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Before we came to HOD, I always had good intentions to include art, poetry, and music into our day. But...I just never got around to it. Why? Because they were add-ons - extras. And who has time for extras when you've got Littles running around, a house to clean, errands to run, and meals to make? I just accepted that my dreams of my kids knowing the great works of art, the timeless poetry, the famous composers - just weren't going to happen.

But HOD schedules all of these things into your day - not as extras or add-ons, but as an integral part of your learning. If I just complete all of the boxes each day, then those things are covered! But, they're not just covered - those poems have become a part of our lives! We still all will break out into "The Ship that Sails" at odd times - and we all remember it - it was the very first HOD poem that we learned! What wonderful memories!

I LOVE that my kids know so many of the great poems and have been exposed to so many of the best authors of all time. I LOVE that they recognize great works of art and they know the great artists. I LOVE that they create their own pieces of art in response to what they are learning. I LOVE that the recognize music they hear playing and they know who composed that music! These are some of the very best parts of HOD for our family. The education that I so longed for them to have in the arts is actually happening!

I also love how Carrie rotates the studies of the different fine arts through the years with different focuses on each area, but never too much that you get tired of it. It is always fresh and new and something to look forward to.

I have learned so much from each year of HOD and I now have the education I never got in the fine arts. I'm so thankful for the richness this study has added to our lives.

Art! Poetry! Music! = Priceless!

Tiffini, you've done it again, highlighted the reasons I love HOD. I truely know that there is simply no better education for my children out there. Honestly it is such a weight lifted, knowing they have such a wide variety of knowledge to leave home with.

Thanks so much for sharing, Tiffini! I know I am so glad to have these scheduled for me too in the HOD guides! It makes it easy for me to get the fine arts in our schedule, keeps me from worrying how to add these important things in on the side, and makes each of our guides much richer! We pray these areas may be a blessing to many families! I know my second oldest son is loving the nature study and journaling this year in MTMM. I love seeing his nature journal entries each week.

Blessings,
Carrie