Blog News and Granny Square Baby Blanket

I've been tossing around the idea for a little while now and I've finally come to a decision. I really enjoy posting pics and pattens of the crochet I do, but they really don't fit with the theme of this blog since it is primarily our homeschool blog. So I've started a new blog, Hooked on Yarn, where I will be posting my patterns and projects.

I realize not everyone here is going to be interested in that (which is why I'm doing a second blog!) but if you are, I'd love for you to click over and follow me there too. There's not much there now, but there will be. I'll be starting some projects for our state fair soon, plus I'll be teaching a crochet class at our co-op, and organizing a crochet service project to donate items to our local NICU.

Here's a sneak peek at one of my recent projects....

Granny Square Baby Blanket


I have yet another friend who is expecting a baby boy and yet another reason to work up a baby blanket. I loved the novelty of the Noah's Ark Blanket that I posted a couple of weeks ago, but I love the colors and simplicity of this one just as much. . .Click to read more (including pattern). Pin It Now!

Beehive Reader from AAS

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

All About Spelling has just introduced its newest product... Beehive Reader 1 and I am so excited about it. Am I the only one who gets excited about beautiful books?

I wrote to you last year about the All About Spelling program and how much we enjoyed using it. As soon as the Beehive Reader arrived, I called E6 to the kitchen to check out his new book.

You should know, that E6 has always been our 'stuck in the middle' child. He is so funny and so smart, but is also compliant and sometimes quiet. He can easily get left out or overpowered by the other more demanding personalities in this house. When I showed him the Beehive Reader he was so excited to have a book that was just for him. He has carried it around, asked to read it during school time each day, and brought it out to show and read to his grandparents when they have come over.

E6 has good reason to be exited about this book. First, it is hardcover which makes for good durablity with little hands. And because of my background in art I am always drawn to the illustrations. Truly, the art in this book is the perfect blend of simplicity and beauty. Take a look for yourself.

In addition to being 'stuck in the middle', E6 is also highly distractable and not always easy to teach. However, I have been so pleased to watch his reading ability blossom this past year and the Beehive Reader has been perfect for him. Marie Rippel is the co-author of this book and creator of AAS and has taken the time to invest in creating a reader that can help every reader, even the struggling reader. Her son was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age so she has kept her son's experience in mind. As a matter of fact, every detail of this book has been well thought out....

- The paper used is non-glare so that it is easier on young eyes.

-The font used is a customized font. AAS wanted a simple font and one that would easily distinguish similar letters (like 'b', 'p', and 'q').

-Each line of text is designed to follow 'natural phrasing', breaking where we would naturally break in the sentence.

-There is a subtle underline under the text to help distractable readers to keep their place.

-Since the language of the stories are simple for beginning readers, each illustration helps to further develop the story, but were designed to not make the words of the story predictable. (I love that!!)

-The stories are fun and use everyday language.

I'm not the only one who loves this book. Beehive Reader 1 has already won the silver medal in the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. And Marie Rippel has promised us that there is more to come in this series soon!

Beehive Reader 1 sells for $19.99 at the AAS website where you can also view pages of the book. And you can find more reviews at the TOS Crew Blog.

Pin It Now!

Math Mammoth does it again.

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

This is my second opportunity to review Math Mammoth's products and the second time for me to sing their praises here on my blog. Last year I reviewed their full-year curriculum for both my 2nd grader and 1st grader. You can see that review here. I liked it so much that I purchased their 3rd grade curriculum for this year and we have really enjoyed it.

There are so many things that make Math Mammoth a good fit for us:

-Easy to use. There are not lengthy dialogues involved to explain a concept. My children only need my involvement for a short time at the beginning of the lesson and then only if they are struggling. I am currently teaching 5 students on 5 different math levels, so it is important to me that teaching time and prep time is not long and drawn out.

-Non-consumable. I can order each Math Mammoth book or curriculum as a PDF download and print off exactly what I need for each child. I can then use it again and again as many years as I need it.

-Price. I can order an entire year of math curriculum for less than $35. Plus, Math Mammoth offers downloadable workbooks by subject as well all for around $5 each.

This year, I reviewed a workbook from Math Mammoth's Blue Series - Multiplication 1. It was the perfect time to review this workbook as G9 has been ready to tackle multiplication for some time now, but just hadn't gotten to it yet in his math curriculum. Plus, math was getting a little blah...as all of our subjects do from time to time and it was time to just take a break from routine and mix it up a bit. A workbook devoted to learning times tables was just the trick!

Multiplication 1 covers the following:

-Multiplication Concept

-Multiplication on a number line

-Order of Operations

-Word Problems

-Guide for effective oral drilling (and memorization)

-Structured Study of the Multiplication Tables

G9 has gotten through about half the workbook and is on his way to multiplication mastery! As soon as we finish that one, I think we'll probably order Division 1 from Math Mammoth as well.

You can order all of Math Mammoth's products on their website at http://www.mathmammoth.com/ .

Pin It Now!

Heart

Well, I'm linking up a little late on this week's Foto Friday challenge, but for good reason. This week Rebecca at Renaissance encouraged us to post pictures with this theme in mind: Hearts.

Below is my submission.

The reason I couldn't post yesterday is because I spent the day with my dad. We were told four years ago that his heart wasn't working properly and that he needed a heart transplant. Prior health conditions have not made him a good candidate. Nevertheless, God has sustained the health of his heart four years longer than we thought He might. Now, doctors are pushing to replace a leaking valve...but we just have to convince a surgeon to do it. Prayers are needed and are much appreciated.

I took the above picture of Dad with my oldest daughter about five years ago. It represents him exactly and when I look at it, I can't help but think about his heart. His physical heart may not always beat properly, but for as long as I can remember he has loved my stepmom, my children, and me freely and without restraint. And it reminds me... His true heart is working just fine.

Pin It Now!

Music through Literature

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.


Zeezok Publishing is a company offering a wonderful series of books called the Great Musician Series. Books can be purchased individually or in a set that will explore the lives of two great musicians.

There are many sets available but we received The Young Brahms/Franz Schubert and His Merry Friends set. Along with those two titles, the set includes two study guides and a companion CD with music from both artists.

The beautiful music on the CDs are not the only "sweet music to my ears" that these books have brought us...the other is the sound of my little ones asking for "just one more chapter, please" when we are reading these delightful stories about the young lives of the composers. And I have to tell you that there is no other way that I would rather teach my children then to teach them through wonderful stories and literature. And for that reason, the Great Musician Series by Zeezok is the perfect fit for our family.

At first glance, you might feel like these stories are only for a younger crowd but I would argue that I have enjoyed reading the stories as much as my children. We review a lot of homeschool products in this house and because of that we often shelve products as soon as we are finished reviewing them - even the ones we like - to make time for other reviews and our core curriculum. Perhaps the best compliment I can give this product is that we will not be shelving these books, but will continue to use them until we are finished.

The sets in the Great Musician Series from Zeezok are priced at $35.80. They also offer other homeschooling resources such as a Handwriting Series that some of the other moms on the TOS Crew reviewed. Check out all of the reviews here. Pin It Now!

Two to Three

E3 celebrated his 3rd birthday with my younger sister who turned 19 in January. They were almost born on the same day as I was scheduled to be induced on her birthday. My pregnancy with E3 was my hardest as pre-term contractions (which were nothing more than Braxton-Hicks) put me in the hospital twice. The doctors swore that I would go early, but in the end I still had to be induced. I ended my pregnancy with a yucky stomach virus that put me in the ER. My doctor took pity on me and surprised me a week before I was due to be induced by saying, "You want to have this baby tomorrow?" I squealed with delight and literally called her a "bles-sed woman!"


E3 is a ridiculous charmer and serious trouble maker. I'm convinced that God gives all the trouble makers an extra dose of "cute" as a defense mechanism against the wrath of their mothers.


Just this past weekend he has finally graduated into "big boy undy-wears" making us a family of only two in diapers once again. Yeah, this Mama is not ashamed to praise God for that one!


And here he is with his great-grandma and his favorite birthday present...his "truck blanket". All of our kids (and their Mama) are Linuses, dragging our blankets with us throughout the house. As a matter of fact, I'm wrapped up in one right now as I type.

Pin It Now!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling

As a 2nd year member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the next several months. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to be participating in this review group and I'm looking forward to trying out more products and giving you my honest opinion.

About two years ago, we experienced a major change in our homeschool...instead of homeschooling with the help of a cottage school -where my kids went to school two days a week and where teachers chose all of the curriculum for me and did all of the lesson planning and grading - I would be bringing my children home full-time and homeschooling them all on my own.

It was at that time that I began reading every. material. available. on homeschooling. I simply couldn't get enough of it so I researched and researched. It wasn't that I was scared or not confident in my ability to teach my kids - though I was. It was that every time I read another book or article about homeschooling, I was inspired all over again.

Still, somehow I never got my hands on a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell. I don't consider that much of a shame, though because I really think this book is a great resource for the new or seasoned homeschooler.

Along with sections for the new homeschool - like "Homeschooling: is it for You?" and "Choosing a Curriculum"...you'll also find "Organization and Planning", "Preventing Burn-Out", "What to teach- When and How", "Homeschooling Teens", and so much more.

Debra Bell writes like she's talking to her best friend, which makes this thick manual an easy and delightful read. In my opinion, she includes the perfect mix of inspiration and practical tips and information.

If you've been homeschooling any amount of years it's likely that you've come across The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling before. But you'll be interested to know that the copy that I received came straight from Apologia Press and is a New and Revised edition!

This new edition includes up to date contact information on additional homeschool resources such as "Academic/Athletic Contests and Competitions", a guide to using computers and Internet in homeschool, and more. Plus, like other resources that Apologia offers this book has a link on the Apologia site with book extras.

You can order The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling from Apologia Press for $20 and you'll find more reviews of this product at the TOS Crew Blog. Pin It Now!