16. February 2009 by Shannon.

I was recently bestowed a great honour by a fellow crew-mate (Thanks Kristin!)… she awarded me the Most Extraordinary TOS Crew Mate Award.  WOW!  It is SO nice to get recognition!!!  Lord knows that many things a mom does goes unnoticed (buying milk, making supper, folding laundry, wiping noses…).  I think that’s why I love blogging so much.  People read and COMMENT on what *I* have to say!  LOL!  We moms all need a pat on the back now and then… right?

So… the spirit of the award, I’m to pass it on to my top 5 blogs of the TOS Crew… so here goes (in no particular order, just the ones I really like):

1. Danielle’s Teaching, Learning and Encouraging

2. Vickie’s Tumbleweed New

3. Amy’s Bow of Bronze

4. Shauna’s Treasure Seekers

5. Kim’s Train up a Child

So.. those are 5 I really like.. but it doesn’t mean I don’t love others just as much… *grin*  I love so many blogs I have designated Favourites folder for them all! LOL!  But this asked for 5… so there they are! 

Blessings!

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9. February 2009 by Shannon.

I think Moms are an untapped natural resource…

I do!  I think that the government sees only a population maker.  I think men as a whole see us as someone to protect or persecute (unfortunately, there are men like that out in our world).  I think even our children see us wrong.. they tend to see us as their live in food provider / taxi driver.

But if only the world could see our real potential.

A while back there was this email circulating about how awesome Moms are.  You know, “our kisses can heal almost any wound”, etc… well… I have come up with another Super Mom Ability.

We are the best espionage tool any secret service could ask for!  ONLY A MOM can decode a three-year-old.  And three-year-olds have a far superior “encryption program” than any military operation out there.

And only a mom can break the code.

Coversation from Saturday night AT THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (meaning, the code breaker in question, *me*, was extremely sleep deprived… yet still able to crack the code!):

Chaeli:  Mommy, come sleep wif me.

Me: All right, I’ll lie down with you for a bit, but no talking, okay?

(period of stealthy quiet.. just enough to lure her captive audience into a gentle doze… but still not enough to dull my wits)

Chaeli:  Mama,  at my birfday (that’s how she says it…), you can buy me a bar-b-que?

Me:  You want to cook something?

Chaeli:  NO.  I want a princess bar-b-que, that was on TV.

Me:  Well, maybe… (who knows, Fisher Price has everything.  I’m picturing a pink bar-b-que set, like those toy kitchen sets)

Chaeli:  wif a dress.

Me:  You mean an apron?

Chaeli:  NO.  A princess dress.

Me (forgive me, I was tired):  Okay… you can have a princess dress (thinking it was an apron).

Chaeli:  and I can bring the bar-b-que in my baf! (bath)

Me:  I don’t think it’ll fit, Hon… you need to keep it in your room.

Chaeli:  NO!  I want to bring it in the baf!  With a bayding suit!

Me (hang on a minute here… what is she talking about?!):  Is this princess a DOLL?

Chaeli:  YES!  A Bar-b-que princess doll!

Me (see… master code breaker!):  A BARBIE DOLL?

Chaeli:  Ya… a bar-b-que doll.  Can you buy me one for my birfday?

Me (trying not to laugh aloud, she hates that!):  We’ll see… okay?  Now go to sleep.

Chaeli (kissing me on my nose): Thank you, Mama… I wuv you!  You’re my best Mama!

(good thing, since as far as I know I’m her only one too!)

I defy ANY secret agent to have done better!

*grin*

Blessings!

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12. January 2009 by Shannon.

I am not a big “outdoorsy” type Mama.  I don’t like cold (half our year) and I’m not fond of bugs (other half of year).  SO?  My kids have not had the one element of a CM education that everyone says is so fundamental.  Do I think they’ve suffered for it?  Well, hmmm… maybe.  My kids aren’t the big “outdoorsy” types either.  Nature vs. Nurture, and I’m afraid I won.  LOL!

As part of the Old SchoolHouse Review Crew I sometimes get a sneak peek into new and exciting projects and ebooks that they are working on (always working those people… ) and I guess because He knew I needed a reminder of how awesome a creation He’s created for me and my children to enjoy, I was blessed to receive this new book TOS is working on (not even in “print” yet!) called Creative Nature Study. 

I was eager to read it… maybe it’d help me get over my inhibitions, but what I got out of it was so much more!  There are stories of the real Granola Mamas who can just about live outdoors… all the way to those who have children with severe environmental allergies who are unable to spend hours and hours outside.  Hmmm… you mean we come in all shapes and sizes AND nature-friendliness?  Okay.  I kept reading… and kept being inspired by mom after mom who took this thing we call Nature Study and made it her own. 

Covering everything from What Is Nature Study to Creative Walk Ideas to how to do that elusive thing called Nature Journalling (without leaving your children begging for public school! LOL!) - this ebook will have you covered!  My favourite ideas?  The “I see God Walks” and the “Perpetual Calendar”… and so many more incredible ideas than I can list!  I give this one a thumbs up for sure… but right now I have to go… I think we need to visit the great outdoors! :o)

Blessings!

PS, you will be able to buy Creative Nature Study at the TOS E-Store soon… keep your eyes peeled!

As a review blogger,  I am provided a free copy of the book, curriculum or product to test and use in order to write an honest review. I receive no other compensation and the opinions I share are my own and not influenced by the company in question.

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15. December 2008 by Shannon.

I am no modern day feminist, but I love stories of strong, inspiring women. I love seeing examples of success.  I especially love hearing of Proverbs 31 being true helpmeets to their husbands by running their own home businesses while not giving up the responsiblity of raising their children to an institutional facility… ie. public school.  I love the example that they set for their sons and daughters.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has put together an ebook of these inspirational stories of women “having it all”… but not in today’s worldy sense of the phrase… instead, “having it all” means being free to homeschool their children, be keepers of the home, and to be a godly wife and mother.  With dozens of successful women sharing their stories… this is a must have book for the homeschool mom who wants to try her hand at supplementing the family income without leaving her family - or for her homeschooled daughter.   The Home Work ebook will be available very soon at the TOS store!

Blessings!

As a review blogger,  I am provided a free copy of the book, curriculum or product to test and use in order to write an honest review. I receive no other compensation and the opinions I share are my own and not influenced by the company in question.

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1. December 2008 by Shannon.

(I should preface this by saying that we don’t “do” Santa Claus around here - however my children know OF him and that it is “just a nice story” people tell around Christmas time…)

Overheard conversation between our contractors and my 6 year old son while they were eating lunch together:

Contractor #1: So, are you all ready for Santa to come?

Greyson:  Silly, Santa is just a nice story!

Contractor #2: Santa is just a story??

Contractor #1: You mean he’s not real?? (pretending to be shocked at the news)

Contractor #2: (misunderstanding that he’s not just “testing” to find out, but in fact, really knows that there is no Santa and is completely happy and content in that knowledge) Are you sure?  I’m pretty sure he’s real!

Greyson: No.. MOM makes the gifts!

Contractor #2: your MOM is Santa?

Greyson: No, she’s Mom.

Contractor #1:  Well, maybe someone else makes the gifts too…?

Greyson:  (thinking) GOD makes all the gifts, and He shows Mom what to give me.

(Trying not to laugh out loud with joy at my son’s understanding… and also trying not to be irritated at their insistance to convince my son that a myth is truth.  Although all myths may have a grain of truth in them, the “popular” Santa is just not something we are interested in teaching our children to believe in.  Why do so many people have such a hard time with it… it’s not like I am telling their kids there isn’t a Santa… I just tell my own children the truth.  If other parents choose to get into the whole “magic of Christmas” thing, that’s their business.  We prefer the “miracle of Christmas” instead.)

Contractor #1:  If there is no Santa, then who takes care of all the reindeer?

Greyson: Huh? (with a funny screwed up face on… too cute)

Contractors got fed up and went on on their own conversation.

I don’t know.. it just seems funny that I am so “fringe”.  I never really was part of the in-crowd thing when I was a kid, teen, and apparently even now.

HOWEVER… one thought following this conversation did occur to me. 

It is a VERY good thing that my 6 year old is homeschooled… can you imagine all the tears and hurt feelings when this whole month is dedicated to something “fake” and all the other children are hearing from their friend that there really isn’t a big fat elf-king who rides a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer who visits all the “good” girls and boys for Christmas and brings them their hearts desires?  *rolling eyes*

Ya, I’m glad to be a Homeschool Mom.

Blessings!

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24. November 2008 by Shannon.

Today is short and sweet.

Can I ask that you join me in praying for mothers?  I know it’s not a holiday or anything like that, but I’ve recently spoken to a friend who has been forced to seek the sanctuary of a local women’s shelter.  She was fleeing an abusive husband.  She has her two young children with her.

This is not where she wants to be raising her children.  No mother should be faced with the challenges she is facing right now.

Husbands are to love and cherish their wives, as Christ loves and cherishes us… why can’t some men get that?

Please, as I am praying for my friend, can you join me and pray for mothers everywhere who are facing challenging situations?  Whether it is a child who is ill, an abusive husband, a medical need, loneliness, or especially those strong women who are facing the whole parenting challenge on their own because their child’s father is not in the picture (whatever the reason).

If you comment and add your prayer request, I will add it to my Pray For list… and we can pray in confidence that the Lord hears us as we gather together to pray as one.

Blessings

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17. November 2008 by Shannon.

Okay.. once again this is a review of something that you might think may not be related to M is for Mom - but bear with me… IT IS!

Trigger Memory System, the author of Times Tales (which I will be reviewing soon, one thing at a time…) has also put together probably my absolutely favourite parenting tool EVER -  Clean n’ Flip Charts!!  Now, these charts are a meager $7,95 (or if you want not the whole set of Clean n’ Flip charts with a wipe off marker and everything it’s only $29.99) but believe me… they are worth their weight it GOLD!  Anyone who knows FlyLady (and I do, and had to unsub because I just couldn’t keep up with her incredibly organized email reminders) knows that the key to an organized house is A SYSTEM.  THIS is the System of Systems to bring peace to our homes…

Okay.  Background.  Right now our house has three bedrooms.  I have four children… two boys (almost-15 and 6) and two girls (13 and 3), and since Tony and I would like to have a bedroom too (we pay the mortgage after all, I think we’re entitled!) that leaves our children to share rooms.  And even though the Littles might not mind sharing a room, I think the Bigs might. *wink*

Well, I’m big on mentoring and all that jazz, and my older daughter is definately “getting” the whole “encourage your little helper” thing… my older son is not (sheesh, men, even young ones!).  So… we have battles, almost daily, over “the mess G made of my room!” (uh, OUR room?).  So… we’re planning on splitting the rooms into four rooms… but that’s not going to happen this year (2008)… so we need to find a system to make this bedroom-sharing thing work and brotherly love to not fall by the wayside. 

And along comes Clean n’ Flip!

Now, I didn’t want to “dictate” so I simply handed the chart to my oldest son and whispered to him, “Here, this might help.. why not get him into this like a treasure map/adventure thing…” (it’s not really - but it did lead them to a special treasure… keep reading!).  So, well-armed, my soon-to-be-15 year old called his little brother and said, “LOOK WHAT I HAVE! (excited tone) Let’s go follow the directions and see what happens!”.  G came running… “What?! What?!” and off they went on their adventure…

I wish I had a “before” picture to show you… I was too ashamed to take one… but here is Greyson doing “Step 4″ (he told me proudly as I dashed for the camera…). 

And here is Ev and G putting away the books in the pile…

Both boys were working together - AS A TEAM!  It was incredible to see… no fights, no “MOM.. G is not cleaning!!!” or “MOMMY!  Ev is yelling at me!!!!!”… instead, for that short time… there was brotherly love, team work, and LAUGHTER.. yes!!! Laughing… they thought it was FUN! 

When they were done Ev and G did find a wonderful treasure…

A Clean Room!

Have a blessed (and hopefully peaceful) day!

As a review blogger,  I am provided a free copy of the book, curriculum or product to test and use in order to write an honest review. I receive no other compensation and the opinions I share are my own and not influenced by the company in question.

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3. November 2008 by Shannon.

Sometimes we try to “complicate” things.  We get all fancy and involved… when only clear and simple is necessary for success.  I’m SO guilty of that, I tend to try to give “essay answers” to “true/false questions”… it can lead to much frustration and tears.  The same is true I find of many of the “teach your child to read” type programs out there.

Now,  when my oldest was learning to read, we had this cute little set of books called Bob Books.  Ever heard of them?  They are small for small hands, simple stories based on “word families” (see more in a minute…).  They were easy enough to offer success, and they progressed nicely to keep him learning.  Problem was?  They got loved to death… Ev slept with his Bob Books… and well, they were not the better for it.  LOL!

Now, along comes this site Rime to Read.  Yup, that’s no typo!  RIMES are words that not only sound alike, they LOOK alike… another word for “word families”.  Word families are simple groups of sounds that work together in many words when just the first consonant is changed.  (you know this already, I know… but humour me).  Such as:

CAT

MAT

FAT

SAT

HAT

BAT

RAT

SLAT

(etc….)

Well, Lynn Klaiman and Dr. Sara Hines, PhD, over at Rime to Read have developed an interactive, DIGITAL reader system similar to the beloved Bob Books that allow children to experience the same fun and excitement over reading success, and use the computer at the same time!  (kids love that kind of stuff! *grin*)   

The best thing about this is that you can also chose to print out the books if you like… so once your child masters the book on the screen, go ahead, print them out a copy that they can “love to death” if they like.  My younger son is so thrilled when I print out the book he knows how to read and he can show off to Daddy what he did “in homeschool” that day.  He loves writing his name on it and feeling like he owns that reading… and I’m not worried about the costs, because he can always go back and read it again on the computer if his copy gets mucked up of forgotten at Gramma’s house.  Best of both worlds! :o)

Currently, Rime to Read has 20 books available to purchase.  Each package of 4 books costs only $9.99 or you can choose to buy access to all 20 for $44.99.  Now, for me this seemed at first like a high cost (oh, btw… Bob Books cost $16.95 for a set of 12 - or a whopping 23.95 here in Canada - and that is just for the basic books, no bells and whistles, and when they get loved to death, that’s it, that’s all!) but when you consider that  you can read Rime to Read’s books unlimited number of times online (with their nifty, engaging page flip technology), and that you can print the books out as many times as you need for personal use (yes, several children in the same family counts as personal use.  No, every child in the whole town does not. *grin*)… it’s worth the money and then some.  Another way to use them as well might be to print out the pages as review/colouring pages (since the drawings are simple line type drawings) for your child’s notebook.  A wonderful record of their learning progress!

As you can see, there are many ways to use this program.  And the Book Team is working with the Web Team to get SOUND into the books too!  Infact, the mechanism is in place now, but of course, as with anything new, it’s in the “testing” stages.  So if you child is stumbling on a word, there is an option to click the word to hear the “rime” read aloud to him/her.  This would be fantastic for independent review… and allowed your beginning reader to feel in control of their learning - even if it is a little thing.  (little kids love “I can do it myself” moments *grin*)

If you choose to read the books online, you should know that the loading time is amazing… even on dialup, the pages only took a few seconds each.  That’s simply fantastic for those of us who are still livin’ in the dark ages.  The page design (online) makes it obvious, even a three year old, what they have to do to turn the page of the story – so they are learning to become independent readers.  There are also even more books in the works, and this company’s customer service cannot be beat!  All very good reasons to check out Rime to Read to get your homeschooler reading!

Blessings!

PS.  I posted this under Mondays are for Mom because these books brought back such sweet “Mom and Child” memories for me… and now I’m enjoying curling up on the couch listening to my younger son reading these words and beaming with pride at his accomplishment (with plenty of High Fives – as is his thing).

As a review blogger,  I am provided a free copy of the book, curriculum or product to test and use in order to write an honest review. I receive no other compensation and the opinions I share are my own and not influenced by the company in question.

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27. October 2008 by Shannon.

Okay, this is for Mom (in more ways than one!) … you see, I’m all about Christmas.  I love everything about the season.  And even though we don’t “do” Santa, I love the jolly ol’ fellow!  I love that Canadians do Thanksgiving early (getting into the mindset) and then a whole month and a half later, the Americans catch up… and because although we don’t affect them as much, their whole “holiday spirit ready to go” thing does affect us up here in the Frozen North. 

A friend of mine who had moved here from The South, always got things going for Christmas at the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner… she shopped Christmas, she talked Christmas, heck - she even had her Christmas tree up before *I* did!!! Now that is an accomplishment!  (We have a tradition of getting ours up the first Sunday afternoon in Advent).

I’m also all about getting things done ahead of time (you see, we also have three birthday’s immediately preceding Christmas, so from the 3rd of November on, it can be touch and go on time and resources available *grin*).  SO, in the spirit of Getting Ready for Christmas I am pleased to announce that The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has put together a wonderful new resource they are giving away FREE with new subscriptions!  Subscribe between Oct 18 and Oct 31, 2008 and you’ll receive a free TOS Homespun Holidays E-Book!  Do you like to create holiday memories? The brand new TOS holiday E-Book is all about the fall and winter holidays - mainly Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it’s not even for sale yet. This is your chance to get it first - for FREE ($12.45 value)!

Normally when a person subscribes, their subscription starts with the upcoming issue which can take a while. But, TOS thought about that when they planned their Fall Special.

If you subscribe now with their Fall Special, you’ll get:

Almost 50% off the cover price for 2 years The current Fall issue as soon as it is ready

6 Bonus gifts

12 months of Teacher’s Toolbox, which contains a FREE E-Book every month PLUS, the new E-Book, Homespun Holidays for FREE!

This is over $250 worth of product for only $39!!

You don’t want to miss out on this one for sure!

Blessings!

PS. Did you ever dream of getting a horse for Christmas? You can get a sneak peek of our Fall issue and see Nancy Carter’s first horse! Oh, and she’s not the only one sharing her childhood pictures. You’ll see photos from the 50’s through the 80’s.

But, you’ll need the Fall issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to go on this walk down memory lane!

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20. October 2008 by Shannon.

Okay… today is Monday.  Monday is for Mom.  Mom had a bad day today… so it’s kinda hard to think something Pro-Me… you know?  One thing that did jump out of me today though, was a song by Casting Crowns (I’m a big fan! *grin*)… it’s called Voice of Truth.

This past school year almost saw my children in the public school system.  My husband, listening to all the nay-sayers and critics, almost gave me an order to have them registered, with no regard to anything I or the children wanted.  That was a tough time.  I went to good Christian friends for prayers and counsel… and that didn’t help.  The prayers more than likely did, I should say, but the counsel was so varied I felt that I had opened an even bigger can of worms.  On the one hand, I needed to submit to my husband, on the other, God is my King of Kings… and His will should be MY will - what to do?!?!

Through it all, however, was my conviction that God was indeed asking me to do this… and even if it didn’t seem to be what my husband wanted, it was so deep on my heart, that I stood up to him.  Turns out, by his own admission, he didn’t feel so strongly about it after all, and gave his permission.  I cannot express to you my joy of that moment… but I cannot also tell you how much stress I caused myself - as the days before his concent dragged on and I worried and feared and made myself crazy. 

God didn’t want that for me (hind-sight’s a kicker, eh?) - He wanted me to TRUST Him… that He knew that what He was asking of me would be done to His Glory. 

D’oh!  If I’d only had a mustard seed of faith, eh?

Anyhow, this is my musing for Monday (for Moms), and I also wanted to share with you the lyrics of Voice of Truth (courtesy of www.christianlyricsonline.com):

Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they’d have had the strength to stand

But the giant’s calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don’t seem so high
From on top of them lookin’ down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessings! 

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