Fire!

Just over a week ago the children were able to film a fire which had broken out at a plastics factory. It is the biggest fire Lincolnshire firefighters have had to deal with. At one point there were 100 firemen at the scene. Plumes of toxic black smoke were emitted into the air, but fortunately most of it avoided the people living nearby.

A beautiful rainbow!

It was a couple of days before it finally went out. The cost is expected to run into millions of pounds. A real blow to the area, considering we are in times of recession. Work is expected to start as soon as possible to rebuild the factory as soon as the cause is established. It is thought the fire started in the fan room.

My husband filmed this video and put it on youtube:

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Living History

As a child, I enjoyed History. However it was marred by the use of textbooks and a constant obsession on the teacher's part of world war 2 and aspects of the Victorians. I guess you could say the teaching of History in my school left quite a lot of gaps!
With my children I have decided to take a chronological approach. So we started at the very beginning when God created the Earth 6,000 years ago. We have used a lot of 'living books' in our History studies, which have been very enjoyable. We are currently reading, Our Island Story and the story of John Calvin.
Children are natural explorers, so we enjoy discovering places of Historic interest and I guess there is History to be found where ever you go! I often pass somewhere and wonder what it would be like if you could turn the clock back and see what really happened. What were the people really feeling and was it in line with the accounts we have today?
We are blessed in England to have a rich historical heritage. Castles, cathedrals, churches, battlefields, homes, woodland. They each tell their own story.

competition for uk readers

There is a new competition running at www.fillyourpants.com Here are the details.
This month sees our best competition yet! Up for grabs is a set of some of our best selling products, including a Dream-Dri Pop in Nappy, an Itti Bitti d’Lish, a bumGenius 3.0, a bag of Tots Bots Potion a Nappy Tote Bag and a pair of Babylegs! Worth over £60!
For more details and to enter see HERE.



Increase your chances of winning:
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4) Make any 5 posts over on the Forum for yet another chance of winning! We will draw one winner randomly with an "Online Number Generator" and will notify the winner by email.
Closing date for entries 15.09.09

Berry Picking in the Welsh Mountains

Recently we went wild berry picking in the Welsh mountains. The berries are called wynberries and they are like blueberries, except smaller and more potent!

Doesn't look like much, but the berries are hidden underneath the clumps of purple heather.

All in all, it was a great day and we picked about 8 pounds of them!

Unfortunately on the way back our car battery went flat and we weren't going anywhere! So after calling out breakdown we arrived home at 4;30a.m. Phew! It was a long day.

Our Homeschool
A new year is starting again and that always calls us to reflect, as to whether or not the year has been a success. I find by doing a yearly report, this puts it into perspective, as I can see exactly where the children are compared to last year!This year we will be using Christian Light for Maths, reading and some Social Studies. We are switching to Bob Jones for English for a change. Sometimes it is good to have a change, as it gives the children fresh impetus.We use Answers in Genesis for science, and the Bluedorns' books for logic. Also lots of read alouds, especially for History and Geography. Not to forget the all important field trips as well! One we enjoy, is Sherwood Forest, home of the legendary Robin Hood.Our typical school day is never the same, as the children have a schedule and they mark things off as they are done. Every day they have English and Maths to do, but the other subjects vary, unless of course they do their week's Maths in one day! Believe it or not, that has happened!We do a 4 day week, this helps to prevent burnout. We then only have a week off for each summer month. On a Friday we might do baking, sport, or anything else considered fun!If a child has a particular interest, then we encourage them and help them to follow that. Our eldest is into writing and has just finished her first book.

Join us at The Homeschool Lounge for great giveaways!

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Our Girls!

Feeling Down?

Feeling down?

I was reading the Sword and Trowell, just recently, and read a rather interesting article on counseling. I thought it raised quite a few important thoughts, and points. Where does counseling come into feeling down? Well, many people these days seek counseling for the smallest things, and it seems to be creeping evermore into Christian circles with more and more books written all the time.

How often have we heard people being referred to counsellors because they have seen something or dealt with something terrible? Why, as a modern society do we seem unable to manage, as people have in the past with far greater calamities?

All of us have a problem sometime or another with feeling down, so what can we do to help ourselves?

1) We need to go to the Bible, and immerse ourselves in the word of God.

2) We need to be ready, able and willing to serve others.

3) Spend time in public prayer.

4) Do not complain, but reflect on God's blessings to us, and be reflective of this in our conversations with others.

5) Don't be idle, as it is the devil's home for temptation.

Richard Baxter the Puritan suggested that we serve others, and that will help us. We are required to live a life of service, and for many of us home educating, then that is our main calling. If we have any opportunities for hospitality, or to help out, then it can be beneficial, but not to the point where we exhaust ourselves, or neglec our families.

The Bible teaches us to apply the truth through the reading of the word, and applying it. The truth in the Bible is what sets us free.

So by putting others first and being unselfish (obviously not to the point of neglecting ourselves) we are actually helping ourselves.

We don't need expensive books on how to right this and how to right that. They can be filled with worldly psychology which looks at the problem, not the person. If we seek through God's grace to become better people, then in most cases that will be of great benefit.

Here is a link to Richard Baxter's book on melancholy http://www.puritansermons.com/baxter/baxter25.htm