Brag Time Thursday ~ Linky

Come link up your Homeschool related posts to 'brag' about the great things you and your kids are doing! Browse around and see what others are up to as well!

(Please link up the direct URL of the post you are 'bragging' about!)

Please Follow your hosts and Grab our Brag Time Button 

to display in your post or on your blog so others can join in the fun as well!

Link-up is live from 11:00 PM Wednesdays  EST to 11:59 PM Saturdays EST each week!

Brag Time Thursday ~ NaNoWriMo Winners!

Unicorn and Ladybug both WON NaNoWriMo for the 2nd year in a row! This year their goals were DOUBLE what they were last year!
UnicornGoal: 10,000Actual: 12,566Title: The Continuing Adventures of Sunshine and Moonlight
LadybugGoal: 1,000Actual: 1,057Title: The Adventures of Holly, Molly and Katie

Workbox Wednesday ~ Linky

Today the girls are finishing up NaNoWriMo (come back tomorrow for Brag Time Thursday to see how they did). Unicorn is also continuing to work on her Math (Teaching Textbooks 4) and Ladybug is working on her Reading (Reading Eggs, Ooka Island and First Start Reading). Monkey is just chillin' "reading" books and watching educational videos. Tomorrow we start Discover Christmas. 

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 30

Today I am Grateful for this Challenge and that it is over. It was fun, thought provoking and much needed  however, remembering to post EVERYDAY is a little much for me!  :) Thanks for the Challenge Brenda!

Terrific Tuesday ~ MyMemories

Here it is! Another freebie courtesy of MyMemories! Don't have their fabulous software (they just came out with Version 3)? Purchase it and save $10 using this code STMMMS80543. With the code you also get a $10 coupon for the MyMemories Store!

Click image or here to download!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 29

Today I am Grateful for daily Quiet Time. This is the time of day that my children are supposed to go to their rooms and read and/or play quietly for a couple hours. This allows me time to regroup and/or catch up from the mornings activities.

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 28

Today I am Grateful for Family Home Evening. This is a time we get to spend together as a family and learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to grow as a family. We try to have Family Home Evening each Monday Evening.

TOS Review ~ The Reading Game

Kenneth Hodkinson, the author of Wordly Wise, has a great new game to help new and/or struggling readers called The Reading Game. Played like the popular game Memory, The Reading Game uses repetition and fun to help students learn new words. After all 6 mini-memory games are played (and words are quickly recognized) the corresponding book is read. After all 6 books are read students will know 180 words.

Nuts & Bolts:

~Ages 4+

~2 players

~Published by Allsaid & Dunn, LLC

~$24.95 ea.

~Click here for Contact and/or ordering information

Contents:

~6 sets of memory cards color-coded to match each book (6 mini-games within each set)

~6 illustrated books

~Rules & Teacher (Parent) Guide

~Assessment (pre- and post-) available on website

Our Thoughts:Ladybug (5) thought the games were fun and even enjoyed the stories. I like that it was ready to go out of the box (not teacher intensive) and that Unicorn (11) could play with Ladybug acting as the "tutor". The game uses memory (not phonics) to teach the words. Because of this I would not use this as a stand-alone reading curriculum. However, many of the words in the game are sight words so it would work well along side a phonics curriculum. Most of the words used in The Reading Game are Dolch words and words from the 100 most commonly used English words.
Click here to see what my Crew Mates have to say about The Reading Game!
{Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Reading Game in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and all opinions are my own.}

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 27

Today I am Grateful for Chocolate. 'Nuff said! :)

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 26

Today I am Grateful that we were able to have the Missionaries (from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) over for dinner last night. The members of the Church are responsible for feeding the missionaries assigned to their area one meal a day (generally dinner). We share our missionaries with 2 other wards so our ward is responsible for Friday and Saturday nights. We try to feed the missionaries once a month but because there aren't many nights available we have only been getting to feed them every other month.

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 25

Today I am Grateful that my Fibromyalgia crash corresponded with my Calendar.
The last 2 weeks have been non-stop (not good with Fibromyalgia). The only things on my Calendar for the next couple days are to feed the Missionaries dinner tonight, Church on Sunday, and I need to write a review or two. 

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 24

Today I am Grateful that yesterday was full of good news after Monday's bad news. Monday we had $4000 worth of repairs needed on our vehicle. Yesterday, CarMax gave us an awesome deal for said vehicle and made buying a new (well, new to us) vehicle easy. Thank you CarMax (and my sister and brother-in-law who were there to make sure we got a good vehicle). As a side note, we also received word that the house we have an offer in on is moving forward. We don't have an official acceptance of the offer but we reassured that things are moving forward in a positive direction (not always the case when buying a short sale)!

Our "new" 2005 Ford Freestyle.

Brag Time Thursday ~ Linky

Come link up your Homeschool related posts to 'brag' about the great things you and your kids are doing! Browse around and see what others are up to as well!

(Please link up the direct URL of the post you are 'bragging' about!)

Please Follow your hosts and Grab our Brag Time Button 

to display in your post or on your blog so others can join in the fun as well!

Link-up is live from 11:00 PM Wednesdays  EST to 11:59 PM Saturdays EST each week!

Workbox Wednesday ~ Linky

We are not doing workboxes today. Today we are taking advantage of the flexibility that homeschooling allows us. The children will be with Grandma and Papa today while Hubby and I go car shopping. Not at all what I had planned for the day but it is what has to be done.
Please keep linking up...I LOVE seeing what everyone is doing!!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 23

Today I am Grateful for Grandparents that are able to watch our kids at the last minute and for my Brother-in-Law (who knows about cars) who is willing to go car shopping with hubby and me (we really dislike car shopping) today!

Terrific Tuesday ~ MyMemories

Here it is! Another freebie courtesy of MyMemories! Don't have their fabulous software (they just came out with Version 3)? Purchase it and save $10 using this code STMMMS80543. With the code you also get a $10 coupon for the MyMemories Store!

Click image or here to download!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 22

Today I am Grateful I write our lesson plans in pencil! Yes, it is turning into one of those weeks!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 21

Today I am Grateful for my Crock-pot! Yep...it has been one of those days!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 20

Today I am Grateful that my hubby is employed and can provide for our needs.
I am especially grateful that we have learned to budget so we can "survive" on his income. As a teacher he doesn't make much but we have been blessed with his new job. He is making more than his last job, he got a signing bonus, and he has the opportunity to make some additional money with some extra work throughout the year.

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 19

Today I am Grateful that I have made it through the first week of hubby's new schedule.
This may not seem like much to some of you but, I have Fibromyalgia and stress, changes in the weather, overdoing, etc. all make it act up. I had gotten used to having hubby home during the mornings and when he left it was "quiet time" for the kids. Then we had dinner, hung out together and then they went to bed. He would get home around 9:30pm. This was a typical Monday - Thursday for us. On Friday's he would work from 8-noon. Now he has a typical 8:30-4:30 teaching job (plus commute). I am having to change our schedule so that I can teach all 3 kids by myself. Enter the stress of change. Also, the weather here is changing, getting cooler, and my body feels it. I also had to cook dinner 4 nights this week (I haven't cooked for about 6 years...since we discovered hubby is a better cook). At least this week didn't have a lot of extra "stuff" in it so I was able to move things around as I needed to and I didn't have to leave the house except for Tuesday!

Homeschool Mother's Journal ~ November 18, 2011

In my life this week…I have been learning how to adjust to a new schedule and how to cook again!


In our homeschool this week…we have been taking it easy as we head into the holidays. We are focusing on Religion, Math, Reading and any reviews we have coming up.


Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…if it is not working stop doing it and try something else! If it is working...leave it alone.


Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…on Sunday we will be heading to my mom's for the afternoon and then on Thursday my mom and step-dad, grandmother, sister and brother-in-law will all be at our house for Thanksgiving.


My favorite thing this week was…realizing that I still know how to cook after 6 years of my wonderful hubby cooking!


What’s working/not working for us…so far our new schedule is working for us. It will need to be refined after the holidays but until then it will work.


I’m cooking…real meals again. This week was chicken fajitas, spaghetti, beef & noodle dish, and swiss chicken.


I’m grateful for…sleep and the fact that I am actually getting some now that hubby is home at a normal hour. I can't sleep when he is not here so until this past week I wasn't going to bed until 11pm or later and my kids DON'T sleep in! EVER!


I’m praying for…my sister's house to sell and for the offer we have in on a house to be accepted.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…Ladybug lost her first tooth! She was SO excited!

Field Trip Friday ~ Firemen

It wasn't really a Field Trip but it was pretty cool! Last week we took the kids, Grandma and Papa and went to look at the house we are trying to buy and to buy everyone some badly needed clothes. Well, we stopped for lunch at the Chick-fil-A in Queen Creek, Arizona. The kids were upset when we left and Monkey was crying because we didn't have time for them to play in the play area. As we were crossing the parking lot to our van a fire truck pulled in and Monkey's eyes lit up! The firemen saw my upset children and how they couldn't stop staring at the fire truck. One of the firemen (the one in the photo below) asked if the kids wanted to get inside the truck. The tears stopped immediately and the smiles were huge. Then he asked if they wanted a sticker. Of course they said yes but remained seated in the truck. He told them they could have a sticker if they got out of the truck.  :) I think it is so awesome that these 4 firemen took the time out of their day (and delayed their lunch) for my kids. It totally made the kids' day!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 18

Today I am Grateful that I haven't had to turn on the Air Conditioning or the Heat for almost a month now! It will be nice to have an Electric bill that is closer to $125 than $375! :)

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 17

Today I am grateful for a little comment from my 3 year old Monkey:
"Mama, your hair is pretty."
He makes my heart melt...and to think, after 2 girls, I was terrified to have a boy! Grateful the Lord knows better than me!

Brag Time Thursday ~ Linky

Come link up your Homeschool related posts to 'brag' about the great things you and your kids are doing! Browse around and see what others are up to as well!

(Please link up the direct URL of the post you are 'bragging' about!)

Please Follow your hosts and Grab our Brag Time Button 

to display in your post or on your blog so others can join in the fun as well!

Link-up is live from 11:00 PM Wednesdays  EST to 11:59 PM Saturdays EST each week!

Brag Time Thursday ~ Ladybug

Today Ladybug wants to Brag:

She lost her first tooth. She was so excited she couldn't wait to tell everyone!

Workbox Wednesday ~ Linky

We are spending the rest of this month writing our NaNoWriMo stories. Unicorn will also keep working on Math (Teaching Textbooks) and Ladybug will keep working on Reading (Reading Eggs). We will also be reading books with Monkey.
I am going to keep posting the Linky for those of you who are not taking a huge break through the holidays (also, I have some fun stuff we will be doing in December) so keeping coming back and see what everyone is up to!

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 16

Today I am grateful for Facebook and blog "buddies".
I know that seems weird but there a few really cool people that I have "met" through the homeschooling blog and social network community that I would never have "met" otherwise. I know there are more but 3 really stand out to me: Jen, Kathy and Karrie! I am so grateful we have "met". I hope one day to meet each of you in person! 

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 15

Today I am grateful I participated in the Homeschool Post's Homeschool SWAP! I met a really sweet homeschooling mama from Florida: Karrie a mom of 2! You can check out her blog here.
Here is what I got from Karrie:

Karrie was an awesome SWAP partner...she stalked my blog! She sent me some YUMMY no-bake Reese's bars, The Junkyard Wonders by Particia Polacco, some art projects for my kiddos, some stationary, highlighters, a notepad and package of family schedule calendars. Because we are getting ready to move I have not gotten to "play" with my goodies much. We devoured the chocolate (the same day it arrived) and the kids will get to make the Thanksgiving bookmarks next week. The rest will have to wait until we get moved. :(
Thank you Karrie...we love it all!

Terrific Tuesday ~ MyMemories

Here it is! Another freebie courtesy of MyMemories! Don't have their fabulous software? Purchase it and save $10 using this code STMMMS80543. With the code you also get a $10 coupon for the MyMemories Store!

Click image or here to download! Enjoy!

TOS Review ~ Vocabcafe Series (College Prep Genius)

College Prep Genius was kind enough to send us all four titles in their Vocabcafe book series. The vocabcafe series is a set of four books that aim to increase SAT vocabulary. Each book contains approximately 300 advanced words. The words are bold/italicized and defined at the bottom of the page. 
From the Website:

VocabCafé books help students easily learn SAT-level words while reading an original wholesome story.

These modern novellas contain no foul language, no illicit sexual themes, and no sorcery!

The Nuts & Bolts:~$12.95ea/4 for $38.85~Middle/Jr. High & High School (I would say mostly HS)~4 paperback books: Planet Exile, The Summer of St. Nick, I.M. for Murder and Operation High School~133-222 pages~Medium sized print~Other products (15 Secrets to Free College; CollegePrep Genius)
My Thoughts:I love this concept. Novels with SAT-type words defined on each page and repeated throughout the book. However, I would be dishonest if I said that I did not have concerns with some of the topics in these books. There is no foul language, no illicit sexual themes and no sorcery but there is bullying, dishonesty, kids getting tattoos, etc. that I am not comfortable with my 6th grade daughter reading yet. Now, my concerns may not be your concerns, but as with any book I strongly urge you to read the books before you hand them off to your child. What bothers me for my almost 12 year-old my be just fine for your 17 year-old. I did let Unicorn read Planet Exile as I found the themes in that book more mild. We also discussed the words and the content as she read. I will most likely put these books on our bookshelves when she is in high school and we will discuss the themes together if she chooses to read them.
Click here to read what my Crew Mates thought of these books and other CollegePrep Genius products.
{Disclaimer: I received these products in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.}

Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 14

Today I am grateful for hubby's new job. 
It is a little unusual for teachers to change jobs mid-year but the offer was to good to pass up. Hubby was contacted a couple weeks ago by his former principal offering him a job at the high school in the town we are trying to move to (we have an offer in on a house). Today he starts this new job!