Stacia slings her baby - she has years to practice...

MONARCHS ETC

This is a test! What happened to the text I HAD here...this is my first photo bucket try.

Anyway, Jamin informs me that the Monarch is the TX state insect. I have no clue where he heard that. I had no clue that states HAD insects...birds, flags...yes, but somehow I missed the insect thing.
We studied insects last year. We've been doing a unit on Monarchs this year. When we lived in San Antonio they used to ROOST in the trees in our yard on their way south every year...and north too. It was cool. I hoped....we haven't seen anything that spectacular around here...but we did make a spur of the minute run to the park today to visit with friends (Tricia, Ashley and Abby) and to check on butterflies.


Arielle tried to touch one






Questions for photo bucket users....I loaded all 5 of these at one time. It WAS quick. BUT why can't I get the text to go up beside the photos? Why are the photos so small? Why do some have blue frames? I'm sure I'll think of more questions. ::snort::

Now a Praise

Thanks to all who prayed for the J family who were hoping to adopt a daughter from the Ukraine. They are pleased to announce Julia - a precious 4 yo. There is still paperwork to do. As near as I can tell if all goes smoothly it will be at least another 2 weeks before she is legally their daughter and they are able to come home. I'm sure continued prayers are appreciated.

Prayer Request

Please pray for some friends of mine living in Chad (Tibesti region). T Chad has has declared a state of emergency in this area because of ethnic uprisings in the past 19 hours.

My former dormate's dh is in danger.

Fall Into Reading 2007

Katrina at Callapider Days is hosting a Fall Reading Challenge! Since Fall refuses to come to this part of the world, this graphic may be the closest I come to the season this year! ::snort:: I LOVE Katrina's graphics. Her Spring Thing Reading Challenge was the first blog challenge I'd participated in.

I think that for next year I will begin a running list like my friend, Cindy does. However, this will do for now. I'll mark the books I've read in red. I reserve the right to add to this list and not read the books on this list if I so desire. I'm still waiting for several of these books on PBS, so I may well read others I see at the library. Books in red are books that I've read. Most will have a review on my blog. Sorry, I've not had time to link them all, but you can do a search on the title and find a review, if you'd like.

Possible Books to be Read (left over from my summer challenge LOL)

Biographies/History
The Romanovs - Robert K. Massie
Dawn - Elie Wiesel
Night - Elie Wiesel
The Testament - Elie Wiesel
Arctic Homestead: The True Story of one Family's Surival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds - Norma Cobb, Charles W. Sasser, Sharles Sasser
Ten P's in a Pod - Arnold Pent III
To Fly Again - Gracia Burnham
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million - Daniel Mendelsohn
Molly Brown - Unraveling the Myth - Kristen Iversen

Family
Heartfelt Discipline - Clay Clarkson
The Excellent Wife - Martha Peace
Biblical Parenting - Crystal Lutton
A Turansky Book
Rocking the Roles - Robert Lewis & William Hendricks
A Mom Just Like You - Vickie and Jayme Farris

Health
The Maker's Diet - Rubin - Maybe. LOL
Depression Era Recipes - Patricia R. Wagner

Parenting
The Out of Sync Child - Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.
The Ministry of Motherhood - Sally Clarkson
Reading Made Easy - Valerie Bendt
The Relaxed Home School - Mary Hood
The Spiritual Power of a Mother - Michael P. Farris

The Joyful Home School - Mary Hood

Christian Life
Brave Heart, Unlocking the Courage to Love with Abandon - Sharon Hersh
A Place of Quiet Rest - Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Flashpoints - Stephen Arerburn
Daring to Dance with God - Jeff Walling
A New Kind of Christian - Brian McLaren

Fiction - pure fluff for enjoyment!!
A Prize for Princess - Rex Stout
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Get's Decked - Neta Jackson
Scots on the Rocks - Mary Daheim
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive - Alexander M. Smith
Private Justice - Terri Blackstock
Shadow of Doubt - Terri Blackstock
Word of Honor - Terri BlackstockTrial by Fire - Terri Blackstock

Holy Ghost Corner - Michele Andrea Bowen
Line of Duty - Terri Blackstock
The Potluck Club - Shepherd/Everson

The Potluck Club Takes the Cake - Shepherd/Everson

The Potluck Club Trouble's Brewing - Shephered/Everson
Invisible - Lorena McCourtney
In Plain Sight - Lorena McCourtney

On the Run - Lorena McCourtney
Stranded - Lorena McCourtney

Word of Honor by Terri Blackstock

This another well-crafted book in the Newpointe 911 series. It was a bit different as you KNOW who the perp is from the very beginning of the book. This doesn't destroy the suspense of plot line of the book.

I'm convinced that Terri must have done the Precept Upon Precept course on Covenant because so much of this book mirrors that course content. Terrie shares some excellent thoughts on covenant and what it means to be in covenant with both God and others.

I really enjoy reading her short afterwords, as well. This one talked about an author's desire for readers and the realization that many Christians are getting their doctrine from novels. Good stuff. I copied it for Jamin to read.

Reading Made Easy by Valerie Bendt

{Thanks, Sherri, for the loan of this book.}

I'd never checked this program out before. I would describe this program as a cross between the expensive "bells and whistle" programs and the "just the facts program". I've opted to use 100 Easy Lessons at this point, but if I need another program, this will be the one I look at.

It seems to be a gentle and fairly no-nonsense approach to teaching a child to read.