Sugar Creek Gang - a fun and entertaining radio program on CD #hsreviews

Have you ever wanted to return to the simpler days of quality stories told on the radio? Many days I wish for a simpler life with less influence from the TV and radio so when I got the chance to review Beloved Books' Sugar Creek Gang stories on CD I was thrilled.

When we received our copy of Volume 1 a collection of 6 stories on 12 CDs I was eager to sit and listen. Well we ended up moving them into the truck for various activities that involved driving.  In just a short time the boys began to realize the stories were similar to the stories Papa tells them of his childhood. They immediately connected the stories to things Papa might have done.
With each new story, the morals we are trying to instill in our boys is presented and  the delight of childhood is  brought to life more and more.
The Sugar Creek Gang  is available as 6 different sets or as a collection including all the stories from Beloved Books. The sets retail for $54.95 and seemed at first to be expensive, but once I began listening to them and seeing the outcome of having the stories in the truck bringing a quietness to our travels I realized you can't put a price tag on that peace.

The Sugar Creek Gang is a collection of stories written by Paul Hutchens as a wholesome adventures for boys and girls. He wrote the stories beginning in 1939 and when complete the series includes 36 wonderfully written stories of a bygone era where children respected their parents and knew boundaries.  I like to think that hearing the stories and talking about them with the boys , they may actually learn some of those lessons. Finding good quality Christian entertainment is becoming harder and harder  so I am very grateful to find resources like this that bring back that quality Christian values entertainment that I can share with my boys.
Don't take just my word for the joy that is Sugar Creek Gang . read the rest of the crew's reviews as they share their own thoughts on this series.



disclaimer: I received the above mentioned product as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest opinion of the product.

Zaycon Foods: Homeschool Economics

What does Zaycon have to do with Homeschool? It is an amazing opportunity to teach economics and good stewardship to my children.
Teaching my boys to find good value and how to fill your freezer and feed your family are values I wan to instill in them.
The current prmotion is ground beef for $3.29 lb for a 40 lb box.  Lately ground beef has been selling for as much as $4.15 lb. While is doesn't seem like a huge savings, $.86 per llb adds up, especially when you are buying 40lbs. that is a savings of over $34.00 in other words about 8 lbs free based on the average cost.
8 lbs of grounds beef is a lot of burger.
I love having the chance to teach my boys how to save as part of their homeschool adventure.
What to do with ground beef?
freeze permade burgers, homemade meatballs, brown large batches for spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, the options are endless.
Don't miss out on your chance to save on bulk hamburger heading into the winter months. (think of it as buying 32lbs and getting 8 for free). Don't think you can use that much beef, go in together with a friend.


Zaycon Foods - Home:

Farm to Fork is so amazing

Another reason I love living in a rural farm community.

I dried 6 trays of sweet local corn

Ground it in the blender (I don't have a grain mill, someday Lord willing)

Homemade polenta

Polenta Caprease with fresh garden tomatoes and fresh garden basil

Samson makes learning fun online #hsreviews

Have you met Samson?
Samson's Classroom is a fun interactive learning program focusing on Dolch sight words, spelling, and Reading with comprehension.
Sometimes I think I take our schooling too seriously, thankfully  Samson's Classroom is fun and silly engaging the boys without a lot of stress.
I started out with a single sign on  to give it a test drive myself and the boys, it didn't take long for them to ask for their own accounts. The idea that a single program can incorporate three critical areas of learning in one sure makes this Mom excited.
The prices for Samson's Classroom also excited this Mom. With packages starting at only $30 a year and a family package for $50 I can see the value as this trio of subjects really are critical to successes later in life. Since my oldest is inthe 4th grade, it isn't a program that I will continue much farther with him, but my 2nd grader engaged and enjoyed this program enough that I am seeing his attitude toward reading improve.

The games are colorful and fun as well as encouraging. The boys are eager to do the assignments to earn more chances with the games.

Sight word activities that teach listening and visual recognition also encourage more learning.

More games that encourage learning while improving computer skills.  This game in particular is challenge with the keyboard to move Samson around the board and once all the letters are collected  and arranged into the spelling words.

I know we as a family have been blessed by the change in attitude because of this program, a willingness to learn and enjoy the learning is a such passion for my husband and I.
Don't take my excitement for this program as the final word, check out what the rest of the crew thought, here


disclaimer: I received an online subscription to Samson's Classroom in exchange for my opinion here, no monetary compensation was received. 

Sunday Scripture

I have gotten away from posting a Sunday Scripture lately, but I am back.
This week there were several verses in the lesson.
1 John 3: 1-3
(I shared this one earlier in a review, but in a different translation)
1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed yoon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it  doth not yet  appear what we shall be: but we know that , when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is . 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
KJV

Highlighting the words, a colorful approach #hsreviews

I am always interested in tools to help make reading easier for all my boys (husband included). My husband is mildly dyslexic and has always been concerned one of our boys would be. I was very interested in trying the Eye Level Reading Ruler from Crossbow Education.

 When we received our package of 10 rulers I immediately tried them myself to see what kind of effects they would have. I am a prolific reader and as a young child was diagnosed with lazy eye, after years of visual training and wearing glasses I have been able to basically ignore it and not worry about it. After trying several of the rulers myself, I began to think this would have been an amazing tool even for me, changing the color of the words actually changed how I focused on the page.

I was excited to try it with Cameron and Daddy.  I gave the group of rulers to my husband and had him pick a couple to try. He ended up with a yellow and an orange or peach colored rulers. He read a few pages from the Bible as well as several other books and really noticed how much easier it was to follow the words and focus on the words.
Cameron tried out several and went with lighter colors included a light blue and yellow.
I found it interesting that neither one went with the darker tones. I actually enjoyed the darker colors as for me often times the white pages and black letters are too highly contrasted.

Cameron isn't an eager reader, but over the last month I have noticed a significant change in the amount of reading he is doing and an improvement in his attitude toward reading. He is less stressed about his reading assignments and more relaxed when reading his devotional.  He also figured out that the reading ruler makes a great tool for working on word searches for homeschool co-op.
While he isn't a diagnosed case on dyslexia or visual stress I am grateful for the tool to take some of the stress out of reading for him.

A pack of 10 colored reading rulers retails for $16.95, there is also a 5 pack available from Crossbow Education. I feel their is so much value in the 10 pack especially if you are using them with more than 1 person.  I have found Cameron actually uses the rulers as bookmarks in his books so he can grab his book and be ready to go.
Don't just take my word for how amazing this product is, check out what the rest of the crew thought.

disclaimer: We received a package of 10 reading rulers to review and share our opinion here. No monetary compensation was received.

What's the trick to preparing for the holidays?

60 days until Christmas, 28 days until Thanksgiving, and only 8 days until my oldest turns 10 so I'm starting to feel the push.
That being said I thought I would share with you my top 10 tricks to preparing for the holiday season!
Recently I shared some wonderful Mom invented goodies with some of my Mom friends thanks to #MompactLNO.  I created goody bags to put some of the various things in for the Moms which brings me to tip.
#1, have your children help with some of the decorating!
I picked up a package of foam leaf stickers and colored paper bags. My oldest stuck 3 stickers on each bag and then helped me fill them.











#2 Take time to be grateful for even the little things in your life.  My group of Moms created Gratitude jars using stickers, ribbon, scraps of paper, and empty recycled canning jars.
Share with your family and friends as a way to be grateful this season. Ask each family member even the younger ones to share what they are thankful for, write it on a slip of paper and date it.

#3 Keep lots of warm drinks handy as there is nothing better to calm the stress then a cup of warm. Remember as we prepare for the holiday season, a stressed out Mom doesn't make for a fun holiday. If you need to cut back on some of the decorating or bake a little less then do it. I know I am planning on baking for gifts this year as well as crafting, but I am also cutting back on the decorating and trying to simplify things a little.

#4 Buffet style is awesome! Keep is simple, if you are having guests over consider a buffet style rather than a formal sit down event. Yes sitting down for a meal is good (we do it almost every night at home) but being with people and having conversation is good too. I have found over the years some of my favorite parties have been buffet style (also easier to clean up at least for me.




#5 Keep a basket on the counter in the bathroom filled with products that will help visiting Moms and little ones. We have grown out of the baby stage but I have friends and family with little ones.  Here are some of the wonderful Mompact Products to fill a basket with:
  

Boogie Wipes, Diaper Buds, and TidyTots potty chair liners

#6 Stay Consistent  I know during the holidays sometimes we want to relax the rules a bit, not a good idea. Stay consistent with rules and consequences, add some extra snuggle time and extra incentives to following the rules, but don't relax the rules recovering on the back side of the holidays will be too hard. Penalty Pal is a great way to simplify timeouts with a single spot on the wall, a floor , perhaps even the kitchen cabinet or pantry door.

#7 Drink extra water, I know that sounds silly, but with the change in the weather and the rush rush of the holidays remember to drink your 8+ glasses a day.

#8. Cuddle with your kids more. We live in a very materialistic society and sometimes I think we forget about the simple things like snuggling. Read a book, share the day's events, ask them what they think of things.
#9. Menu plan and freezer meals are a huge way to save time and stress. It can also be a money saver if you can pick up larger quantities of things to have on hand.
#10 Share your thoughts and ideas with friends and family. Coming together and sharing some of the responsibilities for the holidays can make it easier. Potluck is a wonderful option for large family dinners (even buffet style). Maybe change it up a little and only buy gifts for the children to save money. Think outside the box, what will help make someone else's life a little less stressful.

Join us tonight (10/25) for a twitter party where we can share tips and tricks for the holiday season.
You can also enter to win a prize pack filled with treats to make you life a little easier.

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