Disclosure of Material Connection:

Some of the links on this blog are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Friday, November 30, 2012

Classical Composers Monthly–GIVEAWAY!!

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Classical Composers Monthly has graciously offered one collection to a lucky reader!  You can read the review I posted earlier this week HERE

They also have a Christmas Freebie for all – Christmas Classics

They are also having a sale in December – $9.95 per collection!!

Enter the giveaway by using the Rafflecopter form below!  Good Luck!!

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Field Trip #63 Friday Blog Hop


Field Trip Friday!
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A Blog Hop designed to share 'FIELD TRIP' related Blog Posts

(does not have to be a 'home school field trip', can be any trip to any place with your children!)
This field trip was all about FUN!  Little c turned 2, and the kids are always asking to go to Chuck E Cheese, so I figure why not?  Though poor Little c, was not to fond of Chuck E, and wouldn’t let me put him down for most of the time we were there.  O well.  Lesson learned!
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**NOTE:  Before linking up please review guidelines HERE



    Thursday, November 29, 2012

    Getting Ready for Christmas!

    It’s hard to believe December is literally just around the corner!  It really sneaks up on you (especially when it’s 80 degrees year round). 

    This year we will be doing a wide variety of advent activities.  C will be participating in the Lego Club advent build….he’ll watch a video a day and build part of a Christmas House each time. 

    We have the Christmas Advent I made last year all filled with candy and a scripture verse for each day (Scripture verses taken from Discover Christmas).  We also unwrap a Christmas Book each night to read.  This is a repeat of last year, you can read about our yearly traditions HERE.

    Discover Christmas

    Additionally we will be doing a lesson a day from the Discover Christmas Curriculum, and crafting an ornament to go with the lesson to hang on our little tree in the School Room, with the exception of one day which we will make Christmas Cards. I purchased ornament kits from Oriental Trading to coincide with the lessons (candy canes, angels, Christmas trees, St. Nicholas, the Nativity, etc…) and others we will be crafting from scratch!

    We will also start baking as we get closer to Christmas!  Here and Here are some yummy things I made last year.

    We’ll have two weeks of Christmas Themed activities, I got a lot of great deals on after Christmas sales last year, and am really excited to use them, I’ve been brainstorming for ideas.  Here is a bit of what we did last year.

    I hope to have this years ideas up next week!  (No promises).

    There are a lot of Christmas Lessons to choose from….I recommend Christmas around the USA and Truth in the Tinsel.  We aren’t using them this year, (because I already has plans when I discovered them), BUT I’ve checked them both out and they are really GREAT!

    We have also kept Christmas SIMPLE this year.  My kids are getting community gifts (each one will get a part of the gift).  LEGOS, Wooden Blocks and Remote Control Cars. The stockings will not be as full this year either (I so regret getting them these HUGE stockings that I feel I need to fill every year).  We really are trying to keep it simple and focus on the true meaning of Christmas. 

    This month we collected items for Operation Christmas Child with our co-op and were able to fill 5 boxes and raise money for shipping!

    So, even though it’s hard to believe it’s almost here….I’m excited and ready!!  How about you?

    Wednesday, November 28, 2012

    Classical Composers Monthly - Review

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    What is one of the most time consuming things about homeschooling?  For me it’s research and lesson planning!  I’m sure many of you would agree.  It’s always great when those things are already done for you, and many people even choose ready made curriculums for that exact purpose. 

    Classical Composers Monthly is EXACTLY that in regards to classical music and art appreciation.  All links and material provided have been screened and are considered family friendly and of high quality.

    For $14.95 you can subscribe to one of the 3 collections listed below (LIFETIME Membership).  Which gives you access to a wide variety of materials for each composer or artist listed. 

    Composers included in Collection 1:
    Franz Peter Schubert
    Antonio Vivaldi
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Franz Joseph Haydn
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Peter Tchaikovsky
    Carl Maria von Weber
    Felix Mendelssohn
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Bela Bartok, plus Bonus resource:  Paul Hindemith
    Frederic Chopin
    Johannes Brahms

    Composers included in Collection 2:
    Igor Stravinsky
    Darius Milhaud
    Edvard Grieg
    Franz Liszt
    Gustav Holst
    Camille Saint-Saens
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Johann Strauss II
    Erik Satie
    Claude Debussy
    Antonin Dvorak
    Gabriel Faure
    Sergei Prokofiev

    Collection 3 includes a combination of composers and artists
    Composers:
    Debussy
    Bach
    Verdi
    Rossisi
    Puccini

    Artists:
    Renoir
    Ruisdael
    de Hooch
    Seurat

    Each collection has a variety of items including ebooks, activities, lesson plans, videos, playlists, etc….

    You can preview their layouts with an artist FREEBIE (MONET) and you can also subscribe for a composer FREEBIE (HANDEL).

    They are doing the best they can to make the lesson pages IPAD friendly, which is nice!  We use the IPAD a lot for schooling, this is a bonus for me!

    If you are really looking for a wide variety of activities and resources to use in your Classical Music and Art Appreciation studies, this is a GREAT resource, for a reasonable price. 

    We have studied Handel, Mozart and Monet thus far, and look forward to continuing our studies with this resource!

    DISCLAIMER:  I received a FREE copy of Collection 1 to preview in order to write this review.  Because I feel this is a worthwhile product, I have also become an affiliate for the company.  These factors do not affect my review of the product.  I only provide honest reviews and only support/promote products I believe in. 

    Tuesday, November 27, 2012

    Getting out in Nature

    Since we are studying ants this week, we went on an ant hunt.  They weren’t hard to find, there are lots of teeny tiny ants in Hawaii (we’ve had some issues with them getting in the house too!).  But it was lots of fun!  Then we turned over a big rock in the yard and examined what was underneath!  Lots of cockroaches and slugs (both very plentiful in Hawaii).  We also found an egg…we are guessing a Gecko egg…but we aren’t sure.

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    Monday, November 26, 2012

    Weekly Workboxes (week 15)



     Hope everyone had a GREAT Thanksgiving Holiday (for those in the USA).  We have a short week this week for schooling - it's filled with doctor's appointments, picture appointments, a field trip and co-op!

    Week 15 we are continuing with Insects, more specifically this week is Ants!
    Unless otherwise indicated the printable items this week came from 2 Teaching Mommies Ants Unit.  I Love there stuff (if you haven't been able to tell)

    The open and close boxes were such a hit during bee week, that I hid an ant this week!

     Ant Life Cycle - using Insect Lore Life Cycle Stages Set: Ant

    Magnet Page

    Maze

    Ant Color Page

    Tweezing Bug Shaped Rubber Band Bracelets to Transfer

    Ant and Ant Hill Craft

    Insect Matching (I had this from last year, I don't remember where I got it, but 1+1+1=1 has a similar one for FREE)

    Aa Tray

    Books to read

    We will also be having ants on a log and anthill cake for snacks this week, playing ants in the pants game and going on ant hunts!

    Don't forget to check back for the Preschool Wrap up on Saturday and follow my pinterest board!


    Friday, November 23, 2012

    Field Trip #62 Friday Blog Hop


    Field Trip Friday!
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    A Blog Hop designed to share 'FIELD TRIP' related Blog Posts

    (does not have to be a 'home school field trip', can be any trip to any place with your children!)

    We went to a BEE Presentation this week!  The company All Hawaiian Honey came to do a presentation for the kiddos.  We got to try honeycomb and a variety of honeys (honey tastes different based on the flower from which the nectar was collected, it also varies in color).  I picked up a jar of local honey in a hope to cure my allergies!  Wish me luck!!
    The kids also received a Honey Bee Farm coloring book!  It was a really nice trip hosted at the home of a member of our homeschool group.
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    **NOTE:  Before linking up please review guidelines HERE

      Thursday, November 22, 2012

      I am Thankful....

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      This month I have been making a daily I am thankful post on my personal facebook page, so with today being Thanksgiving, I wanted to take the time to share these items with all of you (my wonderful readers!)
      1.  I'm thankful for My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, b/c without them...I would be nothing and have nothing.
      2.  I'm thankful for Q (my husband). I really can't complain about him, he is a great husband and a great Father. We have some rough patches here and there, but they really are few and far between. I'm so grateful to have him in my life.
      3.  I'm grateful for my boys....even though I get no sleep most nights, and lately seem to have to change wet sheets a lot of mornings, and have one that got the up at the crack of dawn gene from someone...I know not who....they really do make me smile and are a great bunch of kids!
      4.  I'm thankful for my parents, they did a pretty dang good job of raising me (if I say so myself). I'm grateful they felt it so important to stick it out, stay together all these years, and raise me in the gospel! Love you guys!!
      5.  I'm grateful for Qs job, which grants me the ability to stay home with my kids. It has other great perks to, like sending us to Hawaii ;)
      6.  I'm grateful for my freedoms in this great Nation. My freedom to vote, the freedom to worship, the freedom to homeschool. Just to name a few. Far to often we take these freedoms for granted. And I'm thankful for my fellow Veterans and those currently serving whom have fought to get and keep those freedoms. God Bless!
      7.  I'm grateful for my brothers, even they were brats growing up and always got into my stuff, they helped prepare me for the boys I have today! They have also grown up to be great guys and I love them!
      8.  I'm grateful for all the amazing technology we have today that helps keep friends and family close, even when we are really so far away! I don't know that I could live 6000 miles away without it!
      9.  I'm thankful for Friends near and far, I have all sorts of friends, some old, some new, but they are all great people that have helped me through the variety of times in my life, and I'm very grateful!
      10.  I'm grateful for temples, there beauty and solace, the one place where I can go to temporarily escape from the world. I'm grateful for the blessings they bring, like Eternal Families! I'm grateful we have one so close.
      11.  I'm thankful for all the veterans that so willingly serve (or have served) our country. Thanks to their service, we keep our freedoms, and keep the services voluntary! Happy Veterans Day to all of you!! God bless!!
      12.  I'm thankful for Federal Holidays, lol. Seriously though weekends are never long enough, I'm grateful to have one more day to spend together this weekend.
      13.  I'm great full for the opportunity to homeschool...some days are better than others, but I really cherish these moments....I get to see and share in so many moments that I'd miss if he went to school.
      14.  I'm thankful for my overall health, I have a few bumps in the road occasionally, BUT....it could be so much worse. I have Lupus and I have been very lucky for the most part not to have any major complications over the last 8 years or so since my diagnosis.
      15.  I'm grateful to have such a great homeschooling support system here, for the lovely ladies I do co-op with, and the others that come together for field trips great and small, and chat forums, etc... It is so nice to have friends that really understand. It all!!
      16.  I'm thankful for extended family...all my cousins, aunts, uncles....etc.... It's awesome to have such a big family, and though we don't always see each other, we have all got each others backs!!
      17.   I'm thankful for my blog and the many opportunities it brings me, it can be a lot of work, but it is something that is mine! It has blessed my family in many ways, I have 'met' lots of really great people and hope that in some way my blog has blessed the lives of others as well. Most recently, I have been picked to be part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew! Just one more blog blessing!!
      18.  I'm thankful for my awesome church family, from day 1 we have always felt welcome and they have really helped us out in lots of ways! Love them lots!!
      19.  I am thankful for all my ‘in-laws’, mother, father, sister, brother.  They all played a huge role in molding my husband into the great man he is today!  I am also grateful for my many nieces and nephews.  Love all you guys!
      20.  I’m thankful for a roof over my head, food on my shelves, and a vehicle…without having to worry about how we will cover the costs of these items.
      21.  I’m thankful to live in this beautiful state, sometimes I miss the change of seasons, but I know I don’t miss the cold.  I love that we can go to the beach in November, that our wardrobe consists of shorts, tshirts and sandals year round! 
      22.  I’m thankful to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with friends, since I am so far away from family. 

      Wednesday, November 21, 2012

      Time4Learning- Review

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      I have heard about Time 4 Learning several times now, and since my oldest was too old for ABCMouse.com (which we loved so much), I decided to look into other programs for him.  So, I decided it would be a good time to try out Time4Learning.com.

      Time 4 Learning has activities through the 8th grade levels.  You child can have access to a variety of activities right around his grade level, and the program will adjust based on his level.  With each log in, there is a set time limit (set by the parents) that the child must work on ‘course work’, when that time is up, they then have access to the ‘playground’ which provides SAFE links to a wide variety of online games, for a designated amount of time (also set by the parents).  So for example, my son has to complete 20min of course work, and then he can play online for 15mins with other fun/educational games.

      What I like about Time 4 Learning is that it is grade specific, so it’s a great supplement, teaching him things that I may not have covered, that he should be familiar with at his grade level.  I love that the lessons are timed, because I like to limit the amount of screen time he gets on a normal basis.
      At $20/mo it is also affordable, though if you have more than one child, it can get pricey at $15/mo for each additional child.  I wish it was affordable for bigger families.

      For me this program is sort of a safety net it cover the small stuff I may have missed and giving my son computer play time (which he loves so much).

      I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a little something to supplement their everyday program!  IT is also possible that this program could stand alone as a homeschool curriculum, it encompasses Science, Math, Language Arts and Social Studies for most grades.
      It can work on either a PC or Mac, as long as they are equipped with high access internet. 

      If you check it out, please tell them Jennifer Altman from Chestnut Grove Academy sent you!

      Tuesday, November 20, 2012

      Getting out in Nature

      We spent a lot of time at the beach recently!  The kids love to build sand castles, and experiment with waterways – we also explored some tide pools.  Always lots of things to see and do (and learn about) at the beach!

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      Sunday, November 18, 2012

      Weekly Workboxes - Thanksgiving


      This week I'm putting both Preschool and First Grade into one post, and will forgo my weekly wrap up posts...This way you guys get to see what what we are doing before Thanksgiving, and I'll be able to enjoy our post Thanksgiving Camp Out at the Beach!  (I know, not your typical Thanksgiving Day activity, BUT after all we do live in Hawaii!).
      It's going to be a short week with the holiday and a field trip scheduled for Wednesday - so here is what's in the boxes!

      PRESCHOOL:
      Sensory Bin - contains wheat and corn, gourds, leaves and Indian corn (both artificial, but real would be better), cinnamon sticks, 3 spice containers containing ginger, nutmeg and cloves,  A what spices are in pumpkin pie wheel.  I got the spice wheel from Montessori Print Shop

      Variety of books we will be reading

       Sorting food and people from 3 Dinosaurs

      Fall cutting strips FREE from Montessori Print Shop

       P is for Pilgrim magnet page from 2 Teaching Mommies

      We will be using these buttons to make Indian Corn and these feathers for some turkeys!

      Find the P's from 3 Dinosaurs

      Whipped Cream on the Pumpkin Pie counting, we will use our Education Cubes Number Cards to roll and see how many to put on top! from Homeschool Creations

       Pp Tray

       Pp stamping from 2 Teaching Mommies

      FIRST GRADE:
       read, build, write Thanksgiving words and magnet tiles from Homeschool Creations

      Thanksgiving word find from 3 Dinosaurs

      Turkey Math with dominoes - greater than, less than and math facts, I made these sheets using My Memories Software (see right sidebar), and you can get this printout HERE

      More Thanksgiving Math from Teaching First

      and we will be filling up our Thankful Tree!  I cut out little circles of fall colored paper that we will be tying onto the branches!

      We will also be doing some baking to get ready for the big Turkey Day and we'll be playing with some pumpkin spice play dough!

      I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving Day!  I have posts scheduled through Friday (including Field Trip Friday) and I'll be back in business on Monday!  Have a great week!

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