Not Me Monday: Not an Overachiever

I have not been reading the blogs of some amazing women lately. They have not inspired me to try something new, cooking in bulk and freezing.

I did not set last Monday aside as a shopping day and Tuesday as a cooking day. I did not decide to make enough breakfasts, dinners, sides, and desserts for one month because I am not an over-achiever.

I did not make 3 chicken pot pies, four servings of roasted sweet potatoes, 5 tater tot casseroles, 4 servings of orange glazed carrots, 3 portions of Swedish meatballs, 5 dishes of cashew chicken, 4 platters of Mexican chicken, 4 trays of baked mac and cheese, 3 large trays of tagliarini, 6 dozen muffins, 6 dozen pancakes, 48 sausage biscuits, and enough cookie dough for 8 dozen cookies. Like I said, I am not an overachiever of the highest proportion. Not me… no way!

Every muscle in my body did not ache after I finished all the cooking and cleaning. I'm not getting old, either.

I also did not fill the freezer with frozen vegetables and ready-to-bake bread. There is not enough food in there to feed an army, and I will not have to do any major shopping or cooking for one month. I did not save a considerable amount of money on groceries, and so far, everything has not tasted great and been super convenient. I am not glad I took time to bulk cook. Not glad at all.



And, just so you'll know… this non-overachiever is not messy either. Nope! Not a bit. In fact, here's what my kitchen did not look like when I finished cooking.

See, I told you. I'm not messy. Not me!

This picture was not taken after I had done two loads of dishes.

Oh, and don't bother coming back anytime soon because recipes will not follow. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Grrr....

A spammer has made his way to Olive Plants. Shame on you, whoever you are.

He is leaving comments with ads for products I do not endorse and making my lovely little blog not so lovely.

So... I have changed my comments security setting and will now be reviewing all comments before publishing them.

I hesitated to do this because I welcome comments. However, I do not welcome spammy comments and appologize for the nature of the one remaining spam that I cannot delete.

Unless you are a spammer, please keep commenting. I will approve and post your comment asap.

Thanks, my friends.

And, spammer, stop spamming!

Dawn

Product Review: GyMathtics

GyMathtics from Exploramania is a fun, DVD workout for kids that has them practicing math skills as they exercise.


The complete program includes four segments:

• Shape Stretches Warm Up
• Counting Calisthenics
• Pattern Power
• Well-Being Wind Down

In each segment, the adult instructor and her four young assistants demonstrate how to complete each exercise. Each exercise incorporates bending or moving to resemble a geometric shape, skip counting along with movements, or forming patterns. While the team completes the repetitions, math lessons are taught through graphics that appear on-screen while a voice-over teacher gives further explanation.

I thought GyMathtics had many good qualities:

• Integrating math and exercise
• Helpful graphics
• Good explanation of math concepts
• Exercises and number of reps are appropriate for young children
• Staggering of exercise and math instruction so they do not compete for your attention
• Good, easy-to-follow instructions
• Modestly dressed instructor and participants

Cons:

• Repetitive music
• Wind Down segment is a little too "self-helpish" for my liking

Overall, I give GyMathtics two thumbs up. Orville and Wilbur both enjoyed it. They have already mastered the majority of the math skills covered. That did not hinder their enjoyment. As they explained to me "math makes exercising more fun". They gave the DVD an average score of 7 out of 10.

You can purchase GyMathics and Exploramania's other educational exericise products at their website. The 30-minute long DVD costs $24.99.

I received one copy of GyMathics for free for the purpose of completing this review. I have received no other compensation and have offered my honest evaluation of this product. Your experience could differ from mine. Please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read what my crewmates have to say about this and other homeschool-related products.

Product Review: AVKO Membership

AVKO aims "to provide free and low-cost resources to home and school educators in order to achieve literacy for all, even despite learning challenges or dyslexia."* Their Research Director, Don McCabe, wrote To Teach a Dyslexic, and Sequential Spelling was born from his research and theories.

AVKO membership offeres many benefits:

• 5 free downloadable ebooks, including To Teach a Dyslexic
• Free access to Don McCabe's most popular workshops
• Discounts on all printed AVKO materials, including Sequential Spelling
• AVKO Newsletter
• Supplemental materials for Sequential Spelling and for general language arts instruction
• Pretests and placement tests

There were a few supplemental materials that I found helpful; however, I was not able to use most of what this membership provides. I do not use Sequential Spelling, and AVKO does not fit my homeschooling needs.

If you already use Sequential Spelling, you would most likely find the membership very helpful and well worth $25 per year for an individual.

*from www.avko.com

I was provided a one-year membership to AVKO for free for the purpose of writing this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest, unbiased opinion based on my experience with the product. Your experience could differ from mine. I recommend you visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read my crewmates reviews.

Now Presenting...

Our New Pet Beta

He is red, white and blue, so the boys decided against naming him Wally II and to give him an all-American name instead. His name is George, in honor of George Washington.

Thank you to everyone who emailed or commented on Poor Wally Is Dead. Your kind words were encouraging, and the boys appreciated the condolences.

Blessings!

Dawn

Poor Wally Is Dead

Saturday was a day of tears at the Olive Plants house.

Wally the fish died.

Actually, he died on Monday, Wilbur's birthday. There was no way I was telling the resident animal lover that the pet fish went bottom up on that day. I left poor, dead Wally in the tank, hoping no one would notice.

On Tuesday, I completely forgot about the dead beta. I'll blame it on the sugar rush from the birthday cookie followed by the withdrawal crash. Sugar intake does weird things to a dieter. Even though he was positioned sideways on the bottom of the bowl, the boys did not realize Wally was dead. They even continued to feed him.

On Wednesday, Wilbur awoke with a cold. I was too busy nursing him back to health to give Wally any thought. Wilbur was too sick to notice, and Orville never mentioned it. I assume that means he thought Wally was still alive and well.

On Thursday, I finally remembered that Wally's carcass was wedged between the pebbles lining the bottom of the bowl and the bowl itself. The boys had already gone to bed when I had this epiphany so we could not have a proper burial that evening. I did go to the fish bowl to assess the situation. I was totally grossed out by the decaying fish and politely asked (okay, screamed like a crazy woman for) Michael. He rescued me and flushed the critter pronto. I decided to tell the boys of his demise in the morning.

On Friday, I woke up with a cold, as did Orville. Once again, I forgot to mention the fate of our fishy friend, and Wilbur continued to feed an empty fish bowl, completely unaware that his friend was gone.

Saturday I was still sick and spent the afternoon in the bed, typing on my laptop. Late in the day, Wilbur came running to my bedroom.

Mom, Wally's not in his bowl.

Uh oh. Oh, bad mom. Bad, BAD MOM!

I've told y'all before that I'm forgetful. Cold medicine makes me almost amnesiac.

I gently explained poor Wally's fate and let Wilbur know that Dad and I intend to get him a new fish as soon as possible. Like the minute I am well enough to operate a motor vehicle without endangering myself and others. We discussed buying another blue beta and laughed about the possibility of naming it Wally II. I'm not sure why that's so funny, but he found it hysterical. I was relieved by his laughter, and he left my room, seemingly satisfied.

But not really because before I could say "3...2...1…."

Sobbing. Loud, sorrowful, I-just-lost-my-best-friend-in-the-world sobbing.

He returned to my room, and I scooped him up into my arms. I rubbed his head and gave kisses while he cried it out. We talked about death being a consequence of the fall. We talked about man having dominion over the animals, in part, for our pleasure. We talked about the temporal nature of pleasure and about those things that will last for eternity. We talked about Jesus, his victory over death and hell, and the security, joy, and hope we have in Him. I reminded him that although he will never see Wally again, one day he will see Jesus face to face. We agreed we would much rather see Jesus than Wally. We prayed for grace and peace and for help to trust God in the face of death.

Once again he left the room, this time completely satisfied. There were no more tears but laughing and playing and little boy stuff.

A dead pet is hard to face with a child, but Wally served his God-ordained purpose in our lives. He was here for a time for our pleasure , but in the end, gave us reason to contemplate Christ and experience the peace and satisfaction that we have in Him.

Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us…. Rom 5:2-5

Preschool Peace

When my boys were preschool aged, life could be a little chaotic.

Two boys. Not quite thirteen months apart. Whew!

There were many temper tantrums, a number of fights, a whole slew of "stubbing up", and the word "ME" used in epic proportions.

Oh, and there was discipline.

Lots and Lots and LOTS of discipline.

I remember on a particularly chaotic day I had done more disciplining than anything else. In fact, that whole week had been more discipline than anything else.

I was tired and wondered if it would ever get any better. Would the rest of my life be like this? Would I ever just be able to enjoy my time with these two little stinkers or would I always have to be firm and consistent and never let down my guard, even for a teeny, tiny second?

Reaching the end of myself, I put the Write Bros to bed for nap and called my mom. This was not long after our move from Tennessee to Georgia. Her house had been five steps from mine. Now, it was a seven hour drive away.

But we had unlimited long distance, so I called her up pronto and lamented. I proclaimed, "Mom, I need a break! Do you think FedEx would overnight these children to you?!"

They don't. I checked.

But it was our little joke for quite some time.

I imagine somewhere out there on the other side of my computer screen that there is another young mom, just like I was. You have corrected, trained, wiped up messes, fixed boo-boo's, calmed tantrums, broken up arguments, wrestled the resistant, warded off disasters, and generally not stopped all day. Or all week. Or maybe since you gave birth to your first child.

But don't stop.

Don't give up.

Don't despair.

You can't overnight your children to Grandma but if you are in Christ, you can confidently draw near to the throne of grace that you may receive mercy and find grace for timely help. (Heb 4:16)

Each time you do all those hard, child-training things, you are doing the will of God. You are Mommy, and your ministry is motherhood. And God has said that he will neither leave you nor forsake you. (Heb 13:5)

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all things for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. (1Th 5:16-18)

Remember how blessed you are to be a mother. Sing Psalms and hymns. Thank God for granting you the greatest privilege a woman can have. And do these things with your little ones beside you. Even on the days that things are hard. Sing, pray, and praise God in the midst of it all. Don't wait for a quiet time because it may never come.

And know that it does get easier.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Prov 13:24) Little by little, you will see the results of training. Certainly foolishness has not yet been driven completely from the hearts of mine, but each year I see a little more wisdom. Grace continues to abound, and my boys are growing in it. It is a beautiful thing to experience and well worth those weary days.

I'm Shocked!

Olive Plants has been nominated in the Homeschool Blog Awards.

I am shocked, humbled, thrilled... this list could go on for quite some time. Olive Plants has been nominated in three different categories: Best Encourager, Best Crafts, Plans & Projects Blog, and (the one that caused my jaw to hit the floor) Best SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER.

Wow, my friends! Wow!

Y'all are good to me.

If you are an Olive Plants regular, just click above to be redirected to the HSBA Post where you can vote.

If you are new to Olive Plants, welcome! Take a little time to look around. I have listed some of my favorite series in my side bar with direct links to all the articles. I look forward to getting to know you.

For those who want to vote for Olive Plants, make sure you read the rules carefully. If anyone breaks them, I will be disqualified. I know you don't want that to happen.

Thanks again for the nominations. You have made my year!

Blessings!

Dawn

Product Review: American Heritage Education Foundation

The American Heritage Education Foundation offers a full K-12 curriculum for teachers of American History and government. A full set of lessons are provided for three distinct level--elementary, middle school, and high school--free of charge to any parent or educator.

The elementary curriculum offers a variety of lessons on topics such as colonists, the first Thanksgiving, George Washington, the Statue of Liberty, and "What Is an American?"… just to name a few. Learning activities include role playing, games, reading primary sources, puzzles, and hands-on activities. It is a very structured program that gives the teacher detailed plans for teaching each lesson.

The middle school and high school lessons expand upon the topics taught in the elementary version. The middle school curriculum includes more primary sources. The high school program takes a closer look at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is essentially a course in American government and asks students to contemplate their rights and responsibilities as free citizens as well as other hot topics such as separation of church and state.

I am going to give this program two thumbs up for its methodology and for how well it teaches the Constitution and government. The activities in each level are well-suited for the intended audiences and will engage students in the learning process. Students are sure to complete this program as well-informed citizens.

I also give the program two thumbs down for regarding mankind and the American way a little too highly, in my opinion. Though the curriculum teaches that America's heritage is Christian, I could find no statements or lessons that attribute the founding and continued prosperity of our nation to God's mighty works of providence. Instead, it seems to attribute prosperity to freedom and the efforts of mankind.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this curriculum. If you are looking for a curriculum that teaches government and acknowledges a Christian influence on America's founding, it is a great resource.

However, if you are aiming to teach history as a means of leading your children to a better understanding of God's sovereignty and providence and you want to delve more deeply into our religious heritage, the American Heritage Education Foundation curriculum will most likely disappoint.

I was given this curriculum for free in order to complete this review. I have not received any other compensation and have provided my honest, unbiased opinion based on my experience with the product. Please visit the TOS Homeschool blog to read what my crewmates have to say about this and other homeschool products.

Not Me Monday: Not a Siren

A siren's song did not echo through my kitchen this week.

And by siren, I don't mean the ear-piercing, hurry-up-and-get-out-of-the-house type. Oh no, I would have preferred that siren.

This siren was the mythological type. The sort that lures people off course and destroys their ability to think straight.

I could hear it from the freezer, beckoning me with its sweet, soothing song.

"Dawn… Dawn… I'm here. Come to me."

I did not cave.

I did not race to the freezer and embrace my tempter, deciding just a little bit would okay.

I did not place the carton of luscious sweet butter cream on the counter and in a half-dazed trance jab my spoon into the frozen delight.

Ice cream never tempts me... NEVER!

In my delirium, I did not loose control of my hand and catapult the scoop of ice cream over the counter…

Oh, no... Not Me!

And into one of Orville's galoshes.

I did not do this. I am far too self-controlled.

The sight of the frosty, snow white goodness inside a dirty, smelly rubber boot did not snap me out of my trance.

I did not reprimand myself with the words, "that's what you get for fudging on your diet."

I did not shove the carton to the back of the freezer and quickly wash away the evidence of my transgression.

But only after taking pictures for my blog, of course.

My Audio School Subscription Give-away

My Audio School is one of the best resources for homeschoolers to hit the web, and I am proud to say that it is the brain child of my dear friend, Molly @ Counter-cultural Mom and School. What began as an effort to meet the learning needs of her dyslexic son grew into a home-based business.

You may have seen the MAS button in my sidebar or read the promo I wrote soon after the site's launching. You may have noticed that I nominated MAS for Best Curriculum/Business Blog in the Homeschool Blog Awards. But... have you visited yet? Have you seen the oodles of free downloadable audio content that Molly has compiled?

You can access a portion of the content without a paid membership; however, a one-year subscription only costs $14.99 per family. It is a fabulous deal.

This week, however, you could win a free one-year subscription. Brenda @ Tie That Binds Us is giving away an MAS subscription to one of her readers. You can get all the details on how to enter at her blog.

Product Review: A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers

At the beginning of this school year, I began a composers study with the boys. I had decided to read aloud a book on the topic. I never preview read alouds but just do the editing as I read to the boys. While reading the first chapter on Wagner, I did more editing than actual reading. It went a little something like this:

Wagner was a German composer best known for his operas. He... uh... he did WHAT?! And he was uh... um... well, um.... He... oh, eeek, ugh. Well, that's enough about him.

I decided to shelve the book and the composer study until I could find a better source.

Then entered Bright Ideas Press. Their Young Scholar's Guide to Composers provided the resource I was looking for. Here is what they have to say about the sensitive issue of studying a man's life without applauding his sin.

There is much material available about these composers that is not information we feel is appropriate for the age level of students for whom this book is intended. Composers, even classical composers, were sinners like the rest of us! It takes no real digging to come across sins of every nature.

They go on to explain the caution they exercised in creating this curriculum and selecting which composers would be included... or not. Not every composer included was known to be a Christian; however, they did choose to omit a few, like Wagner. His openly immoral lifestyle makes it difficult to study him with any depth without also having to tackle issues too complicated for the intended audience of this curriculum. I appreciate their commitment to protecting the minds of our young ones.

I also like the presentation of the content. The study begins with ancient music, moves through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and then delves into classical and modern music.

They include an overview of each time period followed by biographies of the composers of that period. I liked how they present the big picture first and work inward. I saw the fruit of this approach as we listened to pieces by each composer. As my boys listened to the works of Bach and Handel, they commented on the use of staccato in the Baroque period. They did not just gather a bunch of random facts about the men but gained a greater appreciation for their music and became more discerning listeners as a result.

The curriculum is a bit routine and does not offer much variety. The study repeats a cycle of reading the section, answering questions, time lining, creating a "composer card", mapping, and listening to music from the time period. The reading sections are long, and I had to break them into shorter segments. I did the same with the questions. My boys could not process all the information included during one sitting.

My boys did enjoy creating the composer cards, mapping, and time lining. The curriculum suggests a way to arrange these into a modified lapbook. Their "folderbooks" are easier to assemble than a traditional lapbook. The emphasis is on keeping the study simple; however, I would prefer more variety and think additional hands-on activities and games would make this good study great.

Suggested music selections are provided. Most of the pieces can be found on YouTube.

I give the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers two thumbs up for its commitment to protecting young minds, organized presentation, and easy, hands-on composer card activities. I intend to continue this study but will look for additional hands-on activities and music games to include.

You can purchase the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers at their website. The paperback book costs $34.95 and the CD-Rom costs $29.95.

I received the Young Scholar's Guide to Composers for free in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation and have provided my honest evaluation of the product based on my experience with it. Your experience with this product could differ from mine. Please visit the TOS Homeschool blog to read more reviews of this product written by my crewmates.

Product Review: Virginia Soaps and Scents

Has your mailbox ever smelled clean?

Mine has.

The day I received an email from the Crew informing me that I would be receiving a package of free soaps from Virginia Soaps and Scents to use and review, the package arrived. When I opened my mailbox, a fresh, clean scent wafted from within. Needless to say, Virginia Soaps and Scents made a great first impression on me.

I opened my clean-smelling package to find three sample-sized bars of soap, one ginger lime scented shampoo bar sample, and a laundry soap kit. The soap samples were each a different scent: coconut lemongrass; oatmeal, milk & honey; fresh orange. They all smell as good as they sound.

The Soaps

I cut the coconut lemongrass bar in half and placed one half, along with the shampoo bar, in our shower. I placed the other half at the bathroom sink. I set the orange bar in the kitchen; it went nicely with my peach color scheme. I put the oatmeal bar in a travel box and placed it in my purse. For three weeks, I have used the soap I received exclusively and with great results.

It produces a nice lather. It also rinses easily and does not leave behind residue. There were a few times while using the sample that either I used the soap to clean up after messy jobs like yard work and cleaning out the attic. Their soap washed away dirt and grime and left me feeling clean and soft.

Most importantly for me was the improvement in the condition of my skin. I have had a rash on my left hand for five years. I have tried an assortment of lotions, soaps, and treatments (including prescription ones) to no avail. After a few days of washing exclusively with these soaps, the rash was gone. I also have very rosy cheeks and am often advised to wear less blush. After a week of washing my face with the soap samples, my over-blushed look faded considerably. I have no doubts that Virginia Soap and Scents is good for the skin.

The Shampoo

I was less impressed with the shampoo bar. It has its good qualities. It lathers well, and my long, thick hair got clean with a minimal amount of soap. At first, I thought I was going to love it because my hair was less frizzy and my natural curl began to show. My mother commented at one point on how curly my hair was and asked me if I had used hot rollers.

However, my hair also felt "thicker", heavier, and more tangled than normal. I had a really hard time brushing and styling it (even after using conditioner and spray-in conditioner), and in the end, I decided that I did not like the trade off. I went back to my normal shampoo and conditioner.

Laundry soap

I was really not sure about how this would turn out. I have always thought making my own laundry soap would be too involved for me.

It was really simple to do. Their laundry soap kit comes with everything you need except for water, a pot to melt the ingredients, and a bucket for mixing. The soap comes pre-grated and the powder is pre-measured so you have the exact amount needed and only have to melt and mix.

Our clothes got clean. In fact, our whites looked better than ever. The consistency of the soap takes a little getting used to, and I continued to use fabric softener. I did not count how many washes I got from my half-gallon batch, but after three weeks, I still have a little left.

Overall, I give Virginia Soaps and Scents two clean, healed thumbs up and have become a paying customer. I refuse to wash my hands with any other soap and placed an order for five bars. I will be ordering the laundry soap soon, too.

They offer several other scents besides the ones I received. I ordered lavender, wild bayberry, and unscented. They do have a line of unscented products for those of you who have sensitive skin like me. Although I did well with the scented products, I have decided to give the unscented a try. You can buy the bars individually for $4.50, 3 bars for $12, buy four, get one free, or buy 10 bars for $35. The shampoo bars cost $5.50 each or you can buy 2 for $10. The laundry soap kit costs $4.95 or buy 6 for $25.

Since your experience could be different from mine, I suggest you try their sampler kits. They offer different combinations and it will allow you to try some of the products I reviewed as well as a few of their other products, like body butter, lip balm, and baby powder.

Want another opinion (or as many 124 other opinions)? Visit the TOS Crew blog to read what my crewmates' reviews.

Update: My order arrived within two days. I love the new scents, and the unscented is great.

Not Me Monday: Not MY Baby

My baby does not turn nine-years-old today. No way. I refuse to let this happen. I am not old enough to be the mother of a nine-year-old and will not admit that my youngest has reached sucn an age.

For weeks now, I have not thought about the day I learned my little surprise was on the way and wondered where the time has gone.

The picture above does not make me cry. He wasn't sucking his thumb during his ultrasound which did not cause everyone in the room that day to sigh in unison.

He wasn't a sweet baby, either. He never saw the beauty in anything.

As a little boy, he has not filled our house with joy, fun, and laughter.

So though I really don't know where the time has gone, I do know that I am blessed beyond measure to have shared nine years with such a sweet child. I look forward to the days ahead as my little boy grows to be a man.

Happy Birthday Wilbur!

You are so loved.

Product Review: ABC Teach

I have an aversion to worksheets.

Really, I'm almost phobic.

I think it stems from two homework assignments I completed in third grade: a chalk drawing and a math worksheet. I colored away with my bright pink chalk, completely unaware that I was also painting the math problems on the worksheet. I thought I could clean my math work with a wet rag and ended up with a Swiss-cheese-like piece of paper to give to my teacher the next day.

Tragic for a type-A perfectionist like me.

I never recovered from it and, as a teacher, I have avoided worksheets like the plague. When I received my ABC Teach review assignment, I was not happy. The mere thought of visiting a site with over 40,000 printables caused me to break into a cold sweat.

I couldn't let my readers down, though, so I worked through my issues and visited their site. As I clicked through the many categories, here is what I found:

• manipulatives
• posters
• flash cards
• signs and learning activities for centers
• graphic organizers
• shape books
• power point templates
• puzzles and games
• forms for reports
• Montessori materials
• handwriting worksheet generator
• worksheets for every subject area

And MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!

Though ABC Teach is like a digital warehouse for printables, they have more in stock than just your typical worksheet. For those who find worksheets helpful, they have plenty of those, too. Over 5,000 printables are available for free, and membership, which allows an individual access to the entire site, costs $40 per year.

Additionally, the site is well organized. Even though the amount of materials offered is large, finding what I need has been easy. I like that I can search by topic or subject. For instance, when I know I need a worksheet for addition problems with regrouping, I click the "math" heading. Subcategories then open, and finding the exact worksheet I need takes only a few more clicks. There is also an option to do a keyword search which made finding what I needed even easier. There are video tutorials to teach how to best navigate the site.

I have found many uses for ABC Teach and when my free subscription expired, this worksheet-phobe became a paying customer. I highly recommend their site and think the $40 membership fee is very reasonable.

I received a free membership to ABC Teach in order to complete this review. I have received no other compensation. This review offered my honest opinion based on my experience with the ABC Teach website. Your experience could differ from mine. Please click the icon above to visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog where you can access my crewmates reviews.