TOS Crew Blog Walk

This week, blogs #2 – 10 are owned by the First Mates of our TOS Crew. First Mates are those wonderful ladies who have been reviewing for TOS Crew for two to three years. The blogs are all just so awesome and filled with a lot of information for homeschooling and homeschool products. If you’re looking for real-life reviews on different homeschool products, these are the blogs to visit! Enjoy! Online casino Ireland. ###

1. Closing Time
2. One Blessed Mamma
3. El Cloud Homeschool: Busy Minds, Busy Hands, Busy Feet
4. Alive in Spirit
5. Ozark Rumblings
6. Army of 5
7. Fenced In Family
8. Debbie's Digest
9. Footprints in the Butter
10. Got Chai?

Review of Molly’s Money Saving Digest July 2010: Summer Fun from A-Z

Click here to know more about this digest

In the past, when asked if I would like to review one of Molly's Money Saving Digests, I would respond negatively to it thinking that her ideas would only be applicable to people living in the US. However, when I finally tried to read one, Molly's got me hooked. I find that even if she usually speaks from the viewpoint of one living in the States, her suggestions on frugal living are not so far-fetched from our current lifestyle. Of course, one of the things we really can't do here in Manila is shop with coupons. It's just not done here. But now, whenever I go to the grocery, I make it a point to view their board and see what's on sale first before entering the grocery. As I continued to read Molly's Money Saving Digest, I have been encouraged with her suggestions on frugality.

Molly's Money Saving Digest July 2010: Summer Fun from A-Z is no different. It is packed full of tips and fun ways on how to spend the summer frugally. Her tips on prepacking a picnic basket is one that I would definitely follow. In this issue, Molly shares with us four kinds of forms to plan our summer activities and our goals. I especially liked In The Kitchen with Molly because she gives recipes that are not only easy to follow, but also ones that minimize the use of the oven to avoid the summer heat. Of course, Molly being the way she is, she also gives us a complete grocery list for the one-week menu that she has planned.

Kids would have lots to do this summer in Kids' Corner where she gives us recipes for such interesting stuff like bubbles and play dough. Ever heard of Oobleck? I haven't until I read it here in Molly's Money Saving Digest. For the actual Summer Fun from A-Z, Molly gives her readers an alphabetical list of suggestions on what parents and kids can do for the summer without having to spend much. Most of the ideas are things that you can already do right after reading this issue. And as always, I am inspired by the very interesting story of Shauuna Wood and her family in This is My Story – Living the Abundant Lifestyle.

I have already read several of Molly's Digest and I have been immensely blessed. Molly knows how to share her blessings to her readers not only with her ideas, but also with the links to different internet sites that would help us more in our quest for frugal living. Thanks Molly and keep it up!

Week in Review July 19 – 25, 2010

My heart is filled to overflowing today as I think about our family’s past week. I am so grateful to the Lord for He hears us and answers our prayers. How good and great is the Lord our God Almighty!

Well, since it’s the start of the rainy season, it’s no surprise that the kids got a touch of cough and colds at the start of the week. It’s not a surprise, but tough on us. What made it even tougher for me is that I also came down with diarrhea at the end of last week. It has left me weak and tired all the time. And even if the diarrhea stopped, I felt that my tummy has not settled down completely since I still can feel my tummy rumbling.

I’ve spent the last few days assessing where my children are with regards to their homeschool. I’ve been reading The Trivium Mastery by Diane Lockman. I received this book from the author so that I can review it but I did not know how much it will bless me until I started reading it. She also has a website with a tutorial which I’ve been doing this week. I’ll write more about this in a future review. For now, suffice it to say  that I am tremendously blessed with The Trivium Mastery.

Also, I’ve done research on what resource I can use to teach my preschooler, Sunshine Girl. Believe me when I say that there are just so many, many kind and generous people who have created curriculums for preschoolers and have put it up for our use for FREE.

In my search, I’ve decided that the curriculum that I wanted should be Bible-based, encourage the reading of rhymes and books, should be full of craft activities, and should not require me to source books that are not available here. Before I share what I’ve decided is the best fit, I’d like to share first the various preschool helps/curriculum I’ve found online:

ABC JESUS LOVES ME, a Preschool Bible Curriculum, has a complete curriculum for 3 and 4 year olds. You can click over and find a very organized and well-presented curriculum with Montessori-style ideas. Before I read her ideas, I thought that I would have to spend a lot of money to purchase manipulatives for my children. Instead, she shows us how to create our own manipulatives at home with inexpensive materials that you can buy from a bookstore.

 

If you think that you will need to purchase an expensive curriculum to teach phonics to your child, look at this website first. Progressive Phonics is a FREE all-in-one reading program. It has books that you can either read online with your child or have it printed and bound. You will need to register to use this site but it is free to register.

Starfall is an online, interactive reading program that will hook your kids. It is cartoon-like and is very interesting. Sunshine Girl loves to get on this to learn her alphabets with music and games.

The Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum by Brightly Beaming Resources has a complete complete curriculum to teach your child with books and songs.

Now my Sunshine Girl loves to create. She loves to paste things and has done a lot of creative crafts on her own. So I’ve looked for more ideas for crafts for kids. And here are some:

DLTK’s Sites has so many wonderful craft projects for kids to learn their ABC’s, shapes and numbers. It is a huge sight that includes Bible crafts, animal crafts, countries and cultures and many, many more.

Confessions of a Homeschooler is a blog owned by one of my fellow TOS Crewmates. She offers a lot of printables that we can use to teach our own preschoolers. I’ve learned a lot from her, too.

 

 

Tot School is fun time with your tot, says 1+1+1=1 the blog owner. Just like Confessions of a Homeschooler, her site is full of ideas and printables that you can use to teach your tot at home. I love this site, too.

 

No Time for Flashcards is brimming with so many different ideas to teach your child. I haven’t been through so much of this site but I have used some of this site’s great craft ideas.

 

 

Homepreschool and Beyond is a blog owned by Ms. Susan Lemos. She blogs about faith-based, developmentally appropriate homepreschool / homeschool using a literature approach. She believes homepreschool should be based on the 4R's: Relationship (with God and family), routine, readiness, and reading aloud. She has published a book which I, hopefully, can review in the future but you can read excerpts and a lot of ideas on her blog.

 

Now I use a lot of great ideas from all the resources above. Sunshine Girl expecially likes Starfall, so I’m going to let her keep using that. But there is one site that I will be using to teach her.

HUBBARD’S CUPBOARD offers a complete curriculum for ages 2 – 6. It comes complete with weekly and daily lesson plans, printables, book list. It uses the rhymes and Bible stories, Bible memory verses and is full of craft activities. I’m using this because it looks like the best fit for me and my child. We’ve been through week 1 so far and it’s been good.

I’ve presented here several sites for you to go through. It can get overwhelming at first, but don’t let this get you down. See what works best for you and your child and only use those. If it doesn’t work, discard it.

God bless you all!

TOS Crew Blog Walk Week 6

Here are this week's list of bloggers for our blog walk. Thanks to Mrs. Mandy for helping me with this.

1. Deanna’s Corner
2. Light, Liberty, and Learning
3. Bunny Trails
4. Flowers N Plaid Homeschool
5. Gadow Ohana
6. His Wonderful Works
7. Expand
8. Confessions of a Homeschooler
9. The Sojourner
10. A Full Heart

As I’ve been visiting my fellow TOS Crewmates’ blogs, I am amazed at how many talented homeschool families there are all over the world. Try and visit them, too. My prayer is that you’ll be encouraged as I am.

Nuffnang and HEAVEN Ice Cream invite you to a special screening of ‘SALT’

 

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Give in to the richest, smoothest, and creamiest by NESTLÉ Ice Cream. Revel in the exquisite goodness of its four sophisticated flavors---Belgian Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Almond Secret and Butter Pecan Obsession. HEAVEN Ice Cream is made with only the finest ingredients and contains no artificial food colors. Available in 800mL(Php 175) & 450mL(Php 115) tubs across supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide.

TOS Crew Blog Walk Week 5

This is a bit late because it’s been a crazy week in our household.

1. Buckaroo Days
2. Our Homeschool Reviews
3. Reed, Party of 6
4. Training Hearts at Home
5. Along The Way
6. I Love Science!
7. Through the Calm and Through the Storm
8. Created for Home
9. Tractors and Tire Swings
10. Guiding Light Homeschool

TOS Review: Travel the World! by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Store

Travel the World! is a mini unit study on Geography that is part of the 2009 Schoolhouse planner. One of the features of The Schoolhouse Planner are the monthly modules or mini unit study that you can purchase individually or bundled with other modules. It is in downloadable PDF format that you can use as soon as you pay for it – no need to wait for days to receive it in the mail.

As the description above says, this is a mini unit study. Travel the World! will teach your child the very basic features of the globe, how to read a map, and the seven continents of the world. It includes several fun activities that add an interesting touch to a student’s studies such as crossword puzzles and online games. Copywork and lapbooking are also incorporated into this study.

It can be used for children as young as 2nd or 3rd grade to high school aged students as it includes studies that can be expanded for high school students. The beauty of a downloadable PDF format is that it includes links to several online sources that your child can use for his studies. I find these links one of the things that give this module its value, because you are not only purchasing a small ebook, you are taking advantage of other online resources that have already been previously researched for you by other homeschool mothers.

We are going to study World Geography this year and I find Travel the World! a great way to begin our studies. I tried having my Artsy Princess read it by herself first to see if she can understand it on her own. However, she needed me to explain a lot of the new words to her. After studying it together, we came away from our study learning more and understanding the world map better. The information was presented in a very concise manner. The preparation I did for this was to read it in its entirety and decide which pages to print for which child and what activity would be appropriate for them.

The high school expansion studies will teach the student how learning about geography is useful for real life. This is also one of the things that I appreciate because when I was young, I thought Geography was just one of those subjects that I had to pass in school. As it turns out, learning about Geography is much more than that. The other thing I liked about this unit study is that the child learns that everything about Geography is rooted in God.

Since this is only a mini unit study, this can be used as a jump-off point for Geography studies, as a kind of reviewer if your student has already studied it before or for supplementary online learning of your child.

The Travel the World! module can be purchased from The Old Schoolhouse Store for only $7.95. You don’t have to purchase the Schoolhouse Planner in order to purchase Travel the World! monthly planner module.

Click on the above image for some sample pages.

This is a TOS Homeschool Crew review.I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive monetary compensation for my review.

Week in Review July 11 – 17, 2010

Week in Review is a new part of my blog. I’ve seen a few of my TOS Crewmates doing their own weeks in review on their blogs and thought this would be good to do on my own blog.

Last week is our first few days of homeschool. This schoolyear, I have decided to formally start teaching Sunshine Girl, my 5 year old. Although I believe in starting them late, she has been asking to learn. She already learned a few alphabets on her own and that amazed me.

Using Hubbard’s Cupboard curriculum, we started on the first week – reading about the first day of Creation in Genesis 1. She had fun with all the activities that I prepared for her – night and day sort, learning the number 1, reading Baa, Baa Black Sheep and memory verse.

Artsy Princess is once more enrolled in the Weekly Writer Program. Weekly Writer is an online Language Arts program for kids from Preschool to 8th grade. The owner / teacher is Judy Steidl and she has prepared several activities for her students. On Weekly Writer, Artsy Princess writes her own blogs, talks about the books she reads and meets new friends online. Apart from that, we also started her Geography lessons.

Unfortunately, Artsy Princess was hospitalized early this week with an infection that had her vomiting for a whole day. We stayed in the hospital for three days. When we got home, there was a big storm and we lost power for a day and a half.

Guitar Babe has also started with her Roman history lessons. I assigned her to read the first chapter of her book and answer the study guide. When I checked her work, I’m glad to see that she was able to answer all but one of the questions in the guide. She even reported to me that she found the Roman history very interesting.

In our homeschool support group, I’ve been tasked to teach my two classes the local song “Sitsiritsit Alibangbang”. It was relatively easy to teach the children and they also learned to sing the song easily.

In the middle of all this, I had to deal with Flash Boy also getting sick. Artsy Princess’ hospital confinement also left me exhausted but there are just so many things that a mother has to do at home. In addition to all this, I also have a writing assignment that I needed to finish up.

It definitely has been a full week for us. I came across a question sometime this week, “What is the best thing you like about homeschooling?” There are times during these last few days when I’m reading to my children and the two small ones start fighting. Then when they’re through, the two big ones start their own “kulitan” (sorry, what is the English word for that?). But later on my Guitar Babe prays,

“Lord, thank You very much that even if my siblings and I fight, I know that we love each other very much. Thank You for giving us a mom who is very patient with us. Thank You for giving us a dad who works hard for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

And that is one of the things I love best about homeschooling! The Lord is good!

Children’s Book Review: Pookster and the Unloose Tooth by Rhonda Funk

Once again, we are treated to Pookster and Bubs’ humorous brother and sister dynamic in Pookster and the Unloose Tooth from The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs by Rhonda Funk. In this story, Pookster just can’t wait to lose her two front teeth. She was in such a hurry that she even practiced the song “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” in advance.

When she felt one of her front teeth becoming loose, she was determined to lose it as fast as she can, faster than it should have happened. She finally lost both teeth by twisting, turning, tugging and finally, by tying her tooth to a door with dental floss and slamming it. Mom steps in with a lesson on patience based on a Bible verse about waiting on the Lord’s perfect timing.

This book has sparked several discussions about teeth among my four children and I. The older ones were happily reminiscing about the teeth that they already lost. I also shared the same experience of having my mom tie my loose tooth with a string and pulling it out. Then Artsy Princess took out her case filled with her old teeth. Which then started a lesson on taking care of your teeth.

I can’t say enough good things about Pookster and the Unloose Tooth from The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs by Rhonda Funk. The story is funny, interesting and filled with characters that children can relate to.The Bible lesson is smoothly injected into the story line. While reading it, it felt like it was something that really happened to the author’s family.

An audio CD of the book is included. The funny and colorful Illustrations are by Eric Kieninger.

Note: I have been given a free copy of this book by Bring It On! Communications in exchange for my honest review. All opinions herein are mine. I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this review. However, there are affiliate links within the post. Should you decide to purchase this item through my link, my family will be blessed with a percentage of that purchase.

Book Review: The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey

The Money Answer Book

In this age of economic downturn, it is very important to our lives and our future that we make the best decisions regarding our finances. Being a good steward of our resources is one of the Bible’s most important lessons. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know / don’t understand much about taking good care of our finances.

The Money Answer Book – Quick Answers for Your Everyday Financial Questions by Dave Ramsey is a very informative book on finances. Dave Ramsey honestly and fearlessly gives us direct answer to money questions that we have everyday. He tackles current money management issues such as debt, mortgage, student loans, budgeting, saving, investments, teaching children about money and the like. The issues are current. His answers are direct without any flowery language.

As one who is truly challenged about the stewardship of resources, reading The Money Answer Book - Quick Answers for Your Everyday Financial Questions by Dave Ramsey is an eye-opener. Dave Ramsey knows how to challenge his audience to make wise decisions about their money. Although it is written with an American audience in mind, the issues are as real to us Filipinos as it is to Americans.

In this book, one of the most important things I’ve learned is how to give priorities to my financial needs. It has opened my eyes to a new way of planning a secure, financial future. The best thing about this is that it is very easy to read. In fact, it is not even a big book, it’s as small as a pocketbook that I can easily slip into my bag. Despite it’s size, it is packed with essential nuggets in the wise management of the resources that God gave us.

Note: I have been given a free copy of this book by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review. All opinions herein are mine. I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this review. However, there are affiliate links within the post. Should you decide to purchase this item through my link, my family will be blessed with a percentage of that purchase.

Children’s Book Review: Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle by Rhonda Funk

We meet Pookster in Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle from The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs by Rhonda Funk. In this delightful book, Pookster learns an important lesson on using kind words. Words are just like pickles – sometimes they’re sweet, sometimes they’re sour. Pickles are one of Pookster’s favorite things in the world. She thinks it’s “nice and crunchy, sort of sour, and nearly perfect (other than it’s a vegetable and looks like it’s covered in frog skin)”.

One day while having her daily dose of a delicious pickle, her brother Bubs comes along with his toy soldiers. Believing that Bubs was getting ready to take over her pickle, she screams at her brother to get away from her beloved pickle. A surprised Bubs quickly shouted back that he wasn’t trying to do anything to her. Mom sees this screaming interchange and quickly steps in to teach about using kind words.

This book actually centers around a Bible verse found in the Proverbs. It is truly a creative way to teach the Word of God to children.

The author, Ms. Rhonda Funk, captures the humorous dynamics of her real-life children and shares it in this book. I’ve read this book so many times to my children and they still keep asking for it. The story is very funny but it smoothly zeroes in on the lesson to be learned. It is very colorful with wonderful illustrations by Eric Kieninger.

My children love the story of Pookster and Bubs because they all can relate to these two siblings fighting over something. I love that the story finishes with the children apologizing to each other and then playing together. The “What I’ve Learned” section imparts the lesson on kindness effectively.

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle from The Adventures of Pookster and Bubs by Rhonda Funk comes with an Audio CD featuring the author’s own children, Ryan and Rylee Funk. If you have no time to read the book aloud to your children, you can also play the audio CD.

Note: I have been given a free copy of this book by Bring It On! Communications in exchange for my honest review. All opinions herein are mine. I did not receive any monetary compensation in exchange for this review. However, there are affiliate links within the post. Should you decide to purchase this item through my link, my family will be blessed with a percentage of that purchase.

How Do We Do “It”?

Early in our marriage, when hubby and I were still deciding how many children we wanted to have, hubby said that he only wanted 2 while I was set on having 4. Hubby came from a family of seven brothers and sisters and did not have an easy life growing up. This is the reason why he’s bent on having just two children. I, on the other hand, had three sisters and a brother (now deceased) and we also pretty much had problems of our own. This did not deter me from wanting to be a mommy to four children.

However, being the Christian that I am and in obedience to God, I know that I have to submit to my husband in this case. So after the second child, Artsy Princess, was born and he said stop, I obeyed.

Early in 2004, my father-in-law, who lived in the USA, died. My husband’s family decided that since most of the children are still here in the Philippines, they would bring him home and bury him here. It was such a busy time for me taking care of my grieving husband and his family that I totally forgot to take my birth control pills. So came our third – Sunshine Girl.

Sometime in 2006 I got sick that I had to stop taking my pills. My period also totally stopped so I thought I was experiencing early menopause (the same thing happened to my older sister). One day, I started feeling extremely nauseous and this went on for weeks on end. I thought there was something wrong with me until it finally dawned on me that I may just be … pregnant. Well, as it turns out, Flash Boy was born in 2007. The blessing here also is that I got healed of that earlier sickness after the pregnancy.

So, God works in ways that are very surprising. Now that we have four children, hubby is determined that this is it for us. As for me, I still submit to my husband’s will. The Bible did say in Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

So now I am good with our four children. But now, the funny thing is, the children are asking us to have another baby! Just the other day, Artsy Princess, Guitar Babe and I had this conversation:

Artsy Princess: Mom, please, can you get pregnant again? Can you have another baby?

Guitar Babe: Don’t talk to mom about that, you should talk to Dad. Because he’s the one who says four is enough for them.

AP: Yeah, but I wonder how they’re going to do it because we’re always around them.

Me thinking: (What are they talking about?)

GB: Yeah, mom, how did you ever get pregnant with Sunshine Girl? We used to sleep in your room.

Me still thinking: (Hmm, how did they know that?)

GB: And mom, how did you do it, get pregnant with Flash Boy with Sunshine Girl in your room? You didn’t do it in front of her, did you?

AP: Yeah mom, how did you do it?

Me thinking hard: (Okay, I have to give them some kind of an answer. Ooh, imaginary light bulb pops!)

Me finally talking: Okay, when you yourselves get married and have children, you’ll know how we did it! So you better stop asking that question and wait until you’re married. (Hehehe)

Time for another Blog Walk through my TOS Crewmates’ blogs. Here are this week’s treasury of blogs, visit them and look around, you may just find inspiration from one of them.

1. King Alfred Academy
2. Confessions of An Organized Homeschool Mom
3. Curriculum Reviews from Oak Creek Farmhouse
4. I Can't Decide
5. My Life on A Taffy Pull
6. Losing My Tale
7. Made in His Image
8. Serenades and Solace
9. Our Village is a Little Different
10. SisterTipster's Tell'n It!

Book Review: Farraday Road and Swope’s Ridge by Ace Collins

Farraday Road by Ace Collins is a story about Lije Evans whose wife, Kaitlyn, was gunned down while they were driving on their way home. Left for dead by the killers, Lije Evans survived but was extremely grieved over his wife’s death. He soon decides to investigate who and why somebody wanted them dead. As the story progresses, Lije Evans with the help of a few friends discovers a mystery connected to a property that his wife bought for him. He must act fast to solve this because the killers are still out there and are determined to kill him – again.

Farraday Road kept me glued to its pages for hours on end. From its starting pages, the thrill of a crime unsolved is already keeping me on the edge of my seat. It has several twists in the plot that has me guessing on and on for the whodunit. But there are also some parts that become too long or boring. I have to admit that towards the end there’s an unexpected twist that had me asking what that has to do with the entire story. The ending was very exciting. The writer was able to resolve the twist in the tale BUT it did not resolve the whole mystery of who wanted them killed and why.

Just when I thought I would finally find out, the words to be continued… at the very last page of the book has left me very unsatisfied and ultimately mad. I mean what kind of author would write a story that would have you at the edge of your seat and not finish it? I was doubly mad because I just received this book from Zondervan Publishing for review and I had no idea if they were sending me the continuation. I’m just not used to a book like this.

Which is the reason for this post’s double review:

A few weeks after finishing Farraday Road, I received another box of books from Zondervan Publishing. This box, thankfully, contained the second installment of the Lije Evans Mysteries – Swope’s Ridge.

Swope’s Ridge starts out with a story about a man who was suspected to be a terrorist. Again, we enter the exciting and dangerous life of Lije Evans, as he continues to investigate the death of his wife, Kaitlyn. Once again, author Ace Collins takes us through several twists in this plot which continues to have us glued to the story. Finally, this book finishes with a good ending. The crime is solved and Lije Evans is a changed man.

It’s a good thing that Zondervan Publishing sent me this book or I would have been just so mad at Farraday Road for keeping me hanging. Farraday Road must be bought and read with Swope’s Ridge. It’s actually a big story that was made into two books. As a whole, it is very good. For someone like me who loves thriller/mysteries, this is very good and satisfying. Ace Collins is a very imaginative and excellent storyteller. Just make sure to purchase both Farraday Road and Swope’s Ridge. Don’t even start reading Farraday Road if you don’t have Swope’s Ridge in your bookshelf!