It's a Boy's Life

Annika's 5th Birthday Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 21:45:00 -0500

We decided to celebrate Annika's birthday a little early since her actual birthday is just days before Christmas.

We started the day at Build-a-Bear, since she was given a gift certificate as a gift. She chose to dress and stuff a Lalaloopsy doll.

Then we went to dinner at a local mexican restaurant. She got to wear the hat and eat fried ice cream.

Then we went home to bust open what Cale made for her.

Cale made her a chocolate pinata filled with treats. It's basically a chocolate and white chocolate shell made in a silicone mold and then filled and "glued" together with more chocolate, but it was a lot of fun.

Family of 8!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 19:12:00 -0400

Born July 24, 2015

7lbs 7 oz

Proud big sister

Going home

Proud big brothers

National TaeKwonDo Tournament

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:50:00 -0400

This past weekend Cale, Cohen, and Lakin participated in a TaeKwonDo tournament in Montgomery, AL.

The 3 of them all ended up in different groups- which was nice and made for less sibling rivalry.

The tournament consisted of them doing their current [purple belt] form and sparring.

Lakin placed 4th in sparring and 2nd in forms. Cohen won 3rd in forms. And Cale won 1st in forms. There was a mix-up with the names and another kid was awarded his trophy, but he should get it soon.

We decided to stay the whole weekend in Montgomery as a mini-vacation. Lots of swimming in the hotel pool and we ended with a trip to the Montgomery Zoo.

Tae Kwon Do Blue Belt Testing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 7 Feb 2015 12:46:00 -0500

Cale Sparring:

Cohen sparring:

Cohen, Lakin, and Cale doing their blue belt form:

Cale, Cohen and Lakin sparring:

Kidding Season 2015: Zinnia and Zachary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 13:03:00 -0500

Ivey delivered triplets in the evening on January 23rd. It was cold and freezing rain that day, and unfortunately, one doeling was barely breathing when we made it out to the barn.

The surviving doeling and buckling were both suffering from selenium deficiency and couldn't stand very well. We gave them a shot of BoSe and had to go out to the barn every 3 hours all night to hold them up to eat, but by the morning they were up and eating on their own.

We will be keeping Zinnia and Zachary will be for sale once they are weaned at 12 weeks.

Kidding Season 2015: Dinah and Delilah

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:53:00 -0500

Our doe, Poppy, delivered twin doelings on January 17th. She is a very skiddish doe with a past of being abused, so we are not able to handle her a ton. She takes good care of her babies though.

This little black doe is Dinah. We will be retaining her in our herd this year.

Her sister's name, is Delilah, who will be up for sale when she reaches weaning age at about 12 weeks.

They follow their mother everywhere and are very vocal when they get "lost". They have enjoyed the warmer days, but do well on the cold January nights too.

Kidding Season 2015:Boxer and Boomer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 12:48:00 -0500

Daisy delivered twin bucklings on January 16th. We found them cold and wet in the morning and she wanted nothing to do with them.

It was too cold and they were too weak to force her to keep them, so we brought them in the house.

Now, we've got 2 sweet bottle babies that follow us everywhere we go.

They hang out in the dog's yard at night and scamper around the yard during the day.

Luckily, we've had some warmer days where they can go out and socialize with the other goats.

The boys like to help bottle feed them, and are already trying to talk us into keeping them.

But they will be put up for sale in a few weeks, and will make great herdsires for another farm!

Annika's 4th Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 12:40:00 -0500

Annika turned 4 on December 22nd!

Maisy, Max and Marco

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 09:30:00 -0500

We had our first, and most likely only, goat kids born this past Sunday.

Our Nubian doe, Ivey, gave birth to triplets! 2 bucklings and one doeling!

Unfortunately, Max, one of the little bucklings was born with white muscle disease. Most likely due to a selenium deficiency. He couldn't support his weight and his legs were spread out behind him.

We brought him in the house the first night since Ivey kept accidentally stepping on him. We gave him a shot of selenium and he is improving.

But since he missed his first 24 hours with his family, Ivey has decided that he doesn't belong to her. I have been able to force her to feed him- but she will only allow it while she is busy eating. He will most likely end up a bottle baby.

But they are so adorable. The [human] kids are enjoying loving on them!

From L to R: Maisy (white), Max, and Marco.

The Big Snow: February 11-13, 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 00:00:00 -0500

Before last week the biggest snow the kids had ever seen was about 5-6 inches back when Annika was a newborn.

Monday we got a quick 3 inches- which was great for packing! They made lots of snowmen and snowballs!

And took a snow shower :)

In Tennessee we lived on a very level lot, so sledding was pretty much out. Here we are lucky to be surrounded by hills!

Everything started to melt, but started back up again on Wednesday, snowing throughout the day.

And we woke up on Thursday to 10 inches! Which we all immediately went out to play in- after brushing off the goat and alpacas houses, both of which caved in somewhat with the weight of the snow.

The animals weren't quite so thrilled with the snow- the chickens stayed inside for the entire week. And the goats shivered in their barns.

Later in the afternoon, as the snow began to melt somewhat in the sun, we went out to make this huge snowman and a snowfort.

And the best thing about southern snow- a beautiful winter wonderland last Wednesday- and today we are out in sunny, nearly 70 degree weather!

Chicks, Fences, and Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 20:29:00 -0500

We got 25 new chicks- Buff Orpingtons, Black Austalorps, red stars, Rhode Island Reds, and a couple Blue-Laced Red Wyandottes. We also thinned out out older birds- and sold 17 of them to a couple families in search of yard birds and pet.

This winter has been a series of warm and cold days. One day the kids were running around with no jackets- zooming down the pasture in a big Tonka truck....

And the next day- snow!

On the warm days we worked on fencing in the chickens. We kept losing birds to a fox, and we are adding about 300 strawberry plants this year and didn't want the chickens to eat them all!

Now the chickens are enclosed, seeds are started inside- and garden time is right around the corner!

{Review} Alpha-Phonics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 9 Jan 2014 13:22:00 -0500

Over the years I have tried quite a few products aimed at teaching your child how to read. From workbooks to computer games to hands-on learning products. I have made my own and I have used others. And when I look back over the years of teaching my kids how to read, I can see which products were used and forgotten and which were used over and over. And what I have learned, is that we prefer the simple and the plain when it comes to reading and phonics products. So when I was approached by the creators of Alpha-Phonics to try their product, I was ready to give it a try and see if it would work for my current struggling reader.

What is Alpha-Phonics?

On the front cover of the Alpha-Phonics books states this well. It describes Alpha-Phonics as:

"An effective, setp-by-step, intensive phonics program for teaching reading to beginners of all ages. Designed for easy use by teachers, tutors, and parents"

And that is exactly what it is. The Alpha-Phonics primer is one book, with no frills, no pictures, no characters and no color. It reminds me very much of the old 1900 primers I used to use with my older kids when they were learning to read. The book is all inclusive- with lessons, teachers manual and pre-reading exercises all included in the same book.

Alpha-Phonics also sells optional resources to go along with the Alpha-Phonics textbook. These include Alpha-Phonics & How To Tutor Phonics Workbook and the Alpha-Phonics & How To Tutor Little Companion Readers. These can be used in conjunction with the textbook to enhance learning and solidify skills.

How We Used Alpha-Phonics

I am currently working with my 6 1/2 year old on learning to read. He has a base knowledge but was having a hard time picking up speed and moving forward. We were given a copy of the Alpha-Phonics textbook, the optional workbook and the companion readers. We started Alpha-Phonics at the beginning but proceeded quickly through the early lessons, sometimes doing a few per sitting since they were review for him.

The textbook is set up so that the child learns something new- a letter sound, a blend, etc and practices reading words using that new item. Then the following lesson focuses on practicing reading sentences containing the new and previously learned sounds.

At this time I chose not to use the supplemental workbook, but we did use the Little Companion Readers. My son is very stubborn, to the point where I often don't know what his actual reading level is because half the time he refuse to try just because he wants to. We worked through one, or 2 lessons, per day together. Each week I gave him one of the companion readers to read silently to himself. Each of the kids have a required 30-60 min block of silent reading per day. He was to read the book to himself each day, coming to me if he got stuck. At the end of the week, or when he was ready, he would then read the book aloud to me. Doing it this way took his attitude out of the equation and having him read the book multiple times meant that he had a chance to pick up speed in his reading. Often by the time he read aloud he could read it at a normal rate and even add in some inflections.

The Bottom Line

I really enjoyed the Alpha-Phonics program and it's simplicity. I think my son's reading has improved in the past months that we have used it. I use it in conjunction with his previous language workbooks and our own collection of early readers.

What I liked most:

As I have said a few times, simple is so much better for me and this is as simple and no-frills as you can get.
I like that it is for any age- even adults can learn to read with this program without fear that it is too "kiddie".
The price is very reasonable for a curriculum that can be used on any age, over and over again.
It works. My struggling reader picked up speed and confidence. He fought against it less and learned more.

What I struggled with.....well I am not sure I have anything I can list here. But if you enjoy a more flashy program or if you need a script of what to say, Alpha-Phonics probably isn't for you. If your kids want and thrive on the busyness of a character-covered page, you probably should skip this one. But if you want a reasonably priced curriculum that will do what it promises, I don't think you will be disappointed with Alpha-Phonics.

For More Information:

If you head over to the Alpha-Phonics website you will find videos and talks from the creator as well as videos from parents using Alpha-Phonics. You will find links on how to purchase as well as information on the entire line of products.

You can watch one of these videos below:

If you give Alpha-Phonics a try, let me know if you like it as much as I did!

{Review} Udderly Smooth Lotion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 13:45:00 -0500

Since it's winter and the air is drier- especially in our wood-heated home- dry skin in on the rise. My hands usually end up cracked and red for most of the season, and my feet are 10 times worse than my hands year round. We also have a few eczema sufferers in the house- and again the cold winter air usually spurs an outbreak. I am actually usually pretty bad about buying and using lotions, but I was happy to be given the opportunity to try our Udderly Smooth's line of lotions to see how they did against my dry skin.

About Udderly Smooth

According to their website:

"Made in the USA for over thirty years, Udderly Smooth® products contain rich moisturizing ingredients. Not your average moisturizing lotion- Udderly Smooth® can be used on Dry Skin, Cracked Skin, for Diabetes Foot Care, as a Facial Moisturizer, as a General Moisturizing Lotion and many other uses."

I am sure if you have spent any time in the lotion aisle of your local stores you will have noticed Udderly Smooth. It's the tubes covered in black and white cow spots! It's hard to miss!

We received the following items to test out:

1- 4oz Hand Cream Tube
1- 2oz Hand Cream Tube
1- 12oz Body Cream Tub
1- 8oz Foot Cream Tub

I used the foot cream daily- twice if I remembered- and the hand cream multiple times a day.

My Thoughts on Udderly Smooth

Udderly Smooth is very creamy. It is not petroleum based so there is no oily residue to get on your skin or clothes after applying.

What I liked most:

I like that the lotion is not petroleum based.
I am always happy to see products that are produced here in the USA!
With regular use, my hands are still in nice shape. Even though they are subjected to the cold air, dish water and lots of farm chores.
The lotion absorbs very quickly, so I can get back to what I was doing and not worry about getting greasy smudges on door knobs, the keyboard, etc.
The cost is very reasonable- and the fact that a little bit goes a long way makes it even more cost effective.

What I have trouble with:

I usually do not like to use products with added fragrance. The fragrance was too strong for my kids (the ones who won't use lotion anyway...) It is not overpowering, and they do offer a fragrance free option.
Some of the ingredients are questionable for me. For the most part I use coconut oil as my moisturizer since I know what's in it and I used Grape Fruit Seed Extract as a preservative in homemade beauty products! Ingredients like methlyparaben and propylparaben make me a little nervous.

Where to Get Udderly Smooth:

You can find Udderly Smooth's line of products almost anywhere! Food City, Kroger, BiLo, Walmart, Dollar General, Dollar Tree- just to name a few. You can visit Udderly Smooth's website to find a complete list of retailers. Just look for the black and white cow spots!

You can find a complete product listing on their website, as well as order directly from them. Prices start at just $1.75 for the 2oz tube and a 12 oz tub of body cream is only $5.75!

If you would like to read more thoughts on Udderly Smooth, visit Mosaic Reviews.

Annika's 3rd Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 12:38:00 -0500

Pictures from Annika's 3rd Birthday party. She wanted to Strawberry Shortcake Cake. And lots of balloons. Her brothers picked out special gifts for her- crayons, an umbrella, candy....

{Review} Hello Fresh!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:06:00 -0500

Most weeks I have a menu plan. But then there are those days (or sometimes weeks) when it seems dinner time comes along and I am at a loss. I stand in the kitchen- staring into the cabinet or fridge wondering, "What's for dinner?" Recently I was given the opportunity to try out HelloFresh, which is a weekly food delivery service. But it's not like any other food delivery service- this is fresh ingredients and full recipes!

How it Works:

HelloFresh is a subscription service where each week you order a box containing ingredients to make 3 meals. You can choose between options feeding 2 people or 4 people. They have a Classic Box option which includes meat and a Veggie Box for those who prefer to eat vegetarian. Once you've placed your order (by Wednesday of each week) your box will be delivered the following Wednesday.

Personally, I am was little concerned about receiving the meat. I don't think UPS has refrigerated trucks! But our box arrived on a day we were out and sat on the deck for quite a few hours. We opened it up as soon as we got home and it was packed very well with insulation and ice packs- which were still almost completely solid. Everything was still very cold, so no worries about spoiled meat!

Your box will come with each meal grouped together in bags with labels, so you know which ingredients go with which meal. You will also get 3 full-color recipe cards- with pictures! That will tell you step by step how to prepare your meals.

These meals are easy to make, usually taking less than 30 minutes to prepare. HelloFresh meals are standard so if you have any special diets or restrictions you will have to plan accordingly and make substitutions or pause your delivery for the week. You do have some meal options though- when ordering the Classic box you have 5 meals to choose from. So if you don't eat seafood or don't like the sound of one of the dishes, simply swap it out with one of the other options.

You can easily pause your subscription if you don't like the meals or are going to be away. When you are through using the service you simply send HelloFresh a cancel email to end your subscription.

Our Meals and Modifications:

We received a box containing 3 meals, serving 2 people each. Our meal choices were: Shrimp and Chroizo Stew with Kale, Garlic Roasted Pork Chops with Fennel and Carrots, and Chicken Polpetti over Penne.

We started out with the Garlic Roasted Pork Chops with Fennel and Carrots. The recipe was easy to follow and dinner took less than 30 minutes active prep time. If I were serving 2 people this would have been a nice large serving size, but I was serving 4 meat eater- but coupled with some rice pilaf it was enough to fill our family of 7.

Next up we tried the Shrimp and Chorizo Stew. The kids were the most excited about this one since all but one LOVE shrimp and the one who doesn't like shrimp loves most soups. I modified the recipe a bit so that I could feed all of us. I added 2 extra cups of water and a very large sweet potato.

And with just those 2 modifications I was able to feed all 7 of us, more than one serving each. Every one gobbled this one up!

Our final meal was Chicken Polpetti over Penne, and some how it got eaten without any pictures! It was an easy meal to modify by adding a LOT more pasta and more sauce. I don't eat meat but the kids seemed to enjoy the meatballs, though not as much as some of the other meals. But then again they are not big chicken eaters.

What did we think?

Overall we really enjoyed the taste we got of HelloFresh. Here's what we liked best:

The recipes were quick, simple and fresh. They were also meals that weren't the norm in our house. It was nice to try something new and expand our tastes a bit.
It was fresh! Fresh kale, fresh basil and rosemary, fresh garlic and onion. The produce was all in great condition.
It was convenient. I had 3 meals that week were I didn't have to plan, shop or worry about dinner. I just pulled out the labeled bags and got to work.
The website is informative, customer service is superb and delivery is prompt.
The serving sizes were very generous

What could be better:

The wording in the some of the recipes wasn't very clear. A couple of times I had to read over and over to make sure which pan, pot, bowl I was adding things to. And I did it wrong in one recipe- but it worked out in the end anyway!
The ordering process was a bit confusing. You are told you can choose your meal options after check out but when I finished the check-out process I got a confirmation and that was it. You have to search out and change your meal options. I think taking you straight to that page after check out would be much simpler.
For a large family on a budget the price is high for an every week use. This con is for my family situation in particular. HelloFresh is cheaper than going out to dinner and I can see it being a nice way to spend a "date-night" at home with your spouse.

How to Get HelloFresh!

You can find HelloFresh online through their website. Their subscription rates are as follows:

3 Classic Meal Box for Two - $69
3 Classic Meal Box for Four - $129
3 Vegetarian Meal Box for Two - $59
3 Vegetarian Meal Box for Four - $109

For more information see their FAQ.

See what others thought about HelloFresh on Mosaic Reviews!

Squash Carving

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:45:00 -0400

This year we decided not to buy pumpkins, but to use what we had growing in the garden for our jack-o-lantern carving fun. We have a bucket full of jack-be-little pumpkins that the kids have been painting and carving and decorating with. Annika used one of them as her tiny jack-o-lantern.

It was a little small to get a spoon or hand in to scoop out the seeds, but luckily the chickens were around to lend a hand, or beak...

Cohen and Lakin let the Kamo Kamo squashes get very mature in the garden. Kamo Kamo's are like a summer squash when they are picked young, but as they get mature the begin to turn orange and become more like a winter squash. I love the look of them!

Cale's monster pumpkin plant put out a few more flowers after his big ones were picked. One of the pumpkins ended up sitting in a fence and grew itself stuck, so he destroyed it....But the other turned into a nice sized pumpkin to carve.

Here they are, all lit up!

{Review} See the Light: Art Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:38:00 -0400

I have always enjoyed art, I am not necessarily an artist, but you can find my doodles on almost any paper that crosses my path and pastels, crayons and markers have always been in my home. As a parent, I have always tried to include art in our day-to-day life. When my boys were all small, we had an "art corner" with free use of an easel and paints, craft supplies, drawing supplies and any other artsy material you can think of. As the kids grew older, and especially once we began homeschooling, I added more directed art projects into our days. While I am big supporter or allowing a child to express their own creativity, I see the use of a directed project of a predetermined subject to help learn certain skills and methods in art. So, while I normally create my own art lessons and reproduce projects I have found online, I was very interested in trying a more "professional" approach to art.

See the Light is a DVD based art curriculum for children ages 10 and up. There are a few different series available: Art Class, which teaches the basics of things like composition, shading, perspective and color and Art Projects, which covers history and technique of a particular artist as the students complete a project in the style of that artist. For the purpose of this review, I received a copy of one of the Art Projects lessons to try out with my kids.

About the Product:

Like I mentioned, the Art Projects series is made up of 9 DVDs, each covering a different artist, and will have the students complete a projects based on the style of that artist. We decided to try out the Sunflowers Project, in the style of Vincent Van Gogh. The DVD is set up with 4 lessons, each lasting about 25 minutes (running time). Each lesson combines elements of art history, art technique and other art education basics. Each lesson requires very basic supplies. For Sunflowers, all we needed was oil pastels, paper and a few towels. There was also a requirement of a bouquet of sunflowers, but since the ones in the garden were past bloom and I didn't want to purchase any, we went without and used pictures from online, and the lesson's bouquet as inspiration.

Our Experience:

We sat down as a group- five kids ranging in age from 2 to 12 and myself- with Rylan's laptop centered for us all to see. The first lesson was all about drawing the basic form and adding the first layer of color. The kids each chose how many sunflowers they wanted to include, as well as the shape of the vase. The lesson really encouraged the kids to do what they wanted, which I really appreciate- even though they were doing the same project they could add their own elements and personalization.

We found that even though the lessons were only 25 minutes long, we had to pause often to allow each of the kids to finish each step and this stretched our daily art lesson to well over an hour. Half-way through the second lesson we decided to split each lesson into 2 sessions, so that we didn't feel as rushed.

The kids were pretty unimpressed (with their art, not the lessons), after the first couple lessons. They didn't see how it was going to come together to look like the completed project shown in the lesson. But once the negative space was filled in they really started to like what they saw.

Each lesson is also filled with a lot of history about the artist. We learned a great deal about Van Gogh and his life. I think the kids were especially interested in the fact that he didn't consider himself an artist and was very insecure about his abilities. One of my children in particular feels that he is NOT an artist and CAN'T draw. But hearing that fact and looking at his finished project he felt much better about his abilities.

Above are our final projects. I was amazed at the difference between the first day and the last. They all really came together and even the parts that they struggled with came together. I can also see the light bulb moment for the kids where they see that that techniques like layering colors, adding shadows and adding highlights make a huge difference in the finished project. These are lessons that they can bring into their own art creations for years to come.

The Bottom Line:

As you can probably tell, we all really enjoyed this Art Projects lesson. I asked the kids when we were finished what they thought and they unanimously agreed that they enjoyed these lessons better than ones we've done in the past. My oldest liked that she did the project along with them so they could SEE what each step was and not just be told what to do.

What I liked most:

The lessons combine many visual elements- there is an artist's original print, a finished project, a vase of sunflowers, and the teacher completing a project along with you. All of these elements can really help the kids see what they are doing and what they are working toward.
Although the lessons are for ages 10 and up, they are fully customizable to all ages. We tend to do electives such as art as a family, so this is a big plus!
I like that the lesson include art history, while we have completed many projects and worked with a variety of mediums over the years, I have never done much on the history part of art even though I think it is very important.
With high school on my mind, I like that this series can be used to satisfy the fine arts credit. You can even find a PDF download on how to use See the Light to satisfy a 1/2 or full credit for high school on their website.

Notes:
The See the Light lessons are Christian based and do include elements of such. We are secular homeschoolers and although the religion-based parts of these lessons were not 100% in line with our beliefs, I would still recommend this product for its intended purpose of art history and instruction.

Product Facts:

For more information about See the Light, or to purchase the lessons for yourself, you can visit their website- where you will find all the information you need plus tips, sample lessons and a blog.

The Art Projects DVDs can be purchased individually for $14.99, or as a boxed set for $99. You can also join a DVD of the Month Club for $12.99 per month.

Also available are the Art Class series, the art-based Bible Stories series and the Art Projects Cartooning DVD.

To read more review of this product or other projects in this series, visit Mosaic Reviews.

Carving Big Jack

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:01:00 -0400

Remember Cale's big pumpkins? One exploded all over the house before the fair, and for awhile we weren't sure his second was going to make it, but it did. And it made it back home. The fungal infection that was invading the stem stopped and he was hopeful that the pumpkin would make it to Halloween. But then....the chickens got it...

See that hole that goes all the way through to the inside cavity? It's from the chickens pecking and pecking and pecking all day long. So it was carving time!

Because of the location of the hole Big Jack's face had to be facing a different direction than planned. The hole was incorporated into his mouth, and he's facing the sky.

As you can see the chickens were very excited about carving. I believe a couple even tried to go inside once the top was off.

And here he is all lit up!

Cale's already making plans for next year- and now's the time to prep the soil. Last week we heard that a new world record was set- 2032 lbs!

Field Trip Ideas: Western North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 07:00:00 -0400

Western North Carolina is made up a lot of small historic towns, all surrounding the bigger city of Asheville. The area is full of life, nature and beauty. From popular tourist destinations to little known treasures there's something for every one. Most of the links below will take you to my posts about our trips to these locations, though some will take you to the location's website.

For the Animal Lover:

Western North Carolina Nature Center: The nature center is full of animals that are native to the area, from river otters to bears to coyotes. It is a very natural setting, with paved trails and lots of points of interest.
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary: This is a small, lesser known attraction that hosts a large boardwalk through wetlands and around Beaver Lake. With many places to sit and observe nature and life around you. We've seen, not only birds, but muskrat, fish, turtles and interesting caterpillars and wildflowers.
Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education: The center is also located in Brevard, NC. It hosts a large fish hatchery, a small indoor exhibit building and numerous trails around the property. One of the best things about the center is their education program. They offer free classes throughout the year for kids on things like fly fishing, outdoor photography, archery and BB gun safety.

For the Nature Lover:

The Cradle of Forestry: The Cradle of Forestry is the birthplace of Forestry and is located in Brevard. They have a indoor large education center with a scavenger hunt for the kids, information on wildlife and even an simulated helicopter ride. Outdoors there are 2 trails full of history about Forestry.
The NC Arboretum: The North Carolina Arboretum is a 400+ acre garden located in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest just outside of Asheville. They have areas of manicured gardens and natural forest trails. They also have 2 buildings that host special exhibits and educational events and classes. The grounds are beautiful and my botany-loving kids love spending time here. Note: all 3 of the links go will lead you to 3 different posts about 3 different trips to the arboretum.
Botanical Gardens of Asheville: The botanical gardens are located on the ground of the University of NC, Asheville. It is a naturally set garden with a paths and trails full of native plants in their natural state. A creek runs along side most of the trail, with plenty of areas to play in the water, jump on rocks or look for nature.
The Blue Ridge Parkway: The parkway runs through most of Western North Carolina with amazing overlooks and view, lots of hiking and waterfalls. You will feel like you are on top of the world! The views are amazing all year long, but the fall is one of the most beautiful!

For the History Lover:

Small Town, NC: Surrounding Asheville are tons of small towns rich in history. Brevard, Black Mountain, Waynesville, Hendersonville. Each has it's own charm. For example, Hendersonville has tons of small museums, apple orchards and a charming down town. You can see all about out tour of Hendersonville: Part 1 and Part 2.
Biltmore: This is probably the most well known of all attractions in the Asheville area, and no field trip list would be complete without it. It is America's largest home, with a lot to offer. They also host a homeschool festival each fall, which would be a perfect time to plan a visit.
Carl Sandburg Home: Carl Sandburg was an author and poet, who lived in the Flat Rock area of NC. His wife raised award winning dairy goats, and their direct descendents still live on the farm to this day. The home is run by the National Park Service, who run tours of the Sandburg Home and raise and breed the dairy goats on site.

Of course these aren't the only attractions the area has to offer. There's also the Museums at Pack Place. Or a tour of the French Broad Chocolate Factory. You can climb Chimney Rock, slide down Sliding Rock, or visit the sites where movies such as The Last of the Mohicans, Dirty Dancing and The Hunger Games were filmed.

*This post is part of the Hip Homeschool Moms' Field Trips Around the World Series. Check out the entire series to find out more about what other cities around the world have to offer!

Sucre Indulge Chocolate Review and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 13:55:00 -0400

I have a confession. Okay, so most people who know me already know this, but I have a major sweet tooth. With chocolate being one of my very favorite treats. I am sure I am not alone when I admit that I sometimes save the chocolate in the house until after bedtime, just so I don't have to share. But today I am going to share some chocolate with one of my readers!

Sucré is a Sweet Boutique located in New Orleans, Louisiana. They specialize in making some of the best confections in the world. They not only offer a variety of chocolate collections but also macarons, king cake, and a variety of other handmade treats. They run a storefront in New Orleans, but most of their confections are also available to be shipped as well.

I was given Sucré's 15 Piece Indulge Chocolate Collection to taste. It consists 5 different flavors: rhum, malted milk, wedding cake, hazelnut cream and peanut butter and jelly. I have never ordered chocolates through the mail, so I was a little worried I would end up with a melted mess if I wasn't home when the package arrived. But the chocolates were packaged safely in a cooler box with cold pack, so they were still in perfect condition!

Like I said, I am a chocolate lover, so it's not hard to sell me on chocolate, but Sucré's collection was beautifully crafted, the fillings were silky smooth, and they are made with fresh cream and butter- which I appreciate. This time, I did share, and my family all enjoyed trying the different flavors. And my chocolate-loving 10 year old drooled over their website pictures for days.

So how would you like to win a 15 Piece Indulge Chocolate Collections for yourself? The giveaway will close on Tuesday, October 15 at 11:59pm EST and is limited to the contiguous US. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned product for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

{Review} Math Mammoth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 23:36:00 -0400

Choosing a curriculum is a daunting task. Over the years I have found myself pouring over the phone book sized Rainbow Resource catalog attempting to make choices that will provide my children with the best education that fits their learning style. Math is a very personal subject- we all think in different ways and see things with different eyes. Personally, I love math. Some love to correct grammar, I love equations. It comes rather easy to me, but teaching math does not. Over the years we have tried various math curricula to see what works best for me as the teacher and the kids as the students. We've been all over the place, and while we have settled on favorites, those favorites do have some places that I feel are lacking.

One of my older boys' current math curriculum lacks the repetition and time needed to really solidify the multiplication and division facts. My 2 younger sons use a curriculum that is very heavy on the mastery of the basic math subjects, but don't offer a lot of "extras" like time, money or measurement. So when I was given the opportunity to review Math Mammoth, I decided to choose their Blue Series, which is a series of worktexts that cover specific topics meant to be used as a supplement, extra practice or just as review.

Math Mammoth's Blue Series is inexpensively priced and available for PDF download, with a print or CD option also available. The worktexts cover most topics up to grade 6, with some grade 7 topics as well.

I choose 4 books based on areas I thought my boys needed the most work: Clock, US Money, Multiplication and Division 3 and Fractions 2.

My 3rd and 1st graders used the Money and Clock books, while my 5th grader used the Multiplication and Division and Fractions books. We used them in addition to their current math curriculum to touch on topics not covered and for add practice on topics that were proving more difficult to master.

What did we think?

Over all Math Mammoth has a lot of positives.

The Worktexts are in inclusive. They serve as the text books, work book and answer key all in one.
I like that there is a PDF option. Not only does this offer a less expensive option (only $2-$7 per e-book), but for those with multiple children, it saves time and money.
The individual books are intensive enough to provide topic mastery by the completion of the book.
Math Mammoth gives you all sorts of options from the Light Blue Series which is a full curriculum to a mix and match curriculum using the Blue Series or as a supplement curriculum. There is something for everyone.
Math Mammoth is self-teaching, with very little prep work for the parent/teacher.

What didn't work for us:

Switching curriculum is hard, and while I do think it is important to learn how to do math, no matter how it is presented, my older son didn't care for how the multiplication was presented. (That being said, his multiplication did improve.)
I personally didn't like how the clock book was presented. I can see how young children, with no prior experience telling time, might be okay with starting with a one handed clock. I found it unusual and confusing.

If you aren't sure if Math Mammoth would be a good fit for your family, the creator offers a "virtual tour" by email which included over 300 worksheets and sample pages from the various books. The Blue Series e-books are also inexpensive enough to try one to see if it works well for you child.

If you are interested in purchasing Math Mammoth, you can find them at CurrClick, Kagi and LuLu.

Head over to Mosaic Reviews if you would like to read more reviews and see what others thought about Math Mammoth

September Wrap-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 22:58:00 -0400

September seemed to fly by this year. Summer was left behind and the leaves are starting to change little by little. Here's a recap of September around our house.

This month started all about the fair. I shared the kids' entries, but I never shared the results. We took a trip the the fair one afternoon to check out animals and exhibits....and yes, to check out how their entries did.

We picked up their exhibits and their ribbons a few weeks ago. They did well! And are excited about next year- and about the checks they will receive in the mail next month. Just to give you an idea- the blue ribbons pay $10, red ribbons pay $6 and white pay $4. So yes, they will get a pretty good paycheck!

We ate watermelon. Lots of watermelon. These are Rylan's Orangeglo. They are very pretty and sweet too.

Rylan saved up his money again. This time he was saving for a self propelled lawn mower. He talked Cohen into helping to pay for the last little bit, so they share the mower. It's win-win since they seem to love to mow and Paul doesn't have a lot of spare time to do it!

And we ate more watermelon. I think we've eaten one a day for most of the month. Half for lunch and half for snack.

We took a trip to the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. We only saw a couple birds- my crew isn't exactly patient or quiet enough for bird watching- but we saw a few blue herons. And a muskrat, turtles, fish and this caterpillar.

We have been harvesting just a few of our sweet potatoes. So far it looks like it will be a good harvest. The garden is winding down- still peppers, okra, eggplant and beans and a few late planted summer squash plants.

We went apple picking for the local food bank. The orchard donates over 100,000 lbs of apples every year- they just need help with picking!

This Saturday was National Hunting and Fishing Day, so we drove down to the Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard.

They had archery, bb gun target practice, fly fishing instruction and casting practice.

We have family visiting this week. Tonight we cooked out- burgers, hot dogs and s'mores around fire. The perfect end to the month!

And if you haven't been over on The Free Range Life, head over there to read the following articles:

And that is it for our September! Did you do anything fun this month?

Homeschool Mosaics: Preserving Food For Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 09:08:00 -0400

Today I am over on Homeschool Mosaics talking about Preserving Food for the Winter.

"Summer is a busy time here on our homestead. The garden is going full swing and my counters and refrigerator are full of produce. It is also the in season for all other local produce we don’t grow ourselves. In our home, we don’t view the garden as only a hobby or as a way to eat fresh and save money during the growing season, we view it as a way to feed our family the whole year long.

So what can you do to save the summer’s bounty for winter consumption?

There are many ways to preserve food, but I am going to touch on 3 of the main ones: Canning, Freezing and Dehydrating. Using these 3 methods you can save virtually all of your in-season produce for eating in those cold, winter months..."

You can read the rest of the article over on Homeschool Mosaics today!

When it was a Good Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 07:00:00 -0400

On September 11, 2001 I was a new mom with a 1 month old baby boy. My mom was visiting from Oklahoma and set to fly home the next day. Paul was working. In my newborn fog I didn't realize anything had happened until close to lunch time. And then that was all we saw. And like most of America we sat and watched the footage over and over again. And I will never forget that day.

But today I am talking about a different September 11th. 5 years before September 11th was 9-11, it was a good day. It was a meaningful day. A day that changed my life and set me on the path I am on today.

The year was 1996. It was the end of summer. August. The last weekend before I started my junior year in high school. I was with my 3 best friends doing what teenage girls do. And there he was with his friends doing what teenage boys do. Our groups went to the movies that night- The Cable Guy, I believe. I don't really remember that part. I remember him.

School started. Weeks went by. And I saw him again and again. Our groups of friends became friends. We became friends. I was amazed at how I could talk to him. Tell him things. Open up to him like I couldn't with most other people in my life. He knew me right from the beginning.

It was one of those times in life where you have to make a choice. To follow what your heart, not knowing if it's wrong or right. September 10th was a bad day. It was the day I broke someone's heart in order to follow my own. And I'll never forget it.

But 17 years ago, September 11th was a good day. The day that boy and I became we. The same we that we are today. For us, the date of September 11 has always been remembered.

{Review} EEME Project Genius Light

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 7 Sep 2013 22:43:00 -0400

There are a few skills that I think are truly important to learn in this day and age, and one of those is electronics. We live in a technological age, which makes it very important that we understand the inner-workings of the machines around us. Enter EEME.

EEME's monthly hands-on project kits teach kids about electronics. Each project kit is paired with online curricula to not only guide the kids in assembling the project but also to teach the concepts applied. EEME's kits are aimed for kids ages 7-12, but older and younger kids can definitely learn from them too! The first kit in the subscription is Project Genius Light- which will get your kids learning all about circuits, resistors, LEDs and other basic electronics knowledge.

About the Kit:

From EEME:

"With the Genius Light project, you will assemble a simple LED circuit system that does the smart thing - lights up when it is dark and dims when it is light. The project kit will be shipped with all the materials needed to build the Genius Light (a breadboard, resistors, circuits, LEDs, battery). Once you've gotten your kit, you'll come back to eeme.co to access our 45 minutes of online videos, which will (1) teach you and your kid how to build the Genius Light, and (2) explain the electrical engineering concepts behind it. (Videos are free to check out.)"

So what is in your first EEME monthly project kit?

The only thing you will need in addition to your kit is access to a internet-ready computer. The kits go hand in hand with online curricula that will teach your kids not only HOW to complete the project but the WHY behind it as well.

How does it work?

You will start by accessing the video lessons from EEME's website. These lessons are broken down into many short videos that will step by step lead your children through the process. I was a little worried that 4 pairs of hands working on one project would lead to frustration, but there are so many little steps that everyone got plenty of chances to help build the project. Depending on the age of your child you may need to offer a hand, so stick around and use this time to learn together. I found that my 12 year old needed no help, while my 7 year old had a hard time with some of the assembly. The videos will also tell you when your assistance may be needed.

One of the best things about the video lessons is that they aren't simply how-to instructions. The kids have to build, take apart, and re-build numerous times before actually starting the final step of building the genius light. This means there was plenty of time for things to go wrong- which is a good thing! My boys learned how to troubleshoot and double check their wires and circuits in order to make it work before moving on.

The lessons not only gave directions on how to set up the circuits, but also the reasons behind what they were doing. So they learned what a resistor was and its purpose and got to experiment with how the light looked with and without the resistors in their circuit.

Also included were short assessment questions at the end of some of the videos to check and make sure the kids were actually understanding what they were hearing.

What we liked best:

The video lessons were amazing. I loved that the lessons were broken up into shorter sections as opposed to one long video. Having someone who truly understands what they are talking about and teaching is so much more effective than me reading a manual and trying to teach the same thing.
One kit can work over multiple kids of multiple ages. The kit can be assembled and disassembled numerous times. You don' t have to have one kit per kid. They can work together or on their own one at a time.
I liked that they were actually learning concepts. We've had many "eclectronic kits" over the years and they show you how to complete a circuit but not why.
I like that each new project builds upon knowledge learned in the previous project, it's a great way to really solidify the concepts being learned.

How can you get your own?

EEME has 2 pricing plans, starting at $18.95 per month. Each month you will reuse your breadbox and battery pack, but will receive new project parts in the mail that will build upon the knowledge learned in previous projects.

And if you act fast, you will receive the first month free when you subscribe to EEME! That means you will get to try out Project Genius Light at no charge! Just click here and you will see a special promo banner on the bottom of the page! This promotion will expire on 9/16.

You can also find EEME on Facebook and Twitter!

Click here to read more about EEME and what other families thought about the project.