Books on a Budget

20% Off Everything at Vision Forum, Plus $5.00 Shipping!

2011-11-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Great Deals on "Large Family Logistics"and "Passionate Housewives"!

2011-11-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

Large Family Logistics is Vision Forum's "Deal of the Day" today! Save 50%, PLUS an additional 20% with coupon code ALLEXTRA20!

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God is also 50% off right now and you can use the same coupon code for an additional 20% off as well. With $5.00 flat rate shipping this makes for a really great deal on both books - two resources I highly recommend for both the "Why" and the "How" of Biblical womanhood.

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God is a wonderful look at the power and beauty of Biblical womanhood. Inspiring and encouraging, but practical and realistic as well. Read it once to realize the amazing role God has for the woman at home and read it again when you need your vision renewed. Large Family Logistics is an incredible resource no matter how big or small your family is! Kim’s brief study on the Proverbs 31 woman is an excellent start to the book and full of helpful insights.

Open Book Reviews

2011-09-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a wonderful resource for book reviews (written by a home educated student!) :

Welcome to Open Book Reviews! I hope you find a treasure-trove of helpful information as you seek good, living books for you and your family. My desire is that the reviews here will save you time and energy as you search for good literature as well as school curriculum.

I pray this book review site will make good use of my love of books and help you make better decisions about your family library.

Click here to visit Open Book Reviews

Quote of the Week ~ August 30, 2011

2011-08-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

Never be without a really good book on hand. If you find yourself sinking to a dull common place level, with nothing particular to say, the reason is probably that you are not reading, and, therefore, not thinking. ~ The Story of Charlotte Mason, p. 162

Homeschool for Free

2011-08-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

Click the links below for a huge assortment of free homeschooling resources and printables from The 5 J's:

Homeschool for Free

Printables and Downloads

Alphabet Virtues Coloring Pages

2011-08-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful collection of free coloring pages to teach an alphabet's worth of virtues to little ones! Click here to see and print the whole collection

Free Pages

2011-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

A wonderful assortment of free printables from Practical Pages:

I am passionate about homeschooling and really enjoy my homeschool journey with my girls.

Here are my notebook pages, minibooks and lapbook projects, handwriting charts and booklets, organizational tips and ideas … that I would love to share with you.

Click here for lots of links

Tracing Outlines of Famous Art Works

2011-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

From Practical Pages:

I have often made outline drawings of our art work for art appreciation lessons. The Van Gogh picture “Starry Night”
is one of the most popular downloads! It is a simple, really easy and frugal method to create a picture to colour, apply techniques and make your own version of the art masterpiece.

Click here for instructions.

Freebies from Heart of Wisdom

2011-08-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

LOTS of free printables from Heart of Wisdom:

There are hundreds of free printables for Bible study, homeschooling, and home organization spread across five different Heart of Wisdom blogs. I put them all here to make them easy to find.

Printable ABC Bible Verses

2011-08-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

From Heart of Wisdom:

These are copywork Bible pages for children memorizing the ABC verses. The print is dotted and lined for tracing. Print in color or black and while. There are 5 PDF pages.

Click here to download

Yesterday’s Classics Ebook Package Sale!!!

2011-08-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday’s Classics is a company that republishes classic books for children from the golden age of children’s literature, the era from 1880 to 1920. Many of the titles they offer have been out of print for decades and so have been hard to find until recently. Now they have also made their entire collection of 225 books available as e-books in both Kindle and E-pub format! These are beautifully formatted, complete with illustrations and table of contents. If you don’t have an e-reader you can still read or print the books from your computer.

From now, until Saturday, August 27th Yesterday’s Classics is offering their entire e-book package to our readers at a special sale price of $99.95! If you purchased all of the paperback editions of these books the total would come to $2,495.75! If you purchased each book in electronic format individually the total would come to $648.80! This is a wonderful opportunity to add a huge collection of wonderful children’s literature to a family library!

Though I have to admit I still much prefer to collect and read from printed books I am delighted to add these to our family collection. The ability to print the books and read them from multiple devices makes them extremely versatile, and the price makes it possible to have an incredible selection at your fingertips.

(Note: There are several books in the collection that I don’t intend to offer to my children as they don’t meet with some of the convictions we hold regarding reading material. However, this collection is so extensive that it is still wonderfully worthwile, even if some of the books never get read. )

We are thrilled to offer this sale to you right now as it blends beautifully with our theme for the rest of August over at Noble Womanhood; home schooling using the Charlotte Mason/Christian Classical methods which both rely heavily on real, “living” books, rather than textbooks.

For lots more information on this package, including a complete list of all the books in the package and a free book to download, please click here!

Review: Song School Latin

2011-08-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a great review of Song School Latin (which we use and enjoy!):

Satori started learning Latin when she was five with the introductory Latin program Song School Latin by Classical Academic Press. It’s suitable for grades K-3. We used the student text book, CD, and Latin Monkey Match flashcards. The teacher’s guide is not needed, it is a copy of the student text, but with answers. This post is our goodbye to the program, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Click here to read the rest.

"Not" Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week

2011-08-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

Lots of inspiration and ideas for homeschooling and book organization in big and small spaces at the "Not" Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week!

Two Ebook Giveaways!

2011-08-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Head over to Noble Womanhood to enter the giveaway for two brand new e-books: Encouraging Challenges and Nurturing a Godly Wife by Jason and Jennifer Ross!

Alphabet Avenue

2011-08-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to Alphabet Avenue which offers a huge selection of resources for teaching the alphabet to young children. Click here to visit the website.

Free Chronicles of Narnia Audiobooks!

2011-08-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Listen online to these free, well done audiobooks of The Chronicles of Narnia. (The reader even has a beautiful English accent. Very important for this series. ;-))
Click here to listen.

Back to Homeschool Sale at CurrClick!

2011-08-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Now through August 25, save up to 75% on thousands of e-books and downloads from CurrClick!

Home Book Binding Without Special Equipment

2011-08-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

From Large Family Mothering:

It's just wonderful the opportunities we have to read old books and other digitized manuscripts for free. But I am not alone in needing to read these nifty tomes on paper—electronic devices just don't seem "right" to me. Besides that, I do not want my children staring into a computer monitor for long periods of time—I am sure there are a profusion of studies relating to just how a child's brain can turn to mush from staring into a box of flashing lights for hours (none of us need any help in that regard.

For a while there I was printing books out on my handy-dandy inkjet and zipping over to the office supply store to have them comb or wire-bound. This was great for the first 20 or so, but I'm passionate, and so are my children; we want a whole collection of superior, educational books. It's just that the cost of all that printing and binding, not to mention all the "zipping", was taking its toll on me.

So I went on an odyssey, surfing the Net for better alternatives. I am so pleased and excited with what I have found that I have to share it with you all!

Click here to read the rest

50% off Coupon Code for "31 Days to Clean" EBook (Plus Videos for Book Owners!)

2011-08-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

From Sara Mae at Raising Homemakers:

Beginning on Monday, August 1st, there will be a new video each day encouraging you and helping you along the way with the Martha Challenges from 31 Days to Clean (see a sample video at 31daystoclean.com right now)! Jennifer Ross, a reader, has done a wonderful job showing you that you can complete the challenges…and not go crazy!

And for those of you who would like the eBook but have been holding off, it will be available for 50% off on Monday (and the whole week) by using code: BLOOM

Why “BLOOM”? Great question!

Tune in here (the Bloom book club) on Monday because I’ll be talking about the heart of 31 Days to Clean and my heart for YOU each day during the week – I hope you’ll join me!

Free Online History Course for a Limited Time (From Veritas Press)

2011-08-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

From Veritas Press

Back by popular demand. Last summer we tried this and the response was overwhelming, so during the month of August we are offering it again. We want you to experience what we believe is the best way to learn history-and it's FREE. The award-winning Veritas Press grammar school history curriculum is now (or shortly will be) available online in our new self-paced courses. We are so convinced you'll love them that we are giving them away for a limited time. Customers have told us, "the courses are so much fun that their children must not be learning." Click here to sign up for a free 30 day trial.

Here are the available courses:

Old Testament and Ancient Egypt History
New Testament, Greece, and Rome
Middle Ages Renaissance and Reformation
Explorers to 1815

Coupon Code for Large Family Logistics

2011-07-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Until Thursday August 4th, use promo code 4MOMS at Vision Forum to get an extra 10% off the book Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman.

This textbook sized manual is an incredible resource on home management for the homeschool family no matter how big or small your family is. Kim’s brief study on the Proverbs 31 woman is a wonderful start to the book and full of helpful insights.

Today Kim is also answering lots of questions from readers on five different blogs! Click over to Life in A Shoe to get started reading and for the links to the other blogs.

Homeschooling on a Small Budget

2011-07-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

Some excellent sugestions on frugal homeschooling from A Wise Woman Builds Her Home:

Times are tough for many and paying for expensive homeschool curriculum can sometimes be very daunting for a homeschooling mom. Just today I was talking to someone on the phone who called for advice of where to get curriculum that would to fit a tight budget . Here are a couple of thoughts:

Click here to read the rest.

Home Library Card/Bookplate

2011-07-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

From The Pleasant Times:

Here is a bookplate for your home library, or you can print it out on card stock and use it as a library card for those books that you like to lend out.

Quote of the Week ~ July 26, 2011

2011-07-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Organizing the Family Library

2011-07-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

Homeschool families usually have an abundance of books. Said books can often be hard to keep track of and can end up in messy piles of randomness. Here are four helpful articles on organizing your family library:

Library Organization

Media and Books

Bookshelf Organization

A Vision for the Future – The Heritage Library (This is an excellent article on the value of building a family library.There are helpful tips toward the end of the article on book storage and organization.)

Library and Educational Services

2011-07-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Have you discovered Library and Educational Services yet? From their website:

A wholesale supplier of wholesome, educational books, DVDs, CDs, and more. For over thirty years, LES has been committed to excellence in both our customer service and our product selection.

With our variety of Christian, wholesome, and educational DVDs, CDs, books, games, and more—PLUS our personal, superior customer service, we are confident that you will return to LES again and again!

The good news is that, though they are a wholesale company, they include home educators in their list of customers which gives you access to some truly incredible prices!

While there is definitely some twaddle in their catalog I have been thrilled to find excellent living books as well. They have a wonderful selection that does vary, so if you don't see quite what you are looking for check back again.

To view their online catalog you do have to set up an account, but this is free. Be sure to sign up for their e-newsletter as well since in addition to their excellent regular low prices they often have sales that temporarily drop their prices astoundingly.

4 Day Sale on Historical Biographies and More at Library and Educational Services

2011-07-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

On sale at Library and Educational Services until midnight July 25, 2011:

Primary Sources of Famous People in American History - Set of 21

Simple text and loads of photographs, original documents, maps, and illustrations shed light on men and women in American history. Each book has 32 pages. Set of 21 Reinforced Hardcover
(Regular Retail Price $376.96) Library and Educational Services Sale Price $19.95! (Save 94%!)

Visit their website to see this set and the other books that are part of their 4 day sale (including a boxed set of James Herriots books for $14.95!) (If you've never ordered from L.E.S. before you'll need to set up a free account before you can view their catalog)

Watch "Divided" for Free Online!

2011-07-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

There is a crisis. Christian youth are rapidly leaving evangelical churches for the world. This well-recognized disaster has been the topic of significant discussion in recent years for both church leaders and modern new media. DIVIDED follows young Christian filmmaker Philip Leclerc on a revealing journey as he seeks answers to what has led his generation away from the church. Traveling across the country conducting research and interviewing church kids, youth ministry experts, evangelists, statisticians, social commentators, and pastors, Philip discovers the shockingly sinister roots of modern, age-segregated church programs, and the equally shocking evidence that the pattern in the Bible for training future generations is at odds with modern church practices. He also discovers a growing number of churches that are abandoning age-segregated Sunday school and youth ministry to embrace the discipleship model that God prescribes in His Word.

We watched this excellent film last week and can't recommend it highly enough. Click here to watch online for free

Let's try this again...

2011-07-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I've updated this poor, neglected blog. Life has been a bit upside down this year and everything not vital for our survival has fallen by the way side (this includes laundry.) I shall give this another try though and we'll see how it goes. :-)

Homeschool for Free

2011-02-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here's a great article on free (and inexpensive) homeschooling resources fom Kelly at Generation Cedar!

The truth is, really, (and we know it), that learning doesn’t require anything fancy or pre-packaged and can be quite fun and creative!

Obviously, there’s no way to write an exhaustive list of resources for every grade level and subject. So I thought I’d offer some ideas to get you thinking and some resources for your use, even if just to supplement what you already have.

Click here to read the entire article

Jonathan Park Sale: Buy any 3 Albums Get 50% off!

2011-02-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

Head over to Vision Forum for a great sale on Jonathan Park!

Excellent Sale on Jim Hodges Audio Books at Library and Educational Services!

2010-11-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

Library and Educational Services is having a great sale on Jim Hodges' wonderful selection of G.A. Henty and other classic history audiobooks! The regular retail price on these is $25.00 and they are currently on sale for $12.50, plus only $1.95 shipping on orders over $70.00! The sale ends on Thursday, Nov. 18, but even if you miss this sale the Library and Educational Services price on these is only $14.74, so still quite a savings!

(If you've never ordered from L.E.S. before you'll need to set up an account before you can view their catalog)

Mary of Plymouth (Online Vintage Children's Book and Audiobook)

2010-11-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

From Mary of Plymouth: A Story of the Pilgrim Settlement by James Otis, 1910:

"My name is Mary, and I am setting down all these things about our people here in this new world, hoping some day to send to my dear friend, Hannah, who lives in Scrooby, England, what may really come to be a story, even though the writer of it is only sixteen years old, having lived in Plymouth since the day our company landed from the Mayflower in 1620, more than eleven years ago."

You can read the rest of the classic children's book online here. There are several formats to choose from and the "Read Online" option has the text nicely laid out as though you were looking at an open book. Just click to turn the page! The book also has a lovely assortment of illustrations throughout.

This book is also available as an audio book (which our family is currently enjoying!) from BlueBehemoth.com.

Stories of the Pilgrims Audiobook on Sale This Month!

2010-11-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

The classic children's book Stories of the Pilgrims is also available as an audiobook recorded by Jim Hodges. You can download the unabridged book (including an e-text file of the book) this month for $15.00 (40% off)!
We love this book and were so moved while reading through it last year by the bravery, faithfulness and trust in the Lord shown by the Pilgrims that we named our baby girl Priscilla after Priscilla Mullins! Highly recommended!
Click here to listen to a sample or to order

Free Thanksgiving Resources!

2010-11-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

Stories of the Pilgrims (A wonderful classic children's book that our whole family enjoys. If you haven't read this one yet you are in for a treat!)

Landing of the Pilgrims Notebooking Page at DonnaYoung.org (Scroll down to see the page entitled "The Mayflower")

Thanksgiving Notebooking Pages (w/Recipe and Label Cards)

Simple Schooling Thanksgiving Cursive Copywork

NotebookingPages.com: Announcement and Excellent Sale!

2010-09-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

From NotebookingPages.com:

"Get your membership now through Labor Day and save! Save $15 with coupon code: subscriber15 ; also get 9 free gifts! You'll pay just $54.95 for ALL of our products, plus a YEAR'S worth of monthly updates, plus 9 free e-gifts! " Click here for more information or to take advantage of this wonderful offer!

Veritas Press Online History Course: Free 30 Day Trial!

2010-09-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Veritas Press (whose print catalog is one of my favorites to study) is currently offering a free thirty day trial of their wonderful Self-Paced Online History Courses! This is an incredible program and the regular enrollment price is $250.00 for one child! We just started the free trial today and are loving it so far. I have been quite impressed. For more information, or to enroll in the free trial click here!

By Heart Scripture Songs 50% off Today Only!

2010-08-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Today only "By Heart Scripture Songs" are 50% off the instant download version! These are beautifully done and we highly recommend them. Click here for more information or to purchase

Preregister for the Schoolhouse Expo and Save $5.00!

2010-03-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

From the folks at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine:

"Do you ever wish you could invite the author of one of your favorite
homeschooling books into your living room for some advice? Or get a
personal explanation from creators of homeschooling products right at
your dining room table?

You can with The Schoolhouse Expo! This virtual homeschool convention comes right into your home! Experience Biblical encouragement, motivating speakers, and educational enhancement for your homeschool like never before all without leaving home! Over 18 speakers, $300 in free gifts after you register, and fun door prizes. Preregister through March 31 and save $5! http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com/ "

Princess Adelina: On Sale for $2.70 from Vision Forum Today only!

2010-03-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an incredible deal from Vision Forum, available today only! The Princess Adelina is on sale for $2.70 (85% off!) Check Vision Forum daily during their spring sale for for more special one day sales like this!

Mantle Ministries Special Closeout Sale

2010-03-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Mantle Ministries, publishers of many wonderful history and character building resources is having a special closeout sale.

Click here for Clearance items

and

Click here for Scratch and Dent Items

Quantities are limited!

Pilgrim's Progress - Free Download from Christian Audio

2010-03-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

ChristianAudio.com is offering a third free download this month! Click here for a free download of an abridged version of Pilgrim's Progess. Click here to see this month's other free downloads from Christian Audio.

Edited to add the coupon code for Pilgrim's Progress!:

Enter coupon code PROG103 when prompted during checkout. Each free download will require a separate transaction.

Vision Forum's Spring Savings Sale ~ 50-70% Off!

2010-03-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Free Download from BlueBehemoth.com: Walt Disney: A Christian Critique

2010-03-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

Click the link below for an excellent free download offer from BlueBehemoth.com

Walt Disney: A Christian Critique

Offer expires March 12,2010

All Products from the Gunn Brothers on Sale

2010-03-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

Click here for a special sale package on all products from the Gunn Brothers including The Widow's Might, The Monstrous Regiment of Women and more!

Freebie of the Month from NotebookingPages.com: Spring Pages for Mom's Home Journal

2010-03-06T14:55:00.000-08:00

From NotebookingPages.com:

"Inside this sampling, you'll find pages I am using in my own Home Journal... You'll find cover and spine art for your notebook as well as some of the basic templates I use for Menu Planning, Financial Record Keeping, and General House Cleaning (samples of how I use the templates are included). All of the pages have been decorated with fantastic spring-themed art. I have included two types of divider pages, by days of the week and by types of tasks (homeschooling, financial, business, ministry, etc.). There are also a variety of "to-do" type pages, calendar pages, journal pages, & more."

Click here for more information and to download

Free Copywork Book:Copying the Hymns: All Things Bright and Beautiful, Traditional ZB Style Manuscript, Level 1

2010-03-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

Bogart Family Resources is generously offering a free download of their e-book Copying the Hymns: All Things Bright and Beautiful, Traditional Style ZB Manuscript, Level 1!

I just downloaded our copy today and was most pleased to see that it will be a perfect addition to our Nature Notebooks which we are basing on the days of Creation.

Beautifully laid out and illustrated,this book is a lovely and helpful resource.

Click here to receive your free copy! (Look in the right side bar for the details on the free download of the complete book)

Edited to add: Homeschool Freebie of the Day also has a link to a free offer from the Bogart Family! Click here to download Copying the Poems: The Voice of Spring !

Free E-Book: Discoverers and Explorers

2010-03-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Here is an old treasure I was delighted to find reprinted as a free e-book: Discoverers and Explorers by Edward R. Shaw. We've just started reading it but I've been impressed with it already. We are using it as a spine for our study on world explorers. Beautifully illustrated and worth just the pictures alone!

Available in Currclick's Free section!

Free Downloads from Currclick!

2010-03-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

Have you visited Currclick's free download section? They offer all sorts of helpful homeschooling freebies from various companies, including e-books, lapbooks, unit studies, notebooking pages and more!

Free Printable Nature Notebook Pages and Images

2010-03-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

I'm putting together Nature Notebooks for my three oldest and found these free printable pages:

Nature Journal from DonnaYoung.org (A vast wealth of printables for homeschooling, homemaking and household organization!)

Free Science, Scientist, and Experiment Notebooking Pages from NotebookingPages.com (Other free notebooking pages here too!)

I also found some lovely nature clip art that can be used in a variety of ways from Karen's Whimsy:

Visit http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/ for many, many more! (Do use a bit of caution if you visit other categories on this website though, as there may be some clip art that is less than desirable)

Free Audio Books from Christian Audio

2010-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

This month Christian Audio is offering two free downloads!

Download Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by John Piper using coupon code MAR2010B

Download The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer MAR2010

Each book must be downloaded separately, in two different transactions, to receive them for free.

Free Copy of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God (Pay only shipping)

2010-02-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Through February 19, 2010, get a free copy of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God for only the price of shipping.:

Visit Vision Forum and add Passionate Housewives Desperate for God to your cart.
Go to checkout and enter coupon code FREEPHDG.

Checkout and pay only shipping charges. Coupon expires at midnight on February 19, 200 (CDT)."

Passionate Housewives is a book I highly recommend! Read the preface and watch some inspiring interviews with the authors online here.

30% off The Children's Hour Collection at Vision Forum

2010-02-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

Save 30% on Vision Forum's Children's Hour Christian Read-Aloud Collection; "a family read-aloud library, designed to teach enduring principles of holiness, perseverance, virtue, and — most of all — love of Christ." Sale ends Feb. 19

Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls Giveaway

2010-02-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Click on over to Joyfully at Home for an opportunity to win a complete set of the beautiful Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls. Contest ends Friday.

The Penny Pantry: Money Saving Strategies for Building a Gigantic Home Pantry for Pennies!

2010-02-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

Here is a brand new e-book by homeschooling mother of 8, Bethany Vaughn. At 75 pages long this book is packed with information on how to drastically slash your grocery bill (thereby leaving more room in your budget for books heh, heh.;-)) while stocking a large pantry.

The book is well laid out and covers a range of ways to reduce spending from couponing (which Bethany explains in very helpful detail) to buying in bulk. I also appreciated the fact that she makes it clear that one can still eat healthy,whole foods on a small budget.

The book is currently on sale here for $9.95, but is well worth the non-sale price of $14.95 as well. Be sure to subscribe to Bethany's new blog

Download "The Long Winter" Free Today Only!

2010-01-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Click here for a free download of the 1950 audio drama of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "The Long Winter" from Homeschool Radio Shows!

Books for Thanksgiving

2009-11-14T18:21:00.001-08:00

Here is a list of recommended reading for Thanksgiving from an experienced homeschool mother and book collecter:

Books for Thanksgiving

Still here!

2009-10-06T13:04:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the long and sudden break. I struggle with severe chronic fatigue and have had a relapse over the past month. I'm afraid anything not neccessary to life has been put on hold for the time being. I will post again as I am able, Lord willing.

Thanks for your patience!

Sometimes on the Rock I tremble
Faint of heart andweak of knee,
But the Steadfast Rock of Ages
Never trembles under me.

~ Author Unkown

Attention Entrepreneurs: New from Franklin Springs!!

2009-08-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

My Audio School

2009-07-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

My Audio School is a wonderful new site operated by a homeschooling mother :

"My Audio School exists to give children safe and easy access to classic books, interesting educational radio drama, and television and radio broadcasts of historic events. Each of the over 150 full-length books on My Audio School is displayed in such a way that the child can download the book to Mp3, read it for free online, stream the book at the touch of a button, or listen to individual chapters according to a given day’s assignment. Each book is thoughtfully “illustrated” with beautiful fine art or appropriate photos.

My Audio School also offers a large collection of over 200 radio and television broadcasts, from old-time radio theater performances based on classic books and historic events to newscasts of unforgettable moments in history.

Originally created as an aid for dyslexic students seeking self-accommodation, My Audio School has proven to be a help and a delight to students of all ages and abilities. From the emerging reader to the excelling high school student, My Audio School delivers informative, enjoyable audio content on a large variety of school subjects."

About 25% of the content on My Audio School is free with the rest available at a small yearly subscription. This beautifully done, helpful, timesaving resource is one I am greatly looking forward to using!

Free Character/Habit Training Cards and Notebooking Pages

2009-07-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Click here to download these free character building cards from NotebookingPages.com ; a wonderful resource for training our children in good habits.

Also, be sure to visit the Homechool Freebie of the Day as the notebooking pages that compliment these cards are currently being offered for free! (Don't delay as I'm not sure how long this offer will be available!)

Book Club from Media Angels

2009-07-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

From Media Angels:

"Receive a free back pack or t-shirt with the purchase of one of the Truth Seekers Mystery Series action-adventure novels. The characters are homeschoolers who find themselves in life changing adventures in every book.

Buy one, two or all three to complete the set. Literature guides are available for all of the books as well.

For details and information click here and then click on the BOOK CLUB link for all the details.

These books were written by then-14-year-old-homeschool student, Christina Gerwitz and her mom, author, Felice Gerwitz. Discounts are available for bulk purchases. Email felice@mediaangels.com for more information."

Ballantyne Book Review: "The Pioneers" and "Fast in the Ice"

2009-07-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ballantyne the Brave is an inspiring site dedicated to the works of Ballantyne and G.A. Henty and is especially a wonderful resource for young men.

Click here to read a book review of R.M. Ballantyne's The Pioneers & Fast in the Ice (Both books contained in one volume).

Click here for even more book reviews.

For another introduction to the works of Ballantyne click here.

Note: I was quite interested to read that Ballantyne's books concentrate more on geography, whereas Henty's books are geared more towards history. What a perfect combination!

Sale: Art Books and Supplies at the Old Schoolhouse Store

2009-07-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

From The Old Schoolhouse Store:

"This is a great time to gather up your art supplies and art curriculum while our summer prices are hot! We always have a great selection of art items, but right now you'll find a lot of our top sellers on sale, and you only have a few hours left. These prices are good until midnight, July 17. Remember, there's ALWAYS free shipping at the Schoolhouse Store."

Jim Hodges Audio Books Sale

2009-07-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

On sale at Jim Hodges Audio Books:

By Right of Conquest: With Cortez in Mexico by G.A. Henty Instant Download - On sale for $15.00 (You can listen to Chapter One for free!)

All 3 Boys of Grit titles and True Stories of Great Americans for Young Americans can be downloaded for only $30 from now until August 15, 2009. After that they will be gone (You can listen to the first chapter of each of these titles as well. Just click on the title's link to go to its individual page.)

Chore Card System

2009-07-16T19:38:00.001-07:00

Recently, I have been praying for ideas for a good, but simple, chore system for our young ones. Tonight I came across this wonderful and inexpensive idea for chore cards. This is exactly what I've been looking for and is so simple I feel a bit sheepish that I didn't think of it on my own. ;-).

I can't wait to get this system up and running and am thanking the Lord for answering my prayer.

Just a Reminder...

2009-07-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

about the sale on Classic Prayers for Children this week at Future Christian Homemakers. Click here for details. Review coming soon!

Free Gardening E-Book from Olde-Books

2009-07-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Visit Gardening for My Family for details on how to obtain a free copy of The Book of Sports: Gardening, a vintage book reprinted as an e-book by Olde-Books.com. Offer good just until tomorrow (Wednesday, July 15)!

Free American History Printables

2009-07-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

Download the following American History Resources at HomeschoolPatriot.com:

The Declaration of Independence

George Washington's Rules of Civility (Here is a copy in a nice, printable PDF format. The version I linked to in an earlier post was not formatted so nicely for printing.)

Ben Franklin's Virtue Chart

1623 Pilgrim Thanksgiving Proclamation

And more!

Olde-Books.com

2009-07-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a website I happened across recently: Olde-Books.com. These folks offer a selection of quality, out-of-print books in e-book format. They have some titles I am quite looking forward to purchasing!

Free Downloads: Vintage Counting and Alphabet Charts

2009-07-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

Black and White Alphabet and Counting Charts

Color Counting Chart

Wouldn't these look cute in the school room?

Reformation 500 Celebration Audio Collection: 50% off!

2009-07-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

From Vision Forum:

"On July 1-4, 2009, people from across America journeyed to the spiritual epicenter of America’s godly heritage—New England, a land where Pilgrims and Puritans took the Holy Scriptures and the doctrines of the Reformers and applied them to the family, the church, the state, and the culture, thus birthing a freedom-rich, holy heritage of religious and civil liberty. Calvin has correctly been called America’s true founding father, and he was the undisputed theological giant of the Reformation. As we gather to remember the influence of Calvin and his fellow Reformers, we also celebrate the mighty providence of God in the life of His Church through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do so because our sons and daughters must not only stand firm in a day of tremendous compromise and spiritual confusion, they must follow the example of their Reformation fathers by advancing the crown rights of Jesus Christ in every sphere of life and thought."

This set is half price until July 15!

Quote of the Week ~ July 8, 2009

2009-07-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Reading Mother

I had a mother who read to me

Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,

Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,

"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays

Of ancient and gallant and golden days;

Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,

Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales

Of Celert the hound of the hills of Wales,

True to his trust till his tragic death,

Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things

That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-

Stories that stir with an upward touch,

Oh, that each mother of boys were such.

You may have tangible wealth untold;

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be --

I had a Mother who read to me.

~ Strickland Gillilan

Curriculum Reviews

2009-07-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to some wonderfully informative curriculum and book reviews (grouped by subject) from two experienced homeschool mothers: Marvelous Mondays. I very much enjoyed these and found them to be a great help. Highly recommended! :-)

Free Dover Teacher's Sampler

2009-07-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

I have been a fan of Dover Publications ever since I discovered their series of historical paper dolls as a girl. As a mother now I appreciate the hundreds of wonderful titles they offer that are just right for homeschooling families.

Dover offers a weekly free e-mail sampler for teachers that includes pages from their many books for children. Pages include brain-teasers, science projects, stories and poems, nature illustrations, coloring pages and more. They also offer special sales for teachers. Click here to sign up.

Please note that Dover is not a Christian company and not all of their books are edifying. They do carry books that I would not recommend, so please be cautious as you peruse their catalog.

Free Three Week Samples of Tapestry of Grace

2009-07-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Summertime is planning time for many mothers as they look ahead to a new school year. Over the next few weeks I hope to link to some helps along those lines. To begin, here is a free sample of a popular curriculum to assist you in your decision making :-):

"Welcome to your personal tour of TAPESTRY OF GRACE: the award-winning classical, integrated unit study turning the heads of reviewers and homeschool moms across the world. Covering History, Writing, Literature, Geography, Philosophy, Art, Hands-On Learning, Government, and more, Tapestry is more engaging, more extensive, and more flexible than ever. " Click the links below to order your free sampler CDS:

"Go to Egypt"

"Sail to the New World"

Holling C. Holling Homeschooling Helps: Book of Indians

2009-07-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to lesson plans and notebooking pages to go along with Holling C. Holling's Book of Indians

Holling C. Holling Homeschooling Helps: Paddle to the Sea

2009-07-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a good study on the Great Lakes, Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling is a treasure. Paddle-to-the-Sea is a little wooden Indian in a canoe, carved by a young boy up north in Canada. Paddle is sent on a journey to the ocean and the story follows him as he travels through each of the Great Lakes (and has many adventures along the way!). Full of wonderful details, drawings and information on the areas surrounding each lake, this book was much enjoyed in our home. Though it's been a year since we read it, the children have still retained quite a bit of what they learned.

Here are a few free online resources to go along with the book:

Paddle-to-the-Sea with Google Earth: "An exciting new program that uses the travels of Paddle to link real-time Great Lakes data to Google Earth’s mapping application. Tracing the path of Paddle's journey to the sea, it includes themes, key words, and Web sites for each chapter of the book." Click here for more information and to download

Paddle-to-the-Sea Film on YouTube: I saved this old film until we finished the book. While it did leave out many details it was still enjoyable, and it was neat for the children to see little Paddle on the big lakes.

Geography and Paddle-to-the-Sea: This is a helpful post from a homeschooling mother on how she used Paddle with her children.

Upcoming Sale July 13-20 on Classic Prayers for Children

2009-06-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

From Laurie Latour author of Future Christian Homemaker's Handbook:

"I just posted a special one-week Christmas in July sale on our Classic Prayers for Children book. My husband and I rarely fill orders directly because much of our time is taken with Ted's daily dialysis that we do at home. CBD carries the book, but our little gem gets lost amid the hundreds of thousands of titles they carry! For the week of July 13 - 20, we are offering Free shipping when people order directly from us. If they order 2 or more books, they also get a 10% discount." Click here for more information!

Free Download from Sense and Sensibility Patterns until Midnight Tonight!

2009-06-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

Click here to download the Ca. 1905 Ladies Home Journal Article, “Overhauling Last Year’s Wardrobe”. This download is free until midnight tonight (Monday, June 29)!

Sense and Sensibility Patterns Sale: 15% Off All Products Through July 5th

2009-06-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

If you are a seamstress now is a wonderful time to add to your pattern collection! Until midnight, July 5th all products are on sale from Sense and Sensibility Patterns; including e-books and e-patterns.

I have been a fan of these beautiful patterns for years and highly recommend them!

Free Fourth of July Crafts and Recipes Ebook

2009-06-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

Click here to download a free e-book of patriotic crafts and recipes from FaveCrafts.com

Homemade Playdough

2009-06-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a great recipe and photo tutorial from Hearts and Trees on making your own playdough!

How to Enjoy Reading Frugally

2009-06-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

From Passionate Homemaking:

Here are some of the ideas that were shared along with some of my own. Reading is my hobby. I love sneaking in snippets of reading while nursing my baby, during nap time, and before bed as time allows. But…the cost of books surely does add up. How can we pursue the joys of reading and all the benefits it brings without breaking the bank?

Read the rest of the article here (Excellent tips!)

Homeschool Resources Blowout Sale from Vision Forum!

2009-06-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

"For one week only, save up to 60% on a huge selection of Vision Forum products! Choose from close to two hundred supplemental homeschool resources for your family’s curriculum — including several important and recent additions to the Vision Forum product lineup. Bring Vision Forum’s conference discounts to your home during our Homeschool Resource Blowout Sale!"

We love Vision Forum and can't recommend their products highly enough!

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Longfellow

2009-06-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Visit My Audio School to read or listen to The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Holling C. Holling Homeschooling Helps: Seabird Lesson Ideas and Notebooking Pages

2009-06-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to lesson plans and notebooking pages to go along with Holling C. Holling's book Seabird.

20 % off All Products at A Journey Through Learning

2009-06-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Journey Through Learning is currently offering 20% off on all their products, including CDs, instant downloads and printed materials! Just use coupon code "20off" at checkout (without the quotation marks).

Now would be a great time to purchase their Fourth of July Lapbook or their Quotes from American Patriots Copywork!

Free Online Previews of Two Books by Holling C. Holling

2009-06-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here are links to online preview copies of two of Holling's books. You can read parts of the books online and look at some of the beautiful, full color illustrations.

Tree in the Trail ( Note: I have not read this book yet, but in browsing through it though it seems that Native American medicine men and superstition are portrayed in a positive light. I'd use caution with this book, though it is possible you may be able to edit it as you read it aloud. Again, I haven't read this one yet, so perhaps it is not a large part of the story. If you have read this book and have any input on this please leave a comment! It is worth looking at the pictures if nothing else! Please see my note at the end of this post on Holling's books.)

Pagoo (I haven't read this one either so I can't vouch for it 100%!)

Holling C. Holling Homeschooling Helps: Pagoo Lesson Ideas and Notebooking Pages

2009-06-24T13:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to lesson plans and noteboooking pages to go along with the story of Pagoo, the little hermit crab (And a wonderful study of life in tidal pools).

Living Books With Science and Geography: Holling C. Holling

2009-06-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

From Living Books With Science and Geography:

"Charlotte Mason advocated using living books in all of our studies. I love the idea and agree that our children should always read excellent books filled with creativity, challenging vocabulary, and firsthand accounts that will spark their imagination. So when it came time to introduce a new subject (Geography) to my children this year, I started looking for a good living book to add into our curriculum. I discovered an entire series that can be added into Geography and Science by Holling. " Click here to read the rest of this helpful post

We are great fans of Holling C. Holling's book and hope to collect them all. I consider them high on my priority list for our family library! :-) They are beautifully illustrated and packed full of information written in an interesting story form. They have been reprinted and are available from Christian Book Distributors . I love to collect antique and vintage editions of books if possible and older copies of Holling's books are usually readily available at reasonable prices on Ebay or from used booksellers.

Edited to add: Though Holling's books were written many years ago and do contain the values of an older era, his books are not written from a distinctively Christian perspective and therefore they do contain an occasional reference to evolution or promote another worldview in a positive way. I have not read them all, so I'm not sure how much of a problem this is in all of his books. In the books I have read these things were very few and easily edited out or discussed with the children. I try to be extremely careful both with the books I read to my children and those I recommend to others. The Holling books I have read have been excellent for the most part but please do use discernment and caution as you read all of his books.

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

2009-06-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

The Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival is always full of helpful homeschooling tips and ideas. Visit this week's edition here!

Quick Note on the Difference Between E-books and Online Books

2009-06-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know how I differentiate between online books and e-books. I am classifying E-books as books that you can download as a PDF file and an online book as one that is in an online format, and not downloadable.

Hope that clears up any confusion in how different books are labeled. :-)

Free Download: What Homeschooling Moms Need to Know About Computers

2009-06-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Motherboard Books is offering a free download of What Homeschooling Moms Need to Know About Computers, their 11-minute audio workshop with plenty of advice for homeschooling moms. Click here to download!

Nature Study: Frog and Toad Sounds

2009-06-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

The other night my 7 year old son and I were outside, when we noticed a strange animal sound. We could not figure out what it was, but my husband guessed that it was a frog and he was quite right.

I was quite surprised that a frog could sound like that as it was nothing like your nice, normal, ordinary "ribbit ribbit" or "glub glub".

Here is a link to some very different frog sounds... some I hope never to hear if I am ever lost, alone in the woods at night (And I also really hope never to be lost, alone in the woods at night period). Our frog turned out to be a gray treefrog.

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George Washington's Rules of Civility - Free Handwriting Lessons and Online Book

2009-06-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I went looking online for a free e-version of George Washington's wonderful booklet Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour as I thought it would be helpful to memorize these with my children. Not only did I find the book online in several places I was especially delighted to find this treasure available formatted as handwriting lessons! I'm hoping to have my 6,7 and 8 year olds work on one each week... memorizing as they go :-)

Handwriting Lessons and Copywork

Online Book

Quote of the Week ~ June 20, 2009

2009-06-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

When Mother Reads Aloud

When Mother reads aloud, the past

Seems real as every day;

I hear the tramp of armies vast,

I see the spears and lances cast,

I join the thrilling fray;

Brave knights and ladies fair and proud

I meet when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, far lands

Seem very near and true;

I cross the deserts’ gleaming sands,

Or hunt the jungle’s prowling bands,

Or sail the ocean blue.

Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud,

I scale, when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, I long

For noble deeds to do...

To help the right, redress the wrong;

It seems so easy to be strong,

So simple to be true.

Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd

My eyes, when Mother reads aloud.

~ Author Unknown

Free Sugar Creek Gang Audio Adventures !

2009-06-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Beloved Books is offering two Sugar Creek Gang CDs for just $2.00 shipping! Click here to order.

Free E-book from Knowledge Quest: Globalmania

2009-06-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a great giveaway from Knowledge Quest:

Globalmania - Master World Geography in Just 7 Months (Regular retail value $12.95). You also have the option to receive 6 free historical biographies, part of their What Really Happened... series. This is a limited time offer and will only be available for 2-3 weeks so don't delay in getting your copy! :-)

Click here for more information and to download the e-book

Now Available: Jonathan Park Volume 6 - The Journey Never Taken (Save 25 % until June 24!)

2009-06-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

Our children love Jonathan Park and have gained a wealth of information from listening. Not only have they picked up all sorts of facts on geology, Creation Science, dinosaurs and arguments to refute evolution, they have also learned some valuable character lessons as well. With a strong emphasis on a Biblical worldview and families working and serving the Lord together this is a series I appreciate in more ways than one. Highly recommended! Click here for more information and to listen to audio samples!