A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

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:01 First Second

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:01 First Second is a rather odd book to me. I am actually not quite sure what to make of this tome to be honest, and I’m not sure if this is something I was supposed to review or not.

first second

BUT if you are into comics, this book might actually appeal.

What you get is a write up on the book and then a sample of what that comic book is about.

The write up

first second write up

The sample

first second samples

I have to admit, I’m rather intrigued by Kitten Construction Company and the variety of Science Comic books peak my interest indeed.  And if I could review full copies of those books I’d be delighted.  🙂

There is a lot of variety in the drawings, some are simple lines, others are filled with complex colours and images. Some of the stories are light, others have a darker element to them.  Most are right in the middle of that.

I think you’d call this a sampler, just enough to whet your appetite and give you a book to keep an eye out for.

The books:

  • Tiger vs Nightmare
  • Kitten Construction Company
  • Secret coders … I’ve reviewed this in the past here and here.
  • The Zita Trilogy
  • The creepy case files
  • Cucumber quest
  • Science comics
  • The nameless city
  • Walker Bean and the Knights of the waxing moon
  • Castle in the stars (book one here)
  • Last pick
  • On a sunbeam
  • Check, please
  • Deogratias
  • Monk!

And there you have it. 🙂

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Homemade Vegetable Soup

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A tomato base with a bag of soup mix beans made for the start of an excellent Homemade Vegetable soup.  Very simple to make. 

picture of homemade vegetable soup in crock pot

Into a crock pot put the following:

1/2 big can tomatoes liquefied
Bean soup mix (this one was just beans, barley, lentils, split peas)
Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, parsley)
Wonton (or other bouillon base) 1 tsp per cup
12 cups water
veggies: Carrot, celery, leftover green beans, corn, small handful stir fry veggie mix

You may wish to add other veggies: corn, peas, broccoli, whatever you like

Optional: toss in some cooked meat.  I put diced pork chops into this one.

This makes for a thicker, almost stew quality soup.  Could easily be thinned by adding more broth to it, but we liked it as is.

homemade vegetable soup, in a cup

Son’s reaction: yum, ate probably 70% of it.  His comment “you snooze, you lose”.  He ate it with toast and/or buns. 

Me: I’ll do this again.

Hubby: hmm… somethings missing… did you add anything with a bit of spice to it?  (no) ate two bowls none-the-less

If Polar Bears Disappeared

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If Polar Bears Disappeared is a full coloured, picture book that is guaranteed to delight your children as they learn about the world’s biggest bear and what might happen if they disappeared.  Join me as I review this great publication from Roaring Brook Press. 

if polar bears disappeared

Geared for children 4-8 years old, this book will be a great introduction to the topics of global warming, endangered animals, life in the north and the food chain.  Lily Williams asks this important question: What would happen if polar bears disappeared?   Have you ever thought through what might the end result be of such a horrible loss? 

Imagine the beauty and power gone from the earth!

The beautifully illustrated pictures bring to life the wonders of the Artic, a place where polar bears, seals, caribou, lichen, and more live.  We are drawn through a world where if too much ice melts in the Artic, even life in the desert will be affected.

if polar bears disappeared

So if we learn how to save the polar bears… perhaps we can learn how to save the whole earth?

if polar bears disappeared

My thoughts:

Even though I am not an advocate for global warming or old-earth teaching, there is much in If Polar Bears Disappeared that I simple adore.   I love how author Lily Williams pulls in all the different aspects of life on earth that could be affected if Polar Bears Disappeared.

I urge you to get this book if you are learning about endangered animals, the food cycle or just trying to teach your students the importance of all the varied life on earth.

if polar bears disappeared

If polar bears disappeared, book cover

 

If Polar Bears Disappeared
Lily Williams
Roaring Brook Press
40 pages, 4-8 years, softcover, picture book
biology, global warming, life cycle, science
Reviewed for Raincoast Books


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Rhubarb Cake 2

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It’s that time of year again!  The Rhubarb is ready!   Yum, yum, rhubarb cake, muffins, sauce, juice…. The pleasures of the season eh?   We have a favourite rhubarb cake that I normally use, but this week I thought I would try a different one. My boys had mixed reactions to this new recipe.

Rhubarb Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yogurt
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, soda, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with yogurt to creamed mixture.
Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into batter. Spoon batter into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, and smooth the surface.
Blend together cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter.  Cut the 1/4 cup butter into small pieces and sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar mix.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

My thoughts: It’s good, but the other recipe is better
Hubby’s thoughts: Meh.   Why did you need to change?
Son: Can I have more?   You don’t mind if I have more?  The other is better, but I like this one too!

The Things I Love

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Hey all..guess what’s coming?   The spring five day blog hop from the Homeschool Review Crew.   I hope you’ll come by next week as we all grab a topic (each our own) and talk about it for five days.

What will I talk about?

The Things I love

Things I love.

Things like
How I love it when homeschooling fits into life.
How I have things set in the kitchen to make things easier.
How my son has a bookbag for all this book work
How we have two checklists for my lad.. one for school, and one to help with daily practices.
and that last.. will be something I dunno know het, but I do hope you’ll stop in and take part!

Our Christain Faith … A Process of Becoming

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To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence

without fault and with great joy.   Jude 24

Our christian faith, a process of becoming

This past Sunday we attended a service where the pastor taught this important truth.  Growing up is a process.   You can’t feed a 5 year old child, 10 years worth of food one day and then the next expect her to be a teenager.   Growing up takes time.   It’s no different for a believer… growing up into the Lord is a process.   AND just like it would be indicative of something being wrong if a child didn’t grow up, so it is indicative of something wrong if a believer doesn’t mature in their faith over time. 

It’s a conversation I have with my son frequently who has it in his head he’s supposed to know everything already.   “Lad, you don’t have to apologize for not knowing something… all it means is that now you have a teaching moment.  I get to help you learn something!”   

Everything is a process you know?   An orange ripens, a car is made, a rabbit is born and grows up, a job is started and in time is done smoothly, a 12 page paper is written (years in the making), or a house is built.  It all takes time.  It all is a process of being.   

We need to remember that our faith is a process too.  A learning and growing and becoming more like the Saviour we love and follow.  Not only that though.. our brothers and sisters in Christ as learning and growing and becoming more like the Saviour too.  It’s ALL a process for EVERYONE. 

Let that sink in.

I need to let that sink in. 

Just like I can tell a child “be careful, you might spill” and then seeing them spill time and again, until they learn what is the right amount to put in a glass if you plan to carry it.  They learn it and then spilling doesn’t happen (unless there’s an unforeseen complication….. in our house that would be Miss Lizzie)  🙂

Knowing that the process of becoming more like Christ (sanctification is another word for it) is indeed a process. What does that mean for you?

I know for me it means time in prayer, time in God’s word, time listening to others.  

All these things (prayer, God’s word, listening to others) tell me if my perspective is getting skewed, or if I need to slow down, or if I need to change what I am doing.  It’s a necessary thing.  Being in communion with God is a time taking event.  A necessary part of the process in being part of the Lord’s family. 

It makes me wonder, why do we rush around so?  Why do we hurry each other to catch up or learn more or????   Why?   Is there a reason we don’t stop and realize that we are all on the journey, and just like children growing up, we’ll learn important lessons at a different pace from another?   Why can’t we be as patient with each other as the Lord himself is with us?   Let us have a mindset to encourage and build each other up.  Just as we’d say well done to a child learning a skill, or applauding a fellow finding a job, or a teen getting good grades on her report card.   Let us applaud when a fellow believer finally gets something they have struggled with for far too long. That would be a goodly thing to don’t you think?

Day is Dying in the West

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Day is Dying in the West.  I remember listening to my dad sing this hymn while I was growing up.  He often sang in our church choir and had a good voice. 

day is dying in the west learning the words and history to this lovely hymn

This hymn was written by Mary A. Lathbury.  An American teacher of art and French, she was part of the Chautauqua Movement.  She was known as the poet laureate of Chautauqua.  She believed that God wanted her to dedicate her abilities of verse to him. She wrote a fair number of hymns.

Lyrics

Day is dying in the west;
Heav’n is touching earth with rest;
Wait and worship while the night
Sets the evening lamps alight
Through all the sky.

Refrain
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heav’n and earth are full of Thee!
Heav’n and earth are praising Thee,
O Lord most high!

Lord of life, beneath the dome
Of the universe, Thy home,
Gather us who seek Thy face
To the fold of Thy embrace,
For Thou art nigh.

Refrain

While the deepening shadows fall,
Heart of love enfolding all,
Through the glory and the grace
Of the stars that veil Thy face,
Our hearts ascend.

Refrain

When forever from our sight
Pass the stars, the day, the night,
Lord of angels, on our eyes
Let eternal morning rise
And shadows end.

Refrain