This blog is meant to be a humorous diversion for the harried homeschool mom. Crazy Mom is not the gal you'll see writing "how to" books, but you can look to her for a little humor and maybe even a little bit of wisdom thrown in here and there!!! Learn about my life and my family and you'll feel better about your own!!! :) ************************* Also, as part of the Old Schoolhouse Magazine Focus Group I will be checking out and reviewing some cool new homeschool products. Stay tuned to learn more!!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:42:00 -0600 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:42:00 -0600 New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received a free membership to the "Members Only" section of the AVKO website. What is AVKO?  AVKO is a non-profit organization started by a man named Don McCabe that specializes in teaching dyslexics how to read, write, spell and type using a multi-sensory approach.  The letters in AVKO stand for Audio, Visual, Kinesthetic, and Oral.  Though developed for dyslexics, AVKO's materials can be used with anyone.  There are two levels to the AVKO memberships, Basic and Deluxe.  Both memberships give you a 25% discount on all printed AVKO materials.  On top of the discount, there are loads of benefits, and rather than reinvent the wheel, I decided to copy them from the website.  (Yikes!  Cheating again!  LOL)   Benefits of AVKO Basic Membership Discounts on AVKO printed materials Hundreds of dollars worth of FREE e-books (PDF) The Patterns of English Spelling (All 10 Volumes) with Word Families in Sentence Context To Teach a Dyslexic Starting at Square One The Teaching of Reading & Spelling: a Continuum from Kindergarten through College. The Reading Teacher's List of Over 5,500 Basic Spelling Words Access to the Member Only section AVKO Newsletter with freebies, discounts, resources, and promotions Access to Don McCabe's most popular workshop recordings in MP3 format. Supplemental Curriculum Materials including word games, worksheets, activities, and more! Access to Pretests and Placement Tests Access to the Answer Keys for the Unscramblers and Family Reunion exercises of the Engaging Language Kits           Benefits of AVKO Deluxe Membership Institutional Membership is open to individuals as well as tutoring centers, schools, learning centers, homeschool resource centers, etc.  Access to all of the benefits of AVKO's Basic Membership (see above) 25% discount off all materials ordered Read-only access to ALL AVKO curriculum materials (except for Sequential Spelling and Engaging Language Kits) Access to AVKO's newest e-books: Word Family Supplements 1-7 for Sequential Spelling Spelling Remediation Test Kit What are the pros of this product?  If you are going to be using AVKO materials, the discount alone will probably save you enough to make joining worthwhile.  If you are teaching a dyslexic, I think the e-books would be invaluable.  What's not to like?  You know me, I am still getting used to the idea of paying for stuff I can't hold in my hand.  You can print the e-books out though, and discounts are always good. :) The only real issue I see is that I noticed that there are links on the main page for members that are basically to jokes that are meant to be read for reading comprehension.  You'll need to read through these before handing them over to your kids.  There's nothing really bad, but a few things are probably not appropriate for children.  I suppose another thing is that it might be weird to join if you don't use the products; however, if you do join and read the e-books available, chances are you'll order. :)  (Then you'll get the discount!)  The Crazy Mom take:  Well, I already use AVKO Sequential Spelling, so I'm familiar with the company.  I really like the way it's set up. So many other spelling programs seem so, I don't know, random.  I hate to admit, but spelling has sort of taken a back burner around here.  With co-op and all the sickness and stuff that's happened around here, we have been doing bare bones.  I really need to pull it out again.  Before I do, though, I think I'll read through some of the e-books from the site.  We do have some dyslexia around these parts, and I am always anxious to learn how to teach spelling to those for whom it does not come naturally. Normally, I don't like website "memberships."  But this one is different because you get the e-books with it and they are worth more than the membership.  Plus, this is a non-profit group, so I assume the proceeds go right back into developing more resources. To be honest, I didn't even realize they had this membership.  Would I have bought it if I had know about it?  Hmmm... not sure.  I suppose that would depend on whether or not I was interested in the e-books.  I do think they look intriguing, and like I said above, I am always looking for resources for teaching dyslexics.  (I can't really comment on the books, as I haven't had a chance to really read them yet.) Then I would have to do the math.  Would the discount cover the cost?  If so, I probably would have.  (I admit, I can't see myself paying $100 for the Deluxe Membership; I'd have to go with the Basic.)  What about it I had loads of money?  Well, in that case, sure I'd get it!  (After I got a new house, new van, new clothes... I can dream can't I?) Anyway, it's worth looking into if you have a child with dyslexia or just plain old has trouble spelling.  Hop on over to the website and check it out! What's the bottom line? Basic Membership $25 per year/Deluxe Membership $100 per year. I am going to give the AVKO Membership 3 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://www.avko.org/index.htm See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/739080/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/746338/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:42:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/746338/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."   ~Thomas Jefferson About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received a free CD from The American Heritage Education Foundation.   This time you can get this resource FREE too!!! This one CD contains lessons for elementary, middle school, and high school students.  (The elementary lessons also come in Spanish.) The lessons focus on the foundations of our country.  (Well, I mean "our" country if you're an American; you could be British, Indian, Russian, or even a hysterically funny Canadian!)  Here's a bit of the philosophy of the good folks at the American Heritage Education Foundation: “Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility are ideals that are rapidly declining or disappearing in their [our children’s] teaching and learning not only in our K-12 public and private schools but also in our colleges and universities of higher education. A nation built on these ideas and theories cannot possibly survive if those same philosophical and historical principles are not studied, taught, learned, practiced, and reinforced in our schools and institutions attended by the next generation of young people.” What are the pros of this product?  I like it because it does not seem to rewrite history as so many texts today do.  It's well organized, and the pdf format makes it easy to make copies of the activities for the kids.  It's not from a socialist perspective!  (Yeah, I'm just a tad miffed at the direction our country is going.  No, scratch that, I am totally outraged!  We NEED to know our history and what FREEDOM is all about!!!) What's not to like? It is a secular resource, so the Christian influence of the founders is not highlighted as it might be from a Christian source.  I still found it to be quite fair.  The Crazy Mom take:  You know, I'm pretty sure I ordered one of these disks several years back, got it, put it somewhere, and never even looked at it.  Thankfully, the crew keeps me a bit more on top of things!  LOL My first thought when I heard about the resource was that it was put out by a conservative political group.   I suppose I was thinking of the Heritage Foundation.  I was surprised when I saw it was developed and provided by the Houston Independant School District, (in cooperation with the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation and The American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc.)  Seeing that whole school district thing pretty much dashed my hopes that it would be a pro-American, patriotic type of resource.  Well, I was pleasantly surprised! I have to say, while the material is not distinctly Christian, it is not of the liberal, strip our nation's history of any Christian influence, point of view.  It is quite balanced.  I was especially pleased when I read the section in the high school lessons about "the seperation of church and state."  It made it clear that the phrase has been twisted in recent years to mean something it was never intended to mean.  There is also a section of the CD which informs students of their religious rights when in school.  Kudos for that! Right now we are not really doing American History in our school (and we've also been dealing with swine flu and a basement backup which meant there was poop some pretty awful stuff floating around in brown puddles all over the floor) so I did not get a chance to use this with my kids.  I do think I will, however, in the years to come,because the other history we use is quite light and needs some meat.  This CD definitely a lot more meaty.  I especially like all the info about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  We did do American History last year and now I wish I'd have taken the time to look at the CD when I got it the first time!  Oh, well, live and learn!  LOL  What's the bottom line? Free!!!  (A $150 value!!!)  You can also get binders of the printed for $19.50 per level. I am going to give America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty out of 4 our of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://americanheritage.org/index.html See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/739239/   *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/746102/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:28:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/746102/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.   About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received free three products from Bright Ideas Press. I received The Mystery of History Volume 3 – The Renaissance, Reformation, and Growth of Nations (1455 – 1707) student reader.  This is a very nice hardback version of the book!  Unlike in past versions, Volume 3 only contains the 38 lessons in the text.  The supplemental materials are contained in a paperback or digital version that is purchased separately.  I also received the supplement, The Mystery of History Volume 3 Companion Guide: Curriculum and Student Activities.  Mine came on a CD-ROM.  Included are audio CDs, coloring pages, art craft packs, timeline figures, historical atlases, Biblical atlases, current world atlases, and outline maps.  The Mystery of History series is unique in that it's written for students of all ages, from a distinctly Christian perspective.  The Mystery of History III textbook can be used on its own, or with the supplemental material.  Also, you don't have to have already gone through the first two Mystery of History volumes to use it.  The book stands alone.  If you are of a classical bent, you will want the supplemental material, as it's structured to follow a classical approach.  It's all about the trivium.  That's all I'm gonna say about that, because I'm not into the whole classical thing, and I would be out of my element (or above my pay grade) to try to explain it.  We mostly read the texts anyways.   I also received Christian Kids Explore Physics.  This is book is geared towards grades 4-8 and includes 30 lessons in 6 units.  There are hands-on activities, vocabulary words, coloring pages, scripture tie-ins, and more.  Learn about matter and energy from a Christian perspective!   This is a workbook, though the copyright allows you to make copies of the activity sheets for your own family, co-op, or classroom.  Or if you prefer, you can download the activity sheets right from the Bright Ideas website. What are the pros of this product?  Both of the books I received are well done, professional looking products written from a Christian perspective.  I enjoy that the writing style is conversational and keeps things interesting. The Mystery of History is beautiful.  It's actually very classy looking, if you can say that about a textbook.  LOL  The physics book is great; it makes physics seem way less intimidating than it seemed to me way back in the day.  I like that some of the answer options are a bit humorous.  For example, who came up with the Theory of Relativity?  Was it Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, or Mr. Rogers?  The experiments are also often fun.  Who wouldn't want to drop marshmallows into a bowl?  Especially if you get to eat them when the experiment is over! What's not to like?  Can't think of any.  Obviously, I like these products!  :) The Crazy Mom take:  This was an easy review because we have been using products from Bright Ideas Press for years.  My oldest three have already read the first two volumes of The Mystery of History as their junior high history text.  I don't end up having them answer questions or do projects, though.  I just have them read.  It's all I can do.  I am only one woman here!  (My oldest son scored best in the social studies section of our state's standardized test, so that says something!) My oldest daughter will be reading all three volumes in order, now that the third one it out.  (And we own it!)  I really love it, though, that we got a hard copy of The Mystery of History Volume III.  We are hard on books around here, and my other two soft cover volumes show it.  Even though my oldest daughter isn't ready to read the whole third volume yet, I had her read Week 1, so she could get a taste of what it's like.  I read the first several weeks, too. We have also used both Christian Kids Explore Biology and Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.  These are simple to use, even for me, and they are just meaty enough for my younger kids, though I admit, I still learn when we go through them.  The Physics book is just as excellent as the others.  My daughter is going through this book for me too.  Though we already do science in co-op, I think I'll have her keep working through this one as we can squeeze it in.  I will probably buy more copies for the younger kids in the years to come.  We have thoroughly enjoyed using these books in our homeschool.   What's the bottom line? Mystery of History Volume III $59.95/The Mystery of History Volume 3 Companion Guide: Curriculum and Student Activities $29.95*/Christian Kids Explore Physics $34.95/Activity Book Download $12.95 *There are also bundles available for more savings.  See the website for details.  I am going to give Bright Ideas Press 4 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://brightideaspress.com/ See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/724592/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744359/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744359/ New to my blog? Check out my welcome post at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/595801/ http://www.5minutesformom.com/10606/christmas-giveaway-2009/ I just entered to win the COMPLETE Veggie Tales collection!!! ~Crazy Mom http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744326/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:31:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744326/ New to my blog? Check out my welcome post at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/595801/   So after all this time, I finally start the ball rolling to get my second and third oldest their braces.  Ren is 16, and Mr. Personality (Mr.P.) is 15, and I want them to be done with them before they graduate from high school. So I take them to two places.  First Dr. L.'s, and then Dr. B.'s.  When we went to Dr. L.'s I decided I really like the guy.  He's friendly, laid back, and just seems like an all around good guy.  I'd even heard rumors that he once treated a family with eight kids, all of whom needed braces, and he did the last one free.  So I decide, I'll go with this guy, but I have to at least go see the other dude. So, guess what?  I like the second guy too!  But he actually makes a little dig at a certain, uh, person in high office, during the conversation.  I personally feel this certain person in high office wants to make this a socialist country, so I think, Hmmm...this is my kinda guy! But Dr. Anti-socialist costs a bit more.  Well, what did you expect?  He's obviously a money-grubbing capitalist!  So, I tell them, "Well, I think your fee is a bit higher."  He tells me he'll match the other doc's quote, and his secretary says she'll write it all up and mail it out to me the next week so I can have it all in writing and make my final decision. So I wait and check the mail all the next week.  Nothing.  I e-mail and call.  Nothing.  Well, I start to wonder, maybe I should just go with Dr. L.  I mean, he must be a capitalist too.  He's a rich doctor!  Right?  But, no, I decided to give Dr. B. just one last chance.  I call one more time and tell myself that his office has until Monday evening to get me those papers.  Monday morning I get a call from the other doc.  When do we want to come in?  I don't answer, but wonder if I should.  I still don't have those papers. Well, Monday the mail comes and they are here!  OK.  Dr. B., the anti-socialist wins!  So I give 'em a call and set up the appointments.  In the meantime I get two, yes two, letters from Dr. L.'s office.  The last letter says that if they don't hear from me, they'll assume we are not coming in.  I am relieved.  The one thing I hate is to disappoint someone, or not choose someone.  I did NOT want to actually TELL them I'd chosen someone else.  I felt guilty.  Must be all those years of being picked last in gym class.  Not long after it dawns on me that I scheduled them on a Monday.  I did that because Ren takes college classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  What I wasn't thinking about is the fact that First Born would not be home on a Monday to watch the other five kids.  So I call and change Ren's appointment to a Friday.  Mr. P. says he is anxious to get his braces on, and could he please keep his Monday appointment.  Well, with Ren home, that would be doable, so now they each have an appointment. But on the Sunday before the Monday appointment, Mr. P gets sick.  I mean he's coughing.  Coughing and getting braces on don't mix so I call their machine Sunday night and cancel.  The next day I decided to call and get him a new appointment.  Hopefully with Ren on the Friday so I can just take them both at once. So I look for the folder with the number on it.  I had left it downstairs.  I decide to simply look it up online.  So I Google it and call the number.  I explain that Mr. P. is sick and I had to cancel his appointment to get his braces on.  I ask if he can come in with Ren on Friday.  She has no record of Ren's appointment, so we start from scratch.  We take about ten minutes trying to find a time they can go in when my other son is home.  It is a real pain.  I wonder to myself if I had picked the wrong orthodontist after all.  I mean, being an anti-socialist is great and all, but I need an office with convenient appointments.  Finally we figure out a way to do it, but it involves getting in and out really quick because First Born has to work.  And they tell me they don't normally DO Friday appointment.  That's weird, but oh, well.  I really wish they did, though, because that's the day First Born is home all day, and Ren doesn't have school.  And another weird thing.  They aren't getting their braces on.  They are coming in for records.  I could have sworn they were getting braces on.  Oh, well.  I hang up and sigh.  This is going to be a pain. Wait. Did I? Oh, please tell me I didn't! What number did I just call? I called Dr. L.'s office? I was supposed to be calling Dr. B.'s office! Aw, man! So, I briefly consider crawling under a rock, or at the very least putting off canceling.  But, no, I needed to just do it.  So I call back Dr. L.'s and sheepishly explain that I needed to cancel the appointments because I had called the wrong office.  So, yes, I had to admit, I didn't pick them.  And I was so glad they had stopped calling and sending letters. So I call Dr. B.'s to make the appointment.  For getting braces.  On a Friday.  Easy peasy.  So I was right, I DID pick the right orthodontist after all.  Anti-socialist, and convenient hours.  What more can a girl ask for? ~Crazy Mom http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744318/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:28:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/744318/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received free access to the ACT Advantage DISCOVER Program.  Just what is the DISCOVER program and what does it do?  Here's a bit of info I lifted off the website.  (Yes, I've been sick, so I cheated.  So sue me. LOL) DISCOVER is jam packed with career tips and uses a proven developmental guidance process to help students: Assess interests, abilities and job values. Explore occupations, majors and schools. Build an education plan that relates to career plans. Improve job-seeking skills and develop a resume. Basically, you begin by taking surveys right on the computer.  It couldn't be easier.  Taking these surveys will give you an idea as to what careers "fit" your interests, abilities, and values.  Once you pick a couple of careers to explore, you can then find about more about them, and then create a plan to pursue the career.  Find out what classes, major, and schools are right for you! What are the pros of this product?  This is an excellent tool for students who have no clue as to what career they might want to explore or who need help narrowing down their interests to one or two options.  It's relatively easy to use for the computer savvy and, as a bonus, the Discover program also includes up-to-date information about financial aid and scholarships.      What's not to like?  I was just a tad mystified as to where to start when I first signed in.  After looking at it, though, I was able to get a pretty good handle on it rather quickly.  It might not be a great asset for someone who has already pretty much decided on what "to be," but it still can help with things like school planning, scholarship searches, etc.  Most of the information given, from what I can see, is probably out there already for free.  Is having all the info in one place worth it?  That's up to YOU to decide.  I'm not your mother after all!  The Crazy Mom take:  With all the insanity that is life around here lately, I gave up on trying to get any of my kids to carve out enough time in their busy days to take the assessment.  So I did it myself!  I have lots of interests, so what should I be when I grow up?  LOL  Well, I found out that I am best when I am working with people and ideas.  Who knew?  LOL  Well, actually, I did.  I am most definitely a people person, and I always say I do much better with things I can "do in my head."  Hands on stuff is better left for more handy folks like my husband Sane Man.  Tying here at my keyboard is about as hands on as it gets!  LOL Now, do I think this is a worthwhile program?  I'm not so sure.  The thing is, all five of my oldest children have pretty much settled on a career.  First Born has wanted to be a doctor since he was five, Renaissance Man is born to be a computer programmer, Mr. Personality is destined for law and politics, Woggit is going to be the next Tom Monaghan, and Princess wants to be a dental hygienist.  These kids have always known what they want to be when they grow up and they have never wavered.  I, on the other hand, could have used something like this. I considered so many fields.  I wanted to be a probation officer, actress, lawyer, psychologist, missionary (maybe somewhere nice like Hawaii), radio producer, writer and more. Well, then again, maybe I didn't need something like this as I never actually ended up having a career.  At least I don't think being a blogging homeschool mom is a career option as far as DISCOVER goes!  LOL Anyway, if your child has no clue as to what career path to follow, something like this might be a good idea.  I mean, it's not that expensive, and if it means he or she won't take 90 credit hours at the community college (when only up to 60 count), like I did, it will be worth far more than what you pay for it! What's the bottom line?  $19.95 for a three-month license, $24.95 for a six-month license. I am going to give the ACT Discover Career Planning Program 3 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://www.actadvantage.org/discover/ See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/738900/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/743999/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:08:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/743999/ New to my blog? Check out my welcome post at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/595801/ Well, it's that time of year again.  It's the 2009 Homeschool Blog Awards! I've had the honor of being nominated for Best Nitty Gritt Blog. You can vote for me   HERE!!! Did you miss that? If so, YOU CAN VOTE FOR ME HERE!!! So, why do I qualify for Best Nitty Gritty? Why do I NOT?  LOL To qualify, you have to be honest about your mistakes, your failures, your shortcomings... What else IS there?  LOL Mistakes, failures, and shortcomings are all I've got!  I am probably the most unorganized, undomesticated, crazy, lazy, and air-headed homeschool mom out there.  I dare you be be less competant that I am! I double dog dare ya! But if you're feeling that way, like you just aren't doin' in, like you're in a hole you can't dig out of, like you just wanna quit, you've come to the right place. THE CRAZY HOUSE!!! Read about my life and you can honestly say, "Well, at least I'm not as bad as her! I realize that I probably write more reviews than anything else, but I even get nitty gritty in those.  Nitty gritty is what I am. Sad.  Yet true. So, hey, you can vote for me HERE!!! What are you still reading for?  Go vote!!! ~The Crazy Mom http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/743982/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/743982/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     About the service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received a free membership to ABC Teach.  ABC Teach is basically a website that provides printable worksheets to teachers.  There are actually two "tiers" to the website.  The first tier is free to anyone and there are over 5000 worksheets available to print out in just about every subject you can think of.  The second tier is the membership.  If 5000 worksheets isn't enough for you, how about over 35,000?  Now that's a lot of worksheets!  LOL With ABC Teach you can find a worksheet for just about anything.  Whether you're looking for math worksheets, holiday related worksheets, "going green" worksheets, or whatever, they probably have it.  Maybe you love cats, so much so that you raise them and even host a cat website. Just for fun, I searched cats, and came up with a ton of hits.  Twenty-eight to be exact, and that's just the free ones.  If you are a member, there are 115 more! Most of the worksheets on ABC Teach are for the younger set, but there are worksheets for middle schoolers too.  More worksheets are added every week.  Are you the independant type who would much rather make your own?  No problemo!  Just use the handy worksheet generator to make your own word searches, crossword puzzles, handwriting pages, and more.  What are the pros of this product?  Well, if you and your kids love worksheets, it's the place to go!  There really are a ton of worksheets available.  Hmmm...  Now that has me thinking, if you printed out all 35,000 would it really weigh a ton?  Depends on the paper you use, I guess!  What's not to like? Well, of course there is the cost.  If you are frugal, it might not be worth paying the annual fee.  However, there is plenty available for free, so print away!  Also, I did find the website a little overwhelming.  There is just so much.  You know me, though, (if you are a regular reader, and I hope you are,) I am mystified by anything with too many bells and whistles.  I prefer Aldi to Walmart and broadcast TV to cable.  I like buffets though, hmmm... One more thing.  This is not, from what I can tell, a Christian website.  It's a sight for all teachers, so it is geared more for public school teachers.  Not necessarily a negative thing, but you will find that most of the worksheets are from a secular perspective.  Just call it a heads up.  The Crazy Mom take:  I am going to start out by being quite frank.  I don't do a whole lot of worksheets in my school.  I have never really had the need for them.  By the time we do our chores, we pretty much only have time for the basics.  With co-op this year, and all of our other extras like the library and sewing class, we have even less time than ever for anything other than our basic math and grammer.  Add to that our TOS review products and we are beyond busy here. What does all that mean?  Well, as I have said in other reviews, I was not in the market for this type of service.  To do the review, I mostly just clicked around the site and checked it out.  I did have one occasion where I wanted a particular type of worksheet for a book report my son was doing for co-op.  I didn't find exactly what I wanted, but I did find something close that served the purpose.  The reality, though, is that I could have created my own worksheet on my word processor in less time than it took me to find the one on ABC Teach.  Not being someone who uses worksheets, I don't think I'd buy a membership.  I doubt I will even use any of the free worksheets. So, do I go so far as to NOT recommend it?  No, because if you use a lot of worksheets you will probably LOVE this site!  The fact is, as a child I loved worksheets.  I just don't have enough hours in the day to use them enough in my own school to justify the cost.  Truth is, I tend to get worksheets from other places like the library that have been sitting around my house for years untouched.  Sometimes it's difficult to review a product when I am not in the market for it, or it doesn't fit my teaching style.  I really have to just stand back and look at it from a fresh perspective.  When I was 7 months pregnant Sane Man brought home a Corvette from work.  A cool car, indeed, but I totally hated it.  I could barely lift my round self out of that thing.  Sane Man, being over six feet tall, hurt himself twice getting in and out of it.  We have eight children.  I would not buy a Corvette, but that does not mean that there aren't a whole slew of folks who have or would love to have one.  If I reviewed a Corvette, I could not say that I loved it, but I also couldn't say YOU shouldn't buy one.  So, take ABC Teach for a test drive and make up your own mind.  The 5000 free worksheets should give you a pretty good idea of what it's all about, and you can make your decision from there. Don't forget to take your cat!   What's the bottom line? $40 per year/$70 for two years/See the website for group rates. I am going to give ABC Teach 3 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://abcteach.com/ See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/718688/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this service.  I doubt this service would be helpful to many people.  This is a good service, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product or service because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/741417/ Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/741417/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free subscription to My Access! Home Edition from Vantage Learning.  This is a really neat program that is set up so you can give your child writing assignments they do right on the My Access website.  The child checks his or her assignments, writes an essay, and then submits it to be scored.  The program actually scores the essay instantly!  It's really cool!  Another feature of the program is that your child is not on his or her own.  The program guides students through each step of the writing process from pre-writing to the finished product.  Along the way, help is given in the form of spelling and grammar help.  Not only that, as they continue to work, they earn points.  When they reach the goal you set for them, they are rewarded by whatever you deem an appropriate reward.  One of the best features of the program is that while it's computer generated, it allows parents total control over what the child does.  Parents assign the essays from a list, or they can create their own topic.  E-mails are sent out so that parents can monitor their child's progress, though they can check on their child any time by accessing the master account.  It's like having a teacher's aide built right into your computer! What are the pros of this product?  Children can work independently and the program helps them every step of the way so you can get your laundry done and dinner on the table!  The rewards are also great for kids who need some sort of motivation to do anything.  (Not that I have any of those!  LOL)  I also like that the while the computer does pretty much all the correcting, the parents still are running the show.  The program also generates progress charts, so if you need something to "prove" that the child has been "doing school" for your records, you have it.  What's not to like? Well, it's not cheap.  Cost is always one of the biggest factors for me when considering a purchase.  Also, because it's Internet based, your child will need to be able to access a computer frequently enough to make the subscription price worthwhile.  It's a great program, but if you can't get to it, it's of little value.  (The nice thing, though, is that it is not a download, so you can access it from any computer with Internet.) Also, I have to admit that the program is not perfect when assessing the essays.  It would still be a good idea for you to sit down with the child and go over their work to make sure they are getting everything right.  If you've ever used the grammar check that comes with Windows, you know that sometimes it catches your mistakes, and sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it even falsely accuses you of making a mistake when you haven't!  Well!  LOL  The same thing goes here.  It's not perfect, nor would I expect it to be, but I would not want to give you the wrong impression of the program.  Yes, it's like an assistant teacher, but you are still the teacher.  :)  The Crazy Mom take:  I found this program to be very cool.  I decided to let Princess use it as she likes to write, but she does not do a great job in the technical sense.  She tends to write run on sentences, and doesn't always follow the rules of grammar.  Our biggest issue here was finding computer time.  With two boys in college, one with a ton of work from co-op, Sane Man's class from church, my reviews, and on and on, the computers tend to be tied up.  Plus, our laptop was out of commission for a while.  It seemed like a nearly impossible task to etch out enough time for Princess to try this.  Still, we managed to squeeze in a bit of time. I assigned several essays for Princess and she was happy to do them.  In fact, she did quite a few of them.  The first was quite long, and the others quite short.  She did score much higher on the longer one, so I suspect that length is one of the requirements for a high score.  I did notice, though, that her essays all contained a ton of errors.  Even though the longer essay was scored as Proficient, I would not have graded her that way.  Of course, at her age, I think they give a lot more grace for poor punctuation and spelling. Princess did use the helps, but I think she could have used them more.  I had decided to be totally hands off so that I could get a good idea how independently she could work.  I soon realized that, even though it is set up for a child to work independently, I would probably sit down with her for several essays if I had it to do all over again.  I am the teacher after all! I do have to say, though, that Princess really loved the program.  She really liked it that she got points and that's what motivated her to keep writing.  She enjoyed getting a grade, even when it wasn't good, so she just kept writing away.  In some ways, I guess, that wasn't a good thing as she was a bit too anxious to finish and turn it in.  She tended to want to start a new essay rather than revamp the old one.  I guess that's my issue to deal with and not the computers. :) All in all, I think it is a neat program.  For kids who have lots of access to a computer and love to earn rewards, I think this is great.  I do think it best if Mom or Dad or maybe an older sibling sits down with your child until he or she is very comfortable with the program, but once they learn all the bells and whistles, I think it could be a great asset to your homeschool writing class! Have a blessed day!  What's the bottom line? $99.95 for up to 3 students for one year, or $129.95 for up to 6students for one year. I am going to My Access! 3 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out! http://www.vantagelearning.com/home/ See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/721291/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/741260/ Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:36:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/741260/ New to my blog?  Check out my welcome post here.     About the products:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew  I received some wonderful products from Virginia Soaps and Scents.  I got some soaps, a shampoo bar, and even a kit to make my own laundry soap!  Virginia Soaps and Scents started out as a homeschool project from a unit study of colonial times.  Beware of small beginnings!  The Spargur family had so much fun making these soaps, they decided to make a business out of it.  They also sell lotions, lip balm, pet shampoo and more! What are the pros of this product?  These are lovely, handmade products from a large family who runs the business out of their home.  Everything is just lovely.  Did I already say that?  I can't help myself!  I really love this stuff!  Can you tell? What's not to like? There might be some ingredients in these products that some folks are allergic to.  For example, I have a friend whose daughter is allergic to soy, so she can't use anything with soy in it.  Some of the products from Virginia soaps and scents do contain soy.  I'm sure there are other folks who have other medical issues which I am just plain not educated enough to address, so I won't even pretend to.  I do know, for me, I had no problems with any of the products and I do have soap issues.  I can't use antibacterial soap because I break out from it every single time.  These soaps I can use.  :)  Yeah! The Crazy Mom take:  Ah, man, how much time to I have?  I love everything, but the shampoo bar has worked miracles for me!!!  I cannot say how thrilled I am with it.  It is the best thing ever for my hair.  I mean ever!  I am in love!  (No, I'm not gonna marry it!  LOL)  But seriously, I don't have "good hair."  It's not curly and not straight and just seems to frizz up and look bad unless I spend a ton of time blow-drying, curling, spraying, ratting, and whatever else to it.  Then it looks good for a while and starts to frizz again.  No more! I was totally amazed that my hair looked great right after I washed it!  All I had to do was blow it dry.  I didn't even have to style it!  Normally it starts to look good the day after I wash it, once a little of my natural oils tame it down a bit.  Then, on the third day it starts to get oily and I have to wash it again.  Well, I figured since it looked so great the first day, it would be oily the next.  It wasn't!  It looked great again!  Even the third day it looked good!  I was amazed.  Did I say that already?  AMAZED!!! Another thing is that I no longer need conditioner.  And it is so much fuller.  It almost feels like I have gel or mousse in it, but I don't.  I don't know how to explain it, but it is just great. I can't say you'll have the same experience as you don't have my hair.  I can just say that for me, this stuff is worth its weight in gold.  I love it! I used to wear a pony tail about 99.9% of the time because dealing with my hair was just too much work, and it never even looked that good.  Now I am a proud to say, I am a recovering ponytail addict.  I'm happy, happy, happy!!! Did I mention it was AMAZING???  I do like just about everything I review, but I am giddy about this one!  Could you tell?  And their other products are great too!  I highly recommend this company!  Have a blessed day! What's the bottom line?  Soap $4.50 per bar/Shampoo $5.50 per bar/Laundry kits $4.95  These prices are for single items, discounts are available for larger purchases.  I am going to give  Virginia Soaps and Scents 5 out of 5 smileys!!! Check it out!http://www.virginiasoapsandscents.com or http://www.va-soaps.com    See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/735619/ *The Smiley System:  I can't really recommend this product.  I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.  This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.  Most homeschool moms will find this useful.  This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!! Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.  As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family. Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them! Copyright 2009 Ramblings from the Crazy House http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/740702/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/crazyhouse/740702/