Have You Caught The Bug?

This is no mealy bug or biting mosquito! It's the queen bee of a well-planned and "buzzing" homeschooling lifestyle or well-managed busy home: helping you to outline lesson plans, schedule activities, plan menus and shopping lists, stay within budget, inventory important household items, maintain school records, and much more.

They've caught this bug in the Schoolhouse Store, and you can catch it too. It's the organizing bug!

And it's spreading and swarming with organizing help and 27 amazing free gifts worth over $190!

From now until August 5, when you purchase The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner, you will receive 27 fabulous E-Books absolutely FREE--to help you plan fun, hands-on learning all through the homeschool year!

I bought my planner a couple of weeks ago. I am really excited about the information and forms available in it. I was concerned that the forms wouldn’t be much help to me since the prince is my only homeschooled student, and my planning was already done with the boxed curriculum. Boy, was I wrong. I am putting together two different binders from the more than 600 pages in this pdf download.

I have one binder that will stay in the schoolroom and be a resource for information. There is a section for English, Math, Science, History, Geography, and Bible. Do you remember all those dates that they threw at you in History class … when did Florida become a state, who invented the light bulb and when, and who are the presidents in order. All of that (and more) is in this planner.

My other binder is for general household information. I have a section for kitchen planning (complete with a conversion chart for measurements), recipes, emergency numbers, website addresses and passwords, birthdates and anniversaries, and bank account information. I’ll be adding other information, but that is the start for now. It is a wealth of information.

The only thing that I have found that I wish were different is that you can't expand sections and save that information. For example, there is a page for websites and passwords. There is only one page. You can't expand it by adding more pages and saving them on the computer. So, if you want to make changes, you have to re-key the whole page to have a clean sheet.

You can save the completed planner on your computer with your customized information in it! You can keep it there for reference, or if you lose your printed copy, you have a back-up.

From now until midnight on August 5, you'll receive . . .
All 12 2008 Schoolhouse Planner modules and
our WeE-book™ Insect Bundle!

And there's more! Through August 15, you'll also receive . . .
All 12 2009 Schoolhouse Planner modules! In this un-bee-lievable package of gifts, you'll instantly download all 24 supplementary Planner modules designed to complement the 2008 and 2009 Schoolhouse Planners. These planner modules are mini unit studies centered on high-interest topics complete with an array of enjoyable activity pages, informational write-ups, engaging links, copywork pages, and more. Plus, the twelve 2009 modules have integrated high school content and the addition of lapbooking for your younger learners. You can use these mini-units without the planner too. What a great package to have all together!

Hurry! At midnight on August 5, the 12 2008 Schoolhouse Planner modules and the WeE-book™ Insect Bundle are gone! At midnight on August 15, the 12 2009 Schoolhouse Planner modules are gone too!

If you aren’t a homeschooler, these modules are great for you too. Do you want to keep your children busy in the summer and learning at the same time? Do you want to make their “screen time” educational instead of just having them zone out? This is great for all of that.

I’m linking to I’m Lovin’ It and Follow Me Friday.

Disclaimer: These comments are mine or approved by me. Some of the text was provided by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to use in this review. I agree with all of it, or I wouldn't put it here. This blog is an affiliate of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I bought my own planner a few weeks ago and have not received any compensation from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. By making your purchase through the links above or the gadget on the right, my family will receive a portion of the purchase price ... and we thank you.

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Friday, July 30, 2010

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Officially In Second Grade

I'm linking to Wordless Wednesday, A Beautiful Mess, and Five Minutes for Mom.

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

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Slap Your Grandma Salsa

A few weeks ago, I posted some pictures of my canning projects. I didn’t even say that the last picture was salsa, but that is what everyone thought. Well, you were right!

I am really proud of this salsa. I have been searching for several years for a good salsa recipe. You know, if you go to all that trouble of getting and chopping all those tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices, you want it to be good.

You’ve asked for the recipe. So, here it is. Don’t tell anyone. It is our secret.

The main character (If you don’t have this, it won’t be the same. Give up now!):

After searching for so long for a good salsa recipe, I was about to give up hope. Until one day when I was shopping for jars and lids to do my summer canning. I found a pack of salsa mix that I decided to try. This stuff was awesome. I mean this stuff was so good that after making the first batch, I had to find more. I went to 6 stores in 2 days (and called two others) to find more of the salsa mix. O.K., I’ll admit that the 6th store was actually to pick up a prescription, and I just happened to find more of the product line there.

All you have to do is peel, core, and chop your tomatoes (or use canned tomatoes), add some vinegar and the season packet. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. You can serve it immediately, can it, or freeze it.

I call this “Slap Your Grandma Salsa.” Huh? You’ve never heard that phrase? Let me translate: This salsa is so good that you will be out of your mind, forget your manners, and “slap your grandma.” Several years ago, we had a family gathering and I told my grown niece to “Try this salsa (the one we had that day). It’ll make you stand up and slap your grandma.” She replied, “Nuh-uh. My Grandma’s here!” I don’t think she ever did try that salsa.

I’m linking to Mouthwatering Monday.

Disclaimer: I’m only sharing this recipe because I liked it and you asked. Mrs. Wages does not know who I am. I did not receive any compensation from the company for this review. I had to buy my own mixes, grow and chop my own tomatoes, and make my own salsa. And you can dang sure bet that I’ll be eating it too! Maybe I should have called it “Little Red Hen Salsa.”

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Monday, July 26, 2010

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Travel Kits Review

When I first heard that I would be reviewing "Travel Kits," I thought of shampoo, toothbrushes and aspirin. Not the case! What a pleasant surprise to find that it was a different kind of travel kits.

Title: Travel Kits -- A Simple Way to Bless Others
Author/Publisher: Donna Reese for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Target Ages: all can be involved
Format: Download from The Old Schoolhouse Store (phone 1-888-718-HOME)
Price: $12.45, with a money-back guarantee

If you have E-V-E-R been on a road-trip with small children, you will LOVE this resource. The prince and princess have always been pretty good travelers -- probably because we don't do much of it. My parents live 700 miles away and that last 30 minutes is when we all start to get a little whiney and antsy. Enter Donna Rees and her E-book entitled Travel Kits. (think: gift basket)

Donna Rees has developed 91 pages of information to help you on your next road-trip or to bless others with your creativity, generosity, and resourcefulness. Whether it be a trip by plane, train, or automobile, this E-book will help you plan a great gift of love to share with your children or your friends.

Using a theme (or not), Rees gives examples of things that you could put into a care-package for the trip. From new crayons and books to snacks and crafts, Rees gives many examples that can be shared with anyone making a trip. She even includes things that could bless the adults on the trip. (Did someone say, “earplugs”?)

Rees gives ideas for packaging and distribution of the gifts. Do you wrap them all together, individually, or not at all? Do you give a surprise every hour, every state line, or all at once? Does everyone get the same thing, slightly different thing, or totally different thing? You'll have to read Travel Kits to find out.

Be sure to read all the way to the end. That's where you find a wealth of information. There is a list of links to vacation planning websites, tourism websites for each state, recipes, tips for traveling, and a list of children's books. Perhaps my favorite part is the "Tips from Fellow Travelers." Readers of The Homeschool Minute sent in their ideas for enjoyable travel. There is more than a page of ideas from a blind mom of a blind child. Have you thought to include special needs in your travel kit? Many of her ideas can also be implemented for children who don't read or write yet.

The Queen’s Overall Assessment:

The unit is directed towards multiple ages. Since the prince is 6 and the princess is 4, I base my assessment on those ages.

This was a wonderful E-book. It gave me great ideas for our next trip or for our little friend who goes to visit his grandparents in another state each summer. When my parents come to visit, they may even find a travel kit to take for their trip home.

I thought some of the information was repetitive from other sections, but not a big issue. Sometimes, I have to hear things a second (or third or fourth or ...) time before it "clicks" or triggers another idea.

Check out this sample to see what it triggers for you.

Disclaimer: This was a review of my experience with the product described. I tried to give a complete and honest assessment without divulging too much information of a copyrighted product. In order to review the product, I received a free download version with no additional compensation. This in no way influenced my review of the product. The opinions expressed are my own and were not affected or reviewed by anyone prior to publishing.

Be sure to check out other reviews of this product at The Homeschool Crew Blog.

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Thursday, July 22, 2010

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Travel the World Review

This is my first review as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I was given a download copy of the Travel the World unit to use with my family. While this is a module to go with The Schoolhouse Planner, it is also available and usable as a stand-alone unit.

Title: Travel the World

Author/Publisher: The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Target Ages: all

Format: Download from The Old Schoolhouse Store (phone 1-888-718-HOME)

Price: $7.95, with a money-back guarantee

The Travel the World unit is a Geography lesson on the seven continents. The 56-page unit opens with a discussion of globes, maps, and directions. The lesson on continents includes hyperlinks to definitions, maps, and games about the continents. Since the prince has become really interested in puzzles, he really enjoyed the games of trying to match the countries to their locations on the map.

At the end of the unit is an opportunity for the student to show their knowledge of Geography by completing a Fill-in-the-Blanks page, Word Scramble, Word Search, Crossword Puzzle, Rebus Puzzles, and Acrostic Poem (with answer keys). The student has the opportunity to begin construction of a lapbook and practice manuscript and/or cursive copywork. Older students can continue the study with the High School Expansion section. Additional resources include links to other websites and international recipes.

Here is a sample for you to review.

Since this product is downloadable, it is ready-to-use and able to be used again and again. This is particularly handy if you are teaching more than one age/grade-level.

The Queen’s Overall Assessment:

The unit is directed towards multiple ages. Since the prince is 6 and the princess is 4, I base my assessment on those ages.

This unit involved a lot of sitting still. Everything was done at the computer or desk. There were not any hands-on activities. While the prince likes doing things on the computer, he looks forward to activities. He needs squirmy creative time.

A list of suggested reading would be a nice addition. While books on the subject can be selected from the local library, a suggested list would be a good place to start looking.

While I thought this was a good introduction to world geography, I thought it would be better suited for a slightly older student. We may use it again when the prince and princess reach that age.

Disclaimer: This was a review of my experience with the product described. I tried to give a complete and honest assessment without divulging too much information of a copyrighted product. In order to review the product, I received a free download version with no additional compensation. This in no way influenced my review of the product. The opinions expressed are my own and were not affected or reviewed by anyone prior to publishing.

Be sure to check out other reviews at The Homeschool Crew Blog.

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Monday, July 19, 2010

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Yellow Squash Bread -- Why Not???

A few days ago, I posted a recipe for Squash Casserole and told how well it went over with my “I don’t like squash” Prince Charming. Wendi (from Simply at Home) commented that her husband asked if she had “ever tried making yellow squash bread.” I got to thinking … my zucchini bread recipe came to mind. Zucchini and yellow (or summer) squash are both considered squash … uh … squashes … um … squish … OH, you know what I mean. So, Yellow Squash Bread … Why Not???

My partners in crime …

flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ground nutmeg,

sugar, yellow squash, cooking oil, egg

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg.

Finely shred the squash until you have 1 cup. (I only used 2 of the one’s pictured in the ingredient photo.)

In a bowl separate from the flour, mix sugar, squash, oil, and egg. (I’d love to add some nuts at this step, but the prince has nut allergies.)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Wrap and store overnight before slicing … like that’s gonna happen!

The Queen and the prince gave it “two thumbs up.” Prince Charming and the princess haven’t found it yet. shhhhhh!

Yellow Squash Bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 cup finely shredded squash
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 egg

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg.
Finely shred the squash until you have 1 cup.
In a bowl separate from the flour, mix sugar, squash, oil, and egg.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

I’m linking to I’m Lovin’ It, Feature Yourself Friday, Foodie Friday, and Follow Me Friday.

The grass is green. It’s good to be

Friday, July 16, 2010

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