TOS Review: CapJaxMathFax

We got our standardized test scores back for this year, and let's just say they were, um, less than desirable on the Math side!  I wouldn't say my children struggle with Math.  They understand the concepts and get fairly good grades on their Math work.  While they excel on the Language Arts side, however, they just don't like Math.  In fact, they strongly dislike Math!  Since Math was my favorite subject and my husband has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Penn State, which included at least three years of Calculus, I guess we just thought we'd hand some Math-loving genes down to our kids.  I guess it skipped a generation!

In trying to figure out where I was going wrong in my teaching of the dreaded subject, I realized that my kids do understand the concepts and they are capable of solving the problems when they apply themselves.  Because they do not like Math, however, it has been a struggle for me to get them to drill their Math facts regularly, and I have dropped the ball on that this year, as we were trying to accomplish many other things.  The solution to our problem is that my kids need to drill, drill, drill on their Math facts, and I need to find a way to make that palatable.

Obviously, when an opportunity to review CapJaxMathFax came up, I jumped on it!

CapJaxMathFax is a subscription download to your computer, which works on Mac or PC.  Your child may drill on Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, or Division facts for a rating, or practice a combination of the drills.  The score is higher the faster you answer the problems, and when you have received 1000 points in that operation, you have mastered it.  This is a simple, straight-forward way to drill Math facts on the computer.  It does not use games that can distract your child, but it does use bright colors and instant feedback that will encourage your child to continue to improve and increase speed.

The Product:  CapJaxMathFax, a downloadable computer program (also available on CD)

Where to find it:  CapJaxMathFax website

Ages:  Elementary school levels - or any age that could use some practice on their Math skills!

Price:  $29.95 (small additional charge for CD)

Pros:  Excellent Math drilling practice without the distraction of games

Cons:  Although the program was relatively simple once we got going, the log-in and setup stage was not terribly user-friendly, and it took me a while to figure it all out.

My children have already improved in drilling their Math facts using CapJaxMathFax for a short time.  I would recommend this inexpensive program for anyone who needs some extra practice with Math drills.

To see what my crewmates thought of CapJaxMathFax, see the Homeschool Crew Blog.

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of CapJaxMathFax for the purpose of a fair review.  No other compensation was given, and all opinions are my own.

"Garden Club" by Dandelion Dust Designs/FREEBIE

Are you all out planting your gardens in this beautiful weather?  My mother plants GORGEOUS gardens, but I'm more of a let-me-stay-inside-and-scrap-pictures-of-gardens-and-flowers kind of girl.  Whichever you are, Dandelion Dust Designs just released "Garden Club" just for you!

You can pick the whole lovely kit up at ScrapDelicious.

The Quickpages are up now!  Click on images to download from Mediafire.  PU only.

Happy Scrapping!  :)

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of the "Garden Club" kit in exchange for layouts.  No other compensation was given, and all opinions are my own.

Bouncing Beach Balls Freebie Papers

I have realized something about myself.  I love bright colors.  When I used to be a quieter, more reserved person, I liked pastels.  I hope that doesn't mean I'm too loud and obnoxious now, but I find that I just get bored if I scrap too long with light or neutral shades.  I have some nice family heritage books that I have been working on with vintage and sepia tones, but after a while I just have to throw some red in there.  I am drawn to the brightest kits in any scrap-booking shoppe.

My favorite kit and color palette from the Stuff to Scrap blog trains/road trips that I've been doing for the past year or so was the beautiful, bright Bouncing Beach Balls train from last June.  I could use those matching kits for all my summer photos!  So, of course, I had to try the color palette in my new toy, the Repper Pro software.

The blog train is a year old, but if you enjoyed the colors as much as I did, click on the image below to download a whole new set of papers on the Bouncing Beach Balls color palette.  If you didn't get a chance to collect that kit, you can still download my portion from the June 2011 blogpost.  And great minds must think alike, because just before I posted this, I saw that Adriana's Cafe is offering the kit that she expanded after the blog train last year, on sale this week, and her CT has posted a few freebies!

Here are the papers.  PU/S4H/S4O.

Happy Scrapping!  :)

Kaleidoscope Free Papers

Hello, friends!  I did not post anything on Mother's Day, but I hope you had a happy one!  I cried over the pickles I pulled out of the fridge because I realized they were the last food I have that my grandmother made, and this was our first Mother's Day without her, but after I dealt with that emotional episode, my Mother's Day was lovely.  I, for one, do not leave such things to chance.  My 10-year-old loves to cook, and to make it easy for her (even though she does sometimes make recipes from scratch), I went out ahead of time and got her a kit for making a roast in the crockpot.  It was in the refrigerated meat section of the grocery store, and it had trimmed meat, chopped veggies, and seasoning all ready to just throw in the crockpot.  So she proudly cooked our Mother's Day dinner and made cookies that said "I Love Mom," and we had some friends over after church.

In addition, I bookmarked the scrapbooking pattern-making software I wanted and pointed it out to my husband several times.  He makes fun of me for making such "subtle" hints to make sure he knows what I want, but the funny thing is, I tried to get this software for Christmas and he didn't pick up on any of the hints.  So evidently the hammer with which I was hitting him over the head was a bit too subtle!  He got it this time, though, and I have been LOVING playing with my new Repper Pro!  So much so that you may get a few free paper downloads over the next little bit if you keep checking back with me!

Here are my first papers, made with the sample images in the program.  I love the bright colors and the kaleidoscope look.  I can't wait to use these in a scrapbook and print them out!  :)  I think my girls might have their eye on them for some homeschool notebooks as well!

Click on image to download from MediaFire.  PU/S4H/S4O.

Happy Scrapping!  :)

TOS Review: Judah Bible Curriculum

We homeschool for many reasons, not the least of which is that God and the Bible have been almost completely taken out of many public schools.  Is that a problem just because we want our children to learn about the Bible, or is it more foundational than that?  Do we teach Bible as one of many subjects in our homeschool, or do we teach all of our subjects according to how they relate to the Bible and our faith?  This is a personal decision each of us must make for our family.

The goal of the Judah Bible Curriculum is to help you produce Godly character in yourself and your students by making the Bible the centerpiece of a Christian education.  It uses the Principle Approach, which is defined by The Foundation For American Christian Education (FACE) as:

"reflective teaching and learning.” It is America’s historic method of Biblical reasoning which places the Truths (or principles) of God’s Word at the heart of education. Each subject is predicated upon God’s Biblical principles and students are taught to think and reason from principles and leading ideas using The Notebook Method to Research, Reason, Relate and Record.

The Judah Bible Curriculum does not use a specific curriculum or textbook, but gives guidelines and examples.  The only textbook is the Bible.  The plan is that you will study the whole Bible with your students (key events and stories, not every prophecy and genealogy) once each year for five years, studying five key themes running through the Scriptures.  Each year you will focus on a different theme while studying the same Scriptures.  You may do this with multiple grades all together, and older children will of course generally understand more and go into deeper discussion of the themes.  Each child may keep a notebook at his or her own level.  The reading and discussion begins as teacher-led, but the system gradually teaches children to think and study and research on their own.

For this review, I received a downloadable JBC Manual, a downloadable book of Notebooking Ideas, and eight Audio Lectures in mp3 form.  The Lectures are more for the teacher than for the student.  If you have not done this kind of teaching or studied the Bible much yourself, you may find these very helpful.  If you have done Bible study and teaching for years, you may find that you already know most of this information, and the lectures are a bit dry.  Use or don't use them in as much as they are helpful to you.  The Notebooking Ideas are geared toward elementary students who aren't quite ready for the Key Sheets given on the website and in the manual, and they contain some very helpful ideas.  The JBC Manual is the general outline for the course.  It contains outlines on what to cover each week and explains the method of The Principle Approach.  It discusses concepts like Christian Self-Government and true Liberty as opposed to Anarchy.  It goes through each of the themes, how to teach them, what questions to ask, Scripture Memory verses to use, how to fill out the Key Sheets, and how to apply what we have learned.  It gives historical context for the sections and some outside resources.  You could work your history and other subjects right into this curriculum.

What it is:  Judah Bible Curriculum, hard copy or download

Where to get it:  http://judahbible.com (to purchase click here)

Price:  $69 hard copy (plus $5 S&H); $44 download

Ages:  All ages

There are pros and cons to the Judah Bible Curriculum.  Overall, I do like it.  I love the whole idea of The Principle Approach, of building Godly character in students, and of teaching them how to study the Bible rather than just having them fill in a bunch of blanks.  The outlines, Key Sheets, and other helps offer good direction for this type of study.  The price is fantastic - a 5-year study for all of your kids together for only $44!  I like the fact that the curriculum does not require one particular Bible translation or push any specific denominational doctrine.  The program does work well for several ages studying together.  Here is my 6-year-old reading out loud out of his own "Bible" (Bible storybook), while the other kids have their Bibles.  He was very proud to be part of the discussion!

The cons are that the program is very time-consuming and requires a great deal of teacher preparation.  Some parts are difficult to understand and not user-friendly.  I will probably continue to use this program as a supplement for a while, but I do not know that we will do the whole 5-year-plan.

If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to help you work through the entire Bible with your children and to use this as the foundation for all your coursework, the Judah Bible Curriculum may be just what you are looking for.  If you are not looking for something not quite so comprehensive, you may still find that this is a fair price for the help you would get from the outlines and notebooking helps that are included.

To see what my fellow Crew members thought of The Judah Bible Curriculum, click here.

Disclaimer:  I received a free download of the Judah Bible Curriculum in exchange for a fair review.  All opinions are my own, and no other compensation was received.

The Parental Rights Amendment is Being Introduced!

The Parental Rights Amendment Is Being Introduced!
Time to Call Congress!

I have never wanted to get involved or enjoyed being involved in politics, beyond my once-4th-yearly vote for President. Nor did I have any intention of blogging about politics.  I have become convinced, however, that if we want to preserve our rights and protect our children, we must become involved like never before. It just took me all of 5 minutes to call my Rep and two Senators about co-sponsoring this Amendment. This isn't about Republicans vs Democrats or Christians vs other religions - it's about not letting the preferences of other countries supersede our own rights and Constitution. Please take 5 minutes and CALL NOW!!!  (Or at least sign the petition if you have not done so.)

http://www.parentalrights.org/

Parentalrights.org - Protecting Children by Empowering Parents

www.parentalrights.org

Protecting Children by Empowering Parents through the Parental Rights Amendment

Happy Mother's Day! (freebie!)

Hello, Ladies (and if any men are reading this, maybe you'll pick up on a hint or two)!  Have you all been leaving "subtle" hints for your families about what you would like for Mother's Day?  You know, like the sales paper or catalogue with that perfect gift circled, a coupon lying next to it, and the words, "This would make a good Mother's Day gift?"  I know, it's almost too subtle, like we expect them to read our minds or something.  Sometimes my husband picks up on the hints and sometimes he doesn't!!!

Well, we have a gift for you today!  Dandelion Dust Designs just released "My Mom" over at ScrapDelicious.  You can pick it up today and have time to make a lovely page or card for your mom before Mother's Day, or print some pieces out and give them to your kids to make cards!  And of course, there are a couple of FREE quickpages at the bottom of this post to help you out!

Here is my beautiful mother.  She's the lovely one on the right, not the one with the shaved head on the left!  :)

I am loving the laced-up ribbons in the last few kits!  You can pick this kit up exclusively at ScrapDelicious.

And here are your QPs.  Click on images to download from Mediafire.  PU only.

Happy Mother's Day!  :)

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of the "My Mom" kit in exchange for layouts made with the kit.

Reflections on LIFE

I didn't get a chance to post anything around Right To Life Sunday back in January, but any time is a good time to talk about life.  Below is an article from The Christian Standard magazine on May 29, 1994.  Here is the text:

Decisions That Make a Difference

by Charles A. McNeely

The voice on the phone took me by surprise.  "Are you Charles McNeely from Lincoln, Illinois?"  She sounded young and vivacious, with just a hint of apprehension.

  "Yes," I answered.  "May I help you?"
  "Did you by any chance help place a baby for adoption in Iowa City in 1973?"
  "Yes," I replied cautiously, slowly pulling a kitchen chair over for support.  "Why do you ask?"
  "My name is Susan Andrews* and I was born on January 8, 1973.*  I am wanting to contact my birth mother and I was told you might be able to help me.  Could I have been that baby?"
  My heart beat faster.  "Tell me what you've been told."
  As I listened to her story unfold, long forgotten but vivid memories flooded my mind, like a series of pictures flashing on a screen.  Then I thought, "She's the one!  I don't believe it, but it all connects.  She was the baby!"
  Our conversation continued for another half hour, followed by five days of numerous phone calls and intense searching for Christy, the woman who, as a seventeen-year-old member of our youth group, gave birth to Susan.
  When I called her back with the welcome news that Christy was eager to hear from her, Susan said she was excited, nervous, and scared.  I told her that Christy cried with unsuppressed joy and unresolved guilt.  She said not a day had gone by in twenty-one years that she had not prayed to see her daughter again.
  I recall several comments Susan made then and during the earlier conversation, but one statement will be forever etched in my memory.  It was something she said in the first phone call.  Her bubbly and energetic voice suddenly became very serious and soft-spoken.  She asked about the circumstances surrounding her birth and adoption. 

Don't Make Two Mistakes

  I explained that she was conceived out of wedlock, that her birth father refused all responsibility, that Christy's parents were extremely upset and her family physician had recommended abortion.  I summarized my very first talk with Christy, in which I cited several reasons why she should not abort.  I repeated what my wife and I had told Christy twenty-one years earlier:  "Don't make a second mistake and kill this baby.  Give your child the gift of life and hand her over to a Christian couple who can give her life eternal."
  That was when Susan said something I will never forget.  There was a long pause.  And then softly, slowly, and very seriously she said, "Thank you. . . . Thank you. . . . I always wondered who convinced my birth mother not to abort me.  And I just want to thank you for my life."
  Susan's very genuine expression of gratitude for life itself made everything worthwhile.  The midnight trip to the hospital, the many counseling sessions with Christy and her parents, the long distance phone calls to line up a home for Christy and adoptive parents for Susan, the winter trips over ice-covered roads to encourage Christy, the hours Jane and I let her pour out her heart and weep on our shoulders, the money we gave her to buy what homes for unwed mothers would not provide - it was now worth it all!
  Susan's voice began to quicken again as she described her parents as the best parents in the world.  From the time she was young, they shared honestly that she was adopted - chosen and special.  She was so against abortion, she said, that whenever her papers or speeches assigned in school were open to topics of her own choosing, she always chose pro-life subjects.  Now she was a senior in a Christian college, determined to serve the Lord with all her heart.
  Then she said it again.  "Thank you!"  Chills went up my spine.  I thought of our talks with Christy, and I thought of how often we Christians miss opportunities to give clear, godly advice to people in crisis.  I thought of how sometimes we just need to say, "Don't do it!" whether it's sex before marriage or abortion after sex.  I thought of how some people do listen to us - and their decisions have eternal significance.
  When Susan learned that Christy had turned her back on the church for the past twenty years, that she now has no relationship with Christ and no purpose in life, she said, "Now, perhaps the baby she gave life can give life to her."
   Just before the end of our second conversation, Susan told me that she was going to take it slowly - one step at a time.  She was going to write Christy first, and then talk to her by phone - and later in person.  But she was going to try her best to get acquainted with Christy and reacquant Christy with her Lord!
*The names, place, and date have been changed.

By the way, I'm Susan.