Quiet Life Homestead

Saturday Evening Post

Since it is Saturday evening, I just couldn't resist the title!  The kids and I have been with Charlie all day at his work.  I'm so sore from moving leather!

Oklahoma State lost to Texas in basketball tonight.   Actually, it's okay since I haven't really been following the basketball this season.  We're doing really well with our attempts to cut back on television and sports.  We're down to one television show a week (LOST) and just listen to baseball and hockey.  We only listen to the sports if it's one of three teams in baseball (Yankees, Tigers, Rockies) and one of three in hockey (Red Wings, Stars, and Islanders).  I feel our progress is coming along really well.  We still have a ways to go, but it feels great to see where we are now compared to before!  One thing I want to do is look at our DVD collection.  I have these pages where you write down all kinds of information about the movies you have - genre, rating, even if it has stuff like bad language, violence, etc.  I'm very curious to know what our movies have in them.  I've never really thought about it before.

I finally broke down and purchased John Seymore's Self-sufficient Life book.  I had checked it out from the library back in January and fell in love with it.  Well, not exactly, but you know what I mean!  Also, I don't know if I posted this yesterday, but I called and ordered Rod & Staff's newest catalog.  I keep feeling God's leading to use their curriculum and unfortunately can't find much of it at the used homeschool bookstore.  They always seem to have the stuff for the younger children, but anything 4th grade and up is hard to find.  If anyone reading this uses their curriculum, what do you use when the child has finished what they have?  I know they only have until 8th grade in some subjects, and 10th in others.  I was comparing the math with our Bob Jones, and from what I could see, the R&S 4th grade was very comparable to BJU 6th grade.  I guess it all depends on what the child is going to do once they are done.  Mine still aren't sure, which is probably very normal.  I had 4 different majors in 3 different colleges, and I still didn't graduate.  I thought it would be much better to marry my college sweetheart-turned US Marine!  Boy, I'm glad I did!  Bethany wants to be a keeper and homeschool mom, but she also wants to be a vet until she gets married and has kids.  She says, laughing, that she'll probably be like me, starting college but not finishing. 

Oh, I also picked up a book called The Maker's Diet at the used bookstore.  I'm not looking to be on a diet, although I could lose some weight.  I just thought it looked interesting.  Also, I have Nourishing Traditions on order at Barnes & Noble.  I've been reading all these things about Coke and water and feel challenged to stop drinking Coke.  I had heard of some of the things before but not some of the others.  Thank you to all who are sharing this information, I know you are doing it to warn people about the harm it can do.  I'm listening!  I'd really like to cut white sugar and flour out of our diet, and can't wait for the above book to come in.  I know we, as a family need to make some changes, I just need some guidance as to what.  I grew up eating meat and potatoes for almost every meal, and am not going to stop eating meat, or potatoes for that matter.  I do plan on inserting a few other items in instead of potatoes, like rice for instance.  Also, we try to vary our meals, like eating beans with rice.  I like Crystal's idea of making a pot of rice at the beginning of the week to use for various meals.  I plan to try that out.

That's all for now!

Vicki

Hi

{ 08:43, Saturday, March 10, 2007 } { Posted by Vickie }

After reading some of your posts, it sounds like your doing some good changes in your life. I have wanted the book nourishing traditions for a while now. I made some changes in my family's diet a while back. We do still eat potatoes and meats, but we've switched to mostly whole wheat breads, wheat noodles & brown rice. We also rarely eat sugar anymore (splenda or honey) and it hasn't been too hard & I've dropped a few lbs. doing it, so keep with it. It will work & I think we all feel much better during the day by eating a more natural "Maker's" Diet.
Hope you have a great evening.

Rod and Staff

{ 10:49, Saturday, March 10, 2007 } { Posted by mulberrylane }

I've used it on and off. I have to agree with your concept of the math levels. I used third grade math for my daughter in 4th-5th grade. I then hopped into our Saxon Math 54 from that. I've used all their English and it is quite advanced as well. I think it would probably satisfy "grammar" through 12th grade, but they don't have all the higher writing skills, like research papers and some essay writing skills... those I had to supplement in.
I've not found a sure way other than comparing skills with scope and sequence books I have at home. I usually follow the scope and sequence skills and find what I need in a book or text that I need.
Enjoy Rod and Staff. I have enjoyed it's simplistic Biblical nature of their teaching. I often tone down the assignments as I think the practice can be too much, but it is wonderful to have all those problems when we need the extra practice.
Warmly, ~Melissa