end of the year celebration 2013

yesterday we hosted an end of the year celebration for the finley and snyder family home schools! it was a sweet time of sharing and affirming what the Lord has taught all of us this year. each child shared something in front of the family and nathan and jason affirmed each child as they came up front with how their character grew this year. stu and clark both recited scripture passages, will shared about the artist Rembrandt, camdyn shared about one of her favorite books this year, claire dressed up and shared about Betsy Ross and demonstrated how to cut a 5 pointed star , claire and camdyn recited scripture, and reese dressed up like abraham lincoln and recited the entire gettysburg address!!!!!!

we also let each child decide on one food item for our lunch menu....it turned out...ahem!...interesting! we had fruit salad, shark, chips and salsa, lamb, cod fish, and chocolate chip sandwiches! We decided to order a few pizzas last minute just in case anyone wanted something basic!!

tons of fun and hope it becomes a yearly tradition. 

we would be remiss if we didn't say how much it means to have our families support our homeschool. we love you and appreciate so much your encouragement and affirmation of this calling.

congratulations claire and camdyn! off to 3rd and 5th grade!! yay!!!!!

time with mimi and pops

the girls enjoyed several days last week in charlotte with mimi and pops!! they visited riverbanks zoo and played laser tag and got their nails done!! they also enjoyed visiting with maw maw and aunt bonnie. thank you mimi and pops for sharing your week with the girls! we all love you!!!

 Laser Tag!

Pops and Cam on the ropes course

Claire on the ropes course

Cam on the ropes course

mother's day

we enjoyed a beautiful day today worshipping with cayce and jason at crosspoint and then heading over to the park for a pot luck lunch and play time for the cousins! so thankful for my mom now more than ever as i'm in the blessings/chaos/craziness of being a mom myself....love you mom and cayce....y'all are the best mothers i know....love you claire and cam....thank you for your patience, forgiveness, and grace as i seek to raise you to love the Lord despite being a sinner myself....you girls are my sweet loves...your mama is crazy about you!!

strawberry pickin'

after the torrential rain this weekend, we put on our mud boots and headed to beechwood farms to pick some strawberries! the harvest was plentiful and we had fun with nana gathering some strawberries together! looking forward to making some jelly, muffins, and cobbler!!!!

mindful reading

"never be without a really good book on hand. if you find yourself sinking to a dull commonplace level, with nothing particular to say, the reason is probably that you are not reading, and therefore, not thinking" (the story of charlotte mason, p. 162)

Our Lamplighter Collection....still growing! My sweet Dad made the book stand for us!

what a blessing it has been to find lamplighter publishing! i came across these books two years ago when i first attended a homeschool convention and have been collecting them slowly ever since. each of the lamplighter rare collectors series books are stories written over 100 years ago that promote biblical principles and character traits. the language of the stories is rich, the meaning of the stories is deep, and the drama of the stories is engaging.

Mark Hamby, President of Lamplighter Publishing, puts it well:

"The Lamplighter Collection of Rare Books offers gripping stories that set our minds on things above. A Lamplighter story is not just a reprint of an old book; each story is carefully edited and crafted to lift one's thoughts heavenward - to overwhelm one with the beauty, majesty, and truth of an all-wise God."

i've read 8 of the Lamplighter books so far and can't wait to begin sharing them with the girls this summer! My favorites so far have been Christie's Old Organ and The Basket of Flowers.

here is a sneak peak about each of them:

Christie's Old Organ

A heartwarming story about a young boy who is on a quest to find out how his dear old friend Treffy can get to "home, sweet home." One of the most famous children's novels of the Victorian era, Christie's Old Organ continues to gently draw tender hearts to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Filled with emotion, this story tells of the unique friendship between a poor, homeless boy and a sick old organ grinder. It is in the melodious tunes of that old organ that Christie discovers how his dear old friend Treffy can find his "home, sweet home."

The Basket of Flowers

Unwarranted accusations and unjust judgements are excellent tools in the hand of God to reveal the true character that lies beneath any facade. How will Mary and her father James react when thrown into grievous sorrow and torment at the hands of a sinister fiend? Witness firsthand the beauty of a steadfast commitment to God and a humble love between a father and his daughter.

these books have been such a blessing to me and i just love the premise behind this publishing house. can't wait to share these stories with the girls and have the truths of them settle into their hearts.

thank you lamplighter publishing for providing mindful reading to our families!

to find out more about lamplighter publishing check out their website HERE

claire's birthday camping trip

can't believe our sweet claire turns 10 tomorrow! so proud of her for choosing something like a family camping trip to celebrate her special day! we all shared a wonderful weekend and even made it through with four people and three dogs in one tent! we love you claire and are so proud of the lady you are growing into. may God continue to be your source of truth and light. we love you so much.

masters!

so much fun. great friends. beautiful land. good golf. a wonderful day!!