"The House Mouse"
Newsletter for Homeschoolers

February is upon us and we are surrounded with Valentine's Day
decorations and the subtle "pressure" to spread LOVE among those close to us.
What a wonderful opportunity we have this month to teach our children about
the true meaning of love and what the Bible has to say about "love."

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to remind our children of the great love and sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us 2,000 years ago. The Bible tells us that:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Explain to your children that Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate "love" but
we as Christians should let the love of Jesus shine through us in all that we do everyday!

A long time ago in a place called Rome, there lived a very cruel man named Claudius the Emperor. St. Valentine was a priest who lived near Rome in the year 270 A.D. At this time the Emperor Claudius was putting Christians in jail if they refused to worship the Roman Gods. St. Valentine was arrested and put into jail during this time because he was performing Christian marriages.

Why would St. Valentine be arrested for performing Christian marriages? At this same time in history, a war broke out in the Roman empire. So many Romans did not want to fight in this war because they loved their girlfriends and they did not want to leave them. The soldiers refusal to fight in the battle angered Claudius and he ordered that no marriages could be performed and that anyone who was engaged to be married break up immediately.

St. Valentine felt sorrow for the poor soldiers who wanted to marry their sweethearts and he performed the marriage ceremonies anyway. When Claudius found out about this, he ordered that St. Valentine be thrown in a dungeon immediately.

While St. Valentine was in prison, the Romans asked him to tell them what he thought about the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. St. Valentine refused to tell them that he believed in their gods and he even went so far as to tell them that he thought their gods were false. St. Valentine told the Romans that the God in the Holy Bible and the Father of Jesus was the one and only God. The Romans were greatly offended and they demanded that St. Valentine stay in prison forever.

Now most people if they were in St. Valentine's place in prison would probably decide to be very quiet and not to talk about Jesus anymore. But not St. Valentine. He continued to talk about Jesus even while he was in prison. One day St. Valentine talked to one of the Roman guards about Jesus. This particular guard had a daughter who was blind. St. Valentine prayed to God to heal this guard's little girl and God did just what he asked. The guard and his family decided that they would believe in Jesus and they all asked Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour. When Claudius heard about this, he had St. Valentine beheaded.

St. Valentine had the kind of love that Jesus wants us all to have for each other. Jesus tells us that we are even to love our enemies:

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Mt 5:44

Valentine's Day is a day celebrated because of a GREAT LOVE that St. Valentine demonstrated to his fellow man by following the instructions
and example of Jesus Christ.

All About Rome

National Geographic has a nice map of Italy. See if your homeschoolers
can find the city of Rome.

It is 4,886 miles from our home in South Carolina to Rome, Italy. You can see both locations on the same map. Would you like to know the distance
from your house to Rome, Italy?

Italy is located in the European Continent. Can your homeschooler
name all seven continents?

Would you like to know more about Rome?
Visit these links:
Virtual Rome
Christian Catacombs of Rome
Exploring the Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Virtual Sistine Chapel
Romulus in Mythology
Roman Calendar (Information on Roman holidays)
Forum Romanum (Comprehensive site on Rome complete with virtual tour,
pictures and more.)
Pictures of Rome, Mythological Figures and More
History of Rome

The Human Heart!

Heart, in anatomy, the hollow muscular organ that receives blood from the veins and propels it into and through the arteries. The heart of a human is about the size of a closed fist. It is situated behind the lower part of the breastbone, extending more to the left of the midline than to the right. It is roughly conical in shape, with the base directed upward and to the right and slightly backward; the apex touches the chest wall between the fifth and sixth ribs. The heart is held in place principally by its attachment to the great arteries and veins, and by its confinement in the pericardium, a double-walled sac with one layer enveloping the heart and the other attached to the breastbone, the diaphragm, and the membranes of the thorax."Heart," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Circulatory System, in anatomy and physiology, the course taken by the blood through the arteries, capillaries, and veins and back to the heart. In humans and the higher vertebrates, the heart is made up of four chambers: the right and left auricles, or atria, and the right and left ventricles. The right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood from the cells of the body back to the lungs for new oxygen; the left side of the heart receives blood rich in oxygen from the lungs and pumps it through the arteries to the various parts of the body. Circulation begins early in fetal life. It is estimated that a given portion of the blood completes its course of circulation in approximately 30 seconds."Circulatory System," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Circulatory System

The Virtual Body's
Human Heart
Requires Shockwave

The Heart: An Online Exploration

Follow me for fun activities and craft ideas for you and your little Valentines!

Fun Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day!

Make Valentine's Day special for your little Valentine's. Just because you are celebrating this holiday at your home instead of a classroom doesn't mean that you can't have a celebration! Remember the true spirit of this holiday and spread love throughout your home this Feb. 14th!!!

Craft Ideas
& Links

Make your own Valentine's!
Gather materials from around your home such as fabric, glitter, beads, doilies, lace,
construction paper, macaroni, glue, scissors, etc.
Cut heart shapes from folded construction paper or thick paper.
Decorate with glitter, crayons, doiles, etc.!!!

A Valentine's Day Mailbox
I am sure that most of you Moms remember doing this simple craft when you were in school.
Gather a shoe box, white craft paper, paints, markers, doilies, glitter, heart stickers, etc.
Glue or tape craft paper around your shoe box and lid.
Cut a slit in the top of shoe box lid.
Decorate with markers, stickers, lace, etc. for a great looking mailbox to hold those
very special Valentines.

Special Gifts for Kids to Make for Parents
Have your children make redeemable tickets for Mom or Dad, brother or sister, or Grandparents. These tickets can be easily made with construction paper, stickers, markers, or crayons. These tickets could be good for "cleaning sister's room" or "taking the trash out for brother." An older child could make a special "I'll read to you" ticket for a younger sibling. The ideas are endless!

Valentine's Day Placemats
Using old Valentine's or stickers, glue the objects onto construction paper that has been cut in the shape of a placemat. Decorate lavishly with lace, glitter, and maybe a photo of the child. Cover with clear contact paper. Have your little homeschooler sign his or her name to the project!

Valentine's Necklaces & Bracelets
Valentine's Day Tee-Shirt
Valentine Clip Art that you can print!
Be Mine Valentine's Card
From Fiskar's scissors. A great looking Valentine!
Ben and Jerry's Happy Saint Valentine's Day
Printable Valentine's and Decorations
Billy Bear's Be My Valentine
Printable cards and stationery for kids.
Fix the Broken Hearts (A Printable Activity)
Find the "V" Words. (A Printable Activity)
Valentine's Day Wordfind
Printable Valentine Card
Make Some Valentines

Yummy Recipe Ideas

Heart-shaped Krispie Treats
Using the Rice Krispie recipe, fill heart-shaped molds with mixture. Wrap in pretty
red saran wrap and tie festively with ribbon.

Valentine's Day Cookies
Using refrigerated cookie dough and heart shaped cookie cutters, cut cookies and
bake according to directions. Decorate with tubes of frosting, sprinkles or red hot candies.

Chocolate Surprise
Ingredients:
2 cups little marshmallows
1 1/2 cups of sugar
A can of evaporated milk. (5 oz.)
1/4 cup butter
1 package semisweet chocolate pieces (12 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can mixed nuts. (12 oz)
Microwave: sugar, milk, marshmallows, and butter on high power for about 5 minutes
or so until melted. (Stir while cooking) Continue cooking for another minute.
Add: chocolate, vanilla, nuts, and remaining marshmallows.
Pour: into an 8 by 8 pan. Refrigerate until cool.

Valentine's Day Cupcakes
Buy one box of strawberry cake mix and the necessary ingredients to make the cake.
Buy Pink or Red Icing.
Bake cupcakes according to package directions.
Decorate with teeney chocolates, sprinkles, red hots, cool whip, candy hearts
or chocolate kisses.

Valentine Muffins
A special breakfast kids can make

Recipes from Family.Com

Valentine's Day Vocabulary!

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