My Home School Grades - A Review

My Home School Grades is an online grade tracking program. Let me tell you, this product could not have fallen into my lap at a better time. We have been homeschooling for about 8 years. I have never really "graded" my children's work. Yes, I corrected their work and helped them learn from their mistakes. However, I didn't really see a need to track grades. We have reached the point in our homeschool life where we need to rethink that philosophy. My oldest is starting high school. I had been trying to figure out the best way to record and track his grades.

This program could not be simpler. Step one: Create an account. Step two: Add a student. Step three: Add classes, lessons, grades, activities and create your transcripts. OK, so step three may be really more than one step, but it really is not complicated. For me, the best part about this is that it is all saved online. I am not the most organized when it comes to paperwork. Trying to track my son's grades on paper, I would be sure to lose something. My other thought would be to create a spreadsheet. However, our computer technology is more than a little antiquated. I worry on a daily basis that one or both of our computers will crash and we will lose everything. Even with my tech troubles, I am able to access the website with no problems. I also know that I can go use a computer at the library if needed. No wait, on second though, I can access it right from my smart phone. If you have an Ipad or other tablet, it will work on there too. There is no app to install.

My Home School Grades is much more organized and easier to read than a spreadsheet. The bonus is that it also does all the calculating of grades and GPA's for you. Then, you can print out complete transcripts.

I could try to go into all the details of how to use the program, but they have laid out some great videos for you on the My Home School Grades website. Go check them out. While there, you can also sign up for a free 14 day trial. If you decide you love the program, the cost of $49.99 is for a lifetime membership. For me, I have 8 years until my littlest graduates. That breaks down to just over $6 per year. Not really, though. Many times, transcripts will be needed long after graduation. I'd call that well worth the price.

I received a membership in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation.

Waterproof Bible

Of all the things in the world to be waterproof, who ever would've thought of a Bible? On the flip side, of all the things in the world to be waterproof, what could be more important than the Bible? We really had fun with this review. My first thought when I saw I would be review it was, "What use would I have for a Waterproof Bible?" Then it arrived on my doorstep. I opened the box and found a pretty pink Bible. In my house when there is anything pink, that automatically means it's all mine. That is one of the benefits of being the only female in the house. At that point, I started listing all the places where it would be useful to have a Waterproof Bible.

One of my favorite places in the world is the beach. When I was in college, there was a local singing group that had a song about water and how it illustrated the Trinity. Ever since then, being near water makes me feel even closer to God. The vast ocean is even a more powerful testament of His creation. I would love to take my waterproof Bible to the beach.

However, that was not the first place I thought to test the Bible out. They wanted to me to thoroughly review this product. I was very excited to test it out. You see, my husband and I like to run in mud runs/obstacle races. We had a race scheduled in the review time frame. I really wanted to find a way to carry it with me on the race, but couldn't come up with a good way to do that. The boys were just spectators at the race. There were times when they couldn't really see anything. That was the perfect opportunity to give them the assignment to do what they could to the Bible. They also had the camera.

It got a little dirty, but not really bad enough that it would show up on the camera. The pages did not get damaged at all. It is truly amazing.

Don't worry, even though the pages are waterproof, you are still able to take notes and highlight. Regular ball point pens work, as well as pencil and dry highlighters. Gel pens and markers are not recommended as they need to absorb.

I got the NIV version of the New Testament/Psalms/Proverbs. I want to order one of the full version ones.The Bibles range in price from $24.95 to $44.95. What's really great is that they offer so many different versions. You can choose from NIV, ESV, King James, New King James, or NLT. The cover designs are pink, blue or camo. There's also an option for personalization. My only complaint is that the print is really small. I finally got my new glasses and can read it as long as I have them. I would love to see a large print version, as that is much easier on my far-sighted eyes. All in all though, I really think it's a great concept.

I received this Bible in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no other compensation.

Ooka Island - A Review and A Coupon

Ooka Island Adventure is a learn to read game for kids ages 3 - 7.  This was a challenging yet fun product for me to review. It was challenging due to technical difficulties. Our computers are just a little bit...shall we say...outdated. I had to try on both my laptop and desktop and couldn't get it to work properly. I finally got it to work on the laptop, albeit very slowly. The other challenge was that my kids are 10 and 14. They already know how to read. The funny thing is, I never actually taught them. My 14yo learned in a preschool program and then attended the government school for Kindergarten and 1st grade. My 10yo was at home, but just kind of taught himself. The fun part, was that I got to borrow a 5yo from one of my friends.

The website claims that five year olds will begin to read after about 8 hours of using the program. Unfortunately, since I was borrowing a child, I didn't get to fully test that out. What I was able to see of the program, however, I really liked. The child had a lot of fun playing the games. Since I only could get the program to work on my laptop, he had a bit of a learning curve to use the mouse pad. Once we got past that issue, he did well. I could tell by playing around on it myself for a bit, that it's something my boys would have really enjoyed when they were that age. I encourage you to check out some of the other Mosaic Reviews to get a better picture of the program from those who were able to use it more fully than I could.

I received this program in exchange for my honest review. There was no other compensation. You, however, can take advantage of this 30% off link: http://offers.ookaisland.com/inblog?purl=etBlu
This code is valid through June 1, 2013 for 30% off any annual or monthly subscription. The annual family subscription is already 37% off the normal monthly subscription, and this gives you another 30% on top of that.

Spanish for You!

I love Spanish. Actually, I love languages in general. I studied both Spanish and French. When my boys were little, I would take them to Spanish story time at our local library. I will often say things to them in Spanish. Not full conversations, just little snippets here and there. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I was asked to review the Spanish for You! program. This actually turned out to be a very difficult program for me to review.

Spanish for You! is a Spanish curriculum for grades 3-8. From their website: "Spanish for You! begins your child on the road to fluency. It is designed from years of experience by a Spanish teacher to effectively build speaking, reading, and writing skills as well as grammar knowledge. Students learn to creatively build sentences, ask and answer questions, and truly communicate in Spanish! And they have fun doing it!!"



I received the "Fiestas" package for grades 3-8. This included a hard copy book (but it is also available in e-format), mp3 audio downloads to help with pronunciation, lesson guides in PDF format, and self-checking worksheets also in PDF format, and PDF flash cards. The lesson guides are split into three different age groups. They are grades 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8. The higher grades are designed to take 24 weeks. Grades 3-4 are slowed down and stretched out to 30 weeks. This makes it a fantastic program for teaching multiple ages at the same time. This whole program sells for $64.95. However, if you only need one of the grade levels, you can choose which one you need and it is only $39.95. Here is a great blog post from the program creator about the flashcards. The "Fiestas" package focuses on words and phrases that have to do with celebrations. There are five lessons: birthday party, el dia de los muertos, Carnaval, Holy week, and April Fair (an event in Seville, Spain). The other full program available is called "Estaciones" (seasons). According to the website, they are working on more programs. One is set to be released in June.

I used the lesson guide for the 3-4 grade level with my 4th grader. My older son is just starting high school, so I decided not to use the program with him. The program is very well laid out. The lesson guides have very detailed step-by-step instructions. The audio files are a great addition. It makes it so that even if you know nothing about Spanish, you can do this program with your kids. Since I am semi-fluent, I did not actually use the audio files.  The main problem I ran into using this program, is that because I have exposed my kids to Spanish since they were very small, they already know much of what is covered. I ran into the problem of my son not wanting to participate because he thought it a waste of time. I would still definitely recommend the program to those who want a simple, well organized way to introduce Spanish to your kids. It is especially great if you have no or limited knowledge of Spanish yourself. I also love how the festivals give some insight into different cultures of Spanish speaking countries.

I received this curriculum free in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation. 

To Plan...or Be Flexible?

I am a very organized person, in my own messy, chaotic, piles of paper everywhere kind of way. I have every single day planned out from sunrise to sunset with whatever seems to happen. Truth be told, I want to be organized and have everything planned out without actually having everything organized and planned out. Does that make any sense? I didn't think so. I go through phases of trying to plan and organize everything, but it usually falls by the wayside to a better offer. I really enjoy being spontaneous and going with the flow. How do I find that happy medium?

For starters, how about I review yet another planner? It seems that even if I don't want to be organized, God keeps sending things in my path to get me that way. I was excited to get the Apologia Planners to review. I really was hoping it would finally help me get at least the boys' schoolwork organized and planned out, especially since I have one ready to start high school. Here's what I received: The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, The Ultimate Weekly Planner for Teens, and The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students. Surprisingly, the boys got really excited about them too. They each had their own planner. That is, until I told them the purpose of them. They did still set out right away filling in the days on the monthly calendar pages and then adding the special days that are important to them.

My 10yo got the Student Planner and loved filling in the calendar and putting his stuff on there. He really loved the stickers that were included, like little birthday cakes and what not for important days. I just discovered that he found the reading list in the back and added his books he's been reading. He also really likes the resources like maps and multiplication tables in the back. He has not really used the daily planner part up to this point.

My 14yo, of course, got the Teen Planner. He also enjoyed filling in his special days on the calendar. For him, I am attempting to use the daily planning portion to write out his assignments for the week. We had the added joy of a conference call with planner creator Debra Bell. She talked to us about how she assigned her kids work. She suggested a meeting at the beginning of the week to discuss plans and one at the end of the week to go over the assignments. I really like the concept of that, and am trying hard to implement it for him. He is becoming more and more independent, but still requires a lot of constant supervision at this point. I am really trying to lead him to be more independent, though. I know we will get there, and I really think this planner is helping with that.

The student and teen planners are very similar in their layouts, but there are some minor differences. There is no reason the student planner couldn't be used by teens, but there are some added features in the teen planner that are great for high schoolers. The monthly calendar pages contain some inspiration and Bible verses. The daily planner pages contain SAT words for useful study. The resources in the back include a credit tracker, grades, reading list, activities log, grammar guides, periodic table of elements, algebra review, physics review, and more. The teen planner still contains the fun stickers to use on the calendar too, so they won't miss any of the fun. I would highly recommend the teen planner for the high school crew. Even if your students attend public, private, or other school setting, it could be a very useful tool for them.

I haven't even told you about my planner yet. The Ultimate Homeschool Planner is what it's called. While the kids' planners are about 5x8", this one is a full 8.5x11". The monthly calendars are all in the front. Then, each week contains two full two page spreads for writing to do lists, jotting down memorable moments, and making plans. There isn't space specifically designated for meal planning, but there is plenty of space available to use it for that. This one also has plenty of resources in the back. There are spaces for grades, and reading lists for up to six students. It also has spaces to keep track of field trips or activities, a checklist for raising an independent learner (I need to go over that some more), tips for motivating the reluctant learner, and a place to map out high school, year end review notes. There is enough space that I can keep track of homeschooling stuff, meals, business items, and my blog reviews all in one place. Oh, and I even added some fitness things on there this month.

What I love best about all the planners, is that they are 12 month planners, but the months are blank. That means that if I start my school year in September, I can start my calendar in September. What if I start in August? That's ok too. These planners happened to start in February, because that's when I got them. It also happens to be around the same time that I promoted my son to 9th grade. Back up to the beginning of my wanting to have a plan, but not problem. This really is the perfect solution. I can have a plan, but have plenty of room for flexibility. All the reasons I love homeschooling.

I received these planners in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation.

We Choose Virtues

I truly believe that the most important thing that homeschool parents can teach their children is to have Godly character. Everything else we teach them is just icing on the cake. When I was asked to review a program called We Choose Virtues, I was very excited.

 You can see on the left the virtues that are covered. The items I received to review are following. First, I received in the mail, the Virtue Flash Cards. These are 13 full color double sided flash cards. One for each virtue. You can get them with or without Bible verses. If you choose to have the Bible verse, you can even choose NIV or KJV. I chose NIV. I received the rest of the items in e-format. Step one is the Family Character Assessment. I also received a Teacher's Handbook, Kids of VirtueVille Coloring Pages, Youth List of Memory Verses and Bible Heroes, and a printable award certificate to use when the program is completed. This handy product comparison chart can tell you how much everything costs individually vs. packages to help you decide what you want.



These products are recommended for preschool through elementary. I used this program with my 10 yo. The 56 page teacher handbook is very well laid out and explains everything step by step. I think ages 4 to 8 are really ideal for using this program. Some older kids may do very well with it. My 10yo is a very independent learner. He would rather hide in a corner and read a book or work on a worksheet. He happily colored the coloring pages (you can see a sample of his work below). He also took the flash cards and went and hid with those for a while. Bottom line is, I would recommend this program for the younger crowd, but not the older ones. It is fantastic that you can choose from 3 different versions. In addition to the homeschool program, they also have options for church classes or school classrooms.

I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation. I can, however pass along some coupon codes to you. Coupon code HOME20 is good through the month of April and can be applied  to the Homeschool Kit giving you a 20% discount on the purchase of it. If you would prefer to order just a few products or any of the other kits, you can use coupon code VIRTUE15, to take 15% off your total purchase of any or all of their great products.

FamilyMint...Revisited

About three years ago, I did a review of FamilyMint's free online resources. You can read all about that here. Today, I am revisiting them with the addition of their Money Management Certification Program. The cover of the workbook calls it, "A complete step-by-step program for learning money management."

The program is designed to take two months for kids ages 10 and up. I used this with my 14yo (8th grader). The workbook includes access to their online tools, and contains assignments that can utilize them. It is not required, however, and the workbook can be completely stand alone.

My son did not want to take 2 months to get it done. He completed the basic exercises in the workbook in about two weeks. The program is designed to be very realistic with goal setting and budgeting using their real finances. We do not really give our kids a regular allowance. We do sometimes pay them for odd jobs, but really the only time they get any real money is at birthdays or other holidays. For him, the program was much more abstract. I think that makes is much more difficult to make an impact. The workbook did still have some good exercises in check writing skills, figuring out interest, and writing a budget. The one thing I would prefer when talking about budgeting is at least a mention on the importance of tithing. That is something I never really understood until about 2 years ago. I really want to stress that importance to my kids now so they don't have to learn the hard way like I did. Otherwise, all the information contained in the workbook is very good.

Right now the workbook is selling for $29.99. That includes a lifetime membership to FamilyMint Premium which is normally $25/year. You can find out more about what that includes here. Again, I see the value in the online program for a child who regularly receives money. For mine, it is not really relevant and I always forget to use it when they actually do get money. You can also get additional workbooks at 50% off.

I received the program free in exchange for my honest review, but received no other compensation.