heartofdakota.com

Ok Ladies,

What was YOUR week Like?

You can post:

a- A picture
b- A blog Link
c- A written synopsis
d- Your favorite memory
e- Anything you want that shares your HOD excitement!

Important Note: If you are linking us to your blog, please make sure it's not just a general link, but to your specific post of HOD. That way if someone reads through these a year from now they can find your share without needing to hunt!

Preparing Hearts for His Glory:
The start of the new year was a good one! We were so blessed no one got sick this past Christmas, which is sometimes rare with the upwards 20 people we get together in one place, several times over. We made some wonderful memories with family, and we praised the Lord for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! There is nothing quite like Christmas, and I truly do love it. BUT, after all of the hustle and bustle, the running here and there, and the sugar shock of Christmas, settling back into our 'normal' routine was a relief. I am reminded how much I truly do love my life - my husband, my 3 sons, my family, his family, our jobs, our home, the beautiful state of SD which we live in, our church with our wonderful pastor - the normal of our life is what I love... the ordinary laughing, wrestling, hugging, singing, joking, little day in day out type things... the morning coffee and snuggle up for homeschooling time in my bed with each son, the meals we have together as a family crowded around our kitchen table, the sound of my husband's tires crunching on the driveway when he's home from a long business trip, the dogs barking, the cat meowing, the phone ringing... well, maybe not always those last 3 things... BUT, overall, I do LOVE my simple country life. Sure. There are days I am beyond stressed. Days I don't feel like getting out of bed and doing it all over again. Days my body is weary and my mind is foggy and my soul is desperate for more of the Lord. But, though not every day is perfect, every day truly is a gift, and most of the time, I am deeply aware of that these days, especially after having lost my Dad several years ago. Life is meant to be lived, family is meant to be loved, and our Lord is meant to be glorified - so there is my hallelujah salute to 2017! And with that, here is my hodge podge pictures I managed to take of my little Emmett lately, some before Christmas, and some after...

This lovely little verse hangs on his door now...


Look out! Here's our latest DITHOR re-enactment...


Meet 'eggie', whom we fondly named after 'he' became all gel-like solidified after his science experiment; scarily, he still resides in a mason jar with a lid (Eggie may disappear some day when I see he's not quite so special anymore)...


Emmett's poetry prewriting and creative writing assignments...


I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too and are looking forward to the simple every day blessings found in the joy of homeschooling!

In Christ,
Julie

Missions to Modern Marvels:
Riley is in the middle of a massive growth spurt! I am thankful I bought him larger sizes of pants and shirts at the start of this winter season because he is needing every extra inch of length these days. He is almost my height, and prior to that he was quite a bit shorter. He has all of those highs and lows that come with that exciting time of growth in life, often telling me he is "SO HAPPY!" but not able to put into words why, and then also sometimes feeling pretty down in the dumps or upset, and not sure why either. I just keep telling him how proud I am of him, and of how this is part of becoming a man. That everything we see on the outside is also changing him to a man on the inside, and that is God's wonderful plan for him! The Biblical worldview study we are doing is so fitting. I love our discussions in that - I do not rush those. I may rush other things from time to time, like math or grammar or dictation - but never our "Who Am I?..." study. That is the important stuff. The pictures I am sharing are from a variety of units, as I just was able to download them all after the busyness of Christmas and family visiting...

The Model T Ford and the Red Baron airplane - Riley loves to draw and color everything but people, and he does quite well with it, I think! George Washington Carver - an amazing man! Riley marveled at all he accomplished in his lifetime!!



Riley loves to build things, so tho science project was perfect for him! He also enjoys making his periodic table cards...


History reenactment time - bring on the brothers for reinforcements...


Riley had fun writing his "To Be or Not to Be" grammar writing assignment, which he chose the building of their snow fort as a topic - his awesome sense of humor shines here!


Other note booking entries Riley has completed...


Another good week of school completed - hooray!
In Christ,
Julie

US1 High School:
I have been taking pictures and not getting them posted like I want to for my dear eldest son! He just keeps moving on in his guide, picking up steam, and heading toward the end. He will finish US1 early this year and get a head-start on US2 for next year. He is such a hard worker, and mainly cheerful too! I really love our discussions, especially the new ones we are getting to do in Thoughts for Young Men. Such amazing topics we are covering! We shut the door and hole up talking alone deeply about that book. He is taking so much from it! What a blessing this time is part of our day together! He continues to love his history books, and he is definitely taking an interest in government and constitutional literacy- such an amazing time for him to be learning about this as our new President takes the office! I love that he knows about the topics they are discussing. He will be an informed voter when he gets to vote next time. I have so many pictures to share, that I'll half here and the other half next week. They are covering multiple weeks of school each.

Living Library - 13 Days to Glory, which was about the Alamo...


Litmus test experiment and other experiments as well in Chemistry (completed on my VERY OLD PreK children's placemats, he was conscious of not spilling chemicals on the kitchen table )...


Constitutional Literacy...



Critical Thinking...


Notebooking assignments...


Foerster's Algebra II...


Grammar...


Book of Centuries...


So proud of this maturing son of mine!!
In Christ,
Julie