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Showing posts from April, 2012

A NEW blog look!

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When I was searching through the pictures for my previous blog post I came across this gorgeous picture that my oldest daughter took.  I’ve been wanting a photo header for my blog but hadn’t really put in any effort to take one or find one. But this picture? It just screamed “I’m the ONE! Use me.  I’m the right colors.  I bring a smile to your face.  I make you think of life.”  I tried using photobucket to jazz up the picture and add text but that just didn’t work for me.  A fellow Review Crew team member had mentioned something about picmonkey so I checked it out.  (I really liked it!  It was easy to use and I could save the picture to my computer. I did not even have to register or create an account! Pic Monkey .) I pulled BooBear away (multiple times!) from her piano practice so help me decide.  This frame or that?  This effect or the other one?  I used the text feature to add the name of my blog.  Then of course she had to help me pick just the right combo of colors for the blog

April 7th through April 15th

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Rather than explain why I've been so quiet I'd thought I would just show you what we've been doing. Great Lent ended on April 6th. Holy Week began with Great and Holy Monday April 9th. Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are festive feast days tucked between Lent and Holy Week. (I know it's "Wordless Wednesday" but I just can't seem to be wordless. We'll just have to settle for "less wordy". <grin>) Lazarus Saturday Lazarus Saturday began with a baptism! Lazarus Saturday foreshadows the resurrection of the Lord and our own resurrection .     I think the godfather is especially handsome. Biased? Yes, I suppose so.  Here Honeybear holds the candle for his godson.     After the Gospel reading.  Yes. It’s another picture of Honeybear. Notice the GOLD colored vestments?  NOT the purple of Lent.  Not the black of Holy Week. Palm Sunday On Palm Sunday the church is decorated with greenery and the priests and deacon wear green (or go

TOS Review: Amazing Science! Volume 1 DVD

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Have I mentioned that we’re a science loving family? Oh I have? Well,` be warned this is one of those “gushing about the product” type of reviews.  I think one of the reasons we love science around here so much is that science is so “hands on”.  You learn by doing.  And it’s fun! We’ve been watching the Amazing Science Volume 1 DVD from ScienceandMath.com and having a blast. We’ve tried some experiments and we’re planning more. This two disk DVD set retails for $24.95 but is available from ScienceandMath.com for $19.95.  They also offer a downloadable version for $17.99.  On these two disks you’ll find 23 fun science experiments.  Here’s a Detailed Description directly from the website: “ Learn fundamental principles of science through Amazing Science Experiments! You'll learn about electricity, magnetism, heat, temperature, pressure, surface tension, buoyancy, and much more. For every demonstration, a complete materials list is given, and each experiment features multipl

TOS Review: Crypto Mindbenders Famous Quotations

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I have loved every single product I have ever tried from  The Critical Thinking Co., so it was no surprise to me that Crypto Mind Benders   Famous Quotations would be a huge hit with my three “big” girls. We are no strangers to the Mind Benders series.  It’s one of our favorites for developing reasoning skills.  Crypto Mind Benders operates on the same principle.  Use logic and reasoning to solve a puzzle.  These are commonly called logic puzzles.  Crypto, however takes it to a new level.  Instead of solving to find out which person came from which house and brought what to the neighborhood BBQ, you uses math symbols (mathematical reasoning)o solve the key to unlock a famous quotation. Description from the website : “Crypto Mind Benders® compel students to break a secret code so they can identify a hidden joke or quotation. To break the code, students must apply logic and mathematical reasoning to 3 sets of clues. The challenge is getting all the information out of each clue! On

TOS Review: Christian Kids Explore Chemistry

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Tailorbear has recently expressed interest in all things science.  She is especially excited about chemistry.  Bright Ideas Press publishes a series of science books entitled Christian Kids Explore Science .  As a member of the TOS Crew we had the chance to review the Chemistry book. We received a PDF copy of the 2nd Edition Christian Kids Explore Chemistry book. At the time of this review this resource is only available for sale as a physical product.  It retails for $39.95  In addition to the PDF file of the book, we received a PDF version of the Resource CD. This CD is included when you purchase from Bright Ideas Press. (If you already own the book, you can purchase the CD for $12.95 ~ on sale for $9.95) Christian Kids Explore Chemistry (CKEC) targets 4th to 8th graders so my 7th grader, Tailorbear, fits solidly in that range.  I choose to use the hints in the “how to use this book” section geared for advanced students.   This means that Tailorbear read the material to herself

Great and Holy Week: Bridegroom Matins

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I have attended many different types of Orthodox services (there are still a few I’ve not yet made it to such as the Cannon of St. Andrew).  I’ve attended baptisms, funerals, weddings, vigils, vespers, matins and variations in addition to different liturgies.   I’ve been to most of the different services offered during Holy Week. (I have not yet attended the special Liturgy of St. Basil on Holy Saturday). Of all the different types of services I have experienced, The Bridegroom Matins is hands down my favorite.  Our Parish serves these special matins on Sunday night, (for Monday), Monday night (for Tuesday) and Tuesday night (for Wednesday). Why are they my favorite?  These services instill the anticipation of waiting for the Bridegroom.  The atmosphere is somber as we begin to enter into the experiences of our Lord’s Passion Week.  The special hymns of each day focus on different events.  For example one hymn describes Judas agreeing to betray the Lord.  But this isn’t really why t

TOS Review: AIMS: Looking at Lines

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  Because we had reviewed Earth Book earlier this crew year I was really excited  to see AIMS on the Crew Vendor  list  again. AIMS is a non-profit foundation “dedicated to helping teachers give students a solid conceptual understanding of math and science”  They are “motivated by a passion for teaching and learning, not by profit.” This time we’re reviewing Looking at Lines from the Algebraic Thinking Series. Here’s the description from the Looking at Lines web page: “Introduce algebraic concepts in their natural setting with activities drawn from real-world phenomena. Covers three sub-groups of linear functions: proportional relationships, non-proportional relationships with positive slopes, and non-proportional relationships with negative slopes. Includes CD with printable student pages.”   32 activities span over 290 pages. This book is intended for grades 6-9 and retails for $24.95.  A downloadable PDF version is also available. From the back of the book: “Drawn from p

G is for the Great Entrance into Jerusalem

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Today is April 8th.  The majority of Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ today.  If you are one of them, I wish you a blessed and spiritually fulfilling celebration as you shout He is Risen! For Orthodox Christians around the world, today is our Palm Sunday.  It is the feast of the Great Entrance of Christ riding on a donkey into Jerusalem.  It is also known as the Triumphal Entry. This morning when we enter into the building we’ll be greeted with the bright gold cloths and green vestments and lots of greenery.  It will be crowded but it will be a joyful celebration! To all Christians everywhere,  Happy Feast Day!! This post is linked up to Blogging Through the Alphabet hosted by Marcy over at Ben and Me .

The Last Plea Bargain~ Tyndale House Publishers Blog Tour with Giveaway!

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Can you feel the excitement vibrate off this post?  I loved this book and I get to give away a certificate for a free copy of this book courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers.  You’ll find the giveaway information at the end of this post. I think the best way to introduce this book is to let author Randy Singer introduce it and tell where the story came from: Here’s my view: The protagonist, Jamie Brock, is a prosecutor who describes herself as more of an Old Testament type of gal.  She believes in justice “eye for an eye” style.  As an assistant DA she has a strict no plea bargain policy.  She works hard and believes in justice.  Now the defense attorney who represented the man convicted of murdering her mother and shooting her father is the primary and only suspect in the murder of his wife.  Will Jamie take a plea?  Will she be able to see justice served or will she put revenge first? As a former lawyer wanna be, I enjoy a gripping legal thriller.  I think this genre ranks as my fav

TOS Review: Write with WORLD

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Over the last several weeks Turtlegirl, Tailorbear, and I have been working through a new writing program from the publishers of WORLD Magazine .  Write with WORLD targets middle school students (approximately grades 5-8).  I wanted to try Write with WORLD because it concentrates on “developing young writers who can think and express their thoughts through writing.” Though Turtlegirl is 9th grade and slightly outside the suggested age range, I think she is benefiting from the different angle that this curriculum uses. There is a strong emphasis on critical thinking and discernment. I encourage you to read the Intro to the Teacher’s Book .  The introduction details an overview of the program and lists several distinctives.  You can view a sample lesson as well. The Full Year Curriculum includes online access in addition to the Teacher Textbook and Student book.  This is a two year program.  We reviewed Year One which retails for $95.00. For purchasing options including a Year One a

Great Lent: F is for Fasting and Feasting

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This is the last week of Lent.  I haven’t been as diligent about posting about Great Lent and this week I’ve struggled with finding an F topic for Blogging through the Alphabet.  I tried writing a post about Orthodox Fasting and Orthodox Feasting but I just couldn’t seem to get where I wanted to go with the idea. This morning I found this on Facebook on the All Merciful Savior Orthodox Christian Monastery Page : Abbot Tryphon says it so much better than I could! You can read his blog The Morning Offering and if you scroll to April 2nd you'll find the full post for the following suggestions Fasting Suggestions FAST from self-concern and FEAST on compassion for others. FAST from discouragement and FEAST on hope. ... FAST from lethargy and FEAST on enthusiasm. FAST from suspicion and FEAST on truth. FAST from thoughts that weaken and FEAST on promises that inspire. FAST from shadows of sorrow and FEAST on the sunlight of serenity. FAST from idle gossip and FEAST on purposeful sile

A Novel idea: Bringing History to Life

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I had never heard of home schooling until August of 1996.  A friend of mine mentioned in passing that she home educated her children.  What?!  Why?  How?  So the seed was planted. In April of 1998 I attended my first little home school curriculum fair.  The local home school group moms each brought her favorite curriculum to share.  One mom talked about Learning Language Arts through Literature and another mom mentioned something about a book based curriculum called Sonlight.  It wouldn’t be until January 1999 that I really explored Sonlight.  I had looked at several other programs and I just wasn’t happy with them.  BORING textbooks and workbooks with silly things like “color the raincoat yellow because God made rain” (that’s science??!!!!). I devoured the 1998 catalog and put in my request for the 1999 Catalog which was released in April.  In the meantime, I had baby number 4.   My oldest was about to turn 4 and I was ready to try some formal preschool/k stuff with her. I fell i