Remedial Home Economics for Busy Homeschool Moms

Home economics is not a subject on which I am well-versed.

Sure, I took the obligatory home economics classes when I was in school. I sewed a dashiki. I needle pointed a small picture. I made a sugar egg with a scene inside. You know, really practical stuff.

At home I picked up a little, but really was not expected to do much. You see, I was raised by perfectionistic grandparents. The fact they were my grandparents meant I was spoiled well-taken care of. The fact they were perfectionists meant I heard, “Just let me do it!” a lot. After all, why should they have me do it when they would just have to do it over again correctly?

So now, I am in a position to teach my daughter home economics. As a homeschooler, I know that this can count not only as a needed life skill but also for homeschool credit. Either way, I want her to have better skills than I do.

- Find out what I recommend at: http://hedua.com/blog/home-economics-homeschool-moms/#sthash.Bn1HYR9l.dpuf

The Brinkman Adventures--review

We love listening to dramatized stories. We will even stay in the car to finish listening to an episode or chapter, so we were excited to have the opportunity to listen to The Brinkman Adventures. 

What's really cool about these stories are they are based on a real family, and while names are changed, the family voices the characters. Many of the episodes also have missionaries or missionary stories that are based on real people as well.

We were so impressed with the acting and the quality of programming. The stories were so realistic. In fact, they sometimes give a warning about how intense the story might be. On the other hand, there are also great moments of humor. 

Totally recommend these.

You can actually listen to the stories on their website for free or purchase the CDs or downloads. We really like the CDs because we can listen to them in the car while traveling. 

In the meantime, there is a giveaway going over at Lorrie Flem's blog this week. You could win the season one CDs that we have! The winner will be announced July 7th. 

I was given the copies of The Brinkman Adventures Season One for free through the Gabby Moms program in exchange for my honest review.

New Edition of Eternal Encouragement Magazine is out

It's Ready!

It's Beautiful! 

It's just what you need today!

July/August issue of Eternal Encouragement Digital Magazine

 

 click here to get your copy today!

Reading Kingdom Review

Everyone knows that I am the queen of all I survey, so it was a natural step for mija and me to spend some time in the Reading Kingdom.


Reading Kingdom is an online reading program designed by Dr. Marion Blank who is considered an expert on reading. She developed this program after perceiving deficits in phonics and whole language. The program is based on the patented program Dr. Blank has developed.

The program is designed for preschool-third grade or ages 4-10. The program starts with a skills survey that is supposed to assess reading skill and keyboarding skill. In fact, if keyboarding skills are lacking, the program will start addressing that issue first. The major part of the program consists of five levels. 

You can find out more about the program by watching this video

The program has some cute animation and graphics. It needs very little parental control because the program is in charge. 

That is the first feature I dislike.
One of the benefits I derive from homeschooling is controlling or leading my daughter's learning. This is not possible with Reading Kingdom. The extensive [read long] skills test places the student in whatever level the program determines. To adjust levels, you must contact Reading Kingdom. They are speedy in response, however.

I had to contact them twice to raise mija's level. Mija just finished third grade  but can read at a 5.6 to 6.0 level. The program put her on level 1 initially because of typos. Eventually we moved to level 5 which would be considered third grade according to the program. It was better, but still below her.

Another feature I personally did not like was the reading program itself. I learned to read in the "Dick and Jane" era of the early 70s. It was all sight words. We did not sound out words; phonics was taboo at this point. This program reminds me of that. Words are learned/memorized and then a book is read. 

Page from a book on level 3

I am not a world-renown reading specialist. I do not claim to be. Both mija and I, however, found the drill work extremely tedious and redundant. The same format of introduction and review is used for each lesson and each type of lesson is repeated several times for each word. Maybe if it had been more her reading level, it would have been more entertaining and challenging.

The program also claims to teach writing and grammar. I did not see that. I definitely see how it teaches keyboarding but not writing. The grammar aspects are never addressed but again drilled. For instance, if you do not type a capital at the beginning of the sentence you will be marked wrong, and so you figure out that you have to type a capital there. Same thing with punctuation. From what we experienced, the reason for it was never explained. To me, failing to explain the how and why is not teaching grammar.

The little aliens were cute.

I could go on, but I think I have shared enough for you to get the idea that I did not like the program on the whole.

BUT THAT IS JUST ME.

Model Cindy Crawford and other really like the program!

You know your child. If learning or reviewing reading this way sounds helpful, go for it. It is a quality product and you can tell a lot of thought has gone into it.

It offers a free 30 day trial. Try it out and see what you think! 

Or try it even longer. Lorrie Flem is having a giveaway on her blog this week (June 24-28) for a 6 month subscription. It might be just what you need to keep reading fresh during the summer or even as a curriculum come fall. So check out Randy's Rib to enter!

You can find out more about Dr. Blank's philosophy on teaching reading by checking out the Reading Kingdom  site  or by reading her book The Reading Remedy: Six Essential Skills That Will Turn Your Child Into a Reader. 

I received a free subscription to Reading Kingdom through the Gabby Mom program in exchange for my honest review.

For Women Only--review and GIVEAWAY!!!

Thankfully, sometimes it easy to tell when God is trying to teach you something...

Like when the book in review for Gabby Moms is the same book in review for Blogging with Books.

It is obviously God's way of gently saying...PAY ATTENTION WOMAN!!

I actually read the earlier edition of For Women Only
and it was very informative and convicting. I did not think I would need to read it again. 

I was wrong.

Reading For Women Only, Revised and Updated Edition was very informative and convicting AGAIN. It dusted off some things I learned previously and reinforced some thing I was doing correctly. It also convicted me again on somethings on which I need to continue to work.  

It also showed me what a blessing my husband is because he gives me credit for doing better than what I know I am doing, and he shows me more about himself than some men mentioned in the book.

Shaunti Feldhahn

For those you do not know about the book, Shaunti Feldhahn shares her findings about the inner-workings of men. Things men assume we know that we do not. Things that are part of how God made them.

She found all this out by doing a lot of research with thousands of men.

Do not let the word "research" scare you off. It is not a dull read at all. Shaunti does a great job of not only explaining her findings and what they mean but also of  helping us find applications. What good is knowledge without the wisdom to use it?

I also appreciate that while there is a lot of research put into this book, it does not come off as psychobabble. It is practical and Biblical.

Remember that husband I am blessed with having? He actually read For Men Only, Revised and Updated Edition to help me with my review.

He found a few surprises out about me like listening does not mean fixing and security means different things to women than it does men. He personally was blessed by realizing that when the Bible says somethings are common to man that it really means somethings are common to man. He was not the only man to have certain issues or ideas.

Oh, and get this. For Men Only, Revised and Updated Edition actually has a quick start guide! Is that book for men or what? 

We both totally recommend these books. It would be great for premarital counseling and for those of us married folks who want to continue to grow our relationship with our spouse.

Not only have they come out with the new editions, but also a DVD study which includes a men's study, a women's study, and a couple's study along with a leader's guide and a copy of each of the books. My husband is excited at the thought of the DVDs...men are visual you know!

In fact, here is a sample clip from one of the DVDs.


Now, here is the great news about the giveaways!
First, Lorrie Flem of Eternal Encouragement is giving away the whole DVD study set on her blog. 
Go HERE to enter that giveaway. (You bet your sweet bippy I entered.) Oh, Lorrie's giveaway ends Saturday, June 22, so hurry fast.
While there, make sure to sign up for the free online magazine at Eternal Encouragement.

Now, on to my giveaway!

There will be two prizes. 

• First place will win a copy of both For Women Only and For Men Only.
• Second place will win a only copy of For Women Only.
• Drawing is for US residents only.
• Drawing will end Sunday, June 30 at midnight.
• Winner will need to return my email within 48 hours of me contacting them or will forfeit the prize to another.

Okay, got it? Here's the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received free copies of the books for me review from both the Gabby Moms and Blogging for Books.

Check out my "UGH" piece

I wrote "More Than an Inconvenience" for Eternal Encouragement, but also got to share it on my friend's blog Biblical Counseling for Women.

I was really humbled and honored that not only Lorrie Flem posted the piece, but that my friend, Julie Ganschow of Reigning Grace Counseling Center also asked to post it.

Go check it out at...

Homemade Laundry Soap

I've heard of homemade laundry soap for awhile, and then I read about it in Lorrie Flem's Chore Bundle which I reviewed for Gabby Moms. I've seen the same recipe several other places, so I thought I would try it.

And Lorrie and others have said that it's save to use in an HE washer.
Here's what you need.

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda

2 cups (1 bar) Fels-Naptha soap

First, you grate the bar of soap. It took me about 10 minutes, but I was distracted several times.

Yes, it looks like grated cheese. I just used my regular grated and it cleaned up fine. After all, it just soap!

Then you add the other two ingredients and mix. It'll look like this.

One thing we noticed was you may need to mix it up before you use it because the powders can settle. 

You only use 2-3 tablespoons!  Yup, that's all. 

The total amount for all the ingredients was about $9.00. I have enough of the two powders for at least 3 more recipes. That means I will end up paying up $13.00 for 128 loads of laundry or $0.10 a load. Powdered Tide with Bleach (which is the quality Lorrie to which she compares it) ends up being $0.30-$0.70 a load.

We've been using it and have liked it mighty fine!

We've also been using white vinegar as fabric softener in the wash and it also works!

Love it when you can go more natural and cheaper at the same time!!

More than an Inconvenience and I'm Not a Perfect Mom

I was a guest blogger on Lorrie Flem's blog today. Her blog is Randy's Rib.

My article is More Than an Inconvenience. 

I also had an article on May 15 entitled I'm Not a Perfect Mom (and I'm glad about it)

Please check them out!

Healing Hearts with Helping Hands---UPDATED

Mom, Me, and Roy about '72

A little over a year ago, I lost my step-father. I had an interesting past with him. It made the experience very challenging. While I was dealing with my own feelings, I also had to traipse back and forth dealing the the funeral and things with and for my mom. It left my hubby and mija home alone and me exhausted physically and emotionally when I was home.

• Meals would have really handy.
• Cards or calls would have been a blessing.
• Visitors at the visitation or funeral would have helped ease the pain. 

I received a card and some comments on FB. My BIL and SIL came to the visitation. That was it. Those things were VERY appreciated, but it seemed my loss was somehow minimized in others eyes. Maybe because I didn't live with him as a child. Maybe because he was "only" my step-father.

I just know I was hurting.

I think that is why Lorrie Flem's new book ministered to me. It's entitled Healing Hearts with Helping Hands
 In it, she encourages and teaches how to bless those that are going through loss. 

She offers a lot of advice like:

• What to say
• How and when to say it
• What meals to bring and not to bring
• Godly advice
• Recipes to use

I really like the how-tos which makes ministering to those in grief less intimidating. There is a lot of great insight, too, like realizing the grieving process and need for help may go past the funeral, the needs of those dealing with prolonged hospitalization, and doing specific acts of service instead just offering to help.

After all the practical elements, Lorrie goes into the what and why of blessing others. She also offers almost nine pages of verses. To be honest, while I want Scriptural support, I thought nine pages were a little too much. God promises that His Word does not go out void, however!

She ends the book with several recipes and cooking ideas that she uses when serving others in their grief.

I really appreciated the practical elements of this book. It really did make ministering to the grieving more manageable. It was also helpful to have ideas on how to help in other ways besides providing food. It shows that those who are financially struggling can help, too.


Healing Hearts with Helping Hands is currently available on Kindle for $2.99. Remember, you don't have to have a Kindle in order to read a Kindle book. You can download it to your computer or device for free.

Want a great deal?

If you wait just a few days, you can actually get this book for only $0.99!! 

This is the Spring 2011 edition,
 but you get the idea!

This Eternal Encouragement resource will be ONLY $0.99 this coming Wednesday-Friday, May 1-3. Just go to the same link on those days. (Updated dates.)

But wait! There's more!

Remember that Eternal Encouragement Magazine in now digital and FREE! You can still get the March/April edition and soon the next one should come out. Just go HERE to get your free subscription. 


I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review through the Gabby Mom program.

Job's Wife--A Reality Check

I was honored this week to be a guest blogger over at Eternal Encouragement. It was definitely written from real life experience!! Please check it out!

Family Integrated Church—Training Children to Sit Still

She was 4 years old here.

When mija was about 3 years old, the Lord brought us to a family integrated church. We hadn't purposely sought one out. We just found a great preaching church and stayed there. We knew the kids stayed in service, but we thought it was more because of space limitations than a purposeful philosophy.

Well, then mija turned 4 years old and that is the point of no return. No more nursery. You are in the service now. For those who had been around, many had started training their children early sometimes not even using the nursery.

We on the other hand, were not prepared and boy was it work!!

I wish I had found Lorrie Flem’s e-book Training Children toSit Still back then. It assures me that yes, it is work, but would have given more ideas on how to make it work!

What was also a blessing to me was her story about why they started having their children in service. It wasn't for a religious reason either, but now, she can see a Biblical reason for doing so.

She starts with babies, moves into talking about toddlers, and then mentions a few ideas for keeping older children on task. I think she's right on because I see a lot of the moms in our church applying similar principles.

So, if you would like some help with the hows and learn so whys of Training Children to Sit Still I recommend checking out Lorrie Flem's e-book.

I was given a free copy of the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Kindle Fire and Eternal Encouragement Giveaway

Lorrie Flem of Eternal Encouragement along with some other great blogs are hosting a giveaway! Make sure to enter to win some of these great prizes!

• First Place Winner will receive a Kindle Fire AND a $100.00 gift certificateto the Eternal Encouragement Shop.
• Second Place Winner will receive a Nook Simple Touch eBook Reader (Wi-Fi Only) and a $50.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.
• Third Place Winner will receive a $50 Amazon card and a $25.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.
• Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive $25.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.

Creating Contentment--review

This month, my Gabby Mom review is a new seminar series that Lorrie Flem of Eternal Encouragement is doing. 

The first seminar was Creating Contentment. It was great to watch this cool PowerPoint presentation while Lorrie spoke. It was almost like seeing her in person. The slides were colorful and held your attention.

Lorrie spoke on the need for contentment and gives 14 ways to gain contentment. She ends with a heartfelt entreaty about contentment in marriage.

I was able to watch it live and it was nice, BUT because I could watch the whole thing again and it really ministered to me the the area of disciplining my daughter. I need to be content that the challenges I'm facing are approved by God for His glory and my (and mija's) good. Contentment vs. pulling my hair out in frustration...hmmm, which should I choose? 

Oh, and please understand that I don't mean being content with my daughter's poor behavior. I mean being content dealing with the challenges of it.

Right now, you can get a great deal on this recorded seminar. Regularly, it will be $6.00, but you can get this one for only $3.00! Remember, that includes your own copy of the slides Lorrie used and access to watch the seminar whenever you want as many times as you want!

 You can also pre-purchase the next seminar which is True Womanhood is not for Wimpy Women. Unlike Creating Contentment, you won't be able to watch this one live but instead will access to the pre-recorded seminar and all the slides and literature that goes along with it. It will be available on or before March 15 and is on sale for $6.00.

So check out these seminars you can watch in your pjs. Watch them as many times as you want. Print out a copy of one of the slides to post as an encouragement. 
Create some contentment and then avoid being a wimpy woman! 

I received Creating Contentment for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Helping Hands at Home--EE Kindle Book

This month for Gabby Moms, I was able to review Mrs. Lorrie Flem's newest Kindle book Helping Hands at Home. 

Before you turn off because I wrote the word "Kindle," I just wanted to remind you that you do not have to have a Kindle to read a Kindle book. I have the Kindle app on my phone and have downloaded the Kindle app on my laptop. The apps are free. Just go to Free Kindle Reading Apps.

Now, back to the book!

Like usual, Lorrie's practicality shines through as she takes us step-by-step. I need this for ME.

I was raised by my grandparents. While they loved me   fully, they were perfectionists which meant that I couldn't do things correctly. 


I couldn't put the groceries in the grocery cart (or buggy for those of you in the South) because I wouldn't put them in the right place. 

I could only clean the hubcaps on the car because I might smudge the car.

I wasn't expected to clean the bathroom or the kitchen because I wouldn't do it right, and my grandmother would just have to do it again. At least that was what I was told. 

It made life much harder for me as a teen. My grandparents became ill, and I was expected to take over the household duties that I was never taught to do. It's remained a challenge to me to this day. 

All this left me determined not to have mija be in the same shape. She's expected to help around the house and even do certain things by herself. 

But there has been a challenge. Because I was never taught to do things, I haven't ever really considered how to TEACH mija how to clean things. I just expected her to pick things up as we went along. 

That is where Lorrie's book Helping Hands at Home has come in handy. It showed me step-by-step how to teach her to clean the bathroom and the kitchen.

It is definitely a work in progress for both her and me, but it's nice to have something as simple as this Kindle book to go back to. I really appreciate the process Lorrie teaches to take a chore from them watching you do it to you checking on their final work.

Right now, the Kindle book is only $0.99! You can't bet that.

Speaking of a great deal, Eternal Encouragement magazine has not only gone digital, it's FREE!! Just go HERE to sign up for your free digital subscription.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Creating Contentment Online Seminar--Tues., Jan. 29

I've attending several live and online seminars with Lorrie Flem, and I'm looking forward to this newest one.

This one is obviously going to be about contentment. We often think things or circumstances are required to be content. Mrs. Flem is going to teach us how to learn how to be consistently content in our daily lives.

Now, this is a little different then some of her recent online tele-conferences.

For this seminar, you need a ticket which only costs $3. The benefit of the ticket is that you don't necessarily have to be at the seminar to benefit! The $3 ticket will give you access to the slides, verses, quotes, and video of the seminar, so you can access it at your convenience!

The actual seminar will be next Tuesday, January 29 at 1 PM Pacific. That's 3 PM Central which is my time.

So make sure to get your ticket, and let's create come contentment!