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!
(Failure to follow these specific guidelines will result in your link up being deleted, so PLEASE be sure to 1) link up the direct URL of your post and 2) post the hop button on your post or blog (where we can find it). We also kindly ask that you follow us, we WILL follow you back!) Thank you!
TOS Review ~ Dive Into Your Imagination
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Change...The Good Kind
When I first started blogging, about 2 years ago, my plan was to document our family's journey through homeschooling and to be able to share it with family and friends. Somewhere along the way it changed into a review and blog hop blog. Not that these are bad things, they are just not what my original vision was. I LOVE writing reviews, but I don't want my blog to be only reviews (which it pretty much has been for the last few months). I also got carried away with blog hops. I was looking to grow my readership and that is a great way to do so. I have even "met" a few good blog friends that way. However, I have discovered that hosting and participating in so many blog hops isn't really what I want for my blog. So, what am I going to do about it you ask? Well, let me tell you! ;)
~I have resigned from the TOS Review Crew (at the time of this writing I have one review left to write). If I do reviews it will be because I want to review a product not because it was assigned to me because my children are the right age for the product.
~I will no longer be hosting Brag Time Thursday (BTT). BTT will continue over at Chestnut Grove Academy. Jennifer and I have been co-hosting BTT for quite a while and it is really starting to take off. I do plan to link up with it once in a while though. {Thanks Jen!}
~I will no longer feel pressured to post. I will post what I want, when I want to post it. My blog is ultimately to document our homeschool journey and to share our journey with family and friends. I also hope that my blog will help other homeschoolers.
~I will no longer "worry" about my followers count. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my readers. I just won't be actively trying to increase my readership and I won't be heart-broken if I lose readers.
~I will not "follow" other blogs just because they "follow" me. I will follow blogs that are important to me, have ideas that I want to use or are just fun to read.
~I will not put off time with my family to blog!!!!! Family comes first!
So, in a nutshell, if you liked my blog back when I first started blogging and have been wondering if I am ever coming back then you will be please with the direction I am going. If not, then I will understand if you don't stick around.
I hope you decide to stick around. If you plan on sticking around I would love to hear what you think about this post!
Here are a few photos from last week just to give you a taste of what we have been up to:
~I have resigned from the TOS Review Crew (at the time of this writing I have one review left to write). If I do reviews it will be because I want to review a product not because it was assigned to me because my children are the right age for the product.
~I will no longer be hosting Brag Time Thursday (BTT). BTT will continue over at Chestnut Grove Academy. Jennifer and I have been co-hosting BTT for quite a while and it is really starting to take off. I do plan to link up with it once in a while though. {Thanks Jen!}
~I will no longer feel pressured to post. I will post what I want, when I want to post it. My blog is ultimately to document our homeschool journey and to share our journey with family and friends. I also hope that my blog will help other homeschoolers.
~I will no longer "worry" about my followers count. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my readers. I just won't be actively trying to increase my readership and I won't be heart-broken if I lose readers.
~I will not "follow" other blogs just because they "follow" me. I will follow blogs that are important to me, have ideas that I want to use or are just fun to read.
~I will not put off time with my family to blog!!!!! Family comes first!
So, in a nutshell, if you liked my blog back when I first started blogging and have been wondering if I am ever coming back then you will be please with the direction I am going. If not, then I will understand if you don't stick around.
I hope you decide to stick around. If you plan on sticking around I would love to hear what you think about this post!
Here are a few photos from last week just to give you a taste of what we have been up to:
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| Unicorn working on History |
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| Monkey working on the Leap Pad |
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| Ladybug working on History |
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| Ladybug writing a Friendly Letter |
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| Ladybug learning about Artifacts |
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| Unicorn doing a Science Experiment |
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| Monkey in the Pool |
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| Ladybug teaching herself to swim |
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| Unicorn getting objects from the bottom of the Pool |
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| Ladybug and Monkey trying to warm up after playing in the pool |
Saturday, May 26, 2012
TOS Review Crew Blue Ribbon Awards
As the 2011-2012 Crew year comes to a close, we are once again presenting awards to our vendors.
The awards are known as the TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards.
The following vendors are the recipients of the award this year.
Click on their name to check out my reviews!
If I didn't review a product it is linked to the crew review page.
Also, I am highlighting products that we are still using (or plan to use in the near future).
If I didn't review a product it is linked to the crew review page.
Also, I am highlighting products that we are still using (or plan to use in the near future).
Favorite Reading Instruction Product: Reading Eggs
Favorite Writing Product: Write Shop (we didn't review this one but we LOVE it)
Favorite Language Arts Product: Progeny Press
Favorite Social Studies Product: TruthQuest History
Favorite Science Product: Amazing Science
Favorite Math Product: Math Mammoth (another one we didn't review but LOVE)
Favorite Online Math Product: Math Rider
Favorite Foreign Language Product: Visual Latin
Favorite Fine Arts Product: Artistic Pursuits
Favorite Christian Education Product: Apologia: Who Am I?
~~~
Favorite Preschool Product: Before Five in a Row
Favorite Elementary Product: All About Reading
Favorite Middle School Product: Write with WORLD
Favorite High School Product: Excellence in Literature
Favorite College or College-Prep Product: Excellence in Literature
~~~
Best Online Resource: Reading Eggs
Best e-Product: Heritage History
Best Homeschool Resource: Apologia: Educating the Wholehearted Child
Best Book, Novel, or Magazine: Apologia: How to Have a HEART for Your Kids
Best Children's Book: Amazing Animals by Design
Best Game or Toy: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
Best Hands-On Resource: Pitsco Education
~~~
Best Resource I Didn't Know I Needed: eMeals
Best Customer Service: K5 Learning
Most Adaptable Resource: Creek Edge Press
Most Family-Oriented Resource: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
~~~
Kids' Choice (favorite of CHILDREN ages 0-12): Reading Eggs
Teens' Choice (favorite per the TEENAGERS): Pitsco Education
All Around Crew Favorite: Visual Latin
Each winning vendor has received this wonderful award to display with pride:
Congratulations to our winning vendors! We hope you will sail with us again!
Many Crew Members are blogging about these awards as well. Click below to see what they have to say!
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Click here to see the Crew Blog Posts...
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Brag Time Thursday ~ May 24
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!
(Failure to follow these specific guidelines will result in your link up being deleted, so PLEASE be sure to 1) link up the direct URL of your post and 2) post the hop button on your post or blog (where we can find it). We also kindly ask that you follow us, we WILL follow you back!) Thank you!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
TOS Review ~ CapJaxMathFax
Thursday, May 17, 2012
TOS Review ~ Go Science DVD's
Volume 2
~List Price $14.95 Library & Educational Services Price $8.97
~Ages 6-14
~Christian Based (segments originally developed for a religious show)
~Demonstrations (3-6 min. each) include: levers, incline plane, pulleys, trebuchet, singing glasses, singing rods, sound waves, singing pipes, making a cloud, weather balloon, tornado tube, air pressure
~Running Time approx. 59 min
~Demonstrations by Ben Roy (university Science teacher)
Volume 6
~List Price $14.95 Library & Educational Services Price $8.97
~Ages 6-14
~Christian Based (segments originally developed for a religious show)
~Demonstrations (3-6 min. each) include: water disappear, boil water in a paper cup, properties of water, floating balls, as cold as outer space, make a rocket, living in space, solar system, centripetal force
~Running Time approx. 37 min
~Demonstrations by Ben Roy (university Science teacher)
Our Thoughts
The kids really like the videos. The demonstrations are fun and engaging. A couple things would make this series better: a materials list, links to a webpage with more explanations on why/how the experiments work the way they do and maybe even some extension ideas. In a nutshell, the videos are great as an introduction to topics or to get kids excited about Science. However, if you are looking for more than just an introduction into Science you are going to want more than just these videos.
*Note: Library & Educational Services is a wholesale company, serving “resellers, educators, librarians, home educators, as well as church leaders such as pastors or directors of children’s ministries.”
{Disclaimer: I received these products in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and all opinions are my own.}
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Brag Time Thursday ~ May 17
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!
(Failure to follow these specific guidelines will result in your link up being deleted, so PLEASE be sure to 1) link up the direct URL of your post and 2) post the hop button on your post or blog (where we can find it). We also kindly ask that you follow us, we WILL follow you back!) Thank you!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Brag Time Thursday ~ May 10
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!
(Failure to follow these specific guidelines will result in your link up being deleted, so PLEASE be sure to 1) link up the direct URL of your post and 2) post the hop button on your post or blog (where we can find it). We also kindly ask that you follow us, we WILL follow you back!) Thank you!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Brag Time Thursday ~ May 3
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!
(Failure to follow these specific guidelines will result in your link up being deleted, so PLEASE be sure to 1) link up the direct URL of your post and 2) post the hop button on your post or blog (where we can find it). We also kindly ask that you follow us, we WILL follow you back!) Thank you!
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