2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 30

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.


As my last "Official" Gratitude Challenge Post I want to shout out a "THANK YOU" to Brenda at Garden of Learning who invited me to do this throughout the month of November with her and others.  Thanks Brenda, It's been fun.  :)

I also want to shout out a thanks to the lesson someone out there taught me early on in this homeschooling adventure.  I was encouraged to not over plan and there are days where I magnificently excel at that! I was encouraged to have a plan but to keep that plan loose and to leave empty spots that could be used by the incidental lessons that the Holy Spirit inserts for us.  Lessons that might not be actualized if we are not open in our mind, our heart, our spirit and our schedule.

Yesterday I had absolutely NO plan to do a study on 

the scientific observation of PINE TREES......

but the moment hit when my kids 

were going to go do the lesson with or without  me.

So like any good homeschooling blogging mom..... I grabbed the camera, took some shots and then sat them down beside me with our science journals!  :)

I LOVE homeschooling when it just naturally happens 

whether I've planned it or not!  :)

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 29

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.



This post is super late in the day but it was a good day that just could not stop for me to blog.

I am thankful for a fabulous, super long day of school and day of smelling my Christmas tree.

Now for some out there the last part of that sentence might not be that big of a deal, however Christmas Trees (of the PINE variety) have been quite rare INSIDE our house.  We have only had maybe 3 or 4 trees INSIDE our house in the 14 Christmas' we've had together. We have had, on at least 2 or 3 occasions, a live tree out on our front porch, just not in the house.

We have chosen not to have a tree in the house because our living room-kitchen take up a rather long but narrow area that includes a wood stove.  The idea of little tots running around with dogs and cats and the wood stove seemed to be a bit unnerving. 

For the past several years we have decorated our ENORMOUS Jade Plant.  It was nice but between it, the rosemary and the stereo we barely had space for presents.   

Hubby is very fond of the Christmas Jade so when I bring decorations down I will certainly be dressing it up again just for him.

After all..... he spent MUCH TIME cutting my modest tree down and even MORE time trying to get the booger to stay  upright in the stand.  :)  THANKS HUBBY!

There is much in life that we have tried to *trim.*  There is so much excess in the world out there and we feel that if we help our children see the joy in little they will then better appreciate the "more" later.  We also think that there is much to be said about those who know contentment without the need for anything more.

When I look at my tree I think how perfect!  On occasion I find myself wishing there were more branches here or there but then I sit back and think how perfect it is.  It is green.  It is tall and mostly straight.  Every nook and cranny is not filled with loose dead pine needles like our very first tree (I can still feel the stabs in my feet as those needles were found EVERYWHERE that year).  It has a beautiful LONG trunk and you know....that is perfectly fine!

I can't wait to make the decorations with the kids.  I figure a Charlie Brown'ish tree of modest flair need be covered by ornaments and garland that have been lovingly made by those who will sit and admire it.

I LOVE my tree.

And it's fragrance is not too shabby either.

Flashback to Fall Harvest - Dehydrated Tomatoes

Hello. I'm still working my way through pictures that I took when I was buried in produce this past fall.

Today I am going to share with you my dehydrated tomatoes.

My husband LOVES dehydrated tomatoes.  We usually soak them for a bit in olive oil or water to soften them and then toss them into pasta coated in a smidgen of oil and spices or we throw them on top of pizzas.  He says they are "YUM."

I break out into hives with tomatoes....  and tend to only subject myself to such itching for tomato sauce items like LASAGNA!!!

Any tomato will work but we find they shrink quite considerably and so larger is often better.  We planted only Roma and cherry tomatoes this year so I ended up slicing my Roma's lengthwise to help with the size issue.

Step one: Wash and then set out to finish ripening.

Step two: cut into slices and place on dehydrator tray.

Step three:  Turn on dehydrator to the setting it suggests and wait until they are dry.  Once crispy peel them off from tray and place in reusable jars.  This is what I do with spaghetti sauce jars that we had to buy from the year before.  They seal nicely but are not suitable for "canning."  They are air tight and food, if dried properly (and no moisture remains), will keep for a very long time.

Waste not, want not.

My Animal Family (Nanuq) by Smart Kids - TOS Review

Several weeks ago members of The Old Schoolhouse's Homeschool Crew  received a package in the mail.  I LOVE PACKAGES!

Inside was this BEAUTIFUL, colorful, sturdy book from Smart Kid's Publishing.

"Nanuq" is a part of their "My Animal Family" Series.

Nanuq is a baby polar bear with a twin brother named Suka who loves to play and wrestle.  This book illustrates the habitat that polar bears live in and introduces the reader to how this family unit works so that the cubs can grow up prepared for survival.

There are 5 My Animal Family Books

Each My Animal Family book focuses on family values
and every day situations that children can relate to.

YET, My Animal Family is not JUST a book!!  

Each book comes with a CD which shows real life animal footage shot by the BBC.  The footage shows each character from the book as they live in real life and it is narrated by a child as if the main character of the book has come to life and is speaking directly to your family.

Each book purchased comes with a "Secret Password" which opens up the My Animal Family CLUB website.

When children, and their families, join the club they are requested to make the following pledge:

• I will do my best to widen my circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
• I will do my best to treat all creatures with kindness and respect.
• I believe that all animals deserve our respect and our protection.
• I understand that life is as dear to all creatures as it is to me. Just as I want happiness, so do other creatures.

Once a new member has entered their "secret password" they get to create their explorer (or their player/avatar).  They can choose clothing and appearances to make their on-line guide look much like them.

 All of the above and tons of fun for an entire year for just $12.99.

Now, I need to be completely honest with you.  I WAS VERY, VERY excited about this review.  The book came and it IS GORGEOUS and very sturdily made.  The DVD was beautiful but we could not get the sound to work.  We then logged into the Club website and our "Secret Password" was invalid.

I had VERY excited children of 6, 4, and 2 but at each step they were left a bit more disappointed than the previous step had left them.  I emailed the company believing that such a beautifully designed website would have customer service to match.  I never received an answer.  I emailed three times with no answers.  I looked through the website with a fine tooth comb for a phone number or a snail mail address where I could write a good ol' fashioned letter but there were none.  I used my connection with TOS Crew and contacted my crew leaders hoping they would have a way to contact the company's customer service and they were not receiving correspondences back from the company either.

I DO believe there is potential with this product.  The book was BEAUTIFUL.  The CD seemed to be fun,  although short.   I would think the games would be fun, at least at first but I have no way to judge.

I don't believe that I was the only one on TOS Crew who was unable to access the website and know that some on Crew COULD access the site.

I am VERY disappointed at the customer service and feel like we did not receive the product that was advertised.  Yet I am thrilled with the beautiful book.

I honestly am baffled as to my recommendation of this product.  If all works as advertised I think it is an AMAZING PRODUCT and I had been prepared to tell the WORLD (or at least Grandparents EVERYWHERE) that this product was a MUST GET for Christmas.  If the $12.99 is for just the book and CD then perhaps it is still worth the cost.   However, the lack of customer service is VERY disappointing and I personally would rather give my business to companies who go above and beyond to help those having trouble with their products.  I do not feel as if I can run out and tell people that they ought to spend their money on these products because of my experience with customer service.

For more information on Books and membership click HERE.

For Nanuq specific information click HERE. 

For information on Ella the Elephant click HERE.

 For more information on Leo the Lion click HERE.

 For more information on Koro the baby Chimpanzee click HERE.

For an additional 20% off for new families who purchase a book enter the Promo Code: MAF123109 when you checkout!!  Click HERE to read more (scroll to bottom of page.)

If you would like to read additional reviews on My Animal Family

from the TOS CREW click HERE.

------------------------------------

Disclaimer:  I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 28

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.

We are almost done with this Gratitude Challenge.  I think I might be thankful that it is nearly over.  That doesn't mean that I will stop being grateful on a daily basis.  I try to be one who focuses on contentment and contentment does not come without being thankful.  I find this to be a part of my daily life and typing it out has been a great exercise but has sometimes taken longer than it does in my normal life.  I'm not saying I won't do it again but just as at the end of the Lenten season one might be thankful to break the fast being thankful and careful not to forget the lessons learned, so I think I will feel relief when this exercise is over that I can merely be thankful deep in my heart without needing to spend the extra time as I craft my thankfulness into neatly packaged posts of expression.

Today, I am also thankful for Advent.  I love Advent.  I love the excitement of anticipating the Birth of Jesus.  I have a book "Watch for the Light" that I try to read through as I can each year at Advent. 

It offers a devotional or reading from very well known Christian leaders and theologians for each day prior to Christmas and then continues through Epiphany. It is dated but excludes the year. I love this as I can pick it up and read the article for that date and if I've missed some chapters along the way I do not feel like I need to "catch up" because I know some year in the future I will surely hit upon that entry.

We have also started to either visit churches or have church at home on the Sundays that our Church Plant does not meet. Today we did a service from "Take Our Moments and Our Days: Advent through Pentecost" 

and we intermingled lessons from "an expected hour"  

 

published by Mennonite Church Canada.

It was lovely.  The children can not participate in the responsive reading but they paid close attention.  They sang during most of the songs we sang.  They actually paid more attention at home (allowing me to sing, PTL) than they do in the pew while Hubby is up front.  We took a moment during our "service" to create an Advent Poster 

Daddy and Gracie drew the Manger, Otto did a bang up job on the shepherds, angels and sheep and Abram helped me make the 3 wise men on the dinosaurs.....errrrr, those were supposed to be CAMELS!)

which we will be including in our minimal Christmas decorations in our home.

Life is good.  God is Good.   Advent is wonderful and having resources to help me grow closer to our Christ Child during this time that seems quite depressing as it is so filled with commercialism, greediness and gluttony is very soothing to my soul.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 27

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.


Today I am thankful for provisions.  There are only a few things that I wish for and they are not "Needs."  God is good.  His provision is perfect.  I am thrilled to have to think so hard for what we will be gifting our children with for Christmas.  I am thankful I have options for our meals.  I am thankful that the things in my life are provided for and that I am not in want.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 26

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.


Today (and likely tomorrow, the next day and the next day) I am thankful for leftovers.

I am also thankful for the jumping up and down and squeals of delight from the boys when we announced that tonight would be another Pioneer Night, where we try to use no electricity from 4pm on.  :)  LOVE when they get excited about learning opportunities.  Now my task is to start preparing for our time in the dark so that this Pioneer Night goes even more smoothly than the last one.  :)

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 25

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.



I am thankful for THANKSGIVING (and meals made for gluttony).

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 24

 I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.



Today I am incredibly thankful for such the rich musical training I received as a general student in my high school.  I was not quite good enough to make it into the "special groups" (Swing Choir, Madrigals, Honors Choir, etc.), as most of those kids had special "private lessons", but the education our high school choir and band teachers gave us was STELLAR.   I have been asked many times post high school if I had ever taken private lessons.  NOPE, my high school choir teacher taught me most of it.  She seriously taught the entire class so much about music history, music theory, music technique and music style.  I would also often sit and watch the **special** groups practice (they had to practice in the commons/cafeteria where they could all fit since the choir room was too small).  I learned SO MUCH and I am eternally grateful (anyone else here the 3 eyed aliens from Toy Story in that??)

I am glad I have that training so that I can fully appreciate the sound in THIS:

I do grieve a little that I never learned how to play the piano.  I pray someday we will be ready when a free (and decent) one comes about.  I CAN'T wait to learn to play such a magnificent instrument.  :)

For now though, I will remain very happy that I have a natural ear for music and that it comes super easy for me and that Mrs. Watkins spent so much of her time (and perfectionism) expecting her classes to perform to super high standards.  :)

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 23

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.

Today I am thankful for this wonderful man who came came into my life several months before he even knew I existed.   

 

We all love you very much.

 Have a Happy, Happy Birthday.  

TOS Blog Cruise Discusses Holiday Traditions

The Old Schoolhouse hosts a TOS Blog Cruise.  Each week there is a topic introduced for TOS Crew members to write on.  So far this Blog Cruise Season I have either not had a chance to write or the topics have just not been something with which I have had experience. 

This week's topic is:  How does your family celebrate the holidays?

We have just started to incorporate some traditions into our holidays.  We are still figuring this kind of thing out.

For Thanksgiving the traditional meal seems to be a must whether it's just us or us plus visitors.  I remember growing up and watching parades.  That is something that I really miss since we do not have a television.  Last year I think I tried to watch some on the computer but I was having a hard time getting it to stream fast enough or finding a parade from the same year.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

What about Christmas traditions?  I didn't think we had very many and then I began to type!

One thing I like to do once during the Christmas season is to make cut out cookies.  I've learned that a big fluffy paint brush or pastry brush works WONDERS for painting on the frosting.  Sometimes we do sprinkles and other times we don't.  Another helpful hint that I've learned to help the colored sugar sprinkles stay on your cookies is to take a water spray bottle and spritz the top of the cookies before you sprinkle the sugar on.  It grabs the sugar and holds on until the oven has a chance to melt and absorb it into the cookie.  :)

Last year we started to take our children to a dollar store with a list of loved ones to have them pick out gifts.  We were feeling the need to start teaching them that Christmas includes giving and not just receiving.   It was a pretty inexpensive way for them to purchase and give to others.

At the end of each Season I also collect used Christmas cards from friends and family.  We cut off the back side where most people sign and write.  Then we keep the top pretty part for the following year.  After Thanksgiving we use Christmas stampers on the back side or write Merry Christmas and we make a field trip into a Nursing Home to deliver them. In past years I gave the boys Santa hats and a handful of cards to just go and pass out while saying "Merry Christmas."  The residents just think they are THE CUTEST!  It's a great experience for my children to see those older faces light up, it's also great in that it helps them break out of their own shells in the fact that they almost have to touch other people they don't know (and sometimes get snagged by a cute grandparent type who just wants to pinch a cheek!).  :)  It takes us out of our comfort zone but is a wonderful outing. :)

Two other traditions we have started are two of my favorites and are very special to me.  Growing up I was allowed to open ONE gift on Christmas Eve.  The ONE gift was always in the SAME box and that box ALWAYS contained one pair of NEW pajamas!  This is a fun new tradition for the kids.  Once they have their jammies on we cuddle around Hubby who then reads the Christmas story to us from his bible.  It helps us remember that it's not about Santa (even though we let him visit us) it is all about Jesus and celebrating Him.

What traditions do you celebrate for the holidays?

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 22

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.





At the moment at which I am typing this I am thankful that once in a blue moon my over tired, crabby children actually lay and rest and sometimes all fall asleep for a nap at the same time.  SO Thankful!!

Blog Walk! Blog Walk!

(Thanks to Debbie, over at Debbie's Digest for the great picture)

Blog Walking is a great way to meet new people and read about their experiences homeschooling.  You might find someone who schools or thinks like you.  You might find great information on a new resource, curriculum or teaching technique. Blog Walking is a great way to learn more about the world of home education.

Please click around on the links below and feel free to leave a message or two if you feel led.  We bloggers like to see that other homeschoolers have found us and like what they have read.

This week's Blog Walk List:

1. 1 of 100 plus 25 TOS Crew Reviews
2. Homeschooling Hearts and Minds
3. Homeschooling Drewper
4. Burkherts Brigade
5. Families Again
6. Homeschool and Family
7. The Sunny Patch
8. Life on the Hilltop
9. Our Busy Homeschool
10. Homeschooling Blessings

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 21

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.

Today I am thankful that my family has a church 

to go to in our own denomination.

We are Mennonite and are members of Mennonite Church USA. In 2004 we decided that driving 75 miles to attend church in our denomination was unrealistic. There was another family nearby who was driving a few miles more. Both families wanted their children to be raised in the Mennonite tradition with Mennonite Theology and although there are many conservative Mennonites around we were not comfortable in their communities because we were much more Modern in lifestyle and ideas.


As a half teasing comment one day the other father spoke to Hubby and said "You know, someone ought to start a Mennonite church in Eau Claire." Hubby looked back (he was nearly finished with a Master's of Divinity) and said "Yep, somebody should."


My husband went to Seminary without an actual "call to ministry." He had time, he had an interest and we were living in St. Paul, MN at the time not too far from the Baptist Seminary he chose to attend.


After a bit of time our family and this other family began talking with some strategic thinkers at the church to which we commuted. We figured "where two or more gather, there I am also" and thus we decided to just start.


Now after 4 years we are still meeting twice a month and have 8 families and a pretty steady inquiry rate of phone calls to our church asking to learn more. We are not huge. We are not flashy. We are fine with that as we are a close community committed to learning, teaching and sharing our Mennonite faith with our families, with each other and with the community in which we are surrounded.


I will be honest its tough in many ways but God is faithful and I am so incredibly privileged to actually have a community that holds the same beliefs and theology.

I am so blessed that my children do not have to be un-taught and re-taught at home after hearing something we don't feel is a correct interpretation. I am so blessed that I can sing Mennonite hymns and choruses every time we meet. I am so blessed to have families in our area that I can discuss challenges with such as our stance on the Pledge of Allegiance, how to raise boys who have a built in imaginary gun embedded into their Y chromosome, and how we can go out and be Christ to those in our paths. I am so blessed that I live in a culture where we CAN just start up our own church and not have to strongly defend it to anyone.  I am so blessed to hold the Mennonite values, faith and traditions despite not being raised in any church, even if it means I need to describe what that means to everyone I meet. I am so blessed that we have this body of Christ right here close to home . I am so blessed. I am so blessed. I am so blessed.

Praying for our Children Calendar

My friend Nikki at Joy in the Journey pointed out a great resource to help me start praying for my children.

It is a prayer calendar that can be used every month. It is not labeled with specific months but merely is a chart in calendar format with dates numbered 1-31.  Each day contains a focus, a scripture verse and the reference.  It is sweet, simple and easy to use and reuse.

Nikki has been using it for 7 years now.  How AMAZING is that?!?

Sometimes it just takes a little bit of kindling to get a fire started and I think this calendar might just be the starter that I need to re-ignite active prayer specifically for my children.

I prayed quite a lot during my pregnancies but since then have gone through phases of increased and decreased prayer.

I accidentally printed one copy in gray tones and will place that in my bathroom where I might be able to see it through gunky morning eyes while I brush my teeth.  I also printed a color copy and put it on top of my Homeschooling binder that holds my weekly schedule and school day plans.  That way if I didn't manage to actually see out of my contacts while in the bathroom I will have it right on top and will see it before school starts, or while math problems are being worked on or the letter "B" is being colored and diced to pieces with scissors.

I am excited to find this tool.  Thank you Nikki.

About socialization: my response.

Most of the point of public school is to teach widely varying people to get along. Socialization, in other words. It is a big world out there. Some day they will leave home and seek work where there will be a variety of people. If they are to succeed and get along they need to be socialized. There is no greater shock than things like boot camps where they weed out the people who cannot cope or who cannot socialize. Besides. how does a high school diploma qualify someone to deliver a quality and varied education?      A quote recently read on Facebook.

I couldn't let this go.  I couldn't let it sit there without an alternative side to the discussion.  I started with "Please forgive my stepping into this discussion but no where in the post school world are people grouped only with their age level."

Here are where my thoughts go from there.......

Studies show that homeschoolers actually have the advantage in socialization. Parents usually involve homeschooled children in activities and field trips that require the children to reach out not only to those their age, but across age groups and even generations. Homeschooled children are often more capable of reaching out to those younger, those their age and those who are elderly in very sophisticated ways. The homeschooled child who is incapable of this is the exception not the rule.  In fact, I've met many homeschool children who said they HAD to reach out and be social because they did not have a large group to hide within.  When the social group is small (the family or club one is involved in) there are not as many extroverts around to take charge.  This forces those who normally would be shy and would sit back and let the rest of the group do the talking to actually get involved.   They HAD to speak out, HAD to reach out, HAD to get along with other, HAD to quickly become comfortable in new settings BECAUSE there were not enough outgoing folks around behind which to hide.

The socialization that public schools teach can also be taught in homeschool settings as well. Standing in line happens in shopping and everyday life, adult world situations. Waiting one's turn to talk is taught with lessons in manners, respect and courtesy in everyday life. Raising hands and waiting to talk rarely happens in the real world but can be taught during school time. Conflict resolution happens frequently and in the way the PARENTS, rather than peers,  desire it to happen in homeschool groups, Sunday school and of course with siblings. Speaking in front of others happens in 4H, awana, scouting, homeschool groups and nursing home visits. Did I miss any?

Regarding the flipside of public school socialization: When you look out at today's youth as a whole do you see the future leaders that you REALLY want to run our country? I see many youth who only care about getting something for little work, who are obese and whine and cry when they are told to get up and play. I see children who backtalk, who wear very rude and disrespectful sayings on their clothing, if they have much clothing on at all. I see children who are like little sponges and WANT to learn but who are in schools that are understaffed and underfunded to teach them all that their little brains can absorb and thus they become the "average Joes" out in the world who then follow the crowd of society (as they were taught in school) as an adult and have a hard time thinking for themselves because they have never had to stand up against the crowd. Is that the socialization that we strive for?

The United States is the land of freedom. It is the land that values God and values personal rights. If a strong, stable parental unit wants to invest 6-8 hours a day ONE ON ONE in their child's education shouldn't we applaud all the amazing things their children could learn with that extra ONE ON ONE (or 2:1) attention. Children in the schools spend at least 1.5-2 hours a day in transition=NOT LEARNING. How is that better?

Regarding the ability for people to teach:  If our public school systems are as good as people say they are and if they are good enough to prepare the mass population for everything they need then apparently they should have installed all the knowledge and wisdom into a parents mind that they themselves should be able to teach their own children effectively with the help of PROPER CURRICULUM. Those in Educational tracts at universities spend most of their time learning how to grade, assess, manage parents and manage classroom behaviors. They learn very little about the subjects they are to teach. When I myself (BS in El Ed) asked why they were not teaching us the subject matter that we would need to teach they stated 1) you will have your curriculum so you can learn along with your class and 2) you should have learned the basics before you got to college.

Homeschooling curriculum is very comprehensive. It throws a wide net and it fills in many gaps. It not only presents the information for the child to learn but instructs the teacher how to teach it. In many cases the homeschool curriculum out there is MORE STRINGENT than much of the public school selected materials. In some cases (often Math) homeschoolers use the exact same curriculum as the schools.

Homeschoolers also have the advantage to teach a child *where they are* unlike their school counter parts. A child can turn 6 in August and can be working on 1st grade reading (as his public school peers are), 2nd grade math (because he flew threw the Kindergarten AND 1st grade material in his Kindergarten year) and then be working on world history, art history and scientific method.  Those last three topics are not taught in the public schools until upper elementary! When a concept doesn't click the child can stay on that topic for as long as they need until it is mastered (unlike public schools who try to catch the child up but often instead leave children behind and lost because the teacher needs to "stay on schedule.")

One on one instruction, being taught at the level the child is at instead of being held back, getting real life daily experiences with more opportunities for socialization across the generations, being taught manners, courtesy, respect and proper behaviors from mom and dad who HAVE the right to discipline AND are present to catch it the 1st time before it turns into a hard habit to break. Curriculum that often excels beyond that chosen by public schools and testing scores that usually are above those in public schools. I just don't see any downsides here for a family that is able to invest the time and money.

Perhaps, the hardest part of Homeschooling is putting the fear of being *different* aside and giving it a chance to work its magic.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 20

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.



Today I am thankful for my ability to homeschool.  That is a loaded statement.  There are so many facets to my thankfulness.

I am thankful that I was trained as an elementary education teacher in college even thought I don't use much of what they taught me back then (classroom management, parental communication, managing a classroom, etc.) 

I am thankful that I am legally allowed to teach my children in my own home on our own schedule using a Mastery Education format that allows me to fly through lessons of stay on troublesome lessons longer if needed.  I am thankful that my particular state requires me to put in a certain amount of hours but then makes it illegal for anyone in the neighboring school districts or within the state to come and require me to justify anything I do.  Not that I take advantage of this as I think many of my homeschooling choices are quite academically advanced but I am thankful that I am accountable to myself, my husband, my children and my Lord and no one else.

I am thankful that we have been able to keep curriculum purchases pretty minimal and have worked really hard to minimize the excess and unneeded busy work which ends up costing us money down the line.

I am thankful that both my husband and I have advanced degrees and have not only the knowledge base but the experience educating others.  It IS different teaching your own children and I do believe that anyone can do it but I am thankful that our backgrounds make this easier.

I am thankful that my husband has a job that allows us the flexibility for me to no longer work outside of the house so that I can educate my children as well as better manage my home, our homestead produce and cover for Hubby when he doubles at work as the animal keeper.

I am thankful that I have grown as a person over the years, have a thick skin and am strong (almost belligerent) about my convictions and what I feel is right for myself and my family.  Being the family advocate is not for the thin skinned or the weak backboned.  Being the family cheerleader and advocate means you KNOW why you are doing what you are doing, you KNOW it is the right choice for you and you have sat down and thought upon what your answers will be when you are countered.  I've only had to stand my ground a couple of times but I was able to do so in a well researched, knowledgeable, thoughtful, yet kind way that communicated that we have thought through our decisions and will will neither be swayed in our choices nor will we be convinced that we are doing our children any injustices. 


Most importantly, I am thankful that my children are showing more and more excitement about school and learning and about MOMMY being the teacher.  It is a true joy to see excitement when things are tough and to watch older child start to teach younger child the ways of the world and education.  I LOVE the happy perks of homeschooling.  I am so glad we chose this life.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 19

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.



Today I am thankful for children who often get along and who are learning how to play together.  :)

KB Teachers - Review

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse's Homeschool Crew I have been given a complementary 2 year subscription to KBTeacher.com to examine and review.

KBTeachers.com is a website that offers educational tools, worksheets and resources for it's subscribers.

Membership is $29 per year or $49 for two years.   Teachers have the ability to search the entire website prior to subscribing and have 30 days to cancel their membership if they are not satisfied with the services.

KBTeachers offers worksheets and worksheet generators for Math, English, Science, Social Studies as well as Holidays and Seasonal.  Much of their worksheets are for primary levels but the social studies they claim to be appropriate for middle school and high school.

 They offer worksheets in many different subject areas.

KBTeachers is a secular website and thus Holiday activities are very secular.  There were numerous worksheets, mazes, matching, crossword puzzles and the like for Halloween which pictured cartoonized Frankensteins, witches and ghosts.  The word finds were also filled with such words and activities.  I wanted to carve pumpkins with my children by first having them color and decorate a blank picture of a pumpkin but all I could find were pre-created Jack-O-Lanterns. The Fall activities were minimal as well with a couple of mazes and then "Count the Leaves" activities.

A look at the Thanksgiving options.

 



I have used, and see myself continuing to use a couple of the Math Worksheet options.  Many of which you can create a page, print it and then click the "A New Set!" button to generate a different worksheet to be used the next day.

There is no saving function.  This means the user must print many worksheets at a time (which at my house each sheet had a VERY LONG Que time) or the teacher would need to print a new worksheet prior to each day's instruction.

The money counting forms include Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, Half Dollars and Coin Dollars.  You can then choose to view the fronts, backs or both front and back, however you may not mix coins.  I find it hard to teach/assess money counting when there is no option to mix coins.  Perhaps they are working on this for a future upgrade. 

I also used the "What Time Is It?" worksheets on many occasions with my 1st grader.  You can choose "On the Hour," "half past," "15 minutes," "5 minutes" and "To the Minute."  Clicking the button in the center at the top creates NEW sheets that can be used the next day.

This area also contains a page of BLANK clocks that you the teacher or the student can fill in.  :)

A worksheet generator is available for both print and cursive.  However I find it quite limiting in what you are allowed to add to the worksheet.  It would definitely not work for copywork unless you use only limited words.  There are also only ONE font style that you then can choose to have a solid line or a dotted "tracing" line.  My family uses a VERY POPULAR handwriting program and it is not ball & dot format.  I was a bit bummed when I realized this was the only option.  My son has enough trouble remembering how to write certain letters I am not about to introduce a "new way" to write his letters and confuse him some more.  Perhaps in the upgrade this will be expanded.

 

The science section is intriguing to me but as far as how it works with students my kids are too young to test these out.  Here is the Geology topics page.

Another thing that this KBTeachers.com offers are Webquests for each month.  When you click on "Webquests" it takes you to a list of Dates of which to the side of certain dates are special events or names.  For example November 11th was Veteran's Day.  When you click on that link it takes you to an information page with some basic facts on that item and then a few links to help take you around the web to learn more.  I tried 3 of these and all three had at least one link that was broken and thus would not load.   The links I was taken to were quite simple and a bit simplistic with very few details. 

What did I think?

I am not going to cancel my subscription right away.  The company is doing an upgrade that will take effect later in November or early December.  I am going to stick around to see what I think after that time.

At this moment in time I am not very impressed.  The worksheets are simplistic or unusable.  They feel like busy work to me and with the cost of printer ink I only print when I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.  My kids do not get print outs for busy work. 

I DO LOVE the clock worksheets and see myself using those quite a lot until my 6 year old has the clock down pat.  Other than that I have hope.  I have hope that they will offer more of what I personally am looking for with the upgrade.

The website states that if a teacher does not see what is needed to let them know and they can try to work on that.  If some of my disappointments are not improved with the upgrade I might send off a little email and see how that turns out.  Two years is a very long subscription and I'd love to be able to watch this company who has so much potential expand into a super website of educational fun.

Please DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!!  Please GO KBTeachers.com yourself and see if my needs are just too picky.  You can view the ENTIRE website for free and if you are not satisfied after you subscribe you may cancel at ANYTIME.  Plus their customer service is very quick and hospitable, traits that seem to be a bit rare these days!

Membership is $29 per year or $49 for two years.

If you would like to read what my fellow TOS Crew members think about KBTeachers.com please click HERE.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Disclaimer:  I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

2010 Gratitude Challenge - Nov 18

I've been invited to post daily something that I am grateful for throughout the month of November.  This is the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.





Today I am thankful for two things.

1: That it is my 4 year old who was puking this morning and not me.  (Is that a horrible thing to be thankful for?)

and

2:  That a wonderful fellow blogger from my neck of the woods took pity upon my soul when I told her our camera died.  She went home, found this and passed it along to me.

She has a father who is a photographer who passes many cameras off to her and this was a cute little older one.  It's wonderful, especially since I have a very hard time making any blog posts without pictures.  :)

What = "YUM!??!" (hint: egg rolls)

Cabbage + Sausage + Carrots + Splash of Soy Sauce + Egg Roll Wrapper!!!

The other day in the grocery store I got a whim and snagged a package of egg roll wrappers and a head of cabbage.  Saturday night turned into Egg Roll night.  (Well, as a full disclaimer: My egg rolls are like super stuffed pouches instead of skinny little rolls.  We think they are extra yummy this way.)

Step one is fry up a bunch of sausage and set it to drain.  

Step two: shred a head of cabbage and a bunch of carrots.

Step three: mix all of the above in a huge bowl or wok if you like to precook and splash a bit of soy sauce into the mix.

[Disclaimer:  I don't measure much of anything so those of you who HAVE to have that PERFECT recipe you will need to keep searching]

Next you will want to start heating up your oil.  I use my electric skillet cranked up pretty high for this.  You could easily use a deep frying pan but I like my skillet.  :)

Now that you have your veggies mixed and your oil warming it's time to create the pouches of goodness.  First, open your egg roll wraps (you can make them, I HAVE, but they are so much easier to just pull out of the packaging.  This is ONE pre-made food that I more often than not purchase)

Pull out one wrapper and lay it flat.  Scoop a large pile of food into it and begin wrapping it.  The packaging often has directions.  You will need a small bowl of water.  Take your fingers (or a pastry brush if you are all prim and proper) and after you have folded the first fold up, wet the second side down, fold it over so it sticks, repeat with the third side.  At this point MY egg rolls look like an open envelope.  I push the food down into the envelope pouch and sometimes add more.  Then I wet the sides down and glue it together.   Look at the picture and it makes much more sense than my description.

I usually do at least 6 or so at the beginning and then finish the batch while they are frying.

When a drop of water dances all over the place when you drop it into the hot oil it is ready for your egg rolls.  I like to put the seams down first so that I know they are less likely to POP open when I flip them with my tongs.

When they are a crispy golden brown on the bottom it's time to flip them.  

 When they are a delightful golden brown on all sides they are ready to come out.  Remove them carefully with tongs.  I usually hold them up above my oil for a bit letting the excess oil drain and then if they are super crispy I can prop them up on an edge so they are perpendicular to the paper towel covered plate to drain some more.

Don't they look yummy???

You know... I now realized that I got caught up in the process and did not take any pictures of us eating this amazing yumminess.  Maybe next time.

And now, I'm going to have to go buy another package of wrappers and more cabbage so I can make another batch cause I am craving Chinese AGAIN!!!

Bon appetite