Friday Blog Hop

Mama to 4 Blessings  & Homegrown Families host a blog hop every Friday.  Thought you all might like to hop on over and join the fun! 

TOS Crew: New Monic's Vocabulary Cartoon

We were given the Elementary Version of Vocabulary Cartoon book from New Monic to review for the TOS Crew.  This books focuses on learning vocabulary words through cartoons and mnemonics.  Mnemonics are mind memory or learning aids, usually a short poem or saying that helps a person to remember something. 

Vocabulary Cartoons is not just a book with a list of words that kids are told to go memorize.  This book is filled with lots silly pictures and saying that make learning the meaning of words really fun!

Each word has a page of it's own which gives the subject word, the pronunciation, the meaning, an association link word, a mnemonic cartoon, cartoon caption and a sample sentence. 

While the smaller LSG Crew did take a peek at this book, mostly the Lil Chef and I were the ones working on it, since it is geared towards 3rd -6th graders.  We really enjoyed the cartoons and silly sayings(mnemonics) that went along with the words, some of them really had us laughing!   I believe that the Vocabulary Cartoons did help the Lil Chef and I increase our vocabulary just from casually reading the book.  The book does include a quiz after every 10 words, but we just did it for fun and skipped the quizzes.   

While this vocabulary book is not something that we will use every day, I do feel it is a fun resource to have.  I don't envision sticking it back on the bookcase, it will probably end up on the coffee table or in one of the book baskets floating around, for easy access.  If the Lil Chef didn't already have vocabulary built into her spelling program, I would definitely consider adding this to our curriculum choices. 

At 12.95, the Vocabulary Cartoon - Elementary Edition is very reasonably priced and well worth the purchase.  New Monics carries 2 other vocabulary books that help to prepare for SAT's as well a Picture Speller for the K-2nd crowd.  

Please check out some of the other reviews from the TOS Crew.

This product was provided to us free of charge for review purposes. I was not paid in any way and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Menu Plan Monday

Got a few new cookbooks so that means a few new recipes.  Yippee!  I usually buy my cookbooks used from Amazon, cause I am cheap like that : )  In case you were wondering which cookbooks I got, they are:

Weight Watchers All Time Favorites - I have sooo- many pages dog eared in this book!  If you want a new cookbook BUY this ONE!

Weight Watchers' Simply the Best : 250 Prizewinning Family Recipes

Simply Delicious (Weight Watchers)

Now Eat This  - This one is by Rocco Dispirito.  He takes comfort foods and makes them low calorie.  Like for instance he takes a Mac & Cheese dish that was 32 grams of fat/670 calories and knocks it down to 6.5grams of fat/227 calories per serving.  I haven't made anything yet but this looks like a good one too!  The only thing I was not impressed with was, that in some of the desserts he uses Splenda, which I am not a big fan of. 

Can you tell a theme here?  I am trying to cook on the lighter side but whatever I cook, it can't appear too healthy, or The Hubs won't eat it.  So I thought I would go for a few lower calorie recipes.
Ok, on to the menu...

Monday
Meatless Monday - Italian Bean Soup (Weight Watchers All Time Favorites)

Tuesday
Stuffed Greeen Peppers, Mashed Potatoes and Corn (the Peppers and Potatoes will be cooking side by side in their own little crock pots.  Have I told you how much I love crock pots!!)  If you have never made potatoes in your crocky pot, you must!  All you have to do it throw your taters in the pot, add about a 1/4 of water and sprinkle with sea salt.  I do not peel my taters because I am lazy and the skins are good for ya, as long as they are organic.  Once there cooked you can eat them as they are, add toppings or mash'em up.

Wednesday
Baked Chicken w/ Rosemary w/ Mixed Veggies and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Thursday
Meatloaf w/ Potatoes and Green Beans - This is something a friend shared with me. You make up your meatloaf, put it in a 9x13, add potatoes around the sides and then pour Tomato Soup over top and cook.

I think I am going to try it in the crock pot.

Friday
Hunan Chicken Stir Fry (Weight Watchers All Time Favorites) served over Brown Rice

Saturday
Pizza Night

Sunday
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup - I do not actually grill my Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  Remember Grilled Cheese Sandwiches back in school, they bread wasn't soggy, it was nice and crispy.  Well that is how I like my grilled (baked) cheese sandwiches so I just pop them in the oven and bake them up.  I don't even add butter.

He Grew The Tree

written by Chuck Lawrence

HE MOLDED AND BUILT A SMALL LONELY HILL
THAT HE KNEW WOULD BE CALLED CALVARY.
THEN HE MADE THE SEED THAT WOULD GROW TO BE
THORNS THAT WOULD MAKE HIS SON BLEED.
THEN HE MADE A GREEN STEM
GAVE IT LEAVES AND THEN GAVE IT SUNSHINE AND RAIN AND
SHELTERED IT WITH MOSS.
HE GREW THE TREE HE KNEW WOULD BE
USED TO MAKE THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.


WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES GOD LOOKED DOWN THROUGH TIME
SAW HIM SPAT UPON REJECTED AND MOCKED.
STILL HE GREW THE TREE HE KNEW WOULD BE
USED TO MAKE THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.

CHORUS
NOTHING TOOK HIS LIFE WITH LOVE HE GAVE IT.
HE WAS CRUCIFIED ON A TREE THAT HE CREATED.
WITH GREAT LOVE FOR MAN
GOD GAVE WITH HIS PLAN.
HE GREW THE TREE SO THAT WE MIGHT GO FREE.


STILL HE GREW THE TREE HE KNEW WOULD BE
USED TO MAKE THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.


I really love this song, although I am not sure that it qualifies as a hymn.  I had forgot about this song until I found my ipod which had been lost for over a year. 

My mom and Uncle Dan sang this song years ago at church.  I can still remember driving to church with her that morning, I remember her being nervous to be singing in front of everyone.   So, when I hear this song I can't help but think of my mama and Uncle Dan.

This song was originally sung by Barbara Mandrell but there are lots of versions on youtube.

Saturday Solutions: Removing Permanent Markers from the Wall

Truthfully I wasn't going to post today BUT I just had to share this. 

My youngest little darling, Little Bits, just loves to draw.  He especially LOVES to draw with black or red permanent marker on my WALLS!!  I know exactly what you are thinking right now, lucky me, right?! 

Before I go any further, let me just tell you that we have some painting done earlier this month.  One of the rooms that we had painted was the girls room.  We all really loved the drawings that Little Bits had made for us, but the girls were really ready for a new look. 

Well this evening, I was helping the girls clean out their drawers because they had so many clothes in them that they couldn't even open them. and noticed MORE ARTWORK!!  I am am actually very proud of myself, I did yell even once : )  I figured no biggy, I would just touch it up with some leftover paint, but after looking online I found a great tip. 

Toothpaste!  I asked the Hubs to rub a little toothpaste onto the wall and then wipe it off with a wet rag.  All I have to say is AMAZING!  The artwork is ALL GONE!!  I just couldn't believe it.  Doesn't make me feel real warm and cozy that this is the stuff that we brush our teeth with but none the less, IT WORKED!

Like I said, I had to share.