Thrift Schooling

How do you react when your child asks to help with dinner? Do you cringe at the thought of the extra work, mess and clean-up that is inevitable? Or, do you smile, while pulling up a chair so they can join you in your world? READ MORE AT OUR HOMESCHOOL FORUM

More Details Here Hey locals! Looking to get out of the house after this wild storm? It looks as though the weather will clear up and the roads should be drivable just in time for an exciting HEAV event coming up this Friday!   Homeschool Day  at the  Natural Bridge Caverns January 29th  9:00 am - 4:00 pm Clear your schedule for Homeschool Day at the Natural Bridge Park on Friday, January 29th from 9am – 4pm. Admission is $8 for children 7-17, $9 for adults, and children under 7 are FREE. You don't need to pre-register. Simply show up and mention at the ticket desk in the Caverns at Natural Bridge that you are there for the HEAV homeschool day! Easy as that. Pack a lunch or pick up a sandwich which is available in the Rockbridge Center.  If your kids haven't explored a cavern before then give them a sneak peek with a cave unit study.  Download Now You can even show them an educational video about stalactites, stalag...

It’s for the best that I don’t live near a large city. If I did, I know I would be pulled as to which activity to enroll my kids in. It seems that everything has a “homeschool day” in addition to all the other piles of opportunities available in the city. READ MORE AT OUT HOMESCHOOL FORUM

Reading to your children is a bonding experience, even from a young age. There is no need to convince you to read to your little one, because it's an activity that most likely comes naturally to most parents. The question is, how long do we continue to read to our kids? Do we cease once they learn how to read? Do we send them off to their room with an easy reader or chapter book and wish them the best? READ MORE AT OUR HOMESCHOOL FORUM

Have you ever seen those reality shows where they buy items on Craigslist and turn around to resell them at a profit?  Sounds like a pretty sweet way to make a little extra cash.   So many people have an old relative die and are left with tools and such and have no clue what to do with them! In our society there just isn't a need for what grandpa had stored away in his garage. Garages are meant for cars, not tools, right? I guess it depends on who you talk to.  When family members are at a loss with what to do with a houseful of random items left behind from those who have experienced the depression, they often don't even know what they are looking at. This is not entirely their fault. Technology and modern conveniences have replaced the need for self-sufficiency. If I have a craving for apple cider then I simply drive to the grocery store and pick up a gallon, or two. But, in times past, it was not so easy to come by. If you wanted cider, you made it, or traded...

You sacrifice your time, energy, money and whole being to care for your children. Certainly, they must know you love them! You provide them thoughtfully prepared meals, a stellar education and you are actively involved in their lives. A recipe for a strong relationship, right? Not necessarily. READ MORE AT OUR HOMESCHOOL FORUM

Be sure to visit the Rainbow Resource Center to stock up on your winter homeschooling materials. Get a good book to read as a family by the fire, help your children enjoy the outdoors more this winter, and encourage young readers with season related materials.  Peruse the 50,000 discounted materials at the Rainbow Resource Center site when looking for your winter homeschool needs. FAMILY READ ALOUDS Buried in the Snow The Long Winter Blackthorn Winter NATURE STUDIES Backyard Almanac Birding Journal Through The Seasons Natural Science Through the Seasons READERS Curious George: A Winter's Nap Winter Wasteland: Batman Classic It's Snowing, It's Snowing! Winter Poems  Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Rainbow Resource Center. All opinions stated here are my own.

Even if you're not heading to Washington, D.C., January 21–22 for the March for Life event, block out some time those two days because you'll be able to attend some of the events in the comfort of your own home. Focus on the Family and The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission will host Evangelicals for Life , a major pro-life conference held in conjunction with the March for Life event.   The event will take place in Washington, D.C., at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Evangelicals from across the country will gather to hear from leading speakers, such as David Platt , Russell Moore , Jim Daly , Kelly Rosati , and others—to be equipped and encouraged to become a voice for life! The event will also be simulcast for FREE so individuals, churches, and organizations from coast-to-coast and around the world can take part. Speakers will encourage evangelicals to engage the culture on issues of abortion and end-of-life decisions, and the e...

After tirelessly tilling, sowing and tending to your garden, you wait. And wait. Then one day you venture out to pull some weeds, only to find that bugs have eaten away your crops! Take a deep breath. You will get through this! If you lean towards the organic gardening methodology, then poisonous weed killers are simply not an option for preventive measures. Instead, what you can do for future protection is search your property for an ootheca!   An ootheca is simply a praying mantis egg sack. In the fall, the mantis will lay her sack on a tree branch or in tall grass. One case holds anywhere from 50-200 babies! The case will lay dormant in the winter and once they experience up to six weeks of warm temperatures, they hatch. The tiny mantis go through the narrow slits of the egg case and immediately invade your garden. Gardeners love these little warriors since they attack almost any insect they come in contact with.  We've noticed the sacks in our ...