MyBlogSpark: Lawry's Get Grilling Kit Giveaway

MaryEllen is the winner of the Get Grilling Giveaway! Congratulations, MaryEllen. 

This giveaway is now closed.

Here it is, as promised!  Another great giveaway from MyBlogSpark and Lawry's.  I am already a fan of Lawry's seasoning salt (takes your french fries to restaurant level) and marinades and love having the opportunity to try a couple of their newest flavors.  We marinated chicken thighs and drumsticks, as well as a few steaks, in the Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato last Saturday.  I returned home late from a used curriculum sale, was not feeling well, and we ended up ordering pizza.  The meat stayed in the fridge in the marinade all day Saturday, overnight into Sunday, and all morning until we returned home from church about 1 pm.  I was worried it would be overpowering after that length of time but was pleasantly surprised.  It tasted great!  I was also surprised to find that I preferred it on the steak, so don't be afraid to try different pairings!

I'm looking forward to trying the Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ, hopefully this week, but wanted to get this posted so that you all could have the chance to try it as well!  One of my readers will receive the same grilling kit that I did, complete with the two marinades, a seasoning salt, skewers, and a great marinating/casserole dish with lid.  The rest of you will just have to pick up a bottle for yourselves! ;-) 

A little information from Lawry's: "Lawry's newest marinades allow you to infuse your meals with exotic flavors without ever leaving your home. Inspired by the sun-drenched villages of Italy, the Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade features extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers and the perfect blend of herbs. The Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ Marinade gives meat a delicious sweet and sour flavor with a touch of Szechuan heat.

For more recipes and Lawry´s marinades that complement the flavor pairings visit the Grilling Flavor ForecastTM website at
http://www.mccormick.com/FlavorForecast/2010FlavorForecastGrilling.aspx.

Visit www.lawrys.com to check-out the full line of Lawry´s products, additional grilling tips and to find delicious recipes for grilling season and beyond!"

  
TO ENTER:

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Do you have a favorite grilling tip? A flavor pairing that you adore?

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3. Share this giveaway via Facebook (optional, leave additional comment letting me know )

4. Share this giveaway on your blog (optional, leave TWO additional comments letting me know)

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Drawing will be held on Friday, July 9th. 

*Disclosure: “The information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Lawry's through MyBlogSpark.”.*

Just a Grin

We're finishing up lunch after church yesterday and the phone rings.  My 15 year old answers it and then hands it to my 8 year old, "It's for you."  Huh? Since when does the 8 year old get phone calls?

He runs out of the room so that he can hear and returns a few minutes later. 

"Who was that?", I ask.

 "Oh, that was Andrew," he responds nonchalantly (his 9 year old friend from church, and fellow homeschooler), "He wanted to talk about our business venture."

"Oh, really?",  I try to cover my grin but fail, "Which venture would this be?"

"Silly bands." He says excitedly, "We're going in together on a bag of Silly Bands and then trading two for one."

Mhmm...apparently I have a little entrepreneur on my hands.  Today, Silly Bands. . .Tomorrow, the world.

Suddenly Salad Giveaway Winner!

And the winner is...The Lucky Ladybug!  She is a lucky ladybug, it would seem.  Please send your mailing info to HomeschoolReviewsandMore@yahoo.com, to claim your prize.

A new MyBlogSpark giveaway is coming soon!  

As soon as I can rid myself of this heat headache and think coherently, I will post the next yummy giveaway (which I enjoyed yesterday, actually. Mmm...marinades...).  Have I mentioned lately that I love MyBlogSpark?  Yeah...I do.  And I think you do as well!

Five Question Friday

 

Join the Fun!

 1. Do you know how to play a musical instrument?

I took piano lessons when I was a kid and hated it, got to college and piano was REQUIRED!  Can you believe it?  So I learned what I needed to get an A in the class and then promptly flushed all the information out of my mind.  I'd love to learn guitar but just haven't gotten around to it yet...

2. What is your pet peeve while driving?

I don't know if I have one.  I mean, I'm sure I do, I must!  But I can't think of one...unless it's tourists who stop in the middle of the rotary.  Yeah, that one makes me crazy.  Or bicyclists who hog the entire road and make me crawl behind them for fear of plowing them over. Or people who blast their music and sing loudly and even dance while driving...wait, that last one is me.  Nevermind.

3. Would you rather have a housekeeper or unlimited spa services?

Hello, nine people in one house?  Housekeeper. Daily. Ooo, and if she cooked that'd be even better.

4. Is there a song that you hear that will take you back to the moment, like a junior high or high school dance?

Many. I am a music person, everything is a song and yes, I will break out into one at random.  Play an 80's song and I am back in the 80's.  Sometimes that's good. Mostly, not really.

5. What song best represents your life right now?

That's a tough one.  There are so many.  One I love by Nichole Nordeman is titled, "Take Me As I Am". I can't find a link to the actual song, but here are the lyrics;

Oh, for a heart that does not ache
For a backbone that won't break
For some steady feet or sturdy ground
A road that isn't gonna let me turn around and run
For a thousand tongues to sing
To wear wisdom like Solomon's robe
For the patience and perspective of a man like Job
Just to soar on wings of eagles
For no other reason than the bird's eye view
For a flight or two
And the list gets longer
Who I wish I was, and was no longer


(Chorus)
I never could be good enough
To measure up
But You want to take me as I come
You're the only one that can
Take me as I am


Oh, to feel hope in hopeless times
Never mind the silver lining 'cause the clouds are fine
To breathe prayers that move the heavens
Or save hundreds from the flames
To know my place, to know my name
But the gap grows wider
Betwen who I am and all I aspire to be


(Chorus)


At the end of myself, at the end of the day
I can find little else but the courage to say
I need You
That's all
I need You

Fishing for Friendly Feedback

So, I have this friend.  And he enjoys the same types of books I do but is apparently lazy and doesn't want to take the time to actually read the entire review to see if I liked it or not. [GRIN] He has requested (several times) that I add some type of rating system to my reviews.  As I am heading into my third year of reviewing, I am wondering if this may be a helpful addition and am hoping for some feedback!  I also thought it a good time to ask you what YOU may like to see here?  What would be helpful to you? Do you want a place to ask questions (although I do not pretend to be an expert)? Do you have a particular curriculum you are wondering about that I may have enough experience with to write a review? Would you like to see more day-by-day homeschooling posts alongside the reviews? Do you have a suggestion I have obviously not thought of yet? Would it be nice if I actually finished linking all the reviews in the Reviews By Subject (yeah, no-brainer there)? Is the title's alliteration annoying?  Tell me, tell me, I want to know.

I can't promise to fulfill all your desires (Ha!) but would love some feedback to consider and will try to implement what I can to make this site more worthwhile to my readers.

Our Second Graduate

This past Saturday was our oldest daughter's official Graduation Dinner.  Her older brother graduated last year among much fanfare and a party that lasted into the night.  Opposites in most things, their celebration choices proved no different.  Larissa chose to have a simple dinner at a Mexican restaurant with a few family friends.

My first graduate was hard to contemplate.  The memories of Kindergarten all the way through high school tugged at me and I remember being overcome with sadness at losing my firstborn to

that big ole' world out there.  A year later and I'm wondering why he's still at home.  GRIN.

There were a few moments of sadness last weekend.  Mostly when realizing that those childhood moments are gone.  The reading aloud together, snuggled on the couch, are no more.  The term "Mommy' is no longer on her lips.  And it all went by so much more quickly than I was prepared for.  But I am well pleased with what I have now; a good friend, a conspirator, a young woman I am immensely  proud to call my daughter. Happy Graduation, Larissa.

Two down, five to go. . .

Ransomed Dreams by Sally John

Ransomed Dreams opens with the brutal shooting of Sheridan Montgomery and her husband Eliot, the US ambassador to Venezuela, and quickly moves into life following the traumatic event.  Eliot is now left severely disabled and in chronic pain, Sheridan has her own fears and emotional scars to face, and neither are well-equipped to deal with a life that was not what they "signed up for".  Enter Luke Traynor, a CIA agent who has a knack for turning their world upside down, and Sheridan's heart along with it, and the drama continues.

When I was reading the description for this book, I somehow came away with the impression that it would be one of intrigue and mysterious circumstances, action and suspense.  This was not the case.  Ransomed Dreams is more of a drama.  The focus is on the relationships and the dynamics between the various characters.  How does one deal with an abrupt change in one's life and marriage?  What do marriage vows mean when your spouse is suddenly a completely different person?  How does one handle an attraction to the man who is there to provide everything the husband can not? And where is God in all of this?

I struggled to get through this book.  I am not a fan of the genre and felt as I would if I had expected to see a Bourne Identity type movie and ended up in Steel Magnolias.  But, much as would likely happen in that case, I ended up somewhat involved and invested by the end of the story.  If you enjoy a good Christian drama story, you would probably really enjoy this book.  

Ransomed Dreams is available through Tyndale or your favorite online or local bookstore.

*Disclosure: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, for review purposes.*

25/52

Wordless Wednesday: The Dog Who Came to Park Day.

Not A Real Post Monday

Yeah, I just made that up.  But I think it could catch on.  After all, it is Monday. and we all know how Monday's can be.

I have a lot to post on; my daughter's graduation dinner was Saturday, Father's Day was yesterday, the Narnia study links are piling up and waiting to be organized and posted, a review book is almost finished, my oldest son swallowed his lip piercing (Ha! I thought that would make a great "Not My Kid Monday" but alas, I can't even find the site that hosts that...probably 'cause it's Monday and that's just how Mondays work!). 

Oh, and somehow I lost ten "Followers" overnight.  What's up with the mass exodus anyway...was it something I said?

It's Monday, I don't feel great, and a real post is just not going to happen.  So here it is, my Not A Real Post.  See you soon, and in the meantime, don't forget to enter the giveaway.  I have a new one when this one ends too!  Ooo, I love giveaways!

MyBlogSpark Suddenly Salad Summer Salad Gift Pack Giveaway!

Yes, it's time for another MyBlogSpark giveaway!  You know how much I love these food related reviews and giveaways. And we're kicking off the summer with a giveaway from Suddenly Pasta Salad.

I don't know about you, but summer around here frequently means barbecues with friends. Barbecuing with friends frequently means bringing a side dish.  And sometimes I need a little help to get started.  The Suddenly Pasta Salad mixes contain everything you need to create a pasta salad, or they can be a great kick start.  Adding your own special additions makes it your recipe, and therefore "homemade".  Hey, in my opinion, if it's made at home then it's homemade!

To help celebrate their new Greek flavor, MyBlogSpark and Suddenly Salad would love to give one of you a great Summer Salad Gift Pack. It contains everything you see above and I can verify that the cooler bag is LARGE, as I received this set as well!  I think it's great for the beach and those trips back from the grocery store with ice cream in the hot trunk of the car.

TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post (required).  
What recipes have you created using Suddenly Salad? What's on your summer fun agenda?

2. Share this giveaway via Twitter (optional, leave additional comment with Twitter name)

3. Share this giveaway via Facebook (optional, leave additional comment letting me know )

4. Share this giveaway on your blog (optional, leave TWO additional comments letting me know)

5. Follow/subscribe to this blog (optional, leave additional comment letting me know- if you already follow, leave TWO additional comments)

6. Place my button on your blog (optional, leave TWO additional comments letting me know.)

Drawing will be held on Monday, June 28th. 

*Disclosure: “The information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.”.*

Wordless Wednesday

Upcoming Review & A Hard Headed Husband

I believe my most popular giveaway yet was for the CSN store's Lego Star Wars set.  I followed up with my winner and was happy to hear that she received everything as she should.  When I was recently contacted by CSN Stores again, I jumped at the chance to try one of their products for myself and be able to report my experience to you.

Every time I have the opportunity to check out the CSN sites, I come away amazed at the selection.  They have everything from  lights and household goods to toys and games to bookshelves and furniture to cookware and even shoes!  Seriously, I have spent hours just browsing their sites.

As tempted as I was by the shoes, it was the cookware site that won me over.  I've requested the Rachael Ray griddle pictured.  I'd love to say I'm being completely altruistic in wanting to report on their service, but part of my excitement over this is that I actually need a griddle!  I used to have one but my husband broke it over his head.

No, I didn't say that I broke it over my husband's head in some fit of rage (I am more prone to fits of tears than fits of rage!), but that he broke it over his own head.  We were on vacation (I bring my favorite kitchen gadgets along), and it fell out of the box he was carrying above his head, whacked him good, and broke.  Apparently he has a hard head.

So you can see why I'm excited to give this new one a try.  I'll be sharing more later, so keep an eye out!

Tradewinds: Meet My New Mini Crew.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  

Explore.  Dream.  Discover.  ~Attributed to Mark Twain

The TOS Review Crew consists of over 250 people this session.  These 250 are divided into two groups (focusing on reviews for older or younger students), and within these groups are "Mini Crews".  These are made up of a First Mate (a returning reviewer who is there to help) and four to five reviewers.   

I've always said that homeschooling is an adventure.  When I read this quote, I knew it was a perfect fit.  We're sailing away to where the trade winds take us; Exploring new curricula, dreaming of new ways to spark our student's interest, discovering more about ourselves, each other, and our children along the way.  So take a moment and meet my Mini Crew, Tradewinds, and follow us on our journey.

• Terri @ Accidentally Homeschooling
• Laurie @ Abundant Blessings Homeschool
• Angie @ A Little Book Nook
•  Stacy @ Sowing Seeds: Our Homeschool Journey
• Gayle @ The Westie Crew

Not Me Monday: The One Where I Almost Lose My Pants

Well, it's time for a "Not Me Monday" post. Too bad I did nothing embarrassing this past week. That's right, I most certainly did not immediately drip oil onto my sweater when taking the visiting pastor and his wife for a nice dinner. And I would never follow that by filling my straw with water, dripping it onto my cloth napkin, and then unceremoniously dabbing at my chest. Nope. I have more class than that, don't you think?

I also did not unconsciously make some kind of face during our church leadership meeting at a most inopportune time, have that pointed out by one of the deacons, and then turn bright red in embarrassment as I wondered at what my face had said (I frequently don't know, it has a mind of it's own).

To top it all off, I most certainly did not lose ten pounds, wear the too big pants to church, and have them slide down my rear enough when I sat down that a friend had to pop over during the service to tell me my skivvies were showing! I was not grateful I had chosen the grandma undies that day either.

Nope. Not me.

Eternal Sonata Lapbook

Towards the end of the school year, my oldest daughter reminisced about the projects we had done over the years of homeschooling and wondered aloud at the lack of them the last year or so.   This, combined with my severe bout of Spring Fever last month, prompted me to finish our school year with a family lapbook.

We are in the midst of playing a video game called Eternal Sonata. This game takes place in Chopin's dream world, as he lay on his death bed.  The character's names all come from the world of music, the music throughout the game is Chopin's, and there is a short bit of Chopin's biography after you complete each chapter in the game.  I am loving the game and thought it would make an excellent lapbook.

We searched online for graphics from the game, printed them out, and then created booklets with the name, picture, and definition (which we also researched online). For Chopin himself, we used an accordion book and glued in a timeline of his life on one side and a list of his most famous famous works on the other.  The Pandora Internet radio was tuned to Chopin during the entire process.  Everyone worked on separate booklets and folds and then we combined them to create one lapbook.

Here's a Smilebox slideshow of our creation:

Personalize a photo slideshow Let me know if the Smilebox works for you. It's new to me and I'm wondering if I should have just gone with posting the straight photos.

Senior High Form+U+La at The Curriculum Choice

My first review for The Curriculum Choice is posted and I'd love it if you'd all go check it out!  The first bit is below, follow the link to read the rest. Don't forget to leave a comment while you're there.

It was the year before my oldest began high school at home and I was in severe panic mode.  Was it possible to continue with our relaxed, teach-our-children-how-to-learn philosophy, or were we stuck with creating a school like atmosphere for the next four years?

Enter Senior High: A Home Designed Form+U+La.  Ignoring the many (many!) forms and trying not be intimidated at the 428 pages, I dug in to the meat of the book, the heart-to-heart chat between Barb and her reader. . . Click HERE to read the rest at The Curriculum Choice!

Wordless Wednesday :Stumbled Across on Photobucket and Loved It!

Coming Soon: Summer Vacation

Summer days are just around the corner...and I can't wait.  

It seems many homeschoolers these days enjoy schooling year round, but we love our summer vacation.  Especially as my kids became older, they wanted to enjoy summer sleepovers and adventures with their friends.  We all wanted to experience the lazy days of summer and so we began following the public school calendar more closely.

As relaxed homeschoolers, we are always reading and learning on our own and so I have no problem with leaving the more formal academics until September.  The memories made during summer days at the beach and impromptu ice cream trips are more important to me than handwriting and history lessons.  Spending time together, with friends and family, is priceless and worth more than I can express.

That being said, we do have a few "schoolish" goals for this summer.  I'd love to see the kids working in their handwriting books here and there throughout the next couple of months.  This will not be the priority, but it's swimming around in the back of my mind for the first time I hear "Mom, I'm bored.".  Spelling is an area that needs work and so I purchased Scribblenauts for the DS.  Natural, fun spelling practice that I don't have to assign.  It's a winner.  And we have the Radio Theater version of The Screwtape Letters, with Andy Serkis (“Gollum” in Lord of the Rings).  I can't wait to begin listening to this! 

Summer vacation...bring it on.

Sonlight and Percy Jackson

My last entry inspired two questions, which I love, and my answers were so long that I thought I'd share them as a post as well.  If anyone else is interested, here are my thoughts on Sonlight and Percy Jackson.  Ooo, maybe the folks from Sonlight should read Percy Jackson. I'd love to know if they would enjoy it as much as I did!

Heather asked, "Have you used Sonlight for many years? Pluses/minuses?".

We used Sonlight many years ago, back when I only had two school age kids.  Last year I thought I wanted a more structured lesson plan and went with the Sonlight 6.  My oldest daughter looked through the catalog and asked to do Sonlight Core 300, for what turned out to be her senior year.  My upcoming 10th grader will also use the Core 300 in the fall.

Pluses- Lots of living books, most of them really good. You can combine grades and use as a unit study if you prefer. Language arts is interwoven (if you order the language arts guide).

Minuses- Too structured for my taste, I need more freedom.  This would be a plus for many and is a plus for my 10th grader, who will be working through it mostly on his own.  The books are sometimes hit or miss but this would be the case with any literature based study, as personal taste is so subjective. I prefer the TruthQuest commentary and combine the two.

Not sure if that was helpful. I'd be glad to answer any specific questions too!  Bottom line- I think it's a good curriculum, although it doesn't suit us as a family unit study.  I think it will be a good fit for my 10th grader on his own though, along with the TQ commentary.  If you are looking for a 5 year old, I would recommend SL if adapted. There's a potential for too much work for a 5 year old but the core itself would be great with all the yummy books. 

Debra asked, "Hey, Lori-- I want info on the Percy Jackson series... I just don't have time to be doing a lot of pre-reading right now. What should I know about this series before handing it to my 11 year old?".

 I only read the first book myself.  The only thing really to be aware of is that the storyline does revolve around Greek mythology.  If your son is old enough to know the difference between mythology and reality, then I'd recommend the book (My 8 year old got tired of me reminding him of this.  He was like, " I KNOW Mom!" GRIN.). There is romance between Ares and...Aphrodite, I think, and they talk about them getting caught by Zeus in the Tunnel of Love but there is no "yucky love stuff" that I can recall. I think I remember some "junior high humor" regarding bodily functions that most eleven year old boys will appreciate, but it wasn't over the top, in my opinion. There is good character growth in Percy and I loved the story.

The movie completely changed the story, made Percy older, added romance, turned Grover into a girl crazy lech, and rewarded disobedience.  This was NOT in the book and I'd hate to see the book judged by the movie, 'cause they pretty much ruined it.  I shared thoughts on this earlier as well, you can find it HERE, if interested.

School Year Wrap Up 2009/2010

As the school year winds down, I always try to write myself a few paragraphs summarizing what we have studied the past year and the kids accomplishments, as well as the things still needing work.  Usually, this is for my eyes only but I thought this year I would share here.  I am always amazed when I write the summary, it is usually much more than I realized as we worked through the year.

The big accomplishment for this year is my oldest daughter finishing up her studies and graduating a year early.  When she approached me with the idea, I was unsure if it would work.  Once I sat down and looked at her transcript, I was surprised to find she only needed three more credits to graduate!  This is the girl who started Kindergarten at three years old, along with her big brother, and just kept going.  Her official year of Kindergarten was actually her third year of school.  She kept up with him throughout the years and when she was working at high school level along with him, that went on her transcript.  Finishing a year early was easy for her and she's making the transition into adulthood a little early according to her age, but right on time for who she is and where she is at in life.  I am proud of where she is right now.

The five youngest began the year with Sonlight Core 6.  This covered Ancient History, literature, etc.  We used the Sonlight pretty much as written for the first section on Egypt and then my bossy nature took over and I could no longer follow someone else's lesson plans.  We decided to try block scheduling and concentrated on one subject per month for the second half of the year.  I picked up inexpensive assignment books and wrote a weekly list of independent work for each student.  They had until Saturday morning to complete their list and if it wasn't done, then Saturday would be spent finishing up.  It only took two occurrences of this for all the kids to realize finishing by Saturday morning was wise. 

One month was spent continuing through Greece by piecing together bits from the Sonlight guide and TruthQuest History.  Another month we focused on music, using portions of The Young Scholar's Guide to the Composers.  We had received this for review and I really liked it.  Once we really dug into though, it was not a great match for us.  It was a little more academic than hands on and we tend to prefer the hands on.  Still, a good program.  We tried spending a month on science and discovered that you really need to use science kits when you purchase them.  All those old kits in the back of the closet, just toss 'em.  Our experiments proved dismal, our caterpillars were unfortunately eaten by the cats before they could transform into butterflies (and yes, they were up high and "out of reach"), and our science month was one big failure.  Yet, I believe this was one month where we still learned a lot.  Maybe more than if everything had been successful.  Funny, life is like that sometimes too.

As the year came to an end, we did a short wrap-up study of Rome while Kevin (my 9th grader) went more in depth with the TruthQuest guide and several videos on Roman history.  Feeling the effects of Spring Fever, we decided to end the year with a lapbook based on the video game, Eternal Sonata.  This game takes place in the dreams of Chopin as he is on his death bed.  The characters have musical names, such as Beat and Allegretto and the music of Chopin plays throughout the game.  It seemed perfect to lapbook.  We're planning to finish this next week and I hope to post photos.  And then summer vacation will officially begin.

Individual highlights for the year: Kevin survived his first year of high school at home.  We decided to keep him participating in the same unit study with us for one last year, but he had more independent work than anyone else.  Sometimes it became a little too much and some we'll be finishing up in the fall.  Apologia Biology was not a hit with any of my three oldest children so far, and I think we will try something else with the upcoming high schoolers.  One Year Adventure Novel was a hit, but it was the product we put to the side when we became too busy.  We'll continue with that in the fall as well and rename it Two Year Adventure Novel.  GRIN. 

My reluctant reader, Nathan, became a reader this year.  I read aloud the first book in the Percy Jackson series and then purchased the rest of the set.  He devoured these.  Suddenly, I have a reader.  Thank you, Rick Riordian!  My three youngest were struggling readers at the beginning of the year.  The end of the year finds Bre reading Anne of Green Gables, Nicole finishing up Stuart Little, and Ryan working through an abridged Treasure Island.  As this was my main academic goal for this year, I am pleased!

We do have a couple subject areas to work on through the summer, but I think I'll save those for my summer plans post.  There are always more goals to meet, always things that need work and improvement, but all in all, I think it was a successful year.  When I add in all of the review products you see on this site, we had a very full year and learned quite a bit.  And we all still like each other.  Yep, success.