Gaining a Charlotte Mason perspective (and free printable quotes!)

I know blog posts are supposed to be short, sweet and to the point, but I have so much to say about two books I just read that I simply can't condense it any further than this. I hope you'll bear with me, and just for doing so I've created a few Charlotte Mason quotes you can print for free!

I’ve been contemplating for a while now the things I’d like to study with my boys this next school year.
This year has gone pretty well considering all the changes we have gone through from moving back to
Kentucky, having daddy come home, moving to Germany, living in a hotel for a month, finally getting a
house and settling in, sending my oldest to German school, etc… However I kept feeling like things were
not running as smoothly as I’d like. It was starting to become more of a chore than a joy and I knew I
needed to make some changes for this next year.

Monumental Giveaway

The more I learn about the pilgrims and founding fathers the harder it is to comprehend how our country has strayed so far from the ideals and beliefs that it was founded on. From career politicians to socialized healthcare and lifelong welfare, banning prayer and all references to religion in schools (yet teaching about sexual practices contrary to their beliefs), infringing on second amendment rights, reckless national debt, and so on.

ABCMouse.com Review

I have seen reviews everywhere about ABCmouse.com and finally had to try it out for myself. I resisted trying this for a long time because I was primarily looking for something for my oldest and I knew this would be too easy for him, but it's perfect for my younger boys.

Kindle Fire + Starfall, the perfect homeschool tools

We just added a Kindle Fire to our homeschool tools/toys and couldn't be more pleased with it (after dealing with a few hiccups that is).

I purchased this for two purposes:
1. So Grant can access Starfall.com without needing a mouse (kind of difficult for a 2 year old to navigate)
2. So Ethan can read his Ambleside Online books

I am most excited about my little guys being able to access Starfall easier. Ethan taught himself to read when he was three using Starfall and it's so much better now that it was then. If you have little ones and you aren't yet using this resource, I highly recommend purchasing the $30 yearly subscription to More Starfall, it is hands down the best educational resource you can get for children ages 2-4. Now my boys will be able to use all the Starfall features without having to sit on my lap while I help navigate the mouse. Yipee!

I also love that almost all of the classical education books we read for school are available for free or very low cost in the Kindle store. Normally I love to buy real books, I dream of having a huge library someday, but for now, especially with moving overseas, the less baggage I have to bring the better, so this is perfect. We can study anytime, anywhere. And we will be doing our "homework" all over Europe.

Now, if you don't yet have a Kindle and you plan on buying one, you'll need to be sure to read the bottom of this post because the new Kindle Fire DOES NOT support Flash, even though they claim to include support and the option is enabled in the browser, it will not work on flash sites. It took me hours of searching before I found the solution that actually worked and was very close to returning this one and trying to buy a used older model. If you're not good with computers- then you better try and find a used first generation kindle, otherwise follow the steps below and you'll be ecstatic when you can view all your favorite educational sites in Flash and your kids won't have to use the mouse!

The Stroller Fleet

No one ever mentions the fact that if you plan on having more than one children you are going to go through a whole fleet of strollers. Meet our newest editions- strollers #6 the Bugaboo Cameleon and #7 the Peg Perego Si.

With my first child I purchase a travel system- a small lightweight stroller that the car seat could attach to and a single jogging stroller. Then baby number two came along and we needed a double. I got rid of both my single strollers, purchased the Graco Quattro Tour Duo stroller and a double jogger. Then baby number three came... We bought an umbrella for the older and the younger two rode in the doubles. Of course I contemplated trying to buy a tripple jogger, but gave up on the idea. I wish I'd kept the single jogger so I could have pushed one boy while my husband pushed the other rather than cramming them all in the double (which we did on several 15+ mile runs).

Bugaboo Cameleon

Baby number four requires a whole new system. The main reason is because we will be living in Germany! I remember my first trip to Germany seeing mothers out for walks, rain, snow or shine with their babies in old fashioned buggies with 4-wheel drive tires that can easily maneuver over cobblestone streets and six inches of snow, Russian-style buntings and adjustable umbrellas. They are certainly a sight to behold.

When I first learned I was pregnant and would be having the baby in Germany I knew I had to have one of those mega strollers. Partially out of want, and partially out of necessity. It would be impossible for me to push my current strollers on European cobblestone streets. Unfortunately, those mega strollers cost a small fortune when you add in all the accessories. Fortunately for me, I found a fabulous local deal that included everything! I just love the little basinette that hooks right onto the stroller and can't wait to join the german mamas strolling down the strasse.

Peg Perego Si

And as much as I love a double stroller, it's just not practical for European streets and metros unless you get the kind where the smaller child his hidden behind or below the other. My kids are too strong willed to sit blindly in the back, they need a view of everything.

Grant however, still needs to be in a stroller. After much research trying to find a small single stroller that would ride well on cobblestones and wouldn't break the bank, I finally found this Peg Perego Si. It's lightweight, fully reclines, has 4 wheel drive wheels that lock and costs just under $200. I LOVE this stroller. It took some engineering skills to figure out how to open and close it, but I was amazed at how well it steers! I can open a door with one hand and wheel it through with the other. If only I'd known there were strollers that were so easy to push! I will never go back to the pathetic small wheeled strollers of my past.

I plan on Baby Bjorning baby #4 as long as possible and by the time he/she (wishful thinking) is old enough to need the stroller, Grant will be old enough to walk. We'll probably also get the buggy board for our Bugaboo so when the older boys get tired they can catch a ride.

I'm also bringing along my double jogger for around the neighborhood, but for city trips we'll use strollers 6 and 7. I really hope we don't have to buy any more strollers in the near future!

A healthier home in 5 weeks {Week 5} + Giveaway

Before I jump into the topic of week 5, I want to announce a giveaway of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion!

A few months ago I discovered this homemade lotion made by Mandy and asked her to send me three different scents of her choosing. I could not have been more happy with what I received! The lotion is so smooth and creamy (I can even apply it right after shaving and it doesn't burn my legs) and her scents are amazing! I have never used creamier better smelling lotion in my life. I'm so in love with it.

One lucky winner will receive three 2oz bottles of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion! Just scroll to the bottom to enter. And if you aren't the winner, but still want amazing lotion, just email Mandy at tylermandyjack {at} hotmail {dot} com. You won't believe her prices- a 2oz bottle is just $2.50 and an 8oz bottle is $6.50, lip balm is $1.75!


Now, on to our last challenge... We know that pesticides have been linked to all sorts of nasty things. We don't want it on the food we feed our children and we don't want it on the grass they roll around in during the summer. Here are some resources for having a healthier outdoor space.

{Week 5 Challenge: A SaferYard}

1. Rather than spraying chemicals to kill bugs in the yard and garden, try these safer solutions.

• Organic Lawn Care & Maintenance
• Natural Pest Control
• 15 Homemade Organic Gardening Sprays and Concoctions that Actually Work

2. Try these gardening tips rather than insecticides:

• Garden pests and organic remedies
• Top Ten Garden Insect Pests

3. Natural bug spray (for you): I think we all are aware or have at least heard of the dangers of DEET. But if you live in tick and mosquito country the threat of lyme disease or west nile virus can be just as scary.

Here are a few homemade recipes you can try (I have not tried any of these):

• Ideas for safely repelling mosquitos
• Natural Tick Repellants
• Natural Bug Spray Recipes from Wellness Mama

Here are some safer alternatives to DEET (I have not tried any of these products), however if you live in a highly infested deer tick area, wear long clothes and spray the DEET only on clothes, do not make contact with skin and do not use on small children.

• Bubble and Bee Organic Insect Repellent
• Organic Bite Blocker
• Tropical Traditions All Natural Insect Repellent
• Botanical Solutions Tick Guard

If you have completed all 5 steps, Congratulations! You are on your way to a healthier environment for your family!

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Did you miss week 4?

Piper Reed Forever Friend, Book Review, Author Interview & Giveaways!

I had the opportunity to read the book Piper Reed Forever Friend, the sixth book in the Piper Reed series by Kimberly Willis Holt. It was such a fun book, Ethan and I enjoyed reading it together and the content was timely as we are getting ready to move to a new duty assignment (hopefully overseas!)

Piper is a spunky nine-year old navy brat who lives with her family (mom, dad, two sisters, a dog and a goldfish) in Pensacola, Florida. This book follows her adventures as her family moves to a new duty assignment in Norfolk, Virginia. Piper is sad to leave her old friends and school behind but is also excited that her old neighbor and best friend, Michael, moved to Norfolk a few months earlier.

Piper had big plans for living in Norfolk, but finds them falling apart when she discovers that not only is she no longer living down the street from Michael, but he seems to have found a new best friend. This move is not turning out to be what she expected and she finds herself missing Pensacola. How will Piper adjust to her new life? Will she ever make friends in Norfolk?

One lucky reader will have a chance to find out! Enter below to win one of three Piper Reed books!

I also had the privilege of interviewing Kimberly Willis Holt:

Q: I just read my first Piper Reed book and have to say it was a really fun read! There aren't many book series designed for military kids and I wondered if some of Piper's experiences were also your own growing up?

A: Like Piper, I'm a military kid with two sisters and a Navy Chief dad, but I was the oldest. I saw life more seriously than my fun-loving middle sister. Some of the things that happen to the Reed family in the series "sort of" happened to us. We had clubs and owned a poodle. We sang our Louisiana version of Country Roads in the back seat of the car. Most of the series is made up but inspired by things that "sort of" happened.


Q: Did you always aspire to be a writer or was it something that developed later in life?

A: Ever since second grade I loved to write, but I never thought I could be a writer until seventh grade when a thoughtful science teacher encouraged me to show my poem to a creative writing teacher. I wasn't a great student because I read slowly. I loved reading and writing though. So it was a secret dream until that day in seventh grade when two teachers made me think it was possible.  Teachers are powerful.


Q: Is there a particular place you go or routine you follow to get the "writing zone"?

A: I write a lot of different places--in bed, a chair in my bedroom, the screened in porch, and coffee shops. Wherever I begin a story is where I end it.  That's how important ritual is to a creative person. Returning to the same place every day makes the writing begin more easily.  And when I write, I write by hand on yellow legal pads. I think better on yellow.


Q: As you well know, growing up in the military has it's pro's and con's. It can be especially hard for children to constantly leave friends and be apart from extended family. Is there any advice you would to give to military mom's to help make military life a positive and enriching experience for their children?

A: Wherever we lived, my mom made our house a home. We also took Sunday drives to explore the places beyond our house or short trips to somewhere wonderful. When we lived in Norfolk, we visited Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C. When we lived in Washington state, we visited Canada.  We took a vacation to Barcelona when we lived in France. These are the advantages of a military childhood. At the same time that my parents exposed to our new surroundings, they always told us stories about our Louisiana heritage. My first book is dedicated to them. The dedication says To my parents, Ray and Brenda Willis, who showed me the world, but gave me roots. I think that makes for a happy childhood. We all want to feel like we belong somewhere.



A big Thank You to Kimberly Willis Holt! Enter to win a signed hardback copy of Piper Reed Forever Friend by Kimberly Willis Holt! Also, one lucky reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Navy Brat and one reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Rodeo Star!

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Positive Parenting Solutions

When my husband deployed I experienced a host of behavioral problems I hadn't previously encountered, at least not to this extent. Some of them were a natural result of the growing process while others I am certain were because of the stress of having daddy gone and moving to a new state.

While I still haven't mastered all the behavioral problems (some I fully admit are due to laziness on my part) I have found some great resources that help point me in the right direction.

The first is Love and Logic. I read the book Parenting with Love and Logic and then a friend let me know they also have cd's you can buy. There are actually a ton of resources available in their online store, and I am excited to try a few of them.

The approach of giving your children choices rather than authoritatively commanding them teaches lifelong decision making skills that are essential once they get out into the world. It does require a lot more patience and thought on the part of the parent, and I notice when I get lazy my children's behavior declines.


The second is Positive Parenting Solutions. I bought the book If I have to tell you one more time! (the story of my life) and really loved it. A lot of the focus is on logical consequences for behavior, the only problem is I have a hard time thinking of logical consequences for illogical behaviors!

A lot of the techniques seem perfect for older children but not as easily applied to toddlers. I still need more help! Then, I discovered that they offer online parenting videos called Positive Parenting Solutions.

Even better, they are offering a free membership for military families! I have just started to watch the videos and it is such a great help to me. I hope that combining these two resources will help me become the parent I want to be.

If you're active duty and especially if your spouse is deployed, be sure to sign up for Positive Parenting Solutions, they are well worth your time!

A cure for "Mommy Brain"...

I have been feeling the need lately for some serious intellectual stimulation (being with three boys 24/7 will do that to a person). As much as I'd love to enroll in another master's program, that just isn't an option for me right now, but I knew I had to do something...

I've had a Khan Academy app on my phone for a while now but hadn't actually used it. I finally decided to try it out and I'm sure glad I did! I downloaded the Chemistry and the Calculus video sets. I was really surprised at how well these videos are put together and short enough you could easily fit in a lesson a day no matter how busy you are. They are explained in a way that makes perfect sense and it's so nice to see the exercises worked out right in front of you. Although I admit, after viewing the first calculus video I realized I needed to start over at Algebra and work my way up...

You can view the videos through the iTunes app or online at http://www.khanacademy.org, the online videos are more extensive. There are a variety of subjects available including many facets of math, science and history. Right now I am working on the US History Overview course, the Art History Course (fascinating- especially since I've been to a lot of these museums & historic sites), Chemistry and Algebra. I haven't taken Algebra since my first year of college at age 17, and I hated it. Now, I'm enjoying algebra! It's actually fun to work out the equations and I'm enjoying higher level thought processes again. Yes, I'm turning into a total nerd ;) And while I will probably never use electron configurations and won't need to calculate the sum of three consecutive odd integers, there are several formulas which are useful in "real life" and there is just something fulfilling about expanding the mind. Plus it gives me greater confidence that I will be able to help my children learn these things when they are older.


The best part is that it is absolutely free! I am learning so much faster than I learned in college and am enjoying it so much more. Forget facebook and pinterest, enlarge your cranium!

Parley Ray Boutique giveaway!

I'm excited to announce a giveaway to Parley Ray Boutique! My talented sister (and mother of eight!) makes the most adorable baby bloomers/diaper covers and coordinating tops. These are perfect for summer and make the BEST photo props for photographing baby girls. See below for just a few of my favorite and enter to win a $35 gift certificate to Parley Ray Boutique!

Enter below to win a $35 gift certificate to Parley Ray Boutique!

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