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Showing posts from April, 2011

TOS Homeschool Crew Product Review ~ Nutrition 101 from Growing Healthy Homes

For this product review, I received an e-book edition of "Nutrition 101" from Growing Healthy Homes . I was surprised by the sheer volume of this resource (yes, even in a digital format, it's a big book!). This book is a wealth of 400+ pages of usable nutrition information. I was very impressed by the content of "Nutrition 101" right from the start. In light of the "health crisis" I faced last spring (I was on the verge of Type 2 diabetes in addition to my hypothyroidism), this book struck a chord deep within me. Facing my health issues head on and making dramatic lifestyle changes has given me a whole new appreciation for the study of nutrition. Over the past year, I have read quite a bit about diabetes, and what I read in "Nutrition 101" about diabetes prevention is as good as anything else I have come across. "Nutrition 101" is filled with information I can use on a daily basis and it has become a key component in our family&

What Should I Do With All These Books?? ~ Part 1

So here you are, busy homeschooling mother, smack dab in the middle of the month of April. Pat yourself on the back, treat yourself to a latte, buy yourself a new pair of shoes - in some way celebrate the fact that you're nearing the end of the school year!! It's a milestone, and it's important to recognize milestone moments in our lives. April is the month when we really begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The kids are finishing up some of their work, and moms are able to look back over the year and see how far everyone has come. By May, many homeschool families have put away all things "homeschool" and are moving full-speed-ahead into summer. But hold up there for a moment...um, what about all those books? Should you put them in plastic storage tubs or cardboard boxes and shove them in the attic? Load the bookshelves to their maximum capacity? Stack them in tall, teetering piles near your nightstand? Or simply walk out of the homeschool room (if y

TOS Crew Product Review ~ Kinderbach

Have you been looking for a fun and easy way for your little one to learn how to play the piano? Maybe you would like to expose your tyke to music but aren't sure where to begin. Do you live in a rural setting and just can't find a way to fit in long drives for piano lessons? These are just a few examples of reasons busy homeschooling families might find Kinderbach a perfect fit! At the Kinderbach website ( www.Kinderbach.com ) you will find online piano lessons for younger children. The lessons are divided into 6 levels and each level contains 10 weeks of instruction. Each weekly lesson has an introduction video lesson followed by 3 video lessons. That may sound a bit confusing, so let me simplify: 6 Levels Level 1 = week 1 thru 10 Level 2 = week 11 thru 20 Level 3 = week 21 thru 30 (and so on for 60 weeks of instruction) Week 1 = Introduction, Session 1, Session 2, Session 3 Each session may have other options to reinforce w

Job's Word on Wisdom

In the 28th chapter of the book of Job, we can read what Job has to say about wisdom. I find it very encouraging that even in the midst of such terrible circumstances, Job was able to retain his proper view of God and share that proper view with others. WOW! I mean, how often do I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and for the rest of the day, everyone around me gets to experience my bad mood first hand? And here we have Job, enduring more grief than I can begin to comprehend - and he's teaching his not-such-wise friends about God's true and unchanging character. I read Job's words, look in the mirror, and humbly ask the Lord to create in me a heart that loves Him as Job loved Him. Here are a couple of verses from the book of Job, New Living Translation: Job 28:12 - "But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?" Job 28:15-17 - "It cannot be bought for gold or silver. Its value is greater than all the gold of Ophir, greater tha

TOS Crew Product Review - Zeezok Publishing (z-guide for "12 Angry Men")

The product I am reviewing today fits nicely into a unique corner of the homeschooler's curriculum bookshelf (or, if you are like me, a series of bookcases!). Zeezok Publishing market a variety of products for homeschooling families, including American Government, Literature, Character Building, Great Musicians, Penmanship and their z-guides to the Movies . The z-guide I am reviewing today corresponds with the movie "12 Angry Men" (1957) starring Henry Fonda (which is a fantastic movie, if you've never seen had the pleasure of viewing it). Each z-guide contains a topic overview, movie synopsis, and 10 additional learning activities. The films are carefully chosen for their historical context, so you need not worry that you are watching movies instead of "doing school"! The topic overview helps set the film in it's historical context and provides background information to enhance your student's study. The movie synopsis is simply a brief, detailed e