Adventures of a Catholic homeschooling family in Alaska.
Welcome to the 1st week of the 2013 Virtual Curriculum Fair for homeschoolers. This week’s topic: Playing with Words: the Language Arts This theme can include phonics, reading, writing, grammar, spelling, speech, literature, etc., etc., etc. Latin and foreign language studies could also go here. Before I reflect upon changes in our house this year [Read On]
I am incredibly blessed to have helped the boys catch the ‘reading bug.’ They enjoy reading great books (and even some not so great ones) and when they take the required standards based tests here in Alaska they score in the advanced range for reading comprehension. Yet, I do not always feel like we do [Read On]
We love to read in our house and J has definitely caught the reading ‘bug.’ He’s still a few years away from reading on his own, but having a book read TO him is a daily delight. Animals are always of interest in our house. Mr. O and the boys watch animal shows [Read On]
For anyone who has read this blog for a while or personally knows my boys, then you’d already know that they tend to like doing ‘fun’ schoolwork on the computer. Reading Eggs is one of the newest (to us) programs we’ve had the opportunity to test out in our house. At first glance, I [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
The boys and I love a good fantasy or science fiction novel. There is just something wonderful about escaping from the ordinary into something extraordinary. A story about a teenaged boy who learns his father’s true identity seemed like a great fit for us. Hence, I had no hesitation requesting the chance to review The [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
Along with doing the review of Silver Smoke this week, I was able to do a quick interview with the author, Monca Leonelle. I hope you enjoy it and have a chance to check out her book. How did you choose Hawaii, Spain and Los Angeles for locations in the novel? I used to [Read On]
Since beginning our homeschool journey 5 years ago, I have come to realize that historical fiction is a fantastic avenue for the boys to learn about a time period or event in a more interesting manner than reading a textbook alone. P really enjoyed this approach when learning about the Middle Ages (from the fall [Read On]
I love to find a new author who has a great ability to blend fast paced action adventure with profession of faith. I’ve found some that have the action adventure down, but the character’s values conflict greatly with mine. Or, someone tries to superimpose those values onto a story in a manner that just makes [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
We love to read and Christmas stories are a favorite in our house. Today I wanted to share about a new one titled Humbug, A Christmas Carol by Lee Baker. Synopsis: Winterton is a frozen town with frozen hearts and frozen people. A magical humbug that attracts the magical reindeer of Santa is [Read On]
A little while back, we reviewed a new children’s book titled Cooper and Me! Just loved it, but D wasn’t so sure as he couldn’t empathize with anxiety over going TO school. Well, the mother and daughter team of Monique & Alexa Peters are back with another adventure.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The [Read On]
When the boys each reached the stage of early chapter books, they often longed for choices that were not too short and had a story line they enjoyed. Sadly, there were limited options out there that both appealed to them and got mom’s nod of approval. A few were cute, but after careful review had [Read On]
Even when we had no little ones in the house, I’ve enjoyed a good children’s book here and there. Sometimes a story can be more compelling when written so a child can understand and illustrated to help reinforce the story being told. Little Shepherd is the latest children’s picture book that we’ve had the [Read On]
Every so often since I’ve been on the TOS Homeschool Crew, I’ll see a product in the line up of vendors on deck that I am truly itching to try. There are plenty that look interesting or are from companies I was not familiar with before seeing them on the vendor list. What I’m talking [Read On]
Have you ever gotten that ‘stinky thinking’ going on in your head? Or, maybe you’ve witnessed your child or grandchild latch on to the negativity and then lament how everything goes wrong for them? Valerie Ackley has tackled this common issue in her new book, What are You Thinking? With colorful illustrations by Lori [Read On]
Earlier this year, we were introduced to Marianne Richmond with her book The Night, Night Book. It is still one of J’s absolute favorite books to read. Hearing that she had a new title out, we were eager to review it. I believe in you is another darling title by Ms. Richmond that is [Read On]
When you have a younger reader in the house, it is nice to have a story that engages their imagination some while not being too difficult to tackle. Gertrude’s Broken Wand, the first book in the new Marmalade series, meets such a need. It is not an especially long chapter book and is written [Read On]
The two oldest boys have had the experience of leaving home to go to school. It can be a scary time in a child’s life, especially if they haven’t done the day care scene. D was with me when we picked the book up at the post office. He decided to dive right into reading [Read On]
Have I mentioned lately how much my boys enjoy reading? Well, in case I haven’t, I’ll state it again. I have a house full of voracious reading boys. And, THAT is a good thing! One of the latest titles being passed about by the boys is a new book titled, The Crystal Prince. [Read On]
I do a lot of reading and enjoy a wide variety of genres. This title could be lumped into a romance category as that is most definitely a central theme of the story. But, I found it to also give a glimpse into a culture of which I am not as familiar ~ the Indian [Read On]
During the 2008-2009 school year, the boys and I participated in what was our best homeschool co-op ever. They studied the Middle Ages for history with kids around their own grade level (elementary versus middle/high school.) The older group learned a bit about Shakespeare when reading Julius Ceasar early that fall. That group loved the [Read On]
Fantasies are a favorite genre for the boys and I. We’ve read a ton of them and are constantly on the hunt for a new author to add to our reading lists. When I saw the opportunity to review Once We Were Kings, I asked P if he was interested in reviewing it. He [Read On]
Every so often, I like to read a book full of suspense that just might have your heart beating a little faster at times. Not a full blown ‘horror’ book, but something with a hint of scariness. Marysvale, penned by Jared Southwick, has tension that can scare a little, but does not have you [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
We love to read new books in our house, especially for J who gets into a rut with his favorite books. The Lion’s Deceit by Mpho Otukile provided that opportunity as we recently read it for review. The back cover has the description: A lazy lion goes against his real nature by tricking other [Read On]
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason [Read On]
