Large Family Funny

I have heard most of these comments and questions - the ones I haven't heard yet, I'm sure I will eventually! Enjoy :-)

WFMW - The Best Kitchen Clean-Up Towels

Believe it or not, I rarely use paper towels or napkins in the kitchen! We've used wash cloths and hand towels for clean-ups for many years, and its amazing what a difference it makes. I find cloth to be much more absorbent and economical. While lately the biggest fad is microfiber towels for cleaning, I have something that works even better at getting up spills fast - prefold cloth diapers! Think about it - as diapers, they're designed to absorb ALOT of moisture, and quickly - and they do an awesome job at it. Not only that, but they're inexpensive, and super durable - they can hold up to all sorts of washing, drying, and other abuse.
Now, before you get grossed out, I don't use the same prefold diapers for kitchen clean-up as I do for diaper duty ;-) I buy a totally different size for the kitchen so that they don't get mixed up. Since I use infant and preemie prefolds for diapering, I buy the premium size for the kitchen. Toddler size are also useful - extra large for when full cups of water spill or the washing machine leaks everywhere or a helpful toddler tries to wash dishes (ask me how I know)! And, because they can be washed with bleach without any harm, prefolds are also good for bathroom spills and leaks, too!

It seems so simple, but it constantly amazes me at how fast prefolds suck up water, and how much they can absorb. They're the BEST kitchen clean-up towels, ever!

If you're thinking of trying some for yourself, my friend Gina at Little Lions is having a "secret sale" on many of her diapering products, including prefolds - even her "second quality" prefolds (which is what I've used and have never come across any defects)! I just ordered a dozen more to add to our use and even with shipping paid less than I would have for the same amount of quality kitchen towels that wouldn't work nearly as well! Awesome deal!

Using prefolds for clean-up duty definitely Works for Me! To get other great ideas, check out Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family!

Why Homebirth?

When I tell others that we have decided to go ahead with a homebirth, I get many different reactions. I have friends and family who are extremely supportive (some who have had homebirths themselves, others who would want to, and then friends who are just supportive despite their own opinions), friends and family who don't really understand why I'd even want to try something like that, and others still who are completely against the idea. I can understand each position, especially the last two, as homebirth is something rather "against the grain" - considering less than 1% of women in America deliver their babies at home.

So, I wanted to go ahead and address some of the reasons I've desired a homebirth for so long, and am excited that we will be having one!

Unlike some who are pro-homebirth, I have, thankfully, never had what I would consider a bad birthing experience in the hospital (although Joel's birth was one that definitely changed my perspective on things in a lot of ways). I've always been able to deliver without medication, without excessive intervention, and the outcome has always been a healthy baby and mama, of which I am extremely thankful to the Lord for.

However, with each pregnancy and delivery, I've felt more and more as if things could actually be... different. Better, even. Natural, rather than medical. Peaceful rather than rushing to get to the hospital, being poked, prodded, questioned, monitored, told what I could and (mostly) could not do. With each child I've had, the hospital has felt more and more like a battlefield rather than a birthplace.

With this upcoming baby, Michael and I were going over our "list of things we don't want done" (this list has grown and been added to as we've continued to research the "standard procedures" of hospitals and their actual purpose and safety)... such as:

• mandatory IV or IV port
• limited laboring and pushing positions
• restricted eating and drinking during labor
  
• clamping the umbilical cord right away
• pitocin after birth to help expel placenta
• tugging at umbilical cord or pushing on uterus to help expel placenta
  
• newborn Hep B vaccination
• newborn eye ointment
• newborn Vitamin K shot
• any separation of mother and baby at all while in hospital
• constant (every 2 hour) wakings at night to check vitals and such

All of these things are considered part of the package deal when delivering at a hospital, yet all of them carry their own risks that patients are not even informed of! It was not until I started asking "why" to these things, and doing my own research, that I discovered the risks, as well as the more natural ways that God has put into place to accomplish what the hospital is trying to do artificially.

As you can see, there are alot of things we'd be "fighting the system" on - which gets exhausting and stressful, at times, and there are certain things hospitals and doctors just DO anyway, citing policy, regardless of the patient's desires about it.

That's when the casual mention of homebirth came up... and the rest is history!

I'd like to address the biggest concern I hear about homebirth - and that is the issue of safety. While there are many studies out there that are available proving that birth at home for women who are not considered "high-risk" is just as safe (if not safer) than birth in a hospital for the same group (if you are curious, just Google it!), I'd like to share my personal conviction about birth in general, and why I am comfortable pursuing a homebirth.

I have always, from the beginning of my first pregnancy, believed deeply that birth is natural. I believe that God designed and created the female body specifically with the ability to nurture, grow, and ultimately deliver babies. Just as digestion is a natural process that God gave the body the ability to do, so is birthing. Granted, since we are now in a fallen world, there are times that pregnancy and birth can have complications. There are times when our digestive systems can have complications. For both situations, it is a blessing to have good medical care available to help solve these problems. For that reason, I am not "anti-hospital".

However, with digestion, I do not make sure I am at the hospital every time I eat "just in case" something goes wrong. I trust my body to do what it needs to do. The same with birth - I do not feel the need to be in a hospital every time I have a baby "just in case" there are complications, which (praise God) I have yet to have. An experienced midwife has the knowledge and skill needed to assist birth without requiring all of the "routine" interventions that hospitals require "just in case". And, an experienced midwife will also have the knowledge and skill to recognize when a complication has arisen and a mother or baby *is* in need of a hospital's care, and will know when to make that call. Rarely (although popular media likes to portray it differently) is birth an "emergency" situation!

In fact, it can be argued that taking a low-risk woman to the hospital to give birth actually introduces more risks than if she were to stay home to deliver. Interestingly, although America's homebirth rate is very low compared to other developed countries, our maternal and fetal death rates are extremely high in comparison! That's an interesting statistic to really take a look at. The hospital has unfamiliar germs, and many of the interventions that are considered routine in the hospital setting (some of which I listed above) easily lead to more interventions, which can lead to a complete interruption of the natural labor cycle, leading to further interventions that can result in a longer, more difficult labor, fetal distress, or even Cesarean section. Although C-sections have become more "normal" in today's world, that doesn't negate the fact that a C-section is serious surgery, with its own risks and recovery issues.

For those who are personally concerned with my choice, the midwife we have chosen is well-experienced. She is certified nationally as a Certified Professional Midwife as well as through the state of Tennessee. She has delivered over 2000 babies in over 30 years. She is also very active in midwifery activism, which means she understands her reputation is valuable - she will not take unnecessary risks! I trust her abilities as well as her judgment. Also, in case a transfer to the hospital does become necessary, I am preregistered and my previous maternal care provider is aware of the situation. My bases are covered, so to speak.

A movie I highly recommend regarding the issue of maternity care in the United States and the safety of homebirth is The Business of Being Born. It is available through DVD or Watch Instantly on Netflix, as well as YouTube (broken into 10 segments). The documentary is very well done, although I must give the warning that there are graphic birth scenes (ie. nudity) so discretion must be taken when watching it with little ones around.

I also really enjoyed the book "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth"... some of the birth stories highlighted are a bit "hippy" for my taste, but as far as addressing natural birth, the safety of homebirth, and well as natural ways to deal with things that come up during labor and delivery - the book is a wealth of information. I recommend it as reading for all pregnant mamas, even if you're not interested in homebirth! Its that good.

Hopefully this clears up a few of the questions or concerns I've received about why I've longed for a homebirth. I'll be posting more as the time grows closer, about things I'm doing to prepare as well as more thoughts - I have lots of them! ;-)

7 Quick Takes Friday - Vol. 3

Over the past month, we celebrated two birthdays and have three more coming up in the next month! Mine was first :-) The day after Thanksgiving I celebrated my 31st birthday with Michael and the boys, and it was a wonderful, relaxing day. My big gift was a digital picture frame! I've always wanted one, but it was never one of those things I'd actually buy for myself, so it was the perfect gift. To be honest, though, I haven't even set it up yet - I have waaaaay too many pictures to go through and its really hard to narrow it down to my favorites! Speaking of pictures, here's one of me and the boys (goofy faces and all!) on my special day:

The next birthday in our house was another big one - Isaac turned 10!! It is so weird to think I have a child that is a decade old, into the double digits. He's growing soooooo fast! I think its going to be great, though - even though the challenges change as age increases, the blessings do, too. Isaac is such a helper, taking initiative to take care of things he sees needs to be done, and always eager to assist when asked. He's a voracious reader, and his appetite for books is hard to keep up with! While still young and carefree, his maturity is starting to peek out, and its such an awesome thing to think about what kind of young man he's quickly becoming. Here's his happy mug shot on the big day!

You know I've posted before about Motivated Moms and how much I love their inexpensive, easy-to-follow chore lists. Well... exciting news for those who are in the high-tech world, they've now come out with a Motivated Moms app for iPhone!! It looks so cool - the very features I wish I had on my paper list is available through the app - deleting tasks that don't apply, moving tasks to different days, that sort of thing. Here's a bit more info if you want specifics! The sad thing is, I don't own an iPhone. So for me, I'll be sticking to the regular pdf version for now, which is fine, since it has worked great for the past two years I've used it. But I can always dream of how fun it would be to have an iPhone and the new app!

School is going really well! I still love Sonlight, and we're finishing up our 16th week - already almost halfway done! My hope is to make it to 20 weeks before baby arrives, and then take a month or so off for some rest and recovery time. My biggest mistake is always trying to do too much too soon after a baby, which just ends up with me being exhausted, irritable, and burned out, so hopefully we can avoid that this time. Its been tricky trying to juggle our main curriculum choices with all of the neat things we've been able to review, but I'm practicing "going with the flow" and it seems to be working. All in all, this school year has been one of the easiest, most relaxed, but also productive, yet!

Speaking of homeschooling, I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but one of the reasons I love it so much is purely a selfish one - I *love* learning. And learning right along with my children is all the more awesome. I have discovered so much that I knew but had forgotten, or just never knew, by homeschooling. One thing that I've been loving is this year's science - Apologia's Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology. Wow! I am so enjoying learning more about the amazing human body that God has created and given us! This week we've started on the cardiovascular system, and here's a fun project we're making to help us understand the components on the heart a little more:

Ok, so it doesn't look exactly like a heart, but come on, how can colored frosting, graham crackers, and marshmellows NOT be fun? And everytime I walk past our creation, I find myself repeating what the different parts are - "atria, ventricles, pulmonary veins..." (Oh, and for those who have noticed, yes, there are important parts missing - we are finishing it up a little at a time!) It is just so exciting to me to be learning this stuff! I don't know where my brain was during high school anatomy, but I'm absorbing all this stuff like a sponge. I love it!

I love this!

(HT: Fish in My Hair)

I've saved the biggest and (for me!) most exciting news for last, as a reward for those who make it this far ;-) Over the past few weeks, after much prayer and discussion, Michael has agreed that this baby can be born in the comfort and intimacy of our home!!! I have desired a homebirth for at least the past 3 pregnancies, but he has always been reluctant. I resolved not to ever nag him or try to manipulate the situation and had pretty much given up on the idea (although the desire never died). Out of the blue, I mentioned it in a casual comment a few weeks ago, and that opened up the discussion. He agreed to meet with a Certified Professional Midwife that lives nearby, and after the meeting spent another two weeks in alot of thought and prayer... and finally told me YES! I was floored, to say the least. And I'm so happy that the decision came about on his own accord, not because of any nagging, manipulating, or driving him crazy that I did. The years of my patient silence actually paid off, and I can't wait! It is making the arrival of our newest little one all the more exciting, if that's even possible. You can be sure you'll be hearing (reading) more about this new development over the next few weeks!

That's about it at our house lately! Thanks for stopping by :-)

WFMW - Keeping a Boy Bathroom Clean

In our house, we have two bathrooms. One for Michael and I, and the other for all of the boys (and guests). Needless to say, the "boy" bathroom is usually in need of a cleaning, no matter how often it actually gets cleaned. One of the boys' morning chores is to wipe under the seat with a bleach wipe and scrub the inside of the toilet, but there still remains the issue of the floor around the toilet.

As a side note, I just wanted to say that I do NOT understand the lack of ability to aim! It will forever be a "male mystery" to me, but in my logical brain, it seems that if you are only inches away from a large opening and have to direct a tiny stream into it, it couldn't possibly be that hard. Right?! Wrong, apparently.

So, oftentimes, and much to my embarrassment, the guest bathroom often has an... odor. I've tried bleach, Odo-Ban, 409, and other cleansers that promise to kill germs and smells, but to no avail. Little boy pee is stinky! Blech!

But then I came across a product that actually... *gasp*... WORKS! And it makes sense that it does - its the same stuff used for puppies and dogs so that their super noses can't smell their previous accidents!

Good ole' Nature's Miracle! Now, its a little more pricey than bleach or other cleansers, but it really, truly works, which makes it priceless to me! I got the "Hard Floor" kind because the boys' bathroom floor is textured ceramic tile. I use it once a week, after I've swept and wiped the floor - I just spray it all around the base of the toilet and let it dry. It smells pleasant while it is drying, and then... tada! NO smell at all. Ahhh... heaven! Truly a miracle!

It definitely Works for Me! To find other useful and fun tips, be sure to check out the other WFMW posts at We Are That Family!

TOS Crew Review - Tiny Planets

Tiny Planets Universe is a website that provides award-winning educational entertainment set in space exploration and discovery, inspiring creativity and critical thinking in youth ages 4 to 12.

Here is what the creators of Tiny Planets have to say about their purpose and goals:

Tiny Planets features the cosmic adventures of Bing and Bong, two whimsical aliens who travel the Universe of Tiny Planets together on their gadget-loaded plush sofa. With Bing and Bong, children are encouraged to think for themselves, assume social responsibility, take care of our planet and learn about the mysteries of space.

Inspire your child to take care of our planet!

Our tiny planet Earth needs care and attention from us and our children. There are so many ways we can make a positive impact on our environment from saving energy (take a walk or ride a bike!), to saving water (turn off the tap when brushing teeth!), to recycling our trash, to planting trees, to starting a compost pile. Take your pick!

There are many ways we can choose to "go green" yet it takes time, energy and new habits -- which is really tough for us adults! By sharing these ideas with our children now and by reinforcing them in a fun game like My Tiny Planets new habits can be established, which is exactly what our planet needs.

In our online community and virtual world My Tiny Planets, kids adopt a planet of their own, name it, and take care of it. They grow plants in their planet biodome, releasing oxygen to keep their planet healthy. They choose landscapes, skies, buildings and scenery, making their planet ever more beautiful. And, when flying in space, they play Trash Blasters to rid the universe of junk. And, how do you log out of My Tiny Planets? By clicking off the light switch, of course!

While we think My Tiny Planets is infinite fun (what's not to like about space missions with Bing and Bong?), it's our hope that My Tiny Planets will educate and inspire this next generation of inquisitive youth to explore the wonders of space and be stewards of our fragile planet, Earth.

Family fun and safe for everyone!

From award-winning TV programming to brain games to lesson plans to community fun, Tiny Planets offers an engaging experience for everyone in the family. And, not only are the Tiny Planets sites infinite fun, they're safe and easy to use.

We've designed our ad-free sites so they're easily navigated by small hands and there's no scary content to which children can stray. So, when your child is leafing through an interactive book on Tiny Planets Books, she can safely find more books to read. Or, when your son is watching a Tiny Planets episode on Tiny Planets TV, he can safely skip to another episode.

In our virtual world My Tiny Planets, we've created an interactive environment that's fun with friends, yet there's no free-form chat. Instead, your child communicates with other players by using emoticons and speech bubbles that contain fun phrases we've programmed into the game. And, your child chooses his cadet name and planet names from our auto name generators. Since your child never enters text into My Tiny Planets, the game experience is completely safe!

In addition, we've certified our sites with ICRA, a rating system provided by the Family Online Safety Institute, an international, non-profit organization of Internet leaders working to develop a safer Internet.

Be entertained for free or buy KEYs for your family account to unlock special goodies on all the Tiny Planets sites!

Much of the fun on Tiny Planets is on us, totally free. So, enjoy! We do offer some of our content for a fee, like various episodes on Tiny Planets TV or premium avatar accessories in My Tiny Planets. In fact, in My Tiny Planets you can really amp up the fun by "going pro" on mini-games (which puts your top score up on the leaderboard), acquiring spiffy spaceships, and totally decking out your planet with outrageously creative buildings or amazing atmospheres.

We've made it easy to unlock these special features with KEYs. To buy KEYs, you'll need to set up a parent account, and then link that parent account to your children's player accounts. With your parent account you can purchase KEYs and then allocate them to any of your children. We've set up accounts in this manner to make sure that purchasing control is in your hands, not your child's!

KEYs are sold in packages through our payment provider, Social Gold. Purchase KEYs when you need them, or opt for a monthly allotment. Whichever way you choose, we hope you'll find the process convenient. Of course, spending KEYs is always fun!

The pricing for these KEYs are as follows (and, as mentioned above, the KEYs are NOT required to enjoy many of the website's features - only to enhance the experience!)

• 10 keys $1.95
• 25 keys $3.95
• 85 keys $9.95
• 250 keys $25.95
• 600 keys $49.95

To begin enjoying Tiny Planets, each child signs up for an account and receives a "Cadet name" which allows them access to the different areas of the Tiny Planets Universe. There are several regions to explore, including:

• Tiny Planets Home is the central location to access all the Tiny Planets web sites. The Tiny Planets online content has won two BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards "Interactive Best Entertainment Website and Best Children's Interactive."
  

• On Tiny Planets TV you can watch any of the Tiny Planets television episodes. This series was co-created with Sesame Workshop and emphasizes science education and early learning goals, such as social and emotional development, language and literacy, problem-solving and reasoning, knowledge and understanding of our world, and creative development. Tiny Planets has been a favorite in nearly 100 TV territories around the world, and it's the only television program to be endorsed by Montessori Centre International.

• My Tiny Planets is a new online community and virtual world that combines social elements and gaming to create an engaging fictional outer-space exploration experience. Children adopt and care for their own planet, solve galactic missions with Bing and Bong, sharpen their wits with fast-paced mini-games, navigate their spaceships and avoid wormholes, nurture exotic plants in a biodome, recycle and collect water during rainstorms, help keep neighboring planets clean, all the while racking up achievements and special badges for their accomplishments.

• On Tiny Planets Fun your child can take a few moments to enjoy brainy puzzle games (like fractions, sound and seek, and symmetry), as well as coloring books and comics.

• On Tiny Planets Books you'll find interactive story books for younger children featuring Bing and Bong, their endearing friends the locals and the flockers, and all the planets in the Universe of Tiny Planets. Read these books with your child, or teach your child to read on her own!

• Tiny Planets Learning is the site for parents, homeschoolers, and educators. Here you'll find lesson plans that include educational activities and science experiments to do at home. Also, you'll see how every episode in the Tiny Planets television series maps to early learning educational goals.
  

• Tiny Planets Labs is the playground for things to come! When the creators of Tiny Planets create new games, they put them on their labs site to test them out.
  

• Tiny Planets Blog is where parents and cadets go to to find parenting tips, science experiments, space history, astronomy facts as well as My Tiny Planets tips and tricks.
  

As you can see, there is no lack of activities for children to explore and learn about our planet using Tiny Planets Universe! See what other Crew members thought of Tiny Planets by visiting the TOS Homeschool Crew blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Wits and Wagers Family

Wits and Wagers Family from North Star Games is a fun game the entire family can enjoy!

The game consists of 150 question cards (with 2 questions on each), a wipe-off scoreboard, 5 wipe-off answer cards, meeples, and wipe-off markers. The questions all have numerical answers, so with each question, every player writes down their guess as to what the right answer might be. An example of a question we had was "How many US states border Mexico?" (and with a total of 300 questions, we've played many nights a week for several weeks without repeating one yet.)

Once each player has an answer written down, everyone turns their card over and the "wagers" begin - each player puts his/her meeples on the answer they think is closest to the correct one, without going over. Sometimes this is their own answer, but other times it might seem that someone else has a better answer! Then, the true answer is revealed, and points are awarded to the person with the closest answer and whoever placed their meeples on that answer. Whoever reaches 15 points first, wins!

We enjoyed this game because it was one that everyone could enjoy - even Joel (5.5) could guess a number and write it down, and Nathan (3.5) was someone's partner and had the important job of placing the meeples and erasing the wipe-off answer cards. There are 5 answer cards, so if there are more people in your family, its very easy to team up together. It is also a quick game, perfect for an after-dinner family activity that doesn't drag on into bedtime! It has been fun to learn some of the random, but interesting, facts that the questions have taught us - and funny to see the answers that we've gotten really wrong!

I also appreciate the wipe-off answer and score cards - unlike other games that have limited paper scorecards (which then, eventually, run out), these can be used over and over without worrying about running low on supplies. The box is compact and everything fits inside of it neatly, which is a big plus when it comes to storing the game and keeping everything together.

Our family has really enjoyed Wits and Wagers Family! The children ask to play it almost every night, and we indulge them frequently ;-) To see what other Crew Members thought, be sure to check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - ALEKS

ALEKS is a complete online math program for grades 3-12. ALEKS stands for Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces. It is designed to be used independently by the student, and acts as a personalized "tutor" - taking the stress of teaching math off of the homeschooling parent!


Both Isaac (age 9.5, 4th grade) and Ezra (age 8, 3rd grade) used ALEKS as their exclusive math program during the month we had for review. Before starting, both took an assessment which helped personalize their programs to their own skills and weaknesses (super cool, in my opinion!). Their lessons were broken down into two main parts - the "My Pie" page, and "QuickTables".

"My Pie" gives the student the freedom to choose which topics they'd like to cover each day, and also supplies a visual on how far they've come in various areas of math (such as Geometry, Fractions, Algebra, etc). The "pie" is basically a chart with different color wedges, with each wedge representing the different areas that their assessment showed them as ready for.

The student clicks on whatever topic they're interested in, and then given a practice problem to try. If the material is new to them, they simply click on"Explain" to have the concepts for the problem explained and the problem itself walked through step-by-step. Then they can go back and practice similar problems. After a few correct practices, they've "mastered" that particular topic and their piece of that portion of the pie grows to show progress.

The boys loved the visual of watching their pie pieces fill in! They also liked being able to choose their own topics to study each day. The one struggle they both had was that the explanations are only written - there is no audio. Occasionally, they would get stuck on something until I came and read or re-explained the problem to them, and having that auditory assistance helped things "click". So for students that are highly auditory, this might be a drawback to the program. Otherwise, they were generally able to "master" 1-3 topics in a 15-20 minute lesson time span.

The "QuickTables" were their favorite part of the program. ALEKS recommends doing QuickTables about 3 times a week, but I allowed the boys to do them every day. Afterall, if they enjoy it and it is reinforcing good math skills... why not? :-) QuickTables is basically like flashcards, only much more than just flashcards. To start, the student takes an assessment so the program can determine which math facts are mastered and which need work, as well as how fast the student can type. Then they are presented with a color-coded chart that shows their progress.

With math facts that have not been mastered, the student can pick which ones they would like to practice, and after a few practice tries, are given a timed round to see how quickly they can recall the new facts, as well as ones that were previously covered. This method of recall really works wonderfully! Again, the visual nature of the color-coded chart really inspired my children to keep trying to fill in as many squares as they could, by mastering their math facts! After a set time of practice in QuickTables, the student can then play a few games, which are determined by how far along in their QuickTable they are. This time can be set by the parents - I required 10 minutes of QuickTables practice before a game was allowed, and set the time limit of games to 5 minutes. The games themselves are really just another version of quick math-fact recall, but the kids still thought they were a lot of fun! I saw tremendous improvement in both boys' math fact skills in the month that we used QuickTables, which is awesome!

Now, on to my portion of the ALEKS website - the Master Account, which is the parent's account used to monitor the child's attendance and progress, create Quizzes, and set controls such as the time limit I mentioned above in QuickTables. Honestly, I have never come across a parental monitoring website that is SO user-friendly as ALEKS Master Account. I had been nervous about the boys doing math all by themselves, picking whatever topics they wanted to cover, without any input or involvement from me. How would I know what they decided to learn each day? How could I tell if they stayed on task? How were their QuickTables going? The ALEKS Master Account made it incredibly easy for me to find out all of these things and more. Here is a screen shot of the main Master Account page to give you an idea of how uncomplicated it is to navigate:

And here is an example of the student's attendance report generated from the Master Account:

By clicking on each topic, I could see what the boys attempted each day, which topics they actually mastered, and which they needed to work on a little more. Through the Master Account, I was also able to view their Pie chart, their QuickTables, request new assessments, and create and track Quizzes. Creating a quiz was really easy - since ALEKS keeps track of all the topics the child has mastered, a quiz based on what they've learned was easy to generate in just a few clicks. The next time the student logs in, their quiz is ready and waiting for them. The parent can put a time limit on the quiz, and the results of the quiz are emailed to the parent as well as links to the incorrect problems and the student's attempted answers! Even though ALEKS made math very "hands-off" for me, I never once felt like I was unaware of what my children were learning and how well they were doing in their progress. The Master Account made this connectedness very easy!

I know this review has been a bit long-winded, and for that I apologize. However, I felt it was difficult to do a program this comprehensive justice in just a short snippet - I wanted to be sure to give as many details as possible. We all really enjoyed reviewing ALEKS!! If your brain went numb from trying to read everything I've written, to make it a little easier for you, here's a quick 2-minute video tour of ALEKS.

I do have to say, however, that the one downfall for us was expense. Here is the pricing chart:

• $19.95 per student, per month
• $99.95 every 6 months
• $179.95 for one year
• A Family Discount (for multiple children) is available

Since each student needs to have their own account, and there is no "reusable" aspect to this program (as there would be with a more traditional text book or computer based math program - of course, it is difficult to compare ALEKS to a more traditional math program, since ALEKS is very personalized to each individual student.), for a family our size, right now, unfortunately, the cost is prohibitive. My one wish is that access to QuickTables was available to purchase separately, because we really loved that portion especially.

However, the good news for you is that just by reading this review, you can have a FREE one-month trial to give ALEKS a try! Free is always a good place to start, and then you can determine for yourself if ALEKS would be a valuable asset to your homeschooling! Just click on the banner below to get started:

To see what other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew thought of ALEKS, be sure to check out their reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Good Morning, God

We had the privilege of reviewing an endearing book from Apologia Press, called Good Morning, God. This book was written for the preschool/early elementary age and not only offers a sweet story that is beautifully illustrated, but also a beginning taste of understanding and digger deeper into the Christian faith.
The book is based on Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "These commandments that I give you are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up".
The main character of the story is a 4 year old boy (to whom Nathan (3.5) and Joel (5.5) could very easily relate to!) and the story is a glimpse into his typical week, day by day. It has a gentle repetition, with each day starting out "Good Morning, God! Today is...." and the next few pages talk about ways the boy's parents teach him, and the little things he does during his day. The next day starts the same way. Anyone who has read books to younger children know they *love* patterns like these, and the ability to "predict" what each page will say, so it is perfectly suited for their attention spans.

At the end of the book are some pages with Questions and Activities for each day. The book can be read all in one sitting, or can be done more devotional-style, reading one day each day of the week and following up with the corresponding questions. The questions encourage deeper thinking in a young child, such as "What are some ways that Jesus loves you?", "What is sin? Have you ever sinned?", and "What does it mean to love God with all your strength?", as well as some lighter ones, such as "Name some animals God created that can jump."

We thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was so easy for my boys to relate to (especially the antics that the little boy got himself into each day!) and helped them see how God is with us throughout our entire day, and that being surrounded by loving parents and family is a blessing from God. The illustrations are beautiful and realistic, and the questions inspired some good thinking. All in all, this is a wonderfully sweet story, perfect for bedtime snuggling, or gentle devotionals for younger children!

Apologia also offers a Coloring Book that includes some of the illustrations from the book for your child to color - perfect for those little ones whose hands need to be busy to really listen well! At just $14 for the book and $4 for the coloring book, both would make a great gift or addition to the family library.

Here are some Sample Pages that you can preview to give you a good idea of the flow of the book for yourself. Also, be sure to check out what other Crew Members thought of "Good Morning, God" by heading over to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

Too True!

This, I'm afraid, is totally me lately:


Thankfully, only a little over 7 weeks left! Of course, then there's the postpartum hormones to deal with... but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it! I must say, I am so thankful for my ever-patient and loving husband lately!

Treasures of November

From Money Saving Mom:

• Time Management 101: Stop Trying to "Do It All"
• Time Management 101: Create a Time Budget
  

Motherhood: The Great Honor at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

From True Woman:

• Creating a Loving Environment for your Husband
• A Bit More on Encouraging His Leadership
  

Is Your Infant Evil? at Now I Know in Part

From A Holy Experience:

• Why You've Run from Real Love all Your Life
• 10 Point Manifesto of Joyful Parenting
  

Keeping Our Homes by God's Grace - Not By Works at At the Well

I'm Not Supermom at pfamilygal

From Books and Bairns:

• Doctored
• Stretch Marks
  

From Raising Arrows:

• Thanksgiving Dinner and Children: How to Avoid Eating Both
• Raising Manly Men in the City
• Tweaking Curriculum to Fit Your Homeschool
  

Be You at Amy's Humble Musings (be sure to read the linked-to article "Just Whose Wife am I Anyway" at Beauty for Ashes as well!)

Common Misconceptions About Large Families at Smockity Frocks

I Am Not Over Protective at A Family Revised

You Can't HANDLE the Homeschooling! at The Pioneer Woman

"I Don't Own Goats" and Other Benchmarking Don'ts at A Spirited Mind

From ...to Love, Honor, and Vacuum:

• Wifey Wednesday: Why Women Need to Talk to Warm Up
• Will My Child Grow up to Be a Christian?

Let Nothing Stand Between You at Passionate Homemaking

Xmas! (Also Known As the Blog Post that Loses Me Subscribers because I'm UnChristlike aka Irony) at Thoughts of THAT Mom

Dogs Don't Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving at Hyperbole and a Half (disclaimer - this post is hilarious, especially if you own or have ever owned a dog or more than one - however, the content of the rest of the blog may be iffy for some readers' taste, so be forewarned!)

I Try Not to Let Schooling Get in the Way of Learning at Life on Sylvan Drive

Research Finds No Advantage in Learning to Read From Age Five at Voxy News

Dying to Self at A Quiet, Gracious Life

Real Life Journal of a Mom of Six: How Did I Get Here? at Roscommon Acres

TOS Crew Review - Master Ruler

Master Ruler is a unique ruler that combines several rulers into one, making measuring and learning fractions easier! Created by Master Innovations, the Master Ruler is made up of several see-through layers of rulers, including an inch, half-inch, quarter-inch, eighth-inch and even one that shows sixteenth-inch segments. Students can easily see how measurements can be broken down into specific, tiny parts, and also visualize the concept of fractions and how fractions can be reduced, added, subtracted and used together.

For our review, I received not only the Standard Ruler, but also the Metric Ruler, the Master Ruler Workbook, (which can all be purchased together in the Master Ruler Starter Set), as well as a Marvels of Measurement Poster.

The ruler is fun - even my "littles" (ages 5.5 and 3.5) enjoyed playing with it and measuring the pictures in the workbook. It was a great introduction to measurement for them! My olders enjoyed it as well, and I felt that it challenged them in several ways - for one, they learned that when trying to make accurate and precise measurements down to the tiniest fraction, lining things up and counting correctly is very important! They were also challenged by the pages in the workbook that deal directly with converting and reducing fractions, as well as visualizing equalities. We haven't formally covered fractions yet in our normal math program, and I feel that having the Master Ruler around not only offered a good introduction, but also will be helpful when the time comes and something both visual and hands-on is needed. It also proves that, yes! You will need to use these things "in real life"! ;-)

While the ruler by itself is an excellent tool, I feel to really get a good idea of how useful it is, the workbook is also necessary. Thankfully, while the workbook is consumable, there is permission to photocopy pages for your own family's use, which makes it more economical for families with several children, especially if they are at different levels of learning.


The Marvels of Measurement Poster that we received is not essential to using the Ruler, but I love it anyway! Both myself and one of my children often have trouble remembering conversions, especially cooking ones, and this poster makes it easy to see and understand how various measurements can be broken down (ie. gallons into pints, pounds to ounces, etc). This will be hanging on our wall where we can all see it!


Priced at only $9.95 for the Standard Ruler, and $15.95 for the Workbook, I find the Master Ruler to be a great value monetarily as well as educationally!

Also be sure to check out other creative products by Master Innovations (inlcuding Master Clock, Master Fractions, and Master Angles), and see what other Crew Members thought of these various products by checking out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

A Recipe - Roasted Garlic Potatoes

I hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for, but the biggest thing that fills my heart with gratitude (and sheer awe) is God's overwhelming, encompassing grace. There is not a day that goes by when I don't realize what a mess I am when left to my own devises, and am humbled before Him for His forgiveness and love. I am beyond thankful for Jesus' sacrifice in my place so that I can be a child of the Most High God!

I've confessed before that I don't have much when it comes to cooking skills, but here is one recipe that I've made for years, always turns out great, and I get repeat requests for at gatherings (such as Thanksgiving!), so I thought I'd share! Its easy and super yummy!

Ingredients:
4-5 pounds petite red potatoes - these can sometimes be difficult to find - you can't just use baby reds, they have to be "petite" as in, about the size of the "O" your pointer finger and thumb make when you put them together (I hope that makes sense).
1 head garlic
1 stick butter
1 TB salt
1 TB dried dillweed

Instructions:
Wash potatoes and pack (in a single layer) into the largest glass baking dish you have. Peel entire head of garlic and place cloves in between potatoes scattered randomly throughout dish. Slice stick of butter into 1/2 tablespoon slices, and place on top of potatoes, randomly throughout dish as well. Evenly sprinkle salt and dillweed over top of potatoes, garlic, and butter. Cover with tin foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 2 hours (longer is OK, too).

Try to stop salivating as the smell of delicious roasting garlic fills the house! The potatoes will come out looking blackish brown, but they're much better tasting than they look ;-) The skin will be crunchy, and the inside will be soft and delicious. The flavor can't be beat!

I'd say this recipe can feed 10-15 people.

Enjoy!

TOS Crew Review - Christian Kids Explore Chemistry

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry is a full year science course for grades 4-8, from Bright Ideas Press. It contains 30 Lessons broken down in 5 units, along with hands-on activities and experiments for each lesson.


The book is very easy to use and schedule. Each lesson is brief (about 2 pages of reading each), and there are accompanying worksheets (called Review It) the students can do to help reinforce what the lesson taught. These worksheets were generally fill-in-the-blank type questions, so they could easily be done orally for a child that does not enjoy writing or worksheets much. Following the worksheet, there is a Hands-on Activity, which range from simple experiments using basic materials that are easily found or already on hand, to simpler things such a classifying chemicals, making element cards, or word searches. Many of the Hands-on Activities are also followed by a "Think About It" section, where questions are asked about the activity and the results of the activity. After every 6 Lessons, there is a Unit Wrap-up, which is a quiz/test of all of the material covered in that Unit.

The book also contains a substantial Appendix section, which includes Answer Keys to the worksheets and quizzes, coloring pages to go along with each lesson (which is great for kids who need to be doing something with their hands while listening!), as well as a thorough resource list to delve further into topics discussed and encourage delight-directed learning.

Bright Ideas Press gave us the pleasure of choosing from several different products to review, and I purposely chose this book because I thought would challenge the children a little bit. Isaac (9) is in 4th grade, so we were on the lower age spectrum of recommended grade levels, but I thought it would be good to see how easily adaptable it would be. I also chose Chemistry because it was something new compared to the other sciences we've studied so far.

We found it very easy to complete one lesson each week, while only doing science twice a week. We did the reading and worksheets on the first day, and then the hands-on activity and any follow-up the next. The schedule was not overwhelming at all, and it was nice to be able to only have to schedule Science twice a week so that it did not become a big burden, as well as allow us room for other science explorations through the week, such as nature walks and whatnot.

As far as adapting to younger ages, I think Bright Ideas Press is correct in stating it is for Grades 4-8. (They even suggest going over the material a second year if need be). While the lessons and schedule were easy to keep pace with, the material presented is definitely complex! Chemistry is a pretty deep subject at any age (at least it was for me, lol!) and my younger ones who sat in on the lessons had a hard time grasping the concepts. Isaac was able to understand a lot of it, but it was still a challenge for him - not that challenges are bad things! I thought it was good to stretch his brain a little and try to help him understand concepts that are a little advanced.

The one complaint I heard (and had myself) was that not all of the Hands-on Acitivites were very... interesting. With a Chemistry course, I sort of expected there to be really exciting experiments - basic chemical reactions doing cool things, like making wild colors, safe explosions, etc. So the kids and I were both a little bummed when some of them were just "busywork" like word searches or classifying things, or making lists of things. Granted, there were definitely some more interesting projects, but perhaps not quite enough to hold everyone's interest.

Other than that, I think the curriculum is a great one for middle schoolers and provides an excellent foundation for a high-school level Chemistry course!

Be sure to check out the Table of Contents for the book, as well as Sample Pages to get a more in-depth look at the book and how a typical lesson looks. Also, to save families from the potential hassle of photocopying review pages, coloring pages, and quizzes to hand out to their children, they offer a Student Activity Book as well, which is a downloadable PDF with all necessary pages available to print off as many copies as needed. Definitely a time-saver, but not absolutely necessary. (For me, I love anything that makes life a little more convenient!) The main lesson book is $34.95, and the Student Activity book (optional) is $12.95.

To see what other Crew Members thought about Christian Kids Explore Chemistry as well as other Bright Ideas Press products, click on over to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

7 Quick Takes Friday - Vol. 2

Lately I've been able to dive into some really good books. I'm currently reading The Cross-Centered Life by CJ Mahaney, Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, as well as The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson. Oh, such wonderful wisdom I've been gleaning from these! They don't take the place of time in the Word, of course, but they are very encouraging as well as challenging, and I recommend all of them!

Unfortunately, I failed my 1 hour glucose screening. I've failed it during 2 other pregnancies, as well, but always passed the 3 hour. Its just a big inconvenience. And honestly, I think the test is administered unrealistically. When am I ever going to consume 50g of pure glucose? If I were doing that on a regular basis, there'd definitely be something to worry about, not just my blood sugar levels! But, I do know that gestational diabetes is something to take seriously, so I resign myself to the whole procedure. I try to look at it as a "mom's morning out", only with fasting and bloodletting as part of the deal (I don't think those are included in traditional mom's mornings out, and if so, then there's just another reason I've never done one!). I do enjoy the quiet time I can spend reading, thinking, or... just enjoying quietness.

Joel is "blooming" in leaps and bounds! Reading, math, chores around the house, his whole personality! This is one thing I love about the "Better Late than Early" philosophy - seeing them come into their own, instead of be forced into a mold that might not fit. I haven't done any formal math with Joel, but he is all the time telling me things like what 8+8 is, or what 9-5 is... things he has figured out on his own! Instead of rote memorization without understanding, he actually understands these things because he's been allowed to explore them on his own and in his timing. And, it has saved us the time, frustration, and relationship break-down of trying to teach him something when his mind just wasn't ready for it. Now... it is!

Speaking of memorization, however, he does have a great knack for it! For a few weeks the bigger boys were memorizing Psalm 8... and while they were at it, Joel surprised us by knowing it, too! Here's a video of it:

I've been nesting! Its a little early, but if I've got the urge to do it, I'm going to run with it. I've gotten bedrooms organized, the hall closet cleaned out, and am in full-time planning for the first few months of new-mommyhood. Preparation is half the battle, right? I am trying not to get overwhelmed at the idea of what having 6 will bring, but instead make life simpler even now, so that the transition can go smoothly. Surely I can hope?

Along with nesting and organizing, I've gotten back on track using my Motivated Moms planner. I had fallen off the organizational wagon over the summer. Why do I ever stop?! Its so nice to have sparkling clean bathrooms with minimal work, along with other things that can easily pile up when not attended to regularly. It feels good to be back into a routine!

By the way... if you haven't heard of Seeds Family Worship CDs, you are missing out! We got the entire set of 5 CDs and we looooovvvveee them! They're not just for kids - I listen to them even when the kids aren't around! Here's the best part - we're all getting God's Word saturated in our hearts. Earlier today one of the kids hummed "He alone is the rock of my salvation..." and 3 other kids chimed in nice and loud "He is my fortress, I will never be shaken!" I can't get over the way that they're absorbing scripture. Having God's word in their hearts like that will benefit them their whole lives, I truely believe it. When we're in times of trouble or confusion, the Holy Spirit brings to mind the verses that have been tucked away, and we are comforted by the very words of God. When others are seeking, hurting, or rejoicing, we can share with them the very words of God to meet them where they are. There is no lack of benefit to memorizing scripture, and Seeds Family Worship CDs make it so easy and enjoyable!

Although it is still early, I have already gotten out my little bitty cloth diapers to take inventory. Ahhhh... if there's nothing more adorable than teeny tiny fluffy diapers! They are irresistible! And... I've actually added a few a few pink ones to the mix... just in case of course! ;-)

TOS Crew Review - Corps of Re-Discovery - Fringe Pouch Kit

Corps of Re-Discovery is a family owned company devoted to providing historical crafts and activities designed to "inspire imaginations and create memories". They provide a variety of kits which help children relive historical time periods, such as the pioneer and colonial days, the Native American lifestyle, and items Frontiersmen would have made and used.

For this review, we received a Fringe Pouch Kit. Isaac actually already had one he had made previously, so Ezra (8) was thrilled to be the tester for this kit! He opened it up and dived right in!

Here are the contents of the package - everything we needed, including a threading needle:

The instructions were easy to follow. It was a little tricky for him to line up the pieces by himself in the beginning. But once he got started on the lacing, he was off and running! To lace around the entire outside took about 30-40 minutes of concentration for him. He sometimes has trouble with sitting still and concentrating for extended periods of time, so I appreciated that this was an activity that held his interest for that long!

When it came time to do the drawstring at the top, he did need a little bit of my help. The instructions weren't as clear as I would have liked, but after some trial and error, we got it done and working correctly.

The end result is a study and functional bag, and a happy boy who is proud to have made it (pretty much) all by himself! He's already put some of his special things in it and wears it everywhere.

I really liked this kit, and loved that it was basic enough for my 8 year old to do without much intervention on my part, but also created something durable that he'll be able to play with for a long time.

Everything that Corps of Re-Discovery has on their website is something that we would enjoy making and using, or giving as gifts. In fact, (shhhh...) Isaac will be receiving their Moccasin-making kit for his birthday next month! My boys love working with their hands and creating unique crafts, especially if they have a historic meaning to them. It definitely enhances the "lifestyle of learning" that we try to promote in our homeschool, and helps brings to life the many stories we've been reading about the settling of our country!

I highly recommend taking a look at what Corps of Re-Discovery has to offer. The prices are very reasonable, and the quality of the Fringe Pouch kit we reviewed was quite nice, so I would expect the same from the rest of their products! Also, as an added benefit, I love being able to support a small, family-run business!

To see what other members of the TOS Crew thought about some of Corps of Re-Discovery's products, be sure to check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.