SRKindredSpirits

So it finally happened.... It's official!!! I am the momma of a college student! Our oldest graduated high school two years early (you can see her graduation party here) and took some time off.... b ut as of today, she is enrolled and is studying for her Graphic Designs Degree! In case you can't tell, I'm one proud momma!

I was a home schooled kid.... I never really wanted to home school my kids, but I came to love a few things about it. I loved the freedom to have our own schedule, to choose our own curriculum, to have as many field trips as we wanted.... no rushing to leave the house every morning, no stupid class parties, no bullying, no 5 days a week..... We home schooled for over 11 yrs... and over the years I found a way to streamline our homeschooling . Our oldest daughter finished her high school online and graduated with all her credits and a diploma a year early. You can see her grad party here ! Our son is special needs and although he should be going into 6th grade this fall, he is still a first grade level... he just started reading 3 letter words. There has been a lot of testing, a long with speech, and occupational therapy. He has a difficult time retaining information, so there's alot of repeating.... Our youngest daughter.... let's just say she is often in &#

Today, while spending time outside, I took some great pictures of this Killdeer protecting her eggs. Killdeer remind me of two things; Spring and my Grandpa Frick When I hear the Killdeer, I know Spring is on its way...  Every year, we have a pair of Killdeer make their nest in our drive.  Our youngest daughter loves it. She gets out the bird book and looks them up, and tells everyone that they are her favorite bird. Killdeer remind me of my Grandpa Frick. I remember him taking me to his field and showing me their nests. He could also make an exact replica of the killdeer sound. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, here's some Killdeer facts... Killdeer have brown upper parts, white underparts, and orange rumps. The eyes are dark with a bright red eye ring . In flight, the Killdeer's long, slender wings have conspicuous white wing stripes. Killdeer live in open habitats such as fields, meadows, gravel bars, and mudflats. Name "killdeer" refer

“Mice and pigs, chickens and cows- Squeak, oink, cheap and moo... Oh, the animals God has made! And, Hey, He made me too! Night night, God. ” As the big moon rises, the jungle settles in for the night.  All around, jaguars, lemurs, and monkeys cuddle close and say, “Night night!”   These little board books are absolutely adorable. Night Night, Farm and Night Night, Jungle are amazing books that incorporates both learning about animals and a love for God.  I love how God is woven within these bedtime stories. A wonderful way to begin a prayer for little ones. It's the perfect end before dreams begin. The stories come alive with the illustrations that are bright and colorful.  If I had to give it a critique, it would be that I wish there was more touch and feel in the Night Night Farm Book. But, all in all, these are both adorable little books and will make a cute gift for my brand new  niece or nephew that will be arriving in a few months. Dis

I am a christian.... but I haven't been to church regularly for over five years... and it's been over twelve years since I've had a church where I felt loved, needed, and a part of. I used to help on buses, be a nursery worker, do bulletin boards, decorate the church, help with Ladies meetings and loved singing special music. The reason is NOT for a lack of wanting or trying to find a good church. On the contrary... we have visited a lot of churches over the years always hoping we'd find what we were looking for, but always coming up short. My biggest issue with finding a church after what it believes and preaches, is that there are people there that want the same as me in life. Some of my needs in no particular order: (This may be a good time to point out I am conservative and like things rather old fashion.)  Independent, Fundamental, KJV Baptist Church  Home-schoolers - wanting to raise their kids for the Lord  People dress up for church

 Know Who You Are, Live Like It Matters by Tim Tebow This is a great book for homeschool students age 11 - 14. Tim will guide you through thirty-six weeks of lessons, each based on a key Scripture, to discover who you are. You will also have the opportunity to write down your thoughts, feelings, and ideas on topics such as: building godly character, maintaining great relationships, standing out from the crowd, and doing things that matter in the big picture. Throughout the book, there is one subtle theme: You can make a difference, even though you're a teenager.  I really like how Tim is able to talk to teenagers in a way that speaks to them with authority and wisdom, without treating them like children. He can speak their language and still be an authority figure.  Get ready to live bigger than ever before…with your faith and identity secured in a God who loves you beyond measure! I received this book in exchange of an honest review.

Why I Didn't Rebel By Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach I have followed Sheila Wray Gregoire's blog To Love Honor and Vacuum for years now, so when I found out her daughter Rebecca was writing a book, I knew I wanted to read it.  I love this book. I think the most important thing you can do as a parent is to communicate and teach your kids respect, and right from wrong, when they are young. I feel that the ideas in this book are how we are trying to raise our kids. My oldest daughter, Faith, is 16 yrs old, and although she has made a few mistakes, she is a great kid and I'm really proud to be her mom. She also read the book, so I thought I'd include her take on it too: "The methods that Rebecca describes in her book as having been raised by are roughly the same as those of my own childhood (minus the hot-tub... for that, I'm a bit jealous). I feel that my parents are doing a great job raising my siblings and I, and I'm very grateful for the clos

The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot (63 stories) monument in St. Louis Missouri.  The Gateway Arch weighs 43,226 tons and the foundations are about 60 feet deep.Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch (catenary means it is the shape a free-hanging chain takes when held at both ends), it is the world's tallest arch, the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere, and Missouri's tallest accessible building. Built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States, and officially dedicated to "the American people," it is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and has become an internationally recognized symbol of St. Louis, as well as a popular tourist destination. The Arch was designed by architect Eero Saarinen in 1947; construction began on February 12, 1963, and was completed on October 28, 1965, for $13 million. Thanks to hundreds of workers, the Arch was completed within budget and w

"The vision of College of the Ozarks is to develop citizens of Christ-like character who are well-educated, hard-working, and patriotic." College of the Ozarks is a Christian liberal-arts college, with its campus at Point Lookout near Branson, Missouri. It is 40 miles south of Springfield on a 1,000-acre campus, overlooking Lake Taneycomo. The college has an enrollment of 1,450, over 30 academic majors, and degrees in Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. The College charges no tuition for full-time students, due to its student work program and donations. The program requires students to work 15 hours a week at an on-campus work station and two 40-hour work weeks during breaks. A summer work program is available to cover room and board costs. The college refers to itself as "Hard Work U.", and places emphasis in "character" education. Faith at the Administration Building We enjoyed a tour of the college campus, visiting the clas