TOS Crew: I See Sam

We were asked to review the I See Sam books from Academic Success for All Learners for the TOS Crew. 

The company graciously sent us levels 1-4.  When our box of books arrived a was initially a bit over whelmed, because I wasn't real sure where to start or what to do.  Once I opened the box and started reading the Placement and Assessment Manual I knew that I was going to use the program with Computer Girl.

Computer Girl is in 2nd grade, and read pretty well prior to using the I See Sam books.  We did not use these books to teach phonics as she already has a firm phonetic foundation.  We used the Little Books more as readers to help give her the confidence that she lacked in reading and speed.   

Here is what I found from using the program with Computer Girl:

• The Placement and Assessment Manual showed us exactly where Computer Girl needed to start.  She started in level 3.
• As Computer Girl would read to me, the reader would prompt me to Praise and Encourage her.  When ever I would say Great Job! or WOW!  That was Perfect! her little eyes would just light up and she would smile ear to ear!  While I did praise her prior to using the I See Sam books I don't think i did it enough.  The extra praise was working, it slowly but surely helped to build the confidence that she needed. 
• When we read together I try to set time aside so that it was just her and I. with no interruptions and she would just read and read.  There have been several times that she sat and read me 3-4 books in one sitting.  She really enjoyed the stories and they really kept her interest. 
• While she did start in level 3 she quickly improved and moved on to level 4. 
• As her confidence improved so did her reading skills.  The once shy reader now begs me to let her keep reading.  Here is an example, when we do Bible together I have both the girls read along with me.  I used to only have Computer Girl read 1 verse, 2 at the most.  Now she likes to read verse after verse!  Now I have to tell her to stop hogging all the reading.  : )

I plan on continuing to use the Little Books with Computer Girl and plan on using level 1 with Alpha Boy next year when he starts Kindergarten.

I would recommend Little Books from the I See Sam series, but not as a stand alone phonetic program.  The kids enjoy them and they really do seem to help improve reading skills.  They have 8 sets that take you from a Kindergarten to 3.6 reading level.  Each set contains up to 27 Little Books and costs $30. 

Each set of I See Sam Little Books also have a set of flashcards to accompany the readers.  You may download them for no charge or purchase them all ready made for $15 for sets 1-4 or 5-8.

If you would like to see for yourself what the I See sam Little Books are all about, you may request a FREE Sample Book.

Please check out what other members of the TOS Crew are saying about the I See Sam Little Books.

We recieved the I See Sam Little Books at no charge for review purposes.  This did not in any way influence my opinions of this product, the opinions expressed here truly are my own. 

Jesus Thy Blood and Rightousness

written by : Nikolaus L. von Zin­zen­dorf

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
’Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in Thy great day;
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

The holy, meek, unspotted Lamb,
Who from the Father’s bosom came,
Who died for me, e’en me to atone,
Now for my Lord and God I own.

Lord, I believe Thy precious blood,
Which, at the mercy seat of God,
Forever doth for sinners plead,
For me, e’en for my soul, was shed.

Lord, I believe were sinners more
Than sands upon the ocean shore,
Thou hast for all a ransom paid,
For all a full atonement made.

When from the dust of death I rise
To claim my mansion in the skies,
Ev’n then this shall be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived, hath died, for me.

This spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in years;
No age can change its glorious hue,
The robe of Christ is ever new.

Jesus, the endless praise to Thee,
Whose boundless mercy hath for me—
For me a full atonement made,
An everlasting ransom paid.

O let the dead now hear Thy voice;
Now bid Thy banished ones rejoice;
Their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness.

I love traditional hymns and this one is a great one!  You can listen to it here. 

Saturday Solutions: Bible Reading Time

I am not sure if I have mentioned before how I get my Bible reading done or not, but I wanted to share.  I would love to say that I am 100% faithful in reading every single day ,but I am not.  I have, by God's Grace, gotten much better at making my reading/prayer time a priority, do do accomplish it on most days.

Here are the things that are working for me:

• First Thing - For me, reading first thing in the morning works best.  I feel like, if I don't get it done right away, then it is really hard for me to get to it at all.  Once I get up, I get a cup of coffee,  quickly scan my emails and then go to my reading.  My desire is to go to the Lord first, and ask for His wisdom and direction through the day.  If for some reason we are having an off morning I can make up my reading time at quiet/nap time.
• Have a Plan - I am more likely to follow through with something if I have a focus.  I have found that I REALLY love the M'Cheyne Bible Plan.  It gives you 4 chapters to read each day (2 with the family and 2 alone), 2 are from the Old Testament and 2 from the New and takes you through the whole Bible in 1 year if you keep up.  I just read through the beginning of the Bible with the kids for MFW's Bible, so for now I am just reading 3 chapters a day. 
• Utilize Technology - Most of the time I do my Bible reading right online, I just go right the M'Cheyne website and read from there.  There as several Bible reading programs out there that you can even have sent right to your email. 
• The Kids - I need to have quiet to read and process so I let the boys watch a cartoon, like The Cat in the Hat or Curious George while I read.  The girls, at this point ,are usually getting ready for school, doing their independent work or making breakfast.  They also have a private Bible reading time that they do, usually in the afternoon during quiet time, but I think I am going to be moving that to 1st thing in the morning too!
• Just do it - Even if I over sleep or am having a bad morning, I still try to at least read one chapter from the Bible.  Whether you follow a plan or not, whether it is in the morning or not, find a quiet time with the Lord.  You really need it, I know I do!  If you don't have a lot of time, read a Proverb or just pick a book of the Bible to start in and read a chapterer a day. 

TOS Crew: Kid Scoop

The TOS Crew offered to let us review Kids Scoop's Reluctant Readers Solutions by Vicki Whiting, who has done a fabulous job putting this program together!

She know that in order for children to get good at reading they have to do it.  If you want kids to love reading give'em stuff to read that they enjoy and interest them.  Vicki has now just that.  She has put together some great topics that the kids are really interested in!  My kids have really enjoyed reading about Big Foot, frost, Bees, Germs and Valentines Day, to name a few. 

Not only do the kids get to read about really cool stuff, but then they get to do even cooler activities, like stories, games, puzzles and crafts!  

My kids generally like to read, for the most part so I am not generally pulling teeth to make that happen.  With that said I can't testify that my kids couldn't stand reading but now they love it.  BUT, I can tell you that when I print out a set of worksheets I don't even need to ask them to do it.  I just lay them on the kitchen table and BAM! they flock to them.  Literally!  They will of course share what they are learning and ask me if they have questions but all I hear is "Mom can you print us out another one?!!"

Here are the Pros:

• The topics really appealed the kids.  They were learning and ENJOYING it.  Can you imagine such a thing!
• I liked that many of the topics were related to history, science and health.
• Very easy to use.  With it being in eBook form, it was pretty much print and go.  Each topic includes 5-7 worksheets.
• The kids can do this independently.  Mostly.  For us anyway, but this would depend on the skill level of your kiddos.  Don't get me wrong here, these activities got their brain juices flowing and challenged them.
• With 365 pages of stories and activities, cover about 60 different topics, it will last for quite a while. 
• Did I mention that they were learning!!
• I mentioned that my kids don't really struggle with reading to much, but I can say this Kid Scoop did give them a definite hunger to want to read MORE and keep on learning.
• I liked that it could be used for multiple ages.  My 10 and 7 year olds most worked on their own, unless they had a question.  My 4 year old is not reading yet, but after seeing the fun his sisters were having he wanted to join in.  So, either we would join them or have me help him with the story and some of the activities that he could do. 

You can purchase your own Kid Scoop: Reluctant Reader Solution eBook for $97.00.  I will be honest, at first I thought that was a little high BUT hear me out for a moment and consider these thoughts....

You own the eBook, which means that you can print them over and over.  This obviously is more economical if you have a few children.  $97 divided by 365 (worksheets) is roughly $.27 per worksheet.  So, that would make each topic only about  $1.35 - $1.89 each.  Not bad considering you can print it over and over and over again.  If I did my math correctly (which would be pretty embarrassing if I didn't) it really is pretty economical.  

If you are not sure about purchasing the eBook you would probably love to know that Kid Scoop has a

365-day Unconditional Money-Back Guarantee!  

Can't beat that!  If you still aren't convinced Kid Scoop offers a FREE sample download that you might want to check out.

Also included in your Kid Scoop purchase is 12 months of access to the Kid Scoop monthly newspaper, the online newspaper just for kids. ($55 value).  Which is also very cool.  Kids love having a newspaper all their own.  

In each electronic edition of Kid Scoop News Online your kids will get to play lots of fun puzzles and games, do awesome experiments, and read profiles of kids in the new, plus lots more!   Kids get to read about current events, the natural world, and special holidays.

Page after page is filled with lots of things to do and learn!  Your kids will enjoy this subscription for 12 months along with your eBook purchase.

Please check out what others on the TOS Crew are saying about Kid Scoop!

We received a free copy of Kid Scoop: Reluctant reader Solutions for review purposes only.  The opinions stated here are my own and were not influenced by the free product.

TOS Crew: Curiosity Files

The TOS Crew asked us if we would like to review one of their new Curiosity Files ebook studies. I immediately knew that I wanted to do one, I even knew the exact one that I wanted to do.  I can tend to get a little excited about doing new things, but I contained myself and let the kids choose the topic of their choice. Would you believe that we ALL wanted to do the same study! Quicksand!

It was nice to be able to study something that everyone was interested in.  It was even nicer to be able to learn right along with the kids, and not have to do a ton of research before hand, since The Old Schoolhouse had already done it for us.

When we opened up our curiosity file we met Professor Ana Lyze, Expert in Outlandish Oddities. She kindly introduced herself and told us that she and her research team specialized in the obscure, the abnormal, and bizarre.  The kids and I were hooked and very interested to follow her through this study.

With the help of Professor Ana Lyze we learned alot about quicksand. We learned what quicksand is and what it isn't.  We found out that it takes just the right make up of water, sand, clay and salt to make quicksand.  We learned how to make our own edible quicksand.  Did you know that quicksand is very common and that most people don't sink to their death if they step in it, we do! 

 

We had a great time with this study, there were so many things to do!  After learning about quicksand you can do experiments, word searches, crossword puzzles, study scriputre, do math and even make your own (edible) quicksand!

Some of the things included in the Curiosity Files are:

• Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Quicksand
• Let’s See How Much You’ve Learned
• Figure It Out
• Morecambe Bay Quicksand
• Quicksand Drawings - the kids get to draw fun pictures of things getting stuck in quicksand
• Math Facts
• Measures
• Word Fun
• Is Your Essay Full of Quicksand?
• Spelling and Vocabulary
• Elementary Word List
• Junior High/High School Word List
• Spelling Activities (elementary)
• Spelling Activities (middle/high school)
• Word Search
• Crossword
• Just For Fun
• Copywork
• Scripture Verses
• Memory Work
• In the Lab
• Physics
• Surface Tension Experiment
• Let’s Get Creative
• Quicksand Goo
• Edible Quicksand
• Decorative Colored Sand Bottles
• Painted Walking Stick
• Sand Art Pictures
• Coloring Page
• Hands on Learning
• Cornstarch Quicksand
• The Curiosity Fact Files
• Snippet #1: Why Does Quicksand Make You Sink?
• Snippet #2: Non-Newtonian Fluid
• Music Mania
• Read All About It

 As if that weren't enough, there are books recommended for further reading and lots of websites to check out about quicksand.  Like I said, they've done it ALL!

 

The ebooks in the Curiosity Files series are:

• Quicksand
• Blue Diamond
• Dung Beetle
• MRSA
• Puffer Fish 
• Red Tide 
• Zombie Fire Ants 
• Blue-footed Booby 
• Cicada Killing Wasp

Whether you want to study Quicksand or any of the other Curiosity Files, you won't be disappointed. At only $6.95 (or $46.00 for all 9 of them), The Curiosity Files are a great way to spice up your studies or to just take a mid year break from your current curriculum.   While the recommended age range is 8-13, my 4 & 8 year olds had no problem keeping up, so I feel it is definitely adaptable for the younger ages.

To see what other TOS Crew members are saying about the Curiosity Files please check out their reviews here.

Please note that we received the Quicksand Curiosity File from the TOS at no charge, for review purposes only.  This, however, did not alter my opinion about this product. 

All Cakes Considered

To all the cakes I've loved before, I am sorry but you have been replaced.  You see I have found something better.  I have found a cake that is moist and delicious and tastes oh so yummy!  

 My new favorite cake EVER is a Peach Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.  It may well be the most delicious things I have ever put in mouth! 

Now that your mouths are watering let me tell you where I found this wonderful recipe.  I found it in a cake cookbook called All Cakes Considered by Melissa Gray. 

Melissa has done all the research and found the best of the best!  She decided to make a new cake each week and bring it into work to share with her colleagues at radio station NPR.  Melissa works behind the scenes of the radio show All Things Considered, hence the name of the book.  Lucky them!  After finding the very yummiest cakes, she put them all together into a great cookbook.  Thanks Melissa!

The majority of the cookbook is filled with fabulous cakes but in case you get tired of those she even threw in some great cookie recipes (great thinking Melissa!).  I do the happy dance when I find a cookbook that is filled with beautiful pictures, especially cake pictures!  I like to see whatever I am making is supposed to look like, ya know.

The Cake Recipes Included Are:

• Sour Cream Pound Cake - which she calls The Man Catcher, LOL!
• Brown Sugar Pound Cake
• Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake
• Key Lime Cake
• Procrastinatin' Drunken Monkey Banana Bread
• The Barefoot Contessa's Sour Cream Coffee Cake - WOWWY!
• Argroves Manor Coffee Cake
• Miss Saigon Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cake
• Swedish Visiting Cake - Yummmmm!
• Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cakes
• Gingerbread
• Wacky Cake w/ Seven Minute Frosting
• Cocoa Bread with Stewed Yard Peaches
• Tunnel of Fudge Cake - Just looking at the the oozing fudge makes my mouth water!
• Butter Rum Cake
• The Naughty Senator
• Paula Deen's Almond Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Coffee Spice Cake
• Spanish Meringue Cake
• Honey Spice Cake with Rum Glaze
• Holiday Honey Cake
• Araby Spice Cake
• Black Walnut Cake
• Banana Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting-  Does it get any better than this??!! 
• Fresh Apple Cake
• Paula Deen's Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia - Ok, maybe it does!
• Peach cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - MY FAVORITE!!
• Faux Fruitcake
• Martha Washington's Great Cake
• Bittersweet-Chocolate Frosted Layer Cake
• Whipped Cream Cake
• Honey Buttercream and Apricot Jam Cake
• Italian Cake - Coconut and Walnuts Galore!
• Sour Cream Spice Cake w/ Orange Butter Frosting
• Devil's Food Cake with Quick Fudge Icing and Raspberry Jam
• Dark Chocolate Red Velvet Cake
• Triple Chocolate Orange Passion Cake
• German's Chocolate Cake
• Angel Food Cake
• Chocolate Angel Food Cake
• Lady and Lord Baltimore Cakes
• Lane Cake
• Appalachian Stack Cake - The next time that I have company over this will be their dessert, WOW!
• Graham Cracker Cake
• Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pattie Cake
• Heaven and Hell Cake - If you love chocolate and peanut butter you are sure to love this one!

These cakes would be great to make and take, for special occasions or for any ol' reason at all!  You can purchase your own copy of All Cakes Considered on Amazon for $16.47.  I am sure that you too will find a new cake to LOVE!

Please note that I received All Cakes Considered free of charge for review purposes, but this not not in any way change my opinion of this product.

A Biblical Approach to Early Childhood Discipline

Just wanted to share something with you all.  As I have mentioned before, once the kids are nestled all snug in their beds at night sometimes I finish folding laundry, mopping the kitchen floor, etc. and I like to listen to messages while I am doing these chores.

I have been listening to FamilyLife Today's Dennis and Barbara Rainey give sound biblical wisdom on raising children.  They have 6 grown children of their own and have been in the thick of raising children.  This couple really encouraged me as I listened to them talk about some of the very challenges that I am currently facing. 

 You really should listen to the message on your own but I wanted to share some of the golden nuggets that really stuck with me:

• I really liked their suggestion of sitting down with your spouse and each of you coming up with 10 things that are most important in raising your children.  After each of you come up with your Top 10 then come together and agree on the Top 5 that you both agree are important.   
• Dennis Rainey gave the scripture Hebrews 12:5-11 and explained that after he would discipline once of his children he would read them this verse.  I LOVE this idea and want to work on memorizing this passage of scripture: 5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
• Barbara explained connection with that they modeled the correction that the gave their children after God's discipline of Adam and Eve in the garden.with how they disciplined their own children. 

They have several messages that look very good.  I think that it is very profitable to glean from those that have gone through the very same things that I am going through.  Hopefully you will enjoy them too!

Menu Plan Monday

I have been trying out some new crock pot recipes lately and found several keepers.  As I have told you all a few times before, I L-O-V-E my crocky pots.  One of them pretty much has taken up permanent residency on my counter.  They really just make life much simpler, whether you homeschool or work full time it is a major time saver. 

Last Saturday night I put a frozen pot roast, along with all the fixin's, in my crock pot dish so it would be ready for Sunday morning.  On Sunday mornings we are usually tight on time, since we are getting ready for church, so it was nice to have everything ready the night before.  All I had to do was pull my crock pot dish out of the refrigerator, put in the crock pot and turn it on.  Really, it just doesn't get any easier than that, you know what I am sayin'!!

I actually did tried several crock pot recipes last week, hope you enjoy them:

Monday
Pizza Chicken over Noodles w/ Mixed Veggies on the side - All the kids loved this one!

Tuesday
Rosemary Chicken, Carrots and Brown Rice

Wednesday
Loose Meat Sandwiches w/ Chips and Fruit - These sandwiches are a new favorite for us!

Thursday
Pioneer Dinner - This was possibly the easiest dinner I have ever made (next to a bowl of cereal, yes, we had had cereal for dinner more than once) and EVERYONE liked it! 

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Layered Beef Casserole w/ Broccoli - this was really yummy too!

Sunday
Sweet & Savory Pot Roast w/ Carrots and Potatoes - Y-U-M-M-E-E-E-E-!-!

Glorious and Mighty

Words by Joel Sczebel, Todd Twining and Bob Kauflin


Majesty, Your glory is shining
Brighter than the moon and the stars
Marveling, we honor and fear You
Above all gods

Chorus Glorious and mighty, You’re awesome In beauty
Joyful songs we raise
Glorious and mighty, You’re awesome in beauty
Greatly to be praised

Majesty, You fashioned the heavens
Your decrees can never be changed
Over all the plans of the nations
Your judgments reign

Majesty, we’ll sing with creation
When You come again in the clouds
Every knee will bow down and worship
The one true God


While this is not a traditional hymn it is a fabulous song about our Glorious and Mighty Creator, God.   You can listen to the song here or purchase the CD from Sovereign Grace Ministries (it is actually on sale right now for only $6.00).

Saturday Solutions: Garlic Ear Drops

If you have children then chances are that you too have been awakened in the middle of the night with a crying sick child.  This is not fun for anyone and mom's can sometimes feel helpless.

If one of our children wakes crying in the middle of the night complaining of an ear ache or pulling on their ears then I go right for my garlic ear drops.  We've been using them for years, they are safe, natural and have been very effective for us.  Usually, we have all been able to return to sleep.

There have been times that I have taken our children to the doctor's, been told that they have an ear infection and then been given a prescription.  I politely decline and explain that we have garlic drops at home.  We have in the past used the garlic ear drops and returned to the doctors for a follow up, the results have been excellent. 

Usually I buy the garlic ear drops from a health food store but am starting to make them on my own.  Here is the recipe I am using:

1/2 cup of olive oil
1 head of fresh garlic - peel and slice all cloves
small glass jar, like a mason jar
small square of cheese cloth - enough to cover the top of your jar

Gather your supplies.  Peel and slice all of your garlic cloves and place in the jar.  Pour the 1/2 cup of olive oil over the cloves.  Place the cheese cloth on top and secure with a rubber band.  Give a little swirl to mix.

Keep in a warm place.  Every day or 2 give a little swirl to mix, do this for 2 weeks.  After the 2 weeks are up, strain the oil through the cheese cloth and into a a small glass jar with a lid (preferably a small dark glass jar where the lid has a built in dropper).


Using the Garlic Ear Oil:

Place the glass jar into a bowl full of hot water.  Heat the oil to a nice warm temperature but be VERY CAREFUL NOT TO MAKE IT TOO HOT!!  Check the temp on your wrist.  Place a few drops in each ear and then use a cotton ball.  After a few minutes the cotton balls can be removed.  It is also helpful to rub the oil around the lymph nodes and neck. 

CAUTION:  DO NOT USE EAR DROPS IF THE EAR DRUM IS RUPTURED! 

Please note that I am NOT a doctor, just a mom.   I am just offering a suggestion that has worked for us in our home.  Please use your own judgement in caring for your children.  Obviously, if the drops are causing additional pain STOP using them and see your doctor. : )

TOS Crew: Roman Town

We were given Roman Town by Dig-It Games to review for the TOS Crew.  So far, my kids are diggin' it!  They want to play and play and play some more!

Roman Town is fantastic educational game that teaches kids about archeology and history in a very hands on kinda way. The kids get to "be" archaeologists and have their very own digging team to explore the ancient Roman Town of Fossura (of course they LOVED THIS!). Once an ancient artifact is found the kids get to learn more about it through games, puzzles and fun, educational facts.  Along the way the kids also get to learn from and interact with children that lived in Fossura.

The Roman Town game offers 6 levels of play, so there is lots to do and discover. The game is geared toward students in 5th-8th grad,e but my 4 year old, and 2nd grader enjoyed playing as well (they did need a little bit of help from mom). My 5th grader really enjoys playing and it definitely holds her interest for quite a while.

This is a picture of our diggers.  The kids get to pick the tools that they use to do their digging. 

Once your workers think they have found something, you get to go over to finish excavating.   The kids really liked this little feature.

Here are some of the artifacts that were found.  Now, the kids get to see if they all fit together.  The puzzles and games were favorites for everyone, even mom!

These are the helpful children that live in Fossura.  The kids get to play games with them and learn lots of facts from them.

This is a fill in the blank report that the children can do to show what they have learned. 

We really enjoyed playing Roman Town, it was great to have fun and learn all at the same time!  Roman Town would go along great with any study on Rome and Ancient Civilization, we will continue to use this again and again. 

If you would like to have your own copy of Roman Town, it will be on sale from now until February 21st for only $19.96.   To get the sale price please use the coupon code TOS2011.  The regular price after the sale is $39.95. 

Please check out what others on the TOS Crew thought about Roman Town.

We received the Roman Town game at no charge for review purposes only.  The opinions expressed here are my own and were not influenced by the free product.