From Our Family to Yours...

Happy New Year!

May it be filled with the overflowing love of the Lord!

Wordless Wednesday - Us

TOS Crew Review - World's Greatest Stories

"The World's Greatest Stories" are an award-winning series of dramatic audio CDs that tell the stories of the Bible, using the direct words of Scripture itself. Narrated by dramatic storyteller George W. Sarris, the Bible comes alive through his skill and passion.  Available in both NIV and KJV, there are 23 stories contained in 6 Volumes:

• The Prophets - The Blazing Furnace, The Handwriting on the Wall, Daniel in the Lions' Den, Elijah and the Prohets of Baal, and the Prophecy of Jonah
• The Life of Christ - The Real Story of Christmas, The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus, The Healing of the Blind Man, Things Jesus Said and Did, and The Real Story of Easter
• Beginnings - In the Beginning, A Lame Man in Lystra, A Jailer in Philippi, The Story of Ruth, and The Raising of Lazarus
• Joshua and Esther - The Battle of Jericho and The Book of Esther
• Joseph and His Brothers - Genesis 37:2-46:7 and 46:28-50:26
• Defeating Giants - David and Goliath, Naaman the Leper, Micaiah the Prophet and Jeoshaphat the King, The Sacrifice of Isaac, and Gideon and His 300 Men

(You can hear samples of each Volume here!)

For this review, I received a copy of The Prophets. We opened it up while we were heading for a little day trip about 2 hours from our house, and we finished listening to the whole thing (each CD is about an hour long), the kids BEGGED to hear it again!  They loved the voices and drama that were infused into the Bible stories.  I loved that it wasn't just a version of a story, it was straight, pure Scripture, presented in a way that captured my children's attention and really brought to life the emotion of every scene.

Each CD is only $7.95 and shipping is free if you order 6 or more, which, in my opinion, is a very reasonable price.  My children love audio stories to listen to in the car, at bedtime, or while doing chores, and The World's Greatest Stories are a wonderful way to pour pure Scripture into their hearts in a way that is engaging, exciting, and fun!  I definitely recommend them!

Be sure to see what other TOS Crew Members thought 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 the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other  compensation in regards to this review.

A Song for Saturday

7 Quick Takes Friday - Volume 13

Why, hello there!  It's been a while since a "real" post, huh?  Let me say, life with 6 children is just different than life with 5.  You'd think one more wouldn't make much difference, especially in an already larger-than-average family, but it does!  I think the other ones getting older as well has something to do with it, too, maybe. Time just isn't mine to spend as it used to be.  So please forgive my sporatic blogging and stop in when you can and I'll try to do the same!

Anywho... here's a brief recap of life lately.

I did it! I  ran a 5K - my first one in NINE years!  Phew!  It was fun and challenging, and I couldn't have done it without my good friends who supported and encouraged me the whole way.  I'd like to say I did the same for them but I was too busy trying not to fall down and die, so thankfully they were strong enough on their own!  Here's a picture of the three of us, all hot and sweaty.  

I really want to do another one, but that would mean, well, actually running again some time soon.  So that makes me give it a little more thought.

In other exciting news, Nathan lost his first tooth!  It caught me off guard, because he's not even 5 yet!  One day it was a little wiggly, and just a few days later, out it came, while he was brushing his teeth.  He was super proud - and so was I!  There's something about that first tooth that is sentimental for me.  Like the first step into big-kidness or something.  Of course, I made a scrapbook page about it!

Can you believe Rachel-girl is already 10 months old?  She's getting so big!!  She's gotten 4 teeth (two top, two bottom), is standing on her own, and can blow kisses!  I think she may be the first of all the kids to walk before the 12-month mark... time will soon tell!  Here are some pictures!

 

Her nighttime sleeping has improved, for which I am so, so thankful! Now to get some daytime sleep pattern established.  She's busy, busy, busy - always on the go and into anything and everything she can find, especially the stuff she shouldn't be in!  Such is life with a mobile baby.

Speaking of Rachel, I wanted to address one of the most asked questions I get: "What's it like having a girl after all those boys?".  Let me tell you!  It's awesome.  It's fascinating.  It's fun.  And it's a bit on the terrifying side.  You see, with the boys, I know that for the most part, they're looking toward Michael for their example of how to be - men, of course. (Not that they're not looking at my example, too, but it's not quite the same!) But now I've got this person to whom *I'm* the main example - of motherliness, femininity, what it means to be a girl/woman... yikes!  To be honest, I didn't come into a good understanding of my own femininity until I was in my 20's, and still feel like I have so much more to learn and areas to grow in.  So, all my flaws, faults, and failures are magnified to me even more now, and I pray daily for the Lord to make me into a Godly example for my daughter.  I'm so thankful that He is faithful and working on me!!

On a bittersweet note - I have resigned from the TOS Homeschool Crew.  The year and a half that I was a part of the Crew was a great blessing for me, and I so appreciated the opportunity to participate in the fun reviews!  However, I'm just at a point in my life where my blog cannot be a priority any more, and my family needs more of my focus.  We also needed less distractions away from our main homeschooling goals.  So while it's sad to say goodbye, I'm also excited to have one less extra activity on my plate.  I have one more review that will be coming up next week, and that will be the last.  I do hope that my time on the Crew has been a blessing to my readers and maybe even helped with a few curriculum decisions!

For Thanksgiving (also my birthday week), we went up to Amish Country in Pennsylvania to visit with my sister, brother-in-law, and parents.  We were able to stay in a great little house at my sister's work (Black Rock Retreat Center, in case you're ever in the area - it's awesome!) and it was perfect for hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  We spent lots of time outside and playing family games.  We also learned a new game called "Ga-Ga" (or "Israeli Dodgeball") - google it if you're curious!  It was quite fun and a great wear-them-out game for the boys!  There was a nature center with all sorts of various reptiles and other critters, and the kids got to go feed them every day.  We even had professional family pictures done, some of which I hope to share soon!

It was so much fun spending time with everyone!  Here's a picture of my sister, brother-in-law, and the kiddos (this is not one of the professional ones, obviously!):

(I love the different personalities that show through!)

I promise this isn't an ad, and I don't get any kick back whatsoever for making this recommendation, but I have to share about a product that has revolutionized my breastfeeding experience!  Seriously, I would consider this a MUST-HAVE for any nursing mom.  What could this be?! Undercover Mama nursing "tanks"!  I say "tanks" because they're not actually tank tops - they're bodices that attach to any nursing bra to act as a tank top.  You see, regular nursing tanks do not work for me.  By themselves, they're not supportive enough.  Worn over a nursing bra creates two sets of clasps to be undone.  But not Undercover Mama Tanks! They. are. AWESOME.  No, really, they are.  No more worrying about belly skin showing while I nurse.  No more cold baby hands on my side while I nurse.  I can wear one under anything, and it's not bulky or too hot (but they do help in adding an extra layer when it's cold outside!), and come in a variety of colors.  I *love* *love* *love* them.  Can I say that enough?  I don't go a day without one on, seriously!    Nursing + Modesty = Wonderful!

Well, there's more I have to share, but maybe I'll actually write a real, live blog post sometime soon to share my other thoughts. We'll see if time allows me!  Thanks, as always, for stopping by - please feel free to leave a comment to say howdy!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - First Album!

I completed my first Scrapbook Album!  Recognize the story line?  (Hint: It's from this post!)

Judah's Park Adventure - how to create a free slideshow

TOS Crew Review - Pitsco Medieval Machines

 

Pitsco is a company that specializes in educational, hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) products and curriculum, including products specifically designed for homeschoolers.  For this review, I received the Medieval Machines Pack, which included a Trebuchet Kit, a Catapult Kit, a Siege Machines book, and counterweights for the Trebuchet. 

The entire kit, as packaged.

Catapult

Trebuchet

This pack is specified for Middle School ages and up, so Isaac (5th grade) was just on the younger side for this pack, but he and I had no trouble putting the kit together.  It would have been more of a stretch for my younger kids, however, so the age designation is very appropriate (unless you have a younger child who is very into and experienced with models and kits).  The instructions were detailed and thorough, but not difficult to follow.  The hardest part was waiting for the glue to dry on each step!

Unfortunately, because we were out of town for over a week during Thanksgiving, we did not complete the Trebuchet at the time of this review, but we did complete and use the Catapult.  It is a huge hit!  The pack comes with clay to make little launching balls out of, and the kids enjoyed seeing how big or small the balls had to be in order to fly the most effectively.  The Catapult is quite sturdy and has held up to use in this household of boys!  I full expect the Trebuchet to be the same, and we are looking forward to trying it out soon.

Here are two videos of our first tries with the Catapult.  We did it outside just in case, but we have since used it inside very safely!  The first one hit something and didn't go far, which is why we did a second video - hopefully between the two of them you can get a good feel for the Catapult!





The Siege Machines book includes a history of each machine, and then various experiments to try with each one, as well as space to record observations and results. Science concepts that are taught include Mass, Tension and Torsion, Force and Motion, Gravity and Levers, (plus more) and Mathematical concepts such as averages, metric conversion, and prediction.  I, personally, love how so many topics can be covered by playing with a fun toy that my boys love!

The Pitsco Medieval Machines Pack is available for $21.95. To build the kit and utilize some of the activities, you will need basic household items such as glue, scissors, and a ruler.

Also available are Teacher's Guides for both the Trebuchet Kit and the Catapult Kit that include multiple hours worth of STEM activities and lessons.  For added savings, you can get everything included with the Medieval Machines Pack, plus the two two Teacher's Guides and extra clay in the Trebuchet & Catapult Pack for $64.95.  Be sure to check out many of the other Science, Technology and Mathematical products Pitsco has available for Homeschoolers! 

Also see what my other Crew Mates thought over 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 the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

Wordless Wednesday - The Love of Grandparents

Kregel Publications Review - The Three Trees: A Traditional Folk Tale

The Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale, by Elena Pasquali, illustrated by Sophie Windham, and available from Kregel Publications, is a touching and beautiful story.  Here's the summary from Kregel Publications:

Three forest trees dream of what they will one day become. One dreams of becoming a royal throne; one of being a ship that can withstand any storm; and one longs to stay in the forest and grow as tall as tall can be. When they are felled, it seems their dreams are over. But as each tree is crafted into a new item--a manger, a fishing boat, and a rugged cross--it becomes clear that through the role they play in one important life their hopes are more than fulfilled.

I had actually read this story many years ago, so when The Three Trees arrived at our house, I was very excited to read it to the children.  Unfortunately, remembering the story also caused me to do something I don't do very often while reading aloud - I cried!  Not because the story is horrible!  No, the story is a sweet, tender story showing what God can do with our dreams when we give them over to Him.  They might not turn out the way we imagined, but they will turn out to be more than we imagined! The book also tells the most beautiful story of all - the story of Jesus - His birth, His life, His death, and, wonderfully - His resurrection!  All written in such a lovely way that my heart was stirred with the beauty of God's lovingkindness and mercy.

Not only is the story wonderful, the illustrations are gorgeous (here's an example):

I couldn't recommend The Three Trees more!  The children also love it and ask for it repeatedly.

The Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale is available for $14.99 from Kregel Publications.  It is hardcover, 32 pages, and suitable for all ages.

Disclaimer: I was given this product  specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as participant in the Kregel Publications Blog Tour. I received no other compensation in regards to  this review.

TOS Crew Review - Keyboard Town PALS

Keyboard Town PALS is a typing program for children ages.  Different from traditional typing programs, which focus on speed + accuracy, Keyboard Town PALS approaches typing instruction in a unique and innovative way.  

Keyboard Town PALS focuses on a gentle learning approach, not focusing on mistakes and no time pressures. (Click here for a more in-depth look at their method and reasonings.)  The lessons consist of 8 videos, each about 6-7 minutes long, so the entire course is about an hour. (The website promotes: "help kids learn to type in an hour!") In the videos, the letter keys are introduced as characters that live on Main Street, Uptown, or Downtown, based on each letter's location on the keyboard.  All of the letters' characters' stories intertwine, creating a town of friends on the keyboard, hence the name "Keyboard Town PALS"!  As the video progresses, the student is encouraged to type the letters in a text box below the video.  Within a very short time, the student is typing entire words, as well as spacing and punctuation.  You can see a sample lesson here.

Keyboard Town PALS is available both online and as a CD-ROM, for the price of $39.95, and is available in English, French, and Spanish.

Unfortunately, for us, this program wasn't one that we enjoyed.  Before I explain why, I want to remind my readers that just because something hasn't fit our family does not mean it would not fit yours!  Each family is different and has different needs and methods that work best for it - that's the beauty of homeschooling, being able to meet those needs individually.  So, please read over my comments keeping that in mind.

I, personally, don't agree with the overall philosophy that Keyboard Town PALS endorses.  I believe that "Mistakes are opportunities to learn" and should not be overlooked, but gently corrected, so that (especially in learning a skill such as typing) the new skill is learned the correct way.  Since there was no correction offered in Keyboard Town PALS, a student could easily be typing incorrectly and it would not matter. It would seem to me that would only cause a development of incorrectly learned habits that would have to be "unlearned" later down the road.  

Also, part of the reason no correction is offered is because the instructional portions are just videos.  This means that the typing that the student does is not interactive in any way with the instruction, so a student could potentially sit there and waste all their time doing nothing at all or fooling around, unless a physical instructor (teacher or parent) was standing over their shoulder making sure they stayed on task.  Even with a diligent child, management would still be needed as there is no way to monitor the student's progress.

My reviewer for Keyboard Town PALS was Joel (6.5 years old), and he did not enjoy the program, either.  He thought the main narrator, "Sunny", was (in his words) "freaky", he was frustrated by the fact that he could not use the backspace to fix a mistake when he made one, and that the program would not wait for him unless he paused it, which caused his fingers to lose their spots on the keyboard.  

Overall, Keyboard Town PALS was just not a good fit for our family.  I have heard from other reviewers that it is a great program for special needs children, and perhaps younger children that just need a basic, gentle introduction to the keyboard.  To read for yourself what other reviewers thought, please check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.  I highly encourage you to do so, and not just take our negative experience as the only perspective!

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

TOS Crew Review - Ooka Island

Ooka Island Adventure is a 3-D interactive reading program designed for ages 3-7.  Ooka Island is a virtual world in which children participate in different activities designed to teach phonics, word blends, sight words, and early reading.  All of the activities are designed to be fun and engaging, while also educational.  You can read about Ooka Island's philosophy, methods and features here.

The student starts their island adventure by creating an avatar.  This avatar then travels to different areas in the island, completing various tasks and challenges, for which they receive "Ooka Mist" - a currency they are able to spend later on.  Activities include the "Cave of Sounds", in which they have to listen for as well as visually find different phonic sounds, "Alphabet Mountain" in which they climb a mountain by jumping from letter to letter in alphabetical order, and then skateboard back down, also identifying letters, and "Z-Doo", in which the student rides on a watercraft vehicle and has to practice saying various sounds at checkpoints, plus many more! There is also a visit to the "Popcorn Library", where the student hears a book being read to them, and then has to answer some basic questions about the story, as well as learn sentence structure and sight words.  As the student progresses in their lessons, more and more parts of the island become accessible, teaching more and more complex skills, such as phonics blending and sight words. 

After about 20 minutes of lesson time, the student is rewarded with "Free Play" which lasts about 8-10 minutes.  During Free Play, the student can visit "Pencil Playground", where they can play with elves, change their avatar, listen to music, or spend their Ooka Mist on other fun things.  The student can also choose to go play some more of the learning activities during Free Play - which, surprisingly, was a popular choice here!  That goes to show how fun the learning activities are!

Check out videos on The OokaTube to get a more in-depth look at the program!

Nathan (4.5) was my reviewer for Ooka Island, although ALL the boys enjoyed watching Nathan play.  He eagerly asks for his "Ooka Island" time every day (even on the weekends!) and I feel that the program has definitely strengthened his progress in reading.

We did find a few small potential drawbacks that I wanted to address.  First, to access the program, it must be downloaded, and it is a very large file.  It took several tries to get my computer to complete downloading it, and once it finally did, it took over an hour for the entire download.  (Also note, that even though it is a downloaded program, web access is still required to play - not a drawback for me, but just something to keep in mind.)

Second, there area  few games that said a microphone was needed for voice recognition so the student can practice saying the sounds.  The games are actually still fully functional without the microphone, so if the student doesn't have one, that's OK.  However, we noticed that even with the microphone, Nathan could say whatever he wanted into the microphone, and the game still continued as if he were saying the correct thing.  I didn't understand this, but the FAQ's on the Ooka Island website somewhat addresses this (and also leads me to another point):

At Ooka Island our goal is to help all young learners achieve reading success. We wanted to make the game accessible to all children, so the game is playable without a microphone or headset. If a child plays without a microphone, she/he will not miss out on any features or activities on the Island.

Not having a microphone does not change the game play experience but it does change the data that we are able to process during play. Without a microphone we are unable to record and process speech using voice recognition. Without this data we are unable to produce a report in the Ooka Lighthouse that displays progress in the Z-doo (Voice Recognition) activity.

It says that the voice recognition feature is used to produce a report in the Ooka Lighthouse, which is supposed to be the parental control spot, where I would be able to see Nathan's progress.  However, at the time of my writing this review, the Ooka Lighthouse was not yet functioning, so I can't comment on how well it is laid out or how useful it is.  That was a bit disappointing for me, because part of using a computer-based educational program is the ability to track my children's progress, since I am not teaching them directly.  I am looking forward to when I can get a look at it!

My final drawback was that I felt the lessons were a bit too long.  I'm not a fan of my 4 year old sitting in front of the computer for a half an hour at a time.  I know many people don't have a problem with that at all, so its a particular issue I had, and may not be something that concerns others at all!

However, despite these drawbacks, overall I feel that Ooka Island is an early reading program that is effective and engaging, and I would recommend it!  You can actually try it yourself for 14 days free, to see what you think!

Here is the pricing list for Ooka Island:

(Please note that if you are a large homeschooling family with more than 4 children that would be using the program, they recommend buying an annual school license.)

Here's a promo code you can use to save 30% on a monthly subscription!

Check out what other Crew Members thought of Ooka Island by heading over the 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  the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to  this review.

Awesome Sale!

I'm sure everyone is tired of me going on and on about MyMemories Suite and how much I'm loving digital scrapbooking, but I just had to share this!  This weekend only, MyMemories is offering a coupon to get their MyMemories Suite Software for only $9.97 PLUS a $10 credit to use in the MyMemories store!  Regularly, it is $39.97!

Also, be sure to stop by and "Like" MyMemories on Facebook - they're always having fun challenges and giveaways - and once they hit 10,000 fans, they'll be giving away an iPad 2!

Oh, I guess I should go ahead and give you that coupon code, huh?  Use: FB8000 when you checkout, and the price will drop to $9.97!

I *love* MyMemories!  Here's a few more of my recent pages:

Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can!  It only proves what a great program MyMemories is!  Don't miss this great sale!

TOS Crew Review - Bower Books - The Person I Marry

"The Person I Marry", published by Bower Books, is a sweet and beautifully illustrated story designed to remind readers of all ages of character traits that are important to look for in a potential husband or wife.

In a day and age where marriage is considered disposable, love and lust are interchangeable, and culture as a whole encourages emotionalism and seeking after one's own self, this book is a breath of fresh air! 

It lays out sweetly and simply that marriage isn't just about emotion, it isn't just about a big wedding day, and love isn't all about looks.  It describes marriage for what it really is meant to be - a lifelong covenant - and goes into detail about important character traits that need to be sought after, as well as developed in oneself, while waiting for the time for that special day to arrive. Traits such as honor, mercy, humility, and most importantly, loving the Lord, are just a few of the many that are discussed. Along with the wonderful storyline, the illustrations are gorgeous!  Here's a video with some peeks inside:


The Person I Marry from Bower Books on Vimeo.

"The Person I Marry" is hardcover and 32 pages -  a keepsake! It is available at Bower Books for $11.99.  It is a part of the "Bright Future" series of books - all of which look as equally delightful!  I recommend it for families of any age or gender children, or even as a gift for older children or newly engaged or married couples!

Please check out what my fellow Crew Members thought by stopping by the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog to read more reviews!

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

Treasures of October

I haven't had much time this month for blog-browsing, so I know I've probably missed a bunch of really great posts!  However, here's a few that I've enjoyed!

Good Mom, Good Kids? at Owlhaven -if you only read one post in this list, this needs to be it!

Living By Whose Standards? at Preschoolers and Peace

Imperfectly Perfect at No Greater Joy Mom

Why I {still} Homeschool at lifeingrace

From Steady Mom:

• Do This Today and Change Everything
• What Choosing Peace Does NOT Mean

The Do Not Forget Things at BOOKS and BAIRNS

When the Milkshake Runs Low at Femina

Ask Auntie Leila:  Six Strategies for Sibling Rivalry at Like Mother, Like Daughter

Three Things I've Learned About Homeschooling for Kindergarten at The Homeschool Classroom

From The Happy Housewife:

• Debunking a Few Myths of Homeschooling
• Five Minute Pick-Up

Toddlers, Tiaras, and Fig Leaves at Give Them Grace

15 Ways to Affirm Your Kids at Encouraging Words

An Honest Look at the Postpartum Period at Lambs In His Arms

All Work and No Play:  Why Your Kids are More Anxious, Depressed at The Atlantic

From Passionate Homemaking:

• 24 Ways and Reasons to Keep a Family Journal
• Time is of the Essence
• Impacting Your Child's Blueprint

From Better Mom:

• A Child's 10 Commandments
• Grace in The Moment

TOS Crew Review - Memoria Press First Start Reading and Classical Phonics

Memoria Press is a company that produces Classical-style curriculum for Christian homeschoolers and private schools. Their program for teaching children to read encompasses two products - First Start Reading, and Classical Phonics. Both can actually be used independently of each other, but work wonderfully when paired together.

First Start Reading includes 3 student workbooks and one Teacher's Manual.  The Teacher's Manual walks the instructor step-by-step through each lesson, giving a script of what to say, as well as helpful hints to encourage the students.  It is written to a classroom environment, but is easy to adapt to a one-on-one homeschool instruction situation.  The student workbooks focus on learning new phonics sounds and then learning how to blend those sounds with earlier learned sounds - in fact, by the 5 Lesson, the student is reading their first simple sentence!  The workbooks include handwriting practice for each sound, word, and sentence, helping to make the curriculum mutli-sensory - hearing, seeing, and writing the letters.  There is also a space in each lesson for the student to color pictures and draw their own pictures, incorporating the material taught in the lesson.

Here are some sample pages of the Workbook:

• Lesson 1, Book A
• Lesson 3, Book B

Classical Phonics is a handbook of phonetically organized word lists (that coincide with the order of sounds and words taught in First Start Reading), which can be used to help a student practice the new sounds and words they've been learning, or to test them on what they already know.  Below are some sample pages (you can click to enlarge the images):

I used First Start Reading and Classical Phonics with my 4.5 year old, Nathan.  While I felt the method of teaching was good (teaching several phonics then moving into words that use those phonics), for us, the workbook required a little too much writing coordination for my little boy.  He got frustrated by his lack of ability to write well, and was not overly interested in coloring or drawing pictures.  All of these things I find typical for a boy his age, at least in my house, so I don't know that those things would be a struggle for an older beginning reader, or perhaps a girl.   I didn't see this as a negative against the curriculum, just more of something that made it not quite the right fit for us.  Overall, I thought the quality of the program was very good, and would recommend it to those who have young early readers who enjoy handwriting and drawing! 

The Classical Phonics book was a helpful, non-workbook way to reinforce what we worked on in First Start Reading, and could easily be used on it's own to teach basic phonics and reading. However, it is not scripted like the First Start Reading Teacher's Manual, which doesn't intimidate me, as I've taught reading a few times by now, but if you happen to be one who wants some guidance as to what or how to teach, I'd recommend First Start Reading.  But, if, like us, you have a student who is hesitant to do a lot of writing, and you feel confident teaching early reading without a script, Classical Phonics is a great tool!  I feel both programs together give the perfect blend of styles and reinforcement.

First Start Reading is priced at $29.95 (that includes the Teacher's Manual and all 3 Workbooks), and Classical Phonics is $14.95.  Both are included with Memoria Press' Classical Kindergarten Curriculum, as well.

Be sure to see what my fellow Crew Mates thought of First Start Reading, Classical Phonics, and other Memoria Press materials, 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 the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Say Anything

Say Anything is a fun family game from North Star Games, who also make the game Wits and Wagers (which I had the enjoyment of being able to review last year).  It is for 2-6 players, ages 8 and up, although my 6 year old was able to play easily, as well.  (It is helpful for all players to know how to read and write.)  It's a game that not only tests how well you know each other, but also can reveal things you might not have known about each other!

What's in the box:

• 60 question cards, with 360 topics
• Wipe-off answer boards and makers for each player
• Wipe-off scorecard
• 12 tokens (2 per player)
• Spinner (officially called the "Select-O-Matic 6000")

The question cards all start with "In My Opinion..." and then has three scenarios on each side of the card that the reader can choose from.  The youngest player starts first, and reads one of the scenarios.  For example, it might say, "In my opinion, this is my favorite rainy day activity...".  The rest of the players have to write on their answer cards what they think the reader would finish the sentence with.  When each player finishes, they place their answer card into the middle, face up.  Once all of the players have finished, the reader then (without showing anyone) selects the answer they like best on the spinner and places the spinner face down, so that the other players can't see what's been chosen.  Then, each player places a token or two on the answer(s) they think the reader picked.  Once all the tokens are placed, the reader shows their answer on the spinner, and points are awarded based on the amount of tokens on the answer.

That might sound a tad bit complicated written out like that, but it's actually really, really easy to figure out and get the game going.  Not only is it really, really easy, but it's really fun, too!  It's a challenge to try to figure out what might get the reader's votes and always interesting to see what they've picked! (Hint - since I play with all boys, I always write down something having to do with Legos, Star Wars, or bodily functions - those get chosen a lot!)  The game tends to go by pretty quickly, which is nice for a quick afternoon pick-me-up, and we just play double or triple rounds for family game night.

Because the questions are all based on personal opinion, as well as the wipe-off answer boards, this game is virtually reusable forever!  It's a different game each time, which means it never gets old.  Young and old alike can enjoy playing Say Anything.  All of these factors add up to make Say Anything an awesome family game!  Another two thumbs up for North Star Games from our house!

Say Anything is available at different retailers, both online and in stores, and the price is averages about $20 or so.  Well worth it for an enjoyable family game!  Be sure to find out what other Crew Members thought 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 the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

Wordless Wednesday - Peas

Seven Quick Takes - Volume 12

*tap, tap tap* Is this thing on?  Is anyone out there?  I know my blog has been super quiet lately (did you hear crickets chirping?)!  Real life flies by at the speed of... well, life! I've been going along for the ride, with little time to take care of things like blogging!  For a quick recap of the past few weeks for us, here's my Quick Takes!

We celebrated Michael's 33rd birthday last week!  He took the day off of work and we went up to the mountains to play disc golf (what else?!).  The course up there was very challenging (disc golf in the mountains, what else could be expected?) but we had a great time as a family, enjoying the beautiful fall weather and each other's company!  Here's the birthday boy man and his boys!

Notice anything different about Isaac in the picture above?  Here's another picture for a closer look:

For a little while, he had been complaining about road signs and various other long-distance things being fuzzy... finally it got to the point where I thought I should probably take him in to get his eyes checked.  Sure enough, he's got his mama's eyes and needed some glasses.  Thankfully, it's not nearly as bad as my eyes, and we're hoping it stays that way!  He loves his new glasses - for one, because he can actually see again (go figure!) and two, several of his friends have glasses, so it's the "in" thing in his crowd.  I'm really happy that he's happy about them!

We've made an official upgrade!  We've enjoyed our wonderfully steady and reliable Suburban for 6 years, but with Rachel joining our family, we had officially maxed it out.  We all fit, but there was no room at all for anyone else, which got tricky at times.  After a few months of casual looking around, we came across a 15-Passenger van that met all of our criteria, and was in our price range!  And it's a pretty fun color, too!

I'm doing something that I swore up and down I'd never do.  No, it's nothing all that terribly exciting, but it has made a big difference - I'm running at night!  Instead of trying to beat Miss Rachel's wake-up time and getting up at insane hours in the morning, I've found it's so much easier to wait until everyone is in bed to hop on the treadmill.  I've always thought it would be way too difficult, because I'm really *not* a night person, but I'm finding it alot more enjoyable, since I don't feel a huge pressure to RUSH or stress about possibly being interrupted.  I had slacked off for about a month, but with some external motivation (training to do a 5K with friends!) and this new adjustment, I'm getting back into a good routine.  And getting to sleep in a little later!

Speaking of Miss Rachel and her sleeping... something has happened to my wonderfully content sleeper!  From the time she was about 6 weeks old, she had been sleeping like a dream - waking only once or twice, often sleeping 10-12 hours straight.  Such joy!  Right around the 6 month mark, though, something changed.  Call it teething (she did get her two bottom ones in), or milestone development (she is crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything!) or separation anxiety, or... whatever it is, it's amounting to NO sleep.  Naps are a struggle, and nighttime sleep goes well for the first few hours, and then she wakes up to nurse and wants to stay awake and hang out.  For an hour or two.  Or three.  In the middle of the night.  Um... that's not working for me!  This has been happening several nights a week for a while, and I'm a little tired (to say the least), and praying we get over this little hitch soon!

Remember that review and giveaway I did for the digital scrapbooking software, MyMemories Suite?  Well, it's become a slight addiction for me.  I think I do at least one page a day, or work on a page, anyway.  I seriously love it!  Besides just really fun scrapbook pages - like this one:

 

I've also realized what neat decorations and gifts I can make!  This has been my latest project - making name pages for each child to go on their doors.  It's been fun to consider each one's personality and tastes while doing it.  Here they are - click to enlarge if you want to see them bigger!

Take a close look at Joel's - we had a compromise we had to work out over it.  He wanted a monster on the page, and I wanted the grasshopper (Michael calls him "Cricket" so a grasshopper was a close fit)... and we both won.  Can you see his monster?  :-)

Anyway, my point is, that the whole digital scrapbooking thing is more than just a way to present photos - it is actually quite versatile! I love it so much that I'm an affiliate for MyMemories now! So, if you order the MyMemories Suite Software, use can use the coupon code STMMMS71850 to save $10 off the software price and get another $10 credit toward stuff in the MyMemories store... and I'll get a little bonus, too!  They also have weekly freebies and fun challenges on their Facebook page, so check them out!  And if you're still hesitant about buying... and have a lot of patience, I'll be doing another giveaway, probably early in the new year!

In all of my free time (hahahahahaha!!) (no, I mean, the several times a day I sit down to nurse the baby, that's about as free as I get), I've been working through some older literature on my Kindle.  Since so many good, older books are available for free, I decided "why not?".  I started with Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, and while I found the storyline not quite to be my style, I was very impressed with the writing.  Most recently I've been absorbed in Les Miserables - I've been reading it for almost a month now and am only 50% of the way through!  Phew!  But it is soooooooo good!  What has really stood out to me the most from both of these stories is the quality of writing, the use of language, the deep character development - things that are hard to come by in many modern novels that seem to be written with much less depth nowadays.  I've gained a new appreciation for what constitutes good writing... as well as an appreciation for the dictionary feature on my Kindle!  My vocabulary has been challenged, and it's been fun to stretch my brain a little.

There you go!  The basic highlights of life in my world.  Forgive me for not being more regular as of late... and thanks for stopping by!