Category Archives: homeschooling

Sep 21 2014

DIY Sewing: You Won’t Believe How Much You Can Save!

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Considering learning to sew? Go for it! Not just a fun hobby, sewing can also help save you money. Here are just a few of the ways you can save by sewing:

 

 

Mend clothes

Sewing machines won’t just save you money — they’ll save you time as well, there are lots of different models to choose from, so take your time! Who wants to run to a seamstress every time you pop a button or tear your jeans? Mending clothes yourself will save you some cash and give you the satisfaction of doing it on your own as well.

scissors, needle, thread, sewing

 

Craft it up

No need to head to the toy store for every birthday or Christmas present anymore! Sew your children dolls, stuffed animals and dress-up clothes. When the kids are old enough to use the machine themselves, teach them how to make a simple patchwork quilt or pillow.

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Sep 16 2014

The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner Review

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The 7 Minute Life is a company specializing in time management and productivity. They produce The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner and this post is my review of this product.

When it comes to planning and organizing, I am the first in line. There’s a running joke between me and my husband about my passion for planners. You do not want to know how many planners I have tried and used over the years.

7 Minute Life Daily Planner Cover

The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner is different from something you would pick up at Walmart or a bookstore. The regular features of a planner are there, of course, but then there is the front matter of the planner – that’s where you take the time to actually sit down, relax, and understand yourself and your goals.

First things first… Why this title? What’s with the seven minutes? Well, research shows that the average adult has an attention span of about seven minutes. Isn’t that scary? Regardless, the idea is to take seven minutes every day and plan your day, especially certain projects that absolutely must be done.

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Sep 15 2014

Mom Monday Week 37 – Life Is A Beach

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I hear the ocean. I smell it. I see it. I’m in a beach front condo in North Myrtle Beach. The wall décor reminds me that “Life is a beach,” “Our house rules are relax, relax, relax” and “If you are lucky enough to be at the beach, you are lucky enough.”

Why do we need a vacation to feel happy and to relax? Do we get happier while on vacation?

mom monday wk37

According to a study done in Holland and quoted by the New York Times in 2010, vacations do make us happy while we plan and anticipate them. But we don’t stay happy. Even those who said their vacation was “very relaxing” share that, two weeks after they come home, their happiness level drops down.

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Sep 8 2014

Mom Monday Week 36 – Your Physical Space

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A few years back, somebody told me that I have an organized mind. Maybe so. What I know for sure is that I can’t live in a disorganized home. Now, there are different levels of organization.

Trust me, my home is not picture perfect. A brutally honest relative came by a few years back and said with disgust as he looked at our living room, “This has become a play room now…” Well, those are his feelings. We like our living room peppered with LEGO bricks and dolls and toy trucks and ponies. It’s the price we pay for having children.  Continue reading »

Sep 7 2014

Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 5

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The First Sumerian Dictator, Chapter 5, – we listened to it in the car. It was a rather uneventful chapter.

Besides, we were still busy finishing up some of our Egyptian inter-library loan books which came a bit late. BTW, I have added the new activities to the post about Chapter 4.

We read the recommended stories from The Read-Aloud Classics to expose the kids to some vocabulary typical of the Arab world. The story of the merchant who hides 1,000 coins in a pot was very interesting. So was Aladdin, naturally.

The Three Princes Cover

The Three Princes was a really enjoyable story, with a great moral – sacrificial love. I made the parallel to God’s sacrificial love for us, in giving His Son to die for our sins.

It was neat to see my four-year-old search for words on the worksheet. She knows the letters and can read short words. I don’t expect her to read before she is ready. So the approach I took was quite relaxed.  Continue reading »

Sep 5 2014

Under Drake’s Flag Review

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Heirloom Audio Productions created an audio drama based on a G.A. Henty novel, Under Drake’s Flag. Glenn Beck says it is phenomenal. I agree. The actors know how to make the characters sound authentic. Their British accent adds a touch of professionalism and authenticity, as well.  Continue reading »

Sep 5 2014

French Women Don’t Get Fat

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If you are up to 30 lbs. overweight, love to eat, and hate gyms, French Women Don’t Get Fat is zee book for you. Here’s my review of this national best-selling book.

I read this book for the sheer pleasure of learning more about French culture. To my surprise, I was already doing many things French women do. But it makes sense. Because Romania is a Francophone nation, we grew up with many French ideas about life, liberty and the pursuit of good food.

Like a French/Francophone woman, I happen to hate gyms and love to eat, but I am not overweight. That’s because I pay attention, a concept hinted at in Bringing Up Bébé, as well.

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Aug 29 2014

French Friday, Petra Lingua Review

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We love French in our homeschool. I have started teaching my children French on a regular basis this spring. We joined the Alliance Française of Knoxville, signed up for Popi, and watched Caillou on youtube. However, I felt the need for a systematic approach to learning French. Enter Petra Lingua.  Continue reading »

Aug 25 2014

Mom Monday Week 34 – Einstein Flunked Physics

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So, it’s a new homeschooling year. Some of you have already started. Others, like me, wait for September. Regardless, we all start the new school year with mixed feelings, don’t we?

Somewhere, mixed in with excitement and confidence, there are some fears. Maybe you don’t like a particular subject. Maybe you don’t know much about a subject.  Continue reading »