A-Z Wednesday

A-Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicky of Reading at the Beach. To join, look here.

This weeks letter is: N



Nesting: It's a Chick Thing by Ame Mahlor Beanland & Emily Miles Terry

Book Description:

Check it out--the Chicks are back. Authors of It's a Chick Thing, with 110,000 copies in print--"A must book for the reader who knows that chicks rule" (Publishers Weekly), "a smart and sassy compilation" (Chicago Tribune)--Ame Mahler Beanland and Emily Miles Terry celebrate chicks nesting, or what it means to have a home filled with laughter, good friends, lovingly prepared foods and crafts, all with personal style.

Seasoned with attitude and packed with stories, history, how-tos, quips, advice, recipes, folklore, and crafts, Nesting is all about finding personal style and showing it off, putting an entirely fresh, it's-a-chick-thing spin on entertaining, decorating, cooking, and gardening. In "Chicks and Chow," the food chapter, there are unexpected stories by M.F.K. Fisher, Ruth Reichl, and Erma Bombeck; a Spice, Spice Baby! guide to spices; sixteen recipes for great Chicktails; and Towels That Snap Back (how to make personalized dish towels). "Flocking Together {hen parties and sassy soirees}" has Sally Quinn on being a guest while in labor; Ina Garton's "The Worst Party I Ever Had"; the How to Be a Hostess Cupcake guide to party girl preparedness; Upper, Lower, and No-Crust hors d'oeuvres; Monotony Killers; and decorating inspiration from Elsie de Wolfe: "I believe in plenty of optimism and white paint."

Nesting is totally un-Martha in its approach--it's easy, it's light, it's like your best friends hanging out and offering advice with a quip--and it's illustrated throughout with hilarious retro photos and illustrations.

My thoughts:
I bought this book all because of the title. I haven't read it yet, but it looks like a lot of fun.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading.



The Faceless Fiend: Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Princess with a Butter Knife, Involving Explosives and a Certain Amount of Pushing and Shoving by Howard Whitehouse

"In Chiligrit, stranglings is everyday-goings-on. Also, other murderings, and kidnappings and daily thievings of sheep and goats. I miss it very much." p. 13

Book Review: A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

Book Description:

She's an outlaw; he's a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.

Sarah Prescott has never known a respectable life. Just a hardscrabble childhood and brothers who taught her to shoot first and ask questions later.

Justin Wells left Boston in disgrace, heading out alone on the dusty trail to Texas. But when the once-respected clergyman encounters a feisty redhead in handcuffs with a dying U.S. Marshal at her side, their journey takes a dramatic turn.

His high society expectations and Sarah's outlaw habits clash from the start. With a price on her head and towing an orphaned baby rescued from the brink of starvation, Justin and Sarah make the difficult journey toward Rocky Creek. There, justice will be meted out. Perhaps--they hope--with a healthy portion of grace.

Filled with mishaps, laughs, and adventure, Margaret Brownley's inspiring romance will keep readers cheering for Sarah as she struggles to become a true lady.

My thoughts:
I had noticed A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley at the Christianbook.com website and finally got around to ordering it from my library. I can't begin to tell how much I enjoyed this book. It had the right amount of adventure, romance and suspense and humor. I look forward to reading more by Margaret Bronwley.

Book Review: Setting the Stage for Your Child's Faith by Florence Littauer

Book Description:

In this practical and witty book, popular author and speaker Florence Littauer looks at parenting through the metaphor of a drama--the theme of which is raising children with character and faith. Using examples from the Bible and hilarious experiences from her own home, she shows you how to tend to the plot--set goals and rules, script--have creative and healthy communication, and more.

Setting the Stage for Your Child's Faith also provides you with perspective insight on how to teach children about responsibility, money, courtesy, and prayer. It will remind you that, despite other influences on kids in today's world, conscientious parenting can result in loving family relationships, well-adjusted children, and warm memories of home.

My thoughts:
I have been an admirer of Florence Littauer and her study on the four basic temperaments (Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic) since I was a teenager and have an obsession with buying her books. I have had Setting the Stage for Your Child's Faith along with another book titled Raising Christians, Not Just Children sitting on my shelf for years. A couple of months ago I was going through my books and realized that they were the same book!

Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed Setting the Stage for Your Child's Faith. The book begins with setting "The Stage" and explains in detail about the four basic temperaments and how you can apply it to your family. After she sets "The Stage" she then shares very practical and down to earth advice to parents mixed in with humorous and touching stories.

A-Z Wednesday

A-Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicky of Reading at the Beach. To join, look here.

This weeks letter is: M

Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglas Wiggin

My thoughts:
I read this back in 2007 and really enjoyed the story. You will recognize the name of Kate Douglas Wiggin from the book Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Also, the film Summer Magic is based (and I use this term loosely) on this book.

You can read my review here.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading.



A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

Normally, I share one teaser from a book, but today I'm sharing two that really made me giggle.

Great sand and sagebrush! How come no one every told her that kissin' a man was even more fun that fightin' a bear? p. 48

"Love is like a soft mattress. It's easy to fall into but near impossible to get out of." p.202

Homeschooling Update: Term 3 (09-10) - Part 1

We have headed into out third term and after a week of sickness and a visit from Grandpa and Grandma we are finally back into the grove of school work. Here is what we are working on for this term.

Together the kids are doing:
Devotions:
The Two-Year Daily Reading & Prayer Bible
Children Demand a Verdict by Josh McDowell
Poetry:
Favorite Poems Old and New selected by Helen Farris
Hymns:
April - At the Cross
May - Blessed Assurance
June - I Would Not Be Denied
Art Appreciation/Picture Study: Claude Monet
Music Appreciation/Composer Study: Maurice Ravel

Caleb is currently working on:
Math:
Math-U-See Zeta He is close to finishing this and will start Math-U-See Pre-Algebra.
Language Arts:
Easy Grammar Plus
All About Spelling Level 3. We will finish up Level 3 in a couple of weeks and begin Level 4.
Excellence in Writing's Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons
Copy work:
written or typed selection from current literature books
History:
We are still in the time period of the Ancients.
Story of the Romans by Helene Guerber
Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster
Geography:
The Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton (written narration)
Science:
Main Text:
God's Design for Heaven and Earth:Our Planet Earth We will finish this up mid-term and pick up where we left off in Apologia's Exploring Creation with General Science.
Science Biography:
Galileo and the Magic Numbers by Sidney Rosen (written narration)
Literature:
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff
Plutarch's Lives - Poplicola with study guide
Shakespeare:
Much Ado About Nothing
Biography:
Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill by Stephen Mansfield
Bill Drost the Pentecost by Bill Drost
Plus additional reading taken from this list (scroll to bottom of page).

In the Second Term he finished:
Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
plus...
Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green
Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boon