Life with these Kids

Homeschool Mother's Journal--#2 of 2012

2012-01-30T16:19:00.001-06:00

In my life this week… Okay, over the past 3 weeks, actually... We have been busy little bees around here. We have 5--count 'em, 5--fundraisers coming up over the next FOUR months.

1. Feb 9: Smoked Chicken Plates. A local catering business has volunteered their services to prepare smoked chicken, baked beans, coleslaw & yeast rolls as a fundraiser for our trip. Tickets are $7 each!

2. March 3: Car Wash! Our family and one or two more will be washing cars at a local bank in our town. Donations only.

3. April 1: 18x24 Portrait Giveaway! During February and March, we are selling raffle tickets for a FREE custome family caricature portrait to be given away by JC14 and AJ8's art teacher. One of her students does the drawing and she does the painting. This is a $250 value & tickets are $10 each. One lucky winner will be drawn April 1st. This could work for out-of-town folks as well since she works from photographs.

4. April 14: Casa de Fe 5K! A friend from church is organizing a 5K and a one-mile fun run to be held downtown. Pre-registration is $25 and includes a t-shirt. Kids are $20 and they also get a t-shirt.

5. May 4-5: Gigantic yard sale! That is, if we have anything left. Our friends are claiming things daily. ;) We don't mind.

I've started sorting through our homeschool supplies/curriculum, and I have several things to sell. I have most listed on our Ecuador Plan page.

In our homeschool this week… We are trucking right along, trying hard to stay on a schedule that would allow us to pack up the first week in May.

I am inspired by… Ann Voskamp's 1000 Things. I plan to start my list here soon.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Wow! We have been many places lately including a trip to attend meetings with our sending agency in Kentucky, and just yesterday, we visited two different churches to share about the work being done at Casa de Fe. I don't think we have anywhere special to go this week though.

My favorite thing this week was… overhearing my teen boy read a book to the toddler girl (without my asking). And having giggly girls in the back of the van as we drove around town today selling chicken plates.

Questions/thoughts I have… I am thinking of starting another blog to keep missionary stuff separate, but I don't know if I should since I struggle to keep this one going... What would you do? Would you keep one blog and worked harder at keeping it organized/labeled? Or would you start a separate blog?

Things I’m working on… decluttering, organizing, packing, fundraising.

I’m reading… still plugging along with 1000 Things, planning to finish it this week.

I’m cooking… anything gluten-free. I am really enjoying the blog a friend shared with me recently, Gluten-Free Fix.

I’m grateful for… GRACE!

I’m praying for… a lot of people around me that need clear direction/discernment and His continued provision...

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Wherever you are, be all there.

~Jim Elliot~

Interested in seeing what other homeschool families have been up to this week? Check out The Homeschool Mother's Journal over at The Homeschool Chick!

A Word For Wednesday

2012-01-18T16:06:00.000-06:00

⁴⁶ The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
⁴⁷ He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
⁴⁸ who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.

Psalm 18:46-49

A Guilt-Free Gluten-Free Treat!

2012-01-16T19:38:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe on pinterest. Feeling a bit brave and helpless all at the same time in light of our new gluten-free lifestyle, we decided to give it a try. You can view the original recipe over at Chocolate-Covered Katie.

As you can see, she really liked it!

Learning to Trust Him More

2012-01-10T20:26:00.000-06:00

Jehovah Jireh. It is my favorite of God's Names.

It means the Lord will provide.

Just this morning, I prayed --wrote it in my journal--Be our Jehovah Jireh.

Just this afternoon, I received an email from our sending agency informing us of a donation received via Paypal. A very large gift. A generous gift from brothers and sisters that understand. A gift so generous and sacrificial that it took my breath away.

And then Hubby comes home and tells of a business acquaintance that has verbally comitted to purchase ONE of our six airline tickets. A HUGE BLESSING!

1 John 3:1a
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

Don't think I count only financial blessings. No. This evening, Hubby offered (without my asking) to take the children to a basketball game. Two and a half hours of solitude. Ahhhhh, a short but much needed and much appreciated reprieve from the hustle and bustle and noise and responsibility.

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

He does not change, and yet I have the nerve to wonder...to wonder if He will provide this time. And then I am so totally undeserving...but, He does it again. He provides in the most unexpected ways and always in His timing.

Psalm 50:10
for every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

Why fret?

Oh, for grace to trust Him more...

Homeschool Mother's Journal--Week 1

2012-01-07T11:52:00.001-06:00

In my life this week… I managed to drop three of the seven holiday pounds! We took the Christmas tree down, and our days are becoming more orderly.

In our homeschool this week… Getting back on track after the holidays. Everyone is making great progress, and I am pleased. :) I ordered and received several pieces of curriculum we'll be needing in Ecuador, but I have much MORE to order. According, to hubby we only have 133 days left in America!!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… This week, we are traveling to Wilmore, KY for meetings and training with our sending agency--Cornerstone International. I had grand dreams of a field trip to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill during our free time, but the expected high temps are supposed to be in the mid-thirties! So that will be a wait & see...

My favorite thing this week was… Seeing my 8-year old proud of her achievement in math. And lunch out with hubby. And receiving my Spanish/English parallel Bible from CBD!

What’s working/not working for us… Making lists is working. For a long time, I have been out of the habit of making daily lists for myself or the children. That doesn't work for us. At least one of my children thrives on having a list. School work goes much quicker and smoother when we work from the list.

Questions/thoughts I have… Will I be able to effectively homeschool while we're in Ecuador? I know there is more to learning than just bookwork, but I am still concerned about getting the 3R's done. Anyone else out there ever taken their children on an extended (2 years) mission trip?

Things I’m working on… my organizational skills...as always!

I’m reading… still working on One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are and Parenting by The Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Your Child. It seems I never have time to read for my own pleasure.

I’m cooking… Gluten-Free... DD8 is showing signs of gluten-intolerance, so we decided to try the diet instead of subjecting her to a lot of possibly unnecessary medical testing. There is definitely a learning curve to all of this.

I’m grateful for… everything. All of it. Good and bad. God is Sovereign.

I’m praying for… provision as we prepare to move our family to Ecuador for the next two years. I'm praying for wisdom and discernment as we train our children.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… A link to the Casa de Fe website where we will be serving.

To read what's going on in other homeschools this week, head over and visit The Homeschool Chick!

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click through & make a purchase, I may earn a few cents that will help pay our way to Ecuador. :)

TOS Review: ZeezokPublishing-Amazing Grace

2012-01-06T20:55:00.000-06:00

We love Unit Studies in our homeschool! We have done more than I can count over the past ten years of homeschooling; and while we have used movies to accentuate our studies, I never thought of using a movie as the basis of the study. That is exactly what Zeezok's Z-Guides to the Movies do. They take great movies and use them as the starting point for great learning.

What exactly is a Z-Guide? & How does it work?

From the website:
We have dozens of guides— each of them falling within a specific time in history. All of the guides contain ten educational activities that build upon the movie. The guides are movie specific. We tell you exactly which movie we used, and almost all are available thru Netflix. Most you can probably get through your local library. So you don’t even need to buy the movie to use our guides!

Activities include movie review questions, research and writing skill-builders, at least one hands-on activity, a worldview activity and an art activity. Family discussion questions help to build critical thinking and communication skills.

All the lessons are laid out clearly and concisely. No guess work required and very little prep for mom (if any at all). Answer keys and a grading scale are also included.

How it worked for us--
We love history and movies and unit studies, so this was a great fit for us. By reviewing Amazing Grace, we learned things about William Wilberforce and John Newton and slavery in general that we had not known before, even though we had watched the movie several times before. Until we dove in to the activities included in the Z-Guide, we had overlooked a great amount of learning that we could have gleaned from previous viewings. And even though this is meant to be only a week long study, I could definitely see us stretching it out longer as we found more "rabbit trails" to follow.
Our Opinion
I would definitely recommend Z-Guides to others. It was an enjoyable study, not tedious at all. It encouraged JC14 to master "Amazing Grace" on the piano. (I am thrilled!) While we used Amazing Grace with our high schooler, I think my elementary girls would love to study Kit Kittredge.
I could also see this working well during a season when Mom (or kids) need a bit of a break from traditional book work. I wish I would have known about these when I was on bedrest. It would have made my days seem more productive to know the children were learning while watching movies with Mom. ;)

How Much? & Where to Get This?
Z-Guides are downloadable and only $12.99 per movie title and available to purchase on the Zeezok website.

Several titles were reviewed by other crew members. Check out what they had to say here.

Disclaimer: We received this product FREE of charge in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation has or will be received. All opinions are our own.

Wal-Greens Photo Deal You Don't Want to Miss

2011-12-30T11:09:00.001-06:00

I just got 25 prayer cards printed for free at our local Wal-Greens. I ordered online using the promo code: PRINTNOW. I'm sure you all have a Chrsitmas photos you'd like to have printed. Now is the time!

**No affiliate links. I just thought this was a great deal you shouldn't miss!**

Homeschool Mother's Journal--Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T11:04:00.000-06:00

In my life this week… CHAOS reigns! So much to do & so little time as we count down to leave for Ecuador.

In our homeschool this week… We took off the entire week before Christmas, and we are having a light week this week. Think 3Rs. We will be doing some traveling in preparation for Ecuador, plus I would like for us to wrap up this school year by the first week in May. I really want to be able to focus those last three weeks on packing and preparing for our move.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… this upcoming week, I don't think we're doing much traveling. Today, JC14 has an air-soft war, so we'll be seeing friends. Tomorrow, family that we weren't able to visit with during Christmas will be here. We'll exchange gifts and celebrate the new year.

My favorite thing this week was… Christmas! Celebrating the Lord's birth on the Lord's Day was wonderfully sweet. I loved being in His house celebrating with our faith family. And then spending the afternoon and evening with some of our extended family was great as well.

Things I’m working on… Self-Discipline--my focus for the new year!

I’m reading… One-Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskampf

I’m cooking… Tomorrow, we're cooking a trash-can turkey! And at some point in the near future, I hope to get some meals in the freezer.

I’m grateful for… life... It's so easily taken for granted.

I’m praying for… The children that we were able to foster parent this year, eight in all from three different families.

I've linked up with The Homeschool Chick, so go check out what other mom's are doing this week!

The Healing Tree

2011-12-30T09:40:00.000-06:00

This is a story written about a friend and her family. I promise it worth the read. I don't print it here because of copyright laws. Please read The Healing Tree.

TOS Review: Vintage Remedies

2011-12-17T20:20:00.000-06:00

Vintage Rememdies for Kids is a 200+ page spiral bound book written by homeschool mom, Jessie Hawkins. Recently, we've had the privilege of reviewing this amazing healthy living resource.

From the website:

Based on the popular Vintage Remedies for Girls and Guys curriculum, this edition is perfect for younger siblings! Vintage Remedies for Kids helps parents teach healthy and natural living to boys and girls ages 2-6. This new workbook is packed with projects covering every aspect of natural living including wellness, nutrition, immunity, natural body care, and the conservative use of valuable natural resources - in terms they will understand and remember!

How it works

The book is broken into three sections covering the following topics: Food and Drink, Health and Wellness and Healthy Lifestyles. Each section is broken down into five to seven chapters. Each chapter begins with a Parents Section for Mom and Dad to have some background information before teaching the lesson. A Read to Me section follows and is meant for Mom or Dad to read to the student(s). The Thinking it Over section at the end of each chapter is a list of questions to review what you've learned together and to begin thinking of ways to apply that newfound information. There is also a Leading by Example whose title makes it pretty self explanatory. ;) Featured Projects and Additional Projects lists recipes and other hands-on ideas to help your kids apply what they've learned.

What we think
We love this book! I was very encouraged to realize that we already do alot of the things listed in the book, such as making whole wheat pizza crust, green smoothies and using peppermint oil in the diffuser. I believe this book will be a big help as we attempt to educate our children as to why doing these things is a good idea.

How you can get this resource
If you are interested in adding this great resource to your homeschool library, it may be purchased at the Vintage Remedies website for $25. If you are interested in a resource for older children, Mrs. Hawkins has also written and published Vintage Remedies for Guys and Vintage Remedies for Girls.

You can read more reviews of all three of these resources at The Old Schoolhouse blog.

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew, we received this product free in exchange for an honest review. I have not and will not receive any further compensation. All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: World's Greatest Stories

2011-12-17T16:01:00.000-06:00

From the website:
The World's Greatest Stories are an award-winning series of Bible stories that make the actual words of Scripture leap off the page into the hearts of children of all ages. Children love the stories and listen to them over and over again, often memorizing the entire CD.

Our family had the privilege of reviewing The World's Greatest Stories Volume 1: The Prophets recently. We chose the NIV translation, because I thought it would be easier for the younger kids to understand when listening. We listened to this in the van, and the girls listened to it during rest time.

George W. Sarris lends his talented voice to these Bible stories that are shared straight from God's Word. Stories included are The Blazing Furnace, The Handwriting on the Wall, Daniel in the Lion's Den, Elijah and the Prophets of Baal and The Prophecy of Jonah.

In my opinion, using this CD is a natural way to plants seeds of faith in the heart of our children. Romans 10:17 says, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."

If you would like to add one of these CDs (6 volumes available) to your collection, they can be purchased here for $7.95. You can read reviews from other Crew members here.

Disclaimer: I received this product FREE in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation has been or will be received. All opinions are our own.

TOS Review: Artistic Pursuits

2011-12-06T22:06:00.000-06:00

In an attempt to give my children a "well-rounded" education, I am always on the lookout for teachers (or curriculums) for those subjects that I feel less than confident to teach. Art is one of those subjects that I love, but I am just not sure I could give my children a comprehensive experience on my own. Now that JC14 is in high school (gulp!), I am even more concerned with making sure he is adequately prepared for college or whatever path he decides to pursue after graduation.

We have both been pleased with our review of Artistic Pursuits, Senior High Book1, The Elements of Art and Composition. I love that this book is written to be used independently by the student, but I enjoyed doing some of the first lessons with JC. I love to sketch, but I have not made time for it on a regular basis since having children. This was a nice excuse to put pencil to paper again.

How it Works

Artistic Pursuits is written by homeschool mom, Brenda Ellis, and is available for all grade levels from preschool to the high school/adult level. The high school level that we reviewed is divided into sixteen units. Designed to be done twice a week, this one book will cover an entire school year.

Each unit is divided into four lessons. Lesson 1 focuses on Building a Visual Vocabulary. Lesson 2 covers Art Appreciation and Art History. Lesson 3 teaches Techniques. Lesson 4 focuses on Application of what has been learned in the unit. Students complete a work of art during each lesson.

A short material list is included in the beginning of the book. I purchased the first semester materials at Hobby Lobby for around $20. (Sorry, I don't remember the exact amount.)

Lesson 1 Completed Assignment

How it Worked for Us

We scheduled art classes for Tuesday and Thursday during the girls' nap time in an effort to avoid unnecessary interruptions (and so I could participate too).

JC has enjoyed the lessons, which is something I can't say for other "learn to draw" books and art curriculums that we have tried in the past. He is being challenged to improve his skills with each lesson, and he is pleased to have a completed work of art when he is done. I should also add that JC14 has taken monthly art classes from a local teacher since he was in 2nd grade. By her own admission, her goal is to instill a love of creating art in her students. She does talk to the students about art history, art concepts and particular artists, but her main goal is for the student to create something they love. So I feel that Artistic Pursuits is filling in any gaps he may have in his art education.

Lesson 3 Assignment

Our Opinion

I would be hard pressed to find anything negative to say about this curriculum. We have enjoyed it very much. As a non-consumable book, it is very affordable. There is little to no prep for the parent, so that is a bonus! The lessons are engaging and challenging. I also appreciate the fact that Mrs. Ellis takes care to teach art without including nudity. I believe this curriculum is a great choice no matter how much or how little experience your student has in art.

How You Can Get This Curriculum

All levels of Artistic Pursuits is available for purchase at the website for $42.95 each. Art supply packs may also be purchased here.

Edited to Add: If you're interested in a different grade level than what we reviewed here or if you would like to read other opinions, see what the rest of the Crew has to say HERE! :)

Disclaimer: I received the reviewed material FREE of charge in exchange for an honest review. I have not and will not receive any other compensation. All opinions stated here are my own.

10-Day Challenge Results!

2011-12-04T23:03:00.001-06:00

I completed the tenth day of my challenge on November 30th. This is the first chance I've had to post an update.

SUCCESS!

I managed to lose 2.2 pounds in 10 days even though Thanksgiving was stuck right there in the middle of it.

I plan to continue doing T-tapp workouts daily and using shakes as meal replacements. I'll keep you updated as to how it goes! :)

TOS Review: Great Commission Language~Spanish I

2011-11-27T21:42:00.001-06:00

Have I mentioned lately what a blessing it is to be a part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew this year? When I signed on, I had no idea that my family would be planning a move to Ecuador or that we would NEED to learn Spanish because of that move. My family has spent the past several weeks reviewing The Easy Spanish, Level 1 from Great Commission Languages.

An Overview

The Easy Spanish, Level 1 is a 400+ page non-consumable curriculum. It also contains two audio CDs. Inserting the first audio CD into your computer's CD-rom drive will allow you to access all of the printables/worksheets that you could possibly need to carry you through this curriculum.

This curriculum is designed to work for even large families with mixed age groups. There are three different "tracks". The track for younger students will take three years to complete. For older students, a two year track can be followed. There is also a one year track for older/adult students. There are also coloring pages (on the Cd-rom) to interest and occupy your youngest learners.

More about The Easy Spanish:

(from the website)

Phonetic, incremental, conversational Spanish & high frequency words

Spanish Scripture, songs, games and coloring pages

Great for homeschool co-op groups

Digitally mastered enhanced CD for audio and computer

Printable activity sheets: no purchasing consumable activity books or photocopying.

Teaches language and grammar through literature based entertaining storylines

Does not require prior knowledge of Spanish

Set outline of skills per quarter

3 year program for younger students

1 to 2 year program for older students and 1 year Fast track option for teens

Cultural flavor of Mexico and South America with optional projects

Use of Tomatis and SAMONAS sound theories to facilitate learning

Follows Charlotte Mason Method, Bloom's Taxonomy and high order theories by Dr. Jeanne Chall

Edited by and featuring the recorded voices of Native Spanish Speakers from Nicaragua and Venezuela

The author, Marie Filion Sherwood, has this to say about her program:

"My curriculum has a mandate to prepare future generations for the great commission to the Spanish people of the world. As you examine the world's population you will see that there is a vast amount of Spanish speaking people from countries who desperately need missionaries."

Our Experience

Everyone in our house has different levels of exposure to the Spanish language. I had a year in high school and a year in college. My oldest two have exposure from a junior level program we used several years back. And all the children have a little bit of exposure to the language from watching Dora. Hubby's only exposure has been from a native speaker in our area and his trip to Ecuador last spring. We have had great fun with this curriculum. Even AG2 can now introduce herself by saying, "Me llamo AG." Her favorite thing to say is, "Soy baby!" She loves reminding us she's the baby. ;)

The kids enjoy listening to the stories as well as narrating them back to me. Even vocabulary is fun when we practice it together. The Scripture memory work is a great addition to this curriculum, in my opinion, since we are moving to Ecuador in May. It will be much easier and more natural to share the truths of God's word if we are already familiar with some Scripture in the Spanish language.

To make the most use of this curriculum, it is suggested that you also purchase a good Spanish/English dictionary and The Big Red Book of Spanish Verbs: 555 Full Conjugated Verbs. Some of the prices for used copies on Amazon are less than $1.

How You Can Get this Great Product!

The Easy Spanish, Level 1 can be purchased at the website for $139.95. Not sure you're ready to buy yet? Check out these FREE sample lessons!

To read more reviews about this Spanish program (and other language programs for Great Commission Languages), check out The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew blog!

Disclaimer: My family received this curriculum free of charge in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation has or will be received.

Half-way Done with a 10 Day Challenge!

2011-11-26T20:20:00.000-06:00

Wow! I wish I could report phenomonal success, but that is not the case this week. I have not accomplished what I had hoped, but I haven't completely failed either. Considering this was a holiday week, it could have been A LOT worse!

Day 1 was a very stressful day. Oversleeping and then trying too do too much at one time without a list was disastrous. We also had several errands to run after dinner. Shortly after lunch when things began to slow down and I had begun to regroup, I received a phone call from DHS asking us to provide overnight care for a child. Hubby and I agreed, but that added even more stress to an already stressful day. We had to get the bedroom ready. The bedroom this child would stay in is also my "school room" (read that as JUNK ROOM), so we had to do a mad dash to clean it up! After chauferring the big kid to play practice, gathering groceries with two "helpers" and picking up an overnight guest (foster child) and feeding everyone on the run, I crashed into my bed. ONLY ONE SHAKE & NO EXERCISE! :( I could have given up there, but I refuse...

Day 2 was a bit better. Our overnight guest became a holiday guest & will likely be with us for several more days. I did manage to do the T-Tapp Basic Workout, and I had 2 shakes, but I also ate a little more than I should have.

Day 3 was pretty good. I worked out and had one shake. Eating was pretty well under control. I could feel the soreness and tightning in my muscles. That's encouarging.

Day 4 was Turkey Day! I got my exercise in bright and early. Eating was atrocious! I had a smoothie for breakfast and a modest amount of turkey, dressing, green beans and sweet potato casserole (just a taste) at lunch. I ran into trouble when I allowed myself a "taste" of pecan pie. That taste led into a bite and another bite and another until the whole slice was gone. :( That wasn't too bad, except Hubby brought two slices of pie home. I nibbled on them the rest of the afternoon. The positives: I did hoe-downs throughout the day. I didn't eat any dinner. ;)

Day 5: Hoe-downs are a life-saver! I was only up HALF a pound this morning from the day before. Normally, a holiday meal will cause a 2-3 pound increase! YAY!

So the results of 5 days?

I am seeing results, even with only half-hearted devotion.
I must keep going! Perseverance! Yeah, I really need to work on that one...
I still managed to end up with a ONE POUND net loss--even after Thanksgiving! That is amazing! I will take measurements at the end of the 10 days.

My plan for the next five?

Continue with T-tapp daily.
Try harder to stick with the original eating plan, which should be a bit easier since Thanksgiving is over.
Stay focused on the Word.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

TOS Review: The Reading Game

2011-11-25T21:07:00.000-06:00

We all know that a strong foundation in reading is essential for the future academic success of our children. Many moms I have spoken with are afraid to commit to homeschooling, because they are afraid they will not give their children the foundation they need in this important subject area. Enter: the reading game.

Created by Kenneth Hodkinson, author of Wordly Wise, the reading game makes learning to read easy, fast and fun!
From the company website:

The Reading Game is a
fast-action memory card game.

It includes a series of six
beautifully illustrated storybooks.

The Cards & Books work
together to make learning to read exciting and enjoyable.

Game sessions are fun-filled with a winner every few seconds.

After completing the first memory card game, the student has thirty words “hardwired” into memory.

The Skunk story, Book One
in the series, is told using
only those thirty words.

There are six books each with six corresponding sets of cards. Upon completion of all six levels, a child will have built a reading vocabulary of 180 words. More than half of those words are among the 100 most frequently used words in the English language.

How this works
Children play a memory type card game one on one with their teacher or an older/more proficient reader. Each color-coded level is broken down in six even smaller levels. Students learn only five words at a time, building up to a reading vocabulary of 30 words by the time a level is completed. When the color level is mastered, the child will be able to read the corresponding book made up of the 30 words learned during the memory game.

How this worked for us
We had great fun with this game. I used it with AJ8 and AC5. AJ8 has had a pretty good phonics foundation, so she could sound out most of the unfamiliar words in the first level. Within three rounds of play,(I keep lessons short, only about 10 minutes per child.) she was able to read the Level 1 book. At htis point, I could assign her to "teach" her sister using the cards she had already mastered.

AC5 has had very little phonics instruction at this point. I was really surprised at how quickly she caught on and began to recognize words. While she hasn't read the first book yet, I also admit that my priority for her is not so much reading right now as we are working with a speech therapist for her articulation issues.

You may also be interested to know that no words except 'I' are capitalized and there is no punctuation. My girls did not seem to notice. The idea is that fewer punctuation and capitalization would be fewer distractions for the new reader. At a later date, the teacher/parent could actually use the books to TEACH punctuation and capitalization by having the student go back and fill those in correctly.

My Mommy Opinion

I still am not sold on the idea of learning to read by sight. This is what the website says about it:

By the time students come to the end of the zebra story, 180 words are hard-wired into memory. Phonics can then be incorporated into the game by using the cards to develop links to similar words and sounds (see notes on Phonics in the Rules and Teachers Guide ). The brain is now perfectly capable of going it alone; new words as they are encountered will go into long-term memory because that part of the brain is now primed for such a task. Millions of neurons are geared up to go to work. All you have to do is feed the student books. The Reading Game is intensely rewarding; you are giving the gift of literacy. Enjoy!

I guess that makes sense, but I still see this as a supplemental product. We have decided to include it in our lessons at least 2-3 times each week.

How You Can Get this Great Product

I do believe this is a great product, and if you are interested in adding this to your homeschool, the game can be purchased at the reading game website for only $24.95. You can also see great videos of the game in action here.

You may also be interested to read more reviews over at The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Homeschool Crew, I received this product FREE of charge in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation will be received. Please be aware that ALL opinions stated here are completely my own.

A 10 Day Challenge? Yes, I think I will...

2011-11-20T16:12:00.001-06:00

If you're a long-term reader here, you know that I have struggled with my weight for a while. I don't whine about it a whole lot, or at least I try not to, but it comes up in my posts occasionally. You know that a couple months back, I attempted the Couch to 5K plan. I started well, and then I crashed and burned.

Two and half years ago, I was pregnant with sweet baby number four. Sweet baby number four put me on bed rest for THREE MONTHS! The delivery was rather traumatic and the recovery was slow compared to normal deliveries. I know it is unfair to blame ALL of my weight trouble on sweet baby number four...I mean, she does have three older siblings that didn't help the cause at all...but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I have lost and gained several times over the past two and half years. I have always "given up" just shy of my weight loss goal, and I'm kinda getting tired of that behavior. And even though the holidays are coming, there is no time like the present, right? I feel like I have the right knowledge--what to do and what to eat. I am just struggling in the motivation area, and I honestly beat myself down (mentally) more than I pick myself up (physically).

So, I have devised a plan. I know myself well enough to know I need short-term goals and successes to keep me motivated to reach the long-term goal! I have an eating plan, a workout plan and a spiritual/mental plan. I think my past failures may have been partly due to my neglect of my mental/spiritual health, so I am making extra effort in that area this time.

Here's the plan/challenge. Everday, I will:

Spend time in the Word every morning. Memorize my "fighter verse" and recall it in moments of weakness.
Complete the T-Tapp Basic Workout Plus. It's only 15 minute, after all!
Green smoothie for breakfast. Jillian Shake or salad for lunch. Jillian shake or one small serving of whatever is for dinner. Only fruit, vegetables or Greek yogurt for snacks and only one a day.

I've gotta keep it simple, and I hope this will do it. I'm not a fan of counting calories. I know self-control is an issue I need to deal with, so I hope this simple plan will help me out in that area. I will post updates at the end of Day 5 and at the end of Day 10 to let you all know how it's going.

In case you're wondering, my "fighter verse" for the next 10 days is
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Hopefully, I'll be back in 5 days to report great progress and even greater progess in 10 days!

Homeschool Mother's Journal--A New Chapter

2011-11-18T10:46:00.000-06:00

In my life this week… or the past three weeks as the case may be... Since we made the official announcement about our move to Ecuador, life has been spiraling BUSY out of control. I only thought we were busy before. We have had our passport photos done (don't even think I'm posting those here--mine are HORRID!) and submitted our passport applications. As soon as we receive those back, we'll begin the process of applying for our VISAs.

As missionaries, we will have to raise our own support so we have been busy brainstorming ideas and working on lists of friends and family that may be willing to help us. I have been overwhelmed by the friends that have offered great ideas, their time and talent to help us put together fundraisers.

For the past three days, hubby and I have been out of town attending a youth pastor's conference/retreat. It is held at a beautiful lake in the northeast part of the state. It is always a great time of rest and refreshment in the Lord. We also enjoy the fellowship of other minister's and their wives that we don't get to see often. This year, I was asked to lead the wives' conference. Thankfully, it was only two sessions long and very thankfully, the Lord gave me the words to share.

In our homeschool this week…ahem, the past three weeks... We have been pressing on. Everyone is making great progress. JC14 is improving his writing skills and is working diligently. AJ8 is improving reading and math skills. She is quickly becoming my "right-hand girl". AC5 is improving in her speech therapy, speaking more clearly and beginning phonics. AG2 is learning self-control and learning to "work" independently for longer stretches while I work with her sisters. We having lots of fun (& just a little stress) with our review products from The Old Schoolhouse.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… I can't say it enough--One day at a time, Sweet Jesus!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Well, since we are approaching Thanksgiving week, our plans are a little different than usual. For Thanksgiving, we will be at our church serving Thanksgiving dinner to whomever shows up. Our church has decided to give our Thanksgiving meal away, so to speak. We are publicizing a FREE Thanksgiving dinner to anyone that wants to come and hoping those in need in our community will take advantage of the offer.

My favorite thing this week was… Spending time with Hubby at the conference.

Things I’m working on… TOS Reviews, missionary newsletter, lists of what to keep, lists of what to sell, lists of what to pack, lists of stuff to do before May!!

I’m grateful for… God's provision.

I’m praying for… continued provision as we work to raise support for our stay in Ecuador.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… our latest family photos. Which do you like best?

Don't forget to check out The Homeschool Chick for more Homeschool Mother's Journals!

Thankful Thursday~A Home in Ecuador

2011-11-17T18:37:00.000-06:00

I've always wanted palm trees!

This is our lovely home awaiting us in Ecuador! We just got the pics, and we (kids included) are now even more excited to get there! Two things my kids had hoped for--upstairs (it's 2-story) and a place to roller blade. See that carport to the right? God heard my babies' prayers. :-)

This is the downstairs bathroom. I love the tile!

I love that the laundry room has a DOOR that I can close, so no one has to SEE--or step over, as the case is now--our laundry! And I love those flowers growing outside the door!

I love the hardwood floors and the vaulted ceiling!

Not much of a back yard, but at least there is grass. I was worried we may have dirt and rocks, so this is good! I am constantly amazed at God's provision. I'm not amazed that He CAN provide in such amazing ways, but that He DOES provide for us who are so unworthy!

TOS Review: Math Mammoth

2011-11-17T13:11:00.000-06:00

I am a homeschooling mother of a child that struggles with math. Had she been my first student, I may have reconsidered my ability to homeschool. Thankfully, she wasn't my first and I understand a little bit about learning styles. Children are different, and they don't all learn the same way. The curriculum that worked for child #1 may not always work for child #2 or #3 or #4. And therein lies the beauty of homeschooling--I don't have to try and force my "round pegs" into "square holes". My children are all different, and as a homeschool mom, I have the ability to personalize a learning plan for each individual student. I can even change mid-stream (mid-year) if need be.

That is where we had found ourselves when we received Math Mammoth to review for The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew. My struggling math student understands numbers and how they work, but something about putting it on paper in written form had just blown her mind! Thanks to Math Mammoth, we are now making progress in the right direction.

What has made the difference? It could be the simple graphics and short lessons. It could be the math games that the curriculum encourages us to add to our homeschool day. It could be the online games and resources that are listed in the curriculum as well. Or most probably, it is all of these things combined.

We are so grateful for this curriculum. This is our third math curriculum to try with this student, and this one looks like a KEEPER! In fact, I am planning to purchase the entire 1st-3rd grade curriculum soon. I hope that it will work for the youngest students as well. And the fact that it is available as a download makes it easy to transport to our new home in Ecuador. ;-)

I am also glad for the personalized attention from the curriculum writer herself. Maria Miller has done an excellent job at creating a curriculum that is as simple to learn as it is to teach. When I contacted her and described where we were in our math learning, she responded quickly with 3 downloads that she thought would work best for our particular situation. Her website encourages customers or potential customers to contact her for the same service, so I have to believe that she would have offered this advice even if I was NOT a TOS reviewer.

Curriculum is available for purchase as a download, CD-ROM or as printed copies. Downloads are the most economical choice with full grade curriculum costing around $34. Individual worktexts by topic can be purchased for $2 to $7 each. Discounts are also available for those interested in purchasing more than one grade level.

In my opinion, this is the most affordable and effective math curriculum we have ever tried. Interested in other opinions? Check out what my fellow crew members have to say about Math Mammoth over at The Old Schoolhouse blog.

Disclaimer: We did receive this product free of charge in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation will be received. All opinions are my own.

TOS Crew: College Prep Genius

2011-11-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

Do you have a high school student planning to attend college? Whether that student is homeschooled, attends public school or private, College Prep Genius can be beneficial! College Prep Genius could help your student increase his/her SAT test scores by as much as 600 points! Created by a homeschool mom, this product is designed with the goal of helping the college-bound student attend college for free. How is that possible? Great SAT scores equal GREAT scholarships!

We received a "Master the SAT Class" DVD, a College Prep Genius textbook and workbook to review. In our area, most students take the ACT for college entry; so we really didn't know anything about the SAT. In the first lesson, we learned that the SAT is NOT an IQ test. It is a test of logical thinking skills. The highest math is Algebra 2. JC14 was immediately gaining confidence the he could take this test and do well.

College Prep Genius will help your student learn: (from the website)

How to write a great essay in 15 minutes
How to eliminate 2-3 answers right off the bat
How to cut your Critical Reading time in half

How does it work?

(from the website)

Many students simply don’t understand the strategies and logic behind these standardized tests. These exams test more than just a student’s ability to answer questions; they test time-management skills, logical aptitude and much more. COLLEGE PREP GENIUS helps students pinpoint weak areas of the test by emphasizing the strategic and logical approach to taking the SAT.

In our homeschool, we have not spent a lot of our time taking tests of any kind. We have especially not taken any standardized tests. They are not required for our state, and I have not seen the benefit in taking them before now. However, as JC14 is a high school freshman preparing to attend college soon, I knew that he would need to begin to familiarize himself with timed standardized tests. That's where College Prep Genius has come in to help us both prepare. We are excited to finish this study with a goal for JC14 to take his first SAT in the spring before we leave for Ecuador. I was getting a little nervous about taking my high schooler out of the country for two years until I realized (thanks to CPG) that the test is given in Ecuador!!

:-)

I recommend this product to any parent of a high schooler, especially if that student has the slightest desire to attend college. The full course is available right now for $99 (a 25% discount)!

Other products are also available to help prepare your student to do his best on standardized tests at the College Prep website.

Read more reviews from my fellow Crew members at The Homeschool Crew blog!

Disclaimer: We received this product for free in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation has been or will be received. All opinions are completely my own.

TOS Review: Ooka Island

2011-11-06T15:41:00.000-06:00

What exactly is Ooka Island? It is a fun new online game to help your 3-7 year olds learn to read! Ooka Island games make learning fun. Using the Ooka Method, students begin with letter sounds and through interactive games, they learn to combine those sounds to form words. Before you know it, students are reading e-books from the Popcorn Library. The library consists of 85 books that are unlocked one book at a time as students progress through the game-like lessons.

As with other computer games, the girls' favorite part was building their avatar. I mean, what girl DOESN'T like playing dress-up? Even if it IS virtual dress-up, that is always their favorite part. Beyond that, they did enjoy the games. I think the 3-D graphics are top-notch. Completed lessons are rewarded with 8 minutes of "free play". During free play, the girls most often chose Pencil Playground where they could customize their tree house (they really enjoy virtual decorating) and play with Ooka elves. They could have chosen any number of games on the "island", but this was their favorite.

Considering we don't spend a lot of time on computer games (only 1-2 hours per week), I plan to continue to use this as a supplement to our daily phonics lessons. I am sure that if I had the girls use it on a daily basis, it would do a fine job of teaching them to read (AC5) and of improving reading skills and comprehension (AJ8). The only negative I found is that this program is a pretty large download. It took SEVERAL hours to download, but I believe it was well worth the wait.

Right now, Ooka Island is offering a 30% discount for new subscriptions. There is also a free trial available.

The regular pricing structure is as follows:

For more opinions of Ooka Island Adventure, see what my fellow homeschool bloggers had to say about it at The Old Schoolhouse blog.

Disclaimer: We received a six-month subscription to Ooka Island in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation has been or will be received. All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Bower Books/The Person I Marry

2011-11-05T22:59:00.002-05:00

The Person I Marry by Gary and Jan Bower is one of the sweetest books I have ever read. The Bowers have been married for more than 30 years and are parents to twelve children of their own. Gary is the author behind the pleasant prose while Jan's illustrations are a visual delight.

As a member of The Homeschool Crew, I was given the privilege of reviewing this book in ebook form. I absolutely love it and plan to buy a hard copy for EACH of my children. This is one of those books that you just can't have your children share, or at least, I don't want to have them share. I want each of my children to have their own copy to read and re-read through the years; and hopefully, this book will become a treasured heirloom that will be passed down from generation to generation. It really is that good!

Enjoy this video sneak peek...

The Person I Marry from Bower Books on Vimeo.

The Person I Marry is a 32-page hardcover book and retails for $11.99. This book won the 2010 Christian Small Publisher Association Book of the Year award. Other books including The Jingle in My Pocket, What Do Heroes Wear?, The Garden Where I Grow and more are available at Bower Books website.

For more reviews of this precious book, visit The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

TOS Review: Excellence in Literature

2011-11-01T11:27:00.000-05:00

Wow! Only a few months into the school year and we have been blessed with some ah-mazing curriculum options thanks to The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew!

I have struggled for a couple of years to find a Language Arts program that would challenge my 14-year old son to read harder books and to write better papers. I really think I have found it in Excellence in Literature.

Excellence in Literature is a 5-year program designed and written by Janice Campbell. For this review, we received the first book in the series, English I: Introduction to Literature.

I LOVE that the book is written TO the student. There is virtually no prep work for the parent. Each unit is broken into four-week segments, and the student is encouraged to take responsibility for his time. For example: a student may be assigned to complete more than one task in a week, but he/she is responsible for deciding when and how to get each assignment done. The author "speaks" like a true teacher, reminding the student to prioritize, etc. I LOVE IT! She says things I don't have to say!!

For our experience with Unit 1, I read over the assignment with JC14, answered his questions and left him to complete the assignments. I was thrilled that he completed his entire assignment on his own! My reluctant writer made real effort at good writing, and he succeeded. I think having sample essays available in the curriculum made all the difference in the world. If you're concerned about grading your student's writing, don't be. A grading rubric is also included in the material. Your student will be able to see the standard by which he/she is being graded.

English I: Introduction to Literature is a one year curriculum made up of nine units, and each unit is broken down into four weeks worth of assignments. The first unit has the student reading six short stories: "A White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett, "The Diamond Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O'Henry, "The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allen Poe, "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber.

Units 2-9 assign entire works--novel, play or poem--to be covered over the four week unit. Additional reading assignments (not listed here) are included for honors students. Novels included are as follows:

Around the World in Eighty Days by JulesVerne
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
Gulliver's Travels by Johnathon Swift

From the website:

By the end of the course, students will:

Understand the process of writing, including the use of tools such as a writer’s handbook, dictionary, and thesaurus.
Have specific understanding of selected representative texts by major authors of the periods studied.
Have a general understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of the works.
Be able to analyze literary texts and present thoughtfully developed ideas in writing.
Demonstrate competence in essay organization, style, and mechanics.

We will definitely be using this curriculum for the rest of JC14's freshman year, and I plan to use the other units for the rest of his high school years.

If you are interested in purchasing this curriculum, you may choose e-book format for $27 or the print and bound version for $29 + $4.95 shipping.

You may also choose to buy the entire five year's worth of material as an e-book for $135 or printed and bound for $139 + shipping.

My only negative about this curriculum is not really a negative at all. It's that whole love/hate relationship that I have with e-books. I love the instant access. I HATE reading that much material on a computer screen. ;) So you know... I printed it all out!

For more opinions concerning Excellence in Literature, be sure to check out reviews from my crew mates at The Old Schoolhouse blog.

Disclaimer: I received a free ebook copy of this curriculum in exchange for an honest review. I have not and will not receive any other compensation. All opinions are my own.

The Times, They are A-Changing

2011-10-31T09:09:00.000-05:00

Here is the testimony I shared yesterday at church...

Two and a half years ago, I sat in a hospital bed in Jackson awaiting the delivery of our fourth child. At that point in the pregnancy, we knew that the delivery could mean the end of my life on earth. I spent many days alone in that hospital room crying out to God to spare my baby. At some point during that time and probably more than once, I prayed a prayer that went something like this: “Father God, this is your body and your life. Do with it as You will. Not my will, but Yours, Father.”

Let me just say that the way He answered that prayer was NOTHING that I expected and it has been nothing short of AH-mazing. First of all, I expected to wake up in His “marvelous light” and instead I woke up in a dimly lit, machine beeping ICU room. Disappointed–yes, I think I was... After all, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain, right?”

Over the past 2.5 years, though, I have seen the hand of God in my life and in the life of my family like I never imagined. After all, He has promised in His Word that He can and will do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or think. I promise that our lives have not been as seemingly chaotic as they have been since we’ve been here. Kids, kids & more kids You never know how many kids the Freemans are gonna show up with on Sunday, do ya? Some of you may not even know how many are actually ours biologically. To clarify, we have four.

We have always loved children. We surrounded ourselves with children even before we had our own. And I can’t speak for Jeff, but I have had a heart for children, foster children, adoption and “the least of these” since I was very young. In fact, for as long as I can remember.

So why move to Ecuador when we’re caring for children right here in Mississippi? Well, there were no lightning bolts or burning bushes, no voice from the heavens. I have been touched by the work being done at Casa de Fe since Jenny Jo and Georgianna took the first trip there. I always thought that Jeff & I would spend our retirement years doing something similar, AFTER we had raised our own children. However, in helping to plan for the Casa de Fe 2012 trip, I noticed a needs list in a recent newsletter. I couldn’t help but notice that we were qualified to fill several of the staff needs on that list.

I began to pray that if a move to Ecuador was the Lord’s will that He would impress that on Jeff’s heart and have him lead us in that direction. Little did I know that Jeff had been praying the same thing for me since March 2011–that God would break MY heart for Ecuador. Some time after that, I showed Jeff the staff needs. He said we should email Patti Sue and Tandy. I did, and they were excited I emailed Patti Sue to tell her that I was shocked at her response. I really thought she would say something like, “You have four kids? Yeah...we have enough of those already. Thanks anyway...” But she didn’t. She is making great plans (work plans) for us.

So again, why go to Ecuador? Why not? Any reason to NOT go would only be an excuse. Isaiah 6:8 says, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” “Here am I. Send me. ” I want to live a life pleasing to the One who made me. I want to live a life of FEW regrets.

As Erma Bombeck said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything You gave me.’”

Another quote I would like to share: Jim Elliot, of Mission Aviation Fellowship, who lost his life in 1956 attempting to minister to a native tribe in the jungles bordering Shell, Ecuador: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

I feel completely UNqualified and totally humbled that He would allow a wretch like me to serve Him; and at the same time, I am totally elated that He would allow a wretch like me to serve Him.

May 21, 2012, we plan to be on a plane headed to Shell, Ecuador. We have committed two years to the work that the Lord is doing through Casa de Fe. Will you pray for us?