Fruitbearers

Every year after Thanksgiving, my kids are excited about preparing their gift for Jesus. Christmas is the time when we celebrate our Savior’s birth. We want to give Him gifts.  First, each kid picks a  wrapper for his or her own box. After the (empty) boxes are wrapped, I cut a slit (about 2-3 inches long) on top of each box. Then the fun begins. The kids are all trying to please Jesus by being kind, helpful, thoughtful, encouraging, generous, humble, polite, self-controlled, patient, etc. Each time my husband or I catches one of the kids doing what pleases Jesus, we write down what he/she did on a little piece of paper and then put it in his/her box. On Christmas Day, after my husband reads the Christmas story from the Bible, we pray and then the kids give Jesus their gifts. Each one opens up his/her box and we take turns reading each piece of paper. They all beam with the biggest smiles as they realize that Jesus has been honored and pleased by what they have done. They 

Last Wednesday, our homeschool group held a geography fair.  My kids and I did "Sweden."  My husband’s ancestors came from Sweden; therefore, we have a special interest in learning more about his heritage.  I personally love geography; I love to learn about different cultures, people, land, nature, places, historical aspects, arts & crafts, etc.  I had so much fun helping my kids research about Sweden.  We read several books about Sweden, watched videos about Sweden, searched the internet about Sweden, and baked Swedish butter cookies.  I also made a Dala horse (symbol of Sweden) out of felt, yarn, and laces.  My daughter liked it so much that she asked me to give it to her for a Christmas present . Have you ever heard of the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden?  Every winter they build a new hotel using ice from the Torne River.  Every summer the hotel melts away.  It is open for only 4 months from December to March.  Everything there… ( the walls, floors,

My kids get so excited every year around this time.  Why?  They get to pack shoe boxes!!!  In our homeschool co-op, I annually collect shoe box gifts for Operation Christmas Child (a project of Samaritan’s Purse founded by Franklin Graham).  These boxes will be given out to children around the world who are living in extreme poverty, in constant fear because of wars/fighting, or in disaster-struck areas.  These simple gifts will brighten up the children’s life with God’s love, joy, and hope.  These shoe boxes are also evengelistic tools; they give local believers the opportunities to tell children about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, through Gospel literature and evangelism programs.   This is a wonderful project to get your kids involved in.  Kids in America have so much to be thankful for, yet many take their plenty for granted.  This is one of many ways we can share with others in need.  For details (including the collection center near you), please visit  www.sama

Oh boy…oh boy…what a fun-filled day we had!  Today we had a birthday party for our boys (one will turn 8 on the 10th and the other will turn 5 on the 11th).  There were 6 kids, 2 teenagers, and 6 adults altogether.  We played "Dinosaur Hunt," "Candy Toss," "Drop a Marker Cap (instead of a clothespin) in a Vase," "Pin (Stick) a Nose (smiley sticker) on the Clown," "Hot Present," and "Coin Search in a Sand Box."  The kids (and yes, my darling husband, too) had a blast playing the games.  In addition,  my forever-young & active husband  played basketball with the kids.  They had a ball!  After the party, some of us played football, bouncy balls, and then badminton until dark.   Parties wouldn’t be complete without yummy treats, right?  Well, we got chocolate cheesecake, white chocolate raspberry ice cream pie, brownie mudpie ice cream, crackers, chips, and gummy worms.  Everybody’s tummy was happy .  We’re bl

This evening my mother-in-law called to tell us that her mom (my husband’s grandma) just went to be with the Lord after a visiting friend sang "Amazing Grace."  My husband and I embraced each other and wept together.  She will be missed! My heart is saddened and I wish we could have been there to say one last good-bye.  I wish I could hear her talk about Israel again (she visited Israel a few times and loved to talk about it).  In a loving memory of her, I’m going to post an article written by her on February 23, 1998.  It is cherished by all of us.  A piece of history (Oregon Trail) remains because of her!            William and Mary Simpson, with their ten children, left Platt County, Missouri for Oregon in the Spring of 1846.  There were forty or more wagons in the train; their eldest son, Ben, was the captain.                    When they were nearing the Sweet Water stream, the train was moving slowly.  About fifty yards from the train, an Indian with

Today my darling took a day off work to be with us.  We took the kids to Oaks Park (the amusement park in Portland) because it’s "Homeschool Day" there from noon to 4 p.m. (homeschoolers could buy an unlimited ride bracelet for $8, instead of $13.75).  We had a blast!  There were lots of homeschoolers there but it was not crowded.  We didn’t have to wait long for each ride.  The weather was gorgeous, too.   We went on Kiddie-Coaster, Hot-Air Balloon ride, Lewis and Clark journey (2 times), Ferris Wheel, Train ride, Tea-Cup, Huge Pink Slide (2 times), and Carousel.  My youngest son also enjoyed riding a Jet Plane, a Motorcycle, and a Car (little kids’ rides).  My hubby and daughter were more daring (than me!) and went on "Screamin’ Eagle" where all the loudest screams were generated and could be heard throughtout the park.  My inner organs and my mind screamed, too, "No wayyyyy…I would ever get on that ride!"   Just watching them made me sc

God chose you out of billions just for me I’m so blessed and honored to be your wife You’ve been and will always be… my best friend, my hero,…the Love of my life! Across the lands…across the seas God brought us together from different cultures He graciously picked the Best for me He knew we’re perfect for each other You’re my refreshing cup of tea. You’re my exquisite spicy curry. You’re everything a Godly husband should be. Sharing a lifetime with you is God’s precious gift to me. Happy 15th Anniversary, Honey!

Connie at wardssward tagged me with "5 things" tag.  Ready or not…here they are: 5 Things in our freezer : - a loaf of spelt bread - multi-grain English muffins - chicken cornbread stuffing - cookies & cream ice cream - chocolate chip ice cream 5 Things in my/my husband’s closet (we share a walk-in closet): - camera bag - an old (antique?) Beavers (Oregon State University) hat - a special container in which I keep all the love notes/cards/poems, small gifts, etc. that my husband has been giving me - plastic containers filled with sweaters - clothes and more clothes 5 Things in our van : - Bibles (extra ones are available for giving away) - Gospel tracts - Christian music CDs - books - toys 5 Things in my purse : - Gospel tracts (in English, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, & Korean)  We never know whom God will put in our path; we want to be ready . - tissue - first aid kit - coins - a pen 5 Things in my wallet : - library cards

I was tagged by JoJo from CommunicationFUNdamentals.  Here are my answers to FUNschooling Tag Questions: 1. What curricula have you used that was the most fun?      Mind Benders, A Case of Red Herrings, Oregon Trail CDrom by The Learning Company, Kids Learn America!, States & Capitals Songs cassette tape, Considering God’s Creation, Bill Nye the Science Guy videos (my kids are well grounded in the Bible so they ignore the evolution parts). 2. Tell about something that your kids had a ball learning?     Believe it or not, my kids had the most laughs during our Bible study.  We usually have lively discussions, role-playing/acting, silly or thought-provoking (sometimes both together) questions, and some humorous examples that the kids and I come up with (to illustrate the lessons).     They also enjoy science experiments, including the bloopers .  Our family loves to play games (the kids have a ball learning without realizing that they’re learning).  Some of our fun

This is my entry for the mad lib contest at mamma 1420.  Our family likes mad libs.  It’s lots of fun.  I was surprised to see some of the words fit in quite nicely here.     An amusement park is always fun to visit on a hot summer flood . When you get there, you can rent a vacuum cleaner and go for a swim. And there are lots of original things to eat. You can start off with a hot dog on a/an expert with mustard, relish, and chimneys on it. Then you can have a buttered ear of laundry with a nice overdue slice of watermelon and a big bottle of cold sweat juice . When you are full, it’s time to go on the roller coaster, which should settle your mud .  Other amusement park rides are the Dodge-Em which has little entrails , that you drive and run into other catalogs , and the Merry-Go-Round where you can sit on a big tent and try to grab the gold curriculum as you ride past.

My parents and some of my friends wondered (may still wonder) why I want to stay home and teach my kids.  They think I should make use of my education (I have a master’s degree in marketing, speech communication, and psychology; one degree in 3 integrated studies), establish a career, and make lots of money.  Well, that’s what they think.  Here is what I think: my children are precious blessings from the Lord and they mean more to me (and my husband) than any career and money.  I love my job, "wife/homeschool mom" .  God is my Boss and He is the best Boss one could ever ask for!  And the fringe benefits are incalculable .  By the way, my husband is very supportive; he is our math teacher on call and the most wonderful principal. Why do I homeschool? " My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom

Resources we used for our daughter (12 yo then) :- Bible Study : Bible/memorization                      BJU Bible Truths: Learning from the Life of Christ                      Searching for Treasure by Marty Elwell Grammar/Language Arts : A Beka Grammar and Composition I                                             LLATL Green                                             Easy Grammar (occasionally) Writing : Put That in Writing by Shari Barrett Vocabulary : Vocabulary from Classical Roots A                      English from the Roots Up Vol. 1 Word Cards                     Wordly Wise Book 4 Spelling : A Beka Vocabulary, Spelling, & Poetry I                Spelling Power (occasionally used as tests) Literature : A Beka Of People                    BJU Explorations in Literature (partly)                    Tons of historical fiction books, missionary biographies, etc. (too numerous to list) Math : Saxon 87 Science : BJU Life Science               A Beka Science: Or

At VBS, we learned some new songs.  We also learned sign language that accompanied the songs.  I really enjoy doing sign language while singing worship songs.  Such a beautiful combination!  My favorite song from VBS this year is "Jesus, Be the Centre" (written by Michael Frye).  These are the words that really touch me:                                                 Jesus, be the center                                                 Be my source                                                 Be my light, Jesus                                                              Jesus, be the center                                                 Be my hope                                                 Be my song, Jesus                                                                                              Be the fire in my heart                                                 Be the wind in these sails                                                 Be th

Mr. Joker (one of my husband’s nicknames given by me) is the winner of the July Create-A-Word Contest at CommunicationFUNdamentals! We were to create a word that describes the act of using humor to teach something.  My husband’s winning word is " scholaughticism ."  I think his other word, "edjokation" is brilliant, too.  My honey is very clever and funny; hence "Mr. Joker".  My word is "schumo ring " Even though it didn’t win, it does have a nice ring to it…don’t you think? He won a laminated and bound personalized eStorybook titled, "Conversation Correction Patrol: A Story About Listening and Being Humble."  This will be a fantastic, unique birthday gift for our 4 yo son (he’ll turn 5 in Oct.).  We’re so thrilled and happy about this.  Big thanks to JoJo of Art of Eloquence for this fun contest and the very cool prize!

This past week (Monday to Friday) my kids participated in a Vacation Bible School (VBS) at a local church where one of our friends attend.  My daughter was one of the helpers.  This is her second year of helping VBS at that church.  She decorated the church, set up the props, prepared snacks, counted the offering, etc.  My boys (natural athletes) enjoyed all the sports and games while learning about living and winning God’s way.    The VBS’s theme is God’s All-Star Champions (wearing God’s gear, "the full armor of God.")  My 7 yo son was one of the 3 kids who succeeded at memorizing Ephesians 6:11, 13-18 (putting on the full armor of God).  My daughter already had that memorized so she was able to help her brother memorize the verses.  My 4 yo son managed to memorize other shorter verses.  At home we always encourage one another on Bible memorization.  We try to keep it fun and interesting while reminding our kids its importance and benefits.  " I have

This evening my handy hubby just finished building me shelves covering another whole wall in our schoolroom/playroom.  He did the same on the opposite wall two summers ago.  Now we have two walls of beautiful built-in shelves that resemble a mini-library.  I’m so excited; I feel like a little kid who’s in front of all-you-can-eat candy buffet.  To me…books are more desirable than candies (okay…maybe not chocolate)! My hubby is so sweet and thoughtful.  He knew how much I would appreciate having all the shelf space for books.  His workmanship is outstanding.  Thanks, honey for your labor of love!!!!!!!  Ummm…more shelves… meaning…more room for… more books !

Today (Sunday) is the day my daughter officially turns 13.  Thirteen years ago, the Lord blessed us with a precious bundle of joy!  He has been blessing us through that bundle of joy ever since.  As I mentioned in my earlier post, we planned a Double Delight Birthday Party for our delightful, darling daughter.  Well, we did it and we all had a blast (more like double blast!) On Friday, we had a sleepover party for her and her friends.  First, we went out to do a scavenger hunt in our neighborhood.  The girls loved it!  We gave each team a list of 13 items to collect by asking door to door (only 1 item per house is allowed) within a time limit (about 4o minutes, instead of 1 hour that we planned for… due to the really hot temperature that evening).  They’re under our watchful eyes the whole time and our neighborhood is probably the safest one in our city.  They received one point for each item and three bonus points could be earned by telling  a joke or singing a song.

Today is my sweetheart’s 38th birthday.  He still looks 18!  No kidding.  He is amazing in so manyyyyyyy ways (not just the incredibly young & handsome look). He doesn’t make a big deal about his birthday or any holidays for that matter.  It’s another day that the Lord has made (Psalm 118:24).  He makes everyday special for all of us just by being himself.  I even said to him once today that it’s his birthday but somehow I felt like it’s my birthday, too.  He always puts God first and family second.  He is truly "a man after God’s own heart."   My husband is my hero of faith and integrity!  He may not be famous and he has not changed the world (yet), but he is a real hero in our eyes.  His love for God is real.  His desire to please and honor God is real.  His passion to reach the lost for God’s kingdom is real.  His personal relationship with Jesus is real.  His reverence for our Holy God is real.  His obedience to God is real.  His pursuit of memorizing,

Our 7 year old son, Josiah, wrote his first song today.  He has such a passion for reaching the world for God!  I wish you all could hear him sing his song.          This world lies in darkness.          God, You are the only One who can turn this world          from its wicked ways.          Let the unreached know that You are with them          anywhere…anytime.          Let them know that You'll comfort and protect them…          for You are the only One who can turn this world          from its wicked ways          from its wicked ways          from its wicked ways          from its wicked ways.

This evening my hon surprised me when he came home.  He gave me a bouquet of 14 beautiful orange roses! The occasion?  According to my mathematically talented hubby, it has been seven million, seven hundred seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred seventy-seven minutes (7,777,777 minutes) since our wedding.  Try to say that number seven times fast . Wow…what a unique anniversary!  My hon is super sweet, thoughtful, and romantic, isn’t he?  I’m truly blessed!!!!!!! P.S. For those who are wondering how many years those minutes are equal to, perhaps you can give your kids this math problem to solve .

This past Saturday we went to a church rummage sale.  It was almost its closing time.  We bought a bagful of clothes ($1) and  5 cones of ice cream.  Then we went to look at books.  A church lady there told us to take as many books as we want for free because they wanted to have less to pack up.  Wow…we’re so grateful!  We chose books that look interesting to us.  When we got home, I counted all the books.  The total is 127!  Most of them are children books.  It’s like a bibliophile’s feast!  All my kids love to read.  Now I just have to find room for these books  (a bibliophile’s constant problem).