Category Archives: Ultimate Blog Challenge 2013

A “Real World Lesson” For My Kids

Yesterday, I posted a review of a book about George Washington that my boys and I are using as a read-aloud. Today, I want to talk about a conversation we had when reading about the Boston Tea Party, and breaking unjust laws.

Last year, when my cousin Kathy and her boys visited us, we spent several hours walking around in the National Petroglyph Monument Park, right here in Albuquerque. You can see below some of the pictures from that day . . .

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Today, because our esteemed President is deliberately attempting to make things as uncomfortable for as many people as possible, and refusing to negotiate with those who do not agree with him, we cannot go to the National Petroglyph Monument Park. It is shut down. Now, please, be aware that I have no issue with shutting down the visitor’s center, it does cost money to staff that. However, in the entire time we were there last year, that was the ONLY place we saw any government paid employees. The rest of the place is simply open area where people were walking, or sitting and quietly enjoying the scenery.

Today, they are paying people to keep us out of the park. It is likely costing more federal funds to do that, then it cost to pay the person in the visitor’s center, because there are several entrances into the park, and they have to make sure nobody enters through any of them, I guess.

We talked about this, and we talked about what the WW2 vets did in knocking down the barricades around their memorial.

All the while, the President’s federally funded golf course remains open . . . the National Mall, closed to American citizens, is being opened solely to permit a rally for illegal immigration reform, etc . . .

If nothing else, I guess I can thank the President for the fact that I had a “real world” example from current events to bring to life what we were studying from over 200 years ago . . .

Gee, thanks, Mr. President 😦

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Filed under current affairs, education, family, George Washington, home education, homeschooling, Kids, Politics, Ultimate Blog Challenge 2013

Five Random Things About Me . . .

1.I am a Christian . . .

2. I am a worrier . . .

3. I lost 157 pounds after bariatric surgery . . .

4. I live in Albuquerque . . .

5. I love to read . . .

What things can you think of about yourself? 🙂

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Filed under Ultimate Blog Challenge 2013

The Homeschool Mom’s Bible . . . A T.O.S. Review

Now and then, we who are members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew are given an opportunity to review something that is just for us homeschooling mamas. This is one of those times, and I feel so very fortunate to have been chosen as one of the reviewers for the KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible, which has just recently been published to go alongside their NIV version, by Zondervan.

It was so exciting to me, that there would now be a KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible, because, as regular readers of my blog are aware, the KJV is the only version of the Bible my family uses, or will ever use.

The Bible I received is a hard-cover, jacketed book, with 1504 pages. As you can see from the picture above, the cover is so nice looking, it almost looks like something I would do when making a scrapbook page or a card. The cool thing, for those of us who usually wind up being book jacket challenged, either losing the jacket or having it become worn and torn, is that if you DO remove the jacket, the actual cover of the book looks exactly the same as the jacket! No boring, plain cover on this one, that’s for sure! 🙂

There is a very encouraging one page foreword written by Vickie Farris, who is the wife of Homeschool Legal Defense Association founder Dr. Michael Farris. I was privileged to attend one of her sessions during the CAPE-NM convention here in Albuquerque during April of 2013. I thought her forward was well written, and spoke well to the things we, as homeschool moms, need to hear.

Along with the complete text of the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, this book includes 365 daily devotions, which are short (one page) readings which are specifically targeted for homeschooling mamas, each written by Janet Tatman. Janet Tatman homeschooled her own children for over 25 years, and then joined Alpha Omega Publications as a copywriter in the company’s homeschool division. She spent much of her time there writing the Daily Focus, a daily email devotional sent to subscribers. It became so popular that it is now offered as a year-long devotional book, and has been included as part of the KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible.

The daily devotions are spread throughout this Bible, as opposed to being all grouped together as one large section. I like that, it encourages me to read the section of the Bible that is right by whatever devotion I am looking at, even if it has nothing to do with that particular devotion. Each devotion has a scripture passage to help in directing my focus to God’s Word, and ends with a short, suggested prayer to help get me started in talking with The Lord.

The devotionals also have a “go to” format, meaning that at the bottom of each devotion’s page is a line telling me on which page in my KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible I will need to turn to the next day when I want to read my devotional.

There is also another option that I very much like, and that is the Topical Index, which is at the end of the book. I really enjoy going through the topics, because whenever I do, I find one right away that speaks to SOMETHING I am dealing with in my life. So, not only do I have the complete text of the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, but without needing to get out a second book, I also have my daily devotional, plus a topical index, telling me which devotionals go with which topics!

I feel very blessed to have been given the KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible to review, and would encourage other ladies who are now homeschooling or who are thinking of homeschooling, to take a look at this wonderful addition to our mom toolbox! Truly, the only thing I would suggest doing differently is to have it offered in large print for those of us with tired eyes, lol!

The KJV Homeschool Mom’s Bible is available in the hard-cover edition I received for $34.99, and is also available as an e-book or in the Italian Duo-tone format.

Please click on the graphic below, if you’d like to find out what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought of the Homeschool Mom’s Bible!

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As always, I would love it if you would join me on all of “My Journeys”. Just go to the “sign me up” button at the top of the page, enter your email information, and never miss an update again! 🙂

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Filed under Bible study for homeschool moms, Christian faith, education, family, home education, Homeschool Mom's Bible, homeschool products, just me, Schoolhouse Review Crew Post, TOS Review, Ultimate Blog Challenge 2013

“Round Up Sunday” . . . What fun!

Back a little over a week ago, on September 22, 2013, we attended our first annual “Round Up Sunday” at our church. We had just started attending last year, but that was after the Round Up Sunday for 2012. So, we were really looking forward to it, especially the kids, and we were not disappointed at all!

Of course, the entire theme was western. Western décor (created by The Ministry Mama), and everyone was invited to dress in western garb.

I went to Savers, a thrift store here in Albuquerque, and found western style shirts for the boys, cowboy hats, and holsters with play western guns to put onto their belts.

As you can see, they were completely into the whole thing!
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I also found a western shirt (at Sam’s Club, of all places!) for my husband, and a hat at Savers. For me, I went with a western style shirt I had gotten when I modeled for Christopher & Banks the previous day, along with a jeans skirt and the leopard print cowboy hat the kids talked me into getting at Savers. It went well with my leopard print top and purse, they said! Now, I just need to find leopard print cowgirl boots for next year!:-)

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Here’s a picture of the whole family . . .

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Our guest speaker was Jorgen Rundquist. He was just so good, we very much enjoyed his singing, but even more importantly, his speaking. I really think it touched so many who were there.

“The Batman” got picked to go up and help when Bro. Runquist did some rope tricks.

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Bro. Runquist did some wonderful singing for us as well . . .

After the morning service, we had a great meal of BBQ beef Brisket, and then some activities outside for the kids, including a petting zoo . . .

“The Batman”
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“Mr. Loquacious”
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“The Puzzler”
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“The Artist”
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And a set up to practice roping cows!

“The Batman”
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“The Artist”
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“Mr. Loquacious”
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“The Puzzler”
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During the evening service, the Sunshine Kids Choir sang. “Mr. Loquacious” and “The Puzzler” are both in this choir.
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Here is the special skit and song that they did!

As you can see, a good time was had by all, and more importantly, a BUNCH of people were reached for Christ!

As always, I would just love it if you would join me on all of “My Journeys”! Please go to the “sign me up” button at the top right of the page and put in your email information . . . never miss an update again! 🙂

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Filed under 2013, Christian faith, Church, family, Kids, Mesa Baptist Church, Round Up Sunday 2013, Ultimate Blog Challenge 2013