A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Homeschooling

Accept the Mess

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Remember how I had this list of books I wanted to read and go through?   My mom-in-law added to that list over Christmas (and hubby’s promised one as well) so the list just keeps growing.  It’s good to learn eh?  Anyways, I was pondering what book to pick up for today’s post and Pep Talks came to mind so here I am.  

I was browsing through the table of contents when “accept the mess” caught my eye.   So.. shall we, accept the mess?  

Oh.. this chapter made me laugh.  Oh my, it did.  🙂 I am just grinning as I write these words ACCEPT THE MESS! 

But seriously …. it’s good to clean the house.. it is.  I was raised that way.  Unfortunately my mother NOR my mother-in-law live with me.  They don’t.. and guess what.. THEY DON’T WANT TO.  Bet you can’t guess the reason.  🙂  AND … it’s not because they don’t love me or care about me.. but MY style of living and THEIR style of living is well.. not quite a polar opposites.. but frankly I would rather write or do art or talk with my boy, or play a game or .. almost anything… then to get my house spotless.  There is far too many interesting things in the world that get my attention than the cleanliness of my floors.. or the cobwebs in the corners.   

So reading this post made me grin.

The author’s point is this NO ONE ever from their deathbed said “I wish I had cleaned my house more”.  BUT there are lots of people who wish they had spent their times differently.. written that novel, gone on the cruise, played with their kids more…. or almost anything… but cleaning the house.. not even near that list.

If you want to be a writer, you need to think to yourself.. can I do that “housework” later?  Can I let the mess around me inspire my brain synapses and just write?  Can I just take that five minutes or hour and just spend that time writing and creating and let the mess take care of itself?  Can I do that?  Can YOU do that?

Just so you know.. YOU CAN.  

Have you ever noticed that seriously creative people tend to have a less than tidy home?  Did you know that messiness.. or helter-skelter room arrangements tend to foster creative and novel thoughts?  Tidy rooms tend to foster tidy conventional minds.   You are called therefore to let that messiness flourish when needed. 

Mind.. you need to be concerned about others living with you and their sensitivities (ergo today I cleaned some stuff up in the bookroom) and tonight I sat and wrote.  It’s good yes?   But there are afternoons that I sit and write because well.. writing is something I love to do… and then rush through the dishes in the evening (so glad we have a dishwasher now.. like seriously). 

“Give yourself a break and accept the mess — because you are immersed in a deep act of creation.”  Realize your goals of creation. Decide when to make it important… it’s a good thing to do. 🙂

Learn more about this book through Raincoast.

or if you want to follow along, Amazon Link. 

 

Art Book: Star Wars Build-A-Scene

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This Star Wars build-a-scene kit is perfect for the Star Wars fan in your life.   My lad is an avid paper crafter and was quite delighted when this kit made it’s way into our home. 

Three builds are included in this kit:

  • Episode III Revenge of the Sith
  • Episode IV A New Hope
  • Episode VII The Force Awakens

Each build in the book is predicated by a write up of what the build is about and how it was filmed.  Pictures from the movie are included, as well as concept scenes making this a well-rounded kit.  Not just a build but an informational kit.   Once this informational write up (about 5 pages) is completed you are given a list of supplies.  Common items like glue, paint brush, etc are listed, as well as instruction on how to do the build.  Mountain and valley folds, gluing and letting dry, and so forth.  The creators want you to be successful in doing the build, so take your time and read through all the instructions before starting. 

You will find that the sheets are perforated well on a thicker paper, but not board paper thick.  Just a nice quality paper for doing papercraft builds.  The individual pieces are well numbered.

Take your time, carefully build, read and re-read the instructions as needed, and you can complete these three scenes.   I’d say this kit is better for the older teen to adult builder as it is fiddly and you need the patience to take your time doing the build.My Thoughts:

Honestly.. we tried.. well.. my son tried!  I started, ran into problems, he tried hard to fix my oops, and well… he lost heart.  This is not a build for the inexperienced.  My son is an avid paper crafter and knows how to work with glue and paper really well .. but my mess up just brought him to a stall.  Unwilling he was to try another build, partially because he didn’t want to make me feel bad, but trying to fix my oops just disheartened him.   Adult builders.. take heart though.  if you are a good paper crafter and have the requisite patience, this kit will work really well for you.  It’s a great kit, and being able to build what you’ve seen on the big screen is wonderful. 

Star Wars Build-a-Scene.
Benjamin Harper
Claudio Dias
Three builds in one kit.Disney/Lucasfilms
48 page booklet, kit, 
Hands-on, papercraft, Star Wars, model

Reviewed for: Quarto Group

Where to find: Amazon.com

Review: Egyptomania

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Ah… who doesn’t love the study of ancient Egypt?  The study of the government, the tombs, their love of cats, mummies, and the ancient gods.   Egyptomania is wonderfully illustrated by Emma Giuliani (graphic designer and illustrator living in Paris) and written by Carole Saturno (French children’s author who also writes history and travel guides).   Lift the flaps and open wide pages to delve deep into the life of Ancient Egypt.

Learn what Ancient Egyptians wore, what’s inside a pyramid, how a mummy is made and so much more by lifting the flaps and discovering the secrets hiding underneath!  You need to check out the details in this well crafted book.

Text is well balanced with images. Written on a level to by understood by upper elementary and middle school students

Timelines included:

 Lift the flaps to experience and learn more about Egypt and her many layers.

Don’t you just love the details in the illustrations?   This is a well-done book that will delight any student of Ancient Egypt.  I learned so much.  It could easily be the start of any study of Egypt, and then use points of interest to explain your research into this culture and time.

My Thoughts:

I have to admit, I like this book so much I am leaving it in it’s protective sleeve.  🙂  I just don’t want to risk it being damaged at all.  🙂  Silliness I know.. what’s the use of a good book if you keep it wrapped up?  I just love all the fold outs, lift that flaps, and other treasures to be found within the pages. 🙂   It has been used!  And I’ll bring it out again, but until then.. protective sleeves are good eh?

 
Egyptomania
Emma Giuliani (illustrator)
Carole Saturno
Laurence King
16 pages, ages 6+
Hardcover, lift the flap, history, 

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Where can you find it?
    Amazon Link.

 

Hymn of the week: Mary Did You Know?

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We sang this hymn in Church last week and I don’t recall putting it up on the blog before so figured it would be a great one to share this time of year. 

Lyrics:  You can find them here as well.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding is the great I am

Luke 2:

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Christmas Baking, The Boys

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The boys did some baking!   It’s always good to have the boys help out.  AND it’s fun to watch skills develop (in the lad) and creativity happen in my man!   I just thoroughly enjoy it. 🙂

So the lad made some Sugar Cookies today.  He saw how much they made and promptly cut the recipe in half.  MOM!  We don’t need to eat THAT many cookies!!!!!!!   Made dad and I laugh in agreement.  🙂  I decorated half of them, he did the rest.  I taught him a couple things to make it easier (like rolling out half the dough at a time)

Chocolate Pretzels.

The other day he made pretzels.  VERY easy for a lad to make.  Take some milk chocolate, melt it slowly in the microwave, dip the pretzels.    I told him what to do and off he went.  They turned out a bit more chocolatey than I expected, but it’s all good cause… WE LIKE CHOCOLATE.  🙂

 

 

Then Dad found a recipe and said “Think we should try it?”  I told him.. “Go ahead, looks good”.

Fudgey Marshmallow Squares. 

Ingredients
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup Nutella (or smooth nut butter of choice)
¼ cup salted butter
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
4 cups mini rainbow marshmallows

Instructions
Line 8” x 8” pan with wax paper, letting the ends hang over the edges. You will use these as handles later.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chocolate chips, Nutella and butter. Heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool until pan is safely touchable on the bottom but still smooth to stir.
Stir in coconut to combine well. Stir in marshmallows to cover.
Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Place a sheet of clear wrap over the top and press mixture firmly and evenly down into pan to make an even top.
Chill in refrigerator, covered with the plastic wrap, for at least 3 hours before cutting into squares. Remove from refrigerator just before serving.

Anyways, if you make them… let me know!   Take a pic and send it to me.  Always good to share eh?

 

Review: The Electric Pickle

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You know how students of all ages can benefit from hands on learning? Today’s books guarantees it for your middle and high school students, as they work to understand the periodic table better. In The Electric Pickle, you will find 50 experiments on the periodic table from aluminum to zinc.   As you can see, some elements have one experiment, where others will have two or more.

I found the experiments used easily found household items. The full colour pictures were clear. The instruction were  written in plain English. Any items that were not readily available in your household were clearly spelled out where you could probably find them, for instance not everyone will have a universal indicator so you’re told to go to a chemical supply store or to www.homeschoolsciencetools.com.

Not only were you told what to do, you are also told what to expect to happen and why works. Any potentially dangerous things were highlighted in bold. I appreciated that the first time you were taught about a particular element on the periodic table, a brief explanation of that element was given.

What experiments did we try?
Incredible shrinking potato chip bag: My lad’s reaction “OH COOL!!!   Why does that happen??” He listened and then said “I want to do it again!!!”


Ghastly green eggs: My lad’s reaction “GAH! What’s that smell!!!  I’m throwing this out.. that’s disgusting.  Is that why you cook eggs the way you do mom?”   Good to have science come to life you know?  🙂

The Electric Pickle:50 Experiments from the 
     periodic table, from Aluminun to Zinc.
Chicago Review Press
Softcover, 272 pages
Science, middle school, high school, experiments

Reviewed for: Chicago Review Press

Where can you find?

Amazon.ca:  The Electric Pickle.    Amazon.com:  The Electric Pickle.