Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson

FINISHED!!! Yesterday, after about three months of reading, I completed this everything-you-need-to-know-about-house-keeping packed book! I have learned a lot and am very glad I took the time to read this thick book! (I won't write up a review about this book, since I've already posted that here.)

Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson

I've been having fun trying out different tips and ideas from "Home Comforts". It's a hard book to read through, but I'm so glad that I am taking the time to do so! I'm now about 2/3 of the way through. I've learned a lot about food, food safety, cleaning the kitchen/washing dishes, cloth, how to launder practically everything, stains and how to remove them, cleanliness, how to dust, vacuum, sweep, mop, clean anything, and so much more! This is a GREAT book for all homemakers!

Here are a couple ideas I've tried -

I mopped the kitchen floor on my hands and knees. The pros - the floor gets way cleaner and it's great exercise! The cons - "homemaker's knee" and it takes a bit longer than mopping with a mop. It's not something that I'll want to do every day of even every week. Just when the floors are really dirty. =)

To get rid of mineral build-up around faucets - wrap a rag soaked in vinegar around the faucet handles and let sit for about an hour. It worked moderately well, taking care of two smaller stains, but not the stubborn one. =/

I've also improved my sweeping and mopping, washing dishes, and how I handle chemicals like ammonia and bleach, changed my views about vinegar and soda, and I've got some great ideas about how to launder, what soaps and chemicals, etc.

Although the book looks daunting, being about three inches thick, it's definitely worth your time! It is a great reference book, too. Every homemaker should own one! (Thank you so much for giving it to me, Weese family!!)

-Susi

The Wall Series by Robert Elmer

In my previous post, I mentioned getting these books at the library. I read the first book in two hours last night, then started the second, and finished it this morning. I'm half way through the third now.

It's after WWII and east Germany has been taken over by the Russians. Thirteen-year-old Erich is trying to find food for his mother and Oma. His search leads him to a mystery his father left, a strange Christian American reporter soldier, dropping candy "bombs", and hair-raising escapes.

(Okay, the cover, as well as the title, make this book look weird, but don't judge a book by it's cover!=) Amazon description - Berlin, August 1961. Sabine lives in a cramped apartment with her grandmother, mother, and older half-brother, Erich, in East Berlin where neighbors spy on each other, books are forbidden, and sometimes people disappear in the middle of the night...to the west. When Sabine discovers a forgotten underground bunker, she first uses it to escape her crowded home. After the Soviets build a barrier through the middle of Berlin, Sabine thinks of a new use for the Bunker. Could it take her family under the Wall to freedom? Or are their lives in more danger than ever?

Amazon Description - Berlin, spring 1989. Life is good in West Germany, and even the Cold War seems to be thawing in the warmer weather. As Liesl works on a class project about the history of the wall, she stumbles onto a startling secret no one will talk about. Will she ever learn the whole story? FYI There's one part in this book where the boy is disrespectful to his father.

Book Completion: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich by Eric Metaxas

Yesterday, after about a month of reading this book, I finally finished it! It did get tedious at times, but I learned a lot and am now very excited to do more reading on WWII!

''In Hitler's Germany, a Lutheran pastor chooses resistance and pays with his life. . . Eric Metaxas tells Bonhoeffer's story with passion and theological sophistication, often challenging revisionist accounts that make Bonhoeffer out to be a 'humanist' or ethicist for whom religious doctrine was easily disposable. . . Metaxas reminds us that there are forms of religion -- respectable, domesticated, timid -- that may end up doing the devil's work for him. --Wall Street Journal

''In this weighty, riveting analysis of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Metaxas offers a comprehensive review of one of history's darkest eras, along with a fascinating exploration of the familial, cultural, and religious influences that formed one of the world's greatest contemporary theologians. A passionate narrative voice combines with meticulous research. . . Abundant source documentation brings to life the personalities and experiences that shaped Bonhoeffer. Insightful and illuminating, this tome makes a powerful contribution to biography, history, and theology.'' --Publishers Weekly

''A welcome new biography of one of the twentieth century's leading lights. Metaxas magnificently captures the life of theologian and anti-Nazi activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), who 'thought it the plain duty of the Christian-and the privilege and honor-to suffer with those who suffered.' In the finest treatment of the man since Eberhard Bethge's Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Man of Vision, Man of Courage (1970), Metaxas presents a complete, accessible picture of this important figure, whose story is inspiring, instructive, and international in scope. . . Metaxas rightly focuses on his subject's life, not his theology, though readers will learn plenty about his theology as well. The author makes liberal use of primary sources, which bring Bonhoeffer and other characters to vivid life. For the most part, Metaxas allows this epic story to play itself out, unhindered by commentary; where he does add his own voice, the conclusions are sage. A definitive Bonhoeffer biography for the twenty-first century.'' --Kirkus Reviews

Hello Everyone!

I thought I'd do a post about what I've been up to!

Well, I've been busy with a lot of school - math, teaching history and reading. I've found that I actually enjoy doing all three! I've been teaching Matthew, Joe, and Lydia history. We just passed Christopher Columbus.

I've also been busy with piano. A couple weeks ago, I did theory testing. Now I'm working toward adjudication. After that, the recital. I'm really enjoying piano and a candy bar for every 500 minutes of practice is a great way to get your students to practice.;-)

I've been working my way through the book "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: a Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich." I thought I knew a lot about Nazis, Hitler, etc., but, really I don't! Just reading this made me absolutely disgusted with Hitler and his Nazis. It's a great book, but it takes perseverance to read, since it's about two inches thick. I'm just barely scratching the half-way point.

What have you been up to?

Viking Quest

A couple months back, Krista told me about the series Viking Quest series by Lois Walfrid Johnson. I got the books from the library and loved them! They were at the top of my wish list and Hannah bought them for me for Christmas. The other day, I started reading them to Matthew and now he loves them!

In one harrowing day, Viking raiders capture Bree and her brother Devin and take them from their home in Ireland. After Mikkel, the young Viking prince, sets Devin free on the Irish coast far from home, Bree and Devin embark on separate journeys to courage. Readers will be captivated by the unfolding drama as Bree sails to Norway on the Viking ship and as Devin travels the dangerous road home. Historical focus on 10th century Ireland and Norway makes Viking Quest a great learning tool for homeschool and Christian school classrooms. Series will include Leif Erikssonís voyage to America. Series teaches that if we ask God for help, He is with us in whatever we face. Strong male and female characters practice biblical values despite dangerous situations and the opposition of a pagan religion. Stories and characters will appeal to tween girls and boys. Perfect for family read-aloud times

Ben-Hur

Laura gave Phil the movie Ben-Hur for Christmas. They had seen it a long time ago, but we girls hadn't seen it yet. We watched it Christmas night, and we all loved it!

This is Laura's description on the movie:
Ben-Hur is the most amazing, completely dramatic movie ever!! Each scene is packed with emotion and drama. I saw it once years ago, and decided then that I didn't like it (!) Like Phil said, we've seen a few "Jesus movies", and everyone is (pardon me), rather stupid in them. But this movie is different, and I love how Jesus has such an amazingly powerful and awe-inspiring role in Judah Ben-Hur's life, even though it only shows Him a few times (never his face, though, which I like.) This is definitely going on my favorite movies list! (FYI, there are a couple 'kissing scenes' we fast forward.)

The Johnstown Flood

Hannah and I have so many books on our reading list, but just not enough time to read them all. So, we decided to get some books on CD and put on hold The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough. We listened to it as we worked in the kitchen and finished it within a week.

At the beginning of the book, David McCullough talks about the town of Johnstown - where it got it's name, it's people, region, etc. Then he tells about the building of the dam that busted - how and when it was constructed, who owned it, and about the mismanagement that led to it's bursting. He gives the testimonies of some of the survivors - all had very dramatic stories to tell! Many people, clinging to roofs, boards, beds - anything that floated-, were swept along the flooded streets. One spot along the flood, a bunch of debris, dead and alive animals and people clogged the water. As it was getting dark, the pile caught on fire. People watching from dry ground said they heard terrified screams coming from the pile, but no one could help. After the flood, people all across America and even other countries sent millions of dollars, food, and supplies. Over two thousand people died - many of them unidentified by the time they were found. At the end of the book, the CD played "Abide with Me", which was very fitting.

David McCullough isn't a Christian historian, so he does mention a few weird things that we skipped. Overall, it was a VERY dramatic book!

Kirsten Story Collection

Lydia and I have been reading the American Girl book, Kristen Larson's Story Collection. It's about a Swedish girl who, with her family immigrate to America in 1854. It was originally written in 6 books - Meet Kirsten, Kirsten Learns a Lesson, Kirsten's Surprise, Happy Birthday, Kirsten!, Kirsten Saves the Day, and Changes For Kirsten. These books are perfect for Lydia, not being too scary, but with enough excitement to keep her mind from wandering.

In Meet Kirsten, Kirsten and her make make the difficult journey from Sweden to begin a new life on the Minnesota frontier.

Book 2, Kirsten Learns a Lesson (picture)

Kirsten must learn English at school. She learns an important lesson from her secret Indian friend, too.

In Kirsten's Surprise,

Kirsten and her Papa travel to town to get their trunk from Sweden. Their errand turns into a terrifying trip.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

After taking care of Mama and the new baby, Kirsten gets a birthday surprise during the Larsons' barn raising.

Book 5, Kirsten Saves The Day Kirsten and Peter find honey in the woods, but their discovery leads to a dangerous adventure.

In Changes For Kirsten a raccoon causes a disaster for the Larsons, but Kirsten and Lars find a treasure that means better times.

A picture from Kirsten's Surprise

Happy Trails

A little while ago, our dear friend Emily Clark gave us girls Happy Trails: The Story of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. We were very excited to start reading, but, as Hannah would say, it's unethical to start reading another book when you're already loaded down with five other books. But a couple nights ago, I finally picked it up and started reading. And I couldn't put it down! I read with a flashlight until 2:30 that night, and then read it all the next day, and finished it yesterday morning. The book, by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, with Carlton Stowers, is written in three parts: part one: King of the Cowboys written by Roy; part two: Queen of the West written by Dale; and part three: Partners with both Roy and Dale writing. I've read a book by Dale telling her story, so I knew most of what was said about her, but I did learn a lot I didn't know about Roy. One particular thing that stood out to me was, in part one, King of the Cowboys, as Roy was writing, he didn't say anything about being so famous. When Carlton Stowers would write sections, he said that there were more fan clubs in the United States and even in others countries than any other celebrity in American history. I better not say any more if you're all going to go out and read this book.=) Thank you so much, Em! I've really enjoyed this book and I know Hannah is, too!

The Young Underground Series by Robert Elmer

Several years ago, my cousin introduced these very interesting adventure books to us. My older siblings gobbled them up, but, I was a lot younger then, and when Hannah read them to me, I was rather bored. Recently, I decided to start reading with Matthew, and we read Adventures Down Under (also by Robert Elmer) and then we started reading The Young Underground series. Both Matthew and I were enthralled as we read A Way Through the Sea, Beyond the River, Into the Flames, Far From the Storm, A Light in the Castle, Follow the Star, and Touch the Sky.

The books are about twins Peter and Elise Anderson, two Danish children growing up in Occupied Denmark during World War Two. Each book is unique, exciting, and adventurous, as they unfold thrilling tales of the war, hiding a downed English pilot, working in the underground, being arrested in a Nazi prison, imprisoned on a renegade Nazi submarine, meeting the king of Denmark, and much much more!

These books are currently out of print, but they are available on Amazon and are at the Lynden library.

Also, some other great series by Robert Elmer are Adventures Down Under and Adventures in Zion.

A Thousand Shall Fall

A couple years ago, while Laura was at Homespun General Store, she found the book A Thousand Shall Fall, read the back of the book, and told us girls about it. That Christmas, I had Phil's name, and Laura told me that he would love this book. After I bought it, I was reading the back and it mentioned that Franz Hazel, the main character in the book, was a pacifist, a lot like Sergent Alvin York. I told Laura about that and she said Phil probably wouldn't like the book. So I settled with some other gift for Phil and all of us girls read the book and LOVED it. I thought I'd write a review about it, even though I haven't read the book in a couple months.




A Thousand Shall Fall - The electrifying story of a soldier and his family who dared to practice their faith in Hitler's Germany by Susi Hasel Mundy with Maylan Schurch takes place in 1939. Franz Hasel, a 40-year-old pacifist, was drafted and assigned to Pioneer Company 699, Hitler's elite troops who built bridges at the front lines. His religious scruples did not endear him to his superiors. Sarcastically dubbed "carrot eater" [because he did not eat meat] and "Bible reader", he finally gained the respect of his unit. Just before he was sent deep into Russia-where all but seven of his 1,200 unit would die-he secretly discarded his gun, fearing that, as the company sharpshooter, he might be tempted to kill. In Russia, he was faced with a different problem: how to warn the local Jews before the SS got to them.

Meanwhile, back at home, Franz's wife, Helane, and their four children, Kurt, Lotte, Gerhard, and Susi [the author], were fighting their own battles. Pressured to join the Nazi Party, she announced, "I belong to the party of Jesus Christ."

"Tomorrow night your children will be taken from you unless you join the party," Herr Doering screamed.

And she had another secret. One day the getspo knocked at her door. "Are you hiding a Jew?" They demanded.

Their chance of survival? Dim. Their only ally? God.

In a few short years they lived several lifetimes of danger. As thousands around them fell victim to the horrors of war, they were borne up on angels' wings-sometime quite literally. This is the true, sol-soaring story of one desperate family who chose to be faithful whatever the cost, and found refuge in the shadow of the Almighty.

The lieutenant's face turned beet-red. "You must be mad, Private!" he bellowed. "This is the German Army! This battalion's going to way, and you want Saturday off?" Under his breath he spat out, "It's just my luck to be saddled with a religious nut!"

Reading

Well, I need something to post to get to 100 posts.:-P


I have a stack about a foot tall under my bed of books to read, as well as all of Jon's Joel Salaton's books, and all our bookshelves full of great books! I decided to get a head start on all the reading, so right now I'm reading three books:


Martha's Husband by Blair Niles, written in 1951, is about the life of George Washington from his wife's, Martha's, point of view, and based on the letters that he wrote. It's very interesting, although it's not written from a Christian perspective.


You Can Farm by Joel Salaton. I just started reading this book yesterday, so I can't really write a review about it.


The Joy of Horses: A Beginner's Guide to Safe and Responsible Horsemanship by Joy Roberts, written in 1961 and reprinted in 1998. I recommend this book to all my horse crazy friends.:-) It's all about getting to know horses, the different breeds, colors of skin, hair, and the different markings, what to look for when buying a horse, what things you need when getting a horse (brushes, combs, hoof picks, halters, what kinds of feed buckets to get and not to get, etc.), how to take care of a horse (bathing, brushing, etc.), and much more! After reading the first few chapters, I came to the conclusion that horses are a lot of work, and cost a whole ton of money:-) (I still want a horse, though:-D)

~Susi

Stepping Heavenward

Yesterday, as I was scanning the bookshelf, my eyes rested on my favorite book, "Stepping Heavenward". I picked it up and started to read it, and couldn't put it down. It is such a good book! When I first was reading it, I read it in three days! It's a woman's journal from when she is sixteen 'till she dies. I really like how imperfect she is, but desires so much to be close to her Savior. Every girl should read this book! It's definitely worth your time!

Joni Eareckson Tada said, "Stepping Heavenward is the record of a woman's spiritual journey deep into the heart of Christ. This book will serve as a guide for today's Christian women who desires to leave behind the dull, dry indifference of spiritual mediocrity to discover the rich, deep joy of knowing Jesus more fully. This woman's spirtual journey is so inspiring. I can see how God will use it in a dramatic way in the lives of many women."


~Susi

Pendragon - Sword of His Father

A few weeks ago, Laura was looking at some blogs and found on Young Ladies Christian Fellowship website a drawing that you had to enter your families favorite movie and win the movie Pendragon. She entered Hansie’s and my email address and we won! We weren’t totally thrilled, as we had heard that it was a gory movie. We received it in the mail yesterday and decided to have a girls night and watch it. Sarah, Laura, Hannah, Rebekah and I walked to the grocery store, (which is a long walk from our house) and bought some ice cream bars, popsicles, candy bars, and pop. When we got back home it was nine forty-five. Rebekah quickly put Lydia to bed and Sarah made the guys’ lunches. Then we set up the laptop on a TV tray in Sarah’s and Laura’s room and then all five of us piled onto Laura’s bed. When we first started the movie, we were kinda skeptical, since we have watched several of the film festival movies that weren’t the greatest. But let me tell you that once I watched Pendragon, I rated it at the top of my list of favorite movies!


A.D. 411 - Roman Legions depart the Isle of Britain; the people are left to defend themselves. Artos Pendragon lives in a coastal village with his parents and sister. As they prepare for the coming storm, Artos’ father teaches him that God has a purpose for his life. But when Saxon raiders burn the village and murder his father, Artos discovers that following God’s calling to defend his people will cost him everything. This is a very dramatic movie and it doesn’t show any blood!

Click here http://burnsfamilystudios.com/movies/pendragon/ to learn more about and buy Pendragon

~Susi