Yarn Along

Sadly, I haven’t gotten very far in my knitting this last week.  I don’t have a very good reason why besides we’ve been running everywhere this last week.  (Whoever put the “home” in “homeschool” was l.y.i.n.g.) Also I’m spending more time in books lately, and that’s not a bad thing.  I do have several projects going with knitting right now, but I was really hoping to have this “Rhubarb Cardigan” done in time for when the rhubarb is growing.  It’s just the perfect spring cardigan (or where we live, the perfect summer cardigan because we’re still wearing chunky wool in spring).  It’s coming along nicely, though.  Maybe about 4 rows a day, which isn’t lightening speed, but still moving along.

I photographed some of the books we’re reading in our house.  We are nearly done with The Tale of Despereaux during our morning tea time with all 5 of the kids.  Well, occasionally Ingrid sleeps through it, but since she’s only 1, we’ll forgive her that.  This book is really, really fun.  It’s a great fit for our family with a wide range of ages to read together.  I’ve never read it before, so I’m really excited as we’re approaching the climax.  I want to see how it ends.

The 2 oldest kids and I have been reading out loud The Magician’s Nephew at night after the little kids are in bed.  I’ll admit, I’ve only read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe up until now.  The big kids read it for the first time last fall.  The Magician’s Nephew was next on our reading list and it is seriously blowing my mind.  The scene where Aslan is creating a new world through singing?  It took my breath away.  I could barely get through it without crying in awe.  What imagination!  So, so, so beautiful.  Then finding out how the witch actually gets to Narnia?  Finding out how the lamp post gets to Narnia?  Wow.  The kids are loving it too.  Silje is the only one who has read it before because after we finished The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe last year she read ahead a few books.  She’s really enjoying watching our jaws drop, and us gasping in revelation.  Plus, you experience a book differently as it is read out loud.

Finally, I’m starting to go through some curriculum options/ideas for my Sunday School class at church next year.  A few friends have recommended this Biblical Holidays book, and it intrigues me.  It goes in depth in studying all the Biblical feasts like Passover, and the Feast of Tabernacles, and Purim, etc.

So what I’m thinking we’ll do is spend 3 weeks or so on each feast.  We could spend the first week studying the Bible story behind the feast.  The second week we could celebrate the feast doing traditional games, crafts, and of course food!!  The third week we could look at the symbolism, and study what we learn about the character of God, and fulfillment of prophesy through that holiday.  It’s still very, very much in the early stages of planning.  Honestly I’ve never studied the Biblical feasts before, so I’m intrigued as much for myself as I am for my students.

The book is meant for families, not Sunday School classes, and it’s written from a very, very conservative Christian (dare I say legalistic?) perspective of which the reader should be aware.  (For example, in the introduction the author’s family doesn’t recommend celebrating any modern holidays and only celebrate Biblically ordained ones like the Puritans did.  In fact, I’m pretty sure they think we should do everything the Puritans did.) and so I’m not taking it all at face value, but sifting through for the amazing gems, history, and fun ideas that are the bulk of this book.  Really, there’s a lot of treasure in here from recipes to craft ideas, explanation of the Biblical calendar, context of agricultural significance of each holiday, songs, decorations, etc.  I continue to be intrigued, and am pondering several of these ideas.

Linking up with Ginny for her weekly Yarn Along!