Friday, March 29, 2013

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • In my life this week…

We have been in completely chaos
this week…
Lots of construction going on here..
Been super busy this week too..
Got lots of things accomplished…
My life has been a complete roller coaster this week

  • In our homeschool this week…

We are still on vacation, probably will be for a  few more
weeks.. We need to finish our new school room
before we can start back up.

However, we still have been doing
Co-op, and we are volunteering
at a local museum.

Plus my kids have been reading
lots still, and we have
been studying up on some
archeology stuff.

  • Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Make a plan for the new year,
get your ducks in a row,
and be ready!

 

  • I am inspired by…

my children and the things they love!

 

 

  • Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week we will be going to the Library,
Scouts, Co-op, volunteering at the museum again,
more scouts, and maybe a movie.

  • My favorite thing this week was…

finishing up Little Monkey’s room.. it looks
so good!

 

 

  • What’s working/not working for us…

Taking a break while our house is being
torn apart

 

  • Questions/thoughts I have…

Where do you buy most of your
curriculum?

 

 

  • Things I’m working on…

finishing up some painting,
and sheet rocking..

 

  • I’m reading…

I’m working on a new series by Debbie Macomber

 

 

  • I’m cooking…

Tonight we are going to try a new chicken penne broccoli bake

 

 

  • I’m grateful for…

The amazing people and things in my life!

 

 

  • A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

My beautiful girl before her
Father Daughter Dance

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

1 done, 5 more to go…

 

We finally finished Little Monkey’s room. . .  Yes, we are done!!!

It was a long few weeks, but we finished it. I have to say I think it came out really nice. She is so excited with it, and couldn’t wait to sleep in her room.

 

Here are the pictures of the finished room. . .

 

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Looking in

 

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The corner

 

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Winter for Mitten Fluff and Stuff

 

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With her new bed set

 

 

 

Now we are moving on to Middle Monkey’s room, and it will be transformed into a Tinkerbell Fairyland! Stay tuned. . . . . . . .

 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

TOS Crew Review: Adventus MusIQ Reveiw



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First off I have to say I was SO SO Excited when we got the chance to review MusIQ HomeSchool by Adventus.  I was never musically inclined, so I wanted my children to have the chance to try different things. My Monkeys believe it or not are very musical. My middle monkey loves to sing, and if given proper lessons (voice lessons are hard to come by around here) then she would do amazing I believe. My youngest also likes to sing, but is also very good with the piano. My son has just amazed everyone. . . he doesn’t strike you as the piano player but does so good. My oldest and youngest have been taking piano lessons for a year now. They have been doing really well, but due to the cost, I can’t do lessons as often as I would like.

That is were MusIQ Homeschool comes in. Now they can practice more at home, and still do piano lessons.

About MusIQ Homeschool:
I’m sure your thinking what does MusIQ Homeschool have to offer. Well, it’s a seven-year curriculum that includes more than twenty lessons. Ranging from beginner to advanced intermediate. The program is broken down into. . .
  • Early Curriculum for Ages 4-10
    - Children’s Music Journey Volume 1
    -Children’s Music Journey Volume 2
    -Children’s Music Journey Volume 3
    -Beginner Level 1 Lesson Plans
  • Multi-Level for Ages 10+
    -Piano Suite Premier
    -Ear Training Coach 1&2
    -Ear Training Coach 3&4

You can use MusIQ Homeschool a couple of different ways. You can get the monthly prescription that is $10.95. Or you can purchase the CD-Rom or Download. If you purchase it, the nice thing is you can use it for multiple children in your home. Which is a big plus for anyone with more than one child!


Prices For CD-Rom / Download:
- MusIQ Homeschool Early Curriculum Year 1-3 Bundle with Piano Keyboard is $309.95
-Year 1 Quick Start Bundle with Piano Keyboard is $169.95
-Year 1 with Lesson Plans is $69.95
-Year 2 with Lesson Plans is $69.95
-Year 3 with Lesson Plans is $69.95
-Year 1,2,3 with Keyboard is $279.80
-Year 1,2,3 is $179.95
-You can buy Lesson Plans only for $29.95
You do need a MIDI Keyboard to use the program though. You can purchase one through Adventus.
You can also try a free 7-day trial here.


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What you will find in Children’s Music Journey:
In 3 volumes of Children’s Music Journey you will find 95 interactive lessons. Each lesson is taught by one of the following composers, Beethoven, Bach, Joplin, Mendelssohn, Villa—Lobo's, Satie, Dvorak, Mozart, Beach, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Chopin, Scarlatti, Haydn, Bartok, Chaminade, Debussy, and Schumann.  Then they get 95 practice sessions, 150 Learn  to play songs and famous pieces, 30 games to help reinforce theory, Composing and Improvising.

How we used this program:
My monkeys used this program twice a week. . . it suggests 1 lesson a week, but mine are way to eager! My two monkeys are 8, 10. Here is how a weekly lesson goes:
  • 25 Minutes (approx.)
  • History Time/Rhythm 10-15 min
  • Improvisation 5-7 min
  • Closing 2-5 min



What we thought:
I used this on both my Monkey’s, even though Monkey Man is almost 11. I wanted to make sure we were starting at the right place. So he has just been going a bit faster than little monkey.
Little Monkey loved this program and really wants to use it all the time. Which has helped our “normal” piano lessons a lot! I’m very happy about this!
Monkey Man, has enjoyed doing this as well. He already loves piano lessons, but this has helped him to practice, and get better in areas he wasn’t over confident in. He will go through Children’s Music Journey quite quickly, but we will move him on to Premiere Suite as soon as he finishes.
My kids fight over who is going to start every time we do this curriculum. They both want to go “first”! 
I have always wanted a crack at playing the piano, so I decided to give it a try! I was very happy with how easy it was to use, and that I truly enjoyed it. I can see why my kids are having so much fun with it.
This is absolutely one of our most favorite reviews so far this year! We will certainly be using it for years to come!!!

See what the rest of the TOS Crew is saying about this product.


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Friday, March 22, 2013

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

  • In my life this week…
    Has been crazy…
    Weird, and tiring..

    We had a snow day,
    grouchy day,
    not feeling to good day…

    We painted,
    made snow forts,
    did some school..
    and enjoyed each other.

  • In our homeschool this week…
    We are still on vacation,
    but worked on some reviews..
    The kids have been getting some
    School in, in the mornings with Professor Noggin
    trivia games..
    Went to Co-op,
    and Monkey Man did an interview with
    a lady from the local museum for creative writing class this week.

    They had 4H,
    and Monkey Man is doing
    Merit Badge training tomorrow.

    You?

  • Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
    Don’t follow the crowd,
    make your school experience your own.

  • I am inspired by…
    My lovely friends…

  • Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
    This week we are going to
    be going to scouts,
    dance, Math Night,
    Piano, Co-op, and
    scouts again..

  • My favorite thing this week was…
    finishing off Little Monkey’s Room..
    Pictures to come..

  • What’s working/not working for us…
    Taking our break while we have a house of
    construction going on…

  • Questions/thoughts I have…
    How does your school year go?

  • Things I’m working on…
    Lots of construction going on..
    painting and more painting

  • I’m reading…
    Working on the last book in
    The Virgin River Series..

  • I’m cooking…
    We are having homemade Pizza for dinner tonight..

  • I’m grateful for…
    The time I have with my family, because you never know
    what tomorrow will bring. 

  • A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
    Here is a sneak peek of Little Monkey’s Room

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TOS Crew Review: Classical Academic Press, The Art of Poetry

 

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After learning about Poetry for the last couple months in our Homeschool Co-op, I decided that it would be really good to go a bit more in depth with Monkey Man about it. I’m not so sure he was totally on board, but being an avid reader I told him to give it a try. So when I got the opportunity to review Classical Academic Press and their program The Art of Poetry it was a no brainer for me.

I don’t know about you, but Poetry is not a subject that I find easy to teach. Sure, I can show them the basic Haiku, and Rhyming poems. But when it comes right down to helping them understand the meaning of poems, and more, I’m not your girl.

We received the Student Text, Teacher’s Edition, and the first disc of the DVD series (this includes chapters 1 & 2).

 

What is “The Art of Poetry":

It is a program designed for middle and high school students. In the curriculum it teaches about different elements of poetry. Some of those topic’s include, imagery, metaphor, symbols, how to read poems, and the history of forms.

 

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Inside the student textbook you will find 16 chapters. They are broken down like this. . . Chapter Topic, Learning to Read Closely, Anthology, Activities, and Vocabulary. The book is written by Christine Perrin. She is a poet, and she also has experience in teaching literature and writing.

 

 

 

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The Teacher’s Edition is huge. I was very overwhelming upon first looking at it. As I looked through it more and more, I was very impressed with the wealth of information in it. I chose to sit and do this study with Monkey Man. So, it was nice to review the night before and see what we were going to be discussing.  I really think the Teacher’s Edition in this case is a definite must have!

 

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The Art of Poetry DVD was just the first 2 chapters. We watched it to help gain knowledge on how to work through the book. Since I was doing the book with Monkey Man, we both found that we don’t think we would use the DVD. If you were going to have older high school students doing this independently then this would be a good asset. We also found the DVD to be a bit long, it started to lose Monkey Man’s attention.

 

How we used the program:

There are a few different ways you can use this program. The suggested schedules are 1 year (32 weeks), Half year (16 weeks), or as a Four year (poetry appreciation course). We started it out as an everyday thing for the review. . . However, it quickly became a struggle to keep Monkey Man going. I think that this is a very intense course for middle school. Therefore, we backed down to a lesson a week. So we could have more time to discuss things, go over it, and not feel pushed. This seemed to get him back into the swing of it.

 

 

Our Thoughts:

Monkey Man really enjoyed reading some of the poetry and learning more about it. While he is not a avid poetry fan, he is learning to appreciate it a bit more. He wrote a few pieces during this review time, but he did not feel comfortable sharing with more than just me yet.

I really think this is a great program, and have enjoyed it right along with him. That is one thing that I love about being a Homeschooling mom, is getting to learn right along beside my children. The Teacher’s Edition is an absolute must, but also helped me with discussing the poems with Monkey Man. Sometimes, it just boosted me enough to start our own discussions.

We will continue with the book and are looking forward to what we can learn. One of the things both of us would have liked to seen differently though, was the books being spiral bound, so we could look at them easier while writing.

 

Pricing & Contact Info:

 

The Art of Poetry Bundle – $124.95 (Effective April 1, 2013, it will be $99.95)

The Art of Poetry Student Book- $24.95

Teacher Edition- $29.95

DVD Set – $89.95 (Effective April 1, 2013, it will be $69.95)

 

You can order from there website www.classicalacademicpress.com

 


See what the rest of the TOS Crew is saying!

 

 

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

PAAS Easter Egg Dye Kits Review:

 

 

What is your favorite part of the Holiday’s?

 

Mine is to make cool crafts, decorations, and spend lots of fun time with my family. So when we were offered a chance to review PAAS Easter Egg Dyeing Kits, I was all over it.

 

This year PAAS and Heniz is raising money for Make-A-Wish Foundation. Every time someone decorates and shares an Easter egg with family and friends using the free app, you can find here. They will donate a $1, up to $25,000 to Make-A-Wish now through March 31st.

 

EggDecorator
Here is the egg I made for Make-A-Wish!

 

 

PAAS has seven new egg decorating kits.

  • Volcano Eggsplosion
  • Marble
  • Touch of Velvet
  • Oh So Chic
  • Egg Stampers
  • Grip’ n Dip
  • and more!

 

We love decorating eggs! This year we are going to try to cook our eggs before hand in the oven. We have heard it’s the easiest way to do it. Have you tried that yet?!

 

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PAAS says to get the brightest, most vivid colors, add one tablet and three tablespoons of Heinz distilled white vinegar. Once the tablet has dissolved, add 1/2 cup water and stir gently. Also, a little trick to keep your eggs from cracking, add two tablespoons of Heniz distilled white vinegar per quart of water before placing eggs in pot.

 

Did you know that every year Americans dye more than 180 million eggs during Easter season?! I did not! That is a lot of eggs!!

 

A couple weeks before Easter, we decided to get out the eggs and have some fun! We have no lack of eggs in this house, since we have chickens. So making a few dozen was no biggie! Being big crafty people, we love to have fun with our creations. My hubby loves to get really artistic too!  I love to make such fun memories with my kids. I couldn’t wait to have fun with them!

 

Here are some photo’s of some of our creations!

 

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We had a really fun time! The kids got right into it. You can purchase PAAS egg decorating kits at most major grocery stores, drug stores, and mass market stores. They range in price from $1.99 to $4.25.

 

 

 

* We were given free product samples for review from Heniz and PAAS. All opinions are 100% mine or my monkeys.

 

Friday, March 15, 2013

TOS Crew: Essentials in Writing

 

 

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Are you a writer? I have always wanted to be a good writer, but I have to tell you I am convinced that you are either born with it, or not. Since school was not a pleasant experience for me, they put me in the dumbest class they could, to slide me through. I was never taught the right way to do a book report, essay, research paper, or any of the kinds of writing there is. To this day, I struggle with it. Just writing my blog is a struggle for me, since I’m not clever with words, or know the proper places for commas, conjunctions, etc. I want more for my kids. When we got the chance to review Essentials in Writing, I was thinking Absolutely!!

My son is getting up there. Can you believe he is in 6th grade?! I can’t! Where has the time gone… but I digress. I love learning right along side of him. He hates writing, and I have to say it is not one of my favorite subjects either. With that being said though, I do want to learn the proper ways to write things. Essentials in Writing Grade 6, is for Ages 11-12.

Essentials in Writing’s goal is to help you produce confident writers. To teach how to communicate effectively with readers.

 

 

 

What they cover:

In sixth grade they learn so much.

  • Detailed sentence structure
  • additional grammar
  • additional capitalization/punctuation rules
  • proper use of a friendly letter
  • composing narrative/descriptive/expository and persuasive writing
  • five paragraph essays
  • compare and contrast writing
  • effective writing skills
  • multi-paragraph composition
  • process to complete a research project
  • and more!

 

They really touch on a lot of different things. I was really impressed with the amount of material they cover.

 

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How we used it:

The DVD covers 68 lessons, and the workbook has 213 pages. It is intended to be used 1 lesson a day. Since we don’t do school on Fridays (we make it a fun day), we used it 4 times a week. They don’t really give you a time table per say. As if your student doesn’t understand it, you shouldn’t move on.

Monkey Man started with lesson one, by watching the video. Each video is taught by the author, Matthew Stephens. Video’s are only 5-10 minutes long. The first lesson does not have an assignment, since it is just an introduction to get familiar with the program. I won’t lie, that he was excited he didn’t have to do any work.

We have completed the first 10 lessons. As we had to spend a bit more time on a couple, because he didn’t understand a few things. Therefore, a few days we spent on the same lesson reviewing.

 

 

 

Our Thoughts:

I like as a teacher the set up. They give you a syllabus to go by, so you can see what is coming up. I always review the information for the next day, so I know what he will be working on. Then I can help him, if he gets stuck. I did find that I was a bit disappointed with the lessons. I didn’t think that they want over the material enough. I also was not a fan of how fast they go into the next lesson. Before my son could stop the DVD it was on the next lesson. Other than that, I think that the base is a great program.

Monkey Man liked that he could watch the lessons on TV. The visual that was shown, helped him a lot to. When he reads things in the book, he doesn’t always connect the dots (sort of speak). I think this seems to be working a bit better for him. He likes that the bigger assignments are broken down into smaller pieces, so he doesn’t feel overwhelmed like he has in the past. He is still a reluctant writer, but he seems to be coming a long way. He told me while it is not his favorite subject, he did like this curricula better than the last one we used.

 

 

 

Prices:

Sixth Grade DVD with printable worksheets/answer key – $40
Printed workbook – $20

 

 

 

Contact Info:

You can purchase products from www.essentialsinwriting.com

You can reach them at 417-256-4191

Or email them at info@essentialsinwriting.com

 

 

 

 


See what the rest of the TOS Crew is saying about this product.

 

 

 

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The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

  • In my life this week…

We have been super busy!!!

We had scouts..
Appointments..
Grocery Shopping trips..
Renovating…
visits with friends..

BUSY!

 

  • In our homeschool this week…

We are still on vacation,
but we have been working on some of our
TOS Reviews still,
along with Co-op…
Back to school soon!

 

 

  • Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Plan, and Plan some more.
I find having your stuff all planned out
you are much more organized, and
things go smoother!

 

 

  • I am inspired by…

My children every day!
They teach me new things, and
remind me to take time to enjoy
LIFE!

 

 

  • Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Next week, I’m hoping will be a bit calmer…
We have scouts, Library
Doc Appt, going to a play..
and more renovations to do!

 

  • My favorite thing this week was…

Visiting with my dad..
I don’t get to see him much.

 

 

  • What’s working/not working for us…

Embracing spring as it approaches!

 

 

  • Questions/thoughts I have…

Do you buy all your curriculum new?

 

 

  • Things I’m working on…

Finishing Little Monkey’s room…
I should be done next week..
Look for more pictures to come!

 

  • I’m reading…

The newest Debbie Macomber book…
that I got in my House Party Pack.
Comes out April 2nd..

 

  • I’m cooking…

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 

  • I’m grateful for…

The amazing opportunities that have come to us recently!

 

 

 

  • A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Still can’t believe she is 8!!!

 

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Purex Insiders Review: Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends





Cereal is in high demand around my house. What about yours? I can buy 12 boxes a month, and still run out in a few weeks. I finally had to get my kids to get more creative with their breakfast. However, when I do get cereal. I like to get something that is super tasty, yet good for you. Won’t find any Cocoa Pebbles in this house.

Recently we got the chance to try out Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends. What is Tropical about it? Well this has a crispy mango flavored flake combined with real coconut shavings and coconut flavored granola clusters. It has 10g of whole grain, 120 calories, and only 6g of sugar! You get 9 essential vitamins and minerals, 4 wholesome grains, and is heart healthy!

I will be honest with you… I never got a chance to try this cereal. My kids devoured it within a few days of it arriving. Which, I suppose is a great sign, cause it means they loved it right?!
My son described it as crunchy fruit! Ha-ha! I thought that was unique. They are not usually fans of tropical cereals, but they really do love this cereal. They have asked me to replace it already! All three monkey’s said it was amazingly delicious!

Would you like to try it?
a Rafflecopter giveaway



* Post provided a free sample of their Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends so I could write a review. All opinions are 100% mine or my monkeys.

TOS Crew: TouchMath Review



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You know, I never realized how hard it would be to find the perfect math for my child. Better yet, how differently each one of my kids would learn it. I have been struggling with Little Monkey this year. When we got offered the chance to review TouchMath , I jumped on it.

Little Monkey is currently using TouchMath’s 2nd Grade Math. We have been using it for a little over a month, and enjoy it. Here are the reasons why Little Monkey was struggling before hand. She unlike most children I have ever seen, refuses to use her hands when trying to count. Not that I encourage this, but when starting out I feel this helps a little. Needless to say we were getting frustrated trying to get our number facts down.

What is TouchMath:
TouchMath was developed over 30 years ago. It is a multisensory math program. Children learn the number and the touch point. This really helps children with auditory, visual, and tactile based learning. This video shows you how the counting processes is taught.




You can even get a DVD training video that will walk you through step by step to help teach. You can find that here.

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Now, I’m sure your wondering what comes with this program. For each unit download you receive all of what is listed above. They break each year into 4 units, which are then broken down into modules. Here are the units in the second grade program.


  • Adding and Subtracting Within 50
  • Adding and Subtracting Within 100
  • Adding and Subtracting Within 1,000
  • Time, Money, Measurement, Data, and Geometry


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How we used it:
First off Little Monkey was so excited when the box arrived with our manipulatives. As I was opening the box, she was right over my shoulder looking to see what was in there. We received the FlipCards, and the Touch Numerals. There was no holding her off, so we opened up the Touch Numerals right away. I explained to her how they work, showed the touch points for each number, and how you count. She went right to work, trying to remember them.
The next day, we started in on the program. She completed half of the first module in the first day. She didn’t want to stop! I was stunned, I didn’t have to fight her at all.
The program suggests using it everyday. The amount of time each day depends on your child. They say to spend 2-2 1/2 times your child’s age. So for Little Monkey it would be around 16-20 minutes per day.
So, we spent around 20 minutes 4 days a week on this program. (We take Fridays off for fun school) This worked perfectly for us, because Little Monkey has a better attention span than most. She really would have spent more time on this if I let her. On days that she wanted to spend more time on it, we would spend time with the Touch Numerals, and FlipCards.

What I liked about it:
I’m not good at math by any stretch of the imagination! Of course, that doesn’t mean that I can’t do simple addition. As they go up though, I become worse and worse of a helper.
I really like that the program is laid out nicely for you. Here is what you will find in each module:
  • Listing of all activity sheet topics and module contents
  • Overview with vocabulary and resources
  • Page-by-page instructions with answer keys
  • Content review with posttest instructions
  • Module closure instructions
  • Progress monitoring record

So I would print each lesson out at the beginning of the week, and go over it. I would get any resources, or things that we needed to help with our lesson before we started. I liked to look it over before presenting it to her. Then I was ready on the day of the lesson. I had all the things I needed in front of me. The work is pretty much all done for you, which I love. With my busy life, that makes it easier for me. I also loved the progress record, so I could see where she struggled. I have all of this in a binder for her, and then in my teachers binder I have the progress record, and answer sheets.

Prices:
2nd Grade Downloads – $59.95 per unit
Buy all 4 units at once – $199.95
Flip Cards – $19.00 per box
Touch Numerals – $99.00



Last thoughts:
I really think this is a great program. It is well laid out. It really helps those that are tactile learners, or even just a child that might be struggling a bit. We are only a few weeks in, so I’m not 100% sure, but I really think this is what Little Monkey needed to get over the hump. She seems to be responding well. She hasn’t complained and seems to really love this program, and always eager to do it. The cost is a bit more than we would normal pay for a program. However, I do think it is worth the money if nothing else works. Also, the cost can come down a bit, if you for go the manipulative. They are nice, and do reinforce the learning, but are not absolutely necessary. Overall I am very happy with this product!

Contact Info:
You can purchase there products at – www.touchmath.com
Find them on Facebook here.
Find them on Twitter here.
They can be reached at 1-800-888-9191

You can see what other TOS Crew members are saying.


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Monday, March 11, 2013

TOS Crew: ARTistic Pursuits Review



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There are just some subjects that come easier to teach when you are a homeschool parent. Like for me, I am good at teaching Reading, History, and Science. While I struggle with things like Math, Art, Music, and English. In the past we have reviewed ARTistic Pursuits elementary art.

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Recently we got the chance to review their products again. This time we chose to review ARTistic Pursuits elementary 4-5th Book One: The Elements of Art and Compositions. My kids have always liked art. My Middle Monkey is really good at drawing, and amazes me everyday. My youngest, while not as good at portions still does a great job, with color, etc. Monkey Man is not the best artist, but loves to try to learn new styles.

ARTistic Pursuits elementary 4-5 book one,  has 92 pages, with 68 lessons. They suggest to use the book twice a week, for an hour. I try to always set aside at least an hour to do our art class, so we have plenty of time and don’t have to rush. While this book is designed in a way that the child can do it independently, Monkey Man and I always read the introduction to the lesson together. (I secretly love learning about the Art History with him)

This book is meant to teach children who want to draw more realistically, but isn’t quite sure where to start that process. Any 4th and 5th grade student can start this book, even if they have no previous knowledge of art. Upon completion of this book your child, will have learned skills like…
  • Pencil Drawing
  • Scratch Art
  • and using markers
While learning about artists like…
  • Remington
  • Audubon
  • Copley
  • and more…
They will also learn how to add texture to their drawings, and use lines.

How we used this product:
As soon as this book arrived, I was excited to see what we needed to get started. For the first few units we needed to get Ebony pencils, Vinyl Erasers, Metal pencil sharpener, Sketch pad for drawing, and a Paper sack.
I had most of the things on hand, so I’ll I needed to pick up was a new sketch pad for him. I did that in the first couple of days, and then we went to work. I used this on my oldest which is Monkey Man. He is finishing up 5th grade, and getting ready to start 6th. Since, he has not had a lot of art this book worked perfect for him.
He was eager to start as well. The first lesson is learning about space, which is something I think most kids struggle with. Knowing where to start drawing and such. The first assignment was to draw a simple object. Monkey man chose to draw my water bottle. Here it is. . . 


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The second unit was on space as well. Going a little further in depth with what they need to learn. His second assignment was to draw a scene from his imagination. He struggled a bit more with this. After a day or so, he finally sat down, and picked up his pencil. While its not quite what I was looking for, he is coming along. He choose to draw a hand with a goblet.

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What we think of this product:

Monkey Man really likes this program. He never fights me to use it, or his assignments. We have enjoyed this program, and plan to keep using it. We are even looking into getting the next level.
I love that I can do it with them, or if I am in a rush that day he can pick up the book and use it without me. He has no problem reading the information or doing the work.
If you use the book a couple of times a week, then the book will last 32 weeks, which is almost a whole school year.

Product Info:
Book: ARTistic Pursuits, Elementary 4-5 Book One: The Elements of Art & Composition. 92 pgs.
Price: $47.95
Phone: (303)-467-0504

See what other crew members are saying about this product!


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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Horrid Henry Movie Review:

 

As a busy family, we are always looking for new movies to plan an easy movie at home. Nothing better than curling up with my monkeys on a Friday night, and watching a movie after a super busy week. What about you?!

 

After getting a really cool package in the mail, the kids were psyched to have a movie night. Along with the movie “Horrid Henry: The Movie” we got a hand buzzer, chattering teeth, and a Horrid Henry book. Plus $25 Gift Card for Walmart, to get goodies to go with our movie night.

 

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About the Movie:

Horrid Henry: The Movie, is based on the popular children’s book series of the same name. It stars Theo Stevenson, as the major character. Henry is always getting himself into mischievous situations without even trying. He hates to do homework like any child, and it just stems from there. In the end Henry finds himself trying to save the very school he claims to hate.

This movie is an English family movie. Directed by Nick Moore, and has a great interesting cast of Theo Stevenson, Anjelica Huston, Parminder Nagra, and Richard E. Grant.

You can buy it at Walmart for $14.86.  Be sure to see more about the movie here.  This movie is a Phase 4 Film.

 

 

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Our thoughts:

We watched the movie before reading the book. The kids were to excited to watch it. Horrid Henry was a very funny, and cute movie. We love how Henry just can’t stay out of trouble. Even when he wasn’t trying any tricks that were done, people assumed it was him. Kind of reminded me of a modern day Dennis the Mence. Was a nice family movie, for us to watch together. We would suggest it to others.

 

 

 

 

*We were given a copy of the film in order to write an honest review by Team Mom. All opinions are 100% mine or my monkey’s.

 


 

Saturday, March 9, 2013

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • In my life this week…

We have been crazy busy..
Girl Scout Cookies came in on Monday, and
I helped unload 1041 cases of cookies.
Then we had dance class…
I spent all day Tuesday loading and unloading
cookies, delivering, and sorting cookies.
We had Co-op,
and then we spent Thursday and Friday at home.
Today we are spending the whole day doing
a cookie booth…

  • In our homeschool this week…

We had most of this week off, since we are in between
years..

We still attended Co-op, and did
piano, math, and writing.

Plus lots of reading…

 

  • Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Live in the moment…
don’t worry about what you think you
should be doing..

 

  • I am inspired by…

The amazing bloggers that I read…

 

 

  • Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week, we are going to be going to dance,
Scouts, Library, Co-op, and piano.

You?

 

  • My favorite thing this week was…

Spending some quality time with my kids,
not having to be on the road all day Thursday & Friday.

It was nice, knowing I didn’t have to be anywhere. And enjoying
time with them.

 

  • What’s working/not working for us…

This year doing 6 wks on, 2 wks off, worked
great for us.. and gave us plenty of time to take off
here and there.. Now, we have plenty of
time to get ready for the next upcoming year.

  • Questions/thoughts I have…

How many more days do you have left for this year?



 

  • Things I’m working on…

I am working on to many things to keep straight.
I need to finish Little Monkey’s room…

 

 

  • I’m reading…

Looking for the last book in the
Virgin River Series…
But going to catch up on Debbie MaCombers books.
I am doing a party for her newest book coming out..
(Can’t Wait)

 

 

  • I’m cooking…

I am not really sure what I am going to cook…
YOU?
I need ideas…

 

  • I’m grateful for…

All the amazing things I have in my life..

 

 

 

  • A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

The amazing cupcakes that a friend of mine made for her birthday!
Aren’t they awesome??!!

 

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Friday, March 8, 2013

Smiley 360 Review: Campbell’s Slow Kettle Style soups



I’m always looking for something to send to work with my husband that is not completely bad for him, or full of additives. That is a very hard thing to come by this day in age.
Upon receiving our free coupon to try Campbell’s Slow Kettle Style Soup, I went right out and picked up some up for my husband. I sent it to work with him the next day. For him I decided to pick up the Chicken Chili, since he has a more adventurous taste bud than me!
There are seven different Slow Kettle Style Soups to choose from:
  • Chicken Chili
  • Braised Beef Stew
  • Tomato & Sweet Basil Bisque
  • Tuscan Style Chicken & White Bean
  • Portabella Mushroom & Madeira Bisque
  • Roasted Chicken & Chardonnay
  • Kickin’ Crab & Sweet Corn Chowder

These soups are made with the highest quality ingredients and combined in creative ways. My husband really enjoyed the Chicken Chili.. he said it was very tasty, and full of flavor. He is very anxious to try out another one. I want to try the Braised Beef Stew, and the Kickin’ Crab & Sweet Corn Chowder. We found these were great for the winter season.


What one would you like to try?
a Rafflecopter giveaway



*I was given free samples of the product by Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. All opinions will be 100% mine and my monkey’s.

Little Monkey’s Room…

 

 

So with spring in the air… I’m on a big organizational kick. After our renovation last year, we have been trying to get everything where it needs to be. We are still trying to get the room dry walled and painted. Only taking a year, to get this far. LOL!

 

There was no shortage of ideas when the kids new were were going to paint their rooms. Little Monkey decided she wanted a Lala Loopsy room. I’m no artist that I assure you! I am a stick figure, paint by number kind of mom. Ha-ha! After some deliberation we decided to make a scene on her walls, with sky, hills, tree’s, and flowers. Then we bought the Lala Loopsy people wall stickers, so we don’t have to paint them. We are not completely done yet, but we are getting there.. Here are some pictures of what we have started.

 

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After Little Monkey’s room is done, we will start on Middle Monkey’s room. She wants a Tinkerbell room, with spring, summer, fall, and winter. She wants a winter side with Periwinkle, which is Tinkerbell’s sister from the new movie. That should be really interesting….

 

Monkey man is another whole story. He wants a Greek Mythology room, with columns, Greek gods, and the whole works! Have not figured out how I am going to pull that one off. It should be really interesting to say the least. I will however, be sure to keep you posted.

 

Then when all that is done, I have a living room, and my bedroom to figure out. Plus we are finishing off our attic, to put our school room in. I’m going to be all decorated out by fall. Ha-ha!!

 

What fun spring projects are you up to?

Friday, March 1, 2013

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

  • In my life this week…

We have been pretty crazy..

Started with day with my mom and gram..
we had an appt, and then went to lunch.

The next day we had a few appts for
Little Monkey… and then we took her and Monkey Man to lunch

Middle of the week was kinda of strange
since everything got canceled due to a storm approaching.

The snow storm didn’t amount to as much as
they were saying, but was wet and sticky! 
So the kids spent a couple days playing in the snow..

Had Piano lessons, painted, and got a new
washer and dryer.

The end of the week was crazy.. Monkey Man had
Pinewood Derby, and we had a birthday party.. I had
a Girl Scout meeting

 

 

  • In our homeschool this week…

In school this week,
we have been finishing up some things..
We didn’t quite get everything I wanted done,
so officially next week we will have completed our
180 days of school.

Little Monkey is loving her new math (#TouchMath look for the review soon)
They are both excited to use the new keyboard we bought, and try
out another new program.
Monkey Man is doing good with his #Essentials in Writing

I’m searching for a new math program for him, but
other than that, we are ready to start our new year,
sometime in March.

 

  • Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Don’t be afraid to march to the beat of  your own drum!

 

  • I am inspired by…

Others around me.. to always strive to do better..

 

  • Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week, is going to be another crazy week
I think..

I’ll be unloading hundreds of cases of cookies on Monday!

We will be going to Dance, Boy Scouts, Library,
doc appts, Co-op, and 4H.

Plus the girls and I will be doing a Cookie Booth next weekend!

 

 

  • My favorite thing this week was…

watching my kiddo’s play outside in the snow..
Love to see them having fun.

 

  • What’s working/not working for us…

Our schedule this past year, of 6wks on 2wks off,
seemed to work really well for us. I think we
will be staying with it.

 

  • Questions/thoughts I have…

When did you know decide that homeschooling
right through High School was what you wanted to do?

 

 

  • Things I’m working on…

I’m working on far to many projects right now..
Trying to rearrange my Homeschool Area
Painting rooms, and organizing.

 

  • I’m reading…

Still reading the “Virgin River Series” on the last few

 

  • I’m cooking…

Taco’s for dinner… YUM!

 

 

  • I’m grateful for…

Not losing my mind these last few days… Smile