We did our weekly shopping late Friday afternoon instead of Friday morning because I had to drop Chelsea off in town at 6:00 and I am never doing that again! I knew it would be busy but I wasn't expecting it to be that busy and then Christian tripped over Anthony and fell on the floor and cut his chin (luckily no stitches required, just a minor injury.) Anyway, after all of that, dropping Chelsea off and getting the groceries unloaded and put away, I lost my menu. I remembered what we were having Saturday and Sunday, but actually had to look back in the cupboards and freezer to remember what I had planned for the rest of the week. I think it looks a little something like this:
Friday 2/25: chicken nuggets and fruit (I know, not pizza but we ended up with take out pizza on Thursday)
Saturday 2/26: burgers and fries
Sunday 2/27: lasagna and bread (Chelsea's birthday pick) and chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert
Monday 2/28:steaks, baked potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower
Tuesday 3/1: cheese ravioli
Wednesday 3/2: roasted chicken, rice, corn
Thursday 3/3: grilled cheese and soup
Check out some other great menu plans at www.orgjunkie.com
Our Family
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
TOS Review: MathRider
Do you have a child that could use a little bit of an incentive to work at and learn his addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts? How about having them embark on an exciting adventure while learning these facts. MathRider is an adventure game that combines fun with sophisticated technology that adapts to your child and helps them master all 4 operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) using numbers 0-12. Math Rider was developed by parents who wanted to find a way to help their own children who were struggling to learn their basic Math facts. Let me tell you a little bit more about how it works.
In the game your child is in the land of Ray, riding on a horse named Shadow, and setting out on 4 different noble quests. For each operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) there are 4 levels ranging from easy to mastery and each level has a different quest for your child to complete. The quests are the same for each operation but the rewards the child earns for each operation is different. The rewards are displayed on the main screen of the game so your child gets immediate feedback and an incentive to keep doing their best. A quest map shows your child where he is and how many more points they need to earn to complete that level. Points are awarded for correct answers and bonus points are given for speed of completion.
All of your child's responses or unanswered questions are stored in a data base and analyzed by the software. This way, the game can be customized to each child and instead of just giving them random facts they already know it can give practice to the facts that really need to be practiced. Plenty of feeback is given during each ride. You can see which questions are missed and also 9click on an overview map of mastery for each number table. Both the child and the parent/educator can see which facts need to be worked on at a glance.
The game contols were made very easy to operate. All your child has to do is type in the number answer for each question and hit enter. The game does all of the rest. Sound effects (including music that can be turned off for each ride) and animation are all controlled by the game. The speed of your child's answers are even taken into account. The slower the child answers, the slower the horse runs and vice versa.
MathRider runs on Adobe Air Run time and is supported by Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. To see specific system requirements click here. It is available as an instant download for your computer for $37. As many as 10 riders can use a single license. Each rider gets their own user name and password and their quests are saved as they go. MathRider also offers a 30 day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with their product you can get 100% refund in the first 30 days. For ordering information click here.
Anytime you make work seem like play it is a big hit in this house! I think it is an appealing game for boys and girls because girls love horses and the idea of an adventure quest is exciting to both girls and boys. The game is set up so that all the rider has to concentrate on is answering the math facts correctly. The game is designed to make the rider a success because if you get an answer wrong, it will tell you the correct answer. Then, to reinforce the fact, the rider gets an opportunity to answer the fact again. Nick loved every part of this game. He enjoyed hearing the story of what his quest was going to be. He loved the different background on the game and the map that showed how far he had come in his quest. He loved the rewards that he got for completing each quest. Nick is very competetive and wanted to complete each quest in one sitting and score 100% on each level. When he didn't score 100% he went back and redid the quest to get that perfect score.
One thing to keep in mind about MathRider is that it is a fantasy quest. There is a wizard and other elements of magic so if this is something that your family chooses to stay away from this game is not for you. Also, although there are different quests for each level, the quests are the same for each different operation (addition, subtraction, mulitplication, division.) This was a lttle disppointing for my son who enjoyed hearing the different quests he was going on and wanted them all to be different.
To read what my other crew mates are saying about Math Rider click here.
I received a complimentary trial subscription of MathRider for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation.
In the game your child is in the land of Ray, riding on a horse named Shadow, and setting out on 4 different noble quests. For each operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) there are 4 levels ranging from easy to mastery and each level has a different quest for your child to complete. The quests are the same for each operation but the rewards the child earns for each operation is different. The rewards are displayed on the main screen of the game so your child gets immediate feedback and an incentive to keep doing their best. A quest map shows your child where he is and how many more points they need to earn to complete that level. Points are awarded for correct answers and bonus points are given for speed of completion.
All of your child's responses or unanswered questions are stored in a data base and analyzed by the software. This way, the game can be customized to each child and instead of just giving them random facts they already know it can give practice to the facts that really need to be practiced. Plenty of feeback is given during each ride. You can see which questions are missed and also 9click on an overview map of mastery for each number table. Both the child and the parent/educator can see which facts need to be worked on at a glance.
The game contols were made very easy to operate. All your child has to do is type in the number answer for each question and hit enter. The game does all of the rest. Sound effects (including music that can be turned off for each ride) and animation are all controlled by the game. The speed of your child's answers are even taken into account. The slower the child answers, the slower the horse runs and vice versa.
MathRider runs on Adobe Air Run time and is supported by Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. To see specific system requirements click here. It is available as an instant download for your computer for $37. As many as 10 riders can use a single license. Each rider gets their own user name and password and their quests are saved as they go. MathRider also offers a 30 day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with their product you can get 100% refund in the first 30 days. For ordering information click here.
Anytime you make work seem like play it is a big hit in this house! I think it is an appealing game for boys and girls because girls love horses and the idea of an adventure quest is exciting to both girls and boys. The game is set up so that all the rider has to concentrate on is answering the math facts correctly. The game is designed to make the rider a success because if you get an answer wrong, it will tell you the correct answer. Then, to reinforce the fact, the rider gets an opportunity to answer the fact again. Nick loved every part of this game. He enjoyed hearing the story of what his quest was going to be. He loved the different background on the game and the map that showed how far he had come in his quest. He loved the rewards that he got for completing each quest. Nick is very competetive and wanted to complete each quest in one sitting and score 100% on each level. When he didn't score 100% he went back and redid the quest to get that perfect score.
One thing to keep in mind about MathRider is that it is a fantasy quest. There is a wizard and other elements of magic so if this is something that your family chooses to stay away from this game is not for you. Also, although there are different quests for each level, the quests are the same for each different operation (addition, subtraction, mulitplication, division.) This was a lttle disppointing for my son who enjoyed hearing the different quests he was going on and wanted them all to be different.
To read what my other crew mates are saying about Math Rider click here.
I received a complimentary trial subscription of MathRider for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Week 38 Pregnancy Update
Well really I am 37 weeks 6 days but that's close enough to 38 weeks. I laugh when people tell me I don't look big enough to be due in two weeks because I feel enormous! I had a good visit to the doctor today (by myself no less) even though I had a bit of a long wait. I gained 3 pounds in 3 weeks, blood pressure and baby's heart beat were perfect. I measured for 38 weeks and am dilated the same as last time. My Group B Strep came back negative (hooray!) We get to go back next week for another check-up.
Since I was alone I decided I was going to do a little shopping. Unfortunately, we had some pretty bad thunderstorms while I was at the mall. I ended up having to stay there a bit longer than I had planned waiting for the worst of the storms to subside. I also ended up not being able to go anywhere else because by the time the rain let up I was just too tired and still had a very long drive ahead of me.
Am I ready to have the baby? The answer is yes and no. I almost have all of her stuff ready and plan on finishing all of that up this week-end and packing my bag. I am ready to be able to meet and hold this sweet little baby that's for sure. But, I confess that I always miss being pregnant. I will miss wrapping my hands around my belly and falling asleep at night to little baby kicks or hiccoughs. I wish you could bottle up that feeling and keep it with you forever. No matter how many times I have been pregnant, it is special every time and every time I miss it. So I will enjoy the next couple of weeks until this little girl decides she is ready to be born.
Since I was alone I decided I was going to do a little shopping. Unfortunately, we had some pretty bad thunderstorms while I was at the mall. I ended up having to stay there a bit longer than I had planned waiting for the worst of the storms to subside. I also ended up not being able to go anywhere else because by the time the rain let up I was just too tired and still had a very long drive ahead of me.
Am I ready to have the baby? The answer is yes and no. I almost have all of her stuff ready and plan on finishing all of that up this week-end and packing my bag. I am ready to be able to meet and hold this sweet little baby that's for sure. But, I confess that I always miss being pregnant. I will miss wrapping my hands around my belly and falling asleep at night to little baby kicks or hiccoughs. I wish you could bottle up that feeling and keep it with you forever. No matter how many times I have been pregnant, it is special every time and every time I miss it. So I will enjoy the next couple of weeks until this little girl decides she is ready to be born.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Favorite Curriculum Choices
I know that I have written several detailed reviews for TOS this year and really have enjoyed getting to use and review a lot of wonderful products most of which I had never even heard of before. A great advantage of homeschooling is that there are so many products out there to choose from for curriculum. What kind make choosing curriculum difficult is that there are so many curriculum choices out there. I though I would tell you some of my all time favorite curriculum that we have used (not including any TOS products. You can read any of my reviews by clicking TOS Reviews in my sidebar.)
Elementary-5 in a Row- One of my all time favorite curriculum for Elementary. Wonderful books, great activities, easy to use, fun! One drawback may be that several of the books are out of print and may be harder to find. I bought several off of www.half.com, found many at even my tiny library, and was able to get others through Inter-library loan.
The Prairie Primer- Probably may favorite curriculum. A Unit Study based on the Little House Series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Lots of great activities, wonderful books and easy to use. Chelsea loved the year we spent on this (3rd grade) and the only other subject I added in was Math. I can't wait until Lily and our new baby are old enough so I can do it again (not really the boys' cup of tea.)
Science- Apologia- The best Science Curriculum I have used. Interesting to read, fun experiments, notebooking exercises. Elementary books can be use with a wide age range (around k-5) making it easy for large families to teach children altogether.
Math- For a mastery type Math Program Math U See is wonderful. It is done in black and white to be less distracting and uses manipulatives so the child can "see" why the answer is what it is.
For a spiral Math approach we like Abeka Math. Both the boys like it (although we do not do every problem and skip some sections.)
Sonlight- I loved using Sonlight! I have used 3 Cores (3,4,100) The instructor's guide makes it very easy to use, the books are wonderful, you can buy everything you need from Sonlight, did I mention the books are wonderful! The biggest drawback to me (and why I don't still use it ) is the cost and the fact that I would have to buy 3 separate Cores for my children because of the age gaps. We still LOVE the books and choose books from the book list for read-alouds and extra literature choices.
Elementary-5 in a Row- One of my all time favorite curriculum for Elementary. Wonderful books, great activities, easy to use, fun! One drawback may be that several of the books are out of print and may be harder to find. I bought several off of www.half.com, found many at even my tiny library, and was able to get others through Inter-library loan.
The Prairie Primer- Probably may favorite curriculum. A Unit Study based on the Little House Series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Lots of great activities, wonderful books and easy to use. Chelsea loved the year we spent on this (3rd grade) and the only other subject I added in was Math. I can't wait until Lily and our new baby are old enough so I can do it again (not really the boys' cup of tea.)
Science- Apologia- The best Science Curriculum I have used. Interesting to read, fun experiments, notebooking exercises. Elementary books can be use with a wide age range (around k-5) making it easy for large families to teach children altogether.
Math- For a mastery type Math Program Math U See is wonderful. It is done in black and white to be less distracting and uses manipulatives so the child can "see" why the answer is what it is.
For a spiral Math approach we like Abeka Math. Both the boys like it (although we do not do every problem and skip some sections.)
Sonlight- I loved using Sonlight! I have used 3 Cores (3,4,100) The instructor's guide makes it very easy to use, the books are wonderful, you can buy everything you need from Sonlight, did I mention the books are wonderful! The biggest drawback to me (and why I don't still use it ) is the cost and the fact that I would have to buy 3 separate Cores for my children because of the age gaps. We still LOVE the books and choose books from the book list for read-alouds and extra literature choices.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
Well we still have children trying to get over being sick and also have a busy week of meetings, dentist appointments, and doctor's appointments so this week's menu is going to be pretty simple.
Fri 2/18-pizza
Sat 2/19- hot ham and cheese sandwiches on burger buns, peaches, cottage cheese
Sun 2/20- spaghetti, bread
Mon 2/21-tacos
Tues 2/22-chicken and biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes
Wed 2/23-soup
Thurs 2/24-deer steaks, baked potatoes, carrots
To see some great weekly menus go to www.orgjunkie.com
Fri 2/18-pizza
Sat 2/19- hot ham and cheese sandwiches on burger buns, peaches, cottage cheese
Sun 2/20- spaghetti, bread
Mon 2/21-tacos
Tues 2/22-chicken and biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes
Wed 2/23-soup
Thurs 2/24-deer steaks, baked potatoes, carrots
To see some great weekly menus go to www.orgjunkie.com
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Book Review: Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest by Chuck Black
I have just finished reading book 6 in the Knights of Arrethtrae series Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest by Chuck Black( 175 pages retail $9.99.) Sir Rowan is supposed to be a Knight of the Prince, but fame and glory become much more important to him than serving the Prince. He becomes the most decorated tournament knight in Cameria but he becomes captured and left for dead. A bizarre vision of the Prince and a rescue by a woman dedicated to the King keeps him alive and Rowan finds new purpose in his life and becomes determined to serve the King. But, the Dark Knight's tyranny holds Rowan's beloved Cameria. His countrymen need his help to take their cities back from the enemy and Rowan is determined to fight with them. Then, a mysterious figure appears and insists that Rowan's purpose lies elsewhere in an ancient city for a much greater cause. The final battle with the Dark Knight is approaching and Rowan must choose where he will fight.
As with the other books I have read in this series. I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't want to put it down and actually finished it in the course of a day. The characters are well developed and very easy to relate to. Although the story is one we are somewhat familiar with and ultimately you know that good is going to triumph over evil, there are several plot twists and turns that you don't see coming and keep you in suspense.
This book shows the story of Sir Rowan's pride and the consequences of his behavior because of his pride. But, it also shows hope that even though we are sinners, the Lord can still use us for His work. " And yet the King's ability to recover a heart that repents of even this great an offense is not limited. Be encouraged, therefore, for though you may have failed the King, He will never fail you nor cease in calling you home."
This is not a story written simply for entertainment purposes (although it will entertain you.) The author has a greater hope. That the book will inspire you to live all the more passionately for Jesus Christ as His return comes closer. The book also includes questions for deeper examination and study in the back of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to both teens and adults.
I recieved a complimentary copy of the book Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
A Wrong Way to Homeschool?
I was telling a friend the other day that there are some questions about homeschooling I don't really like to always answer especially among other homeschoolers. Some of those questions are: How many hours a day to you spend on schoolwork? What kind of Language Arts (or other subject) curriculum do you use? What kind of homeschooling philosophy do you believe? How can you get everything done in 4 days? On the surface these seem like very curious questions, but it also can get a bit uncomfortable when you get into a conversation with someone who believes that their homeschooling methods are "right" and yours are "wrong." I absolutely shocked another homeschooler one day when I told her that we did not use a formal Language Arts curriculum, we did "school" only 4 days a week and for less than 3 hours a day. She had a more formal homeschooling style with a textbook for every subject and spent 6 hours a day 5 days a week on homeschooling. So who's style is right?
There is no right or wrong way to homeschool. One of the biggest benefits to be able to homeschool is the ability to cater our style to our own family and sometimes to each individual child. Some children may learn better doing everything out of a textbook, while others need to do a hands on project to understand what they are learning. Some families don't take a lot of educational field trips or extra curricular activities and some do all of their schoolwork that day. The only way you can tell if something is "right" is if it works for your family. Are you/your child happy with what you are doing? Is the child excited to do "school" (OK maybe not every subject), is your child learning?
There is a danger among homeschoolers (just like anything else) to be judgemental about what other people are doing/not doing in their homeschools. We should be encouraging to others and not make them feel like they are doing something wrong because their homeschool is different than ours. Especially with people that are just getting started and are not very confident in what they are doing. You may end up convincing them that they are doing something "wrong" and they could give up on homeschooling altogether. You also may find yourself in a different life situation (new baby, move, illness, injury) that may completely change your homeschooling philosophy and one of those "methods" you thought was just crazy may become yours.
I admit I have been guilty of this myself at times. Just as some people think I am not doing enough bookwork with my kids, it is hard for me to understand when there is a great hands on fun educational activity, or a community service to participate in why some people feel it is more important to get their book work done. But, again that is not my family and everybody should do what works out best for their family.
That's not to say that we should not give or offer advice (to those who want it.) I have learned so much about homeschooling by talking to other homeschoolers and asking lots of questions. I like to say something like this, "This is what we have found about.....or This is what I have found works for best for us.....In that kind of situation I.....or My son's favorite way to learn .......is....." There are lots of ways to offer advice or suggestions without making someone feel like because their homeschool doesn't match yours they are wrong. Oh, and try not to worry if you are doing OK, or doing something wrong. Kids are like sponges and they will learn no matter what......even if you don't make them diagram sentences :).
There is no right or wrong way to homeschool. One of the biggest benefits to be able to homeschool is the ability to cater our style to our own family and sometimes to each individual child. Some children may learn better doing everything out of a textbook, while others need to do a hands on project to understand what they are learning. Some families don't take a lot of educational field trips or extra curricular activities and some do all of their schoolwork that day. The only way you can tell if something is "right" is if it works for your family. Are you/your child happy with what you are doing? Is the child excited to do "school" (OK maybe not every subject), is your child learning?
There is a danger among homeschoolers (just like anything else) to be judgemental about what other people are doing/not doing in their homeschools. We should be encouraging to others and not make them feel like they are doing something wrong because their homeschool is different than ours. Especially with people that are just getting started and are not very confident in what they are doing. You may end up convincing them that they are doing something "wrong" and they could give up on homeschooling altogether. You also may find yourself in a different life situation (new baby, move, illness, injury) that may completely change your homeschooling philosophy and one of those "methods" you thought was just crazy may become yours.
I admit I have been guilty of this myself at times. Just as some people think I am not doing enough bookwork with my kids, it is hard for me to understand when there is a great hands on fun educational activity, or a community service to participate in why some people feel it is more important to get their book work done. But, again that is not my family and everybody should do what works out best for their family.
That's not to say that we should not give or offer advice (to those who want it.) I have learned so much about homeschooling by talking to other homeschoolers and asking lots of questions. I like to say something like this, "This is what we have found about.....or This is what I have found works for best for us.....In that kind of situation I.....or My son's favorite way to learn .......is....." There are lots of ways to offer advice or suggestions without making someone feel like because their homeschool doesn't match yours they are wrong. Oh, and try not to worry if you are doing OK, or doing something wrong. Kids are like sponges and they will learn no matter what......even if you don't make them diagram sentences :).
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