Teaching, Seeing, and Believing

I've been entertaining the idea of formal homeschooling for some time now - researching curriculum, reading blogs, and checking out books on the subject from the library.  After attending a homeschooling curriculum fair over the summer, Mark and I decided to try out Sonlight.  It's a literature based curriculum (vs. textbooks/worksheets) that emphasizes Christian teaching and values. 

The nice part about Sonlight versus, say, piecing together my own curriculum, is that they provide the lesson plans and suggest lots of extra crafts and outings and activities.  Each day's work only takes about 30 minutes, so it's short and fun and simple.  We start off with a Bible memory verse, read a few short stories, do an activity based on one of the stories, practice writing, and sing a song.  Since Taylor is still very young, I'm thinking I might stretch this "Core package" over two years and then move on the the Kindergarten Core when she is five.

Taylor and I have done about a week's worth of school over the last two weeks (usually while Rory takes her afternoon nap).  While the stories and rhymes are interesting, really her favorite part of school is anything that allows her to wield a pencil or scissors.  Like when we were learning about the letter F, we cut photos out of a magazine of things beginning with that letter and pasted it onto a big piece of paper. She has also had quite a bit of practice writing her name and Daddy.

I am really impressed with how easily Taylor picks up the memory verses - what a little sponge of a brain! This week's verse is Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." We talked about how, though we don't see God in person, we have faith in Him and trust in His promises from the Bible.

But you know something that you really have to see to believe?


Well, inspired by the book "Jessie Bear, What Will You Wear?" (part of another homeschooling package I ordered a while back) we made a new snack yesterday - celery with peanut butter, raisins, and bean sprouts (from the stanza: Celery crunch, sprouts in a bunch).

Taylor and Rory gobbled it up! I mean, I know "Ants on a Log" is a popular kid's snack, but would you think they'd enjoy bean sprouts on it too? I'm glad I have the photos to prove it.

The two girls also ate a good portion of a tomato, apple-style. Just bit right in and ate it. Amazing! This will help to off-set those Five Guys hamburgers and french fries...