Shoelaces: stuff we love

New CBD coupon for Labor Day weekend

2007-08-31T16:15:00.000-05:00

10% off any order of $35 or more at CBD. The more you spend, the more you save, right?

code: 251440AA

expires: 9/4/2007

You're welcome. :)

Announcement!

2007-08-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

Shoelaces has moved to Frugal Hacks. Go see - you'll like it!

Also, if you were a member of the Frugal Blogroll before this move occurred, the "join here" link has changed. Please update your code.

You can either change the link inside your code to http://frugalhacks.com/?page_id=65, or just go get the code again. Thank you!

We interrupt this broadcast...

2007-07-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

to test the blog-claiming process on technorati.
Smile for 60 seconds. Hey, smiles fit the topic of this blog. I like smiling. Smiling's my favorite.

Can you name that movie? First correct answer in the comments wins a hearty round of applause.

Technorati Profile

CBD recommendations

2007-07-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

cross-posted from Life in a Shoe, because it applies here too. Just out of curiosity, is there anybody who reads this blog and does not read my other one?

I've noticed a lot of visitors find my blog by searching for CBD coupon codes. Yes, I'm nosy like that. I like to check my stats frequently and I try to keep a current coupon code in my sidebar.
I'm also more than happy to help y'all use those coupon codes. I'm helpful like that. I'm just an all-around nice person, right?
Here are a few of our favorites to help you fill your shopping cart. Most or all of these are items that we own and use regularly.
All are chosen not just for quality but also for value; although Christian Book Distributors strongly discourages posting prices, I will say that I consider each of the items below to be an extraordinary value!

Bible/reference

KJV narrated by Alexander Scourby on 62 CDs
- Mr. Scourby has the incredible ability to make the old KJ sound new and fresh and perfectly comprehensible.
NKJV narrated by Stephen Johnston on 2 CDs in MP3 format - If you have trouble keeping track of 62 CDs, try keeping track of just 2. The price is much nicer too; about the price of a single CD.
ESV Reformation Study Bible - not cheap but the notes and commentary are well worth the price! Try it in hardback for durability or leather for classic beauty. Each of our 4 oldest has one of these now.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible--with CD-ROM - if I had to choose just one reference for Bible study, this would be it. No question about it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary - the first set of commentaries that Hubby and I ever bought, and the one that my dad always sent me to when I had a question for him.

School/educational

Mystery of History, Volume 1
Bob Books
Timechart of Biblical History - this is a definite WOW! An incredible reference tool that everyone will love for a price that can't be beat. I consider this a must-have for homeschoolers.
Spectrum Math - my math program of choice for the younger set. Cheap and thoroughly adequate without being overwhelming for either mom or student.
Saxon Math - not cheap, but non-consumable and highly recommended
COFA: Childhood of Famous Americans series - our children have loved each of these titles and are highly motivated to learn more about each famous person's life.
Kent Hovind's 7 DVD Creation Series - entertaining and informative lectures on Creation science with great appeal for the whole family!

Fiction, fun & games

The Chronicles of Narnia, Limited Edition: Focus on the Family Radio Theatre - Audiodrama on CD - This is only very slightly abridged and extremely well done. Perfect for keeping the whole family entranced on a long road trip! 19 CDs, about 21 hours if my memory serves correctly. But don't take my word for it, because my memory rarely serves.
SET: The Family Game of Visual Perception: How many games give a young child a fighting chance when playing with an adult without relying entirely upon "luck"? We have owned and loved Set for many years. An added bonus: the manufacturer replaces individual cards for next-to-nothing. Very handy in a game that is sure to be loved by the entire family!
Gears!Gears!Gears!- the noise drove me to get rid of these when we moved into The Shoe, but the girls still look back on them with fondness. We'll have to get more someday, when I experience another bout of temporary insanity. You might be insane if you buy these, but your kids will love you forever.

Music

Still don't see what you want? Search:

Search:

Thank you for using my links. Our family greatly appreciates the commissions from CBD!

Office Depot - Printable $10 off $25 Coupon Until 07/15

2007-07-09T15:02:00.000-05:00

Office Depot has a printable $10 off $25 coupon (-40%). There are some pretty tight limits on what you can buy, but 40% off is nothing to quibble over, ya know?

Good until 07/15/07

- Link to Printable Coupon

HT to Spoofee

Blockbuster online

2007-07-04T22:57:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer:
If you rent videos, you know that nearly every store has some trashy movies, many of them major motion pictures approved by the masses. You've probably wanted to cover your children's eyes as you passed some of the displays. You may even have covered your own eyes. But they have plenty of treasures too if you choose to give them your business. It's a tough call.

Moving on:
If you rent videos and you don't have the Blockbuster Total Access membership yet, you don't know what you're missing!
Like Netflix, you can set up a queue online, choosing from a mind-boggling assortment. As with Netflix, you get a postage-paid envelope to return videos, and new ones are shipped to you as soon as they receive the latest from you.
But with Blockbuster Total Access, it gets even better. You can opt to return your videos to a brick & mortar store! And when you do that, you can choose to exchange them right then and there for new videos of your choice or leave empty-handed and your next round of movies from your online queue will be shipped out immediately.

There are several plans available. We like the plan that lets us keep 2 movies out at a time.

BLOCKBUSTER Total Access

$14.99 / month (plus taxes)
2 at-a-time, unlimited
+1 FREE bonus Movie or Game Rental E-Coupon / Month

For less than the price of 1 new release rental/week, we can cycle through pairs of movies as quickly as we want, returning them in-store when it's convenient and mailing them for free when we find that simpler. Other plans range from $9.99 for one at a time, to $23.99/month for 4 videos at a time.
Get it straight from the horse's mouth.

New CBD coupon: 10% off!

2007-07-04T22:48:00.000-05:00

New CBD coupon
10% off any purchase of $35 or more. Woo hoo!

code: 251437AB
expires: 8/10

If you already know what you want, you can use the search box on my sidebar. wink, wink.

CBD free shipping

2007-05-31T22:48:00.000-05:00

This coupon is supposed to expire on the 30th of May (yesterday???) but I just tried and it looks like it's still working right now. If there is something you want, load up that cart and check out quick!
Thanks to Nancy for the coupon code.

CBD free shipping coupon code: 251422AA
good on orders of $35 or more
expires: May 30th or later

Hundreds of free digital prints

2007-05-17T09:08:00.000-05:00

Most are for new customers. Don't forget to factor in shipping, but remember that you save mucho dinero on gas by not driving to and from the local photo developer.

- DotPhoto - 75 Free Prints + Ship($4.95)

- WinkFlash - 50 Free Prints + Ship($0.99)

- CVS - 40 Free Prints
Create account, enter your email address and password, your extra care bucks number, and pick a store. An email will be sent to you with 40 free prints added to your account

- Snapfish - 30 Free Prints + Ship($2.46)

- Photoworks - 25 Free Prints + Ship($2.90)

- Sony Imagestation - 20 Free Prints + Ship($1.79)

- Photo Mama - 20 Free Prints + Ship($1.99)

- Myphotoalbum - 20 Free Prints + Ship($1.99)

- York Photo - 20 Free Prints + Ship($2.09)

- Clark Color - 20 Free Prints + Ship($2.09)

- Kodak EasyShare - 20 Free Prints + Ship($2.49)

- Mystic Color Lab - 20 Free Prints + Ship($2.09)

- Yahoo Photos - 20 Free Prints + Ship($2.29)

- Shutterfly - 15 Free Prints + Ship($1.99)

- RitzPix - 10 Free Prints + Ship($0.99)

- York Photo - 20 free + Ship(?)

- Photo Max - 20 free + Ship(?)

HT to Spoofee

Call 411 for free

2007-05-14T12:31:00.000-05:00

I found this in Reader's Digest:

Dialing directory assistance from your cell phone can cost as much as $3.49. Call 1-800-FREE411. In return for listening to a brief ad, you pay nothing.

Sounds easy enough.
I don't normally call information anyway, but there are rare occasions when I can't get my hands on The Yellow Pages so I gave this a shot. It works!
It's all automated, which is probably how they keep it free. But even searching for a business in a town with a name that is difficult to pronounce and giving an incomplete, imprecisely enunciated business name, I found the number without a hitch.
All told the call took less than 90 seconds, and I only had to listen to a 12 second ad, which seems like a good return on my time: for 12 seconds of ad time, my savings works out to $17.50/minute or $1,050/hour. For that, I'll happily listen to a few ads in a pinch.

Where do you find CBD coupons?

2007-05-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

Here is another coupon that should give you 10% off your order of $35 or more:
CBD coupon code: 229766AQU

Don't forget, the other coupon in my sidebar is good until the end of May:
CBD coupon code: HSNAMES
Up to $5 off $30 minimum
expires 5/31/07
Offer details

I don't know when it expires, but I hope to use it very soon, so I'll let you know if it's still good.
If you use it first, I would love to hear back from you.

Would anyone care to share where they find CBD coupons? I have seen them in the CBD catalog itself and in at least one homeschooling magazine (The Old Schoolhouse, I think).
A reader shared a code from World Magazine.

Where else can they be found?

CBD coupon

2007-04-25T23:18:00.000-05:00

Well...it's not the greatest coupon ever, but money is money.
CBD will give you $1 off your order for each name and address of a homeschooling friend you give them up to a total savings of $5 off your order.
That's like getting free shipping!

Go to Christian Book Distributors
Place an order of $30 or more
Add stock number HSNAMES to your order and click on the link to list up to 5 names
One use/customer. Expires May 31, 2007.

Airline tickets from $10

2007-04-25T11:39:00.000-05:00

It pays to plan ahead. Skybus, a new and rising airline, runs some great specials.
Here's what you'll find on their Promotions and Specials page right now:

10 seats for $10 each – on every flight! That’s right, each and every Skybus flight has a minimum of ten seats available for just ten dollars. It’s for real – but these seats go quickly, so be sure to book early and book often!

This means you'll have book far enough ahead to get a flight with a $10 ticket still available, but it could easily shave a couple of hundred dollars off your trip!
Their destinations are very limited (just 10 major citites), but you could always get close and then book a different airline to finish up your trip.

Free road maps

2007-04-14T23:01:00.000-05:00

Need free road maps?
I just ordered free maps to all of the states we regularly visit or pass through. I was even able to specify quantity, so our oldest children can each have their own copy. Now they will have the necessary skills to be real backseat drivers.
At least they won't be fighting over whose turn it is to sit by the window and whose elbow keeps bumping whom and hey who took off her shoes?

Free Road Maps (USA)
Free Road Maps (Canada)

Since these are from the state travel/tourism websites, I'm curious to see what's included - I know it's not always just a map. Maybe it will be worthwhile to request them from additional states for educational purposes.
Thanks to The Abundant Life

doin' the Discounts Dance!

2007-03-29T08:52:00.000-05:00

cross posted from Life in a Shoe

I'm doing the happy dance. My new best friend Sandy sent me a coupon code for CBD. Well, it's the first time I've ever heard from her, but you've got to love anyone with a good coupon code after such a long dry spell, right?
Thanks Sandy!

Here it is:
Christian Book Distributors code: 251426AE Good for 10% off a purchase of $35 or more, valid until 4/13/07

10% off is great, right?

Now try this on for size:
Between now and March 31, Vision Forum is giving away a $50 gift certificate for every $95 of merchandise purchased. That's an effective discount of over 30%. You can't redeem the certificate until May-December, but for a 30% discount I'm not going to complain!
Just think: you can buy 3 Geneva Bibles now and get a 400 year old Framed Geneva Bible Page for free in May. Just a suggestion...those pages are just the most incredible idea...I wonder who thought of them...
If you want to be my friend, remember to enter my source code in your order: inashoe.

There you have it: 2 great discounts
Use them wisely.

:)

5,000 sheets of paper for $16

2007-03-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

cross-posted from Life in a Shoe (sorry, just can't resist sharing a great deal twice!)

I just bought 5,000 sheets of bright white copier paper for $16.37, delivered to my doorstep.
Don't ask where I'll keep it. I guess I'll have to share just to find space for it.
If you want some, you'd better hurry. Deals like this tend to go out of stock quickly.
HT to Spoofee.com for the deal.

1. Click here to go to Office Depot.
2. Search and Add 345603 ( Price : $5.59 ) - Buy 10 of these
3. Search and Add 429266 ( Price : $0.29 )
4. Coupon Price : -$31.00 | Code : 73649244
5. Coupon Price : -$10 off $25 | Code : 44141777
Final Price : $15.19 Shipped

Hurry!

Vision Forum affiliate program and giveaway!

2007-03-09T13:47:00.000-06:00

cross posted from Life in a Shoe

Well, I'm excited about it...who else is? Can I see a show of hands?

If you're not familiar with Vision Forum, you should be. They sell a wide variety of books, audio, video and toys for the Christian homeschooling family. This is not curriculum, but materials to help homeschooling families develop a vision for what they are doing. Take a look at their website and you'll see what I mean. Or do it the old-fashioned way: request a catalog and flip through it over a cup of coffee. mmm. Coffee. Be sure to look for us in the staff photo inside the front cover.

I'm partial to them because my husband runs the warehouse, but we loved their catalog long before working for the company became a possibility.

Vision Forum is tinkering with an affiliate program and today is the first day. I and two other bloggers have the honor of being the first to help launch it. I can't tell you who else because then you might use one of their source codes (like hers or hers) instead of mine, and I want the commissions all to myself. Moo-hua-hua-hua!
Sorry. Got a little excited there. Ahem.

Anyway, if you all will be so kind as to go spend a whole bunch of money on the current Henty Sale or a spectacularly discounted set of Gill's Commentaries, or just snap up some fun and educational Jonathan Park stuff, please be sure to enter my source code on your order form:

inashoe

That's in a shoe as in Life in a Shoe. That's me. Go ahead, make my day.
And in return, each time you use my source code you'll be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for a free...what? Vision Forum will provide the gift, which will be given away right here on my blog. What should I suggest?

CBD Bargains on Real Books: not that silly fluff

2007-03-08T14:58:00.000-06:00

Remember my post about Bible lust? Guess what I found in the Christian Book Distributor bargain pages for even less than before?

The King James Bible, 1611 Edition--damaged

(I'm not supposed to tell the price but I will say that it's significantly less than the 20-ish number that so impressed me when I first saw this book.)
This is a hardcover facsimile of the original King James Bible, first published almost 400 years ago! Just today I was going over our inventory of real pages from 1620-1638 editions of this Bible. I would so love to own a facsimile of the entire book! Especially if it had the Geneva commentary, the way those sneaky puritans started publishing it...

We have purchased books marked as damaged from CBD and been quite happy - usually the damage is just a bumped corner or other minor sign of use. That's how our books look after the first 2 days anyway, so why not take a nicely discounted price?

Other must-have books, each hefty hardcover under $10:

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance with CD-Rom (damaged)

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, Complete - Damaged Edition

Now if they would only put out a coupon. Does anyone know of a new discount yet?

My sweet iron

2007-03-08T10:46:00.000-06:00

modified from Life in a Shoe

I haven't read the book, but I think my hubby's love language might be ironing.
Please don't tell me that you haven't ironed in 20 years, and you just hang your hubby's clothes right out of the dryer. I've tried that, and it just doesn't look like real love in our house. Maybe your hubby's love language is food or closet organization. My guy likes his clothes ironed. It took me a long time to realize this.
For many years, I used the standard issue garage sale iron. It worked. Like any good wife, I hated ironing but did it when I had to.
Then the iron broke and I had to buy a new one. Hubby encouraged me to replace it with a nice one, but I'm frugal, right? I bought the cheapest one. It leaked, and the temperature was highly unpredictable, but it worked. I complained about it, and the girls and I scorched a few items (how frugal is that?) so we exchanged it. Do you think I learned my lesson and bought a nice one like Hubby suggested? Nope. I bought another of the same sub-$7 model.
Guess what? It leaked, and the temperature was unpredictable. The girls and I scorched a few items. Yeah, that's me: frugal housewife. Save a few bucks on an iron and ruin half of Hubby's clothes.
So finally, Hubby bought me a nice iron. He bought me a digital iron with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time - er, I mean with a stainless steel plate and turbo steam. I can feel the power when I hit the button! It's a heavy iron, but heavy in a good way. It's well-balanced, and has enough weight to do the work for me. It makes me feel confident and capable and formidable. It's a .45, not a wimpy little .22 caliber iron. Did I mention that it heats in about 1 minute? And hey, it's shiny.
I love my new iron. I love my man, who knows that it's sometimes good stewardship to spend a little extra. And I love the way his clothes look when I've ironed them with a shiny, heavy, leakproof iron that beeps at me for working on the same spot too long.
This may not be the greatest way to end a sparkling review, but I'm afraid I can't tell you the make and model. It's made by GE but doesn't seem to be listed as a GE model. It might be available only at a brick-n-mortar WalMart. I couldn't find it on Amazon or even on the WalMart website. I don't remember what the box looked like, so I can't help you there either. I do remember that it has a 2 year warranty directly through WalMart: just bring it in with a receipt and get a refund or exchange.
So, go find an iron that looks just like mine. You'll love it.
Sorry I can't be more help, but maybe the photo will tell you more.

$15 rebate from Paypal

2007-02-08T18:50:00.000-06:00

Earn a $15 cash rebate when you make a PayPal purchase of $30 or more between February 8 and March 31. Shop online anywhere PayPal is accepted in the U.S. and Canada, including eBay.
The rebate will be added to your Paypal balance by May 28, 2007.

Don't have a Paypal account yet? Get one! Use my link, and with any luck I just might get a $5 referral too. Then we'll both come out ahead. :)

good Christian music

2007-02-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

Each month, our church learns to sing a new Psalm in 4 part harmony. Hubby sings bass, and the girls and I sing alto. If the tune is familiar, a few of the girls sing soprano so that we can do 3 part harmony at home. At least in theory...like many great plans, it's easier said than done.
Last month we learned Psalm 42 and Hubby set off on an Internet search for a downloadable version of the Psalm Of The Month so we could listen and become familiar with the tune.
He struck Internet gold: not only did he find a very nicely done version of Psalm 42, but also several albums of good Christian music, chock full of Scripture and sound doctrine, with just a touch of humor here and there. Check out the lyrics to Rats to see just I mean (or download a sample here).
The clincher was the album titled "Memorials," a subject near and dear to Hubby's heart and a frequent topic of family worship in our home.
Read Hubby's more complete review of Jamie Sol's music, or go right to Mr. Sol's website.

E-sword

2007-01-19T20:41:00.000-06:00

(cross posted from Life In A Shoe)

I'm adding this one to my sidebar - I've used E-sword for years and don't know why I haven't told you about it before!

E-sword is a free full featured Bible program that lets you download many additional free components, including:

the Bible in an astounding number of versions and languages
commentaries
Bible dictionaries
devotions
add'l books, graphics, and study guides

One of my favorite features: Strong's Concordance is keyed into the included King James download! If you've already heard enough you can just trust me download the software, or go the to the home page and check it out for yourself.

Yes, there are many wonderful Bibles online, but this one works without the delay of waiting for pages to load and still works on the days when your Internet doesn't. :)

It even has the complete Geneva translation with the original spelling! Is that cool or what???

Wee Maidens doll clothes

2007-01-12T11:29:00.000-06:00

cross posted from Life In A Shoe

If your daughter received a doll from Vision Forum for Christmas (or any other 18" doll), you'll want to check out the adorable outfits and accessories from Wee Maidens!
The sisters who run this website gave us an outfit to try out and the girls love it! All of their choices are feminine and modest, unlike the wardrobes of many other dolls on the market. They offer a surprising variety of styles ranging from fancy dresses and historical costumes to sleepwear and many cute modern casual skirts and jumpers.
Each outfit comes with a full set of accessories: our skirt and top came with a backpack, necklace, and shoes. Prices are very reasonable, and each item is thoughtfully designed and hand made.
So if your daughter's little friend needs to expand her wardrobe a bit, now you know where to look!

Bible Lust

2007-01-10T19:06:00.000-06:00

cross posted from Life in a Shoe

Is it wrong to lust after a Bible? Take a look at this - can you believe it? And the price??? Here it is in leather for just a little more.
No, I don't need it. I love my own Bible, and this 1611 King James Bible would mostly sit on the shelf. But I would love to have it sitting on my shelf. I would love for it to sit right next to the Geneva Bible replica that I'm lusting after. sigh.

The thought of owning a replica of a 1611 King James Bible is especially exciting since we now have in our possession some real pre-1640 pages from the King James Bible. They're beautiful, and we'll be selling these on our Geneva Bible Pages site in the same formats as the pages from the ancient Geneva Bibles.
Yes, I know a little about the real King James and his reasons for commissioning the new Bible version, but it's a beautiful and poetic work based heavily upon the Geneva in the Old Testament and Tyndale's translation for the New Testament. We're making our way through some audio sermons on the history of the English church and the English Bible - facinating stuff!
I especially love the old King James for Psalms, but for daily use we read the New King James. The Reformation Study Bible is what Hubby and I have. No, the footnotes are not inspired and I think they're dead wrong occasionally but I love most of them! This is out of print now and hard to find (try here) but it's available in the English Standard version instead, which is what we bought our two oldest daughters for Christmas.

What version do you read? Why?

CBD coupon: free shipping

2007-01-08T10:09:00.000-06:00

I think this is becoming a CBD blog. Oops - but I love that they have had so many coupons lately. I hope it lasts!
Thanks to Nanette for this one:

free shipping: 252875JF

expires 2/7/07

CBD 10% off

2007-01-05T20:27:00.000-06:00

Updated:
Sorry - my mistake. This expired 1/1/07. awww. I wanted to use it myself!

~~The newest Christian Book coupon code: get 10% off any order. Reuse as often as you like between now and the end of January!~~

CBD 10% off

code: 252935NY

expires ~~1/31~~ 1/1/07

Frugal Blogroll

2006-11-21T17:10:00.000-06:00

update: the Frugal Blogroll now has an official home. Go see it:
Frugal Blogs, home of the Frugal Blogroll

Can you believe it? Did Google and I just miss it or can it really be true that there is no such thing as a Frugal Blogroll?
Well, let's just do something about that!
If your blog focuses on frugal living, finding deals, spending less or getting more for your money, drop me an email at frugal mommy at gmail dot com (no spaces) and join the list!
The fine print:

Your blog must be clean and family-friendly.
Your blog does not need to be explicitly or exclusively about frugality, but must have an obvious bent in that direction. You know who you are, and it will show.
Add the following code to your sidebar and email me for approval. Once I've had a look at your blog I'll add you to the list.

Easy, right?
Here's the code. Just replace the brackets with carats. Did you find them all?

Frugal Blogroll

[div class="sideheader"]Frugal Blogroll[/div][br]
[a href="http://frugalblogs.blogspot.com/2007/05/join-here-get-code.html"]
**join here**
[/a]
[script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://rpc.blogrolling.com/display.php?r=ae7cadbf39b863c96fca9f4c21d0d51e"][/script]

I've taken the liberty of adding a few of my favorite frugal reads to get things rolling.

CBD coupon: free shipping or 10% off

2006-11-18T22:39:00.000-06:00

I just came across a new coupon for Christian Book Distributors: they are offering free shipping on all orders over $25 between now and Dec. 13!

CBD Coupon Code: 248600AN
Exp. 12-13

Don't forget about the 10% off coupon too - it should be good until December 10.

CBD Coupon Code: 219684BK
Exp. 12-10

To get the most out of these coupons:

For orders under $50, use the free shipping code (248600AN) .
From $50-100, shipping is a flat 10% so they will both give you the same discount.
Over $100, shipping charges are only 8% so use the 10% off coupon for the greatest savings (219684BK).

In case you're wondering, you *can't* stack these coupons (can't use them together on the same order). You can, however, use either one in conjunction with a gift certificate.

WFMW: finding discounts on books

2006-11-14T08:43:00.000-06:00

I love to shop online and I hate to pay full price for anything, so here's my procedure for finding a discount on books.
If I'm looking for a common, relatively inexpensive book, I usually only check 2 sites: Ebay and Addall. Addall is a search engine that searches nearly every major bookseller on the internet and brings all the results to you in one neat table, sortable by price and several other factors, with shipping included. You can search new or used books.
I have tried Book Finder, but much prefer Addall's interface. Fast and beautifully simple, Addall saves me time and money.If I find a good deal from a major online seller, I'll also do a quick google search for coupon codes: just type in the name of the seller (amazon, bookcloseouts.com, or CBD, for example) and the word coupon or coupon code.
If I'm looking for a textbook or other fairly expensive book, I also like to try a google search with the title of the book and some helpful words like used or homeschool. This causes google to find and search the myriad of small-to-medium sized message boards and other forums for selling used curricula. You'll be surprised at what you can dig up this way!
If I'm willing to wait for a copy of the book I want at a price I can live with, I will used Ebay's "favorite searches" function: Ebay will email me anytime my desired item appears in an auction.

Of course, it's also nice when you stumble across the Very Title You've Been Wanting in a thrift shop or at a yard sale, but how often does that happen?
How do you find discounts on the titles you want?

Learn what works for others at Rocks In My Dryer every Wednesday!

Spoofee deals

2006-11-12T18:57:00.000-06:00

You may have noticed the Spoofee link in my sidebar. This site is on the short list of Sites That I Check Every Day Without Fail. It has been on that list for years.
Spoofee is a great place to find deals on almost anything: the front page highlights sales, rebates and noteworthy freebies, with complete and easy instructions to help you take advantage of the offers. They often find opportunities to combine offers or "stackable" coupons that can be used together on the same purchase.
Deals may be on electronics, office supplies, clothes, nearly anything!
This, for example, is where I learned about 4-packs of dry erase markers for 99 cents with free shipping. How often do you see a deal like that? I bought 12 packs!
We also bought a very nice office chair and color printer for a total of $89. After selling the brand new chair, we have a nearly free printer.
The Spoofee Free Goods page is the Mail Fairy's primary supplier. Free samples galore!

Why am I telling you this? To spread the fun and joy...oh, and because Spoofee is currently giving away a free bungee rocket to anyone who blogs about the site.
Yes, I've been bought for a bungee. Those things look like fun!

George Sarris: The World's Greatest Stories CDs

2006-11-11T18:38:00.000-06:00

Just buy them. Trust me.

How's that for a review?
Ok, here's a little more detail for you.
Mr. Sarris (whom we have seen perform live: don't miss it if you ever have the chance!) does dramatic recitals of a wide variety of Scripture passages. When he performs live, his only props are his voice, body language and a long scarf. On his CDs, there are a few carefully chosen sound effects.
Mr. Sarris is an old-fashioned master story-teller, bringing to life the dramatic and amazing account of God's miraculous works. He uses the KJV or NIV, word for word. By varying just the speed and inflections of his voice, he can suggest multiple characters - never a silly falsetto.
His voice communicates all the emotions of each situation, helping listeners visualize the action of narrative passages.
One small caveat: like the Bible, there are some sexual situations. You can hear the longing in the voice of Potipher's wife. You can almost hear Judah wiggling his eyebrows when unknowingly propositions his daughter-in-law. But honestly, do you doubt that it happened like that?
Keeping that in mind, I would recommend these CDs for the entire family: our 2yo loves to listen and with the help of Mr. Sarris's expressive voice she can grasp much of the meaning of the KJV. Our 5, 6 and 8yo listen to them constantly. The 9, 11 and 13yo enjoy them.
And since these are Scripture (not just Bible stories for children) they are wonderful for adults as well.

Each CD is about 1 hour long and costs only $7.95. Shipping in free if you buy all 5 (do it! do it!).
And just so you know, I gain nothing by telling you all this - at least, no cash or freebies. I gain only the knowledge that God's Word is being spread ever more.
Well, unless a whole bunch of readers buy a whole bunch of CDs and tell Mr. Sarris that they heard about them here, and Mr. Sarris is overcome with gratitude and sends me a big fat surprise check...nah...but buy them anyway. Really.

Ergo sale

2006-11-11T18:22:00.000-06:00

NewLittleBlessing.com is having a Christmas in November sale!
From November 11-18th, you can save 15-25% on many popular mothering products. Jennifer also offers free shipping on many items - including the Ergo Baby Carrier - which comes with a free instructional DVD as well!

Here's what I think of my Ergo carrier.

BookCloseouts.com coupon

2006-11-08T15:21:00.000-06:00

Just stumbled across this...

$5 off $35 or more:

coupon: ultimatecoupons-5
password: bookcloseouts.com

$10 off $60 or more:

coupon: ultimatecoupons-10
password: bookcloseouts.com

good through 1/31/07

BookCloseouts.com
Need help finding some good stuff? Take a look at the following searches:
Narnia
David McCullough
David Macaulay

Free shipping from Biblical Womanhood

2006-11-07T22:31:00.000-06:00

Crystal is having a 2 day sale: Free Shipping on everything in her store! The clock has already been ticking for a day, so get going!

CBD coupon

2006-11-04T23:34:00.000-06:00

Just found this in the back of my new Homeschooling Enrichment magazine:
10% off any order of $35 or more from CBD.
coupon code: 219684BK
good through December 10, 2006

Enjoy!

Science: The Great Egg Whap!

2006-11-03T15:01:00.000-06:00

This activity demonstrates inertia in a fun, easy and incredibly dramatic way!
The only planning ahead you'll need to do is saving 3 empty toilet paper tubes.
To perform this trick you will need:

3 empty toilet paper tubes
3 drinking glasses of equal height
3 raw eggs
metal pie pan
broom

Setup is as follow:

Fill glasses with water, leaving at least 1" at the top.
Place them in a triangle right at the edge of a table.
Place a metal pie pan on top of the three glasses. Make it close enough to the edge that the pan hangs over the edge of the table.
Stand toilet paper tubes in the pie pan, each one centered directly over a glass.
Balance an egg on the top of each toilet paper tube.

Do you see where you're heading with this yet?

You're almost ready, but you'd better take a few practice swings first:
Stand your broom against the table. Now smash the bristles down flat onto the floor and step on the bristles to hold them in place. The pressure should hold the broom against the table.
Bend the broomstick away from the table and let it fly. If you are doing this right, it should smack the edge of the table.
Notice where it hits the table. Adjust your aim so that it will hit just where the pie pan is hanging over the edge. Make sure your broom has some snap to it when it hits the table.
Gulp.

This might be a good time to do a quick study on interia:

What is inertia?
How does it work?
What will happen if we WHAP the edge of that pie pan with a flying broomstick?
Was it really a good idea to set this up indoors?

You didn't chicken out and set this up outside, did you? If you're really brave, set it up with an audience on your first go 'round.

Now do your thing: Load your broomstick, and let it fly!
What happened?
If you try this, comment and let us know! We did this several times, and ours worked every time until we got overly confident and sloppy in our setup.

Spectrum Math

2006-11-02T12:39:00.000-06:00

We have tried several programs, but our math of choice for the lower grades is Spectrum.

Spectrum is colorful and varied, introducing and covering a broad range of topics. I think it makes an excellent intro to formal schooling for the younger set, with short lessons that can be started with minimal instruction and finished within the constraints of a young person's attention span.

I'm not a big fan of workbooks in most subjects, but I do make an exception for penmanship and the lower levels of math. For a very young child who still writes quite slowly, copying problems onto a separate sheet can be a daunting and discouraging task.

We have used Miquon and I really thought it made the concepts understandable to a child's concrete mind, but it took far more time on my part. In retrospect, it felt rather like teaching a 4yo to read: they can learn, and it's really cute...but is it worth the extra investment of time to teach them now? I have noticed no lasting benefits among those who spent their days with cuissenaire rods and Miquon, nor mathematical deficits in those who did not.
Saxon Math for the lower levels is a wonderful program but also very teacher-intensive.
With Spectrum, even a child who is not yet reading can often decode the instructions in the K book, and instruction time for the others is minimal. New concepts are broken down step by step and demonstrated as simply as possible, with very little text. This is a plus since most of our children have not become proficient readers before 7.
The one fault is a relative lack of drills in basic facts within the pages of daily lessons. These are easily supplemented with flashcards or 101 other ways. Spectrum does provide reproducible drills in each book as well, so even the unimaginative family is not left high and dry.
The clincher is the price: books are less than $10, and answers are in the back- perforated for easy removal if you have concerns. I'm sure there are other programs that do a fantastic job at the lower levels, but why pay more when you have an inexpensive option that does exactly what you want it to do?
We use the Kindergarten level to introduce our young ones to formal table time in school, and continue through the 3rd grade level for those who grasp math easily, and 4th grade for those who need a little more time. At this point, we move on to Saxon Math 54.

Mystery of History

2006-10-26T16:12:00.000-05:00

Although I tend to stay as far as possible from canned curricula, we love Mystery Of History. This fat book by Linda Hobar provides a chronological outline of history from an unabashedly Christian perspective, beginning with Creation and going all the way to the crucifixion of Christ. Mrs. Hobar covers not only Egypt and the Bible lands, but much of the world.
From the CBD product description:

What was happening in China as the Israelites crossed the Red Sea? Who lived in North America at the time that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations? This Bible-centered curriculum interweaves Bible and Old World history to teach your students about God's sovereignty.

We have found this book very easy to use with a wide variety of ages, and the hands-on projects are designed with just that use in mind. The text is fun and chatty and provides a complete lesson for those days (or weeks) when you can't do more, but also provides plenty of ideas and suggestions for projects, discussion, reading, videos, research, etc. for when you do have the time and inclination to delve deeper.
Mystery Of History can be a spine for a deeper, more complete survey of history (and has plenty of suggestions to help you use it that way) or it can be a complete history course in itself.
This course requires little or no prep on my part, and all of our children love it. It is a very nice balance of structure with complete flexibility, essential features for families who are homeschooling a variety of ages at the same time.

Also available:
The Mystery Of History, Volume 2: The Early Church and the Middle Ages

Jonathan Park

2006-10-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

Jonathan Park Creation Audio Library (4 CD Albums) is comprised of 4 albums, each containing 12 stories. You also purchase albums individually on either CD or cassettes.
Here is Vision Forum's complete list.

We love this entire series! It plays like an exciting, old style radio program but is packed full of Creation science and solid Christian teaching. Listeners have fun learning - this is the goal of any educational program, and our children agree that the Jonathan Park series achieves that goal admirably.
The acting is very good, the sound effects are exciting, and the writing is top notch. This is one of those rare forms of entertainment that permits me to suffer morning sickness without guilt:
"Ugh...go listen to a Jonathan Park CD for science today, girls."

The Merchant Maiden

2006-10-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

In The Merchant Maiden: Earning an Income Without Compromising Convictions ($5.95), Crystal Paine shares advice, suggestions, personal testimonies, wisdom, and practical ideas, with plenty of Scripture throughout.
My sisters and I have used many of these ideas to earn income for ourselves in the past, and I hope to encourage my daughters to use more of them!
More than just business ideas, this book provides lots of tips on actually getting your idea off the ground, from planning and marketing to investigating the laws regulating your business and much more.
Drawn from Crystal's own personal experience, this booklet really can be a help for any woman who desires to earn an income while still being a "keeper at home." 25 pages.
Be sure to have a look at Crystal's many other inexpensive ebooks while you are there. Titles include:

Simply Centsible Breakfasts (Only 4.97!)

Simply Centsible Suppers (Only $4.97!)

Menu Planning Made Easy!(Only $5.97!)

Thriving on One Income (Only $7.97!)

The Bread by Hand eBook (Only $4.97!)

Momma's Guide to Growing Your Groceries (Only $7.97!)

HomeGrown Business (Only $15.97!)

How to Start Your Own Business eCourse(Only $15.97!)

Learn to sing Psalms in 4 parts

2006-10-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

We have these and love them, and can't wait for the delightful Serven family to produce more in the series!
O Sing a New Psalm and Songs of the Remnant each contain 10 Psalms sung 5 different ways: each of the 4 parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) are sung individually, then followed by all 4 together.
They sing all the verses as written in the Book of Psalms for Singing, and there is no instrumental music to confuse your ear as you learn.
One thing I really love about these CDs - and they don't mention this on the site - is that as you listen to each single part, you can hear the other 3 very faintly. This is, I assume, an unobtrusive way to familiarize you with the way that the parts blend and harmonize.
If your family aspires to learn to sing in parts, this is a wonderful way to get started!

CBD free shipping through 10/29

2006-10-19T12:31:00.000-05:00

It's about time: CBD finally has a coupon for free shipping on orders over $35! I love it when they do this!
Just enter the coupon code 238041KE with your order, and do it before October 29. That's a week from Sunday.
If you go through one of my links I'll get a 10% kickback and I'll be your best friend. :) Thank you to those who have done so in the past!
Here are some of the items that have been ordered several times through my links recently:

COMPLETE KJV BIBLE ON 62 CDS - OT narrated by Alexander Scourby and NT by James Earl Jones. Our 4yo and 6yo are currently listening to 30 minutes/day while the rest of us read our Bibles.

REFLECTIONS 3 CD SET
SING UNTO THE LORD CD

Hmm...we don't have either of these. Does anyone want to speak up with a review?

HOW SWEET THE SOUND 50 Violin Hymns 3 CD SET - I bought this when our daughters got their violins.

CELTIC HYMNS 3 CD SET - we have listened to this over and over. Can't get enough! Oh, and speaking of Celtic hymns, remember this?

50 OLD TIME SOUTHERN A CAPELLA QUARTET FAVORITES 3 CD SET - we're listening to this one right now.

See some of our past recommendations here, here and here. If you're looking for homeschooling items, CBD offers discounts on almost anything you want. You can use the search box on my sidebar to find what you're looking for.

By the way, I don't think I get paid for telling you this, but if you don't already have a CBD membership, consider adding it to your next order. There are many benefits, but here's the one I love:
You may have noticed that prices for any particular item can vary from one catalog to the next; for $5/year, they will automatically give you the lowest available price on every item you buy. If you place at least two orders/year a membership will probably be worthwhile for you!

Ergo baby carrier

2006-10-17T08:36:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all your input on my baby carrier question. I ordered and received my Ergo a while back, and I'm ready to tell you what I think of it.
In a nutshell, I really like my Ergo. Not quite love, but really, really like it. It is easy to use, easy to adjust, very comfortable and durable. The only things that I wish were different is less padding (I live in a very warm climate) and I wish the baby could face outward in front, though I suspect that wouldn't be as healthy for the baby's spine.
The built-in storage pouch has plenty of room for the basic essentials: checkbook, a diaper or two, small package of wipes, cell phone.
The sleep hood easily adjusts from our 3 month old baby to our 2yo, with plenty of room for a still bigger child.
The carrier itself was very intuitive: it came with no video, no written instructions, and yet I had it on for the first time in less than a minute. I was easily able to figure out the front carry for our baby and the back carry for our toddler. I'm less than thrilled with the hip carry, but maybe that's just not my thing.
My infant and toddler both love it, and both fell asleep 10 minutes into their first ride. The sleep hood worked very well for both of them, though I needed help getting it onto the toddler since she rode on my back.
Incidentally, I had no trouble using it without the newborn insert when our son was 2 months old. He rode comfortably and securely, with plenty of support. Your own experience may be different, but I'm glad I tried it without the additional $26 expense.
It's a snap to "load" and "unload" by yourself, front and back. Adjustments are just as easy.
It really does put the weight of the child on your hips rather than back or shoulders. I had some bad habits from other carriers, but once I learned to relax my shoulders and let the carrier do its job I found that I could carry our toddler with no strain at all.
I do wish I could crumple it up really small and cram it in my diaper bag for easy portability, but that's not happening. As it is, it folds up rather compactly and would probably fit in the top of my diaper bag if I remember to leave room for it.
Other than my three small complaints (no forward-facing front carry option; a bit too much padding; and not terribly compact), I pretty much love it. I think it was well worth the expense and although I haven't tried every carrier out there, I'm inclined to believe those who say it's the best.
To sum it up:
Pros

intuitive
easy load and unload w/o help
front and back carry
roomy built-in pouch
durable
ergonomic and comfortable

Cons

expensive (but worth it, if you can swing the cost)
no forward-facing front carry (although you can try it; I did)
a little sweaty in hot climates
rather bulky

If you're ready to buy, My Favorite Baby Carrier occasionally has some returned Ergo baby carriers for sale at the discounted price of $78 with free shipping. They also offer many of the accessories at a discount. This is where I bought my Ergo.
These are items that were returned within the 90 day guarantee period, so they are practically new. They come with the same 90 day money back trial period, and returns are few and far between.
If I had paid full price, I would have ordered from Nurtured Family, which is run by a homeschooling family (how cool is that?!). They have the Ergo for just $92 with free shipping. I have already been in contact with them and feel a little bad now for not buying from them, but they just couldn't beat the price I found on returned items.

Hubby found me a Baby Bjorn at the Goodwill, so I have been able to compare the two. The Baby Bjorn does allow the forward-facing front carry and it was also pretty easy to figure out. It shares many of the advantages of the Ergo with a lower price tag, but I think it would become a strain with a heavier baby. It also shares 2 of the disadvantages: it's even warmer and less compact than the Ergo. It has no built-in storage pouch.
I can see why many people love it, but I'm sticking with my Ergo.
I am still curious about the Mei Tai and something else very similar to the Ergo - I can't find the name of it now, but it sounds something like Paduman Baby, and I thinks it is from the UK. Does that ring a bell for anyone? It sounds very much like the Ergo but with less padding and cheaper.
Why didn't I bookmark the site? (smacking myself in the forehead)

update: the other carrier is a Patapum. Thanks to Nicole for the name!

Times Tales

2006-10-12T14:19:00.000-05:00

Times Tales is fun little system helps children associate a simple story with each of the upper multiplication facts. Covering from 6x6 to 9x9, it uses uncluttered illustrations and just a few lines of text to link the factors to the product.
The style is reminiscent of Bob Books, and like Bob Books, the method is a little bit silly. As with all ingenious ideas, the author has done a fantastic job of keeping it all deceptively simple: just 4 characters and 10 illustrations.
Each story is only 1 sentence long. Basically, you introduce the child to the 4 characters, each of whom bears a remarkable resemblance to one of the numbers 6-9. Then you read the stories one at a time, taking a few minutes to discuss, repeat and reinforce the details. As you move through each step of the program, the story elements are incrementally peeled away until only the math fact is remaining.
To an adult mind it may seem like more work to learn the characters and stories than to just memorize the facts, but I don't think children would agree. Our fidgety 6yo learned all of the stories and characters in one sitting, and within 3 practice sessions she has learned all of the upper multiplication facts.
Never mind that she is just beginning to add; the facts are stored away for future reference because the system was so fun she wanted to learn and practice. Times Tales was far easier and more enjoyable than drills and practice sheets, and I suspect she will retain them for far longer.
If that doesn't convince you, then consider that our just-turned-5yo is learning them almost as quickly, and she's not even beginning to add yet. She thinks that division is even more fun.
The Times Tales program includes a sturdy spiral bound book of card stock pages; simple instructions and teaching tips; perforated flashcards with a unique twist of their own; games for reinforcement; and tests for those who want to record progress.
I just have to mention how much I love that the number 8 is represented by a snowman. This reminds me of our own memory trigger when our skinny Lydia was struggling to remember the numbers 8, 9 and 10:

Eight looks like a snowman.
Nine looks like a "g."
Ten looks like a fat man
Standing next to me.

This is a fun approach that our kids love. Since it involves seeing, hearing, and saying stories, and concrete characters and events with to associate each multiplication fact, it seems to appeal equally to all 3 basic types of learners: visual, auditory and kinesthetic.

It's easy enough that I (The Hater of Canned Curricula) wasn't at all put off by it, and my 5yo and 6yo begged to "play" it. The 8 and 9yo picked up on the concepts as well, using the stories to remind them of the particular facts that they have trouble with. Even the 2yo knows the number 9 character by name.

We really enjoyed reviewing Times Tales, and it has definitely found a place in our home for the next several children.

Picks from the latest CBD catalogs

2006-10-12T14:12:00.000-05:00

I love CBD! Not only do they carry great stuff at great prices, but they give me a nice little kickback when I can convince others to buy their goodies. :)If you like CBD and you like me, you can always use the search box in the sidebar to find items.
Now that everybody knows that, I've got to share a few great deals in the latest CBD catalogs:

The Chronicles of Narnia, Limited Edition: Focus on the Family Radio Theatre - Audiodrama on CD by C.S. Lewis Retail Price: $49.97 CBD Catalog Price: $34.99
We have and love this! 19 fully dramatized CDs cover all 7 books using faithful readings of the text, only ever-so-slightly abridged and not at all revised. This is a great price on one of the best Christian allegorical series ever written!
The Princess and the Kiss Hardcover Retail Price: $12.99 CBD Catalog Price: $9.99 (matching color book: $1.50)
We have this book and really like the underlying message: purity isn't just about sex. It's about saving your heart for your future husband. Directed at young girls, the subject is the preciousness of a Kiss, but I like what I see in this story when I read between the lines.
Armor of God Board Game Retail Price: $13.99 CBD Catalog Price: $9.99
The girls received this as a Christmas gift from my grandparents, and they have really enjoyed it. It's simple enough for ages 4 and up, but it really makes them think about the applications of Scripture in our day-to-day lives.
NKJV hardcover Bible - everyone needs plenty of these, and this is our version of choice. The price is unbeatable, and the hardcover is perfect for a home with lots of children. This one is black, but they also have burgundy and navy.

A few items that we don't have yet, but would love to buy:

Creation Globes - a simple, inexpensive nesting toy to teach the days of creation
Mystery Museum - looks like a variation on the ever popular board game, Clue.
Bible Trivia - the sample questions look challenging enough to make you think, but not impossibly obscure. There is also a version for younger children.
Colorwash Bible Covers - these are too cute! Kids can color them, wash them and color again. And I love the saying: I'm a princess; my Father is the King of kings. There is also a Noah's Ark version.
Celtic Lullabies on CD - need I say more?

If anyone has any of these items, I would love to hear about them. Are they as good as they sound?

CBD music picks

2006-08-15T18:36:00.000-05:00

Check out Christian Book Distributor's selection of 3-CD sets - most are $6.99!
Here are some we have and love:

Sing Unto The Lord: The Psalms of David for Daily Living, 3-CD Set - our very favorite, played nearly every day in our house
Bluegrass Gospel Highway: 36 Bluegrass Songs of Faith - playing this very moment
Celtic Hymns - hubby thanked me and immediately confiscated this set, so I can only assume it's good

Here's what I hope to order soon:

Simple Gifts: 50 Beautiful Mandolin Favorites - for my 12yo sister who is learning to play the mandolin and has a birthday coming up
How Sweet the Sound: 50 Violin Hymns - for our 4 young violin players...and this old violin player too!
50 Old-Time Southern Gospel A Cappella Quartet Favorites - for our all of us as we try to learn to sing in harmony

Christian Book Distributors

2006-08-15T17:27:00.001-05:00

Wanna save a little money and give me some too? Who wouldn't, right?
Try out the CBD search box on my sidebar or go straight there, and I just might score a 10% kickback on anything you spend. Keep in mind, they're a little finicky about giving credit; you have to finish your order within 45 minutes, and you can't leave then return to the site unless you come back through one of my links.
Need help getting started? Here are a few of our favorites:

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible--with CD-ROM - our most-used reference book. I'm always shocked at how inexpensive this is for such a hefty hardback. Everyone should have one of these!
Spectrum Math - an inexpensive workbook to help cover the basics and get the Littles ready for Saxon Math 54. We use this for K-3 or 4, depending upon the child's aptitude for math.
Mad Libs - a fun way to learn the basic parts of speech!
Saxon Math - our math curriculum of choice, once the children have learned the 4 basic operations (I have to admit, I have never bought this new; we always find ours used!)
Mystery of History- a chronological overview of history from Creation to Christ, tying the major cultures and events of early history into what was happening in the Bible at each point. Easy to use with a variety of ages!
Go To The Ant, Compact Disc [CD] - a current favorite with the children!
Sing Unto The Lord: The Psalms of David for Daily Living, 3-CD Set - a great deal, and a longtime favorite with Mom and the kids!

Charlie's Soap

2006-08-15T17:08:00.000-05:00

Just in case you missed my blogad, be sure to check out Charlie's Soap. I scored a free sample of the laundry powder as a perk of hosting the ad, and Hubby and I are very impressed!
We have very hard water, and saw 3 differences right away:

The detergent dispenser is shiny clean - all the built-up goop disappeared with the very first use of Charlie's soap.
Our dingy old whites (which get dingier every time we wash in our very hard water) are visibly whiter after just one wash.
This excited me the most: the persistant sour smell in my dishcloths and heavily used bath towels is gone. Even bleach wasn't making them smell truly fresh; it just covered the odor until they got wet, then they smelled ready-for-a-wash again. Does anyone else have this problem? For the first time since they were nearly new, they smell truly clean.

It's everything they say it is, and it really only takes 1 Tbs. per load - we even skimped a bit since we have a high-efficiency front-loader.
We also have a sample of the All Purpose Cleaner to try out, so look for a review in the near future. Needless to say, I have high hopes for this one as well!
They have several other products as well - I'm sold on the one I've tried, and will definitely be trying others in the future.

If you decide to try it out (and I hope you do), please tell them where you heard about it. They have a very generous referral program: I get a free box for each new customer I send their way.

And the fact that I'm panhandling for Charlie's Soap rather than cash just proves that it's good stuff, right?

Leap Frog videos

2006-08-15T16:45:00.000-05:00

Our 4 and 6 year olds have been devouring the Leap Frog videos lately: viewing thirty minutes of cheesy Saturday-morning quality animation on Letter Factory, they learned all the sounds of the letters effortlessly in the space of about 2 weeks. That's with no effort on my part or theirs. The 19mo watches too, imitating the sounds of the letters. I feel like a bad mother, but it sure keeps them occupied during school time for the older ones, and they are actually learning at the same time!
Once they thoroughly knew the sounds of the letters, they watched more cheesy Saturday-morning quality animation on Talking Words Factory, and learned to put the letters together into simple 3 or 4 letter words. While I'm explaining the finer points of Saxon Math 54 and Math 76 to the four older children, Natalie and Becca run for paper and pencil and feverishly copy words, pausing the dvd player as necessary. The 19mo watches carefully, mimicking her big sisters' interests and actions. Later, they read what they wrote and compare notes. This is all their idea.
Now, we're eagerly anticipating the arrival of:

Talking Words Factory 2 - Code Word Caper (introduces long vowels)
Learn to Read at the Storybook Factory (sentences and basic punctuation)
Math Circus (counting to 20 and simple addition/subtraction)

Lest you think I am content to reside in Bad Mother Land, we have also started some regular one-on-one reading and math lessons. These lessons, when done cheerfully and diligently, usually end with a reward: they get to watch a Leap Frog video.

Home Management Binder

2006-08-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

I haven't written a book report in many years - I feel like I'm back in school when I say the words book report.
But I mentioned a little while back that Hubby bought me Candy's Home Management Binder for Christmas. I've had time to read and ruminate, and here's a brief synopsis of what Candy has done for us as she walks each of us, section by section, through the designing of our own Home Management Binder.
First, she gives a simple plan for designing our own Master Schedule. This is your own daily plan, hour by hour. It can be just for you, or it can include each member of the house. Candy's ideas for laying it out are neat and orderly, with suggestions for prioritizing and fitting in those lower-on-the-list items that we really want to do but often don't make time for.
She also recommends a back-up plan for the days that your schedule just won't work. She has suggestions for working with your schedule, around your schedule, and outside your schedule. To put it simply, she helps you understand how your schedule works for you so you and your family don't become slaves to the schedule.
Next, Candy helps with menu planning and grocery shopping. Again, she provides examples that might inspire but also gives plenty of useful tips in building your own menus and lists so that you're not reduced to copying hers.
Although I won't be using her personal methods and schedule for cleaning the house (we have far more traffic and could never get away with vacuuming less than daily!) I thought her section on cleaning was the meatiest and most helpful. Maybe that means this is where I need the most help...hmmm.
She presents several different approaches to complete housekeeping and gives her own cleaning schedule as an example. It is inspiring, and I can't wait to begin implementing many of her ideas in this area!
Now she continues through several other sections which may or may not apply to your individual household: homeschooling, vaccination, hobbies, recipes, etc.
Sprinkled throughout are encouraging words, examples, letters from other users, recipes, suggestions, helpful links, and more. There are many blank forms to help you get started as well.
Candy has provided some great organizational help here. It looks deceptively simple, so that reading it, I found myself thinking "I can do this. I already knew most of this." But she has laid it out in such a neat and orderly fashion that it's not an overwhelming task to start doing things in a new way.
For a newer or less experienced housewife (I'm not exactly a beginner at this wife-and-mom stuff, although we're always learning) I think this would be a fantastic learning aid.
If my description just isn't doing it for you, take a look at the many examples online that other users have posted. You can find them in the left sidebar on Candy's blog.
She has built a very neat and functional wheel. If you're thinking you might need one, don't reinvent it yourself. Consider buying one from Candy.

Pilgrim's Progress

2006-08-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Today, the children are listening to The Pilgrim's Progress, a gift from my grandparents. They enjoy the story very much, but find it infinitely amusing that anyone would:

doubt the impending doom of a city called "The City of Destruction."
consider working as a servant for a man who promises to treat him well - a man who hails from "The City of Deceit."
assume that he was on the right path just because a man named "Vain Confidence" assures him.
follow a creepy stranger with a wheezy voice and a malicious chuckle who claims to know the way.

I have to say, though, I am tickled at the way they're devouring the story. They're on the last of 5 CDs, and will doubtless want to start over soon. No attention span problems in this house...at least, not with the children. Maybe I should listen in on the story.

Bible time for little ones

2006-08-15T13:42:00.000-05:00

I received the following question from a reader:

I just started "Bible time" with my oldest (she is a toddler), meaning that I ask her to quietly sit in a spot at home with her Bible storybook and have time with God. I know she cannot comprehend much, but she is learning Scripture as we teach, and she knows she can pray to God anytime. I'm so excited about teaching her this wonderful time of her day! I'm getting her a little "lap desk" of her own and hope to get a special chair just for this time....Do you have any suggestions to things I can gradually incorporate into this time for her (and my other kids in the future)? She is a bit too young to get into audio stories, but any audio suggestions?

We are very leary of children's "Bibles" and Bible story books, as so many have uninspired details added. I think when we teach our children that the Bible is the Perfect, Infallible, Inspired Word of God, we need to avoid any confusion in their young minds by adding the uninspired words of men.
This is why we love the Children's Bible by Golden Press. The illustrations are beautiful and reverent, and it includes far more than the standard 50-odd stories; I believe it has nearly every narrative portion of the Bible. The language is very faithful to the text of the scriptures, only slightly simplified. I encourage our little ones to peruse the book, and let them choose selections for me (or an older child) to read to them.
If you're looking specifically for audio, you might want to take a look at Thy Word Creations. This is a set of word-for-word scripture memory songs sung by children, accompanied by books that illustrate the passage page by page. Selections include Isaiah 53, I Corinthians 13, Psalm 23, Psalm 91, Psalm 139, The Lord's Prayer, The Beatitudes, The Ten Commandments, and The Temptations of Jesus.
I would also encourage you to let your daughter see you having your time with God while she does so. It's a wonderful habit to start your day with scripture, but if our children are still asleep then seeing us spend time with God doesn't become a normal part of their day. I fall terribly short, but I want my children to SEE me read my Bible daily. They learn so much by our example!
I would love to see others' answers to the question above - please jump in if you have suggestions to share!

Geography games online

2006-08-15T13:36:00.000-05:00

Just in case you don't already spend enough time in front of the computer, Barbara posted a link to a game called Place The States on her blog, Count It All Joy.
The US geography game is fast, fun and truly educational, but don't forget to check out the plethora of other online games at this site:

Music

2006-08-15T13:27:00.000-05:00

We sing Scripture songs throughout the day, and listen to songs of Scripture on CD. Some favorites:

Go To the Ant by Judy Rogers
Sing A New Psalm by the Serven family
Sing Unto the Lord: the Psalms of David for Daily Living

The girls are awakened nearly every morning by their father joyfully belting out, at the top of his lungs, "Arise my Soul, arise! Shake off thy guilty fears!..." He is especially joyful if he can purposely make his voice crack at the word, "guilty." This is a family tradition which the more mischievous children are already imitating, much to the chagrin of their sleepier sisters. Someday the sleepers will also see the joy in this.

The Best of Father Brown

2006-08-15T00:28:00.000-05:00

Hooray for me! I finished a book!
Actually, I've been finding more time lately to read the 15 or 20 books that live next to my bed. But narrowing it down enough to finish one is an event worthy of trumpets and a parade. And I've finished several in recent months!
Thanks to Sherry's great and timely idea, I'll be posting a book review once each week from now until...well, until my time or attention span run out. That might not take long, so let's enjoy it while it lasts, OK?
In spite of the fact that I was an extremely avid reader in my younger (read: childless) years, this was my first G. K. Chesterton book. I have run into many of his quotes and all were worth quoting, so I finally decided to make the plunge.
I visited the local Half Price Bookstore hoping to find something worthwhile by the man - hopefully a Father Brown collection - and found just one book by Chesterton. Ah, but it was the very book I had hoped for: The Best of Father Brown!
Father Brown is a mousy little Roman Catholic priest, an accidental detective who solves baffling mysteries like a small and humble Sherlock Holmes: by observing and stating details that seem obvious to him and shockingly insightful to onlookers.
A large part of the charm of this collection is in the main character's observations upon human nature. Chesterton is, indeed, eminently quotable.
In reading this book, I remembered why I enjoy short stories so much: they are perfect for a busy mother, with just small reading allowances in a day's time. I can take in all the characters and plot in one or two sittings. There is little danger of setting the book down and having to start over again the next time.
Furthermore, short stories are an art far less forgiving of the author. In a well written short story, there is no "filler," no superfluous details, no meaningless banter and stilted dialogue. A well crafted short story must be well crafted indeed.
I think Chesterton accomplished those ends in the selections presented in this book. It was a thoroughly enjoyable introduction to his work.Hubby later found the following titles for me to add to our little collection:

(The Annotated) Innocence of Father Brown - the first Father Brown collection. I have made good progress into this volume and am enjoying it quite as thoroughly as the other.
The Club of Queer Trades - more humorous mysteries in the style of Father Brown. My edition has original illustrations by the author.

My girl Megan has also posted about a book she read recently - the post was typed by me but entirely dictated by her. Not bad for an 8yo's first book report (says Proud Mama).

And for more on books, Kaitlyn posted some excerpts from one of her favorite silly books.

Author:
Title:
Keyword:

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