A Lad's Delight in Tidyness

Did you know that sometime in the 4 months we'll be moving?

To that end, we're  trying to find the furniture and belongings that we say "I'm not going to move that".  

My lad has taken that thought to heart and over the past couple of weeks has been working hard to clean his room, and MY oh MY the articles and papers and toys and junk this lad is tossing.  :)

He even went out and bought two new-to-him shelves for his room.

He's rather pleased with how it all turned out and said I could post it up on the blog for comments.

No before pictures as well... he wasn't happy with his room so no pictures allowed of that.

 
Allow me to walk you through some of his changes.

Where the shelves are placed used to be a large drawer cupboard.   It was good for the storage of blocks of wood, stuffies, toy animals and such like, but he's 11 now, his play takes a somewhat different turn these days.   

We moved it out to the book room where I'll use it for other things.  It left him with one shelf which was unacceptable, but YAY!!  Mom found some shelves for sale and the previous owner was willing to accept counter offers from a lad!!   An even better woot woot!


Shelf One:

Top Shelf - Christmas Snowmen, trophy and catapult.

Next Shelf- snake skins (literally) and art projects

Next two - papercraft items and support items

Bottom shelf - can you see how he made an area for his cat to lie down?

He is SO pleased with his just for Milo area.  :)  and Milo seems to like it too.   All we need to do now is add a cat door to his bedroom and Milo will always have access to HIS BOY.




Some of the treasures he wants you to see.   All these treasures he made.  Some from a kit, the rest all him.  :)

Second shelf unit

This unit predominately holds his books along with his 3-d models and a few other treasures.

The tractor is a reminder of his grandfather.

The bottom shelf holds toys he can't quite get rid of yet, as well as some cat magazines etc.

Model car, items from Kiwi Crates and a bit of this and that.






Treasures again for you to see: 

One last area that he wants to show off.

OH!!!  I almost forgot!!!   He figured out how to hang up his real sword!!!!

My son is hoping you like what he did with his shelf units.  Nothing on the floor, everything nicely organized.  What more could a tidy boy want eh? Other than... MORE SHELVES!!!!   :)

Field Trip: Kitchener Symphony

In October my son and I went to Kitchener, they were doing a children's symphony event there.  We went with our homeschool group.

BOY, did the lad and I have fun.

It was a rather neat program, they sent us the music before the program so we knew what music to expect.

No cameras were allowed during the program so I only have this so-so shot while they were warming up.

The conductor did a really good job as introducing each piece and telling the children what to expect from it.

In the hall of the mountain King , oh my how my lad liked this song, and has asked for me to play it again for him more than once.  :)

The conductor explained that you could hear the fellow creeping into the mountain and having some goblins or something start to sneak up behind them, and then a huge race at the end... would they catch him or would he escape.    My lad LOVES the imagery and the music..ah.. it makes him smile.

They did 10 pieces in all, each time the conductor gave some explanation of the piece and gave the students something to listen for.   Sometimes he provided imagery, other times he asked what emotion the piece asked or demanded of them, and so forth.  All the different ways the music tells a story were explained and demonstrated.

If you ever have a chance to go to a Children's lesson time at the orchestra, do so.  You'll learn much and be able to watch your children's faces light up with joy.

Days of December: White

The Instagram word prompt for the day is white.   
As I thought about this word this verse popped into my head: 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9.

I have to admit, this is my favourite verse in the bible.  God calling us out of darkness.

Art Series: Designing with Pixar

YES! It's time for another Art Books from My House to Yours. I really need to take the time to provide you with links to all of them, but not today. :) Today's book is Designing With Pixar: 45 Activities to create your own characters, worlds and stories.

 Anyways, when I first saw this 80 page I wondered at its usefulness, and then I really started looking at it. The author Ms. Emily Haynes takes the beloved pixar characters and uses them to help children design better characters, worlds and stories. I'm going to be using this book with my lad to help him once he finishes his story, to turn it into a book. :) Won't that be cool?

Using pixar characters we are drawn into determining colours for characters skin, hair, clothing etc.   How do those colours make you feel, what do they draw out of you.

We are then led to think about shapes, how does the shape of the character change your thoughts about them.   Often the words "Imagine if...."

What makes your character(s) interesting?   How would you draw them to show those interests?

I won't say this book is huge and very in-depth, but it does excite the curiousity.   What if Nemo wasn't orange and white, would it have affected how we thought of him?   What if he'd been a moray eel instead?   Or if Brave's Merida had long blond tresses rather than a wild mass of long red-haired curls?

Colour and shape influence what we think and feel about characters (and perhaps about the people around us... like the book we are listening to right now where the main character likes to dress in greys and browns so she won't be noticed).   Could such a character be drawn and how would you draw such a person?

It's a simple and yet intriguing concept don't you think?

This book comes with a ton of pages to write and colour on.  To Design your set and to think through changes you would make to movies they have put together.     You see this book is the result of work done by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and Pixar Animation Studios when they worked to put together an exhibit.    The exhibit was all about Pixar's design process.   Research, Iteration and collaboration.   A Story need to have appeal and believability. 

Research - when you look to the world to help inspire your own work.
Iteration - playing with colours and shapes to create your own worlds and characters
Collaboration - working with other people to help tell a story.

The goal of the book: to help people tell their own stories.

To that end, they use their own characters, such as Eve from Wall-E

We are asked to imagine that she has met an alien intruder, what does he look like, his shape and colour?   Does the mean friend or foe?

Emotions can be different colours, like red for anger, green for digust.

What colours could other emotions be?   Like Joy  or Sadness or excitement?

So grab up this book, this inventive activity book that draws you into the world of Pixar and discovery, talk and think about what colours and shapes evoke in your and others.  Work together, create your own stories and worlds.

Designing with Pixar: 45 Activities to create your own characters, worlds and stories.

Michael Bierut

by (artist) 'Cooper Hewitt

foreword by John Lasseter 

Text by Emily Haynes

Size is 8 x 10 inches.

 80 pages.

Geared for ages 6-9 (but I see the age spread as higher)

Affiliate links provided for ease in finding this book for yourself.   Thanks for your support.

Amazon.ca: Designing with Pixar: 45 Activities to Create Your Own Characters, Worlds, and Stories
Amazon.com: Designing with Pixar: 45 Activities to Create Your Own Characters, Worlds, and Stories

Recipe: My Pineapple Ham

I have been making my pineapple ham for ages, but I've never blogged about it as far as I recall.  :)

Was finally up for making a real meal tonight so opted for a family favourite.

Take a half ham... sometimes I use a country ham, or a black forest one, or like tonight a kitchen ham.  Usually whatever is on sale to be frank.  :)

I slice it in thin even slices, sometimes I use my meat slicer (if taking it to a potluck) but more often I just kinda wing it like I did tonight.

Lay them down in your casserole dish.
Cover them with pineapple rings. Slightly overlapping them.
Drizzle some brown sugar overtop...perhaps about 4 tbsp.
Cover your casserole.

USUALLY I then add some apple cider pop... but if I can't find it (not always available) then I'll add some sprite or apple juice (usually 1/2-1/2 mix).   If I'm really stuck I'll add the pineapple juice from the can.

Stick it into a 300 oven and let it cook for an hour or so.

Variations that I occasionally do.

- instead of brown sugar add some raisins or craisins.
- sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the pineapple
- use crushed  or chunked pineapple instead.  My boys don't like this variation though so I do it when they aren't around.

Serve with whatever you are up to.
Goes really well with spaghetti squash lightly seasoned with spices and oil.
Tonight I made crescent rolls and corn which all got devoured.

John: A Call to Repent

 

 

Hymns

Break thou the bread of life
On the banks where Jordan rolled
Hark the glad sound, the Saviour come
Come thou long-expected Jesus
Angels, from the realms of glory
Thou didst leave thy throne

 

Review: The StoryBook Knight

This has got to be one of the CUTEST books I've read in a long time.  

Not sweet or fun, just oh my.. I find it very cute.

 

A family unit much like my own.

A mom, a dad and a young lad.

This young lad.

Strikes me as the geeky sort who thinks and likes to read.

His folks expect him to be a knight and to that end get him a shield and sword.  

A DRAGON HAS BEEN SPOTTED.....OH NO!!!!

Leo packed up his things (including some books) and off he set.

 Leo fought,

But he fought in a most unconventional way.

I smiled.

Such a cute book with such a lovely unconventional lad who solved things his own way.

I LIKE IT.

I'm kinda thinking that your children might like it to. 

 After all... the sign of a good children's book is when the adults like it as well.  :)

If you want to know more about this book, check it out at Raincoast Books.

The Storybook Knight

Author: Helen Docherty

Illustrator:

Thomas Docherty

Published by: Sourcebooks
Size: 10.27 x 11.25

 32 pages
Ages 4-8 years

affiliate link:  The Storybook Knight

Hymn Study: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

This hymn fit perfectly the sermon we had this past Sunday.   Speaking to how Christ left heaven to come to earth as a regular person, except he wasn't.   He was the one the John the Baptist pointed the way to, the one to whom we are called to come to in repentance.  

Written by Emily Elliot with music by Timothy R. Matthews.   This hymn was first sung at St. Mark's Church, in Brighton England where Elliot's Father was rector.

In 1870, it was published in the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor, which Elliott edited. (source)


This was a hymn written to help children understand advent and the Nativity.  (source)

Lyrics

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.

Refrain

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

Refrain

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

Refrain

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

Refrain

When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home,
Saying Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.

Final refrain

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

Days of December: List

You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town

These words are so familiar this time of year aren't they?

I grew up NOT believing in Santa, my mom did...and when she found out that he wasn't real, she wondered what else her mom had lied to her about.   Ergo.. .no Santa.  

Therefore as I grew up I didn't understand the fervour of "needing to be good" at Christmas time.  The wanting to make sure that you only had good things on the list that some Santa figure was writing down.

I remember, as a teen, a little girl crying because she just knew that Santa had caught her being bad and had written it on his list.  She was SO frightened about this.

This list.

So I wonder.... is it really helping children to teach them about Santa.  To teach them about a fat, jolly man who watches them ALL THE TIME so he can decide if they are good enough to get presents.

Wouldn't it be better to teach them about Christ, and about God's immense love for them.   That he even sent his son to cover all the naughtiness that we can get into.  How all we have to do is accept that love.   Love rather than fear....  

Just makes me wonder...

 

Do not Forget the Lord God

Picking up my studies in Ezekiel here.    You can find the rest of my study HERE. 

Today Ezekiel 23

   
First the written word of God, then I will give my thoughts as I do my devotions.   Perhaps you might like to join me in this study?

Days of December: Peace

When I thought about the word peace this morning, this song immediately popped into my head.

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.

This song was written by Vince Gill.

 

As I hummed it, letting the words run through my mind, I started to think about those words "And let it begin with me".

I started to feel bothered by them.  

Peace doesn't begin with me.   It doesn't.  It can play out through my actions and attitude, but it really doesn't begin with me.  It begins with God, from the very beginning of time.

Adam and Eve sinned, and God promised this, that even though there would forever be conflict between man and Satan, between man and God...that Satan might bruise our heels but we shall bruise his head.  Throughout scripture we can find references to how God will best Satan, and in Revelations we see that truth fully revealed.   So Satan HAS been beaten (it just hasn't been fully completed yet).   and I fear I am not saying this all correctly....so work more with my thoughts than my words.   If that makes sense.  :)

Will there truly be peace on earth until that final day?

No.  There can't be.  God promised in Genesis 2

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel

So until one or the other is destroyed, there will be no peace.  Enmity means no peace.

BUT peace is still hoped for and longer for and sought after.

Peace can still be seen in small part in the things we say and do and how we live.

We don't have to fight and make war and what not.  

 Peace, can be seen and lived in part, and shows as if in a mirror dimly, what will come.

This post is part of my Days of December series, The others so far are:

Weather.

Santa Based Christmas Books

Do you do Santa at your house?   There are many people who do, and if so...I have a couple of picture books that just might delight your children this Christmas season.

Santa, in the eyes of so many, is getting set to come to town.  Have you been naughty, have you been nice?   Excited children want to know... Santa where are you?

Does Santa really care?  Does Santa have the time he needs to bring everyone presents?

Today I have two books here that will help excited children answer their questions about Santa.

Santa's Sleigh is on it's way to my house is a hardcover book about an excited little girl who can hardly sleep because SANTA IS COMING to HER HOUSE.  Santa is coming.  Santa is coming!!!

Beautifully illustrated, with select easy to read lines if you want to read it with your children.  Lines like  HEY SANTA HEY SANTA!   In this book, all those questions children have about Santa are answered, and some additional ones are raised, like does Santa really have a motor on his sleigh?

It's actually a nice little book, the last part of it making me smile, as a sleepy child COMPLETELY misses out on seeing Santa as he becomes a broom, or a curtain or .....  For Santa lovers, this book will go over rather well.
 

Written by Eric James

Illustrated by Robert Dunn 

Published by: Sourcebooks
Size: 10.86 x 8.75 

32 pages
Ages 3-6 years 
Affiliate link, Amazon.com Santa's Sleigh Is on Its Way to My House: A Christmas Adventure

Presents Through the Window answers the question, what would Santa do if he's running out of time... afterall..all those presents must be delivered!   What would Santa do?  Even if he's an unusual helicopter riding, pink-suited Santa.

Santa has a great solution...he'll just look through the window, see who is there and toss a present through a window.   It's actually a book I think children would get a kick out of... potentially.  It could, depending on the child, raise fears that Santa MIGHT get it wrong too.

Santa is peeking through windows, that are interactive.   Do you see the cut out?

Some children might find it simply hilarious how many times Santa simply gets it wrong, and BADLY.  BUT by the end of the book it all works out.  Everyone has a present, and everyone is happy.  It's just a silly little book answering the question of what would Santa do if he was running too short on time and just needs those presents delivered.

Author: Taro Gomi
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Size: 9.43 x 8.91
36 pages
Ages 3-5

Affiliate Link: Amazon.com: Presents Through the Window: A Taro Gomi Christmas Book

Review: The Art of Beatrix Potter

Does the thought of Beatrix Potter and her books bring back good memories?   Do you love the art work that she did?   Wouldn't it be neat to watch a talent develop and see the progression in a famous series of books, as well as to see what else Miss Potter was interested in as an artist?

Well then... Have I got the book for you!!!  

I originally was going to put this book in my art series, (would post mid January), but as I started going through it I thought no.... I cannot wait that long.  This book is WAY to beautiful and nice to let it wait that long.   Beatrix Potter did such lovely work.   I will be referring to it later on in the Art Book Series, but for now, let me tell you about this lovely hardcover book that tells us all about The Art of Beatrix Potter.

So what do you get in this marvellous book?

Five main sections covering
1. Becoming Beatrix Potter
2. London and the South Coast
3. Scotland
4. The Lake District
5. Wales and Beyond

 As I went through this book I discovered reams upon reams of gorgeous drawings.  I met all the characters from her book, discovering that:

I discovered that Beatrix secretly bought Peter Rabbit, and eventually trained him to walk on a leash.  Can you imagine seeing that?   Made me grin when I thought about it.

There is SO much I could tell you about this book, just so very much, but I wanted to tell you about the fungi pictures.  YES.. I like fungi, I love taking pictures of them, and as I was browsing through this book look at what I discovered!!!!

Did you that Miss Potter did up a whole bunch of drawings on fungus..and she did them really well?   I was thoroughly impressed and learned so much!   :)

That was only one part of the book though, scattered throughout were all her characters that we know and love, Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin and all the rest.

This image made me smile as well, three guinea pigs in a basket.  I used to raise guinea pigs and still miss their wheeking at me first thing in the morning.  Seeing this picture brought back good memories for me.  In fact this whole book did that, seeing the pictures of the Peter Rabbit books and the guinea pigs...just gave me the warm fuzzies.

 This is a very thorough book that is not a dry treatise.   Tons of art work with the words to fill in the details to delight and educate the reader.  Beauty in art, and strength and knowledge in words.  

For anyone who treasures the work of Beatrix Potter and wants to know the woman behind the books and how she developed her talent, this book is a perfect fit.

Author:  Emily Zach

foreword by Steven Heller

introduction by Linda Lear

Publisher:Chronicle Books
Size: 9.96 x 11.28
256 pages

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Amazon.ca

 The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings, and Illustrations

Amazon.com

The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings, and Illustrations