FreeBEE Fridays - Notebooking Resources

Jen, from Gricefully Homeschooling, and I team up, every Friday, to bring you a list of freebees...on both of our blogs.

PLUS...with the added bonus of this being a weekly link up...where you can showcase your freebies, things you've found online, and also, things you've received in the mail, totally FREE in the last week...or so. 

FreeBEEs:

If you have homeschool FreeBEEs to share
please link up at the bottom of this post!
You can copy the button from my right side bar.

Internet FreeBEEs:
This week I had a friend inquire about notebooking so I decided to share some great FREE notebooking resources with you this week.

So what is notebooking anyway? Well notebooking can be done a variety of ways. The 4 main types of notebooks are binders, spiral notebooks, composition notebooks and self-bound notebooks. No matter which way you choose to go about notebooking they all serve the same purpose. Its a way for your children to catalog what they are experiencing and learning through writing and pictures.  If they are too young to write they can always dictate to you while you write their thoughts.  Notebooking helps children reinforce what they have learned and its a way to keep track of what they learn over the years (sort of like a homeschool scrapbook). Notebooking is great for children of all ages and even homeschool mommas.



-Notbooking Pages has lots of FREE stuff like templates, pages and more. Just sign up for a FREE membership. But if you want even more including a the NEW Publisher where you can design your own pages then consider the membership ($74.95).

-The Notebooking Fairy has MANY great FREE resources on the website. If you need a great resource to teach you the ins and outs of notebooking then consider purchasing Notebooking Success Ebook for $5.50 (introductory price and there is a 30 day money back guarantee).

-Notebooking Nook Blog - lots of great resources
-That Resource Site - many FREE notebooking pages
-Homeschool Notebooking - Free notebooking pages for every subject
-Science Notebooks - learn about science notebooking
-Temporary Tents has great FREE notebooking pages on her blog
-Donna Young - Free printable blank notebook pages - Design your own
-Notebooking Yahoo Group - a place for you to share thoughts, gather ideas and just have fun talking about notebooking
-Currclick - lots and lots of FREE notebooking resources some may cost a small fee
-Homeschool Share - lots of great notebooking pages
-Homeschool Helper Online - notebooking pages for holidays, science, history, geography and more
-Like my friend Adventurez in Child'Rearing on Facebook to get your FREE Nature Study Notebooking ebook
-Free sticker story notbooking page

-Get 3 FREE Knowledge Box lapbooks (US Symbols, Country Study and Presidential Election Games & Trivia) by visiting Hip Homeschool Moms

And if you're busy planning like me then I am sure you can use these....

-Adorable FREE printable summer calendars
-Free calendars from FREE Homeschool Deals

Giveaways:

-We Choose Virtues Giveaway - Adventures in MamaLand
-100+ FREE Things to do in Atlanta Ebook Giveaway - Expedition Mom

FreeBEE events:

On Sunday, June 3, 2012, The Woodruff Arts Center and its divisions – the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences – will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragedy at Orly Airport, which was the catalyst for the founding of The Woodruff. The event will be from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Click Here for the Full Schedule of Activities(pdf) The even is free but they are asking you register so they can plan accordingly.

Saturday, June 2, 2012 from 9 am - 12 pm - Kids can build an organizer to store hair bands, race cars… or make a great gift for DAD!

• Kids will learn to build their very own organizer while
  learning tool safety
• Have fun, make friends and gain a sense of achievement
  and work ethic

Sign up FreeBEEs, items I will be reviewing soon and items I won:

1) The Joy of Discovery this is an item I just got in the mail and will be writing a review about in July 2) Get your FREE Cavity Nesting Birds poster here. You can also download a Pigeon kit.

If you don't enter blogger giveaways or do Twitter and/or Facebook parties you need to because you can win cool stuff.

I hope you find these resources useful. If you ever have any questions feel free to leave me a comment or email me. Also be sure to follow my FB page where I post FreeBEEs daily.

Link up: FreeBEE Fridays with Kathy's Cluttered Mind and Gricefully Homeschooling

Remember when it comes to FREE resources the internet and a good search engine are your best friend.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.


Linking up with 3 Boys and a Dog

Deals You Don't Want To Miss - Unit Studies, Planners, Field Trips, Free Stuff

Passing along some great deals I have found. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a some great FREE stuff.

$5-$7 Unit Studies CELEBRATE SUMMER - Summer Sensations, Kite Capers, Roller Coasters, Digital Photography, Scrapbooking. Buy all 5 get another $5 off. Plus make sure you get your FREE Planner!

$7 for Admission for 2 to Cagle’s Family Farm. If you live in the North GA area then you know how awesome Cagles Dairy Farm is. 

Zoobooks $20 for Kids’ Animal-Anatomy Book Set with Seven Books, Stickers, and Poster ($60 Value)

Another homeschool planner I have used is the Weekly Homeschool Planner by Homeschool Creations. It is currently on sale for $12 through May 31st. Use code MAYSALE at checkout.

Need a date night? Get two movie tickets for ONLY $10.

And of course I have to share some FREE stuff with you too...

-Sign up to get a great FREE ebook "How homeschoolers unlock learning breakthroughs with the ipad" and also be entered to win an ipad.

Get your June Making the Days Count Calender from Homeschool Share.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

A Month Of Curriculum Reviews

I have lots of wonderful curriculum reviews to share with you my wonderful readers during the entire month of June. Unfortunately I got very behind but now that our 2011-2012 homeschool year has "officially" ended (we met our 180 day state requirement but we will still continue to learn awesome things) I was able to get caught up. I am sure some homeschool families are still  searching for curriculum for next year so hopefully these posts will assist you with some decision making.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Each week in June I will be sharing 2-3 curriculum reviews with you. I will be reviewing curriculum for all these areas:

-Science (Zoology, Astronomy, Etc)
-Writing
-Geography
-Art
-History
-Kindergarten Learning
-Math
-Music
-Financial Fun
-Misc. learning fun

I could tell you what companies the reviews are for but that wouldn't be any fun, I would rather it be a surprise. If you want to make sure you don't miss a post subscribe to my Blog, like my Facebook page or follow me Twitter.

The Balman's BIG Bucket List - Summer 2012

I have seen several friends doing a summer bucket list and it looked like lots of fun so I decided we would start our own. Here are some of the things we would like to complete this summer. Our goal is to have these things completed before Labor Day.

We are also joining the bucket list challenge over at The Happy Family Movement and you can too! And you can enter each week to win prizes just for joining the fun.

The Balman's BIG Bucket List

-Visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. -  completed 6/13
-Complete the GA 400 Hospitality Highway Ultimate Geocache Challenge - There are 7 pieces we currently have 3 (Green, Purple and Blue).

-Log a total of 16 GeoCaches this summer which will put us at 30 GeoCaches. Also log 4 more GeoChallenges. - completed 2 Geocaches towards our goal
-Send our very first Travel Bug aka Homeschooled Pinocchio on his trip around the world. - released Homeschooled Pinocchio 6/6 and he has been picked up to start his journey
-Visit World of Coca Cola.
-Find all the Dolphins on Parade and take photos of the kids with them. - Got photos with 4 of them so far. Not sure if we will get them all it seems like some are missing.
-Go fishing.  - completed 5/26
-Do something Patriotic. - completed 5/28
-Go cloud watching.
-Go berry picking. - completed 6/18
-Visit Tree Top Quest. - completed 5/27
-Visit at least 2 new nature centers - Cochran Mill being one of them.
-Bake a cake and decorate it with yummy stuff. -  completed 6/1
-Visit the High Museum of Art. - completed 6/3
-Go stargazing.
-Visit the Passages Exhibit. - was unable to complete and they moved out of Atlanta
-Spend an ENTIRE day at the swimming pool. - completed a few times
-Visit Wild Animal Safari.
-Shoot the Hooch. - completed 5/30
-Play in the fountains at Centennial Olympic Park. - completed 6/20
-Go see a Puppet Show at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
-Go roller skating.
-Go bowling.
-Go to the movies.
-Go the Butterfly Festival in July and try to get a butterfly to land on one of us.
-Raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to help fight childhood cancer. - we raised $235.85 to help fight childhood cancer you can read more about our lemonade stand here 6/8
-Go bike riding on the Big Creek Greenway.
-Watch a movie under the stars. - completed 6/23
-Make Tie-Dye Tshirts.
-Play in the rain. - completed 6/1
-Complete a summer reading challenge. - we are reading lots of books and working towards completing several reading challenges
-Mommy and Gwyn day at Six Flags.
-Pet an exotic animal. - completed 6/19
-Eat ice cream cones. - completed 5/30
-Have a picnic. - completed a few times
-Make solar smores.
-Go mini-golfing.
-Have an A-Z scavenger hunt. Take photos of the things we find that makes the shapes of the letters.
-Watch fireworks. - due to the late time of the shows we were unable to make it because the kids were too tired
-Make funny hats and have a funny hat day.
-Make rock pets.
-Go down a cool slide. - completed 6/17 
-Make a "Balman's BIG Bucket List" photo album.

I will update you on what we have accomplished in our "A week in the life of homeschoolers" posts and I will also cross it off our list on this page. You can also check out the photo album on the Kathys Cluttered Mind Blog Facebook Page.

I have had so many friends join the summer bucket list fun which is awesome. I had made the recommendation to The Happy Family Movement that they create a link up but I don't see that they have yet. And I had another friend create one on her blog. But I decided I wanted to easily be able to track my friends progress and see what everyone was doing for their lists so I decided to start my own link up. No button or rules just share links to your bucket list below. Everyone can participate even if you don't blog just create a document in Google Docs and share the link or create a Facebook note and share the link.

Cowgirls N' Angels Movie Review - Heartwarming Family Movie

We recently were contacted by one of the companies we review for, asking if we would be interested in a pre-screening of Cowgirls N' Angels. We love reviewing movies so I immediately checked out the trailer on YouTube (see below) to see if it was something we would be interested in. Gwyn got a glimpse of the computer screen and started begging to see the movie.....of course she did it has HORSES in it!!!! So we signed up and got accepted to preview the movie online as well as participate in a Q&A with Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) and Bailee Madison (ABC’s Once Upon a Time). 


Cowgirls N' Angels will be in theaters May 25th. So make sure you check your local theater listings because you won't want to miss this movie.


Moms review:
This was a wonderful family movie especially if you have a daughter or son who dreams of being a cowgirl or cowboy. The film is 1 hr and 32 min and rated PG, I figure because of the alcohol, fight between Ida and her mother and romantic kissing (I'm pretty sure there was no foul language). I personally feel it was acceptable for children age 6 and older. The cast of actors was wonderful. Bailee Madison did a terrific job and is just so adorable.

The movie is about a young girl named Ida who is lonely, feisty and rebellious. She says she is 1/2 orphan because she doesn't have a father and her mother who works very hard to support them is absent most of the time. She decides to set out on a mission to find the father she's never known. She knows little about him but does know his name is "Walker" and that he was a cowboy. While searching for her father she connects with the "Sweethearts of the Rodeo," a team of young female rodeo riders. The team is run by former rodeo star Terence Parker who recognizes Ida's innate talent for trick riding. Terence recruits her for their team giving her the opportunity to travel the country on a rodeo tour. This is just the ticket she needs to find her father. Ida and her new horse Prince are welcomed into their new "family" and they set out on an adventure. Along the way Ida discovers a new passion that redefines her life.

One thing I look for in a family film are lessons that can be taken away from it. Well there are several in this movie. Children will learn about how important telling the truth is, how believing in something is important and how why trust is so important.

I cracked up when I saw the Chuck Norris Code of Ethics poster in her room. It was such a cute addition to the movie. Not to mention homeschool friendly since Chuck Norris is a homeschool dad.

My favorite quote was said by Ida just after she made the Sweetheart team, "I used to think of people as a great big box of crayons and each one of us had their own special color that God would scribble into his book of life. And up until now I thought mine was clear." Isn't that a wonderful quote that really explains what was going on in this little girls heart?

But the movie was filled with great quotes and tag lines so here are few more I had to share.
"It's not enough for a man to know how to ride he needs to learn how to fall."
"I ain't a cowgirl or and angel."
"Only difference between cowgirls and angels is that angels can't ride as good."
"You can't let those yesterdays define your tomorrows." - this is one we should all try to live by

Gwyns review (6 yrs old):
I loved the movie the horses were beautiful. I cannot wait to watch it again. I really want to go to a rodeo now. I did not like the part where the little girl and her mommy fight it was very sad. But I was happy the little girl found her daddy and it made me cry.

Links to follow:
-Website
-Facebook
-Twitter 
-Trailer

I give this movie 5 STARS and hope you will take your family to see it on May 25th.


*Disclaimer of Material Connection: I received a pre-screening of the movie mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials Advertising."

FreeBEE Fridays - Memorial Day Edition

Jen, from Gricefully Homeschooling, and I team up, every Friday, to bring you a list of freebees...on both of our blogs.

PLUS...with the added bonus of this being a weekly link up...where you can showcase your freebies, things you've found online, and also, things you've received in the mail, totally FREE in the last week...or so. 

FreeBEEs:

If you have homeschool FreeBEEs to share
please link up at the bottom of this post!
You can copy the button from my right side bar.

Internet FreeBEEs:
-NOT Free but super cheap only 50 cents - Virtual Fieldtrip to Arlington Cemetary
-Memorial Day lesson plan ideas
-Memorial Day coloring pages
-Free Poster, Sticker, Magnet, Tattoos - Fill out the short form to receive these freebies from TNT.  Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.
-Lots of great Memorial day resources
-Free USA Anthem App - Get this free Star-Spangled Banner app for your iOS iPhone.
-PBS Memorial Day Concert - check your local listing for times
-Free 4th of July Unit Study
-Make a Poppy for Memorial Day and place at the grave of a Veteran. Read here for The Poppy Story. More craft ideas for making Poppy's here.
-If your planning to have a Barbecue this weekend check out some of these Freebees from Weber Grills 

Giveaways:

-Moms Mustard Seeds - Craft Interrupted Giveaway

FreeBEE events:

Need something fun to do for Memorial weekend? Check out some of these events for the South East. There are also other articles for the other areas in the USA.

Sign up FreeBEEs, items I will be reviewing soon and items I won:

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I think the mailman got lost this week because I didn't receive any goodies in the mail.

If you don't enter blogger giveaways or do Twitter and/or Facebook parties you need to because you can win cool stuff.

I hope you find these resources useful. If you ever have any questions feel free to leave me a comment or email me. Also be sure to follow my FB page where I post FreeBEEs daily.

Link up: FreeBEE Fridays with Kathy's Cluttered Mind and Gricefully Homeschooling

Remember when it comes to FREE resources the internet and a good search engine are your best friend.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.


Linking up with 3 Boys and a Dog

HELP Support Our Alex's Lemonade Stand

On June 8th at 4:30 pm the North GA Homeschool Group will be hosting a lemonade stand to support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.
Where:Bridgemill 3rd Entrance
Gold Mill Ridge
Canton, GA 30114
View map

But if your unable to make it to our lemonade stand in person please consider making a donation for a nice cool virtual glass of lemonade.

Text: "LEMONADE E80107" to 85944 for a $10 donation
Website: http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/80107
Donations can be made between now and June 10, 2012 11pm. Any donation amount will help us even if its only $1.
How else can you help? By hosting your own lemonade stand with a group or your family. Click here to sign up. When you register your group or family make sure you enter my name Kathy Balman in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section. If you do Volvo will donate $25 to our fundraising efforts. 

We thank you in advance for your support.Click here to get a coloring page for your kids.

Deals For This Week - Unit Studies, Planners, Organizers, Cooking and Summer Fun

Passing along some great deals I have found. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a some great FREE stuff.

$7 Unit Studies HEROS - Heros of Invention, America, Christianity, Chivalry, American History. Buy all 5 get another $5 off.

Receive a free 2012-2013 Wall calendar with a purchase of our 2012-2013 Well Planned Day Family Homeschool planner! A perfect combo to start off your year! I have both the Well Planned Day and On The Go planners I LOVE them so much.

AMF Bowling Deal - For $15, you get two hours of bowling and shoe rental for two people (a $42.06 average national value based on two people bowling four games each in two hours). This deal is for select GA locations.

DAC Kids - This place is located in Acworth/Kennesaw and lots of fun. Right now you can get 2 open play passes for ONLY $8.

Live Simply Childrens Health Journal only $12 (reg. $24.95). This easy to use and comprehensive health journal is a solid investment in keeping yourself organized and informed on your child’s health. Your journal can be used from birth to 18 years to keep track of all aspects of their health history. Don’t rely on your doctor’s computer system to store your entire family’s medical history. Get organized and empower yourself with information!

ALL Unit Studies are NOW $5-$10 at Knowledge Box Central.

And of course I have to share some FREE stuff with you too...

-If you live in the Atlanta area check out this great list of FREE things to do this summer with the family. Thanks to Give.Build.Inspire Website for sharing such a great list.

-FREE Blueberry Recipe DVD curriculum - Hurry up before they are gone. Produced by the Culinary Institute of America. “Blueberry Kitchen: Contemporary Recipes from The Culinary Institute of America”* gives you 14 instructional videos for innovative ways to put blueberries to work in breakfast items, salads, entrees, desserts and cocktails

-First launched in the summer of 2010, Blue Star Museums offers FREE admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 28, through Labor Day, September 3, 2012.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

The Story of Ruth Book Book Review

I would like to share another amazing book that I picked up at the Teach Them Diligently Conference in March. Tucked away at the very back of the vendor hall was a family run booth called "The Freedom Girls." There were brochures and books on their table just like every other booth in the vendor hall but what caught my eye was the absolutely adorable 18" dark skinned doll with dark brown hair and eyes standing on the table. She was wearing a tan & purple striped robe with handkerchief on her head and sandals on her feet (she reminded me a lot of an American Girl doll).

I had never heard of The Freedom Girls and was very intrigued. After talking with the father and author Dan Liberto I was very excited to share this book with my daughter. Dan graciously provide us with a review copy of their book, The Story of Ruth Through a Child's Eyes. I would like to point out that the Liberto's are a homeschool family as well.

A moms review:
In the past I have mentioned how we are Christians but don't attend Church or read the Bible daily. But we do use Biblical curriculum, pray and read devotionals and Bible stories. We also teach the kids about how important virtues are. Well throughout this wonderful book we were exposed to wonderful scripture, a Bible story and learned important lessons on sharing, loving, fighting, loyalty, patience, integrity, anger and more. Isn't that awesome? This book covers so much and is a perfect additional to your family library.

I read this book to my 6 yr old daughter Gwyn before bedtime for several nights. As I read the book I had to pause MANY times because she was filled with questions (which is one reason it took us so long to get through it). I was amazed at how pertinent and deep her questions were. This turned out to be more than just a story to share with my daughter it was a way for us to connect and truly understand a part of the Bible together. I also learned that this is one of my husbands favorite Bible stories which I never knew.

I really enjoyed the way the story was written. It was a story within a story which I thought may confuse younger children but I was wrong and Gwyn totally understood what was going on in the book. On each page there is a grey box that quotes the actual scripture. And after each of the 4 chapters there are several great discussion questions as well as a spot for children to either write or draw how the story relates to their life. This would be a wonderful book for a childrens bible study program.

This will definitely be a book we read over again and again. And I cannot wait to see what other books they come out with (yes there are plans for more and maybe even some geared more towards boys).

Synopsis:
The book tells a story about a little eight year old girl named Ruth. Ruth is a typical little girl who fights with her siblings, struggles with homework and friends and sometimes disobeys her parents. But when she and her little brother have a serious squabble her mother takes her aside to introduce her to another girl named Ruth. Ruth is full of questions about the Biblical Ruth and her mother-in-law. Like, "Where did they go for help?" And, "Who protected them?" But Ruth's biggest question is, "What's this got to do with me today?"

The Story of Ruth Through a Child's Eyes ties God's faithfulness to two women who were not forgotten by God to a modern-day girl who is struggling with God's provision in her own life. Through this book children will come to realize that the women of the Bible may have dressed and eaten differently but they had many of the same problems we do today.

Gwyns review (6 yrs old):

I like the pictures in the book. I learned not to be mean to my brother and to share. I would like to read the book again.

Links to follow:

-The Freedom Girls Facebook

-The Freedom Girls Twitter

-The Freedom Girls Website

Where to buy:
You can purchase the Ruth Doll and book here (for $94.99) or just the book here (for $12.99).

*Disclaimer -  I received a review copy of The Story of Ruth. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

Samuel L. Collins DVD Review - Are You Ready For An Adventure?

I first learned about Samuel L. Collins at the Teach Them Diligently Conference in March. But didn't have a chance to really talk with them about their DVD's until the GHEA Conference. After talking a bit with both Samuel and John Collins they provided our family with a review copy of Samuel L. Collins And The Search For Biblical Truths in Singapore. This particular DVD teaches children a valuable lesson about Integrity.

Isn't he adorable?

A moms review:
Samuel L. Collins is a DVD series which teaches children Biblical Truths like Integrity, Obedience, and the 1st and 2nd Commandments. Currently in Season 1 there are 4 DVDs: Bali, Kentucky, Florida, Singapore. And Berlin is in the works. These DVDs reminded me a lot of the young Indian Jones series. The DVDs are Rated G for Godly. And are each around 27 min long (perfect for short attention spans). I love that the entire Collins family is involved in the making of these DVDs. They not only act in the films but they are also involved in the writing and production of them as well. Oh and I almost forgot to mention Samuel and his sister are HOMESCHOOLED!

Each of the DVDs are interactive. During the film children are encouraged to help Samuel and his sister Katie solve cipher clues, locate the treasure box and find the amazing places they are traveling to on a map. And your children will love the theme song and music video. Oh and did I mention there are some really great high-tech gadgets...who doesn't love James Bond like gadgets?

As you may know if you follow our family adventures we love to Geo Cache. I was really excited to discover that Samuel L. Collins introduces families to the world of Geo Caching both during the movie and the extras. It is such a wonderful family activity and I am so happy to see Geo Caching finally highlighted in a film. 
The Singapore DVD has a great lesson plan to go along with it which can be downloaded here. If you like the lesson plan be sure to let the Collins family know because they will probably be making additional resources to go along with the other DVDs in the series. Even my 5 and 6 yr old were able to answer several of the questions in the lesson plan. Also on the website children can have lots of fun solving ciphers and clues to win prizes.

Guess what else I found out while at GHEA? Samuel L. Collins and Noah Justice (Awesome Science) are friends how cool is that?

Synopsis of Singapore DVD:
When Samuel L. Collins finds money in Singapore, will he decide to follow his own way or

follow God's Truth? Help Sam and his sister Katie, as they follow the clues, solve the encrypted cipher codes and locate the treasure box. Play along with Sam as he applies God's Word to 'crack the case' and learn the meaning behind Matthew 6:19-21. It's an all-Singapore, all-family, fun-filled adventure... In this episode of  Samuel L. Collins and the search for Biblical Truths.

Check out this video trailer for the DVD series:

Gwyns review (6 yrs old):

I really liked the Geo Caching part because we Geo Cache too. I also liked the cool watch. I learned to give money back to the person who dropped it. I like the whole movie.

Links to follow:
-Samuel L. Collins Website
-Samuel L. Collins Facebook page 
-Samuel L. Collins Twitter page
-Samuel L. Collins Blog

Where to buy:
The DVDs can be purchased on Amazon and cost $15.00 each or you can also order them directly from the Samuel L. Collins website.

Overall Thoughts:
If you're looking for a safe, fun family adventure film than look no further these DVDs are what you need.

*Disclaimer - I received a copy of Samuel L. Collins Singapore DVD in return for my honest review. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

A week in the life of homeschoolers - 3 Week Update

I have really slacked on our "A week in the life of homeschoolers" posts the last three weeks due to being too busy or too tired. So here is what we have been up too.

April 30th - May 6th

We are currently down to one car right so if the kids and I don't absolutely need the car Ben takes it and we are pretty much stranded at home for the day. But we have still been finding fun adventures to take. Like who would have thought that a volleyball pit could be so much fun? We had a lot of fun watching our beans continue to grow. And we finally got around to creating our "nature board". This is a special board where the kids can glue all their nature treasures. So far it is filled with moss, a paper wasp hive, feathers, flowers and leaves. But the highlight of our week was attending the GHEA Conference. Both kids attended the conference with me on Friday and Saturday because they were just begging me to take them to a conference. We had lots of fun! We sat in a few workshops, made a few friends, talked to lots of vendors and got lots of fun freebies. The GHEA Conference is held right next to the Atlanta Airport so all day there are huge airplanes flying overhead. The kids found this absolutely AMAZING. Sunday we did a fun craft using toilet paper tubes.

May 7th - May 13th

This week we started our bat unit. We have ALL had (yup including me) lots of fun learning about bats. We started our unit with a fun batty breakfast. Then we started reading our books on bats, hung upside down like bats, made a bat cave and even made some bat wings. We also decided it was time to dissect our beans. The kids were amazed by how much they grew. Gwyn mentioned how it was just like Jack and the Bean Stalk. And we finally got to take some field trips, YAY! Boy a week off was way to long. Wednesday we used our coupons for Monkey Joes which was a great rainy day activity. The kids had lots of fun bouncing and even made some friends. Thursday we had our Back to the Roots presentation which was lots of fun. Each family that attended received their very own kit and bag of soil. Friday Ben was off work again because of working an on call shift all week so we squeezed in another field trip. We went to Oakland Cemetery/Garden. Who would have thought that visiting a cemetery could be so much fun and so educational. We got to see where Margaret Mitchell, Maynard Jackson and lots of Confederate soldiers are buried. We did some tombstone rubbings and tried (but failed) to find a geocache. We also saw some beautiful wildflowers and got to do some bird watching. The kids also learned about tomb restoration. When we got home Gwyn worked on one of her lapbooks while Rowyn worked on a new Kindergarten curriculum from Currclick. We also have been watching two of our new favorite DVD curriculum's "Have Fun Teaching Alphabet Songs" and "Essentials in Writing". Saturday Gwyn had her last soccer game. She was super excited that her Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt and Uncle could come watch her. She was even more excited that she got to play in the rain. After the soccer game the sun finally decided to come out so we headed to our new special spot in Roswell for a tour. We also did some geocaching and found 2! Gwyn really loves the crown charm treasure that she got out of one of the caches. Sunday as you all know was Mothers Day. I received a special card and breakfast in bed. Then we went to a family cookout at my brothers. It was pouring rain and Gwyn was so bummed that we wouldn't be able to go to the pool as planned. So....the kids decided to play in the rain. Gwyn, Rowyn and 2 of their cousins had a blast.

May 14th - May 19th

Monday we started our lesson on The Titanic. We read lots of books and worked on our lapbook. Wow learning about the Titanic is sad I had a hard time reading some of the books to the kids. Tuesday we had speech class followed by a few errands. Wednesday we used our FREE tickets to Imagine It which is Atlanta's Children's Discovery Museum. The kids had fun but it is probably not a place we will visit again. It was very small and there wasn't much for them to do (definitely not worth actually paying full price for). Afterwards though we had a great time at Centennial Olympic Park. We ate lunch in the park, did some bird watching and played on the playground. If you ever visit Atlanta you must visit the park. Thursday we participated in the online Bats Live webinar. It was wonderful and very educational. They showed real live bats which both kids thought was very cool. And they answered the questions that kids emailed into them. Friday we went to our favorite spot with the homeschool group...Roswell Mill again. But before we met the group we went to the Roswell Visitors Center to get our first puzzle piece to the Hospitality Highway Geocache. We had a great time sharing our special spot with the group and I tried my best to point inform them of the history and also the flora. We had lunch at the picnic tables then afterwards my two played in the river. We saw a really cool crayfish and played with him for a little bit. And we completed 2 Geocache challenges. After we left the Mill we headed over to the downtown square to try to find another Geocache. We never have much luck with the micro caches but today we did. Gwyn was really excited she even wrote our Geocaching name on the log.

So that is what we have been up to the past three weeks. Hopefully I will be better about getting next week up.

FreeBEE Fridays - Discount Edition

Jen, from Gricefully Homeschooling, and I team up, every Friday, to bring you a list of freebees...on both of our blogs.

PLUS...with the added bonus of this being a weekly link up...where you can showcase your freebies, things you've found online, and also, things you've received in the mail, totally FREE in the last week...or so. 

FreeBEEs:
Sorry my post is a little delayed. I was feeling a little lousy the last couple of days and just wanted to relax in the evenings rather than type a post.

If you have homeschool FreeBEEs to share
please link up at the bottom of this post!
You can copy the button from my right side bar.

Internet FreeBEEs:
This week is not necessarily FreeBEEs but they are FREE reward memberships you can get at local stores so you can SAVE $$$ throughout the year when you purchase things your homeschool will definitely need.

-Barnes and Noble Educator Program - 20% discount + special educator days
-Books A Million - 20% discount
-Office Depot - 10% back on purchases, you can also earn rewards by recycling ink cartridges
-Office Max Rewards For Teachers - $10 rewards when you spend $75, you can also earn rewards by recycling ink cartridges
-Staples - 10% back on purchases, you can also earn rewards by recycling ink cartridges
-FedEx/Kinkos - 15% discount is applicable on many products and services
-Apple
-Academic Superstore
-Half Price Books - 10% discount card good at all of their brick-and-mortar locations
-Lakeshore Learning - they send amazing coupons as well
-Michael’s - provide documentation that you homeschool each visit to get 15% off
-Joann Fabrics - 15% off your purchases
-Hancock Fabrics - 10% discount when they present their Red Apple Card (sign up for the card at the store must show proof you homeschool)
-Hobby Lobby - 10% off, go to the managers desk with you state registration paper
-Homeschool Buyers Co-op - lots of great discounts for homeschoolers
-PBS Teacher Shop - I am not 100% sure if this works for homeschoolers as I have never tried it but it may be worth a try they have some great discounts

-Homeschool groups can participate in Box Tops for Education to earn money for their group. You must be a group or co-op to participate.

*Note: these programs may require some form of “teacher i.d.” You can use pretty much anything  that shows proof you homeschool. Here are some examples of what I have used - Homeschool Legal Advantage card, our Declaration/Letter of Intent (which we are required to send to the state of GA each year) and Homeschool Buyers Co-op card. If you have never had a Homeschool Legal Advantage membership get one for FREE using code GIFT.

**Also don't forget to talk to your local museums to see if they offer the educators membership price to homeschoolers often these are about $10 cheaper (I know in GA the museums that offer the educator discount will allow homeschoolers to utilize it). And ask your library about getting an educator card which allows you to check out more books on a library card (again I know some of the GA library systems offer this so I can check out 50 books on my card instead of only 25).

If I missed any please let me know and I will add it to the list.

Giveaways:

-iReward Chart iPhone App Giveaway x 2 - on my blog

FreeBEE events:

Check out the Lowes Summer workshops there are some great projects lined up. My kids always love the workshops and love playing with their creations even more.

Sign up FreeBEEs, items I will be reviewing soon and items I won:

Top: Right - FREE scissors from Westcott Get them here its really easy and mine came in just a few days. Left - I won this great book Here's Lily cannot wait to read it to Gwyn.

Bottom: Right - Got this FREE kit from Random House but its no longer available. Keep an eye out on the website though because they will be making the bookclub materials available in pdf. This is a great resource if you want to start a book club which I hope to do in the Fall. Left - I got FREE Dr Scholls insoles, 2 FREE bottles of Sobe drink and lots of great coupons by being a Bzz Agent. Sign up here take a few surveys so they can connect you with companies. Its FREE and I get nothing for you signing up. Then help spread the word about the products. When you spread the word you are awarded with My Points another FREE website where you can earn giftcards. Both of these websites I have been on for over a year and have earned great things from both. They are totally worth spending a few hours a week on.

If you don't enter blogger giveaways or do Twitter and/or Facebook parties you need to because you can win cool stuff.

I hope you find these resources useful. If you ever have any questions feel free to leave me a comment or email me. Also be sure to follow my FB page where I post FreeBEEs daily.

Link up: FreeBEE Fridays with Kathy's Cluttered Mind and Gricefully Homeschooling

Remember when it comes to FREE resources the internet and a good search engine are your best friend.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.


Linking up with 3 Boys and a Dog

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation - National Lemonade Days June 8th-10th

National Lemonade Days is June 8, 9 and, 10 - you pick the time and the place. Then gather your friends, local groups and family together and hold your very own lemonade stand to help raise funds to fight childhood cancer. Watch the video below to learn more about Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (have a tissue handy).


What is Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation?The foundation was started by an amazing little girl (she was in the video) who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 1. At age 4 she decided to set up a lemonade stand to help raise money to find a cure. Sadly she lost her fight against cancer at the age of 8. But she helped raise over 1 million dollars over those short 4 years. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was started by her parents in 2005 to continue the work that Alex began. 
How can you help?By hosting your own lemonade stand of course! Or finding a local lemonade stand that you can make a donation too. Here is our homeschool groups lemonade stand page. 
Click here to sign up. When you register make sure you enter my name Kathy Balman in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section. If you do Volvo will donate $25 to our groups fundraising efforts.
You can also show your support and help spread the word about Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation by following their social media outlets:
-Twitter-Facebook-Blog-Pinterest-YouTube-Flickr
Let me know if you have any questions I hope you will consider participating next month!!!!
Let's put the SQUEEZE on cancer!

Awesome Current Events Magazine And Info on Requesting Free Sample

Remember in my FreeBEE Friday post last week I shared a little bit about Gods World News? Well guess what they replied to my email and told me that my readers could call them at 1-800- 951-5437 to request samples so you can find out for yourself what I am talking about. Let them know grade level you want and they will send them to you. Mention my blog please when you call.

These magazines are amazing. I almost didn't pick up the FREE samples at GHEA because they didn't look like something my kids would be into. But boy was I WRONG and glad that the two people working the booth insisted. They informed me that they had one for kids in Pre-K so I pick that one up as well as a 1st-2nd grade copy.

These magazines are filled with all sorts of amazing things. As my kids flipped through the pages looking at the pictures they were filled with all sorts of questions which lead to some great discussions. The samples we received had great short articles, amazing bible verses and fun activities. We learned about mission trips to India to provide polio vaccines for the people. And we learned all sorts of amazing facts about Gods marvelous creatures. Under almost every article is a teaching tip to assist parents with further discussion about the topic. Sometimes there are even links to websites where you can learn more about the topic and watch videos.

I was told that these can actually be used as a social studies curriculum in itself or used in conjunction with your current curriculum and I can totally see why now. Gods World News has several great FREE resources on their website including lessons, biographies, explain it, today in history, news now and more.

There are six levels from Pre-K through high school, each version touches on core subjects to help students develop the critical thinking they need to make sound life decisions. Economics, science, religion, history, media… it's all current "real world" material and all prepared for you. And best of all the current events are presented to children using a biblical worldview.

With a subscription you receive:

• Full-year subscription includes 10 big, full-color, monthly issues (every month except December & May).
• School-year subscriptions include seven monthly issues (September - April).
• 24 pages per issue, filled with age-appropriate news and activities.
• No charge for regular shipping and handling! (1st class delivery available at additional charge.)   
• MAP-IT! Locator maps correspond with a full-sized (20" x 30") world map sent at the beginning of the school year to each class, homeschool teacher, and homeschool group coordinator (five maps sent to homeschool groups).

Check out a FREE sample PDF issue here.

Where to buy:
You can subscribe to God's World News here. Price is $24.95-$27.95 for a 10 months subscription. ALSO if you decide to order a subscription do so before June 30th and get 15% off with code N2C15GHE when you call or visit this link.


*Disclaimer - I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

Awesome Deals - Field Trips, Magazines and other Cool Stuff

Here are some great deals I just had to share:

$15 for 1 yr subscription to Zoobooks, Zootles or Zoobies with posters and stickers ($29.95 value).

Awesome collapsible water bottles (great for adventure seekers) $15 for 3 ($30.00 value).

$29 for a two-leg extended zipline tour and one hour of unlimited dry-snow tubing and tobogganing (a $60.00 value). Jasper, GA

50% Off Tickets to Lake Lanier Island Resort's LanierWorld Waterpark ($35 value for $17)

Studio Movie Grill summer series $1 kids and $2 adults. Mon-Fri 11 am ALL summer long. Starting May 28th. GA, IL, TX

$10 for 2 Weeks of Unlimited Play at Adventure Kids in Cumming ($50.00 value)

$4-$5 Unit Studies Ben Franklin, George Washington, Patriotic Holidays, Independence Day, Flag Day. Buy all 5 get another $5 off.

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

Decorating For Spring - With A Giant Butterfly

Last month we received this awesome Butterfly from Rose Art. Have you heard about the Rose Art 3D Create 'n' Color products? They are life size craft kits and are available in corrugate and wood. Our butterfly has a wing span over 1.5 feet wide and looks marvelous hanging from our schoolroom ceiling. We ALL (yup including mommy) had a great time coloring our butterfly.

These kits are amazing and lots of fun. Each kit comes with easy to read step-by-step instructions. As well as several markers and depending on the kit stickers, glitter glue, etc. The butterfly was very easy for my almost 5 yr old and 6 yr old to complete. They only needed a little assistance with the assembly. As I was getting our butterfly out of the box I realized it was double-sided. I did not notice the packaging or instructions mentioning the double-sided feature. Since there is no need to color the other side (if your hanging it high up) you can keep it blank. And when you're ready for a change and some more fun you can take apart the butterfly and color the other side. 

Here are the different kits available from Rose Art:

Corrugated

Hanging Creatures

Large Environments

Large Standees

Licensed Standees

Play Sets with Accessories

Table Standees

Wooden

Dinosaurs

Farm Animals

Jungle Animals

Vehicles

Words & Text

Where to buy:
These range in price from $4.99-$24.99. You can buy them at Walmart, Kmart, Target, Toys R Us and Amazon. Visit the Rose Art website for further details.

*Disclaimer - Rose Art supplies from Mega Brand supplies us with lots of wonderful products in return for honest review and craft project how to's. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies