A Day in the Life of Four Kids

Yes, I have them all home...mostly!  One went to the grandparents for a few days (and had a blast) one is headed to the mountains for a few days on a mission trip on the Appalacian trail hiding in her room sick now and trying to keep up with three online classes,  and one seems to be living mostly in the the dance studio for practices... but technically they are ALL home.

Wanna see what we have been doing?




I'll show you!

Unpacking!



LOTS of hugging!

   

Lot of baking!

My bread maker is back!

Three online classes

Sewing business- Tee shirt quilt

Two more quilts done!

And of course, Nerf Wars

And the King of Nerf Wars!

The fun never stops!  And this momma's heart is happy!

Happy Friday, friends!

TOS Crew Review- High School Prep Genius

 College Prep Genius is well known for its SAT prep course. It's been said to be able to raise a students score by 600 points.  But we all know that even before a child ever gets to the point of taking the SAT there is much work to be done to prepare for college. 

Now College Prep Genius is offering a book called High School Prep Genius, to help you get that work done.  Intended for students 7th through 12th grade, this 437 page book is a wealth of information.  Written by Jean Burk and her daughter Judah, High School Prep Genius gets you thinking abut where your child wants to go in life and how to help them get there.  One of my favorite quotes in the book was written by Judah,

"It was not until my senior year that I realized all the effort put into school was meaningless if I walked away without learning anything.  The purpose of education not simply making the grades.  It is to gain knowledge about the world and practical applications of such knowledge." (From Thoughts From Judah)

 

 

This is not your typical how to get into college book, focusing only on the test scores and college applications. 

The 18 chapters are broken into three main headings-

~Foundations of Personal Success, which focuses on your student.  Everything from their goals to their health and friendships are covered. 

~Foundations of Academic Success- Covers chapters on how to study, get organized, and take tests.

~Foundations for Future Success- Covers choosing a college, applications, and financial considerations.

 

There are several appendixes at the end of the book that are quite helpful, but the one I loved was a list of great books to get you started with learning.  We were excited to see that we have read over half already and added more than a few to our summer reading list!



How we used this book-
My 9th grader and I used this book together.  I read all of the introductory information myself.  The information there includes timeline with what you should be doing at each grade level, as well as transcript templates and checklists for colleges, scholarships and even awards.  The authors tell you how to set up a college notebook using these templates to help you fill in the specific tabs.  Because we have already started a similar notebook, we were able to copy these forms and add to our notebook.

Next, the chapter reading began.  We found it easiest to have me read a chapter and then my daughter read it afterwards.  Each chapter is written to the students in a conversational tone.  They are very thorough, but not overloaded with too much information.  This age is one that easily zones out with info overload, and we found that this did not happen with this book.   After the student's reading there was a Think About It section that asked questions to get the student to think on a deeper and more personal level with the information they just read.  Often these question involved "what if..." and "what would..." type questions. 

Then comes the parents section.  This part my daughter did not read.  It is addressed specifically to the parent summarizing what the student just read and gives you additional things to think about.  Each of those sections is followed by parent "homework".  Sometime it was just conversation starters and things to discuss with your kiddos.  Other times it included additional resources to use such as websites and recommended books.

After we both had read the chapter we would get together and talk about the questions she answered, any thoughts or other questions she had and then sometimes look up extra resources or add a particular item to her college notebook.

**So for us, I would read the entire chapter sometime during the day, child and parents' part, then she would read her part in the evening and work through the questions. The next day we would discuss the chapter and then move on, repeating the process.**

Thoughts-
I love this book!  I wish I could buy all of my friends a copy!  While we think that the cover and the size make it a little intimidating, the info inside is not.  My daughter really enjoyed reading it and we had a lot of good discussions about it.  As a mom, I am thankful to have some guidance in the college prep steps.  But more importantly, I am thankful to have an author who has a heart for kids and is willing to take the time to not just dwell on the college search and scholarship money, though those are important and discussed, but also the heart issues that are prevalent during this emotional time.  Similar books and programs that only discussed the technical parts of college prep have tended to overwhelm my daughter very quickly.  Let's face it, this can be a complicated process and emotion driven time.  More stress, we do not need!  The authors have found a great balance in High School Prep Genius. 

Ordering info-
You can order High School Prep Genius for $29.95 from College Prep Genius.

 If there is one resource you order this year to begin to prepare your child for college and the transition that will occur, THIS should be the one!  I'd lend you my copy, but it is being used!  ;)

TOS Crew Review- Spanish for You

Do you teach a second language at your house?  Are you bilingual?  If not, then you may have found that teaching a second language can be a challenge.  We have found that the vocabulary part is pretty easy to pick up, but as for the mechanics and conversational part, well, that is another story.  The other thing we have found is that programs for the elementary age students are either filled with fluff or are hard for the "normal" non-Spanish speaking mom to use.  Until now!

Enter Spanish for You!, created by Debbie Annett, a Spanish teacher of 14 years.  Spanish for You! was written by Debbie and intended to teach children grades 3-8 Spanish in a simple and affordable manner.  And there is NO fluff.  Intended to be taught four days a week,  this program covers not only vocabulary, but the mechanics of grammar as well.   There are two themes available at this time, Fiestas and Estaciones, with a third theme coming soon.  Each one will cover a year, 24 to 32 weeks, depending on the grade you are using.  We were given the opportunity to review the complete program which has lesson plans for grades 3rd through 8th.


A quick and easy download of a few files will get you started.  Downloads include the lesson guides,  self checking worksheets, pictures and flashcards for each lesson and two audio files.  One audio is of Debbie reading each lesson, the other is that of a native speaker reading the lessons.  Also included was a softbound lesson book for your child to use.  Once we downloaded the material I printed off the lesson plans and bound them for easy reference.  While we had access to all the grade levels, we decided to print off only the grades 5-6 for our use.

Each week is broken into four days of scheduled activities.  Each day listed tells you exactly what to do...from reading a specific part of the lesson to listening to part of the audio, playing a game or using the flash cards.  Debbie has now divided the downloads up by grade levels so you can quickly access the files you need to listen to or the worksheets you need print out for the day.

*As a side note, the files we originally received were not divided up well.  With a few comments from our review crew about it being hard to find what we needed, Debbie divided up the files into grade levels.  Talk about listening to input.  It was only the beginning for me of being impressed with not only the program but the availability of the publisher.  Debbie is a dedicated educator who obviously believes in her product, and wants to present it in the best possible way.  For me, that knowledge makes the program even more special!

How we used it-
My son, a 5th grader, has been exposed to Spanish before.  His younger brother was born in Guatemala so we use many Spanish words and phrases in our home.  But this is the first time he has been formally introduced to the grammar part of the language.  I have to say that I was impressed.  He picked up on it quickly and was even able to do the worksheets without help from me.  One of the things that I think really helped his retention were the audio files.  I think that not only for the auditory leaner, but also for anyone, hearing the lessons after reading them helps solidify things in their minds.  We especially liked hearing the tracks with the native speaker.  We have learned in the past that just by hearing a native speaker say things helps you be less intimidated by the language.  It becomes more natural to your ear and, of course, ensures you are pronouncing things properly. 

I also like that the lessons are broken into manageable sizes.   We followed Debbie's four day schedule presented in the lesson plans.  Information is presented slowly and then repeated often with practice in the form of suggested games, worksheets and flashcards.  It is easy to follow and laid out in an organized manner.  Often Debbie starts a lesson with flashcard practice, but even when she did not, we found it to be a good way to start our lesson.  Let's just say that the fifth grader learns faster than the teacher sometimes!

Fiestas chapters cover the holidays of:

a birthday, 

Day of the Dead,

Carnival,

Holy Week in Spain,

and The April Fair.

Each chapter is meant to be done in order as the learning spirals on itself, but individual books can be done in any order.  Working with more than one grade of child?  Not a problem.  Because the complete set has lessons for all three levels (3rd&4th grade, 5th&6th, and 7th&8th) you can teach multiple levels at one time, having each child do the corresponding worksheets.  Bonus- We were able to include my 5year old in many of the lessons!  While he is still too young to do the worksheets, he picked up  the vocabulary quickly and is always ready to play a Spanish game.  He may not have understood all the conjugating of verbs, but he was able to at least know how to say something in first person.

I cannot wait to start him with this program on his own in 3rd grade and will continue to use it with my 5th grader until we are finished.  Then on to Estaciones!

You can see a sample of the Fiestas curriculum as well to help you get a feel for how the material is presented.  The first 14 pages of the book are "extras", including common phrases and commands, the alphabet, colors and numbers as well as information on making and using flash cards and games and other activities to use to enhance learning.  There is also an information section about each of the 5 celebrations studied.

To order Fiestas or any other products visit the Spanish for You! website.  The grades 3-8 package costs $64.95 and includes the soft cover book (or e-book), lesson plans, worksheets, audio file of the entire book, as well as the audio file by a native speaker and flashcard/activity pictures (pdf file).  Extra workbooks can be ordered for $12.95.  You can also order separate grade levels.  Also on the Spanish for You! website you will find free mini lessons and worksheets to print off.  Go take a look and see what you think.  You will not be disappointed!

Fun Friday- Saving Money in the Kitchen Finale and Giveaway!

Well friends, welcome back to the last installment of Saving Money in the Kitchen.  Here we go...

Dinner time!  What's on your menu?  Fast food, you say?  Honestly, we do not usually eat out just for the fun of it.  Usually the service isn't that great, the food is just OK, and for a family of six it is just plain expensive.  Nope, we usually are only tempted to eat out when mom does not know what is for dinner.  It is irritating, it is unhealthy and it is costly. 

But I struggle with menu planning.  Can anyone relate?  The planning part is not so bad really but the coming up with things to actually put on the plan, well, that is another story.  I waffle between feeling like I am boring my family to death to trying out long, fancy recipes that take a lot of time and they all turn their nose up in the end anyway.  So. Done. With. That!

I have a new solution!  You are going to love it!
I have just finished up my second round of cooking what someone else tells me to cook for a 13 week stretch.  I love it.  I just open the book and follow someone else's plans and recipes.  Easy!

My worn, well loved copy!

I have mentioned Rachel Master's cookbook, Supper's on the Table, Come Home before.  In this 253 page, spiral bound gem, Rachel gives you 13 weeks of 5 meals each with sides along with their recipes. To sweeten the deal she also adds a complete shopping list for each week- staples included!  AND to make it even better, a special dessert and one snack idea are included for each week with all the recipes AND ingredients list.  What else could you need?

It was written by a mom with kids for a mom with kids.  'Ya know what I mean?  None of that creame de 'la something, or fancy-smanshy, I cannot pronounce nor will my family ever eat recipes.  Just real life stuff, with real life ingredients.

These are good solid meal plans- a main dish, a veggie recommendation and often a bread of some sort or a fruit.  Did I already mention kid friendly?  I admit to having 3 out of 4 picky eaters.  I do not know how it happened, but yes, my kids are somewhat picky and opinionated about food.  Out of the 80 meals listed I only replaced about 5.  And they were pretty easy fixes.  Where split pea soup was listed, for example, I just changed it to pork loin. (sorry Rachel)  I simply marked out the ingredients for that meal on the shopping list and added my own.  Now when I shop, I copy the week's ingredients list, mark out all the things I already have on hand and go get the rest of what Rachel tells me I will need.

A no brainer.
And a life saver.

Could it get any better?
Well, actually it can!  Because at the end of the book are bonus recipes for everything from homemade mixes (we use the biscuit mix recipe all of the time) to holiday meal ideas and a even section on food allergies.

Why reinvent the wheel?
Actually, I did reinvent the wheel a little.  I admit the organizational side of me loves this concept, so I got out a notebook and the recipes I have that my family loves and made my own 13 week schedule, complete with shopping lists.  It is not nearly as well done as Rachel's, but it will do.  Now I do not have to menu plan for 26 weeks.  Yea me!

This cookbook makes a great gift for young people just starting out with cooking.  Because most recipes are not too labor intensive, it is an opportunity to learn how to ease into cooking.  Rachel gives start times for each portion of the meal, helping to get it all on the table at the same time.

Want one?  You can order a copy of Rachel's book, Supper's on the Table, Come Home from her website ~ for $15.00.

Or...

Rachel is going to bless one of my readers with their own copy for free!   Enter the rafflecopter below to win.  I know you will love it.  Thank you Rachel!

Looking for ways to save money?  Menu planning can be a great tool to keep you out of the grocery store too often, and keep you from those impulse items that end up costing us way too much.  Give it a try and see if it doesn't help!

Blessings,

This post is being linked up with Amy, At Raising Arrows!

This post in being link to Caroline at The Modest Mom!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer- Opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way by the publisher.  I did not receive compensation in any form for this review.  The cookbook offered is from the generous offer of Rachel!

TOS CREW Review- Papa's Pearls

We love family.  And we love story telling.  One of our kids' favorite things to do is get their grandparents to tell stories of our childhoods or of their own.  That was one of the reasons I was excited to review Papa's Pearls, a story written by Diane Flynn Keith retelling stories of her childhood and that of her father's.  Papa,  Carol Joseph Flynn, was born in 1922.  After a shady couple of years of gambling and hanging with the wrong crowd as a youth, Papa readjusted his thinking and turned his life into one of joy and integrity, focused on family.  The stories that Diane recounts are arranged into 17 short chapters, each bearing the title of a saying or sayings that she remembers her papa saying from her childhood.  Those familiar sayings shaped not only the people she and her siblings became, but also the generations that have followed.

Our thoughts-  Though written for adults, we decided to read this book out loud as part of our nightly family devotion time.  We love the idea that a family can learn from the older generations and we want our kids to learn to value and respect them.  The love and respect of this family for their "papa" is obvious and warmed my heart.  I want our kids to see that the older generation has much to pass on and is a group to be respected, not feared.  Many of the stories related are humorous and it was fun to laugh out loud together as we read.  The kids especially enjoyed a story about Papa becoming "contaminated" after some sewer work.  Often times the stories read led to a lively discussion afterwards of similar things that we have had happen to us or just general conversation about the phrase highlighted that Papa used.  Some of our favorite were-

Keep a Foxy Pocket.
I love you, you know that, right?
You don't kick someone when they're down, you give them a hand up.
 Be grateful every day!
 It's all about family.

The other thing that this book allowed us to do was talk about the history of another era.  From the Great Depression to World War Two we were able to share with the kids information that they may have heard in a history book, but will now better remember because it was presented in a more personal way.  Several things mentioned were new to some of the kids, like the Civilian Constitution Corps, and led us to look up and discuss those things.

A word of caution-
There were several instances where we felt that the subject matter discussed was not suitable for younger children.   While those situations were not glorified, tales of drinking and dating at a young age and birth control are not things we felt like our two younger boys needed to hear.  We passed over several of those stories.  In addition, there are a few instances of curse words that I wish she had left out, making it an easier multigenerational read.  Once or twice I felt like money was overemphasized by Papa, but let's face it, during the time he grew up and then was raising a family was a particularly hard time in history and money concerns were a central theme and worry.  Papa was Catholic, but his faith was emphasized in a respectful, non threatening way.  I do not think you would be offended if you are not Catholic- we were not.  It did allow us to talk about peoples' different beliefs.

Our Bottom Line-
I think you would enjoy many of the stories Diane shares in Papa's Pearls.  She has a knack at bringing a story to life and making you feel like you could just hear papa saying the words himself.  Despite a few instances that I wished we had read ahead of time to filter out more, I think it is a delightful read for older kids and adults.  Now that we are finished with it, I am excited to pass it on to my mom and grandmother to read.  I have a feeling that it will make them smile and bring back some fun memories.  Maybe some they will even share with us!

You can order an autographed copy of Papa's Pearls for $21.97.
Diane is also author of  Carschooling: Over 350 Entertaining Games & Activities To Turn Travel Time Into Learning Time, and coaches parents through her websites, writing, private consultations and speaking engagements.


   

TOS Crew Review- Phonics and Reading with McGuffey App

 

MINE MINE MINE!  Yes, that is sometimes what I want to yell at the top of my lungs about my iPad. There, it is out.  I bought it for me, and I want to use it for me.  I also once said I would not let my kids play games on it.

Well, that was before I knew about educational apps.  It was certainly before I knew about the Phonics and Reading with McGuffey app by LiteracySoft.  Yes, THAT McGuffey Readers, the ones that have been successfully teaching children to read for years.  Well now they offer this wonderful app for your iPad and iPhone.  Let's just cut to the chase...

 You. Need. This!

In 52 lessons your child will learn letters, sounds, spelling and reading up to a first grade level.  And can do so all on their own.  Really.  It is that simple to use.

How we used this-
Daily!  And then some.  CJ loves my iPad, so getting him on there is not usually an issue.  Getting him to stick with one app sometimes is.  Not with this one.  He asks for it every morning like clockwork, so using it five days a week was a no brainer.  He was able to pull it up by himself and go through the lessons by himself.  Can I hear a yay from all the moms?  The only problem we had was limiting it to just one lesson a day.  Can't say that we were very successful with that; he often did several.

Each lesson of McGuffey consists of several parts.  The first part introduces a few new letters and the sounds they make with cute little animations.

Then you will be shown words and taught how to sound them out when you tap on them.

Next comes a lesson quiz to make sure your child knows each of those letter sounds and any from previous lessons.  The sounds are said and you touch the corresponding letters that make that sound.  The light bulbs at the top light up to show you got it correct.

Then the fun really begins.  The following activity allows the child to use any of the letters sounds learned so far and put together their own words.  It took CJ a few times to get the hang of it, but once he did this was one of his favorite parts.  He loved making up words at first, but then began to say a word and then try to spell it.  The only thing that held him back sometimes was that the letters he needed for the word he wanted to spell were not always available.

 

The following activity is a reading one. A sentence is shown and you read it. By touching each word you can see if you are reading the sentences correctly or not. There are several sentences your child will read in each lesson.

 

Another quick quiz follows to ensure your child has the lesson sounds down pat.

 

Next you will find two activities that are as game-like as it gets.  One involves rearranging letters on a truck to spell a word dictated to you and then the truck drives away, and the other involves tapping a word said while in a race to beat your past time on the clock.  The faster you tap the words, the faster the train goes.  If you get a word incorrect, the train will come to a stop.

 

 

 

One of the strengths of this program- at any time, your child can repeat an activity or entire lesson if they are not ready to move on to new sounds.  There are also phonics rules explained when new, more complicated sounds  are introduced that can be turned off once you have heard them and feel comfortable doing so. 

 

If you want to try it out there is a free lite version to get you started or you can try the first 10 lessons for free at any time.  Give it a try and see what you think!

 

Also offered on the website is a free reader in color to print out.  CJ loves to read this on his own.

 

The bottom line-  We have invested in several reading apps and this one is by far my favorite!  It is user friendly, clear to understand and very thorough.  If you have a child learning to read or struggling and needing some extra work, this is one you will not want to pass up.  It is worth every penny!

 

Cost-  $19.99

 

 

   

Fun Friday- Saving Money in the Kitchen- Non food items

Welcome back to my latest Fun Friday series Saving Money in the Kitchen.

 We have talked about meat, breakfasts and lunches, mixes, staples and drinks...on to the "extras."  You know, napkins, paper towels, vitamins, toiletries, and don't forget the pets!  I know that many people have a separate budget for these items but we choose to keep them in the grocery grouping as that is where I buy most of that stuff.  It just makes it easier for me.  I found that the more categories I create in our budget the more complicated I make it for myself.  I do make a separate Walgreens run, but I will get to that in a minute.

So here's the thing.  This seems to be an area that people really tend to overspend in.  I would suggest that you would be surprised if you separated and added up these type items from your grocery bills. Between what we think we need and the fun bottles and advertising, this area can KILL a budget fast!  Trust me.

Let's talk about how we save!

Napkins and paper towels.  Simply put...don't buy them!  About five years ago I decided that enough was enough.  It made me cringe to just throw money into the garbage like there was no tomorrow.  I found several packs of cloth napkins on sale and we use them solely.  I love them!  I personally use dark colors as they show stains less, but I do know that others use white so they can bleach them.  Do what works for you.  We use them until they get dirty and then they get thrown in the wash.  We have acquired enough that it is never an issue to run out.  If you are handy, get out your scrap cloth and make a set.  Same thing goes for paper towels.  Our family could go through some paper towels, I tell ya!  No more.  I purchased some cheap Walmart white dish towels and that is what we now use instead.   It may not seem like a lot, but again, I challenge you to add up the costs.  It may just shock you.

Dog food- Yes, we do feed our dogs.  No, we do not buy expensive brands.  I buy what is on sale and use coupons when I can.  I buy the largest size I can that lasts for the month.  I love my dogs, but they are dogs...I love my family more.  They are healthy (the dogs, that is.  Well, the kids too) and have not complained yet.

Shampoo, toothpaste and soap, oh my!  Oh my is right!  Those things are expensive.  Here's where it helps to not be brand loyal.  If you want to be loyal, but loyal to your friends, not brands!  I buy what is cheap, on sale and has a coupon.  Sorry folks, no fancy things here.  The point is to get clean, not win an award for fanciest products.  Because my husband travels we also use the soaps and shampoos he brings back from his hotel rooms and so often go months without buying extras.  And toothpaste...stop buying it!  No, I do not mean stop using it, but certainly stop paying money for it. Using coupons, especially ones that double, with on sale toothpaste as well as toothbrushes will result in FREE products.  You can't tell me coupons are not worth it sometimes.  Not to mention, if your family is going to a dentist twice a year you should also be given a new toothbrush every six months to supplement.

Vitamins- This is where Walgreens, or any drugstore, comes in.  In addition to the essential oils our family uses, we do take a lot of vitamins.  I buy them when they are buy-one-get-one deals, have coupons and earn "points" on a reward card.  It cuts the cost drastically and earns free money to be used the next time around.  If you do not know how play this little game, there are lots of websites out there that for free will alert you to sales and coupon match ups.  Again, it is worth it.

Tin foil, plastic wrap and other paper products.  We use very little of it.  I do keep tin foil around (usually) for the grill, but not for wrapping up stuff to just stick in the fridge.  Haven't used plastic wrap in a long time.  I did invest in some of those little plastic food covers, you know, like the ones our grandparents use.  You can often find them at the dollar store.  They fit over different sized dishes and work to keep food covered.  I have even heard of people using shower caps to do the same thing. Might have to try that!  Instead of all those plastic containers for food storage, we use mason jars and a few glass pieces that have lids.  Better to wash than to throw out.  And as for those paper plates, at one time I thought that was my answer for lunches with the kids since they eat at home every.single.day, but I realized it was just an expensive fix to try to save myself from washing dishes. Sure they are good for picnics, but I would save my money for something else otherwise.

 

And last but not least, cleaning products.  Most of you know where I stand on this, but let me revisit a few things for just a second.  I used to be queen with a capital Q of cleaning products.  I got them for cheap using coupons and sales and I stocked up on them.  With a little hounding (read here A LOT) from my oldest daughter, I stopped buying that stuff.  We now use natural ingredients and I promise, I am pretty sure my house is still as clean.  Most of those ingredients include essential oils and castille soap, (probably the two most expensive things I buy but they last forever), baking soda, and vinegar.  You can check out my  recipes here, here and here for the three I use the most.  Our laundry detergent is also one we make for much cheaper and LOVE!  It only takes a few minutes to mix up any of these and it will save you a ton of money.

Does saving money take thought?  Yes.  Does it take time?  Yes  But so does anything else you do that is worth doing.  By making well thought out decisions and changes you CAN save money.  Give it a try and see if I am right.  If you can only do a few things at once, pick some that sound easy and start small.  You can add things as you go.  Rome was not built in a day.

I would love to hear how you are saving money in the kitchen and what changes you have made already!

Next week we are going to conclude our series with Menu Planning and one of my favorite cookbooks to help you get started.  Hope to see you back!

Blessings,


  This post is linked up with Caroline at The Modest Mom!   Linking up with Amy at Raising Arrows!