30th Wedding Anniversary

Library of Congress:  Earle Landis family, 1942, anniversary party in Pennsylvania

In just a few days, Papa and I will have our 30th wedding anniversary. I have been trying to think of ways to make it a special day.  We are not the type of people who go out for a special dinner, or take a vacation, or spend money on expensive gifts.  Even though we would certainly enjoy those things, we have never had the funds.  The last time we went out to dinner together was shortly after we were married, 30 years ago.  We have been focused on the quiet of home and raising a family. There has always been work to do.  There will always be work on our anniversaries as well.  It is the work of loving our home, our children, and our grandchildren.  We just have to find a way to make special days a bit distinctive and above the ordinary.

I can just imagine what Ma Ingalls would have done during a time when they lived in seclusion out on the prairie.  Perhaps she would have dressed up a bit with a pretty ribbon in her hair.  She would have saved good sugar, over time, to be able to make an anniversary cake.  After the family did the farm work and all the regular chores which were necessary for survival, perhaps Pa would have surprised Ma with some precious homemade gift to delight her. It was just little thoughtful things that made special days distinctive.

This year I will make a white cake, and use my white tablecloth.  I have a special photo album (an anniversary book) showing our years together.  I will find a few pictures from this past year and add them to the book.  Papa and I recently had our picture taken, just a few days ago, during an outside picnic for one of the grandchildren.  I will add this picture to my wedding anniversary book.  (I would share it here, but must protect Papa's privacy.  - gentle smiles)

Some of the children and grandchildren will be here to visit.  Some of us will attend church services, since the anniversary falls on a Sunday this year.  We will make the house look extra pretty and a bit festive.  Then, in the quiet of the afternoon, we will thank the Lord for giving us these many years together and ask for many more.

Blessings
Mrs. White


From the Archives -

A Special Gift for Grandbaby - Tea Napkins.

Difficulty of Motherhood - Pioneer Homeschooling Mothers.

The Mother of D.L. Moody - Poverty in the 1800's.





Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."





An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 

Finding Time and Strength to Write

A desk in Mrs. White's Home

I have not written much here on the blog for quite some time.  Often it is very difficult to find a quiet space, or some time, to think.  This year we have guests staying with us for the spring and summer months.  I have given them our back parlour where I used to write.

Yesterday I realized there is an empty wall in one of the rooms. I measured my old desk and found it would fit perfectly.  This room is on the first floor, where my parent's bedroom used to be.  (They lived with us for 9 years.)  They have since gone home to Heaven.  Lately, I have been using the room to watch Charles Stanley sermons on DVD. These are ones offered for free from time-to-time through the ministry. I like to watch them in that room in the quiet of the morning before everyone wakes up.  My father was the one who had we children watch Dr. Stanley's sermons on television in the 1980's.  So I find it comforting to hear his sermons.

Now that my desk is in that room, I can bring in my laptop and start writing early in the day, just after the sun rises.  It is also a good time for prayer, hear a sermon, and to get ready for a busy day with the family.

On the desk, in the picture above, there is a lace table runner (or bureau scarf).  It was a beautiful gift from a dear reader.  You will also see a picture that says, "Prayer."  It also says, in smaller print, "When life gets too hard to stand. . Kneel."  This was given to me by another dear reader. These are very precious items that are so helpful. This is how I get my strength.

I have gotten behind on writing reviews because I really dread doing them.  I am going to try to seriously limit them to rare occasions.  I just caught up on them today, and will start getting back to a regular routine of regular writing.  Thank you for your patience with me.  Thank you for reading.  I am very grateful.

We have had so many trials in the last few years.  A little over three years ago, my husband became disabled.  This has been a drastic change in our lives.  It has taken a  long time to understand what was happening and to adjust.  We have settled into a new way of life.  It is a much quieter way with a very limited income.  The Lord provides and we are content and blessed.   All is well.


Blessings,
Mrs.White


From the Archives -

Marriage - When Groceries are the Presents.

Difficult Times - How a Godly Mother may Guide an Imperfect Family.

This is so important to remember - The House Comes First.





Mrs. White's special book for Homemakers - "Mother's Book of Home Economics."





An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email. 

Review - History for Little Pilgrims

The following is a homeschool review of "History for Little Pilgrims," published by Christian Liberty Press:

This is a very cute softcover book with 122 pages.  It is suggested for 1st grade students.  The cover illustration is so sweet and I love the artist, Vic Lockman.

This is designed to be a history book to include many Bible stories and also some geography, history of America, and the Church.

Each chapter has easy to understand text which is read by the teacher (or parent). There are pictures, maps, and cartoon- type illustrations.  Most of the illustrations by Vic Lockman are adorable. There are a few that were slightly scary to me, though, and I just wanted to mention that.  There were also a few passages that I would not read to children because they were sad and troubling (such as mention of martyrs).

At the end of each chapter is a section which includes vocabulary words, an activity, and a review where the student needs to write missing words.




Additional Resources

There is a teacher's manual that goes with this.  It is 68 stapled pages and includes lesson plans, questions to ask the student, and definitions of vocabulary words from the lessons.

There is a coloring book which includes larger pictures taken from the workbook.  It is 38 pages.




This post is the fourteenth in a series of reviews I am doing using Christian Liberty Press curriculum.  I hope to do 2 reviews each month as I work with my grandson for Kindergarten. To start with the first post, please see the introduction:

"24 Years of Homeschooling with Christian Liberty Press"



* Disclosure - I received this for review purposes.*

Review - Little Pilgrims in God's World

The following is a homeschool review of "Little Pilgrims in God's World," published by Christian Liberty Press:

This is a softcover workbook designed for Kindergarten students.  It is 156 pages.  It includes photographs and cartoon- type illustrations by Vic Lockman. 

There are 70 lessons including topics such as Selfishness, Bad Government, God's Grace, Working Together, America's Freedom, and many more.

Each lesson begins with a short passage of Scripture.  There is a text for the teacher to read, some questions, and activities.   

There were some illustrations that I think were a little scary and I would not want to show them to my grandchildren.  There was also some wording in the book that I did not think was suitable for small children.  An example includes talking about abortion (even though that term is not directly used.)  I just don't think this is age appropriate, considering this is designed for 5 or 6 year old children.

I had a similar review for the 1st grade version of "History for Little Pilgrims."   

Other Resources

There is a Teacher's Manual which goes along with the workbook.  It is 50 pages long. It includes lesson plans, questions, vocabulary words, activities and instructions. 

There is also an Activity Book that goes with this.  It is 121 pages long.  There is an activity which goes with each lesson in the student workbook. One example is a group of four colorful illustrations and the student is asked to "put an "X" on the picture of someone being selfish." (page 36) There are vocabulary words to study, memory verses, suggestions for further study, and more.

This post is the fifteenth in a series of reviews I am doing using Christian Liberty Press curriculum.  It is the final one in this series.  To start with the first post, please see the introduction:

"24 Years of Homeschooling with Christian Liberty Press"



* Disclosure - I received this for review purposes.*

Review - Nathan's Story

The following is a homeschool review of "Nathan's Story," published by Christian Liberty Press:

This is a hardcover story with 47 pages. It was published by Great Light Publications.  The publisher's suggested audience is preschool through 1st grade.    First I have to say that even though this book is beautifully illustrated and well written, I did not like the story. It is about something cruel that happens and I would not read it to my children or grandchildren. It would upset them terribly. It may even scar them emotionally. 

The book includes a preface and a foreword, written specifically for parents.  There are also teaching suggestions in the back of the book, which include Scripture reading and Bible lessons to go with the story.

Overall, this book did not work for me.

  This post is the twelfth in a series of reviews I am doing using Christian Liberty Press curriculum.  I hope to do 2 reviews each month as I work with my grandson for Kindergarten. To start with the first post, please see the introduction:

"24 Years of Homeschooling with Christian Liberty Press"



* Disclosure - I received this for review purposes.*