Chess Tournament and Prayer Request!

Today the kids had a Chess Tournament! They played against several other homeschoolers, public school, and private school children across the area. They had a great time playing today.

This is Web-princess waiting to play her first game of the day.

This is Superstar waiting to play his first game of the day.

After 5 rounds each we hung around and waited for the award ceremony. Both kids placed today! They each were in separate divisions. Web-princess was in Grade K-2 division and that division had 30 players. Superstar was in Grade 3-5 division and his division had 60 players.

Web-princess placed in 8th place. This is her with her 8th place ribbon (red). The purple ribbon was a participation ribbon.

Congrats Web-Princess!

Superstar placed 6th place. This is him with his ribbon (yellow). The purple ribbon is also a participation ribbon.

Congrats Superstar!

We had a great day! Both kids were happy to be there and were good sports today. Even when they lost a game they had a joyful heart. Superstar also clapped and cheered for everyone that won today during the award ceremony.

For those of you that pray: Please keep Superstar in your prayers especially on this coming Wednesday. This Wednesday is his surgery for ITW (toe-walking). We have to be at the surgery center at 6:00 AM (central standard time). We are told that we should be able to leave the center, with Superstar, @ noon that day. It's an out patient surgery. I know that it's going to be a tough day for all of us, especially Superstar. He's going to have both feet done and will leave the center with both feet in a cast. One will be a blue cast and the other will be a green cast. Thanks!

Christian Costume Ideas

With Halloween right around the corner I have noticed a pick up in traffic to my site. I've noticed that I'm getting hits for Christian Costume Ideas. So I wanted to take a moment to say, I know the post that is getting the hits: Costume Ideas?, isn't going to help because in that post I was asking for help for my own costume ideas.

Well, I should announce that we did find a costume for our son. He is going to be a road trip! Thank-You to Family Fun for providing us with the Costume Idea. Of course we are modifying the costume a bit seeing Superstar, will be in a wagon or wheel chair that night, because of surgery.

Or perhaps seeing Halloween is "All Hallows Eve" and the night prior to All Saints-Souls Day, you may want an All Saint's Day Costume. Just a thought!

As far as costumes are consern, You must do what you feel is best for your family. I really don't think there is such a thing as "Christian Costumes"! Costumes are just THAT Costumes. There's nothing Christian or Non-Christian about them, it clothing. The clothing can depict Christian Virtues, but it doesn't make the clothing Christian.

Of course a family may choose not to allow their children to dress up, or to dress in a certain way, because of their religous beliefs and convictions.  They have the right to do that!! That's fine....

Homeschool Blog Awards

I'm sure that if you have been combing the blogosphere like I have been then you may have noticed that the 5th Annual Homeschool Blog Awards have started. Currently they are taking NOMINATIONS between NOW and OCT 30th 2009.


After the nomination process is complete then they will start the voting process on November 9th, 2009. Please see the complete schedule for the time-line of events that will be taking place in regards to the Homeschool Blog Awards.  Don't forget to actually nominate your favorite blog! :)

UPDATE: Nomination is now close but the VOTING  IS NOW OPEN!

Review: Christians Courageous

Title: Christians Courageous

Author: Rev. Aloysius Roche

Short Description: True tales of 14 believers who defied the savage Roman emperors and evaded assassins sent by them; confronted Attila the Hun unarmed, saving Rome from destruction by his Mongol hordes; repelled bloodthristy Moslem invaders of Europe; overcame the deadly Druids; risked death to carry the Sacraments to souls with crippling disease; and --to preach the gospel to souls in the remotest regions --climbed even to the roof of the world!

Review: I got this book because when I was looking at it on the Catholic Company's site I noticed these words:

"Here you’ll read about, among others: The Irish monk who crossed the Sea of Darkness to discover America."

I was excited to see this, because at that time my kids and I were studying about St. Brendan and I thought to myself. "That must be St. Brendan they are referring too. This book just might be a great book to have for reference when it comes to Saints". So I was excited and I couldn't wait to get this book!

The book came, I ripped open the package, and immediately starting to comb the book looking for the bit about St. Brendan, after all that's who we were studying about. I was eager to learn more about this Saint. I was eager to share more with the kids.

That was the end of my eagerness! I was disappointed because first and forth most the chapters are not labeled by the Saint's name. So it took me a few times to find the correct chapter.

Once I found it I was disappointed on what I was reading. It seemed to be random content and there was no real flow to the content. No matter how hard I tried. I just couldn't stay engaged in this book. I simply found it boring. The author would share things that I felt were out of place or off topic. I just didn't like this book and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't read it; completely that is.

I tried several times, but I just couldn't stay engaged. I wasn't liking the book, thus I didn't want to read more. There isn't much more to say. I just was disappointed.

If you're interested in learning more about Christians Courageous then be sure to check out the Catholic Company. For more reviews about this or other products from other bloggers then please click here. 

Disclosure: I was given a free copy of Christians Courageous by the Catholic Company in order to write my honest opinion of this product for this review.

Periodic Table in Videos

My daughter (7) bought an MP3-Video Player for her brother (8) because of his up coming surgery. She felt that he would really enjoy it, especially seeing both of his feet are going to be in a cast.

Anyway seeing we now have this player I have been looking for videos that I can legally download for the player. In the process of looking for videos I remembered about this website that has the Periodic Table in Video, FREE for viewing!!. Here is just one example of the videos available:

Warning: Don't try this at home! :) 

If you visit the Periodic Table Site you will see they have videos for all 118 element. You can also visit their Youtube Channel. They have all those element videos AND more on their Youtube Channel.