Tidbits and Snippets for November 7th

Time for ACOG and ASA to Change Their Guidelines! Eating and Drinking in Labor Should Not Be Restricted - What, really? (Science and Sensibility)

From the same site, an exciting new series: Supporting Women When a VBAC Doesn't Happen.

Pride and Destruction - How pedophiles use the church. (The Common Room)

Choice and Freedom: You Didn't Get Them From Feminism - Excellent material here. (Growing Home)

Seven Homemaking Rules to Break (And Three to Keep) - Good stuff here. My favorites are nos. 2, 6, and 7. (Pint-Sized Treasures)

Activism, Apathy, or Affliction? - So much good material in this post. I think that the author's conclusions are very valid. Check it out! (Gentle Reformation, hat tip to challies.com)

Study finds improved self-regulation in kindergartners who wait a year to enroll - "A new study on the mental health effects of kindergarten enrollment ages found strong evidence that a one-year delay dramatically improves a child’s self-regulation abilities even into later childhood." (Stanford News Center, hat tip to Contentment Acres)

"According to the study co-authored by Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor Thomas Dee, children who started kindergarten a year later showed significantly lower levels of inattention and hyperactivity, which are jointly considered a key indicator of self regulation. The beneficial result was found to persist even at age 11."

Why Our Children Will Not Have Cell Phones - "Yes. In many ways, smart phones are easier. But to me? What is lost is far greater than what is gained." (The Humbled Homemaker)

From the same site: 10 Ways to Prepare for Cold and Flu Season - Great stuff here. Too bad I'll probably forget to do any of it till it's too late.

A Godly Woman - Sober and Self-Controlled - "Isn’t it easy to just forget that Scripture actually defines what character qualities we should be cultivating?  And not just for ourselves, but what we should be teaching the younger women and our daughters?  I think it’s so interesting to compare the culture’s definition of a strong woman to the biblical one.  How often are we bent on indulging our flaws under the culturally accepted guise of “this is who I am, like it or leave it“?" (Generation Cedar)

From the Bookshelf

 

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

I'd heard this one recommended in several places, so I finally picked it up.

And then I put it down.

I'm sure this book has great material. But I didn't want to wade through King's word choices to find it.

I'm sure it's a good book. It just wasn't for me. 

Johnny Tremain

 

I saw the movie in elementary school, and now, twenty-five years later, am ready to tackle the book. I can't wait! The first few pages have been superb. 

 

We are two weeks away from diving into our study of the American Revolution, and both the 9yo and I are champing at the bit. We just finished reading Toliver's Secret (excellent, and a great read-aloud!) and I've just maxed out our library cards requesting every last book in the library on the Revolution. (Perhaps a slight exaggeration.)

American Liberty, here we come!

The Recipe Corner

I plan to try these pumpkin bars soon, probably for our weekly church potluck. They look great! (The Modest Mom)

From the same site, I'm looking forward to working through 10 Simple Homemade Granola Bar Recipes

This week the family had Mexican Mess while I had Low Carb Taco Soup. Both were great!

 

 For Guy Fawkes Day ("Remember, remember, the fifth of November...") we had English parkin - a sticky oatmeal gingerbread that is delicious with whipped cream.

We used the recipe from Story of the World Year 3, but here is one that looks good.

We memorized this poem a few months ago when we covered Guy Fawkes in our history course. The 9yo likes to recite it with a faux-dramatic voice that is really quite killing.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why the Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot. 

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up the King and Parli'ment.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England's overthrow; 

By God's providence he was catch'd (or by God's mercy*)

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

If you ignore the finer historical details (ugh!), it's a fun holiday. We also had a bonfire (an alternate name for the holiday is "Bonfire Night"), proving an important fact about bonfires - that we don't know how to make one. We kept it going for 20 minutes by pouring an almost continuous stream of lighter fluid on it, and then gave up for the night.

Maybe next year.

Dear readers, have a wonderful weekend!