Tuesday, August 27, 2013

"...like a well-fed rajah..."

I had a peaceful moment today : D Last year one of my sons just loved Paddle to the Sea by H.C. Holling so when he saw that there were actually two Holling books on his list he wasn't sure he liked that.  "What if they're not as good?!"  Great question!  But he and his brother didn't hesitate to give them a try.    Today as we were doing our weekly reading of Pagoo (also by Holling) my son just started laughing out loud as I read and then he re-read, repeating:
 
"He leaned back in his rocking penthouse like a well-fed rajah riding off
 somewhere in his jeweled elephant howdah." H.C. Holling, Pagoo pg34
 
Well, this became his copy work for the day and I'd say the two books on his list will be just as good as last years ; ) Oh the gift of imagery this author gives to his books is just wonderful.  BTW, the other is Minn of the Mississippi.  (I couldn't help but cut up some yellow watermelon for a little added splash of royalty to our simple ham sandwich lunch today.)
 

We've been back to school for over two weeks now.  I always worry about the transition but I've realized that every year it gets better.  The slow and persistent work of habits and the choosing of great books pays off.  The kids enjoyed the previous years books so much that they look forward to the new ones on their lists.  The routine of notebooks, copy work, dictation and narrations is no longer a surprise. A new year just feels like an extension of the previous and I just love that!

"The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits
secures for herself smooth and easy days..." Charlotte Mason, Vol.1 Home Education pg 136

 
I hope your school year has started out with "smooth and easy days"! 


Sunday, August 11, 2013

A Family Wedding

The last few months have been filled with anticipation...of the good kind of course.  My husband's youngest sister fulfilled her sacrament of marriage on Friday.  The family was just overjoyed to witness such love and devotion for each other in the presence of God.  Our sincere wishes for them: that God's joy and blessings rein abundant and always present in their lives.


In a few weeks we will miss them dearly as they are moving to another state.  My children are very fond of their auntie and their new uncle.  We hope they will visit often and that they have room for a family of eight to visit them ; )  A few pictures to remember the day for this cyber keepsake of mine:

 

 
 
Danced the last song with Grandma before calling it a night ;-)