abcteach Membership ~ TOS Review

TOS Crew members were given a one month membership to the abcteach website. The website was familiar to me, even though I have never paid for a membership. As a homeschool mom, I have done many google searches for various resources or activities to supplement our lessons. A majority of the time one of the top google search results will be from the abcteach website. The abcteach website has two portions. The first portion is a free website with approximately 6,000 free printables. The members only portion of the site offers 35,000+ resources! As a member you will also receive a weekly newsletter that will alert you to any new additions to the website.

The cost of an abcteach membership is $40.00 for one year (about $3.35/month). Here are some of the benefits you will receive when you purchase a membership to this website:

• 35,000+ resources with more added weekly to keep up with current and seasonal events
• Broad range of subjects and levels (click here for more details)
• No advertising on member's site
• customer service representatives always available to help

When I first learned I had received a one month membership to this site, I didn't think it would be something I'd find extremely useful. Worksheets are not something we do a lot of in our day-to-day lessons. But, I was pleasantly surprised with all the resources I found. This website has a lot more to offer than a bunch of printable busywork (a.k.a. worksheets). We enjoyed the poetry forms, pattern blocks, tangram patterns, notebook pages, seasonal activities, file folder games, clip art, and lacing cards to just name a few.

I encourage you to go and explore the abcteach website today. If you've been homeschooling very long, I'm sure a search engine has directed you there a few times. If you develop your own curriculum, or enjoy supplementing an existing curriculum, I believe you will find many benefits to an abcteach membership!

To read what other TOS Crew members have to say about this membership, click here to read more reviews.

Lesson Plans for Week #12 (11/2)

This is what my older two children will be working on this week.

Bible

• Jesus Storybook Bible
• Review AWANA verses
• Family Worship

Math - Living Math Activities

A couple weeks ago, I came across this great site called Jimmie's Collage. From Jimmie's collage, I found over 100 different squidoo lenses where she has shared various lessons she has implemented into her homeschool curriculum. I found a lot of inspiration, encouragement and direction from her "Transitioning to Living Math"Squidoo page. I am very thankful for homeschool moms who take the time to take pictures, write, and share their creativity with others in the homeschool community. I found Jimmie over at the Heart of the Matter Forum. From the forum, she shared her blog address in her signature line. From her blog, I found the link to her Squidoo lenses. So, it might be a great blessing if you would take the time to CONNECT with others over at The Heart of the Matter's forum.

• Measuring in inches
• place value (I found a fun place value activity here)
• adding 10 to a number
• Telling Time (to the hour and half hour)
• Read "Just a Minute!"

Social Studies

• Giovanni Da Verrazano, and Jacques Cartier
• make hard tack (one of the sailors' main foods)
• I have gotten too relaxed on oral narration when it comes to our Social Studies and our Science lessons. This week, I promise to do a better job!

Considering God's Creation (Science)

• studying light, layers of the earth, earthquakes, volcanoes, and the atmosphere

Language Arts

• Copywork - I'm going to start using the children's AWANAverses for their weekly copywork assignments. I want them to truly learn the scripture; not just say it once in their Sparks class and then forget about it.
• Spelling - just received a new product to review from the TOSCrew called All About Spelling.
• Silent Reading
• Creative Expression - children will begin writing a new play
• This week's poem is "The Kind Moon" by Sara Teasdale. We read the poem a few times, and the children will choose one of their favorite lines of the poem to copy and then illustrate it.
• Read-Aloud - hoping to start "Peter Pan" this week. The children aren't excited about it. They think since they've watched two different versions of the movie that the book will be boring. i think they're in for a pleasant surprise!

Art

• Still Life portrait

Composer Study

• Still studying Mozart.

Nature Walk

• We are praying for more sunshine and NO rain this week. We want to go leaf and pinecone hunting. Our idea is to gather enough to make a fall wreath of our very own!

This is what my preschooler will be doing this week.

Working on matching uppercase with lowercase letters, and putting letters in abc order.

Identifying numbers, counting, calendar time, and putting numbers in order.

Handwriting Without Tears

Reading lessons using the book, "How to teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons."

She joins us for read-alouds, fun fall activities, art, and Bible time.

Virginia Soaps and Scents ~ TOS Review

Virginia Soaps and Scents started with a family studying history. One of the activities of their history lesson was to make soap. They never knew that this one unit study would lead them down the road to create their very own business! This is a great testimony of a homeschool family catching the entrepreneurial spirit and going for it!

As a member of the TOS Crew, I was thrilled to receive the opportunity to try some of VSS's products. I got to try one shampoo bar, 3 bars of soap, and a sample of their laundry soap that made half a gallon.

When I saw the shampoo bar in the package, I was curious, but quite skeptical. I have A LOT of hair. It is thick and has A LOT of body. I didn't see how it could possibly clean my hair thoroughly. Also, the thought of NOT using conditioner frightened me. But, in order to give this product a good, honest review, I was willing to take some risks.

I have been using the shampoo bar exclusively for the past three weeks. I really, really like it! I highly recommend it. My hair looks and feels healthier. I have very coarse hair, and my hair is much softer after using this product. I plan on our entire family using this product. The shampoo bars come in three different fragrances, and there's also a bar for oily hair if you need that. The bars are 5.5 ounces and sell for $5.50 a piece, of 2 for $10.00. Click HERE if you'd like to learn more about the shampoo bar.

I put out a bar of soap in our master bathroom. My husband noticed it and started using it. The first time he used it he said, "Wow! Where did this soap come from? I didn't know soap could make your hands feel so good!" When you wash your hands with one of these bars of soap, it really is like washing your hands AND putting on lotion. My husband cannot stand to put on lotion because he can't tolerate the greasiness and the way it feels, so this soap is perfect and has arrived just in time for the cold, dry winter season! There are 6 scents available in these bars of soap, and they are 6.5 ounces. They sell for $4.50 each or 3 for $12.00. Click HERE if you'd like to learn more about these wonderful, moisturizing bars of soap.

The laundry soap was something I was very interested in trying. I've thought about making my own laundry soap for a long time now, but just never got around to it. Virginia Soaps and Scents makes it incredibly easy for you. You can buy a kit from them with everything premeasured, or you can simply buy a cleaning bar of soap from them, and purchase your own borax and washing soda. The kits are sold for $4.95 each or 6 for $25.00. If you'd like to simply purchase the bar of soap, they are only $3.95. The first time my husband washed a load of laundry and used this stuff he was skeptical. He said, "Honey, I don't think this stuff is going to work, because I don't see any suds!" So, thankfully I had read the letter that was included in my box of products that explained why suds will not be found in your washing machine. The Spargur family said, "We put no coconut oil in this product as suds don't actually wash the clothes, but they can be difficult to rinse out and the residue from the suds left in fabrics can cause many skin issues." To read more about their laundry soap, click HERE.

Overall, I am 100% satisfied with everything I tried from Virginia Soaps & Scents. I am still a little freaked out that I no longer put conditioner on my hair, or see suds in my washing machine, but I believe our family is getting closer to living healthier lives by removing more and more chemicals from our household.

Please check out this wonderful family owned business today! They offer more products than I received to review. Their products would make great Christmas gifts!

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 26

Monday: Kids in the Kitchen Night

• Chili Dog Pie
• Salad

Tuesday:

• Fish
• Mashed potatoes
• Creamed Peas

Wednesday

• Reuban Casserole
• Salad

Thursday

• Crock Pot Clam Chowder
• Grilled cheese

Friday:

• Leftovers or Sandwiches

Saturday:

• Homemade Pizza

Sunday:

• Leftovers

Bible World History Timeline ~ TOS Review

As a member of the TOS Crew, I received The Amazing Bible Timeline with World History. But, I disagree with the title since the creators of this timeline use references from the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon is not a Biblical source. Because of this I cannot recommend this product to other homeschool families who desire to teach their children from a Christian Biblical worldview.

The publishers shared this in response to many of the TOS Crew member's concerns when they began noticing the passages from the Book of Mormon on the timeline. The publishers sell two versions of this timeline. One version is simply called The Amazing Bible Timeline with World History. The other version is called The LDS Book of Mormon Timeline with Bible and World History. I did receive an email from the publishers of this timeline explaining that the book of Mormon reference on the timeline I received is a 9-year-old error, and unless you order the specific LDS timeline, your timeline should not have any Book of Mormon references on it.

Due to the confusion of the two timelines, the two separate websites, and the 9-year-old error left on the old timelines, I cannot recommend this product to other homeschool families. I encourage you to read more reviews, read what the publishers have to say about their product, and make the decision that is best for your family.

To read what other TOS Crew members have to say about this product, please click here.

The Amazing Bible World History Timeline is available for $29.97.

Handwriting Without Tears and Copywork

I have talked on here before how much I love Handwriting Without Tears! This year, we started using their lined notebook paper. It works wonderfully for our copywork pages. This is our second year doing copywork as part of our Language Arts program, and it really helps the children learn how to correctly form their sentences, and also helps with spelling. You can read more about copywork here. Last week we started using the children's AWANA verses as their copywork passages to review the scripture they've learned the past few weeks. We will eventually work up to doing one scripture copywork a week, and also copy a special passage from a poem or other work of literature.

Lesson Plans for Week #10

This is what my older two children will be working on this week.

Bible

• Jesus Storybook Bible
• Review AWANA verses
• Family Worship

Math - Living Math Activities

A couple weeks ago, I came across this great site called Jimmie's Collage. From Jimmie's collage, I found over 100 different squidoo lenses where she has shared various lessons she has implemented into her homeschool curriculum. I found a lot of inspiration, encouragement and direction from her "Transitioning to Living Math" Squidoo page. I am very thankful for homeschool moms who take the time to take pictures, write, and share their creativity with others in the homeschool community. I found Jimmie over at the Heart of the Matter Forum. From the forum, she shared her blog address in her signature line. From her blog, I found the link to her Squidoo lenses. So, it might be a great blessing if you would take the time to CONNECT with others over at The Heart of the Matter's forum.

• Calendar Games
• Math Riddles
• A book of math riddles: How Many Feet? How Many Tails?
• Grocery shopping day activity - write down an estimate, then actual cost, and then figure the difference between the two

Social Studies

• Finish our study on Spanish Conquistadors

Considering God's Creation (Science)

• wrap up our study on the planets
• start unit on the earth

Language Arts

• Copywork - I'm going to start using the children's AWANA verses for their weekly copywork assignments. I want them to truly learn the scripture; not just say it once in their Sparks class and then forget about it.
• Dictation
• Spelling - just received a new product to review from the TOS Crew called All About Spelling.
• Silent Reading
• Book Report for Sarah's Wish
• Start new Read Aloud...any recommendations?

Art

• Draw a portrait with watercolor crayons and "paint" with water.

Composer Study

• This week we are going to start studying Mozart.

Fun Fall Activity

• I got the inspiration for this activity after reading this blog post.
• We were able to get "How to Make and Apple Pie and see the World" from our library!

This is what my preschooler will be doing this week.

Working on matching uppercase with lowercase letters, and putting letters in abc order.

Identifying numbers, counting, calendar time, and putting numbers in order.

Handwriting Without Tears

Reading lessons using the book, "How to teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons."

She joins us for read-alouds, fun fall activities, art, and Bible time.

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 18

This is what's for dinner at our house this week. What's for dinner at your house?

Monday

• Grilled chicken
• mashed potatoes
• green beans and salad

Tuesday

• Leftovers (I hope)

Wednesday

• Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
• Salad
• Homemade Bread

Thursday

• Pasta Bake (from the freezer)
• Green Beans
• French Bread

Friday

• Taco Night (taco meat from the freezer)

Saturday

• Pizza Night
• Fruit and Veggies

Sunday

• Leftover Pizza

Noble Rose Press

I entered this giveaway over at Like A Warm Cup of Coffee and I WON!!!!

I got to choose which set of paper dolls I wanted. I chose set #3.

Please go over to Noble Rose Press and see these beautiful historic paper dolls. I am certain they would bring delight to any young girl. I think they'd be a great supplement to an American History study.

Sarah Books ~ TOS Review

Sarah's Wish is a Christian historical fiction book. Sarah is a 12-year-old girl turned orphan after her mother, Rachel, dies in an accident. Sarah is now responsible to take care of her mother's "packages." To enhance our learning about the time period of Sarah's Wish and some of the history we read throughout the book, we spent some time at this site. It is a site by National Geographic and will allow you and your children to take a tiny glimpse into the world of the Underground Railroad and how Sarah's "packages" may have been handled. My children are young, ages 8 and 6. My husband loves History and has had impromptu discussions about the Civil War and slavery with our children, but this was their first time reading about it and studying it. When you receive this book, there is a special code for you to use to download an mp3 file so you can have an audio version of this book. My children enjoyed listening to the book from our laptop each day while I prepared lunch, and while they ate their lunch.

Sarah's Wish is the first book Baumgardner's three book series. Each book varies in length, so they vary in price.

Sarah's Wish: $9.99

Sarah's Promise: $10.50

Sarah's Escape: $15.50

Check out Sarah's Web. You can read excerpts from Mr. Baumgardner's books, order books, and get some homeschool helps by clicking on the homeschool link located on the sidebar. While you're there sign up for a free e-newsletter. The author shares fun things about his books and American history.

To read more TOS Crew reviews please click here.

*Disclosure - this book was provided at no cost for review purposes.*

Apple Cards

We went apple picking on Tuesday. On Wednesday we made some apple cards. We cut an apple in half, and then coated it very well in red paint.

Then we used the apple like a stamp and "stamped" an apple print on the front of the card. We waited for the paint to dry.

Then we took a brown marker and made a stem for the apple. Then, K dipped her pointer finger in some green paint and transformed her fingerprint into a small leaf for the apple.

We ordered a few prints of this picture to include in our cards to mail to Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, and Uncles who live in either Missouri or California. We live far away from all our family, so every few months we try to make cards and send them a picture.

Fall Fruits Festival ~ Pumpkin

My husband's favorite pie is pumpkin. I really haven't found the BEST pumpkin pie recipe, but maybe I will today over at "Stop and Smell the Chocolates" where everyone is sharing their favorite pumpkin recipes. But, I have found the BEST pumpkin bread recipe! I have my own little spin on the recipe though...I add chocolate chips to create the best Pumpkin Bread with chocolate chips imaginable! The original recipe was shared in our "home" churches cookbook by Mrs. Knerr. This is the church my husband and I attended in college, and the church we were married in. Mrs. Knerr is a lovely woman, and I miss her very much. Each year when I make this bread it always makes me smile because it makes me think about her.

Pumpkin (Chocolate Chip) Bread

3 1/2 cups flour

3 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

2 cups canned pumpkin

~ 1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Sift together dry ingredients including the sugar in a mixing bowl (Sorry Mrs. Knerr...I always skip the sifting part I tried it once but it made my hand hurt. That's a lot of flour and sugar)! Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips, and mix until smooth. Now you are ready to stir in the chocolate chips. Divide into 3 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack. This bread freezes well.

Do you have a pumpkin recipe you'd like to share? Are you always on the look out for great recipes to try? Check out the Fall Fruits Festival today over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates! There's also a fun giveaway, and all you have to do is leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win!

Hands On Homeschool Blog Carnival

There is a Hands On Homeschool Blog Carnival going on over at Jimmie's Collage today. Please go there and check it out. You will want to hang out there a while because you are going to find a lot of GREAT ideas and inspiration!

Fall Fruits Festival ~ Pears

Lisa, over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates, is hosting a Fall Fruits Festival this week. Today, she is sharing pear recipes and asking her readers to link up recipes too. A few weeks ago, we had pears coming out our ears! I made crock pot pearsauce using this recipe that can be found at a blog called, A Year of Slow Cooking. I obviously substituted pears for apples.

Here's the recipe I adapted from the previous mentioned site:

This makes enough for 4 people.

--4-5 pears
--juice from 1 lemon
--1/2 tsp cinnamon
--1 tsp vanilla
--1 T brown sugar
--1/4 cup H20

The Directions.

Skin, core, and cut pears into quarters, and put them in your crock pot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the pears are tender, mash with a potato masher. The pears are usually tender after about 6 hours on low. Once the pears are mashed, I then lift the lid of the crock pot off to allow any extra liquid to cook down. I usually started this process in the morning, and by mid-afternoon it was done. I am not a canner, so I stuck ours in the freezer.

*I usually quadrupled this recipe to fill my crock pot.

*I used a vegetable peeler to peel the pears, cut them in half, and then used a melon baller to scoop out the core and seeds and it worked wonderfully!

Head over to Stop and Smell the Chocolates and check out her awesome giveaway today, other pear recipes, and share a pear recipe of your own!

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 11

This is what's for dinner at our house this week. What's on your menu?

Monday - German Food Night

• Pork Schnitzel
• Mac and cheese
• Green beans

Tuesday

• Chicken Quesadillas
• Rice and Beans
• Veggies and dip

Wednesday

• Lasagna
• Salad
• Homemade French Bread

Thursday

• Broiled Fish
• mashed potatoes
• broccoli

Friday

• Hubby's Chili
• Cornbread Muffins

Saturday

• Homemade Pizza
• Breadsticks
• Salad

Sunday

• Leftover Pizza

Some Favorite Spots

I want to share some of my favorite spots to visit while online.

I like my friend, Teri Lynne's place she calls, Pleasing to You. The title of her blog comes from Psalm 19:14.

Run the Earth, Watch the Sky is another little place I like to visit. The writer of this blog has been doing a series on The Sermon on the Mount.

(In)Courage is a great place to visit too. This blog is written by a team of women who love Christ and desire to encourage and inspire other women to be more like Him.

One last blog I want to share is called Life Off the Shelf. Right now, she is doing a series called "A Simple Frugal Christmas.

I enjoy lazy Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons when I have extra time to read some of my favorite blogs, and find some new favorites too.

I get a lot of encouragement in my walk with Christ, in my role as wife, mother, and home educator, and homemaker from many of these blogs. I truly believe all the above blogs I have shared have a special ministry in the lives of many women. So, thanks ladies for blessing, encouraging, and inspiring me!

Pears

Some friends have a few pear trees in their back yard. They gave me a five gallon bucket FULL of pears! We made around four quarts of pearsauce, and I made a pear, apple, raspberry crisp one evening when we had guests.

I made the pearsauce in the crockpot, and used this recipe for applesauce, but of course substituted pears for apples. My kids LOVE this stuff!

I used this recipe for the crisp I made, but I obviously used more fruit than just apples. The pears, apples, and raspberries were really, really good! Everyone at our home Bible study really enjoyed it!

We went apple picking earlier this week, and we might go again in the next week or so. I hope to make some apple butter and apple dumplings. I LOVE Fall!!!!

Stay Pure

Little girl, stay pure

Love Jesus deeply

Never fall away

His love is perfect, complete, whole, and true.

Only He - can truly satisfy.

Little girl, stay pure

Let Jesus love you,

Hold you,

Be your all-in-all.

Little girl, stay pure

The Sights of Autumn

Racing to the red apples. Who can find the best one for Mom?

Little girl finds one, gives it a tug, and adds it to her basket.

Do these look good, Mom? Did I choose the right ones?

I didn't get to pick very many, Momma. Do we really have to go?

Dad will be proud when he sees how many apples we picked today.

Autumn is

Unbelievable. It's beautiful

Too.

Up in the sky birds fly south.

Mums bloom. They are very beautiful.

Nuts fall off the trees.

written by 6-year-old daughter, K

Anyway

After reading "The Inspiration for Journalers" over at one of my (new) favorite places to visit online, Holy Experience, I was motivated to pull out all my old journals and read through them. So far, I've read from May 1996-July 1999. I have been shoved through many emotions. I have cried. I have smiled. I have rejoiced. This is a poem I wrote in response to the re-reading of my journals.

Anyway

At the age of 11

I confessed my sin,

invited you in

and promised to follow You.

I broke my promise,

but you saved me...

Anyway

I ran

I rebelled

I turned

I walked my OWN way.

I broke my promise,

but you saved me...

Anyway

My heart shattered

I escaped sin's grasp

I ran to You.

You cleansed my heart

You filled my holes

You made me new again.

You kept your promise,

You saved me...

Anyway

Anyway

Do you need to be reminded today about the JOY of your salvation? I am in awe at how he GAVE me the GIFT of salvation when I was 11-years-old, knowing full well how I would stray from Him and rebel. He saved me...Anyway...

Psalm 51:12a

Restore to me the joy of your salvation...

Guardian Angel Publishing ~ TOS Review

I received three e-books from Guardian Angel Publishing to review for The Old Schoolhouse Crew. I received these books in e-book format. Guardian Angel Publishing gives you the choice to purchase their books in either e-book, print, or CD-Rom format.

If you would like humorous books to supplement your science curriculum, then "No Bones About It" by Bill Kirk and "Earthquake" by Susan Berger through Guardian Angel Publishing are two that I would recommend.

No Bones About It is full of catchy rhymes, silly illustrations, and fun things they call "factoids." to help you and your child learn all about the bones in our bodies.

Earthquake is a fun read also. I appreciated some of the fun activities they suggested to teach your child what an earthquake might feel or look like by using simple items like a bath towel and bath water. This book also has fun "factoids."

Andy and Spirit Go To The Fair by Mary Jean Kelso is a picture book about a young boy who is bound to a wheelchair who learns to ride a horse named Spirit. The illustrations are nice, and the story has a wonderful message that will allow you to have a dialogue with your child about handicapped individuals.

As I mentioned previously, I received all three of these books in e-book format. I thought the two science books worked well in this format, but I would have preferred to have "Andy and Spirit Go To The Fair" in print format simply because it's a storybook. We would have enjoyed the illustrations more, and also because we like to cuddle up on the couch for our read-alouds, and often reading from a desktop or laptop is not conducive to cuddling while reading. Again, this is a personal preference, and Guardian Angel Publishing gives you the option to purchase either e-book or print copy. An advantage of purchasing e-books is it saves you shipping and handling charges, and the cost for the product is also cheaper.

Pricing Information:

e-book version of "Earthquake:" $5.00

Paperback version: $11.95 plus $6.95 shipping and handling

CD-Rom version: $9.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling

e-book version of "No Bones About it: $5.00

Paperback version: $10.95 plus $6.95 shipping and handling

CD-Rom version: $9.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling

e-book version of "Andy and Spirit Go To The Fair:" $5.00

Paperback version: $10.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling

CD-Rom version: $9.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling

To read what other crew members have to say about more of Guardian Angel's Publications, click here. The TOS Store also carries several of Guardian Angel Publishing's products.

Menu Plan Monday ~ October 4

This is what's for dinner this week:

Monday: Tuna Noodle Casserole (I make this for my husband because I love him) served with peas

Tuesday: Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Dorito Chicken Casserole and salad

Friday: Breakfast for Dinner (make-ahead breakfast casserole, muffins, and yogurt)

Saturday: Homemade Pizza

Sunday: Leftovers

A Recipe to Share:

Dorito Chicken Casserole

(This is a recipe my mother-in-law gave to me)

1 fryer chicken cooked and deboned

(you can use boneless breasts, leg quarters, even leftover chicken)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can chopped green chiles

1 can evaporated milk

shredded cheddar cheese

Heat deboned chicken and add canned ingredients together. Spray a 9x13 pan and layer 1) Doritoes, 2) chicken and soup mixture, 4) Doritoes

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.