Thrift Schooling

  Homeless at the age of seventeen, Lauren lost everything—except the will to survive. On the streets, she finds new meaning in a family of others who have lost everything as well. Here, she discovers that home is where the hope is. No Address is a gripping journey of living without walls and rising above your circumstances regardless. Starring Lucas Jade Zumann, Beverly D’Angelo, Isabella Ferreira, William  Baldwin, Xander Berkeley, Ty Pennington, Kristanna Loken, Patricia Velasquez, and  Ashanti, this powerful film dares you to believe in second chances. Experience the year’s most inspiring movie event that reminds us to never stop believing in hope and the unstoppable human spirit. Get tickets & learn more at:  NoAddressMovie.com . This movie does an incredible job getting across the point that homelessness can happen to anyone. It's easy to walk by the homeless on the street and pass judgement but when you get to know them and know their story—somet...

  How to Teach Kids Theology: Deep Truths for Growing Faith by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams is a recently released resource for parents and those who work with children on a spiritual level—or those who want to. If you currently work in children's ministry, are you done with using coloring sheets and watered-down materials with your kids? Over the years, I've had my hands on piles of Christian curriculum for my homeschool and the church ministries I was part of. Graduating from college with a BA degree in Christian Education, I also took my share of classes teaching me how to teach biblical truths to children. The classes were rich and relevant, but what taught me the most were the practical hands-on experiences I had both while in college and afterward. I quickly learned that my college education could not prepare me the same way that personal experience could.  What I love about this resource is that it is written by those personally involved in the lives of children. Their...

  Andrea Carter and Other Tales from the Circle C Ranch by Susan K. Marlow brings readers back to Circle C Ranch with the beloved Andrea Carter. This time, with a whole new twist! This book includes stories inspired by readers' ideas! In this book, you will find six stories: Orphan Calf Andi's Christmas Ball Race to the Finish Line Snake in a Pail Virginia's Riding Lesson Tarantula Trouble Just released last month, this book includes stories from my favorite time period—the 1800s. Complete with a handful of illustrations, this book draws readers in. Kids read a telegraph from The Western Union Telegraph company in 1879. What was a normal form of communication during that time period is unheard of to many children of today. Many of them have never even seen a landline or payphone, much less a telegraph! Of course, as homeschoolers, many of us naturally introduce these gems from history through literature or YouTube videos organically in our homeschool—using the Circle C boo...

  I was worried about a long, upcoming car ride with my 7-month-old son. He barely could make it to the grocery store without fussing, so I knew the usual toys or songs that calmed him would grow old quickly. Read more at Focus on the Family (with several collaborators.) Stop by again next Monday for another  Thrift Schooling Monday Memory  where I share my published content on other websites created to encourage, equip, and edify homeschooling families.  

  From Kingdom Story Company, the team behind Jesus Revolution and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Lionsgate, comes The Unbreakable Boy . When his parents, Scott (Zachary Levi) and Teresa (Meghann Fahy), learn that Austin is both autistic and has brittle bone disease, they initially worry for their son’s future. But with Scott’s growing faith and Austin’s incredible spirit, they become “unbreakable,” finding joy, gratitude, and courage even in the most trying times.  This extraordinary true story is about a father and son learning together that every day can be the best day of your life! In theaters on February 21, 2025, this film surprised me. This true story left me laughing, crying, and laughing some more . The humor interwoven through this film is perfect for toning down the seriousness of the issues addressed. This movie is real, down-to-earth, and inspirational.  Most of us know someone who is autistic, whether from when we were growing up, in our family now, ...

  Do you remember finding your first house? The excitement, nervousness, and hours spent searching online and in-person may have felt overwhelming. Many of us go into the house-hunting process with certain criteria in mind, from property size to the number of bathrooms. Some amenities we are willing to compromise on; others are deal-breakers. Yet once the deal goes through and the moving trucks pull into the driveway, you realize that the house is yours, and you can enjoy all that it has to offer. Read more in The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine . Stop by again next Monday for another  Thrift Schooling Monday Memory,  where I share my published content on other websites created to encourage, equip, and edify homeschooling families.  

  With its growing pull on believers across the world, I believe it only makes sense to explain what the NAR is so you, as the parent, can assess if: 1. You are actively involved in it without realizing it. 2. Your kids are being drawn into it through music or friends. 3. You are concerned that it is sneaking into your church.  Before I begin, I hold no hard feelings for anyone involved in this movement. Also, I am a continuationist in a biblical sense—not a cessationist .  Yet, as believers, we are to judge and test false doctrine. Like the Berean Jews in the book of Acts, we must examine the scriptures to see if what we are taught is true. This is what they did with the teachings of the Apostle Paul (Acts 17:11). And this is Paul , the one whose writings were canonized and turned into one-third of the New Testament. Of course, at the time, he did not know that his words would be put on the same level as the Old Testament Scriptures, but God was speaking through him and ...

  From Adam to Us   by Notgrass History  was an absolute life-saver in our early homeschool years. I was in dire need of a well-formatted, organized curriculum that added a strong literature element. Our family of seven had committed to a year-long ministry opportunity in Mexico, and we needed a homeschool curriculum that was flexible yet structured. Missionary work looks different for everyone, but in my experience, regardless of the country or type of work, it is typical to have more downtime than you are used to—at least that has been my experience. With two children under the age of four needing consistent nap times, a lower elementary student, an upper elementary student, and a middle schooler—we were all across the board! This meant lots of time at home and the need for consistent structure.  Although each child's math, reading, and spelling needed to be at grade level, science and history did not need to be. Since the beginning, I would pick a science and hist...

Math comes easy to some kids. Not so easy for others. I've had kids breeze right through their math facts with no problems while others have needed extra hands-on tools to help them along. Timberdoodle's  Multiplication Wrap-Ups  have come in handy for two of my kids. One is older and often needs to review math facts before getting into the day's regular school work. The other one is my third grader who is just now mastering his multiplication tables. The multiplication wrap-ups are part of the  Timberdoodle Third Grade Kit  but can be used for any age or any stage of learning.  My strengths in school as a kid were reading and writing, not math or science. I needed tutoring lessons for math and was continually taking remedial math classes in my school to help me along. One tool that I vividly remember helping me, way back then, was these wrap-ups! Though most of my struggles were in high school, I even struggled with the basics back in the beginning, so having t...

  Motherhood has its joys. The first time your newborn smiles at you. The moment she finally reads her favorite storybook to you, after you’ve recited it time after time to get her to fall asleep at night. The drawing you proudly hang on the fridge for all to enjoy. What about the difficulties? Read more on Our Homeschool Forum . *As of 3/31/25, their website appears to be down. Hopefully, this will be up and running soon so you can access this content. :) Stop by again next Monday for another  Thrift Schooling Monday Memory  where I share my published content on other websites created to encourage, equip, and edify homeschooling families.  

  Since blogging is my jam, I will share several tips and tricks for running a successful blog giveaway. Blog giveaways are an excellent way to get the word out about a product that you are promoting. Not only do they help you earn pageviews, they can help you expand your network. There are several ways to approach using giveaways to strengthen your blog—I will just share a few.  Host Your Own Giveaway This might seem intimidating if you have a small micro-blog but this is one of those slow and steady wins the race type situations. This is actually an excellent way to grow your blog. Even if you only gain twelve new email subscribers and thirty new X followers—it's more than you had before you started! Plus, if you plan a giveaway regularly, it means your following has the potential to steadily move up rather than slow down. Here are some tips for getting started: – Host an Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway Product giveaways work too but if you are just getting started...

Inspired by true events, this compelling drama captures the journey of a group of individuals experiencing homelessness. The film is a cinematic exploration of hope, humanity, and resilience as the characters navigate the stormy challenges of life with no physical address, showcasing the reality that homelessness could happen to anyone. Watch the No Address trailer today! Homelessness truly can happen to anyone. Those with homes are no better or different than those without—and this film dives deep into that truth, showing the reality and humanity of those who are homeless.  NO ADDRESS  is releasing in theaters on February 28.

  Date night is always a treat, but it does not happen often. Once we hire babysitters (yes, the word is plural because with a large family we usually need more than one!) and once we end up paying them and buying a meal at a decent restaurant for ourselves, we have spent a pretty penny and have to wait quite a while to do it again! Which is fine, we have learned to be creative when it comes to celebrating a special night together when we are unable to get out, without the kids. If you are looking for a stay at home date night idea this Valentine’s Day, here are a few ideas: Read more on Our Homeschool Forum .  Stop by again next Monday for another  Thrift Schooling Monday Memory  where I share my published content on other websites created to encourage, equip, and edify homeschooling families.