Service

Why not consider a mission trip for your vacation this year? And then, write your own short story documenting your experiences.

Here's a little motivation:

The best way to walk a mile in another person's shoes is to experience a mission trip. But what's it like from the perspective of a teenager? Interview follows:

Where did you go:

Joe: " We went to a community just outside of Pittsburgh."

Was this you first mission trip?

Joe: "yes."

What did you do?

Joe: " We mostly helped at The Boys and Girls Club of America. Where we played and talked with the children. We also did devotions everyday with another crew from the mission trip. As we did devotions some kids wanted to join us. We slept at a christian school where we also would eat and spend our free time. And we also took showers at the school (with a hose in the backyard in our bathing suits).

Was it what you thought it would be?

Joe: "yes."

Has your life changed because of it? How?

Joe: "Yes, me and along with many other people, feel closer to God. It also made me realize that some of these people don't have nearly as much as I do. I loved it and I would do it again in a heartbeat."

End of Interview.

Some may find it surprising that it was what he thought it would be. There are no five star accommodations on most mission trips. The only provisions are the ones that are donated by another person or organization. But for some unselfish reason this teen already expected that and was ready for it.

For more information on missions, check with your church and see what they participate in.

Jesus Calling

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, by: Sarah Young.
I believe a lot of people have picked this book  up at Costco. It's a gem. A friend of mine bought it for me.
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Calling-Edition-Enjoying-Presence/dp/1404187820 

Read and share blog.

Click the links on the top and to the right. Read and share.

If you have a blog on books or travel, please feel free to promote here.

Disclaimer: Clean content only please. All comments are moderated to keep this blog clean and fun.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Question of the month:

Do you think lodging facilities should have out-the-door pricing?

Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Google Earth offers more than just cool maps

Google Earth has expanded into other areas such as history, to help supplement learning. For some pages you may need to download a plug-in but the 3-D graphics and resources could be very appealing to young learners who prefer visuals.

Here are just some of the topics offered:

• Classroom Resources
• Talk Teacher-To-Teacher
• Student Work Showcase
• and more...

Check it out here:

http://sitescontent.google.com/google-earth-for-educators/

FREE ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE:

We are living in a paradigm shift. How we "do life" has changed. There is no "extra" in our bank accounts and we can't afford things that were once considered essential.

Homeschoolers are looking for more economical ways to teach other than footing a huge curriculum bill every September. Parents are looking for ways to keep-up with what their kids are learning in school. Adults are looking for new careers. And the reasons go on and on.....

The following list is not exhaustive by any means...but, rather a taste of what you can find on the internet.

A List of FREE, OnLine, Learning Resources:

• http://www.ixl.com
• Math
• http://www.quizlet.com
• A variety of subjects are covered in a Flash Card format.
• http://www.spellingcity.com/
• A fun Spelling and Vocabulary site
• http://www.theheadoftheclass.com
• Multiple Topics for Elementary and Middle School years.
• Free Worksheets
• http://www.khanacademy.org
• Webcast instruction for High School to Adult
• Covers multiple topics including math, civics, science, history and more.
• http://www.gcflearnfree.org/
• Computers, Reading and Math
• http://free.ed.gov/
• Multiple topics provided from federal agencies
• http://www.yourchildlearns.com/owlmouse.htm
• Learning for the Elementary years
• Mostly reading and maps
• http://www.digitaldialects.com
• Foreign language
• http://www.brainpop.com/
• http://www.brainpopjr.com/
• http://www.starfall.com/
• http://www.softschools.com/

Google "Free Learning" for an extensive list of resources.
And, don't forget your local library.

Have a great day, have a great life!

Tweet

What Kind of Vitamins and/or Minerals Does a Teen Need Per Day?

• Water-soluble vitamins; C and B-Complex
• Fat-soluble vitamins; A, D, E, and K

A teenager has a growing and developing body whose nutritional needs are different from those of adults. Minerals and vitamins provide support for many bodily functions including bone maintenance, organ maintenance and repair, skin integrity and immune strength. Regular physical activity helps the body digest, absorb and use the nutrients you get from foods.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/472031-what-kind-of-vitamins-and-or-minerals-does-a-teen-need-per-day/#ixzz1Sq4agWod

http://www.livestrong.com/article/520835-good-eating-exercise-habits-for-teens/

Ways to Use That Garden

Gardening is great! It's even greater when you know how to use the food you grow. AND....it's super awesome when you know the nutritional value of the food you're eating and how the body uses those nutrients.

Don't have time or money to hire a Life Coach? Read! Don't have time to read? Check out some easy-to-read, concise articles from someone who's been in the healthcare field for many years.
     
       For recipes, food and nutrition information. 

• click: http://www.tinardrecipes.blogspot.com
• or; http://www.tinardlifecoach.com

God Bless!

Summer is time to teach poetry

Teaching poetry doesn't have to be complicated and using the summer months is perfect for a little poetry education.

You've probably heard the term Haiku several times but never really knew what it meant. A Haiku is generally a short poem about nature or a natural moment also called a Haiku moment. The Japanese pioneers credited for haiku are:Buson, Issa, Basho and Shiki. The haiku is based (not strictly) on a 5-7-5 syllable pattern.

Here are some examples of haiku from the famous pioneers mentioned above: Read More...

Community Gardens

Community Gardens are popping-up all over the place. I recently learned about one in our area that already has a waiting list. It's a year-round garden that cost about $500 a year (less if you volunteer to help-out) which comes out to less than $45 a month. I, personally, shop for produce every week and spend more than $11.25 on produce.

The downfall is that many families cannot foot the bill all at once. However, start planning now and put a little money away when you can for next year...or get on a waiting list.
It may turn-out to save you a lot of money in the long run.
Plus, you get lots of healthy produce to eat all year.
Many of these Gardens have other functions as well, such as nutrition classes, gardening basics, recipes on how to use your produce, and more.

It's worth checking out.

Links to Free Resources

If you look on the left and right of this blog you will see many links to free resources. These resources were written in a brief and easy to understand format. New resources will be added on a weekly basis.
Currently there are many unique topics that maybe you need help with, such as:

• Feudalism
• Fire Safety
• Fruit of the Spirit Activities
• Government
• Health
• Medieval Food
• Missions
• Paper Cutting
• Psalm 150 Activities
• Short Poems
• Teaching Bible to Children
• Wooden Kitchen Tools for Learning
• Youth Group Helpers

My goal is to provide supplemental material to homeschoolers and Christian educators...without cost.

Be Blessed!

A Time For Giving

We are in hard economic times. Many of us have lost jobs, spouses and the way we use to "do life." But God always has a plan.

This a time of reflection. 

• A time to rid complacency (See the Joel discussions on the right). 
• A time to stop living a disposable life. 
• A time to pass clothes back and forth between friends. 
• A time to share resources. 
• A time to provide tangible help to the fatherless.
• A time to consistently stay in the Word.
• A time to honor our military.
• A time to be simple.
• A time to take a look at our stress and re-evaluate.
• A time to love and not control.

Plan casual community groups where you can share resources that may help one another:

1. Share coupons
2. Share food purchased in bulk
3. Start a paper drive for single moms (toilet paper, tissue, paper towel, etc.)
4. Give clothes that you no longer need
5. Provide information on free medical and dental clinics in your area
6. Do you know of a mechanic who offers discounts to the military or single parents?
7. Teach teens how to change the oil in their car or other car maintenance procedures.
8. Share your talent. Do you know how to build shelves or fix appliances?
9. Share gardening ideas. 

These steps help your community and help bring people together in a way that breeds fellowship, leadership, servitude and Christian love.

Sports and Kids....and parents

Sports and homeschooling families can be a touchy subject. Either we've had bad experiences or would rather avoid them.

• Look for programs that are careful about who they pick to coach.
• Look for programs that expect parents to act maturely.
• Find out how much practice time is expected. Is there a mindset that sports come first before family?
• Find out if foul language will be tolerated from players and parents. Some programs just "do nothing."
• Ask around. Find out from your homeschooling friends if they can recommend a sports program.
• When you do sign-up for a program, be reliable and responsible. 

Here are two articles from a Christian counselor and homeschool mom that give great insight into this topic:

• Kid's Sports Should Be About the Kids
• Parent's Expectations and Youth Sports

Plan a field trip to break-up the monotony

January can be monotonous at times. Especially if you live in a cold climate. This is the time to break-up the monotony. One way to do that is to plan a field trip or two. Look for discounts!

• Zoos often offer free days in the winter because the animals aren't as active and they just don't get the attendance that they would in the summer. If a somewhat warm day (warm for January anyway) happens, drop everything and go to the zoo. Spontaneity can be fun!
• Museums are a warm way to get out of the house. 
• Snow Walk. A quick, fun and free get-a-way. Go for a snow walk around your neighborhood or a park.
• Cheese. Find a store that specializes in cheese and go cheese tasting.
• Hotel. Sometimes you can get a great deal at a local hotel that has a pool. Go swimming and bring some Hawaiian type food like pineapple chunks. If the room has a refrigerator, you can bring your own food and save money.

What's on your heart when it comes to food?

Whatever your thinking, it will show through to your family. Do you have too much worldliness when it comes to food and meals; "...it's ok God, I've got this one." We often tend to forget that God created food and with that we've downright forgotten why He created food.
I've started a new Hub.Something that's been on my heart for a while now. After much prayer and consideration, I've started a new channel centered around the Christian lifestyle. I've just completed my first article and would be honored if you read it and gave me your thoughts.
Food God-Designed for More than Sustenance...Click here....

Unschooling and Free-Schooling

I found a great article concerning unschooling and free-schooling that includes resources. It's written from a fellow homeschooler (not me). Click here to read the article.

Happy New Year! Time to think about buying curriculum?

Now may be the time to start thinking about next year's curriculum. If you are quite certain of a particular curriculum that you will indeed be using next September, and you are in a position where you MUST be a bargain hunter....now is the time to find great deals on used books. Often we wait until peak time to look for those used treasures only to end-up in a bidding war.
However, in contrast to what I'm saying, I must applaud www.christianbook.com for offering such a great discount on Apologia last August.
However, here are some sites where you may be able to find a great deal on used curriculum:

• http://market.hslda.org/auction/xcAuction.asp
• http://www.paperbackswap.com
• http://www.half.com
• Various sites managed by homeschooling families

Please feel free to list a site in the comments section to this post.

Happy New Year!

Shutterfly offers no limit on storage

Just FYI:
Shutterfly works with stores like CVS and more. Unlike Costco and Snapfish they offer storage without the need to purchase within a year. In other words, they won't delete your storage of pictures if you don't buy anything within a year's time frame. They don't have the photo editing capabilities of say picasa by Google but you can download your pictures, edit, send to Shutterfly, and then delete from your hard drive. You can also purchase external hard drives now too. But, for those who don't have the financial means to invest in more electronics, Shutterfly offers an alternative.
No Time:
I know as a single mom, I don't always have the time to scrapbook and my scrapbooking episodes are few and far between.
Old Computer:
I also have an old computer and don't want to use up space with a ton of pictures on my hard drive.
Kids and photography:
These on-line storage sites also allow my aspiring photographers to take lots and lots of pictures and then enter them in contests such as 4-H clubs and more, without filling-up the hard drive. They only have to be 13 to have their own site on Shutterfly.
NOTE: I do not work for Shutterfly and there may be more sites with these perks. I just stumbled upon this and thought I'd share.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Four Centuries of American Herbs

Patricia B. Mitchell has a series of books or rather, booklets that are quick and informative and very inexpensive. These handy books could make great gifts.
My favorite is Four Centuries of American Herbs. It's a great starter book with recipes that can help someone start with herbs...gardening and cooking. OR it's handy to just have in your kitchen.
Check out more with a book review:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6104684/four_centuries_of_american_herbs_by.html?cat=68

Dragons in our Midst

A book series by Christian author and homeschooling father: Bryan Davis offers kids a reading adventure that includes dragons and knights. This series is written for young people and is not TOO scary. If you have a child that likes this type of reading format, this series could be a great Christmas gift idea.

You may be able to find them used at http://www.paperbackswap.com

You may also find them used on Amazon. Or NEW at http://www.christianbook.com

Click here for a Book Review on the first volume in the series.

Free Resource for Learning Spanish

Teaching Spanish is not my comfort zone and I'm still trying to figure it out!
My dilemma: I need to teach Spanish on a budget.
I graciously received Bob Jones Spanish 1 from a friend of a friend and I purchased the Teacher's Manual for a mere $5. But, I can't find the CD's available for less than a fortune.

However, I did  find a website to supplement the Spanish curriculum that is fun for the kids and I thought I'd share: http://www.digitaldialects.com
Your children (and yourself) can play games and more to help learn a foreign language.

If you have more tips and resources that you'd like to share, please join this blog and leave your comments here. Please note: I never send emails to junk-up your email box.
Thanks! Merry Christmas!