do you believe in miracles?
Please continue to pray!!!
My friend Jenny has been on a roller coaster ride since Thursday. She is still in critical condition, but God has done AMAZING things! Please go check out her CarePage and read through all the updates. I promise your Faith will be strengthened!!
user: Jenny@Bizaillion.com
password: Friends
Are you on Facebook? Join the group Praying for Jenny Bizaillion
p.s. Her last name is pronounced Bazillion, as in “There are a bazillion people praying for Jenny to be healed!”. 
please pray!!
Please pray for my friend Jenny! She was admitted to the hospital Thursday morning with pneumonia and was diagnosed with severe sepsis. She is in critical condition and fighting for her life.
She is a godly wife and mother, and her family is very dear to us. Her parents walked through the valley with us when our son was ill and they are now in that valley. I am praying that the God Who Heals will give her a story and give her many more years to tell it.
review – factsfirst
Next in the long of math products to review is factsfirst, from the publishers of Saxon Math. Factsfirst is an online math program to help students master addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Each child starts by creating a character – similar to creating a Mii, for you Wii owners. Two facts are introduced in each lesson as the student works towards mastering the problems. 5 minutes of arcade time is rewarded after each section is completed.
The Math Fact Matrix makes it very easy to see what your child has been working on, and where they need improvement.
My kids love this program! They actually ask to use it. They are very motivated to do the timed drills in order to play the games, but they enjoy the lessons as much as they do the games. I like that it works for all of our kids. The older ones use it to really nail down their multiplication & division skills. The younger use it to reinforce what they are currently learning.
You can try a demo HERE
The Nitty Gritty:
- $49.99 for a 1-year subscription, which provides access for 4 students
Value: This is a great value for our family. My 4 students range from 1st grade to 7th, and they have all enjoyed this. $12.50 per student for a year is a deal for a good program that everyone loves.
See what my TOS Crew Mates are saying about factsfirst!
I received a free 90-day membership for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.
it’s groundhog day!
Happy Groundhog Day!!
I posted some fun Groundhog activities over at Link & Think.
We started our day off with a breakfast of sausage biscuits. ( Get it? ground_hog …yes, our family has a very dark sense of humor LOL!)
Do you do anything special for Groundhog Day?
review – MathScore
The math programs just keep rolling in! We tried out a 2-week subscription to MathScore, which can be used as a supplemental or full curriculum. It covers 1st grade through Algebra I.
MathScore is a basic, no-frills site with a very comprehensive list of topics. Each topic has a mini lesson, sample problems, and timed online worksheet drills. One of the best features is that it increases the difficulty of the problems if the student has mastered a concept, and it gives additional help in areas where the student is struggling.
I was very impressed by the content, but my kids were not very eager to use it. They like all the bells & whistles. I think this site is perfect for a child who is distracted or frustrated by busy sites. I would encourage you to take advantage of the free trial to see how it works for your child.
The Nitty Gritty:
- First child: $14.95/month (however, the 1st child is only $9.95 for the first 2 months)
- Second child: $5/month
- Each addition: $3.95/month
Value: This is a quality site, worth the money if it works for your child. I really appreciate the big discount for more than one child.
See what my TOS Crew Mates are saying about MathScore!
I received a free 2-week membership for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.
we have a winner
The winner of the Pillsbury Honey Butter Biscuit prize pack is Jo.
Congratulations!!
the blog cruise
The TOS Homeschool Crew is setting sail on a new adventure – the BLOG CRUISE.
The Blog Cruise is a new carnival about homeschooling that is being hosted on the Crew blog, and Facebook fan page. Each week will have a new topic/question and Crew members will answer the questions on their blogs. The new topic will be posted each Tuesday.
This week’s topic was:
review – Christian Keyboarding
Keyboarding for the Christian School reminds me of my word processing class in high school. The touch-typing lessons are quick & simple, with lots of drillwork. Lessons are made to be printed out and placed by the computer to learn the necessary skill of transferring information from paper to a computer.
Lessons include:
- typing drills
- timings
- letters
- envelopes
- proofreader’s marks
- creating tables
- APA & MLA reports
You can view sample lessons HERE.
Keyboarding for the Christian School, Elementary Version, offers keyboarding basics for grades K-5. Both versions use Bible verses in the practice exercises.
My kids like the flashiness of the free online typing programs like Dance Mat Typing, but those have only taught them letter placement and speed. Christian Keyboarding offers effective and practical lessons for real life. I think it is important for my kids to learn these skills before heading out into the “real world”.
The Nitty Gritty:
- Keyboarding for the Christian School (grades 6 & up) $15.95
- Keyboarding for the Christian School, Elementary (K-5) $12.95
- Use the code NewYear5 to save $5 off of any purchase of $12.95 or more by Feb. 28, 2010.
Value: This is a very effective program for very little money.
See what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about Christian Keyboarding!
I received these programs free for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.
pillsbury giveaway
Giveaway is closed – winner will be announced Saturday!
We recently received a Honey Butter Biscuit prize pack through My Blog Spark, courtesy of Pillsbury. We really like these biscuits! They are buttery and sweet, and we didn’t find it necessary to add anything to them. The flaky layers are fun to pull apart and eat one by one.
Pillsbury wants to send one of you a Honey Butter Biscuit prize pack! You will receive 2 coupons for free cans of biscuits, a glass butter dish, and a butter knife.
Want to enter? Leave a comment telling me your favorite thing to eat on biscuits.
That’s it! I won’t make you jump through hoops, write a jingle for Pillsbury, or follow my blog (although I would love it if you did!).
- winner will be chosen Friday, Jan. 29th
- coupons are only valid in the U.S.
census caution
I got this in an email & thought it was worth passing along.
Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers
by Susan Johnson
With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.
The big question is – how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:
If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.
Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.
REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.
While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.
AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION… No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.
Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.
Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org
