The Chore Solution: Making Families Better by Working Together {Review}

Do you ever have trouble keeping (or getting) your house clean? 

Need ideas on how to get your children involved? 

Today I am reviewing a book by Jason and Ann Cowan that just might help!

The Chore Solution: Making Families Better by Working Together

 Jason and Ann are the parents of 4 boys of varying ages. They wrote this book in response to their own challenges as parents. They were tired of house always being a mess, there never being enough clothes, and the kids always wanting the latest toy, DVD or video game.

The book starts off by posing 7 Challenges and then help you work through those challenges in a way that will work best for your family (they even included pages at the end of the book for you to record your thoughts and solutions to the challenges). By the end of the book you have developed a chore solution for your family that doesn't require you to do all the work or buy all the latest toys/gadgets!

My Thoughts:
I love that this is a quick read that helps you develop the perfect system for your family. We already had a system in place but after reading The Chore Solution we have made modifications that give the children more responsibility which gives me a cleaner home with less effort! Jason and Ann pack a ton of useful information into this short book. It is also a book that can be revisited as family dynamics change and kids get older!

In a Nutshell:
~Available in ebook, paperback and hardcover
~About 50 pages
~Helps you create a customized chore solution for your home
~Includes pages for recording your answers to questions posed throughout the book
~Website has downloadable/customizable forms
~7 Challenges (chapters) addressed
~Published by Mixed Up Books

Purchase:
Amazon (Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback, Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Contact Information:
Website
Facebook
Publisher Website

Saving Memories Forever ~ A Mosaic Review

Today I am reviewing a neat little app called Saving Memories Forever!

This little phone App, when combined with their website, allows you to record, save and share voice recordings of your loved ones! Have you ever wished you could digitally record the stories that your grandparents told you of their childhood so you can share it with your children even after your grandparents are gone? I know I have. I remember my grandparents telling me stories of living on the farm when they were little. My dad also tells some pretty amazing stories about the antics he and his siblings performed when they were younger. With this app I am able to record my relatives (or my) stories and have them digitally saved for my children and grandchildren. I can even add photographs to supplement the stories (premium version).

In a Nutshell
~Free and Premium ($3.99/mo or $40/yr) versions available (click HERE for a comparison chart)
~Many Question Prompts to choose from
~App available for iPhone and Android
~App and Website are used together (although the website does explain how to upload MP3 recordings)
~Use Skype to record stories of relatives that you don't see often
~How-to guide and questions available for download (click HERE)
~Fairly easy to use (I did have to read the how-to guide to figure something out but it was really me over-thinking the app because the answer was very simple)
~Facebook
~Blog
~Website Contact Form
~Pinterest
~Twitter

Overview of How it Works
1. Go to the Website and Sign Up (there is a tab in the upper right corner of the site)
2. Get the App (you can also register from the App)
3. Add a Storyteller
4. Select your Storyteller
5. Choose a Category

 6. Choose a Question

 7. Record the Story (5-10 minutes tops)

 8. Playback, Re-record, or Upload your story

 9. Share with Facebook or Go back to the main screen

 10. Go to the Website to Listen

 

11. Click on "Manager" then the Storytellers name to upload photos or to share the recording!

My Thoughts
I really like this app! I love that I can record my family members memories in their own voices. I can also add a family member that has passed away and have other family members record memories of that person. I will be using this app at our family reunions this summer. Since you can also use Skype to record family members that are not local I think I will learn how to use Skype and take advantage of that feature as well! While the monthly fee is affordable I would LOVE to see an option to purchase a "lifetime" subscription. I did have a few technical glitches (like I am having trouble uploading my storyteller photo on the website) but nothing that interferes with the functionality of the recordings themselves. Overall this is a great app and we will continue to use it!

We Choose Virtues ~ A Mosaic Review

I'm so excited. Today I get to share with you a product from a company we have been using for a year and a half now, We Choose Virtues! We Choose Virtues is an amazing set of tools to help you teach virtues (AKA character) to your children! For this review I was given one of their new products, Virtue Flash Cards for Families ($14.99), along with downloads to the Teacher's Handbook ($5), Kids of VirtueVille Coloring Book ($3), Family Character Assessment (FREE), Memory Verses, Bible Heroes, and Truths (FREE), and the Butterfly Award (which is part of the Homeschool Kit $98.99 read to the bottom to find a coupon code)!

I have reviewed We Choose Virtues before and have (and use) many of their products. Each day we review one of the virtues we have learned using our Virtue Clues ($5.50) cards. These are very small (think business card size) and fit perfectly in our memory box.

We also have the Parenting Cards ($34.99) and put one up on the bulletin board as a focus for the month.

Additionally, we have the Three Rules Poster ($9.99 on sale for $6) and the Kid's Virtue Poster ($15) hanging in our schoolroom.

We have the 100 Days of Virtue Achievement Chart ($15 on sale for $13.99) but haven't started it yet. I am thinking we will start it during summer break!

As you can see, we love We Choose Virtues and were not disappointed by the Virtue Flash Cards ($14.99)! In fact, we love them even more because Heather (the founder of WCV) listened to her customers and has added a King James Version of her products! Yippee! This little set of cards (4.25 x 5.5 in.) has a picture the Virtue Kid and the virtue, "I am Self-Controlled" (for example) on the front and then what the virtue catchphrase and virtue antonym and a scripture on the back. For example, "I make myself do the right thing, I am NOT...wild, rowdy or disorderly and I don't expect others to control me" and Proverbs 25:28. Included with this set are directions for 3 different games! My kids had a lot of fun playing the games!

We also filled out the Family Character Assessment (FREE) for each child. It was interesting to see how each child thought they were doing compared with how I thought they were doing. It is also a great tool for helping to decide which virtues to teach first!

Right now my kids are not into coloring but when they are we have used the Kids of VirtueVille Coloring Book ($3) as a reinforcement for the virtue that we are working on.

The Teacher Handbook ($5) is a great resource. It is 48 pages that covers each of the tools and ways to use them! This might be a good place to start if you are wondering what tools to purchase (especially if you are on a tight budget).

In a Nutshell
~Products range from FREE downloads to kits that are around $100 (for families/homeschools)
~There are Family, Homeschool, Church and School versions
~There is a Secular version, King James version and a New International version
~Products are printed on high-quality papers (cards are on cardstock)
~Product Comparison Chart
~We Choose Virtues on Facebook
~We Choose Virtues on Twitter
~We Choose Virtues on Pinterest
~We Choose Virtues Contact Page
~for 15% off your total purchase use coupon code VIRTUE15 (does not expire)
~for 20% off the Homeschool Kit use coupon code HOME20 (expires April 30, 2013)

Our Favorite Product
The Parenting Cards are my personal favorite as they contain all the information you need to teach the virtues. If you can only buy one item this would be the one I would recommend. I would also download the Family Character Assessment because it is FREE and it will help you determine which virtues your family needs most.

Click here to see what my teammates think of this product.

Money Management Certification Program by FamilyMint ~ A Mosaic Review

I am very excited to share this next review with you! I have been looking for an affordable curriculum to help teach Unicorn about managing her money. She just turned 13 and has started receiving money for birthday and Christmas gifts. I will be honest, I am NOT a saver, and never have been. When I was young, I spent money faster than I received it. Of course, as I got older this began to become a problem. I do not want my children to make the same mistakes I did with money and so to find a money management program is a true blessing. So, without further adieu, let me introduce you to FamilyMint's Money Management Certification Program!

This little workbook is very cool! You can use it alone or you can use it in conjunction with their online software. The program walks your student through 4 chapters (Tracking your Money, Goal Setting, Budgeting and Interest - Growing $). Additionally, there are extra worksheets, an answer key, parent checklist, and a certificate of achievement.

In a Nutshell
~$29.99 (special introductory bundle that includes premium access to the online software - through Summer 2013)
~approx. 60 pages with 4 chapters (Tracking your Money, Goal Setting, Budgeting, Interest-Growing $)
~For grades 5+ (could be modified for younger children)
~2 month program
FamilyMint Founded in 2009 by two Dad's who saw a need for better money management for their own children
~Introduced the Money Management Certificate Program in November of 2012
~Website: FamilyMint.com
~Facebook: facebook.com/familymint
~Twitter: twitter.com/familymint
~Email: Bob

Our Thoughts
I used this program with Unicorn. She is 13 and just opened a Teen Checking account and had received a lot of money for her birthday and Christmas and even had some babysitting money. The first thing the program recommends is to have the student locate all their money and make a money jar.

Then, the parent acts as the banker. While we chose to use the online software along with the workbook you can use just the workbook. I had Unicorn log into the website and make her initial deposit. Then she started working her way through the workbook. She learned how to write checks and deposit slips, use a checkbook register, to set goals, budget and even learned about simple and compound interest.

She was so excited the day she reached her goal of being able to buy her own iPad Mini (and case)!

It was really neat to talk to her about looking for deals and sales to be able to buy her iPad sooner and to have money left over for her next goal! Instead of purchasing a "brand new" iPad mini she opted to save about $20 and buy one that was already open but still had the same warranty. I think her face says it all! We love the program and will be using it for Ladybug and Monkey too!

Click here to see what my teammates thought about this product!

A New Venture...

As I sat looking at all the scarves that my daughters and I have been making, I realized we needed to do something with them besides just randomly post on Facebook. 

So, {insert drum roll here} we opened and Etsy Shop!

I am hoping it will be something that my girls and I can do together and that maybe they will learn some life skills along the way. Think about it. They are learning...

~to knit

~to crochet

~to take good photos

~how to price items

~how to label and ship items

~how to run an Etsy shop

~how to save, spend and give their profits

I am sure I am missing something but these are skills that will help them in their future and maybe I will even give them an elective credit (or two). {wink, wink}

We would love you to check out our little shop, Triple M Scarves!
(our names all start with "M")

Doctors, School and a Broken Pipe...Oh My!

This month has been much busier than I am used to. I have had 5 (yes, FIVE) doctor appointments since January 2nd and I have 1 more on Monday and then out-patient surgery on Wednesday. I am hoping that after the surgery things will slow back down to a normal pace and we can get back into our school routine.

We have also started our new curriculum and I have managed to snap a few photos (Yay Me)! With this new curriculum we are doing a month of history, then a month of geography and then a month of science on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Friday we do Literature and either Art or Music. Monday are a free day (used for catch-up, field trips, or one-on-one time with my oldest). These subjects are done as a family in the afternoons. Math, Reading, Spelling and other subjects are done in the morning individually.

So far we have had 6 History lessons and 1 Literature and 1 Art Lesson (with all the doctor appointments we are 1 lesson behind in Lit and Art). We have learned about how history is His Story, studied Creation, started our timeline, and created our notebooks. In Literature we are studying Fairy Tales and the lessons they teach us. In Art we are focusing on the Creation and how God is the Ultimate Creator and that because we are made in him image we are also creative beings. Additionally, Monkey and Ladybug do reading and spelling each day and Unicorn is learning to cook and sew.

On another note, we had some UNUSUALLY COLD weather here. Normally, this time of year, we have Highs around 65 and Lows around 40. Last week we had Highs around 40 and Lows around 20! Now, in other parts of the country, this wouldn't be a problem but, here in the Phoenix, Arizona area this is not good! Our pipes are only buried 3-6 inches below ground...not good when you have extended periods of freezing temps. We were pretty lucky, we only had ONE pipe burst and it was an external, above-ground pipe. It was a pretty easy fix. Needless to say, I am grateful for the 75 degree high we had today!

New Year, New You ~ An Intro to emeals

With the new year, many of us set goals for the upcoming year. Some popular goals are to lose weight (or get healthy), to save money, and to spend more time with family! Today I am going to share a recipe from emeals. emeals is a weekly menu and shopping plan that will help you plan healthy meals, save money and save you time in the kitchen (giving you more time with your family).

Portion Control Recipe 

Chicken with Feta, Tomatoes and Couscous

www.emeals.com | #gethealthy | #getthrifty

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 cups cooked couscous
1/2 medium cucumber, finely diced
2 ounces crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cooking Instructions
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over
medium-high heat, and cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove
from pan and keep warm.
2. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; add garlic, basil, oregano, and tomatoes. Cook
over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until tomatoes soften.
3. Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions.
4. Place 1/2 cup cooked couscous on each of 6 plates. Slice chicken, and divide evenly
among plates. Top with tomato mixture, cucumber, and feta cheese.

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 320, Total Fat: 7.8 g, Saturated Fat: 2.1 g,
Cholesterol: 100 mg, Sodium: 507 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 22 g, Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 38 g

Serves 6
Total Cost: $16.20, Cost per Serving: $2.70

Click on the button below and use the code:  

newyear to save 15% off a menu plan!

{Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for emeals.}

New Year, New Curriculum

I hope you are having a great start to your New Year! 

Last month I mentioned that I had found a curriculum that meets all my desires and this week we are just getting started on our first few lessons. As we are just starting, and I am learning the curriculum too, I don't have any pictures...yet! I hope to write up a post by the end of next week. By that time we will have done 2 weeks of lessons and (hopefully) I will remember to pull out the camera and snap some photos. In the meantime, I did manage to find some time to update our curriculum tab at the top of the page, so feel free to check out our curriculum there. I have made some other changes to the tabs and their content so if you haven't clicked on the tabs recently you may want to do so! ;)

Here are a few photos from January so far:

Unicorn made this Yummy dinner

Unicorn made this outfit!

Ladybug working on her reading!

Ladybug and Monkey doing their Spelling!

I have had 4 Dr. appointments and 2 blood draws and no answers yet!

 

2010-2011 Curriculum (5th grade)

  

Well, here is our 5th grade curriculum for this year!

This is a very eclectic curriculum! These materials were chosen based on Unicorn's learning style, her ability level, affordability and the ability to reuse and adapt material for the younger children when they reach this level!

History, English and Science lesson plans are adapted from "The Four Year Plan - An Education Plan for LDS Families" by Kindred Learning.

History (US): A History of US: 11-Volume Set by Hakim Too much for Unicorn, we will be notebooking US History!
     -Movie List (most via Netflix): The Vikings (NOVA, 2000); The Sea Hawk (1940), Squanto, AWarrior's Tale; Drums along the Mohawk (1939); The Mouse on the Mayflower (1968); Ben and Me; Johnny Tremain; The Howards of Virginia; 1776; A More Perfect Union; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; The Buccaneer (1958); Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (PBS); Daniel Boone; Davy Crockett; Legacy; The Alamo; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; American Legends; Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventure (1995); The Mask of Zorro (1998); Sarah, Plain and Tall; The Civil War; Gone With the Wind; The Red Badge of Courage; An American Tail, Fieval Goes West; The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; and Oklahoma.

English (Analysis and Opinion): Writers Express by Kemper, Nathan, Sebranek
     -Reading List:  The Sign of the Beaver (Speare); Ben and Me (Lawson); The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Speare); Johnny Tremain (Forbes); Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? (Fritz); Guns for General Washington (Reit); Shh! We're Writing the Constitution (Fritz); Rip Van Winkle (Irving); Caddie Woodlawn (Brink); Little House on the Prairie (Wilder); Sarah, Plain and Tall (MacLachlan); Across Five Aprils (Hunt); The Red Badge of Courage (Crane); and Shades of Gray (Reeder)

Science (Physics): Concepts and Challenges in Physical Science by Bernstein, Schachter, Winkler, and Wolfe; Physics for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments in Motion, Heat, Light, Machines, and Sound by Van Cleave; and How Science Works by Hann  Also, too much for Unicorn, we will be notebooking topics that are of interest to her!

Math: Math Mammoth by Maria Miller. Since this is where Unicorn struggles we have gone back to the beginning (she is currently in the 2nd semester of 1st grade) and she is going through the entire 1-8 curriculum at HER pace. The goal is to have her finish the entire curriculum before starting High School. Additionally, she is working through Dreambox.com which is a computer-based K-3 Math website. This is great because it adjust the level of difficulty based on her responses!

Spelling: Unicorn has been in charter schools using the Spalding Method of Phonics and Spelling. She is almost finished with the word lists. Once these lists are complete she will move on to BYU Independent Study Spelling and English courses.

Grammar: Grammarlogues

Typing: Sue Patrick (the author of the Workbox System) has a typing curriculum that is available if you purchase her ebook. This typing curriculum focuses on teaching finger placement. Unicorn will start with this curriculum and then move on to Type To Learn (TTL4) once finger placement is mastered.

Art: Unicorn will start by Discovering Great Artists and then she will move onto Artistic Pursuits.

Music: Unicorn will begin by learning about famous composers in Ah, Music!

Foreign Language: Daddy, Unicorn and I will all be learning Latin using Rosetta Stone!

PE: Various Activities including the WiiFit Plus, walking and playing!

Religion: Discover the Scriptures: Hands-on Church History vol. 1 - Restoration and Growth

Life Skills: We will also be learning how to cook, garden, sew, etc. These topics will be taught by mom, dad, and grandma (based on our talents and skills). We will also be using BYU Independent Study courses to assist in some of these areas.

As a Family: Each morning we will read scriptures, pray, work on memorizing a scripture, poem, or quote and have a read-aloud. We will continue reading The Magic Treehouse series. We will also try to have 1-2 Field Trips a month (click here for more info. on Field Trips).

Preschool: Ladybug and Monkey (and my other preschoolers) will be using Mother Goose Time and Signing Time as the main curriculum. I also supplement with the Spalding Method of Phonics and Spelling.

I realize this seems like a lot of stuff but, not all subjects will be taught each day!

We will be using Sue Patrick's Workbox System as a way of organizing daily lessons and as a means to help Unicorn become more self-sufficient. More on this to come!  :)