RSVP's

Alright people!  Here is my public service announcement for the day:

Please RSVP!

What do I mean? Well, when you are invited to something, please let the host know as early as possible whether or not you are going to attend.

Seriously.

It is very difficult to plan a large event when you do not know whether there will be many or few people there.

Twice this week I was in charge of events which required an RSVP.  For one of them, only one family out of seven told me they were going to be there (and then six families plus ours showed up!!)

It's just respectful.  Don't feel bad if you have to say no, that will help the host as well.

Science Fair--starting early?

Okay, so sadly I'm editing this post :( Unfortunately the project that she has planned out all summer and has just begun--is not allowed.  I just heard from the ISEF (International Science & Engineering Fair) that the material she was planning to use, cyanobacteria, is classified as a phba--potentially hazardous biological agent -- and in order to use/culture something like that, a student must be doing their research at a research institution, in their protected laboratory.  She wasn't.  We are homeschoolers.  We do not have a research institution at our disposal.


Ahhhhhh :/

What do you homeschoolers do regarding scientific research projects for your high schoolers? Ideas or suggestions



My daughter has decided to do a science fair project on a "summery" topic--meaning that she needs to do the research now!  She got right in there and wrote up a method and has begun doing her research!  Wow!  No procrastinating...hopefully!

How nice it will be in the springtime when she has this project already completed and can pull it out and enter it! 

I'm hoping that her verbal presentation will be just as fresh then, having done the research so far in advance.

Here's hoping that she gets good results!

I'm not going to say what the project is yet--hey, it's competitive!!

How about you?  Have any of your children begun science fair research earlier than last-minute?  :)

As the Tide Comes In -- my REVIEW

Are you looking for a good book?  I have a recommendation for you!  As the Tide Comes In is written by Cindy Woodsmall and her daughter-in-law Erin Woodsmall.

In the beginning of this book readers get to know Tara Abbott, a young girl who has had a beyond-difficult life growing up -- and then takes on a huge challenge for the good of others.  The book continues and she experiences fulfillment and unimaginable tragedy.  (I'm trying to not give you too much of the story!)

Following this tragedy, she slips into a kind of altered state, in which reality and a dream world coexist and fight to come out on top.  In this fragile state, Tara meets a group of older women and one of their sons who take an interest in her and help her to navigate this phase of life that she's in.  These women are a quirky bunch and the author helps you to know each of them :) They have good hearts and intentions and exert a bit of their influence on Tara and her future.

I know this sounds very brief, but I really don't want to give you more information about the plot.  It is an amazing story and I want you to be able to experience it for yourself through reading your own copy!

The characters in the book are nicely developed and appealing to the reader.  Even those who are not as "nice" fit nicely into the plot and round out the story.  There is a lot of emotion in this story, and the reader will feel quite a bit of concern for the main character as she struggles and develops. It has amazingly sad parts, tender parts, sweet parts, tragic parts, and so much more! (and a happy ending, yay! Hold onto that hint if it feels like it's getting too heavy or sad!)

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to other readers!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Niagara Falls

Ahhh so gorgeous, such an exhibition of power!! Thankful for God's creation.  If you get a chance, make a trip out to see it!!

Garden dinner

Yummmm...when you have a vegetable garden dinners are luscious!!!