My good blogging friend, Lynn has finally convinced me to give Zazzle a try. I've always wanted an outlet for my love of photography and computers. So, I thought I'd start a Zazzle store and put any money I earn towards a real camera, a good one! (Currently I am using a low end point-and-shoot camera that belongs to my son.) I am just learning my way around Zazzle. I hope to make more items soon.
Here is my store's address. http://www.zazzle.com/jenn4him*
~Jenn
My kids are fascinated with the internet and the computer. They enjoy playing computer games together. I knew that they'd be interested in the Tektoma subscription, when I found out we were assigned to review it for the TOS Homeschool Crew.
Tektoma is a subscription-based website which offers video tutorials that teach children how to create their own games using the free GameMaker software. The tutorials are intended for children ages 7 - 17, and they offer a variety of ability levels and difficulties. Tektoma tutorials are designed for Windows XP and Vista only. There is currently not a Mac version, but they are planning for that in the future.
We struggled to get the Game Maker software and Resources downloaded to our computer. It took several tries, but once it was completely downloaded and successfully unzipped, my 12 and 14 year old daughters took off with it. They were able to follow the tutorials themselves, and create their own games. Tektoma also offers a fully moderated member's forum where members can ask questions.
Tektoma tutorials are lengthy, and will not work well for those with dial-up internet. We have a satellite internet connection, and I feared we would struggle with the tutorials, but we did not. If you aren't sure how your internet will handle the tutorial videos, you can try their free tutorial preview. The Tektoma membership is sold for $14.95/month or $140 for the year.
My daughters enjoyed learning how to create games. They created a racing game and also a platform game. They especially enjoyed designing the looks of the game, choosing its characters and colors. The younger kids were always willing to test the game for them. My 8 year old son is eager to test the tutorials himself, but his older sisters haven't let him have a chance yet.
If your son or daughter is very interested in computer games, this may be a worthwhile investment for your family. As a subscription, it is not a reusable product -- although an older sibling might be able to teach the information to a younger sibling later. While this was a fun way to spend lots of time and learn a little about game creation ... this isn't something we would choose to invest in at this time. We just have too many other needs and priorities for our homeschool right now.
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
Trusting In Him,
April
As is our habit, we had another full weekend. The highlight being a trip to the local zoo to see their Christmas lights. 
Here's Ryan hard at work on the scavenger hunt to earn a free pencil. (I'll do anything for a free zoo pencil.) And that hunt was challenging. They had us looking high and low for 32 items! It was a mental workout for my old brain, but I did it!
Along the way, we met a real reindeer named Willow.
Since we were all bundled up for the cold, we didn't mind the freezing conditions.
Fantastic lights and displays were everywhere. Plenty of animals were also out enjoying the later zoo hours, too. I'd have to give the zoo credit for their effort. And it was nice that we had already bought our zoo membership long ago in June, so there was no extra cost.
One last item of interest. This is the official photo of the kids with Santa taken a few weeks back.
Merry Christmas from my blog to yours!
~Jenn
Last week, I did NOT let the laundry pile grow large enough to swallow a kindergartener.
I did NOT take a picture on Saturday to prove that such a mountain of laundry existed.
I am NOT going to embarrass my husband by posting this proof of my negligence here on my blog.
That does NOT mean that I washed several loads of unsorted "mixed" loads just to get down to the sorted bins.
It was NOT so bad that on Sunday morning, my 8 year old had no clean socks to wear.
I did NOT go digging through the stacked baskets of clean clothes waiting to be folded, looking for socks for him.
I did NOT give up but suggest he wear a pair of his Dad's dress socks that look like they shouldn't stretch to fit my husband's foot (although they do).
The socks did NOT fit my son and he did NOT wear them to church.
He is NOT still wearing them this morning as he struggles to wake up.
I do NOT still have laundry to wash, because I did NOT only get 4 loads washed this weekend.
Folding clean laundry is NOT my number one priority for today.
Washing the rest of the laundry is NOT my number two priority today.
Click on the banner to visit My Charming Kids blog to see what others are NOT doing today (as soon as she makes the post for others to link up with today).
April
For Today, Monday, December 7th, 2009
Outside My Window... Gray skies with light flurries, small scattered patches of snow. It's currently 21 degrees (today's high). Today's normal hi/low is 29/14. We are on the edge of a Winter Storm Watch for Tuesday - Wednesday and then the temps. are expected to drop the rest of the week. Most of the storm will be south of the Cities, so we aren't expecting much here.
I'm thinking... nothing in particular.
From the learning rooms...need to work hard this week since I had the flu all last week and the girls had colds.
I am thankful for...our renewed health!
From the kitchen...
M - Wild Rice Soup & Breadsticks
T - Burgers & Home Fries (Amber's Spiritual Birthday, so she is making Angel Food Cake)
W - Baked Potatoes
TH - Anna's Choice
F - Pizza
S - Hanukkah Meal
S - Homemade Beef Soup
I am wearing... denim capris, berry fleecy top, sports socks, hair is in a pony.
I am reading... Thru the Bible Each Year: OT: Ezekiel; NT: I John, KJB;
Need to brush up on my Hanukkah material (We like to learn about the Biblical Feasts & Hanukkah in a real hands-on manner. Not as legalists or to gain favor in any way, but because we Love God and the deep, rich meaning found in the celebrations as they pointed to the Messiah. We will use nice table linen, light the menorah, and read Scripture for each of the eight nights on Jesus as our Light.)
I am hoping... we all stay healthy for a while.
I am creating... a clean home.
I am hearing... the washer filling with water, the girls laughing.
Around the house & barn... got to get out and muck this afternoon and move some hay. Making some nice warm spots in the barn for the barn cat & chickens to go to when it drops below zero later this week.
One of my favorite things... "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7.
I am going... to Walmart for cat food & a few other things & to the feed store for cracked corn just in case of the remote chance that we do get more snow than expected.
A few plans for the rest of the week (besides school)...
M - Amber has violin lesson.
T - Nothing but school - DH hopes to leave work early to beat storm home
W - Lead Awana Cubbies (if weather permits)
TH - Bible Quizzing Practice at Church
F - Maybe my mom will come to visit.
S - Hanukkah
S - Church & Family Time; girls have Churh musical practice in the afternoon
A picture thought I am sharing with you...
Saturday - Anna walking Elsa & the horses had to come up to say HI
That's all for today!
Thanks for stopping! Have a Blessed Week!
Much thanks to our hostess Peggy for the Simple Woman's Daybook
My fellow TOS Crew member and mom of many, Kimberly of Raising Olives blog, is hosting a giveaway for Pioneer Pastimes' wooden toys! The folks at Pioneer Pastimes are giving away a prize from their store to ONE winner. The prize will be a wooden toy of the winner's choice if they have 1-4 children, 2 toys if the winner has 5-9 children, and 3 toys if the winner has ten or more children. So go to Raising Olives and ENTER the contest.
Trusting In Him,
April
(I NEVER watch 60 Minutes, but the other day, I happened to catch Andy Rooney as I was flipping to find Extreme Home Makeover. I thought it would be fun to write something as if Mr. Rooney were talking. Here is my lame attempt.)
Life must have us all in the fast lane. I sure miss the "old" days when we all had hours to kill on the computer. I miss the old days of blogging when I'd get 8 comments before noon. I really do. Perhaps with all the other avenues like Facebook and Twitter, the true bloggers are left in the dust while everyone else is wasting time elseware. I looked at my friends list yesterday and noticed that more than a few have moved on or no longer update their blogs here. *sniff, sniff*
Blogging does take time and effort. You have to think of something to write and then write it. And it helps if you have some good photos to post as well. And then there is the flip side of leaving comments. Currently, I have left some 6824 comments in the last 3 years. (Not that I keep track.
) It is a responsibility to leave comments, if you have a blog. Lately though, it is getting harder and harder to leave comments with fewer and fewer people updating their blogs. (I could go into a rant here, but I won't.)
So what am I to do? Why am I thinking about all of this? What is my point? Does anyone care? Please update your blog. It is your responsibility.
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It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Howard Books (October 6, 2009)
This is another book that didn't arrive at my house ... lost in the mail. I was really looking forward to reading it, so I am disappointed. After getting a peek inside the book via the link provided below, I'm even more disappointed. This book is full of great recipes and ideas to make the Christmas holiday special and delicious! Be sure to scroll down and take a look inside the book yourself. (Note: It begins with several blank pages. I found it worked best if I switched to the two-page view, and let the page load completely before hitting the forward arrow again. Hit it two times on 2-page version to get past the blank pages.)
Tammy Maltby is a writer, speaker, and media personality. For eight years, she was the co-host of the Emmy Award-winning television talk show, Aspiring Women. She serves on the board of the National Women’s Ministry Association, Christian Women in Media and Arts, and Women of Courage International. She and her family live in Colorado Springs, CO.Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Hardcover: 132 pages
Publisher: Howard Books (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416587659
ISBN-13: 978-1416587651
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Trusting In Him,
April
At the time that the FIRST WIldcard blog tour for Debora Coty's book posted, I hadn't received a copy. I posted the first chapter, book summary, and author's biography in my blog tour post, but not a review. (You can click on that link to read the first chapter of the book.)
They sent me another copy of the book, since the first one was lost in the mail. I hadn't expected them to do so, but I am grateful they did. This little hardcover book is refreshing. To be honest, I hadn't known what to expect ... other than that it wasn't fiction.
Mom NEEDS Chocolate contains 60 short chapters with humorous anecdotes from the author's life which she uses to make a spiritual point. Each chapter begins with a Scripture verse and a quote. It ends with a prayer, and 3 Faith In Action questions to help you apply the spiritual lesson of the chapter. The short chapters both make me smile, and encourage me spiritually. Debora has been very real in writing this book, and I can relate to her stories like being the sugar-holic in the airport surrounded by healthy eaters.
The title of this book caught my attention when it was offered for review. What chocolate lover could resist that title? But this book is more encouraging and comforting than even dark chocolate could be. Debora has taken sixty different spiritual lessons and dipped them in the chocolate of humor to encourage us. The short chapters uplift better than a chocolate treat savored quickly in the laundry room while hiding from the kids. Although, you could probably enjoy your chocolate and a quick chapter before the kids need you to tie their shoes, wipe their noses, or answer a math question.
I was blessed by Mom NEEDS Chocolate.
Trusting In Him,
April
Yesterday, we attended our homeschool group's co-op meeting. Attendance was lower than usual, and in a small group like ours that is especially noticeable. But it enabled us to do everything in one group and forgo the rotations we have been using.
We had decided to set aside our usual studies in order to focus on Christmas. I confess that was a last minute change, but it all came together. One of our moms has been working on a Bible timeline presentation she's using with children in a church's after-school program. She started with that, taking the children from Creation to the birth of Christ. Then we used the Family Life Christmas In A Box set to talk about the individuals involved in Christmas, and the prophecies of the Old Testament that were fulfilled in Jesus.
After that, we talked about the different names for Jesus, partially using the Family Life Adorenaments set. I had intended to go more in-depth with that study, and with the prophecy study, but when it came to the actual time ... it seemed better to keep moving more quickly.
We practiced our Christmas carols, since we're supposed to sing for the Senior Center during their holiday decorating on Friday. The kids did a good job, and I enjoyed watching them all sing heartily. Yeah, some of the kids don't carry a tune very well, but that's normal for the elementary ages.
My 3 year old and 5 year old got up there, too. 5 yo M didn't sing since he isn't reading yet and wasn't sure of the words. But he stood there very well, looking handsome and shy. LOL! 3 yo L didn't care if she knew the words ... she sang along with the tune in her ahhh-aaahhh style. She loves to sing and can follow a tune, even if she doesn't know the words. I'm looking forward to the caroling on Friday. We served a Thanksgiving meal at the Senior Center last week, and the children enjoyed it. I'm sure we'll enjoy caroling and decorating, too.
After our lunch break, which allowed the kids to spend some time visiting with their friends while they ate, we moved into crafts. Two of our Moms had prepared 4 separate crafts for the kids. The pre-teens and teens decorated dough ornaments for the whole group to take home. The preschool and kindergarten age made snow pictures with chalk, cotton balls, glue, and glitter glue. The young elementary students made coupon booklets they can give as gifts to their parents. Then they all were able to decorate 3 cookies one of the Moms had made with frosting and sprinkles.
A couple of us had printed out some Christmas word games the kids could do, thinking if we were having rotations there might be some time to fill. But the children didn't want to do those after their crafts. They just spent some more time playing together until it was time to leave. I think some of the Moms grabbed the worksheets to take home with them, though.
It was a nice relaxed co-op meeting ... an enjoyable time with friends. Our group moved to only having one meeting a month, instead of two this year. I know we needed to do that, due to gas costs for those who live more rurally. But I do miss having two chances to get together each month. The moms have added an evening together each month, though, and that is an encouraging time of fellowship.
Our homeschool group is a blessing to our family.
Trusting In Him,
April