Character Classics Winner

I have a  winner for the Character Classics Books and Music~ The Burkherts had comment # 12 :)

Congratulations and Blessings!

Book Review~ She Walks in Beauty

 

Now that the 2009/2010 year of TOS Crew reviewing has come to a close, I have a little bit of time to do some recreational reading and reviewing.

Thanks to the good folks at Bethany House, I have received a copy of Siri Mitchell's novel She Walks in Beauty for review.

She Walks in Beauty is set in 1891.  In this novel, Clara Carter, a physician's daughter, would rather be studying her books and conducting experiments, with an eye to attending Vassar College. However, it is her father and aunt's wish to see her poised to be the season's most desirable debutante, with the goal of snagging the most coveted heir in the city "To restore the family's honor".

The "Gilded Age" of New York was a time where your entry to fashionable society was dictated by the gloved fingers of the Vanderbilts, the Asters, and their like. As is still the case, sometimes it's who you know, or WHAT(about others) you know that seems to matter more than who you ARE.  I appreciated that the most impoverished and the most wealthy can both feel like so much "merchandise", but the reality is that God loves us, and knows each one as an individual who matters. This did come through in a few parts of the book, without being "preachy".

I would consider this a "light reading" book, with a few moments that gave me pause to ponder. In addition to being an easy read, this book gives an interesting (and educational) insight into exactly HOW those famed 18-inch hour-glass figures were formed, as well as a brief look at the corruption of Tammany Hall. I felt that this book would be most particularly interesting to an older teen/twenty-something, as they deal with the expectations of today's society.
You can find She Walks In Beauty at Bethany House,  Amazon**, CBD, and other book sellers


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Bethany House Book Reviewers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 
** affiliate link

Top 100 Children's books from the School Library Journal

With Summer-time upon us, and lazy reading days ahead, I thought that this was an appropriate time to post this~   A few friends have posted this list on their blogs, and I thought I'd join the fun~ 

I'm going to list them  with this "code"

*****Read 1st time as a Kid and Loved it

****Read 1st time as an Adult and Loved it

***Read 1st time as a Kid ~ Bleh

**Read 1st Time as an Adult~ Bleh

*Started, but never finished 
*****(Children read and loved) **(Child did not care for)


**********#1 Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
*****#2 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
#3 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
**********#4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
*********#5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
**#6 Holes by Louis Sachar
*****#7 The Giver by Lois Lowry
**********#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
*********#9 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
*********#10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
#11 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
*#12 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
***#13 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#14 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
#15 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
#16 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
#17 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
#18 Matilda by Roald Dahl
****#19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
*********#20 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
#21 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan
****-****#22 The Tale of Despereaux: by Kate DiCamillo
**********#23 Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#24 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
**********#25 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
#26 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
**********#27 A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
**********#28 Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne
**********#29 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
*****#30 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
#31 Half Magic by Edward Eager
*********#32 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
#33 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#34 Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
#35 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire JK Rowling
**#36 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
*********#37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
#38 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
#39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
**********#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
*****#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
**********#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
**********#43 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
***#44 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
#45 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
***#46 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
#47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
*********#48 The Penderwicks:  by Jeanne Birdsall
#49 Frindle by Andrew Clements
***#50 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
*********#51 The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
*****#52 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
**********#53 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
#54 The BFG by Roald Dahl
#55 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
****#56 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
**********#57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
#58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
#59 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
**-****#60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
#61 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
#62 The Secret of the Old Clock (The Nancy Drew mysteries) by Caroline Keene
*********#63 Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
#64 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
*********#65 Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
*********#66 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
#67 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville
**-****#68 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
*****#69 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
*********#70 Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
****#71 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
**********#72 My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
*********#73 My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
*********#74 The Borrowers by Mary Norton
#75 Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
#76 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
#77 City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
**********#78 Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
*********#79 All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
#80 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
#81 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
*****#82 The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
#83 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
#84 Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
**********#85 On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#86 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
#87 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
*****#88 The High King by Lloyd Alexander
**********#89 Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary
****#90 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
#91 Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
**-****#92 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
****#93 Caddie Woodlawn by C. R. Brink
*********#94 Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
**********#95 Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
#96 The Witches by Roald Dahl
*****#97: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

#98 Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
*********#99 The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
#100 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 

Hmmmm... not too bad~ Out of 100 I have read 56. There also needs to be an extra single * on one of the Harry Potter books, but I don't recall the name of the 1st one. I just know that I started it as an adult, but had no desire to finish it ~ so that would be 6 books that I wouldn't include on MY top 100, and I think I would add to that "The Golden Compass".  By that token, I've read 56/93. ;) And at least my eldest has read 39 of the 93... not too shabby! :)


Some books I would add to the list... (to make up for the ones that I didn't care for ^)


Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
Redwall by Brian Jacques
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Rascal by Sterling North 
The Wheel On the School by Meindert DeJong


Ok... so this makes me think that I need to write up another post with my own list of MY top 100 Children's Books, and then possibly my top 100 Picture Books as well! :) 


I hope you enjoyed reading this, and maybe you'll be inspired to go pick up a book, and READ! :) 


Blessings~

Give-Away~ Character Classics

Wow~ I've been pretty quiet over here for a bit... must be that end-of-the-school-year craziness getting to me (Plus planning my FIL's surprise 80th birthday party, getting ready for an Irish Step-Dance Recital, oh, yeah, and Little League has kicked in! )...;)

So, anyway, now that I have a minute on this Memorial Day, I'd like to offer up a contest for you all(My first, I think!) ~ One that makes me think of the type of person we should be thinking of and memorializing today~ Those that have served our country, and given their all, so that we can live free. Those men and women were people of great character~ something that I am hoping to raise my children to be as well.

In the midst of some "Cleaning up", I discovered that I had duplicates of two "Character Classic" books and workbooks. If you'd like to get an idea of what I'm talking about, here are a couple of links for you to check out. The official "Character Classics Website", and the National Character Education Center. The last link has a sample or two for you to listen to....

So~ My contest is for the "Self Control" set with activity book, Hardcover Storybook, and CD of music, and for the "Obedience" set with activity book, hardcover storybook, and CASSETTE tape of music.

If you think you'd be interested in these two sets for your kiddos, here's what you need to do to enter~

• Entry #1~Follow me on this Blog, AND  leave a comment telling me so

Extra Entries~

• Visit either one of the two websites above, and come back to leave a Comment telling me what other top two Character Traits/Classics you would like to work on, BESIDES Self-Control and Obedience. 
• Follow my Homeschooling Reviews blog Acorns~ Or Homeschooling Nuggets of Gold  and come back HERE to leave me a comment telling me that you are following me over there. 
• Post about this give-away on your blog
• Post on facebook about this give-away

This contest will close on Sunday, June 6.Hopefully I've thought of everything I need to do to run a give-away here on my blog! :)

Thanks for joining me!
Blessings~

Ultimate Blog Party 2010~ Better Late than Never!

I me oh my! I almost missed out on this one~ (It's been a bit of a crazy hectic week, but then, what week isn't... no excuse really~)

Anyway, there is this one event that happens every year that is a lot of fun~

This is a great way to find some new blogs, new products, and be entered to win one of almost 200 great prizes. All it takes is a little bit of time, and possibly a post on your blog. Sorry that I am catching up to this on the LAST day to post, tho'. :p If you want to join in, do it quick!

Here are the prizes I would love to win in order~

• USC 17 –  CmomGo is offering up a $200 Apple Gift certificate. (Because we could spend so much $ at the Apple store, if only we had the $)
• US80 – A collection of inspirational pewter Treasures charms (Would be FUN for my soon-to-be 13 year old!)
• US75 – $100 Gift Certificate to SummitCampingGear.com (Our family has recently begun an annual camping trip... this would be helpful, I'm sure!)
• US101 – One lucky winner will get this $450 Human Touch Foot and Calf Massager  (oh... just because! :) )
• US8 – Buds to Bloom Photo Tile Necklace (This is really Pretty~ I like!)  
• US112 – $50 Amazon Gift card (or any other Amazon Gift Card, because these are the economic times we're in... )
• USC 35 - $50.00 CASH ~ Paypal Transfer (Or any othercash/Visa Gift Card~ Same as above~ Every little bit helps!)
• USC 3 – A $50.00 Target Gift Card.(or any other Target Gift Card.... same reasons as previous 2)
• US20 – $50.00 in jewelry from Cookie Lee   (one of my favorite bracelets is Cookie Lee) 
• US71 – A $50 Bear Bucks Card to Build A Bear Workshop.(because I have 3 BAB fans!)
• USC 25 -$25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card (Because we're all bookworms over here!)
•  INTL 14 – Complete custom blog makeover for Blogger.com(ummm... can you tell from my blog design that I need help? :) )
• US113 – $25 Walmart Gift Certificate (I'd take this as well! Diapers aren't cheap!)

Failing any of these.... well, I have an almost teen girl~ jewelry would be fun, a 9 year old boy, and an almost 3 year old boy, so anything that would be applicable would be wonderful. :)

Thank you, Susan and Janice for sponsoring this again! :) And Thank you, Pamela for all the work you're putting in as well!

Hey, it's not too late for YOU to go check it out as well... you still have 10 + hours... ;)
Happy Friday!
Lis

Review~ Adventures in Odyssey CDs~ Take it From the Top

My kids were very excited to receive the Adventures in Odyssey "Take it From the Top" CD set from the Tyndale Blog Network to listen to for review purposes. The set includes 4 CDs with over 5 hours of audio, and 12 stories on Serving God and more....

The stories on these CD's include humorous looks at characters that my kids can identify with.
The stories and lessons with a few "notes" from me:

• The Inspiration Station~ "Inspiration"
• Clutter~ "Storing up treasures in heaven" (My kids could identify with this family a little too much, perhaps...)
• Game for a Mystery~ "Procrastination"(Hmmm.. not sure RJP and JDP1 got the point the first time listening, but I'm hoping it will sink in.. :) )
  
• Target of the Week~ "The folly of revenge"
• For the Birds~ "Responsibility"
• When You're Right, You're Right~ "Pride"
• Grandma's Visit~ "The importance of family"
• Finish What You.....~ "Responsibility"(And time-management)
• The Jubilee Singers~ "Perseverance" (This one may be a little too intense for the younger kids. My 9 yo thought it was a little scary. My 12 yo thought that it was really good tho', so perhaps that gives you a little insight~)

We had some Adventures in Odyssey stories from YEARS ago that I wasn't overly thrilled with, due to the usage of words (like "boring") and "name-calling" that were not promoted, but seemed somewhat gratuitous(ie, didn't have anything to do with the story line). I was interested to see how things have progressed, and I think there is a combination of fewer unwarranted "attitudes" on the CD, and maturity on the part of my kids~ They've "grown into" Adventures in Odyssey. ;)

This set gets a thumbs up, 5 star rating with a note from mom that it is probably most appropriate for ages 6-12, with the Jubilee Singers possibly requiring a "preview" to see how it fits with your family. (My children are admittedly a little more "sensitive" than some, so that is the "lens" I am looking through.)

Take it from the Top (Adventures in Odyssey) CD's retail for $24.99, but can be purchased from Amazon for $16.49, and may be available for less at sites like CBD....:)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Tyndale contest/giveaway~ Bibles, Ipads, Hawaii and more!

Here's an interesting contest/giveaway from Tyndale that I thought you might be interested in....
(Boy, wouldn't I love to win an ipad or a trip to Hawaii so I could visit my brother and meet my niece and nephew for the first time!!!)

Blessings~

The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway

Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation

and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes”

Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.
With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.

Grand Prize
Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00

2nd Prize - Already awarded
32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00

3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500
Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00

4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00

5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00

Prize Eligibility – Recently updated to include more countries
Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India. In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company.

Sweepstakes Starts
March 17, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends
April 30, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)


Wait, there’s more!
Visit http://biblecontest.newlivingtranslation.com/index.php for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii!

Here are the details:
Choose one of six passages of Scripture from the New Living Translation and consider:
How do these verses encourage you to know God better?
What is God teaching you in this passage?
How does this passage apply to your life?
Submit your answer and you’ll be entered to win.

Just for signing up: Everybody Wins! Win a Free .mp3 download from the NLT’s new Red Letters Project. It’s the dynamic, new presentation of the sung and narrated words of the Gospel of Matthew. You win the download just for entering! Or choose to download the NLT Philippians Bible Study, complete with the Book of Philippians in the NLT.

Every day, one person will win the best-selling Life Application Study Bible!

The grand prize: One person will win a fantastic trip for two to the crystal clear waters of the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore in beautiful Hawaii.

Menu Monday 3/22/10 (no recipes this week, but ask me!)

Hello, folks~

It's that time of the week again~
BTW, the Bubble and Squeak with AlFresco Chicken Sausages were the hit of the week last week. :)

So, here we go~

Monday~ We're having chicken and rice enchiladas with leftover chicken and rice from Saturday
Tuesday~ Pasta with Al Fresco Chicken Sausage and corn niblets
Wednesday~ Ground Turkey and Barley Soup
Thursday~Mexican Pizza with leftover (Frozen) chicken
Friday~ Leftovers and/or Cheese Toast OR Mexican casserole because a couple of weeks ago I made this Mex Casserole with Ground Turkey, and used the leftovers to make a soup, and it was YUMMO!

I don't really have recipe for any of these, and plan to just "Wing it", but if anything looks interesting to you let me know, and I'll try to write it down and post it. :)

So~ There you have it~ Be sure to head on over to Menu Plan Monday to get some inspiration for your week this week or next!

Blessings~

Menu Monday 3/15/10 Tuna, Chicken, Bubble& Squeak

OK, Let's see if I can get my brain wrapped around a menu this week~ I love heading over to orgjunkie.com to help me get organized for the week ahead... it seems to go much more smoothly when I do!

• Monday~ Creamed Tuna over Crackers (I'm going to try to use coconut flour to thicken it instead of regular flour~ We shall see what we think), with sliced cucumber and carrots on the side, maybe even some broccoli, for broccoli boy
• Tuesday~Thai Crockpot Chicken (Thanks, Laura at orgjunkie.com) and rice
  
• Wednesday~ I know~ It's St. Patty's Day, and I usually make Bubble & Squeak, but DD is out performing with her Irish Dance School all afternoon and evening, so... maybe something terrible like hot dogs or .... pasta salad?
• Thursday~ Bubble & squeak, and MAYBE some Corned beef if we pick some up. if not some sausage would go well..
  
• Friday~ Leftovers from the week(Hmmmmm.. Thai Chicken Pizza sounds good!:)

Have a great week! Blessings~

Alpaca, knitting and felting~ Mittens!

Well, we had a very blustery day, Pooh, and since JDP1 is such a sicky boy, we aren't at the planned birthday party. This means that I've had a little gift of unexpected "Free" time today to take some pictures of past projects to share~




These are some mittens that I made last year and the year before. The tiny felted red mittens were made originally for JDP1~ he used them a LOT and they felted down tiny~ now JDP2 gets to use them.

The long red mittens are the pair that I knit for JDP1 last winter, but didn't get around to felting~ you can see the huge size differential from knit to felted... ;)

The purple and blue mittens are a combo of wool and alpaca~ the alpaca portions are the more pinky stripes~ These I knit for RJP last winter. She LOVES them still, and with good reason, I think~ Even though snow sticks to them, and they get wet, when everyone else's fingers are freezing, hers are toasty warm! Oh, and the alpaca is sooooooo soft! NICE!

Sorry that I didn't take pictures in process~ I knit them on circular knitting looms. It's been long enough that I don't recall if I used the knifty knitter or one of the wooden sock looms I got for my birthday a couple of years ago. I used this pattern but felted them down, and there are some other interesting patterns on this site.

Just thought you might be interested! :)
Blessings~

Looking for "Followers".... want to join?

OK, here's a little plea~

If you actually read my blog regularly (or even not so regularly, but occasionally), but haven't officially "Followed" me, would you mind doing so? I'm trying to get a gig reviewing other products (Mom and family related), but I have to have 50 "Official" followers for them to consider my blog.

Tutorial~ There are three ways to "Follow"

1. In the address bar at the top there is a little blue square with lines~ you can click on that and subscribe that way.
2. At the top of the actual blog page there is a navy blue line across the top, with a link "Follow"
3. Along the left-hand side, second item down, is "Google Friend Connect", and you can follow that way as well...

For those of you that take the time, thank you! :)

Blessings~

Random ramblings....

Poor JDP1~ He's sick again.. tonsils are gone, but now he has an eye infection ~ always seems to happen around birthdays~ {sigh} (I think we need to teach him to blow his nose better.... he's always "Stuffed up".) :\

School has been interesting this year again, due to the TOS Crew reviews that I've been doing.... a little eclectic, and some of the things that I love and WANT to do have been taking a bit of a back seat these past two years, but that will change next year~ a "normal" schedule, and we'll be able to REALLY take advantage of those TOS Crew products that we have loved, but had to set aside for ongoing reviews, as well as our beloved FIAR.... maybe even more art and science~ I'm looking forward to it!

R is dancing like crazy~ I hear feet thumping and clicking all over the house. When you're on the floor below, it sounds like elephants~ hard to believe that on the same floor it's actually graceful! :) She thrives on competition, which I * think* is a good thing... (??) , and she only has one more dance to place 1st in before she is prizewinner the whole way across~ COOL! :) (I don't mind if she takes her time a little, though.. Irish Dance is expensive! (The dresses are crazy $$, and I don't know how we're going to afford the next one... more $ than my own wedding dress! And we're doing this why? .... Oh yeah, because she loves it! :) )

Baseball tryouts in two weeks for JDP1~ glad he's sick this week and not then... (Although there were tryouts this week as well..)

JDP2 is cracking us all up these days
.... collecting books before following his brother down the hall~ hears the door shut~ and shouts "knock! knock! J! What you doin'? " ;)
....waiting for Curious George to come on TV (R says~"It will be on in an hour, J") his reply? "Tick, Tock! It's Curious George time!" ... love his use of onomatopoeia! :)

DH is off today~ Going to play some drums on a few songs for his brother~ I don't like Saturdays without him! :( At least we'll have him all day tomorrow. :)

OK~ So now, I should go figure out what to do on this gray Saturday~ maybe something creative! :) If so, I'll post about it here. :)

Blessings~

Online Homeschool Convention~

Hey, friends~ here's something new to check out. I've heard about a few of the online homeschool conventions, but I haven't been certain how they work. Well, thanks to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and as part of the TOS Crew, I have been given the opportunity to check out their "Schoolhouse Expo" that will be happening online in May, in exchange for letting you all know about it. I wanted to be sure to let you know about it early, tho', because they are offering a discounted rate, and other bonuses to early registrations (See below....)

In addition, there are a number of other things happening at The Old Schoolhouse~

Right now March Madness and Win Big are going on in the Schoolhouse Store. During March Madness, over 240 items are 10 to 40 percent off! Click here

Then, if you're customer 139,000, 139,500, or 140,000, you will win over $348 in prizes. Prizes include a 5 year subscription to TOS (U.S. only), Scripture Sleuth literature series(my daughter has one of these that we bought for Christmas a couple of years ago... she and her brother both like them, and would like to read more!), guitar lessons on CD, and more! Hurry, they are just past customer #137,818.

The BIGGEST news of all--
The Schoolhouse Expo is coming in May!
Pre-register now and save $5!

• As homeschool teachers, what do you need to learn?
• More about teaching multiple grades?
• All about different homeschool methods?
• Transcripts?
• Could you use some help with reading, language arts, math, and more?
• Are you intimidated by the idea of teaching middle school and high school?
• Those dreaded, advanced courses?
• Would some encouraging words and motivational Scripture help you on your way?

Get answers when you attend The Schoolhouse Expo, an 3-day, online conference, presented by The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse® Speaker's Bureau.

Pre-register today for only $19.99 through March 31.You do not want to miss this unbelievable, virtual homeschool convention! PLUS, you'll receive over $300 in free gifts when you register.
Get the details and preregister here http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com

The speaker line-up looks most excellent! People like Mark Hamby, Amanda Bennett, Diana Waring (I've never heard her, but I like her books!), and Susan Wise Bauer, to name a few~ You can check the full line up here. (For those interested in the Workbox system, Sue Patrick is one of the speakers as well.)(Now, if only they included Steve and Jane Lambert, I would be ever so content! :) )

Even better you don't actually have to be "live" to get the benefits~ MP3 audios will be available for download, and listening at your convenience~ just like the CDs from the MassHOPE convention!

And check out the free gifts! (the ones pictured above are just a sampling) They are all ebooks and downloads, with many of them ones that I've been interested in checking out, so WOW! Awesome! (Well worth the $19 early bird registration! Oh, and there is another freebie ebook for registering early, the TOS Creative Nature Study E-Book) This is one that I already had, and what a good reminder to take it out and USE it! :) ... I think I'll put it on my itouch! There are so many great ideas in this book. (The New Testament Timeline is most excellent~ you can read how we used it with our Japanese Exchange student last summer, here I reviewed the entire "overview", but the Timeline was one of the most useful components for my purposes.)

One more "Extra" I just saw~ For those who register early, there are two bonus pre-conference sessions in April, one with Malia Russell (Who I am not familiar with), and the other with Clay and Sally Clarkson of Wholehearted Ministries.. I've never heard them speak, but I love their book "Educating the Wholehearted Child", so I'm excited about this one! :)

Check it out, and maybe I'll "See" you there as an attendee in a live workshop or two! :) (Let me know if you sign up, so I can look for you there! )
Blessings~

Wordless Wednesday~ Saying Goodbye to Winter

French Fry Soup

French Fry Soup

It's a little bit of a glorified (Fast) version of potato soup that I came up with last winter.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Butter
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 bag of frozen French Fries (The healthier the better...)
2 qts chicken broth (I used these great boxes of Rachel Ray's Natural Chicken Stock)

Melt your butter with the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy stockpot over medium low heat.

Chop your onion (don't cry too hard), and saute in the hot oil/butter mixture until transparent and starting to turn golden. (They should just about melt in your mouth)

Add your bag of frozen french fries and your chicken broth/stock and bring to a boil. Then let it simmer for about 15 minutes, to cook the potatoes.

Mash your potatoes up to the consistency you prefer (Or really pulverize it in the blender, if you want CREAMY.... I prefer some chuncks in mine), and serve with yummy, crusty, toasted bread.

Variations on a theme: You can use any frozen french fries you like, but I highly recommend the less "processed", closer to the garden varieties. Some that we have used, all from Trader Joe's: Garlic French Fries, Chipotle French Fries, Sweet Potato French Fries

Sometimes I add some Basil... but then it is less "French Fry" soup.

Now, I have to say, this particular batch of French Fry Soup that I used for the photos (the last time I made it) was going to be another experimental batch... we were going to try a bit with a dollop of blue cheese dressing on top when serving (Since most of our family dips their french fries in blue cheese dressing instead of ketchup), and my son was going to try a squirt of ketchup (Since he's more traditional). Sad story.... we didn't get to try it yet, because I had to throw the soup out. We had to leave the house unexpectedly before dinner, so I tossed the soup in the crockpot on low to keep it warm.... but when we returned to the house hours later, we discovered that the crockpot had come unplugged (a slightly pesky outlet...),the soup was cold, and potentially hazardous. :( So, not only did we not get to try our experiments, but I had to come up with something else to feed my tired family.... ERGH! Next time I make it, I'll post an update with our findings.

Blessings~

Menu Monday 3/1/10

So... tomorrow would be the mathematical equation day that my daughter will enjoy... 3-2-10 :)

First, here's a post up with my French Fry Soup recipe from a couple of weeks ago, and now
~ See what I'm doing this week :

• Monday~ Left over Seafood Chowder and Salad
• Tuesday~ Shepherd's Pie using rotisserie chicken and leftover IRIO from our African meal last week as the topping
• Wednesday~ Pizza with leftover Rotisserie Chicken on top(And maybe red peppers???mmm) and raw carrots on the side
• Thursday~ Possibly dinner out... we're going skiing for the 1st time as a family! (Woohoo! I haven't been on skis in over 13 years...)
• Friday~ Mexican pasta with "Chili" using Trader Joe's frozen "Succotash" mix (Corn, edamame, and red peppers) in place of beans

So, we'll see how it goes~
click on the pic to visit hundreds of other blogs and reap some great ideas!

Blessings~

Foto Friday : Hearts

OK, so I've just discovered Foto Friday (Thanks, Marine Corps Nomad ! :) ) and while I didn't exactly participate in the challenge I hope that it is ok to share this photo that I took 3.5 years ago on a cross country trip.... I had great plans to use it as a valentine the following February, but life interfered, so I'd love to share it now. :)

Location: Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO.

Thanks for letting me play. Now that I've discovered this challenge, I hope to actually REALLY participate every now and again! :)

Blessings~

Works for Me Wednesday

Ummmmm..... Have I mentioned that my little family pooled their funds and bought me an itouch for my birthday in November? It is one of the best little tools! (And if we were fans of AT&T, I'd *almost* (gasp) consider the cost of an iphone....well... then again, maybe not, but it could be tempting)

So anyway.... here is a little of What Works for Me this Wednesday....

I can read "out of print" books (ie... classics, among others) in "ebook" format.... my favorite app is Stanza, but did you know that the itouch/phone can also function as a Kindle? COOL!!!

I can carry multiple versions of the Bible in the palm of my hand(How awesome is that? I can even "highlight" in different colors!)

Did I mention that my kids LOVE to look up definitions on the dictionary that comes already installed? It used to be a chore to get them to use the dictionary... in part because most of the ones we had seldom had the words they were looking for! (Come on... the oldest is only in 7th grade.... this shouldn't be that difficult!)

And the maps app? It has been so cool at AWANA, when my little Sparkies get to their Missionary sections to pull out the itouch and zoom in to the country and city that their missionaries live and work in!
These are just some of my favorites on the first screen~ I'll save some for another Wednesday, but for now... this is what works for me!

(To see "What Works" for other families, check out


Blessings~

Menu Planning Monday, 2 + 8 = 10 ;)

So, my daughter likes to see patterns in the dates.... and today was 2/8/10, hence my equation in the title. :)

Ah... menu for the week? Haven't done this for a while and need to start back! You can see what about 300 other families have on their menus this week at orgjunkie.com.... just click the banner above.

• Monday~ A Turkey Chili concoction that I made using a frozen veggie mix from Trader Joes.... it has edamame, corn and red peppers in it... edamame, because dried beans don't like DH, but edamame seem to be fine! :) It was yum, served with cornbread and sauteed greenbeans with caramelized onions.
• Tuesday~ Soup... either French Fry or Broccoli... I have fixin's for either
• Wednesday~ Turkey Meatballs and rice with salad
• Thursday~ Creamed Tuna over Crackers and steamed asparagus
• Friday~ Turkey Burgers
• Saturday~ Hmmm..... not sure yet~
• Sunday~ Possibly dinner out with the family & friends~ or maybe we'll come up with a menu plan... have to chat.

If I get the chance, I'll add in some recipes later~
Blessings~

Wordless Wednesday~ Winter Schminter! :)