Pattern of Love True + Free Printables

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I love Valentine's Day. I love celebrating the ones I love. I love eating CANDY in colors red & pink! I love making this Taco Heart Ring for dinner every year! Most of all, though, I love focusing on what LOVE TRUE really is.

As Valentine's Day approaches, let us be sober minded about what true love is. As Christians we know that a true love model CANNOT be found in the pattern of this world. Just like the devil can appear as an angel of light, there are many things in this world that can appear as love but are anything but. And vice versa is true as well. For instance, disciplining a child, though it involves discomfort, is far more loving than spoiling which, for the moment, provides much pleasure. Pleasure and warm, fuzzy feelings don't necessarily = love.

The Bible is really the ONLY place we can go to find a pattern for a love that's true. And that's because it's the ONLY place where we meet the One who not only created love but IS love. :)

Pattern of Love True according to 1st John chapters 4-5:

Love comes from God.

God is love.

God showed his love toward us by sending his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

We can love God because He first loved us.

We show our love for God by keeping His commands.

If we love God, we must love others.

Be sure to read 1st John chapters 4-5 this Valentine's Day! Also, feel free to print these 10 True Love Bible Verses. I'll be reading through these with my kids on Valentine's Day. :)

Click here to print these verses.


Bonus: here's a free For God So Loved the World printable I made a couple of years ago. Follow this link to print if you wish.



Linked to WFMW

Entertain Kids with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Movie Maker

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*Updated - original post 10/20/2010

Cinnamon Toast Crunch isn't a cereal I let my kids eat for breakfast (more for dessert), but they sure had fun with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Movie Maker!!

I can't believe it's been 5 years since my boys had fun making silly movies with animated Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares. Today, my daughter saw the title of my old post and wanted to know what it was. I clicked on my link and was surprised that it still worked. So, now she's had fun making some silly movies.

I think your kids will have fun making Cinnamon Toast Crunch movies, too. :) They are super simple to make, so even little ones who know how to click can do it. :)

There are also games and videos for your kids to enjoy. Finding good, on-line entertainment works for me!!!


Linked to WFMW, Hip Homeschool Hop

Images are screenshots from the website. (Hopefully I'm not breaking any rules by using them. Just wanted to share the fun!)

Fun Writing Curriculum for 4th/5th Graders

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After my oldest son and I reviewed The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain by Melissa Forney 6 years ago, I couldn't wait to pass it down to my other two children. Well, that time has come and gone! My youngest finished it last year while she was in fourth grade.

One of the main reasons I liked this curriculum is that my kids approached writing with much more enthusiasm than they did before "Teddy", as we call it. It's a HUGE deal when your kids actually get a little excited about writing. :)

*You can click the above link to read my original review, but I will highlight a few things here as well.

The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain is a historical novel told through 130 letters of a 10-year-old girl. In her letters to her friend, Martha, she shares her many exciting and sometimes sad adventures of traveling in a wagon train from the Old South to Florida in 1892. That may sound like a lot of letters, but your child only reads one letter per day throughout the school year. The curriculum can be completed in about 8 months following a one-letter-per-day schedule.

Each letter corresponds to a daily assignment such as a writing prompt, language arts questions, or comprehension questions. Language arts questions are multiple choice while the comprehension questions require short or long written answers depending on the assignment. Writing prompts will cover 3 types of writing styles: personal narratives, expository writing, and persuasive writing. Recipes to foods that Teddy ate on her journey are included in the back of the book. We made Johnny Cakes and Essie Mae's Pound Cake, however, I can't seem to find the pictures I took. :(

There are answers provided for the language arts questions but not for the comprehension questions. It's not that difficult to scan the letters for the answers, though. 

The complimentary books, Razzle Dazzle Writing and Writing Superstars, will help you teach the writing skills necessary to help your child complete the writing prompts and become a better writer. I didn't follow a particular order with these books but taught different skills as needed. Very helpful in my opinion!

My kids read one letter per day on their own. They read straight from the Teacher's Edition.  After reading a letter, they'd complete that day's corresponding assignment. Also, as needed, I taught skills from the other books mentioned in the previous paragraph. I would choose to focus on certain writing skills, usually one at a time, so as not to overwhelm my kids. It was neat to see their writing improve as we moved along.

I used this curriculum in addition to our normal grammar/writing program. I chose not to go as heavy with literature during the year my kids worked on The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain. We read out loud and discussed books, and my kids have also always read for pleasure on their own. I wasn't too worried about the lighter literature load. :)

I loved this curriculum, and so did my kids. Read more on Amazon, and if you decide to purchase, thank you for using my affiliate link! (Now, there is also an additional companion book, Teddy Bodain's Adventure Quest, that you can check out. We've never used that one, though.)

Linked to Hip Homeschool Hop, WFMW, A Little Bird Told Me

Sarah, Plain and Tall: Study Questions {FREE}

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What a sweet, well-written classic. Truly deserving of the Newbery Medal. I don't remember reading this book as a child, but I'm glad I had the privilege of reading it recently in order to write up some questions for my fifth grade daughter.

Here are the questions by chapter. Feel free to click the link and print for yourself. :)

Sarah, Plain and Tall Study Questions

Chapter 1

1. How did Mama’s death affect each character—Anna, Caleb, and Papa?

2. Who is the narrator of this story?

3. How did Anna and Caleb feel about their father’s advertisement?

4. Describe Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton.

Chapter 2

1. What do we learn about Sarah in her letters to the children?

2. How would Papa be able to recognize Sarah when she got off the train?

Chapter 3

1. Describe how each of the characters felt as they anticipated Sarah’s arrival, and tell why you think they felt that way.

2. Describe the gifts Sarah gave to Anna and Caleb.

3. Why do you think Sarah chose those items as gifts?

4. How do you think Sarah felt at the end of her first day in a new place? Why?

Chapter 4

1. Look up images of all the flowers mentioned: paintbrush, clover, prairie violets, roses, bride’s bonnet, seaside goldenrod, wild asters, and wooly ragwort. Which is your favorite and why?

2. Have you ever touched a sheep or a seal? How did they feel? How does Sarah describe seals?

3. What are some hints in this chapter that make the children think Sarah might choose to stay?

Chapter 5

1. Does Sarah like the sheep? How do you know?

2. Thinking about everything you’ve read so far, what are some things Sarah misses about Maine?

3. What was the “dune” that Papa spoke of? Did Sarah like it—why or why not?

4. In your opinion, what do you think Sarah thought was missing from her picture?

5. Any more hints that Sarah might stay?

Chapter 6

1. Describe winter where Caleb and Anna live.

2. If Sarah asked you to describe winter where you live, what would you say?

3. How does Sarah describe the sea?

Chapter 7

1. Who is Maggie? How does she help Sarah?

2. What does Sarah miss?

3. Look up images of the flowers: zinnias, marigolds, wild feverfew, dahlias, columbine, nasturtiums, and tansy. Which is your favorite and why?

Chapter 8

1. When Sarah wrote Papa (Jacob Witting) for the first time she said, “I am strong and I work hard and I am willing to travel. But I am not mild mannered.” Can you give examples from chapter 8 that make these descriptions of her seem pretty accurate?

2. What’s a squall?

3. What did Caleb say was missing from Sarah’s drawing?

4. What are some differences between Sarah and Mama?

Chapter 9

1. Why are Caleb and Anna sad?

2. What made Anna think that Sarah might come back?

3. Why does Sarah decide to stay?

4. Though the book never says exactly, where do you think Papa, Caleb, and Anna live? Why?

Click link to print Sarah, Plain and Tall Study Questions 

My daughter is currently reading Skylark, the next book in the series. You can get the 5-book set on Amazon:



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The Fairy's Mistake: Discussion Questions

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The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine, the author of the wonderful book, Ella Enchanted, was the second book my daughter and her book club friends read this past summer. It's actually a novella, so it's pretty short - less than 100 pages. It's part of a novella collection, The Princess Tales, but for the book club the girls only read The Fairy's Mistake.

I enjoyed this novella very much! It involves twin sisters, one nice and one not so nice. A fairy "blesses" the nice sister which turns out to be more of a curse, and she "curses" the not-so-nice sister which turns out to be more of a blessing.

You can read through the discussion questions here, and then click on the link to print them if you wish. :) Please note that page numbers may not match up if you read a different version.

Discussion Questions for

The Fairy’s Mistake

By Gail Carson Levine

1.  Think of adjectives to describe the twins, Rosella and Myrtle.

2.  Do you think the mother played a role in Myrtle’s behavior? How so?

3.  What was Rosella’s motive for being kind?

4.  Should good behavior be rewarded? Why or why not?

5.  What should your motive for obedience/kindness be? Read 1 John 5:3. 

Does your answer to this question match up with Scripture?

6.  Why did the fairy’s reward turn out to be more of a curse for Rosella?

7.  What was Myrtle’s motive for wanting to be kind? (p. 9)

8.  How do you know that Rosella wasn’t a greedy person? Give specific examples.

9.  Why did Prince Harold stop to talk to Rosella for the first time? (p. 11)

10. Did the prince really love Rosella like he claimed? What do you think true love should look like? Read 1^st Corinthians 13:4-7 for a great example to follow.

11. Why did Rosella agree to marry the prince? Would you have agreed to marry him if you’d been in her shoes?

12. Think of adjectives to describe Prince Harold.

13. Ethelinda was upset that her magic wasn’t working the way it was supposed to. Have you ever said or done anything that you’ve regretted? What were the negative effects of your actions? What should you do when you’ve hurt someone?

14. How was Myrtle able to turn her punishment into more of a reward for herself?

15. Finally, Ethelinda finds a way to help Rosella. What is the plan? Why does Myrtle agree to help? (p.52)

16. Even though the plan worked, do you agree that using deception was the best way to help? Do you have any other ideas that could have helped Rosella?

17. If you were Ethelinda, how would you reward kindness? How would you punish wrongdoing?

18. If you were Rosella, what would you do with all of those jewels?

19. Most fairy tales seem to end “happily ever after.” Why was everyone happy at the end of this fairy tale? Is it really possible to live “happily ever after?”

20. Tell why you did or didn’t like this story.

Click link to print The Fairy's Mistake Discussion Questions for free.

The Princess Tales, Volume One, is available on Amazon. Thank you for using my affiliate link!

Food Fun

Thanks to help from my sweet friend, Janet, I was able to prepare a fun, fairylicious table full of jewels and nasty little creatures!

We decorated each plate with a rock candy wand. I also made Frosty Fairy Mints at my daughter's request.

A feast fit for Prince Harold.

Rosella's treasure chest full of brightly colored candy jewels. (We used gumballs, sixlets, rock candy, Frozen themed jelly beans, etc.

Sour gummy worms and plastic bugs and such - perfect for Myrtle. 

The girls enjoyed eating jewels and worms. After you read the book, you'll know why I had them pose with their mouths wide open and full of food! ;)

Hope you enjoy the book and free discussion questions. If you missed the first book the girls read for their summer book club, check out Rump: Free Discussion Questions and Activity Ideas.

Linked to: The Homeschool Link-up, Literacy Musing Mondays