Youngest Riding the Rapids - Yikes!

Youngest is still away at camp, but he comes home tomorrow!  Yay!

Today, they are whitewater rafting.  Yikes!  I’m excited for him because I know it’s going to be a blast.

However…  My mom mind races with all the what if’s.  What if something happens?  Does your mind do that?  Run to all those places it shouldn’t.  I know we’re not supposed to worry and put it in God’s hands, but it’s so hard to do especially when he is so far away.

Motherhood is tough.  We’re that she-lion waiting to extend our claws and terminate anything that challenges our cubs, but, on the other hand, we’re also that mama bird throwing them out of the nest and telling them it’s time to take flight on their own. 

Maybe it’s good we’re forced to place them in God’s hands since in reality they are always there.  I know it’s a mental thing.  No wonder motherhood drives us all crazy!

One more day…

Youngest Spreads His Wings

My youngest is 12 going on 13 mid-July.  He’s my more adventurous one of my last two children.  When the opportunity to go to a church retreat for a week came up, he was all for it.  I was nervous.  It’s six hours away!

My two oldest kids have done things like this before, but it’s different with my baby.  I’m not sure why.

So, with a nervous stomach, we packed him on the church van with six other middle schoolers and sent him off to a college campus to have his first mountain top experience learning about God.

My first fear was passed when they arrived.  I don't like other people driving my kids.  Phew!  Of course, they still have to come back.

Then comes the first phone call, he’s having a blast!  They are playing on water slides, investigating the “way cool” dorm room they will call home for the week, and he’s buying snacks with the money  sent.  He’s a BIG snacker.  I hope the money lasts!

The next day – the mild heart attack.  He and his friend have managed to become separated from the group and are wondering around campus trying to find them.  He did the right thing – he called his dad for his counselors phone number.  I had to smile at his maturity in handling the situation.  He did finally find them and all is well.  I knew it would be, but when there’s a small crisis like this all the horror stories I’ve read immediately go on instant replay.

Four more days.  Wednesday is my next concern – they will either be white water rafting or on a zip line.  Yikes!  Ok, yes, I’m over protective.  How can I not be?  Life is precious and oh so fragile… 

No, I’m not sitting here in a frenzy counting down the days, it’s not as bad as I’m making it seem.  However, he’s my baby.  They all are, and I want so much to keep them safe.  But, much like each mama bird, sometimes we have to let them out of the nest to spread their wings.  It’s just such a relief when they fly back home full of wonderful tales, and you can put your arms around their neck, hug them tight and breathe a sigh of relief. 

To All the Wonderful Fathers Out There...

Snakes are Friends not Foes - Let Them Live!

Lately, I’m seeing a lot of Facebook posts about killing snakes here in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.  This makes me sad – while I fully understand that snakes are not most people’s favorite animal, they are typically harmless and are very beneficial.  Snakes eat small rodents and insects.  Much like spiders, you wouldn’t want to live in a world where these two creatures weren’t around to do their jobs.

So, why do people in our area kill snakes?  Fear. 

According to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, there are 37 species of snakes in North Carolina.  Of those, six are venomous.  Of those, only three live in the Piedmont.  The three venomous snakes are the copperhead (which most of us worry about), the timber rattlesnake (rare!)  and the cottonmouth (rare!).

Venomous snakes, at least the ones in our area, typically have a broad or triangular head.  Additionally, the slits of their eyes are elliptical like a cats, not round like a humans.  However, you should never be close enough to figure this piece out!

I understand the fear of copperheads; they are not in short supply in our region.  However, with a little knowledge, one can distinguish between a copperhead and his harmless cousins.  Copperheads, and most venomous snakes, have a triangular or broad shaped head.  In addition, the pattern on the scales looks like an hourglass.  While their bite is painful, their venom is on the weaker range.  Don’t want to get bit?  Walk away.  NEVER try to pick up a snake!  AND, one way to get bit is to go after it to kill it.  If you were coming to kill me, I’d bite you too!

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm

To read more about them, go here:  http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm

 

Timber rattlesnakes are now fairly rare in the Piedmont.  They have a stout body, that triangular or broad head mentioned with copperheads and a rattle on their tail.  The rattle is pretty distinctive.  They are non-aggressive and will only strike if you get too close (step on them, try to pick them up, try to kill them).  Leave them alone, and they’ll go on their way. 

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/crotalus_horridus.pdf

To read more about them, go here: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/Crohor/Cro_hor.html

Finally, there is the cottonmouth.  These are very rare, but still do exist in the Piedmont.  They are typically found around water sources and swim with their heads above the water.  Again, they have the triangular shaped head and cat’s eye pupils.  These ARE dangerous.  Their venom is more potent than the copperhead.  However, you won’t find these slinking around your lawn unless you live next to a water source or swamp.  They have a distinctive light stripe along the side of their head. 

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/cottonmouth.htm

To read more about them, go here:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/cottonmouth.htm

I highlighted the three venomous snakes and provided links for education.  Much like the bunnies and squirrels and other animals we coexist with daily, our slithery friends are just trying to live their lives.  They aren’t here to attack you, and they are just as afraid of you as you are of them.  If you leave them alone, they will gladly go away and do their best not to be seen again. 

As stated, you should NEVER try to pick up a snake.  All snakes have the potential to bite when they feel threatened.  Can you blame them? 

Here are a few of the non-venomous snakes we have around here that I think are particularly beautiful:



http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/pages/corn2.htm



The corn snake is one of my favorites.  The colored varieties are just gorgeous - they range in colors of reds, oranges, whites (albino), violet (really beautiful), etc.  Sometimes mistaken for a copperhead, note that the markings on the back are more square.  A copperhead, if you remember, has hourglass shaped markings.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/pages/emilk.htm

Gorgeous markings on this milk snake make this species a stunning example of reptilian beauty.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/pages/hognose.htm

This guy is an Eastern Hognose or Puff Adder.  You're thinking - hey, he has a wide head!  That's why he's called a Puff Adder because he flattens out his head to give the appearance of size when threatened.  However, if you look at his eyes, you'll see that the pupils are round and not slits.  Funny thing about this guy, who typically won't bite even when threatened, he'll play dead if you aren't scared by his big headed display.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/pages/rat.htm

Finally, the black rat snake is very common in our area.  In our area, most of the ones we see are that trademark black.  However, if you'll follow the link under the picture, you'll see they come in different patterns of color.  Leave these guys alone - they are only doing their job keeping the rodents at bay.

As stated earlier, there are 31 species of non-venomous snakes in NC.  So, don't grab up your hoe and wage war the next time you see one slithering across the yard, say a little thank you for keeping the mice out of your kitchen from a distance and go about your day.  Educate yourself and your children on the types of snakes in your area.  Then, you can admire the non-venomous snakes from a distance and walk away from the venomous ones safely. 

Review - Creation Illustrated

Creation Illustrated

Web Site: http://www.creationillustrated.com/

Age:  6 and Up

Cost:  $19.95 - One Year, 4 Issues

Creation Illustrated is a Christian nature magazine.  I love nature.  So do my boys.  One of my favorite ways to experience God is to spend time in nature.  How can you not see design in the magnificence of the mountains or the majesty of the ocean?

Creation Illustrated has been in print for the last nineteen years.  It is the combined effort of husband and wife team – Tom and Jennifer Ish.  They wanted a way to work from home after the birth of their daughter, Melissa, using their talents to glorify God.

The magazine is beautifully illustrated as one would imagine.  Freelance photographers send in pictures that are selected based on the quality of the pictures and the story they will represent.  The stories themselves are mostly in first person - very personal and written to both show the magnificence of creation and God’s presence in it.  At first, I didn’t like the first person approach.  It seemed too informal.  After reading several articles, however, I began to see how it was easier to identify with the experience when it was personal and not formal.

The magazine is broken into three sections – In Nature, In Scripture and In Living. 

In Nature focuses on topics like Creation Up Close, seasonal aspects of creation; Re-Creation and Restoration through Outdoor Adventure, offer inspirational accounts of spiritual experiences happening in natural settings like National Parks; Creatures Near and Dear to Us, focusing on a specific type of creature and its reflection of creation; and Children’s Stories aimed at 6 to 12 year olds.

In Living focuses on topics like Gardens from Eden Around the World, encouraging readers to trying their hands at gardening and glean the spiritual lessons from working in nature; My Walk with God, personal anecdotes about spending time in nature with God; Wholesome Genesis Cuisine Recipes, vegetarian recipes; and Creative Fun for all to Enjoy which are small snippets mostly for the kids.

In Scripture focuses on specific days of creation and God’s purpose for us.

There were several articles from each section that caught my interest.  I loved the story about the hummingbird moth as we have those around here.  Its appearance as another creature (the ones here look like a hybrid between a bee and a hummingbird) allows it to survive.  What a remarkable design.  Another story was about a female park ranger and her encounter with five men in the wilderness.  Her ability to share her faith allowed her to get out of a potentially sticky situation and share inspiration with these men. 

The stories I read were a great combination of science, scripture, testimony and light-heartedness.  This is the type of magazine I enjoy grabbing when I want time to relax and read without dealing with the heaviness of the news and activity going on around me. 

One thing I appreciated was the guidelines for deeper study at the back of each magazine.  This would allow homeschooling families to use the magazine as part of their education by digging deeper into the content of each story.  Additionally, the magazine provides photography contests for youth and accepts submissions of stories that are unsolicited.  If you have a budding photographer or writer who loves nature or science, this is an opportunity for them to submit their works.  You can check out the Writer and Photographer guidelines here.

Interested?  You can receive a free issue by clicking here and checking out Creation Illustrated for yourself.

To see additional reviews by the TOS Homeschool Crew, click here.

Disclaimer:  I received this magazine free of charge in exchange for my honest review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Evicted by Snoring

Snoring is a problem in our home.  First, the dog.  She’s a Boston terrier with a scrunched face, and boy can she snore!  During our homeschool day, there is at least once where we have to locate the snoring animal and make her stop because the noise is distracting.

However, the real issue is at night.  The dog has been relegated to sleeping in the bathroom on blankets.  Yes, she was located there because she kept us both up at night.  So, her snoring is a non-issue.  However…  I have very sensitive hearing, and my beloved hubby is a snorer.  I’m not saying I don’t snore – I probably do, but, if so, his hearing isn’t as sensitive.

Sadly, when he’s in a snoring pattern be it from allergies or a cold, I often find myself relocating to other parts of the house.  This relocation is no biggie – we have plenty of comfortable places to sleep.  It’s just that I want to sleep with my hubby.   He always wants me to wake him up and make him leave, but he has work in the morning and I'm already up, so I move on. 

This makes me think.  For as long as I can remember, my grandparents had separate bedrooms.  I never asked why.  I have no idea if it was generational, for comfort, because of snoring or what have you.  My father and his wife have separate rooms expressly because he snores.

Maybe it’s just normal that as we get older sleep takes precedence over proximity?

Hubby says I need earphones or to take a Benedryl so that I sleep through the noise.  While appealing, I’m a worrier and I want to be able to hear if something is happening in my home.  Maybe the best solution is just a relocation when the need arises.

How does your family deal with snoring?    

Review - myWorld Social Studies: The Growth of Our Country

MyWorld Social Studies - The Growth of Our Country

Pearson

Web Site: http://pearsonhomeschool.com/

Age: Grade 5

Price:  $69.99 for the bundle

When I was offered the opportunity to review Pearson’s my WorldSocial Studies - The Growth of Our Country, I thought it would be good to have a supplement to finish off the rest of our school year.  My youngest had finished his world geography, yet we still had several weeks left in our school year.  My review would be of the 5^th grade product even though my son is in 7^th grade, but, again, it was just going to be supplementary.  Little did I know I would fall in love with the curriculum to the point that I ordered the 8^th grade World History for next year.

For the Student

My youngest son is very visual - the more pictures and interaction he has with a subject, the better.

The first thing that we loved was the myStory Video that started out each Chapter of the book.  Many of these videos include a young person touring a historic site and learning information about the events that took place there from a tour guide.  It felt like a mini-field trip each time.  I loved the fact he got to see these sites we otherwise may never visit.  Other videos told a story about a historical figure like Susan B. Anthony.

Chapters are broken into three to four lessons.  Chapters start with a My Story Spark – where the student is asked to reflect on what they might do in a situation.  For example, one spark is “Congratulations!  Your classmates have just elected you class president.  What will you do ifyou disagree with what our classmates ask of you?”  At the end of the chapter is a My Story Book where the student reflects on his thoughts about the chapter, what it might mean in present day and what his/her choices might have been along with a space for drawing.

Each lesson gives strong details about the period in history it covers.  What my son loved is that every page includes a small activity that the student must complete.  In some cases it’s filling in a chart, or reflecting on the situation, or finding information on a map.  Since he was constantly interacting with the material, he learned and retained it better.

At the end of each chapter is a review, here multiple questions are found (primarily fill-in-the-blank) allowing the student to reflect back on what he has learned. 

Finally, each chapter includes an extra section aimed at skills like map reading, critical thinking, collaboration, media, etc.

 

This format really keeps he student engaged in history.  He not only reflects on what he might personally do or have done, but what actually happened and how it could impact us today.  The interactive format is excellent for those visual or kinetic students who enjoy really engaging in the material instead of simply reading it.  Additionally, your auditory child will benefit from the videos at the beginning giving him/her a way to hear about the history in addition to reading about it.

For the Teacher

An additional CD accompanies this product – it is the Teacher Resource Library. These resources are outstanding!  Below is an example of the resources available for each chapter.

The Teacher Guide and Podcast, while aimed at teaching in a public setting, are developed to really help an instructor or parent understand the motivations for the chapter and the best way to guide the student’s understanding.

Short tests are available for each lesson along with a comprehensive test for each chapter.  These tests can either be printed out or used in an editable format so that the student can type his/her responses.  My son is a bit dysgraphic, so, being able to type his responses enables him to provide much more details.

Activities, lesson plans, and, yes, answer keys are also all part of the teacher resources.  I, personally, am just thrilled by the levels of detail that have gone into this curriculum.  In fact, the teachers resources even breaks the material down by student level.  In the classroom situation, this would be to help the instructor deal with the spectrum of stronger to weaker students.  As homeschoolers, what this also allows us to do is to modify the content to meet the needs of differing age ranges of our children.  We all know the value of using one curriculum for more than one grade level in the home.

What I'm saying is that for history, I can’t recommend this program enough.  The my World format is engaging, thorough for both student and parent, and incorporates valuable long-term critical thinking skills.

I can’t wait to get started next year with the 8^th grade program!

To see what other Schoolhouse Review Crew members thought of their Pearson products, click here.

Disclaimer:  I received this product free of charge in exchange for my honest review as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.