I finally have the time to (hopefully) start blogging again. My house finally sold as a short sale in the HAFA program after 10 months of being in the market, one contract that fell thru, two buyers offered cash only to buy and after so much headaches, cutting of trees wasted by sending in so much, and I mean SO MUCH paperwork to BoA and faxing, emailing, phoning all the other people involved such as the realtor, lawyer, lawyer's assistants,-- it's finally over!
To those of you getting approved for a short sale-- I bid you all patience and peace. Breathe----- and Good Luck!
Jun 18, 2012
Apr 12, 2012
Reviews for Homeschool High School Level Curriculum
Who knew I had so many choices with curriculum for high school level? It's so many to chose from and overwhelming! I may be attending another homeschool convention or two this summer, so I can continue to evaluate and hopefully find the best curriculum for us.
So far, I have checked out the following:
I am interested in Keystone Coalition for Homeschooler as they are with Compass/Odyssey and online based curriculum. Or, I just received a catalog from Apologia and their Science program looks very attractive. They have a variety of presentation with HD quality, great sound, content, etc. The price for a whole complete curriculum for the year is about $225.00 (US). That's impressive and the samples I viewed were intellectual, up to date, captivating and most of all they made it fun by offering different ways to present the video contents thru animation, reading, question/answer and reasoning.
Abeka:
I attended an Abeka fair recently, but I was disappointed with their video streaming. First, it seemed very old fashioned and the teachers were so boring, that it reminded me of sitting in my old high school class decades ago! Have we not evolved with the times here? I like the idea of the video streaming and also receiving the textbooks bundled into one price, a hefty one, about $750.00 (US). But the quality was not HD and it just seems so "old fashioned". Some of the sample content I viewed was OK, but did not captivate my full attention. The students were so clean and neat cut looking, the kind of "stereo-type Christian school look. For the lack of holding my own interest, I highly doubt my teenager would find this appealing too.
I received an Apologia catalog in the mail yesterday. Surprising, they are offering college-preparedness for 9th graders for Physics and Chemistry. They offer complete series and options to buy extra lab equipments and videos so that we can perform these experiments ourselves at home. The prices were very reasonable and since we currently use the Apologia Exploring Creation with Physical Science textbook by Wile, we are familiar with the content and layout. The book is easy to understand because it's written in the first person content. Lots of "On Your Own" questions between every concept learned, a chapter test for review and many hands-out labs you can do at home!
There's a few others I have found but will write in another post. I have to find the links and info first ;-)
So far, I have checked out the following:
 |
| (Image from keystonehomeschoolcoalition.com website) |
I am interested in Keystone Coalition for Homeschooler as they are with Compass/Odyssey and online based curriculum. Or, I just received a catalog from Apologia and their Science program looks very attractive. They have a variety of presentation with HD quality, great sound, content, etc. The price for a whole complete curriculum for the year is about $225.00 (US). That's impressive and the samples I viewed were intellectual, up to date, captivating and most of all they made it fun by offering different ways to present the video contents thru animation, reading, question/answer and reasoning.
Abeka:
I attended an Abeka fair recently, but I was disappointed with their video streaming. First, it seemed very old fashioned and the teachers were so boring, that it reminded me of sitting in my old high school class decades ago! Have we not evolved with the times here? I like the idea of the video streaming and also receiving the textbooks bundled into one price, a hefty one, about $750.00 (US). But the quality was not HD and it just seems so "old fashioned". Some of the sample content I viewed was OK, but did not captivate my full attention. The students were so clean and neat cut looking, the kind of "stereo-type Christian school look. For the lack of holding my own interest, I highly doubt my teenager would find this appealing too.
 |
| (Image from Apologia.com product page) |
I received an Apologia catalog in the mail yesterday. Surprising, they are offering college-preparedness for 9th graders for Physics and Chemistry. They offer complete series and options to buy extra lab equipments and videos so that we can perform these experiments ourselves at home. The prices were very reasonable and since we currently use the Apologia Exploring Creation with Physical Science textbook by Wile, we are familiar with the content and layout. The book is easy to understand because it's written in the first person content. Lots of "On Your Own" questions between every concept learned, a chapter test for review and many hands-out labs you can do at home!
There's a few others I have found but will write in another post. I have to find the links and info first ;-)
Mar 19, 2012
Back with Directv
I am so happy that Directv sent me an offer thru the mail to get me back! I was never happy with the Dish Network programming and services or their hardware. I was stuck in a 2-year contract and thought I had to put up another whole year of Dish Network.
Directv offered up to $200 Visa card to restart my service with them. On top of that offer, they really had some great deals going on too, like free HD, and other rebates that brought my monthly bill down by almost $40 per month, for the next 12 months!
So, I'm very happy to be with Directv again; plus they also have 3D channels so I can watch their documentaries or movies this way.
Good riddens Dish Network..............HELLO DIRECTV! ;-)
Directv offered up to $200 Visa card to restart my service with them. On top of that offer, they really had some great deals going on too, like free HD, and other rebates that brought my monthly bill down by almost $40 per month, for the next 12 months!
So, I'm very happy to be with Directv again; plus they also have 3D channels so I can watch their documentaries or movies this way.
Good riddens Dish Network..............HELLO DIRECTV! ;-)
Feb 9, 2012
Gained 4 pounds
Uggh! Stepped on the scaled at the doctors office and it said I weighed at 138 lbs. but my Tanita scale at home records at 135 pounds. Hmm, what gives?
I have been awful about my eating habits lately. Just yesterday, I picked up for dinner a bucket of KFC chicken. Well, they did have a special for $15.99 so I ended up ordering the whole meal deal. Plus, I made white rice to go with it along with the included biscuits.
I managed to also scarf down for dessert, 3 homemade chocolate chip cookies and a Herschey's chocolate bar with almonds. The worse part is that I didn't even exercise at all yesterday. I only performed 15 leg squats for the day.
The good news is I keep telling myself-- that even though the scale tipped a bit on the plus side, I still wear my size 6 jeans comfortably. I little small "muffin" top began to protrude, but hopefully with my new goal in mind of losing that stinking belly fat, I can get rid of it in no time at all.
I have been awful about my eating habits lately. Just yesterday, I picked up for dinner a bucket of KFC chicken. Well, they did have a special for $15.99 so I ended up ordering the whole meal deal. Plus, I made white rice to go with it along with the included biscuits.
I managed to also scarf down for dessert, 3 homemade chocolate chip cookies and a Herschey's chocolate bar with almonds. The worse part is that I didn't even exercise at all yesterday. I only performed 15 leg squats for the day.
The good news is I keep telling myself-- that even though the scale tipped a bit on the plus side, I still wear my size 6 jeans comfortably. I little small "muffin" top began to protrude, but hopefully with my new goal in mind of losing that stinking belly fat, I can get rid of it in no time at all.
Dec 6, 2011
Coupon Databases
As I still consider myself a "Newbie" in the world of couponers, I wanted to share a couple of ways to find available coupons online. Since moving to a small town, I found to my dismay that their local newspapers barely contain any coupons. I used to live in the Chicagoland area where the Chicago Tribune Sunday newspapers were being delivered to my house and contained an ample amount of coupons! I was in heaven! My new hobby was not only enjoyable, but blissful, delightful leaving me in sublime.
Despite all that, in my discouraged spirit of my "joy" not available thru the newspapers around here, I have found another way to enrich my coupon passion and hobby.
I always check first: Deal Seeking Mom website and check her Coupon Database. When you visit her site, you click on "enter main database". There will be a small window area where you are able to type in an item. As an example, if you're looking for orange juice, you simply type "orange juice" in the field. If there are coupons available, the database will lists all the available coupons and its sources. Some are printable from your own computer or it will list available coupons; for example, in SS (Smart Source) and the date that the coupon can be found. It usually will look like this: SS 10/30/2011 $.50/1 X12/31/2011. That means, the coupons is from Smart Source insert, from the Oct. 30th issue, the coupon is good for fifty-cents off one product, and it expires on Dec. 31, 2011.
My computer is setup to check Deal Seeking Mom's website first. I highly recommend checking one or two more databases. The others I check is Hot coupon World, and Mashup Mom. There are many, many other coupon databases online. These are in my "favorites".
Despite all that, in my discouraged spirit of my "joy" not available thru the newspapers around here, I have found another way to enrich my coupon passion and hobby.
 |
| I always check this website first to look for available coupons |
I always check first: Deal Seeking Mom website and check her Coupon Database. When you visit her site, you click on "enter main database". There will be a small window area where you are able to type in an item. As an example, if you're looking for orange juice, you simply type "orange juice" in the field. If there are coupons available, the database will lists all the available coupons and its sources. Some are printable from your own computer or it will list available coupons; for example, in SS (Smart Source) and the date that the coupon can be found. It usually will look like this: SS 10/30/2011 $.50/1 X12/31/2011. That means, the coupons is from Smart Source insert, from the Oct. 30th issue, the coupon is good for fifty-cents off one product, and it expires on Dec. 31, 2011.
My computer is setup to check Deal Seeking Mom's website first. I highly recommend checking one or two more databases. The others I check is Hot coupon World, and Mashup Mom. There are many, many other coupon databases online. These are in my "favorites".
Nov 25, 2011
Homeschooling Teens
I started the homeschooling journey nearly three years ago when my child was in 6th grade. Everything was going smoothly. He looked forward to his daily lessons from me without any hesitations, resistance or arguments. All was fine, until now!
Now my son is 13 years old. Does something happen in the teens brains that all of a sudden, this year, the big attitude came with it. It seems that since we started this year, (8th grade), I have become a very frustrated teacher/mom. Everyday for the past two months has been a roller coaster of arguments, confrontations, and yelling!
I've spoken to other homeschooling mom about the daily challenges this has become. Apparently, they are also going through the same thing as I was and feel drained and ready to give it up! You know, back to a public school! Fortunately, with the help and the lending ears and support of other moms of teenagers, especially, in my case, boys, I'm still hanging in there.
This year is the first time I bought a curriculum. It wasn't cheap either but I like the daily schedules and teacher's guide already completed for me.
Since it is a purchased curriculum, the demands for daily studies are more rigid. Although you can tailor the schedules for your own needs, I found that you really have to skip a whole day's work in order to do that. The reason is all the books coincide with one another; so when you read a history book, your paperback book and language arts studies related to that subject.
I started to add my own videos, pictures, and old workbooks in addition to the daily schedule we have from Sonlight. Although, it was not always a biblical or Christianity view, I have found this eased the tension in our homeschooling routine. There's a lot of reading involved in this curriculum. My son loves to read but I am telling you, there is a LOT of reading! The books are great-- they are living books which is more interesting than reading your ordinary text-like history books. But be prepared to read a lot this year!
Now my son is 13 years old. Does something happen in the teens brains that all of a sudden, this year, the big attitude came with it. It seems that since we started this year, (8th grade), I have become a very frustrated teacher/mom. Everyday for the past two months has been a roller coaster of arguments, confrontations, and yelling!
I've spoken to other homeschooling mom about the daily challenges this has become. Apparently, they are also going through the same thing as I was and feel drained and ready to give it up! You know, back to a public school! Fortunately, with the help and the lending ears and support of other moms of teenagers, especially, in my case, boys, I'm still hanging in there.
This year is the first time I bought a curriculum. It wasn't cheap either but I like the daily schedules and teacher's guide already completed for me.
Since it is a purchased curriculum, the demands for daily studies are more rigid. Although you can tailor the schedules for your own needs, I found that you really have to skip a whole day's work in order to do that. The reason is all the books coincide with one another; so when you read a history book, your paperback book and language arts studies related to that subject.
I started to add my own videos, pictures, and old workbooks in addition to the daily schedule we have from Sonlight. Although, it was not always a biblical or Christianity view, I have found this eased the tension in our homeschooling routine. There's a lot of reading involved in this curriculum. My son loves to read but I am telling you, there is a LOT of reading! The books are great-- they are living books which is more interesting than reading your ordinary text-like history books. But be prepared to read a lot this year!
Oct 23, 2011
If you head over to Walgreens now, buy the TheraMax Flu & Cold Nasal Spray, on sale for $7.99 and you'll received $8.00 RR. It was an unadvertised sale at all 3 Walgreens store I visited this morning.
If you need clarification on Walgreens RR (Register Rewards) and how it works, please visit this website. www.wildforwags.com
If you need clarification on Walgreens RR (Register Rewards) and how it works, please visit this website. www.wildforwags.com
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