Love the Journey Review and Give Away!!

I have a small handful of friends whom I consider true "Titus 2" women, and I hold them near and dear to my heart. While I have not met Marcia Somerville face to face (yet), I most certainly count her as one of these friends!!

Marcia has authored a new book entitled Love the Journey, where she writes in such a way that she'll become one of your 'friends' too!

There are three types of people who will benefit most from this book. Ready? They are...

1) Those considering Homeschooling
2) Those in the early stages of Homeschooling
3) Those who are seasoned Homeschoolers

I am in my eleventh year (wowza time flies) of home educating. {My son was 3 1/2 when he first said he wanted me to homeschool him. God knew He had to use my son to convince me, on my own I would not have looked seriously at the idea... Now that son is in high school in our home!!} I had some precious ladies who mentored me those first couple years. Before I purchased my first homeschool book, I sat down with a friend and poured out my heart on why I wanted to homeschool. I hoped that in my teaching, the boys would learn facts in order to know the Lord. Not just to know facts to puff themselves up. I went on to write out a mission statement that I could look at any time I started to question my sanity, consider sending them to public school, or feel pressure from outside well meaning sources. Much of what I did was like feeling my way through a new place, but with all the lights out. Like trying to travel to a destination that I had in my heart... with no road map. And by the grace of God, we press on! This book is a very helpful road map for the journey we are on as homeschoolers! Everything that I have learned along the way and wished to share with other homeschoolers is found in the pages of this book!!!

I love that Marcia uses Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to guide her writings. Here are the chapter headings to give you a taste of what's inside...

Section 1: Your Homeschool is YOUR Homeschool!

1. Why Do YOU Homeschool?
2. Do You Have a Guiding Star?
3. Clarifying the Ends We Have in Mind
4. Developing Your Pedagogy

Section 2: Mountaintop Views

5. You Share Who You Are
6. Keep Your Heart
7. Cross-Eyed Parenting
8. Training in Liberty
9. More Isn’t Always Better
10. Who Are Your Best Friends?

Section 3: When You Sit At Home

11. The Husband Suitable for You
12. Keeping a Quiet Home
13. Schedules and Structure
14. A Time to Plan
15. Looking Far (Why We Don’t Need Classrooms)
16. What to do with Preschoolers?
17. Face Time
18. Managing Chores
19. Questions, Categories, and Consequences

Section 4: As You Walk Along the Way

20. Gender Differences
21. Why Modalities Matter
22. Lesson Planning with Modalities in Mind
23. Tell Me the Story Again!
24. Useful Categories to Know When Considering Curricula
25. When Trudging is Called For
26. Choices, Choices
27. What About Memory Work?
28. Why Do Crafts?

Section 5: When You Lie Down & When You Rise Up

29. It’s About Commitment
30. Love is Patient
31. Love is Kind
32. Love Does Not Envy
33. Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

You know you are reading a fantastic book when your highlighter is going dry before you reach the end! Even after 10 years of teaching, I kept saying "AMEN!" or "OHHHH, good point!!" If you are just considering homeschooling, if you are already homeschooling, if you have one child or many children, if you use a formal curriculum or unschool or somewhere between, this book will have plenty of insights to help you press on!

Need a little more information? I recently found this link where you can download some samples to read!

This is a book that ought to be in every home educator's library! And I don't say that lightly. While I love books and think you can't own too many, I do live in a small space and have to choose my titles carefully. This book has secured a spot at the top of my 'must have' list!!

The Somervilles were kind and generous enough to provide me with a copy of Love the Journey in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Marcia, for the opportunity to read and share!!

The Somervilles were also kind and generous enough to offer to give away one free copy of this book to one blessed reader!!! Thank you, again, Marcia!!!

WE HAVE THE COUPON CODE!!!
To receive 25% off Love the Journey hard copy or digital, use this coupon code MMH14LTJ. This code is good till August 25. Order here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


~Christa

TruthQuest History Review

I was never a fan of history when I was in school. Ok, if I'm being honest, I was not much of a fan of school when I was in school. Perhaps that's why the Lord then put me in a position of teaching Kindergarteners for a year and then mentoring elementary students for another six years. And now, He has blessed me with homeschooling my own sons! (Which includes history...) We are in our tenth year of homeschooling and I LOVE it! And guess what, I LOVE history! Imagine that.

Because I have come to love history so very much, you will find my book shelves lined with fabulous read alouds from every era. I've had the opportunity to try several different approaches to teaching history. And at the end of the day, our family always comes back to hands-on activities and excellent literature.

TruthQuest History is just such an approach. In fact, it can be used almost any way you prefer! In our home, we use the Tapestry of Grace. But the information found in the TruthQuest books really helps us to dig just that much deeper and bring to life the people we're studying! The flexibility makes it an easy fit for many homes.

The guide begins with a few pages just for mom and dad. These pages are loaded with terrific advice, but it will never tell you one specific way to use this curriculum. It allows you, the parent, to decide the best way to learn in your own home... reminding you that you are in charge, not the curriculum. Sometimes we need just such a reminder. It suggests that you decide what fits your family. If you have younger children, it encourages the use of hands on activities with building blocks, paints, etc. If your child is older, they are encouraged to go deeper on a subject by doing more research. This makes it an easy fit for all ages!

After a lengthy table of contents you will find the 'read aloud' parts of TruthQuest. An older child could feel free to read these pages on his own and then discuss them together with his parents. If you are working with multiple ages you could read aloud to everyone at one time. These pages are not full of the dry, dull text that I so disliked in school. It is as if the author is sitting down with the reader and explaining history in an easy to digest style.

After the commentary, you will find a section titled "Dig In." This is where you can bring in books to read together or have children read independently. These books are all incredible "living" books. And the list is extensive! Not only is there a nice long list, but there are appropriate warnings listed beside the titles. This is a fabulous resource because, let's be honest, how many of us have the time to pre-read every book? They also provide approximate ages for each book so you'll know right away if the book is a fit for your family. Many of the books listed are available at your local library. But if you want to purchase them for your own library, you can easily do so online, in bookstores, or at local thrift stores as well! In addition to books, you'll also find audio and video options sprinkled throughout. If that weren't enough, they'll give you plenty of ideas for activities and art!

"Express Your Heart" is found throughout the "Dig In" sections. In this area you can get as creative as you like! You may use art, music, composition, poetry, story telling/writing, acting, or any other way your child learns best to really grab hold of the ideas taught. This helps us to reach out to our children in ways that they learn and recall information. So if you have a child with a creative bent, run with this section! If you don't, you are certainly never required to complete it.

"ThinkWrite" is a terrific part of the study that allows your student to really chew on the information given to them by thinking, and sometimes, writing. If your child isn't a writer, you could use this section to open up fantastic discussions.

They also recommend various books to be used as 'spines' through your study. You'll easily recognize many of the titles. Streams of Civilization, Story of the World, Greenleaf, and of course the Bible are among the titles in the Beginnings study. This makes it very easy for you to create a history curriculum and style that is your own, using your favorite resources. Or, none at all! You can simply read the study guide on its own and have plenty of information to enjoy together. If you already have a history curriculum that you love, you can easily add the reading from the TruthQuest study guide to deepen your history study time.

However, my favorite part of TruthQuest is the list of living books in the back of the study guide. If for no other reason, this alone is reason enough to own the TruthQuest series. TruthQuest says that they are not giving you books to read and then leading you through a structured curriculum of each book. But instead they are providing a lengthy list of rich history books that you can choose to use to learn history!

I am very impressed with the guide, the list of books, audios, and videos, and the price! You can purchase the book, the PDF or both at a very reasonable price! But how do you choose where to start? This link will be very valuable. There are plans of study for one to eight years as well as how to place multiple children. Tour their site and you'll find supplements that may be a great fit for your family. There are lapbook materials, notebooking pages, mini book ideas, and more!

Whether you use this as your core history curriculum, or as a supplement to the spine you are using now, I believe you will find great value in its pages. TruthQuest has outdone themselves and I'm so pleased to have found such a rich resource!

Molding Mind's Top 3 Cheap Christian Curriculum Choices

We have been blessed and almost always been able to purchase whatever curriculum I wanted within reason. I always try to get it second hand but some things are consumable and you just can't do that. Now that I have been homeschooling for a few years, I am less distracted by the shiny things and am definitely more cost conscious as I add up the amount I have spent over the past 5 years. Since we have tried out so many programs trying to find that perfect fit for our family (which by the way I am sure is mythical), I have come across some excellent homeschool programs and shockingly enough, they aren't always the most expensive!

1. ACE (Accelerated Christian Education). We are really just into our first year of using ACE's English and Word Building programs, but so far they seem to be thorough, easy for the kids to do independently, and cost effective. A typical Ace Pace (about 3 weeks worth of work) will cost you about $3 when you consider shipping and can also be purchased as a complete subject for around $33 plus shipping. If you do a 6 subject school day that works out to just under $200 before shipping for an entire school year! ACE's website can be a bit difficult to navigate and the ordering process was somewhat confusing the first time, but ACE does offer a diagnostics test that helps you figure out where your student needs to start as well as possible gaps.

2. Christian Light Education. Like ACE, Christian Light sells units rather than a complete book at once. This again allows you to purchase a single unit at a time, this time at $3.35 per book before shipping. An entire subject will cost you around $34 per shipping making your 6 subject year $204 plus shipping. We haven't officially started our CLE Math 4, but I have heard so many great things about it that I purchased my son the 1st grade Learning to Read today. My total with shipping was about $53.

3. Rod and Staff. We have really liked Rod and Staff Math last year and this year. We are going to work our way through grade 4 and try out CLE Math 4 since we homeschool year around, and end up finishing books before the school year is officially up for us, but as maths go, Rod and Staff is top notch. It is a no frills curriculum which means you can get it at an excellent cost. Our Grade 4 texts were $15 before shipping and my two teacher's manuals (yes, this one required 2) were about $12 each. Total I paid about $51 after shipping. The complete Grade 4 Program Set will run you $259 before shipping. A little more expensive than the previous two, and prices will vary a bit from grade to grade, but still a great price for an entire year's worth of brand new curriculum.

We love getting new books and while "new to us" is fun, there is something about a crispy new text book that makes the new school year something to really look forward to. These curricula not only give you solid educational choices, but can also give you brand new school books and all you have to do is put back $20 per month for a year!

My Homeschool Plan for 2013/2014

When I first started homeschooling I was a planner and a plan executer.  I was good at making my plan go and checking off boxes.  After my son got sick, planning became a guilt inducing exercise.  Finally, I just gave in to the idea of "flying by the seat of my pants."  So, that was the official plan for a bit.  I am glad that I had the option of doing this.  :)  My family needed to be able to rest and go with whatever we could do for a bit. We were able to find rest in it.

I came up with a plan at the beginning of the year and for the most part, we have followed it.  But, my son is better and he is continuing to improve, and my baby is now 5 and my 8 year old daughter suddenly decided she knew how to read.  They are ready for something more and I am finally emotionally and physically ready to give it to them.

This is what I now have planned for my littles:

Apologia Science

Story of the World

Prima Latina

Grammar Island

Math 

Handwriting

Phonics Museum, Veritas Press

And to top it all off, we are going to do lapbooks for each season.

All About Autumn

I found one for the Fall for only a dollar!  If you sign up for the newsletter you get a $5.00 coupon!

 

We have gotten down a great schedule so far.  I am going to add in latin as soon as I get the materials.So our schedule will look like the following:

Monday - History, math, handwriting, reading
Tuesday - Science, math, reading, Latin
Wednesday - Library day, math, gymnastics, tutorial homework
Thursday - Tutorial class, math, reading
Friday - Grammar, Latin, math reading, lapbooking

So far, I have been able to end school by lunch time every day except Thursdays.  :)  I am so thankful for the freedom that homeschooling provides. I can truly alter the kids' education plan, even during the first quarter!

Leave us a comment letting us know how your homeschool year is going and what you are doing!  Have you made any changes? 

Medieval History Memory Game: A Mosaics Review

I am terrible with completing the supplements for history. I mean, they all sound super fun and I even sometimes purchase the supplies, but inevitably most are pushed to the side and eventually forgotten.

That's where The Classical Historian's Medieval History Memory Game comes in. We aren't hard core with history just yet, but since they do enjoy some extra reinforcing activities we were excited to crack this open. Now, truth is, it is a memory game pretty much like other memory games. You spread the cards out and try to find matches. The big deal about these cards though, are the historical photos on them (think William Shakespeare, The Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Crusaders). Each photo corresponds with a different Medieval historical event, helping to pique interest in and reinforce learned historical facts that pretty much encompass the entire known world at the time. You will see photos dealing with everything from works of arts to the religious turmoil between the Catholic church and the leaders of the Reformation. While it is just a simple memory game, it does open the door up to a lot of discussion and research and is a great way to introduce little ones to some history.

Besides the memory version of the game, there is also an alternate game that is won by sorting the photo cards into categories according to the region they happened in. This is a nice variation if you have older children.

The Medieval History Memory Game costs just under $15 or you can purchase as a set at a discounted price, and is recommended for ages 3+, and I think a younger child could match the pictures if they can play other memory games already. The Classical Historian also offers memory games from other time periods as well, plus many other history curriculum and supplemental items.

My final thoughts:

The game was ok. There is some value in the images on the cards, but at the end of the day it is a memory game and it got old very quickly. I am also not sure the price point is right as most similar memory games go for $5 or less. The cards are quite a bit thicker than your typical toy store memory game so that does make the price a little more palatable, especially if they will pass through a lot of little hands.  I can also see the value in introducing a game like this to a younger child rather than trying to dig into a full curriculum. This would be a great way to "unschool" history and if the games weren't quite so expensive, I would consider purchasing more.

How Do We Know God is Really There? A Mosaics Review

Every child has, or will at some point ask the question "How do we know God is really there?" (be sure to download the free sample!). It is easy to answer with "because the Bible tells us He is", which is of course, true, but not only has God given us His word to remind us of His presence, but His has announced Himself to us throughout creation!

How Do We Know God is Really There? by Apologia is a beautifully illustrated picture book which helps even young readers to understand that the existence of God and the existence of science are not mutually exclusive. In fact with out God there is no science! Using astronomy, you and your child will reason through the questions most kids will be introduced to at a young age, from the origins of matter to time and space, and all on a kid friendly level!

If I had a con about the book it would be the length. However, I also understand that a lot of information is being covered in a short time. The book is also pretty neutral in that it doesn't go into literal creation vs evolution, but I think that is more because it just doesn't get that far. The purpose of the book is to prove that without God the universe can not exist, and so it doesn't reach beyond that. I will be interested to see if they continue the book into a series, how they address it, even if I already know where they stand on it.


The basics:

Price: $16.00

Age: pre-k through 4th though older children may still enjoy the thought provoking questions. It is the story itself that is a bit young. This is my own personal opinion though so be sure to check out the samples for yourself!

Final thoughts:
My kids enjoyed flipping through this book quite a bit and I even had to go on a mad hunt for it, because someone had snuck it off to the bedroom while I was still writing my review. I always know I have a winner when something disappears to the bedroom. I thought the book took a very logical and kid friendly approach to looking at the scientific evidence for God. I might suggest shortening the introduction story in order to make the entire book a bit shorter, but other than that, we really enjoyed it!

Ooka Island: A Homeschool Mosaics Review

You ever think to yourself, boy it would be nice if my 4 year old could actually operate this really cool online game without me having to control the mouse? I do. All.the.time. I don't have time to sit for hours at a time and play games. The point of me setting him up on the game in the first place was to give me some time to work with his sisters! Well, let me introduce you to the first pre-reader learning site that is actually easy enough for my son to use without my help!

Ooka Island is a web based game that uses game to teach phonics and reading. Students as young as 3 can navigate through the guided games and earn independent time to explore other areas of the map. Students are encouraged to practice blends and other reading skills as they build on a solid foundation of pre-reading and early reading skills.

The Basics:

Format: Downloaded from the internet onto your computer.

Price: $19.95 per month or $149.95 per year but just for you here is a 30% off link!

Ages: 4-7 or pre-reader through emergent reader

You can also order copies of the Ooka Island Books.


Pros:

I loved the parent portal that give an online progress report for you child! I also get an email every time he reads a book. The phonics was sound and my son really did start learning his blends pretty quickly. The graphics moved beyond some of the cheesier ones that you can get with online pre-school games and were colorful and fun. The map was easy to navigate and my son had no problem playing most of the games with little to no help at all. The best thing though was that he loved it. He, being a 4 year old boy, doesn't usually get involved in anything for longer than a few minutes, but I had to make him turn Ooka Island off every single time. Even better though was that I didn't feel like it was wasted time by letting him play for a few hours at a time and we are a strict family when it comes to screen time.

Cons:

Could possibly be one of those things I use a "babysitting" device while I cook dinner and would feel no guilt doing so. Oops, I probably shouldn't have admitted that.

Seriously, we loved Ooka Island. I do a lot of reviews so when something really stands out it is an exciting moment for me. Ooka Island is one of those exciting moments.

The Etiquette Factory: A Mosaics Review

Elbows off the table! Look people in the eye when you speak to them! Say hello when you answer the phone please!

If your kids are anything like mine then you have probably heard yourself say these and many other phrases asking your kids to display some manners. I had been on the look out for a locally hosted etiquette class so I really was very excited when this product came up for review!

The Etiquette Factory is a 3 phase etiquette course appropriate for pre-school all the way through high school. I was given a copy of the three phase kit available for $99.95.



This set include:

• Etiquette for Beginners Teachers Manual
• Etiquette for Beginners DVD set
• Etiquette Jukebox CD
• Etiquette Intermediate
• Etiquette Masters
• 4 Etiquette “Set Right” Placemats

You can also purchase the phases individually or any of the optional extras by visiting here. Optional extras include posters, accountability charts, Kid's Budget, and even a manners game!

Since my kids were young I decided to go ahead and start with phase one. When I first watched the DVD I was sure my kids were going to think it was a little too young for them. I was wrong! They loved watching the story and listening to the songs. We are moving through it a bit faster than suggested, but if I had just pre-schoolers the pace would have been just right.


We are still working our way through the first book so I will focus my review there. The teacher's manual is very well laid out. At the beginning you get a very nice review of how the program is meant to be paced, what day to view DVD's, learn the jingles and so on. Each week has plenty of review and the stories and songs are fun and engaging for the littles. The manual also gives you fun activities to reinforce what you have been learnning. Some of these are more geared towards a classroom but can be adjusted to homeschooling. There are even colored photos in the back to give you examples of the activities. One of my favorite supplemental items is the Set Right Placemat, a fun and colorful way to teach your children how to properly set a table.

Book 1 covers:

What is Etiquette?
Saying Hello
Kindness
Sharing
Magic Words
Cleaning Up
Table Manners
Good Hygiene
The "No" Word
Sincere Apologies
Being a Guest
A Clean Mouth is a Cherished Gift

The book is secular/non-religious so can be easily adapted if you want to add in Bible verses to go with the skill being learned.

This program is great. The price point is fantastic when you consider that $100 would cover you all the way from starting school to finishing and there is are few gifts you could give your child worth more than manners.

Alpha-Phonics Reading Program Review Pt1

Samuel Blumenfeld graduated from the prestigious City College of New York in 1950 and spent the next decade as an editor of the University Library at Grosset & Dunlap. Sometime during that experience--and I have worked reading over-the-transom slush-piles, so I have an inkling what happened--Mr. Blumenfeld noticed something funny about American literacy. Or it would have been funny, if it were not so shocking and sad. In short, Mr. Blumenfeld jumped on the crazy-train that so many of us home-schooling parents ride and he's been coming around that mountain ever since.
A man with an amazingly active and energetic intellect, he poured himself into trying to understand the question posed by the seminal _Why Johnny Can't Read?_, and even more importantly, what to do about it. Not just what to do regarding school reform, though he has much to say on that--but really, how do you teach Johnny, an actual, living, breathing human being, how to read? Because at the end of the day, that's what matters most, and that is the genesis of the Alphaphonics program.

I'm going to begin this review with restricting my comments to what is the heart of the program, the original _Alphaphonics_ and then address the supplementary materials in a second review. So, first, what you want to know: Does it work? How does it work? Is it for me and my child? How much does it cost?

It costs a little under $30 on Amazon:
Is it for you and your child? I have no idea. It certainly works very well for me and my child and I completely adore the program. But every teacher and every student interact in unique ways.
How does it work? There are something like 109 lessons. The lessons are really just lists of words. You write the word, the student sounds out the word. Next word. Voila. Phonetic rules are introduced, along with words that don't play nicely. Along with the lessons, a teacher's guide provides lesson-by-lesson direction and advice on what to emphasize and talk about. You start with very straightforward words and progress. From "cat" to "gymnasium". Look, you get the point. Lesson 1 is very basic, by lesson 109 you have a fully functional reader.


The great thing for me, as the "teacher" is that I don't have to do any planning or preparation. The teacher-guide material is very concise. We work through the lists, some days we may do only three words, some days we may read 30. My student is not yet 4, so 30 words is quite an achievement. I expect it will take us about 9 months to a year to work through the program and she will be reading proficiently before she is 5. An older child or adult could work through the program in a few months if they were motivated. I *love* the fact that you can pace it however you like. I am a *very lazy* homeschooling mom/teacher-type. Easy pacing, no planning or effort? I'm interested.

The baby is waking up. I think this review will have to be in three parts instead of two. So we'll call this the introduction.

-Christina O.

A Mosaics Review: Saving Memories Forever

Do you remember sitting at grandma's feet listening to stories? Do you wish you could have recorded those for your own children?

Now you can capture these memories with a free application called Saving Memories Forever (you can upgrade to a premium account for just $3.99 per month or $40 per year). Saving Memories Forever is a phone app that allows you to record stories on your phone and manage them on your computer. Once you have registered online you can begin recording memories straight on your phone. Simply add a story teller, choose a time frame and category and hit the record button!

If you need help getting started there are helpful hints as well as a How To Video.
This app could be a great way to start a genealogy project with your children or just a fun way to record precious memories in story form from the adults in your life. Or if you are like us and have family over seas, what a precious gift to have recorded voices to listen to during times that you are apart.

We also had fun letting the kids record their own versions of what they thought our lives were like. It was fun to listen to my daughters and son describe what they thought mommy and daddy's childhood was like. They also had fun setting up their own story teller accounts and telling us all about their lives. Starting an account for your child now that you carry on through their adult years would a fantastic and fun way to look back on those sweet childhood years!

A Homeschool Mosaics Review: Spanish For You!

Click Here for Sample!

I live in Texas. That pretty much means Spanish is a requirement. Being bilingual in Texas opens up a ton of job and promotion opportunities and it has always been my intentions to teach my children at least some basic Spanish that they could build on later if they chose.








Basic information about Spanish for You!:

What we reviewed: Spanish for You! Fiesta

What it comes with: 1 Spanish for You! soft cover text book, several audio downloads in mp3 format that include native speaker downloads, lesson guides for grades 3-4 and work sheets and flashcards for those levels.

Cost: $39.95

Extra materials: No extra materials are required but having some colors for the flash cards as well as some contact paper to laminate is nice.


So here is the hard part, I wanted to like this curriculum. It seemed spot on at first glance and was a great price compared to other programs for teaching Spanish. The biggest issue I had was the download files being all out of order. In order to get things together for each lesson, I had to search through the files and find the corresponding supplements. I am all about grab and go. Another big issue for me was that while there were lesson guides, they were so basic that as a parent with little to no Spanish speaking ability, I had no idea how to administer the lesson. I would listen to the audio, try to remember pronunciations while I went over them with the girls, listen to the audio again to get pronunciations, try to play the games and so on. There just wasn't enough teacher help for me to feel comfortable and fluid in teaching my own children. It didn't work for me as I believe it was intended.

On the other hand, my girls had a fantastic time reading the vocabulary themselves in their free time and if it did nothing else, it sparked an interest in learning Spanish that I will definitely run with. There are things that I love about this curriculum. The author uses hand drawn pictures which I found very charming and my kids related to, the price point is great if you can make the curriculum work for you, and the fact that it has native and non-native speaking audio files is a fantastic idea.

I want to love every product that is sent to me, but the truth is that sometimes something just doesn't work. I can't personally recommend Spanish for You! if what you need is a scripted, thoroughly laid out and well organized Spanish program, but please do check out the Spanish for You! site and see what you think for yourself!

REVISED: We were sent an email this morning from the publisher this morning and the files have been reorganized so that navigation is easier. I have not seen the reorganized files, but can imagine that, that alone makes a huge difference.


Disclaimer: I was given this product free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Any expressed opinion is 100% mine.

Apologia Ultimate Daily Homeschool Planner and Studet Planner: A Mosaics Review

CHECK OUT THE INSIDE HERE!

 I admit it. I am a homeschool planner junky. Of all the shiny new homeschooling products around, planners are my weak spot. I also love to write, so I over look printable or online planners that are filled in on the computer and go straight for the pretty bound ones.

Apologia's Ultimate Homeschool Planner is just that; a beautiful printed planner! Debra Bell has put together the perfect planner. This planner is a spiral bound planner with a wipe-able front cover (a must in a house with young children). The planner features many different pages including glance-at-a- month type pages, memorable moments pages, daily planning pages, reading lists, Bible plans and more!

The monthly and daily planing pages give you plenty of space to write out multiple students work. Daily pages also have space for notes, supply lists, appointments and feature a scripture at the bottom of the page. Other pages are peppered with inspirational quotes.

The best thing about this planner though, is that it is undated! This is perfect for year around schoolers who take off every 6th week, or who school January-December instead of the traditional year. No more wasted planning pages!


Apologia doesn't just offer a parent planner though. They also have student planners for elementary and teens. This planner is a great way to offer your child some responsibility and independence. It has fun sections such as an "about me" type page that allows the student to fill in goals (books I want to read, places I want to go, etc...) . There are study tips, places to keep grades, reading lists, and pages with conversion tables, math charts and so on. Of course, there are also monthly and daily planner pages to allow the student to keep up with assignments and due dates. You can have a peek at the student planner here!

If I had to pick one con it would be that as far as planners go, this one is on the pricier side. You can order the Ultimate Homeschool Planner directly from Apologia for $28 or on Amazon for $24. The Ultimate Student Planner is $19 on Apologia's site or $17.xx on Amazon. I think it is worth the price though and would still recommend it!

We Choose Virtues: A Mosiacs Review

Use the coupon code

VIRTUE15  for 15% off your order!

I never wanted to teach character separately from the rest of our academics. To me academics and character training go hand in hand. I have to admit, that this made me skeptical of using any sort of curriculum or manipulative other than the Bible to teach my children Godly character traits. That is, until I was offered a chance to review We Choose Virtues.

We Choose Virtues is an easy to use, bright, colorful and fun program that helps you teach different traits. Using catchy phrases and cute characters such as, Chuck and Duck's "I am diligent! I start fast, work hard and finish strong!", helps your child to remember each trait they are practicing. What is even better is that the cards come in 3 different versions: secular, NIV and KJV. The secular cards are great if you prefer to use a different version of the Bible not offered.

There are many products in many price ranges to choose from. A full homeschool kit will cost you about $99 or you can choose to purchase individual items such as the Virtue Clue Cards for $5.99!
We were blessed with a chance to review the KJV We Choose Virtues Flash Cards ($14.99), the downloadable Teacher's Manual ($5), the downloadable Kids of Virtueville Coloring Book ($3), as well as two free items: the Family Character Assessment and Memory Verses, Bible Truths and Heroes.

We have always begun each day with praying and our independent Bible time so adding in We Choose Virtues was pretty easy. At the beginning of each week I chose a card and introduced the virtue we would be learning that week. We would "meet" the character and read the card and the Bible verse together a few times. After that we hung the card up on the fridge so that would walk by and see it several times per day. Now this is where the Teacher's Handbook comes in handy. The Handbook is full of great teaching ideas and suggestions on how to help your child learn the virtue as well as fun ideas on how to practice. Throughout the week we added reading the scripture (we didn't memorize it as we already have a list of scripture we are memorizing). We also spent time talking about how to exhibit the virtue and of course, coloring our coloring page that went with it! The most fun I had was calling the children out when they did an especially good job with the virtues! My 4 year old son loved it when I praised him and we all clapped for how diligently he cleaned his room.

There are so many wonderful things about this program. Yes, you can teach all of these virtues without ever picking up a flashcard or a coloring sheet, but We Choose Virtues has so many great resources that help children to really internalize the meanings of those virtues. The products can all be used individually, as supplemental material or you can purchase the kit and have an entire curriculum. The products are affordable, fun and easily adaptable. Most of all, you and your children will have fun learning Christ-like virtues!