Thrift Schooling

Parents of homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike agree that spelling is a tricky subject. Many parents I talk to cringe when I bring up the subject. The only advice that I have to offer in this area is Read More At Our Homeschool Forum.

Itsy Bitsy Christmas  by best selling author Max Lucado is the perfect gift for the little one in your life.  I had to run into Dollar General quick to grab a few necessities. In the midst of those candy bars your kids are always eyeing but know they can't have, I saw the first sign of Christmas. It was subtle, but it was there. Santa Claus pens. While waiting for the super slow line to progress, I eyed this oddity trying to believe it. Christmas pens for sale, in September. I guess it's not that odd anymore these days, but it's still hard for me to wrap my mind around. Christmas is coming. Fortunetly, I do my shopping year round so that isn't a huge stress for me right now. I like to hunt and gather. Deals, and fun Christmas goodies for the little ones are fun to find at random times during the year. Itsy Bitsy Christmas is one of those fun finds. This book is certainly as cute is it's name. I chose it simply because it appeared to be geared towards i...

Are you concerned about the abuses of the federal government? The government regulates things they have no business controlling, there’s a massive imbalance between federal and state power, and the spending and debt is out of control. But there’s hope! For the first time in many years, the people and states have a chance to check the runaway train of the federal government. Article V of the Constitution provides a way for the states to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution. Mark Levin has explained the Convention of States process in his bestselling book The Liberty Amendments , and now there’s an organization that can turn an Article V Convention of States into a reality. Citizens for Self-Governance (CSG) recently launched the Convention of States (COS) Project with the expressed purpose of urging and empowering state legislators to call a Convention of States. Under the COS Project plan, this convention would be called “for the purpose...

  The Newest Adventures In Odyssey can now be streamed online at the Odyssey Adventure Club website. If you are not yet a member, you can listen to this episode FREE if you sign up for a free two-week trial ! You will be introduced to Buddy Norman, the new kid at school, who is paranoid of everything. He's also confused about the upcoming Bring Your Bible School Day and unsure if he should participate. Check out this entertaining and faith building story that celebrates the religious freedom that we still can cling to in the school system today.     What Is Bring Your Bible To School Day? Every October, Focus on the Family encourages students nationwide to partake in Bring Your Bible to School Day.  Some schools may ban prayer, after school Bible clubs or the posting of the ten commandments but they can't ban your child from carrying their Bible to school. They can read it by their locker wh...

The Valentia line of products have quickly become a part of my daily routine. Most recently, I have been introduced to one of their newer products, the  Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer  which is formulated with natural and organic ingredients. I appreciate that the Valentia skin care products not only smell great but are saturating and leave your skin feeling hydrated all day long.  This moisturizer makes me feel refreshed and rejuvenated when I apply it in the mornings. When I use it, it helps to prevent dry skin in the troublesome areas such as my eyebrows and nose. I love that when I put it on first thing in the morning, I know that my skin will feel bright and clean the whole day through. What I love even more is that the small dark spots that had developed on my face due to aging have faded immensely! I wasn't even thinking about the dark spots when I started using this moisturizer, I just wan...

Curriculum can be expensive. Before you take the plunge and purchase, it is good to know what you are getting into. Choosing the right curriculum that fits both you and your child can be a daunting task. Here are two important questions to ask yourself before buying curriculum for the school year.... Read more at Our Homeschool Forum .

Natural Color  by Sasha Duerr is an intriguing book teaching you how to create beautiful textiles using homemade plant dyes. This book takes the intimidation out of the seemingly difficult process and presents it in a way that seems easily doable. Reading about the author in the beginning of the book was interesting. She used the familiar word, Permaculture which is a highly popular farming method popular in Australia, the Middle East, America and all over the world. She then introduces a new term, which I believe was coined by her, and that is Permacouture. In this method, she uses the whole plant in fashion and textiles. She has joined forces with farmers, perfumers, herbalists and chefs to create and bond with natural dyes. She provides classes and social events within the community to teach how to make stunning creations out of plants you interact with on a regular basis.  She informs the reader that it is important to harvest the plant that you want to use for y...

The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook by Mike Berenstain is filled with holiday inspired recipes for kids to make alongside an adult. When I first saw the book, and the cover, I assumed that "holiday" referred to the Christmas season. Although Christmas is included, it is so much more than that! This book takes you through all the most celebrated holidays of the year where food is usually a highlight! Beginning in February with scrumptious Valentine's Day treats, all the way to Christmas in December, this cookbook travels throughout the year stopping to spend time with six special holidays. Your child can cook up Tomato and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Valentine's day for a fun, family lunch. To make the day even more special, have him surprise the rest of the family with a Sweetheart Chocolate Cake . Easter is another fabulous time for food! My son loves making shakes and I am certain he will be excited to make the Easter Bunny Shake . The Easter Ham Panini a...

Celebrate religious freedom with other students across the U.S. on October 6— Bring Your Bible to School Day ! Students from kindergarten to college will be bringing their Bibles to school and sharing God with their friends in just a few short weeks. Sign up to be a part of the movement to protect religious freedom for future generations. By signing up, you’ll receive a free guide with tips, downloadable posters, sticker and T-shirt designs, information on your legal rights, and other fun, interactive activities. Plus Bring Your Bible to School Comes to Adventures in Odyssey!   Getting used to a new school isn’t easy, especially for someone as paranoid as Buddy Norman. In “A Predicament of Biblical Proportions” he envisions wacky worst-case encounters with townsfolk who seem like mobsters, snoops and fairy-tale tyrants—until he gets to know them. He’s also a little confused about Bring Your Bible to School Day. What’s it about? Should he...

This imaginative take on the alphabet features 26 Wee Alphas postcards, each created with a "hidden letter” to find.  Based on the award-winning Wee Alphas kids’ app, the postcards feature quirky illustrations of Biki the Buffalo, Ulysses the Unicorn, Yolanda the Yeti, and their furry, feathered, or finned friends. The cards are bound into a fold-out accordion format that can be displayed in its entirety, or they can be detached to separately display or share. Writing prompts on the back of each card will inspire any kid (or their grown-up) to pass along a super-special greeting. One curriculum that I use in my homeschool suggests having a pile of postcards available for young writers to use for story ideas. They pick out a postcard and write a story based on the picture. Fortunately, when I traveled back in the day, I collected plenty of postcards. At the time I figured that the pictures on the postcards were way better than any picture I could take, haha! Presently, ther...

Get your students excited about writing this fall with these fun, thought provoking, writing prompts! Hand out a journal, blank piece of paper, slate and chalk, whatever you have, and let your kids go wild! This is a great opportunity to help them kick their minds back into gear after a long summer break. 13- I can’t imagine summertime without…. 12-  The memory from my childhood that makes me smile the most is…. 11- When life gets me down, I simply…. 10- If I were the ruler of a distant planet…. 9- In five years I hope to…. 8- My ultimate vacation would include…. 7- If I could meet my favorite Bible character, I would tell them…. 6- I am thankful for …. 5- If I won a million dollars... 4- If I met a talking snail, I would ask him…. 3- The musical instrument I want to learn the most is…. 2- If today my teacher said I had no school I would…. 1- A new food that I have been wanting to t...