Saturday, February 28, 2015

Let's Talk... Math Curriculum


Today is Day 3 of my Let's Talk Curriculum posts, and today i'm talking about Math Curriculum...

Math Curriculum

I'm one of those weird homeschooling Mom's that actually enjoy teaching math. Of course, that attitude might change once my kids start taking algebra and calculus.

One of the things i enjoy about math is that there will always be only 1 right answer, 2+2 will always equal 4, unless you are doing common core*Just kidding, sort of*. 

Anyways, I do think one of the reasons i enjoy teaching math so much is because Math-U-See has made it sooooo EASY! We have been using Math-U-See since we started homeschooling and I've never even thought for one second about switching to another curriculum. I love their curriculum and the kids love it too!

Each lesson comes with a video to watch, in which Mr. Demme teaches you how to do that lesson. Another thing i love about Math-U-See, is in their teachers manual answer key they show you how you are supposed to come up with the answer. In case your child got that problem wrong you can then go back and see where they made the mistake. I like that they have that, versus just showing you the answer.

Now it's your turn, what's your favorite math curriculum?



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Friday, February 27, 2015

Let's Talk... Art Curriculum


Today is day 2 of my Let's Talk Curriculum posts and today i'm going to be talking about Art Curriculum...

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Before you ask, Yes, i drew that picture above. I know it's not very good, as i don't really have an artsy bone in my body, and that is why i really need a good art curriculum for my kiddos. That way they won't be stuck drawing stick figures for the rest of their life. (Yes all my drawings of people are stick figures lol.)

Anywho, we started out using COAH World's Greatest Artist Vol. 1 and it's really not a bad curriculum. It teaches you a lot about the artist themselves. What i don't like about it, is the fact you have to purchase all the books that go along with it. She created the curriculum to go along with the books "Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists..." by Mike Venezia. Each book is around $7 on Amazon and then the Henri Matisse one is almost impossible to get ahold of (unless you are willing to pay almost $40 for it!).

This is one of Super Guy's works of art when doing the World's Greatest Artist Vol. 1. I think he was recreating Starry Night, if i remember correctly.

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We also have used the book "How to teach Art to Children" by Joy Evans, but i just wasn't feeling it and after a few lessons i put it away.

Right now we are using the Home Art Studio DVD's.

home art studio

We just started using them, so my thoughts on them are TBD.

Now, i'ts YOUR turn, what's your favorite Art Curriculum?
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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Let's Talk... Bible Curriculum


I was thinking for the next week, i would share all of Our Family's favorite curriculum picks with a new series called "Let's Talk... {Insert Subject Here} Curriculum".  I would also love to hear from you all, as to what your favorites are, so please feel free to comment!

Today i'm starting it all off with Bible Curriculum.

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We started out by using random things for our bible curriculum from here and there, such as; Printable worksheets, Friends and Heroes, and What's In the Bible. I did all that because i really didn't want to mess up and pick the wrong curriculum, especially when it comes to the bible.

Just recently I finally narrowed my bible curriculum choices down to two (The Picture Smart Bible OR Grapevine Studies). I then got recommendations from other homeschoolers that Grapevine Studies was the way to go, i ordered it and i have to say i'm pretty impressed with it so far.

Grapevine Studies

grapevine

Pros:
  • Price - Not as expensive as a lot of other curriculum, such as; The Picture Smart Bible. They also have sales every once in awhile!
  • Customer Service is awesome! - They made a mistake on my first order and when i contacted them i heard back within minutes!
  • Shipping was Fast! - I mean REALLY fast, maybe it was just for me, but within 72 hours of ordering it had arrived in my mailbox.
  • Easy to teach - I love open and go curriculum, and this curriculum is definitely that. No planning ahead.
  • Keeps the kids entertained - Once we started using it, the kids kept asking for more! They loved all the drawing!

Cons:
  • None that i can see so far!
I think we will continue to use Grapevine Studies until my kids no longer enjoy it.

Here is a list of some other Bible Curriculum resources we have used before...

Friends and Heroes Homeschool Unit Study 1 - My kids liked the movie, not so much the worksheets.
COAH Character Studies - A free character study!
What's In the Bible  (affiliate link) - My kids (and me) love these movies! They always learn so much from them!
ABC's For Godly Boys and Girls - I received this for free from a giveaway. To be honest, i'm not sure i would spend money on buying it as it seems to be all over the place. Not very organized and kinda confusing to use.

Now, let's hear from YOU! What's your favorite Bible Curriculum??

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

HEDUA Planners


I'm really trying to get more organized, one way i plan to do that is with some new planners. I've been using (ever since we started homeschooling) COAH Lesson Planner, but unfortunately it's just not working for me anymore. I'm really starting to dislike having to print and then bind my own planner. Then i noticed HEDUA was having a sale on their 2014-2015 Homeschool Planner. I know it's already more than halfway through the school year, but i thought this would be the perfect time to test it out and see if i liked it, then i would be able to order their 2015-2016 Planner.

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I just received this planner, so i can't say for sure how i feel about it yet, but upon first glance here are some things that i like about it so far:
  • Teacher Schedule
  • 4 Student Schedules
  • Monthly Tear-Out Shopping Lists
  • 4 Student Report Cards
There is really only one thing so far that i am apprehensive about. In the lesson planning area they already fill in subjects for you (bible, math, history, science and English) and then they only leave you with 2 blank subject areas. Well, for Our Family, we have so many different subjects we do..... Literature, Art, Spanish, Reading, Spelling, etc. ... So i'm not sure how that is going to go.

Also if you have more than 4 children, this probably wouldn't be the best planner for you. As they only have room in lesson planning for 4 children.

Want to try one out for yourself?!! Now is the time, as they are less than $7.00!! (Regular price $26.95!)

Not a homeschooler? No problem, they also have Blog Planners and Family Planners(both of which are on sale!)

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If it turns out you like the homeschooling planner, then you should take advantage of their 2015-2015 Homeschooling Planner pre-sale and get 20% off. But hurry because that offer ends March 31st.

What's your favorite planner (for homeschooling, blogging or other)?? I've also heard great things about the Erin Condren planners.

*Note: No i'm not an affiliate of HEDUA, i just like to share a good deal when i see one!*

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Looking back at our weekend

The past few days have been crazy busy for Our Family.

Saturday was Boogie Man's 7th Birthday!! The time sure has flown by, it feels like yesterday the doctors placed his tiny little body in my arms. Now he is a 7 year old little goofball, who is always making us laugh. Seriously though, he is such a sweet little boy. He only had 3 requests for his birthday.

They were:
  1. Pancakes for breakfast
  2. Subway for lunch
  3. A vanilla birthday cake with strawberry filling.
The boy loves food, what can i say. :-) All 3 of his requests were fulfilled.

Here he is showing off what he got on his birthday from his Auntie and Uncle. (He loves the Lego Movie)


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He got a "Lego Movie" Lego set from his Grandma and Grandpa too!! (This was the first toy, the morning after his birthday, that he was playing with as soon as he woke up!)

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After his birthday, we spent the next day cleaning up.

Then we had to take a road trip to Helena. It was fun, we got to do some shopping and eating out. Although, none of us are used to eating out at fast food places & restaurants, so we all ended up with horrible stomach aches. Which lead to a not so fun night in the hotel room. Other than that, it was a great time seeing the capital of our state. It does feels good to be back home though.

How was your weekend?
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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Happy Chinese New Year 2015

Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year!)

Yesterday i talked blogged about how i was going to surprise my kids, with the house being all decorated for Chinese New Year. Well i'm happy to tell you it was a success!!

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Here's what i bought for our celebration...

Pictured:

Money Bags - I put Chocolate Coins in them, but you could put real money in them.

Fans - The kids loved playing with these.

Lanterns - These are so cool, plus they light up!!


Buttermints - They had writing on the wrappers like "Good Luck" or "Wealth".


Not Pictured:

Color Your Own Chinese Calendars - My 6 year old seemed to enjoy this activity more than my other kids.

Chinese New Year Good Luck Garland - This looked cooler online than in real life.

Some activities we did today...

Here my 9 year old is coloring his Chinese Zodiac Animal, the Rooster!

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And here my daughter is working on coloring her Chinese Zodiac Animal, the Rabbit!

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This is what my 6 year old would buy if he received a red envelope filled with money. It's a factory! :)

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All of those worksheets are included in my Chinese New Year Pack, which can be purchased in my TpT Store!

Next we all made Sheep, from this really awesome pack i bought on Oriental Trading, but i can't seem to find it on their website anymore... Bummer :-(

Anyways, The kids LOVED this so much, they started making up little puppet shows with the Sheep. It was so cute!

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How did you celebrate Chinese New Year?
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Chinese New Year Pack

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year!! This year, is the year of the Sheep!! :-) Tonight while the kiddos are sleeping, i will be decorating the house with lots of fun decorations i ordered from Oriental Trading Company! I can't wait to surprise them!

We will do our normal school work tomorrow, but i am going to be throwing in lots of fun stuff too! One thing we will be doing is my Chinese New Year Pack i created...

chinese new year 1

It has over 30 pages, which include:
  • 12 writing pages
  • 18 coloring pages
  • an All About Me page
  • Cutting Practice
  • Matching
  • And MUCH more!!!

This is one of the writing pages...

chinese new year 2
This is what one of the coloring pages looks like...

chinese new year 3

And here is a fun page...

chinese new year 4
If you are interested in getting my Chinese New Year Pack, it's in my TpT Store for only $1.00!!!

Need more ideas for Chinese New Year?! Check out my Pinterest Board.


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Saturday, February 14, 2015

"What's In The Bible?" DVD $5 Sale

(Note: This post contains affiliate links, thanks for your support!)

I know i keep talking about 'What's In The Bible?', but i really do LOVE these movies!! And right now they are having an unbelievable sale, where all their DVD's are just $5 EACH (regular price is $14.99 each)!!!!

Whats in the bible $5 sale

Even if i wasn't an affiliate of theirs, i would still share this awesome deal with you all! I personally just bought 5 of these DVD's and i can't wait for them to arrive!! :-) You really can't find a better price on these DVD's anywhere!!

Also if you spend $25 or more shipping is FREE!!!

Don't wait though, this deal only lasts through 2/15!!

You can order, HERE.

P.S. These movies would be great in Easter baskets!!


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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Valentine's Day Sweet Treats


Hey Everyone!! Today i'm going to be sharing with you some yummy Valentine's Day treats!! :) Let's get started.

#1 - Valentine's Day Buttons

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I found this idea on Pinterest and couldn't resist making some of my own, they are just too cute!!

All you need are these 3 ingredients:

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  • Mini Pretzels
  • Hershey Kisses (or Hugs)
  • M&M's (the Valentine's ones)
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Lay your pretzels out onto a baking sheet and top with a Hershey Kiss. Once oven is ready, put the pretzels into the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the Kisses are shiny and soft (really keep an eye on them, as you don't want them to melt!!!) . Remove from oven and top them with a M&M.

#2 - White Chocolate Covered Strawberries

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Nothing screams Valentine's Day to me more than Chocolate Covered Strawberries!!! These White Chocolate Covered Valentine's ones are so pretty with sprinkles on them!!

Here is what you need to make some for your Valentine:

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  • Strawberries
  • Candy Melts (i used White/Vanilla)
  • Sprinkles (these are optional, but i think it jazzed them up a bit!)
Wash/Clean your strawberries first, and be sure to dry them too! I like to keep the stems on them, as it is easier to dip them, but you can take them off if you like. Then pour some of your candy melts into a microwave safe bowl and microwave them until they are melted (about 40 seconds). Dip your strawberries into the melted candy melts and then into sprinkles (if using). Place covered strawberries on baking sheet lined with wax paper to harden.


#3 - Heart Shaped Brownies

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These were a bit tricky to make for me because brownies are fragile, but they taste delicious!!

Here is what you will need:

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  • Brownies (already prepared from box mixI used Pillsbury Milk Chocolate)
  • Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter
  • Toppings: Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, Sprinkles (all optional)
Once your brownies are cooled, cut out heart shapes using cookie cutter. Put heart shaped brownie on plate and add toppings!

#4 - Red Velvet Milkshakes

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shared these last year on my blog, but they are so yummy they are worth sharing again!

Here is what you need:
  • Vanilla Ice Cream (1 cup)
  • Red Velvet Cake Mix (3 tsp. of the dry mix)
  • Milk (1/2 cup)
  • Vanilla Extract (1 tsp.)
  • Whipped Cream and Sprinkles - Optional
Just add all ingredients into blender (except whipped cream and sprinkles) and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream and sprinkles.

There you have it, some of my favorite Valentine's Day sweet treats!! Enjoy!!

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

My Valentine's Printables


I have several different Valentine's Day themed printables available for free to download!!! :)

#1

I shared on here my Valentine's Day Pack before, well i made a Part 2 to go with it!!

Valentines Day Pack Part 2

Included in this pack:
  • Fill in the missing letter
  • 10 coloring pages
  • Finish the pattern
  • Follow the path
  • Cutting Practice
You can download it in my TpT Store, or you can download it HERE.

#2

I found this great idea on Pinterest to do conversation hearts science experiments, using conversation hearts and household liquids (i.e. water, vinegar, etc.). I then decided to make some worksheets to go along with it, that way my kids can record their observations of each experiment.


conversation hearts science

You can download it in my TpT Store, or you can download it HERE.


#3

Sticking with the conversation hearts theme, i decided to make a graphing page. (You know, to sneak some math in!!)

conversation hearts graph

You can download it in my TpT Store, or you can download it HERE.

All of these printables would be great for anyone to use, not just homeschoolers!! (And don't forget about my Valentine's Day Cards too!!!)

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Monday, February 9, 2015

Valentine's Day Cards {Freebie}


All week long i'm going to be celebrating Valentine's Day on my blog. With fun ideas, crafts, and treats!! Today i'm kicking it off with printable Valentine's Day Cards!!

valentines cards pack cover

I created these cards with my kiddos in mind. My boys are still absolutely obsessed with Lego Ninjago, so i thought it would be fun to include some Ninjago's into this pack!! And of course i couldn't leave out my princess, so i included some of her favorite Disney Junior characters.

There are a total of 16 Valentine's Day Cards included in this freebie!! :)

I suggest printing them out on cardstock. Then you can write To and From on the back of them!

You can download it for yourself, HERE!

Enjoy!

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Friday, February 6, 2015

Nourished Book {Review & Giveaway!!}

As you all know by now, I love books! So when i was offered the chance to receive a free copy of the book Nourished in exchange for an honest review on my blog, i went for it! I had just finished a great book, so this opportunity came at the perfect time as i was looking for another great read!

Nourished Book

And a GREAT read it was!!  A few chapters into this book i thought to myself "Wow, Was this book written just for me?!!". Because everything Rachel (the daughter) and Becky (the mom) were writing about fit my life perfectly! I was feeling so overwhelmed and stressed by life and most definitely i was feeling undernourished!!

I loved everything about this book; the funny stories, the advice they shared, and the overall writing style. I would definitely recommend this book to all the ladies out there, that are feeling drained and overwhelmed by life. This book will pick you up and give you tools to help you live a more nourished life!!

About the book:

Softcover/ 246 pages

Order-loving, thirty-something Rachel, and her laid-back, messy mother, Becky, are opposites in many ways. But they both believe that women long for a life that nourishes them inside and out. In this book, the mother-daughter duo will help you make that dream a reality by tackling the “Top 10 Stressors” that mess with a woman’s mind, such as:

•Cluttered Surroundings •Exhaustion of parenting
•Time-starved marriages •Feeling like a spiritual slacker
•Crowded Schedules •Negative Body Image

Following a series of trial-and-error experiments, Becky and Rachel share laugh-out-loud stories, fascinating research, and practical tips to design and a nourished life that fits your personality. By learning how to embrace “nourishing compromises,” you’ll never put happiness on hold again. If you are feeling drained, discontent, or discouraged, join a couple of understanding, entertaining companions on the journey from overwhelmed to nourished.

About the authors:

Becky Johnson is the author, coauthor, or collaborator of more than forty books. She’s a natural storyteller who has inspired and entertained audiences for years. Most recently she co-authored We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook alone with a blog by the same name with her daughter, Rachel Randolph. She and her husband, Greg, live in Denver, Colorado. Website/blog: www.laughcrycook.com
 
Rachel Randolph writes and speaks with humor and honesty about parenting a toddler, young married life, and her mostly plant-based cooking adventures. Rachel is married to Jared, a high school football and baseball coach. They live near Dallas, Texas with their son, Jackson. Nourished is her second book.
Website/Blog: www.nourishedmama.com

Want to win a free copy of this fabulous book?! Just leave a comment below and i will randomly pick ONE winner Next Thursday, 2/12/15 @ 5:30 PM (EST)!! (Open to US and Canada residents ONLY)


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"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 
 
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Smooth Viking Beard Care {Product Review}

*Some posts on my blog may contain affiliate links (mostly Amazon), which means i am paid a small commission fee whenever a product is purchased through these links. This in no way affects your price! Thank You for your support!*

My husband has always had facial hair, which i love, but what i don't love is the rough feel of it. I especially don't love it when he has been kissing on the kiddos and it leaves red dots on their face from the roughness of it. So when i saw the product, Smooth Viking Beard Oil, i thought it would be perfect to handle our situation!!

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When it arrived, right off the bat i loved the packaging of the product, it came in these cute little burlap bags! My husband and i both loved that it has all natural ingredients in it like; Argan Oil, Vitamin E and Avocado Oil, just to name a few.

All he had to do (for the beard oil) was rub a few drops on his fingers and then massage it into his beard, it was so easy and it actually smelled good!

The Beard Conditioner and the Beard Balm were great too! The conditioner helps to soothe your beard and stop any itching, while the balm helps to style and strengthen your beard!
My husband liked all of these products so much, that he has already recommended them to co-workers!! I would definitely recommend these products for all the hairy men in your life!! :)

Want more info on Smooth Viking?! You can check out their Facebook Page, HERE.

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Deals From Around The Web {Homeschool Edition}


*Some posts on my blog may contain affiliate links (mostly Amazon), which means i am paid a small commission fee whenever a product is purchased through these links. This in no way affects your price! Thank You for your support!*

Hey Homeschoolers!!

Today i'm going to share with you some of the best deals I've found online.

(Please note: Prices change frequently on Amazon, so be sure to check the price before buying. Also, Zulily deals are only for a few days, so don't wait to buy something if you really love it!)

Zulily - Happy 100th Day of School Sale (Up to 45% off learning products): Here are a few products i think would be great to buy during this sale...

Calendar & Weather Pocket Chart $23.99 - All we have is a plain old calendar, so we have to do our weather stuff separately. It would be awesome to have it all together!

zulily sale calendar and weather

Make a Story Journal (Set of 10) $11.99 - Last month i talked about how we were starting keeping journals, these would be great for that!

zulily sale make a story journal

Lowercase Alphabet Stamps  $7.99 - We use alphabet stamps all the time in our homeschool!

zulily sale alphabet stamp set

Activity Bags (Up to 50% off!): They are going offline on March 31st, 2015!! So from now until then you can get their products for up to 50% off, using the coupon code - finalsale

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Zulily - Stock Up On Supplies Sale (Up to 50% off school supplies): Here are a few products i think would be great to buy during this sale...

500 Sheet Construction Paper $11.99  - You can never have too much paper when it comes to homeschooling!

zulily construction paper

Tempera Paint Set (12 bottles each 16 oz.) $29.99 - Great for art projects!

zulily paint set

Amazon Crayola Sale (40% off selected Crayola Products): We love Crayola products and use them daily in our homeschool!!

amazon crayola sale


Zulily Guidecraft Sale (Up to 40% off educational toys): I really cant pick just a few things from this sale, as i love everything they have to offer. Here is a sample of what they have on sale!!

zulily guidecraft


Zulily Ready 2 Learn Sale (Up to 50% off stamps and etc.): Once again i can't pick just a few, so here is a sample of what they have...

zulily ready 2 learn

Amazon Avery Multipack Binders (Up to 70% off): We go through a lot of binders in our homeschool!!

amazon binders


Homeschool Giveaways Free Preschool Curriculum: I pretty much love every freebie i get from Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies!

homeschool giveaways preschool freebie

Amazon Rosetta Stone Spanish Levels 1-5 Set (60% off): We love and use Rosetta Stone Spanish in our homeschool!!

amazon rosetta stone spanish

That's all for this edition of Homeschool Deals From Around The Web, i hope you enjoyed it!! :)

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