What To Do About College

We have many friends who have not taken the traditional path for going away to college that is expected after high school. In fact, I feel they have taken an even wiser method---using the CLEP tests to gain college credit and degrees in half the time and at a third of the cost. They can do this on their own or use CollegePlus! a program that works with students to achieve this goal. Since many of you have asked about our thoughts on college and since I have a daughter about to graduate I thought it was fitting to share some resources:

College Without Compromise:
An Encouraging Guide to Starting Early, Finishing Economically and Protecting Your Homeschool Vision
This nifty book is a complete overview of the how, why and keeping the vision. A wonderful resource! I got all of these a few years ago and felt I learned so much.

Making Wise Decisions About College and Life After Homeschool
Excellent and addresses many concerns those have about sending their children to college and what they will do with their lives. Really gets you thinking...

Accelerated Distance Learning
The New Way to Earn Your College Degree in the Twenty-First Century
a manual  to get started in and the how-to's of CLEPing


. You can even begin CLEP'ing  while your children are in high school so they get some college credit under their belts early on--and this method is not just for homeschoolers! Many people have used this method achieving successful results around their flexible schedules.


Happy browsing!



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How to Plan for a Homeschool Year

I was recently listening to Family Strategies "How to Plan for a Homeschool Year" and began to think about how I personally like to plan for a year of school and thought I would share a bit with you! Every year at tax time we like to take a portion of our return and by some or most of our curriculum (like I am sure so many of you like to do.) So I like to spend time looking over catalogs and picking out what we will use for the following year.

Now because I have a large family I have had to develop a system of how to do this efficiently and wanted to share my little binder method of how I keep records of everything in tact especially with eight children!

I have a binder labeled Fuentes Christian Academy Curriculum and within that binder I have a section for every year like 2009, 2010, 2011 and each section contained there is an entire page devoted to one child. I put their name at the top and under that I list all their mandatory and desirable subjects to be covered that year. I also like to put in ideas, prices (to compare), and mark what I already have available since we have alot of books that can be handed down. This has helped me so much in the past years to keep things orderly and efficient. I can look back and see what we used 5 years ago and if I own the teachers edition to it without having to search for it when buying curriculum online.I also have one bookcase devoted to curriculum which is not active and just for storing and another that is actively being used for the current year.

Here are some great books that I like to review and read to encourage me to get focused before a new school year:

Managers of Their Homes
this book helps to get mama's, homes and families organized. I like to refer to this because the Maxwell's are great encouragers when it comes to being good stewards of time and this helps me to refresh my focus for a new school year (also used by the Duggar family)

Managers of Their Schools

-now that you have organized your home it's time to do the same with your school!
This book defends the text book approach and has great ideas that I had never thought of for cutting your time in half  homeschooling especially with a large family. Valuable information!

Charlotte Mason Companion-teaching the gentle art of learning. I like this because I want to remember to lighter and fun side of homeschooling making it natural and great ideas here too.

Here is a favorite tried and true method of teaching little ones to read---I have used it with 5 of my children. Right now my  little Joshua is going through it and is already reading 5 word sentences at lesson 18! Love it!

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

it works I tell you, it really does!

Last year I purchased this nifty book and found it worth every penny:

Story Starters

--my daughters and sons were highly motivated to jump into creative writing using this book. The book contains half written adventurous stories and the children get to finish them any way they like! My boys loved it--and trust me, they are not the kind that like to write! They would much rather be in the yard somewhere hunting helpless squirrels...(can anyone relate?)

And by the way...can you guess what  the mystery product for the day at Vision Forum is?

That's right! It's Building a Winning Curriculum---and it's 90% off----

today only just ONE DOLLAR!!!!

What a wonderful resource to help us with our planning and so timely!

And in case you haven't been read any of my other posts this week, here is a quick reminder to let you know that this is the FINAL DAY of Vision Forum's amazing Spring Sale ending at MIDNIGHT.

You are not still here, are you?!?

Click here to see all deals less than $5.

Here for less than $10 or here for all of them!


I'm off to shop for our little school----see you there!

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Godly Resources for Raising Sons--- Part 1

"Dear Mrs. Fuentes, I have several sons, would you mind sharing some resources to help me raise them for the Lord?"
---a dear reader inquires.

Unsurprisingly, when I did a survey and asked all my readers what you would like to read more on--the majority vote was for more posts on raising sons!

 Yes, raising boys is a HUGE task and  I have several favorite resources I would love to share. It is important to invest in godly resources that promote the biblical goals you have for your family, as it so easy to crash and burn or even be directionless running on auto pilot.  And just a quick note, if your boys are too young for these, don't think for one minute that these are not for YOU! This is the *perfect* time for mom and dad to learn how and why they should raise their sons and they will be much more equipped to do so after reading and listening to many of these resources below. I can't tell you how much it benefited me to have an understanding of boyhood and manhood before my boys got older.

Reclaiming a Culture of Virtuous Boyhood--$10

Twenty-first century Christian boys have much to learn from boys of the past. Issues of courtesy to women, sacrifice, and vision are critical to raising modern boys. Our goal must be to move beyond the pretty platitudes and to aspire to rebuilding an entire culture of virtuous boyhood, such that every aspect of a young man’s life is preparation for chivalrous leadership in the name of Jesus Christ.

This one is a favorite, a classic and would love to pass these on to my children when they have their own family!

Listen to a sample here.

Preparing Sons to Provide for a Single-Income Family-from $4.87

Don't be fooled by this title! This excellent book is broken up into chapter explaining how from the ages of 3-5 and up how to begin instilling character in your sons and using their gifts for God's glory. I learned so much from this book and it is still a favorite of mine.

Plants Grown Up-- from $25.98

This is what Polished Cornerstones is for daughters--also by Doorposts. Fully loaded with activities, Bible studies and encouragement to help your young son grow into a godly man.

What Our Father Taughts us about Girls---$10

How should young men treat young women “as sisters, with all purity?” Learn how to interact with girls; protect girls; handle flirtatious girls; and how to encourage your sisters in Christ. This message reveals the attitudes that three young men learned to cultivate as they listened to their father’s instruction, studied Scripture, and then interacted with the fair sex with gallantry and manliness.

Listen to a sample here.

Christian Manhood-$9 ( a steal, I bought mine for $20!)

This is a book that I have my sons working through for the past few years. It is broken up into 45 chapters of valuable Bible study with questions and answers. Everything from how to choose heroes, how to treat women, building relationships with siblings and much more goodness.

Thoughts for Young Men: Addressing the Greatest Challenges in a Young Man's Life--$8

Thoughts for Young Men addresses the four great temptations that plague most young men: sloth, lust, love of pleasure, and peer pressure. J.C. Ryle, the last of the great Puritans, tackles each of these subjects with a tenderness and tact that is unsurpassed. First written toward the end of the nineteenth century, it remains to this day the most relevant and helpful book on the subject in print.

The Influence of Older Children on Younger Children--now $7

Have you ever wondered why so many Christian familes are losing their children to the world? Here is one reason: By failing to win, disciple, guide, and protect the eldest children, fathers and mothers often find a multiplicity of sorrows and divisions within the home.On the other hand, wise parents who seek the help of the Lord and carefully shepherd their eldest children often enjoy blessed reinforcement and encouragement in the training of the younger children. In this practical and scriptural look at the biblical principles of children and mentorship., Dr. S.M. Davis draws from the Apostle John’s letter to Gaius to illustrate how the actions of older siblings greatly influence the paths of younger children, for good or evil.

Still a favorite that I love listening to!

Listen to a sample here.

These are just a few for now,

I will do a Part 2, sometime very soon...



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Love the artwork above? Click on the image to purchase--its only $18.98 on sale right now!
or here to view more beautiful art like pictured above.

Note: Not only are these resources very affordable but they are easily integrated into your homeschool curriculum as well. And don't forget about investing into grandsons lives too!





This post is linked at Raising Homemakers, Far Above Rubies and Women Living Well.

Using Praise to Build Up Your Home

Today I would like to share with you some wisdom gleaned from here.

At the tea, Mrs. Duggar was asked if she had any advice to give to parents, the advice she gave was:

"Be sure to praise your children and praise them alot because whoever praises them will win their hearts."

And when asked;

"What do you do with the lazy child?"

Her answer again was to praise them, of course she meant in honesty when they were doing good things (not to be confused with flattery which might puff up pride in a child).

This is valuable wisdom since the flesh is prone to do the opposite. I see a remarkable change in my children when I praise them for the things that they have done right. It is so easy to overlook the ten good things they did in the day and see only the multitude of mistakes and criticize. Children are children and are still learning and we as parents need to be patient and practice long suffering with them.. Grace and mercy needs to be factored in abundantly--we cannot run our home like a drill sergeant spewing forth commands and be merciless to the weak. Our children are still learning when and how to obey and we cannot expect perfection. 

Think about ourselves----how many times in a day do you sin against God? Even in small ways sin is sin and therefore: disobedience. God is graceful and patient towards us--we must apply this to our children as well. 

The Bible reminds us that:

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. Proverbs 10:19

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise bring healing. Proverbs 12:18

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. Proverbs 21:23

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Proverbs 25:11

So today, mothers, I challenge you to put into place-
The Praise Project!
I have heard it  said that for every negative thing you say to a person it takes ten positive things to make up the difference. Vow from this day on to purposefully praise your children and to hold your tongue when you are tempted to lash out, yell or complain.  Give it a whirl and see how it transforms your home. Praise empowers souls to holy heights. It arms them with confidence and can point them towards honorable nobleness, while the opposite--tearing them down, utterly incapacitates.

If you are prone to criticizing and grumbling towards your children make a promise to change today
--it is not too late. 






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Building Healthy Family Culture

I am so excited to see this brand new resource to help us build up strong homes:

To Survive and Prosper: It’s Time to Think Strategically
About Your Children, Your Household, and Your Family Culture!

strat-e-gies: The art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal.

If you are a Christian parent living in the twenty-first century, you need to think strategically about your family. Settling for the priorities and practices of the world is a proven formula for disaster. As parents, we must do more than settle. We must self-consciously choose. This requires strategic biblical thinking. It means self-consciously building your family culture. And whether the subject is entertainment choices, home décor, travel, music in the home, or dealing with antagonistic relatives, it means that wise, Scripturally-informed parents must think creatively as they aggressively engage impediments and obstacles to success.

A 20-Week Energy Boost of Strategic Thinking and Encouragement from Doug and Beall Phillips

Family Strategies: An Invitation from Doug and Beall from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

These are the weekly messages from Doug and Beall that are included:

1. How to Organize Your Home to Promote Family Unity
2. How to Cultivate a Love of Reading with Your Children
3. How to Make Mealtime Meaningful
4. How to Prepare for a Year of Home Education
5. How to Take Children Safely Through an Airport
6. How to Involve the Whole Family in Family Worship
7. How to Address the Plague of “Jive Talk” in Your Home
8. How to Encourage Masculinity in Sons
9. How to Encourage Femininity in Daughters
10. How to Handle a Social Worker Visit
11. How to Wage War on Sibling Rivalry
12. How to Use Household Decorations to Teach Character
13. How to Talk to Your Children about Miscarriage
14. How to Involve the Whole Family in Hospitality
15. How to Build an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Children
16. How to Watch a Movie As a Family
17. How to Cultivate a Love of Meaningful Poetry with Your Children, and Why Doing So Is Important
18. How to Prepare Your Children to Listen to a Symphony
19. How to Take a Road Trip with Your Family
20. How to Select the Best Locations for Family Vacations

As the parents of eight children and the founders of Vision Forum Ministries, Doug and Beall Phillips have spent the last decade collecting and implementing helpful strategies for building a strong, safe, and visionary family culture.

Now, beginning Tuesday, February 28, they will be sharing some of the most practical and proven strategies for building a vibrant family culture through their new 20-week, 30-minute episodes audio series called Family Strategies. 

Listen to the new Audio Samples here.

If you order by February 28 you will save $10, plus receive two bonus messages as a free gift.
This is a 20-message series sent directly to your inbox each week for less than $5 per message. But make sure you order by February 28, as that price will go up! With your order confirmation email, they will also send you coupons to download two important, family-affirming bonus messages for FREE:

Victories: Moments Small and Large Which Define Christian Parenting,
and How to Evaluate a Suitor.


For about the price of a fancy cup of coffee, you can get real, weekly encouragement  from Doug and Beall in which they share their favorite and best strategies for building family unity.

Click here to order Family Strategies.


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Dear Readers, it is an honor to share valuable resources on this blog to help you build stronger homes to the glory of God!  I thought I would also mention that Vision Forum also has godly resources for children:

V is for Von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet

and
Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses and Stories

Priced at $17.00 but is now on sale at only $8.50
and you can click here to browse more.

A Mother's Hand

 In the above portrait, there are three generations--a grandmother, mother and child.


I wanted to share some lovely quotes on the influence we have as mother's to remind ourselves as we begin our week: 

A Mother's Hand

There is more power in a mother's hand than in a king's scepter.

--Billy Sunday

A Mother's Song

What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin.

-Henry Ward Beecher

A Mother's Knee

Education commences at the mother's knee, 

and every word spoken within hearsay of little children

tends toward the formation of character. 

-Hosea Ballou

The job at hand is enormous, and we must seek God as our guide through every mountain top
and every valley as we raise our children.

"Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up."

Galations 6:9


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Won't you join us on this wonderful journey of motherhood?

And if you would like a simple and easy 
Valentine's Day craft for the children
click here.

You may find beautiful art for your home as pictured above at Art.com


This post is linked at Raising Homemakers and Far Above Rubies.