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A Must-Have resource for Homeschoolers
I told you I was going to be reviewing things for The Old Schoolhouse, but what I did not tell you was that my first review was going to be a review of The Old Schoolhouse magazine itself! So, without further ado:
I have been a TOS subscriber for 4 years now, and I am a raving fan of this wonderful magazine. I am a fast reader and normally skim magazines and read the articles that interest me in a few minutes, and then I am finished. Well, with TOS it is completely different. This magazine is packed with meaty articles and contains such rich resources that I read it slowly, over a week or so, in order to fully enjoy each treasure-packed page!
I would not be exaggerating to state that TOS has opened my eyes to the larger world of homeschooling. I have learned in depth about each style of homeschooling, received great support for me in my role of wife and homeschooling mom, and gotten great ideas to use in my home as I learn alongside my children. It is so refreshing to read a magazine that embraces a biblical worldview, rather than being politically correct all the time, and I appreciate the way TOS is unafraid to challenge the status quo. It is enjoyable to read and well written by an interesting and diverse group of talented writers who are homeschoolers themselves.
My children eagerly await the magazine, now, too. Although it is not a kids magazine, each issue has a great section that you can use as a unit study with your children. It is like getting free curriculum! They are wonderful studies on widely varying topics- some favorites at our house from past issues have been trains and hummingbirds!
In fact, without The Old Schoolhouse magazine, you would not be reading this right now. Here are the reasons:
1. I learned about blogging from the magazine, so I might not be blogging without it.
2. If I was blogging, somehow, it would not be here. TOS owns Homeschool Blogger... enough said!
3. I have had times in my homeschooling where I was not sure what to do or was struggling with something, and the information and encouragement in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine helped me to keep going. So, I think it is fair to say that without TOS, it is possible I would not still be homeschooling.
This would probably be a good time to state that in my reviews I will always strive for a fair and balanced perspective that is brutally honest. I will tell the bad with the good as I see it. However, in the case of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, I cannot honestly say that I find anything wrong with it. As you will see in a second, I can't even find fault with the price. (Which is usually my hangup with nearly everything.... ahh, the life of a Cheapskate.) I even find the ads informative and helpful to me in my homeschool journey!
I wanted to tell you all about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Fall Special. You can get two years of the magazine, 6 fabulous physical gifts (no downloads!) worth over $120, plus the current issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is full of ideas for the new school year, so you start receiving your magazine in a flash!
It really is one of their best deals ever and you don't want to miss out. In fact, they've got a really cute Homeschooling with Heart tote bag (valued at $13.95) for the first 1000 to subscribe. About half of them are gone, but you should still be able to get one if you hurry! (They will remove the info from the subscription page when the bags are all gone.)
The total value is over $212, but you receive it all for only $39 - 50% off of cover price! Plus subscribers get their online monthly Teacher's Toolbox which focuses on a different topic each month, giving you words of encouragement, hands-on teaching ideas, book recommendations, field trip ideas, and a bonus download item.
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has helped me to feel like part of the larger homeschooling family, has encouraged and challenged me, and educated our family in countless ways. So, in case you haven't picked it up yet, I will state it outright: TOS gets a glowing review from me! I consider it a Must-Have for any homeschooler... and with the great deal going on right now, you won't want to miss out!
Click the banner to check it out!
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Welcome back to my blog!
I, like many of you homeschooling moms out there, have been really busy the last few months! Now that we are settling into more of a routine in our home, I am back to blogging... and I have an exciting announcement to make!
I have been chosen by The Old Schoolhouse magazine to be part of a year long project called the TOS Crew! The Old Schoolhouse (TOS) has given me the honor and responsibility of reviewing various products of interest to homeschoolers in order to spread the word in the homeschooling community about what I like and dislike about them. It is going to be a lot of fun, and hopefully very informative for you. There may even be some giveaways involved, so keep posted!
I have been busy with many, many other projects, both fun and challenging, that I cannot wait to update you on in coming days and weeks. In the meantime, it is good to be back! I have missed blogging, and moreover, have missed my blogging friends!
Many, many blessings to you this fall!
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Angela tagged me....
1. Who is your man? My husband Scott
2. How long have you been together? 14 years August 6th (ditto, Angela!)
3. How long dated? Almost 3 years
4. How old is your man? 37- he is older than me and I never let him forget it!
5. Who eats more? Him, except when I am pregnant and then it is ME!
6. Who said “I love you” first? He did, I think, but I said it right back to him!
7. Who is taller? He is
8. Who sings better? Me ( I am going to be in TROUBLE if he finds out I said that! J )
9. Who is smarter? I am in the IQ sense, but he sure is in the common sense!
10. Whose temper is worse? His
11. Who does the laundry? Mostly me now, but he did almost all of it for a LONG LONG time!
12. Who takes out the garbage? He does
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at the bed I do
14. Who pays the bills? I do, but he makes the money to pay them!
15. Who is better with the computer? I am.
16. Who mows the lawn? He does
17. Who cooks dinner? I do.
18. Who drives when you are together? He nearly always does! It sometimes reminds me of how old fashioned couples did it!
19. Who pays when you go out? Whoever has money on their person at the time.
20. Who is most stubborn? ME
.21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? He is.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? My mom.
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first!
24. Who asked who out? He asked me J
25. Who proposed? He did, VERY romantically!
26. Who is more sensitive? Me
27. Who has more friends? I do, I am the social butterfly at our house!
28. Who has more siblings? Depends on how you count! He has more if you only count genetic, but I have more if you count them all, step included. I count them all, so I win!
29. Who wears the pants in the family? I would like to say him, but he would probably say me, I am working on following instead of leading!
30. How did you meet? In my first class my first day of college. My roommate asked me later that day, “Did you meet any cute boys today?” and I said, “One! But we will never even be friends because he is SO SHY!” Famous last words.
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Good intentions aren't enough!
I have been meaning to get some things up here to show you all what we have been up to, but I just haven't done it!
Sometimes good intentions aren't enough.... I need accountability! So, look for a post in the next few days or come after me!
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INCREDIBLE NEWS!!!
Busy...
April seems to start the really really busy season for us. I volunteer with a community foundation, and we have our major fundraising event of the year this weekend. It is an American Girl Fashion Show and involves about 600 girls, 6 shows, 2000 attendees, and A LOT of work! I was busy with the rehearsals and prep last weekend, and I will be practically living there from Friday through Sunday. Also, Violet's dance recital is in early May , horse show season is about to start, and the kids' choir spring musical is coming up fast. Our Co-Op goes through May, and I have lots of planning to get done and turn in for next year. On top of the usual routine and Mr. Incredible's job search, it is getting crazy here fast!
This morning, I am getting a little time with a quiet house, because Mr. Incredible took the little Incredibles to the zoo! I need to get menu planning, grocery list, budget, and bills done and also go grocery shopping and clean the house. Anyone want to make a bet on how much I will get done in the short time they are gone? (I may be Mrs. Incredible, but I am not THAT good!)
Let's just hope it all gets done at some point, so I can go on the the other 9,999 things that I need to do before Friday!
Have a blessed day!
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Take 10 to see what's been up with us!
Since it has been a little while, I thought I would just list ten random things that have been going on with the Incredibles lately:
1. spring breaking with friends... playdates and fun!
2. we had an awesome Easter at church and with family!
3. the kids all learned how to fly today, doing "airplanes" on mommy's feet!
4. we've been developing our superpowers and making up new ones, like being supercleaners of our house!
5. it's back to the horse for Violet and mom tomorrow!
6. Violet wrote a fabulous story called "The Case of the Missing Horse"
7. Jack Jack can get out of his crib on his own, and takes every opportunity to prove that he can... which is challenging Elastigirl's "flexibility".
8. Dash can write his name! And a lot of other lettters!
9. we have three new webkinz that live at our house in the last couple weeks, one was my birthday present and Violet got two new ones!
10. Our Aunt & Uncle (blog names Edna and Mr. Edna by request!) gave us the coolest Incredibles area rug!
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Saturday Scrap & Share....
Friday Show and Tell... Leap Year and my new nephew!
May the Force be with you this Wordless Wednesday!
Saturday Scrap & Share....
My secret identity as a crafty kind of gal....
It's cold here and very February-ish....
Happy New Year!
We had a great Christmas, New Years, and birthday celebrating holidays! That's right, Dash is 5 and Violet is 9!!!! We were blessed to have our entire extended family on both sides in town for some of the holidays, and it was so nice to see them all!
It is nice to be getting back to a somewhat normal routine in our house! We do not have CoOp this month, which is actually quite a nice break for me. We have been cranking through a lot of curriculum stuff we didn't get done in the fall, and having that extra day has really been great! I am sure the kids will be glad to get back to Co-op, though, at the end of the month. I have to decide if we are going to do it again next year. This year was our first year, and I taught a junior high history class that was really prep intensive. I have not liked losing a whole day every week, nor the prep time it has taken me for my class! But the kids absolutely love the Co-op, and it wouldn' t be nearly as much work for me next year. So, what to do??? I just don't know!
If you have any guidance for me, please let me know! Thanks!
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First Ever Saturday Scrap 'n Share!
Show and Tell Time!
OK, today is going to be a "tell" rather than a "show" because the only thing I have to show was already put up on wordless Wednesday!
This week in Adventures in My Father's World, we learned about George Washington. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading about him... what an amazing man. After a week of Ben Franklin and now George Washington, I am totally impressed with how disciplined these men were! reading about them has challenged me totally!
We learned "borrowing" in math this week, and Violet amazes me with how quickly she catches on!
Language Arts is going through an Extreme Makeover at our house, and I am not sure what it is going to look like exactly from here on out, so this week we just focused on cursive handwriting, spelling and some copywork of quotes from George Washington and Ben Franklin.
We were supposed to cover seasons this week for science, but things got busy and I kind of dropped the ball on it. I think Violet has a good grasp on the concept already, though, so I am trying not to feel guilty.
This weekend, Violet is getting baptized!!!! She is SO excited, and Mr. Incredible and I are, too! She is especially looking forward to sharing it with all her grandparents and friends who will be coming!
So that's all I have to tell for today!
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Wordless Wednesday
Show and Tell... Why I am exhausted today.....
My name is Elastigirl, and I'm addicted to Webkinz...
OK, so we have not had the most productive week in the world. We have had a pretty good week school-wise, but the house is a disaster and my meal plan went downhill in a hurry.
Why?
It's Webkinz Fall Festival time! And after my friend Mary Poppins clued me in on the leaf hunt game, I got hopelessly addicted to sitting in front of my computer waiting for a colored leaf to blow by so I could click on it and get a prize. My kids are addicted, I am addicted, even little Jack-Jack sits next to me saying, "Find leaf, Mommy! FIND LEAF!"
Yes, I am a nerd. But I know this: I am not a lone nerd. I think I know more Moms and Dads that play webkinz than kids!!! If you are one of them, let me know your user name and I will add you as my friend. Who knows? You may even get a fall present from me... after obsessively clicking on all those leaves, I have quite a lot of autumn bounty to share!
Here are my Webkinz having a party today while they wait for a leaf to blow through the room.
OK, so now you know how nuts I am!
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It's prayer time!
Some Monday morning prayer requests for some Incredible People!
My brother, whose blog name will now be Dr. Dolittle because he is a vet, finally had his tonsils out this morning! I say "finally" because he had it scheduled several times before but kept having it cancelled because of infection (which was the reason he was having them out in the first place!). So, we are glad they are out now and that everything went well. Please pray that he will recover quickly and well, and pray for his wife too- they have two little superkids 2 and under, and he will not be able to help with them for a while, so Mrs. Dolittle might even need your prayers more than he does!
Another prayer request... well, first the background story:
The Incredibles have joined their first eve homeschool co-op this year. It meets at our church, but I came into it knowing no one. (Which is possible because our church has 8,000+ people) It is a very big co-op, too, over 100 families, so I was feeling a little lost at first. My first friend in co-op was Cathy. I saw her at the kickoff meeting, and then met her the next Sunday while we were in line waiting to get our kids from their Discoveryland classes after church. She was so nice and friendly, and really made me feel better about starting Co-op. Every time I have seen her, she has always been so nice to me and always has a smile on her face.
Now for the prayer request. Cathy is having a lumpectomy this morning, and will probably need ot follow up with chemo and radiation for a while. I emailed her when I found out about it through the co-op email list, just to let her know I was praying for her and would be bringing some meals. She emailed back, saying she had known when we last talked but didn't know how to bring it up... how do you just bring, "Oh, and by the way I have breast cancer," into regular conversation? I can only imagine how she must be feeling right now, and I am certain she could use any and all prayers sent her way. Please pray for Cathy and for her family- she has a husband and three sweet kids. Please also pray for me, that I will know how to best be a friend to her while she is going through so much. Part of me feels like I don't want to be pushing my way in because I only just met her, but another part feels like if it was me, I would need and welcome all the friends I could get. Pray that today her lumpectomy goes really well and that the doctor gets every last cancer cell out of there.
On that note, you can pray for Heather today too. I am saying a special "thank you" to God today for her, because she has taught me so much and hopefully the Lord will use it to help me encourage and be a friend to Cathy. So, thank you, Heather, and God bless you!
Make no mistake about it, my blog name is just a movie reference, not a claim. There are many, many people in this world more TRULY Incredible than I. :)
Thank God for your blessings today!
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