoy!

The two offenders resting peacefully. Ben is on the top bunk with the remnants of his boy-made tee-pee just hanging on. He's sleeping backwards, that is a foot at the top of the ladder.

Ben's dresser top. Some kind of card collection out of its notebook. A cub scout derby car. Rolled coins and other various trinkets and treasures.

Baseball and feather treasures!

A block city for ninjagos and their gear. And yes there is a pair of socks and some underwear resting there too.

Jay's dresser- trophies, feathers, Lego men and gator football! Sounds good to me!

 Notice the precise line up! They are proud of their creations!

Ben's trophies and swim meet ribbons. There is a civil war cannon and gun replica in there too. I could print my own search and find book!

I did not set this up- jeans and Boys' Life magazines... Notice the title- Call of the Wild! This caught my eye and made me run to get my IPhone in the first place!

What boys' life is complete without Star Wars Light Sabers!

Church pants and Nerf Guns!

They do read! I love the combo of Spiderwick and Seuss!

Mom, what are you doing?!

Cozy in the tee-pee remnants!

 Current drawings.. of what..I do not know!

Ben's idea of Cub Scout and Baseball uniform storage... heard of hangers Ben? :)

 As much as I loved the pictorial opportunity- we spent part of the morning before lunch tidying up. Sometimes the mess is too overwhelming for them. But they always help get it back in order. To them the above was their version of a clean room! The boys used to be in separate rooms and then Chloe needed some space upstairs. We decided to reduce and combine their two rooms. It really helps control the mess that would other wise be strewn across two bedrooms and the adjoining bathroom. After my IPhone fun I went next door to get little Coco (as Lily affectionately nicknamed her for us).

And of course this is why I came upstairs in the first place! Little Chloe was waiting for me patiently!

Only The Lonely....

How can anyone feel lonely in 2013? I mean it is the year of social media. You can be in contact with many people instantly through Facebook alone not to mention Twitter and email. And yet isn't it interesting that people seem more lonely than ever? Because the touch of the electronic is no substitute for the human touch. Looking into someones eyes as you share your soul cannot ever replace looking into a computer screen. Seeing in the eyes reflection the understanding, the confirmation, the affirmation or the correction you may be seeking.

A dear kindred spirit of a friend recently forwarded me a post on I Take Joy, a blog by Sally Clarkson, that talked about lonliness and friendship and mentoring. That same day another post on A Holy Experience was titled, "When you are weary of vanilla christianity."

I wonder dear hearts if that is not where true lonliness resides? For those of you who do not have a relationship with Christ, you have a loneliness inside only He can ease. For those of you who do have a relationship with Christ, I wonder if your loneliness (like mine) comes from the desire for friends who are tired of vanilla christianity too? A desire for the conversation to start with Christ and for that common thread to weave throughout the time and not just the latest on such and such TV show.

When you are home with four children and especially when one is a baby you are tethered quite close to home. I try to relish the time quite frankly because having four I know all too quickly the baby will soon be toddling, and then running and then wanting their toes polished or to ride around the block all by themself. That being said though, gosh, anyone needs time with a true friend. A true friend in Christ.

I have one such friend that is moving soon. As Anne, in Anne of  Green Gables desires, this friend is a true bosom friend. We met at a homeschool convention when I had two children and she had two children. Our kids played and we each had our third child very close together. My fourth came along and we moved across town and life got busy and I missed my bosom friend. Now she is moving to Ohio!  I envision many late night calls.

Before she moves though, we have lots of early morning Starbucks or Panera coffee dates to attend to. Or as it has turned out late nights noshing and chatting on my couch!

Ann I will miss you but know you have a great adventure awaiting you :) I can't wait to come and see your old stomping grounds and my phone will always be on and waiting in the meantime. Love you friend :)

You have been the sprinkles on the vanilla christianity in my life !

April update....

So my last post was in January? Oops. I do not have this blog thing down yet but I hope to as the months and years go on. I do not think blogs are going anywhere!

We have had a wonderful few months. Lots of growing pains...literally.... Jay is nearly to my chin! Lily has grown 2 inches and without the hand me downs of cousins and siblings they'd all be running around in skimmers and tube tops.

Here is a picture odyssey of the past few months.

My grandfather in his 80's with Chloe who was about 8 months at the time.

 

Sibling music lessons

 

Amazement in the aquarium at Homossassa Springs! Great trip with great friends!

The beginning of our foray into butterfly metamorphosis....

Chloe sweet and sitting up- now also crawling and eating anything she can find on the floor. We've extracted fuzz, legos, foozballs, leaves, various food particles, and other things that would be too gross to share! Yes we do watch our baby- she's quick and fearless and I guess hungry!

 

Easter! Love the lilies in the background next to our Lily :)

 

Fun pool time at Gaylord Palms! Love it when Chase has local conventions for work!!

Our new venture into Orthodontics... its looks worse than it really is. Cool picture though. This is Jay's mouth and he's had two extractions to help with crowding. Braces are in his future!

Sweet, heart breaking notes from big brothers to little sisters!

 
And lots of fun with cousins!!

 

 

Currently we are winding our school year down and getting ready for summer. I can hardly wait for our first trip to the beach! Hoping by that time Chloe has a little more of an idea of what is considered food- or we may have a sand and shell nibler on our hands come beach time!

Forward!

It's now 2013 and I was not quite ready for 2012 to end. It was so much fun and involved so much change!

We moved to a new house with more room for our growing quiver.

We had our first new years eve here one year ago amidst the moving boxes. Okay so this picture is of the fireworks we used to celebrate 2012 but it works!

We added a new baby, Chloe, to our family.

We got to travel some.

We homeschooled this year without a co-op group.

I was not teaching BSF this year, which was a huge change for our family- sorry no picture.

 Chloe was baptized.

 It's fun to look back and be reminded of all the blessings for the year. It's also hard not to look back at all the things that I coulda, shoulda, woulda done and did not do. However, as I was feeling like a colossal failure last night in every area God reminded me that I am not a failure. I cannot be a failure so long as I am a child of His because He has already won the victory! My focus needs to be on persevering and finishing this great race called life. I'm too young to wallow in the pit. There is lots of LIFE yet to live.

One of my favorite blogs is A Holy Experience and her post yesterday was about basically the same thing and something she shared really spoke to me. The idea of Forward! She gave a great analogy regarding her daughter Hope. Hope was at a piano recital and during her piece missed several notes but she finished. Her teacher told her in a nutshell that instead of concentrating on all the notes that she got wrong she moved forward to the next bar and kept going. I too can choose to not look back at my perceived 2012 misses but instead fall forward and move on to today. There is no reason not to.

So my motto for 2013 is Forward! My goal will be to focus on each new day as it comes with it's fresh slate. God's mercies are new every morning.

"What curriculum are you using?"

A common question for us homeschoolers by other homeschoolers or by those who do not homeschool but just want to dialogue is, "What curriculum are you using?"

Now other homeschoolers will be familiar with a given list of curricula most of the time but those who just want to dialogue glass over and nod politely. Hey, you asked!

This is what we are doing this year- it's different from last year - and will likely be different next year.

That's what I love about homeschooling- variety, adaptation, make a change when necessary or just for fun!

Drum roll please....those not interested....glazed over, polite nod please....

Bible-  We are reading through Mark. It's an action gospel so the boys are attentive! They are also studying Genesis in Sunday School each week. Another great resource is Leading Little Ones to God and Arch books. We do Advent  devotionals and Easter devotionals during those holidays.

Math- We use Christian Light Publication Math. My friend Tina over at Chasin' Raisins introduced this math to me and for us it works.

Science- Sonlight Grade 2, Nature Walks, Lots of books and outside time- because we can!

History- Veritas Press Time Line Cards, Story of the World Volume 1 with the activity guide. My boys love this. It has it's issues- to put it lightly- but the author does integrate ALL of history (including the history found in the B.I.B.L.E). Plus I had the curriculum from a past purchase and it saved us some money. My friend Tina at Chasin' Raisins has developed her own curriculum- and it's promising. Check it out!

Geography- My own creation. We are studying the continents this year. We are studying one a month. I have a binder for each boy with dividers- one per continent (genius!). We have checked out books and DVDs from the library for the current continent we are working on and I keep a list of those books. I printed a ton of great activity work from Enchanted Learning. We are also using maps, a globe, puzzles and having a great time.

Reading- The Bible, Sonlight Grade 2 Readers, Other books that go along with our history studies and lots of picture books and other read-alouds as we fancy.

Spelling- All about Spelling- I started in Level 1- it's a little easy but I have one natural speller and one not so natural speller and so far both are excelling so that's good.

Latin!- Prima Latina- love it! Nuff said.

Handwriting- Handwriting Without Tears- Jay is doing cursive and Ben just started cursive and surprisingly for a first grader and a lefty- he is doing fantastic. I was planning on him finishing the year with print but he really wanted to begin cursive so since he was enthusiastic I let him move on and it was a good decision.

Other-
Dictation from Spelling, read -alouds, and other sources.
Explode the Code 3, 4, 5- phonics, language
Daily Math Books- drills
Word Ladders- great for vocabulary building and critical thinking
Ancient Egypt Pocket - boys are not as into this as I thought they would be but we will persevere.

Right now as I type this the boys are coloring quietly behind me. They have also picked different locations. We all need a time of quiet. My "quiet time" these days seldom happens in solitude but I don't care at this moment. I like being with my kids- wouldn't be and couldn't effectively homeschool if I didn't!

I find it perplexing, sad, and telling at the plethora of comments I receive about having four children and having four children and homeschooling. Children are joy.

They are not bothersome, tiring, angst creating, patience stealing, annoying small humans. However, my response when I am full of irritation and lacking grace may be any and all of those. So the key to doing this thing called life at home with a quiver full is to choose grace and thankfulness and humor and cling to G.O.D.

That is not always easy and is not always my first response. But when and if I fall into the "pit" emotionally it does me good to remember the real blessing that is today.

And I would be so remiss to not mention too the wonderful man who makes the homeschooling possible. He was my first blessing-