Homeschool Resource of the Day: Homeschooling for the Holidays

HOMESCHOOLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

We surveyed over 800 homeschool families and asked them to share their favorite holiday activities and ideas - what worked for them, and what did not. This is a compilation of the very best responses and ideas we received. In this little collection you'll find dozens of great holiday learning activities plus tips and suggestions for balancing homeschool & family during the upcoming holiday season. This is some of the very best "real life" advice on the subject you'll find ANYWHERE
at any price. Think ahead now and avoid stressing out the next couple of months. Don't miss it!

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com.

Uprinting.com Postcards Winner

The winner of 100 UPrinting.com Personalized Postcards is....

#3 Amy
I would use as Christmas cards and maybe a few updates in pictures of my children where I could send them to family members that live out-of-state (if more than one picture is allowed).
October 21, 2009 11:37 PM

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you soon. :)

Vote for Me!!

Hey everybody!! I need your help. I'm entered into a contest at Classy Mommy for a Flip Ultra Digital Camcorder.
And I NEED your votes. I mean I'm really not that popular in blog world but I seriously don't want to end up only having my vote.

So all I'm asking is that you click on this link http://www.classymommy.com/giveaway_new/contest1/vote.php?contest=flip_ultra&name=LesleyPeck and then next to my name - Lesley Peck - click the vote button.

I really appreciate all of you taking the time to do this for me. (((HUGS)))

Homeschool Resource of the Day: The Young Craftsman

THE YOUNG CRAFTSMAN

Wonderful collection of woodworking, leather, sewing and general craft projects from the pages of Popular Mechanics, especially for young crafters. Think "homemade gifts" this holiday season!

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com.

Child Seat Safety Follow Up

This is such an important topic, the safety of our children. I wanted to post some information again in case you missed my original post.

We put our children in a car seat and many of us think that that's enough. But what if they aren't installed properly? Do you know your state laws regarding when a child can switch from a rear facing to a forward facing? Yea, you're probably not exactly sure. That's what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is here for. They provide online resources that give us the ability to keep our children safe.

- Twitter: An actual safety expert mans the @ChildSeatSafety account on Twitter, and they will continue to answer any questions that parents have about child passenger safety. This is such a unique resource from a government agency!

- Facebook: NHTSA has a Facebook page at http://facebook.com/childpassengersafety where parents can learn about everything from LATCH to locating inspection offices.

- Website: The Ad Council and the NHTSA have created a site with all the resources parents need to keep their smallest passengers safe: http://childcarsafety.adcouncil.org/ Find your local inspection station, watch instructional videos, and even take a fun quiz!

$7.95 subscriptions at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine are BACK!

New to homeschooling?

Seasoned Vet?

There are few places you can go to find the kind of information, support, and encouragement that you’ll discover inside of TOS—approximately 200 pages worth!

Your subscription starts with the fabulous Winter 2009/2010 issue which will be available January 2010! Filled with the best inspirational stories and motivating ideas you have come to appreciate from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.

Topics like:

· Classical education: teaching Latin and more.

· An interview with Andrew Pudewa.

· Library column filled with great book ideas.

· World War I.

· Preschool at home.

· Top tips on teaching writing; communication theme, including speech and debate.

· Support group how-to’s.

· Science and homeschool.

· And our fabulous FREEBIES Directory.

Don’t want to wait? Start your subscription right now by purchasing the one-year plus current issue option. You can still use the special coupon code SUB795 and get the current Fall Issue--all for only $12.90! This is a 29.00 value for only $12.90, and we'll send you your Fall Issue right away!

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Homeschool Resource of the Day: Travel

TRAVEL!

Learn how grandma & grandpa travelled when they were kids in this excellent photo picture book on travelling by plane, train and ship in the mid 20th century. Excellent!

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com.

ABCDE-Fleecies

Well, I finally took a minute to sew Matthew's pants to match Daddy's. I didn't have a pattern so I just started cutting. They actually turned out pretty nice. He is super duper cute in them. But since he is always moving and it's hard to get a picture, I had to wait until he fell asleep.

And this was Gracie's latest project.

Making my living room wall into an ABC board using Bendaroos.

She had such fun.



I couldn't make her quit. I guess that's why she fell into bed at 10:15 until her normal 9:00 bedtime. Oh well, we are only young once....

100 Brochures/Flyers Giveaway from UPrinting.com

UPrinting.com is giving me another giveaway for me to host!! Is this not the best company to have has a blog sponsor? Seriously, they rock! You can read reviews on UPrinting.com on Yelp.com.

The giveaway this time is for their brochures/flyers. One lucky winner will get the following...

Giveaway Prize:
100 8.5 x11" Brochures/Flyers on 100lb gloss text paper ; 4 color printing on both sides
Folding Choices: Half fold; Trifold/Letterfold; Z-fold; Accordion (4 panels) Roll Fold (4 Panels)
Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs. They are negotiating better shipping rates soon.

You can use these for your church programs, yard sales, restaurant menus, business promotion, etc... The holidays are coming upon us fast so many you have may have an organization that needs some promotion. Basically, these are the best...extremely versatile. They can be used for just about anything.

To enter all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me how you would use these if you were to win. For an extra entry tweet the giveaway at @lesleypeck, make sure you leave a comment below.

This giveaway will end on November 3rd at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chosen using Random.org.


*Disclaimer: For posting this giveaway and sharing information about UPrinting.com I will be receiving 100 FREE Brochures/Flyers. The opinions stated above are my own.*

FREE Where the Wild Things Are Activity Guide

This movie is such a hit right now. All the kids are talking about it. If you're like me you remember reading the book when you were younger, and probably reading it to your kids. But now there's a movie, like always. :) Gracie came home the other day telling me about her teacher reading the book to the class and the monsters they all made. She hasn't mentioned the movie yet...I'm sure it won't be long.

The National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with Where the Wild Things Are to launch the Be Out There campaign. This is a way for kids and families to connect with nature.

You can get a FREE printable Where the Wild Things Are Activity guide here.

Homeschool Resource of the Day: Old Time Holiday Stories

GREAT OLD TIME HOLIDAY STORIES FOR THE FAMILY PREVIEW!

THREE wonderful full length audio programs from our limited edition collection for you to sample and enjoy. (Note: Don't miss the "Early Bird" info on this if you are interested in getting a copy of the complete collection for your home this holiday
season.)

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com.

Stickers Winner

The winner for the 250 personalized stickers is....

#2 Luvdaylilies

I would love to design some "From our Kitchen" Labels!
Thanks for a great giveaway!
October 19, 2009 3:26 PM

Congratulations!!! I will be contacting you soon. :)

Winners....

I have two winners to announce this morning!

The winner of the book The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall is...

#1 Nikki said...

Love Cindy's books! She is def one my fave authors! She really makes the Amish
seem more REAL and not just storybook characters.
October 12, 2009 10:26 AM

And then I also had a My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure DVD to giveaway and that winner is...

#2 6ofGodschildren said...

I would love to win this for my 7 year old and 6 year old daughters!! They love
anything MLP!! This is really nice of you to do!
Debby
October 17, 2009 8:24 PM

Congratulations to you both! I'll be contacting you soon. :)

I need sleep but I'm blogging instead!

Seriously, I am sooo tired. I didn't sleep good last night. I got maybe 4.5 hours. You know how you lay down to go to bed and then it's like a switch turns your mind on. Yea, it was one of those nights. So I laid there awhile and then got up and watched t.v. and played online. I found a website called Africam ~ it is the COOLEST!! It's live video feed from Africa. You can see all kinds of animals (if they are out). I think I watched it for about an hour before the nature sounds started to lull me to sleep.

I had a day today where I did absolutely NOTHING. Well, obviously I had to take care of baby and feed the family, but no housework at all. I was on a mini-strike. But I'll pay for it tomorrow when I have to make up for not doing it today. But I do say it was worth it. :) Everyone needs a day of nothingness.

When Gracie got home from school she had received her Scholastic book order. She had chosen the Hello Kitty 12-book phonic readers. She sat down and with a little help read a whole book to me. I am one proud mama!!! OH!!! I almost forgot ~ Matthew got two more teeth making the total 14. He has a mouthful!! Precious!


Right now both babies are in bed, yet I'm still not there. It's so nice and peaceful I'm soaking it up. :) It's an oddity. I don't think I truly realized it would be this noisy with two kids. Matthew is so small but wow if he doesn't pack a punch. From the moment he wakes in the morning, he's like the Energizer Bunny. He usually takes one nap late morning/early afternoon and IF I'm lucky it lasts about 2-3 hours.

I think I'll share some pics before I sign off of here...I mean you do wanna see some pics of my cuties don't you??

Another UPrinting.com Giveaway - 100 Postcards

UPrinting.com has offered to give one of my readers 100 postcards. These postcards are designed by you and can be used for anything you want ~ whether it be for your business, church, or personal use. I'm going to use mine as holiday postcards. I have a cute snowflake design in mind.

Giveaway Prize includes:
100 - 4x6 postcards
Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides

FREE UPS Ground Shipping in the US (Canadian residents pay shipping and taxes. Offer not available to residents outside of the US and Canada)

To enter this giveaway all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what you would use the postcards for. Be creative! I can't wait to hear your ideas. For extra entries, follow me on Twitter @lesleypeck and tweet this giveaway. You can do this once a day. Leave a comment for each tweet. :)

Giveaway will end on October 25th at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chosen using Random.org.


*Disclaimer: For posting this giveaway, I will be receiving 100 postcards free of charge from UPrinting.com.

Homeschool Resource of the Day: The Origins of Halloween

The Origins of Halloween (PDF ebook)

Love it or hate it, Halloween is nevertheless a fact, so it might be a good idea to know where it came from. In this fascinating history lesson, uncover the origins of this "holiday", which certainly has changed dramatically over the centuries.

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieoftheDay.com.

Homeschool Resource of the Day: "Learn Something" Brain Ticklers

"Learn Something" Brain Ticklers (PDF ebook)

A fun collection of brain teasing puzzles... in which your kids will - while solving a fun puzzle - also learn something of math, science & history. Can YOU solve these puzzlers before your kids do? Try 'em and see!

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieoftheDay.com.

More of me...

After such positive feedback on yesterday's me post I decided I'd do it again. :D I do want to make everyone happy. Actually, that's a downfall of mine. I want everyone to be happy, all the time. I get that that's not possible. I mean I am the Queen of Moody! But no matter what my attitude is I want the other people around me to always be smiling. Weird, huh?

Well, today was like the first official day of "Whoa! It's freakin' cold out there!" hahaha I think the high was 49 degrees but the wind made it feel freezing. When I took Gracie to the bus stop it was 47, so it didn't get much warmer through the day. By the time she got home it was raining to top it off. I actually don't mind the cold weather. It just means I have a reason to stay in under a blanket and cuddle up with my baby and a book. :) This weekend the weather channel is calling for a mix of rain and snow. I do wish we had some firewood stored up, I would so have a fire going right now.

Pepperoni rolls for dinner. LOVE 'EM! I always eat way too many though ~ maybe why I don't fix them every week? I thought about making a cake...I have a yummy sounding butter pecan cake mix in the cupboard. But again I eat too many pepperoni rolls, so I'm waiting on the cake.

I was thinking of Christmas today. *sigh* It's going to be really tight this year. I'm trying to think of homemade items I can give as gifts. I don't know. I like the thought of homemade...but I never feel like I pull it off. I did find one cute craft ~ stained glass votive candle holders. I made one and am waiting for it to dry to see what I think of it. It's got possibility. :) If anybody has ideas, please let me know. I much appreciate it!

I'm thinking I might get into some sewing tomorrow. I am going to make Matthew a little pair of comfy pants to match the pair I made his daddy. They are fleece with a Navy print. Robby picked it out for the battleships. :) Such a little boy at heart. Here's a pic of my two favorite boys.

Robby has on the pants I made for him. Matthew will look cute in a matching pair I think.

Mmm-kaay. I think that's about it for now. ;) Hope all is well with everyone!

Hugs & Love!! ♥

Homeschool Resource of the Day: Everyday Number Stories

Everyday Number Stories (PDF ebook)

Here's a wonderful math problem book, filled with with delightful illustrations from an earlier, simpler America, along with a host of practical, down-to-earth, progressively more difficult arithmetic problems. This would be a great supplemental book for just about any elementary math program for students in grades 2-5.

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieoftheDay.com.

It's been awhile...

...since I wrote an update on just me. :) I've been so busy with reviews, giveaways, and freebies that I haven't taken just a moment to say "Hi!" and let you know what's going on with me. Maybe you don't care and the freebies and other stuff is what you come here for...but oh well, TOO BAD! You can either read this or go away. :D

Gracie started school the end of August. She absolutely LOVES it, it makes me sad ~ I would love to have her home with me. But Robby thought it was best she try public school, so we did. She enjoys being around the kids and she has learned so much. Not that she wasn't learning with me, it's just a different kind of learning. She has lost two teeth this summer and has a third one loose. She is becoming a little lady. We have our moments of fussing and I try to remember she is young and just needs guidance...but wow what a mouth on that child. Ugh! LOL I wonder if I ever gave my mama this much trouble? ;)


Matthew is getting SOOO big. He's 14 months now and getting into EVERYTHING! Just this week he has started climbing on the couch and coffee table. *SIGH* He's my little daredevil. He doesn't cuddle as often, but when he does it is precious. He has 12 teeth now. He tries to run. He dances and fake sneezes. He is a ham. Watching him grow and learn makes me so proud, but also sad ~ he will be my last baby and I will miss all these precious moments.


This is my favorite time of year. I love the vibrant colors. The cool crisp air. Just the feel of the season. There is just something about the smell in the air, the sounds of the leaves rustling...this is my time. I feel the start of a new beginning...

I've talked about the kids and the season. Now, I don't really know what to say about myself. Things right now are not that great. Robby & I are dealing with a lot of things. Private stuff that I've been debating on talking about. Sometimes I feel the need to tell my story...but it's not just me that would be affected. I need more time...I think one day I'll be able to tell it ~ I do think in the long run it may help others, or at least I hope it will. You've heard the saying that everything happens for a reason ~ well that's what I'm holding onto...the fact that God never puts more than we can handle in our life. I know that no matter what Robby & I will come out of this stronger.

Until next time...God bless!!

OH! And about all those giveaways and reviews ~ Keep watch there is more to come!! :))

Review: Give Up The Ghost by Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile's newest album, Give Up The Ghosts, was released on October 6th by Columbia Records. Give Up The Ghost includes her first single, "Dream". You can listen to it by clicking on the widget below.



She has been described as having the "best voice in indie rock" and Elton John (with whom she has a duet with) has said “Brandi has an amazing voice,” and “She’s a great songwriter and has a tremendous career ahead of her.” I have to agree with him! She is such a talented singer/songwriter. Her music is outstanding!

When I first heard her song "Dreams", Peyton from One Tree Hill popped in my head. Don't ask me why. Maybe because on the show she deals with music artists and the sound is just what I associate with. However you want to put it this girl ROCKS!! They say if you you like KT Tunstall, Indigo Girls, Missy Higgins and Rachael Yamagata then you will LOVE Brandi Carlile.

The album, Give Up The Ghosts, tracks include:
Looking Out
Dying Day
Pride And Joy
Dreams
That Year
Caroline
Before It Breaks
I Will
If There Was No You
Touching The Ground
Oh Dear

I would recommend this album to anyone, actually I am...So go get it! :)


*Disclaimer: For reviewing this CD I was compensated by receiving a free download of Give Up The Ghosts. The opinion posted is my own.

Review: At Home With Friends by Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell is a Grammy award winning classical violinist. He came into the limelight at 14 years old! Now at 34, he has had 30 albums. But At Home With Friends is different than all the others. Why? Because this is the first time he has combined the violin and vocals.

At Home With Friends covers all of the genres, from classical to pop, bluegrass to Broadway, jazz and ethnic World Music. There are even a couple of seasonal tracks in there, just in time to celebrate the holidays.

This is a really great CD to listen to and just have a relaxing time. It's a wonderful mix of classical and contemporary music.

The songs that are included on the album are:
I Loves You Porgy featuring Chris Botti, trumpet
Come Again featuring Sting, vocals
Oblivion featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Cinema Paradiso featuring Josh Groban, vocals
Para Tí featuring Tiempo Libre, various
My Funny Valentine featuring Kristin Chenoweth, vocals
Maybe So featuring Edgar Meyer Sam Bush and Mike Marshall, strings
Grieg: Sonata No. 3 featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff (Zenph re-performance)
Eleanor Rigby featuring Frankie Moreno, piano & vocals
O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair featuring Nathan Gunn, baritone
Il Postino featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor, piano & vocals
Chovendo Na Roseira featuring Dave Grusin, piano
Look Away featuring Edgar Meyer, bass and Chris Thile, mandolin
Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin featuring Anoushka Shankar, sitar
I'll Take Manhattan featuring Marvin Hamlisch, piano

You can follow Joshua Bell by going to his website or on Facebook.


*Disclaimer: For posting this review I was compensated by receiving a free copy of Joshua Bell's At Home With Friends.

250 Sticker Giveaway from UPrinting.com

UPrinting.com is a leading online printing company that provides high quality printing at the most affordable prices. They carry products such as business cards, postcards, posters, and stickers.UPrinting.com is giving one of my readers a chance to win 250 personalized stickers! You can use these for anything you want. Do you want to promote your blog? Maybe design some stickers for your child? Address/mailing labels. The possibilities are endless!

Giveaway Prize Details
250 Stickers/Labels for One (1) lucky winner
Choice of Sizes: 2” x 3.5”, 2” x 4”, or 3” x 3”
Paper: 70 lb Label Matte
Specifications: Full color front, blank back; 4 Business Day printing

FREE UPS Ground Shipping in the USA (Canadian residents need to pay shipping and taxes). Offer is not available to residents outside the US and Canada.

To enter leave me comment telling me how YOU would use these stickers. For additional entries you can tweet (daily) and/or blog (linking back to this post & Uprinting.com) leaving comments for each.

This giveaway will end on October 23rd at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be chosen using Random.org.


*Disclaimer: For posting this giveaway, I will be compensated with 250 personalized stickers.

Homeschool Resource of the Day: Adventures in Living

Adventures in Living - KEEPING FIT (PDF ebook)

Great 1930s book on physical fitness that ties in some wonderful historical stories and anecdotes to its fitness message. Each chapter ends with a short quiz. Lots of fun, filled with fascinating stories - highly recommended!

You can get it today only at www.HomeschoolFreebieoftheDay.com.

WOW! WOW! WUBBZY! “WUBB IDOL” DVD in stores October 13th

Tomorrow the new Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! movie "Wubb Idol" comes out on DVD. “Wubb Idol” originally aired on Nickelodeon in April and was such a huge hit that they decided to take it to DVD. Beyoncé Knowles made her voiceover debut in “Wubb Idol” – her first-ever children’s project – as Shine, the lead singer of the most awesome girl group, The Wubb Girlz!

In “Wubb Idol”, Wubbzy, his best friends, Walden, Widget and Daizy, can’t wait for the most popular girl group, The Wubb Girlz, to pay a visit to host the “Wuzzleburg Idol” talent show! Everyone in town hopes to win the contest. If Wubbzy can wow the judges, he’ll get the chance to go on to Wuzzlewood and perform with Sparkle, Shimmer, and Shine at their big concert and maybe even become a movie star! But will he remember the importance of just being himself?

I love watching Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! with Gracie and I am excited to see this new movie. Gracie will just be happy to get a surprise in the mail.

It's a really cute show that always has a moral to the story. That's what we want for our kids right? I like that I can let her watch a show that's fun but also going to teach her something.

Here are some FREE Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Coloring Sheets:
Coloring Sheet #1
Coloring Sheet #2
Coloring Sheet #3


*Disclaimer: For writing this post I was given a free copy of the DVD and sing-a-long CD.