Story Starters: An Invaluable Resource for Sparking Creativity in Writing

I was so thrilled to receive a review copy of Story Starters, by Karen Andreola. Mrs. Andreola is also the authoress of A Charlotte Mason Companion, A Pocketful for Pinecones, Lessons at Blackberry Inn, and Simply Grammar. Mrs.Andreola's works are a blessing to home-educators, especially those who want to instruct after Charlotte Mason's model.

Story Starters is a non-consumable, multi-level creative writing resource, for an entire family. It consists of one large paperback book, containing the beginning to 67 captivating stories.

Story Starters is a thick, solid book, chocked full of interesting stories for your children to complete.

Story Starters is primarily intended for grades 4-12, but can be adapted to younger children, as well. My almost third-grader and first-grader had so much fun selecting stories to orally complete. It was such a fun exercise for them. As they grow older, I can follow more of the guidelines Mrs.Andreola gives for older children, including writing and polishing help. Until my children are ready to write their own story endings, I can also write down what they dictate. 

Story Starters contains gorgeous illustrations which are reminiscent of yester-year.

Story Starters is so much fun! My children are always begging for "just one more", which doesn't always happen with other homeschooling curricula. I usually let my children pick out what story they are interested in, and that works very well. I love how Story Starters contains  ample moral lessons emphasizing biblical principles. Story Starters is a delightful way to encourage your child's creative writing skills....and the best part is..... he may not even know that he is learning!

This post is linked back to The Homeschool Curriculum Review Roundup.
I received Story Starters in exchange for an honest review.

The winners of the Keepers of the Faith Character Books are....

The winners of the Keepers of the Faith Character Books are:

                         * Joyfilled

                         * Zsuzsanna

                         * Erin

                         * Emily

                          *Style Image Studios

I will be e-mailing those who have an e-mail address attached to their profile page. If you are a winner, and I do not have your e-mail address, please e-mail me at aprongirl at gmail.com with your name and address and which title you prefer.

This giveaway was hosted by Keepers of the Faith, who supplied the review item and giveaway items.

May Learning Goal: Homemade Ginger Ale

My May Challenge was to make homemade ginger ale. I have been so dissatisfied with many store-bought ginger ales, many of which contain no ginger! My children and I had a blast making our own ginger ale. It took about an hour to make the ginger syrup by simmering the ginger slices, sugar, and water. Then, I strained it, and let it cool. We mixed 2 ounces of ginger syrup per 6 ounces of club soda. I found it very tasty, with a hint of ginger, but will probable add a bit more ginger syrup to the concoction, next time I make this recipe. It is so nice to finally know that my ginger ale contains ginger! I treated my little ones to a fizzy cup of ginger ale, today, after family reading time. They were thrilled!

 I love how easy this learning goal was, and will definitely make this again! I wonder if this ginger ale helps with nausea. (I would think so, since it contains real ginger.) I will definitely have to try it if the Lord sends me another blessing!

What new things are you learning?

This post is linked up to Simple Homemaking and the Homestead Barnhop.

Educational/Parenting Freebies

I happened upon a few educational freebies, which I wanted to pass along to you!

The Jungle Book Literature Guide (for ages 5-15)

Veritas Press Downloads including their Grammar Stage Curriculum Guide (was $150).

10+ Real Helps for Very Busy Moms This amazing printable from Ann Voskamp is hanging on my fridge...such an inspiration! (The 10 Grace Prayers for Joyful Parenting is amazing too!) These are a must!

Learn/Practice Latin vocabulary here for free.

There are a plethora of free classical language resources here. Even my preschooler loves coloring Latin coloring pages. Greek coloring pages are also available. I love that classical languages can be presented in a fun way!

Free outline maps Print out a corresponding map whenever you read about a particular place, cut up maps and let children assemble as puzzles, etc..

Worksheet Works contains hundreds of printable worksheets that you can customize.


What are your favorite free educational websites?

Character Building/Manners Resources and a Giveaway (5 Winners) !

One of my largest goals as a mother is that my children grow to be men and women of great character. (Of course, which is only possible by Christ's grace alone!) I try to build my home library with character-building resources, as much as possible.

The following are a few of my character-building/manners/devotional recommendations:

Teach them to Your Children

This is my absolute favorite resource for my preschoolers and early elementary school-aged children! It combines a Bible verse, with a character-building story, a large picture, and a poem. I love to use it to teach character building, as well as the alphabet. It could be used as a basic curriculum for a preschooler, while teaching basic letter skills for each letter.

This is currently on sale for 1/2 off at Vision Forum for only $8.50!

The Squire and the Scroll

This is my son's favorite book! In this captivating book, your children listen to the tale of a young man who withstood strong temptation. This is such an encouraging read!


Doorposts

Doorposts contains a plethora of character-building resources including studies on Proverbs, and complete courses on character building for boys and girls.

Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends 

 

I do not own this resource, yet, but I have heard fabulous things about it. I am so grateful that the Mally children wrote a book specifically about loving your siblings and building strong relationships with them. There is also an accompanying coloring book, which would be a great resource during a devotional time.

The Princess and the Kiss

Every little girl dreams about being a princess. This inspirational book shows the beauty and value of purity. It is refreshing to be able to read my daughters a book which emphasizes godliness and inner beauty.

The Basket of Flowers

The Basket of Flowers is a read aloud book that you will want to return to again and again. My children were enthralled as they listened to this tale about a godly young woman who obeyed God amidst false accusations and slander. This book shows the joy in leaning upon God's Providence in every circumstance. It also shows that, "everything works for good for those who love God".  This book is also available in a captivating audio version.

Polite Moments

A homeschooling friend of mine has a set of these booklets (they now come in this one handy book). This resource is at the top of my wish list...manners really are important. I love how old-fashioned this manners book is, as well as how Biblically-centered the tips are! Great tips on using manners while visiting other families, working for others, how to be a servant and more. This is an amazing resource which would be great during circle time/ devotions!

Choice Stories for Children

I was teaching in a Christian school, many years ago, when I happened upon this treasure. I found the stories therein convicting, and I was challenged to live more wholly for Him. These stories have a flair for yester-year and are beautiful!


Keepers of the Faith Character Books

Keepers of the Faith produces a set of 18 character books, which can be purchased as a set or individually. Keepers of the Faith sent me a copy of their Diligence Character Book to review. Each character book takes approximately a month to go through, and my children and I have learned so much over these past couple of weeks about diligence. Each Character Book is a Bible study on that particular character trait. We have memorized verses about diligence, such as, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."(- Ecclesiates 9:10) There are devotional stories, copywork, questions, and journaling pages within the book. I really enjoyed the discussion my children and I had after I asked them the following questions from this booklet:

"What if????
....Noah had not been diligent in building the ark? (Genesis 6:10)
....Joseph has not been diligent in his work for Pharaoh? (Genesis 41:46)


What if you are diligent?
What if you are not?"

We were just dumbfounded when we realized what would have happened if Noah had chosen to be lazy! Shortly after reading aloud and discussing with my children, they (without being asked) jumped up and started sweeping and cleaning the floor! It has been a blessing seeing the change in their lives by applying the truths from His Word as we studied this character trait. I have to include the picture because it was just too funny and cute!

I highly recommend the Write Upon My Heart Character Books!

Win a Write Upon My Heart Character Book!

Visit their website, and let me know which Write Upon My Heart Character Book you would be interested in winning! Contest ends May 25, 2011 at 12 noon. I will randomly select five winners to receive the character book of his/her choice!

Keepers of the Faith sent me a Character Book for free, in exchange for an honest review. They also are supplying the books for the giveaway. I have used my affiliate links in this post.

The Winner of the Dayspring Coupon Code is...

Congratulations to Scuba Girl for winning the Dayspring coupon code. Please e-mail me at aprongirl at gmail.com, and I will send you your coupon code. Blessings!

Saving Money at Warehouse Clubs

Warehouse clubs such as Sam's and Costco can be great places to save money, especially on bulk items. Paying close attention to sizes and unit prices makes it easier to pick out the good deals at local clubs.
I have been a member of Sam's Club for a few years. I certainly do not do all of my shopping there, but there are some items that I buy exclusively at Sam's. I have heard fantastic things about Costco, as well, and would be a member if their store was closer. (The closest one is about an hour away from my house.)


Here are some of the good deals I usually buy at Sam's Club:

Trash Bags- 150  (13 gallon) bags for $9.68

Baking Soda- 13.5 lb. $6.16 (great for cleaning, recipes, laundry, etc.)

Frozen Fruit- 5 lb. bag strawberries- $8.28 I get all of my frozen fruit for smoothies at Sam's Club. (It is even cheaper than when I picked strawberries at a local farm, and froze them, myself. ) They also have bags of frozen blueberries, mixed berries, and tropical fruit.

Baking Powder- 60 oz. $5.78

Yeast- I would say that this is the best deal of the bunch! I kept reading on frugal blogs that Sam's Club and Costco were the best places to buy yeast, because the savings was huge! I was so surprised to find that you can get 2 pounds of yeast (32 ounces) for $4.68 , rather than $4.14 a jar at Walmart, for only 4 oz.. Two pounds of yeast at Walmart comes out to $33.12 , whereas it is only  $4.68 at Sam's Club! I bake all of the time, so this deal was so exciting to me! I wish I had known this, years ago. Some people join a warehouse club for this benefit alone.

Unbleached Flour- My dream is to own a grain mill to grind my own wheat, but until that happens, I have been buying the best quality, store-bought flour I can find. Generally, I use King Arthur flour, because the quality is so much better than most. I was thrilled to find  20 lbs unbleached flour (generic brand) at Sam's Club, for only $6.98. I am going to try it next time I need flour.

What deals have you found at your local warehouse club?

Marking your Home for God and a Dayspring Giveaway!

About six years ago, I attended a conference, and was blessed to hear Voddie Baucham speak in person. He was, without a doubt, one of the most engaging and inspiring speakers, that I have ever heard! He shared about his experience of being raised in a Buddhist home, which was clearly marked as such. Voddie shared how his mother's practice of Buddhism engaged all of the senses. The more senses you engage, the better your recollection will be. He helped to apply this wisdom to marking one's home for Christ.  In Family Driven Faith, Voddie shares,


"I have often wondered why I remember my mother's Buddhism so vividly. I know I was around Christian people- or at least people who went to church and claimed to be Christians- but none of their practices had the long-term impact on me that my mother's did. I know this is due in part to the frequency and proximity of my mother's worship. However, I have also come to realize that there was something more. Something else embedded my mother's practices deep in the recesses of my mind.
Then I began to study Deuteronomy 6. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the application of the principles in verse 9. This is a specific expression of the general principle of the whole passage. There should be tangible things in and about the homes of God's people that distinguish them from the homes of others."  (emphasis mine)

I, like Voddie, was raised in a religion that used many external symbols and signs to convey their internal beliefs. When I came to a saving faith in Christ, I was so thankful to be free from the burden of man-made laws. God has used Deuteronomy 6 in many ways, in my life. It is the verse He used to impress upon my heart of the importance of teaching my children, and to mark my home for Him. I definitely need to work on being more deliberate in marking my home for Him!

I was delighted when Dayspring sent me their Pressed Tin Cross to review. I absolutely love marking my home with such a beautiful symbol of my faith. The design is beautiful, and no picture does it justice. I am currently displaying it in my living room, where it looks great with the beige walls.

Dayspring is my favorite place to find Christian home decor.

Win a $20 coupon code to Dayspring!

Mandatory Entry: Visit the Dayspring Store and let me know what you like that they carry.


Additional Optional Entries:  (leave a separate comment per entry)

1.Become a facebook fan of Lily of the Valley.

2.Become a facebook fan of Dayspring.

3. Share about this giveaway on your blog or facebook.

This giveaway ends at 12 pm EST on May 16th , 2011.

Dayspring supplied the review item and the coupon code for this giveaway. Note: Shipping fees still apply to the winner's order.

Book Review: Organized Simplicity

Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

Organizational books abound, most full of tips on how to organize everything from your closet to your medicine cabinet. Organized Simplicity is a decidedly different organizational book. Organized Simplicity is divided into two main sections. The first section gives a reason for simple and orderly living. The second section is a master plan for creating a more orderly home in ten days.

Section one inspired me to be more deliberate in evaluating my material goods, and to declutter. Tsh Oxenreider, author of Organized Simplicity, makes the case that excessive material possessions actually takes away from living a full life. When we are busy because of excessive activity/goods, we don't have as much quality time for what really matters.

"When we have more stuff, we usually have less time for relationships with other people." -Organized Simplicity, page 30

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a home you could clean in its entirety in just a few hours so that you could devote the rest of the weekend to enjoying time with your friends and family." - Organized Simplicity, page 31

Tsh guides her readers in composing a family purpose statement to help keep their eyes on their life purpose.Anything that conflicts with one's family mission statement should be re-evaluated to see if it ought to be included in one's life.

The family's purpose statement helps you to be free from feeling like you have to "do it all". Living more deliberately and saying no to the unimportant allows more time for committing to what is important to you and your family.

Tips are included for creating a home management notebook. There are a variety of helpful printables in the back of the book, such as a daily docket. Money management tools/tips are included, as well.

Part two deals with the nitty gritty details on how to purge away the things that don't matter, in order to make room for the things that do matter. Guidance is given, step by  step, throughout the decluttering process, room by room.

Organized Simplicity is an absolute inspiration to me to remove the excess and to focus on the essentials. I am inspired to pare down, so that in having less, what I do have will be more meaningful.

If you crave order and more hours in your day, Organized Simplicity is a great starting point.

I received a review copy of Organized Simplicity , in exchange for an honest review.

The Winner of the Homesteading for Beginner's DVD is....

The winner of the Homesteading for Beginner's Dvd  I is #9:  Jessica. Thank you so much to the Harrison family for supplying the dvds for this review/giveaway. Check out there awesome store for more homesteading inspiration.

Planning the Homeschool Year

We just finished up our current homeschool year, and I have been busy planning our upcoming school year. We really enjoyed Adventures in My Father's World curricula. We love homeschooling year round, and find that it works really well with having a larger than "normal" sized family.Though my husband and I still need to make a few final decisions, these are our current plans for the 2011-2012 school year.

Lily (uprising 3rd grader):

Language Arts

Grammar: Easy Grammar 3  I love grammar and this curriculum looks fantastic!

Spelling: Natural Speller  I found this at my local, used- homeschool supply store for $2! It covers spelling for grades 1-8. Paired with the free website, Spelling City, she can practice learning her spelling words each week. I love that Spelling City has alphabetizing games, vocabulary activities, and more.

Handwriting: Cursive Workbook

Writing:  Writing letters to family and pen pals. 

We are focusing on manners, this year, so we are using George Washington's Rules of Civility for

Copywork

Creative Writing: We love using Story Starters, which is a non-consumable course for multiple children.

Foreign Language: Prima Latina I loved learning Latin in school, and am looking forward to re-learning it with Lily.

Math: Teaching Textbooks 3

Stephen (uprising 1st grader):

Language Arts

Phonics: Finish up Phonics Pathways. Phonics Pathways is my favorite resource for teaching reading. It is a non-consumable resource that can be used with all of your children. Lessons are short, yet effective. Most days, it only takes 10-20 minutes for my child to read through a page or two, and practice writing a few words from dictation. My local used homeschool bookstore usually carries a few copies of this book for only $2-$5 each! (Regularly $30)

Explode the Code

Grammar/Vocabulary/Handwriting/Spelling:

Phonics Pathways

Writing: Writing letters to family and pen pals.

I Can Write Manuscript

Copywork

Math: Modern Curriculum Press 1st Grade Math

Learning Time Together

I generally tutor my children individually in phonics/English and math. Then, we join together for Bible, science, history, geography, and literature.

Bible- Old Testament Studies (which correlate to our History lessons)

Bible Memory Verses

History: The Mystery of History I

I love the Mystery of History, as it is a complete, chronological History curriculum. Kendra has some great ideas here for utilizing The Mystery of History with several ages. Her supplemental ideas are great, too!

The supplemental resources we will be using this year include  Draw and Write Through History and Veritas Press Bible Cards.

Geography: I will be gleaning from the fun ideas in Hands on Geography and The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide to correlate with our history lessons.

Literature: Ample read alouds (Aiming for 1-2 hours per day) I glean from a variety of booklists such as Five in a Row and Sonlight, on a variety of topics. I will be reading a few selections which complement our history studies, such as The Bronze Bow and Twice Freed.

Science: We will be reading a plethora of books about science from the library, and will be taking nature walks.

We are  having a blast with the science experiment kit that my son received for Christmas!

I know this sounds like a lot of materials, but since we homeschool year round, we can take it easy, and don't have to do it all at once. Also, some of the listed materials can be used as resources for multiple years, such as the geography resources. We love to have a fun time, everyday! We love to learn by playing games (Bananagrams, Blokus, Somebody), doing puzzles, etc.. I am so thankful for another year to homeschool my blessings!

I will continue working with Annie (almost four) on  pre-reading and math skills. I hope to post soon about what resources I utilize to teach reading to my crew.

I would love to hear what you are planning on using in this upcoming school year! 

This post is linked to Show off Your Curriculum Link Up .

Check out some of the materials, we have received so far, for this school year, here.