Quiet Time

Laura Berquist once mentioned at a Northwest Catholic Family Education Conference that spending time in Adoration before God was vital to her homeschooling success. I think that I understand what she meant. I need quiet times with God to kneel and adore Him, or simply pour my heart out to Him.

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A Passion Week Daybook

FOR TODAY Outside my window it is dark. I am thinking about this prayer that I read: My suffering and crucified King, can I expect an easy life when You lived such a hard one? No. I want to be like You as far as I am able in this earthly life of mine. Let…

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Easter Butterflies

Once again this Lent, we ordered caterpillars from Insect Lore for our butterfly garden. Last week, four of the caterpillars started making their chrysalis. We have moved the four chrysalides (or pupae) to the butterfly garden and are still waiting for the last (and smallest) caterpillar to make its chrysalis. Four butterflies should emerge a…

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Picture Books for Ninth Week of Kindergarten

I was waiting to share this list because I have not had time to write about all of the books that we read during week 9. I don’t foresee having time to do so in the near future, so I am sharing the list as is. Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky Thanks to…

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The Symphony

Sergey Sukhobrusov Photo copyright the Federal Way Symphony  Bernadette’s violin teacher plays for the Federal Way Symphony and the Rainier Symphony. She encourages her students to attend these or another symphonies’ concerts. After looking at the schedule and reading that a guest violinist would be performing in Federal Way, my husband agreed to accompany my two oldest daughters to…

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Picture Books for the Sixth Week of Kindergarten

Last week, we visited the library and the children chose a few books from the shelf. One of them will be checked out again around Groundhog’s Day and another will be checked out again in April when the tulips that are currently being planted usually start blooming. The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman Patrick was happy…

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Picture Books for Second Week of Kindergarten

Each day, after lunch, I sit on the couch with Patrick (and any other children who want to join us) and read him a picture book of his choosing.  Last week’s books can be found here.  This week’s books are listed below. The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown (aka Golden MacDonald), illustrated by Leonard Weisgard…

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First Week of Kindergarten

Patrick completed his first week of Kindergarten today.  I think that his favorite part of the each day was when we sat on the couch and read a book of his choosing. The books that we read this week were: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some…

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Girls’ Literary Club

My two eldest participated in a literary club again this year.  They enjoyed reading and discussing: Around the World in… Jules Verne (Paperbac… $4.95 The Hound of the Ba… Arthur Conan Doyle (H… $9.95 Captain Blood (Peng… Rafael Sabatini (Paper… $11.25 At the Back of the N… George MacDonald (H… $13.63 I, Juan de Pareja…

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The Main Purpose of Home Education

As I ponder another year of home education, I am revisiting Fr. Hardon’s advice: “He has chosen us; we have not first chosen Him. But we must respond by making our society something beautiful for God—something very beautiful. For this we must give all—our utmost. We must cling to Jesus, grasp Him, have a grip…

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Don’t Miss It

If you are a parent or grandparent, please make every effort to register for the Healthy Families, Safe Children Leadership Dinner with His Excellency the Most Reverend Robert Vasa and Fr. Derek Lappe and/or the Northwest Catholic Family Education Conference. Bishop Vasa will be speaking at the conference on Friday and Saturday morning. Fr. Lappe…

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