Wreaths of Maine

My delivery men always get a nice reception at my house.  The kids and I all get excited when we see the UPS or Fed Ex truck pull up out front.  We can’t wait to tear into the packages and find out what is inside!  Some packages are, obviously, more exciting than others.

Last week, one of those “extra exciting” packages arrived, via Fed Ex.  I was careful when opening this one  because I knew what was inside.  I couldn’t wait to see it and to hang it on my front porch. . .

 
Isn’t it gorgeous?!
I just love the way it looks against the bricks.

Have you ever had a live wreath?  This is the second time we’ve had one, and I just love them!  This one came from Wreaths of Maine and, not only is it beautiful, it is so well put together.  It’s very full and thick and constructed of lovely, healthy greenery (no brown stuff here!).  The “extras” give it a nice touch, I think.  The bow came packaged inside the wreath (so it wouldn’t get flattened during delivery) – it was very simple to attach it to the wreath with the wires.  I already had a nail on my porch, so I attached the wreath to that – took about 2 seconds and the results are gorgeous!

Living in the northeast (PA, to be exact), and having a front porch that only gets the morning sun, I know a live wreath can last all winter long here.  That makes it totally worth the pricetag, in my opinion! 

I was out shopping for a Christmas tree this weekend, and had opportunity to look at and price some Christmas wreaths as well.  I could have spent anywhere from $25 to $50 dollars on a store-bought wreath that was not nearly this thick and full and made from plastic (or other fake parts).  Sure, they might last from year to year (if properly stored), but they look cheap and somewhat tacky too. 

Wreaths of Maine offers a variety of wreath styles, ranging in price from $31 to $42 dollars.  In addition to the wreaths, they also have a swag, a spray, and pine roping available.  They’re all beautiful and made from fresh-cut greenery.  And the best part – they are made right here in the good old US of A!

 
A cute boy and a gorgeous wreath – nice combination!

As if the aromatic, balsam fir wreaths weren’t enough in and of themselves, there’s more . . .

Wreaths of Maine offers a great fundraiser program for homeschoolers (or anyone, really).  If you’ve got a young entrepeneur in your home – or a group that’s looking to make some extra cash – you should definitely look into this fundraising opportunity.  You can  go door-to-door, selling wreaths, and earning commissions.  This would be a super homeschool project for your kids – teaching them social skills and small  business – as well as giving them some extra holiday money.  Wreaths of Maine supplies all the paperwork you need for a successful fundraiser, including full-color brochures and carbon order forms.  I’d highly recommend this, and hope to use this fundraiser in our homeschool next fall. 

Don’t believe me?  Then head over to the Homeschool Crew blog and see what other members of the Crew have to say about these wreaths.  You can also learn more about Wreaths of Maine by visiting their website or Facebook page.

NOTE: I received the wreath pictured above in exchange for my posting about Wreaths of Maine here on my blog. I was not obligated to write a glowing review. All opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Lesson Plans & Lessons Learned

Our next topic for the Blog Cruise is:

What does lesson planning look like in your homeschool?

Over the years, my lesson planning has changed a lot.  Back when we first started homeschooling, I was my normal “crazy planning freak” self . . . and, as such, I went through and planned out Ashley’s entire school year.  Yep, all 180 days of it.  I worked on it for weeks before each school year would start. 

But, you know what? That ended up not working out so well, because my “paperwork perfectionist” self got a little on edge when something came up that messed with our schedule.  Because I’m a lefty, I much prefer writing with pen (pencil tends to smudge); so white-out became my best friend in the early years of our homeschooling.

Eventually, it hit me . . . there’s no need to be so rigid in our schedule!  This is not “school at home”, it’s “homeschool” – and, because of that, sometimes home-stuff needs to take priority over school stuff.  Yes, it’s true! 

Each year, I change things up a bit, but the basic premise remains the same, and it works for us.  I make up our planners using the same format that I used to create The 2011-12 Schoolhouse Planners.  I set them up by weeks (and # the weeks in the upper left-hand corner). But, within each “week”, rather than listing the days across the top, I leave a blank for  the date and the numbered day (1-180).  Then, we fill out our planners as we go.  This way, there’s hardly ever a need to erase/white-out. 

Actually, we do all our planning on the computer now too.  Because we need to turn in a portfolio to the school district at the end of the school year, we do print these out and include them.

Something new that I created this year was a “dummy sheet” – it looks just like our weekly lesson plans, but it’s just a general guideline of what we should be accomplishing each week in each subject.  Just having that to refer to has helped us stay on track, especially with some of the subjects we’d prefer to put aside (i.e. science!) 

Not sure if this all makes sense in words, but it has certainly been the most effective way for me to plan our school year(s).  I’d love to hear about your plans!

If you’d like to see what the rest of the Crew has to say about planning, be sure to check out the Blog Cruise.

Budget Schmudget!

It’s time for another episode of the Blog Cruise with the TOS Homeschool Crew.  This week we’re talking about budgets for our homeschool books and supplies. 

For us, I don’t know that we’ve necessarily ever had a specific budget amount in mind.  For the past several years, we’ve been buying most of the needed items at the homeschool convention.  I do go with a very specific list of what we need.  Then, in addition to my must-haves, I also take a list of things that we want to look at or might like to add to our homeschool collection (things I may have heard about but want to look at before making final decisions). 

With my job at TOS and working with the Crew, I’ve been blessed to receive so many great products to use and review.  This has been such a Godsend and has really helped cut down on what we need to spend out-of-pocket at convention each spring.  For example, last year, when Ashley was getting reading to enter 11th grade, we had everything that we needed for her school year, with the exception of science! We’ve found that the older the kids get, the more expensive the homeschool curriculum becomes – so the blessing of not having to actually purchase much for her 11th grade year was a great one!

Because we do have so much available to us at our fingertips, though, I am a bit more willing to spend some extra money if needs arise throughout the year.  Last year, Ashley wasn’t the least bit pleased with our math choice (something that we had received for free), so I was more than willing to  go ahead and purchase something else to use to finish out the year.

And, what we do need to purchase – items on that must-have list – I tend to shop around for.  My must-have list is complete with the cheapest price I can purchase the items for online (and the website).  If I find it cheaper at convention, I’ll buy it there; if not, I’ll come home and order it. 

I’ve also been known to check the used curriculum boards online and buy used. There are some  things I don’t like to buy used; other things are just as good used as new. 

As for homeschool supplies, I’ve always been a sucker for those aisles at the store full of back-to-school goodies.  Give me a Trapper Keeper (yes, I’m dating myself here), some pretty colored folders, and a new pack of pens any day!  But, I’m also a cheapskate.  So, we really tend to watch for items to go on clearance, and stock up on them at that time.  We usually have a nice stock of notebooks, notebook paper, folders, and binder dividers that we’ve bought up when they were really cheap!  The only thing we find ourselves buying throughout the school year is usually mechanical pencils (my girls go through them like crazy!)

What about you?  Do you have a specific homeschool budget that you stick to each year?  You can read what other Crew members have to say by clicking over to the Crew blog.

Always Icecream

That should seriously be my motto – because, let’s face it, I LOVE ICE CREAM!  But, I must confess . . . when the information came through that the Crew would be assigned to review a new website for girls ages 7-12 called Always Icecream, my first thought was “oh great” (note: sarcastic tone).  I’m just not a huge fan of online learning websites for kids.  Maybe it’s because, thanks to my job with the Crew, I see an overabundance of them; and a person can only take so much of a good thing. 

In any case, my expectations for Always Icecream were not real high.  I figured that, when I presented the website to Gracie and told her we were to review it, that she’d groan.  But, boy, was I in for a  big surprise!

Gracie loves Always Icecream!

In fact, I think that she’s probably their biggest fan!  She would be on that website all day long if I’d allow it.  Too bad I’m a mean mom, right?  Anyway, the cool thing about Always Icecream is that, not only is it super fun for girls, but it’s also educational as well.  Since starting to use Always Icecream, she’s learned to identify ALL THE COUNTRIES in the world!  She’s been practicing lots of math facts (she loves math, so this is fun, not work!), parts of the body (which comes in handy since we’re doing Anatomy this year), and lots of Bible and history facts. 

Always Icecream is something like Facebook for girls.  They can interact with other “friends” in a secure, controlled, and safe environment.  I know this probably sounds trite, but Gracie has actually become more confident since using Always Icecream; and my former timid child is showing signs of leadership.

But, rather  than me bragging up Always Icecream, I’m going to turn the rest of this review over to Gracie, since she knows MUCH more about the site than I do . . .

I like A.I. because they have tons of games. Well, that’s ONE of the reasons anyway. They have geography games for every country, like Asia, Africa, and so on. They are also putting up 50 new games this school year. Maybe if I just do the 50 games, I can get out of doing school……

They also let you have friends, pets, and let you send mail to each other. There is also a game that lets you create art and furniture to sell in your shop so other girls can buy it for their houses. There is a person named “Aki”, that is automatically your friend. You can tell her ideas for A.I., any problems on the website, and more. There is also something called “Top 50 $coophunters” where you can get an item for your profile. To earn $coops, (which is money on A.I.,) you have to play A LOT of educational games. So if you learn a lot, they will reward you.

So, there you have it, straight  from the 11-year-old who is a proclaimed Always Icecream addict!  If you’d like to introduce Always Icecream to your child, go here. You and your daughter can try it out FOR FREE!  Then, if you decide you like it and would like to continue, various subscription rates are offered.

NOTE: We received a lifetime membership at Always Icecream, in order to use it and write an honest review. This review is part of the Homeschool Crew review program.  I was not obligated to write this review.  I only share products that I feel have merit for my readers.

Have you seen the Scruble Cube?

There’s a new word game on the market, and it’s called Scruble Cube.  That’s kinda fun to say, isn’t it?!

Members of  the Crew received the Scruble Cube to review.  When we received ours, and I opened the box, I was immediately excited.  See, I’m a sucker for a good word game, and this one is packaged so that the game is entirely visible from all sides – I couldn’t wait to get the box open and pull it out!  Thing is, though, I didn’t get a chance to play with it because Gracie snatched it from me and took off with it! 

Gracie’s 11, and words are not her thing – numbers are.  So, I was surprised when she took such an interest in a word game!  But, Scruble Cube isn’t just any word game.  It’s been said that it’s a cross between Scrabble (which I’ve personally never been a fan of) and a Rubiks Cube (remember the whole Rubiks craze of the 80’s?!) To Gracie, Scruble Cube appeared to be some sort of mind puzzle – and she’ll take that as a challenge any day!

Inside the packaging, in addition to the Scruble Cube itself, you’ll find a timer and instructions.  I didn’t feel that the packaging was really created for re-use, so I threw it away.  Hindsight would later tell me that was a mistake (but more on that later). 

So, how do you play Scruble Cube?  Well, as you can see by the picture to the left, you can turn the cube in various directions (think Rubiks).  Each lettered circle also contains a point value (think Scrabble).  And the really cool thing is that each circle is able to be rotated so that, when you find a word, you can turn all the letters so that they are facing the same direction.  Pretty cool, huh?  We think so!

In addition to the directions that are included in the packaging, Scruble Cube provided Crew members with some alternative directions and ideas for making game play extra educational.  Any game involving words is educational, but the extra ideas were fun and very welcome!  Do you think a word game could be beneficial for teaching math?  What about science?  That sounds somewhat ludicrous, right?  Well, think again.  You can see some of the great ideas for using Scruble Cube here.

I must share a personal story about the Scruble Cube and offer a shout-out to their exemplary customer service . . . We thought that, with the compact size of the Scruble Cube, it would make an ideal camping game for us (we recently purchased a camper and have been stocking it with good camping entertainment). Gracie came in the house one day – after having gone to the camper for something – just sobbing.  She had accidentally dropped our Scruble Cube and it broke into a million pieces (well, maybe just 96). Obviously, she adores the game!  After trying to console her, I e-mailed our contact  from Scruble Cube – Gracie was thrilled to hear that she would be putting a new cube in the mail to us.  And, let me tell you, we were not the easiest of customers – right after receiving our cube, I discovered that my 5-year-old son, Ian, had thrown the timer in the trash.  Scruble Cube had already replaced the timer – and now they were replacing the Cube as well. 

All that to say that the Cube is fragile.  Recommended age is 8+; but it should be explained that caution and care are needed.  Scruble Cube will stand behind their product though – which I find refreshing in today’s marketplace!

If you’re ready to purchase a Scruble Cube of your own, you may do so here.  The Scruble Cube sells for $24.95.

NOTE: I received a free Scruble Cube as part of the Homeschool Crew review program. I only share reviews of products that I have actually used in my home.

How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids by Rachael Carman

The Crew year is off to a great start – our very first product to review this year is How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids, a great little book by Rachael Carman, owner (with her husband Davis) of Apologia. 
Several years ago, when the Carmans purchased Apologia, they decided to expand the company’s vision.  Now, in addition to the great science curriculum that we’ve all come to know, love, and trust, Apologia also has a Press division that contains lots of awesome resources to encourage  the homeschooling parent.  The books they have available really excite me – and I can’t wait to read more of them (and will surely be posting about them on my blog in the months to come as well).  But, right now, the focus is on:

How well do you really know your kids? What has God shown you about who they are and who they will become? He has sent these children into your home at this specific time for His glorious purposes. Indeed, you have been invited on the adventure of a lifetime, a journey on which you will see walls fall, seas parted, and giants slain. You don't need special skills or training for this journey—you need only to seek God and hold tight to His mighty hand! As with so many things, the first step to having a heart for your children is knowing your heavenly Father. As you seek daily to share His heart for your children, keep this inspirational book close at hand.

I was impressed with this book upon first glance.  It’s a small (approx. 5x7”) hardbound book and the cover is just so attractive (the picture doesn’t do it justice – you need to see it and hold it in your hands to get the full effect!)  I opened it, started reading the introduction, and thought “now this lady really seems sincere!”
I’ve confessed to not being a huge non-fiction reader – I tend to easily bore with non-fiction and sometimes don’t even finish books.  If I do finish, it usually takes me awhile.  Not so with this book!  I devoured every tidbit of it.  I really enjoyed Rachael’s writing style – she makes the book so personal by sharing candidly from her own heart and experiences. 
I especially liked the way the word “heart” was used as an acrostic.  Each letter plays a very significant role in the book as a whole – without one component, the idea of having a heart for your kids won’t work. 

H – Have a Heart for the Things of God
E – Enrich Your Marriage
A – Accept Your Kids
R – Release Them to God
T – Teach Them the Truth

There’s a chapter for each letter listed above, as well as a lengthy introduction and an epilogue that will encourage you to put the book’s ideas into practice in your own life and family.  Definitely well worth reading, especially for the homeschool mom, but I’d recommend it to anyone!

~~~~~~~~

I had the honor of meeting and sharing lunch with Rachael a few weeks ago.  I got to hear her talk about her passions – not just in the writing of this book, but for the Apologia Live Retreats as well.  (I’m looking forward to attending one of these retreats in the spring – and will be giving away a free ticket to one of my readers as well!)  Anyway, I was thrilled to have Rachael sign my copy of the book and very much enjoyed spending time with her and getting to know her better. 

If you have a chance to read one of Rachel’s books (you can read more about her first book – Sound Bites from Heaven – here) or to attend an Apologia Live event, I’d encourage you to do so!  Who knows?  Maybe I’ll see you there!

Join the TOS Homeschool Crew!

And share your opinion about homeschool curriculum
and products on your blog.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you may have picked up on the fact that I work for The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.  As the Special Projects Manager, one of my main job responsibilities is serving as the Captain of the Homeschool Crew. 

We are currently accepting applications for our 2011-12 Homeschool Crew Voyage.  It will run for a full year and will be an intense year of lots of reviewing; but it will also be a time of blessings and rewards beyond your wildest expectations. 

If this sounds like something that might be a good fit for YOU, please click on this link.  Be sure to read through the information VERY CAREFULLY.  Prayerfully consider whether you can make this year-long commitment before filling out the informational section.  Applications are being accepted through the end of March. 

(Previous Crew members, past & present --- if you’d like to sign up to serve on the Crew again, use this link, rather than the one above.)

Walkin’ the Crew Blogs 7/13/10

Last week, my assistant and go-to girl, Brenda, started a new Blog Walk feature on her blog.  Each Tuesday, she’ll be introducing 2 of our First Mates and their mini-Crew teams.  I’d like to do the same.  Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with 250+ people and their blogs.  Yet, they are all special and unique in their own ways, and I’d love to introduce you to them!

So, each Tuesday, be sure to check back as I share.  This week, since I’m a week behind, I’ll be doing double duty!  So, I’d like to start by introducing you to Brenda ---

Last year, not long after the 2nd voyage of the Crew set sail, I lost my assistant and had to find a new one. Brenda was the obvious answer to my problems!  She’s a lifesaver (and I’m not even trying to speak  Crew-ese here!)  She stepped right into this role and has made it her own.  We compliment each other well – what I don’t think of, she does; and vice versa. My job would not be the same without her, that’s for sure.  I finally got to meet her this past April, in Cincinnati. Brenda can be found blogging at Homeschooling Trenches. 

The second person that I’d like to introduce you to is Kristen.  Kristen is in her 3rd year with the Crew – she sailed along on our Maiden Voyage, served as a First Mate for Year 2, and this year she’s stepping into the role of  HSB Liaison.  During Year 2, Kristen took on the role of Senior Editor at Homeschool Blogger, so we’re lucky she chose to stay on with the Crew to help with technical issues.  The Crew just wouldn’t be the same without her.  In addition to her peronal blog – A Day in the Life – Kristen can also be found on the Company Porch at HSB.

Now on to this week’s introductions ---

By way of explanation, this year we have doubled the size of our Crew.  That means that instead of having 125 Crew members, this year we have 250+!  We’ve divided the Crew into two groups – the UPPER Crew (mostly reviewing products for middle and high school) and the LOWER Crew (mostly reviewing products for preschool – upper elementary).  So, each week, we’ll be introducing you to a First Mate Mentor from each group – along with a list of her mini-team Crew mates.

First Mate Lori from Loving Learning at Home is in her second year with the Crew.  She joined the Crew for Year 2, and is serving as a First Mate for Year 3.  Lori is sweet, helpful, and cute!  We were lucky enough to meet her and spend a little bit of time with her in Cincinnati in the spring.  It’s always so much fun to put faces with names! 

Lori is calling her mini-team the TOS Shining Stars.  Her team consists of the following:

Abbie @ Second Star to the Right

Carlyn @ Losing My Tale

Jennifer @ Milk & Honey Mommy

Mandie @ Taking Time for Mommy

Wendi @ Simply at Home

First Mate Tina from Homeschool & Family is in her 3rd year with the Crew.  She was along for the Maiden Voyage and is serving her 2nd year as a First Mate this year.  Tina has 7 children, one who is already married and will be making Tina a grandparent sometime soon!  We love having Tina on our team! Here are the members of Tina’s mini-team:

Michelle @ Beyond the Silver and the Gold

Tina @ The Zoo Crew

Wendy @ Life at Rossmont

Gina @ Learning Legacy

I’d encourage you to check out each and every one of these blogs!  You’ll definitely be seeing lots of reviews on their blogs throughout the year ahead as the Crew gears up for another great year!

A Trip to the Ocean by John D. Morris

Riding the waves and exploring the depths, popular characters Tracker John and his sidekick, D.J., take us on a special exploration of the seas. This full-color children’s book helps us understand this mysterious frontier, while introducing young readers to a wide variety of God’s ocean creatures. A delightful children’s story with plenty of teaching information, this book will make an instant connection with kids. A study section can be found in the back of the book and includes terms, facts, and what the Bible says about the ocean.

John Morris, Ph.D., is president of the Institute for Creation Research in El Cajon, California and has a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Oklahoma. He is a popular speaker and author and in addition to his writing and research, has searched Turkey’s Mt. Ararat several times for Noah’s ark.

A Trip to the Ocean seemed like a perfect supplement for our science study this year.  (Gracie and I are working through the Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day book by Jeannie Fulbright and Apologia.)  We enjoyed adding this book into our school days.  We split it up and read it in shorter sections over a few days.

We enjoyed the story, the colorful illustrations, and the gospel message that is shared at the end.  It's hard to find books like this that don't include the whole "millions of years" theory. The fact that this one is based on Creation Science and has a great message for non-Christians, made this one a must-have on our bookshelf.

The Appendix at the end is PERFECT for homeschoolers!  It includes Interesting Facts About the Ocean (did you know that the oceans covers 3/4 of the earth?), Interesting Animals In and Near Tidepools (you'll enjoy learning more about abalones, starfish, sea urchins, and more), The Ocean's Biggest and the Smallest and the Fastest and the Oldest (there are some very interesting facts here), and What the Bible Says About the Ocean (with Scripture references for further study).

This book was received for free from New Leaf Publishing. My thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the publisher.

Salem Ridge Press - wholesome books for your family

My girls are both avid readers (hmmm...wonder where they get that from?!) and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find good, wholesome books for them to read. Most of what's available in the local bookstores is more-or-less trash - full of things I just don't want my girls filling their minds with (me either, for that matter).

This past year, through my job at TOS, I was introduced to Daniel Mills and his company - Salem Ridge Press. I LOVE the company's mission statement - "We are a publishing company, established in November, 2005, dedicated to bringing back quality children’s books of the 1800’s and early 1900’s for a new generation of readers. We strive to republish books that are wholesome, well-written and interesting, and we hope that you enjoy these books as much as we have!" I'd encourage you to learn more about Salem Ridge Press and Daniel Mills by clicking here.

We recently used Soldier Fritz and The Enemies He Fought as a read-aloud ...

Young Fritz wants to follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther and be a soldier for the Lord, so he chooses a Bible from the peddler’s pack as his birthday gift. When his father, the Count, goes off to war, however, Fritz and his mother and little sister are forced to flee into the forest to escape being thrown in prison for their new faith. Disguising themselves as commoners, they must trust the Lord as they wait and hope for the Count to rescue them. But how will he ever be able to find them?

Though my girls, at times, complained about listening to this book (I don't think they liked the old English style in which is was written), it definitely stirred up some intelligent conversations about our walk with the Lord. We were able to use it as an application for today and how we should be "putting on the armor of God" just like young Fritz did in the book.

Soldier Fritz and The Enemies He Fought is a powerful tale and one worthy of being added to anyone's reading list. If you are looking for good, clean reading - with a message - I'd encourage you to look at the offerings by Salem Ridge Press.