Homeschooling

  • Most Topular Stories

  • Remind Yourself What the List and Lesson Plan Don't Know

    Sprittibee
    Sprittibee
    13 Jan 2012 | 7:51 am
    low-tech lesson planning:: I snuck out of bed early today so I could squeeze in a blog post. I snuck out of the warm covers and left behind two snuggly little boys, a protesting long-haired kitty-cat, and the soft glow of a baby monitor. Daddy, who is always just a little too noisy in the morning, was downstairs trying to enjoy his coffee at 5:15am. "I'm going to be late. I have to take it on the road today." I handed him his travel mug and noted how the dishes hadn't been done by my hopeful twelve year old that promised she would do them at 4:30am (and set her alarm) if I would just let her…

  • No shame in not passing CLEP

    Notes From A Homeschooling Mom
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:42 pm
    I just read an awesome homeschool blog where the mom was celebrating a CLEP pass.  It is very exciting. I touched on CLEP exams some time back as my hope was that my son would put a ton of college credits behind him before graduating.  But Alas, that did not happen.  He did get 6 English credits that the college he is going to will accept, and plans take one more in math before the end of this school year. Maybe he will even attempt one of the two tests he did not pass last time.    But in the end, he is the type that needs to actually sit through the class to pass…

  • How did your family react when you announced you were homeschooling?

    Notes From A Homeschooling Mom
    18 Jan 2012 | 4:52 pm
    When I let my family know were were homeschooling, they weren't exactly all nice about it. Some of the reactions/ comments:"One day they are going to outlaw that homeschool mess!""I'm not surprised, I always thought you were crazy" (and that was from the supportive person)Or the relative that came to me at the end of each year and said, "so are you putting the kids back in school next year".  I finally had an emotional outburst and she stopped.And there there are the relatives that just talked about us behind our back....  now they all want education advice. …

  • Home Schooling: Which curriculum is right for me?

    Homeschooling
    22 Jan 2012 | 7:51 pm
    Many parents don't realize that every child has a different learning curve and choosing the right study materials can be tricky.

  • I Used to Be Embarrassed

    The Homeschool Jungle
    Jana Miller
    5 Jan 2012 | 10:59 am
    Yup....I was. I was embarrrased to tell people that I homeschooled. And now it's embarrassing to tell this to  you. I was always quick to clarify, .."but I don't bake my own bread". As if that is some way kept me mainstream and not fanatical. "One of those homeschoolers." I'm happy to say, I've come along way since that first year of homeschooling. It's not just your children who grow up, when you home school. I chose to go against the conventional educatuional process and it took some time to feel comfortable in doing so. And now I'm very proud of myself for taking that…
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    Sprittibee

  • An Early Driver's Ed Class

    Sprittibee
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:42 am
    Raise your hand if you have ever violated a traffic law. Oh, come on. Be honest. You know you did a Texas pause at a stop sign in your neighborhood once or twice. How about a speeding ticket? I bet you have had at least one in your life, right? These things have been on my mind a lot because in just a few weeks my big kid is turning FIFTEEN - and sooner than later he'll be taking driver's ed and learning to navigate the Texas highways. He's paying attention to the roads these days. I'm pointing out landmarks and street names to make sure he can find his way home if he gets lost. We're going…

  • Lighting a Fire... at the Homeschool Post

    Sprittibee
    22 Jan 2012 | 5:27 pm
    “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” ~William Yeats~ "We snuck away from the big city this weekend and left suburbia behind. We took our kids to the country, exchanging our lazy at-home weekend routine with actual work (and the sore muscles to prove it). We even let the toddler have his fill of dirt and rocks. We left the laptops, the Xbox, and the toys at home." ... come read the rest of the story with me over at the Homeschool Post today... Subscribe to Sprittibee by Email

  • My Sweet Thirteen

    Sprittibee
    20 Jan 2012 | 10:27 am
    One year ago today she was pretty in pink. Turning twelve. Sharing a bedroom with her little brother. Hanging on to her stuffed animals and putting headbands in her hair. Now she's too cool for all that. Two inches taller. Has had her first pedicure. Has plans to write a book about Norse history, and hides away in her own room downstairs drawing and using her laptop. The stuffed animals - well, half of them - were donated this past week to a friend giving a garage sale. Kitty cats and ponies. My little girl is a teenager today. I thought I would share with you her fancy cupcake project she…

  • Remind Yourself What the List and Lesson Plan Don't Know

    Sprittibee
    13 Jan 2012 | 7:51 am
    low-tech lesson planning:: I snuck out of bed early today so I could squeeze in a blog post. I snuck out of the warm covers and left behind two snuggly little boys, a protesting long-haired kitty-cat, and the soft glow of a baby monitor. Daddy, who is always just a little too noisy in the morning, was downstairs trying to enjoy his coffee at 5:15am. "I'm going to be late. I have to take it on the road today." I handed him his travel mug and noted how the dishes hadn't been done by my hopeful twelve year old that promised she would do them at 4:30am (and set her alarm) if I would just let her…

  • Keep Aiming for the Goal; Despite the Difficulties

    Sprittibee
    12 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pm
    One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.  ~Sidney Howard I've been aiming at my goals lately. This explains my absence at the keyboard. It's been so long since I really felt the blog bug biting. Am I really a blogger any more? How often do you have to blog to be considered a real blogger? Kind of like that Tootsie Roll Pop question, isn't it? Instagram has kept me on a leash, though. The DSLR has been on vacation for far too long. And I have been hooked on Pinterest imagining all the things I'm going to make when I get my craft on this year.
 
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    Melissa Wiley

  • The Pioneer Woman, I Am Not

    Melissa Wiley
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:27 pm
    I bragged about my granola and Charlotte asked for the recipe. It’s a bit tricky, because this is the one dish I make where I don’t measure anything, I just eyeball it. 9×13 baking pan + stick of butter + 350 degree oven. You can melt the butter right in the pan in the preheating oven, or you can speed things up and melt it on the stove, whatever you like. To the melted butter in the pan, add about 2/3 cup honey. Or less. Or more. I like it sweet-ish but not too sweet. Then dump in some old-fashioned (not quick) oats. Um, a quantity might be helpful here, but I have no idea.

  • Dear Blog, Forgive Me

    Melissa Wiley
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:14 pm
    Whoa. I totally missed Bonny Glen’s seventh anniversary. Seven years! Jiminy crickets! I meant to do something retrospectivey. I meant to do something, period. But I forgot all about it until I saw Melanie’s anniversary post—our blogs share a birthday. Well, I’m forever sending birthday cards late. Maybe I’ll rustle up something next week. Right now I’m too busy putting the finishing touches on my GeekMom post for tomorrow—we’re a stop in the Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary blog tour; do stop by tomorrow and take a peek—and squeeing over…

  • Together we make a full glass

    Melissa Wiley
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:20 pm
    Me, at the end of a discussion: “Well, that’s what you get for marrying an optimist.” Him, eyebrow arched: “That was inevitable, wasn’t it? I mean, only an optimist would have married me.”

  • Made Me Smile

    Melissa Wiley
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:27 am
    My cow creamer (which we’ve never actually used for cream) on the kitchen windowsill, adorned by Rilla. (Yes, my windows need washing again.) A drawing of me by Rose. I wish I had those jeans in real life! (It is awfully nice to have a daughter who thinks you are the most gorgeous girl in the world.) A photo that begs a caption. Other happymaking things: * Lesley Austin’s wonderful new endeavor, Wisteria and Sunshine. Have you visited? Are you contemplating joining? I am there and thoroughly enjoying myself. And my desk area, heretofore known as as the Cedar Chest of Shame, is now…

  • Blanket Revisited

    Melissa Wiley
    23 Jan 2012 | 8:36 pm
    Two and a half years ago, I made this. Cotton quilt top and fleece bottom. No batting, no quilting. A quilt for corner-cutters. Oh my goodness, how delicious was she?? As it turns out, my handiwork was shoddy: every time we wash it, another seam pulls apart. I bet I’ve stitched up (with big, ungainly, totally visible stitches) a dozen or more gaps. As it turns out, that doesn’t matter. It’s everybody’s favorite blanket. I snuggle under it every morning and evening (and a fair amount of time in between). The kids fight over it. Sorry, Jane. Its surface seems to attract…
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    Why Homeschool

  • 26 Jan 2012 | 7:11 pm

    Henry Cate
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:11 pm
    The next Carnival will be held by Amy Baylis at Cajun Joie de Vivre: Stepping Stones to a Fulfilled Life.Blog Carnvial is partially broken. It is accepting submissions, but not forwarding them. It would be easier if you just submitted your post directly via email. Go here for the instructions on sending in a submission. As always, entries to the Carnival of Homeschooling are due Monday evening at 6:00 PM Pacific Standard Time.

  • Who does Google think you are?

    Henry Cate
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:54 am
    Google watches and records what web sites you visits and makes guesses about who you are.  This Google site reveals their deduction.  It is interesting.  I use a variety of  web browsers.  Here is what Google thinks about me:Internet Explorer:  35-44, MaleFireFox:  No clueGoogle Chrome:  55-64, MaleThey got the gender correct, but neither age range is correct.Hat tip:  Natalie Winningham

  • TED Talk - Jeff Sandefer on improving public education

    Henry Cate
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:51 am
    Jeff Sandefer makes a good agrument for improving public education by going back to what our country did 150 years ago.Hat tip: The Libertarian Homeschooler

  • The Carnival of Homeschooling is up - The Wintery Mix

    Henry Cate
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:48 pm
    This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is up at Janice Campbell - Taking Time For Things That Matter.Janice starts the carnival with:----------As your posts were coming in over the past weekend, the weather seemed busy trying to decide what it wanted to be when it grew up. Friday was clear and chilly, but I woke the next morning to the beep-beep of snowplows. From my 40th floor hotel room, I could see snow blowing sideways, nearly obscuring the bright screens wrapping Times Square just a few blocks south. By the time I boarded a train for home on Monday, we had seen sun, snow, rain, fog, and…

  • Good reminder of some of the problems with public schools

    Henry Cate
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:39 am
    A Teacher Story: Why I'm Leaving Public Education is fascinating.  A season teacher got tired of playing the games.  She refused to put pressure on her students to focus on "the test."  She had taught four years in inner-city Pittsburgh yet the school principal gave her a bad time.  Finally she quit.  Her story starts with:----------I’ve had a radical change of heart recently. Those who worked with me in my previous position as an Instructional Coach (helping teachers to improve instruction and overcome difficulties with high-needs students) must be shocked by…
 
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    AtypicaLife dot net

  • I got hired because of my work ethic

    andrea
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:37 pm
    Friday afternoons I try and take off. This involves not checking on things constantly, but instead a few hours apart. When I have my afternoon “off”, I like to go quilt. Sometimes I go to our local quilt shop, but it was snomageddon outside, and if I was going I really should have gotton groceries instead. So. I went to my room of my own and sewed. I made this: Nice, isn’t it? Now go look at the logo of the company I work for. I think I might like my job a wee bit too much. Is that possible? The first time I tried to explain my job in a nutshell (other than “I do…

  • Ra and Helios

    andrea
    19 Jan 2012 | 11:48 am
    I used to think I liked winter, at least from indoors. Over the years, I’ve refined my preference. I like snow at Christmas, I like the changing of the seasons, I like the predictable nature. I don’t like the wonky weather we’ve had over the past few years. My tolerance for cold has lessened. And the dark. Yes, it’s the dark. While I don’t spend all summer outdoors and can, in fact, get too much sun, the dark of winter is what chases me towards spring. Earlier in the week, the sun came out, brilliant and shining. So drastically different from the other days where…

  • Of irons and vikings

    andrea
    14 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am
    I don’t think I mentioned I bought a new iron. It shuts itself off for starters. It has a digital readout. It costs about as much as I have spent on irons in my entire marriage – which might sound like a lot but really isn’t. Tip: yard sale irons are not much good. Neither are cheap $20 ones, if you do a lot of sewing. Looking over my last post, I just realized how else I could have done that corner design and it would have been much easier. Duh on my for not getting it the first time. I stopped by the quilt shop and picked up the other follow the line design book they had…

  • it was bugging me since yesterday

    andrea
    12 Jan 2012 | 12:59 pm
    So I was poking around, taking a break ad quilting, when we finally settled on a border pattern for Meaghan’s quilt. It’s a curved fern design from Follow the Line Quilting Designs volume 3 (heads up: I LOVE this kind of thing). The only problem was, in the one corner sample given, the leaves changed direction. It was not a simple matter to simply mirror image the pattern itself to be able to turn the next corner. The leaves themselves would have had to turn direction midway. I’ve been mentally trying to figre this out since yesterday afternoon. Then I made extra copies of…

  • if i could think of a title there would be one here

    andrea
    11 Jan 2012 | 12:36 pm
    What have a I done lately other than work / eat / sleep? And even then the sleep part has gone badly… Its too hot or too cold or too whatever. Or my lungs have started to fill, just enough to be irritating and keep either me up or Ron up or both. If I take non drowsy allergy meds (and I have tried a few different ones at this point) they fix the lung issue, but render me unconscious for a few hours, then spacey when I wake up. Like, accidentally burn things spacey because I forget I’m cooking dinner in the middle of cooking dinner. I did try a half a pill and that helps with the…
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    Notes From A Homeschooling Mom

  • No shame in not passing CLEP

    24 Jan 2012 | 9:42 pm
    I just read an awesome homeschool blog where the mom was celebrating a CLEP pass.  It is very exciting. I touched on CLEP exams some time back as my hope was that my son would put a ton of college credits behind him before graduating.  But Alas, that did not happen.  He did get 6 English credits that the college he is going to will accept, and plans take one more in math before the end of this school year. Maybe he will even attempt one of the two tests he did not pass last time.    But in the end, he is the type that needs to actually sit through the class to pass…

  • Update on Mystery Illness in Le Roy NY... PANDAS???

    21 Jan 2012 | 10:18 am
    The school-contracted illness in LeRoy NY may be coming to light. Dr. Siegel says it could be a chronic strep infection that causes the illness caused PANDAS, but it is being covered up.  Kids and parents are not being given the information on their illness.  This may actually be a public health risk but no one's talking. There is a serious problem when parents aren't allowed to get information about kids health issues.FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITEMY BUSINESS WEBSITE

  • Mystery Illness at Le Roy High School in Upstate NY is troubling

    20 Jan 2012 | 10:57 am
    I have read what the experts have to say, but am having a tough time swallowing it.After baffling doctors there is a diagnosis. A condition called Conversion Disorder."This is subconscious, they're unaware of what they're doing," explained Dr. McVigeWhich makes Conversion Disorder very complicated to diagnose and treat.The disorder is caused solely by psychological factors, not a neurological or other medical condition."What it is...is maybe stressors, things that are uncomfortable events in your life mount up inside and kind of manifest itself in a physical manner," continued McVige.12 girls…

  • My final word on Georgia Virtual School

    20 Jan 2012 | 7:52 am
    I just answered a series of emails regarding previous posts I made about Georgia and so I thought I would share my final word on the program. It is not that I want to discourage homeschoolers from using the program, but I do want homeschoolers to be careful about putting too much weight on the program.. Here is my reply to an email requesting Clarification:Here's the deal. To be successful you have to spend two-plus hours per day per class. They even say that in orientation, but my kids and I heard that and said " that's just crazy" and spent the hour a day that they've always spent, per…

  • How did your family react when you announced you were homeschooling?

    18 Jan 2012 | 4:52 pm
    When I let my family know were were homeschooling, they weren't exactly all nice about it. Some of the reactions/ comments:"One day they are going to outlaw that homeschool mess!""I'm not surprised, I always thought you were crazy" (and that was from the supportive person)Or the relative that came to me at the end of each year and said, "so are you putting the kids back in school next year".  I finally had an emotional outburst and she stopped.And there there are the relatives that just talked about us behind our back....  now they all want education advice. …
 
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    Misty's Musings

  • Finally

    Misty
    8 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pm
    I think I am on the upswing. Days 5-8 were bad. I was in a lot of pain. But today, I am feeling better. Olaf and Josiah are building a soap box derby car for Boy Scouts. Well, Olaf is building and yelling at Josiah. I'm sure that will be a happy memory. I am in no shape (or mood) to go referee. I can barely speak and still feel weak. I guess I'm thankful tomorrow is Monday and he goes

  • Yep-the pain gets worse

    Misty
    5 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pm
    It's true! Yesterday my tongue was killing me and I was certain it was thrush. I took a Diflucan yesterday and my tongue is feeling better today. That said, good golly my throat hurts!! The morning is the absolute worst. Until I eat and drink and get Lortab in me, it sucks really bad. My follow up appointment with Dr. H is tomorrow at 2:00. I am going to make Olaf drive me because I still

  • Post Op Day 4

    Misty
    3 Jan 2012 | 4:13 pm
    Still doing good. I kind of feel like my entire mouth is coated in thrush, but I think it's just my tonsillectomy. Still laying in bed because Olaf took today off since he wasn't feeling well himself. Tomorrow will be the test when Olaf goes back to work and I have to be the mommy again. My friends have been fabulous and brought dinner for us. I am so blessed with great friends. Renee, Becky

  • Post Op Day 2

    Misty
    1 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pm
    Today hurts a little more than yesterday, however it is still very bearable. I cannot talk as easily and the sides of my tongue seem to hurt worse than my throat. I am plowing through the Lortab and will probably need another refill before it's all said and done. I have not lost any weight because I am able to eat pretty well. Sitting in bed and eating = gaining weight. That sucks because I

  • Post Op-Day 1

    Misty
    31 Dec 2011 | 9:10 pm
    I guess this is my first day post-op! I am doing remarkably well today and still waiting for that horrific pain to set in that everyone assures me will come. I am still taking Lortab every four hours. Today I added in my antibiotic, Keflex, which I had an allergic reaction to. So they called in Amoxicillan, and guess what? My face got hot, red, and puffy. Tomorrow is New Year's Day and they
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    By Sun and Candlelight

  • {Late} Friday Felines

    Dawn
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:39 pm
    {Sneaking this in at the very end of the day!} Before I begin though, I want to thank you again for your kind thoughts and prayers for our cold-infested kitties. They are both doing much better ... but because they are still sneezing (a bit) we will keep them on another week of antibiotics. Just to be sure the infection is completely kicked out of their systems. :) Now, looking back a week or so, here's Archie getting his first "taste" of Winter: Ollie, understandably, felt left out ... (He's actually yawning, but we think it looks like he's yelling. Something like…

  • Planning a New Week

    Dawn
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    Good morning, my friends ... and Happy Friday! I'm hoping to get a Friday Felines post up later today, but I don't have a draft started yet, so I can't say for sure. But I thought I'd pop on really quickly this morning, and talk a bit about next week. There's a lot coming up! Looking at the week of January 30-February 5, 2012, my notes are as follows: Days of the Blackbird February begins! St. Brigid's Day Candlemas/Groundhog Day Crackerjack's Book Group My Haircut :) Focus on the Feeders Weekend Parish Pancake Breakfast (National Weatherman Day) (World Nutella…

  • File Folder Migration

    Dawn
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:02 pm
    Well, I took a few steps towards setting my desk up today! First off, I moved the file crate system (sans crate) into its new home: The folders fit perfectly in this drawer. :) Now, you all might remember how hard Bill worked to set me up with an under-counter, in-cabinet, rolling-cage scenario last year? (God bless that man, he is good to me!) Well, I am happy to say I made this file folder "migration" with his blessing. When he found this desk online and showed it to me, the first thing(s) he pointed out were the TWO file folder drawers! (And not to fret - that rolling…

  • Flowers at the Office ...

    Dawn
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:38 pm
    My goodness, but it was a long and busy day! But I wanted to pop on quickly and show you a better picture of my desk ... as well as these pretty things: Remember the tiny white carnations yesterday? Well, ladies and gentlemen ~ we now have ourselves rainbow flowers! (Honestly, they started turning color after only 30 minutes! I think the short stems do the trick.) Anyways, here's a better view of my new desk, a birthday present from Bill: I'm very glad it fits in this corner so well! Bill took numerous measurements to be sure that it would fit, but it can be tricky ordering furniture…

  • Hot Cocoa, Handcrafts and a New Command Center!

    Dawn
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    We enjoyed such mild weather today! It was so sunny, and the air felt soft (if that makes sense) and smelled almost like Spring. Even so, the boys and I thought it was a good day for cocoa! So my "Tuesday Tea" this week was hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream and a small shake of cinnamon sugar. This mug was a gift from another homeschooling mom years ago ... it was made locally and I just love its earthy colors and texture. :) And speaking of gifts, I'd like to show you some lovely things made for me by two kind and thoughtful friends ... The first is this pretty tea…
 
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    Dewey's Treehouse

  • Crochet Class Number Two: Make a Scrunchie

    Mama Squirrel
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:38 am
    Did you crochet along with us last Saturday?Today the girls will be getting together again, and the planned project is a hair scrunchie.   Scrunchies are endlessly variable...searching for "crocheted scrunchie" will bring up all kinds of patterns.  The basic idea is this:  take a coated ponytail elastic, and in this case, cheaper is not better: you don't want the ends to pop apart in a week.  Make a slip knot with the yarn--any kind is fine, and scrunchies are a great place to experiment with little bits of novelty yarn.  Attach the yarn to the hair elastic,…

  • What's for supper? (Day before groceries)

    Mama Squirrel
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pm
    Broccoli quiche, made with Parmesan cheese, yogurt, leftover vegetables, powdered milk, eggs, and a whole wheat pat-in crustLeftover sausage and a bit of perogy casseroleBaked potatoesRye breadCarrot sticksPeach crisp with milk or yogurt (canned peaches and peach jam)(Beats sending out for a pizza.)

  • Baby afghan, baby "stress toys" (crocheting)

    Mama Squirrel
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:28 am
    Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (mostly.  I think the dark brown might have been another brand--I bought that awhile ago).Pattern: Just a big granny squarePhotos: Mr. Fixit. Copyright 2011 Dewey's Treehouse.

  • Travelling the Underground Railroad (Crayons' Grade 5)

    Mama Squirrel
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:23 pm
    We don't usually do unit studies in our homeschool.  But I had thought about spending a couple of weeks during February emphasizing the Underground Railroad.  We are just about at that point in our Canadian history book, February is Black History Month, and so on.So I was very interested to come across an ad for a homeschool mom's unit study on that topic, and went so far as to ask Mr. Fixit to pay to download it.I'm not going to name the study or the company, because I was very disappointed in what we received.  What we got, we'll use, but it certainly is skimpy. …

  • What's for supper? Sausage and things

    Mama Squirrel
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:55 pm
    Tonight's dinner menu:Perogy casserole, made with shell pasta instead of lasagna noodles because that's what we hadFarmer's sausage baked with sauerkrautBroccoliBanana muffins and brownies
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    Heart of Wisdom Blog

  • Delight Directed Homeschooling: Farm Science

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:23 am
    We moved to a mini farm about 5 years ago because I wanted my boys to experience farm life.They have learning so much caring for animals (horses, goats, chickens)  and having a vegetable garden. (While I learn patience from lousy Internet connection). If you can’t move to a farm the second best thing would be [...]

  • 3 Free Christian Fiction Kindle eBooks

    admin
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    I have not read any of these yet so I don’t know if they are worth your time. But they are free and marked Christian fiction genre so I’ll check them out and share. Free Kindle ebooks are usually free for a limited time so get them now. Prices change without notice, so older posts [...]

  • My Etsy Shop

    admin
    14 Jan 2012 | 12:51 pm
    The economy really hit the homeschool market hard. I had to some quick thinking to keep heart of Wisdom a float. I  expanded my products to include digital scrapbook materials to gain income from another market  to pay Heart of Wisdom overhead allowing me to continue to publish Christian curriculum. If you scrapbook, you’ll enjoy [...]

  • 3 Free Kindle Books on Organizing and Decluttering

    admin
    31 Dec 2011 | 9:32 pm
    Free at time of posting, prices may change at any time.  Organize for a Fresh Start: Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life eBook  Organize for a Fresh Start will teach readers step-by-step how to reorganize so they can hold on to what they need, let go of what they don’t, and welcome new things that [...]

  • Win the Bee Attitudes (Beatitudes) Lapbook!

    admin
    29 Dec 2011 | 3:29 pm
    Let’s Make a Scrap-Lapbook: Bee Attitudes is designed to be a thematic unit with lessons focusing on the Beatitudes and the Kingdom of Heaven. Download, print, cut, learn, and share with this fun lapbook in red and yellow. Forget what you learned in Sunday school about the Beatitudes. The sermon on the Mount is not [...]
 
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    Camp Creek Blog

  • a good resolution

    Lori
    2 Jan 2012 | 3:15 pm
    hat tip: Maria

  • resolutions get a bad rap

    Lori
    30 Dec 2011 | 8:43 am
    It's that time of year when people either announce their resolutions for the new year, keep quiet and mull them over alone, or loudly denounce having them at all. Personally, I am pro-resolution. After all, how often do we see meaningful change where the first step wasn't a firm resolve to see that change occur? In that spirit: Resolution 1: It's not all or nothing. Resolution 2: Break it down. Resolution 3: Take real baby steps. Resolution 4: Use the upward spiral. Resolution 5: Quit.

  • ’tis the season

    Lori
    23 Dec 2011 | 8:47 pm
    “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” — Hamilton Wright Mabi

  • raising entrepreneurs: making things happen

    Lori
    20 Dec 2011 | 10:56 am
    Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.    — John Cage (hat tip: Andrea) An entrepreneur isn’t just on fire with an idea; (s)he is able to do what needs to be done to make it really happen. Inspiration is not enough. Between the idea and the execution is a lot of hard work. How do children learn how to make their ideas happen? How do they learn how to forge ahead when things don’t come easily? Talent and ability is not enough. Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than…

  • what you risk

    Lori
    18 Dec 2011 | 8:52 am
    What you risk reveals what you value. — Jeanette Winterson
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    Camp Creek Blog

  • a good resolution

    Lori
    2 Jan 2012 | 3:15 pm
    hat tip: Maria

  • resolutions get a bad rap

    Lori
    30 Dec 2011 | 8:43 am
    It's that time of year when people either announce their resolutions for the new year, keep quiet and mull them over alone, or loudly denounce having them at all. Personally, I am pro-resolution. After all, how often do we see meaningful change where the first step wasn't a firm resolve to see that change occur? In that spirit: Resolution 1: It's not all or nothing. Resolution 2: Break it down. Resolution 3: Take real baby steps. Resolution 4: Use the upward spiral. Resolution 5: Quit.

  • ’tis the season

    Lori
    23 Dec 2011 | 8:47 pm
    “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” — Hamilton Wright Mabi

  • raising entrepreneurs: making things happen

    Lori
    20 Dec 2011 | 10:56 am
    Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.    — John Cage (hat tip: Andrea) An entrepreneur isn’t just on fire with an idea; (s)he is able to do what needs to be done to make it really happen. Inspiration is not enough. Between the idea and the execution is a lot of hard work. How do children learn how to make their ideas happen? How do they learn how to forge ahead when things don’t come easily? Talent and ability is not enough. Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than…

  • what you risk

    Lori
    18 Dec 2011 | 8:52 am
    What you risk reveals what you value. — Jeanette Winterson
 
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    The Common Room

  • Supplements

    Headmistress, zookeeper
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:28 am
    This is the ridiculous list of what I take, and why. Not all of it is specific to a low-carb diet. Liqui-Kelp: I take this for the iodine on a chiropractor's recommendation. She is a friend from out of town who did not know about the medical tests I was going through at the same time because I'd told nobody. The same week the doctor said he was concerned about my thyroid and my heart, she gave me an adjustment and said, "You need to pay attention to your thyroid and your heart- and try and take some iodine drops. Cal-mag-zinc: This is for restless legs, and I think it works. The bottle I am…

  • Low Carb, Low Glycemic Index, Low Sugar Eating

    Headmistress, zookeeper
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pm
    This post isn't just for dieters.  It's also useful for diabetics who want to focus on foods that won't spike blood sugars, and for mommies of toddlers like my Equuschick was and like her son is now- kids who are hungry all the time.  These foods will fill them up without raising their blood sugars.  I'm obviously not a professional, but personally, in general for a toddler I would choose from most of these, adding nut butters, fats, dairy products (especially a good yogurt without added sweeteners other than fruit), and i would try to choose fruits like berries rather than,…

  • Tonight's Debate

    TheHeadGirl
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:44 pm
    In the HG's EveryCitizen and Unexpert Opinion, Santorum and Paul came out looking much better than either Gingrich or Romney. Admittedly, Romney was more passionate and less akin to a dead fish, but the bickering Got Old. Santorum and Paul spoke more to the issues and less to personal politicking. If you're in Florida, please vote in Tuesday's primary. Your vote matters. Just look at Iowa.

  • The Four Moms Answer Questions

    Headmistress, zookeeper
    26 Jan 2012 | 12:31 am
     The Four Moms are:  Kim at Life in a Shoe Kimberly at Raising Olives Connie, at Smockity Frocks And, of course, me.=) Without further adieu, here are the questions: What do you recommend for penmanship?  We use a program called A Reasong for Handwriting   The student works on parts of a different Bible verse each week and at the end of the week, does the full verse on a border sheet they can decorate and give to others. For those who are past this and still struggle, Cursive Success will help you assess readiness and devise activities to move your young scholar…

  • State of the New Year's Resolutions Week 3

    Headmistress, zookeeper
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    Week Two is here. 1. Five chapters from the Bible every day; Read Isaiah 20 times this year Progress:  Still binge reading at times, but I did finish Isiah and am on my second reading.  How are you doing on regular Bible reading? 2. Eat more meals in the dining room at the table Progress: no. 3. Do better, and insist that the progeny actually follow thru, at serving two veggies per meal and not letting produce rot: Progress!!  You?  What are your goals for fruits and vegetables in a week?  Or is your goal just to be able to afford to eat? 4. However I spent my money…
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    /blog/

  • Late afternoon sunlight

    monica
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:56 am
    The image you seek out with your point and shoot after you spent the afternoon reading Sad, Irish Writer, coupled with a morning conversation of no more babies, kids growing fast and “Do you remember how we met?” Do you remember how we met? I remember. We sat on a sofa facing a large window.  Beyond the glass, trees. Beyond trees, the valley, with the Delaware I can’t see due to distance and all the green leaves, but I know it’s there. Me – not yet a mother. But I would be soon. You – a mother years ahead of me. Today, I’m catching up. You with…

  • Re-thinking church

    monica
    10 Jan 2012 | 7:42 pm
    I’m re-thinking church. The church I call home, and have attended faithfully for the past 12 years, is in the middle of a transition. Our Pastor is retiring. Witnessing the process of filling his position is revealing a side of our Evangelical denomination that I have never bumped into before.  Last Sunday, an off-handed comment whispered in my ear shocked me.  The only thought in my mind as I sat in the pew, brushing away the tears: This isn’t a church, this is a business. Thoughts on what a church should look like has been on my mind for awhile. Time traveling to the early…

  • Boy explores library – alone

    monica
    9 Jan 2012 | 1:57 pm
    Did you expect anything different, Monica? Boy explores library – alone is a post from: Monica with mobile. © 2012 Monica Brand

  • Fun at Frenchtown Roller Rink

    monica
    5 Jan 2012 | 7:56 pm
    We went to the Frenchtown Roller Rink today. Fun for the kids. Not much skating for me. The soft padding of the inside of my Rollerblades were missing, which made skating feel like I had tiny rocks in my skates. So either I remember extra thick socks next time or I stuff my skates with some sort of a replacement padding. Who thinks I’m going to forget that fact between now and the next time we go? Yeah, me too. This is the same rink my church youth group went to when I was a shy teenager and desperate to find my way in the complex high school scene. I know this is the rink the youth…

  • Sharing space

    monica
    2 Jan 2012 | 8:39 pm
    Life from the holidays is slowly returing to normal. Joe went back to work after being off for the past week. I decided to keep the Christmas decorations up until Epiphany. I’ve never paid attention to Epithany before, but I read an interesting article via Facebook and liked the idea of a proper 12 Days of Christmas. Joe decided to start cleaning his home office last weekend. It’s that New Year affect (effect? I never know which to chose.) It’s “Let’s start things new because the calendar is clean and fresh.” I have my old writing desk in our bedroom, the…
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    Blessed Among Men

  • And Here's One for Dads

    Suzanne Temple
    20 Jan 2012 | 11:44 am
    Amen.

  • For Mothers with Only One Child...

    Suzanne Temple
    19 Jan 2012 | 1:19 pm
    ...or only two or three and even for mothers of many, this is a great read!

  • Help For Anxiety

    Suzanne Temple
    16 Jan 2012 | 11:33 am
    "The principal labor of the Christian is to believe that divine love is the length and height and depth, and that there is simply nothing above, below, or beyond it. It is our home; it enfolds us and is our utmost security both in this life, in death and beyond...Without realizing it, we often call "faith" that assent we give to our own manageable ideas of God.True faith takes us into the unknown.[to where we are afraid to go, but where God has always been and waits for us]"--Sister Ruth Burrows, O.C.D.

  • Fascinating

    Suzanne Temple
    5 Jan 2012 | 12:59 pm
    ...that a baby's stem cells stay inside his mother's body for decades, healing her and repairing any damaged tissues. I have been heard more than once complaining that it just isn't fair that we mothers have the power to generate and gestate youth itself, but can't use any of it to make ourselves any younger. Well, it looks like I was wrong all along. Nature is a beautiful thing and nature's god is very good.

  • Ruby

    Suzanne Temple
    30 Dec 2011 | 10:53 am
    The boys found this ruby at the mountain gem mines last time we were there and we were told it had value so Jeremy had it cut and polished. For our Anniversary, he had it set in a gold necklace and served to me as "fifth course" by the staff at the restaurant he took me to. I love it.
 
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    Cottage Blessings

  • For Lissa and Aunt Robertine

    Alice Gunther
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    The continuation of Cottage Blessings is dedicated to my beautiful friend, Lissa, and in loving memory of my favorite blog reader and godmother, Aunt Robertine.  I do not know what will come of this return to blogging, but what I am hoping for is a permanent record of the joys of family life. First, a major update is in order.  We happily announce the birth of our baby daughter, born just this past April. Here she is with the president and vice-president of her fan club.  The last time I posted here regularly, those two big girls were babies themselves. (That's Maureen…

  • The balcony

    Alice Gunther
    14 Jul 2010 | 10:23 am
    Here is a photo from the balcony scene in The Front Lawn Players' production of Romeo and Juliet.  Did you know there is no balcony written into the original Shakespeare play?  The stage direction calls for Juliet to be at a window.  The famous balcony developed over time and may well be the most famous piece of scenery in all of Shakespeare!  

  • Catholic Writers Conference

    Alice Gunther
    5 Jul 2010 | 9:57 am
    I had the honor of covering "The Word Made Flesh--A Day for Catholic Writers" for The Long Island Catholic.  Here is the story:Catholic writers urged to use their talents to spread the faithHUNTINGTON — More than 100 Catholic writers from all over Long Island and other parts of the country gathered at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception here last Saturday for an innovative conference entitled, “The Word Made Flesh: A Day for Catholic Writers.” The event offered much hope for anyone who has scanned a library shelf wishing for wholesome literature or read a secular…

  • The Front Lawn Players present Romeo and Juliet (Part 1)

    Alice Gunther
    30 Jun 2010 | 8:07 am
    Last year, my mother passed away two weeks before The Front Lawn Players' production of As You Like It.  With daughters playing Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone, there should have been a huge, picture-laden blog post afterward, but you can imagine I did not much feel like blogging at that time.  This year, they performed Romeo and Juliet with Alice (aka Agnes) playing the role of a lifetime.  Here are a few pictures for posterity.  And maybe, just maybe, I will post those As You Like It photos one of these days.  Juliet  Lady Capulet and the nurse…

  • Here and Now: June Long Island Catholic column

    Alice Gunther
    29 Jun 2010 | 8:47 am
    Not long ago, I came across a framed picture of the Blessed Mother while cleaning out the basement of my mother’s house. How perfectly I knew every detail of it — the sweet and gentle face of Our Lady, the rays of light streaming from her fingertips, and the snake crushed beneath her feet. When I was growing up, the image hung in my bedroom, but standing there in the dim storage room, my mind raced back to the day I first received it.Years ago, on one of our family’s trips to Ireland, we stayed in a cottage rented to us by a couple who seemed old to me at the time. The place had…
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    Karen Edmisten

  • Atticus Helps Me Keep Poetry Friday Afloat

    Karen Edmisten
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:20 am
    Atticus sends me all kinds of links, but who doesn't love a man who sends poetry?I've been so busy with stuff-stuff-stuff -- writing projects, fun with Ramona while her big sisters were out of town, cooking for those big sisters when they got home (after six days of road food they were ready for something fresh out of an oven), cleaning (which is, as Erma Bombeck once said, "like stringing beads without a knot), and homeschool stuff/reading stuff/planning stuff -- that I have neglected my poor little blog and nearly let Poetry Friday slip by unnoticed.Atticus to the rescue. (He saved me last…

  • Head Over to Simcha's Right Now to Win a Book

    Karen Edmisten
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:34 am
    Remember the book of which I am one-tenth? Simcha's giving away two copies of Style, Sex, and SubstanceShe wrote the chapter on motherhood, I wrote the chapter on spiritual strength, and the other writers are:Rachel Balducci on friendshipRebecca Teti on workBetty Duffy on sexBarbara Nicolosi on engaging the cultureRun over there and enter!And stay tuned here, as I'll be hosting a giveaway down the road, too.

  • Poetry Friday

    Karen Edmisten
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:46 am
    Atticus sent this link the other day, and it seems an appropriate pick for Poetry Friday, with our daughters on the road.The poem -- "Rest" by Richard Jones -- begins like this:It's so late I could cut my lightsand drive the next fifty milesof empty interstateby starlight,flying along in a dream,countryside alive with shapes and shadows,and moves into considering this: This was beforeI had children of my own,and had felt the sharp edge of loveand anxiety whenever I tiptoedinto darkened rooms of sleepto study the small, peaceful facesof my beloved darlings. Now,the fatherly feelings are so…

  • Bits and Pieces of Our Days

    Karen Edmisten
    19 Jan 2012 | 10:30 pm
    * When I last did a Bits & Pieces post, my kitchen counter was messy. A percentage of the messiness was the huge project in which Anne-with-an-e and Betsy were immersed. Their play -- a musical performed by the parish youth choir and written/directed by Anne and Betsy and their two best friends, Sarah and Mary -- came off beautifully last weekend.The week leading up to it featured last-minute costume runs, and some final T-shirt prep:We also ran around town to a couple of different radio stations so that Betsy and one of the stars of the show could participate in interviews. Much…

  • I Have a New Book! And It's Available For Pre-order ...

    Karen Edmisten
    16 Jan 2012 | 3:57 pm
    My newest book will be published soon, but it's available for pre-order right now at Amazon.You can head over there to find After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope. Each one of my books has been, in its own way, personal  -- hey, let's face it, anyone who knows me knows I can barely tap out an email without getting personal -- but obviously, having experienced five miscarriages myself, this book occupies a special part of my soul and my psyche. These are words I've wanted to share with and offer to other women for a long time.Here's a small glimpse…
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    Mental multivitamin

  • Curated content

    Mental multivitamin
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:32 am
    Humanities Magazine: Unhappy CamperIf you want your child to be a writer, go bankrupt.The evidence confirms it. Failing that, at least suffer a severe financial reversal, obliging your son or daughter to endure the social opprobrium of changed schools and dropped friendships. Let him know the shame of fallen status, that he might grow ever more attuned to the minutest of slights, real or imagined. Careful scrutiny of his fellows will likely become a habit, a good sense of humor his first line of defense. Imagination will be his refuge. If you want your child to be a writer, do all this, and…

  • Reading right now

    Mental multivitamin
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:26 am
    Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)Two related items of interest:■ "The Power of Introverts: A Manifesto for Quiet Brilliance" (Scientific American, January 24)■ "Time for introverts to get some appreciation" (USA Today, January 23)

  • "The cake is a lie."

    Mental multivitamin
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:53 pm
    Last year, Miss M-mv(ii) baked Miss M-mv(i) the most wonderful cake for her birthday. When she offered to do so again, I fervently hoped the birthday girl would ask for the same (an Andes Mints cake; recipe here).But she did not.As early as September, she was talking about a Portal cake. Fortunately, Miss M-mv(ii) was easily persuaded to bake the Andes Mints cake for the holidays.One word: Yum.Well, a Portal cake is also quite nice. Devil's food cake. Chocolate icing. Whipped cream. A handful of M&Ms.The first Portal cake met an unfortunate end, however.It was all my fault.Trip.

  • Everything you need to know about them

    Mental multivitamin
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:19 pm

  • 21 Jan 2012 | 9:55 pm

    Mental multivitamin
    21 Jan 2012 | 9:55 pm
    Semicolon hosts "The Saturday Review of Books." Consider participating this week.
 
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    Heart of the Matter

  • Be Original – Within Reason of Course!

    Melinda
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    A few years ago I saw a spoof of a motivational poster that said, “Remember, you are unique, just like everyone else.” I had to laugh because it’s a human tendency to want to believe you are unique and special, which is actually a very common desire. I wonder how many of us have ever had the thought that there is no one else in the world who can relate to how we think and feel. Ironically, while we are longing to be unique we also want to be recognized and included as a valued member of a group. We want to belong, but we want to belong on our own terms and be appreciated for the unique…

  • I am a Planner!

    LaToya
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    This year I took the plunged and “officially” started homeschooling my preschooler and my kindergartener. I planned to start in August but then we ended up having to move at the beginning of the month so that didn’t work out too well. Then I planned to start right after Labor Day. We did but soon after that my house was full of cooties which left at least one of us out of commission for about 3 weeks. Then right when we recovered from that my school work load was a bit overwhelming and we had to take a break so I could catch up and regain some of my sanity. I am a planner. I have plans…

  • Ten Homeschooling Helps I Couldn’t Go Without

    Meg
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    I always think of January as the school year’s second “back to school.” Having two or three weeks off for Christmas break creates time for me to reflect on what’s working in our schoolroom and routine — and what’s not. It allows me to reorder supplies on which we’re running low, and come up with resources to help fill gaps within the curriculum that I discover during the first “semester.” Those last few weeks in December and the first week or two in January is also a time I renew a lot of my commitments, make extended plans, and determine…

  • Reimagining Movie Night

    Kimberly
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    What does acquisition of a rich vocabulary have to do with science? Sometimes I just can’t resist the cross-curricular. The truth is, when science vocabulary moves beyond the rote realm, our children not only attain long-term retention, but they often stumble upon a larger lesson. Looking back, there are a plethora of words in my memory’s jar-of-wonderful-words-acquired-way-back-when. Yes, I was the student who devoured all those Latin terms and, to this day, smile at the silly sounds that ring from those long ago memorized lists. From botany, photosynthesis. From marine biology,…

  • A Winter Tutorial for Homeschooling

    Karen
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Homeschooling in winter can be a little dreary to say the least. Hang on mama, the weather will turn warm again, the light will shine again…but for now…make the best of those winter days and fight the blahs of January! 1. Start a gratitude journal-not just you, but one for each of your kids. Even if they can’t write words, they can draw pictures. Make it a part of each day in your schedule. We have scheduled it as part of our Bible time, which is a non-negotiable time in our day. When children (and adults) learn to be grateful, it makes the dark days seem much brighter.
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    Home*School*Home

  • Saying yes.

    Fatcat
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:18 pm
    Last night my youngest son wanted to play UpWords instead of doing his regular spelling and I just said yes.   I think it's important to follow the schedule and the rules most of the time, but sometimes, it's nice just to say yes to a more relaxed way of doing things.  It was good for him.  He got the rule of doubling the consonant at the end of a word when you add -ed or -ing reinforced over and over throughout the game.  He beat me, but I gave him 150 points to start with so I don't know if he really gets to have bragging rights. 

  • Work, school and life lessons.

    Fatcat
    27 Jan 2012 | 12:52 pm
    It's Friday and I wonder at how fast the weeks just zoom by.  I am not feeling great today due to a bruised tailbone and an aching neck, but I am working.  I pretty much never take a day off, but I would sure like to today.   It is surprising what physical demands a job like mine places on the body.   It's a strain, sitting and typing all day.  One of these days, I'm going to have to do something else.  Maybe soon. I'd kind of like to get a standing desk, but I'm not sure what I'd do about the foot pedal.  I use a foot pedal to play, rewind and…

  • January 26.

    Fatcat
    26 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pm
    I love my day off and I had a lot of things planned for today.  Usually it's our clean the house day but the house is in relatively good order (for our house) , so I was thinking of doing some organizing or perhaps putting down the floor tiles I got black Friday (Yes, in November!).  I've been dreading that and putting it off because I really don't think I'll be very good at it and I tentatively set today as the day.  Unfortunately, I got up feeling quite bruised in well, as Junie B. Jones would say, my behiney and I don't feel good about the thought of sitting on the cold hard…

  • Useful things.

    Fatcat
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:26 am
    I was looking around for notebooking topics and ideas yesterday and I uncovered a lot of interesting things on Squidoo.  Here's the main search page.    This is a cool page showing all different types of notebooking.   Here's a page on anatomy.   Here's one on chemistry.   Here's a page on geography notebooking.  Right now my kids are notebooking their way through all of the simple machines.  This is going to take another week, probably and then we'll choose something else.  Now I know where to look.

  • School Today.

    Fatcat
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:26 pm
    I got up and got my work done pretty quickly today.  The kids, as usual, did not follow my example and started their work right about the time I was finishing mine.  The girl was having quite a few problems with today's algebra lesson.   I try to stay out of all discussions which involve math, so she was asking her younger brother for help on every problem.  He's kind of a math wiz and although he doesn't really like math, he's good at it.   She probably got a good grade, but Dad will need to go over this a few times with her so that she gets it.  The kids…
 
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    Homeschool Math Blog

  • Three-day sale for Math Mammoth

    Maria Miller
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:37 am
    SORRY I forgot to post it here (I just sent this to my email list).For January 23-25, get 23% off of all Math Mammoth downloads & CDs at Kagi store. Use the coupon code THREEDAYS. Go to http://www.mathmammoth.com first, then find the links to Kagi's order pages. OR, use these direct links:   ~ Light Blue series (complete curriculum)     https://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=5KN_LIVE&page=Math_Mammoth_LightBlue_Series   ~ Blue series     https://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=5KN_LIVE   ~ Golden and Green Series    …

  • Triangle puzzle - equal areas

    Maria Miller
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    I hope Pat doesn't mind that I copied the image from his blog... He posted this triangle puzzle on his blog and I thought you might enjoy it, too!Basically, we have a triangle DFE inside a rectangle, dividing the rectangle into various triangles.  And, the three areas of fainter color are equal. That is, the area of the triangle DAE = area of the triangle EBF = area of the triangle FCD. (Notice the image is not drawn to scale at all.)And, we're asked to solve the RATIOS AE : EB and BF : FC.I'll post a solution later.

  • Versa Ruler

    Maria Miller
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:20 am
    Well, this IS something different! A physical ruler that can draw shapes with any angle measure you want.Unfortunately it's not yet in production. In fact, the project is needing funding... but very interesting! Please read more at Rule Like Never Before! NEW Shape-making Versa RulerThis ruler give you accurate measurements for every side and angle. You  can connect sides to form angles, which scale and skew smoothly, and you can lock angles and sides.  Cool!

  • Vi Hart and mathematical doodling

    Maria Miller
    21 Jan 2012 | 6:59 am
    I just learned about Vi Hart's "doodling in math class" videos (hat tip goes to Fawn Nguyen).Vi calls herself mathemusician - and definitely, she's a talented and smart gal! I'm sure you'll enjoy her videos (as long as you can follow her super fast speeaking). Here are some that I enjoyed:Doodling in Math: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant [1 of 3] Here's a link to learn more about Fibonacci numbers in nature, so you can read about it at a slow pace : )Binary Hand Dance was pretty cool too!Her series of "mathematical doodling" videos have become somewhat of a viral success. Here's one…

  • Math teachers are at play again

    Maria Miller
    20 Jan 2012 | 6:32 pm
    Denise's done a beautiful job with the current Math Teachers at Play carnival number 46, lots to read and explore and see... head on over!
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    A Holy Experience

  • Links for 2012-01-27 [del.icio.us]

    28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Life-impacting Reads ...the publishing company "Doorposts" -- whose resources we have gratefully used throughout the years -- shares life-impacting reads

  • weekends are for unfolding

    Ann Voskamp
    28 Jan 2012 | 1:17 am
    M ay all your wanderings this weekend, kindest friends …. simply take the time to quietly unfold into all His light…   All is grace because of Christ alone, Beauty for the Weekend : Take a deep long breath… relax.. and come watch the sunrise? It’s a brand new day, full of His mercies! Creative Inspiration for the Weekend :  Smile and throw your head back and laugh — because  don’t you know this? … then maybe you can even grab 5 minutes to make this three-cut waterfall vest out of t-shirt? (Oh, if I can find a t-shirt here, I’m going to…

  • Links for 2012-01-26 [del.icio.us]

    27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Ah, the whole earth, the whole earth! Full of His glory... Breathaking timelapse video of Yosemite. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. *Beautiful*... (HT: Sophie) How the Word Tranforms (& Verse Cards for the Book of James) @The Wellspring... "I don’t know the way to transformation without the Word." Laura Boggess took up the challenge last year to memorize Colossians with us. And memorizing Scripture is what gave her truth in a dark hour. Beautiful story, deep truth. (And if you'd like to memorize James?) Memorize with us? For When You Feel Discouraged… @ Inspired…

  • What a Parent Wants to Say Before a Child Leaves

    Ann Voskamp
    26 Jan 2012 | 9:31 am
    Dear Son — who is called to climb a thousand walls, You have to know how your unfolding from me was a miracle. That’s the miraculous thing about miracles – they really do happen. How is it in this crazy, holy world does a girl-woman bear a boy-child? How does she raise a squalling boy-child into a man? I’ve never been one of those. And this the thing: there’s only so much time to go from point A to point B. How did I waste so many days? How do I make you know everything you need to know before you go? How to love a woman and when to say yes and when to wear black socks instead…

  • The 1 Habit More Important than Quiet Time? {Memorize the Mount: Free Memory Booklet}

    Ann Voskamp
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:59 am
    Who memorizes God in the age of Google? For a week, longer, I wake with these fears choking hard. Fears pushing me into the pit. And it comes while I struggle to get out of bed, comes early as the light pries back the dark, words we’ve been committing to heart — and I murmur them, hold onto them like a lifeline tossed: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the… ” And I smooth out the bedsheets and everything calms, His Word stilling my storm… That is what we are: Blessed. Blessed. Blessed. I’m learning by…
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    Radio Free School

  • Taking care of number 1

    rfs
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:42 am
    What a fantastic response RFS received from women who shared their thoughts on the previous post, 'I unschooled my children and got burned.' I think the important lesson to take away from this discussion  is that it is unwise and unhealthy to suspend our own lives (as unschooling mothers) because we're unschooling our kids. By this, I mean 'put it all on hold'-whether it's creativity, work, relationships with others. Nurturing ourselves. Many times, my kids have said to me, "be more selfish mom. Go out and get something new (like a new sweater) instead of putting yourself last…

  • I unschooled my kids and got burned

    rfs
    16 Jan 2012 | 3:32 pm
    "I unschooled my kids and got burned," my friend tells me as we talk over the phone. "I recall my father telling me, 'Karla, what about your career?' But did I listen?" At the time, she says, she was young. Unschooling was fulfilling and rich and she didn't feel like she needed more. She was poor, her husband didn't make much but she was happy being with her kids and helping them direct their learning. But now, although she does not regret having unschooled, she has to admit that she is in a "rotten place." With a divorce in the works, and still one child not yet grown (now at high school)…

  • Unschooling 101. Take this Quiz.

    rfs
    3 Jan 2012 | 4:12 pm
    Okay so you think you know what unschooling is all about? Test yourself with this  multiple choice quiz. 1.Who is credited with coining the term 'unschooling'? a. John Holt b.George W. Bush, Jr c.Oprah Winfrey 2. Unschooling means a. No schooling b. Un educated. 3.Unschooling is a. illegal b. legal c. legal depending on where you live. 4.Unschoolers are a. hippies b. irresponsible parents c.parents who come from a wide range of backgrounds but who believe that they can do a better job than a school can do. 5. Unschoolers a. are all artsy and can't do math b. have no socialization skills…

  • Happy New Year!

    rfs
    2 Jan 2012 | 8:05 am
    Happy new year y'all!Just want to let you know what I have lined up for in the new year. The book that we worked on last year based on interviews with unschooling/natural learning advocates is scheduled for publishing and we can't say more than that- but stay tuned.Also, I am planning the launch of a new blog on education that will extend beyond the unschooling audience and be helpful (I hope) to parents, educators and self educators a like. I am working on a name for the blog which is is in itself a very revealing exercise.I would also like to say that I have started an informal study…

  • The nature of unschooling

    rfs
    29 Dec 2011 | 8:33 am
 
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    Unschooling Site News, SandraDodd.com

  • Lulu Discount on my books for a few days

    Sandra Dodd
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:41 am
    I'm not positive this will work outside the U.S. If someone tries it and it does or doesn't, please let me know. Thanks. (It worked in British pounds from the UK, and it worked from Portugal.)Or Moving a Puddle, or both. Use SHELFSTOCK305 as a discount code before you finish checking out.

  • Adam Daniel, Limits, Netherlands & France

    Sandra Dodd
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    Some of Adam Daniel's presentation in Albuquerque from December 31, 2011:http://sandradodd.com/adamlearns(Adam is six years old and was one of the speakersat the ALL Unschooling Symposium.)the photo is by Tim Mensch.French translation http://www.journaljose.blogspot.com/2012/01/les-limites_17.htmlof "Limits"http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/2012/01/limits.htmlPlans for speaking in the Netherlands and in France:http://sandraeurope2012.blogspot.com/p/netherlands.htmlhttp://sandraeurope2012.blogspot.com/p/france.html

  • Sugar, expansion, courage

    Sandra Dodd
    18 Jan 2012 | 9:15 pm
    Photo of Deb Lewis by Tim Mensch,Albuquerque, December 30, 2011Addition of a story about how many sugar cubes one child will eat, given a full box:http://sandradodd.com/eating/sugar(third bit down the page)Twinkies and blueberries, second small bit at the top:http://sandradodd.com/eating/sweetsThe principles that make unschooling work can expand into all of one's life. Sylvia Woodman gave me permission to share something she wrote about her feelings as her mother was in intensive care. I will link a small bit from which you can choose to see more or…

  • Issues, speaking

    Sandra Dodd
    12 Jan 2012 | 9:28 am
    Expansion of "When Parents Have Issues"http://sandradodd.com/issues/Summer plans (speaking in Scotland, England, the Netherlands and France in 2012)http://sandraeurope2012.blogspot.com/If you're interested in that one, please subscribe there, upper right of that page.I'm speaking in Vancouver, Washington in May; in Sacramento, California in August; somewhere in the NE U.S. sometime in the fall. Information on the first two:http://aboutunschooling.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-speaking-plans-for-next-nearly-year.htmlThere will be another ALL Unschooling Symposium in Albuquerque this December, though…

  • "Choix," food in quantity, dads

    Sandra Dodd
    8 Jan 2012 | 9:53 pm
    La Valeur des ChoixCatherine Goudouchaouri's translation of "The Value of Choices" (a page with various authors)http://sandradodd.com/french/choix (new)Several translations of Just Add Light and Stir posts have been made, and are linked here:http://sandradodd.com/french (additions)Bingeing and hoarding (lesser variations of those, and food, and unschooling)http://sandradodd.com/eating/quantities (new)Dads (a paper-folding story of now-grown unschooled man)http://sandradodd.com/dads (addition)
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    Sandra Dodd

  • The symposium was good; I'm tired

    Sandra Dodd
    5 Jan 2012 | 9:41 am
    I'm exhausted, still, and today Joyce and Carl leave.  We've been going, going, going and having houseguests and friends still at the hotel and tomorrow will be my first day of "just us" since Christmas.Tomorrow I'm going to the hotel to create a contract for a symposium next year.  The Daniel family intends to come back again, from England, and Joyce and Carl Fetteroll intend to return as well.   I hope when they get home and recover from their own exhaustion they still feel that way. :-)The feedback forms were very positive, but had suggestions I hope to implement, about…

  • This was a surprise

    Sandra Dodd
    28 Dec 2011 | 7:45 pm
    The voice is Holly Dodd.

  • Trees without a tree

    Sandra Dodd
    24 Dec 2011 | 9:40 pm
    For a few years we had a kind-of-tree-like arrangement of lights, on a wooden platform that's in our front room (used to be a tiled base for a wood stove, long ago).We put the gifts inside it.This year, Holly had an idea to wrap lights around a banister sort of fence on the other side of the room, fastened at a center point on an eye hook. Keith set that up for us.The coolest thing is that we could stick most of the gifts inside the fence, so they show decoratively from the stairs and (also Holly's idea) we put Christmas cards on the outside, so those who enter the house can see the cards and…

  • Ghosts and Ghost Signs

    Sandra Dodd
    9 Dec 2011 | 12:16 pm
    Recently, somewhere in Texas, I took a photo. It will be the second photo below.Today on the Shorpy blog, was this photo. If it seems at all interesting, click it. On the large image, you can see details of the little car to the right of the truck at the loading dock. You can see the pigeon on the roof, and the blurred ends of trees, so you can know the wind was blowing lightly when the photo was taken.The photo I took was of a brick street and a building with a coca-cola sign painted on the side. Some of those old signs have been painted over, and re-appeared, over and over since they were…

  • Wood-rich, charge-crazy, acoustic night

    Sandra Dodd
    8 Dec 2011 | 11:21 am
    We got two cords of wood yesterday. I don't mind advertising the place we got it. They were quick and efficient and it wasn't very expensive, and the guy managed to back into our yard a bit and dump the whole pile on our property!Probably if I owned a dumptruck and a wood yard, this wouldn't be so exciting to me, but I love the sound and the sight and all the cedar dust and the smell.I would've stayed out longer, but my cellphone was playing music box in my pocket. It was the charge card company asking whether I had charged $7,000 on my card, and then $10,000. No, I hadn't. What about…
 
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    HomeschoolBuzz.com

  • Homeschooling Boys – Gaining Maximum Success from Minimum Cooperation

    Gary
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:14 am
    Gotta love that book title. Via Homeschooling in Pleasanton: The Benefits and Drawbacks – Pleasanton, CA Patch As a young mother, Tina Razzell made the difficult choice to school her four children at home.    It is her 15 years of experience in homeschooling her children that fueled the content for her book Homeschooling Boys-Gaining Maximum Success With Minimum Cooperation in hopes of helping others who also make the decision to educate their children at home.

  • When school is at home – South Africa

    Gary
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:03 am
    When school is at home via – IOL Lifestyle, South Africa. The Pretoria News caught up with some home-schooling moms, who shared their motivation for keeping their children out of mainstream schools and the normal education system, and also told of the long-term and short-term benefits of keeping them at home. They gave different reasons for choosing to home-school their children, ranging from the inaccessibility of good learning facilities to the lack of proper Christian values in schools and the need to oversee the day-to-day quality of the education and well-being of their children.

  • It’s Really White in Here

    Gary
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    Opinion: It’s Really White in Here via Montville, CT Patch I love homeschooling. I’m a huge advocate of the lifestyle. But when you scope the landscape, there are some glaring problems. For one, it’s lily white in here. I’ve rarely met a black homeschooling family. I know they’re out there. There’s the National Black Home Educators, and Black Homeschoolers Magazine, and there are rumors that the number of black homeschoolers is growing rapidly. But there are no hard numbers, and even less anecdotal evidence in my personal experience.

  • Influential Homeschoolers Coalesce Behind Ron Paul

    Gary
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    I wasn’t aware that there were such a thing as Influential Homeschoolers. ;-) On Saturday, the Ron Paul campaign issued a statement announcing the naming of several new members of the “Homeschoolers for Ron Paul” coalition.  The formation of the group was originally announced in August and since then has been very successful in motivating homeschool advocates to rally to Dr. Paul’s campaign for the White House.   As the statement released on ronpaul2012.com stated:   Today, interest in Ron Paul by this population segment has spilled over to many other…

  • Carnival of Homeschooling: The Organized Homeschool

    Gary
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am
    Time 4 Learning is hosting the Carnival of Homeschooling: The Organized Homeschool this week. So, did you know that January is officially “Get Organized” month? That’s probably pretty timely when you figure just how many of us have created New Year’s resolutions with some form of the word “ORGANIZE” in them. And we homeschoolers – - especially – - have more than a few things lying around the house that we’d like to bring order to, don’t we? So this 316th week of the Carnival of Homeschooling is going to be dedicated to tips and…
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    The History of the (Whole) World

  • Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-22

    Susan
    21 Jan 2012 | 10:21 pm
    Watching a bulldozer clear new pastureland on the farm. (It's a good thing to have cousins who own very large machines.) # Heading for NYC very early in the morning. Meeting editor, hitting Columbia U. library. I love open stacks. # 60 degrees at Richmond airport…45 minute flight…35 degrees at LaGuardia. I have culture shock. # If you liked my Driscoll review, you might enjoy this: http://t.co/yVBeKmva # Tuesday is Edith Wharton's birthday. Celebrate by hooking your wagon to a star: http://t.co/6JEO7s7K # At LaGuardia, waiting for my flight home. Apparently I am…

  • Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-15

    Susan
    14 Jan 2012 | 10:21 pm
    Note to self: When doing full-text search for "Battle of Bouvines," remember that "Battle of Bovines" will bring up very different results. # 20yo son: "The car's pretty low on gas. Mind if I fill it up?" I love my kids. # 18yo son: "Want me to go get the groceries out of the car for you?" I love my kids #2 # DD11, at movies, w/DS20, calls home: "I'm eating Milk Duds & I lost TWO TEETH!" DS in background: "Uh, that's supposed to happen, right?" # Powered by Twitter Tools

  • Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-08

    Susan
    7 Jan 2012 | 10:21 pm
    Picturesque winter farm scene: Border collie lying on porch, gnawing an enormous lump of frozen-hard manure. Not exactly Currier & Ives. # When I search for "Real Marriage" and "Driscoll", Google pops up an ad for "Divorce in 3 Weeks, $400, By Experienced Virginia Attorney." # Powered by Twitter Tools

  • Real Marriage, the shocking and scandalous review! (OK, not really…)

    Susan
    3 Jan 2012 | 12:29 pm
    And this brings us to the hype. Given that Real Marriage isn’t all that different from scores of its predecessors, you might think that Thomas Nelson would have trouble marketing it to readers. You’d be wrong. Apparently, all Christendom is holding its breath in anticipation… Recently I reviewed Mark and Grace Driscoll’s new book for Books and Culture. Here’s a link…your thoughts are, as always, welcome.

  • Between Christmas and Epiphany

    Susan
    27 Dec 2011 | 12:40 pm
    A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter. And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. There were times when we regretted The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, And the silken girls bringing sherbet. Then the camel men cursing and grumbling And running away, and wanting their liquor and women, And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, And the cities dirty and the towns unfriendly And the villages dirty and charging high…
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    The Thinking Mother

  • Sunset on the Way to Austin

    ChristineMM
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:52 pm
    Drive by photo by ChristineMM using iPhone4 and Instagram October 2011 on the road on the drive to Austin Texas.copyright 2005-2009 The Thinking Mother

  • Homemade Crouton Recipe (Using Old Bread)

    ChristineMM
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:45 pm
    Here is a frugal living slow food recipe I made up for making homemade croutons from old bread. In this case I had three rolls from the grocery store bakery that were three or four days old. They were not moldy yet but were a bit stiffer than I like for fresh eating. Homemade CroutonsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees.Using a bread knife and cutting board slice the rolls then cut to make cubes.Place bread pieces in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the bread and use your hands to try to get the oil onto as many pieces as you can. Dump the bread pieces onto a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and…

  • Ciao Italia Family Classics Book Review by ChristineMM

    ChristineMM
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:03 am
    Title: Ciao Italia Family ClassicsBy: Mary Ann EspositoPublication: St. Martin’s Press, October 2011My Star Rating: 5 stars = I Love ItMy Summary Statement: High Quality Hardbound Book with Excellent Photographs and Truly Classic RecipesI’m not of Italian descent but grew up in Connecticut with a large Italian immigrant population. We had access to Italian import grocery stores and family run restaurants were everywhere. I married an Italian American man who loves to cook so my exposure expanded and I began to cook more and more Italian “slow food” at home. When I moved to Texas last…

  • Street Art

    ChristineMM
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:51 pm
    Photo by ChristineMM with iPhone4 and Instagram Houston Texas.copyright 2005-2009 The Thinking Mother

  • A Read Aloud Day

    ChristineMM
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:20 am
    Yesterday it was chilly in the house when we woke up and my eleven year old asked that I do a read aloud. This is the first request for that in at least eight months, probably longer. I declined and cracked the whip about getting the same old - same old homeschool lessons done.Today shortly after starting homeschool lessons for the day we got a tornado warning. This was our first since moving to Texas. The kids helped me put away loose items on the deck. The tornado warning expired before any inclement weather hit. Then we got a severe thunderstorm warning, and the rains came pouring down and…
 
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    Throwing Marshmallows

  • Wordless Wednesday: Quiet

    Stephanie
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:41 pm
    Burke Lake Park - January 2012

  • Wordless Wednesday: Super Elastic Bubble Plastic

    Stephanie
    4 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  • Sometimes It Is The Little Changes

    Stephanie
    4 Dec 2011 | 1:54 pm
    I recently bought a new doormat for my front door. It is made from recycled rubber tires and feels very solid under my feet. For whatever reason, I absolutely love it - maybe it is the colors or the over-large size. Whatever it is, I smile each time I see it. Even makes me think that I should get around to re-painting the door where the puppies have scratched it up. It is nothing really that special and not a major change. But I like it. I also got a new doormat for the door from the garage into the house (which is nothing quite so pretty as the front door, so I will just show you the mat.)…

  • Grateful

    Stephanie
    25 Nov 2011 | 12:54 pm
      Scott’s Run - Great Falls, Virginia  On blogs, once time goes by without a post, it gets harder and harder to jump back in. Mostly because it seems strange to just ignore the quiet days, especially when they unintentionally turn into quiet months. I just wanted to post quickly to say, yes, I am still here. And yes, I do plan at some point to return to regular blogging. Life recently just seemed to catch up with me since we were run out of Ocean City at the end of the summer by Hurricane Irene (luckily no damage to our place there, just a bit of excitement as we had to…

  • Support Stripped: The Comics Documentary!

    Stephanie
    25 Aug 2011 | 7:00 am
    We love comics around here. Webcomics, comic books, graphic novels, you name it. I remember growing up with so many favorites…Garfield, Family Circus, Bloom County, B.C., Beetle Bailey, Hi and Lois, Dick Tracy and yes, even Nancy. Of course, my all-time favorite comic was Peanuts. I not only read it religiously in the newspaper, but collected the books and absolutely devoured them. I still have many of the books, although they have now yellowed with age. I am just not willing to give them up. One of our favorite webcomics (we also own all of his books) is Dave Kellet. His webcomic,…
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    Consent Of The Governed

  • They Are Coming For Your Internet! - Stop ACTA!!!

    Judy Aron
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a dangerous international treaty... we need to fight this just as the Polish members of parliament did:After Poland's January 19 announcement that it would sign the treaty on January 26, a number of Polish government websites, including that of the President and Polish Parliament, were shut down by denial of service attacks that started January 21. Websites included the Sejm, the lower Chamber of the Polish Parliament, the Chancellery of the PM, the President, and the Polish Ministry of Culture. Over thousand people protested in front of the…

  • Big Brother Seeks To Widen Surveillance On YOU!

    Judy Aron
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    Wired recently had an article posted about Big Sis's plans to widen surveillance capabilities - It gives the term "Four-Square" a whole new meaning. It appears that "war technology" is coming to a street near you, designed to treat you like some sort of insurgent. If you live in Nogales, Arizona then you'd better be wary - they plan to begin testing of "uber-surveillance" systems there. Read on:It’s not just for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars anymore. The Department of Homeland Security is interested in a camera package that can peek in on almost four square miles of (constitutionally…

  • Chinese Cyber Attack

    Judy Aron
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    I didn't watch the State of the Union.I hear it was a waste of time.Same old Washington rhetoric.What caught my eye today was this report:China-based Cyber Attack Targets DoD Access CardsBasically, a computer hacking virus was discovered and traced back to its origination in China (based on Chinese characters found within the virus’ coding). How it works is that members of the military receive an official looking email that has a PDF file attached to it. The virus in the PDF file records keystrokes and collects the military person's identification number which is associated with a Common…

  • Sen. Rand Paul Responds To Obama's State Of The Union Address

    Judy Aron
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:01 pm
    That was the REAL Tea Party response!

  • No Child's Data Left Behind

    Judy Aron
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    If your child is - or ever was - in a government school, then their data (i.e.permanent record) is being controlled by the state that collects them and being shared too!Personal information, including test scores, economic status, grades, and even disciplinary problems and student pregnancies, are tracked and stored in a kind of virtual “permanent record” for each student.But parents and students have very little access to that data, according to a report released Wednesday by the Data Quality Campaign, an organization that advocates for expanded data use.All 50 states and Washington,…
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    H. E. R. P. & E. S.

  • AMERICANS ARE PLAIN STUPID

    dcobranchi
    15 Jan 2012 | 7:19 am
    At least 43% of them are. And based on his horrible performance yesterday, are these same folks going to conclude that God now has switched sides and is rooting for the Patriots?

  • STUPID MARKETING TRICK

    dcobranchi
    14 Jan 2012 | 1:51 am
    Seen on the front of a can of Campbell’s potato soup: Farm Grown Potatoes I’m an industrial chemist. I know we can do some amazing things in the lab. But I was unaware that we can now synthesize potatoes.

  • WETSHAVING UPDATE

    dcobranchi
    10 Jan 2012 | 3:40 pm
    Well, I am thoroughly hooked. There are just so many variations of razors and blades and shave creams and soaps and aftershaves… I’m having lots of fun experimenting. Fortunately, as hobbies go, this one is pretty cheap. I recently bought a really pretty vintage (but new) brush and Schick Injector razor off eBay. Total cost was around $20. I’m old enough to remember ads for Schick razors, but they had pretty much disappeared by the time I started shaving. Too bad, really. The razor gives a wicked close shave. Fortunately, blades are still readily available and eBay has tons…

  • LOVELY

    dcobranchi
    1 Jan 2012 | 8:32 am
    The Dis Brimstone-Daily Pitchfork has some breaking news: The man arrested in the Midland [Texas] International Airport for attempting to take explosives aboard an American Eagle flight has been identified as Trey Scott Atwater of Hope Mills, North Carolina. Little has been disclosed about the man who is accused of trying to take a package of Composition 4 explosive on board American Eagle flight 3283 yesterday morning. Some media outlets are saying that it was a “bomb” while others have not confirmed this. Initial reports stated the man said he was active duty military and this too has…

  • YOUR TAX $ AT WORK

    dcobranchi
    31 Dec 2011 | 2:37 pm
    This one has to be among the dumbest laws in the country. Via Hell’s leading daily we learn that starting tomorrow in Illinois you will have to show a gov’t issued ID in order to buy Drano. And a couple thousand other regular household items. A new Illinois law may require you to spend more time in the checkout line and provide personal information. Starting January 1, residents must provide a photo ID and other information when purchasing products that contain caustic materials. That means everything from drain openers, to pool chemicals, to toilet bowl cleaners will become…
 
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    Pass The Torch

  • Five Years Ago – Perspective

    Kelly
    21 Jan 2012 | 7:26 am
    It’s hard to believe it. Five years ago, our family was finishing a two-week homeschooling “field trip” in Fort Myers Florida. The kids were in second and fourth grades. We’d spent our days hanging out next to the Gulf of Mexico, reading, “The Giver” and doing lessons about ancient Egypt in a [...]

  • Diving in Key Largo, Florida

    Kelly
    11 Jan 2012 | 8:01 pm
    Over holiday break, we had an opportunity to stay with family near Miami, and we did some scuba diving in Key Largo during our stay. We were staying in Hollywood Beach, so the drive to Key Largo was about 90 minutes each way, but it was worth it. We arranged four check-out dives with Scuba-Do [...]

  • Book Review – Say What?

    Kelly
    31 Dec 2011 | 8:35 am
    Have you ever wondered what animals are saying when they vocalize? In the book, “Say What?” by Angela DiTerlizzi, readers can speculate about what is going on in their favorite critters head. Joey Chou’s fun and darling illustrations give plenty of opportunity for children to practice naming animals, and the story rhymes, which [...]

  • The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice

    Kelly
    24 Dec 2011 | 8:21 am
    We all know children who stand out a bit from everyone else. Maybe it’s the odd way they dress, or the games they like to play, or the way they walk. This darling book written and illustrated by Kristen Balouch shows how everyone has a perfect-match friend, even a little, little girl with [...]

  • Review – M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual)

    Kelly
    17 Dec 2011 | 8:02 am
    M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual) by Doreen Cronin and Laura Cornell, will remind you immediately of Cronin’s hilarious “Diary of a Worm” series, as well as the Jamie Lee Curtis books, because of the Cornell’s smile-inducing illustrations. M.O.M. is the perfect gift for children of anyone who recognizes the many jobs of mothers and ways we sometimes [...]
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    Homeschool Journal Dot Net

  • ‘Sh’ and ‘Th’ and Monks and Negative numbers

    liese4
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:51 pm
    Digraphs are going to be Hannah’s Achilles’s heel. After much work I have gotten her to see and hear the regular sounds of the alphabet (mirror mirror on the table!) Now, we have to make sure that she is saying digraphs correctly, and that is going to take some work. I’m glad that I can work this out though, in a classroom with 20 other kids she’d probably get overlooked for saying words incorrectly until it got so ingrained in her that it would take therapy to undo the wrong way and insert the right. Practice, practice. Bethany is delving into the Middle ages and was…

  • Punnett’s, peas, park day and pictures

    liese4
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:38 pm
    Bethany was doing Mendel’s peas and Punnett’s squares, here is a website that has some good information about Mendel and doing the squares. It was a gorgeous day so a few of us headed over to the park to play. I know, a few days ago it snowed and today Hannah was wading in the creek (it’s supposed to snow tomorrow too.) The girls were chatting while the boys sharpened sticks (how stereotypical.) I took lots of tree pictures for Hannah’s fractal tree project…plus, I love trees. After the park we went by Hudson gardens, it was very muddy. More tree pictures to take…

  • Sick girl

    justakrazymom
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:05 am
    My little princess is rather sick. She started Sunday night with a sore throat and ears. I’m not one to take my kids to the dr. I prefer to let nature fight of illnesses. Well by Tuesday she was just laying around not able to do much. Now if they had been one of the boys I’d have been fine with it..it’s how they are when they are sick. Jadziah, though, is not one to allow herself to BE sick. SO once she was acting that way I knew she was very sick. Well a trip to the Dr confirmed this..double ear infection,strep and scarlett fever.. sigh.. this is now day 3 of the meds and…

  • Little mans, MCA, Pho-na-tic, Bible study

    liese4
    25 Jan 2012 | 10:54 pm
    School went by fast, I mean like….super-duper fast. Might have been the interruption of Joel leaving on his ski trip or maybe the promise of ice cream after lunch, but we sprinted through math, science, history, phonics and reading. After lunch we went by the GS store and found out that the girls’ cookie credits from last season expired in Dec. Since I didn’t even get the cards until August I had no clue they expired, so there went their money from last years sales. But, we are official Juliettes now and already have three people waiting to order from us; new this year is…

  • happy new year 2012

    happychildhood
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:39 pm
    Its been 6 months since my surgery to fix my broken leg (tibial plateau fracture. who knew I had a tibial plateau? not me) I am done with physical therapy appointments, but am seeing a chiropractor for a little help with my ankle movement. So, while I was down with my broken leg, I made Buzz finally get an xray on his bad hip. I cant even remember how long its been bad, but its been seriously bad for at least two years. Turns out he needs a whole new hip altogether. So, next Wednesday he goes in to get it. I wish it were as easy as that sentence was to write. Like, just stopping in at the…
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    The Homeschool Jungle

  • I Used to Be Embarrassed

    Jana Miller
    5 Jan 2012 | 10:59 am
    Yup....I was. I was embarrrased to tell people that I homeschooled. And now it's embarrassing to tell this to  you. I was always quick to clarify, .."but I don't bake my own bread". As if that is some way kept me mainstream and not fanatical. "One of those homeschoolers." I'm happy to say, I've come along way since that first year of homeschooling. It's not just your children who grow up, when you home school. I chose to go against the conventional educatuional process and it took some time to feel comfortable in doing so. And now I'm very proud of myself for taking that…

  • Joann's Homeschool Discount

    Jana Miller
    2 Jan 2012 | 9:05 am
    Jo-Anns announced today January 2, 2012 that they are offering a two day special sale to honor hard working teachers and educators. This includes teachers at public, private and charter schools as well as homeschooling moms, dads and other family members and licensed childcare providers. For two days only, Saturday January 7, 2012 and Sunday January 8, 2012 you will receive 15% off every purchase you make, both in our stores and at Joann.com®. Read more homeschooling articles at Homeschool Jungle™ 2011

  • Sonlight Curriculum-Pros and Cons

    Jana Miller
    1 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    Sonlight Pros Sonlight is a complete program that uses real books instead of textbooks. Everything is scheduled out for you on a daily basis so you can enjoy the fun part of homeschooling...intereacting with your kids instead of spending lots of time pre-reading and prepping. You have a choice between a 4 or 5 day program too. The History books they choose are read in a chronological order along with a nonfiction book that chronicles the history. So you read about the American Revolution in addition to reading a historical fiction book with a great story that helps you remember the…

  • Let's Talk About Homeschool Burnout

    Jana Miller
    30 Dec 2011 | 11:01 am
    Homeschool mom burnout will happen to most of us. I think it's good to be prepared in the hopes of avoiding some of the stress that is associated with homeschooling. So just bookmark this page so that when you need it, you will know where to find it...if not for yourself than for a friend. 1. Don't expect yourself to pick the perfect curriculum the first time around...or even the second time around. Switch programs if you need to. Keep researching until you find a good fit for your child. 2. Get involved in a "real life" community of homeschool moms. Even if you never attend anything for your…

  • Be That

    Jana Miller
    28 Dec 2011 | 1:55 pm
    {photo via} Read more homeschooling articles at Homeschool Jungle™ 2011
 
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    My Home Sweet Home

  • Camera Phone Friday: Did I Actually Instagram 28 Pictures this Week? Edition

    Dawn
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:11 pm
    1. “She’s a fatty with juicy bits” (@inspiredbryant made me say that) #campcreativpreneur #imabouttoeatthebiggestcinnamonrollever #canyoudeciferthis?, 2. Tea for 2 with @inspiredbryant & my huge cinnamon roll, 3. Squee!!! #campcreativpreneur with @inspiredbryant @holleygerth @nester @redletterwords @lainieb @erinulrich, 4. Loving being a guinea pig at the 1st #campcreativpreneur from @squeeinc! 1. Do you want your crayons back?, 2. Creative goodness from #campcreativpreneur #lovemyjournal, 3. My own pot of Blackberry Sage tea, tarts, & a homemade marshmallow! {le…

  • The 30 Day Shred Facebook Support Group

    Dawn
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:46 pm
    I was in a state of blissful ignorance when I ordered the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on a late September day. I’d heard it was effective, but not much else. I lost my innocence in a hurry when I ran out and threw up in the middle of Day 1. Yes, I did. Obviously, that first day scared me a bit and I only did the workout 3 more times until a couple of weeks ago when a doctor’s appointment made me realize that I’m actually having health issues—primarily excessively swollen ankles, which can lead to blood clots—from lack of exercise. My doctor recommended walking 2 miles…

  • Psalm 46:1-3

    Dawn
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:36 pm
    God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. ~Psalm 46:1-3 If you’re feeling troubled and low, I hope these verses bring you comfort and remind you of the One who cares. How can I pray for you today? Psalm 46:1-3 is a post from: My Home Sweet Home © 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

  • Camera Phone Friday: Arkansas Adventure Edition

    Dawn
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:38 am
    We were actually at Moe’s four straight days last week. #TrueStory #MoesQuesoIsAddictive And, drum roll please . . . I got a new Tote & Shoot from Shootsac and I LOVE it. I was a little nervous about traveling with only carry ons (you’re limited to one suitcase and either a camera bag or purse), but I’m able to put my camera, Shootsac tucked inside with 3 more lenses, iPad, AND stuff my purse down in it. It’s amazing how much you can stuff in there! To top it off, you can unzip the bottom of a pocket on the back and slide the pop-up handle of your luggage through…

  • Galatians 2:20

    Dawn
    16 Jan 2012 | 12:26 am
    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ~Galatians 2:20 Galatians 2:20 is a post from: My Home Sweet Home © 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved
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    The Official HSB Community Blog

  • Featured Blogger ~ House Full of Joy

    JoAnn
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:54 pm
    This week’s Featured Blogger is Elizabeth from House Full of Joy. As I was looking for a featured blogger, I was drawn to Elizabeth’s blog because of her conversation style of blogging. She just blogs about her days and weeks, her life in general and her family, and I like those kinds of posts. Being that we live in the Northwest, and though we have no snow, it is still cold and not garden weather, I was a bit jealous when I read her post, Outside. Made me remember my days of living in California. You know how much I like crafts, and these crafts were just adorable. And her post,…

  • Religion Or Relationship? Hebrew Roots Devotional Bible

    Evonne Mandella
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    The Following Is From Our Upcoming Hebrew Roots Devotional Bible.  This is designed for use as Family Devotions. It is perfect for Homeschool families that want to go deeper in the Word of God with their families, while learning some key words of the Hebrew language as well. I hope you enjoy the Talk About It Section at the end as well. Enjoy! Religion Or Relationship? Begin With Prayer: Pro 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Read Or Listen To Proverbs 7 Here Optional Idea: You May Choose to Listen Or Read Entire Chapter At Bedtime Instead.

  • Fun With Cards!

    JoAnn
    24 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    From the Archives: We are a card playing family ourselves, though I will admit we haven’t played any in a while. Reading this post makes me want to pull out the cards right now. (Originally posted March 30, 2006) ~JoAnn~       Cards are easily accessible, portable and provide instant entertainment as well as allow for practice in social skills and good sportsmanship. Not only that, they’re seldom viewed as “school” and can be a great diversion when that good ole Spring Fever sets in! Why not play a game or two and get in some math skills practice at the…

  • Send The Light! Hebrew Roots Devotional Bible

    Evonne Mandella
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    The Following Is From Our Upcoming Hebrew Roots Devotional Bible.  This is designed for use as Family Devotions. It is perfect for Homeschool families that want to go deeper in the Word of God with their families, while learning some key words of the Hebrew language as well. I hope you enjoy the Talk About It Section at the end as well. Enjoy! Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: Send The Light! Begin With Prayer: Listen Or Read Proverbs 6 Here Optional: You may choose to read or listen to the entire chapter at…

  • Featured Blogger ~ Our Family’s Adventures

    JoAnn
    21 Jan 2012 | 1:56 pm
    This week’s Featured Blogger is Martyomenko from Following Him at Home. I really enjoy reading sites that speak a lot about their homeschool journey and share recipes, and she does both on her blog. Her post about using playdough in school, I thought was very interesting and gave some good ideas. Her recipe for Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins are definitely something I want to try sometime. And her post about Words can change a life was very encouraging. Something I will definitely remember and think on myself. So please stop by her blog, congratulate her and say hi. ~ JoAnn
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    Forum Discussions - The Homeschool Lounge

  • Newbie from Australia

    Vicki S
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:53 pm
    Hi there everyone! My name is Vicki and I am a single mum in Australia, homeschooling my 10 yo daughter. We have been homeschooling for a year and a half now, and it has been quite a journey so far! We have just been given our 2 year home schooling certification from the Board of Studies which I am so excited about. We started homeschooling because my daughter was not thriving in the public system, and she was extremely unhappy, had lost all of her confidence. After I don't know how many talks with her teachers to try and solve the problems, and most of it falling on deaf ears I decided to…

  • New from Washington state

    Heidi S.
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:08 pm
    I found this site by accident, but sure am glad I did. I am a Christian wife and mother of 3... 2 that I am homeschooling this year. I look forward to meeting other homeschooling moms.

  • Attention Please!

    Christy Willis
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:23 pm
    I created a button!!!!!! I know...I know....not so very important, but let me tell you ladies, I stayed up late last night ad spent majority of today trying to Get It Right....and at 8pm tonight It Happened! Forgive me for being overly excited but this is new to me. Thanks for listening to me blabbing lol 

  • THE NEXT STEP!!!

    Renee Mender
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:23 pm
    As some of you know, my name is Renee and I live in a small town in Texas so there are not many options when it comes to homeschooling groups around here.  Well we got lucky and actually found a co-op 10 minutes from our house.  My son and I went for the first time today and it was awesome.  He was so excited to see other kids that were homeschooled, so excited that he told me to leave him alone in his classes and let him walk from class to class.  It was heart warming and I was so proud.  I will be joining the Co-op and bringing my two other children with every Friday.  This is finally…

  • My homeschool speech tonight @Women's seminar

    SoCalLynn
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:37 pm
    I am speaking in front of a small group of women (12-15) about homeschooling tonight. This is not my forte at all, but I am feeling pretty good about it. Our church is hosting a Titus seminar for women and I was asked to speak about homeschooling. I only have a small group signed up for my session, but I pray that God will use me. Will you say a prayer for the ladies that I will be speaking to? Thank you!
 
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    Robin Sampson's Blog

  • Delight Directed Homeschooling: Farm Science

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 8:23 am
    We moved to a mini farm about 5 years ago because I wanted my boys to experience farm life.They have learning so much caring for animals (horses, goats, chickens)  and having a vegetable garden. (While I learn patience from lousy Internet connection). If you can’t move to a farm the second best thing would be [...]

  • 3 Free Christian Fiction Kindle eBooks

    admin
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:11 am
    I have not read any of these yet so I don’t know if they are worth your time. But they are free and marked Christian fiction genre so I’ll check them out and share. Free Kindle ebooks are usually free for a limited time so get them now. Prices change without notice, so older posts [...]

  • My Etsy Shop

    admin
    14 Jan 2012 | 12:51 pm
    The economy really hit the homeschool market hard. I had to some quick thinking to keep heart of Wisdom a float. I  expanded my products to include digital scrapbook materials to gain income from another market  to pay Heart of Wisdom overhead allowing me to continue to publish Christian curriculum. If you scrapbook, you’ll enjoy [...]

  • 3 Free Kindle Books on Organizing and Decluttering

    admin
    31 Dec 2011 | 9:32 pm
    Free at time of posting, prices may change at any time.  Organize for a Fresh Start: Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life eBook  Organize for a Fresh Start will teach readers step-by-step how to reorganize so they can hold on to what they need, let go of what they don’t, and welcome new things that [...]

  • Win the Bee Attitudes (Beatitudes) Lapbook!

    admin
    29 Dec 2011 | 3:29 pm
    Let’s Make a Scrap-Lapbook: Bee Attitudes is designed to be a thematic unit with lessons focusing on the Beatitudes and the Kingdom of Heaven. Download, print, cut, learn, and share with this fun lapbook in red and yellow. Forget what you learned in Sunday school about the Beatitudes. The sermon on the Mount is not [...]
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    Katie's Homeschool Cottage

  • Great Bargains on Used Curriculum

    kamrg
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:22 pm
    I’m cleaning those shelves as we progress onward and upward and approach that spring buying season for new curriculum! Take a look at all of the neat things I am selling at very low prices! I just want to get them off my shelves and hope someone else can get good use out of them. There are two groups – K-4 All Subjects and 4- High School All Subjects I will accept Pay pal. If you are interested in any of the following items, let me know how you would like that mailed and I will calculate the shipping costs based on the weight of the items and how much the post office will charge.

  • New Study by National Home Education Research Institute

    kamrg
    11 Jan 2012 | 9:08 pm
    The National Home Education Research Institute released a new study on January 4, 2012 entitled 2.04 Million Homeschool Students in the United States in 2010. If you have not read previous reports, this report is the quintessential study to which homeschoolers can refer to either “just feel good about what they are doing” or to collect substantial data to argue that homeschooling works. (New Hampshire homeschoolers used references from previous documentation when attempting to block new restrictive legislation being added to their homeschooling laws.) This report is shorter than…

  • Notebooking Pages Winter Sale Event!

    kamrg
    10 Jan 2012 | 9:27 pm
    Debra at Notebookingpages.com is having a Winter Sale Event, now through January 13, 2012, HUGE E-gift Packages, Prizes, and Extended Memberships. Once you purchase a membership, you have access to all of her pages from now until your membership expiration – that includes all new ones she develops and puts on her site until your expiration! And you get to keep all of it forever! What a bargain is that? Purchased individually, these notebooking packages would cost about $600! But with her membership offer and then the 25% discount she is offering, all of those same packages come to…

  • Fun Activities about the 2012 Elections

    kamrg
    5 Jan 2012 | 2:04 pm
    Now, more than ever, is the time to educate our children about our government, constitution, and the election process. And the 2012 election year is the prime opportunity for parents to bring this study into their homeschooling. Call it Current Events, Civics, American Government, Social Studies, Political Science, or basic life skills, it is key in raising children to be responsible, active, and knowledgeable citizens of the United States. A study of this topic can be as simple as reading some fun and educational books about the election process and accompanying parents to the polls during…

  • 2012 Presidential Election Notebooking Pages only $1.00

    kamrg
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:17 pm
    Saying that this is an election year would be an understatement! We have a great offer for you of a brand new ebook hot off our computer to help you cover the elections, learn about the issues being discussed in today’s world, and learn about the election process! Make Your Own ABC Book About …The 2012 Presidential Election We have some entertaining and educational book recommendations and a list of interesting and informative websites to assist you in your research about these topics to save you time! Your kids can write their own political dictionary or a current history of the…
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    Homemaking 911

  • What to Do When Your Children Make Mistakes

    Malia
    21 Jan 2012 | 7:22 am
    It’s painful to discuss as a mom, but occasionally your children will blow it.  As a mom to a 21, 13, 11, 6 and 1 -year- old at the time of this writing, I can tell you from experience that your children will often do things that they know they should not do- often with long, painful consequences. And here is part two of this revelation, as a mommy, I mess up an awful lot, too. And each one is so completely different.  What we experienced with Christina in her teen years will be completely different from what we experience with the rest of the children as they go through these years.

  • Review: Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System

    Malia
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:58 am
    I recently received a brand new product to review:  The Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System. This is a kitchen soap dispenser for the home.  I have often wished I had a no-touch soap dispenser when I saw them in public restrooms.  This one is made for the home cook.  It has a unique soap that works great on the dishes, but also works fine as a hand soap as well. All the children were especially excited to try it- my kids love kitchen gadgets! Here is how it works; You place it near your sink.  When you need a squirt of soap, you just place your sponge or hand in front of the dispenser. It…

  • Prepping for a De-Clutter Day

    Malia
    6 Jan 2012 | 9:40 am
    Saturday I have a de-cluttering day on the calendar. If you do these regularly, you start to pick up hints and tips to make it easier. Here is what I am doing to make it easier: 1. Going through the younger children’s room early. Since Daniel naps much of the day I already went through the boy’s room and culled all the outgrown clothes and unwanted/unneeded toys and books. That way I will not lose my momentum because of a napping baby. 2. Start making a mental list of problem areas. 3. Get some empty boxes for things to take to charity and some big black garbage bags for things…

  • 2012 School Year Plan

    Malia
    5 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    Always and forever I am seeking a way to help be sure there are no gaps in the children’s education and that we are moving forward at an appropriate pace. When I did my December review I realized that at times I have been letting some things slide that really needed more emphasis. So here is the new plan: For Sarah and Anne, they will spend: 1 hour on math (completing one Saxon Unit) daily. 1 hour on reading (using the Robinson Curriculum reading list. Most of these can be found free for the Kindle, a tool we will be using a lot this year. You can put a Kindle App on an iPod touch, a…

  • Mom CEO- Time for Your Year-End Review

    Malia
    4 Jan 2012 | 3:24 pm
    As a mom I am always setting goals and working to do things better- I want to be a better mom, a better housekeeper, a better wife. It is clear that I always feel like I have a long way to go. Every few months it is good to stop and take a look at where you have been and where you are going. 1. Time management – what have been my big time wasters in 2011? Where do I need to make changes to be more efficient with my time in 2012? 2. Discipleship of the children. Have I been consistently training their hearts? Have I been systematically working with each child where I should? 3. Spiritual…
 
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    Moms Inspire Learning

  • Can a strength and a weakness be the same thing?

    Dawn Morris
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pm
    In my case, yes. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you've probably spotted what "it" is. I love to read and seek out high quality resources! The online library catalog is my playground, while the internet is...

  • Do We Need to Redefine Self-Esteem?

    Dawn Morris
    17 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    "Self-esteem, as defined by our culture, is a myth." ~Terry Diebold, Marriage and Family Therapist, Presbyterian Minister, speaker, and author of The Myth of Self Esteem - 50 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Yourself That's a pretty bold statement in this...

  • Adding a Splash of Color to the Learning Process

    Dawn Morris
    10 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pm
    I don't accept review requests very often; but when Barbara Esham asked me to review 4 picture books in The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series, I didn't have to think twice. They're right up my alley, and a much needed...

  • Strengths and Weaknesses: We all have them!

    Dawn Morris
    9 Jan 2012 | 10:48 am
    So, why do so many of us examine our weaknesses through a magnifying glass? It would make sense that such a tendency would relate to events or conversations that happened when we were children. Like everyone else, I have my...

  • A Quote to Start the Year

    Dawn Morris
    6 Jan 2012 | 7:56 am
    “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson What will these words mean for you in 2012? Happy New Year!
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    Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

  • Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with the New Book

    Kris
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:38 pm
    Check it out! It’s the last Friday of January. We’ve survived our whole first month back to school after Christmas break. I read on someone’s blog this week that they look at the start of January something like the beginning of a new school year after that long Christmas break. That’s really how it’s felt for us, especially this year since we started a totally new curriculum when we resumed in January. And it’s been a great “new” school year! Today has been really fun. We managed to stay caught up, so it was to be a light school day for us. That’s good because Josh’s best…

  • Review: Four Letter Words

    Kris
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were being called upon to defend your faith, but found yourself tongue-tied and unsure of how to do so? I imagine, if you’ve been a Christian longer than about 24 hours, you probably have. Four Letter Words, by Bill Giovannetti addresses many of today’s cultural arguments against the Christian faith and offers suggestions on how to combat them with the truth of God’s Word. “Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern ‘prime directive’ leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global…

  • Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

    Kris
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    It’s been a long time since I’ve written about keeping toddlers and preschoolers occupied because that’s not my season of life anymore. However, it’s still a question I hear frequently in homeschooling circles, though the quandary isn’t unique to homeschoolers. In fact, the question came up recently on the Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers Facebook page. There were several suggestions offered, including what used to be my go-to page for preschool and toddler activities, Paula’s Archives’ Preschool Activities page. I offered some learning activity suggestions back when my niece…

  • The Homeschool Showcase and Stuff

    Kris
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am
    Did you stop by expecting to see the Homeschool Showcase today. Um, yeah. Um, oops. So, apparently, I failed to update the listing after the last Homeschool Showcase edition and no one was able to submit their posts. Yeah, oops. I guess since that’s the first time I’ve ever done that, I can be forgiven, right? Unfortunately, it’s been such a busy weekend, that I didn’t even realize what I’d done until I sat down to put this week’s Showcase together late Sunday night – way too late to do anything about it. So…please submit your posts for the next Homeschool Showcase, which will…

  • Weekly Wrap-Up: The One With All the Weather Stuff

    Kris
    20 Jan 2012 | 4:50 pm
    Happy Friday! We’ve had another great week here. Although school has gone smoothly, I am looking forward to the weekend. I’m ready for some downtime…and there is the little matter of a small mountain of laundry that needs to be caught up. It’s been another enjoyable week with our much-loved new homeschool curriculum. We finished our first read aloud, The Courage of Sarah Noble, and have moved on to the next one, The Mathclock Gun. We just started it today, so the jury is still out on it, but we enjoyed The Courage of Sarah Noble. Day 14 – P365 (Megan bought the dogs this huge dog…
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    Rewarding Homeschool Blog

  • Cost

    23 Jan 2012 | 10:48 am
    What is the difference in cost between the DVD accredited and the traditional accredited program? I do not feel like I am going to be a good teacher! Don't

  • Exercise Improves Academic Perfomance

    20 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    An extensive review of relevant research has demonstrated that the more physically active schoolchildren are, the better they do academically. Researchers analyzed 14 studies, ranging in size from as few as 50 participants to as many as 12,000. All of the studies involved children between the ages of 6 and 18. There are several hypothesized mechanisms for why exercise is beneficial for cognition, including: (1) Increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain (2) Increased levels of norepinephrine and endorphins resulting in a reduction of stress and an improvement of mood (3) Increased growth…

  • How To Home School My Child

    17 Jan 2012 | 4:02 pm
    Are you wondering "How to Home School My Child?" Get your homeschool questions answered...today!

  • Homeschool in Honduras

    17 Jan 2012 | 2:55 pm
    I AM PLANNING TO LIVE IN HONDURAS FOR A WHILE AND I AM WONDERING IF I CAN HOMESCHOOL MY KIDS IN HONDURAS THE AMERICAN WAY? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE

  • Switching to Abeka

    13 Jan 2012 | 9:54 pm
    We are considering switching to Abeka. My son is 14, in 8th grade and my daughter is 12, and in the 6th grade. They had been in public school up until
 
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    homeschoolent.com

  • Poetry & Art Contests for Homeschoolers

    Deb
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:19 pm
    I know this is a little off the beaten track, but we are always happy to promote activities that will benefit homeschool families. Here’s a message from Dixie from Celebrating Art : Hi! We have three contests that we would be delighted to see on your website. Each year we have several homeschoolers accepted in our contests and we admire their impressive work. The following is information on each contest, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me! Art Contest Students submit a digital photo of any art (other than photography) and submit it online at…

  • Teen Builds His Own Home (in his backyard)

    Deb
    21 Jan 2012 | 6:59 pm
    Here’s a new idea for entrepreneurial curriculum! Thought I’d share this video of what one very industrious 16 year old is doing. Starting out as a school project, it’s on wheels and he has great plans for its future. It’s interesting. What an idea for a home school project – especially if your teen is interesting in any of the building trades.   More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur 99 Business Ideas For Kids These Kids Mean Business! Wonderin’ What’s Up? Ask HomeschoolEntrepreneur To Recommend Your Posts

  • The Best Web Host

    Deb
    29 Dec 2011 | 2:09 am
    Ok, I know this is blatant advertising, but I just had to do this after everything that has happened. You may have noticed a while back if you visited my blog that there was this horribly ominous red warning blocking you from entering this site-and posted by no other than the all powerful OZ, uh, I mean, Google.  You were given the option to ignore this warning, at risk of harming your computer . . . but really now -  I was afraid to go into my OWN website! Well, I won’t go into all the morbid details of what it took to dig out of that mess, but long story short – it ended up…

  • Be Inspired, Entrepreneurs

    Deb
    2 Sep 2011 | 10:46 am
    For those of you who have not seen this video on our website, yet, enjoy. If you know a homeschool family that could help up create a video like this for homeschool entrepreneurs, please contact me at deb@homeschoolent.com. Thanks! **FYI-we are NOT selling the product they mention at the end, it’s just the most inspirational video for entrepreneurs I have ever seen. I promise, there are NO affiliate links…(except the company’s own. ) Thanks! ____ A great gift idea: More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur 99 Business Ideas For Kids Homeschool Entrepreneur » Blog Archive » A Must…

  • Take Your Blog To a New Level

    Deb
    29 Aug 2011 | 10:32 am
      Darren Rowse just published a video offering you some practical ideas on how you can transition your blog into a business. There are 3 case studies and down-to-earth advice on how you can do the same. What a great project for the new school year! See more of Darren Rowse at his blog, http://www.problogger.net/   More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur 3 Ways To Test Your Business Idea A Free Way To Set Up Shop & Sell Your Products Watch This Video, Race To Nowhere Ask HomeschoolEntrepreneur To Recommend Your Posts
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    Simply Charlotte Mason

  • Heads and Hearts: Forming Just Opinions, part 2

    Sonya Shafer
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pm
    Last week the children and I watched a nature video. We gazed in wonder as thousands of beautiful snow geese returned from their southern migration to celebrate spring in the far reaches of the north. Part of their celebration was the hatching of their sweet little goslings— bright-eyed little balls of fluff, all peeping and waddling about near mama goose. Then the music changed as we were alerted to a fox on the prowl. It skulked its way to an outlying nest and pounced, grabbing two fuzzy, squeaking goslings in its teeth. I could feel my indignation rising. If you had asked for my opinion…

  • Ready-Made Opinions

    Sonya Shafer
    18 Jan 2012 | 10:23 am
    We just returned from a trip to the store where, I will admit, I grabbed some ready-made food items. Yes, I could probably have made those items from scratch with a little time and effort, but that seems to be the trade-off we face often these days: convenience vs. time and effort. Now, a few ready-made food items are not a huge deal to me, but I have noticed a trend in grabbing another ready-made item that carries a much greater consequence. It seems that with the growing ease of sharing information across the Internet, there is a proportionate growth of grabbing ready-made opinions.

  • Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival: Celebrating Charlotte edition

    Sonya Shafer
    10 Jan 2012 | 1:22 pm
    In The Story of Charlotte Mason it gives Charlotte’s birthday as January 1, 1842. Though we don’t know for certain whether she was born on January 1st or if it was just recorded on that default date because the actual date is unknown, it’s still great to start the year remembering Charlotte and her wonderful ideas and methods. So it seems fitting that the theme for this first Charlotte Mason blog carnival of 2012 should be favorite moments using her inspiring methods. We at Simply Charlotte Mason are honored to be able to host this collection of blog posts and hope you will…

  • The Way of the Will, Free E-book

    Sonya Shafer
    3 Jan 2012 | 10:35 am
    A friend of mine posted a cartoon this week that caught my eye. The first character asks, “What exactly is a New Year’s resolution?” And the second replies, “It’s a to-do list for the first week of January.” For some of us, that reply is all too true. Why? Because it is hard work making yourself do what you know you should, even when you don’t want to. When you’re snuggled in a warm bed and your alarm goes off to remind you to get up and exercise—again, in the dark, in the cold,—it takes a lot of effort to make yourself throw back those…

  • Favorite Posts from 2011

    Sonya Shafer
    28 Dec 2011 | 3:00 pm
    I think I’ve caught the bug. Not that icky respiratory bug that’s going around. I’m talking about the let’s-get-busy-and-tweak-what-needs-tweaking-so-we-can-enter-2012-ready-to-succeed bug. You know, that persistent urge to clean out closets or reorganize the kitchen cupboards. That itch to evaluate your life and adjust your daily routine. That unquenchable desire to read helpful articles and dig for little gems that will breathe new life into your home school. While I can’t help with your closets or kitchen cupboards and I wouldn’t dare evaluate your life…
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    Texas Homeschooling

  • 24 Jan 2012 | 8:46 am

    24 Jan 2012 | 8:46 am
    Math Mammoth has many different series offering Complete Curriculum, By Topic, Worksheets by Grade, Worksheets by Topic, and the Real Life Math (activity based.The

  • Math Mammoth

    27 Aug 2011 | 9:56 am
    I want to point out that this is not a review for Math Mammoth but a summary and description. Math Mammoth has both Complete Curriculum and Supplementary Materials.Following here is a list of Complete Curriculum referred to as the Light Blue Series that Math Mammoth offers for Math Mammoth Light Blue series is a full elementary mathematics curriculum for Gr 1-6. Each grade level has two student worktexts (A and B) . Other supportive materials are the answer keys, tests, cumulative reviews, and an additional worksheet maker. The chapters that cover money in grades 1, 2, and 3 are available for…

  • The Wonderful World of Downloadable Curriculum

    26 May 2011 | 10:30 pm
    You ever just look at your bookcase of Curriculum and wish that ya just had in an ebook form or Mp3 form. Or maybe just download a chapter of Mammoth Math. Even better, downloadable notebooking or lapbooking. Or Maps and timelines for Truthquest History. These are just a few things you can find at Currclick. No shipping necessary, just a click of a mouse.Currclick is having its Memorial Day Facebook Freebie Event. If you're like me, ya love freebies.As families get together to honor those that have served, it is up to us to teach our kids just how important Memorial Day is for us all. That is…

  • Steps4kids: Cursive

    4 Apr 2011 | 3:50 pm
    Steps4kids to Write Cursive is a great program. This Dvd is used after the Steps4Kids Manuscript Dvd which uses the D'nealian style of writing meaning it is a slanted manuscript style preparing the child for cursive. The change from manuscript to cursive is then very easy.As in all Steps4Kids Dvds, they are very simple and fun. It's great for the child that is very independent and the child that is very energetic but will sit down to watch a good Dvd. There is no workbook along with the Dvd. You can buy your own paper or download a sheet from www.steps4kids.com. A great site with a wonderful…

  • Boardgames boring?

    3 Mar 2011 | 2:35 pm
    In this boardgame, the setting is Puerto Rico only 50 years after Christopher Columbus discovered the eastern most island of the Great Antilles. You, the player, decide if you want to be a Prospector, Governor, Settler, or Trader. The goal in the game is to achieve the greatest prosperity and highest reputation. Who will have the most fruitful plantation or impressive building. The Puerto Rico board game history, math, business, economics, and strategy.Just being introduced to this game causes you to sit back and think 'what was it like back then?' And where does one find information? The…
 
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    Educational Videos MEET ME AT THE CORNER -

  • Ferret Handbook, The (Barron's Pet Handbooks)

    administrator
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    Ferrets are lovable animals, but they're also very active and inquisitive, and require training and supervision if they are to be kept in the home. Here is detailed information on keeping a healthy, happy, and compatible ferret.

  • Ferrets For Dummies

    administrator
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    Thinking about getting a ferret? Want to make sure you’re giving the ferret you already have the best possible care? Ferrets For Dummies helps you decide whether a ferret is for you and give your little fellah a healthy, happy home. It’s packed with practical information on feeding, housing, health maintenance, and medical care. This friendly, plain-English guide gives you the authoritative information you need in a cut-to-the-chase, quick-reference format. read more

  • Ferrets (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

    administrator
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    Ferrets are playful little animals and make excellent pets for attentive owners. However, they are not recommended as pets for younger children. Here is reliable information on feeding, caging, health care, and more. All titles in Barron's profusely-illustrated Complete Pet Owner's Manuals introduce inexperienced and prospective pet owners to the pleasures and duties of pet care. They also make ideal guides for older children having their first experiences as animal caretakers. read more

  • Ferrets (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

    administrator
    19 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm
    Ferrets are lively, domestic pets that can provide great entertainment and companionship. Find out how to prepare your household for adopting a ferret, as well as essential care information to ensure he is healthy and contented.

  • Veterans Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

    administrator
    7 Nov 2011 | 2:01 pm
    Explains the history of Veterans Day and why it is observed, and suggests ways of honoring veterans on this special day, such as flying the flag, attending parades, buying poppies, and visiting hospitals.
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    Living and Learning

  • Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Company

    Sherry
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:32 pm
    This evening Gerrick and I went on a group tour of the Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Company, a bean-to-bar chocolate maker in Nashville. The tour lasted about 45 minutes and even included samples! Do check out this well-made video for a glimpse of their chocolate-making genius: Olive and Sinclair Artisan Chocolate from josh anderson on Vimeo.    

  • a fox hunt

    Sherry
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:38 pm
    We've seen a red fox from our windows twice this winter. We've wondered if it was the same one we saw last year. Today we decided to go on a fox hunt to see if we could see any signs of him in the fields and woods in the back of our neighborhood.  Of course, we saw lots of other interesting things... I didn't realize what he was doing here at first. When he commented on how wet the branch was, then I realized he had been feeling it with his cheek. We saw bird feathers and remains in several different places; maybe our fox sat here and had a meal? Whoa!  What's this?  Could it…

  • a nature walk

    Sherry
    10 Jan 2012 | 5:45 pm
    Sellars Farm --chickweed-- --gall in which a bird has pecked a hole in order to reach the insect-- --Hickory bud-- --vine-damaged trees-- --an empty moth cocoon-- --American Beech-- --American Beech leaves and bud-- This spider was about the size of a quarter.

  • a nature walk

    Sherry
    6 Jan 2012 | 7:07 pm
    Radnor Lake

  • Blogging Changes for 2012

    Sherry
    2 Jan 2012 | 12:31 pm
    Lately Gerrick hasn't been wanting me to take many pictures of him or his things.  He has specifically said on numerous occasions, "Don't put that on the blog."  He didn't want me to take a single photo of him opening gifts on Christmas morning.  Honestly, it was quite nice to be in the moment without thinking about positioning myself for the best photo angle.  This may (or may not) be the last photo you see of him for awhile; he was reading aloud to me while I was cooking dinner recently and Fia came to listen: Gerrick thinks I spend too much time on the computer and has…
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    The HomeScholar Blog

  • Christian Engineering Colleges

    Lee
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:19 am
      How can a Christian find a good engineering school that is also a conservative Christian university? We looked at local Christian schools that offer an engineering degree. We loved Seattle... Need more help homeschooling high school? Check out www.TheHomeScholar.com to learn more.

  • Comparing Online Products and DVDs

    Lee
    26 Jan 2012 | 7:42 am
      Kids have a learning style, right? Parents do too! I try to have a variety of ways to get information, so you can learn what you need to know. I have freebies for parents just starting to... Need more help homeschooling high school? Check out www.TheHomeScholar.com to learn more.

  • Fun Student Contests

    Lee
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:11 pm
      Dixie wrote to me and suggested these three fun contests for homeschoolers. She said that homeschoolers are welcome to enter. Let me know if these look like fun for your family! Art Contest... Need more help homeschooling high school? Check out www.TheHomeScholar.com to learn more.

  • Options for Grading Without Tests

    Lee
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:25 am
    How can you give homeschool grades without tests? There are other options. Today’s video post will share some grading options for your high school homeschool. Learn more about high school... Need more help homeschooling high school? Check out www.TheHomeScholar.com to learn more.

  • Important Tip for Parents of Seniors!

    Lee
    21 Jan 2012 | 7:14 am
     Important Tip for Parents of Seniors! One of my friends saw me at the store and asked me a simple little question. “What should my senior be doing right now?” I suggest the following... Need more help homeschooling high school? Check out www.TheHomeScholar.com to learn more.
 
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    Sparkling Adventures - Articles

  • The economics of enjoyment

    lauren
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:19 am
    Children are our most gentle teachers. I’ve just received an eye-opening lesson in economics from five-year-old Brioni after I set out out to teach her about money and the best way to spend it. Aisha and Brioni are currently very interested in handling money. They’ve been asking for their own purses and want the freedom money gives to purchase whatever they desire. This is easy to provide, especially when Brioni found a purse she was “in love with” in an op shop last week. She filled her new purse with small notes that she had scrounged off us and enterprisingly dipped…

  • Yarra Bay

    lauren
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:45 am
    After moving on from plane beach, we ended up at Yarra Bay on Botany Bay in Sydney’s south-eastern suburbs. We found a quiet, little beach on the edge of a large recreational reserve — serviced by a sailing club. Our park outside the Yarra Bay Sailing Club is a quiet spot in the night and early morning. From across the water, the continuous noise of traffic at Port Botany continues through the night. Our days have been spent playing at the beach, canoeing in the bay, exploring the park and relaxing in the shade. It’s nice to be back in nature again, although it’s quite…

  • Who's a big boy?

    lauren
    16 Jan 2012 | 10:27 pm
    Well, he’s not very big yet, but he’s starting to wake up out of the newborn stage. Elijah’s eight weeks old now and very well-loved by all his sisters. Elijah is growing well, getting stronger and starting to realise that the world is a fascinating place of ever-changing colours and movement. Elijah is content to sleep on his tummy in his box. This is the safest place for him because his sisters rarely disturb his sleep when he's lying here. Elijah doesn't suck his thumb, so perhaps he'll be different from our other children in this way. I think Elijah looks more like Aisha…

  • Plane beach

    lauren
    16 Jan 2012 | 6:03 am
    Perched off a busy road, there’s a little beach on Botany Bay that overlooks the airport. It’s a great place to play in the sand while watching the planes take off and land. Our vantage point in the carpark allows us to watch planes take off and land from Sydney's main airport. Using found objects from the beach, Aisha puts the finishing touches on her sand castle. Occasionally they pause to watch a plane take off or land, but the rest of the time, the sand and water keeps our girls occupied. We did have hopes of spending the night here, but a fellow camper told us that we would…

  • Manly attractions

    lauren
    15 Jan 2012 | 6:13 am
    Today’s outing is to Manly on the northern side of Sydney Harbour. We need to take a ferry to go there, and so we purchase the $2.50 Sunday Funday tickets that allow us to use all forms of public transport. Manly is a southerly isthmus, offering bay beaches and ocean beaches to its residents and visitors. We’re not here for the beach, which is just as well because it rained on and off during the afternoon. Our main destination is Oceanworld which sits on the other side of Manly Cove from the wharf. Oceanworld is located in an older building, which means that it contains stairs and…
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    WildIris

  • 52 Books in 52 Weeks-The Garden of Eden- Ernest Hemingway

    WildIris
    9 Jan 2012 | 9:40 pm
    I finished reading The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway early Sunday morning. I am not a Hemingway fan, but after reading The Paris Wife I became interested in Hemingway and Paris of the 1920s, then I saw Midnight in Paris (Cute movie.) and this fuel my interest even more, yet somehow I think Allen wasn’t too far off in his characterization of Hemingway.

 The Garden of Eden (Link to a good synopsis) is an unfinished novel set in the summer on the beaches in the south of France during the Jazz Age. The story, I'm sure a taboo topic for its time, is about a young American writer, David…

  • 52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge With Book List

    WildIris
    30 Dec 2011 | 1:06 pm
    52 books in 52 weeks is too great a challenge for me. Grand plans and reading challenges bring out the practical in me. I know well to pay attention to my limitations unless I want to get left at the starting gate paralyzed by the enormity of a project and never get started. My goal is to read half the number of books, so for me the challenge is going to be 26 books give or take a few easy reads. The details of the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge can be found HERE.My house could look  like this, but this room belongs to Ephemeral FirmamentWhat I plan to read in 52 weeks:Novels~The…

  • 23 Dec 2011 | 12:16 pm

    WildIris
    23 Dec 2011 | 12:16 pm

  • Artificial Community-"How Novels Came to Terms with the Internet" - Laura Miller

    WildIris
    9 Dec 2011 | 10:36 am
    This long quote is taken from the middle of "How Novels Came to Terms with The Internet,"an article written by Laura Miller for The Guardian. This article is interesting for what it says about new fiction, as well as what it says about the pervasiveness of the internet in our lives and how it shapes human interaction. We now live "In a world where everyone's a critic because otherwise they wouldn't quite exist, isn't it inevitable that we will someday soon begin to review each other?"" 'It means 'Form a Community,' one of Lenny's pals explains when describing the app that enables these…

  • David Brooks - The Life Report

    WildIris
    25 Nov 2011 | 10:47 am
    There is something fascinating about reading what people over seventy say about the life they've led and the choices they made over their lifetime. Reflections on a life well lived or lessons learned, the bigger picture of life, can help others find perspective in their own lives. David Brooks, columnist for The New York Times and author of The Social Animal, asked readers 70 and over to write essays about their lives and contribute them to 'The Life Report'. Brooks request:"If you are over 70, I’d like to ask for a gift. I’d like you to write a brief report on your life so far, an…
 
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    Vegan Homeschool

  • Notebooking Success

    Vegan Homeschool
    12 Jan 2012 | 9:11 am
    The origin of this post is here Notebooking Success. You might enjoy checking out more from Vegan Homeschool - Our days as vegan homeschoolers!Have you guys seen this new e-book called Notebooking Success? It’s written by Jimmie, aka The Notebooking Fairy. I got an email about it and decided to check it out. I’ve hit that “mid-year shake up” a bit early. I don’t normally buy e-books like this because I feel that there’s enough free info on the web that it’s not necessary, but the reviews were pretty good. It has a 30 day money back guarantee, so…

  • Quick and Easy Foreign Language Lesson

    Vegan Homeschool
    5 Jan 2012 | 10:21 am
    The origin of this post is here Quick and Easy Foreign Language Lesson. You might enjoy checking out more from Vegan Homeschool - Our days as vegan homeschoolers!We all have those days where we have 10 million things we need to do IN ADDITION TO our normal homeschool day. I seem to have them a lot. Once a week, max, I give myself and the kiddos a break. I have to set a limit on this because it could really become a nasty habit. What is my quick and easy foreign language lesson? I let my boys watch a movie. Not an educational movie, just whatever movie they want. The catch? They watch their…

  • Winner of Good and Easy Eats!

    Vegan Homeschool
    12 Dec 2011 | 9:40 am
    The origin of this post is here Winner of Good and Easy Eats!. You might enjoy checking out more from Vegan Homeschool - Our days as vegan homeschoolers!The winner of the giveaway is…   I almost forgot!!!! In a week or two I will be able to do this giveaway once more! I will let this one run for a week. Make sure you stay tuned to find out when it is!!

  • Awesome Cookbook For Those With Allergies and Sensitivities!!!

    Vegan Homeschool
    9 Dec 2011 | 8:52 am
    The origin of this post is here Awesome Cookbook For Those With Allergies and Sensitivities!!!. You might enjoy checking out more from Vegan Homeschool - Our days as vegan homeschoolers!I was recently given a cookbook to review by Kim Wilson of Simply Natural Health called “Good and Easy Eats“. Kim is my kind of recipe queen! She uses plant-based whole foods that are allergen and sensitivity friendly! SCORE, right?! Needless to say, I was a little excited to check out the cookbook.  ;) Kim did not disappoint with this one. The recipes I have tried so far really are “Good…

  • Want to Learn to Knit?

    Vegan Homeschool
    18 Nov 2011 | 8:10 am
    The origin of this post is here Want to Learn to Knit?. You might enjoy checking out more from Vegan Homeschool - Our days as vegan homeschoolers!Learn to Knit!!!! Come to the Dark Side! We have cookies!! Seriously, though. I love to knit and crochet. I haven’t been able to do it for a ridiculously long time because of my wrist, but now I can do it again!!! WOOT! So, I thought I would share some awesome knitting videos and links to the places that helped me when I was learning all those years ago. Not, like, a LOT of years ago. Because that would make me old. And I’m not old. Just…
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    Passport Academy Homeschool

  • Review: Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:27 pm
    I've recently started to embrace sharing audio books with my children.  Although I will always be a fan of reading aloud to children (especially when they can read on their own), sometimes Moms need a break and that is when a good audio book can make a huge difference.  Audio books have come in handy for me when I'm cooking dinner or when I need a night off from reading 5 different bedtime stories to my children. The latest edition to our library is Bad Kitty, by Nick Bruel, and read by Vanessa Williams.  In addition to an entertaining story, what makes a picture book,  is…

  • Petting a lion cub

    9 Nov 2011 | 8:00 am
    Pumpkin with a real lion cub It's not every day that you get to pet and play with a REAL lion cub.  Especially, on a school day.   Well, unless you're homeschooled that is.

  • Field Trip: Hoover Dam

    8 Nov 2011 | 7:30 am
    Hoover Dam, once known as one of the 7 wonders of the world,  was a government sponsored project that was completed 2 years AHEAD of schedule, came in UNDER budget and paid for itself and then some!  Can you imagine the likelihood of that happening again? If you look behind us you can see where the waterline used to be on the mountains (the white border).  Truthfully, the children weren't that impressed with our Hoover Dam visit,  but they were happy to know that they've visited a National Landmark and could cross it of their lifetime bucket list!

  • Artist Study (assorted)

    7 Nov 2011 | 12:00 pm
    One of the subjects I feel very comfortable "subbing out" is Art. My children seem to possess a drawing and painting gene that I don't have. Or, maybe they just have a good instructor? At any rate, we would be lost without their Art Teacher who has a wonderful way of teaching art. Her technique is to: Review the biography of the artist, Discuss their famous works Learn about the technique that made them famous Reproduce one of their works Can you guess which artists are portrayed below? We are in the final 5 weeks of our art study for the year.  I will try to do a better job keeping up!

  • Wisconsin Fast Plants: Life cycle of a plant

    3 Nov 2011 | 12:00 pm
    We enjoyed our unit on the life cycle of a Wisconsin Fast plant and I was so impressed with the materials we purchased from Carolina Biological.  It is one of my favorite resources for science supplies and lab activities. Their catalog is huge! In just a little under 45 days the children were able to see the plant grow from a seed, pollinated plants using dried bees, and harvested seeds from the seed pods produced after pollination. making  pollination wands from dried bees pollination wands Don't ask me what I did with the photo of the seed pods or the seeds...But trust me, we had…
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    The Curriculum Choice

  • Book Review ~ A Necklace for Jiggsy by Kit Grady

    Dawn
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    A Necklace for Jiggsy Author: Kit Grady Softback; 18 pages Suggested Age: 4 – 12 ISBN: 978161630910 Retail: $10.95 I really like this book as it teaches children about honesty and a little about life. It is a quick story with really neat, bright pictures. The story is about a junk yard dog named Jiggsy and a beautiful necklace he finds. He hears that the owner would like it back but he has gained the respect of many others because of his beautiful necklace – therefore he doesn’t want to return it to her. That is, until he looses his very special pillow. He then realizes how…

  • Your Backyard DVD: The Life and Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly Review + Giveaway!

    Tricia
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    “When I see the monarch butterfly I’m reminded that there is a God…There’s no way a monarch butterfly could happen by random chance.” ~ Jules H. Poirier, Creation Scientist The Crowe family did yet another spectacular job in giving glory to our Creator with their newest DVD, Your Backyard: Life and Journey of the Amazing Monarch Butterfly. The Crowe children star in and lead us on a learning adventure. Our hosts: Taylor, First Born Son, Backyard Scientist Samuel, Second Born Son, Monarch Netter Grace, Third Born Child, Monarch Spotter Our impressions of the…

  • My First Science Kit

    Cindy
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    My five-year-old son received My 1St Science Kit – The Science of Color from his grandma and grandpa for Christmas.  We were both excited but I had no idea it would be “the” source of motivation for school every single day for a week! What was so motivating?  The goodies my son found in the box.  Hands down. Giant, plastic test tubes, pipettes, little plastic cups, a mixing tray, a (tiny) magnifying glass, color tints and growing crystals made him feel like a real scientist! The kit includes enough materials for 10 experiments relating to color.  Most experiments allow…

  • Spelling Power

    Ellen
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    Hello, fellow homeschoolers! This is the first review I’ve written for the Curriculum Choice. I’m very excited to share my thoughts about and experience with various curricula and resources with the hope that someone finds them helpful. I thought I’d dive right in with everybody’s favorite subject: spelling! Like math, spelling as a subject offers a variety of methods — and madness. Also like math, some children are naturally stronger in spelling than others. For some families’ mix of learning styles and levels of compliance (in both children and teacher!), spelling workbooks…

  • Times Alive!

    Kendra
    20 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    Until the 2011 school year started both of my boys had been doing five days worth of living math lessons. I loved our time with it. This year, however, I decided to put them into Teaching Textbooks. One of the things I used during our lovely Living Math Lessons was a programme called Times Alive! I found it rather by mistake while doing my daily blog hopping. Before I knew it I’d stumbled upon the City Creek Press website and was in total awe of their multiplication programme. I confess, that despite my child being officially in third grade at the time and having an amazing grasp on a…
 
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    About.com Homeschooling

  • Happy Australia Day! Aussie Lingo and Lollies

    26 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am
    G'Day, mate. Care for a lolly? We enjoyed lollies today during our study of Australia. The kids got a kick out of learning some Aussie lingo. Australia Day is celebrated on January 26th each year to honor the day that Captain Arthur Phillip landed at Port Jackson and claimed Australia for the British....Read Full Post

  • Carnival of Homeschooling: Wintery Mix Edition

    24 Jan 2012 | 5:35 am
    This weeks Homeschooling Carnival is up over at janice-campbell.com. Janice shares a wintery theme with the submissions. Enjoy your visit with Janice and other homeschool bloggers. The next carnival will be hosted at Amy Bayliss. Send in your submissions by Monday at 6 p.m.

  • From the mailbag: Can you homeschool me?

    23 Jan 2012 | 11:19 am
    I received the cutest email obviously from a student in distress: "I go to school, but do you think you can can homeschool me online by sending me email messages and I will send them back...please, please please, please, please."...Read Full Post

  • 2012 Homeschooling Readers' Choice Awards

    16 Jan 2012 | 2:39 pm
    I am excited to announce the 2012 About.com Homeschooling Readers' Choice Awards. The Readers' Choice Awards showcase the best products, features and services in dozens of categories across all of About.com. Although the Readers' Choice Awards Competition is in its 5th year, this is the first year that the About.com Homeschooling Site will be participating!...Read Full Post

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

    16 Jan 2012 | 3:05 am
    Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was a charismatic civil rights leader and Baptist minister who campaigned against the segregation of African Americans. It was the 1963 March on Washington where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech....Read Full Post
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    SpottyBanana

  • Ex-Stanford Professor Starts His Own Low-Cost Online University

    ginac
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:16 am
    Udacity Founders Dr. Thrun recognized the power of technology to deliver his course content to over 160,000 students who signed up for his online artificial intelligence course at Stanford University. Dissatisfied with traditional lecture techniques at most higher education institutions, Dr. Thrun started Udacity. Learn more about Udacity or enroll in an upcoming course. Homeschoolers, the Introduction to Computer Science course might be fun–it lasts just seven weeks and assumes no previous computer programming experience. Udacity

  • CodeAcademy- Anyone Can Learn Computer Programming

    ginac
    14 Jan 2012 | 8:07 am
    CodeAcademy is a new, free, online learning platform specifically for learning computer programming. It is so easy to get started with CodeAcademy, you might not realize that you’re learning as you begin using the site. The best asset CodeAcademy possesses is its ease of use. I challenge you to sit your 9 year-old down in front of CodeAcademy and let her rock it. She will. It is that easy to get started. Check out Cloudhackz.com to learn more.

  • Does Your Child Need a Cell Phone?

    ginac
    7 Jan 2012 | 5:45 am
    Cell phones were not available when I was growing up. The single rotary phone we did own hung inconspicuously on the wall near the kitchen. I never gave much thought to the phone other than to find out what the weather forecast was for the following day. Anyone else remember doing that as a child? We lived in the northeastern part of the U.S., and as kids, prayed for snow so that the school would close and we’d be free to ride our sleds, make snow men and have snow ball battles. Now, I don’t even own a landline phone, and everyone in my family owns a phone, including my 9…

  • LEGO for Girls – Good or Bad?

    ginac
    4 Jan 2012 | 6:25 am
    There has been a bit of negative rants about the new LEGO Friends line of LEGO kits, a LEGO line targeted squarely at girls. Many parents are ranting because these LEGO kits are girly. Pink and lavender dominate the colorscape in these kits. Themes are mostly light and domestic – think café and beauty salons. Mini-figures are more doll-like than LEGO-like.  LEGO has spent millions of dollars and years of research to decide that girls want pink and purple LEGO kits with doll-like figures? As much as I dislike the idea of making ‘girl’ LEGO kits with stereotypical roles…

  • Five Bold Learning Ideas to Challenge the Status Quo in the New Year

    ginac
    3 Jan 2012 | 4:47 am
    Happy New Year. A new year is always an opportunity to look ahead with optimism.  Everyone can make a positive impact on our lives and world.  Whether or not we actually make (and follow-through on) new year’s resolutions, here are five bold learning ideas that challenge the status quo in ‘education’. Embrace all or just one of these ideas in the new year and embrace the natural curiosity within your children. 1.  Make Learning Fun. Is there something you enjoy doing so much that when you are doing it, you lose track of time? What if we could get kids to feel this way…
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    Do Life Right

  • THRIVE

    Lisa
    4 Jan 2012 | 8:30 pm
    I’ve chosen my word for 2012: THRIVE! I spent 2009 allowing, 2010 intending, and 2011 savoring. So, now, I’m ready to put the knowledge that I have gained from these experiences into real living. It’s time for me to thrive! In 2012, I am turning 40. This is a momentous occasion for nearly every human. I’m no exception to this, and I’m taking this upcoming transition in my own life seriously. I want to mark the occasion with something amazingly BIG and GRAND, but I don’t know what that will be yet (and that’s okay!). I’m going to be thinking…

  • Yesterday on TODAY

    Lisa
    16 Oct 2011 | 1:48 am
    As many of you know by now, my family was on The Today Show yesterday, October 14, 2011. Many people have sent me private and public messages about our appearance. Some sent congratulatory messages, some wonder what kind of feedback we’re getting, some want to know our thoughts about the segment, some want our advice about Unschooling, and some want to tell us that we’re crazy or other such sentiments. I’ve appreciated all the feedback I’ve received, both positive and negative. It’s been useful information to me as my family continues being Unschooling advocates.

  • Having “The Today Show” Film Us

    Lisa
    13 Oct 2011 | 8:07 pm
    On September 16, 2011, a camera crew and producer from The Today Show came to our new home, in California, to film my family [Greg, Teagan (11), Zoe (15), Lisa/me] for a segment about Unschooling. It is set to air tomorrow, October 14, 2011 during the 8:00AM hour. The filming crew was at our house for seven hours, but the time flew by so fast it felt like only a couple of hours. Since this area (Silicon Valley) is new to us (our home for the past twelve years has been southern Arizona, and we still live there part-time, and we are originally from Iowa), some of the questions we were asked…

  • Thoughts on “Life in a Day” One Year Later

    Lisa
    7 Aug 2011 | 1:11 pm
    Opening night of "Life in a Day" My family and I recently went to the big screen premiere of Life in a Day. Since a clip of mine, of my younger daughter Teagan, made it into the film, my whole family has been emotionally vested in the film. Yet, to be completely honest, I would have loved the film anyway. It’s shockingly deep and has made me cry several times each time I’ve seen it. The music is truly amazing, giving the film a unique flow unlike anything I’ve heard before, and I can’t wait to buy it for my iPod. Warning to parents: the film isn’t…

  • Are you HAPPY?

    Lisa
    4 Jul 2011 | 5:41 pm
    On this day of independence, I celebrate with my family by offering you a copy of our Happiness Flowchart. We collectively made this flowchart after a series of really long talks about happiness, what makes us happy, how we make decisions, and how we decide what new things to pursue (and what old things to purge from our lives). This flowchart started out as a lengthy list of about 800 questions, got narrowed down to a chart about eight pages long (you wouldn’t have wanted to see it), and then whittled (slowly) down to this two-page pdf handout that I gave out at the Unschoolers…
 
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    Enjoying the Journey

  • Sensory Blue

    Having Fun
    22 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
     Sensory Bin: Blue    What do you think was their favorite?  Think messy......the tinsel of course. By the time they were done there was tinsel all over the living room.  So I made clean up activity after they were done with the sensory bin.  I pulled out the egg crates for them to sort items.   I love Sensory bins.  It's amazing how long a little bin can keep their interest for so long.  Today was a blue theme.  These are so easy to do.  Every time I'm at the $1 store I'll pick up a couple of unusual things that they'll love playing…

  • Lesson Pathways: Letter B

    Having Fun
    21 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
     Lesson Pathways:  Letter B Alphabet book Caterpillar craft  Things that start with B  Alphabet Book: Letter B Blue berries, Banana, butterfly, boots, and birds.  Egg Carton Caterpiller This is an easy-to-make caterpillar. Use this time to discuss with your child how a caterpillar.  Not all that fancy, but both girls were attached to their caterpillars and had  fun making them.  Letter B Coloring Page

  • Cloud Sand

    Having Fun
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
     Cloud Sand Soft and Smooth and great for making a castle.  All you need is:  8 cups Flour 1 cup baby oil Instructions: Add Flour and baby oil.  Mix and knead for 3-5 minutes. Mixture will be ready when it will hold together when you squeeze it. Feels like flour when you run your fingers through it, but it will hold shape when you squeeze it. Fluttershy and Rarity were enthralled.  Thoroughly enjoying the messy play.  Found this gem in the USU Extension recipe book.

  • Playing in the dark

    Having Fun
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:07 pm
    What do you do when the power goes out? Here's how we turned a boring night into extraordinary night.  The crazy weather last night caused us a 7 hour power outage last night.  The kiddos didn't care though.  It was a party for them.  They each got a flashlight and several glow bracelets.  What could have been a bummer night, turned out to be one of our funnest.  They didn't want to go to bed even though I let them stay up 1 hr past their bedtime so we could play.  Snack by flashlight.   Who knew that eating with a flashlight could be so fun. It…

  • Edible Finger Paint

    Having Fun
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
     Making Edible Finger Paint  Messy Play: Edible finger paint What you need: 1 can sweetened condensed milk Food coloring  We love the neon food color dyes for projects like these.  Drop a few color drops in and let the kiddos mix away.  And of course, it's edible.  Quite tasty too.  Both the girls loved this activity.  Fluttershy was into drawing designs in the paint  she had spread on the paper.  And Rarity loved dipping her hands in the  paint and letting it drip on her fingertips.  Eventually she started mixing the  pain on…
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