Island Mama's Adventures

The PERFECT Planner

2012-02-12T00:35:00.000-04:00

I am not a shopper. I get very little joy from buying new clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories but the things I am a sucker for are things like journals, notebooks, pens and planners. I could spend hours and lots of money in a stationery store. For me there's nothing like starting a new planner or writing on the first page of a new journal. So when I stumbled upon erincondren.com it was love at first sight! This company sells, amongst many other things, personalized notebooks and planners. I have been trying to find the perfect planner so when I saw the 2012 Life Planner, I really wanted it (I know it is February and I probably should have had something for the beginning of the year but hey, better late than never!) I was so excited to place the order... it cost me an arm and a leg for shipping but my hubby agreed to let me splurge a bit (Thanks Babe!)

And then I had to wait for the package to arrive. I am not the most patient person so I obsessively checked the Fedex tracking site until it landed!

I knew the package would be delivered on Thursday and in my perfect world this is how it would go:

The package would arrive and my lovely, well behaved children would be busy with their school work, Marcus would be napping, I would whisk the package away from the Fed ex guy (thanking him of course) sit down with my freshly made caramel latte, put my feet up and enjoy ripping open the package. I would spend the next ten minutes exploring my beautiful new Erin Condren 2012 Life Planner and another 30 minutes filling in all of our appointment, birthdays, soccer practices, ballet lessons...you get the picture...

This my friends is what really happened. It was Thursday, so that meant my father in law was over to give music lessons to the kids. One child who will remain unnamed had decided that today was not a good day for music lessons and then proceeded to go to their room and slam the door. The next child was called for their lesson. I went to deal with the door slamming stubborn child while leaving the third child to keep an eye on Marcus who was now 20 minutes late for his nap but needed to have a diaper change. In the midst of the disciplinary session I hear "Mommy! There are 3 people at the door!" being shouted through the house. I wondering how big this life planner is that it takes 3 people to deliver it...I know my life is busy but the planner does need to fit in my purse! I leave a "now crying, not so stubborn, sorry he slammed the door" child in room to think about his behaviour. As I walk briskly through the kitchen towards the front door I notice that the child who was supposed to be keeping an eye on Marcus had dumped a cup full of flour on the counter and was now proceeding to sweep it everywhere with a pastry brush (did I mention I was making cookies in the midst of this all?) Marcus was at the door, ready to greet the three people with a sagging diaper, now 30 minutes past his naptime. My father in law has thankfully made it to the door ahead of me and nicely let them know I would be right with them. As I get to the door there is one Fed Ex guy and 2 ladies carrying oversized purses... yes, Jehovah's Witnesses. Anyway I deal with the Fed ex guy first. I have to pay customs duty for the package (it has now cost me the other arm and leg) so I ask him to excuse me while I go and get my purse. I need to pay with a card as I never have cash... the Fed ex guy needs to borrow my phone to call in the payment... is he serious? Has he ever tried to find a cordless phone in the middle of a chaotic household...especially one that is not ringing?! Back to the kitchen, child with pastry brush is still sweeping away, locate phone, payment is authorized, sign the slip, accept the package. The 2 nice ladies are still on the step and want to give me a booklet titled "The Happy Family" or "Raising a Happy Family" or something like that... They must have seen I looked a bit frazzled! I tell them thank you but that I probably won't read it so I won't take it. They then ask me if I homeschool... I felt like saying "No I run a circus, can't you tell." But I didn't, we had a quick chat about homeschooling and they were on their way. I close the door try to restore some order to the chaos, get Marcus to nap, clean up the flour, and then I crack open the box and take a peek. My Life Planner... it looks perfect...

And opening it in the midst of chaos was a perfect reminder to me that although I may find a perfect planner, life will still be chaotic and unexpected at times but if we keep our eyes on the Master Planner HE will give us peace! HE is the Perfect Planner so I pray that as I use my new planner I will remember to rely on God and trust in the perfect plans he has for me.

Psalm 119:133 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Math Rider: A Review

2012-02-10T11:24:00.000-04:00

For the past month we have had the opportunity to review a math facts game called Math Rider. Understanding addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and knowing all fundamental math facts is necessary for higher level math. It is important for the kids to be able to memorize these. Before starting this school year Micaiah was having some difficulty with this but over this year, with constant practice I can see improvement. Math Rider has thus been great reinforcement and an opportunity for both Micaiah and Eli to practice and gain confidence in this area... while having fun!

So what is Math Rider? Here is an explanation from their website:

Your child is taken into a land of fantasy and quests. Living in the Land of Ray and riding a horse called Shadow, he or she will set out on various noble adventures. Riding across amazing, digitally matte-painted moving backdrops of distinct fantastic lands, they will accomplish their quest, be it finding magical flowers, returning gems to the elves or even rescuing a princess!

Each operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) contains four quests, ranging from easy to master.

The four quests are the same across the four operations, however, the rewards are not. Every combination of quest and reward holds a different reward. The rewards are all animated according to how well the player answered the questions.

All rewards are displayed on the main screen of the game. In this way there is a direct feedback and incentive for your child to do as best as they can.

What I like:

It is exciting. Micaiah was hooked on the game immediately, often asking to play Math Rider and never complaining when I asked him to. Eli was a little less enthusiastic but also never complained when he was asked to play it.
The game is designed intelligently. The game learns what the rider knows and what he or she still needs to practice. The pace of the game adjusts to each player. This was important for Eli who gets easily frustrated if something is too fast.
It is uncomplicated. In order to play the child simply types in the answer and presses enter, thus they can focus on the math rather than how to actually play the game. The each level of the game, apart from the final mastery level, focuses on a single operation so the child is not getting confused between operations.
It can be used for more than one child. Every person creates their own rider, and the game tracks each rider’s progress and unique practice results individually. The license you purchase is for up to 8 players.
Feedback. As the parent you can see very easily your child's progress. The feedback includes a overview map of mastery for each number table so the parent and child can easily see what they have mastered.

This is a great program for homeschoolers and non homeschoolers alike. It is a great way for your kids to memorize the important facts and gain confidence in math! And you won't feel like you are pulling teeth!! (Do you remember learning multiplication tables with flash cards... BORING!)

There is a free trial available which will allow you to try out the full program. The program is compatible with both Windows and Mac Platforms and is currently on sale for $37 until February 15th. The regular price is $47 which I think is a great value considering that it is a one time purchase that can be used for up to 8 players and can be installed on up to 3 computers. One thing to note is that it is not played in an online environment, so if you start a quest on one computer you can only access your progress on that computer.

Finally, what did my riders have to say about Math Rider?

Micaiah after completing his first division facts quest.

Knight Micaiah: "I like it because I get to learn math and it helps me with my other math programs. It is very fun because I like horses and I love math!"

Builder Eli: "It's good and helps me learn and it is fun!"

Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Crew review team, I was given short term access to the program in return for my honest (positive or otherwise) opinion of this product.

Celestial Almanack: A Review

2012-02-08T07:43:00.000-04:00

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words, no sound is heard from them. Yet their voicegoes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19: 1-4

I love looking up at the night sky and thinking about the glory of God but I must admit that my astronomy experience stops at being able to identify the big dipper.

Are you curious about the activity that happens around us? The way the planets move, the names of the constellations and how to find them? You may consider purchasing a Celestial Almanack from Fourth Day Press (available through Currclick). This monthly publication is an illustrated guide to learning the night sky. I was recently sent Celestial Almanack: A Visual Representation of the sky Vol 1, #2 February 2012.

What can you find inside?

February, 2012: this month, learn about:
* The Sun is moving higher in the noon sky, and rises and sets farther to the north, and how this relates to the days growing longer;
* The constellation Orion dominates the evening skies. Find Orion and his neighboring constellations, and how Orion can be used as a starting point for finding 35 constellations!
* Jupiter and Venus are drawing closer this month, approaching a spectacular conjunction in March! What an amazing sight!
* Mars and Saturn are visible earlier in the night, and are well placed before midnight;
* Discover these planets and also many bright stars on the evenings when they line up with the Moon.

My thoughts:

I didn't have very long to review this product as it is obviously time sensitive (you are not going to want to purchase the February issue in March!) As a novice, I found the information, while well written, to be a little overwhelming. It is advertised as a monthly illustrated ezine companion guide for the Signs & Seasons curriculum which is a traditional hard copy publication from the same publisher. It would probably have been better for me to be more familiar with that curriculum before trying to jump right into the Almanack. I soon realized that I wasn't going to understand it enough to explain it to the kids before this review was due. If the kids were older ( it is advertised for 11+) and if we had more time we could have checked it out together, using internet resources to explain things we didn't know.

My recommendation:

Don't let my experience deter you from checking out this product. I am going to press on during the rest of the month and try and identify some of the events in the night sky. The material has piqued my curiosity in the area of astronomy and hopefully by the time the kids are older I will have a better understanding of the subject. If you have kids in the suggested age (11+) whether you homeschool or not, I would recommend you checking out this ezine (hey, it's only $3... what do you have to lose?) Then bundle everyone up on a clear night and go and see some of God's amazing handiwork!

Check out a free sample here.

Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Crew review team, I was given this downloadable copy in return for my honest (positive or otherwise) opinion of this product.

Goodbye Shampoo

2012-02-02T22:54:00.000-04:00

I haven't shampooed Eden's hair (or mine for that matter) since November. Before you freak out or report me to child services for neglect, let me explain.

I was getting to a point of frustration with Eden's hair. It was always dry and dull and it seemed that any hair product I used would just dry it out even more. To top that off she has very sensitive skin and I never knew if something I would put in her hair was going to irritate her scalp. There has been lots of trial and error in the hair department at our house! Eden has very curly/ frizzy hair. The hair itself is not thick but she has a lot of it. There have been many tears shed over hair washing and hair combing. It would take forever to clear out the tangles. I had tried ev.ery.thing. Before giving up shampoo, I had starting using coconut oil which was helping to make the hair shiny temporarily but I still found it to be very dry.

bad hair day

I remember the first time I read about someone giving up shampoo... really? I couldn't imagine that that would work for us. That is until my friend Marilyn started raving about how she had stopped shampooing her daughters' hair. Her girls have beautiful hair and when I saw it after a few weeks of no shampoo I was a little less skeptical. I was ready to give it a go.

Giving up shampoo doesn't mean giving up cleaning your hair. So before I reveal how I am now cleaning our hair I'll let you know the results.

Washing and combing out Eden's hair now takes 10 to 15 minutes as opposed to 45 minutes to an hour. (yes, 45 minutes... and that did not include styling). Now I can almost run a comb straight through as soon as I am done washing it. This means there is less breakage and hair falling out. Her hair is softer and shinier... . I still use the coconut oil while her hair is damp but now it absorbs into her hair much better so I use much less. Also, it may be my imagination, but I think Eden's hair is growing a lot faster. And an added bonus is there are no more tears!! As for my hair, it feels much more healthy and I need to use much less product when I style it.

So what is the secret? Baking soda and apple cider vinegar! Now wait, before you go and make an explosion in your bathroom trying to wash your hair, you don't mix them!!

The baking soda which is alkaline... a very gentle one that clarifies the hair from chemical buildup. I mix about 1 to 2 TBS with one cup of water. I pour that over wet hair and massage it in starting at the scalp and then move towards the ends. After rinsing that out the hair feels squeaky clean and then it is ready for step two, the apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is acidic... mildly, and it is used to detangle the hair and close the hair shaft, sealing in the natural oils and moisture. I mix about 2 TBS of vinegar with one cup of water. I pour that over the hair, concentrating more on the ends than the scalp. I let that sit for a few seconds and then rinse and voila! Clean, detangled hair.

Once a month I treat Eden's hair with a mixture of olive oil and honey. After leaving that on damp hair for about an hour I use the regime above. I usually have to do the baking soda step twice to get the oil out but it has really helped restore the softness and shine to Eden's hair.

This article goes into a lot more detail if you want to read more about using baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I was going to spell it all out here but I figured this blogger wrote it so well, I might as well let you read it there!

Oh and one last benefit... imagine how much money I am saving not buying shampoo and conditioner!!

Kinderbach: A review

2012-02-01T21:22:00.000-04:00

We had the opportunity to review Kinderbach. As you may guess from the name it is a music program... one designed to teach three to seven year olds to play the piano. I found it to be that and more. It not only teaches the mechanics of playing the piano, it also sets the foundation of music theory.

About the program:

There are 6 levels, broken down by weeks (60 weeks total) and each week has four lessons. Each lesson takes less than 10 minutes and there is very little prep required (printing worksheets when required) and the student can move through the lessons at his or her own pace.

Fun characters, singing, activity sheets and movement are a part of each lesson.
The songs are catchy (I find all 3 kids singing or humming them through out the day.)

The characters are fun and all have a story to help the student learn the names of the notes. For example, Dodi is a donkey who lives between the two black keys... and you guessed it.. that key plays D!

The activities are well thought out and help to reinforce the concept that is being taught. The activity book is available as a download and we have just printed each sheet as we need it.

The program is available online, or as a set of DVD's

An online subscription provides access to all web lessons by computer (iPad, Android Tablet, Kindle Fire or Nook accessible as well)

$7.99 a month - Billed in a one time annual payment of $95.88
(Great Value! Save 60%)
or
$19.99 monthly subscription - Billed monthly for a year
(12 separate payments)

The DVD's are about $40 per level but are also available as value package bundles.

Our experience:

We are blessed to have Grandpa Furbert as the kid's music teacher. He is currently teaching Micaiah, Eli and Eden to play the recorder and Micaiah and Eli the piano so when we were given Kinderbach to review, I chose to use it with Eden (she wants to play the piano like her big brothers).

Eden completing a colouring page to reinforce finger numbers

playing her homemade rhythm instrument along with the teacher

Eden has enjoyed the lessons. In the beginning she would lose interest after one lesson but as we have progressed she sometimes wants to do 2 or 3 lessons at a time. She enjoys completing the activity sheets and is understanding rhythm better as well. We will definitely be continuing the lessons for the remainder of our review period and I would recommend the program to anyone who wants to give their 3 to 7 year old a good solid start in music.

moving on to the piano

KinderBach is an instrument-based program so you do need to have a piano or keyboard available for the lessons but it doesn't have to be an expensive one.. one with 3 to 4 octaves (36 to 48 full sized keys) and no bells or whistles necessary.

Go on and check out the website and even try the first few lessons for free! Read here to see what others think of Kinderbach. If you try it let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Crew review team, I was given a short term subscription free in return for my honest (positive or otherwise) opinion of this product.

Upcycled Herb Garden

2012-01-26T00:49:00.001-04:00

We were out for a walk on Monday morning and saw these drawers lying on the side of the road.

I looked at the kids and said, "We could probably use these for something!" They helped me load them in the wagon that we were pulling Marcus in and we continued our journey, talking about what we could use them for. By the time we arrived home, we had decided on creating a herb garden.

We immediately got to work drilling holes in the bottom for drainage.

And then a trip to the plant nursery nearby for some potting soil and herb seedlings. The kids enjoyed choosing which plants to purchase and we headed home with parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme, chives and mint.

The next step was filling the drawers with potting soil.

Even Marcus got in on the action!

Then each person took responsibility for one type of herb, carefully removing the young plants and placing them in the soil.

Finally after a good watering, we arranged our new herb boxes along with some stones we had lying around and voila! a beautiful herb garden.

I really like how it turned out. You know the saying....


One man's junk...

... another man's treasure!

Three Words

2012-01-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

I heard three words at church yesterday that both convicted and inspired me.

They were not spoken in the sermon...

They were not sung in any of the hymns or special music...

They were said to me as I was leaving the sanctuary at the end of the service.

Amongst the goodbyes, nice to see you's, and the have a good week's that were being said as the congregation spilled into the hallway, one lady said to me,

"Enjoy your kids!"

She wouldn't know how much I needed to hear those three words.

Last week was a tough week. Most of the week I honestly did not enjoy them. I couldn't wait for bedtime or for Joe to come home to "rescue" me.

But it is that simple.. I need to make the decision to enjoy them.

And that is what I intend to do.

Have a great week... and if you have kids, ENJOY THEM!

Fully Equipped

2012-01-15T16:25:00.000-04:00

Last year, I started out the year by reading the Bible in 90 days (you can read about that here.) It was a great experience, one I wished to repeat so I decided to do the same this year.

January 2nd I started full of enthusiasm and ready to go but sometime after the fourth day I started to fall behind.
1 day behind...
          2 days behind...
                    catch up a little...
                               3 days behind... that's been the pattern for the past week.

On Friday I was discouraged. Not because I am behind... it's the time spent with God, reading and understanding the message of the Bible, that matters most for me. I was discouraged because for days I had been picking up God's word and reading but I wasn't getting anything out of it... I was praying for God to give me something fresh each day but I was struggling to get through the reading. Have you ever been in the place when you know you are just going through the motions? That's exactly where I was on Friday and I was even asking God if I should be doing the 90 day plan. "Maybe you didn't want me to do this, I should just scrap it and start again another time, I can do some other devotional or bible study instead."

Then God showed up.. just in time like he always does. Right in the midst of my discouragement, as I was struggling through the book of Exodus, he encouraged me.

Before I tell you the passage and how it spoke to me, let me first tell you that I was having a bad week... it was our first full week back to school after Christmas break and by Tuesday I was ready to call it quits! I was feeling inadequate as a mom, inadequate as a teacher, I thought that the only thing my kids were learning from me was how to yell. It was definitely "one of those weeks". All that was running through my head was "I can't do this anymore."

So back to Friday morning during my time with God, desperate for something else, something new but doubting whether I would find it in Exodus.. in the middle of the chapters where God was giving Moses the requirements for setting up the tabernacle: "Make an alter for incense... make a bronze basin... take fragrant spices..." AND THEN....

Chapter 31...

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! “And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make."

It was GOD that appointed these men and GOD who equipped these men. GOD gave them the wisdom, ability and expertise.. HE has gifted them.

I heard God loud and clear...

               "I have appointed you, Rusheika to be the mother of these children. I have appointed you to teach them. AND I have equipped you to do just that.
                                                  Trust me... follow me...
                                                                 so you can do the things I have commanded you to do."

Maestro Classics: A Review

2012-01-12T23:46:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard of Maestro Classics?

Maestro Classics is a collection of CD's that introduce children to classical music through stories. Performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the CD's are entertaining and educational.

I am always looking for ways to enrich the kids learning so I was happy to receive The Story of Swan Lake in the mail to review. The Story of Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet score, is the tale of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful princess. The princess, however, has been turned into a swan by an evil magician, and only the prince’s love can break the spell.

The music along with the narration is beautiful and the kids enjoyed listening to it, but what made this CD even more fantastic were the additional treasures on the CD, the booklet that accompanied it and the website with access to wonderful resources.

There was something for all of my kids:

The most obvious was the opportunity for Eden (age 4) to dance. She is currently in her first year of ballet (really pre- ballet) and she loves to twirl and plié to the music.

One of the tracks on the CD is a modernized version of Swan Lake with an electric guitar which Eli (age 6) our aspiring rockstar, loved.

Micaiah (age 8) enjoyed hearing and reading about the life of Tchaikovsky which was highlighted in the 24-page activity book included with the CD. The book also contains information on acoustic and electric guitars, sheet music and words for a sing-along song, explanation of major and minor keys, puzzles and more.

And finally, since music is great for brain development it is perfect for Marcus (18 months) who had no choice but to listen as most of our listening time was in the car ("carschooling" is the best!)

One of the resources that I explored but only scratched the surface of was the online curriculum guide. The guides are designed to accompany the Maestro Classics CDs and cover topics in history, science, geography, language arts, music, art and math. The website provides links to many valuable resources. After we listened to the CD a couple of times, I used ideas from the guide to teach the kids about Russia (the home of Tchaikovsky), we watched a science video clip about air pressure and a bird's ability to fly, we learned about the history of the crossbow and how it works (another one of Micaiah's favourites) and watched how to make an origami swan... which we still need to try ourselves along with many other great ideas. We could have done a week or two long unit study based on this CD and one day maybe we will.

The company has many other titles that I am definitely going to add to our homeschool wish list including:

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Peter and the Wolf
Tortoise and the Hare
Juanita the Spanish Lobster (available in English and Spanish)
Casey at the Bat
Sorcerer's Apprentice
My Name is Handel:The Story of Water Music
The Soldier's Tale

The CD's are geared toward 5 to 12 year olds and are about $17 per CD or $10 for a MP3 download. They are also available as bundled packs. I would love to collect all of them(... just throwing a hint out to anyone who cares!!)

Go on and check it out for yourself or click here to see what others are saying.

Disclaimer: As a reviewer for the TOS crew, I was given this product free of charge in exchange for an honest (favourable or otherwise) review.

Homeschool Spanish: A Review

2012-01-05T23:26:00.000-04:00

One of our desires is for our children to be fluent in a second language. Both Joe and I learned French in school but neither of us remember more than a few words and phrases. We decided that Spanish is probably a good language to learn, a lanuguage that could take them many places in the future. The kids and I joined a Spanish class a couple of years ago which we enjoyed but after the coordinator left the island, we never continued. I loved the class because it was relaxed, the coordinator used sign language, songs, and props to make the classes fun AND I could join in and learn Spanish too. Since then I have looked for a similar process of learning Spanish that I could do on my own so I was so pleased when we were chosen to review Homeschool Spanish: A R.E.A.L Curriculum for the Whole Family. The REAL stands for Relax, Enjoy, Aspire, Learn Spanish! Sounded like the perfect fit... and so far so good!

I didn't get as far as I had hoped in the program during the review period as it fell smack dab in the middle of Christmas prep and holiday time, but I was able to use it enough to know it is definitely a resource that we will continue with. The kids have responded well with it and are actually learning! AND so am I... and you know the saying "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks!" The first day I introduced the program to the kids I said "Bonjour mes enfants!" Oh dear...wrong language.. this is going to be good! I must say things have gotten much better since then!!

So what are the strengths of this program?

It was written specifically for home educators and was developed in order to enable parents to learn along with their child and could be easily incorporated into daily life. It is built upon a conversational Spanish foundation and does not take a lot of preparation time. The author Dr. Karyn Williamson-Coria, is the homeschooling mom of 3 boys. You can read more about her and the philosophy of the program here.

The curriculum comes as a book bundle which is available in hardcopy ($89.95)or as downloadable ebooks ($49.95).

This main book includes home educator tips, ideas for getting started, tips for using it for multiple children of different ages, and ideas to incorporate cultural elements into your learning experience.

The bundle includes a Daily Curriculum guide which takes the guess work out of how the material should be presented each week. The lessons are broken up into ten units (or 48 weeks) which are made up of vocabulary clusters and useful phrases for presenting the material. Idea sections provide suggested activities for reinforcing learning throughout daily life.

There is an activity book full of fun activities like word search and crossword puzzles, fill in the blanks and unscramble activities. An answer book is provided. Micaiah (age 8) has enjoyed this and is able to work on most of the activities in his own. Eli (age 6) needs quite a bit of assistance from me but that has only helped reinforce my learning as well. The kids (including Eden- age 4) have started making a collection of picture flash cards to help them remember the words that we are learning.

I have some Spanish board books I was trying to use with the kids.. they are great because they have the Spanish and English words on the same page. The problem is that I have no clue how to pronounce the Spanish words! This program comes with audio files so there is no guess work... no logging on to the internet trying to find the right pronunciation... it is all there!

The company offers email support, which I haven't need to use but it is good to know if it is there if we do.

This is a great, well thought out program. So far it is proving to be what it claims... a program for the whole family which can be learned in a relaxed, enjoyable way. I look forward to continuing and I am confident that we will continue to be successful in our learning! Check out or purchase the curriculum here or see what others using this curriculum have to say here.

Hasta luego Amigos!

Disclaimer: As a reviewer for the TOS crew, I was given this product free of charge in exchange for an honest (favourable or otherwise) review.

A Word for 2012

2011-12-30T23:20:00.000-04:00

Intentional... Does that word sound familiar?

If you have been following my blog for a while you will know that this was my word for 2011.

In 2011 I wanted to be intentional...

Intentional as a wife...
                           as a mom...
                                    as a friend...
                                             as a student the Word of God...

I wanted to be intentional in every way I lived my life.

SO... as it draws to a close, I am reflecting on this year.

It is a year that flew by.

It have been a good year in many ways, a tough year in many ways.

I have been stretched, I have grown and I am still learning MANY things.

As a wife, I have prayed more for my husband, I have tried to listen more, be less selfish, and love him more fully.

As a mom, I have tried to have more fun with my kids, tried to understand and meet their individual needs.

As a friend I have tried to listen more, talk less.

As a student of the Word of God, I read through the Bible, studied Philippians, memorized scripture.

I didn't always get it right...I have messed up and I have gotten back up.

I have experienced God's grace, God's leading and God's blessings.

SO what about 2012?

I want to continue to be intentional in every area of my life but I have been praying over the last few weeks about another word to help guide this new year.

The word that continues to come to my mind and heart is ...

Temperate.

tem·per·ate [tem-per-it, tem-prit] adjective

1.moderate or self-restrained; not extreme in opinion, statement, etc.: a temperate response to an insulting challenge.

2.moderate as regards indulgence of appetite or passion, especially in the use of alcoholic liquors.

3.not excessive in degree, as things, qualities, etc.

Through God's power I will be...

Temperate in my speech.

Self controlled in my interactions with my husband, my children and others.

Sensible in decision making and goal setting.

Not unreasonable in my expectations of myself and others.

Prudent in my spending.

Moderate in my eating.

Pure in my thoughts and deeds.

One area I commit to NOT be temperate in is my witness for Christ!

I want to live boldly

FIRE

for HIM

this year!

What about you? Is God speaking to you about how you should live your life in 2012? Prayerfully consider how you will make a difference and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you!

Seasons Greetings!

2011-12-27T09:21:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe that Christmas is over!

We had a great Christmas day and now we are enjoying some family time between now and the New Year.

As this year comes to a close, here's a look at some of our memories of 2011. It was fun for me to put this together... looking back, seeing how much the kids have grown and how much God has blessed us.

We look forward to making many more memories in the year to come!

Hope you enjoy it! Have a great 2012!

Make a free slideshow design

Island Mama in the Kitchen: 6 Week Muffins

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

I like making muffins for our family but I never know how many to make. A recipe for 12 is not enough for our family of six (yes, my kids will devour 3 regular sized muffins at one sitting) Doubling the recipe make more than enough but not enough leftovers for a second sitting. I know I could freeze the leftovers but I'll probably not remember they are in the freezer. You see my dilemma? Granted, not a life changing problem but one of those little annoyances that I only remember as I am making the muffins. SOOOOO... when I stumbled upon this recipe I was pleased.

6 Week Bran Muffins (Auntie Anne's Muffins)

Photo from Food.com

First of all the name was intriguing... 6 week muffins? At first I though it meant muffins that lasted 6 weeks... I couldn't imagine how fresh they would taste in all that time..okay, don't laugh at me.. I am only a little slow :)

So here's the deal, this recipe makes enough batter for 24- 30 regular sized muffins but you can keep the batter in the fridge for up to 6 weeks! My dilemma solved. I can make the exact number of muffins needed at the time and save the rest of the batter in the fridge. And if I'm the only one that wants a muffin for breakfast, I can bake one or two at a time.

BUT how do the taste?? I don't know who Auntie Anne is but if I knew her I'd hug her! The are delicious... really. They are the best bran muffins I have ever had, moist, tender, sweet but not too sweet. A perfect muffin in my estimation. And to top it off... pardon the pun... there is an optional cinnamon sugar topping that my kids {and I} LOVE! Sometimes I make mini muffins, roll them in the cinnamon sugar and they are almost like eating donut holes. I have now made 3 batches and I always get 6 thumbs up! Definitely a keeper. I can't really vouch for the 6 weeks though since the batter is never around that long!

Here's the recipe as posted on Food.com

Six Week Muffins (Auntie Anne's Muffins)

3 cups bran buds (Kellogg's All Bran cereal preferred-the little stick type cereal...not flakes)
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups oil
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs , beaten
2 cups buttermilk (I make my own- 2 TBS of white vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Optional Topping

butter
cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Pour boiling water over 1 1/2 coups of the bran buds. Let stand while mixing other ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine rest of dry bran buds, flour, soda, and salt.
In another separate bowl, cream sugar and oil.
Add eggs to this mixture.
Add buttermilk alternately with dry ingredients.
Add the 1 1/2 cups soaked bran buds and mix well.
Store batter in fridge for up to 6 weeks.
Bake as needed in 400F oven.
Bake regular size for 15-20 minutes and mini muffins for 8-10 minutes
Dip tops in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar.
If you are really trying to be healthy, skip the butter and just dip the hot fresh baked muffins in cinnamon sugar and it will stick.

Try them and let me know what you think!

Fractazmic!! A Review

2011-12-15T09:50:00.000-04:00

I am always looking for ways to make math fun for the kids. I struggled with some math concepts when I was a kid. In my experience with the kids, the more ways something is presented the easier it is to understand. I was thrilled when I received a deck of Fractazmic cards in the mail to review.

So what is Fractazmic? Fractazmic is a fraction card game from the the makers of I See Cards . They have a few different card games designed to make learning fun.

With Fractazmic you can:

Quickly learn to convert and add fractions.
Understand the relationship between fractions and measurements.
See real world use of fractions.

How does it work?

Fractazmic is a deck of 60 cards split into 3 suits, 10ths, 12ths and 16ths. Each suit has cards that can be converted to the identifying suit. For example the 10ths suit has cards that can be converted to 10ths namely,one- half, fifths and tenths, the 16ths suit has one-half, quarters, eighths and sixteenths.
Each suit has a graphic that can help to identify the amount that is on the card. For instance the 12ths suit has a carton of eggs, the 1/3rd card would have 4 eggs in the carton, the one-half card would have 6 eggs and so on.

There are a couple of ways to play the game but the basic idea is to make hands that add up to one using cards from the same suit.

So what did we think?

We played this several times over the past few weeks. It was right on time as Micaiah who is in grade 3 has been covering fractions in his math curriculum. The first time we played I had to give Micaiah a lot of help but after playing a few rounds he understood the concept of converting fractions. After the first round I made a cheat sheet for him so he could play more independently and eventually he needed to rely on the sheet less and less. Eli who is in grade one and has just been introduced to fractions could not grasp the game yet. He was content to watch us and I am sure he will soon catch on to the concept of adding the fractions together. When I asked Micaiah what he thought, this is what he said, "It was a bit challenging but lots of fun."

I am sure it is a game we will play again and again.

Fractazmic is available on the I See Cards website and is priced at $6.95 per deck making it affordable for individual families as well as classrooms that may want to purchase several sets (there is even special pricing for ordering 5 sets or 10 sets).

I See Cards also makes the following games. Because we enjoyed Fractazmic so much I have added them to my wish list!!

Check out this link to see what others thought of this product.

Disclaimer: As a reviewer for the TOS crew, I was given this product free of charge in exchange for an honest (favourable or otherwise) review of the game.

Countdown to Christmas: Truth in the Tinsel

2011-12-01T14:57:00.001-04:00

Wow! how did it get to be December already?!

I was really excited to come across an e-book this week called "Truth in the Tinsel" written by Amanda White of impressyourkids.org.

Before I found it I had been planning to use the Jesse Tree Devotional we used last year as a countdown to Christmas. It is a great devotional but a little over the kids heads. I did a lot of paraphrasing last year and I wasn't sure how much of it they absorbed.

This e-book however was written with younger kids in mind and so far has proven to be just what we need. The book provides a scripture reading and instructions for making an ornament for each day of December leading up to Christmas.

There are little clue cards that I printed on the back of patterned paper and have strung up across our mantle. Each day for our Truth in the Tinsel time, the kids turn over the next clue and try to figure out what the word of the day is.

As I read the scripture the shout out the word they think as I read it. For example, day one's clue was a candle. The scripture reading talked about the Saviour being a light. Each time I read the word light, they shouted out light. They love that part as I am usually telling them NOT to shout things out. After we read, I talk to them about the key word and introduce the craft of the day. While they are making the craft we have a discussion about the meaning of the scripture, its relationship to Christmas and any lesson we can learn for our own lives. So far the whole process has been a hit... for the kids, and for me! The crafts are easy to prepare and to put together, the devotional is simple and easy enough for Eden to understand but challenging enough to also keep Micaiah's attention.

Here are some pictures from our first 3 days:

Candle ornament- Jesus is our light

Busy at work

Crowns: Jesus is our King

Zechariah with a bubble mouth that the kids popped (to symbolize God making him unable to speak).

Do you have little kids? Go and check out Truth in the Tinsel. It's not too late to jump in. Amanda provides alternate schedules for those that can't or don't want to make all 24 crafts.

Stay tuned for more!

Math Mammoth: A Review

2011-11-17T22:18:00.001-04:00

Guess what? Another review! Seems like all I am writing right now is reviews! This one is for a Math curriculm called Math Mammoth.

Math Mammoth offers affordable, yet quality math worktexts and workbooks for grades 1-8, available as both downloads and printed books. These books concentrate on conceptual understanding and are strong in mental math. The directions in the worktexts are written directly to the student, and are often self-teaching, thus requiring little preparation and involvement from the teacher.

The company offers a full elementary mathematics curriculum for grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Each grade level in the curriculum consists of two student worktexts (A and B), and supportive materials, which include answer keys, tests, cumulative reviews, and an additional worksheet maker.

But it also offers lots of supplemental math materials:

Collections of handy 1-page worksheets with varying problems, which are offered either by topic (GREEN SERIES) or by grade level (GOLDEN SERIES).
The BLUE SERIES books are worktexts by math topics. They concentrate on a few connected topics and concepts at a time, and are great for many purposes, such as initial teaching, remedial teaching, or review.
Make It Real Learning workbooks allow you to solve problems from real-life.
States by the Numbers workbooks include lots of basic practice using real-life data.

After looking through the vast website and assessing the needs we had in math, I chose to review 2 topics in the Blue Series.

My thoughts: I chose these topics with Eli (Grade 1) in mind. Our current math curriculum is taught in a cyclical approach so I figured the topical approach would help to supplement and reinforce the concepts he is learning. I found the text to be straight forward and simple to follow. Because Eli isn't really an independent learner, I knew that the worksheet format would not work well for him so I worked through the lessons with him. On some of the lessons, the others also joined in.

They had fun working together on the activities. Eli likes anything hands on so the activites were a winner. Even though he doesn't enjoy worksheets too much he did manage to get through a few lessons filling in the pages. They provided a great diversion from our regular curriculum. I find breaks like that tend to keep them motivated!

We will revisit these worktexts. The best thing is that I received them as an e-book and the licensing permits me unlimited copies for my students, which means I that I can reprint and use these same books for Eden and Marcus when they are ready for them.

The full curriculum is about $35 per grade and the supplementary worktexts are around $3 or $4 per topic.

You can check out what others thought here.

Disclaimer: As a TOS Homeschool Crew reviewer, I received these e-books in return for an honest review(positive or otherwise) of the curriculum.

Keyboard Pals: A Review

2011-11-14T11:01:00.001-04:00

Do you remember learning to type? Was it easy and fun? If you were taught like me it wasn't either of those! We were given a product to review that claims to teach kids to type in an hour while they have fun as well! Here's some information from the Keyboard Pals website

Our Mission: Our mission is to teach young children to type on a Qwerty computer keyboard in the fastest, easiest, and least stressful way. In only one hour Keyboard Town PALS’ “Learn To Type”software is able to achieve that goal.

Stress-Free: We have eliminated the stress normally associated with learning to type and replaced it with adorable puppets who sing songs and tell stories in a relaxed learning environment. Our system has no boring drills or exercises. No mindless games. No nerve-wracking timed-speed tests. We have even deactivated the delete and backspace buttons since mistakes are never counted and scroll right off the screen.

Wholesome: We are dedicated to developing educational software that you can depend on; wholesome products that will help you do your job as a parent – the most important and rewarding job anyone can have.

Self Motivated: Your child will become an eager participant in the learning process and will be self-motivated to learn and complete the program.

6 and Up: Keyboard Town PALS is best for the beginner audience of kids ages 6-12 and those with learning differences. All you need is a kid, a computer and an hour.

So what did we think? I personally found the puppets kind of corny but since I wasn't the target audience I kept an open mind and my opinion to myself when I introduced the program to the kids. I used it with both Micaiah (almost 8) and Eli (6). I did a run through of a few of the lessons myself and they were easy to understand and would need little to no parental supervision once the kids were logged on.

Unlike me the kids liked the puppets. Micaiah had success with the program and is well on his way to typing. (He will continue to practice with the program until our subscription runs out). He however did not like it enough to sit for an hour or even a half hour so I can not vouch for the claim that it can teach you to type in an hour. There are a total of 8 lessons- one lesson per finger and they did one or two lessons at a time. Eli who is at the lower limit of the target age range did not have a whole lot of interest in learning to type. When I asked him if he liked the program his answer was "Yes, but I only want to type with my right hand."

So all in all I found it to be a good program that sets out what it intends to do if the child is ready to learn to type. The product can be purchased as a CD-rom ($35) or there is an online option ($30) and the company has other companion products available for purchase if you want to extend the learning (finger puppets, coloring book, a game).

Check out the Keyboard Pals website for more information. If you want to know what others thought, take a look some more reviews here.

Disclaimer: As a TOS Homeschool Crew reviewer, I received a free 6 week subscription for online access to the Keyboard Pals software in return for an honest review(positive or otherwise) of the product.

10 years after "I do"

2011-11-10T20:00:00.000-04:00

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary.

I posted this message to my husband on Facebook this morning:

"I thought I loved you completely when I said "I do" but now 10 years later I see that that was just the beginning... I love you more than I could have ever imagined!"
Amongst the congratulatory messages we received on that post was a question from one of my friends asking the secret to making it sweet. It got me thinking about how much I have learned over the past 10 years about marriage. When I think back, knowing what I know now, I was quite clueless about what makes a marriage work when I walked down the aisle. Sure we had the premarital counseling that is so important but it is one thing to know something in theory...putting it into practice is a whole other ball game!

So here is a list of 10 things I have learned over the past 10 years. Most of these things I am still learning but practice makes perfect right?!

First and foremost, keep God at the centre of the marriage.
My husband is always on my team. He is not my enemy...even when we don't see eye to eye.
Honesty is always the best policy.
If I want my spouse to be honest and openly communicate with me, I have to create/maintain the right environment for that. I have listen without judgement no matter what is being said.
I don't always have to be right. (still working on that one :)
Conflict is an opportunity for growth.
Don't try to change your spouse. Pray for God to change them but pray more for God to give you the grace to accept them as they are.
Be willing to overlook the little things... when it comes to our spouses faults or our own pet peeves, we tend to go through the dating stage with our eyes shut tight and then when we get married our eyes are wide open. It should be the other way around!
Marriage is not 50/50. It's not even each person always giving 100% (can you really give 100% 100% of the time?) Sometimes it might be 20/80 and other times it might be 80/20. The main thing is being willing to pick up the slack when necessary.
As much as you love your children, they do not come before your marriage. A healthy marriage will make healthy kids. Make sure your kids know that mommy and daddy are a team.

So Sweetie, I look forward to learning so much more as we continue this journey together...

Book Review: The Pirate Queen

2011-11-07T22:48:00.001-04:00

The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

Treasure is found in the most unlikely places. The envy of all her friends, wife and mother Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility and accomplishment. She lives in a beautiful Lake Norman home, and has raised three capable adult children. Her husband is a successful plastic surgeon--and a philanderer. It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party for Southern Living magazine, Saphora packs her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life. Saphora’s departure is interrupted by her husband Bender’s early arrival home, and his words that change her life forever: I’m dying. Against her desires, Saphora agrees to take care of Bender as he fights his illness. They relocate, at his insistence, to their coastal home in Oriental—the same house she had chosen for her private getaway. When her idyllic retreat is overrun by her grown children, grandchildren, townspeople, relatives, and a precocious neighbor child, Saphora’s escape to paradise is anything but the life she had imagined. As she gropes for evidence of God's presence amid the turmoil, can she discover that the richest treasures come in surprising packages?

I was given the e-book version of this book to review by Waterbrook Multnomah. I had never hear of the author, Patricia Hickman, but the description sounded interesting. I was drawn in after the first few chapters. Hickman's writing style makes the characters come to life and the plot while starting off seemingly predictable takes several unexpected twists which keeps you turning the pages. There were times I laughed, times I got mad, and times I cried. I definitely didn't want to put it down. For me that makes it really good read.

Throughout the book, the themes of forgiveness and grace were woven together in a captivating story which was uplifting and encouraging and pointed toward experiencing God's presence in the midst of pain. The gospel, the redeeming message of Christ, was clearly presented and was well positioned in the plot. My favourite character had to be Tobias, the young boy who unknowingly helps to change Saphora's outlook on life. His positive attitude and determination while faced with huge trials was a challenging example of how to live life fully no matter what you are faced with.

I will definitely be looking for more titles by Patricia Hickman.. especially if I get that Kindle on my wish list (hint, hint my dear hubby:)

Disclaimer: I received this book (e-book version) from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this honest review.

Ooka Island: A Review

2011-11-06T21:43:00.001-04:00

For the past month Eden has been battling Fliggs (FLying Pigs), rescuing Elves, collecting mist, wandering through sound caves, hanging out in a Popcorn Library, playing in a Pencil Playground, skating down an Alphabet Mountain, and looking for books in a submarine.

Sounds like fun?
Let me introduce you to Ooka Island!

We were given a copy of this downloadable online adventure to review but before I tell you what I think of it here is some information found on their website which will tell you a little about it:

Ooka Island is an online adventure based on a dynamic, individualized, and adaptive reading curriculum that will keep children captivated and develop their literacy skills along the way.

The Ooka Island Adventure starts with 20 minutes of guided play where the player is guided through a customized learning path through the 7 activities on Ooka Island. After 20 minutes of guided play the player unlocks the next book on the Book Path, reads the book in the Popcorn Library and completes the comprehension and vocabulary activities. The player is then rewarded with 8 minutes of free play where the player can play in any unlocked activity on the Island, purchase items in the Mist Mart, or play with their Ooka Elf friends in the Pencil Playground.

The Ooka Island Adventure is embedded with an innovative learning algorithm that adapts game play according to each child’s needs. If a child struggles with any skill being taught, they are rerouted to an activity where that same skill is presented in a different way. This pattern is repeated until the child has mastered the particular skill.

The Ooka Island Adventure is accessed online but not through a web browser, so players are never directed outside of the game to other websites or to outside content.

After being Ooka Island Adventurers for a month now, I can tell you that we love it. It is designed for Pre-K to Grade 2 but since Eli (grade 1) is reading quite fluently I decided to use the program for Eden (pre-K) who wasn't reading but was becoming more interested in reading. She knew all her letters and the sounds and was getting the concept of putting letter sounds together. So Ooka Island came at the perfect time. From the first day, entering the "Cave of Sounds" she was excited. I think she was thrilled to have a program that was hers (the boys have had the chance to review a couple of programs that have been above her level). After I sat with her for a few days, she was able to maneuver through the program quite well on her own. Her favourite part is getting to the Popcorn Library and having the book read to her. She likes to log on and go straight to the library to read the books that have already been unlocked. After a month she has unlocked 16 books and there are 85 in total so we have plenty more Ooka Island ahead of us. She also, in true girl fashion, loves shopping in the Mist Mart for new clothes, shoes and accessories for her avatar.

I like that the program moves at her pace, and if she is struggling with a skill, it repeats (without it feeling repetitive) it until she gets it. It has built her confidence in reading and she is now trying to read any book she picks up (including mine:). I like that she doesn't always have to do the full 20 minutes as the program will pick up where she left off. I am impressed with the thought and planning that has obviously gone into the development of this program. We had a few installation issues and compatibility issues (it's a newly released program) but the customer service representative I dealt with was always efficient and knowledgeable.

Would I recommend the program? Yes, if you have an emerging or early reader who loves technology, give it a try. There are several pricing options available and they are even offering a 30% discount to celebrate their launch so now is a great time to explore the island.

I participated in this review as a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Team. Click here to see what my crewmates are saying about Ooka Island.

Disclaimer: As a TOS Reviewer I was given a free 6 month subscription in exchange for my honest (positive or otherwise) opinion of the product.

Week in Review: Alligators, scavenger hunts and a few loose screws!

2011-10-23T22:00:00.000-03:00

It took a couple of weeks, but it seems like we are back in the swing of things! We had a great week of school last week. I think it was partly because I realized that I was trying to do too much, trying to pack too much into our day. In the process I was stressing the kids out, stressing myself out and no one was enjoying school. I tend to be a "check all the boxes, scheduled person" and while that is a good thing I am also learning to be more flexible and spontaneous in my approach to homeschooling.
I cut back on some of the individual work for each child and focused more on group activities which I could adapt for each child's ability. We covered everything I wanted to cover and the kids enjoyed learning... a win/win in my book!! Here's a look at some of the things we did through the week:

Reading

We finished reading The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill for our group time reading. It was a great story about a young boy who decides that he would make and sell his own toothpaste because the brand named toothpaste was too expensive. By selling his for less he ends up making a million dollars. Some of the themes in the book were over the kids heads but they did enjoy it. It opened up discussion about economics, discrimination and entrepreneurship which I look forward to revisiting when we read it again in the future.

Micaiah completed Praire School by Avi and Keep the Lights Burning, Abby by Peter & Connie Roop. Eli is moving quickly through his All About Reading Readers and looking forward to moving on to "harder" books.

Mathematics
The kids are loving the Mathtacular DVD's we bought to supplement/ reinforce their math programs. The quirky clips use real life examples of mathematics so they can see how math is practical and necessary.

We played a few math games this week including "Hungry Alligator" to help Eli with the concept of greater than and less than. Micaiah and Eden each had a stack of cards (regular playing cards using just the number cards) face down. The flipped over cards one at a time and Eli had to use the correct alligator to show less than or greater than. I printed the alligators from here.

We also played a few rounds of parking lot using our Education Cubes to help Eden with number recognition.

History
This week we covered the the life of Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt so I drew out the map of Egypt, Canaan, the Red Sea on a big board and we used Playmobile figures and other props to tell the story of the 10 plagues and the crossing through the Red Sea.

Practical Life

Eli who loves anything to do with tools had fun taking apart our broken steam cleaner. He spent over an hour exploring the different wires and parts of the motor.

I had to go to the grocery store on Friday.. I NEVER take all 4 kids with me unless it is for 2 or 3 things and even then I try to avoid it! BUT it was unavoidable this week.. not only did I have to take all 4, I also had to do a full week's shopping!!!! In order for it not to be a nightmare I decided to put together a little grocery store scavenger hunt for each child. Eden's was a picture one, she had to mark off the picture when she came across it the in the store. Eli's was along the line of "find something yellow, find something that begins with T, find something sweet..." For Micaiah I stepped it up a bit. He had things like, "find something that is about 8 oz, a brand of cereal with less than 9 grams of sugar, something that costs around $4". They rule was that they had to stay with me.. they couldn't run around the store trying to find everything. Apart from Marcus trying to jump out of the cart every 5 minutes, the shopping experience was actually pretty enjoyable!

So that was our week!! Thanks for stopping by!

Pin it Do it: Something yummy!

2011-10-08T19:47:00.000-03:00

I am back with another Pin it Do it Challenge! (sorry for all those who came by for the last two weeks looking for the challenge.. we were on vacation!)

The pin I used this week was from my recipe board which I originally found here. It was a recipe for Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf. Remember, I have a love of Italian food so this one sounded right up my alley! And it was. I followed the directions exactly and if I made it again there is nothing I would change. It was the right blend of seasoning, a great texture and SOOOO easy to make! You can even make it ahead, freeze it and then bake it when you need it. It got 5 out of 6 thumbs up from the family so that means it makes it into our regular rotation.

from "What's Cooking Chicago"

We'll I have to go... I'm in the midst of changing over wardrobes for all four kids... ugh!

Link up below and show us all the great ways you brought Pinterest into real life this week! Happy Pinning!

A Great Week!

2011-10-07T22:00:00.000-03:00

If you stopped by here over the last couple of weeks you know that we were on vacation. We had an amazing time! You know the saying " all good things are worth waiting for" ? After waiting almost 5 years for a family vacation, our trip definitely proved that saying right! The kids who had been begging for a chance to fly in an airplane (none of them could really remember ever being on one) were beyond thrilled when we told them we were going to Florida. You can see the reaction here...

We spent a week in Orlando, Florida and had a great time visiting Sea World, the Orlando Science Center and just enjoying some family time. Here's a quick look at some of my favourite pictures:

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-03:00

AIMS Getting into Geometry (A Review)

2011-09-22T23:00:00.000-03:00

AIMS Educational foundation is dedicated to helping teachers give students a solid conceptual understanding of math and science. They are a non-profit foundation, driven by passion to produce exceptional math and science experiences for children. They provide hands-on activities which are captivating, motivating and downright fun! (adapted from their website).

I had never heard of AIMS until I was asked to review one of their activity books. We were sent a downloadable e-book called Getting into Geometry. It is basically a teacher's guide to over 40 activities to help students learn basic Geometry. Some of the topics covered are 2-D shapes, 3-D solids, symmetry, and spatial relationships. The e-book included all of the printables necessary to do the activities. In addition to the printables, other items needed all seemed easy enough to find around the house (drinking straws, scarves, chalk, pipe cleaners).

I was going to go through the book and randomly choose a few activities to do for the purpose of this review but as I flipped through the book I was so impressed at the quality and the types of activities, I decided it was best to start at the beginning and work our way through. Hence this review is written having only been through the first seven activities in the book. The book stated that it was for K to 1st grade but these first lessons I used very easily with Eden who is in PreK. Eli, my first grader loved the activities and even though they were not very challenging for him, they were great to reinforce what he has already learned. Having read ahead, I am sure as I go through to the end of the book Eli will be provided with more of a challenge and Eden may or may not be ready for some of the concepts covered.

fun with chalk shapes on the driveway

making shapes with clay and straws

Each lesson is laid out similarly in the book. It describes the topic covered, a key question, the learning goal, materials needed, the procedure and questions to guide learning. The material is definitely written to be used in a classroom but most of the activities can be adjusted very easily to be used at home with one or two kids.

The activities in Getting into Geometry are great for kinesthetic learners, engaging both gross and fine motor skills. The activities are short and precise, easy to do and don't require a lot of prep.

The company also have many other math and science activity books for all levels between K and grade 9 covering topics such as:

Fractions
Addition and Subtraction
Engineering
Botany
Money
Biology
Earth Science
Electricity
Density
Gravity
Time
Magnets
Weather
Problem Solving
Statistics

...and lots more!!

The books are available as bound books or downloadable e-books and cost around $20 to $25 dollars for either version. The bound books come with a CD containing all of the printables needed for the activities. The company also sells math manipulatives and lab kits for one stop shopping!

We will definitely continue to use Getting into Geometry and I have also started looking at several of the other titles which look like they would be a good fit for us. Go over and take a look and see if you can find something for your kids! You can also check out some other reviews over at The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.

*Disclaimer -As a member of TOS Homeschool Crew (Review Team) I was provided one downloadable e-book for the purpose of this review. I was required to provide my honest, (positive or otherwise) opinion in exchange for this book.