tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77840923525216339592024-03-14T03:58:09.489-05:00Cheerios UnderfootParenting, homeschooling, crafting, and crunching Cheerios underfoot...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.comBlogger697125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-89951943588891110042012-06-21T21:04:00.002-05:002012-06-21T21:04:30.068-05:00Review: IXL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/?action=view&current=ixllogofixed.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/ixllogofixed.png" /></a></div>
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I grew up with math phobia. Math didn't come terribly easily for me, and as I got older, I became more and more intimidated by it. I believed, and many people do, that mathematical ability is something you're either born with, or you're not, <i>(like green eyes, or left handedness.)</i></div>
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The truth is that while some people are naturally inclined toward math, even the rest of us can improve our skills through practice. <i>(Sometimes lots of practice.)</i></div>
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One of my goals as a homeschooling parent is to make sure that the kids grow up with with a thorough understanding of basic math, and also the confidence to feel like they're able to learn.</div>
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I'm happy with the math curriculum we've chosen, but I've been feeling like maybe we could use a little more practice.</div>
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As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we received a membership to <a href="http://www.ixl.com/">IXL</a>, which is a math practice website for students in pre-k through high school. The program offers several subscription options, including a monthly rate of $9.95, and a yearly rate of $79. <i>(There is an additional upcharge for additional students, but it's nominal.)</i> To say the kids love it would be an understatement. <i>(They've actually been arguing a little over whose turn it was to practice.)</i></div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/?action=view&current=ixlfees.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="IXL Fees" border="0" height="318" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/ixlfees.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">The program is not a teaching program per se, but more of a review program. Students can <a href="http://www.ixl.com/math/grades">practice </a>specific skills, and receive immediate feedback. </span><i style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">(A wrong answer results in an immediate correction, and an explanation.)</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> There is a timer and a score displayed while the student practices, and although you can opt out of them, my kids really enjoyed the competitive aspect of beating the clock, and improving their score. Succesful completion of review lessons results in the student winning "medals," and "<a href="http://www.ixl.com/awards/">awards</a>," which my kids also found highly motivating. </span></div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/?action=view&current=ixlawards.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="IXL Awards and Games" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/ixlawards.png" width="299" /></a></div>
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I found a lot to love about this program too. Under the parent's profile, you'll find all sorts of useful <a href="http://www.ixl.com/reports/">reports</a> to help assess how your student is doing, and what they've been working on. <i>(I just checked L's reports, and found that he's practiced for a total of 8 hours and 4 minutes, and has mastered 41 skills so far.)</i></div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/?action=view&current=ixlreports.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="IXL Family Reports" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Math/IXL/ixlreports.png" width="302" /></a></div>
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To find out what other homeschooling families thought of this program, check out the linky on the <a href="http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/785456/">Homeschool Crew</a> blog.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: We were provided with a free subscription to this program in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.</span></i></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-14325529478822013272012-06-06T06:00:00.000-05:002012-06-06T06:00:10.715-05:00Book Review: The Anti-Romantic Child by Priscilla GilmanParenting is hard and wonderful.<br />
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Parenting a special needs child is undoubtably harder, but in some ways <i>more</i> wonderful, <i>more</i> poignant, once we get past our own expectations.<br />
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We all basically start out in the same place. We expect to have a healthy, "normal" baby. We expect they'll hit all the milestones at the right times, <i>(if not a little early,)</i> that they'll run, and play, and make friends, and have basically the childhood we had, <i>(except a little better.)</i><br />
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What happens when things don't go according to plan?</div>
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The Anti-Romantic Child chronicles one mom's journey down the bumpy road of special needs parenthood.<br />
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Priscilla Gilman was a new mom with a lot of lofty ideals about what children and childhood should be like. An English professor with a love of romantic poetry, she'd always imagined her child would would be a dreamer, a lover of nature, an explorer.<br />
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The child she had was different. Different than she'd planned for, different from herself, certainly different from the children in the poems. As he grows, she has to face and contend with her own expectations again and again.<br />
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As months and years go by, the family's life revolves around what to do for "Benj." He needs therapy, and a suitable preschool, and constant advocacy. As is often the case, the all encompassing task of trying to get everything just right for the special needs child leaves mom and dad sort of out in the rain. They have to make complicated decisions about their careers, their marriage, even where to live, in light of how Benj will be affected.<br />
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Priscilla's love of literature provides her with comfort and context during the ups <i>and</i> the downs. As many of us do with a favorite quote, or Bible verse, Priscilla finds herself returning to certain verses of poetry throughout her life, examining them from different angles, depending on where she's at.<br />
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It's a familiar story to those of us with special needs children, and it resonated deeply with me. When I read the part where she began her frantic online search to explain his odd behaviors, I could have been reading my own story. First you search the symptoms, then you get sucked into the forums, then you print out the check lists, and on and on.<br />
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I thought the story was a rare, balanced commentary on special needs parenting. It includes both the hard, terrifying parts, and the awesome, hard won victories.<br />
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I'd recommend this book to anyone, but if you have a child with special needs, particularly on the autistic spectrum, I think it will really speak to you.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvMuMPJUJAdUiWCW2glKXCLW4mkrVxfjMZwRlM8Ro8MrlXxokYb3n_MgGuLgBPO7Y4ospis4UjyIV-Q7VRq6R_EbiJb58f3iDN6yGxMolX0zRigx8bEeU5H9d2yYBqYp__kDHdKivrR0/s1600/PriscillaGilman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvMuMPJUJAdUiWCW2glKXCLW4mkrVxfjMZwRlM8Ro8MrlXxokYb3n_MgGuLgBPO7Y4ospis4UjyIV-Q7VRq6R_EbiJb58f3iDN6yGxMolX0zRigx8bEeU5H9d2yYBqYp__kDHdKivrR0/s1600/PriscillaGilman.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author, Priscilla Gilman.</td></tr>
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If you'd like to find out more about Priscilla Gilman, you can <a href="http://priscillagilman.com/">visit her website</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/priscillagilman">follow her on Twitter</a>, or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/priscillagilmanauthor">check out her Facebook page</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpIU0ef7jjurevOmnO-x7wFIwPirlG-e6YklW5gvnzWDlzWd15IjJMcEn8zg1JTkE2f42PYoIIZod1wK2IbKTbrtp6_b6zwyv4urWH_B9wj2QoP4i6CXUFt2PJ_zoEoroJTsGyv_eiP4/s1600/tlclogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpIU0ef7jjurevOmnO-x7wFIwPirlG-e6YklW5gvnzWDlzWd15IjJMcEn8zg1JTkE2f42PYoIIZod1wK2IbKTbrtp6_b6zwyv4urWH_B9wj2QoP4i6CXUFt2PJ_zoEoroJTsGyv_eiP4/s200/tlclogo.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book in order to participate in this book tour. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-33785747517747269732012-05-31T07:00:00.000-05:002012-05-31T07:00:07.448-05:00Suitcase MakeoverI recently picked up an old, ugly but functional suitcase at a neighbor's garage sale for 50 cents. I came home, cleaned it up, put the kids' off season clothes in it, and stuffed it under the bed.<br />
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The neighbor is apparently an Ebay seller that people regularly unload their junk on. She's carried over two more big 'ol ugly suitcases to me in the last couple of weeks. They do work nicely for storage. Also the price is certainly right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiYgcjrCKuC_-n7yhYzb_7xtc3h4DMLpSX1TtZ-EX7lZIgI2OzdUc4f0GYzakcuJUi6EpEqt6FvFZP6E6glGLQnpBS9OHx0ZMF8qyPvaJ3mMGiICy-3UrzGIWOSY0yvaqagWRSsy5k_Y/s1600/suitcase+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiYgcjrCKuC_-n7yhYzb_7xtc3h4DMLpSX1TtZ-EX7lZIgI2OzdUc4f0GYzakcuJUi6EpEqt6FvFZP6E6glGLQnpBS9OHx0ZMF8qyPvaJ3mMGiICy-3UrzGIWOSY0yvaqagWRSsy5k_Y/s320/suitcase+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old suitcase, before painting.</td></tr>
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I figured there must be a way to pretty them up.<br />
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I did a little googling, and ran across this <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Painting-a-thrift-store-suitcase/">awesome before and after</a> on Instructables.<br />
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I had my husband pick up some pretty spray paint on one of his many trips to Home Depot, and got to work. I tried taping off the silver trim on the first suitcase. It was a fussy job, and in the end, it turned out sort of sloppy. <i>(I'm going to pick up another can of that color paint, and paint the trim after all.)</i><br />
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For the second suitcase, I skipped the taping, and painted the whole thing. It looked much better, and took considerably less time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old suitcase, after painting.</td></tr>
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It looks great. I'm going to be scavenging Goodwill from now on for more. We don't have a lot of "hidden storage," <i>(closets and cabinets,)</i> in our house, and these are functional and cute "visible," storage. This blue one has replaced an ugly plastic tote full of yarn in my bedroom.<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-13144927409551646042012-05-30T19:43:00.001-05:002012-05-30T19:47:57.110-05:00Review: Dive Into Your ImaginationI mentioned in a previous post that the kids and I are working on a unit study about the ocean. As part of the TOS Review Crew, we were recently provided with some pretty fantastic curriculum to review called <i>Who Lives in the Sea?</i> by <i>Dive Into Your Imagination</i>.<br />
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=DIVEIntoYourImagination-Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/DIVEIntoYourImagination-Logo.png" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.diveintoyourimagination.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,180/">Dive Into Your Imagination</a></i> was created by Annie Crawley, <i>(aka, "Ocean Annie," )</i> an underwater photographer, motivational speaker, and and dive instructor.<br />
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=DIVE-WhoLivesintheSeaDVD.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/DIVE-WhoLivesintheSeaDVD.png" width="202" /></a></div>
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We were sent 2 products, the <i><a href="http://www.diveintoyourimagination.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,diyi_flypage/product_id,9/category_id,6/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,103/">Who Lives in the Sea?</a> </i> DVD, <i>($19.95, for ages 3-8, 45 minutes in length)</i> and the <a href="http://www.anniecrawley.com/what-makes-a-fish-a-fish-educator-guide/">accompanying curriculum guides</a> <i>($69.95, for each individual PDF. )</i> On the website, you'll find several other DVDs, books, and other related merchandise, as well as to an option to buy the full set of printed curriculum guides for each DVD for $299. You'll also find <a href="http://www.diveintoyourimagination.com/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,204/">coloring pages</a>, and links to other resources and articles. It's a wealth of information.<br />
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The DVD was broken up into several topical sections,<i> ("Let's Swim with Dolphins," " Turtles: Dinosaurs of the Sea," etc.)</i> The sections are short, but full of beautiful, colorful footage, and cram packed with information. I doled out the sections one by one with my kiddos, so we could focus a little deeper on each topic, and take full advantage of the curriculum guides. The kids were begging to watch more. That says a lot.<br />
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The curriculum guides were <i><b>unbelievable</b></i>. <i>(There were two, one for pre-k through k aged children, and another for grades 1-3.)</i> Each was well over <b>300</b> pages long, and included DVD transcripts, lesson plans, worksheets, and many, many cross curricular activities for a fun, all inclusive unit study. I liked that there were a variety of learning styles represented in the activities.<i> (You'll find there are plenty of hands on activities for wiggly kids like mine.)</i> The PDF format is easy to read, and easy to print. The educator guides add immeasurably to the already fun, informative DVD.<br />
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I expect that when we finish our unit, the kids will have a deep, lasting knowledge base, and probably a lifelong interest in the ocean.<br />
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My only reservation about these products is that they're costly. Most homeschool families I know of are on a pretty tight budget, and these curriculum guides would represent a sizable chunk of our curriculum budget.<br />
Annie is offering a fantastic promo to readers of TOS, and blog readers of the TOS Crew Members, though. <b>If you order the <i>Who Lives in the Sea?</i> , <i>What Makes a Fish a Fish?</i> or<i> Dive into Diversity</i> DVDs, <i>and</i> mention that you are a homeschooler in the comment section of the order form, she will gift you the fantastic corresponding educator guides for free. </b>That may be the best 20 bucks you'll spend this summer!<br />
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To find out what other homeschooling families thought of these products, check out the<a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=145369&type=thumbnail&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1"> linky</a> on the TOS Review Crew Blog.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free DVD and curriculum guides to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. All prices are accurate at the time of this posting. </span></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-82329217722706012582012-05-30T17:58:00.000-05:002012-06-01T17:24:16.220-05:00Review: Fresh Produce Clothing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the days before I had the kiddos, I did <i>(now unthinkable,) </i>stuff like wear uncomfortable shoes, and iron my clothes every day.<br />
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I like to think I've just become more practical. I know I may have to run after the kids, so I wear flip flops or sneakers most days. Fancy clothes don't really lend themselves to cooking, and cleaning, and playing.<br />
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I still like to look nice, though.<br />
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When I was contacted about reviewing an item from <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/">Fresh Produce</a> clothing, I went to check out their wares online. <i>(They also have brick and mortar stores, but none local for me.)</i> Their clothes are stylish, modern, modest, and easy to care for. They also offer a large range of sizes, from XS to 3X. I got to pick what I wanted, and honestly had a hard time narrowing it down to just one thing. They have gorgeous tunics, cute summery dresses, lots of other fun, <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/fp/spring-clothing">spring clothing</a>.<br />
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I finally selected the <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/cafe-wrap-dress.html">Cafe Wrap Dress</a>, in black, <i>(retail $69,)</i> and waited anxiously for it to arrive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRP6hZRM9tYttpiycPcht6jGzYV2WLGZ1sB0oNILZIWBvaqThmaK8byBVYX3Hnm6fGwHE-lhfJYFtWmEh4li4FNCT4f4NDctD_evGHlfPFi6mzxONud-knOBlNIjYXy3FUTHKyUAOGSY/s1600/cafe+wrapdress_snr_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRP6hZRM9tYttpiycPcht6jGzYV2WLGZ1sB0oNILZIWBvaqThmaK8byBVYX3Hnm6fGwHE-lhfJYFtWmEh4li4FNCT4f4NDctD_evGHlfPFi6mzxONud-knOBlNIjYXy3FUTHKyUAOGSY/s320/cafe+wrapdress_snr_1.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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When got here, I dropped everything, and tried it on, and found that it fit perfectly. I normally wear about a 4, and the XS (2-4) seemed true to size. It hits me at about knee length, and although it's a wrap dress, the skirt portion is sort of a wrap over a real skirt, so there's no danger of flashing anyone on a windy day. <i>(Ahem, not that I've ever accidentally done that or anything.)</i> It was also super cute <i>and</i> comfortable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR2PqNcxLfvy6taffZ6FelAMcwfDr8EGkxZbaOOsT4pGYY3GdicfZqDkzhbu7g9kmpHhS02pmNGfOC3-hsN68pBYr2ESCLuc4GO0MbLzP4SEIZ40tvpzaUn-iSaYGdbFLjLztVVuXeHU/s1600/wrap+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR2PqNcxLfvy6taffZ6FelAMcwfDr8EGkxZbaOOsT4pGYY3GdicfZqDkzhbu7g9kmpHhS02pmNGfOC3-hsN68pBYr2ESCLuc4GO0MbLzP4SEIZ40tvpzaUn-iSaYGdbFLjLztVVuXeHU/s320/wrap+dress.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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<i>(My husband took this really awkward picture of me wearing it. What can I say? I've been sick, I'm not feeling very photogenic.)</i><br />
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I've put it in the permanent rotation, and probably wear it once a week. I get compliments on it wherever I wear it.<br />
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I've had some health issues come up <i>(again,)</i> and got behind on posting about it. In the meantime, I've worn it and washed it at least ten times. It washes nicely, with no fading and pilling, and as long as I hang it after I get it out of the dryer, there are virtually no wrinkles.<br />
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In short, it's pretty much the perfect <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/fp/spring-dress">spring dress</a>.<br />
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If I could, I'd have a closet full of them, in different colors and patterns.<br />
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Whether you're looking for a fun <a href="http://freshproduceclothes.com/fp/beach-dress">beach dress</a>, something to wear to a casual summer wedding, or just want to look cute kicking around the house this summer, Fresh Produce has you covered.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free dress, in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.</span></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-6110512790233138712012-05-25T16:22:00.000-05:002012-05-25T16:22:28.986-05:00We're Studying the OceanWe're tying up some loose ends here in our homeschool. L is on track to finish up his first grade work in the next week or so, which is amazing, really, when I consider how much time I've spent sick this year. We'll take maybe a week off, and then dive into second grade, with V doing some preschool work as well.<br />
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In the meantime, we've started a unit on the ocean, which may take up the better part of the summer. We're landlocked, here in north Texas, but we've planned some field trips to the aquarium, the fish store, and maybe a fish market.<br />
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Our kitchen renovation is at that horrible stage where we have stuff all over the house, so I've moved us to the back porch for school, until the kitchen is done, or it gets too hot to tolerate, whichever comes first. (We have finally gotten the cabinets ordered, and we're hoping to finish up in the next month or so.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciis590yKGlSD2qVqKn9mEXymOqVrDjtc5mnJz3tN3yX3flNVKxT4B2iMLBAC7alj29erLiuH9v5NpBG1yOzR_qHujUdJB4H4QJ1lIcU2IXUd0QMF8VLWXCwNiJnR3kh3Pi3KhyphenhyphenFhPAQ/s1600/fish+curtains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciis590yKGlSD2qVqKn9mEXymOqVrDjtc5mnJz3tN3yX3flNVKxT4B2iMLBAC7alj29erLiuH9v5NpBG1yOzR_qHujUdJB4H4QJ1lIcU2IXUd0QMF8VLWXCwNiJnR3kh3Pi3KhyphenhyphenFhPAQ/s320/fish+curtains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put up some ocean themed fabric over the windows for fun, and set up a little activity center with shells and shell identification books, among other things.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9a40lTAwDlmt7SuqhrF2dHwUuHX-PvU5ZJA1Z0ONdMd-xrtpiin6ZhzGY6JH-m6SxEo7bhP5ypxDR4pjIYwlSIQ793coqlh3e2BqX1QU_mBaCCIfYlEgZGOSGiWuJ5kwFhJchqqPAik/s1600/ocean+activity+center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9a40lTAwDlmt7SuqhrF2dHwUuHX-PvU5ZJA1Z0ONdMd-xrtpiin6ZhzGY6JH-m6SxEo7bhP5ypxDR4pjIYwlSIQ793coqlh3e2BqX1QU_mBaCCIfYlEgZGOSGiWuJ5kwFhJchqqPAik/s320/ocean+activity+center.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocean activity center.</td></tr>
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Since we don't have a real beach, we fabricated a pretend one, shown here, with seashells and sand toys.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyIL96NNJBc5WcsM2k-fB7MJO7UQKCrX0J9d-U1NrJAojV3DfBNvP29_G-ZKIFVWlb80GQQ2E58ph53lhK30Wk9UBXgiVxbStsvAsolwHot777PygXyv1mQU9CH9GfYwZe5tj_djit20/s1600/ocean+sand+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyIL96NNJBc5WcsM2k-fB7MJO7UQKCrX0J9d-U1NrJAojV3DfBNvP29_G-ZKIFVWlb80GQQ2E58ph53lhK30Wk9UBXgiVxbStsvAsolwHot777PygXyv1mQU9CH9GfYwZe5tj_djit20/s320/ocean+sand+box.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand box "beach."</td></tr>
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We're relying heavily on the awesome DK Eyewitness books and movies, as well as another great DVD series which I'll be reviewing shortly.<br />
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As usual, Pinterest is bursting with cool ocean themed ideas.<i> (You can check out my ocean themed Pinterest board <a href="http://pinterest.com/27lisa27/ocean/">here</a>.)</i><br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-43914276275214372902012-05-23T23:28:00.000-05:002012-05-23T23:28:07.798-05:00Cleaning Supplies for a Four Year OldI mentioned several posts ago that 4 year old V had become my little helper around the house.<br />
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I was recently inspired to put together a little cleaning basket for her and her brother, after browsing through a Montessori catalog. I knew they'd love having "their own" things to clean with, and although the Montessori materials are always lovely to look at, I figured I could come up with something serviceable for a lot less cash.<br />
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I ended up picking up most of the supplies at the dollar store.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDfrXCBcOhKiueycloKI3Ij2lQVer8B7fdNbiU724KsBK3ImajnDXavs4bn1Tg4cNCimU-65d_aDeGMyFFrmTFbjCnxpx1xzmhSkcL_FoyAkJ0slJlaLhBb2l6kyVmg3W6YWE_WZ32E/s1600/cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmDfrXCBcOhKiueycloKI3Ij2lQVer8B7fdNbiU724KsBK3ImajnDXavs4bn1Tg4cNCimU-65d_aDeGMyFFrmTFbjCnxpx1xzmhSkcL_FoyAkJ0slJlaLhBb2l6kyVmg3W6YWE_WZ32E/s320/cleaning.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preschooler's cleaning basket.</td></tr>
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Our basket includes the following items:<br />
Spray bottles, filled mostly with water, and a little Dr Bronner's soap.<br />
Several microfiber towels<br />
A Squeegee <i>(possibly her favorite tool)</i><br />
Several microfiber dusters<br />
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We also have a child sized broom and dust pan.<br />
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L is still a pretty reluctant cleaner, but V is now <i>volunteering</i> to clean the kitchen table and the windows.<i>(Score one for mom, since it had been uh, a while since I cleaned the windows.)</i> She also sweeps with me every day.<br />
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She's feeling very proud of her contributions, and is learning real life skills. I've been guilty at times of underestimating what little kids could really do, but I stand corrected.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-44922395070012786392012-05-23T23:05:00.000-05:002012-05-23T23:07:21.109-05:00Review: Heritage History Ancient Greece<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/History/Heritage%20History/?action=view&current=HeritageHistoryThumbnail.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/History/Heritage%20History/HeritageHistoryThumbnail.png" /></a></div>
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Unit studies are fun, and a great way to learn and retain information. One of the things I try to avoid though, is the temptation to build shallow units mainly around fun art projects and themed snacks. <i>(Although I do like to include those things when I can.)</i> <b>Ultimately, I believe the backbone of a good unit study is a good book, or more commonly a lot of good books.</b></div>
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If you really want to know about a particular culture or time period, there's really no better way to learn about them than reading books from and about the subject at hand. Using those books for context, the art projects, and snacks, and all the other components of a typical unit study come together for a deeper, more meaningful experience.</div>
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It can be time consuming and at times difficult to obtain old, sometimes out of print books via inter library loan. Some old books, whose copyrights have expired are available for free on the internet, but you have to find them, and sometimes contend with awkward formatting and typographical errors.</div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/History/Heritage%20History/?action=view&current=HeritageHistory-AncientGreeceCD.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/History/Heritage%20History/HeritageHistory-AncientGreeceCD.png" /></a></div>
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We were recently sent the <a href="http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-store.php?pid=hcc_hcc_ancient-greece_1">Ancient Greece Classical Curriculum</a> CD from Heritage History to review. As you'll see, it greatly reduced the effort in finding good, appropriate, thematic books.</div>
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<a href="http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage.php">Heritage History</a> provides History curriculum to homeschoolers, with an emphasis on real literature. Their Heritage Classical Curriculum CDs are essentially a digital library of so called "living books," which include fictional, biographical, and historical accounts, suited for a variety of ages. In addition, each CD includes a large number of "extras," which include maps, study guides, recommended reading lists, etc. There are currently 5 Classical Curriculum CDs available.<i> (Four of them cover particular clutural histories. The last is a historical overview for younger students.)</i> Each CD costs $24.99.<i> (In addition to these CDs, you'll also find on the site that you can purchase teaching guides and e-books individually, as well as read the ebooks in their entirety for free, albeit in a less convenient format.)</i></div>
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The books on the CD are formatted in several different ways, as printable PDFs, and in two different e-reader formats to enable reading on the go. <i>(I'm a noted technophobe, but the instructions walked me through the process of downloading the books onto my phone without too much pain and suffering.)</i></div>
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I've obviously not had time to read through the 40+ books included in their entirety, but I've surveyed a number of them, and was very impressed. The formatting is clear and easy to read, and many of the books include some illustrations, <i>(a major plus for most young kids like mine.) </i></div>
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The books are color coded on the CD, to help you choose the appropriate reading level for your student. <i>(They're divided into three groups, "beginner," "intermediate," and "advanced.") </i>There is no specific age guideline for the product, and I had a hard time trying to come up with one. My soon to be second grader could read and enjoy some of them, others would be way over his head. <i>(He probably reads a year or two ahead of his grade level, though.) </i>Obviously a child would need to be reading well to be able to enjoy the stories, unless you're planning on reading them aloud, so for me the main consideration wouldn't be age, but reading ability.</div>
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The books themselves cover a range of topics, some of which should appeal to almost anyone. There are stories about military conquests, mythology, <i>(of course,)</i> and several pieces of classic literature, retold for a younger audience.</div>
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My husband and I were both fascinated by the old maps of the known world at various times included on the CD. Those are the the things that make history really come alive!</div>
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The Classical Curriculum Cds aren't meant to be a full, stand alone history curriculum. As I've said, I believe they lend themselves nicely to unit studies, with the addition of other activities and resources, but ultimately, they could go alongside nearly any other history curriculum.</div>
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I'd highly recommend this product to families looking to build their educational experience around a foundation of good books. I'm actually interested in buying several other editions for future use. They're currently having a really good <a href="http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-store.php?pid=special">sale</a> now, by the way. <i>(Buy two, get the third CD free.)</i></div>
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To find out what other families thought of this product, check out the<a href="http://homeschoolcrew.com/785260/"> linky</a> on the TOS review crew blog.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this curriculum in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.</span></i></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-28670838558582631132012-05-23T19:59:00.001-05:002012-05-23T20:02:03.135-05:00Guest Post: A Battle Well Worth Winning<i>Some of you may remember my sort of frantic blog posts last fall, when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm happy to report that she's finished radiation treatments, and is in remission. My oldest sister is also in remission from thyroid cancer. It is because of their stories that I'm sharing someone else's story with you today. Below you'll find a guest post from Heather Von St James.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CLmHcVe2oVqszf3A1rTeH-R_2MgKE7y-2dzL0U40jCsb5qivMlZtNHa-zwJDDVK1UOnFUhO3pobCy2pGlH0nkwYFSwyO80ViUt7jUNeXT8O-HcQR9An6YMwEWQW6sZouffdTbrQZ4Io/s1600/heather-von-st-james-family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CLmHcVe2oVqszf3A1rTeH-R_2MgKE7y-2dzL0U40jCsb5qivMlZtNHa-zwJDDVK1UOnFUhO3pobCy2pGlH0nkwYFSwyO80ViUt7jUNeXT8O-HcQR9An6YMwEWQW6sZouffdTbrQZ4Io/s1600/heather-von-st-james-family.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather Von St James and family.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">I received the diagnosis on the 21st of November
2005: deadly cancer. The name of my disease, malignant pleural
mesothelioma, was nearly impossible to pronounce. On that day in my
doctor’s office, my world became a frightening and precarious place.
Previously, I had been a young mother with a beautiful infant just over
three months old. Now I was a cancer patient with a poor prognosis.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">The day I received the diagnosis of mesothelioma
cancer, I felt as if one of my greatest fears had come true. I had a life
threatening illness. However, in the days to come I would discover that I
was stronger than I had ever imagined myself to be.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">My doctor referred me to Dr. David Sugarbaker<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7784092352521633959" name="_GoBack"></a> at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr.
Sugarbaker was recognized in the medical community as the world’s leading
mesothelioma specialist. As I learned more about the killing disease that I
harbored in my body, I became aware that the survival rate for people with
mesothelioma was dishearteningly low. At the time I was diagnosed, only
about two percent of patients with this cancer would survive more than an
additional five years. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">With the care and encouragement of Dr. Sugarbaker, I
resolved to be part of that two percent. I was determined to fight as I
had never fought before. Over the next 12 months, that is exactly what I
did. I fought tooth and nail, pouring all of my dwindling energy reserves into
my battle. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">My parents stepped forward to care for my baby girl
while I engaged in the fight for my life. My child was just six months
old when my medical team removed my left lung and the lining surrounding my
tumor. Separated from me by nearly 2000 miles, she was at the forefront
of my thoughts as I underwent and survived surgery. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">In the months following the removal of my lung, I
cared for my daughter myself while completing courses of chemo and radiation
therapy. Even though I was ill throughout the balance of her first year
of life, my daughter was well cared for and unaware of my illness. The
assistance of my loving family and good friends made this possible. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">We celebrated her first birthday with a splash.
It was not only a celebration of my little girl’s special day but of my
survival. I had just completed my radiation treatments when she turned one.
Family and friends gathered around us for a joyous celebration.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">With my difficult battle behind me, I am now
determined to remain cancer free. However, I do realize that year-long
fight against mesothelioma brought me some valuable insights. I no longer
take happiness and health for granted. I delight in little things that
are the joys of life. Surviving cancer has helped me to see the world in
whole new ways and has inspired me to live my life to the fullest. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt;">I am happy to say that each new day with my daughter
is a gift I cherish. I enjoy every moment we have together. Even
during difficulties, I always find much to be grateful for. Sometimes you
have to fight for your life before you come to fully realize its infinite
value.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Heather Von St
James</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #525252; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of
mesothelioma, she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found
themselves with the same diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been
helping people all over the globe. She continues her advocacy and awareness
work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with
others. Check out her story at the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog">Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog</a></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, nor am I affliated with the above mentioned hospital, or any other involved entity. </span></i></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-65279250002499934302012-05-19T20:08:00.000-05:002012-05-19T20:08:37.875-05:00The Big Closet Clean Out of 2012One of the things that I've realized over the last several months is how much of my time and energy is spent taking care of <i>things</i>. Since I continue to have a fair number of "bad days," where I don't feel like doing much, it seems more imperative than ever that I spend what time and energy I do have taking care of people, and not things.<br />
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In my pre-mommy life, I loved clothes. At one time, I had several very large closets full of just my own clothes. When we purchased our little house a few years ago, I had to pare back considerably, to fit what I had in one very modest closet. I still jammed in as much as humanly possible, at times experimenting with a small dresser or a second rack at the bottom of the closet, to hold <i>even</i> more. On the <i>(extremely)</i> rare occasion that all of our clothes were clean, I'd have to pile some somewhere.<br />
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The truth is, like most other people, I wore maybe a third of what I had. I'm a stay at home mom. Most days I wear jeans and a t shirt. If I'm honest, most days I rotate through the same half a dozen pairs of jeans and t-shirts.<br />
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So I did a <b>major</b> purge, over the course of a couple of months, getting rid of at least half of what I had. I got rid of things that didn't fit, that didn't go with anything, and that for some reason just never seemed "right."<br />
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I'm left with, you guessed it, mostly black or tie dyed shirts, and jeans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidP0xqABuQHd1cH5GQqLeftchAwvzneUtH2qEnikADZ_V6XgitnV_ztHUKvf4BfpJ6xsduQILOblnE9hmFfXyEdA5ovocJHI_z22g0quRDK9WWO_m5_NfIy_9tLJqM9eUCCgG35d7rfOY/s1600/closet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidP0xqABuQHd1cH5GQqLeftchAwvzneUtH2qEnikADZ_V6XgitnV_ztHUKvf4BfpJ6xsduQILOblnE9hmFfXyEdA5ovocJHI_z22g0quRDK9WWO_m5_NfIy_9tLJqM9eUCCgG35d7rfOY/s320/closet.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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I'm sharing this because it's been ridiculously freeing.<br />
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The clothes I kept fit, and I like them, which means I'm spending way less time trying to figure out what to wear. Instead of having to dig through 12 pairs of so-so jeans that are too short, or the wrong color, or whatever, I have about half that many, which I love. <i>(Gap 1969 jeans are <b>the</b> best, by the way, especially if you're tall.)</i><br />
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I can now hang <i>all</i> of my clean clothes in the closet at once without a struggle. The clothes don't end up terribly wrinkled from being smashed either. <i>(Not like I was ironing them anyway, but at least I don't have to wear wrinkled clothes all the time anymore.)</i><br />
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I'm maintaining my closet equilibrium by getting rid of something old when I get something new.<br />
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Basically, I'm on sort of a long term mission to declutter our whole house like this, even if it takes a year.<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-89154848386897114982012-05-16T17:19:00.000-05:002012-05-16T17:20:57.567-05:00Review: Library & Educational Services Go Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=LESlogowhite.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/LESlogowhite.gif" /></a></div>
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As part of the TOS Review Crew, we were recently given the opportunity to review two more Science DVDs, this time from the <a href="http://www.libraryanded.com/goscience">Go Science</a> series, available through Library and Educational Services. <i>(Library and Educational Services is a wholesale distributor, which specializes in Christian educational materials, and sells to churches, daycares, schools, and homeschools. Sign up for their mailing list, and you'll frequently be tempted by their fantastic sales.)</i></div>
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There are 6 volumes in the <a href="http://www.libraryanded.com/goscience/">Go Science</a> series, with each volume focusing on two to four scientific principles. Each DVD sells for $8.97, or they are available as a set of six for $47.95. The DVDs are recommended for students ages 6-14.</div>
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We were sent <i>Volume 2, Simple Machines, Sound, and Weather, </i>and <i>Volume 3 Magnetism, Electricity, Engineering, and Design</i>. Both of these videos clocked in at just under an hour.<i> (I browsed the website, and discovered that some DVDs in this series were a little shorter, in the 40+ minute range.)</i></div>
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The format of the shows is as follows: Ben Roy,<i> (a university instructor, and formerly the director of a science themed television program,)</i> acts as host and instructor. He is assisted by a group of children, and an occasional adult. The kids help Ben with a variety of scientific demonstrations.<i> (Each of the videos I received included 14 demonstrations.) </i>Ben is lively and cheerful. The demonstrations are done using pretty straight foward materials. There are no high tech computer generated simulations or animations.</div>
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Volume 2 included the following demonstrations:</div>
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1st Class Lever 2nd Class Lever</div>
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3rd Class Lever Incline Plane</div>
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Pulleys Trebuchet</div>
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Singing Glasses Singing Rods</div>
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Sound Waves Singing Pipes</div>
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Making a Cloud Weather Balloon</div>
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Tornado Tube Air Pressure</div>
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Volume 3 included the following demonstrations:</div>
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Monster Magnets A/C Electromagnet</div>
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D/C Electromagnet Making a Compass</div>
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Static Electricity Light Bulb</div>
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Jacobs Ladders Conductivity</div>
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Solar Energy Tesla Coil</div>
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Color Cut Paper Halves</div>
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Heat Engine Plastic Pre Forms</div>
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<b>Our impressions: </b>I thought these DVDs were fun. They somehow reminded me of my childhood, watching <i>Mr. Peppermint</i>, and <i>Lambchop's Play Along</i>, when we learned without so many technological bells and whistles. <i>(Yes, I'm getting old.)</i> These DVDs aren't meant to be a stand alone science curriculum, so in and of themselves, they probably wouldn't be "enough" to teach a full science course. They <i>would</i> be a great supplement or enrichment to whatever else you're using, though. Ben's excitement is contagious, and most teachers I know, homeschool or otherwise, are always looking for ways to get kids excited about math and science.</div>
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After each segment, Ben makes a link to God, the Bible, or Christian living, reminding us that learning about science is learning about God's creation. That's not something I'd run across before, but I thought it was a neat aspect of the show.<i> (One of my personal peeves is the idea that God and science are somehow mutually exclusive.)</i></div>
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My one complaint about the show was that the volume was fairly uneven, with some segments <i>much</i> louder than others. My easily overstimulated son, <i>(with sensory processing issues,)</i> periodically had to cover his ears and run shrieking around the room due to volume changes. <i>(In fairness, most people would probably notice the volume changes, but not be so disturbed by them.)</i></div>
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To see what other families thought of these DVDs, check out the linky on the <a href="http://homeschoolcrew.com/785163/">TOS Homeschool Crew Blog</a>.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I received 2 free DVDs in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.</span></i></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-37635230755493980312012-05-09T16:01:00.000-05:002012-05-09T16:01:27.682-05:00Pikachu CakeSomehow, in spite of my urging him to stay small a little longer, L turned 7 this past weekend.<br />
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At his request, I made him a Pikachu cake.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcdUtacv_nMaR7M2if2h_HJKyIegfb1BFKKNilahsizKgyLyWieKEVhaUPZZUHfsW6KqzWtqpM_nEGk7_o9q5Gp7jONbk3wRdiWIAeMfiBA1bnYC6BUX13uPZ4jdj4-6cdq-WOa3ph5g/s1600/pikachu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcdUtacv_nMaR7M2if2h_HJKyIegfb1BFKKNilahsizKgyLyWieKEVhaUPZZUHfsW6KqzWtqpM_nEGk7_o9q5Gp7jONbk3wRdiWIAeMfiBA1bnYC6BUX13uPZ4jdj4-6cdq-WOa3ph5g/s320/pikachu.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pikachu cake.</td></tr>
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It was far from perfect, but he said it was awesome. I baked two round cakes and froze them, which makes them easier to slice. I used one to make the face, and sliced the ears out of the other. The facial features were done with frosting, although I suppose I could have used fruit roll ups and M&Ms for the same effect.<br />
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One of these days I'm going to take a cake decorating class.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-23862262963341451542012-05-01T09:23:00.000-05:002012-05-01T09:25:22.050-05:00Tie Dye Party TableIn May, the United Methodist Women's group at my church is holding a fundraiser brunch for ladies and girls. They've asked for volunteers to each take one table and decorate it in a fun theme, with some related party favors for the attendees.<br />
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I was asked to do a table, and naturally, someone suggested that my table should be tie dye themed. I decided to run with a slightly broader theme, the groovy 60's, <i>(well, as much of the 60's as would be appropriate for a church brunch. LOL.) </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqsNDaZOEZzcjKDJoTOy0vnDFnGM3B27BZ15MqVJcxChZUjdDCnrmepLmN1QlKyBt_0mVAzoF_4EbMi5UmPMbAlW1xrY1gxpKR3aFuORdeZObaOt9oT3AtVj7PAEpJpTczs7NNfOmv0M/s1600/neacklaces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqsNDaZOEZzcjKDJoTOy0vnDFnGM3B27BZ15MqVJcxChZUjdDCnrmepLmN1QlKyBt_0mVAzoF_4EbMi5UmPMbAlW1xrY1gxpKR3aFuORdeZObaOt9oT3AtVj7PAEpJpTczs7NNfOmv0M/s320/neacklaces.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi precious chip necklaces.</td></tr>
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First off, I decided everyone needed some cool beads, so I dug out my much neglected jewelry making supplies, and made some long, beaded necklaces out of semi precious chips. They're theme appropriate, but also, they're actually pretty and wearable. <i>(I have some I wear, anyway.)</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQT7q147tDBM9eIt0khBER6_JLx6qLUJtFBmyrkeEruMr9z68PItKplA3R2X1TBL13Vz6PF4MVLfZxXTLwA40ywUrsVNccpVY08wNZLydNpcvxcmXfUkz4RlTJLzk_MomMK8U2cxYYs/s1600/buttons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQT7q147tDBM9eIt0khBER6_JLx6qLUJtFBmyrkeEruMr9z68PItKplA3R2X1TBL13Vz6PF4MVLfZxXTLwA40ywUrsVNccpVY08wNZLydNpcvxcmXfUkz4RlTJLzk_MomMK8U2cxYYs/s320/buttons.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
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I went to the party store, and picked up some cute lollipops and buttons.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8kaI01ocR-Fbo4Q0bSdKuGeAREh8g2hkvTefnTXZSrIQOtkZn8jXIThSDEbQ5eMyrgVhpJxQ_ivDgy-he4uOdQjrVEJoQ9jzdjobCLiwBlRUpCwRdUGT87d0Tsq7k6g4tQ6SrZuvsy4/s1600/bandannas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8kaI01ocR-Fbo4Q0bSdKuGeAREh8g2hkvTefnTXZSrIQOtkZn8jXIThSDEbQ5eMyrgVhpJxQ_ivDgy-he4uOdQjrVEJoQ9jzdjobCLiwBlRUpCwRdUGT87d0Tsq7k6g4tQ6SrZuvsy4/s320/bandannas.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tie dyed bandannas.</td></tr>
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I tie dyed some bandannas, <i>(to be used as 'do rags or head bands.)</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Record bowl full of party favors.</td></tr>
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I made some record bowls to hold everyone's goodies, which also included some fun stickers and the covered notebooks I blogged about recently.<br />
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Hobby Lobby had some adorable plates on sale, so I made a tiered cupcake stand with a dollar store candle stick.<br />
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They'll hold "tie dyed" cupcakes in tie dyed patterned liners, packaged to go, since they're apparently already serving dessert. <i>(They're shown here unfrosted, before I pop them into the freezer for later.)</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tie dye themed party table.</td></tr>
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I did a little trial run of the table to see how everything looked.<i> (The table was cute, the background of my demolished kitchen in the midst of the remodel was terrible.)</i> The place mats are made of laminated wrapping paper. The empty Starbucks bottles have a strip of the tie dyed paper glued on, and will hold a flower at each place. Apparently the church will be using their own dishes and tablecloths, in case you're wondering why I didn't use any.<br />
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I was a little nervous about doing this, since I have no idea what kind of themes everyone else has come up with, but it was fun to plan.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-24314006746044135402012-04-26T07:00:00.000-05:002012-04-26T07:00:33.733-05:00Thrift Score!I know a lot of people are really skeptical about whether there's really anything good to be had at the thrift store. While it's true that I do come home empty handed sometimes, I find really cool store more often than you might imagine.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMN3bjQME5J-WWuqTWv9Ta3FpoZ_3xm-TKqubgbymKetWIPcaBkFBryRR1XhwumI7swHMSCOSKTK4TlHa9QjvdwP4-4ChCHiCf_a1g0ASDCgo2iRDEuBy0BLxNG9hBNYTpnO8O_Yz5Q/s1600/yarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMN3bjQME5J-WWuqTWv9Ta3FpoZ_3xm-TKqubgbymKetWIPcaBkFBryRR1XhwumI7swHMSCOSKTK4TlHa9QjvdwP4-4ChCHiCf_a1g0ASDCgo2iRDEuBy0BLxNG9hBNYTpnO8O_Yz5Q/s320/yarn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thrift store yarn score.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
I thought I'd share my latest haul with ya'll, a ginormous stash of mostly wool and cotton yarn, for around ten bucks total. One ball of pink and orange cotton yarn still had a tag on it, which said $12.<i> (There were 6 large balls of it. My picture is terrible, but it's beautiful hand dyed yarn)</i><br />
<br />
I broke my self imposed yarn buying fast, just this once...<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-86704801869554498412012-04-24T07:00:00.000-05:002012-04-24T07:00:16.982-05:00V is 4, and She's Doing ChoresParenting and child development books will tell you that little ones just <i>love</i>
to help out around the house.<br />
<br />L has always been the exception to this rule. Even as a little guy, he was decidedly uninterested. Now, at nearly 7, he does
help a little, but not without lots of proverbial sticks and carrots,
<i>(punishments and rewards.)</i> I've chalked it up to his personality, and possibly
his ADHD. He doesn't seem to notice messiness, and at times he's sort of a
whirling tornado of sloppiness. We're working with him, but I don't believe
he'll ever love housework.<br />
<br />Imagine my surprise when V began to show a genuine
interest in helping around the house a few months ago. It started with folding
wash rags, and wiping the kitchen table occasionally, and has progressed
considerably.<br />
<br />She's now able to fold wash cloths, dish towels, hand towels,
cloth napkins, hankies, etc. She also helps put away a lot of the laundry. She can wipe down and set the table, and has started putting her dishes away
after meals. She loves to sweep.<br />
<br />It does take <i>much</i> more time to have a 4 year old do anything,
but as time goes on, she's getting more efficient at everything. She's also <i>very</i> proud of her contributions.<br />
<br />I've been
lavishing her with praise, and making sure daddy does as well. I look forward to a day when the kids are able to help significantly with the housework.<i> (You know, since they <b>do</b> make approximately 80% of the messes.)</i> I'm also really adamant about turning out young adults who know how to do things like basic cooking, cleaning, and laundry.<br />
<br />
Do your kiddos do chores? Are they happy little helpers like V, or more reluctant workers like L? Got any great chore related tips to share?<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-55064834735311228692012-04-23T19:22:00.000-05:002012-04-23T19:28:02.636-05:00Review: Amazing Science! Volume 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=portallogo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="32" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/portallogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I haven't met anyone who wished their homeschool was less fun, less hands on. I've met a number of people who wished theirs was <i>more</i> fun, <i>more</i> hands on though. <i>(I'm one of them.)</i><br />
<br />
When we make the initial decision to homeschool, we often have visions of ourselves doing elaborate art projects and science experiments with the kids for days on end. Real life intervenes, with crying babies, and housework, and those plans get shuffled to the back burner.<br />
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I've got something to share about today that's helping us put the fun back in our homeschool days.<br />
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=item26.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/item26.jpg" /></a></div>
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As part of the TOS review crew, we were recently sent a copy of <a href="http://www.scienceandmath.com/products/Science-Experiment-DVDs--Learn-Science-with-Amazing-Demonstrations-that-Anyone-Can-Perform.cfm">Amazing Science, Volume 1</a>, by <a href="http://scienceandmath.com/">ScienceAndMath.com</a>. It's a two DVD set, which sells for $19.95 on the site. A digital download is also available for $17.99.<i> (</i>You can find sample clips<a href="http://www.scienceandmath.com/public/main.cfm"> here</a>.)<br />
<i><br /></i><br />
The DVDs are broken down into 23 sections, <i>(which are conveniently accessed from the menu screen.</i>) Each section includes a materials list, a demonstration of an experiment, and an explanation of the science behind the experiment. The subject matter covers a variety of areas, including heat, electricity, magnetism,and chemistry.<br />
<br />
The kiddos and I initially dove into the DVDs on a day when I wasn't feeling well, and watched about half the experiments in one sitting. They were both totally enthralled, and started picking out specific experiments they wanted to try. <i>(We're working our way through them.) </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw1X86JPfo6iGrPGLTkTKKUXKmaAuArs_DgzgydeTmIJRgB5pjMZoMgHn9bwj6Nn5bT5CgyVQuw1aTInGM_8a-BBmqr3wZZinB0dzCQyAICX2VI13UjXTZsVsXvbWCbpQaDQid0PrBbw/s1600/experiment1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw1X86JPfo6iGrPGLTkTKKUXKmaAuArs_DgzgydeTmIJRgB5pjMZoMgHn9bwj6Nn5bT5CgyVQuw1aTInGM_8a-BBmqr3wZZinB0dzCQyAICX2VI13UjXTZsVsXvbWCbpQaDQid0PrBbw/s320/experiment1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
I liked the presentation of the experiments. The host, <i>(a former NASA scientist,)</i> and the setting were pleasant, but calm and businesslike.<i> (L, whose ADHD I've written about previously, is easily distracted by lots of scene changes and loud music.)</i><br />
<br />
We found that we already had the materials for several of the experiments lying around the house, but the rest are easily obtainable from the grocery and hardware store.<br />
<br />
There is no specific age recommendation for this set, but I'd say it would be appropriate for elementary and middle school aged kiddos, with varying degrees of adult help and supervision.<br />
<br />
I'd consider these DVDs to be a fun, informative supplement to nearly any science curriculum.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://scienceandmath.com/">ScienceAndMath.com</a> sells a full line of <i>(what else?)</i> science and math DVDs in a variety of grade levels and subject areas.<br />
<br />
To find out what other homeschooling families thought of these DVDs, check out the <a href="http://homeschoolcrew.com/785006/">TOS Review Crew blog</a>. <br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free DVD set in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own. </span></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-66712152390931934622012-04-23T05:00:00.000-05:002012-04-23T05:00:49.884-05:00Book Review: Survival Mom by Lisa BedfordRemember the Y2K scare? I do. I was just out of high school, unmarried, with no children, and I remember how funny I thought it was when the big day came, and all those people stockpiling bottled water and toilet paper just looked a little silly.<br />
<br />
Fast forward a few years.<br />
<br />
Do you remember Hurricane Katrina? I do. I was in my early 20s, married, with a 3 month old baby. I remember watching the footage on tv in absolute horror, and realizing that could be me. <i>That could be us.</i> Suddenly disaster preparedness made much more sense. I didn't build a bomb shelter or anything, but after that I tried to make sure we always had some extra diapers, and bottled water, and formula after my son weaned.<br />
<br />
Last year a storm knocked out our power for nearly two days, and I realized we were still not nearly prepared enough.<br />
<br />
Disaster preparedness is not just for eccentrics and doomsayers. It's for regular families, like mine and yours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK_uUA3W-356rJPmVrxGk7wka_zVTk7PTBgfKvljejGgMJGTItGlnx9JMWycPZqqzJA715AeV7qL8TWu865T5KFtEWoUePe86b-RaFF2l6LLeA2DaiilKB8o1d2DJ2cQ-F79QY1St3aA/s1600/SurvivalMom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK_uUA3W-356rJPmVrxGk7wka_zVTk7PTBgfKvljejGgMJGTItGlnx9JMWycPZqqzJA715AeV7qL8TWu865T5KFtEWoUePe86b-RaFF2l6LLeA2DaiilKB8o1d2DJ2cQ-F79QY1St3aA/s1600/SurvivalMom.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Blogger Lisa Bedford, aka <a href="http://thesurvivalmom.com/">The Survival Mom</a>, has authored a book by the same name, to bring us all up to speed on what disaster preparedness looks like for families.<i> (Softcover, 323 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-208946-5)</i><br />
<br />
Whether you're just looking to get through a couple of days without power after a storm, or trying to insulate against job loss or a financial crisis, or are actually trying to prep for a total collapse of civilization, Lisa has tips, specific guidelines, and other advice you'll find helpful. <i>(I fall into the first camp, by the way.)</i><br />
<br />
Much of the book is devoted to the specifics of acquiring, storing, and prepping food and water for an emergency situation. I learned <i>a lot</i>. I liked that rather than just making sort of general statements about storing "enough" food for each person, she gave actual specific guidelines about quantities, menu planning, rotating out the stored food so none is wasted and so on. <i>(She also points out things I hadn't fully considered, like how having 14 boxes of Cheerios in the pantry is probably not sufficient food storage. You probably could live for a while on cereal alone, but you wouldn't want to. Your kids wouldn't either. The focus is on responsible, usable food storage, not hoarding.)</i><br />
<br />
Throughout the book, I was impressed with the specificity of her recommendations: actual products to research, stores to find recommended items, procedures for food prep.<br />
<br />
In addition to the information about food, you'll find a wealth of information about things like getting organized, living without electricity, <i>(shudder,) </i>dealing with financial crisis, safety, and evacuation.<br />
<br />
Which recommendations you follow, and to what extent you are going to follow them depend heavily upon what it is you're trying to prepare for.<br />
<br />
I'm not interested in storing food for a year, and being ready to go off the grid at any moment.Some of you may be. I'm also not the target audience for the rather lengthy discussion of firearms. We don't, and we won't have guns in our home. I do believe if you're at all interested in preparing for natural or other disasters,<i> (and you should be, if you have children,)</i> you'll find plenty to do, research, contemplate and discuss in this book.<br />
<br />
It was a worthwhile read that I'll be referring back to, as we gather a more responsible stash of food and water, and other necessities, like a solar charger for my beloved iPhone.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPVbPVt8IP5s8wzfzwQ63mT3IGsp578GeoelNXcGy5FEPc-ciOq_7QEKJSOnxMH-C8bfb1N7hjQrMpk39fAu40Q9nLaXqhrEcXWLIpde2u1XA_vYKtwZwqHBcU4iUqTF0E9wGOuGSDMo/s1600/LisaBedford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPVbPVt8IP5s8wzfzwQ63mT3IGsp578GeoelNXcGy5FEPc-ciOq_7QEKJSOnxMH-C8bfb1N7hjQrMpk39fAu40Q9nLaXqhrEcXWLIpde2u1XA_vYKtwZwqHBcU4iUqTF0E9wGOuGSDMo/s1600/LisaBedford.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa Bedford, The Survival Mom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
If you'd like to keep up with The Survival Mom on the web, you can <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Survival-Mom/107498759319335?v=wall">find her on FB</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/TheSurvivalMom">Twitter</a>, and of course, her <a href="http://thesurvivalmom.com/">blog</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjola2ak2ieZ0W82n61dKRIXfAg9rDJ82MeQcdyJaK2n75jbc910KnGkhVMSHflLwDKDZAs5gPZXKQkUYMEJWU3T93VJeeajtHwEs6WszuAXBVlfSsoxMRloSi_Nb-S2wMtRwdrgTbHiqM/s1600/tlclogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjola2ak2ieZ0W82n61dKRIXfAg9rDJ82MeQcdyJaK2n75jbc910KnGkhVMSHflLwDKDZAs5gPZXKQkUYMEJWU3T93VJeeajtHwEs6WszuAXBVlfSsoxMRloSi_Nb-S2wMtRwdrgTbHiqM/s1600/tlclogo.png" /></a></div>
Thank you to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this book tour.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book to review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.</span></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-60421303638042213462012-04-21T09:12:00.002-05:002012-04-21T09:12:58.181-05:00Need a Quick, Personalized, Little Gift?I'm working on a sort of involved crafty endeavor for church, <i>(I'll write more about it later,)</i> that involves really cool tie dye print wrapping paper.<br />
<br />
I decorated some cute little notebooks with the scraps, and figured I'd share the results. I think they'd make neat party favors or stocking stuffers for those of us who still like to write in an actual notebook.<br />
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I started out with a couple of mini composition books, but you could use big ones too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxAnCQE_uEX2YU1sF4KUfOWckKPOlU-v7A5_0sRN5SjtFmW3d52YsqGh5qmEQ4PTZ1h04g-0WEo4O29x6GUwpInejEdNyLBWjYZTSHE6Pj51LK-Yp4ZwUTyxVBPqbOF06OxxbZwkRJCw/s1600/notebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxAnCQE_uEX2YU1sF4KUfOWckKPOlU-v7A5_0sRN5SjtFmW3d52YsqGh5qmEQ4PTZ1h04g-0WEo4O29x6GUwpInejEdNyLBWjYZTSHE6Pj51LK-Yp4ZwUTyxVBPqbOF06OxxbZwkRJCw/s200/notebook.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
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<br />
I roughly cut a piece of wrapping paper slightly bigger than the notebook, and sprayed the paper with spray adhesive. <i>(This is an important point because if you spray the adhesive on the notebook cover instead, you'll inevitably get glue on some of the pages.)</i> Cover the book with the paper, working out any bubbles. The glue will reposition for a few minutes. Trim off any extra paper. For durability, I covered the books in clear contact paper from Dollar Tree after the adhesive had time to dry.<br />
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<br /><i>(The cool wrapping paper came from Hobby Lobby. You could also use scrapbook paper or some of the kiddos' artwork to cover the books.)</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-2791327424626285852012-04-18T07:00:00.000-05:002012-04-18T07:00:05.890-05:00WFMW: Fancy Tea Party MannersMy husband and I were recently doing some end of year homeschool evaluation, discussing where we were now, where we wanted to head from here. I had a few things in mind I wanted to address, and as it turned out, he had some of the exact same ones.<br />
<br />
Top of the list: Manners.<br />
<br />
Most kids I know need a little correcting from time to time on their table manners. Ours have been no exception.<br />
<br />
I'd been brainstorming how we might address the issue of manners other than just me harping on the kids forever. Before I could tell my husband the idea I'd had, he blurted out the same idea: tea parties.<br />
<br />
We decided to regularly, <i>(like once a week,)</i> hold a little tea party with "fancy manners." To start with, we're just focusing on pretty basic stuff, things like using a napkin instead of one's clothes, and not deliberately burping at the table. Later, we'll branch out into things like how to set the table properly, etc.<br />
<br />
We ordered a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Green-Toys-5512754-Tea-Set/dp/B001543YEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334275685&sr=8-1">food safe, nonbreakable tea set</a> from Amazon, and got started right away.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzuGBy10tR_ET7HNJZpo_DqoHkjJcWmjimOJXCH-VyKvWQWUmW2S-HGIAlqLMKUfL8Fv4ZngR1T5lZjd8IRNZztH7Qr5Xn2fr9k8tONRHR8kolkPiBqTvp3YynmUzMD8SPpdT29BpCS8/s1600/tea+party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzuGBy10tR_ET7HNJZpo_DqoHkjJcWmjimOJXCH-VyKvWQWUmW2S-HGIAlqLMKUfL8Fv4ZngR1T5lZjd8IRNZztH7Qr5Xn2fr9k8tONRHR8kolkPiBqTvp3YynmUzMD8SPpdT29BpCS8/s320/tea+party.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It's been a huge success. The kids think it's treat, so they look forward to it, and they've actually been more pleasant to eat with lately. When they get off track, we remind them about using their "fancy manners."<br />
<br />
Tea parties are working for us. For more WFMW posts, check out the linky at www.wearethatfamily.com.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-73151237090619123902012-04-13T14:34:00.000-05:002012-04-13T14:34:24.278-05:00Review: AIMS What on Earth?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=aims_logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="45" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/aims_logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was recently given the opportunity to review another <a href="http://store.aimsedu.org/aims_store/">AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) </a>curriculum product as a part of the TOS Review Crew.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The title we selected was<a href="http://store.aimsedu.org/aims_store/books/what-on-earth.html"> <i>What on Earth?</i></a> which is, as you might imagine, focused on various elements of Earth Science. The 127 page, softcover, black and white book, and accompanying cd of reproducibles retails for $21.95. It is also available in PDF form, in case you need it yesterday. It's aimed at <i>(Ha, ha, see what I did there?)</i> kindergarten and first grade students. This curriculum does require the addition of some supplies, most of which you'll already have, or at any rate can obtain from the grocery store.<i> (There's a materials list for each project, as well as a helpful master list that includes everything you'll need to complete every project in the book.)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The book is broken down into several subject areas, as follows:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Resources</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Rocks and Soil</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Water</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Changes</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Day/Night</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Seasons</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each subject area includes several activities, for a total of 30.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> (You'll find a sample of this book <a href="http://store.aimsedu.org/aims_store/books/what-on-earth.html">here</a>.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/?action=view&current=WhatOnEarthCovSm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Science/WhatOnEarthCovSm.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Our experiences:</b> This is the second AIMS book I've reviewed this year, and I have to say, I love them. They're concise, the projects and activities are doable and they're a good value for the money. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I <i>love</i> that they include a cd with any needed reproducibles, which means that you won't have to tear pages out of the book, and can use it for however many children you have, either at the same time, or some time in the future. I wish all publishers would follow suite.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each activity is laid out in minute detail, from comprehension questions, to specific learning goals. The book assumes you're teaching in a traditional classroom setting, and if you're a homeschooler, you'll likely not be concerned with references to benchmarks, etc. You'll probably also have to tweak some projects and discussions to reflect a much smaller class, <i>(possibly a class of one.) </i>The prep time for each lesson is minimal, which is always a plus, as far as I'm concerned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3-cPsBPAcP-J_54utxXdDe7J24gq9fRRPII3dyGbBZAra4cMJtxTklDnGJfmeuAtApRofG368ZbCnSDPuZ0uU_bTFhIa1RWRqam87MEP7a5t059LqcqHkPEzAkvoqA502lvspVn3hMM/s1600/aims.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3-cPsBPAcP-J_54utxXdDe7J24gq9fRRPII3dyGbBZAra4cMJtxTklDnGJfmeuAtApRofG368ZbCnSDPuZ0uU_bTFhIa1RWRqam87MEP7a5t059LqcqHkPEzAkvoqA502lvspVn3hMM/s320/aims.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My preschooler and first grader both enjoyed this lesson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was pleased to find that 4 year old V was able to join her 6 year old brother on many of the discussions and activities. It seems to me that you'd likely be able to tweak the intended ages at least a year in either direction. The lessons are short enough to hold the attention of early elementary aged kiddos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This curriculum is secular in nature, but I didn't see anything problematic as a Christian homeschooler.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd recommend this book to homeschool and classroom teachers alike.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">AIMS publishes a huge variety of Science and Math related curriculum, and you'll also find a wealth of related supplies and manipulatives on their site.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><center><a href="http://homeschoolcrew.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/Totally%20TOS/HSCrew140x180.jpg" /></a></center><center><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To read what other homeschooling families thought about this, and other AIMS products, check out the linky on the <a href="http://homeschoolcrew.com/784916/">TOS Review Crew</a> blog.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book/cd in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.</span></i></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-8416950918065222382012-04-13T07:00:00.002-05:002012-04-13T07:00:07.405-05:00Thumbs Up for Seeds Family WorshipI mentioned yesterday that we'd be using<a href="http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/"> Seeds Family Worship</a> cds as part of our Bible curriculum for the coming year. Today, I thought I'd elaborate a bit. <div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9K4fYRFPltVDOXlRaZQW0r87EIzjvWDvSX7SDTCIvqJAxyvAsn6tMb9nb8tXFqfwz8FZIi7TfAb23p8lbvPQUb0iqMuiv2LQIEYqYBnnGgisssX0Frf3UGaDxQQh9iFkJ89Jd8JMRAg4/s1600/thumbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9K4fYRFPltVDOXlRaZQW0r87EIzjvWDvSX7SDTCIvqJAxyvAsn6tMb9nb8tXFqfwz8FZIi7TfAb23p8lbvPQUb0iqMuiv2LQIEYqYBnnGgisssX0Frf3UGaDxQQh9iFkJ89Jd8JMRAg4/s320/thumbs.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hand looks weird, but whatever. You get the idea.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
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</div><div>Seeds Family Worship essentially takes Bible verses and turns them into songs. <b>The end.</b></div><div><br />
</div><div>It's the simplest idea ever, but it's awesome. First of all, it's artfully done. The vocalists have nice voices, and the mostly acoustic-y music is catchy. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Secondly, if you listen to it,<i> you will</i> memorize scripture. <i>(Even if you have a lousy memory, like I do.)</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>Each cd is based on a theme, <i>(Courage, praise, faith etc.)</i> and there are currently 6 albums available. Each album you buy will include a second identical cd to share with a friend.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm not being compensated for this post, and in fact I've happily forked over my own cash for these. I just wanted to gush about something I really love.</div><div><br />
</div><div>We presently own the first three cds, with plans to buy the others.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Volume 1 is our favorite so far. Four year old V has memorized most of the songs (!) and walks around reciting verses all day. It's fantastic. </div><div><br />
</div><div>There are several <a href="http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/kids-stuff/">printables</a> on the Seeds Family Worship website, <i>(a chart to record memorized verses, and cards with the individual scriptures.)</i> You'll also find a wealth of related printables at <a href="http://www.biblestoryprintables.com/BibleVerseVisualsSeeds.html">Bible Story Printables. </a></div><div><br />
</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-88323676028861933672012-04-12T17:12:00.000-05:002012-04-12T17:12:01.608-05:00Second Grade Curriculum ChoicesFirst grade is nearly over at our house. We have a vacation coming up at the end of this month, and we'll tie up the rest of our loose ends in May. It's been a year full of hills and valleys here. We didn't get as much done as I'd wanted, <i>(will we ever?)</i> but we did enough. <div><br />
<div>It's time to plan for next year. We typically homeschool through out the summer, so second grade is just around the corner for us. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sLSnEC6qfTwGzf3LOMbrTiPKZJ-3paNQasQSk9X7uEqDw2K6vAJHRolH3Doqxg2vlD0ATuM8Oko6Go8kY5sRAFYQW9mx3dZKFWHObUi9LK4eWOdBjend-lntcuYjljg_r8PKPWg2Ee4/s1600/curriculum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sLSnEC6qfTwGzf3LOMbrTiPKZJ-3paNQasQSk9X7uEqDw2K6vAJHRolH3Doqxg2vlD0ATuM8Oko6Go8kY5sRAFYQW9mx3dZKFWHObUi9LK4eWOdBjend-lntcuYjljg_r8PKPWg2Ee4/s320/curriculum.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second grade homeschool curriculum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>We're going to be starting a new schedule for next year. Instead of taking several large chunks of time off though out the year, we're going to try taking a two week break every 5-6 weeks. I read about schools overseas using a similar schedule on someone's blog a while back, and it stuck with me. I love the idea of having built in breaks to keep us all from burning out, and I feel like I'll have more time to plan during the breaks.</div><div><br />
</div><div>We've purchased most of the necessary curriculum, and I've tentatively come up with a weekly schedule for us.<i>(More on that later.)</i> I thought I'd share some of the curriculum we'll be using next year, in case anyone else is brainstorming for ideas. The list isn't all inclusive, and is subject to change.<i> (Obviously we'll tweak anything that doesn't work. I'm also still on the TOS crew until at least late next fall, so we'll be throwing those review products into the mix as well. ) </i>A few of these products will be used daily, most once or twice a week.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>(Also I'm linking to Christianbook.com because they're frequently the cheapest source for new curriculum, but for the record I'm not an affiliate, and don't stand to gain anything from your clicks.)</i></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Math:</b> <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/singapore-math-primary-workbook-us-edition/9789810185008/pd/185008?item_code=WW&netp_id=514851&event=ESRCG&view=details">Singapore 2A/2B</a></div><div><b>Science/History/Social Studies: </b>We're going to be doing some unit studies that will cover these areas, but additionally, we'll be reading <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/vol-1-ancient-times-revised-softcover/susan-bauer/9781933339009/pd/339004?item_code=WW&netp_id=460536&event=ESRCQ&view=details">Story of the World</a>, and L will be continuing the <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/christian-liberty-nature-reader-book-2/9781930092525/pd/25732?product_redirect=1&Ntt=25732&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">Christian Liberty Nature Reader</a> series. <i>(He really likes these.)</i></div><div><b>Bible:</b> Aside from the actual Bible, we'll be using <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/studying-gods-word-basic-christian-doctrines/michael-mchugh/9781930092570/pd/249053?item_code=WW&netp_id=249976&event=ESRCG&view=details">Studying God's word Book B</a><i> (also by Christian Liberty Press, and also a continuation of a series that L has thus far enjoyed.)</i> Additionally, we'll be using the wonderful <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/seeds-family-worship-pack-6-cds/pd/CD28289?product_redirect=1&Ntt=CD28289&item_code=WW&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">Seeds Family Worship</a> cds, and a<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/discover-yourself-inductive-studies-prophecy-revelation/kay-arthur/9780736915274/pd/915273?product_redirect=1&Ntt=915273&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP"> Bible study on Revelation</a>, at L's request.</div><div><b>Reading/Language Arts:</b> We read <b><i>a lot</i></b> here. I still believe the best way to learn to read and write is to read and be read lots of books. We'll be continuing with the Little House books, and whatever else strikes our fancy. I've also purchased a <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/spectrum-language-2007-edition-grade-2/0769643027/pd/643027?item_code=WW&netp_id=460837&event=ESRCG&view=details">Spectrum Language Arts </a>workbook to cover things like parts of speech.</div><div><b>Handwriting: </b>We started using the <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/draw-write-now-books-1-6/marie-hablitzel/pd/7459?item_code=WW&netp_id=203637&event=ESRCG&view=details">Draw. Write Now.</a> books some time ago, and just sort of lost steam. We're going to pick those up again, because they're fun, and L can most definitely use the practice. </div><div><b>Art:</b> <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/artistic-pursuits-grades-introduction-visual-arts/brenda-ellis/9780981598215/pd/205560?product_redirect=1&Ntt=205560&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">Artistic Pursuits</a></div><div><b>Spanish:</b> I recently found out that our public library offers Mango language lessons for free to card holders. We're going to test drive it, and see what we think.<i> (I've heard good things about Mango, and the price is right.)</i></div><div><b>Extras:</b> The kiddos are going to be enrolled in Awana again. We're also looking into scouting for L next year.</div><div><br />
</div><div>All told, we're probably looking at about a half day of school work for L. </div><div><br />
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</div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-81041838634653792692012-04-09T07:00:00.023-05:002012-04-09T07:00:10.374-05:00The Granny Square ProjectAs soon as anyone finds out that you crochet, they put in a request for an afghan, like their grandma used to make.<br />
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I make a fair amount of baby blankets, but in general, I don't do many adult size blankets because I have a short attention span, and tend to lose steam about a third of the way through. I think non crocheters/knitters underestimate just how long it takes to crank out a blanket.<br />
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I have realized that folks also drastically underestimate how much the materials for such a blanket cost. Even if you use the cheapest acrylic yarn available, you're still talking about probably between $30-$50 for a blanket.<br />
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This year, I've decided to try to combine something I've been getting requests for, <i>(lots of blankets,)</i> with something I want, <i>(to trim down my ginormous thrifted-clearanced-inherited yarn stash.)</i> I'm going to spend the rest of the year making granny squares, and assemble the resulting pile into however many blankets I can come up with, to give at Christmas.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL457-Lx5WeLigW6PLdiatIbo7czO0WVM4eehrJ4BuAnxToVIeeg44ecjvRb7udSJgTHi_IA5CVaBMNhlQNZigt-OifZZ7k1c_Wm4iu3NEa5xSq73yZBcmeF_2pKcFQEIj3VmJvKBItw/s1600/granny+squares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYL457-Lx5WeLigW6PLdiatIbo7czO0WVM4eehrJ4BuAnxToVIeeg44ecjvRb7udSJgTHi_IA5CVaBMNhlQNZigt-OifZZ7k1c_Wm4iu3NEa5xSq73yZBcmeF_2pKcFQEIj3VmJvKBItw/s320/granny+squares.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granny Squares.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In an ideal scenario, I'd have enough to make about a half dozen blankets by Christmas. I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
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</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-17251167226800871612012-04-03T19:04:00.000-05:002012-04-03T19:04:32.826-05:00Dr Seuss Birthday PartyV celebrated her fourth birthday this past Saturday, Dr Seuss style.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0X0a_GDzQSW9jikOpK4XeL-V7X00QMa6Ubf3DvgovLVpJ3Tgh51fWjiGCS_0UQMIPA_wAQCTEZVzu-AqOg84r4cg0e2qeQeCfq9DZfdDCIZ0h5Cifcr-0GY-WyTauFpqCjHXcfkAdqQ/s1600/seussparty1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0X0a_GDzQSW9jikOpK4XeL-V7X00QMa6Ubf3DvgovLVpJ3Tgh51fWjiGCS_0UQMIPA_wAQCTEZVzu-AqOg84r4cg0e2qeQeCfq9DZfdDCIZ0h5Cifcr-0GY-WyTauFpqCjHXcfkAdqQ/s320/seussparty1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorax wall decor, made of poster board and a plastic tablecloth.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We had a blast at her party, and everyone loved the theme. My sister took most of the pictures, since I was busy playing hostess, and she hasn't sent them to me yet, but I thought I'd share a few I had on my phone.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9sK5owHYC1jIU8AwzLRmNZXgxW_jJNpvfakyuM0rTLQc4YVS0KZbLnalfjMsgkJBgvk6SjN7kske67HIEM_5v31KvyFQ2J3wDt_sLQhUEmJQzYTJtdOEhHnW7Mz4n_95AVirBGoF9N8/s1600/seussparty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9sK5owHYC1jIU8AwzLRmNZXgxW_jJNpvfakyuM0rTLQc4YVS0KZbLnalfjMsgkJBgvk6SjN7kske67HIEM_5v31KvyFQ2J3wDt_sLQhUEmJQzYTJtdOEhHnW7Mz4n_95AVirBGoF9N8/s320/seussparty2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book page bunting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'd picked up several old copies of Dr Seuss books at Goodwill, which I massacred to make decorative items. <i>( It totally felt wrong to chop up good books, but the decorations turned out great, and we're keeping some of them for the play room.)</i> The above picture shows one of several buntings made out of book pages and bias tape, inspired by <a href="http://1pureheart.blogspot.com/2011/02/dr-seuss-bunting.html">this post at Real Life, One Day at a Time</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOP-5wpOUT9qwDGOOAVMlQ-kuXFlHtp2XN54wtZhzQ9UznRuhoCHtueojw6DwNg_Qc_KdTz_ZObM7tBDI1yg0bhydpxWYIwyAIC0ZRaxMODXahCvD5P7LapxkFEAHomCOl8DoIDtsjXk/s1600/seussparty3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOP-5wpOUT9qwDGOOAVMlQ-kuXFlHtp2XN54wtZhzQ9UznRuhoCHtueojw6DwNg_Qc_KdTz_ZObM7tBDI1yg0bhydpxWYIwyAIC0ZRaxMODXahCvD5P7LapxkFEAHomCOl8DoIDtsjXk/s320/seussparty3.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balloons!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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I blew up something like 70 balloons, and hung them up all over the dining room. I thought I might pass out afterwards, but you can't beat balloons for high impact, low cost decorating.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXcJabOuU6_GwDTuq0RGgVkNSrCrCPJaLTSZc6dtfrp7eEA9pD_qJWNjpPV-lZDNUS1tboSXypEUW16G6yu6NHiDL_lfBaFzebIcsxY6N8Ag-L2tlPImDgoEm0lWICbkQ_uCCCOPmUFg/s1600/seussparty4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXcJabOuU6_GwDTuq0RGgVkNSrCrCPJaLTSZc6dtfrp7eEA9pD_qJWNjpPV-lZDNUS1tboSXypEUW16G6yu6NHiDL_lfBaFzebIcsxY6N8Ag-L2tlPImDgoEm0lWICbkQ_uCCCOPmUFg/s320/seussparty4.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balloon column at our Dr Seuss party.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I made Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes, like the ones found on <a href="http://karaspartyideas.com/2009/07/dr-seuss-baby-shower.html">this post at Kara's Party Ideas</a>. They turned out super cute, but the humidity literally melted the cotton candy into little blue puddles within about 30 minutes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiENe-gnG7QzOpdsBJjCPBfeDYNVTLrxa7PHHSwWGOUb-iXVQ60Mv5sOVR37qLCPxuKajqJJmLDFtu2nz_X3qP1-mK3XEosAUIN7hmBdj9vX8XIfhJ_I9jEhxp5MJJpz-3NmJCYRU3aaY/s1600/seussparty5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiENe-gnG7QzOpdsBJjCPBfeDYNVTLrxa7PHHSwWGOUb-iXVQ60Mv5sOVR37qLCPxuKajqJJmLDFtu2nz_X3qP1-mK3XEosAUIN7hmBdj9vX8XIfhJ_I9jEhxp5MJJpz-3NmJCYRU3aaY/s320/seussparty5.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes, before the humidity took its toll.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Oh well. Can't win e'm all, right?<div><br />
</div><div>I'll probably follow up with a part two once my sis gets around to sharing her pics. </div><div><br />
</div><div>V's already trying to plan <i>next </i>year's party...<br />
<br />
</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7784092352521633959.post-8880250221580435702012-03-27T19:18:00.000-05:002012-03-27T19:18:12.875-05:00Knock, Knock. HousekeepingIt's been a bit since I've updated here, so I've got a little housekeeping to take care of.<br />
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First of all, the winners of the Farm Rich giveaway were entry #1, Shannon, from <a href="http://lettersnumbersandbooksohmy.blogspot.com/">Letters Numbers and Books oh my! </a> and entry number #4, Aubrey, from <a href="http://aubreyln.blogspot.com/">make believe</a>.<br />
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We're gearing up for V's fourth birthday this Saturday, and I'm in maximum freak out mode. There's lots to be done, baked, cleaned, and so on. <i>(Expect lots of pictures of this labor of love next week!)</i><br />
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In other news, I'm finally feeling better. After nearly 5 months of feeling sicker than I <i>ever</i> have, and running up thousands of dollars of medical bills, my recovery seems to have been brought on, at least in part by, a $15 bottle of probiotics. I feel like a real <i>(live,)</i> person again<b>.</b> V had taken to asking me multiple times a day if "my tummy was <i>still</i> hurting." I finally get to say, no, it's not. <b>I'm so excited.</b><br />
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I'm looking forward to getting things back to normal, both in real life, and here on the blog. I have so much to catch up on. I think I'll start by coloring my woefully neglected hair...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10361998290482447162noreply@blogger.com1