TOS Review: Vocal Coach

When asked recently what she wants to do when she is older, Super Girl surprised me by saying she wants to be a Christian recording artist.  She has always loved music and singing, but she has never expressed an interest in sharing it with others in a professional manner.  This is definitely something she is drawn to currently, however, because she has expressed this desire to several people now.  The opportunity to use the Vocal Coach Singer program was one that I felt would benefit her and help her get a little closer to her dreams.

From the Vocal Coach website:

Chris & Carole Beatty, creators and founder of Vocal Coach, have taught and coached thousands of singers, young and old for over 40 years.

Vocal Coach is built on their passion for training the singers of today and tomorrow through their time-tested, million-selling products as well as in the Vocal Coach Voice Studio in Brentwood TN.

Vocal Coach Singer includes:

7 Training CDs:

• Getting Started
• Complete Breathing
• Complete Warm-Up
• Complete Tone
• Complete Expanding Your Range
• Complete Diction
• Complete Performance

4 Workout CDs:

• Daily Workout High Voice 1 & 2
• Daily Workout Medium/Low Voice 1 & 2

Plus these great educational tools:

• Guidebook – Full-size Instructional Guidebook to Ensure Success
• Printable Lead Sheets – each exercise in our course, plus track lists
• Personal Singer's Journal (Getting Started Journal & Workout Journal) to Track Your Progress
• Vocal Coach Song Evaluation – Evaluation form to enable you to make more intelligent song selections

The retail price for the CD version is $119.99.  However, we received the MP3 version, which retails for $99.99.  Frankly, I feel that it is worth it to pay the extra $20 for the hard copy, as there is still the book to print out, and because honestly, it was a little overwhelming.  I found it confusing, trying to figure out where to begin with all the files. It was a bit easier once I printed all the papers out and got them in order.  However, then Super Girl was stuck working on the exercises at the computer.  I tried to load them onto my Kindle Fire so that she could do them in private, but it doesn't like MP3s.  I kept wishing we had the CDs, since I was going to have to burn the files onto CDs anyhow.  

The exercises seem to be benefiting Super Girl.  She has not had the experience of being in school choir, which is where both Mr. Man and I learned proper singing techniques, as well as warm-ups.  She definitely plans to keep working through the materials.  Obviously, nothing is as good as one-on-one instruction and feed-back from a voice teacher.  However, I think that Vocal Coach Singer can definitely help the aspiring singer that cannot afford on-going singing lessons, or are not sure they are that serious about it.  Though, if your family is like ours, and your computers are all in "public" areas, you will probably want to get the CD version, so that the exercises may be done in private!

***Disclaimer:  I received Vocal Coach Singer in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Your Child's Profession of Faith

The Schoolhouse Review Crew was given the opportunity to review works from Grace & Truth Books.  Given my choice of 10 titles, I chose Your Child's Profession of Faith.  You see, Super Girl has always had a great faith in and love for God.  On several occasions she has told us that she prayed "the sinner's prayer".  She has a strong relationship with Christ.  However, last summer, she asked me how she could be sure she is saved.  I had some heart-felt discussions with her, and I think I helped set her mind at ease.  However, I hoped this book would help, should the question arise again - whether from her, or another child.

Your Child's Profession of Faith is a good book, and one I will keep on my shelf.  However, it was not quite what I was hoping for.  I was looking for something that would help be a help in counseling children who are questioning the solidity of their faith.  Chapter 7, "The Manifestations of Faith", will definitely help with that.  However, most of the book before that has to do with the nature of children - "intellectual immaturity", "changeableness", and gullibility.  The book does stress the importance of cultivating a child's strong relationship with Christ over time, rather than the quick conversions that are sought in many childrens' ministry settings.  However, I felt that this section, as well as all the parts about making sure your child is truly ready to be baptized, were not what I was looking for.  The particular church I belong to does not teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, and therefore we do not normally practice it, which means those passages just don't apply to my situation.

I feel like Your Child's Profession of Faith is more a book for the parent who questions the validity of their child's faith, rather than the parent of a questioning child.  It is good, Bible-based advice, and straight-forward.  It wasn't quite what I was looking for, but still an excellent reminder to be careful with my childrens hearts, because "if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

Your Child's Profession of Faith is available from Grace & Truth Books.  The price is $7.50 for a soft-cover edition, 119 pages.

***Disclaimer:  I received a copy of Your Child's Profession of Faith in exchange for my review through The Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

Goodbye, Ginger

We went out to visit my husband's brother and family over the 4th of July.  I fell in love with their little cockapoos while we were there, and by the time we were heading home, we had two of our own.  The woman all of the dogs came from breeds them, and has been thinning out her breeding stock.  Our new dogs weren't tiny puppies, but they still found a place in our hearts.

Ginger, July 2012

Ginger quickly showed herself to be the more out-going of the two, and adopted Super Girl as her "person".  I was the next best thing.  Ginger could usually be found trailing behind one of us, or at our feet.  It took some getting used to - remembering to look before I started walking, to not shut the baby gate on her.  She loved to sit next to me at night, after the kids went to bed.  She also loved to run, trying her hardest to stretch her leash just a little more.

We went out of town this past weekend, and found out Sunday that she had run away from my brother the night before.  He and his friend tried to catch her, but she was a fast little thing.  She also didn't seem to like guys very much.  They looked for her, but couldn't find her.  When we got home, we looked some more, but she didn't come, even when Super Girl called.  I put out messages on Facebook, asking people on local groups if they'd seen her.

This morning, as I was dialing Animal Control, there was a knock at the door.  It was a young gal from Animal Control, there to let me know that my sweet little Ginger had been hit by a train Saturday night, and her body was down at the vet's office.  Fortunately, someone on one of those Facebook groups saw my post and tagged her in the comments.  My kind Mr. Man went down to the vet (there's only one in town) to make sure it was really Ginger.  He came back with a scrap of her harness, the pink one she's wearing in the picture above.  The tracks are about 20 feet behind our house, and there were trains running at the time she took off.  We don't think she was out there very long.  The vet was kind enough to not charge us to take care of her.  Poor Super Girl was really upset, and I've been feeling a wide range of things today - melancholy, disbelief, anger, sadness...  Funny enough, I'm not angry at my brother.  It's those darn guys that drive all those trains through here.  It's their fault.  Not really, but that's where my anger has been going, when it shows up.

I know she was just a dog, and we didn't have her long, but I still miss her.  It's been stressful here lately, at least for me, and I think everything I've been feeling in the past month is coming out with my grief.  I also feel badly for my little Pepper, Ginger's companion.  She hasn't eaten all day, and seems depressed.  I don't know how aware dogs are, but I do think she misses Ginger.  She definitely hasn't been the same since we got home.  I worry that we're going to lose her, too, to poor health.  Mr. Man regrets getting the dogs - he can't stand to see Super Girl upset.  Little Miss doesn't understand, having just turned 3.  She's talking it out, in her little 3 year old way.  Wonder Boy told Pepper he was sorry her friend died.  Me, I'm typing this post.  I had to say something, express something more than a Facebook status saying that I was sad because my dog died.  It's not the end of the world, but it hasn't been a normal day, either.

TOS Review: Lightning Lit

Lightning Lit from Hewitt Homeschooling Resources is a literature and composition curriculum ranging from 7th grade to 12th grade.  We had the opportunity to try out the 7th grade level, which covers works such as "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

I chose to have Super Girl try it out, as she is my "reader".  The lessons seem to fit our style easily, which is mainly independent study.  The teacher/parent's main role is to look over writing assignments and other written work.  The Lightning Lit set came with three books - a teacher guide, a student guide, and a student workbook.Each chapter in the student guide corresponds to a written work, with the chapters building on each other.  Each chapter gives an introduction - mainly a short biography of the author, and some things to think about while the selection is being read.  The student then reads the selection, completing comprehension questions as they go.  There is a main lesson and a secondary lesson to be taken from each work, and then a section of the workbook to be completed.  There are several writing assignments given at the end of the chapter.

We honestly did not get further than part way through the second chapter, because The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the subject matter, and it is a fairly lengthy book.  However, it seemed that Super Girl got a good grasp of the lessons from the first chapter ("Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), and was able to complete the assignments on her own.  I like the idea of the student using the workbook before they start the writing assignments.  The worksheets utilize a variety of activities to reinforce the chapter's lessons.  Super Girl really felt confident when it was time to work on writing, which is not something I can say for other literature and composition programs we've tried.

Lightning Lit is available from Hewitt Homeschooling Resources.  The complete set, including curriculum and the literature covered, sells for $91.73 for the 7th grade level.  The curriculum books may also be purchased separately.   

 

***Disclaimer:  I received Lightning Lit in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: IXL

IXL is a website designed to teach math skills from preschool through junior high (algebra).  I was able to create accounts for all three of the kids that are old enough to use it, and they've been using it as their math curriculum for a little while.

It was easy to set up our family account on the website and assign grade levels to my children.  I told the older two to work in the 6th grade level, and Little Miss worked in Pre-K.  They actually have access to all the levels, though.  When one of them clicks through their grade level, it shows a list of skills to be mastered - over 260 for 6th grade, and about 40 for Pre-K.  This is where I found the first thing I do not like about IXL - the child can skip around through the skills, possibly attempting things they are not ready for.  In my own personal experience, trying to do math problems that you don't have the foundational skills for just leads to a lot of frustration and issues with math in general.  Just say the word "math" to me, and my eyes tend to glaze over.  Also, one category does not have to be completed before they can move on.  The child can work a little in each one if they choose, not really mastering anything.

My older two children were assigned to work in IXL for at least 30 minutes at a time.  Conveniently, there is a timer on the side of the practice screen which lets the student know how long they have been working.  It also displays a running total of problems attempted, as well as the score.  If a question is answered incorrectly, the correct answer is displayed.  The student has the option of having the answer explained to them, or they can simply move on to the next question.  Children earn virtual medals and other rewards by answering questions correctly, practicing for certain amounts of times, and mastering skills.  Super Girl likes being able to choose different categories to work in based on her mood, and really liked that the questions are asked in several different ways in each section.

 

Little Miss has enjoyed answering questions, but at her age (not quite 3 years old), she has only worked on IXL a few times.  She did master the first skill (circles, triangles, and squares) within her first few minutes on the site.  However, she does not really have the computer skills necessary, and so any practicing she does must be with the assistance of someone else.  She really seems to enjoy the little rewards and such.

The other thing I was not crazy about in regards to the way the site works is that the children have access to all the levels at once (as I stated before).  I would prefer to be able to select a level for each child, and then adjust it as needed.  As the site sends me reports on how and what my children are doing in their math work, I can easily tell if they are in the appropriate level.   I do like that I can make sure they are finishing each area, rather than just doing a little here and there.  Over all, I'm glad that my children have IXL to not only keep them at grade level over the summer, but help them continue to advance during this period of lighter school work (that's right - we don't take a full-on break, but that's another post)!

IXL can be found at www.ixl.com.  Membership is available on a monthly basis for $9.95, or yearly for $79 for one child.  Each additional child is $20 on the yearly membership.

 
***Disclaimer:  I was given a 6 month membership to IXL for three of my children in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.  

TOS Review: Creation Illustrated Magazine

Last year, my sister-in-law gifted Wonder Boy with a subscription to Ranger Rick magazine.  He loved it, and was sad when it ran out.  I have been thinking of finding a Christian version for him, and hoped I'd found it in Creation Illustrated.  It was not what I was looking for, but I am still pleased!

I received a whole year of Creation Illustrated, which is four issues.  My first impression was that the photos are beautiful!  The image above does not do the actual cover justice.  It is an amazing picture of a dragonfly, and you'd just have to see it in person to really appreciate it!  The covers are glossy, and the magazine feels nice in your hands.  There are a handful of lengthy articles about nature, which all have a spiritual application and are accompanied by lovely pictures.  There is a children's story, a Bible study, news bits from creation institutions, tips on how to be a good steward of God's creation, a children's photo contest, a recipe page, and an instructional guide to help you use the magazine as a teaching tool.

I found the recipes to be an interesting addition - I wouldn't expect a nature magazine to have recipes.  Also, out of all the wonderful photos in the magazine, the food photos are frankly not very good, in my opinion - they suffer from lighting issues.  However, the recipes themselves - all vegetarian - sound pretty tasty.  I am eager to try the Ginger Lychee Boba Drink (bubble tea) and Grapefruit-Avocado Tacos.  The Savory Mushroom & Pepper Cupcakes sounded good, too.

My favorite issue was Autumn 2011, with articles about the pronghorn, aspens, and seeking God in nature.  The Autumn Instructional Guide (as well as the Spring 2012) had hands-on creation activities in addition to the discussion questions for each story and a word search based on the issue.

I asked Wonder Boy and Super Girl to choose at least one issue to peruse.  Super Girl was overheard saying "WHOA....cooooool!" as she read.  She informed me that she liked that the stories all point back to God, and that the pictures were awesome.  She also liked that there were recipes (she loves to cook).  Wonder Boy was a little tougher critic.  He said it was like a cross between Smithsonian magazine, Ranger Rick, and a catalog.  There are a lot of advertisements, but thankfully they are all for family-friendly things like homeschool supply companies.  I think that for WB, the articles are a little above his level right now, aside from the children's story.  He was also a bit disappointed that the cover photos don't relate to an article inside - he really wanted to read about the preying mantis that was on the cover of his issue!  Overall, Creation Illustrated does a good job of producing a magazine that the whole family can enjoy!   

Creation Illustrated can be found at www.creationillustrated.com.  Subscriptions start at $19.99 for one year, and you can also request a free issue if you would like to "try before you buy."




***Disclaimer:  I received four copies (1 year) of Creation Illustrated in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children.

Natural Nail Polishes - A Review

Over the years, I've tried a few different "natural" nail polishes.  While painting Little Miss' nails this morning, I decided I'd share my experiences with them!

Piggy Paint in "Sea-quin" - chipping after an hour or two (click to see larger)

• The first one I tried was several years ago, from Honeybee Gardens.  I ordered it through Frontier, and chose the "Whisper" (pale pink) and "Hippie Chick" (lavender) shades for Super Girl, who was about 6 years old at the time.  The colors were true to the color samples on their website, and I was highly impressed with the quality of the polish.  It lasted a long time, and had basically no odor!  The website says it is water-based, and it did remove with rubbing alcohol, as the site said, though I seem to remember it taking a bit of work.  The bottles lasted about 3 years before we tossed them due to thickening.  The current price on Honeybee Garden's website is $9.99 per bottle (I paid less through Frontier).
• The second brand I've tried is Zoya.  I grabbed a few bottles over a year ago when they had a 50% off special.  I chose three shades:  Sunny, Milla, and Erika.  I was a bit disappointed in the color of the "Sunny" shade - it was a bit different than what I saw on their website.  I also found the coverage of the three shades I chose to be a lot more sheer than I expected.  I ended up giving "Sunny" away because I just didn't care for the shade.  Overall, though, after applying several coats, the polish wears well and lasts a long time.  It does have some odor, but is toxin-free (no toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) or camphor).   However, I don't think it's quite as harmless as the other two brands I've tried (I could be wrong - this is just my impression).  I think the biggest appeal is the over 300 shades to choose from - it's mind-boggling!  I have since taken advantage of a second BOGO deal, choosing Eve, Elodie, and Dannii (for Little Miss).  Nail polishes run $8 a bottle. 
• The third natural nail polish I have tried so far is Piggy Paint.  I heard of Piggy Paint a year or two ago, but until recently I had not run across any good deals on it.  I was pleasantly surprised to spot some in my local Walmart in sets of mini-bottles for about $6.50.  I chose a set with 3 shades - Forever Fancy, Girls Rule, and Sea-quin.  As a full-sized bottle is $8.99 on the Piggy Paint site, I thought this was a fairly good deal, even if they are about half the size.  The colors are pretty true to what I see on the site ("Sea-quin" is the color of the sample dot, not the picture of the bottle).  The available shades are vibrant and very appealing to girls (the brand is marketed toward kids).  The scent is reminiscent of tempera paints, in my opinion.  However, it does seem to chip very easily.  It is suggested to dry nails with a blow dryer (on low) for one minute to help lessen chipping.  I haven't tried doing that yet.  I do know that one coat of the shimmer shades seems to wear off in a day or two on Little Miss' fingers.  The cream shade was chipping already after a couple of hours.  I'm actually ok with this, for a 2 year old.  It means I don't have to use remover on her.  Piggy Paint is also water-based (like Honeybee Gardens), but I haven't tried removing it with rubbing alcohol. 

To be honest, I've painted my fingernails once in the past few years.  However, Super Girl paints hers a minimum of once a week.  Unfortunately, all of those are "regular" nail polishes.  I do think it's worth it to think about switching her over to natural ones, even if it means we have to do it gradually.  I will stick with the natural ones from the beginning for Little Miss!

***Note:  I purchased all of these polishes myself.  I have no affiliation with any of these companies, and all opinions are my own.

What I Did Yesterday - Time Well Spent

So, I mentioned a few days ago that I have joined Weight Watchers.  I don't know if I've lost any weight yet - it's only been a week, and I am not weighing myself at home, since my scale will not be quite the same as their scale.  Why drive myself crazy?  Anyhow, I have really been craving raw veggies since I started it, especially salads.  Healthy salads - not ones laden down with loads of creamy blue cheese dressing and piled high with bacon bits and croutons.  Lettuce?  It's just a vehicle for the tangy goodness of that blue cheese, right?  No?

Ok, so I also mentioned that I went on a produce buying spree.  However, I was passing up a lot of the stuff I'd bought, simply because I was hungry right that second and didn't want to take another 10 minutes to chop stuff up.  I also had some stuff in there to make baby food for #5.  My solution yesterday was to haul out all those fruits and veggies and just deal with them, rather than letting them go bad in my refrigerator.

I didn't get everything addressed before dinner-making went awry, but I did accomplish:

• roasting red peppers
• slicing carrots and peppers for snacking
• chopping peppers, radishes, and carrots to throw in salads
• roasting pears and peaches
• roasting turnips, parsnips, and carrots
• putting the pinto beans (which I made a week ago) into 2 cup portions and freezing them for future meals

The peaches and pears smelled heavenly (the peaches were a little over-ripe and very juicy).  They're in the freezer right now, waiting for me to turn them into a chunky puree for #5.  The roasted root veggies are also in the freezer, for future use.  I'm thinking of maybe adding them to some mashed potatoes some time.  The roasted peppers - they were recently on sale for 99 cents a piece, so I got 7 or 8 of them.  Several of the Weight Watchers recipes I've been looking at called for a jar of them, so I thought - why not roast the ones I've got?  I still need to peel them and all, but they're roasted!

Between other housework today, I hope to finish the rest of what I wanted to do yesterday:  roasting sweet potatoes and butternut squash, chopping/slicing celery and jicama, steaming some carrots for #5, and cooking some white beans.  It's so nice to be able to pull something I need out of the freezer!  I'll have to roast some more fruit for a dessert some time - Super Girl was a bit disappointed to hear that it was already in the freezer!

I'm linking up here:

And also here:  A Bowl Full of Lemons

TOS Review: Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space

While choosing a science curriculum for my children a few years ago, I came across the Christian Kids Explore... series from Bright Ideas Press.  I ended up using (and loving) the Biology edition.  I was happy to be chosen to review the Earth & Space edition, since I liked my original purchase so much! 

The first thing that is different from when I purchased the Biology edition is the option to purchase a downloadable "student activity book".  You can print all the worksheets, maps, coloring pages, etc., right from your computer, rather than trying to photocopy it out of the book.  The pages look so much nicer when they're printed!  And, yes - the publisher has granted permission (in the front of the book) to make copies for your student, classroom, or co-op.  I love it when a publisher is realistic about how homeschoolers use their curriculum!

Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space is written for grades 3 to 6.  My children are in 6th grade this year, and still enjoy the lessons.  Written by Stephanie L. Redmond, the material has a light, conversational tone and really keeps my kids' interest.  The lessons are fairly short when used at the 6th grade level, and we are actually alternating days with the Biology edition (it was too much for my kids when we first got it in 2nd grade, and then life happened).  There are lots of hands-on activities interspersed with the book work, so it keeps Wonder Boy happy.  A lot of the first lessons deal with making models of the earth with clay, and he loves anything to do with clay.  I routinely find gobs of clay around the house, in a variety of shapes.  So, to be "required" to play work with clay makes his day!  Super Girl loves the coloring pages.  They are very detailed, and she still loves coloring.  I appreciate the vocabulary words, but most of all I appreciate the young Earth, Christian world view that is found in this curriculum.  That was what I was seeking most of all in a science curriculum, and it is why I will not sell these books until I am absolutely done homeschooling!  I hope that I am able to find something similar at a higher level when my children are ready to move on, but for now, I look forward to using the other Christian Kids Explore... editions in the next year or two.

You can purchase the Christian Kids Explore... series from Bright Ideas Press at www.brightideaspress.com.  The two editions for 3-6 grades are $34.95 each, with the downloadable student activity books on sale for $7.95 right now.  The two editions for grades 4-8 are $39.95 for the new second edition (the first editions are also on sale right now), with the downloads on sale for $9.95.  Bright Ideas Press is also the publisher of The Mystery of History series - another curriculum that I use and love!

***Disclaimer:  I received the Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space book and download set in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Write With World

I was thrilled when I got the chance to review a new curriculum from World Magazine:  Write With World.  World Magazine is a respected current events magazine written from a Christian worldview.  I have also had the privilege of being acquainted with one of their writers.  Based on those two things, I expected a great, quality product.  I was not disappointed!

The curriculum is designed to be used for two years at the middle school level, with the first year of the curriculum being broken down into four units.  Each unit consists of four lessons, which are made up of five capsules each, for a total of eighty days of instruction.  Each day's instruction is short and easy to understand.  My first impression of the books I received was that the photos and graphics are vibrant and eye-catching.  The first lesson deals with images and advertisements, which seems to really catch a student's attention.  Super Girl flipped through the student book and was eager to carry it off and get started.  Wonder Boy was not as thrilled with the idea, but he's my reluctant learner.  Once he got past the first capsule, he was as taken with it as his sister was!

Armed with the student book and a composition book as their writing journal, my kids have been steadily working their way through the daily instructions.  Conflict arises only when they both want to use the book at the same time.   I am so happy with this curriculum - any time a program gets my son to do school work and not fight me on it, I'm pleased!  And the fact that it is also applicable to my daughter, who is definitely working at a higher level, is wonderful!  My children find the writing activities to be engaging, and both stated that they found the material easier to understand and the activities easier to complete than the creative writing material we used previously.

I encourage you to explore the Write With World website to see some specific things that make this curriculum different.  The two years of the program are available separately for $95 per year, or you can purchase both years for $165.  The curriculum is slated to begin shipping this summer.  A website, "for updated examples, writing prompts, published student work, and helpful teacher forum", is scheduled to be up and running in September (the September 2011 date on the informative site is a typo).

***Disclaimer:  I received the first year curriculum books of Write With World in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children. 

TOS Review: Excellence in Literature

Excellence in LIterature, written by Janice Campbell, is a college-prep literature and writing curriculum with five levels.  I was given the first level, Introduction to Literature, which focuses on Western literature.    I had Super Girl work with this curriculum because even though she is technically in 6th grade, she reads at a higher level than that, and I thought she could handle the assignments.

Preparing the materials for the first unit - short stories - was easy.  I chose to print out the ebook I downloaded.  Next was gathering the short stories.  Wouldn't you know, there were handy dandy links to each of the stories online, right in the ebook!  I was able to print those out, too, which I did, since they were each no longer than a few pages.  I was also pleased to see that the material uses a self-guided method, which is how I tend to teach my children at this level.  The one thing I did not have was the writer's manual that the material suggests, but after looking over the examples in the back of the book, I did not see the need for it during the first unit.

Super Girl was able to take the materials I handed her, read the chapters from the text and the assigned stories, and write an approach paper with very little help from me.  I consider this a success, because she'd never written a paper of any type before.  I think that she could definitely carry on with this curriculum with a little effort.  However, I believe I will space it out over the next couple of years, and then pick it up in earnest in 8th grade.  In fact, this is one of the options the author suggests in the introduction to the book.  The curriculum is designed to be used from 8th to 12th grade, but I think it could easily be used by a younger student that is more advanced and needs a bit more challenge.


Excellence in Literature is sold by Everyday Education, and is available at www.everyday-education.com.  They also sell other homeschool materials such as Grammar Made Easy and Spelling Made Easy.  Excellence in Literature is available in either print books or ebooks, and can be purchased one level at a time ($29 print, $27 ebook), or in a bundle containing all five levels ($139 print, $135 ebook).


***Note:  I received a free copy of Introduction to Literature in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are my own.

Weekly Deals 4-17: Part Two

I made two more trips to CVS so far, another trip to Walgreens, and a trip to Kohls.

I made one trip to CVS, then got home to discover that the new one they've been working on in town has opened, and they sent me a bunch of good coupons that are only good at that location. One of them was a $10 off $20 purchase! These are my purchases combined: 4 boxes of Cinnamon Cheerios, 2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, a box of Huggies, a 2-liter of Pepsi, 2 water bottles and a 2-pack of small sports bottles (for Easter baskets), 2 bottles of Marvel gummy vitamins, John Freida heat protection spray and shine spray, 2 packages of Thermacare back/hip pads, a notebook (for my bloggy endeavors), a bottle of CVS hair detangler, a bag of CVS caramel cremes, a Physician's Formula mascara and blush, a bottle of Advil, a package of birthday candles, and 2 packages of Orbit gum. I also got two more mascaras for a friend of mine who lives overseas. The gum, detangler, caramels and Pepsi were all free with the coupons from the new store.

I paid $56.04 for all of the above, which CVS says was worth $172.42, which means I saved about 68%. I still have $3 ECB left, too, as well as a coupon for free photo prints.

I received a $10 off coupon from Kohls, which is always exciting! There is no minimum purchase requirement, so you can get a $10 item for free! These shirts are for Super Girl's birthday this week. They were on sale, 50% off $18.99, making them about $4 each after the coupon.

My second Walgreens trip was this morning, since I needed more frosting for Super Girl's cake. I picked up 2 more packages of King's Hawaiian rolls, 3 boxes of Betty Crocker brownies and a box of cake mix, 2 tubes of Aquafresh training toothpaste, 2 boxes of Always Infinity pads, 2 packages of Yes To Cucumbers face towellettes, 2 Yes To Carrots lip balms, a Wet 'N' Wild nail polish, and a tub of Betty Crocker frosting.

I got my total down to $20.94 from $54.24, a savings of 62%.

I also made a trip to my local grocery store, and was able to save about 60% there, too.

Do you play the "drugstore game"? I get all my deals from two places: Hip2Save (she has a great customizable, printable list), and MoneySavingMom. These two gals save me a LOT of time! You can go there to check out this week's deals. I hope I inspired you to save some money!

Made By Me Monday & Pattern Review

Today I'm going to share the nightgown I made for Super Girl for Christmas, since I haven't done so yet! I intended to make pajamas for all three kids. I got 1 1/2 sets done. There is a partially finished fleece footie sleeper in my packed-up sewing stuff - thankfully it's neutral, so I can finish it for this new little guy!

I started with a flannel I found at Walmart. When I saw it, it SCREAMED Super Girl at me! She loves these colors, peace signs, and doodles/graffiti. I went ahead and bought some, stashing it away for this project.

Next, I looked at the pajama patterns I have, and chose McCall's Easy Endless Options #5744, which is now out-of-print. I decided on View C, a long-sleeved, knee length night gown. Once I had my fabric washed and started cutting, I realized I didn't have enough to do the entire gown from the flannel. [That's what I get for not choosing the pattern FIRST!] I dug a small piece of black jersey out of my stash, which I'd picked up at a thrift store, and made a layered-style sleeve. After I got it put together, I realized that Super Girl would feel like the neckline was a little too low, so I added a triangle of jersey to the neckline to give a little more coverage. It kind of adds to the layered look, too.

Please ignore my door knob, and the slightly crumpled flannel.

I found the description of "easy" to be true to this pattern. There were not many pieces to cut, and it went together quickly. The instructions were good, and it came out looking like the drawing (aside from my alteration of the sleeve). The hardest part was trying to edge the sleeve hems with bias tape, which didn't work, and I quickly removed. The original pattern did not call for this, I just thought it might be easier than hemming the sleeves. I was wrong! I will definitely keep this pattern in my stash and use it again, as the largest size still fits Super Girl, for now. Since the pattern I bought goes from size 7 to 14, I can use it several times for Little Miss in the future, if I want to.

Note: I am not affiliated with McCall's or Walmart in any way. I bought my fabric and my pattern - though I did get the pattern during one of JoAnn Fabrics' 99¢ sales! I am not affiliated with JoAnn Fabrics, either. ;)

Made-By-Me Monday & Book Review

For Christmas, I decided to make a hoodie for Wonder Boy. I chose a pattern from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys' and Girls' Outfits, by Nancy Langdon and Sabine Pollehn.** The book: I bought this book because many of the projects looked like things that Super Girl would LOVE to wear, especially if she had helped make them. I loved that it had a wide range of sizes, from 18 months to 12 years, meaning I can use the patterns for years to come, and possibly even make matching items for the two girls. It also has several chapters with great advice on how to construct quality pieces of clothing which are also unique. My absolute favorite page is the one where you can write down ALL of your child's measurements. However, this is also where my disappointment set in. I eagerly measured all three children, and recorded those numbers. I then compared those numbers to the sizes of the patterns. I discovered that Super Girl is just too big for the largest size of these patterns. At almost 10, she is 5' and 108 pounds. I didn't think about it in the store, because she was in a size 12 in commercial clothing at the time. Little Miss is still a bit on the small side for these patterns, as she is a little peanut of a thing. I also discovered that the patterns don't include seam allowances. However, I look forward to making items for Little Miss in the future using these fun and easy patterns. I will just keep in mind that these patterns go up to a size 10, more realistically. Lastly, while the book includes boys in the title, there were only two patterns I'd actually use for a boy.



The hoodie: I wanted something warm, so I chose a remnant of camouflage fleece, as well as a remnant of coordinating green fleece. I picked the fleece up on mega-sale the day after Thanksgiving. I used the "Imse" pattern, which had options for feminine or masculine styling. I chose a straight sleeve and sides, and rounded hood. I embellished it with a couple of old military patches that my dad gave me. The pattern went together quickly and easily, and I was pleased with how it came out. However, I made a size "large", and it will possibly not fit Wonder Boy next winter. Keep in mind that he is still a rather slight boy right now. He is just now growing out of size 10 in commercial clothing. If he has an honest-to-goodness growth spurt, it will definitely be too small.

**Note: This post contains an affiliate link. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I purchased this book with my own money (ok, I did use a 40% coupon).

Made-By-Me Monday

I submit to you today one of the two Roman shades I made for Super Girl's bedroom. I will not tell you what was hanging there before [***cough - black bed sheets - cough***]. We have lived in this house four years now, and I failed the one time I attempted to hang curtain rods in her room. My defense is that I did not have a good enough drill at that time. I plead the Fifth when asked about the time passed since then.

Since I am working on moving Little Miss into Super Girl's room, I needed to put something on the windows that would be safely out of reach of the crib. I began with the Roman shade tutorial at What's New?, and this VERY LARGE set of curtains (this is just one panel - it was as long as the twin bed!).


I bought them (and a matching valance set) at a church sale for $2, just for the yards and yards of crocheted cotton trim attached to them. My thoughts for the fabric was to use it as lining for clothing. I realized there was enough to use for these shades. I removed the ruffles, cut up the fabric, sewed the panels together, and added some panels of printed material. I also added sequined trim along the bottom, which I scored for 10 cents a yard. The end result was this, times two:


Super Girl is thrilled with them, and I think they turned out pretty well, too. I used some variegated purple thread to sew them, and I like the touch it adds. However, I think they still need something - like a valance. I still have enough of the printed fabric to make a valance for each side - I think I'll make a set. And, I still have the ruffles, both really long valances, and all that crocheted cotton trim to use for other projects!

If you have a project you'd like to share, post a link in the comments. Sorry - I haven't set the linky up yet!

Get Some Air

If you are here from the Ultimate Blog Party, please check out my party post.


One thing I really missed over the winter was the habit of taking a family walk together. There are a lot of trails in our area, covering many different ecosystems. Before Little Miss was born, the four of us really enjoyed getting out and getting some exercise, as well as spending time together and observing nature. It's also a great homeschool activity, as along with science, some of the trails also have historical features. This spring, especially with the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing, we have been gathering the water bottles, strapping the baby into the hiking back-pack, and taking the opportunity to check out trails we've never walked before. We have even found trails to explore while visiting family. My dad has gotten a thrill out of discovering that he has this interest in common with his grandchildren, and it's reminded me of family walks we used to take when I was a child.

Something new I'm doing this year is taking pictures of as much of the plants and wildlife as I can. My plan is to help Wonder Boy and Super Girl make nature journals. We'll make a section for each trail, and use prints of the pictures I take. I will help them identify the species, and let them write short descriptions of them. If there is anything historical on the trail, I will have them include that, also.

I encourage all of you to get out with your family, and get some fresh air and exercise. Many areas have trails of some sort within driving distance, and most of them are free to access. You can often find information on local history and wildlife (along with trail maps) online or at the site, if it is a state or national park. Take along a camera, water, and snacks, and spend some time enjoying God's creations - nature and each other!

Shopping at Home

Hand-me-downs. Most people have been blessed with hand-me-downs at some point in their life. With a husband who is unemployed, I am trying to be extremely frugal and resourceful. Here are a few examples:

Super Girl needed some new tennis shoes. She had outgrown her old ones over the winter, but she was wearing her snow boots 90% of the time, so it didn't matter. Once it warmed up, and the kids began playing outside again, she needed shoes. I thought we were going to have to wait a week to get them, and then I realized I just might have what she needed in my own closet! I had a pair of cute Converse sneakers which, try as I might, just didn't fit my wide feet well (sob!). I had SG try them on, and voila! She is now the proud owner of some very cute, green and pink, like-new (sniff, sniff!) Converse - which should last through the summer, as long as she doesn't out-grow them! Did I mention they were cute? Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Wonder Boy has also suffered some recent growth spurts. He is suddenly lacking in the "long-enough pants" department. A funny fact about my children is that though WB is about 16 months older, he is a good 3" shorter than his sister. I have been able to pass a couple of unisex jeans UP to him that are too short on his sister. Since they've been inside all winter, the jeans are not really worn. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Lastly, Little Miss has not been spared in this growing epidemic (pardon my pun!). I have patterns which I picked up last summer during a sale at the fabric store. I have some t-shirts which are ill-fitting or stained. I am making her some new clothing out of this "found" material. Currently in the works: pants. Next up: a one-piece outfit. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

So, let me challenge you to think outside the box when you have a need at home. If you can sew, you can possibly make what you need out of old items of clothing or linens you already have. Scrounge in your own and your childrens' closets for items that can be passed on to another member of the family. Check out Wardrobe Refashion for fun ways to make the old "new".

First Try at Sewing Diapers

First off, let me start by saying that I have chosen to do cloth diapers with this baby in order to save money, and also because I believe it is better for the baby and the environment. However, learning to sew has led me into a whole new hobby, which has me buying patterns (on sale or second hand), fabrics, and "notions". My scrapbook supplies are getting jealous.

Here is the first round of diapers I've sewn. I made a few of the pink ones and the orange ones - I got those fabrics at Walmart. The other fabrics I got at JoAnn. I made the most of the blue farm animal print and the white duck & frog print, 8 each, I believe. The outer fabrics are all flannel, except the orange, which is cotton knit. The yellow inner is fleece, and the blue inner is stretch terry. I loath sewing with french terry. These diapers have a hidden layer of PUL, but I know that they may end up wicking because of the way that I constructed them, so I have some newborn covers to use if need be.



They are definitely newborn-sized, as you can see from the comparison to a disposable newborn diaper.



The duck & frog is my favorite! I intend to buy more of it, to make other baby items. I have enough scraps to make a bib, some booties, and some cloth balls or blocks.



When I began making these diapers, I was convinced this baby would come early, like Super Girl did. At 7#, Super Girl wore newborn diapers for the first 6 weeks, since she was so scrawny that she swam in size 1. Now that this child has made it to her due date, I'm not sure I will be using these diapers at all! It's a good thing I have already started on the next size up!

New Obsession

Picking up a new hobby while pregnant is dangerous. My brain becomes much more obsessive (I've been dreaming about it), and there are suddenly tons of things I'd love to do "before the baby comes". My latest obsession is sewing. I have wanted to learn to sew for a while, but didn't actually start until a couple of months ago. It all began because I wanted to do cloth diapers with the baby. We can't afford disposables, plus I believe cloth is better for the baby and the environment. The major problem is that there can be a fairly large start-up cost with cloth diapers. My cloth-diapering friends some how convinced me, the sewing dummy, that I could make my own. I have been working on newborn diapers since the end of May. I'm finally finishing them up this week. More on this topic later.

Anyhow, I needed to feel like I was accomplishing something. I needed a completed project. While at JoAnn Fabrics, I came across a bolt of material that was already shirred on the top, and had a fair amount of length underneath that. Super Girl thought it was cute, and asked me to make a shirt for her out of it. Since it was on sale for $1.50 a yard, I thought, "Why not?" I spent at least an hour on Father's Day, "whipping up" this shirt. It took longer than I expected, considering all I had to do was sew it together down one side and make straps. It turned out really well, though - if I do say so myself.

My Awesome Kids!

Today was distribution day for Christmas assistance! WHEW! We had to take the kids with us, and I was really worried that they wouldn't behave well. After all, it's cold there, and there are lots of brand new toys to mess with and beg for. When we got there, Wonder Boy and Super Girl went straight over to the food area, and helped pack bags and boxes for the families. No one had to tell them to stop doing something, quit acting up, etc. I was very glad, because I was busy finishing up the handful of Angel Tree bags that didn't get finished the night before.

Once the people started coming to pick up their food and gifts, things still went pretty well. The kids really enjoyed helping out, and everyone commented on how great they were! They really were a big help, running back and forth to deliver bags of gifts, moving bags and boxes of food, helping bring in carts from the outer door . . . It could have been a really stressful day if I'd had to keep on top of them to behave. I'm so thankful they were good! I'm hoping they learned a little something about helping others, too.