Modest Mama

Margaret's Snowman Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:22:00 +0000

We had a little birthday gathering for Margaret to celebrate her birthday.

And no, I didn't make the cake. Those of you that have seen the cakes I create already know this. This cake was made by my friend Allison.

7 Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

ONE

My page rank is back! Thanks to all who helped me with this.

TWO

The science fair is officially behind me! I think (almost) everyone had a good time. There are always people who just can't seem to be happy with the way something is run. I would really like to tell them to start their own science fair. I would totally come. And I wouldn't complain. I would just enjoy. But these people return every year to my fair, so maybe their way of showing me that they enjoy is to complain.

Latrobe-Area Homeschool Science Fair. Coordinated and run by yours truly, but seriously, it's not that big of a deal.

THREE

Boy 1 with his project board.

FOUR

Boy 2 with his project board.

FIVE

Boy 3 with his board

SIX

Something terrifying happened to me during the science fair. I was busy talking to people and coordinating 50 kids into their places. I was kind of aware of where my own children were, but not really. I was relying on friends and Michael to help keep track of them. At one point I thought, "Where is Margaret?" but then so and so came up and this and that and so and so had this problem. You get the picture. Finally it dawned on me that I hadn't seem Margaret in probably AN HOUR! She had been playing with my friend's son, but my friend had left. Had Margaret followed them outside? It was dark and 30 degrees. Where was she?

I was in a daze as I walked toward Michael at the end of the hall. He also hadn't seen her and didn't know where she was. The search was on. It lasted all of two minutes, but those minutes could have been years. Margaret didn't know she had been missing, she had been with a group of kids and followed them into the planetarium show. Everything is fine now, but I still have an adrenaline rush as I write this.

SEVEN

The final take is of my favorite baby pair at the fair:

And of course I have to include a photo of what these two looked like at the same event last year:

Read more Quick Takes over at Betty Beguiles, who is hosting for Conversion Diary this week.

Review & Giveaway: Cooper and Me and The Military

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Cooper and Me is a book series created by a mother-daughter team and inspired by their real-life family dog, Cooper. Cooper is a black Labrador Retriever whose story adventures help kids as they deal with the challenges that come their way. The stories presented with these inspiring books will help encourage meaningful conversation between adults and children as they laugh and marvel at all the situations Cooper encounters.

I received Cooper and Me and the Military. I was immediately impressed by the illustrations, which were able to portray a rather serious situation in a fun, colorful, and light-hearted way. The book outlines the story of a brother and sister who are separated from their parents due to military deployment. It introduces a new dog, Trooper, who helps the family stay close during this time of separation. The story is a simple, but powerful representation of the struggles faced by many families in the military.

I found this book to be a wonderful addition to our family library, and a great introduction for my children about military experiences. We talked about why the children lived with their Grandparents, what deployment was, and how important it would be to stay in touch if we were ever separated as a family.

WHAT DID MY PRODUCT TESTERS THINK?

I liked it because of the stuffed animal that they sent and because their parents were working for the Military. I also really liked the picture where the parents were standing in front of the giant American Flag.

I thinked the girl should have been a Margaret girl. I enjoyed the book thinking it was Margaret. I enjoyed all of the pages.

I liked the colorful pictures.

Cooper and Me and the Military is available for $12.99 on the Cooper and Me website. They have many other titles also available.

I am happy to be able to offer one lucky reader a free copy of Cooper and Me and the Military. Fulfill the requirements below, leaving a comment after each one telling me you did so. I will use random.org to choose a winner on February 15. Good Luck!

1. Visit the website and tell me what other title in the series you would like to read

2. Like Cooper and Me on Facebook

3. Like Modest Mama on Facebook

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review & Giveaway: Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:50:00 +0000

For those folks who are lactose intolerant, passing on dairy products can mean more than avoiding uncomfortable side effects. People who do not get enough dairy are more likely to experience lower intakes of vitamins A and D; both of which are essential to good bone health.

February is National Lactose Free Month, and in honor of this, Yoplait Yogurt has announced four new Lactose Free Yogurts- Strawberry, Cherry, Peach, and French Vanilla.

Each cup of Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt contains 50% of the daily recommendation of calcium, and additional amounts of vitamins A and D.

I love yogurt and eat it everyday. I was cautious about this new product. Would it taste the same as regular yogurt? Would the texture be the same? Would there be additional fillers and sugars to mask the fact it was lactose free?

I am happy to report that both Michael and I could not distinguish any differences between regular Yoplait Yogurt and Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt. I tried the Cherry and the Peach, both tasted identical to regular yogurt.

I am so happy to have found this alternative yogurt for my little guy who has a sensitivity to lactose. Using this in cucumber salad instead of the dairy yogurt will ensure that his tummy remains sound and I am not up at night with a sick child.

Interested in trying Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt? Look for it in the yogurt section of your supermarket, or enter the giveaway below for a free Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt Gift Pack!

One lucky winner will receive:

A VIP coupon to purchase Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt**

Lunch tote

2 Gel packs

Individual bowl

Spoon

**Free yogurt coupon is not valid in some states including: Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee

Follow the steps below to enter, leaving a separate comment for each step. I will use random.org choose a winner on Monday February 13.

1. Leave me a comment telling me which flavor of Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt you are most interested in trying.

2. Like Yoplait Yogurt on Facebook

3. Follow me using GFC, Networked Blogs, or both

4. Like Modest Mama on Facebook

Good Luck to Everyone!

Disclaimer: Prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. I received the above prize pack free of charge in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I received no other compensation.

Sam's Club Giveaway Winner!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2012-02-07 14:19:25 UTC

Congratulations to Kelly who said "I would use a Sam's gift card for pull-ups and Dreft laundry detergent."

I have already contacted the winner by email! Look for another great giveaway soon!

Product Review: See N Spell/ See N Read

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:27:00 +0000

See-N-Spell is an innovative program designed to increase spelling skills and build vocabulary. The 40-page booklet contains over 300 of the most commonly used words in the American English Language. All you need to know is the first letter of the word! Easy and effective!

The book is divided into three easily accessible sections:

Most Commonly Used Vocabulary Words

Commonly Misspelled Words

My Special Interest Words

The philosophy behind this program is that writers often limit the words they use because they are unable to spell them correctly. Their written vocabulary is hindered due to this. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to not be able to adequately portray my feelings because I am not able to correctly spell the words I want to use. I am a horrible speller, and I keep a dictionary close by the computer. The problem with the dictionary is that sometimes I don't know enough of the letters to find the word I want in it. See-N-Spell solves this problem for me. With just 40 pages, I can easily locate the words I want~ if they are in the book.

I kept the book by the computer to use for my many spelling mistakes. I found that the majority of the time the word I was looking for was in the book. When the word wasn't, my second choice of word usually was.

After I was doing trying out the book, I placed it in James' writing binder for him to reference as he writes. He is the only one of my children that is currently in a serious writing program. He excited to see a small book rather than the monstrous dictionary I usually make him use! The book was so helpful for him in finding his -ly adverbs and checking his spelling.

See-N-Spell can be bought on the See-N-Read Website for only $9.99! What an amazing price for such a great reference tool!

As an added bonus I was also given the See-N-Read tool. This tool is designed for readers of any age who skip lines, have trouble focusing, fatigued readers, and readers with comprehension issues.

Although Isaac is not my newest reader, it can be very tiring to listen to him read aloud. He loses his focus and often trails off before the end of a sentence, or will skip a line and not notice. The See-N-Read tool was very easy to use and he took to it immediately!

I was amazed at how quickly this helped him to slow down and read every word! We would use it for part of the reading, and he would read wonderfully for the remainder of the lesson. I was impressed with how much better he could interpret the material after his slower and complete reading. Plus, making less mistakes allowed him to gain confidence over reading tougher material! Double bonus!

The See-N-Read tool comes in two different sizes and can be bought in a variety of combinations for $2.99 and up on the See-N-Read Website.

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Group, I received these products free of charge in exchange for an honest review on this blog. I received no other compensation.

Party Skirts finshed this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Happy 4th Birthday Margaret!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:16:00 +0000

It's amazing to me that she is already 4 years old!

About ten hours old. We were home before she was 12 hours old.

First Birthday

Second Birthday

Third Birthday

Fourth Birthday

I love how every time someone says, "Happy Birthday!" she responds with "Happy Birthday!"

We love you Margaret!

7 Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

ONE

We joined a nation-wide postcard swap. I have joined things like this before, but they have always been a bust. Besides the work of addressing about 60 postcards, I think this will be a very fun experience for the kids. We are hanging the postcards in the entry room as we receive them. We got our first one this week: West Virginia!

TWO

It's official! I have a four year old daughter! Sometimes I feel like Daddy Warbucks when he says, "I never thought I'd get used to a girl." She has challenged me and changed me in more ways than I could ever know. Everything about my life is better because she exists. Check back later for the official birthday post.

THREE

I recently received an email from another etsy person. I get very nervous when I get these because it usually means that a) I screwed up an order or b) They want to order some almost impossible item that I will screw up. This gal contacted me not because of an order, but because of my views on modesty (as they are listed in my profile). She admits that she had fairly negative views on modesty and came to my shop to bash rather than shop. After reading my profile she stated, "I just thought the sentence on your profile, "Clothes and accessories should show that beauty without denying her dignity", was so, so beautiful and eloquently expressive of the idea that immodesty is a loss, not a gain."

BEAUTIFULLY STATED!

FOUR

Speaking of modest dress and my etsy shop, I have about ten skirts ready to list, but absolutely no motivation to do so. I love the sewing aspect of selling, not so much the selling aspect of selling.

FIVE

Speaking of sewing, check out this bag I made this week:

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but this bag totally rocks.

SIX

Did I already mention in a past Quick Takes how Margo has become obsessed with my kid-size dress form? Yeah, she refers to it as her sister and dresses it in her dress up clothes. It is about a foot taller than her, but she still manages to lug it around the house. It's a little disturbing that her sister is headless. Just a little.

SEVEN

The kids start their Step-Up classes today. For those that are unaware, Step-Up is a program for homeschoolers where every Friday for ten weeks they can take classes from 2 to 5pm on the Saint Vincent College campus. The classes are an hour long and taught by education majors. Price per class is only $20 for the whole ten weeks.

What Step-Up means for me is a wonderful break. I drop four of my darlings off and join the other gals for some talkie time. Margaret only goes for an hour, and then she and I head home for Malcolm's nap. Michael brings the boys home later. Although I usually only get dinner made, I love having that time alone with Margaret. She is so sweet and dramatic and crazy fun. I love to bask in the mother-daughter thing, and it is so great to see her excitement when the brothers return home.

Interested in reading more? Visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.

Review & Giveaway: Sam's Club P&G Baby Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:42:00 +0000

We have been Sam's Club members off and on for the last five years. It is definitely nice having a place where we can stock up on items in bulk for a reasonable price. There are several cooking products, cleaning supplies, and food items that make the price of membership worth it. Another area there are huge savings are in the baby products.

Although we almost exclusively cloth diaper, there are still times that we use disposable diapers, such as when we travel or experience illness. We also use disposable baby wipes because those are just easier on us. As any parent knows, babies and kids go through a lot of laundry. Laundry detergent is another area where we can save big at Sam's Club. I have never used formula, but I know a lot of gals who do. They agree that Sam's Club has the best prices on formula for their baby.

Discover an Easy Way to Save on Baby Essentials at Sam’s Club^®!

Get a $10 Gift Card when you purchase any of the following two baby items:

Pampers Swaddlers or Pampers Cruisers Diapers

Pampers Softcare Scented Baby Wipes

Similac Advance Powder or Sensitive Powder Formula

Dreft Liquid Laundry Detergent

Small Print Information:

**Offer valid for in-club purchases made February 1-29, 2012

*Both purchases must be made in one visit

**For more details or to request your Gift Card, visit: SamsClub.com/giftcardoffer

GIVEAWAY!!!

Everyone can use a little extra money and I am happy to offer one lucky reader $25 to Sam's Club to help you stock up on Baby Essentials during the month of February. To enter, complete any or all of the steps below, and leave a separate comment for each entry. I will choose a winner using random.org on February 7.

To Enter:

* Leave a comment telling me what baby essentials you save money on at Sam's Club.

*Follow me using GFC or Networked Blogs

*Subscribe to my blog by reader

*Subscribe to my blog by email

*Like Modest Mama on Facebook

*Like Sam's Club on Facebook

Make sure I can contact you by email and GOOD LUCK!!!

Disclaimer: All products in this review post, including product, prize pack, information,and giveaway have all been provided by Sam´s Club and P&G through MyBlogSpark in exchange for an honest review on this blog. I received no other compensation.

Sewing To Summer Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:26:00 +0000

I have decided to try and join a sewing challenge that focuses on using up fabric! I was unsure whether or not to join because I don't really have a problem finding time to sew. For me, sewing is like a good book that I can't put down. I sew every. single. day. To not sew for a day would be like not showering after working out. Yucky! I do have a lot of fabric. That said, I have a lot less than before. I still have a lot, just less. I made a commitment not to buy any for six months, and I sort of made it. I say sort of because I bought fabric to help finish out some projects, or fabric for gifts. But I didn't buy any specifically for my fabric cabinet. With this challenge I have until Febraury 20 to sew something amazing. Considering there are three Wednesdays between now and then, that shouldn't be a problem. For those that don't know, on Wednesdays I get to leave my family at home and sew with other talented women for several uninterrupted hours. Some days there is a lot more talking then sewing, but I still manage to get a lot of stuff done. Want to join the sewing challenge? Click here to join and meet other bloggers with the same goals!

My Sewing Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:53:00 +0000

He's very interested in all things sewing-related. Especially the drawers of sewing supplies and the cords of the machines.

He is my official taste-tester to check for quality.

He has many supervisors, but sometimes is still able to get away with stuff.

Homeschooling At My House

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:19:00 +0000

The question this week for the Virtual Curriculum Fair is "How?" How do I pull it all together? How do I do what I do? How does anything get done around here?

To say that homeschooling is hard would be an understatement. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of time. It's a lot of clutter and mess and wear and tear on my house. Is it harder than sending kids to school? I doubt it. Every family has difficulties with educating their children. It doesn't seem to matter where or how those children are educated~ difficulties exist.

We make educating our children at home work by having clear guidelines of what we expect from the kids, and following a schedule that allows them to meet those expectations. It's obviously not going to work if I expect them to finish their math by lunch time, but we spend the morning running errands. I have created goals for them and then made it impossible for them to reach those goals.

We also re-evaluate often and are flexible in our expectations. Isaac was struggling with a phonics program that James breezed through. Instead of push the program, we got another program that Isaac could excel at. Teaching three kids two different history topics was confusing and time-consuming. So one child changed subjects for the year and now they are all studying the same historical time period.

My kids do better with heavy academics in the morning (math, phonics, spelling, reading, writing, etc.), having a long break, and then tackling additional material in the late afternoon (science, history, music, art, etc). Following this schedule for their sake, instead of utilizing nap times like I intended, makes them school better.

There are a million ways that we make homeschooling work for our family. The little things that work today may not be the same things that work tomorrow. We take things as they come and try to work within the situation, instead of against it. Homeschooling works well now, but five years from now we may have found something that works better. I'm okay with that. My goal is to do what is best for the kids. Right now that thing is homeschooling. Later it'll probably be different. So be it.

Disclaimer: I wrote about these things because I wanted to, and I received nothing but personal satisfaction for my efforts.

Sunday Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Product Review: Kinderbach

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Kinderback at Home is an easy and affordable way to expose your young child to the piano. Using playful characters to teach note reading, rhythm, singing, and composition, you are able to help promote a foundation for music development.

No musical background is required to get started. Your child can view the lessons on-line or by watching DVDs. A piano is not even a requirement, as a toy piano or keyboard will be just as effective.

There are many different payment options and programs for you to choose from, allowing you to pay anywhere from $7.99 a month to $19.95 a month. Not sure you want to commit? Try a Free Session to see just what Kinderbach Piano at home has to offer! Through the rest of the month of January, you can get 40% off of Kinderbach at Home products. Click this link to learn more about this limited-time offer.

Reading this too late to get in on the clearance sale? No problem! Simply enter the coupon code: TOScrew2012 during check out and receive 30% off your order! This code is good for one year, so you can order now and later!

WHAT DID WE THINK ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Margaret, age three, did this program and really enjoyed it. She would ask to do it, and responded to some of the prompts from the video. Although she was engaged and motivated, I am not sure how much it benefited her music knowledge. She does now have some vague idea of the difference between high and low notes, loud and soft sounds, and a few other things. I not not sure, however, how long she will retain this information, and if this was solely due to the Kinderbach program. Since we are a musical family, and have access to many musical outlets, I am not sure that Kinderbach music videos are the right fit for our family at this time.

WHAT DID MY PRODUCT TESTER THINK?

"I liked my piano video and the girl characters. And that's all I am going to tell you for the review!" [Can you tell she's a tad strong-willed?]

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Group, I received a free trial period of Kinderbach at Home in exchange for an honest review on this blog. I received no other compensation.

7 Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:55:00 +0000

ONE

You know that feeling when you finally achieve something that you have been trying to do for a long, long time? Yeah, well I had that feeling this week when I finally figured out a sewing technique after THREE years of trying. Yeah me!!!

TWO

Another accomplishment: I went 14 days between grocery shopping trips! If I don't shop, I don't spend money. We eat up what we have before it expires or goes bad. It's a win-win situation for our family. Fourteen days between shopping trips is totally doable. My family wasn't hungry, and we didn't even have to eat anything weird or stale, nor did we even have to come up with any crazy substitutions. It makes me wonder a bit just how many people we could feed with food we usually keep on hand. Hmm.

THREE

Deal of the week: Hannah Andersson sweater dress. Retailed for around $50, currently on ebay for $30. My price: $1.99!

FOUR

Old doors are very heavy. Our old house is filled with old doors. Best not to get a finger slammed in an old door.

FIVE

This time next week my girl will be four. Unbelievable.

SIX

Sometimes my life is just not that interesting. Some weeks I don't have seven things to share with others. I'm okay with that.

SEVEN

You can check out more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary.

A Typical Night at Our House

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:29:00 +0000

To each his own

Planking (or trying to, but those darn arms!)

Have cape, will climb

How did you even get up there?!?!

Footed jammies on babies are AWESOME!

Everything is as it should be

Learning Art at Our House

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Art. Oh how you defeat me. Every year I purchase books promising children who draw, create sculptures, and paint. Every year those books get dusty and the kids go un-art educated.

It's not that I don't want them to learn. It just so. hard. to. fit. it. in. So very hard. Sometimes I pay to have them taught. Sometimes I get together with other moms. Mostly I just let them be spontaneous and creative and create art when and where they want.

I know this doesn't exactly make for an interesting blog post, but it may be that I inspire another art-struggling mom to just let it go. Because art will happen whether it is planned or not.

Here are some photos from our art adventures:

The older boys at the end of a summer art camp.

Homemade Valentine's Day cards to gift to family

Decorating a club house.

Painting some ceramic mushrooms

Using markers and paper.

Using store bought art kits

Creating sculptures out of marshmallows, cheese puffs, and toothpicks.

Others are sharing about art as well. Visit Susan at Homeschooling Hearts & Minds or check out these links:

Christine @ Crunchy Country Catholic

Jennifer @ a glimpse of our life

Laura O in AK @ Day by Day in Our World

Cindy Horton @ Fenced in Family

Cindy @ For One Another

Lynn @ Ladybug Chronicles

Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning

Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory

Angie @ The Petra School

Christina Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy

Christine @ Our Homeschool Reviews

Disclaimer: I wrote about these things because I wanted to, and I received nothing but personal satisfaction for my efforts.

Sunday 12:28 pm

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Snow Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:27:00 +0000

We haven't had much in terms of snow this year, so when it does snow the kids are quick to get out and play.

One of our resident snow removers.

Not so sure about this.

Margaret preferred to roll down the hill.

Back inside, Malcolm happily sat in the awesome antique stroller I found at the thrift store.

Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:09:00 +0000

I used Random.org to choose a winner for the A Mile In His Shoes DVD.

True Random Number

GeneratorMin:

Max:

Result:1

Congratulations to Erika at Raising Leafs!!

7 Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

ONE

Lately I have let my house go. I mean really let it go. Toys in every door way, skateboard on the steps, food under the table for a week. We don't have a dog, but we do have a Malcolm. That helps out a little. If I see some bodily fluids I usually make a mental note to clean it up sometime that same day. Usually.

It's not that I am being lazy. Okay, maybe a little. I have just decided that we can live with a little mess if it makes us happier overall. I have more time and energy because I am not spending every second cleaning. And the boys are happier because they are not being yelled at to clean every second. The funny thing is that I have become proud of our mess. I like it when people stop in unexpectedly and the front room looks like a closet threw up. I like that our house screams, "Kids live here. Lots and lots of kids!" Some people only wish they had it this good.

TWO

My brother surprised me with a Kindle Fire! It arrived on Monday. Let me just tell you that I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

We are having a blast trying to figure it out and getting it all set up. One of my favorite apps so far is called iStoryBooks. It's free and it offers all these picture books that read-a-loud to the child. In a nice human voice, not a scary computer one.

THREE

I think winter has finally arrived in Western PA! It is currently nine degrees outside and we have a couple of inches of snow on the ground with more in the forecast.

FOUR

Look who found a friend in the mirror:

FIVE

My nephew is officially a father! Reiley Beau was born on Tuesday evening. I love babies, and this one is especially cute! I don't have a picture to post because I haven't cleared it with the proud parents to post his photo here on my blog.

SIX

Well, the kids are waiting in the school room and I have run out of Quick Takes!

SEVEN

Check out more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!

Tunic top

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

Review & Giveaway: A Mile In His Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:31:00 +0000

A Mile in His Shoes is the heartfelt movie about a young man with Aspergers syndrome who leaves home to join a minor league baseball team. This family-friendly film focuses on the challenges and the triumphs of Mickey as he begins to live life in "the real world."

This was the perfect film for us to watch together over the Christmas break. We love baseball and it was so exciting to find a baseball movie that was appropriate for the whole family. There is no questionable language or themes that would make parents of young viewers uncomfortable. The only thing Michael and I encountered were questions about Autism and Aspergers. My kids have very little exposure to these issues; they have friends with autism, but are unaware of it. This film provided the perfect opportunity to talk about what these issues mean.

Overall we enjoyed the movie. It is a Christian-based movie and we found the content to be enjoyable. There are a few scenes in the movie that I would classify as 'sappy' or 'cheesey,' but that is just my movie savvy self talking.

WHAT DID MY PRODUCT TESTERS THINK?

I liked the movie because I liked it. I liked the part when that guy who couldn't play baseball got to play.

I liked it when the boy imagined he was back at the farm.

I really liked the movie. But one thing I didn't like about it was that the guy nailed the pitcher's shoes to the bench. I didn't like that part because it was the best pitcher's shoes and it made him feel bad.

I really liked it. I liked how they made the kid who had Aspergers say a lot of random things that maybe would seem funny. It made it more believable.

GIVEAWAY TIME

I am very happy to announce that one lucky reader will receive a free copy of A Mile in His Shoes. Follow the steps below and I will use random.org to choose a winner on Friday January 20. Please leave a separate comment after each entry:

1. Follow my blog using GFC or networked blogs

2. Like Modest Mama on Facebook

3. Like A Mile in His Shoes on Facebook

4. Leave a comment telling me why you think you would like this movie.

Good Luck!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more products or services mentioned above for free in hopes that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Learning Geography at Our House

noreply@blogger.com (Modest Mama) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Geography is kind of a hit or miss subject around here. We have tried many different approaches, and they all seem to last for a short while. We have done the scripted daily curriculum where I present a lesson to each child and they complete some sort of activity. We have done the standard workbook approach, and while that seems to work, I have stopped that approach. The main problem with the workbook approach is two-fold. One, workbooks tend to be too easy and the kids are motivated and finish the entire thing in a month. Fine, except the books we were using were $10 to $25 each. That can get pricey when you are spending up to $75 a month for geography. The other issue we have run into is that many times workbooks are designed for classroom use. A whole bunch of kids, roughly at the same level, are needed to complete this or that activity. I can't mimic that at home, therefore sections of the book are useless to us.

Enter Geography Through Art. This is what we are currently using. I can't say it is the best program I have ever used, but it works right now so I am a big supporter.

There are so many things to recommend this book. One, it covers two subjects at the same time: geography and art. Two, it is designed to teach multiple levels at the same time. Perfect for the homeschool classroom. The cost is fairly low, always a bonus. And although I don't think the learning level is anything that will help you get into Harvard, the lessons are engaging and informative enough that the kids are getting excited about geography. They walk by the large wall map and say, "Hey, here's Africa! Remember those masks we made?"

In addition to Geography Through Art, I also purchased an additional text, Eat Your Way Around the World. We haven't used this book yet, but it is intended to compliment lessons in the Geography Through Art Book. A lesson will alert you when there is a recipe that corresponds with that region or country. A great way to extend the learning.

Although I obviously look to books designed to develop geographical awareness, I also use many casual/ non-classroom ways to teach geography. The best way I have found to learn geography around here is through reading. My kids love to read and we always have a large atlas available for them to explore after reading about a foreign place. We are also avid travelers and allow them maps in the car. We encourage their curiosity about faraway places and check out books at the library.

Geography may take a back seat when it comes to our homeschooling goals, but I find at this house exposure and interest are key to success in this area.

Other Moms are also writing about the social sciences this week. Head on over to Homeschooling Hearts and Minds or click one of the links below:

Beth @ Ozark Ramblings

Christine @ Crunchy Country Catholic

Leah Courtney @ The Courtney Six Homeschool Family

Angie @ Petra School

Jen @ Forever, For Always
Cindy Horton @ Fenced in Family

Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun

Melissa @ Grace Christian Homeschool

Pam @ Everyday Snapshots

Lynn @ Ladybug Chronicles
Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning

Letha @ justpitchingmytent

Laura O from AK
Joelle @ Homechooling for His Glory
Debbie @ Debbie's Digest

MissMOE @ Homeschooling While Living the Life of Easier

Christa Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy

Disclaimer: I wrote about these things because I wanted to, and I received nothing but personal satisfaction for my efforts.