The Homeschool Resource We Couldn't Live Without!

Yep, it's true, we found we couldn't live without Time4Learning. Let me explain. A while back, I won a one month membership for our family to Time4Learning, an online education website. We enjoyed it, but I wasn't sure I wanted to spend the money on the subscription fee. I figured certainly I could teach the same reading and math lessons with the plethora of my newly acquired texts and workbooks!

Well, I underestimated the appeal of Ed Mouse, the Educational Mouse. Let's face it, I just can't be that entertaining!

Here's what I like about Time4Learning:

• Children are given individual login ID's, so they can always pick up where they left off. No repeating lessons that are too simple.
• It keeps records of their progress. I can print out reports that include the lessons they've completed, how long they spent on the lesson, and how well they scored on the activities and quizes.
• There are printable worksheets to back up the online lessons. These are handy when a child doesn't get a firm grasp on the concept the first time around.
• Children earn time on the "Playground" where they can play games of their choosing. The system defaults to 15 min increments (15 min. spent on lessons gets you 15 min. on the Playground), but you can set the timers to whatever you like. This TOTALLY keeps my difficult child motivated!
• The curriculum includes Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies all in one program.
• My children have very different learning styles and very different abilities, yet it appeals to both of them.
• It really is entertaining! Even I enjoy going through the lessons with the girls.

So whether you homeschool, or you just want to give your children a boost in school, check out Time4Learning. You won't be sorry. Emily & Claire recommend it!

A Book NOT to Read!

Wow, I recently got an email about this book: Conversations with God. It sounds innocent enough, but it is definitely NOT a Christian book. I'm not as worried about this book as I am the related book, Conversations with God for Teens. You can find more about this book by checking on Amazon, but believe me, it's not worth your time.

Here are some quotes from the book I was able to get off Amazon:

"....Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. " I've been seeking and knocking for 35 years. You'll pardon me if I'm a little bored with that line.
So all it takes is "Christ Consciousness" to perform miracles! Well, that should make things simple... Actually, it does. More simple than you think. And many have achieved such consciousness. Many have been Christed, not just Jesus of Nazareth. You can be Christed, too.

He also promotes a one-world government. Yikes!

His book for teens says:

God does not make judgements. "Well, the human race has been thinking that for a long time, but it's not true. It's one of those misunderstandings I've been talking about. It's an illusion. The illusion of judgement. Followed by the illusion of condemnation. It has been written: Judge not, and neither condemn.

You mean, you really do not judge? You forgive everyone, no matter what the sin?
I do not forgive anyone. That is the first thing you must understand about me. I will not forgive you, ever, for anything that you do. Once you are clear about this, you will have a new understanding of God, and you will be able to interact with me in a whole different way........

But you need us to obey you , right? There is nothing I need from you, therefore, nothing I am asking of you, therefore, nothing for you to obey. Do you think I am up here making up rules for you to follow, regulations for you to adhere to? You are making those up.

But what if I do bad things to others.....? Yet you do not need to seek that forgiveness from me. I have not found you as having done something wrong to me, so I have no reason to forgive you.

These are just some of the things I was able to get off Amazon. The email that is circulating says that the book also tells a lesbian that she is that way because God made her that way and she should go out and celebrate her differences. And tells a couple who are living together that they do not need to get married because they are not sinning against God and have done nothing wrong.

I think the worst part about this book is that the title leads one to believe it is a Christian book. Don't believe it.

Got Girls?

Today I came across a wonderful line of books for the young girls in your life. It's the "Secret Keeper Girls" collection by Dannah Gresh. The fiction books are told around four friends and how they learn to make "the right decisions in life about vital issues such as modesty, boys, make-up, mean girls, and more!"

When you go to the website, be sure to check out "Eight Great Dates for You & Your Daughter." I really enjoyed the example about helping your daughter to dress modestly. Now that I'm becoming more convicted about my own modesty, (or lack there of!), I'm realizing that my two aren't babies anymore and I need to be paying attention to what they're wearing too.

The best part is that Dannah is hosting a giveaway on her blog for an item of your choice from the collection, so stop by and check it out!

Nice Headband Tutorial

Heather, at A Place of Quiet Rest, has done a nice tutorial of the new headband/headscarves that are so popular now. I really need to get some of these made. I have a couple I was able to find at the dollar store, but even at Wallie's and Target they are just under $10!

Enjoy!

My Rant - It's COLD!!!

It's -8 degrees Farenheit outside, and our heat pump doesn't want to work because it's soooo cold. The girls and I have spent the day shut up in my bedroom under the covers. The electric space heater in my room is reading 56, although with 10 layers of clothes and blankets on, we're surprisingly comfortable. lol It might have something to do with burning off the calories from the can of frosting we ate. Not much homeschooling going on today, other than teaching them bad eating habits. When we made the decision to homeschool, I wanted to spend more time with the girls, but being in bed together all day may just be too much togetherness.



Sooo, here's a site that tells you what your name would be if you were a snowman. Ironically enough, I'm "Muddles Cold-Bottom."

And here's where you can create your own snowman like the one at the top.

Great Food For All and a WWII Arsenal

I just found out about a new food program, called Great Food For All. It is similar to Angel Food Ministries, where you order your box of food ahead of time, at a greatly reduced price, and then pick it up on a specified day at a nearby location, usually a participating church.

Here's a look at what the $30 box looks like for January.

5 lbs chicken breasts
4 lbs ham
1.5 lbs battered fish
2 lb beef chili
20 oz beans & franks or 14 oz beef mac & cheese
2 lb broccoli with cheese sauce
2.5 lbs onion rings
5 lbs niblet corn with peppers
dinner rolls
dessert


They also have an Empty Nester Box, a Kid's Box, a Breakfast Box, a Super Bowl Box, a Pasta Box, a Cheesecake Box and Chicken Cordon Bleu.

When you check out their website, take a look at the weather in the upper right-hand corner. Great Food For All is headquartered in the town (Newton Falls) just to the east of where I live (Ravenna.) You'll see why the area between us was chosen for an ammunition arsenal during WWII. It is one of the cloudiest places in the United States! :( (It was least likely to be bombed.)

The Ravenna Arsenal employed more than 14,000 from 1942-1945. During that time it "produced more weapons for the war effort than any other plant in the United States." After WWII they continued to store munitions there, and produced them again during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Then work began disarming the ammunition. Now we are left with over 1400 acres of land that are "deemed environmentally contaminated." Ahhh, progress.

And yes, it is VERY cloudy today! lol