The HOME Writer: Reviews

Molly's Money-Saving Digest (January 2010)

2010-03-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

Econobusters.com

PO Box 8426, Gray, TN 37615

I love to be organized. My files, my sewing and yarn supplies, my books--my home and my life! Being organized makes my life easier, and helps me accomplish my tasks quicker--which leaves more time for leisure activities.

Imagine my joy when I read the January 2010 edition of Molly's Money-Saving Digest! Produced by Econobusters and sold through The Old Schoolhouse magazine, this is a series of e-books that are published monthly. The January 2010 edition was a special treat as it included instructions on making pies by Mrs. Martha Greene of Marmee Dear. With so many "shortcuts" available these days (canned filling, pre-made crusts, and pre-made pies) the art of making pies has been set aside. That's really a shame, too; teaching children to make pies is such fun!

But, this issue wasn't just about pies. Being the January issue, it covered the basics of getting organized in a new year: budgeting and checkbook balancing, clothing inventory, tips for decorating frugally, and of course a January calendar and to-do list. What more could you ask for? How about recipes, complete with a shopping list? That's included! Or maybe you'd like tips on evaluating, prioritizing and organizing? Those are included, too! How about tips from other moms? Yup, Molly's got it! All you need to do is pull up a chair and visit Molly in the pages of this e-book.

Rounding out the issue is a listing of links found throughout the e-book, all neatly organized in the last few pages. (That doesn't really surprise you, does it?) After you've been blessed by this January issue--and I know you will be--you may be interested in some of the other Molly e-books. Besides monthly e-books, Molly offers books on organizing, recipes, and menu planning. If you stick with Molly, you'll soon have a wonderful library full of life skills to teach your children, as well as inexpensive decorating tips and money-saving ideas.

Have you visited Molly this month?

Help Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!

2010-03-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Compiled by Kathy Reynolds

PO Box 8426, Gray, TN 37615

Homeschooling has been a wonderful adventure for my family. With one already graduated, and another graduating this year, I'm looking forward to the next eight years and the graduations of the remaining three children. Six years ago I didn't think I'd be saying that. Six years ago, I needed this book!

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine has been encouraging homeschooling families for several years now. As more and more families begin going through the graduation process with their students, that encouragement takes on a whole new meaning. Having "been there" and survived, those families are eager to share their stories and offer support to those following in their footsteps. Help Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler! is a compilation of that support and encouragement.

Fourteen families share their experiences with homeschooling—specifically the high school years. At $12.45, this e-book is well worth the price. Regardless of the ages and grades of your children, you will be encouraged by this book. You may even find a few kindred spirits, as I did.

I've always said that if we put God first, everything else will fall into place. Imagine my surprise when I read those exact words from Phyllis Sather (p. 31)! Or, when I found Donna Rees' heartfelt sentiment, "I wanted others to be proud of my children, too" (p. 81). What a boost to my momma's heart and homeschooling mindset! I was quick to write down Donna's goals for homeschooling (p.82) because they sum up my own ideals:

Commitment to God and His ways
Development of character qualities that are pleasing to Him
Knowledge with which to gain access to greater opportunities for more knowledge.

Besides gaining a renewed mindset toward my own abilities to homeschool, I also found some great ideas to implement in our studies. I love a good creative writing course, but I never thought of doing Fan Fiction as a class! I'm also inspired to research the possibilities of apprenticeship programs with businesses in our community.

You can order this e-book directly from TOS but you may want to take your time before checking out. There are so many wonderful resources available through TOS! And that reminds me of another reason why I loved this e-book: the list of resources in the back of the book is fantastic! Not only do they list books and websites which benefit the parent/teacher, they list resources for the student and the whole family. Pick up your copy today!

Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, by Marty Angelo

2010-03-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month I received a message on Facebook from a gentleman that I didn't know. He wanted to know if I would be interested in reviewing his book. I didn't find this unusual since I'm a Fan of a page that connects reviewers with products. I figured he found me there. I clicked his name to view his profile and discovered we had a friend in common. I then started checking out his websites, to learn more about his book.

Marty Angelo has spent the majority of his life in the music industry. He's also spent the majority of his life strung-out on one drug or another, or drunk. His book, Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, is about his life before and after his salvation—mostly before.

I wasn't sure I wanted to review the book. I'm not active in the prison ministry, or any ministry that serves those dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. And I don't have ties to the music industry—anymore. You see, once upon a time, I was very active in a rock 'n roll lifestyle. I know what it's like to be high and drunk (sometimes both at the same time). I recognized the names of some of the bands and recording artists that Marty mentions in his book. That intrigued me enough to agree to the review.

Once Life Matters is a quick read. I took almost 4 days to read it, but that's only because of two things: family obligations do not allow me to sit and read for hours on end, and strong memories and emotions resurfaced during the reading. When Marty wrote of his despair, I felt it. I've been there. I know the darkness that surrounds drugs and alcohol and the rock 'n roll lifestyle.

This isn't the kind of book you give to someone out of the blue, in hopes that they'll read it and get saved. This is the kind of book you give to someone once you've established a relationship with them, and discovered that they're looking for something but don't know what. Marty walks you through his life, showing his attitude along the way, and sharing his thought process. Bible verses are sprinkled throughout the book, giving the reader a foreshadowing of where Marty is leading.

The book left me with a feeling of expectancy. Where would God use Marty next? More importantly, where would God use me next? I was encouraged to stay focused on Jesus Christ, and to listen for the Lord's leading.

If you know someone who seems to be searching, who seems to have a hole in his or her life and is constantly trying to fill it, you'll want to get this book for them. It will show them what they're searching for, and Who can fill that hole.

For You They Signed, by Marilyn Boyer

2009-09-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

(This is a short review I wrote for a contest on Facebook. I won, and wanted to share this review with you!)

For You They Signed, by Marilyn Boyer -- Full of short biographical sketches of each signer of the Declaration of Independence, this book includes fantastic illustrations and thoughtful questions for discussion. Travel through the 13 states as you read about each signer, picking up tidbits of historical facts and plotting timelines along the way. Work on two signers each week and you'll complete this study within a school year. This book will be a wonderful addition to the library of anyone who is politically active, and it's a must have for those who are not-- your knowledge of our country's history will be enriched, allowing you to better understand what's going on in Washington, D.C., today.

Famous Figures of Ancient Times

2009-07-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Written and illustrated by internationally published airbrush artist, Cathy Diez-Luckie, this book is a must-have for anyone teaching children about ancient times. Filled with 19 people and one elephant, this book offers wonderful visuals to keep hands busy while discussing the lives of the ancient people.

Printed on sturdy card stock, and perforated for easy removal, children can choose from pre-colored illustrations or black-and-white line drawings (to add their own color scheme to the figure). The back of each piece is labeled for easy assembly, and instructions explaining how to prepare and assemble the figures are also included.

The front of the book includes short biographies of each figure to be assembled. A link to the series' web site offers a club to join (for free) with perks such as a newsletter (with more info about historical people), contests, links, and info on more books in the series. Upcoming titles will cover Medieval, Renaissance, United States, and Biblical figures, as well as dinosaurs and wild animals.

Planning a trip to a museum that covers ancient times? This book is a great accessory to reinforce what your children will see and hear! Teaching a Sunday school class? Get a copy of Famous Figures of the Bible when it's released!

Children learn by seeing, hearing and doing. With the help of Famous Figures of Ancient Times, your children (students) will remember what they learn! I highly recommend this book!

Weekly Writer Club

2009-06-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

I love to write. I can say so much more with my fingers than I can with my mouth. But I'm often so caught up with my own writing projects that I forget to encourage my children to write. That won't be a problem anymore!

The Weekly Writer Club is an online club for students in grades 2-8 which focuses on Language Arts through letter writing. Although the emphasis is on homeschooled students, the club can be used by students in any learning environment.

When I first visited the site, I started reading--and clicking through all the links I could find to learn more about the program. The main Club will be active during the school year. But, during the summer there is a Travel Club available which lets families get a feel for the overall program. A quick Google search found other online programs for Language Arts that cost hundreds of dollars a year. Not only were the other programs expensive compared to WWClub, they didn't offer the same amount of personal interaction.

What exactly is the Club? Here's how the owner words it:

"The Weekly Writer Club is an online Language Arts program that rewards students for exploring ideas through letter-writing and sharing what they learn with new friends in the Club. Throughout the year, students in every grade level will improve their writing, thinking, and leadership skills. It is a new Club that is fast becoming one of the most unique and valuable family experiences in homeschooling."

Who is the owner? Judy Steidl is a certified English teacher who started homeschooling in 1987. Her children are all grown now, yet she continues to support family-focused education. She's been quick to answer any questions I have about the Club, and she's quick to correct any problems members run into.

As stated on the site, the Club focuses on letter writing. Children are encouraged to interact on the Club pages to meet new friends and share ideas, but they are also encouraged to pull out paper and pencil and write a letter to a friend, a professional, a family member--even to Judy! And it's not just friendly letters, but persuasive letters, book recommendations, how-to letters, and more. This site truly is "technology and personal communication bundled together."

Added perks include a book club and contests. Children are encouraged to read, and share info about the books they read with their new friends at the Club. The contests are open to members and non-members alike, and they encourage interaction as well.

The site also features rewards and promotions: everything is by the kids, for the kids, under the guidance of adults. The more children write and interact, the "higher" in the Club they get. And parents never have to worry about the safety of their children while on the site, since there is no outside advertising--clicking around the site keeps them at the site. The only off-site links I could find were few and far between--maybe a handful at the most.

My two youngest children recently joined the Summer Travel Club. After giving them a tour and explaining how things work, my 8-year-old turned to me and said, "It's like Facebook for kids!"

Hands-on learning, adult and child interaction, safe environment... I highly recommend this site!

The Hurried Woman Syndrome

2009-05-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

You’re too tired to exercise, which causes you to feel unattractive, which causes you to neglect your good eating habits, which makes you feel rundown and tired, which causes you to feel unattractive … Do you see a pattern like this forming in your life? If so, you probably suffer from Hurried Woman Syndrome according to Dr. Brent Bost. Reading this book is like chatting with him over coffee - it’s full of humor and common sense. I’m trying to convince my husband to move to Texas so that I can have Dr. Bost as my gynecologist!

During his years of practice, Dr. Bost has become very in-tune with women. He’s found that the three most common complaints are not pregnancy, bleeding and pain, as taught in medical school, but fatigue, weight gain and low sex drive. With that in mind, Dr. Bost has written this book, focusing on those three common complaints.

Fatigue

The first section of the book deals with “hurry” or stress and how it causes fatigue. Dr. Bost doesn’t brush over fatigue as being “all in your head” or only because you’re “out of shape.” He lists various medical tests that women should have done (to rule out physical factors of fatigue) and explains them in simple, easy to understand language.

Weight Gain

Dr. Bost offers an easy to understand method for weight loss and control. He stresses the fact that not everyone is the same, and that no one stays the same over time. What works for one woman doesn’t work for another, and it may not work for the first woman after a few years either.

Low Sex Drive

There’s not much to be said for this section, other than read it! You should have your husband read chapter 18, too! Each section of this book ends with frequently asked questions. Chances are good that you’ll find a question you’ve been thinking of asking your own doctor in this one.

Tying It All Together

This last section of the book shows how the other sections affect each other. Dr. Bost emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude and mindset. We should be in control of all areas of our lives, and not let life control us. If you need help around the house, Dr. Bost urges you to speak up. Your family members are not mind readers.

This book will give you plenty of ideas for de-stressing your life, controlling your weight, and improving your sex life. The book even includes a short quiz to see if you’re suffering from Hurried Woman Syndrome. Get a copy of this book, read it, and share it with a friend. They'll thank you for it!

A New Venture

2009-05-24T16:42:00.001-07:00

I would like to try to do some book reviews, so I've removed the idle chit-chat from this blog and will now post reviews here. I've done some reviewing of family materials in the past (for The Family Corner) so I'm not totally new to this. I like to base my reviews around the word "home."

H - Handling: was the book/site laid out in a reader-friendly way; did I find all the info I needed, or was I left scratching my head in frustration?

O - Orientation: was the book/site pleasing to look at; if there is a price involved, is it reasonable; overall, did I want to read further, or did the first page lose me?

M - Modern: does the book/site offer up-to-date info; is it designed for today's reader?

E - Educational: did I learn anything from this book/site; can I teach others (like my children) from the info; what was the take-away?

Until I get some new books to review, I'll post previous reviews here, and I'll do practice reviews of books on my shelves. I hope what I post will be helpful to each of you!