Encouragement Along The Way

Mmmm Soapy Scents...

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:04:00 +0000

Do you love receiving packages in the mail? How about sweet, yummy smelling ones? Well that's what you'll get when you order from Virgina Soaps and Scents. Since I have made soap before, I am familiar with the process and ingredients. Soaps made of natural oils are so much better for your skin.

I received the Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, Coconut Lemongrass and Fresh Orange scented trial-sized soap bars. YUM! YUM! YUM! They just smelled scrumptious! I love using natural soap! Once you try some, you will find it a special treat to have in your bathroom at all times. These trial-sized bars lasted the whole week.

The Spargur Family has created a great product that you will love! This family started their entrepreneurial journey after a history lesson inspired them.

In their own words:
Most of us have grown up calling the rectangular thing in the shower stall soap, when most likely it's not - it's probably detergent. You see, during World War II the glycerin in fats was needed to make armaments. Women turned in their scrap cooking fats to support the war effort and they learned to use oleo margarine and detergent instead of butter and soap. Their patriotism was truly remarkable and inspiring, but after the war, butter and soap had to contend with those new, yet firmly entrenched products developed during wartime. Many of these products could be mass produced for much lower prices. But sometimes we do get what we pay for - like acne, dry stripped hair, suds that won't rinse out of clothes, and phosphates polluting the water - and oh, yeah - TRANS FATS!!

So what's in real soap? Oil and water bound together with sodium hydroxide. That's it. Basically, a fatty acid (the oil) combined with an alkali (the sodium hydroxide) creates a salt (the soap.) The alkali is neutralized in the reaction, leaving a cleansing, moisturizing compound we call "soap."

We use many combinations of oils in our soaps, but almost all will contain olive oil and coconut oil - in combination with other oils such as lard, cocoa butter, safflower, sunflower, canola, peanut, palm or soybean oils.

A Couple of Buys That Make Scents:

Signature Scents

$4.50 per bar, 3 bars $12.00, buy 4 get 1 free

Samples & Gifts
$18.00

I also received their Shampoo Bar. This being something totally new for me, I was anxious to try it. I want to mention that I had just dyed my hair a few days before using their Shampoo Bar. I didn't have the lather I was promised and after washing it out it left my hair feeling like it was stripped of it's oils. Either I didn't use it right by using too much or too little or it didn't work well after coloring. I tried it on another section of hair a few weeks later and it felt the same. Since this was my first time trying a product like this, I don't have any other experience to compare it to. You may want to read more reviews so you can get additional thoughts on the Virgina's Scents Shampoo Bar. I wish I had a better experience; the concept of an all-in- one in bar form sounds very practical and useful when traveling.

Did someone say Stalking Stuffers??
Share this with your husbands!

Blessings!

Disclaimer: I was given some samples from Virginia Scents to try out for this review. My thoughts are based on using their product whether positive or negative.

Timeline Aid

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:41:00 +0000

Not too long ago, I received The Amazing Bible Timeline. I opened the triangular box, unwound the contents and looked at this HUGE historical and biblical wall chart. My eyes crossed with all the small detail. Clearly, the author took a long time researching and contrasting historical biographies, the Bible and other references to come up with the dates and information. Since I teach from a chronological historical viewpoint, I am familiar with several timeline aids.

Although I appreciate the work that went into creating this timeline and have always been amazed at how many people lived during the same time and the events that shared dates and time, I wasn't a fan of this 37" by 45" chart. You have to be willing to want to sacrifice a lot of wall space which is something we don't have. Although it is large, the writing is so small because tons of information is included. This makes finding information more of a task than a joy. Also, I prefer more concrete information to use as dates than some of the dates that were given based on interpreted prophesies. If you're not familiar with any timelines, this might be a good one to start with. Although we won't be using this timeline, you can research the dates and events yourself to see if it is a good fit for your family. You can also go to the TOS website to read more reviews.

If you're interested in ordering the Amazing Timeline you can for $29.95. You will also receive a down-loadable interactive map of the Holy Land and a digital timeline on your computer for free with your purchase. You can also save $10.00 if you order two at a time which might make a good gift for your church.

Blessings!

Disclaimer: I did receive this item for free to review for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. The viewpoint is mine based on using the product stated above.

Compassion Is...

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:59:00 +0000

Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it. As busy, active, relevant ministers, we want to earn our bread by making a real contribution. This means first and foremost doing something to show that our presence makes a difference. And so we ignore our greatest gift, which is our ability to enter into solidarity with those who suffer. Those who can sit in silence with their fellowman, not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand in gratitude, to shed tears in grief and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken.

WOW! And now for the powerful one-two knockdown punch:

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.

Thank you Henry Nouwen!
Blessings!

Introduction to Educaching

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Have you ever hidden eggs at Easter time? Then you might want to check into Educaching. The author describes Educaching as a mixture of Hide-N-Seek, treasure hunting and learning all wrapped up into one experience. Every lesson plan spells out in detail the objectives covered, the materials needed and the step-by-step procedures to follow using a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. I received their down-loadable pdf curriculum to review, but they also have a bound curriculum that you can purchase. Both cost $32.00, but the hardcopy is extra for shipping and handling. From reading the manual, it is easy to understand but definitely geared to a classroom setting. This is easy to tweak if you are using it in your homeschool or as an after-school/weekend outing with your children. There is some planning involved in making your cache ( a hiding place that your items are hidden in like tupperware, plastic film canisters, baggies etc...), hiding it and then allowing your children time to find it. If you prepared it ahead of time, then you could have your own special hunt ready for anytime you want to spice up your afternoon with the kids. The manual includes:

Section 1: Teacher training
This section is very comprehensive with pictures and all the definition and directions broken down into comprehensible bites. Their website has several samples and kits that you can check out.

Section 2: Lesson Plans
The lessons match up to the National Standard requirements in teaching social studies, language arts, technology, fine arts, science and art. Multi-subject and multi-sensory learning at one time is great in my book! The lesson plans are geared towards 4th-8th grade students, but can be easily adapted for all ages to be involved. I would have my 13yr. old do most of the upper math, my 9 year old record the information, both input data in the GPS and my 2 yr.old would get to hold the unit and pick up the cache once it's found. (The baby would be walking with mommy taking pictures:))There are 12 beginner, 6 intermediate and 2 advanced lesson plans included in the manual. Written for a classroom but are adaptable for single-student and family use.

Section 3: Field Sheets
The students take these with them on their hunts to record data, measurements and findings. Since I am not science or math minded, I felt relieved when I saw these worksheets. I didn't want to have to figure out how to record the data. I can just say plug the information into "blank" section on your sheet.

Section 4: Acquiring GPS
This section gives you ideas for purchasing enough GPS receivers for a class to giving you information for your personal GPS model. Your personal GPS can range from $100.00-$200.00. You can find several to choose from on Amazon.com and Best Buy. Maybe it will help you to know that I own a Triton 400. The kids and I have only used it twice and it has worked good. I am not an expert in GPS systems, I just know sometimes you want the specifics of what someone else has so you have a starting point for your own research.

Section 5: Beyond the Basics
Great games and ideas are added here so you the teacher can take your new found knowledge and create limitless ideas with multiple subjects.

I will be going Educaching with my children soon so check back for pictures of our adventure! You can find more reviews on Educaching on the TOS site:)
Blessings!

Disclaimer: I was given this product for free to review through the Old Schoolhouse. My opinions are based on my own thoughts on reading and using the product.

October & Still Going to the Beach

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:32:00 +0000

Oldest (13) and youngest (6mos)

Sweet Daddy and 9 yr. old

No fear 2 year old!

Beach adventures
Momma painting.

Family is a gift

Daddy and the Birdhouse

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:26:00 +0000

We have been studying flying creatures in our Zoology class. We made a small birdhouse in the co-op class I teach. My daughter made another birdhouse with her daddy. I love these times they have together!

Sarah's Wish

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Do you love historical fiction? Several titles in this category have been some of our family's favorite books that we have read together. We love reading historical fictions when we are studying specific time periods. Sarah's Wish is a book that you will enjoy reading by yourself and along with your children. This first book in the trilogy is set in Ohio in 1858 during the time of the Underground Railroad. The main character is Sarah an orphaned young girl whose mother is killed in an accident. This tragedy leaves Sarah alone and with a big secret to keep. Their home is a stop on the Underground Railroad! Sarah must help the runaway slaves.

The author Jim Baumgardner not only writes passionately about history, but he volunteers at the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas playing the town barber. Mr. Baumgardner wrote these books for his grandchildren-nine of them! His book Sarah's Wish is a delightful read on a tough subject. To enhance your reading, Mr. Baumgardner also writes Sarah's Web Newsletter filled with extras. If you would like to sign up for the Sarah's Web Newsletter, send an e-mail to sarahbooks@cox.net with "send newsletter" in the subject line.

You can purchase an autographed copy of Sarah's Wish for $9.99. The next books in this trilogy are Sarah's Promise and Sarah's Escape which are also available for purchase. This means you don't have to wait to find out what happens next!

(Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge to review as part of my experience with The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation and my reviews are my opinion only.)

Blessings,

Afternoon Tea

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Today was just beautiful outside. It called for a celebration! A celebration to enjoy each other and this day that the Lord has made.

It was Lilly's very first tea party. Soon she will be eating the goodies too. This time she'll just have to sit with mommy and her sisters.

Beautiful Trinity

Couldn't you just gobble this little one up? Lilly, our little two-finger sucker.

This was Joci's first time getting the real tea cup. She realized how fun it was to drink from the spoon. She loved the petite-fores the most.

...ok and she loved the cookies!

Take time to treasure the small moments. There doesn't need to be a reason. This mommy loves to have tea with her girls! Find something your family enjoys and be ready to do it anytime. I keep a basket ready with the tea things you see on the table. All we have to do is pull the basket down, get the tea set out of the china cabinet and waalahh an instant tea party! This one was desserts only, but sometimes we have lunch parties too. We can get pretty creative with the food too. These are all sweet teachable moments.

Handiwork Of A 2 Year Old

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:16:00 +0000

She 'had' her own secret stash of gum which was hidden in her own little spot. Notice how she has unwrapped each piece of gum and tore them apart for her collection.

She puts fries into water bottles-I don't think I have to worry about her motor skills

My days are full of laughter and amazement with this little girl!

A Birthday Blast

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:47:00 +0000

She's nine! She is my little momma. She loves to sing and dance. Dresses and skirts are her favorite apparel. I love the extra long hugs she gives me before bed. Sitting next to Daddy is her favorite place to be.

For her birthday, she wanted some of her friends to spend the night. What fun they had! Singing, dancing and being silly was the agenda.

Blessed Momma,

Books Worth Checking Into

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:38:00 +0000

Do you love to share good books with your children that have wonderful pictures are educational and fun ? Maybe you like to give these kinds of books as gifts to others? There is a neat publishing company dedicated to great books like these. It's called Guardian Angel Publishing. They have book for youngins' through chapter books for "tweens". Here is a sample of books that I received in ebook format:

Rainbow Sheep

"Genevieve is a little shepherdess with a big imagination. When she finds a sad, pale rainbow, she tells him funny stories until he cries happy tears and his colors return.
Genevieve’s sheep are caught in the colorful rain of tears and become the “Rainbow Sheep.”"

Have you heard of felting before? It's a great craft where you can create wool sculptures by poking wool with a needle. Rainbow Sheep is filled with examples since each picture has been "handmade" using the felting technique. At the back of the book, there are a few pages dedicated to getting your reader started on their own felting projects with an information guide and two starter projects.

Gifts From God

This book is filled with rich pictures and simple life-giving statements about God's gifts to us. It's definitely for a younger reader, but if you order the book form-the pages are paper and not cardboard. Having two little ones, my mind went first to thinking how I'd love to read this book with them, but didn't want either eating the paper.

No Bones About It: The Sum of our Parts

"Learning the bones in the human body can be a challenge for anyone. Using this
clever learning tool in rhyme may be just what you’ve been looking for, no bones
about it. You’ll be amazed at how fast you will be able to learn them from head to toe."

Each page include facts, accurate drawings and a rhyme to learn the bones of the body. I was really impressed with this book and am thinking of having my girls memorize the poem when we discuss the body for Science.

Hamster Holidays

"A troupe of hamsters celebrate a year of hare-brained holidays in their unique hamster style.
The book highlights nouns and adjectives on each page, as well as exploring opposites. Activity
pages include scrambled words, match-up and crossword puzzles—plus much more. Grammar
becomes fun and games with hamster helpers."

The nouns are in blue and adjectives red throughout this book. You could read this book several times and have many different things to share with your children each time. Laughing with little ones at the pictures is a bonus!:)

Maybe We are Flamingos

"Flora and Fernando are the wrong color for flamingos. They wonder what they could be until
they discover becoming pink can take a year, and staying pink is due to their diet. At last
relieved, they draw funny pictures of how they might look if they ate broccoli or blueberries."

This was a very educational book with all the fun and none of the drum. After they realize that they are truly flamingos, they fancy what they'd look like if they ate other things. The pictures are cute.

Several of the books published by Guardian Angel Publishing can be purchased in book, ebook and CD format. There are freebies on their site including coloring pages to go along with some of their books too! Maybe We are Flamingos is also an 'ikids play' interactive book for touch screens like phones and ipods. They can rub, paint, read and more on these books!

PDF ebook seems to be the least expensive way to order their books. The books that I reviewed above were all over 25 pages. I don't know the quality of their hard copy books since I only received ebooks. The hard copies were expensive from what I would consider purchasing books for with four children; two that love to read and two rising-readers. The ebooks were fine, but sometimes the pages took a little time to catch up with the high resolution of some of the pictures. Also, considering my two-year old, snuggling and touching the computer screen isn't the same as sitting with a book in hand. However, shelf space and trees are saved if you don't print them yourself. Here's an example of pricing-
No Bones About It is priced as follows:
Ebook Download $5.00
CD + S/H $9.95+$5.95
Print Book $10.95 + $6.95
They have a great education section called Academic Wings which includes supplemental books in story-format covering Grammar, Health, Math, History, Science and Reading. They have several other categories to choose from including Pets & Animals and a Spanish section too!

I would definitely check them out if you're looking for a good book for your child(ren)!
Blessings

Proverbial Sunrise

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:37:00 +0000

1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Nature Study Resource

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

Taking my children on nature walk has been on my list of things to do. I'm not talking about the intermittent kind that happen every few months or so, but regular nature walks. We are getting closer to regular trips, but aren't all the way there yet. There are many wonderful resources that you may want to have on your shelves when studying nature. Knowing that I was adding Nature Study to our school year, my mom sent me a link to a nature magazine called Nature Friend. I had several resources to read already and put this in my mental bank to check into later. Well, I received two issues to review, and I wish I had heard about Nature Friend earlier!

The magazine was "was born out of Mr. Brubaker's desire to encourage children to believe in God as their Creator and to seek out, recognize, and appreciate His handiwork." The first thing you'll notice when pulling it out of your mailbox is the vibrant beautiful photograph on the cover. You'll be even more impressed by all the terrific photography inside. Articles are written in a very conversationalists tone that is warm and encouraging. Crossword puzzles, picture searches and other activities are included for your child's enjoyment. I loved the picture search in the Invisibles section. Nature Friend has been publishing quality magazines since the early 1980's. It's geared towards children 7-17. My two readers are 13 and 9.

Can you see the alligator hiding in the water?
We spotted this guy on one of our nature walks.

If you'd love your children to appreciate the beautiful world around them, then Nature Friend is a great resource to share with them. A one year subscription is $36. You can also purchase 2 years and get a $4 discount. Study guides are available with extra puzzles, information and photography tips to capture nature for an additional $2 per issue.

Use the code BLOG93 and get $3 off a subscription! This code is good on new subscriptions until November 30th.

Joci loves to explore outside.

Guess Who's TWO!

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:18:00 +0000

NO! It cannot be two years already! Two years ago I gave birth to my sweet baby girl Jocelyn. After a seven year gap, Joci was such a welcome little blessing. It was almost like being a new mom all over again when I had her. I took so many pictures in her first month of life her baby book is almost two inches thick with those pictures. I couldn't stop taking pictures! Every face was adorable; every moment I wanted to remember.

Joci thinks these washcloths look cute on lil' sis Lilly. Here she put it on her head and said, "Awww Baby!"

She wanted these swim goggles and her sunglasses on. Then she ran around the house playing with toy links for bracelets of course!

I was cracking up! She is a funny little thing!:)

Joci is such a treasure! This little spit-fire has quite the personality. She has the cutest little face and the perfect little doe-ie hazel eyes that just draw you in. Don't let this little precious girl fool you, she is also called the Joci-cane! She is everywhere and in everything. She loves to draw, play with her Little People and get into all her toys at once. She can go from super sweet to loud crying because she didn't get her way or just because the wind didn't blow right (lol!) in the blink of an eye. She loves to imitate her older sisters and loves to hold and love on her little sister. This girls has moves! She is a dancer and can twirl and shake it for hours! I hope to share some video sometime--so cute!

I love my beautiful little girl! She is a blessing. Two years (tear in eye) she's growing too quickly!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY NEW TWO YEAR OLD!!!

Blessings,

College Prep Genius

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:14:00 +0000

I have introduced you to College Prep Genius and now I want to go more in depth about it after going through it some more on my own. I haven't started my eighth grade daughter on this program yet because frankly she would get overwhelmed. I am however thankful for receiving this program now since it opened my eyes to the hows and whys to prepare for the SAT with her.

When I was a student, I loved school. I took the SAT seriously. I studied with my SAT flashcards thinking I was really getting prepared for this test. I remember my drive to the facility and the emphasis placed on what a big deal and milestone this was. Years later and after watching the teaching videos and reading the workbook, I was left thinking how unprepared I truly was as a student. As a mom, I'm trying to figure out with my new found knowledge, how to implement these ideas with my children. The workbook and videos are very comprehensive on the how-to. I'm talking about taking into consideration my specific children, their aspirations and learning objectives. If I use the programs suggested plan for success, I'd be having Sam complete a practice SAT test now (or soon) prepping her for taking the PSAT/NMSQT in ninth or tenth grade. She is just not ready for this...today. Maybe during the second half of the year, I can focus on having Sam start to memorize the acronmyms, but now is not the time. Oh, before I go on, their are several acronyms used to help the test taker to remember all the strategies of the different sections. Since my eyes have been opened, I will be paying more attention to the signals of when to start based on my daughter and her individual needs.

Let me share just a little more in case you're eyes have also now been opened to the fact that preparation is around the corner for you too. The videos are nice. They are not flashy or animated with fast visuals. They just have a woman's voice with the information either posted or scrolled as she shares it. The information is relatively the same in the workbook, but I did appreciate the audio/visual aid. If your child finds reading taxing, the audio/visual aspect of the videos would be beneficial. I am still surprised at how informative College Prep Genius is considering it's size. I mean the actual thickness of the workbooks and guide together are maybe and inch tall--together. The workbook is only about 1/4". Being a visual person and an experienced book and curriculum purchaser-lol! this is a lot of info in a small book. It's not all 10pt font either!

Purchasing College Prep Genius in middle school around 7-8th grade would be a good idea in my opinion. It provides a solid plan and then you just have to figure out what would be best for your child.

Here's the order info one more time for your convenience:
This package is currently on sale for only $79 for the entire program- a 30% off discount! There is a 30 day money-back guarantee. That’s ZERO RISK for you, and a 30 % discount on your first order. You can also sign up on their website to receive their free report, “Good-bye Student Loans-Hello FREE College”.

Blessings!

Catching up...

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Admittedly, I've been very behind on reading the blogs I follow. As our routine has solidified, I have been able to see where my new pockets of time are. I'm catching up and coming after YOU-LOL! I'm slowly making it through. Be on the lookout for some comments soon:) And do me a favor-don't write any more until I get to you-hahahha!!! Well, I thought I'd try and ask.

What The Kids Call It

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Remember when there were the preps and jocks? They're still out there. Over the years there have been so many other names for kid's styles-a big trend now are Emo and Scene. About six years ago, I was introduced to the term Emo and about a year ago the term Scene (although it's been around longer). Emo was before the Scenes. I thought I'd share some info with you since my daughter is throwing the term Scene around here at our home. It's brought up great conversation. Maybe you've seen more kids dressed like these two examples I'm about to share and you were wondering what it was all about. Here's a general idea:

Emo-
Emos wear mostly black and like Jack Skellington. Some are partial to cutting. The haircut says it all. Short or long- it doesn't matter as long as it's razor cut. Side bangs are the rave. Throwing some color in the hair is fine, but the main color is black. Emos tend to be more reserved or quiet. Emo came from a form of music that diverged from punk in the '80s, the name "emo" is derived from the emotive style of the lyrics and music-songs dealing with feelings and melancholy. It's also related to hard-core punk. It seems that Emo has some similarities streaming from Goths, but Emos are more introspective where Goths seem to put more of their emotions towards others. Some clothing/styles:
Tight jeans (boys and girls)
Black T-shirts
Worn out Converse
Black long hair covering one side of your face

Scene-
Scene kids love color, Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty. Scene and Emo hairstyles are similar, but Scene hair is usually bigger. Scene kids are more cheerful and loud. Fauxhawks are in for boys. Here are some ideas of Scene dress:

Tight Band T-shirts
Obscure "Vintage" T-Shirts, Tight Girl Pants (on guys), Super Straight Leg Pants (on girls), Van Slip-Ons (2+ pairs), Converse, White Studded belts, Fingerless Gloves, Bandanas on: wrist, head, in pocket, around neck etc.
Scene Hair:
MUST be 2+ colors and dyed in random sections. Red, Blonde, Black. (Neon Colors acceptable too.) Choppy, and looks as if it was cut at home. Almost mullet-like, with bangs.
Scene Accessories:
Lip ring(s).
Many braclets.
Headbands and bows. (for girls)

Now you're in the know too,

Oh The Places We Go

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:10:00 +0000

Life can get busy, but we take the time to treasure the small and special moments

Each year, after we have figured out our focus, I go on a search for activities, programs and classes that might make sense for us. The common denominator is our goals that we have written out for the year. I gather the information which might include attending informational meetings, printing information, gathering paperwork or possibly attending a class to get a feel if it's a right fit for us. Then, I figure cost in time and money. I take this information to my husband and he helps me decide what activities make sense for us. Sometimes, I think something will be a great addition to our year and he shares insight on how he believes it will impact our family differently. I'm often surprised at his insight and am thankful for his input and support.

We take every situation and idea and hold it up to the light of what our year will be and who we are in our gifts, personalities, strengths and weaknesses. All of this is handled in prayer.

Some choices are very easy to navigate through and the process goes quickly. Other possibilities require more thought, prayer and attention. This year, there have been two events that we have participated in as the very first homeschoolers. Here are some options that we have prayerfully considered just this year-maybe you'll get some ideas and maybe you have ideas to share-please leave your thoughts in the comments!:

Classes at our local YMCA (Art, Sports, Dance)-
Can be affordable, classes on specific nights-this may conflict with your schedule, limited performance opportunities, sometimes a class is very well done and sometimes hit or miss

Gymnastics at a studio, Gymnastics with another family-
Can be very pricey especially if you're looking to try it out first

Drama held at a church, small co-op class with limited performance, community center-
Some we found were a year long commitment without much variation-this seemed like a long commitment with not too much to show in the form of techniques. Performances were an important part of our goals for this year for different reasons. Streaming down your focus will help you to decide what type of option will aid your family the best. Performing art centers in your area usually offer terrific programs as well (acting, music, private instruction). Time, money and commitment need to be taken into consideration for these programs.

Speech Classes-formal with a lot of responsibility on the students with mandatory events and time intensive projects and Speech and Debate clubs run by families with high standards but not all the formalities and time-demands-
Things to consider are time, responsibility on top of current lessons, money and goals for your child, debate vs. just speaking in front of people or both etc...

Choir-
This is a great alternative to private lessons. Some are very inexpensive and even free through your church and community centers. Some are high performance. The choice is easy to navigate through when you know what you'd like to help your children accomplish and be exposed to.

Camps at your local museums-
This summer, my oldest daughter was able to be involved with a wonderful program at one of our museums. She studied surrealism and the life of Dali. It was a great experience.

Home-Based businesses-
This summer my mom ordered the consultant kit for Pampered Chef for my daughters. She was familiar with the set-up as my brothers ran a pampered chef business for many years under her. Through this short-term experience they were exposed to several great areas of focus. They had to plan their parties, cook food, practice customer service skills, manage money and speak in front of people just to name a few skills. I like Pampered Chef and Creative Memories because I know that you can sign-up and end them without much hassle from a representative;)

Sports through public and private schools-
Public schools allow you to participate, but you cannot be enrolled in another school. (Some homeschools have licensing that allows them to be accredited or run as a private school without traditional class structures.) Some sports teams do not produce a quality team when it comes to sportsmanship-this should be taken into consideration for the child that you are considering. There are other ways to get your children involved in sports. Private schools usually have more costs involved and sometimes require your child to attend a specific amount of classes or pay a separate higher fee to participate in their sports program. If your homeschool group operates as a non-traditional private school, you could go through the steps to become accredited and start your own sports program.

This year, we are utilizing the sports program at a private school. My oldest is seeing if she really has an interest in all three sports and if she is more talented in one or just enjoys one over the others. They are not requiring us to attend any classes. It's a perfect transition for next year when she can play on high school teams. She's dusting off her skills from a little hiatus and totally enjoying her time!

Sports through recreation centers, Club and churches-
You can check into your local recreation center and pay a fee to participate-and a slightly higher one if you don't live in the district. Club is expensive but many offer scholarships and can be a wonderful event if your child(ren) are really into sports. Some churches are big enough to offer sporting events. The one we were involved wasn't competitive, but the girls had a great time anyway. It didn't lack the coaching and formal details just the score keeping.

Libraries-
Our local libraries offer reading and leadership clubs. Their programs were worth checking into. The specific programs weren't on our agenda for us this year, but I put the information in my memory bank for future reference. Also, sometimes they allow you to use their rooms for group use.

4H-
There are several opportunities for learning and community through your local 4H. They are usually inexpensive to join. Some programs are poorly put together and some are terrific-you just have to gather and sort through the information.

Staying Connected-
If you have a group that doesn't have a specific website, but you wish you had a way to keep everyone together you can use the online community Classical Lifeschooling created by me. It's sort of like facebook and a yahoo group combined, but more private. Sign up to become a member, go to the groups page and create a group for your new co-op or reading group. Invite the other families that are involved and then you can share with everyone at the same time, create events with RSVP-great for field trips-and have a common place to gather. I created it as a tool for others to keep in touch.

All the research was worth it! We have a full and exciting year! Some things I had never thought of before, but through more researching and asking questions other options became available.

Blessings over your year!

Getting The Whole Family Healthy

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Would you like to get healthier? Do you want to share a healthier lifestyle with your children? If you answered "YES!" and if you have wondered where to turn for help for you and your family then here is an answer!

Nutrition 101: Choose Life

"The purpose of this curriculum-for-all-ages is to help families understand that they are fearfully and wonderfully made and that food -- good and bad -- does effect the body." Here's the plan- Work through this resource with your family through the week, do activities together and create new recipes-That's it!

Presented in 448 full-color pages, this biblically-based program reinforces (or introduces) biology by discussing the major body systems in six easily digestible units:

1) The Brain and Nervous System
2) Digestion and Elimination
3) Respiration and Olfactory
4) Muscular and Skeletal Systems
5) Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
6) Endocrine System and Emotions

Each unit contains four chapters focused on the function and dysfunction of the system and the nourishment needed for optimal health. You can view sample pages of Nutrition 101 on their site.

The book is designed to be completed in a year using a chapter weekly. There are several activities to complete. You can choose to do them all or do some and then modify another year to refresh what you already know. There are discussion questions (with answers), suggested activities for all ages and yummy recipes. All the information you need is at your finger tips to help your family understand how to live a healthier lifestyle starting from the inside.

My children and I have started the curriculum and have found it to be very comprehensive and interesting. The very first recipe we made was guacamole. My children love homemade guacamole already so this was a great start to the program for us! I'm looking forward to getting through this curriculum hoping that it will help me fill in the gaps of my own research. I'm also hoping to be able to share my new-found knowledge to help my sister-n-law with her diabetes.

We served the guacamole during my daughters
birthday party-her request-it was a hit to all the girls except one.
You can see them digging in to the guac in the back:)

If you are interested in ordering Nutrition 101, there are a few different formats to choose from:

CD Rom $79.95
Print Book $99.95
Print & CD Combo $129.95

I hope you check it out! Let me know what you think about the sample pages.
Blessings to a healthier you!

Class Options

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:28:00 +0000

We do our work at home and also participate in some classes at a local private school

Classes at a school:

You may not have known that you many times you are able to participate in activities at your local public and private schools. You can usually pay sports on their teams and take specific classes. This year, we are participating in the electives at a private school that specializes in the arts. The positive is that for the price of one monthly commitment for just one activity, my children are trying out several things for the same price. This is helping us by 1) exposing our children to more things and 2) helping them to realize what they really love to do through practice and commitment instead of what they think they love.

For example, Trin loves to dance. She is involved in several types of dancing this year which is helping her to see what forms of dance she prefers, is better at or just enjoys for her own reasons. Dance alone can be quite expensive. These classes have allowed us to be exposed to more areas of dance for a nominal fee considering the options.

Sam loves sports. We haven't been involved in any for a few years. She also will be in high school next year. Since this school offers classes in the sports she is interested in, she is dusting off her skills and feeling out if she still wants to be involved in all three sports or if she wants to start seriously focusing on just one. As a parent, this helps me to figure what avenue would be best to further her involvement for upcoming years: public school for JV and Varsity, club, community center or something else.

Both girls are enjoying their year.

Having two little ones and living in a new city, this helps me by not having to drive to several different places to try out dance and drama studios that I am not familiar with. Although money is involved, in the long-run, time and money is saved while our focus brought to light for the upcoming year. The kids will also be involved in many performances which was another focus for us this year.

The down-side for us is that it is a year-long commitment 1-3 pm almost every day (we cannot attend Wednesdays since we're at co-op). For someone who hasn't done the 3-4 day a week sports and activities hustle for a while, this is a big commitment on everyone's part.

If you have a child that is interested in the programs that are available at a public or private school and there is a way for your child to participate then you will be able to discern if it makes sense or not for your family. If you see something that your child would benefit from and it's not advertised for homeschoolers, I would encourage you to ask. Some places just aren't sure about paper-work or specifics, but with a little help in gathering information the classes can become a reality.

Trinity is involved in:
Ballet, Lyrical Dance, Musical Theater Dance, Improvisational Theater, Drama and Chess
Sam is involved in:
Commercial Art, Sports: Soccer, Basketball & Volleyball, Drama and Improvisational Theater

You have options!

It Was Terrific!

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:20:00 +0000

This is week 4 of our school year. Last week, our full schedule actually played out in its entirety along with the extras of an additional monthly encouragement meeting, orthodontist appointment, preschool toy box drop off, huge teachable moments with my 13 year old, extra errands and one mall adventure for shoes and a skirt for my 9 year old's choir uniform.

When Friday came, I was so excited because considering the extras that we had, our week was terrific! The week before I was still putting the pieces of the puzzle together and working through it-by Thursday I was quite tired. I know my personality. When I add things to the schedule, it takes me a little bit to get used to it. Sometimes I feel like I'm caught in a whirlwind, but I also know it will pass. For me, I just need to keep pressing on and then I figure things out as they become routine. I am such a thinker that I can get caught up there in the thoughts and feel temporarily overwhelmed-and that is OKAY! Seriously, I am fine with that. I hope I don't always sound like I have it all together. I make my way through it all by the grace of God and yes-some days are just plain perfect while others are not too peachy. My mom alsways told me that I wore my feelings on my sleeves-something at the time she was trying to correct-but I feel it all-and well that's me.:)

Here's what we did great and I'm just plain excited:

Our home stayed picked-up. This really helps me because when I come back from running around, one of the last things that I want to see is a messy home. I'm not talking lived-in so some things are out of place-I'm talking the hurricane status mess that can happen when everyone is working at once and toddlers are adding to it!:) Since the children have been trained from young how and when to do their chores-they know what's expected of them. Of course hey still try and get out of doing them, but over time they have seen and have had to deal with what happens when things go too long unattended. Beacause of this, they stay on task or get back on task quickly.
My energy level was pretty even. Since I'm still nursing, my body eats up what it needs quickly. I feel like a diabetic sometimes-although I am not. I've had to start going to bed earlier since I am waking earlier and running around a lot more. I've also picked back up on my vitamins.
I had time to mentor my daughter, love on her and speak truth to her in love as she was and is going through some things. Our communication has opened up so much that I am just in awe of the Lord and thankful for His goodness-even when things seem like they're going to be rough.
Snuggle-time with the little little. Oh, I just love that little baby girl! I had time to just sit and love on her-precious!
We were on time everywhere! We've been doing very well on the time side which is not a strength for me.
Dinner was ready. Thanks to shopping and planning over the weekend, I was prepared for dinner too. When running a full schedule, I have to pull my meat and defrost it the night before or at the latest the morning of and be purposeful in making sure it's ready with whatever steps that entails. Last week, I just couldn't get to the store because of things and that's when we're eating on the road. A little extra planning goes a long way.
I changed Saturday cleaning to Sunday Family Cleaning for now. Last week, the girls went to Rock the Universe and they were gone all weekend. I had time to sit and relax. I cleaned and then sat and relaxed some more. My body appreciated the break. Since they have a full schedule too, I thought they would probably appreciate the break also. Well, we tried it out last week and put it into play this week. This one small schedule change was wonderful. Dad usually works on Sunday, but he's home by 4pm. By doing a family clean, the harder chores went quicker and everyone was able to rest again afterwards. It was like one and a half days of rest instead of just the one.

How has your school year started? Are you working with new schedules too? I'd love to hear about what's going on!
Blessings!

Check Out The Proverbial Sunrise!

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:21:00 +0000

The Proverbial Sunrise has become such a blessing to read each Tuesday. I appreciate each of the ladies that have been sharing. Please stop by and meet them! (Denise, Karen, Alicia, Peggy , Brenda, and Cathy) I'd love to hear from you too! Each Tuesday, we share our thoughts, music, pictures thoughts and more on the month's theme. We have shared on God's attributes of hope, and how He is unchangeable. We are coming to the end of this month's theme which is forgiveness. I love how the focus is month long as it enables deeper meditation on the topic. The last Tuesday of the month we pray for eachother. Please head on over to the Proverbial Sunrise, add your name to the MckLinky and we'll know to visit you and pray for you (you don't have to post anything specific-we just visit and pray for one another!
Blessings!
(Next Tuesday we begin a new theme! The theme is COMPASSION. I hope you'll join in too!)

Forgive And Submit

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:58:00 +0000

This month's theme is forgiveness. This is such a difficult area for so many. It's difficult working it out in my own life, so I can only imagine the hurts others are going through. As we share together this month and as you have read other blogs that are participating, I hope a seed of healing and hope has started to rest on you...read more here...

A Must Have-The Studypod

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Why did I only get ONE??? As someone that gets tension in her neck which can result in migraines, this Studypod is an amazing product!
The Studypod holds almost any-size book (the manufacturer suggests about 2" or Twilight thick) at about the same level as your computer which reduces neck pain. The pages of your book are held down by little arms so you don't have to worry about losing your place. You can read and study hands-free. Ours is black, but they have pink and blue Studypods too. It's shaped like a book for easy portability. I love the little pouch inside that holds pens and notecards. I feel good knowing that my children and I can read and work with less tension on our necks! This is a new must have on your school supply list! The Studypod lists for $19.95. You can get $5.00 off right now by using this code TOSBLOGS.

I'm off to get a couple more myself!

College Prep-Help For The SAT Is Here!

keovongsafam@verizon.net (Sweet Blessings) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:08:00 +0000

FULL SCHOLARSHIP!
If these TWO words could change your life,
PLEASE read on. . .

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My oldest daughter is in 8th grade. She has been doing some high school work already, but I hadn't really thought of preparing her for the SAT just yet. Then I received College Prep Genius in the mail. COLLEGE PREP GENIUS, a program to help you plan with your child for SAT success. The SAT is used for college entrance as well as determining eligibility for scholarships. It is a test of logic and reasoning, not IQ and therefore intentionally utilizes questions to throw students off when they read them. The key to understanding the test is to find the recurring patterns and answer the questions logically. Changes were made to the PSAT/NMSQT in March 2004, and in 2005 the SAT was revised. The SAT has been updated in the Critical Thinking, Math and Writing sections. Writing an essay is now included in the SAT. College Prep Genius provides strategies to cover these changes and revisions. With all that said, College Prep is not intimidating at all! The workbooks are relatively thin-with everything precisely written out and easy to understand.

The program consist of:
"Master the SAT Class" DVD
College Prep Genius Textbook
Class Workbook

This package is currently on sale for only $79 for the entire program- a 30% off discount! There is a 30 day money-back guarantee. That’s ZERO RISK for you, and a 30 % discount on your first order. You can also sign up on their website to receive their free report, “Good-bye Student Loans-Hello FREE College”.

If you're child(ren) are college-bound and planning on taking the SAT, then head on over to College Prep Genius, read the testimonials and check out the great information on their website! College Prep, an SAT program that won't break the bank!