I is for Insect - Blogging Through The Alphabet

It's finally feeling like Spring around here, yay! So this week, we're doing all kinds of Spring-y type activities.
And that brings me to the letter I. Insect. Specifically, butterflies! Sometime around the holidays, the girls received a butterfly garden kit. It's been so hard to wait all winter long, but we're finally ready to order our caterpillars. Soon we'll have those cute little creatures munching away.

We'll also be getting a tadpole soon, so the house will be teeming with warm weather critters. Looking forward to having pictures to post as we watch the progress. For now, this what we have.

In other Spring news around here, we've begun planting for the garden, and I'm so excited that our sunflowers have sprouted! Can't wait to get them in their permanent spot in the backyard :)

                    We also planted pumpkins. We're waiting in anticipation for the first sprouts.

                                                              Happy Happy Spring!

Spanish For You! - A Review

Are you ready to learn some Spanish? I hope so, because I have a great Spanish curriculum review to share with you.
 Spanish For You! is an affordable program put together by a Spanish teacher for students in 3rd-8th grade. A unique aspect to point out to you right away, is that this may be used with several grades at the same time, which of course is great for homeschoolers.

Each program is tested by the author herself, insuring its usability, accuracy, and effectiveness. I also want to add at this point that you will not find better customer service from a company. When I first received my download of the Fiestas program, I ran into a few glitches with my computer, and the assistance given to me was prompt, attentive and so so friendly! It gives you an idea of how important the quality of this curriculum, and the satisfaction of the customer is to the author. So, thank you to Debbie! That's what you call the wow factor ;)

We received the download version of the Fiestas program, which covers an entire year of lessons. This all inclusive package includes a soft cover teacher book (or e-book) the lessons, lesson guides, self checking worksheets, flashcard pictures, and a complete audio of the book.
The implementation of the lessons couldn't be easier. All you do is follow the guide, and do the activities. The biggest part is the printing and making the flashcards.

As a side note, there is also an extra section on the Spanish alphabet, colors, numbers, common phrases, and commands. You can do this part any time.
And there are lots of suggestions and tips for games and activities to supplement the lessons.

Now on to how we used this.
I found out for myself how easy this really is to begin using. I printed the e- book out and weekly lesson guides and got everything set up in a binder. I also printed out  a few weeks of the worksheets ahead of time.

We start with the audio, which actually goes through the lesson that you're working on. The flashcards are helpful, and the book explains how to make and use them. We like them mainly for review before a lesson. These and the games have been the highlight of this program for the girls.
The favorite games so far are naming a color in Spanish, and then searching the room for an object of that color, "Frio y Caliente" which you probably know already as  "Hot and Cold", and "Que Tienes?", which is where one child puts items in a bag, and then the other takes out an item and answers in Spanish.

Then we round out the lesson with a worksheet if there is one that day. The schedule is 4 days a week. (You can adjust your own schedule as you like)
There is so much included in this package and it could be a little overwhelming. I appreciate that at several points in going through the material, you're encouraged to go at whatever pace is most comfortable for your students, especially with the younger ones. I did find this to be the case with my daughters. Slow and steady wins the race, right? That's what's working here, so we'll keep on this way for now.

The bottom line is that if you're looking for a solid Spanish curriculum that is affordable, effective, and fun, Spanish For You! is a good option to consider. Why not stop by their site and look at a few sample pages. Check out the links below.




Spanish For You!

http://www.spanish-for-you.net/purchase-curriculum.html

Fiestas

Ages: Grades 3-8

Price: Fiestas  program Grades 3-8 -  $64.95




Click to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Papa's Pearls by Diane Flynn Keith - A Review

Oh, how I love a good book review! This latest selection was the charming book Papa's Pearls by Diane Flynn Keith. This pretty little paperback is a quick read, with just over 100 pages and 17 chapters.
The title of the book is really a summary of what you'll find inside. This is a beautiful memoir of her father, Carol Joseph Flynn, and the wisdom that he passed down to his children and grandchildren.

"Papa", as he was called by his family, grew up in the Depression Era and was rapidly heading down the wrong path in life. He could have stayed on that course and even found himself in prison, but a stint in "continuation school" fortunately turned him around, and he eventually became a successful husband and father.

This book is a blend of personal accounts from the author, her siblings, and their children. A lovely tribute. What really shines through is the love of Papa, and the profound impact that his life and experiences had on his entire family.
He is portrayed as a real man, a common sense kind of guy who has plenty of street smarts, yet is not too macho to express his love and affection for his family. His "pearls" of wisdom are offered in phrases passed down to his children like " Tell yourself you like it", "You gotta do what you gotta do", "What's the worst that could happen?", and "Get it in writing". You know, old school common sense.


This is really an adult or parenting book, but after first skimming through, I decided to use this as a read aloud with my kids (ages 7 and 9 years). It's clean, funny, touching, and there's just a lot to be learned from this man. I found no objectionable material, there were only a few sentences/paragraphs that I skipped over when reading to the kids.

I wasn't sure how they would like it, but they took to it right away, and there was more than one occasion where my older daughter especially, requested at least 4 chapters at one sitting.
We've read a few other books based in the Depression Era, and this was one reason they were interested. The other? They just found it funny! (Their words)

The bottom line- I loved this book, and recommend it to anyone. Parents, educators, families, it's a good read. Read it and see if you agree :)




Papa's Pearls

Price: Get an autographed copy of this book from the author for $21.97 ($14.97 + $7.00 shipping)
            You can also purchase from Amazon for $13.47 + shipping


Ages: Adult/Parent/Personal Growth- However, I used this as a read aloud with my 7 and 10 year old.


Click to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Crew

Magazines.com - A Review

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

About:

 Magazines.com offers people a fun, easy way to discover new reads and helps them track their magazine subscriptions. 

Shop the great magazine subscription deals at Magazines.com for Mother’s Day 2013! You’ll find incredible savings on Mom’s favorite cooking, celebrity, crafting magazine subscriptions and more. Don’t forget about all the moms in your life—your aunt, sister and your grandmother! Give her a gift that keeps on giving!

I review a variety of products and resources related to children and education, so this particular one has been a treat because it's just for me! One of my very favorite things to do when I have a little free time (which is often a rarity these days with 3 children in the house ;)), is to sit with a hot cuppa and page through a magazine.
I don't know if you've noticed, but those subscriptions can cost a pretty penny. So I have passed up a few that otherwise, I would have enjoyed signing up for.

Then along comes this website, and now I see what I've been missing. A great selection of some of the most popular magazines at amazing prices. I couldn't believe how low they really are.

Here is a sample of titles you'll find:

Cooking with Paula Deen

Martha Stewart Living

Parenting Early Years

Parenting School Years

Prevention

Weight Watchers

Working Mother

Victoria

People

Southern Living

Food Network

Real Simple

Southern Lady

Crochet Today

Tea Time

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

Entertain Decorate Celebrate

Taste of South

Creative Machine Embroidery

Just Cross Stitch

Quilt

Quilter's Newsletter

Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly

Creative Knitting

Quilter's World

Sew News

Crochet World

Creating Keepsakes

Crochet

Card Maker

You know, Mother's Day is this weekend, and what a great gift this would be for all of the moms you're buying for! The company, founded in 1999 is dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction. They are available 6 days a week for any questions, concerns, comments, whatever.
Shop now through Mother's Day, and use the $5.00 coupon available on their website. What a great idea for those special ladies, right?

Now then. . .

Ready for your chance to receive a FREE magazine subscription of your choosing? Once again, there's almost nothing to it. Just leave me a comment, and don't forget your email addy!!! Follow me and You'll have an extra  entry. This opportunity will be available now through Friday, May 17 2013. I hope you win! :)



Website:  http://www.magazines.com/special-offers/mothers-day-gifts-sale,default,sc.html?origin=mdbo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/magazines.com

Twitter: @magazines

Blogging Through The Alphabet - H is for Homeschooling

On to the letter H, and naturally, I thought of Homeschooling :) There are many aspects of this subject that I could talk about, but for today, I'll just talk about why we love to homeschool. And I think I'll do it in a slightly corny fashion.


H is for Healthy. I've noticed that my kids tend to have fewer illnesses because we homeschool. Less
                             exposure to germs, not having to be up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus.
                              Lower stress. It all helps.
O is for Open.     When a curriculum doesn't work, or we just need something fresh, we can try  
                              something new.
M is for Math.     Math is a subject that has given the kids trouble at times. I don't have to worry
                              about them getting lost in the crowd, because I can give them the individual
                              attention they need.
E is for Exercise. Even homeschoolers need some P.E.. But we can tailor it to whatever we want that
                              interests the kids, whether it's dancing, baseball, or a game of Twister.
S is for Science.   Our science lessons are not limited to a textbook. We can experiment in the
                              kitchen, take  a lot of cool field trips, and get hands on in the backyard.
C is for Cook.      Once again, we aren't stuck in a classroom. The world is our classroom! And part
                              of that learning happens in the kitchen. Good life skills, math and science. . .and
                              the results are yummy.
H is for Happy.    I am not one to judge a person's decision to homeschool or to send them to public
                               school. We are all called to what we are called to.I can say for my children, that I 
                               think that they are happier, in part because
                               they can focus on the job of school without worrying about bullies, fatigue, and
                               more. Don't misunderstand. My kids are not sheltered. They have plenty of
                               extracurricular activities and friends. But there is a lot of drama related to public
                               school that we are able to avoid.
O is for Outside.   Homeschooling affords us the opportunity to take advantage of the nice weather.
                               We can even take our lessons outside, and we do. The backyard, the park; we can
                                school almost anywhere.
O is for Opportunity. Our family is not bound by a traditional school schedule. We can make plans
                                 for any time of the day, and adjust our school schedule. That may mean taking a
                                 weekday off and working on a Saturday instead. We can take advantage of a
                                  variety of activities this way.
L is  for Love.          No other way to say it, we love homeschooling! For these and many other
                                  reasons. It has its ups and downs, but we've never regretted making this
                                  decision.

Blogging throught the Alphabet - G is for Grace

Isn't it so wonderful when God allows us to have a part in ministering to others? Honestly, when I get such an opportunity, it completely restores and refreshes my soul. I think of the verse that says "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

We had that opportunity this weekend, nothing extraordinary, and yet it was. I wish I could share, maybe in the future I'll be able to. But it doesn't really matter in the specifics anyway. And you can probably only get what that means if you've experienced it. And that just makes me want to serve more! The grace of God is an amazing wonderful thing. He is faithful and good.

Blogging through the Alphabet - F is for Foster

F is for Foster. Foster Care that is. As I look over the past couple of years, and our journey as foster parents so far, it often seems surreal. What a trip. We've had some high moments, and our share of low moments.

You  get to the point where you know this is what you're being called to, and you find yourself in the training classes. They're great, but are still no substitute for the real deal, the day that that first child is placed into your home.

You find your life turned completely upside down with anticipation, joy, hope, fear. . .
You leave your privacy at the door, because now there are countless people checking on you and the child. DCFS workers, caseworkers, your foster child's GAL, judges, licensing reps. It can get pretty stressful.

I've heard it said about foster care that nothing is final until it's final. The future is uncertain. Will the child go home? Will they be okay? Can their birth parents get it together and keep it together for the child? Can you handle the grief when that child leaves?

So much to consider and deal with. Foster care, foster parenting, is a beautiful, terrible, unsettling, and all around bumpy ride. I've spent my fair share of time thinking I was done. It's too much. It's hard.

But as a famous movie once said, "It's the hard that makes it good." The days when there is a breakthrough in a tough situation with the child. The times when a connection is made with a birth parent. The times when your spirit just whispers that this is what you should be doing.

I don't know where all this will lead, but I feel confident that we're where we're supposed to be for this moment. And it's all I need to know right now.