Review - Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster

Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster

Price:  $24.99

Available at:  Walmart, Target, Toys "R" Us, and KMart

My youngest is twelve, but we are all kids at heart in our household.  We love fun “toys” we can play around with.  When I got the chance to join the Tonka XT BzzCampaign, I jumped on it.

As soon as the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster – Rampage arrived, we were on it.  How does it work, how soon can we play, where’s the dog?  J  Yes, they wanted to play with the pets and the RC car.  No, they weren’t being cruel, just having fun. 

I was impressed with the neat way the RC car is charged.  The remote takes five AA batteries.  Then, it has an extension cable that comes from it to the car to charge the car.  A charge takes about 20-30 minutes.  The wait was rough, but it gave us time to check out the directions. When charged, the car can run for 15-30 minutes. 

There are three cars in the series – we have Rampage.  Each car comes with it’s own special trick.  There is a button on the remote for executing the trick.  The remote includes a slider to select which of three frequencies you will use your car on so that more than one can be used at the same time.  Our car’s trick is to flip; the other two cars, Buzzsaw and ZigZag, spin and jolt back and forth. 

The remote is a little tricky.  It took me a while to get used to the controller – when the car flips, the controls are reversed.  That took me a while to get used to, but the kids seemed to adapt quickly. 

The cat doesn’t like it and the dog after several sniffs just finds it a nuisance, but the kids are still having fun.  Anytime they pass by and see the controller laying there, they pick it up and go for a quick testdrive.

*** I received this product free of charge as a BzzAgent in exchange for my honest review.

Wordless Wednesday - Sign of Seasonal Change

The leaves are a clear sign of seasonal change, but, around our home, there is another clear indicator - the pool.  In spring/summer, it's alive with kids of all ages.  Beautiful blue and inviting.  In fall/winter, it too must hibernate.  Sleeping until the sun warms the earth and invites the kids to once again take a dip.  Each year we close it (last night we closed it), I see another season of our lives pass.  Next year, my older kids may be moved out, my younger kids will be older with new interests, another year of homeschool will be done and we'll tackle summer once again.

Spring/Summer Fun

Fall/Winter - Time for sleep

Recipe #5 - Creamy Tuscan Bean & Chicken Soup

This is by far my favorite recipe to date.  I'll be adding this to the family recipe book that I compile.  Everyone except my finickyest eater really liked the soup.

I did unwittingly make a minor modification - the recipe calls for two cans of Cream of Celery soup.  I thought I bought two, but my pantry says otherwise.  So, I used one can Cream of Celery and one Can Cream of Chicken.  I thought this worked out really well.  The celery taste was present but not overwhelming.  Also, I didn't add as much spinach as is called for.  My men don't like spinach so I chopped it up pretty fine and only added about a third.  It added some really nice color, but didn't change the taste.

Isn't it pretty?  This is something I would serve to company as well as a quick dish for family.

Sprinkle a little cheese on here and it's good to go!

Slim Down Sunday Meme - Week 11

Whether you want to lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds or 100 pounds – it always helps to have support from those around you.

Goal – lose 20 pounds   

Pounds Lost (Week 9) – Well, I've gained 3 pounds.

How it Went This Week:

This week has been stressful.  In addition to that, with fall coming on, I've been trying out new recipes for the family meals.  I've fallen off the wagon a bit.  My hubby also made me sweet potatoe pies as a "cheer me up".  They were delicious, but did push me right off said wagon.

However, it's not a total loss (or gain is it were).  I've been careful about most meals still and have been doing my wogging for Couch to 5K.  I'm feeling good about my level of exercise and making healthier (although not diet) choices with my eating.  Focussing on fitness has been good for me, and I have to admit I've enjoyed cooking and not freaking out about eating.

We'll see where this leads.

What’s my Plan for next Week:

I'm going to start Week 3 of my Couch to 5K training.  If all goes well, I'm going to also start looking at 5K's to enter when I'm done with Week 9.  The speed isn't there, but that's ok.  I have many months to get the speed up if I can only work up to running three miles.  I can imagine if I run three miles three days a week and do TKD two days a week, eating will be less of a major concern. 

How's your fitness plan coming?  How will the oneset of winter change things or will it?

Recipe #4 - Hearty Sausage and Rice Casserole

 This recipe is exactly what it says it is - hearty!  I loved the mix of vegetables that are added at the beginning.  Long grain and wild rice is always good too.  I used a mild Italian sausage, and I wouldn't do that in the future.  I think a good sage sausage would be better and add more flavor variety to the meal.

The hubby enjoyed the meal, but he noted he'd like more rice and less sausage.  My two finicky boys opted for mac-n-cheese instead.  Middle son did say he liked everything in it except the sausage, so a different meat, maybe even ground beef, might be a better choice.

It's easy to put together and makes for a good comfort food.  This is definitely not low calorie.  Turkey sausage would be a good alternative; they didn't have any at the store when I went.

Recipe #3 - Savory Pot Roast

Thursdays are our co-op days, so I always like to try and put something in the crockpot and have a delicious meal ready when we get home.  Last night we tried out the pot roast recipe.  Everyone really liked it.  I think it was a little too fatty - if I do it again, I might drain a lot of the liquid off half way through so that that the fats breakdown more.  I went with a chuck pot roast this time.  May try the round roast next time.  The veggies were delicious!

It's not the prettiest meal out there, but it sure did taste good!

I do have to mention I was sabbotaged last night!  Well, my diet was...  My hubby loves me and knows that Wednesday was a tough day, so he decided to make me my favorite dessert while we were at TKD.  Sweet potatoe pie!  Oh my goodness!  I could eat an entire pie at one sitting!  Diet?  What Diet?

Now that's a thing of beauty! 

Review - Aletheia Writing Magazine

Aletheia Writing Magazine: Creativity for Christian Teens

Ages: 13 - 19
Cost: $26 (US) $29 (CAN) for one year subscription (4 issues) - includes shipping
Web Site: http://www.aletheiawritingmagazine.com

Aletheia Writing Magazine: Creativity for Christian Teens is an avenue for thirteen to nineteen year olds to express their artistic creativity in a Christian friendly magazine.  Each issue of Aletheia includes writing, poetry, illustration and photography by teenagers.

Personally, I love the concept of a magazine that is dedicated to allowing young writers and artists to expose their talents.  By taking a chance and submitting work, students are able to reach beyond themselves and get recognized for their abilities.  I am very impressed with the quality of work being published. 

In addition to the student submissions, “each issue offers a variety of unique features: a Writer's Challenge, the Featured Contributor, a book review, Glory to God for the Beauty of Nature, Ancient Ink, and an interview or other feature for edification and enjoyment.” 

I’ve known many teens that keep poetry journals, find great joy in photography or are capable of elaborate drawings.  The opportunity to be published gives them the occasion to experience the realities of taking one’s ability to the next step.  For some, this may be just what is needed to give them the confidence to pursue their art as a career.  Additionally, Aletheia offers a little something for everyone.  Maybe creative writing isn’t a strength, but the ability to capture the perfect sunset is.  Perhaps, your child likes to read and would enjoy offering an opinion through a book review?  Does your teen write songs or poetry? 

A subscription to Aletheia allows creative teenagers to see what is possible and to envision their work in a future issue.  As a homeschooling parent, I look for ways to encourage my teenagers to embrace writing.  Sometimes that is a difficult task when their audience is just mom.  However, given the opportunity to write and be published can be just what is needed to really spark their imagination.  If you have a creative teenager, I would encourage you to encourage them to read Aletheia and submit their works for publication.  In fact, you can see a sample issue here.

Finally, Aletheia has a blog for teens called Christian Teens Write.  This blog has posts then encourages teens to respond with their own blog posts that are then added to the site.  This is a very creative way to get teenagers with a passion for writing together and dealing with relevant teen topics.  You can take a look at the blog here. 

To see what other members of the Crew thought of the magazine, click here.

 

*** I received a copy of Aletheia Writing Magazine free of charge as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest review.

Review - Has God Spoken?

Has God Spoken?  Proof of the Bible's Divine Inspiration

Hank Hanegraaff

Has God Spoken? by Hank Hanegraaff was sent to me free from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.  I have read several books answering these types of questions as I seek to expand my knowledge of apologetics. 

Hanegraaff’s book is very thorough.  He clearly knows his subject matter and goes into great depth providing proofs through archaeology, understanding of ancient approaches to literature/translation/copying, etc.  What I found, however, is that this level of depth doesn’t make for clarification for a lay reader.  This book targets those who are already versed in the doctrine and are seeking additional intensity.  While I feel confident in my Biblical background, I felt very deficient when it came to following the depth he takes his subject.  A religious scholar would find this a strong read.

One other criticism I have of this text is Hanegraaff’s preoccupation with Professor Bart Ehrman of the University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill.  Living in NC, I was glad to hear about Ehrman’s platform as I have children in college and would find his teachings inappropriate. However, this book isn’t meant to be a refutation of Ehrman, rather a proof of the authenticity of scripture.  Hanegraaff does incorporate other atheistic writers, but he consistently returns to Ehrman.

I do like the mnemonic approach Hanegraaff presents.  Using these types of memory devices help the reader retain the points he is making. 

M – Manuscript Copies – COPIES (Copyist practices, Oral culture, Papyrus and parchment, Internal evidence, External evidence, Science of textual Criticism)

A – Archaeologists Spade – SPADE (Steles and stones, Pools and fools, Assyrian archaeology, Dead sea scrolls, Epic of Gilgamesh)

P – Prophetic Stars – STARS (Succession of nations, Typological prophecy, Abomination of desolation, Resurrection prophecies, Superstar ABC’s)

S  - Scriptural Lights – LIGHTS (Literal principle, Illumination principle, Grammatical principle, Historical principle, Typology principle, Synergy principle)

I believe this book would be a strong text for an apologetics course that allowed the students to cover each mnemonic thoroughly before proceeding on to the next.  I would enjoy a semester or a season to thoroughly investigate each aspect of MAPS.

*** Has God Spoken? by Hank Hanegraaff was sent to me free from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Wordless Wednesday - 14 in a Blink

Middle son turned 14 this weekend! I can't believe it.  When did this happen?  He was just a tiny, tiny baby only a few years ago, right?  He came into the world a fighter - having been through an emergecy c-sect to deliver him a month early.  He seemed so fragile then.  Now he's 14, as tall as I am, so smart and with a big heart.  I love him!

Recipe #2 - Easy Skillet Chicken Parmesan

I've dedicated this week to trying out new recipes from my Campbell's Cookbook that a good friend recently sent me.  It's always fun to liven up dinner time with good food.  Look here to see what I'm trying this week.  The recipes are listed if you want to testdrive with me. 

Easy Skillet Chicken Parmesan is exactly what it says - easy!  This particular dish was went over well with the majority of my family.  I used chicken breasts, homemade spaghetti sauce and low fat mozzarella.  Yum!

Here's what it looked like in the pan:

I was able to use the sauce to make a side of pasta for my family:

I went with no pasta and a broccoli mix for my side keeping it healthy:

I'd call this venture a success!

Timberdoodle Review - Visual Latin

Visual Latin

DVD Lessons - Lesson 1-10, 11-20 and 21-30 - $30 each or Entire set $80

The opportunity to review Visual Latin through Timberdoodle has been a real gift for my youngest (12).  He’s really enjoying using Visual Latin each week.  You’d have to know my son, but he either really likes something or he resists it.  When he’s in resist mode, he tries to get it done fast and has trouble committing the lessons to memory. When he likes something, he seeks it out and his retention is strong.  He likes Visual Latin.

What we really love:

1.    The videos – they can be loaded on my IPAD, which my son loves.  Technology is his thing, so getting to incorporate the IPAD into his day makes him happy.  Each lesson has three video segments – an instructional segment, a practice segment, and a reading segment.  Instead of focusing on vocabulary – the lessons focus on grammar and the students learn the vocabulary while understanding the grammar.  I have been very impressed with how many words he has picked up while doing each lesson.  Additionally, he’s understanding WHY sentences are constructed the way they are in Latin giving us a chance to delve into the similarities and differences with our own language.  The second lesson on Predicate Nominative and Predicate Adjective helped him both with his Latin and his English grammar.

2.    Display during the videos -  The videos are basically the instructor in front of a blackboard; however, they have done a nice job of including screen changes and adding words or phrases at the bottom of the screen to enhance what he is saying.  They are far from boring, but the simplistic approach allows the instructor to interact with the students while using the chalkboard like one would in a classroom.

3.   The instructor – Dwayne Thomas does an excellent job of presenting the material.  He’s human.  I know, silly comment, but he is.  He does make small errors in delivery and instead of retaping, they include those and he recovers nicely.  I like this because it is more like being in a real classroom.  Additionally, Dwayne has a good sense of humor.  He has little quirky jokes throughout that make us laugh while watching the segments. Additionally, he encourages the students to interact with him during each segment.  While he can’t talk back directly, the appropriate pauses are provided to let the student answer aloud the questions he poses.

Visual Latin | A Quick Explanation from Compass Cinema on Vimeo.

4.    The worksheets – each worksheet for each segment is simple but really enforces the lesson learned.  My son and I read through the worksheets together and really discuss the grammar principles in addition to the terms.  They aren’t overwhelming for a student.

5.  English connections – when a word is given in Latin, Dwayne always makes a point of illustrating words that we use in English that come from that original word.  For example, sylva means forest and Pennsylvania means Penn’s forest.  These are the connections I want my son to make and why we are studying Latin.

6.  Faith - the lessons incorporate faith.  The readings include scripture or biblical instruction.  We value the fact that this facet of the learning has been incorporated.  Additionally, because my children know the biblical stories, they are excited to learn the Latin phrases for these words.  Example - Deus - God, angelus - angel, caelum - sky or heaven. 

We were able to review the first ten lessons.  I’m already looking at getting the next set of lessons.  We have done Latin at home before.  My older son took Latin one, and my youngest, who is doing Visual Latin now, has taken a Greek/Latin vocabulary class.  These videos are a great intermediary between just vocabulary and a high school level course.

If this interests you, check out the first six lessons for free here. 

You can download all of the worksheets for free here.
You can download a vocabulary sheet for free here. 

Be sure to Like Timberdoodle on Facebook to see their great giveaways and other awesome products they offer and take a look at their catalog of homeschool products!

*** Legal Disclosure: As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free Visual Latin free in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

Recipe #1 - Quick and Tangy Roast Beef Sandwiches

Well, they turned out pretty good.  The recipe is very easy.  It's really just a sauce to cook the roast beef in.  They end up tasting a bit like Arby's Roast Beef sandwiches with Arby's Sauce on them, though not quite as tangy. 

The family wasn't all that in to these.  They were liked, but the hubby said they would have been just as good with just roast beef and maybe au jus.   Personally, I really liked the taste.

I finished off the meal with some of Nana's green beans and some brown rice (not the healthy kind, the Southern kind).  Yum! 

For dessert - chocolate filled croissants.  I did use low fat croissants, but, let's be serious, these were so good they were definitely bad. 

Diet blown, but it was Yummy!

Dinner for a Week - Trying Out My New Cookbook

A dear friend sent me two cookbooks recently - Campbell's and Hershey's.  Yum!  I decided I needed to testdrive several of the Campbell's recipes this week.  We've been in an "eat-out" slump with our busy schedules.  I want some home cooking! 

So, here are the recipes I'm going to try out.  Almost all of these can be made using healthy or reduced calorie/fat ingredients, so I'm hoping I can enjoy them right along with the family.  Making two separate dinners is getting old quick!  Additionally, what I love about this cookbook is that most of the ingredients are what I already have on hand!  Yay!  Nothing too fancy or exotic - just normal pantry supplies.  Love it!

I tried to pick a mixture of flavors - chicken, roast beef, pork, etc.  I'm not sure the order I'll cook these in.  It will depend on what we are doing that evening.  Care to try some of these with me?  Each title is a link to the recipe.  Enjoy!

Hearty Sausage and Rice Casserole

Roast Pork with Green Apples and Golden Squash

Quick and Tangy Roast Beef Sandwiches

Savory Pot Roast

Easy Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Creamy Tuscan Bean & Chicken Soup

Slim Down Sunday Meme - Week 10

Whether you want to lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds or 100 pounds – it always helps to have support from those around you.

Goal – lose 20 pounds   

Pounds Lost (Week 9) – Unsure - probably gained some.  Had lost 15.5.

How it Went This Week:

This week has been a real mixed bag for me.  We've had a VERY hectic schedule, and a my middle son's 14th birthday.  Eating out has been the only way to get dinner most nights.  I've been pretty good.  I gave up on the cleanse - I realized my diet stress was coming from that.  A knee-jerk revolt to being WAY overlimited.  I am still taking the psyllium and the charcoal as I've seen benefits from doing that.  Additionally, I've added back in some foods I enjoy.  If I can find what I can eat and maintain where I'm at, then I'll know a little more reduction will restart weightloss.  That and the Couch to 5K.  I've not done well with that this week because of the schedule, but we did have two strenuous TKD workouts and I ran once.  Am going to run three times next week.  I want to wait for the hubby, but if I do that and something comes up in the evening, it doesn't happen.  That's what happened to us this week. 

What’s my Plan for next Week:

I'm going to keep up with the Couch to 5K.  I'm amazed - I've only been doing it for two weeks and already see a difference in my endurance at our TKD practices.  Looking forward to signing up for a real 5K in a month or so!

Continue to watch my intake of food.  This next week should be THAT week, so probably won't weigh, but I will try to be mindful of what I eat.

So - what is your favorite recipe for indulging without bulging?

We have a Winner - Michelle S. wins the Sixty Minute Shakespeare...

 

Congratulations to Michelle Smith!
You have won the Sixty Minute Shakespeare giveaway.

(I use Random.org to select a winner.)

Please leave me a comment with your email and home addresses so I can have your prize sent to you.  The comment will NOT be published.  Congratulations! 

Have a blessed day, All!

Review - AIMS Area Formulas for Parallelograms, Triangles, & Trapezoids

Aims – Area Formulas for Parallelograms, Triangles, & Trapezoids

Grades:  6^th to 8^th

Cost:  $9.95
Web site: http://store.aimsedu.org/aims_store/essential-math/

There is A LOT going on in this book.  When I first opened it and started thinking about using it with my boys, I was a little overwhelmed.  They have packed all the learning strategies into each lesson.

The book comes with a CD that allows you to show animations for each lesson, print out PDF’s and go through the included comics frame by frame.  What is particularly appealing about the CD is the fact that all the content is printable allowing the text to be used for multiple students rather than being written in and used only once.  As homeschoolers that want to use a text for each of our children, this is a great benefit!  The structure is intended for a classroom rather than a homeschool, but the format works for both.  A co-op would really benefit from this structure as well.

Each lesson has the following components:

·         Investigations – hand’s on exploration of the topic.  In this case, shapes like parallelograms are placed on geoboards or cut up so that the student can understand that they can be dissected into simpler shapes in order to use simple formulas to calculate area.

• Comics – Each comic discusses the lesson in an engaging and fun way that is appealing to students.  There are frame by frame videos of the comics that can be used so that the student focuses on one step at a time.

• Animation and Video – I found the high quality of the animations and videos to be really impressive.  A lot of work went into making the animations and videos clear and engaging.  This was one of our favorite features of the text.

• Problem Solving – Students are given worksheets that provide an opportunity to practice what they have learned and demonstrate their knowledge.  Each worksheet is challenging and thorough.  I found them to be an excellent way to reevaluate if my student really understood the concept or not.

• Assessments – I’m a believer in assessments.  I think as homeschoolers we need to “test” our students to ensure they are understanding the material and to expose them to the concept of testing.  The assessments provided help the student in both of these areas

As I stated initially, there is a LOT going on in this short textbook.  I’m very impressed with the quality of the materials and videos, especially so since this book costs less than $10.  This particular book contains fifteen days or three weeks worth of lessons.  To preview the Table of Contents and the first pages of the text, click here.   I feel that the depth of coverage of the subject matter along with the multiple intelligences approach to learning makes this an excellent investment.

To see additional reviews of this text by members of the TOS Homeschool Crew, click here.

*** I received this text free of charge as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest review.

Bil-Jac Buzz Review - My Dog is a Foodaholic!

My dog loves food!  In fact, that may be a total understatement.  She is obsessed completely, totally and utterly with food.  So, you can imagine that I felt compelled to accept the offer to review Bil-Jac dog food.  How could I not?  If she found out, she’d never let me live it down.

My first impression is that it is expensive.  As a BzzAgent, I received a coupon for a free six pound bag.  Without the coupon, I would have spent about $17.00 for that bag.  To me, that is expensive.  It’s not that I’m unwilling to spend money on our pooch, I just don’t typically spend that much money.  I was also provided with $10 off coupons to share.  I gave those out at our local homeschool co-op to others excited to try the brand.

When I opened the bag, it wasn’t what I expected.  It looked more like rabbit food than dog food.  Of course, I had gone with the weight reduction formula – my Boston is carrying around just a um…  few…  extra pounds.  I presented it to her that night just like we do her regular food.  She had no reservations about diving right in.  I’m not surprised – I’ve not seen her reject any food including bananas , watermelon, apples, etc.  She’ll eat just about anything.  So what makes Bil-Jac a better choice? 

Well… 

1.       The primary protein source is real chicken and chicken organs with no corn gluten, wheat gluten, or rice protein.

2.       Slow cooking the corn meal for over 40 minutes makes the carbohydrates more digestible producing a lower glycemic index than rice.

3.       Gentle moisture removal by vacuum drying avoids heat damage to the essential amino acids including Omega-3 and Omega-6.

Bil-Jac comes in several varieties: 

·         Sensitive Solutions

·         Select Adult

·         Reduced Fat

·         Large Breed

·         Small Breed

·         Puppy

·         Senior

·         Large Breed Puppy

·         Small Breed Puppy

·         And a variety of treats

 We decided the two bowl challenge was in order.  Presenting Daisy with both options and seeing which she would go for first.  Here are the results:

We’re going to keep feeding her this round and see how her weight responds.  We haven’t had a lot of luck with other dog foods (of course, the snacks the hubby feeds her don’t help much either).  If there is a noticeable improvement, I’ll buy another bag.

Check out Bil-Jac here  or visit them on Facebook here.

*** I received a coupon for a bag of Bil-Jac free as a BzzAgent in exchange for my honest review.

Wordless Wednesday - Fluffy Kitties

You've probably seen my kitty - he was a dumpster diver we brought home as a wee thing.  My friend's kitties, however, are giant balls of fluff.  First mine, then her two... Enjoy!

TOS Blog Hop - Not Back to School

Welcome to the TOS Crew Blog Hop! This is a chance for the Crew to discuss their approach to homeschooling and learn from one another and you!

Our first Hop discusses how we approach the "Not Back to School" time. This is when we start homeschooling our kids for the year instead of heading back to school.

How you celebrate not going back to school

I wouldn’t say we celebrate not going back to school, but I would say our attitude about kicking off the new year is totally different than when we were in public school.
In the public school years, my focus was more on who their teacher was going to be, where their classroom was, and who was in their class.  I had no control over what they would be learning, what curriculum was used, or how good their teacher was.

Now that we homeschool, our focus is on what we will be learning.  I spend hours combing through curriculum options, bouncing them off the boys, assessing them for learning styles and determining how they fit into flow of our co-op and regular days.  The boys have a say in what they learn and the mode in which they learn it. 

First day not back to school

The first day at public school was all nerves.  They worried about what they were going to wear, if they could find their classes and lockers, who was going to be there (both good and bad) and what bus number to jump on to get home.

Our first day of homeschool is much different.  Dad makes a big breakfast that we all enjoy.  Then they grab their “buckets” from the cabinets and begin setting out their new books for the year.  Prior to this day, I’ve sat down with each of them and discussed what order they want to tackle their subjects and put those in their planners.  After the first week, we reassess the flow and switch things up accordingly.  No nerves, no worrying about clothing, or cliques or bullies or busses.  I won’t say they are jumping for joy for school to start, but it’s definitely a more academically focused start to the year.

What you love about homeschooling

I could write an entire series here.  My top ten reasons I love homeschool:

1.      Choosing their academic curriculum so it fits them personally and best enables them to learn

2.      Working at their pace – faster or slower for real learning

3.      No cliques, bullies, drugs, alcohol, uninterested teachers, etc. etc.
4.      Being with them throughout the day

5.      Experiential field trips

6.      Our co-op where they learn from a teacher in a classroom with like minded peers

7.      Homeschool resources like PE, Honor Society, Gavel Club, Jets

8.      Keeping Christ in our curriculum

9.      Learning right along with them

10.  Discovering their special talents and interests and being able to foster those

What your kids love about homeschooling  ( I asked them)

1. On our own schedule
2. Limited homework – get it done during the day
3. Breaks can be as short or as long as we want
4. Enjoying classes
5. Ability to learn at home
6. Can read with the dog
7. Use devices like computers and IPads
8. Do work on the computer like math
9. No teacher workdays – longer real breaks
10. Activities that let us socialize and have friends
11. More time with family
12. Can snack during class
13. Make your own lunches
14. Can go on exciting trips as fieldtrips
15. Learning languages (German, Latin, Spanish)