No Place Like Home

finally got a class set up

2009-10-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I have had time to blog! I miss it! Over summer we have experienced so much, some good, some great, but truthfully quite a bit was hard to bear. Thankfully, after some humbling of my heart and through many tears and prayers, life seems to be getting back on track. God is listening, answering, and sometimes putting me back into my "waiting room" so He can work on refining me some more. Refining hurts, but it always serves to bring Him glory and is better for us in the end.

A new pet came into our lives last month. We got a 6-month old black lab/beagle mix named Callie. This happened after both Countess and Teddy Bear died within a month of each other. She is super smart, super sweet, but is a big lug of sorts, a little baby trapped in a big body. Training her is...well...interesting. She is pretty destructive with her non-stop chewing, has a tendency to jump/scratch, and is SUCH a scaredy cat! :) We'll keep working with her and maybe I'll post some photos soon. She'll be a good, loyal dog if we ever survive the first year. Her heart is tender towards us and she bonded with us instantly. I just need some good training techniques and loads of PATIENCE with her. It's like raising a baby again...a BIG one!

I have wanted to hold crafting classes since last year but something always comes up. Well, our church secretary asked me about them and so I decided to hold one at our church. It will be on November 7 at 10 AM at CBC. Please come if you can. Its $5 each and we'll learn how to melt, scent, color, and mold glycerin soaps. Deadline to sign up and pay is October 25.

That's all for now.
-Lynn

Craft workshops Fall Lineup

2009-07-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

Crafting classes beginning in September
For the last two years I've held kid's crafting classes at my home on and off. This year I am planning on beginning them again. Its a great time for you to get in a little babysitting/errand time and your child comes home with a unique, hand-made item as well.

They'll be held Monday nights from 7-8:15 PM (barring nothing changes in my son's schedules, such as sports practices). Whether they will be weekly or bi-weekly classes, I am not yet sure.

For children grades k and up in the Warren county area. We'll work with hot liquids in some classes so ask ahead if you are unsure of whether a workshop is too advanced for your child.

Cost will usually be $5 per child per class. Payment is needed at time of drop-off but number of children attending will always be needed in advance so I can have time to order supplies.

Boys are welcome to attend any classes. Some classes can easily become very unisex in the end result as long as I know to plan for boys and make adjustments before-hand.

My plans for fall classes as loosely as follows:

September:

bath tub fun: make bath paint and bath jelly
altered clip board: alter a plain clip board into a beautiful note/photo display

October:

Bottlecap bling: make 2 necklaces from bottlecaps
Decoupaged desk/vanity tray
Sassy initial tote bag
cotton paper casting (use for cards, crafts, etc.)

November:

Mosaic picture frame
alter a brag book/photo album
make a girly wall plaque with hook for hanging items
make "sweet shoppe" clay beads

December:

whipped layered bath butter
"flirty purse" paper album
"Pixie Dust" bath fizz and glitter gel for hair/body

More details to come!
-Lynn

Craft & Create Parties

2009-07-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

Craft & Create Parties
Childcare is not exploding as I had thought it would, so back to one of my first loves, teaching crafts.

I am now offering a service to birthday parties, mother-daughter days, ladies days, church events, community clubs, scouts, homeschool groups, etc. called Craft & Create Parties. I will come to your location in Warren county and stay for 1-2 hours, teaching your group a simple but enjoyable craft. This is especially great for birthdays/sleepovers as it frees up mom and dad a bit to just enjoy the party, and lets the kids not only be entertained and busy, but allows them to take home a nice favor to keep.

Please book your party TWO WEEKS in advance to give me time to clear my schedule and order supplies.

All fees must be paid up front and are non-refundable unless in the unlikely event that I have to cancel. If an individual must cancel fees will not be returned but event can be rescheduled OR I will gladly deliver crafts and instructions to your door.

Don't need me to teach for you but you still want to make the crafts? For the same price I will deliver your kits to you with complete instructions (this option may not be available on ALL parties).

I will add new crafts choices over time, but for now I have a list of about 8 group activities from which to choose:

Spa Day (ages 8-adult; we will be pouring HOT liquids) Make at least 2 glycerin soaps, a sugar scrub, and a lip balm--2 and 1/2 hours cost: $10

Soap Making 101 (ages 8-adult; pouring HOT liquids) Learn the basics of making glycerin soaps. Color, scent, and mold your own soaps to take home. 2 hours cost:$8

Blending Bar Party (ages 4-adult) You will take pre-made 2 oz. lotion, perfume, body wash, bath crystal and/or other bases and scent and color them to make your very own unique bath and body products. 1 and 1/2 hours. Cost: $10

Bottlecap Bling party (ages 5+) Turn bottlecaps into pretty pendants and necklaces. Each guest makes 2 and gets a ribbon "necklace". Cost: $5 (silver plated ball chain necklaces or ribbon-cording necklaces an additional $1 per guest)

Scrabble Tile Pendants Party (ages 5+). Each guest will turn 2 scrabble tiles into trendy wearable art. Comes with a length of ribbon to tie into a "necklace". Cost: $5 (silver-plated ball chain necklaces or premade ribbon-cording necklaces an additional $1 per guest).

Glass Pendant party (ages 5+) Guests will make one glass scrabble tile pendant necklace. 1 hour. Cost:$5 each. Ribbon for tying will be provided or for $1 extra per guest your choice of silver-plated ball -chain necklaces or ribbon-cording necklaces will be provided.

Altered Brag Book Party (ages 8+) Guests will be given a brag book type photo album and choices of scrapbooking embellishments to "alter" their album covers with. You'll get papers, stickers, fibers, rub-ons, ribbons, etc. 1 and 1/2 hours. Cost:$5 each

Memory Can Party (ages 8+) Guests will "alter" a new paint can using scrapbooking materials, to be used as a keepsake holder. 1 hour. Cost: $7 each

Brown Bag Album party (ages 8+) Guests will turn a stack of paper bags into a simple album and then embellish it with scrapbooking supplies. 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. Cost: $5

Bath Tub Fun Bucket Party (ages 8+; hot liquids) Kids will make a bath and body paint set, bath tub "jelly", small lotion, body glitter, and soap, and then will put it all in a "bucket" with fun bath accessories. 2 hours Cost: $20 each

As noted above we'll be working often with hot liquids. I will not be held responsible for accidents or spills. Parents or party leaders may need to help supervise if we are working with hot liquids.

Likewise, I am not responsible for damage done due to misuse of products.

When working with children and hot liquids, a small group of 8 or less is preferable, unless there are adequate adult helpers on hand to assist.

You will need to provide adequate space to seat your guests and a good, well-lit work area. Cover your work space with a cloth or waxed paper for easier cleanup.

I have one folding table (which seats about 4) that I will bring upon request.

In the future watch for paper quilling classes, decoupaged wooden initials classes, and soda can tab jewelry classes.

homemade dishwasher detergent

2009-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Lately, I am hearing my friends talking about using homemade, green, inexpensive, effective, and easy-to-make laundry detergent. I haven't tried it yet but plan to.

I found this blog with a recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent:
http://iamfrugal.blogspot.com/2008/11/homemade-dishwasher-detergent.html

Let me know if it works! ;)
-Lynn

craft updates

2009-07-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Double Bubble Happy Skin Foaming Whipped Bath Butter

Sweetened, flavored lip balms make great party favors in many flavors kids and adults love

Popsicle-shaped glycerin soaps are fun

For all you Edward and Jacob fans, these lotions are my interpretation of each character's scent

Bottlecap jewelry is very popular with kids right now

I have held crafting classes in my home and at churches. I have attended camps where I was involved in crafts. I have always enjoyed working with crafts in our homeschooling and with our group. In VBS, I have become one of the craft station leaders. Does it sound like I like crafting a bit too much? This is me at TN TECH 4-H Line and Design Camp

A lady at a soap-making class I taught for an FCE club gave me an idea months ago when she suggested how well it would go over at children's parties if I came in and taught a one-hour crafts class. It would free mom up a bit. Take some pressure off the parents to entertain. Give the children a creative outlet while ensuring they each have a nice party favor to take home (how many of those tiny yo-yo's and bouncy balls end up in the bottom of the toy box after only minutes of bringing the goody bags home?).

I liked the idea a lot, rolled it around in my head for a bit, and then promptly forgot it. I was needing to bring in some additional cash flow and had been trying to find some children to keep. I have experience in that arena too, and figured it was a sure-fire job. All of my energy was invested into this, from rearranging the house to passing out flyers. I even had a schedule and handbook ready and conducted a few interviews. For months I've had nibbles but nothing solid. In hard economic times when many have lost jobs already, I am finding more and more that parents who once used daycare services are getting creative when it comes to their childcare options. I have noticed a few daycares who always stayed full suddenly have openings.

I became temporarily distressed. I had a few custom orders coming in from my Etsy stores but nothing huge. Then I went to 4-H camp where another teacher there pointed out that I was the "crafting party lady" to some of the children. I had forgotten all about doing parties! I so enjoy crafting, but even more so I enjoy teaching others to craft. I am no expert mind you, but my love and passion for my hobby spill over enthusiastically to others.With this in mind (and considering most of my life I have spent with children in some capacity), I am going to try this route as a side-line job. I could offer to come over to a local party and teach a craft from a list of kid-friendly possibilities for as little as $5 per child plus gas. I really think this would go over well, considering the crafts would be higher-quality than your typical camp or VBS type crafts.

Once I think on which activities would be best I'll post them here.I still have plans to do my weekly craft classes for ages 8-adult (see previous blog entries for list of potential classes). So watch for all this action soon!

-Lynn

http://www.sugarsweetbathshoppe.etsy.com/
http://www.whimsylanecreations.etsy.com/

4-H Line and Design Camp 2nd year
I had the priviledge of teaching at 4-H Line and Design camp again this year. Last year I taught about 60 girls how to make lip balms, soaps, and sugar scrubs (MESSY!).

This year the committee chose to have me teach bottlecap jewelry.

I had 4 classes with a total of 80 young ladies who all love crafting!

I couldn't have asked for a better group.
They were polite, attentive, and overall VERY creative.

It is a always a great experience for me.

Can't wait 'til next year.

-Lynn

In Memory

2009-06-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Countessa Doget

"Countess"

May 1997-June 2009

Faithful friend, loving companion, and guardian

of our children and home for 12 years

Baby Countess and her litter-mate, CoCo, came home with my sister and I. Coco died at age two and after a series of events, Countess came to live with us. She had been with us ever since. The dogs' mother was a golden retriever and the father was a neighborhood black lab. This is a very good mix of dog breeds for their loyalty and protectiveness of children.

Nick and Adrian grew up with her.

She loved to roll in the yard and scratch her back on brisk mornings...she always looked she was dancing.

From pup to Momma Dog to Granny Dog, we watched her fur turn gray, her teeth fall out, and her eyesight begin to fail.

"Granny Dog's" last Christmas

photos of workbox system and chore charts

2009-06-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of free time on my hands this week thanks to our local youth group having a busy week and my two youngest going to soccer camp. I can't believe how much work can be done with all the kids out of the house for a mere 4 hours!

I was tempted to spend my free time cleaning baseboards or the fridge but then I realized....in a mom's life free time doesn't grow on trees. I decided to have a little ME time instead. After all, dishes and mopping will always be there.

I have gotten to tackle a stack of encouraging magazines I've been hoarding since last year, and made it through three in an evening.

I've also had time to work on some creative organizing for our upcoming school year (I am hoping since I am taking the time to make this year's system pretty, that alone will encourage me to stick with it longer than my record of two weeks). I am very organized on paper but in reality, well...we just won't go there. I'm on a euphoric high right now of being prepared for next year. I choose to remain on my cloud as long as I can.

Okay, now for some updates and pictures for those who may be trying one the variations of work boxes.

I am using the Sterilite clear boxes for my system, one per child. I just can't add in all the shoe boxes and racks needed for this system as the author wrote it. I am using this one-box method from Jessica's ideas at her blog, Color Me Orange. You'll find the link to it in another of my work box posts.

Each child used scrap booking papers and a grid I printed from the work box files to make their own chart. They enjoyed personalizing their charts and picking their papers.

This is kind of how the sheets will look when laminated and attached to the box front. I haven't gotten that far yet. The numbers on the grid will correspond to the numbers I will put on 12 different Manila envelopes using velcro. The grid will eventually have velcro on it too. As the child completes the work inside folder #1, she will take the no. off and place it on her grid. This way all the days work is contained in the box in small, manageable bits, and she can track her progress by seeing how many numbers are done. My son, very visual and easily distractable, will enjoy using it and I hope, will help him stay focused more.

For items too big to fit in an envelope to put in the box, the envelope will contain a note to "play Monopoly Jr. with sis" or a photo card of that item. Timers can even be added to the box. As long as kids know where the items are and have easy access to them so as to not interrupt the flow of the day asking where things are, I don't see why this can't work.

Let me make a correction on an earlier post: the author and developer of the workbox system, Sue Patrick, does not recommend variations on her method without first trying her method as it is written. Then make changes if needed. She is very adamant about using the shoe boxes/racks and filling each box with everything the child needs for the day, down to pencils and crayons. I believe this method works just as she says. But for a large family to buy separate shoe racks and 12 shoe boxes per child might not be feasible for the budget. Likewise, many have space restrictions. Rather than be discouraged because you feel you can't implement this wonderful system down to the "t", take what you can, tweak it, and go with it. If a family can pull just one idea from this that makes their lives and home school year go more smoothly, then in my opinion, what Sue has set out to do, which is to help families work better and more efficiently, has been successful).

My oldest son is pretty focused and self-sufficient, and won't be using the work box system unless we see he needs it.

Instead he'll have this work strip. It is a simple strip made from cardstock with a library card pocket at the bottom. The yellow and blue squares are just index cards cut in half. I plan to laminate the whole thing and use dry erase markers to write the day's schoolwork on the cards. Velcro dots on both the strip and the backs of the laminated cards will help them stay in place, until the work is completed. Then Nick will move them off, one by one, and place in the pocket.

Now, an updated photo of the homemade (revamped Dollar Tree) Antonyms matching games from yesterday. These are the ones that I plan on using the Bendaroos with, in place of drawing lines from card to card to match. For the photo, I've laid pieces of ribbon from card to card, just to give you a better image of what I am talking about:

Not pretty in its current state but I still think my kids will like it. One could tape ribbon or yarn down instead of Bendaroos or glue onto lighter paper, laminate, and use dry erase markers to draw connecting lines.

All this creating has been so much fun I decided to make pretty chore charts as well. I used Microsoft Works to create a table and insert clip art into each one. These too, will be laminated and small pieces of velcro will be added to each box.
I have made chore cards in the same manner, using Microsoft works tables and inserting clip art.

After cutting them out, laminating, and adding velcro, these cards can be affixed each day to the children's charts, rotating chores as needed. As the work is complete and the chore cards come off the grid, the child will see a checkmark, heart, etc, showing. This is an instant "good job!" visual praise. The cards that are completed will be placed in a box or baggie or envelope. Each morning I'll refill the charts according to the needs and schedules of the day.

Fun, games, outdoor play, and spiritual development are also worked into the cards.

W.I.L.D. cards, an idea from another blog, are good to add. W.I.L.D. stands for Walk in, look and do. So you tell the child to pick a room and "Go wild!"

I also added in Mystery Job cards.

This will go on our Do It Door, which I also borrowed from another blogging mom.

This chore system might be an item I eventually add for sale in my Etsy store, with the option to personalize names and change some of the chore cards. All components would come laminated and have velcro already applied. I have to check the clip art and make sure none of it is copyrighted first. :)

-Lynn

easy ways to keep little ones busy

2009-06-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

As long as your preschooler is supervised properly or beyond the age of mouthing items, sorting Grandmother's button jar contents into an egg carton BY TWEEZER is a great math activity. This kept the Princess busy for quite some time. Older brother tried it for a mere minute or so, declared, "This is just annoying!" and went off to work a brain bender puzzle.

Window clings are great cheap manipulatives. My daughter likes to play with them on the glass coffee table as kind of a matching activity. This one was money.

-Lynn

Teaching Tree brand posters

2009-06-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

The brand of educational items found at many Dollar tree stores is Teaching Tree. I enjoy these inexpensive aids to our schooling.

My favorite Teaching Tree item is probably the posters. They sometimes come two to a pack for only $1. What's so cool about them is on the back of these particular posters, you get 4 different reproducible worksheets! How awesome is that?!

I got my oldest son an elements poster pack. This is some of what the backs include:

At only .50 a poster with 4 worksheets too-- what a bargain!

-Lynn

revamping Dollar Tree educational items; uses for Benda-Roos/Wikki-Stix

2009-06-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have been buying some educational items at my local Dollar Tree to use with my schooling this upcoming year and as "fun" activities for my work box system.

One item I bought about 6 of is little matching cards in topics such as analogies, synonyms, chemical elements, US History, etc. You can play matching games with the cards. I thought the cards look too flimsy to hold up for long and also, I wanted to make the game a little more inviting to play.

So I started by photo-copying the cards while they were still attached correctly together. These copies will become the self-checking answer keys.

Then, I went on to sorting the question cards from the answer cards and gluing them onto a piece of card stock. The questions are on one side, the answers down the other but in random order.

I will laminate these sheets and place them with the answer keys, into a pocket folder.

Here's what my kids will like about using them: I plan to add in either a packet of Benda-roos or Wikki-Stix to use to match up the correct cards. Or I may simply put 10 or so lengths of yarn or ribbon into the pocket to use for matching the items. Now you have a sturdy, reusable matching game that uses strings for matching instead of drawing lines.

My daughter has been begging for Benda-Roos, so I will definetely grab some to use for these types of games. Also, they are handy to use for "tracing" outlines of letters or pictures. I have lots of clip art/bulletin board books with large patterns. I can tear out a page (or copy it), place it in a sheet protector, and let her outline the shape with the Benda-Roos.

-Lynn

What we did over the past two weeks

2009-06-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

We had our very first Muffin Tin Monday (except it was Friday). :)

The kids thought it was neat to eat all these little portions from a Muffin Tin. This would be a neat thing to do with unit studies or with Daycare children.

Tree frogs have gotten into our pool and laid eggs. Now we have loads of tadpoles that must be saved before Dear Hubby puts in the chemicals and cranks up the filter.

We spend a few minutes each day scooping the little buggers out and placing them into our homemade pond habitat.

My sons have raised tadpoles before but this is a first for my daughter. Two already have legs and she loves to hold them in her hand.

We went fishing with our cousins at the pond at our old house.

Adrian caught a fish at last year's family fishing rodeo but a cousin let it go before I could snap the photo. I caught it this year.

Ashleigh learned to make her great-grandmother Kilgore's famous and delicious cabbage rolls.

And she tried her hand at pottery. She ended up with a little basket.

-Lynn

attention homeschoolers and educators: Dollar Tree ROCKS

2009-06-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am on two Yahoo "work box" email lists where I have been hearing all these moms talk about the great educational finds at their local Dollar tree stores. For about 2 weeks now I have gone every couple of days and found a few things, but nothing like the treasures they found. Then bam, I went yesterday (Friday) afternoon and stumbled upon these jewels of education...what a sight! There were file folder games, little matching games, charts to use in binders or on min-offices, their usual assortment of posters, simple board games, flip charts, writing prompts, you name it. I was almost swooning in the school supplies aisle.

I spent WAY more than I probably should have, but with a little lamination, these products will be usable for years to come and can be resold one day. There will always be educators on a budget looking to buy used.

Here are some of the things I found:

These are math related money games, window clings, dice for adding/multiplying, etc.

Here we have reproducible workbooks in a variety of subjects. Each is 32 pages. I may use them inside page protectors with dry erase markers in some of my work boxes.

File folder game Heaven! I was getting ready to make a bunch of these.

I love the fact that they are full-color and on card stock.

These are flip charts, an Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? card game,

and 4 packs of little trivia games similar to Brain Quest decks.

Next you see grids in many subjects (where there are blanks under questions, a child inserts paper and writes in answers, then flips it over to check their work against answers on back), and lots of colorful reference charts ready to be put in a binder or on a mini-office.

These are packs of Writing Prompt picture cards with questions on back to encourage the child to investigate, think about, and write about the photo.

Last of all, I found these nifty little matching cards. I think I will glue them into file folders and laminate. Then attach different colors of yarn to the word on one side so the child can pull it across to match the correct word on the other side. The one with the glare is American History.

Have fun shopping!

Lynn

workboxes...my newest obsession

2009-05-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so if you've known me any length of time you know how I get carried away over new ideas sometimes. No matter what the idea or craze, I tend to jump in with 150% of myself and give it all I've got, and then burn out on day three. I get so into the visualizing, the planning, writing every idea and detail down on scraps of paper or in my notebook. I think I expend so much energy then that there is none left to make whatever it is I am trying to accomplish actually last.

I hope this time it's different. I think it might be. This program, which I blogged about recently, is called Sue Patrick's workbox system, and the more I read and study, the more ready I am to try it. Many moms, just like me, have found discipline, orgianization, and a smoother school week using these boxes. The kids are said to be as enthralled with finding the surprises inside as on Christmas day.

I thought it might be too good to be true. But it seems to be a very useful and valid organizational and planning method. Many say it works better than checklists, assignment sheets, etc.

My main concern (besides the cash outlay) is space. And how "cute" the system can be made . I don't like ugly things in my school room. I like a pretty, calm, uncluttered room. I couldn't imagine using the system exactly as Sue intended, with 12 plastic boxes per child on shelving. That's 36 boxes for us!

So to save space and money, and yet still retain the visual appeal, I chose to use fellow blogger Jessica's variation. It involves filling up to 12 large ziploc bags/manilla envelopes per child and putting the bags or envelopes inside a Sterilite container. So each child has this clear container with all their items inside. It's hard to describe so let me give you a link to her system instead.
http://vegaadoption.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-is-best-system-ever.html

As soon as I set it all up, I'll post photos. This blog also explains this workbox variation very well:
http://rubyslippersschool.blogspot.com/

If I were more open to the idea of using the system exactly as written (12 boxes on shelves), I'd at least jazz up the boxes like this creative mom at http://heatherpreckel.blogspot.com/2009/03/workbox-system.html. I love her system! It very pretty and pleasing to my picky eyes. I think her color choices would actually complement my school area. I am jealous.

Anyhoo, the workbox craze has taken off and while other methods usually fizzle out, this one seems to be sticking around with great success. I have seen threads on the FIAR and Well-trained Mind forums, not to mention a few others. A Google search yielded pages of results...I gave up after page 20, when my eyelids were so droopy I could've used toothpicks to prop them up.

I am so curious to see how others are using workboxes. If you have a blog and are trying them, feel free to leave a comment for me. I'd like to know how its going for you.

-Lynn

Sue Patrick's Workbox System

2009-05-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a conversation between two moms at our homeschool meeting recently, when the conversation turned to workboxes. I had never heard of these before, and only got to listen in for a moment before the meeting began. I heard enough that my interest was piqued however, and came home that very night to learn more online.

I cannot tell you everything about the system, as that would be a huge disservice to Sue Patrick, who spent years researching and formulating this system of organizing and implementing your school day. She has a website at http://www.workboxsystem.com/ but truth be told, her site didn't give me enough information to decide if I really wanted (or needed) to try yet another system. Reading the blogs (and glowing testimonials) of the many moms who have begun using this system is what made me want to try it, and so last night I bought the e-book from her site.

It's 122 pages and a very quick read really, as you can skip straight to the topics that speak to you most. You soon discover that this is much more than an organizational system; you get many helpful hints and tips about homeschooling in general, about learning centers, how to use posters more effectively as REAL learning tools, and even how often-neglected file folder games can play a big role in education and review.

I want to give you just a bit to go on, to decide if the workbox system might work for you at all, but not enough to give way Ms. Patrick's work.

Basically, you have plastic shoe boxes on a shelf or rack, up to 12 boxes per child. These boxes are numbered in the order you want them worked. Each night you fill the child's boxes with their work for the next day, a math sheet in one box, language in another, etc. But the neat thing is you also throw in some snacks in one, maybe a board game in another, those never-used-but so-cool-you-just-had-to-buy-them manipulatives, a file folder game, that Play dough that you never bring out of hiding for fear it might actually get messy, a card that says, "Read a book to sister", etc. You vary these throughout the day between the harder schooling and the easier, fun boxes. The child visually sees what they have lined up to accomplish and that they have fun items as well as the empty boxes signifying the work they have done. This makes them want to work more efficiently to get to the "good" boxes.

Mom can vary the boxes so that while one child is doing independent work, another can do a box that requires mom's presence. This makes for less stress on the part of mom trying to be everywhere at once, and less waiting for one child as mom finishes up with a sibling. Also, this method helps one to utilize toys, games, and items that are educational but rarely get pulled out of cabinets and used.

Perhaps the biggest plus to this system as it looks as though it would help a child stay focused better on the task at hand and be a more-organized individual.

I'd tell you more but buy the book instead, or at least go sniffing around some blogs and see what moms are doing with this system. There are lots of great photos of families using workboxes or even changing the system to fit their budgeting and space needs (something the author does not recommend doing, just so you know). Just Google "workboxes" or "Sue Patrick workboxes" and you'll turn up plenty to get you going.

I can see us trying this come fall, at least with my two younger children first, after a Summer of tweaking and getting it ready. If it works for them I can always add in my highschooler. I am the Queen of "paper organizing", meaning I can organize like crazy in writing. I'm quite obsessive about list-making and planning, but it's the actual carrying out of my plans which fail 95% of the time. I lack discipline, will power, and consistency. If Sue Patrick can get my homeschool running smoothly after all the "methods" I've tried since 1998, then she is my new hero!

-Lynn

nothing to do can be a good thing

2009-05-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Day three of DH working day shift and me and the yay-hoos being home with no car. But I am finding its all good. This absence of daily running the roads has actually been a blessing to me (and the kids, whether they realize it or not). Yes, when you've spent years staying overly-busy, visiting friends almost daily, meetings here and there, running little errands, being very active in homeschool groups and church activities and scouts and 4-H and sports (all good things mind you, as long as they don't keep me from being the Keeper at Home that I have been called to be) suddenly just sitting home can seem like being trapped and isolated. Yesterday I was in that stage. But by this morning I realized we're all sleeping better and rising earlier, starting our school day more efficiently. Chores are getting done. We are playing more...the kids have no one else to play with (for a change) and they are actually enjoying each other's company more...we're planting a little...reading more for pleasure...hatching tadpoles....having lengthy Bible readings and history discussions. It's amazing what one can do with a freed-up schedule. Why do we do this to ourselves? No one is immune, not even homeschool families. For some reason we as parents are taught to believe that our kids need to sample it all. And that we, as moms, to be fulfilled, have to serve on every board and be involved in every ladies' group in town. Afterall, it doesn't seem like enough to just be a mom. And other times we get overly involved because there are true needs to be filled, and because we know we are called to be servants. Nothing is wrong with activities or serving (and indeed we need a dose of each in our lives for proper growth). But just like flowers, too much water will rot them, too much sun will burn them up; they need a balance to grow healthy and strong. Why do we think we are so different?

In a few days after I've read all the magazines that accumulated last year, after we've played every board game in the closet, and I've made all my lesson plans for next year, then I guess I'll even be ready to come out of my forced cocoon and emerge back into the overly-busy, overly-stressed world. But I will know now what has been true all along...my ministry is this home, and this family. When I give away too much of myself helping everywhere else but here, and when I allow my kids to give their best time to the peers and social groups they are in and come home with nothing but grumpiness and attitude for me, we have gotten the scales tipped out of balance... again.

I was so afraid it'd be hard on us to get our family on this day-shift routine after 11 years of nights and I dreaded it all weekend. But now I see (as usual, after the fact) that the Lord always has a plan and His will is always better for us in the end. Did I mention my DH is doing pretty well adjusting to his new shift and has been granted some much-needed overtime hours? My husband needing the car this week wasn't an accident either; I believe God was giving me a taste of much-needed rest and time to think, so that when we do jump back into the grind, we can always remember to keep that proper balance in our lives. I've known this balance was important all along, but every few years I find that the Lord tends to need to refresh my feeble memory about how it all needs to work. :)

-Lynn

I was watching a preview for a new show and saw myself...YIKES!

2009-05-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, its true. I was watching a little TV (rare) and saw a commercial for a new show on OCD called Obsessed, and there I was....the woman who has panic attacks while driving on the freeway. Well, for me it'd be the Interstate, IF I drove on it. But I don't. I don't drive on the Interstate or in big cities. I admit...I have never driven in downtown Nashville and only to the edge of Chattanooga. I take back roads everywhere that I can. I actually sit around thinking of how bad its going to be when one day, someone I know ends up needing me to take them to a Nashville doctor. Then I may be like thay poor woman on the TV show sneak peek, crying her eyes out and gasping for air on the side of the road.
Okay, so now the world (well, at least my three followers) know I am very quirky. But it least it feels good to get that secret off my chest. I DON'T LIKE TO DRIVE. OR COUNT BACK CHANGE. There, I said it. Ahhh....feels better already.

I began having panic attacks as a child but didn't know they had a medical name. I just thought I was dying or having a heart attack or something. Over the years it has progressed to more of an anxiety issue than full-blown attacks. Just like the migraines in my previous post, anxiety disorders and OCD can be hereditary also. Great...my poor kids. Maybe its past time for a complete overhaul--er, I mean doctor's visit, to just unload ALL my wierdness and medical problems once and for all. I better start making a list....

-Lynn

What day is this?

2009-05-20T03:31:00.000-07:00

It's 5:30 AM and I am (almost) wide awake. Strange for me to be up so early by choice. But considering I just slept for the past day I guess I should be awake. I had one of my longest migraines EVER yesterday. It actually began Monday morning when I awoke, but went away. Then it came back before bed Monday night, but again, responded to some OTC meds and went away (that's what I thought anyway). But yesterday (Tuesday morning) I began dreaming that I was talking to a neighbor who told me I didn't look so good...I asked her, in my dream, to go to the pharmacy and get my Maxalt as my head was pounding. Like so many times lately, I awoke to a really bad, full-blown, head-splitting migraine. I only had one Maxalt left yesterday and was so dizzy I knew I wouldn't make it to the pharmacy without running into a ditch, so I stayed home and tried to fight it off with various ideas...tried to rest, took some Melatonin, didn't use my eyes any more than I had to, assigned the kids all independent work and LOTS of outdoor free play, you name it. But this one stuck around until into the night last night, making it my longest one that I can ever remember. What's more, the dizziness with this one was the worst I'd ever had. Moving from the bed to the couch and waves of blackness would wash over me. I haven't felt like fainting since my last food poisoning. LOL Thank the Lord above for my oldest son who took the reins and watched the younger kids for me all day, pouring milks and fixing salads for lunch.

I had been doing so much better this month. This was actually my first bad case. I had just been bragging on my combination therapy of YAZ, Melatonin, and reading glasses when my body decided to show me that it was still in control of my life. I began to see a few blemishes over the weekend and wondered why that was happening as usually my YAZ bocks them. Then the tell-tale headache from the pit of Satan knocked down the door. I know these kinds of headaches...they are called Menstrual Migraines and they are probably the worst migraines ever. Unlike a regular migraine, these kind don't respond well to ANYTHING and they tend to linger for days. Which means, to those of you who do not suffer from them, you will be out of commission until its over. No driving, no reading, no work, no TV, no family life, no life of any kind, because this thing now has your life in its control. I sound bitter I know, but I have had migraines since my childhood and I do not look forward to having them the rest of my life. I am tired of them stealing my family time, my work time, my health. I am tired of canceling plans. I am tired of spending my good days waiting apprehensively for the next one.

I guess its time to reevaluate whether the YAZ is really helping or not. At first it seemed to be. Now the migraines have gotten used to it I think, and rather than the YAZ being their mortal enemy, they shake hands with it and say, "Good day." Problem with going off the YAZ and saving that money is I've tried to more than once, and my head feels 5 times worse than yesterday to the point I literally feel like my brain is about to split in half. At least the headaches are dulled a bit by the YAZ.

So here I am, finally awake. I missed saying goodnight to DH, who has already left for work. He took my car because his was acting up (again), and I just discovered we are out of milk. Its a good thing we live close to a little market that takes debit cards, as I suppose we'll be hiking there in a few hours to shop. This sharing of the daytime shift (and the family vehicle) is going to take some getting used to.

I pray I feel better today so I can get on with life. I can sympathise with those who live with any sort of incurable medical condition. In my case these migraines somewhat rule my life. I always wonder when the next one will hit, and it will, and how bad it will be. I think to myself about how little by little, all the meds have stopped working as well as they used to, and I wonder will they all stop working completely for me one day? I remember my grandmother, who suffered from them until a few weeks before she died at age 88, holding her head in her hands when she thought no one was looking during family visits...will that be me someday? I really hope not. I remember my sister being part of a headache study group at Vanderbuilt hospital, hers were so bad. I know that not only my sister but my mother, mother-in-law, oldest child, 4 year old, and husband all have frequent headaches, and am reminded that they are all around me.

A friend suggested I try adding magnesium supplements to my diet. When DH gets home with my car tonight, I guess I'll be visiting Walgreens. I am curious as to how others out there are dealing with these monsters.

-Lynn

Changes all around

2009-05-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, a weekend of changes has me a little off-track. But I think it's all going to work fine.

After 11 YEARS of night shift, my husband was asked if he'd like to come to days. We are natural night-owls. I kid you not. As a baby I was up all night. My husband also has that tendency as do our kids. Our body clocks just tend to be different than most people we know; even when we've tried to shift them, it never lasts and we don't feel refreshed during the shifting phase. I can go to bed at 10 pm and sleep until 6 and feel downright nasty upon waking and groggy all day. But I can go to bed at 1 or 2 am, sleep until 8:30 or so, and wake up feeling energized...not one yawn all day! Not only that, but I am fully charged and can go full-speed until into the night again. Dear hubby is worse than me, because he has slept all day for so long. I am wondering how he is doing at work right now.

It may be that in an odd way God is answering my prayers about our finances. Day shifters are getting overtime and some don't want it. We could certainly use it to build our savings back up.

Around the same time hubby got called in to work days I found out that my one sure summer daycare child might have issues in coming here due to a shift in her mother's job. We don't know yet how that will play out but I can't help but wonder if either God is saying no to daycare---just be a hard-working homeschool mom OR if He is freeing up our days to welcome in some little preschoolers while dad is not here sleeping. Hmmm...too early to see the big picture, at least on this end!

I went through a rearranging mode this weekend. About once a year I completely change my school area. When I can't control everything else in my life, rearranging rooms gives me at least one area I can control! I decided I could make our school area a little better organized to benefit not only my family but any daycare kids I might end up serving.

This resulted in also changing closets and the kid's rooms, as I tend to pull items from their rooms to use or put items in their rooms that had once been in our school area. Since I can't imagine it quite right in my head, I just grab the furniture and start dragging away, moving it here and there until it clicks. It becomes an obsession until complete. I am very picky about my school area looking neat and uncluttered. It also has to meet the needs of three different kids while not looking out of place with the rest of the house. I cannot stand it if things look too busy or chaotic...it begins to distract me. Must be a little OCD coming through. We have a very small space for an actual school room, and even that space is open to all the main living areas and has very little wall space for hanging posters and things. My kitchen has a long wall that I am seriously considering painting with magnetic paint and using that wall to hang posters and charts from.

Anyway, here is the before picture from last year. We had cubbies and desks I had made for the boys...they were not used at all, except for me to stack things on all day. The boys tend to work at the kitchen table or on the couch with clipboards. All our manipulatives and games were hidden in the closet and never got used. Out of site, out of mind. The cubbies were too small to hold many of the boys' textbooks and larger items such as binders.

I took out the cubbies and added in two cheap bookshelves. I also moved my filing cabinet from the closet into the room. I was a little concerned about this as I really am not going for a home office decor as you enter my home. However, I needed the hall closet space for other items. So here is the new look....not too bad. I added some plants and a small lamp and tried to make the file cabinet look less conspicuous. It now holds our school books. Each of us has a drawer and inside we keep our daily books. My themed file folders, hundreds of them, found new residences in large plastic totes in my garage. I also took out any books we won't be using for next year and out them in totes in the garage.

This is my school cabinet. it holds the basic daily needed items like scissors and glue sticks, plus any reference books or teacher's aids for the year.

This hall closet also holds school supplies...I can't stand the way it looks. This will be my next project! The inside door is Ashleigh's "learning wall"...that's her name for it. We can open it to do her ABC's and circle time, if daycare works out.

The old cubbies worked out very nicely in Ash's room for all her small baskets of toys.

One leftover cubby made a great night stand.-Lynn

free E-book for those considering home education

2009-05-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

I just read the most wonderful little e-book. It's called Why You Should Homeschool Your Child: a Public Schoolteacher's Confession by Lisa Preston. It is available, free of cost, to download from www.homeschoolhelper.com If you have ever wondered what a typical day for a modern-day public educator must be like, this book will open your eyes. Pardon my grammar but we ain't talking Mayberry here. Oh, we like to think that the things that happen in large, poorly-funded, inner city schools just don't happen in small, Bible-Belt rural schools....maybe we need to be shaken, not stirred, and shaken hard at that. This book should shake you and then make you think twice before shoving the idea of home education down the garbage disposal.

I love the strength and courage it must have taken for this author to go against the grain, and admit the failings of the public education system. Yet she never bashes the educators and administrators who have tried so hard to make education what it ought to be. In fact, she highly praises her former colleagues for their hard work in that system all these years.

I have a relative in public education. I have never for a second doubted this is her calling in life. I know she will greatly impact the school she works in, as will doubtless others. I feel certain she eats, sleeps, and breathes education. So in that respect, and because I, too, had dreams of being a public school teacher once upon a time, I cannot bash those who give 150% to improving their students' way of life. However, I can and openly will bash the system that places too many children under one teacher's care, that pays teachers way too little, that expects teachers to not only TEACH but spend most of their day being a referee to all the dangers and woes that are carried into today's classrooms. My hats go off to these women and men who daily go into what I consider to be a spiritual, moral, and oftentimes physical battlefield, to try to do what they were called in life to do: educate. How can any education at all take place when you have so many obstacles to overcome? I can see why so many teachers are exhausted and ready to throw in the towel. Thank goodness they are in it because they truly love it, or it might become very difficult to justify remaining in that profession.

Whether you already homeschool, are just curious about it, or are thinking about trying it, this book will open your eyes, fill you with passion for raising up a Godly generation, and call you to act.

Thank you , Ms. Preston, for being brave enough to show us what others perhaps could not. And after 9 years and dreaded high school fast approaching, thank you for renewing my homeschool vision and reminding me of why I do what I do.
-Lynn

hard economy calls for creative thinking...and FAITH!

2009-05-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

I have decided, well I think I have, to open a very small, in-home childcare over the summer. I have one little girl from church that is probably coming and I hope to get 2 more full-timers.

People know we homeschool and that we have homeschooled for around nine years. They ask how will I be able to homeschool and run a childcare if I continue on with daycare children in the fall. Good question. I ask myself that same thing everyday. All I can say is I don't really know. I have a plan formulating in my head but its really up to the Lord to provide me the strength to do both. If this idea is in His will for my life at all, then I have to trust He will give me the wisdom to carry it out. And if its not in His will, or this is not good for our lives, then I pray He'll never let it come to pass. And if its NOT in His will, then I have to accept the fact that He has a different plan and trust Him. That in itself would be a challenge for me, as I so often identify myself with the man in Mark 9:24 who was lacking in faith and belief as he cried out, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." No sooner do I cry out "I believe!" then I am begging for His help to get me over my lack of faith. It is not a true test of our faith when things are going easy; our faith can only be truly tested in times of trial, because it is then our inner heart is made known.

So when the bills come in and the savings is all gone, Lord, help my unbelief. When sickness rears its ugly head and the future is uncertain, Lord help my unbelief. When the road forks and both paths seem right, Lord help my unbelief.

There's just not a lot I know right now. Our futures, for so many of us, are quite uncertain. I, the almost anal control freak, has lost control. I feel sometimes like I am driving behind the wheel with my eyes closed, hoping I don't go over the edge of the mountain. Why do I fear? God is my guard-rail, always present to help me. But maybe its time I climb out of the driver's seat. Maybe its time I give up the wheel.

I remember how He called me into this ministry called "wife" and "mother" and "teacher"....that call, I feel, is just as strong today as it was nine years ago. I haven't felt it leave me, so therefore, He has it in control. The money will come; although the "how" of it I don't know for certain. The wife in me sees my husband's efforts at caring for his family and he has given 150% for months. No, make that years. He is tired. The wife in me sorrows for him when he needs a rest and tries to jump in and fix it all. The wife in me begins to think on how I can help, and thus, the childcare idea is born. It may or may not be the "how" of getting our finances back to a comfortable level. Or perhaps we're not meant to be comfortable right now. Perhaps there is a lesson we are to learn first.

The Proverbs 31 "superwoman" as I like to call her, was certainly industrious. She was not only a wonderful keeper at home but a business woman, a crafter, a worker. I like to say if she could do it, then through God I can, too.

In my life, the thorn in my side is money. Others have job losses, loss of homes, loss of family members, cancers and illnesses. Whatever the future holds, we must all pray God's perfect will in our lives. Only then can we know in our hearts that whatever comes, it will work for His purpose and His glory.
-Lynn

review of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's WeE-book/E-book product line

2009-04-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

I so enjoy reading but am always pressed for time and am sorely lacking in book shelf space already. The Old Schoolhouse magazine's WeE-books and E-books to the rescue! They are inexpensive, quick reads but in digital E-book form. You can download and store them on your computer for reading while waiting for appointments or on long car rides. Or even print them if you wish.

E-books also have the advantage of linking directly to the internet. Your E-book or WeE-book will open on screen, usually with colored links, that will lead the reader directly to websites containing even more information. It's like getting twice the information for half the price.

As part of the trial process to becoming a member of The Old Schoolhouse magazine's second "TOS CREW", I was given 3 free WeE-books and 1 free E-book from the company's online store to use and review.

The first WeE book is called Transcripts, CLEPS, and Other Ways to Get into College by Claire Novak. Only 21 pages in length but packed with useful information on subjects such as Do you really need a college education?, Sitting out the SAT, and Advice from Current College Students. First off this book tackles the idea of not attending college in order to obtain a career, but lists the alternatives such as apprenticeship, internships, the military, and certification.
I found the section about gaining credits via taking the CLEP test very helpful. A quick overview of transcripts and what they involve is also brought up. This is followed by helpful advice from current college students (who once homeschooled) and links to resources on the Internet. Definitely a practical, easy read for those with children entering the middle school or high school years. As an adult, I found the idea of the CLEP test interesting enough to check into using that option myself someday.

WeE Book number 2 is called Career Exploration for High School Students by Carol Topp, CPA. 14 pages in length and also equally easy to read and follow, this little gem teaches students how to go through the 4-step career exploration process. Students will investigate their personalities, abilities, and priorities. Next they will match possible careers to their personalities. Then research potential careers to see if there is a fit. Lastly the student will prepare a plan to pursue the chosen career. While this book is written toward the teacher/parent, I don't see why a high school student couldn't read it himself and do additional research by looking at the website links in the end. Overall, another useful and practical download.

The third WeE book is also by Carol Topp, CPA, and is entitled The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Being a Work-at-Home Mom. This is my personal favorite because I manage two craft shops on Etsy.com. I often have a hard time balancing my homeschooling and keeping my shops running, so I was thrilled when this is one of the topics she goes into.

Along with how to balance your many priorities as a homeschool mom and a WAHM, she also gives clear guidance on how to find more time to devote to a business, how to decide what type of business to begin, how to set up a business plan, and how to set boundaries so you can actually accomplish something while being home! Ms. Topp discusses the difference between working at home and owning a home-based business. She lists some wonderful opportunities in the direct selling world such as Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, and Usborne Books at Home. This books finishes with a much-needed section on avoiding those ever-present work at home scams, and like the other WeE books before it, feature Internet links and general homeschooling information.

The full-sized download of the 95-page E-book called Homework: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance was another anticipated read. This is much like the WeE book I just reviewed but much more in-depth. And the perspective is interesting: you learn from reading examples of how other families work from home while homeschooing. 16 families share with your their tips and frustrations. I enjoyed peeking into what a typical day in each homeschooling/home-business was like. You'll come away from this E-book armed with much more than just stories and inspirations; you'll come away with ideas to cultivate your skills and real businesses opportunities that you might be able to start.

For example, the first contributor and I share a common bond-we both own Etsy stores. But I have never seen one quite like hers. She recycles old jeans into purses. Her unusual business, prompted by the urging to recycle, go green, and upscale cast-off products into usuable items (called "trashion") made me think about what items I might be able to offer to help our planet.

I also shared a bond with another mom, one who sells Usborne books. Although I no longer sell them, I love their quality and am glad to see her making her business work so well for her family.

You'll meet other equally hard-working, creative moms in this book...a mom who is a leisure travel consultant...an industrious family who manage a bed and breakfast from a family fruit orchard...for the animals lovers there is the story of a pet-sitter...using the computer and writing skills to make money are also covered.

I found that faith in God is woven throughout each story in this book, and the parents often speak of personal experiences which led them to choose homeschooling.

Overall, it is an encouraging, heart-warming look into the lives of real people, just like you and I, who are living their dreams and making it happen, all while having the best of their time with their children. Let this E book inspire you to push ahead and meet your dream face-to-face with your family by your side.

Cost for an E book varies but they tend to be less expensive than printed books. TOS WeE books are generally only $1.95 and with free shipping, too! So go ahead and splurge! With a wide variety of great topics, I know I will. :)

-Lynn

review of Tapestry of Grace: Colonial America unit study by Lampstand Press

2009-04-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

Wow...where to begin? In the words of the company website, Tapestry of Grace (TOG) is an "award-winning multi-level, integrated, 4-year, classics-based Christian curriculum for the whole family. " Whew! What a unit study program this is, quite unlike any we've ever tried. I believe it is one of the most thorough, detailed studies we've used to date. We received a digital download version of year 2, unit 3, Colonial America, or as it's called in the study, "Of Crowns and Colonies".

It covers:

Early New World Colonies and Eastern Europe
Puritans in New England
Charters, Creeds, and the English Civil War
Restoration Colonies and the Age of Louis XIV
Dissenters in America and the Age of Reason
Colonists and Native Americans
Empires at Odds
Thirteen Established Colonies

It is a massive 500+ page study geared toward lasting 8 weeks.

(If you're not familiar with unit studies, I highly suggest that you learn about the basics of the unit study method before tackling such an in-depth curriculum. I love them-- highly recommend them--and see them as a significant blessing in our school day, but they are not for everyone. Perhaps someday I'll get on here to blog about them. For today, I must assume you have knowledge of this method of schooling and move on).

As with other unit study programs, all your children can be taught a few subjects together each day. In this case, all students, grades k-12, will be on the same subject matter in history, church history, literature, geography, fine arts, government, philosophy, and writing & composition, each on their own learning level. You will need to add in a phonics program, science, math, grammar, spelling, and foreign language, if needed. Teaching multiple ages together (as much as it is feasible) can be a huge time and sanity saver for mom.

As with other unit studies, you can repeat the lessons later on. This is called "cycling though" and is very popular among unit study users. You simply use the lessons now, doing what your children are able, and then repeat the entire course/volume in few years when your children are on a higher grade level. Don't fret about children being bored during a repeated course; public schooling is all about repetition. Children learn well through repetition. Besides, when they repeat the course there will be new literature assignments and new, harder projects to tackle.
Cycling through a unit study is also a frugal use of homeschooling dollars. You buy the study and use it over and over again.
Here is an excerpt from a Tapestry of Grace (TOG) flyer explaining how cycling works:

"Tapestry of Grace is a homeschool curriculum: a plan of study that helps

parents provide a Christian, classical education using a guided unit study approach,

with the history of the world as the core organizational theme. From Grades K–12,

all students cycle through world history every four years, with all ages studying the

same slice of history each week, each at their own learning level. Detailed lesson

plans and discussion outlines enable parents to be their children’s primary

teachers and mentors and shape their students’ biblical worldviews."

The teacher's portion/guide is very detailed. I found that I needed to read it, then put it aside for a bit, only to reread it multiple times later on to really grasp all that it covered. This unit study will not let the parent down as far as guiding you and giving you information. Keep in mind that, TOG, is mostly a teacher's guide with loads of detailed notes. You will need additional books/items to use TOG. It is not an "open and go" curriculum; it will take a few days of planning.

Visiting the TOG website for resources is a MUST. I found their website to be a wonderful help in organizing our study. You'll certainly want to visit the entire website, especially an area called The Loom. I would suggest you do not plunge head-long into TOG without reading on your own first, or you may find yourself confused. The writers have worked very hard to keep this study easy for parents but if you do not use the website resources, you may end up in unnecessary frustration.

Again, as taken from the website:

"The Loom is a crucial Internet & CD resource that serves as a framework for its year-plan. On the Loom, you’ll find...

Summer reading list: assignments for students to complete before starting the first unit of each year-plan

An important Year-Plan Introduction, with in-depth information about our philosophy of education and many useful tips for getting started with your new curriculum

Digital copies of all the Student Activity Pages (which are also in your year-plan), so that you can print out work pages, instructions, or student questions as many times as they are needed week to week or year to year

Digital copies of all Supplements: print and use as needed, or access digitally

Digital resources to provide important helps for teaching rhetoric-level Literature

Extra hands-on activity helps for some projects

Writing Level Overview: a helpful tool for placing your students in the proper writing level at the start of the year

Detailed information for figuring out how to give high school credits for Tapestry work, or write a transcript

The Book Updates Index, which offers information on replacement books in case the ones listed in your curriculum become unavailable, as well as updated reading assignment charts. "

Again I advise: DO NOT SKIP OVER THE LOOM. It is your best friend when using TOG. :)

TOG will largely appeal to many learning styles. From your wiggly child who needs hands-on projects to your auditory learner who enjoys read-aloud and discussion, TOG covers it. That's yet another appeal of unit studies for many families.

What does it cost?

Individual digital units from any year of the plan run about $45.

An entire digital year will cost $170. Keep in mind that this will be used by all family members from k-12 and can be used again and again, making it fairly expensive in the beginning, but very cost-effective over time.

The best buy seems to be the bundle. For $250, you get one full Year-Plan including the Loom and all four units plus Map Aids plus the Option: your choice of Writing Aids, a full year of Pop Quizzes, a full year of lapbook kits, or every level of Evaluations and
the Bonus: your choice of a Unit 1 Pop Quiz, Unit 1 Lapbook Kit, or Unit 1 of Evaluations.

*Please note that the digital edition is not for resale. This is an important factor for me to consider before purchasing any curriculum, in case it is not a good fit for my family.

How did it work for our homeschool: This is tough one. As I mentioned before, we use unit studies. In fact, for over 9 years or so, unit studies have been our core. I have used mini units by Amanda Bennett and Jennifer Steward, FIAR, A World of Adventure, tried a KONOS sample, made my own units, will have a high-schooler using Blessed is the Man this upcoming fall, you name it. So I really thought I could just dive in and begin this study. But there was so much information I often felt overwhelmed. I am still not 100% sure I have grasped all that this study has to offer. I am not too familiar with the classical method of study either, and TOG is very classical in nature. It does take a few days, maybe even weeks, to look it over and gather your supplies.

I really didn't like reading the digital edition, yet to print all the pages would've cost me a fortune in ink. So early on, I read what I could on screen and printed only what I really needed. Due to my home business, homeschool group events, blogging, and emails, I am already on the computer too much. I really think I would have preferred TOG in print form. Even taking the time to sit at the computer and pick through the information to decide what I need to print overwhelmed me.

When you open a unit, you'll see a nicely laid out PDF screen with direct access to teacher's information, scheduling, and even the student activity pages. I did like the list of projects and additional reading for each grade. It was easy to glance at the grid and see what I wanted to try to do for the study. Those pages have nice little check boxes included, so you can check off what you have accomplished. I like checklists to keep me on track.

**One note to mention was after I picked out the books I wanted to use to supplement our study, my local library didn't have too many of them. We settled for reading the books and completing the worksheets on The Courage of Sarah Noble and one of my old favorites, The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Although for general learning I am sure you could substitute other books on the same subject matter, to complete the student sheets you'll need the books listed.

The projects are well-rounded and balanced with the other aspects of the study. Unit studies are notorious for being heavy-laden with almost nothing but hands-on projects. With Tapestry there is a balance. The activities are fairly easy to carry out, for example, making a travel brochure or drawing a picture of Pocahontas. Its nice to give the children a break from reading to complete a project.

Overall, I like the idea of TOG. I think it would be very cost-effective given time. I feel it is adequate and thorough. However, I would like to see a print version and be able to compare the two.

Check out what other TOS Crew members are saying at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew

-Lynn

review of Critical Thinking/Bright Minds Beginning Mathematical Reasoning

2009-04-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

My 4-year old daughter is really enjoying this thick, colorful beginning math book from the Bright Minds/Critical Thinking company. It's a softcover workbook, with 235 pages of lessons in all areas of math reasoning, from counting to comparing and estimating.

So far we have enjoyed each preschool book we received from Critical Thinking. They are always colorful and with only a few problems per page, they don't make my children feel overwhelmed.

This book is meant to be used and written in, but I like to place a page protector over the pages needing written work so my daughter can use them again if she wants. Add a wipe-off marker and you're set to go.

Working 2-3 pages each day only takes a few minutes of the child's time and there is no parental prep work. Just open the book and go. Easy to understand and explain, easy to use.

Critical Thinking has a wide range of curriculum for all ages and subjects. Whether you're ready to teach a 1st grader to read, prepare a 5th grader to take an achievement test, or to help a high schooler learn about wars in our past, this company has a lot to offer on a lot of levels. By using books or software, from the youngest to the oldest, teach your child how to really THINK using products from Critical Thinking.
There are free items to try so give them a visit at:
http://www.criticalthinking.com/index.jsp

-Lynn

learning patience through daily trials

2009-04-27T11:52:00.001-07:00

Well, if my kids were in public school, I highly doubt what we're doing today would really count as much in the way of academics. I guess sometimes that's okay though. We are learning patience in many ways today.

Nick spent the greater part of the morning reading a novel while Adrian learned to clean old Roman coins. I meanwhile spent the morning grieving that most of my TOS magazine reviews this year had never gone through to the magazine editor. I had emailed them off as my blogs were written, but something somewhere went horribly wrong and she never received them all. So before I could even work with the children on any formal schooling, I had to set things right there. Good thing I keep lots of educational CD-ROMs on hand, and lots of paperback books to use for independent study!
Fixing that small error didn't take long, but it took patience on my part, and on the parts of my boys as they awaited my help with their work.

Nick moved from his novel into working with me to tentatively plan his 4-year high school education. We are going toward credits to prepare him for college. Whew, high school at home might cost one as much as private school, if it weren't for used curriculum sites. Sciences with labs...hundreds of dollars; higher level math on DVD for the mathematically challenged teacher-mom...also way up there. If you are a genius and don't need everything spelled out for you, you can teach your child fairly cheaply. Likewise, if you scour the internet and used books sales, you can rack up a few points there also. But if you can't find what you need used or, like me, must rely heavily on computer or DVD learning to do high school at home, this could cost an arm and a leg! However, I look at it as a challenge and a chance to get creative in my shopping. :) I will not be defeated!!!
Nick got slightly impatient looking through the stack of curriculum catalogs for potential elective courses he'd like, but I steered him back on course with a short lecture, ;) and now he seems to be enjoying the idea of taking some additional art, literature, and photography classes.

Adrian's bag of Roman coins, supposedly 2,000 years old, came off Ebay. We are not so much interested in the dollar value of these little dirt-caked bronze pieces but in their historical value. We have spent the morning soaking them in olive oil, then soapy water, then rubbing lightly with baking soda. Rinse, repeat. And again. Finally, out of twelve coins, one is beginning to show some nice detail. This will certainly take patience.

Lunch is late today, just like everything else. I am trying to use my new microwave's "grill" feature to cook a steak. Stomaches are growling. More patience needed.

Its funny how God teaches us lessons in the small stuff.
-Lynn

Write Shop Primary Book A

2009-04-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

From the same company that sent me Story Builders comes the newest in what will be a three-book series, Write Shop Primary Book A. http://www.writeshop.com/

This book is used for children in grades K-3 to lead them into writing through crafts, activities, and picture books. It is a gently approach that is easy to implement and has several schedules to use to accommodate each child's skill level.

We never got to use this book. I was sent the down loadable version and for some reason, it got lost in my email when the company first sent it to me. By the time I realized my review was due, contacted the company about the lost email, got a new email, and got it finally downloaded, here we are at the end of the year. My younger son (grade 3) is finally writing well, and I believe this program would be too easy for him. Had we gotten this product during the first semester when he was struggling so with writing, I am sure we could have used it with success. Somewhere along the way his writing, just like his reading did the previous year, after many struggles, suddenly just clicked. One of those homeschool mysteries I'll never understand. :)

My youngest daughter is only four, but she is already writing/copying words well and expresses a strong interest in reading and writing. I had thought about putting it off but since the activities in this book are so simple I may try the book on her come fall. Or even over the summer. Just introduce it as a fun thing to do on those hot, humid TN afternoons.

As with the few other products we were unable to use, I will still report as much as I can on it here and of course, follow up with updates as we go through the program.

My set came with PDF versions of both the teacher and student books. The cost for each printed book is between $26.95-$29.95 plus a small cost of around $5 for the student activity set. E-books are a few dollars less, running about $25.

The first section of the teacher guide tells the parent how to work with multiple ages, set up the schedule, and get supplies ready. Looks like to me that most supplies would be available at an office supply or teacher store, or in your own home already, and that setting up a writing center would be easy.

Depending on the chosen work schedule and child's abilities, it can take between one-three years to work through all three books. You'll have around 160 pages of lessons to complete in book A.

Every lesson will teach your child a new skill and lessons are theme-based (animals, trains, rhymes, etc). But even the themes are flexible to accommodate other studies you may be doing. An example of this is taking the Write Shop lesson on bugs and easily adapting it to your study of birds instead. You make a bird house rather than a bug house, hold a nature walk looking for birds rather than insects, etc. I like this because I can see how Write Shop could work with our current unit study program. I also like that quite a few of the picture books it calls for go right along with our Five in a Row curriculum.

Each lesson is split into 8 activity sets. These activity sets will always contain the same elements (as in Activity set 1 will always be a guided writing activity). I also like this because once I begin using the program, we will kind of get into a routine and there will be no surprises for mom!

There are worksheets included to reinforce concepts, evaluation sheets in case your state requires a grade, additional activities for the child who is hungry for more, and my favorite...little projects that allow your child to publish her finished writing.

Overall, I think this will be an easy addition to our day and will teach writing, creativity, editing and revision, without a headache or hassle. I think it will be perfect to use as a go-along to the programs I have already planned to use next year.

Waiting to try it!
-Lynn