Blast From The Past - Philadelphia Zoo 1993

OOPS!! I forgot that I had changed my Blast From The Past to Tuesday...

I will try to remember next week but I did not want to just skip it for this week so
even though it is late here is this weeks Blast From The Past

This week I am doing picture of the kids instead of me.
I do not want to do things in any order, just random photos of our family from the past

So for this week we have
Rachel and Jessica at The Philadelphia Zoo
June 1993

The Philadelphia Zoo
is Our Nations First Zoo
Celebrating 150 years this year
it opened in March 1859

Rachel age 7 in blue
Jessica age 4 in red
Me (Debbie)

Jessica on the left Rachel on the right
The picture in the egg above and of the three of us in the tree below are from

The Treehouse

A section of the zoo for kids of members only.
It is indoors and kids can explore and learn in many cool areas.
You will see more of this some other week
when I do more zoo pictures from different years.

Jessica

Pony Rides in the Children's Zoo
We did not do pony rides each time we went to the zoo
but we usually did it once during a years membership.

Rachel

Jessica at the Petting Zoo - a section of the Children's Zoo

A statue in Bear Country + my girls

I hope you enjoyed our look back at the Zoo for this week.

If you want to participate the rules can be found on my first official post here:

Blast From The Past - Debbie 1961

Don't forget to grab my button

And tell folks how to find my Carnival by clicking on the button in your post, and on your sidebar if you put it there, and/or putting a link to my post into your post.

Have a wonder filled week,
and spend some time having fun with your kids not just being their teacher,
Debbie

History Resources and Where To Find Them

Recently I had a reader of my blog ask a question. The question was in the comments of the following post: Homeschool Weekly - Week Ending 04-17-09

First, note that in each of my posts I have links. For now, with the colors I am using, the links are in yellow until you click on them then they turn pink and the regular non linking words are in blue. If you put your cursor over them your arrow turns into a hand. You can click any of those links to go directly to a place where you can see and buy that book. I also use bold light orange to emphasize some things so if you put your arrow over it and it does not turn into a hand then it is just colored for emphasis.

For some of them I have linked to my favorite homeschool supplier, for others to Amazon. I suggest looking for used copies of books in Amazon and in Half.com or Ebay before paying full price.

There is only one difference to make note of. If buying books, used from Amazon, make sure you add in the shipping cost before deciding whether to buy used or not. If you bought all the books at one place, new, the shipping would be one price, and if you spend certain amounts might even be free. But, if the book costs less, including shipping, at Amazon than it is probably worth it. I have gotten books in good condition for only $0.50 at Amazon with just a few dollars shipping cost.

If you have further questions about History (or the resources I use for Science), any things in this post or any thing in the Homeschool Weekly posts please leave a comment. I would love to help!

So here is the question and the answer

Carol asked:
What a fun week with history. You seem to use a lot of books I'm not familiar with. Where do you find them?

Answer:
All Over!!! LOL

• The Public Library (I borrow lots and buy some when they have their book sales, they sell lots of old books they think no one wants, but sometimes they are the best books in the Library)
  
• Thrift Shops
• Homeschool Conventions
• Homeschool Companies
• Scholastic Warehouse Sales (click on link to see if there is one coming soon near you)
• Recommendations by local and online friends
• Homeschool support group used book sale
• Local Book Stores
• Teacher Stores
  

Favorite sites that sell History resources

• Bethlehem Books
• Greenleaf Press
• Diana Waring
• Lamplighter Books
• Vision Forum
• Jim Hodeges reads Henty Novels - complete, unabridged
• Mantle Ministries - Online Store
• Geography Matters
• Farm Country General Store

Favorite Sites that sell everything - including History

• Rainbow Resource
• Christianbook.com
  

Favorite books that have lists of Fiction and Historical Fiction books to use in your History studies

• All Through the Ages
• Let the Authors Speak (Revised Edition)
• We use the Mystery of History as our spine and in the back of each book is an additional resources section with a list of coordinating Bible passages to read, videos and other books. They are nicely organized by lesson and so are in chronological order.
• Diana Waring History Guides
  
• The Complete Home Learning Sourcebook by Rebecca Rupp

A Book with a chronological list of people and events through all of History
Timetables of History

Websites with book lists for History

• Paula's Archives - Literature to Supplement History (note: though the books are listed in sections which are in chronological order each section is in alphabetical order and so not in the order in which they should be read. Some of my favorites on this page are the books from Bethlehem books... see link above)
• A Book In Time - History Books, Projects, Crafts, Maps and Timelines (easiest access is by the links in the left sidebar)
• Ambleside Online - scan down for an explanation of thier site and for links to their booklists or put your cursor on Curriculum to see their book suggestions by year. I mostly use their Artist Study and Musician Study lists each year put your cursor on Resources to see those lists and others for Nature Study... etc. The whole curriculum is free and online.
  

Books to read/download from the Internet

• A handy list to print out for your use with Henty Books - so you know when to read each one - listed chronologically with the dates and place for each book
  
• Henty at Archive.org - download pdf's of most if not all the books
• Henty at Gutenberg - download as text files
• Another Henty site - chronological or alphabetical list - download zip file or read online
• LibriVox - free online audio books, in the Listen box click LibriVox Catalog and type in the title and or author to see what they have... they have one Henty completed and one a work in progress
• Do a Google search for free online audio books... lots of sites available

While I am at it some other cool History sites (not necessarily with a Christian Worldview... most are not at all Christian... but interesting non the less)

• The History Place - Mostly having to do with the U.S. but some world History Events
• History Net - Lots of cool stuff
• The Quotations Page - find quotes by famous people
• MacroHistory and World Report
• Owl and Mouse - Free Educational Software - Great Maps
• Learning Through History News - sign up for their newsletter to get the new issues in your e-mail
• Dynamic 2 Moms - If you read this far... good for you... You get a bonus: A new site I found recently, one of the ladies on one of my Yahoo groups is the owner of this site... GREAT (not yelling, just excited) Resources for lapbooking and notebooking for History especially... for older kids especially, and Free

These lists are for all time periods. If you are studying a specific time period and would like some help finding resources just leave me a comment and I will try to do a post on the resources I use for that topic. Or I can e-mail you if you want... just let me know in the comment. If I e-mail you I may also post the information on my blog.

Don't forget...

I love links...

So I put links in almost all my posts...

Look for the links to take you to places where you can get free stuff or access to the books I am using currently... Make sure to check used books at Amazon and Half.com/Ebay before you buy.

Have a Great Week,
Debbie

TOS Review Crew - HomeWork

E-Book

HomeWork:

Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance

This e-book is a wonderful resource from The Old Schoolhouse Store. It is an e-book about wonderful Moms and how they each balance all the Wife, Mom and Homeschooling things with the added pressure of an At Home Business!

The e-book is broken into sections, grouping different types of businesses together. These sections include

• a group of stories about mom's in business that they started from hobbies or off shoots of existing extended family businesses
• computer based business
• writing based businesses
• businesses that support other businesses

The last few sections are for extras:

• Doing finances for home business (very helpful)
• Organization (of home, homeschool, and work; priorities, scheduling, and decluttering; much needed)
• then an epilogue to start winding things up
• A Final Word by the Senior Advertising Services for TOS Magazine
• the last topic is a very helpful appendix with other helpful Internet resources that can be used in building a business. These are also listed by the type of business, the kinds talked about in the e-book, and a few general resources at the end.

This is a wonderful book especially for those considering or just starting home business. The variety of stories from homeschool business mom's from across the country give you all kinds of helpful hints and information. In each story the mom tells about her business, how it got started and how she juggles home, homeschooling, and work. There are so many tips throughout the e-book with the bonus sections at the end specifically about organizing it all.

The appendix contains a wealth of information with places to find more help for each particular type of business highlighted by the moms and then a section of general business sites. Each of the sites in the appendix have untold resources of their own... so much to read and mull over and think about. Click on one site and read and that may take you to a list of resources or articles and that can lead to another site and another... oooohhhhh so much information on the net.

There is a way to reach each business and/or individual through the Internet. If you were interested in starting a business, similar to one that is discussed in the e-book, there are ways to find out more information through the businesses website if they have one or through e-mail. That is so nice of them! They are already running businesses now they are wiling to be contacted with questions from readers.

Don't forget since it is an e-book it is easy to download from the TOS store and you could be reading their stories minutes from now.

Out of five stars I give this






At $12.45 this 95 page e-book is a good bargain and a great resource to have especially if you are homeschooling and have a dream to have a home business. So I give it my good value icon:







Buy this e-book here for only $12.45:

HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance

Well, I hope this review helps you,

Check this resource out,

Have a good week,

Debbie

The Simple Woman's Daybook for the week of April 27, 2009

FOR TODAY...
Outside my window... sunny and warm... really warm... supposed to get up to 90 degrees. We have the air conditioning on!! and it is only April!!!

I am thinking... I had a great weekend at our Ladies Spring Re*Fresh*Her (Retreat), the only complaint... it was to short.

I am thankful for... the church paying part of my way to the Ladies Retreat, we could not afford the whole cost. It was a great weekend of relaxing, getting caught up with my girlfriends by chatting until all hours of the night... or uh morning!!! LOL not much sleep but I will get caught up with that soon. Great Spiritual encouragement: great main speaker sessions, break-out sessions, praise music, and movie by Chonda Pierce (the one we saw was Stayin' Alive... Lauging http://store.chonda.org/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=4) During the movie we laughed ourselves silly, cried, rejoiced and shh don't tell anyone... danced!!! LOL

From the learning rooms... two weeks of school to go. This week lots more History... doubling up to get done the Middle Ages by the end of school: this week the Hundred Years War, Black Death, Black Death lapbooking, The Ming Dynasty, Wycliffe, Chaucer, and John Huss

From the kitchen... hmmm dinner plans... hmmm don't know yet. Need to work on Menu Planning for the next couple weeks.

I am wearing... blue slacks, pink and white striped shirt, no shoes but will put my crocs on before going downstairs as soon as I am done this post

I am creating... one more post on TOS Review for the opportunity to be a part of the TOS Review Crew.. Hope to get that done today.

I am going... to the library tonight and to Bible Study on Friday

I am reading... finished Two From Galilee over the weekend during free time at the retreat, now trying to finish Luke's Story.

I am hoping... to finish the TOS Review Crew stuff today and send off the links and info about me to the necessary people

I am hearing... talking from downstairs, daughter Jessica typing on Dad's laptop

Around the house... unpacking, laundry, straightening up my room

One of my favorite things... Ladies Spring Re*Fresh*Her, I look forward to it each year! Can't wait for next year.

A few plans for the rest of the week: school, Bible Study, blogging, time with my Hubbie (I missed him this weekend while I was at the Retreat)

Here is picture thought I am sharing... I wish I had a picture from the Retreat but we forgot to take a group shot, so I found this on you tube... a video showing the Pinebrook grounds. It is mostly about summer family camp but it will give you an idea.



This is a photo from Pinebrook's website of the type of room I slept in, though I was in a double bed, there is a double bed and some bunks in each room. My friends took their matresses and put them on the floor, the springs were to bouncy for them.


go to the Simple Woman's Daybook to see all the posts and our hostess

Have a great week,
Debbie

Homeschool Weekly - Week Ending 04-24-09

This was another great week for school.

By the way each of the names of the books we use below is also a link to the book. A place where you can see it and buy it if you want to. So if you are interested in the resources I use just click the link to see a picture of it and a place to purchase it if you want.

History:
We covered from lesson 69 - 74
Mystery of History Vol. 2 Early Church-Middle Age
and that covered these subjects

• Roger Bacon
• Genghis Khan
• Kublai Khan
• Marco Polo
• William Wallace
• Robert Bruce
• Dante
• Aztecs
  

We also read about some of those subjects in:
Famous Men of the Middle Ages
Story of the Middle Ages
100 Most Important Events in Christian History

In Choosing Your Way Through the World’s Medieval Past we did:

• Adventure 12 - When Great Adventure Called (about Marco Polo and the Crusades)
• Adventure 14 - Medieval Craftsperson

The boys love these stories. They are like the old choose your own adventure type books I read as a child, except they are about History. We read all the Choosing Your Way Through the World’s Ancient Past and now are enjoying Medieval.

In Medieval Messenger we read about

• Two new inventions - spectacles and a crane
• Genghis Khan
• Superstitions
  

In Everyday Life: Middle Ages we read and did some pages from chapter 11

They also:

• Did the Types of Castles Mini Book from http://highland.hitcho.com.au (click the first link to get the mini book, click the second link to go to the owners site for many other freebies). Especially good are these parts of her website http://highland.hitcho.com.au/ancienthistory.htm and http://highland.hitcho.com.au/tog2.htm
• did the Maya and Aztec sections of the Maya, Aztec and Inca Lapbook - I can't do a link for you now because it is still a Super Member only offering. I got it free last month and it was quite timely. We have enjoyed all the lapbooking we have done so far this year. We will do the Inca mini books the last week of school.
• read Aztecs - a Kids Discover Magazine edition
• read Growing Up In Aztec Times
  
• put Timeline Figures in their Timeline

For Science:
We did Five Kids and a Monkey Solve the Great Cupcake Caper. We read the book on Monday and did the activities in the Unit Study booklet on Tues. - Friday. I did an Amazon search and found the link to the book above but they said the set with the unit study book is not available anymore... that's too bad, it is great fun!

Math
Nathan Teaching Textbooks Geometry
Christopher Saxon 76

Language Arts
Copywork - whatever they want
Grammar
Nathan - Easy Grammar Plus
Christopher - Daily Grams Grade 6

That was our week. It was a great one.
I hope your week was great too.
To join us at the Homeschool Weekly just click on the Weekly Homeschool Report from the Couch button at the very top of the page.

Debbie

TOS Review Crew - Don't Rush God!

WeE-book™-Don't Rush God

This Wee-book is a super little resource. This short article is about butterflies, as the picture above shows, and it is a narrative of a true story that happened to one family and the lessons they learned from it.

Donna Rees and her family made some mistakes when trying to watch and release a butterfly they had found as a caterpillar and was metamorphosing in their kitchen. I won't tell you what happened but it is a cute little story. The lesson they learned, as it says in the title, was that you can't rush God. Things have to be taken in turn and God has a plan for everything he does, in our lives and in the lives of the rest of His creation.

There are two neat thing about this article. The first is that it has discussion questions you can use with your kids. This e-book would be a terrific addition to a unit on butterflies and could then expand to show our transformation as Christians and how we need to trust God and not rush things. There is scripture included too and some of the scripture is included as the other bonus with this e-book, it has copywork with it. This makes it an even more interesting addition to a butterfly unit or even for a topical Bible study.

Out of Five Stars I give this product






Don't forget since this is a Wee-book you can easily download this for only $1.95 and then be reading it to you kids and using the questions and copywork tomorrow... or next week... or save it for later.

Because of the great price of these e-books I give it my good value icon:





Click on this link to order Don't Rush God!
Click here to find the Entire Line of Wee-books


Well, I hope you enjoyed this review and will check out the whole line of Wee-books that TOS Schoolhouse Store has to offer. They are certainly a bargain.

Debbie

TOS Review Crew - Time Flies

WeE-book™-Time Flies While History is Written


Words almost fail in telling you about this great resource. This is inspirational. This Wee-book will convict you and really get you thinking. It will make things plain and get you making every day, with your kids, count!


This article is about how fast the years of homeschooling really do go, even though in the early years the days seem to drag on and on and on...

... and sometimes even in the later years... LOL

... anyway, Deborah gets real with us and tells us her many failings, Spiritual failings! We all have them, we are all sinners. Confronting them and putting them in print is another thing, however. Deborah is honest and open with us. Then she gives us some solutions to help us face and rid ourselves of these sins.

She has one son who has graduated from their homeschool and she just had a baby and so she has a lot of experience behind her and a lot of years of homeschooling still to go. That gives her a great perspective. She wants to make the days of homeschooling her newest addition to the family better than the days when she was homeschooling her son. She made mistakes and we all do but she wants to minimize them. I would like to do that, too.

This quote really sums up the article, " The only way [to have the homeschool I want] is to plan forward - to write my days with less frustration over the little things and more grace and peace as I cast my cares on the Lord. I plan to look ahead, knowing that my God is a redeeming God and will even take what I have done wrong and redeem it to make a good return on His investment." words in brackets mine

I can certainly agree with everything she says in the Wee-book. She backs it all up with scripture and makes you want to be a better Mom, homeschool or not, and a better Christian. When you are finished homeschooling, what do you want your thoughts about your journey to be? What do you want you kids to think of their time in your homeschool and growing up in your home in general?

This little Wee-book is a great encouragement. It would be a great thing to read on a cold, gray February day when you are feeling blue and wondering how you are going to keep on homeschooling until spring. It would be a great article to read on a warm spring day when you wish the days until you are finished homeschooling for this year were over, and summer break was here. It would also be great to read over the summer as you plan your next year. It would be great to read anytime of the year.

I plan to read it often, and since it is a Wee-book and the price is right, only $ 1.95 and so easy to download, you could be reading it in minutes!! If you do, I know it would inspire and challenge you as you finish out this school year.

Since this Wee-book is soooo excellent, out of five stars I give it





and since the Wee-books are such a great value they get this icon, too!






Click here to find the Entire Line of Wee-books


Click on this link to go directly to the Wee-book Time Flies While History is Written.

So I hope you check out this Wee-book and if you buy it please try and remember to come back and leave me a comment and tell me what you thought of it...


and leave a comment now...

so I know you were here...

In Christ,

Debbie

Botanical Raised Gardens

I found this great site today while reading through the blogs I follow.
I thought I would pass it along to my readers.

Her blog is great and check out the raised garden and other things they sell.
We would love to have one of the botanical raised gardens.
I would also love to have a large play structure for my grandkids one day. I always wanted one for my kids but never could afford it.

Well, here is the site... go check it out for yourself.
http://blog.backyardbotanical.com/

Debbie

Blast From The Past - Debbie 1966 Hand Colored Photo

Click this link to find the rules for doing the Blast From The Past

This week for my Blast From The Past
I have another photo of me when I was young.
I am not sure of my age, my mom did not date the photos,
but to me I look like I do in my Kindergarten class photo,
(I will post that another week)
so I guess I am about age 5.
The cat is our cat, Mittens.

This top photo is in color.
My husband says they hand painted the original, which was black and white, with oil paint.
This fascinates me. He says they had color film, not much, but some.
They choose to do it this way because black and white photos lasted
a lot longer than the color photos did.

Wow hand painted over the photos... even my hair and fingers.
They painted everything but the cat, my white blouse and the background.
You can tell this especially by looking at the photo below.

This photo came from the same negative, they left this copy black and white for a comparison and so we could have one uncolored.
Oh, by the way the color original is an 8x10.
The black and white original is a 5x7.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my Blast for this week.
I hope you will join me in sharing old photos from your past,
your kids past, your family past...
whatever.

Here is Mr. Linky. Sign in so we can all visit your post.
You can also leave comments about my post.

Debbie

Blast From The Past is moving to Tuesdays!!!

I am moving the Blast From The Past to Tuesdays...

I have too many other things I like to post about on Fridays...

Join Me tomorrow.

Read last weeks Blast and get the rules at that post as well.

Grab the Blast From The Past blog button off my sidebar for your blog and put it in your post too.

I hope some of you will join me, besides my immediate family that is, though I thank them immensely for joining me. Without them it would have been really sad!

If you have questions just leave a comment.

Debbie

The Simple Woman's Daybook - week of April 20, 2009

FOR TODAY... Monday April 20, 2009

Outside my window... cloudy and rainy... but April shower bring May flowers... so I will put up with the rain

I am thinking... about how to solve all the arguing around here... mostly my boys... over dumb stuff

I am thankful for... summer vacation... 15 days of school and counting...

From the learning rooms...
Lots of History: stuff to read, maps to do, lapbook for Maya, Aztecs, Incas; lapbook for Black Death in Europe
Almost done Health and Nutrition unit, this week reading and doing the activities in Five Kids and a Monkey: Solve The Great Cupcake Caper.

From the kitchen... Italian Chicken for tonight... who knows what for the rest of the week

I am wearing... blue jumper, turtle neck, knee socks, crocks

I am creating... blog posts to try and get on the TOS Review Crew

I am going... to a ladies retreat on the weekend, hopefully!

I am reading... same stuff.. have not had much time to read lately. See my Shelfari in my sidebar.

I am hoping... to finish all my TOS Reviews by Thursday night before I go to the Ladies Retreat

I am hearing... Seven Brides for Seven Brothers... I am watching and posting this then going to read e-mail, then cook dinner.

Around the house... lots to do, some of it getting done.

One of my favorite things... Bible Study with the ladies of church, 1st and 3rd Fridays ... my only chance to get out of the house during the week.

A few plans for the rest of the week: school, library as usual, laundry, cooking, eating, hopefully the retreat on the weekend.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

a cherry blossom hybrid
photo taken by me last weekend at Winterthur

If you want to take part or read the other entries go to the host blog at The Simple Woman's Daybook

have a great week,
Debbie

One Year Blogaversary

One Year Ago TODAY I started my blog



12 Months

160 posts

My how time flies.

I am sorry to not have any fanfare.


No prizes


No freebies


No Giveaway


No Big Party


But I could not let the day go by without at least saying:

Happy Blogging Anniversary to ME!




Have a Great Day
Debbie