Supermom's Homeschool Blog

CC cycle 3 week 14

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

CC cycle 3 week 13

2012-01-15T10:56:00.000-05:00

This episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy does a great job explaining about atoms, and at the end he even does the science experiment we did this week!This video has our science info for weeks 13-15:This version of the video has science for weeks 13-24English for weeks 13-17:

CC Cycle 3 Chemistry Resources

2012-01-15T10:47:00.002-05:00

These might come in handy when learning the periodic table of elements in second semester:

And also check out the Periodic Table in pictures here.

CC Cycle 3 Latin Lapbook

2011-12-22T16:59:00.004-05:00

I found out about this neat resource today and thought that others would enjoy it. Latin Lapbook here. Enjoy!

CC cycle 3 week 12

2011-11-21T09:01:00.000-05:00

CC cycle 3 week 11

2011-11-14T13:13:00.000-05:00

CC cycle 3 week 10

2011-11-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

Tin Whistle Resources

2011-11-04T14:50:00.002-04:00

Very handy not only for tutors and subs, but also for parents working on tin whistle skills at home!

This site looks helpful as well. Includes starter, intermediate, advanced, and tricky tunes, and more.

CC cycle 3 week 9

2011-10-31T12:30:00.002-04:00

I found some videos showing the amazing architecture and art in the Hagia Sophia, since it went with one of our history cards for this week. Hard to imagine how they built such an amazing structure that has endured for so long without any large machinery, power tools, or stores to build supplies at!

More CC Cycle 3 Resources

2011-10-26T23:34:00.003-04:00

I found out about this great blog that takes cycle 3 week by week and includes references to various Usborne books as well as Netflix instant play shows, movies, and documentaries that coordinate with what we're learning each week. So nice to have all of that put together for us!

Also, the other day I discovered an app called Stack the States. It's a really fun game for kids to learn about the states, capitals, major cities and landmarks of the states, what states border each other, and more. There is a free version and the full version is a whopping 99 cents. My kids ages 8, 10, 11, 13, and even the 15 year old have been enjoying playing it today. A portable, fun way to reinforce our study of the 50 states!

CC cycle 3 week 8

2011-10-24T13:02:00.000-04:00

CC cycle 3 week 7

2011-10-17T20:19:00.000-04:00

50 States and Capitals Song

2011-10-04T23:52:00.002-04:00

This is a fun way to help remember all of the US states and capitals!

Bonus points if you sing it with the accent! ;)

CC cycle 3 week 6

2011-10-03T12:53:00.002-04:00

I thought this was interesting for a visual understanding of the inner ear and balance, which we learned about in science this week:

CC Cycle 3 Week 5

2011-09-26T09:24:00.001-04:00

CC cycle 3 week 4

2011-09-19T15:57:00.000-04:00

CC cycle 3 week 1

2011-09-17T16:05:00.006-04:00

CC cycle 3 week 2

2011-09-17T16:02:00.006-04:00

CC cycle 3 week 3

2011-09-17T15:58:00.007-04:00

Classical Conversations

2011-09-17T15:54:00.002-04:00

This year we decided to join Classical Conversations and we are loving it! What a great program, and so nice for my sons to have other adults helping them to learn, friends to see each week, and the motivation to keep moving ahead. I wish we had been able to do this years ago! I plan to add helpful videos and resources I have found for the memory work and so on.

Facebook Party Free For All: Supercharged Science

2011-07-07T20:30:00.000-04:00

If you have not yet experienced Supercharged Science with your children, boy-oh-boy are you missing out! Using this program during our 2010-11 school year was a BLAST! My husband did the projects with our four youngest boys and THEY LOVED IT!

Supercharged Science has some cool freebies that you can check out to get a feel for the program. I am including just a few of them here. You and your kids are going to love it!

400 Science Experiment Guide ($25 value)

This experiment guide includes:

Over 30 complete experiments...
Defy gravity as you levitate water
Crush a soda can using a few drops of water
Make an indoor corkscrew roller coaster
Stick your kid inside a real bubble
Grow crystals overnight
Create and crack your own geodes
Build a flying machine that shouldn't be able to fly at all
...and much more!

Your kids will be so jazzed about science that they'll be begging to learn more. This eBook download comes bundled with the Rocket Scientist Newsletter, which includes a weekly free science experiment in your email box. Get it here.

401 Science Activity Manual and Video Collection ($30 value)
Cool science experiments! Did you know that you can bend light to make objects disappear? Make the fourth state of matter in your microwave? Build a speaker from a plate? You can do all these activities and more in our free Science Guide!

Simply click here to download a copy of the Homeschool Science Activity Manual & Video Guide. Save it to your computer - it's in PDF format.

402 Science Activity Video Series & Guidebook ($30 value)

Five more cool science experiments! Launch a rocket onto the roof using chemistry, build a simple hovercraft from an old CD, learn how to build a compound microscope, and more.

Since the first one of these (above) was so popular, we decided to release a second! The hoovercraft project is a favorite of my boys. Easy to do and very rewarding! Click here to get it.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we have! Aurora Lipper is an excellent science teacher and this program is top-notch!

Facebook Party Giveaway: Guitar Lessons

2011-07-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

Melody Maker's Guitar School in Lexington, KY is offering a free 30-minute guitar lesson to two lucky winners! Obviously you will need to be in the Lexington area in order to take advantage of this. :)

To enter this drawing:

1. Go Like Melody Maker's Guitar School on Facebook, then leave a comment here letting me know you did.

2. Leave another comment telling if your children play any musical instruments, what they are, or what they would like to play! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WHEN COMMENTING! :)

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time tonite.

Facebook Party giveaway: Artistic Nature Unit Studies

2011-07-07T20:20:00.000-04:00

LightHome publishes Artistic Nature magazine, and they are going to give away 12 different editions of it tonite! (Yes, there will be 12 winners!)

The magazine themes that will be given away are:
Gardening
Nesting Birds
America the Beautiful
Sea Mammals
American Deserts
Animal Homes
Australian Animals
Ocean Fish
Insect Life Cycles
Antarctic Wildlife
Life in the Arctic Circle
African Safari

To enter this prize drawing with multiple chances:

1. Like LightHome Publications on Facebook, then leave a comment here letting me know you did.

2. Leave a comment telling me what theme you would pick if you are the winner!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN EVERY COMMENT! :)

LightHome has some additional special offers for you to take note of. Here is a word from the owner:

We also want to offer your FB followers an additional deal: If by midnight Friday night (7/8) they like us on FB and buy 3 of our

products on CurrClick.com, we will give them a 4th product free. They must

a. Like our FB page

b. Buy the 3 products (send them to www.lighthome.net, which goes to our CurrClick publisher page), and

c. Send us an e-mail (lighthomepublications@gmail.com) with their CurrClick order number(s) and/or customer number, their name, and the name of the product they would like to receive free.

We will, in return, send them a coupon for that free product.

PHOTO CONTEST

We are having a PHOTO CONTEST, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes of free subscriptions to Artistic Nature Magazine and free e-

books, along with up to 100 runner-up prizes of a free e-book of their choice. For details, click here.(Deadline is August 1.)

Facebook Party Free For All: Hands of a Child

2011-07-07T20:15:00.000-04:00

Hands of a Child has kindly offered a freebie for all of you. It is a 73-page literature study guide based on the book The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader! It includes a ton of great items for a complete unit study and lap book. You can get this great freebie by clicking here.

Hands of a Child is also offering all of you a great 35% discount on any purchase. Just use the code SavyShopper!

If you're interested in keeping up with this business, you can subscribe to their newsletter, or Like them on Facebook!

Facebook Party Giveaway: Teach With Games

2011-07-07T20:10:00.001-04:00

Teach with Games is offering prizes to three lucky winners! Each winner will receive a free game set that includes 12-15 educational printable games!

To get multiple chances to win:

1. Like the Teach with Games Facebook page, then leave a comment letting me know you did.

2. Register yourself on the Teach with Games website. You'll receive 5 FREE games just for doing that! Leave a comment here telling me that you registered at TeachWithGames.com.

There are many free samples on their site, so be sure to check it out!

DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ON EACH COMMENT!

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time.

Facebook Party Giveaway: Organized Ramblings

2011-07-07T20:05:00.000-04:00

Are you a new homeschooler looking for answers to questions?

Are you an experienced homeschooler in danger of burning out?

Cathy Jaime, Mom of 12, has words of encouragement for each of you. With almost 30 years of homeschooling experience, she has seen much, cried much, and lived to share her experiences with you.

She doesn't have all the answers -- but she is happy to share her experiences with you -- from unit studies to teaching teens to traveling with children!

Catherine has kindly offered to give away 3 copies of this ebook tonite!

In order to get multiple entries to win:

1. Leave a comment telling one of your greatest challenges as a homeschool mom.

2. Sign up for the newsletter at Catherine's site, then come back here and leave a comment tell me you did that.

3. Like Creative Learning Connection on Facebook, then leave a comment telling me you did.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT! :)

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time.

Facebook Party Giveaway: Math Facts Fun Deluxe

2011-07-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

Math must be practiced to be remembered. Practice takes time, and patience, and can wear on both the teachers and the students! But games take practice to another dimension. This game is designed to help with practice at all levels of math ability -- but in a fun, bingo-type setting.

Catherine Jaime has kindly offered to give away 3 copies of her Math Facts Fun Deluxe Game tonite!

To get multiple entries for this drawing:

1. Leave a comment telling one of the challenges you face in teaching math to your children.

2. Join the newsletter at Catherine's website, then leave a comment here telling me you did.

3. Like Creative Learning Connection on Facebook, then leave a comment here telling me you did.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT! :)

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time tonite!

Facebook Party Giveaway: Ultimate Homeschool Expo

2011-07-07T19:55:00.001-04:00

Win a FREE ticket to the Ultimate Homeschool Expo! This event has just passed, but the ticket will still give you access to over 100 sessions and lots of freebies!

You can get two entries into this drawing:

1. Leave a comment, including your email address.

2. Like the Ultimate Homeschool Expo FB page, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know that you did.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT!

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time.

Facebook Party Giveaway: A Journey Through Learning Lapbook

2011-07-07T19:50:00.001-04:00

A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks has generously offered to give away one instant download lapbook of the winner's choice!

You should check out their site--they have a lot to choose from, not only of lapbooks, but also copywork, notebooking pages, unit studies, and more!

PLUS, when you sign up for their newsletter you will get a FREE Overview of the 17th Century lapbook!

To enter this giveaway and get multiple chances to win:

1. Leave a comment telling me if you have ever used lapbooks in your homeschool and how you liked it.

2. Visit A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks. Then leave a comment telling me which lapbook you think you would pick if you were the winner.

3. Go Like a Journey Through Learning on their Facebook page, then leave a comment here letting me know you have done so.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT! :)

This drawing closes at 9pm. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Facebook Party Giveaway: Reach for the Stars

2011-07-07T19:45:00.001-04:00

Media Angels, Inc. is offering a wonderful 144-page e-book workbook for budding young authors. It includes sections on creating characters, how to "show-don't tell" their feelings, beginnings that "hook" the reader, creating scenes, plotting stories and much more! Students can work at their own pace and on their own. Reach for the Stars also works great in home school co-ops and in classrooms. Includes a parent/teacher guide with hints for expanding the lessons if desired. Grades 3-8. Reach for the Stars! An $18.95 value!

To get multiple chances to win this book:

1. Leave a comment telling about the biggest challenge or joy you experience in teaching writing with your children.

2. Like the Media Angels page on Facebook, then leave a comment telling me you have done so.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT!

Also, check out the freebies page at Media Angels. There is a lot of great stuff there that you can use!

This giveaway ends at 9pm Eastern time.

Facebook Party Giveaway: TruthQuest History Gift Certificate

2011-07-07T19:40:00.000-04:00

TruthQuest History has generously donated a $20 gift certificate to be used toward the purchase of any TruthQuest History guide.

You can get multiple chances to win this prize!

1. Leave a comment here telling us what history guide you think you would pick if you win. (You can see them here)

2. Like the TruthQuest History page on facebook!

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT!

Contest ends at 9pm Eastern time. :)

Facebook Party Giveaway: Land of Enchantment print

2011-07-07T19:35:00.001-04:00

Jill Evely is also sponsoring this wonderful giveaway. It is a print of Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post work, Land of Enchantment. It features many classic storybook characters in the background, and two boys reading in the front. Full-color 12.75" x 23" print on heavy art stock. Custom-printed with an extra-wide border. Perfect for the mat and frame of your choice!

Jill will send one of these to a lucky winner.

To enter this drawing:

1. Like Jill's Sonlight Consultant page on Facebook and then leave a comment letting me know you did.

2. Leave a comment telling about one of your favorite childhood (or current!) storybook characters.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EVERY COMMENT!

Drawing ends at 9pm Eastern time tonite.

Facebook Party Giveaway: Sonlight Readers!

2011-07-07T19:30:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that Sonlight is a hugely popular curriculum choice. Why? Many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is THE BOOKS!

The books included in Sonlight are so enriching and wonderful, your whole family will enjoy them.

Sonlight consultant Jill Evely is a personal friend of mine and is a wealth of information and encouragement for homeschoolers! Jill is the mother of 5 grown children and has 17 years of homeschooling experience. Jill has been representing Sonlight at State Homeschool Conventions and locally for 13 years. She loves to help people figure out a custom plan for their family that meets their needs and their budget. She is the perfect person to talk to if you do not know what core to use, or how to use Sonlight with your multiple children or while taking into account your family's specific needs. All of this is a FREE service for you! Jill doesn't take orders, so there is no pressure on you to buy anything. Just good, solid guidance, and you can place your order with Sonlight when you are ready.

Jill says, "It is my joy and pleasure to encourage homeschool parents and I would love to help you. "

Jill has generously offered to send a nice selection of Sonlight books to one lucky winner! These are perfect for reading aloud to children in 2nd grade through middle school and higher:
Shades of Gray--an award winning, thought-provoking book about a boy who was orphaned by the Civil War;
The School Story--A 12 year old girl writes a book and then tries to get it published. It is a fascinating glimpse into the world of book publishing;
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman--Fascinating biography of the black woman who risked her life helping other slaves reach freedom.

Reading aloud strengthens families, increases listening skills, develops higher vocabulary and is just good clean fun.

To get multiple chances to win in this drawing:

1. Get one chance in the drawing by Liking Jill's Sonlight Consultant Page on FB. Leave a comment here letting me know you've done that.

2. Get another chance in the drawing by leaving a comment telling the title of one of your favorite books to read to your children!

Don't forget to leave your email address with your comment so I can contact you if you are the winner!

You can enter this giveaway until 9pm Eastern time tonite.

Facebook Party Free For All: Supermom's Simple Guide to Healthier Eating

2011-07-07T19:25:00.001-04:00

Since Supermom's Homeschool isn't a business, I don't have any direct items to promote tonite. However, I didn't want the night to pass by without giving each and every one of you something free! So I wanted to mention that you can get a FREE copy of my ebook Supermom's Simple Guide to Healthier Eating for Beginners and Beyond here. I hope it is helpful to you!

Also, whether you are already familiar with my health and wellness business or not, I wanted to offer a special discount for my party friends. From now through tomorrow (so you have time to browse) you can get 15% off your entire order at my store, Supermom's Health and Wellness. The products most loved by my fellow homeschool moms includes SuperMom and SuperDad vitamins, and Bee Strong and Berry Well, which give a great energy boost that we all tend to need! Just click through this link to automatically get the price reduction. (psst...the discount will even be taken on items that are currently on sale!)

Facebook Party Giveaway: Picture and Writing, Older Ages

2011-07-07T19:20:00.003-04:00

This is a great ebook for older children in grades 5-8, offering them art and writing prompts to get their creativity flowing! Diane Hurst from Gentle Shepherd has generously offered to give away 5 copies of this ebook tonite!

Gentle Shepherd is a homeschool curriculum business, offering unique and creative learning materials for a variety of age groups—from preschool to middle school. Their website is: www.gentleshepherd.biz, and their Facebook page is facebook.com/GentleShep.

To get multiple chances in this drawing:

1. Go Like Gentle Shepherd on Facebook and then leave a comment here letting us know that you did so.

2. Check out the Art section of the Gentle Shepherd website, then leave a comment here telling about something you liked or found interesting there.

3. Post on Facebook, telling your friends about this giveaway, then leave a comment here letting us know you did.

BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH EACH COMMENT! :)

Entries for this drawing end at 9pm Eastern time tonite.

**Gentle Shepherd has also generously offered a coupon for 30% off any Gentle Shepherd order, good until July 10. The coupon code for this discount is: PICTUREWRITING

Facebook Party Free For All: Classical Composers Monthly

2011-07-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

I have always enjoyed classical music and wanted to share it with my children, but with the busy pace of life and the limits to the homeschooling budget, I never got around to any sort of organized way to do it. Inevitably, the various CDs I had on hand were forgotten and unused.

My oldest son Micah and I decided to create a simple way for families just like ours to learn about and appreciate the work of classical music composers without a big expense and with little-to-no prep time for the mom. The result is Classical Composers Monthly!

Micah and I have scoured the internet for the very best resources we could find, and have packaged them up in a simple, accessible way that doesn't require any special technical knowledge. It saves busy homeschools moms a ton of time and frustration, and gets the kids engaged quickly and easily.

You are all welcome to check out our collection about George Frideric Handel for FREE! There are a bunch of videos, audios, ebooks, and more to help you and your children get to know him and his work!

Facebook Party Giveaway: Times Tales DVD!

2011-07-07T19:10:00.001-04:00

If you have read my blog very much, you know that I *love* the Times Tales products! (read my initial testimonial here, and the updated one here) My boys went from zero to memorization with the more difficult multiplication facts thanks to this program. Now that they have the Times Tales DVD, life is even sweeter, because it's one. less. thing. that has to be run on Mom Power. I can serve up lunch plus put the Times Tales DVD on for the boys to get a nice review, and I can take a break! Good stuff. Seriously.

The kind folks at Trigger Memory Systems are willing to give away a copy of their Times Tales DVD to one lucky winner! Here's how to get multiple chances in the drawing:

1. Leave a comment below this post telling us you'd like to win.
2. Go Like Trigger Memory Systems on Facebook, then leave a comment here telling that you did that.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!

This giveaway will end at 9pm Eastern time tonite!

Facebook Party Free For All: Creatively Simple Soft Serve Desserts

2011-07-07T19:05:00.000-04:00

Penny Raine has so kindly offered a FREE GIFT for everybody here at the party! It is her ebook Creatively Simple: How to Make Homemade Healthy Soft Serve Dessert!

You can get this sweet goodie here. Be sure to notice that underneath the download, there is an opportunity to sign up for Penny's newsletter. You will get another freebie right away, PLUS she gives away a freebie every week! She is a wealth of information, and a super sweet person. I know you will be glad you got to know her.

It's Time to Party!

2011-07-07T19:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Supermom's Homeschool Facebook Party and Curriculum Swap!

I am so glad you decided to join us tonite.

How to party, Facebook style:

1. Watch the Supermom's Homeschool wall as much as you can throughout the party. You may want to open secondary windows in order to get involved with the prize drawings and other fun activities that we will have happening.

You'll want to *refresh* your page frequently, because new posts will be coming up all the time.

Introduce yourself in your own post on the wall!

Say hello to others.

We will have some special guests from various homeschool-related businesses with us, and you will be able to ask them questions about what their business has to offer, or about their area of expertise! So once you see them introduce themselves, just jump in and start talking!

2. In order to participate in the curriculum swap, you need to have an item that you want to give to someone else for FREE. (if you need the person receiving the item to pay for shipping, that's ok) Please read the details on how to participate in the swap HERE and go ahead and get started on it!

Please do not post items that you have for sale. We are going to have enough going on at the group wall without adding that level of chaos. :)

3. Prize giveaways and special offers will be announced throughout the party. We have so many that they will be rolling out pretty fast. There will be a fresh FB post for the group when each one starts, so follow the clickety-click link to read the fine print and try to win yourself some fun stuff! Be sure to include your email address in every entry so we can reach you!

4. Tell your friends! Go post on your own facebook status to let others know about what we've got going on. The more, the merrier!

5. The party will end at 9pm Eastern time. If you win a prize, you will be notified by email, assuming that you left an email with your entry. (Don't forget!)

6. If you have any questions, post it on the group wall and I will do my best to answer promptly!

**If something crazy happens, like my internet service goes kaput or a meteor drops on my house, here's what I want you to do: Just keep going. Refresh this here blog page. Each and every giveaway is scheduled to show up here every 5 minutes from 7:05 to 8:30pm. Just have fun with it, talk to each other, ask questions of our business representatives, tell about your own homeschooling life, swap your stuff! I know it won't be the same without my cheerful chatter, but I'm sure you can all get along with out me. You know. If you *had* to. ;)

Here's How to Participate in the Curriculum Swap

2011-07-06T18:26:00.000-04:00

My idea for the curriculum swap is this:

It is fun to give things away!

It is fun to receive things!

Some people have things to give away.

Some people need things or would enjoy receiving something.

This is not going to be a swap as far as you-give-something, you-get-something.

This is going to be a give-if-you-want-to, request-if-you-want-to event.

I don't have the time or desire to micromanage this, so here's what I'm thinking so we can all play nice:

On July 7, 2011, from 7-9pm Eastern time ONLY, please post on the Supermom's Homeschool wall if you have something homeschool-related that you'd like to give away. Let people know all pertinent info on the item, and if you want some money for shipping, and how much that amount is. Is it just for US residents? Can Canadians or others participate?

To keep it simple, just have those that want to be considered for your giveaway comment under your wall post during the party.

You pick somebody to give your item to, and work out the details between the two of you through private message. Givers, please follow through on sending, and receivers, please follow through on the shipping cost, if that was part of the deal.

You can pick who to give your item to based on your own criteria, whether it be random pick, first-come-first-served, or whatever you come up with. Maybe you want people to tell you why they need it. I don't know, but that's for you to decide, and as long as it all stays family-friendly, anything goes.

To keep it all simple, givers please choose who you are giving to by the end of the evening, if you can.

Obviously, I cannot take responsibility for the success or lack thereof of the swaps you arrange. Swap at your own risk. :)

I hope you all have fun with this! Help spread the word. The more, the merrier! Don't you agree?

July 7: Facebook Party and Curriculum Swap!

2011-06-23T15:35:00.002-04:00

We are going to try something new and fun on July 7! We'll be having a Facebook party and a curriculum swap from 7-9pm Eastern time.

What's that? Well, I'll tell you.

At 7pm you'll want to join us on the Supermom's Homeschool wall on Facebook. If you haven't "liked" us yet, do it today so you'll be reminded as we get closer to our big event!

The party portion of the event will include:

-door prizes
-drawings, discounts, etc. from various homeschool-related businesses
-and hopefully we will have some experts from some of your favorite curriculum providers on hand to answer your questions!
-hopefully lots of party participants that want to get to know each other and tell about their own favorite blogs, resources, share support and encouragement...whatever!
-and hopefully more stuff that we will figure out between now and then

The curriculum swap is going to work like this:

-If you've got some curriculum item in good condition that you'd like to give away, you can do so.
-If you've got some curriculum needs and see something being offered that you'd like to have, you can ask the giver for it.

Whether or not the giver or receiver will pay shipping, comment on your blog, "like" you on facebook, or whatever else, remains to be seen. I'll be working out the kinks (hopefully) as our party night draws closer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm organizing this facebook party in order to do something fun, increase the amount of fellow homeschoolers in our group, and because I think most of us gals like a swap meet--especially when it comes to clearing our shelves or getting good deals and freebies!

Tell your friends about our facebook page, because that's going to be the "hub" of the party action. Some aspects of the party will be posted about here on the blog as well, so anybody philosophically opposed to facebook can still get in on at least some of the fun. :)

Poker Chips in our Homeschool

2011-03-28T09:29:00.005-04:00

Like most children, mine enjoy rewards. Like most moms, I find that incentives are a great tool for encouraging, rewarding, and teaching. Poker chips have been an easy and fun way for us to do all of those things.

I purchased a set of poker chips at Walmart for maybe $10. Since we use a color-coding system at our house, this was perfect. Red, blue, and green were represented in the chips. We use black as an alternate color for our child who normally uses yellow, since sometimes yellow is hard to find. And when my daughter was using pink, we would use white chips for her. The colors of the chips is important to us because it eliminates any confusion about whose chips these are. If we find a red chip on the floor, we know immediately who it belongs to. No squabbles, and no temptation to pocket it. :)

My children earn chips for various aspects of their school work and chores. Additionally, I often have 1 extra habit I am trying to encourage that I will use chips for. For instance, although my boys have been unloading the dishwasher when asked, they would avoid ever unloading unless asked, even if they could see that it needed to be done. Also, when I started them out on the unloading I only asked them to unload 30 items each, which turned into them often acting like it would kill them to do an extra item or two, or everybody leaving the last 7 items because "I already did my 30!!" Yeah. Well, what needs to happen now that they all know how to unload the dishwasher, is the next step of seeing a need and taking care of it, and completing a job cheerfully. So I recently put a new chip incentive into place: If you see that the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and you just go ahead and do it, you'll get 1 chip per 30 items, or 3 chips to complete the whole thing. Now I have kids eager to know when the dishes are done, and they are now completing the job themselves. Easy for me, and fun for them. After about a month of this I will phase out the chips and they will be doing the job hassle-free, for the most part.

I have used incentives like this for better behavior at bed time, quicker getting out of bed in the morning, and other things like that. I try to just have one extra thing like that going on at a time, just because it's simpler, and I think it's more effective to establish one habit strongly at a time.

We have a treasure box (a really cool one that we found at Hobby Lobby, but you can use a shoebox or any kind of box) that contains goodies that the kids can purchase with their chips. You can put whatever items in it that your children would like and that you approve of. Little toys from the dollar store or Oriental Trading Post, cute school supplies, art supplies, candy, food treats that they enjoy, whatever works for you. I tend to equate each chip with about a 25 cent value (or less) of what I pay for the goodies. You may choose to do differently according to your budget and what your kids have to do to earn the chips. Sometimes I get really good bargains on items with a sale and coupons, but even if I get them at a cheaper price, if the kids are used to that item being 2 chips to buy, I just leave it at that. Simple rules the day!

We generally have the treasure box open once a week (Saturday morning) so the kids can buy their rewards. For younger kids that may be too long to wait, so maybe at the end of each school day will work better for you.

I do offer a cash buy-out option as well, so if my kids are in need of money, I will buy their chips back from them for 25 cents a piece. They only take advantage of that rarely, but they like that when they are needing money for something.

My boys are now 8-12 and they still look forward to buying items from the treasure box. We have been doing this for probably 3 years now and it still works great. Keep it simple for best success!

Color-Coding our Homeschool

2011-03-28T09:07:00.005-04:00

One thing that has been an enduring help to my family in our homeschooling is color-coding. For the 5 children that needed colors, I picked colors that would be reasonably easy to find items in those colors. So, we have red, blue, green, yellow/black, and pink/purple. Several years ago I got everybody set up with:

1. a file folder box with a handle to make it easy to carry. I tried to get them in colors when possible. For the kids that I could not find their color, I got black boxes and then used colored electrical tape to label the front and side of their box. (purchased at walmart near duct tape, etc.)

-we have one like this which is nice because they can store their pens, pencils, etc. in the top area

-Each child keeps their own workbooks and notebooks in their own box, as well as basic supplies that they should always have handy like pencil, pen, crayons or markers, scissors, etc.

-I purchased a metal book end for each box, because some of the workbooks were falling over and fitting tightly into the bottom of the file box, making it difficult to get out. You can find these at library supply stores for $3-4 each. I got them in colors, which was fun.

-When it is time to do school, the child knows to just get their box and bring it to the table. They should have all of their books and supplies there, so we can smoothly work through their assignments without "Oh no! Where's my math book!?" When they are done with their seatwork they put everything back into their box and put it back on the shelf where it belongs.

2. When I purchase spiral notebooks, folders, journal notebooks, etc. I always try to get them in each child's color. it makes it easy to identify whose item it is at a glance.

3. We use the electrical tape to color code lots of things that could easily get confused: mp3 players, pens and pencils, electronic equipment, games, etc. It is easy and economical and cuts down on the whole "No that one was mine!" phenomenon.

4. We use poker chips as incentive currency at our house, and that works great with the color coding also. Each child only earns chips in their own color, so we never have a problem with not knowing which chips belong to a child. If we find a stray red chip, we know it goes to the kid who uses red. Easy! :)

Want to watch a Rocket Launch?

2011-02-22T09:15:00.002-05:00

One of the new programs my family has been using this year is Supercharged Science. We have loved it SO much. It's an incredible program taught by a lovely gal, Aurora Lipper, who is a real Rocket Scientist, as well as a mechanical engineer, and former professor at Cal Poly University. Even better--she does a *wonderful* job of teaching and engaging homeschool students (and their parents!) through her video classes.

Tomorrow Aurora is offering a *FREE* online tele-class about Rocketry that you and your children are welcome to attend. We have participated in several of Aurora's live tele-classes and they are always awesome, so I'm sure this one will be too. Seriously--my boys ooh and aaah the whole time, and *remember* what they learned, too!

Right after the class, there is a real rocket launch of a Taurus XL rocket that will carry a satellite into orbit. She’s going to give us the live video feed for this so we can have a front row seat. My boys are going to love this!

In order to attend the class you need to register here. Just click on over and get set up!

Times Tales DVD: Another winner!

2011-01-19T16:10:00.002-05:00

As I've been happy to tell about for several years, my boys have really benefited from the Times Tales program. It's quite like magic to them to learn the more difficult multiplication facts so easily. :)

Every so often I realize that they would benefit from a review of the Times Tales stories, but inevitably I would forget to do it. So I was really excited to see the Times Tales DVD coming out.

It arrived yesterday, so today I took advantage of lunch time to have my 4 younger boys watch the video. The two younger ones aren't doing multiplication quite yet and hadn't gone through the program before. The older two have done the program but hadn't had a review for a long time.

They really enjoyed it. My 10 year old said that the DVD was even better than the regular program. My 7 and 9 year olds caught on very quickly and were excited to know the answers to the flash cards in such a short amount of time. :) The graphics, narration, and background music are cheerful and enjoyable, but don't get the kids hyper.

To me, this program is the best both for the fun of the content, and the ease of success for the student. It's great whether you homeschool or not. For me, having one less thing in our day that has to be Mom-Powered is a help. (I know other moms can identify)

I expect that we will get this DVD out every week or two for a quick review while the boys are getting the hang of it, and then on an as-needed basis from there. Highly recommended.

You can watch the Times Tales DVD Video here.

Times Tales DVD!

2011-01-01T21:17:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I love Times Tales for helping kids memorize the trickier multiplication facts. So often I will be observing my kids doing their math and think that I should get out the stuff to review the Times Tales stories with them. A lot of the time I forget to do it. (sigh) Now the Times Tales DVD makes success that much better by reviewing the stories for your child, so you don't have to use any Mom Power to get the job done. Yay!

Clickety click to order your DVD now. It is scheduled to ship Jan. 15, so you get a discounted price for your pre-order. Use coupon code 5MORE! to get an additional 5% off. Sweet!

Do your kids ask to go to public school?

2010-08-20T17:34:00.001-04:00

This came up in the facebook group today:

Sara asks: Do your kids like homeschool or do
they ever ask if they can go to public? do you give your Kids a choice
or make it for them? I homeschool my 3 boys and my oldest who is now 12
going on 13 seems to think the grass is always greener on the other
side. Does anyone else have this topic come up with their olde...r
children?

Sara, my kids do ask about it sometimes. We have had our kids in public school at times and homeschooled at other times. Generally speaking we try to go year-by-year and kid-by-kid to choose the school situation that we believe will be best for them. I do listen to what they are wanting, usually asking questions about what it is that they are really wishing for. Sometimes it is more time with friends, a certain kind of activity they want to do, sometimes the littler ones have ideas that it would be fun to go to recess or ride the bus, etc. Sometimes I can meet their wish/need while homeschooling. Sometimes I give them more information about what they are saying they want, to see if they really do want it once they have a fuller idea of how it would work. Sometimes I learn about things that are legitimate issues not going too well at home and then I can work on addressing that problem. If they are still going to be homeschooled, I just talk to them about why we believe that it is the best choice for them, and sometimes we have to agree to disagree for awhile.

I think that it is good to respect our children's feelings about their life and school situation. It is not always wise to let them choose for themselves, but sometimes it certainly can be.

Having gone through upheaval in life that took us to public school turned into a great thing for us because we learned that no one situation is right for every child. I know not everybody has a great public school situation in their area, so you have to use your best judgment (based on reality, not imagination or heresay), but public school can also be a valid, good choice for some kids.

Unfortunately, there isn't one perfect formula on raising kids successfully, regardless of what so many books and magazines and web sites tell you. There are lots of great people coming out of public school, many damaged people coming out of homeschooling situation, and lots of everything in between from everywhere. Do your best to be wise and thoughtful and make choices in love, and know that no educational choice has to be forever. You can try school and see how it goes for a year, and if it doesn't meet the needs, do something different the next year. (same goes for parents thinking of homeschooling but aren't sure about whether or not they will like it or be able to handle it)

I hope this helps,
Erica

Supercharged Science is So FUN!

2010-08-13T21:48:00.002-04:00

I recently learned about Supercharged Science because they were giving away a bunch of fun free science experiments. I really liked the teacher's style, so when I found out that she was offering an online science curriculum, I was very interested. I had already purchases Switched on Schoolhouse Science for the kids, but once my husband started using it he was like, "Ugh. Is there something different we could do?" Yeah. :) So I showed him the Supercharged Science site and he was hooked.

Supercharged Science is an internet-based learning experience with high-quality teaching via video instruction as well as instructions for doing the experiments at home, and textbook type reading you can do as well. Pretty much everything you need to have a fun and successful experience teaching science to your kids.

On day 1 of using the program my boys ages 7-12 were begging me to go get supplies so they could start doing experiments. On Day 2 they made hoovercrafts! They also watched an awesome video that showed them how to fly an airplane! (clickety click here to enjoy it with your own family!)

Check out the FREE Trial! plus be sure to sign up to get additional freebies as well

I love Alice.com and so will you!

2010-07-30T12:03:00.001-04:00

&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;

Alice.com is a fabulous place for you to bypass a whole lot of your grocery shopping, without paying more! In fact, Alice's prices are comparable to Walmart prices, they add in coupons, and they ship all of your stuff to you for FREE! And it's fast. Like, within a day or two, depending on where you live.

Alice.com has toilet paper, feminine products, cleaning products, snacks and cereal, toiletries, pet food, office supplies, stamps, and just a ton of other stuff that you are buying every time you walk through your regular store. (not weird off-brands, either. The real brands you already buy!) The difference: less stuff to shlepp through the checkout, into your car, and into the house with the kids in tow!

I have been using Alice since fall of 2009 and I love love LOVE it. I recommend it to everybody! Right now you can get $10 off your first purchase of at least $50 when you clickety-click above to sign up. How cool is that?

Back to School Goodies for Homeschool Moms!

2010-07-19T20:00:00.002-04:00

In my part of the country school will soon be back in session, and for you northerners that still have more than a month to go, it'll be here before you know it!

Today I decided to put together a special collection of goodies for my fellow homeschool moms that will enrich them in body, mind, and spirit. It is chock-full of wonderful stuff that has a retail value of well over $100, but is available to you for a super-low price. You can read all about it here.

Today is also the start of our new No-Cooties School Year sale! For a limited time you can get TWO bottles of my Supermom's No-Lice Hair and Body Spray for the price of one, OR you can choose to donate the extra bottle to a family in need. Read all about it here.
(because, yeah, it's true--homeschoolers can get head lice too....)

That's it for today. Enjoy what's left of your summer! (personally, I'm looking forward to fall!)

Floatie Swim Suit Safety Alert

2010-05-27T14:11:00.000-04:00

I wrote this post several years ago, and now dig it out every year and re-post to share with people each summer.

We have an Easy Set pool at our house. It's a pretty big one, and we have floatation swim suits for our three youngest boys to wear, although we keep the pool shallow enough that all of them can walk around in it and still have their heads above water. Last year when I bought the suits the baby was one and the better quality suits did not come in his size, so I got a cheaper one, which he had continued to wear this year.
The other day the kids were playing in the pool while my husband and I sat on the deck watching them and chatting. Our youngest, who is now 2, lost his footing in the pool and very quickly was floating face down in the water. Fortunately my husband saw it right away and got to him within just a few seconds, so everything turned out ok.

BUT

The problem is that this suit was not designed to flip a child over onto their back if they needed to rely on the floatation! Our baby was helpless, face down in the water. He would have actually been safer with no suit on at all, since he would have been able to stand to his feet after losing his footing.

It only takes a very few moments for a little one to drown. I am so thankful we were right there with our eyes on the pool happenings.

We tossed out that suit and today I went and bought him one of the better ones, that are designed to keep a kid floating on their backs. Here is the difference between the two suits:

The kind that flips a child onto their back has a float in the front of the suit that is longer than the one in the back.

The kind of suit that put my baby into the pool face first is a kind that is designed for children who need a floatie while learning to swim. The floats are all around the suit and are the same size all the way around.

Just thought someone else might appreciate the reminder. Go check and see if your little one's floatie suits will flip them to their backs in their moment of need.

Pressing On

2010-05-22T23:58:00.002-04:00

While just about every homeschool mother I know is finishing up the school year and getting ready to enjoy a break, we're pressing on here. We've been utilizing Time 4 Learning for about 3 weeks or so and are finding it helpful in helping the kids cover more material than they had been, all with significantly less Mom Power required to keep it going. Also, it's fun and they are enjoying it. Even the one or two that tend to not like to do school. Instead of the usual moans and groans and avoidance tactics, they smile and say "ooh I love this one!" when they see their learning activity loading up on the computer screen. So, it's a good place for us to be, and I sure hope it keeps on working for us because it's nice to lift a few of those worries off my plate.

Since I started homeschooling I have been a proponent of the year-round schooling idea in theory, but have rarely been able to pull it off. I'm actually glad to be keeping on this time around. The kids will be continuing to move forward, instead of forgetting and then needing a lot of review time, and they'll have that built in structure to their day which helps. Too much time on their hands seems to contribute to a significant amount of bickering around here. School time is short enough that there is still plenty of time to enjoy playing, swimming, the garden, and everything else. In addition, I love it that by keeping going year round, I have more wiggle room for taking time to do other activities when the need arises. Whether it be making grape juice, going apple picking, visiting grandparents, or whatever, I like having total flexibility, so paying the piper on those school days sure helps alleviate any homeschool mother anxiety I have.

I ordered a few new materials from Timberdoodle today. I am looking forward to checking out several new resources and seeing how they work for us. Timberdoodle has been one of my favorites for probably 12 years, and I love that they keep on showing up wonderful, fresh, new resources year after year.

Are you using paperbackswap yet? I love it! It has been a long time since I had time to get books from the library and actually read and return them on the proper schedule. Now when I hear about a book I want to read I just order it (or add it to my wish list) from pbswap and when it arrives, if I don't have time to read it, I add it to my wonderful To-Read pile and don't worry about it. It'll get read when the time is right, and then I'll probably send it on via paperbackswap again.

Well, I do the same for our Sonlight books. We are doing core 4 right now and almost all of the books were rec'd through paperback swap. Once I got core 4 in hand I started collecting core 5 books through pbswap as well. Any that were not available went onto my wish list, and they trickle in as they become available. By the time I need core 5 I will order whatever I have not already obtained, and core 6 books will be coming in. Also, as I finish core 4 books I just send them back out into the world through pbswap as well. So many of those readers are easily obtained this way. I will say that one small "rule" I have for myself is that if I see that I can buy the book new from Sonlight for around $4-5, I don't usually try to get it through pbswap. Each credit basically costs $3-4 for me to ship something to someone else, so I am content to get those new, and focus on the money-saving aspect of obtaining other books through pbswap.

I obtained almost all the books we needed for core 300 through pbswap, including some that retail for around $30. I thought that was pretty great. :)

One other resource we are enjoying here is college-level DVD course from The Teaching Company. They have a huge selection of course that regularly go on sale for around 70% off. Although my two teens are not college-age yet, we decided to give a few of the courses a try. My thinking was that although some of the material may go over their heads, they would probably benefit from being stretched and introduced to some more challenging material. My 14 year old daughter is taking The Joy of Science (cost around $90 when I got it on sale) as well as The History of European Art (was around $40 on sale). She likes the art one more than the science, but I believe both are beneficial to her and are bringing learning opportunities to her that were not previously happening. I definitely plan to add more of these courses to our collection, and of course then I will have them available as the other children get older as well.

FREE Ebook: Planned Spontaneity

2010-04-07T18:57:00.002-04:00

Just found out about this FREE ebook that gives some very handy ideas for organizing yourself so you can take advantage of those cool extra ideas that you'd like to implement in your homeschool. Clickety-click!

Buy Handmade: The Melting Pot Candle Company

2009-12-05T21:32:00.001-05:00

I just love candles (who doesn't?!) and when I can find
ones that are handmade by a mom, I like 'em all the better.

The Melting Pot Candle Company is owned and operated
by Natasha, a 31 year old wife and mother of 3 (plus one on the way!).
She was kind enough to send me some sample products
to check out, including bath salts,  mini melts, a tart warmer, 
a soap sample, and some little tea light candles.  PLUS
She's offering a giveaway..be sure to read all the
way to the 
bottom of this post for details!
The mini melts are really cute, some even having
sprinkles on them
to make them more festive, and the scents are really
nice and yummy.  :)  I'm looking forward to giving
some of these
great items as gifts for Christmas.  The prices are
bargains--you can really get a lot for your dollar,
and put together a beautiful,
useful, as well as economical gift here.

Natasha shares about how she got started in
her business: 
I started making soy and palm tarts because my
favorite tart maker decided to no longer sell her products.
I was on a mission to make the best tarts for the best price.
I love making homes smell great and people happy.

What inspires you?  
My customers inspire me!
I get a lot of feedback from my items and I am grateful
for each and every one of my customers.
I try my best to make sure each and every order to
every person is perfect.
I get a lot of joy trying new things and sending them
as freebies or having particular customers try new products.
I appreciate their thoughts and take them all very seriously.

What are some of your favorite items in your shop? 
Some of my favorite items are my new ones!
I love handmade soap.
With the economy getting tighter and pressing on my
own wallet I could no longer afford to buy from other WAHM's
so I created my own and offer them at the lowest possible prices. 
Some of my favorite scents are Oatmeal Milk and Honey,
Wild Mountain Honey, Pink Sugar, Cotton Candy and
Sweet Orange and Chili Pepper!


One of my favorite things about The Melting Pot
Candle Company is their Random Act of Kindness program.
If you know somebody who needs a "pick me up" or deserves
a little special something, you can send in your story about them.
Once a month someone is chosen to get a special goodie
package from The Melting Pot for FREE!  How sweet is THAT?!
This sort of
thoughtfulness and heart is the kind of thing that makes me
LOVE supporting mom-owned businesses.... Heart!
You can read more about that here.

As I looked through the Melting Pot site I saw over
and over again the sort of thoughtfulness
and heart that goes into this business.  From
conscientious shipping policies, and being mindful 
of pricing and speedy service, I am impressed and
pleased to recommend The Melting Pot
Candle Company to you.  :)

GIVEAWAY:

Natasha is offering one lucky winner a candle burner, tea lights, and
5 tarts of their choice of wax (soy or palm) and scent! (photo below shows details)

To enter:

1. Visit The Melting Pot Candle Company and look around.
Come back here and leave a comment, letting me know which 5 scents you'd want to win! Be sure that your email address is included so that I can contact you if you win.

2. To get an extra entry, join their facebook fan page by clicking here. Leave a comment letting me know that you joined and your name as it appears on the fan list.

3. To get another entry, blog about The Melting Pot Candle Company. Leave a comment letting me know you did this, with a link to your post.

1 winner will be randomly chosen on Saturday, December 12.

Buy Handmade: Anise Mouette

2009-12-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

Anise Mouette is a super-fun place to shop for retro-inspired handmade goodies. Check these out:

Felt Plush Toys!

How cute are these scarves with little animal friends?!

I love these birdies! (Anise sent me a tote bag with this design.
Love it!! Nicely made, and great for a reusable grocery bag!)

Itty bitty finger puppets that are SO sweet!
(I got one for someone on my Christmas list! It is well made and totally adorable.)

Tell a bit about yourself:
My name is Anise and I live in Altadena, California,
with my 22 month old son Cyan and husband Biff.  
My Etsy shop is anisemouette.etsy.com.  
The name makes up my first and middle names
which are French, though I’m not French,
at least not entirely.  
I’m a native Angeleno, though I did live
with my parents in Paris for a brief time in the
early seventies when I was just a baby.

How did you get started creating your products?
When I was a child I loved to draw and over
the years I've taken more art classes than
I can count. 
In college I enrolled as an art major, but
I eventually majored in English literature 
and then went on to pursue a master's in
creative writing. 
Following, I taught collegiate English for
seven years, but with the birth of my son,
I decided to take a break from the working
world and spend more time at home. 
In doing so, I was inspired to pick up the
pencil once again. 
Memories of my childhood and the playful
nature of my son became the focus of my
work and then, 
after stumbling upon Etsy and the Handmade
Movement, 
I was immediately inspired to take my
designs to the next level 
and create Anise Mouette - a line of
retro-inspired handmade wares 
that include toddler & adult tees,
canvas totes, “kitsch”en magnets, utility aprons, 
and now felt goods.

What inspires you? 
As mentioned, both my son and memories
of my childhood inspire me the most, 
although I am always up for a challenge
and often try my hand at craft challenges 
such as those held on Craftster every month
which allow me the opportunity to 
work with new ideas and mediums on a
regular basis.

What are some of your favorite items
in your shop? 
Recently, I've started working with felt,
so my newest items are my current favorites.
My "record player" tee and tote come in
at a close second while my customer base
seems to love 
my "family fun" items most.

One thing I love hearing about is the
ways that businesses share their
profits with others.  
Here's what Anise does:
Since I've taken a break from teaching,
I'm using a portion of all my sales 
to purchase baby formula for infants in need
so as to keep contributing to my community. 
Once a month I purchase formula locally and
then donate it for immediate distribution 
at the Foothill Unity Center in Pasadena, California.

If you're a crafty gal yourself, and want to try your hand
at making some of the
items that you see at Anise Mouette, you can
 check out her blog,
where she spreads
 the crafty goodness, with her “Kitschy Crafts” section.
Anise posts fun how-to 
craft tutorials regularly!  Pretty cool, eh?
(I know my 13 year old daughter will be loving this!)

Here's a picture of Anise and her son. Awwwww! :)

Keep up with the latest and greatest at Anise Mouette by joining their Facebook Fan Page here.

Buy Handmade: Julie the Fish Hand Stamped Personalized Keepsakes

2009-11-28T11:53:00.002-05:00

I know that a lot of us homeschool moms also like to support other mom-owned businesses. This year I'm sharing about some of my favorite handmade products, made by moms! Enjoy. :)

Julie the Fish offers a fabulous variety of hand stamped, personalized keepsakes, and I think she literally has something for everybody! Whether you are looking for a gift for a man, woman, teenager, child, coworker, or a special occasion, she has just the thing. And if she doesn't...guess what. She does custom work too! So you can let your imagination loose and get something completely unique. Awesome! The prices are very reasonable, and Julie works fast, considering how much of her work is custom. You'll want to get over there right away to make your purchases, because December 7th is the cut-off to ensure Christmas delivery.

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of this post, because Julie's got a GIVEAWAY for you!!

I think the first thing that caught my eye at Julie the Fish was these custom guitar picks. With a 17 year old rocker in my own home, I loved it that I had found something mom-made, handmade, and cool enough for a teenage boy. :) The finished quality is very good, and the size works perfect for us because my son prefers the smaller jazz picks, so he is going to love this.

These leather bracelets are another unique find that will work well for guys or girls:

I just love these necklaces. Such a great gift for a new mother! I got one for a new mommy on my Christmas list, and I'm very pleased with the quality and look of it. So sweet!

This sort of creative piece is right up my alley. I love swirly trees, and anything that can be personalized with a larger number of names.

Julie sends out her products in sweet be-ribboned gift boxes, and I love that. It's all done and ready to give!

Here's my interview with Julie!

Tell a bit about yourself:
I'm a mother, teacher, and artist.
I stay home to take care of my two little boys during the day.  
I love my guys and enjoy all the funny realities of being a mom.  
At night I teach English as a Second Language.
My students are native Spanish speakers learning English.  
I have fun using both of my fluent languages every night.
I'm also an artist/crafter.  
I love to create just about anything.
My newest passion is hand stamped jewelry.
I just can't get enough!

How did you get started creating your products?
A friend of mine had a simple stamped necklace and I loved it.
I thought, "I can make that!" 
so I started creating custom pieces.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by my customers, their lives, and stories.  
I love creating a custom keepsake piece that someone
will cherish for years to come.
When someone has a special occasion
I feel honored to create a piece that helps them celebrate.

What are some of your favorite items in your shop?
My two favorite pieces in my shop right now are the
square name necklace 
and the love necklace.

All of the pieces in my shop
can be personalized with your information.
Also, if you have an idea of a piece
you'd like created I can make it happen.

GIVEAWAY!
Julie is giving away one of her 
hand stamped initial necklaces!  
The winner will get to choose
what letter you want on the necklace,
plus can choose from an assortment of crystals
or other adornments to go
with it.  Sweet!

Want to win?! Here's how:

1. Visit Julie the Fish and browse around. Find your favorite item.

2. Come back here and post a comment, telling about your favorite item. BE SURE that I have your email address with your comment, or else there's no way for you to win. :)

3. Get an extra entry to win by becoming a Facebook Fan of Julie the Fish! (let me know in comments that you have done this, and your name as it would appear in her fans) Julie's Facebook Fans will get an extra 10% off their purchases in November. (hurry!)

4. Get an extra entry to win by placing an order with Julie the Fish! (let me know you have done this in the comments section)

5. Blog about this to your peeps! (send me a link to your post in the comments section)

6. Tweet about this post! (let me know in the comments section)

7. Winner will be chosen on Saturday, December 5. (I'll send you an email if you're the winner)

Calculadder and Ready Writer

2009-11-11T14:38:00.001-05:00

Over ten years ago I purchased a master pack that included Calculadder and Ready Writer. Calculadder is a timed test for math, and Ready Writer has fun exercises for the beginning writer to learn proper writing strokes. Highly recommended! (and they have FREE samples available)

Thinking about Workboxes

2009-11-08T14:18:00.005-05:00

I heard about workboxes for homeschooling a few months ago, and recently while my mind has turned to craving a new season of organization and efficiency around here, it came back on my radar. I am now scouring blogs to see how others are implenting the idea, plus I ordered my own copy of the book yesterday. I am going to try to hold myself back from getting a bunch of supplies until I read the book, plus re-read Managers of Their Homes, and work through Managers of Their Chores, both of which I also purchased recently. Can you tell that I am really, really, REALLY wanting some fresh inspiration for getting life organized?

Here are some of the resources I am checking out for workboxing ideas:

The original site, including where to purchase the regular book or the ebook.

Many sites that have inspired and informed me:
http://www.walkingbytheway.com/blog/?cat=4
http://www.amothersjournal.com/2009/03/08/workbox-system/comment-page-1/#comment-2904
http://vegaadoption.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-is-best-system-ever.html
http://myfamilyliferocks.blogspot.com/2009/03/workboxes.html
http://ginger-snap-shots.blogspot.com/2009/02/workboxes.html
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/LeslieNelsen/Workboxes/

Have you used workboxes? If so, how did you like it? Share your ideas in the comments!

Easy Homeschooling books available for FREE!

2009-10-26T00:36:00.001-04:00

Hey everybody!
Tonite I was able to add a selection of Easy Homeschooling books in the FREE Gifts with Purchase section of my health and wellness shop. You can check it out here. Feel free to let others know! :)

Wisdom from the past

2009-10-08T07:10:00.000-04:00

“It is not difficult to see why … the female became the emblem of the universal … Nature …. surrounded her with very young children, who require being taught not so much anything as everything. Babies need not to be taught a trade, but to be introduced to a world. To put the matter shortly, woman is generally shut up in a house with a human being at the time when he asks all the questions that there are, and some that there aren’t. It would be odd if she retained any of the narrowness of a specialist. Now if anyone says that this duty of general enlightenment … is in itself too exacting and oppressive, I can understand the view. I can only answer that our race has thought it worth while to cast this burden on women in order to keep common-sense in the world. … How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No. A woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness.”
GK Chesterton

Facebook--come join us!

2009-10-06T22:04:00.002-04:00

If you have not yet joined our Fan Page on facebook, what are you waiting for? We are having fun over there, giving encouragement (and hugs!) to moms that need it. Tell your friends, too. The more, the merrier.

"If I talk about it, I might start to cry."

2009-10-06T22:03:00.001-04:00

I remember a few years ago when I was homeschooling only two of my sons, and things had been rather bumpy. I walked into a church event and a friend there asked the fateful words, "So how's homeschooling going?"

My answer?

"If I talk about it, I might start to cry."

And then I talked about it anyhow.

I told her that sometimes it was intensely hard. I told her that I was struggling. And I told her that although homeschooling can be intensely hard and a struggle, that doesn't mean I'm not where I'm supposed to be.

There is a lot in our society that tells us that if we are not happy and enjoying everything that we do, that we should feel free to go choose something else that would make us happy or be more enjoyable. I think that concept is wrong. There is a lot of value in struggle, suffering, perseverance, and commitment. Don't doubt it.

I really liked this article on this subject. Good stuff. Enjoy.

P.S. Later on that friend at church thanked me for my candid honesty. She told me that she had been thinking about homeschooling her own kids, but that every homeschool mom she ever talked to about it got all Stepford on her and acted like it was the most wonderful, natural, positive thing they could be doing. And she wasn't buying that. She said it made her nervous to only hear glowing reports, that she knew in her gut were probably not entirely true. Hearing what I had to say hadn't scared her off from homeschooling. She said it helped her feel like she had a more realistic idea of what it can be like, and what it takes to stick with it. I was glad I wasn't afraid to be transparent that day.

Raw Almonds for Sale!

2009-10-05T10:31:00.001-04:00

Almonds are a delicious and nutritious snack, but the ones we get in the grocery store have been pasteurized, so the greatest health benefit has been heated right out of them.

This fall we are trying something new. Get in our our big bulk buy of fresh, unpasteurized almonds from California! At just $6 per pound, you can get these wonderful almonds in increments of 20 pounds.

Since these almonds are fresh, they will stay nice at room temperature for 9-12 months or more. If you store them in the fridge they'll last for years, and in the freezer they'll last for a really, really, really long time. :)

These almonds are not certified organic, but the farm that they come from has not used any pesticides in at least 15 years.

The almonds are shelled and fresh!

This is a pre-order. That means that you will order and pay for your almonds now. I will be placing our large order (many hundreds or even a thousand pounds or more) around October 15-20. Once they arrive here I will be shipping them out to you.

Feel free to go in on this order with a friend if you like. Almonds are great for Christmas gifts too!

This is a one-time opportunity. These almonds are just sold once a year when the fresh harvest comes in. There is a slight possibility that I may be able to take another order in November, but for right now this is the only time I can be sure of that there will be enough supply to fill the orders.

Click here to order.

Teaching Textbooks--Another Kid Loves It!

2009-09-07T16:05:00.001-04:00

We added Teaching Textbooks 4 to our curriculum this year, and boy-oh-boy is it a HIT! My son is so happy that he has churned out 18 lessons in two days. :) He keeps coming to me to say how much fun it is, and how much he is learning.

Certainly at the speed of 9 lessons per day, he is getting quite a bit of review so far, but I think that's great. Teaching Textbooks is super easy for my child to use it independently without any problems, does all the grading and record keeping for me, and manages to do it all while bringing a smile to my kid's face. (and mine!)

We are eagerly awaiting the October release of the 3rd grade level of Teaching Textbooks. I've got another kids just raring to go.

"Get your toe out of your mouth."

2009-08-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

This concludes today's True Confessions of Things Said at Supermom's Home School.

New School Year

2009-08-27T13:12:00.000-04:00

After being inspired by Stephanie Nielson's annual Back-to-School feast and theme, I decided to employ a theme for our own school year. I picked Let Love Lead You. I made a theme card for each member of the family, and included a personal note on the back. I think they turned out really cute, and I am happy to have an easy catch phrase for what I urge the kids about so often.

Back to School Sale

2009-08-19T07:44:00.000-04:00

Don't let the cooties get you down this school year! Stock up on Supermom's No-Lice Hair and Body Spray.

Right now you can Buy 1 Get 1 FREE!

Whether you want two bottles for your own family, want to split the cost with a friend, or share the extra bottle with your day care provider or classmate, this is a GREAT deal that we have never offered before.

Shipping is a bit more when shipping two bottles together, so the sale price is $29.99 including shipping

Would you rather purchase with a credit card? Click here to go to my store!

Help This Family

2009-06-14T19:49:00.001-04:00

I just learned about Carol and her family today. A year ago, after giving birth to her second child, Carol had multiple health complications that resulted in both of her legs and one arm being amputated, in addition to losing her sight. Unimaginably difficult.

As you can probably guess, their medical bills and the continuing costs related to Carol's rehabilitation are huge. There is a fabulous silent auction set up right now that ends soon. There are tons of gorgeous items there that you can big on. Most bids start at $15-20. PLEASE go check it out, and spread the word. This is an easy way to be a blessing to others.

The Ultimate Homeschool Expo starts soon!

2009-05-31T18:47:00.002-04:00

THIS IS THE EVENT to be at if you want tons of encouragement and inspiration as you continue to homeschool your children, all for a rock-bottom bargain price, and from the comfort of your own home! PLUS, you can continue to take advantage of all the freebies, seminars, workshops, and speaker events for an entire YEAR! Click here to read all about it and get your ticket.

Listen in to some sessions here:

DIY College

2009-05-28T08:45:00.002-04:00

I thought this article about the value of taking online college classes was very interesting and encouraging. Thought that some of you would enjoy.

I Know Most Moms Like a Little Extra Money...

2009-05-27T22:42:00.001-04:00

I wanted to tell you all about You Data. Basically you sign up and then view a few web sites and make a little money. It's fun, I've found a lot of really cool new things this way, and I like the extra money in my paypal account! :) I've been using it for months now and enjoy it. Sign up is free and easy.

The Old Schoolhouse Tale 10 Promotion--Two Days Only!

2009-05-25T09:20:00.002-04:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is having their “Take 10” subscription promotion on May 25th and 26th. For just 48 hours, a one-year print subscription is only $15! Plus, as a bonus,new subscribers get 5 FREE WeE-books of their choice! Only good until midnight on May 26.
Click the banner above to check it out!

Homeschool Inspiration: Sonlight Curriculum

2009-05-03T06:06:00.000-04:00

Of all the homeschool curricula I've tried, Sonlight has been the hands-down favorite for me and my children.

My real-life friend Jill Evely is a Sonlight representative and she has a wonderful, inspirational, and informative online workshop that you can listen to for free. It explains how Sonlight works, why a literature-rich curriculum is a great way to learn, and more. I just got done listening to it and it was excellent. Listen here.

On Being a Mother

2009-04-27T16:12:00.000-04:00

Brave Writer Julie wrote an excellent blog post about being a mother. Check it out here, and enjoy!

Loneliness Book

2009-04-25T23:21:00.002-04:00

Miiko Gibson is a dear, sweet friend in the internet community. Today I wanted to share with you about her new ebook called Sometimes I Feel Lonely. Originally written for her daughter, this book has such a sweet, gentle tone to it, as it guides the reader into both practical as well as Biblical ways to handle loneliness. All of Miiko's books and resources have this same lovely combination and think that this book will be a blessing to so many of you! You can check it out here.

I receive no compensation for telling you about this book. I simply believe that it is a lovely resource that others will be happy to know about. :)

Free English Grammar site!

2009-04-16T16:40:00.002-04:00

I just found out about this great FREE resource today! English Grammar 101. Enjoy!

Listening to Learn

2009-04-02T11:04:00.000-04:00

Do you ever struggle to do all of the read alouds for your curriculum?

Do you want to find a way to redeem the time spent in the car or waiting for appointments?

Are there subject areas where you are finding it difficult to teach your children, or wish you had a tutor available to enhance what you already do?

Would you like to make more great books available to your children?

I know that these are common issues for homeschool moms, and audio resources are a wonderful way to address these needs and make your homeschool better than ever!

I had the fun of getting to review a copy of Amy Blevins' great ebooks Listening to Learn today. Amy has put together this very informative resource full of everything you need to know to get started using audio books and downloads to enhance your homeschool. Amy covers the technical aspects (how to download/upload audio files, what kind of mp3 player do I need), the practical strategies (when to use audio books, what kind of items are available that can enhance what you're already doing), to tons of helpful resources to let you know where to start looking!

Although audio books have been on my radar for a long time, and my children listen to them most nights when they go to sleep, I found so many new ideas in this book for ways to expand what I'm trying to teach my children, ways to introduce them to new topics that may be of interest to them, and ways to use my own time better and be encouraged as a wife, mom, and entrepreneur.

This ebooks has a lot of truly helpful information and creative ideas for getting the most out of audio resources that will save you time, enhance the learning in your home, and expand your reach! I absolutely encourage you to get yourself a copy of this. I think you will love it!

**This is not an affiliate link. I have nothing to gain from promoting this book to you. I just feel strongly that it is a very good resource that will benefit most homeschool moms. :)

THE CIVIL WAR

2009-04-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

I thought you ladies would enjoy knowing about this new resource:

25 lessons about the Civil War contain over 40 activities. Topics include: slavery and emancipation, secession, several specific battles, many important leaders and figures, women of the war, Reconstruction, and much more!

Check out the website for more info and pictures. Be sure to download
the free sample lesson while you are there!

Beyond The Tomb

2009-03-31T13:32:00.000-04:00

Get a FREE Easter Unit Study here.

Math Can Be Fun!

2009-03-30T08:12:00.001-04:00

Free mini ebook Math Can Be Fun: Help yourself and feel free to tell your friends! :)

Planting Taters

2009-03-30T07:37:00.000-04:00

Don't miss my post about planting potatoes here! :)

Free Easter Resources from The Old Schoolhouse magazine!

2009-03-28T21:46:00.004-04:00

TOS has put together some really nice FREE Easter resources that we can spread the word about! Included is a Unit Study, some placecards, and some copywork resources. Enjoy!

(Don't forget--if you are ever ordering anything from my health and wellness store, I can add in a free copy of the latest TOS magazine!)

Last Chance for Countdown to Easter Discount!

2009-03-27T12:33:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day that you can use your SUPERMOM coupon code to get Countdown to Easter AND the Bonus Book for just $9.95. Don't miss it! (Click here to read more about it)

Items for Sale

2009-03-25T10:01:00.001-04:00

I have a few items ready to go to a new home. All from a non smoking
home. Most of these are in perfect condition. (condition noted by
item) I can take paypal or credit card by phone. Would like to get
these moved on so would prefer not to wait for checks to come in the
mail. If you spend at least $25, I am willing to pay media mail
shipping to you. Orders under $25 will have media mail shipping added
to them.

A Family Treasury of Little Golden Books--hardcover, very good
condition, used in Sonlight P4/5 retail $22.49, my price $10

A Reason for Handwriting Teacher Guidebook--perfect condition. retail
$17.99, my price $9

singapore math 1A textbook excellent condition, retail $8.70, my price $5
singapore math 2A textbook excellent condition, retail $8.70, my price $5
singapore math primary mathematics 2A Home Instructor's Guide
excellent condition, retail $16.49, my price $10
singapore math primary mathematics 2B Home Instructor's Guide
excellent condition, retail $16.49, my price $10

TOPS science #38 Green Thumbs: Radishes (used in SL3)excellent
condition, retail $15, my price $8
TOPS science #39 Green Thumbs: Corn and Beans (used in SL3) excellent
condition, retail $15, my price $8

Abraham Lincoln's World by Genevieve Foster, very good condition, used
in SL 7, retail $17.95, my price $9
Keys to Good Language 5, Teacher's Edition, excellent condition,
retail $12.99, my price $7

You can email me at Supermom@SupermomsHealthAndWellness.com

Countdown to Easter

2009-03-22T14:28:00.002-04:00

Back in December I raved about how much my children and I enjoyed our Countdown to Christmas book that we got from Amy Puetz. Now we are looking forward to using her new collection, Countdown to Easter. You can listen to my interview with Amy and learn about the book (and hear a story!) here, and you can purchase Countdown to Easter here. Use coupon code SUPERMOM to get the book PLUS the bonus book for just $9.95!

New Supermom Homeschool Podcast!

2009-03-20T21:37:00.002-04:00

I've been wanting to start podcasting for well over a year, and finally am doing it! I've done a few for Supermom's Health and Wellness, and tomorrow I kick off my Homeschool Edition of Supermom Talk Radio with Amy Puetz! Amy has a wonderful new resource coming available on Monday, Countdown to Easter. I absolutely looooved Amy's Countdown to Christmas ebook, and so I jumped at the chance to talk to Amy about her new Easter book.

Join us tomorrow (Saturday, March 21) at 1pm Eastern time. Click here to listen in online, or for call-in information.

Veritas History Timeline memorization motions

2009-03-17T23:25:00.002-04:00

My real-life friend Heidi put together this video featuring the music and motions she uses to help her children memorize the Veritas History Timeline cards. I thought some of you would enjoy seeing this.

Keeping Things Positive

2009-03-12T22:08:00.000-04:00

Today was a beautiful day here. My husband was off today, so once school was done he and the boys played outside and then decided that it would be great to build a campfire and have a cookout tonite. This is one of their favorite things to do, and they were excited that we were back into "campfire season" around here. :)

They went to the store, bought hot dogs, mac and cheese, and smores stuff. They had a great time sawing branches to have enough sticks to roast their hot dogs and marshmallows on.

By bed time I started to usher the boys toward bed, but caught wind of their sweaty little selves and decided that 5 minute baths were needed. 5 Minute Baths happen on nights when it's all business bathtime. Quick in and out, with me making sure everybody gets cleaned and moved right along to bed.

My 7 year old got into the bath, and his sweet little legs were pretty dirty. My first reaction was to exclaim (in a friendly way) how dirty he was. but then I had an inspiration.

"Look at these legs! These are happy legs! These are legs that tell me that you have had a really fun day playing outside!"

He grinned and grinned as he recounted the fun he had had all day long. :)

This little scenario turned out so sweet, and reminded me how simple it can be to keep things positive, and to open up communication and make happy memories. Just wanted to share that with you all. :)

Copycat Books

2009-03-11T15:34:00.000-04:00

This is a fun resource for me to mention to you because I first met the owner, Rhonda Roso, many years ago when her sons were in kindergarten. I guess they must been teenagers now. -Wow!-

A new title, The Basics in Manuscript, has recently been added to the Copycat Books series of copywork e-books. Also new on our website are FREE printables of pangrams (sentences containing all 26 letters) in both manuscript and cursive.

Copycat Books are educational e-books with copywork models in manuscript and cursive available in traditional, modern, and italic handwriting styles.

HisStory Sale and Freebies in March!

2009-03-10T08:28:00.000-04:00

Hi ladies!
I got this information from Lisa, the owner of this business. They are having some great stuff going on this month!

For the month of March, Me and My House is not only having a great
sale on our popular HisStory Exclusive resources,
Freedom & Simplicity™ in HisStory

PIPEline of HisStory™

PIPEline™ Book of Remembrance

but ALSO offering a **FREE Sampler of Freedom & Simplicity™ in
HisStory** to our newsletter subscribers.
Read more here

Our newsletter has just gone out, but you can still subscribe to it
and get the Complimentary Sampler!
Get details of the sale and order at the link below - you can also
subscribe to our newsletter there.

Or use this direct link to subscribe, and get the Complimentary
resource:
http://frommeandmyhouse.com/mmh-list/?p=subscribe&id=6

Holy Week Devotional for the Family

2009-03-08T15:18:00.003-04:00

Miiko Gibson is one of the dearest and most gracious ladies around, and she has put together a lovely family devotional series for Easter. You can see it here.

Miiko also has a free Lent ebook with activities and lots of neat things that you can get by visiting her blog here.

Enjoy!

Motherboard Books March Madness Sale

2009-03-08T08:23:00.000-04:00

Get their popular website creation book at a great discount, plus a whole bunch of bonus goodies that are perfect for homeschools! This sale ends March 15, so hurry and check it out!

Wanting to Start Making Money Online?

2009-03-06T15:58:00.001-05:00

I know that many people are looking for ways to earn extra money today. Using the internet is the best way I know how to do that.

Just recently an amazing new resource became available that teaches TONS about probably every aspect of making money legitimately on the internet. And guess what---it's FREE!

If you're at all interested, I encourage you to check it out. I have been learning from the site creator for several months now and have been extremely impressed with what he has to say. I hope it is a help to you.

For Sale: horizons math and A Reason For Handwriting

2009-02-17T20:23:00.001-05:00

All in like new condition. Non smoking home.

Horizons Math 3 Teacher's Guide Part 1 and 2, plus Math workbook 2 ($42.50 retail for all 3 items) my price the the set is $33 which includes shipping

A Reason For Handwriting Teacher Guidebook for grades K-6th ($17.99 retail) my price $14 includes shipping

I can take paypal or credit cards.

Printable Valentines

2009-02-10T20:47:00.003-05:00

Up until yesterday we had no plans for a Valentines Day party, but now we've been invited to one and I have five kiddos needing to provide cards to exchange with some new friends. I have found some cute resources that I wanted to share with you:

Valentines at The Toymaker

A variety including popular character cards here

A whole bunch of links to super-cute ones here.

Enjoy!

Special Offer From Times Tales

2009-01-26T09:03:00.002-05:00

I've told you in the past about how much we have loved using Times Tales to help our kids remember multiplication facts. It has been many months since first using the system and it is STILL helping us! What a great product! Well, from now until Feb. 20 they are offering a special deal where you can get $5 off when you purchase Times Tales with the Mini Flip Chart (which makes it easy for the kids to quiz themselves on the memory stories). Just use coupon code NLFREEFLIP at checkout to get your discount.

Enjoy!

Audio Book Resources

2009-01-17T15:58:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine agreed to let me share this wonderful list of audio resources that she and her children have enjoyed over the years. Have fun!

I have satellite radio and I am addicted to the old time radio show channel- much to my now older children's shagrin! They have a website where you can go and order or sign up to get low cost downloads (We have SLOW dial up, so I can't do this). Its www.radiospirits.com
When I googled old time radio, I got lots:

RadioLovers.com - Old Time Radio Shows
Listen to hundreds of old time radio shows online for free: Superman, Groucho Marx, The Avenger, Gunsmoke, Sherlock Homes, and many others.

Free Old Time Radio Shows - Free OTR Downloads In MP3
Free Old Time Radio Shows from "The Golden Age of Radio!"
Features some of the most popular old time radio programs of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

The Old Time Radio Network
Oct 23, 2008 ... Over 12000 old time radio shows you can listen to for free. We add about 100 more every week.

Free Old Time Radio Downloads | OTR | Old Radio Shows

WALT BAILEY'S OLD RADIO SHOWS
Site for collectors to buy, sell and trade radio shows from the 60's, 70's and 80's.

OLD RADIO SHOWS / PROGRAMS - HUNDREDS OF FREE DOWNLOADS
Listen for free to hundreds of old time radio shows online or download them: Amos and Andy, Jack Benny, Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, Our Miss Brooks, Whistler, ...

Homeschool Radio Shows sends links weekly (or even more often) to listen online or download and listen later. It's EXCELLENT for homeschooling.

Jim Weiss is our all-time favorite reader/storyteller and our original avenue into this audio world. His website is:
www.greathall.com He has a timeline you can use to find a story in an era of study which is very helpful. Outstanding.

Another great option is the Rabbit Ears series.

I would also highly recommend the Classics for Kids website and audio series. They have wonderful historical fiction stories about composers. We listened to Beethoven Lives Upstairs many, many times! This website also has a "sign up" feature and has lots of activities, etc.

We have gotten things, including Jim Weiss items, from an excellent catalog called Chinaberry.

Another excellent source is www.listeninglibrary.com We've gotten their catalog in the past.

A source which has some titles with which I am familiar, but am not totally familiar with the site is:
http://library.booksontape.com/index2.cfm

Others I found, but don't have experience with (but sound good!):
http://kids.audible.com/adkd/site/k/hp/LandingPgTemplate.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes Kids audiobooks for your iPod most appear to be free!!
www.childrensaudiobooks.com/

There's an "audio magazine" that we have enjoyed called Boomerang. Chinaberry has, in the past, offered some of them, but you can also subscribe. In Chinaberry, it had a set of cassettes that had just one feature of the Boomerang mag. that was a favorite. My youngest son listened to and loved that so much that he got his best friend hooked on them and ultimately got him his own copies for a gift!

There's much more, but, finally, I'd say that most classics/Newberry award winners that are read as audio books are great. I have found that the more recent Newberry winners tend to be less stringent on their moral standards, so be aware of this. For example, The Wolves of Willougby Chase and The Cay, both of which we checked out from the library, are a couple of our most favorite listens of all time. The Cay was read by Lavar Burton (there's another out now, which is not as good, we think, but that has an excellent interview with the author at the end!) and Wolves was read by Lynn Redgrave. Both readers are wonderful. I will look for things read by readers that we've enjoyed in the past. Oh, and we loved Call it Courage read by Lou Diamond Phillips.

Fun Poetry Class

2009-01-06T05:50:00.000-05:00

I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but I am quite unsatisfied with Sonlight 3's choice of the book Classic Poetry. It's everything that children expect poetry to be--dreary, boring, and difficult to understand. I have no idea why Sonlight would choose this book.

So, we've been reading Shel Silverstein poetry, which they gobble up and beg for more. Of course.

And then we found something neat and I used it to do two poetry classes this week.

Over at Great Homeschool Videos they have three YouTube videos depicting Robert Frost's poem The Road Less Traveled. (though some called it The Road Not Taken...) First I found the poem online and read it to the kids and we talked about what it meant. Then we watched each of the videos and talked about what we did and didn't like about each, and how each one did or didn't convey what we felt the poem was saying.

Another day we did the same thing with Robert Frost's poem Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.
We did the same thing with that one.

What I really liked about this was the way we could dive into one simple poem, understand it, and then see how others saw it or told the story. It was fun for variety as well. I had never thought about You Tube as a possibility for poetry lessons, but I will be looking for more of this kind of stuff in the future. It looks like there is a lot more to choose from there.

Liberty's Kids

2008-12-08T12:56:00.004-05:00

We are learning about American history this year, and I am always looking for good ways to reinforce the major events and issues that go along with it. I heard about the animated series Liberty's Kids and yesterday we got to check it out.

Ding ding! We've got a winner!'

We got disc one of Liberty's Kids from Netflix and the kids just gobbled it up. Episodes covered the Boston Tea Party, and featured major players in the American Revolution such as John Adams, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, Ben Franklin, and so on.

To me, this is a wonderful tool for reinforcing the things we've been learning, and is a perfect thing to have available when somebody gets sick and a simple homeschool day is needed. Don't doubt the educational value of stuff like this! Later in the day as I was driving the kids someplace, my 10 year old started asking me questions about people being tarred and feathered, and we had a very worthwhile conversation about brutal ways people have dealt with one another throughout history, more positive ways to disagree with people, and so on. It was good stuff!

You can read more about the series on wikipedia here.

Also, today I discovered the main Liberty's Kids web site which has a few fun things for the kids like games and coloring pages (but some ads on the sidebars that are kind of annoying).

Liberty's Kids--check it out! :)

Good King Wenceslas

2008-12-07T13:17:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered about Good King Wenceslas, the ruler who has been sung about since the famous hymn was written by John Neale in 1853? Just who was this man, why do we call him "king" and why do we call him "good"? Knowledge Quest has a little something to tell you all about it! Clickety click!