My School Year Homeschool Record Keeping - Review

Planning and keeping track of your children's work should not be stressful.  Our family received an Annual Membership Plan from My School Year Homeschool Record Keeping in exchange for our honest review.  This has been great so far.  It's good for keeping up with your children's schedule, planning out your school year, creating a way for your children to go in and check to see what they currently need to turn into you, and even creating a high school transcript! I am sure you want to hear ALL about it.  Well, go grab your coffee, your pen, your notebook, and a cup of coffee. 

Free Resource Friday - Free Online Curriculum

Hey, y'all!  Many of you are getting ready to start your new school year and some of you have already started.  I am somewhere in between.  I decided to stain our school room floor so that put us back a week.  We should be starting soon, hopefully.  Anyway, that's not what I am here for, I am actually here because it is Free Resource Friday.  Today's Free Resource is a full curriculum.

Wordless Wednesday - New Family Member

Welcome back to another Wordless Wednesday!  Today we will be introducing you all to the newest member of our family, Bella the Labradoodle.

Apologia Exploring Creation With General Science, 3rd Edition - Curriculum Review

I cannot believe that we are already starting to prepare our oldest son for high school.  He will be starting 8th grade in the Fall.  To help him make a smooth transition he will be required to start working more independently this year.  Since the beginning of our homeschooling journey, he has been a part of what we call group work, which is just the combined learning of Science, History, Bible, Art, and Music as a family.  So, he will now branch out and start doing his Science independently.  Apologia recently released their Exploring Creation with General Science, 3rd Edition.  This is their newest edition and for the last couple of weeks, we have been using it so that we can let you guys know all about it!  So, go ahead and grab your notebook, your pen, and a cup of a beverage of your choice, I have a large mug of coffee, and meet us back here so we can share our experience with it so far. 

Simply Music Review - Free Resource Friday

Today's Free Resource Friday is a review of Simply Music.
Simply Music is an online piano curriculum designed to teach kids how to play piano by ear. We received the Music & Creativity - Foundation Course, which teaches you the basics of how to play, in exchange for our honest review.  All of my kids enjoy music and we have introduced instruments in the past, however, they have never learned how to play by ear.  My oldest daughter was blessed with a Keyboard for Christmas last year and has been wanting to learn how to play.   She and her younger sister has watched several YouTube videos, but nothing has been concrete, therefore, we were pretty excited to give Simply Music a try. 

Life Chat

Hey, y’all!  It has been a little while since I’ve posted a chatty post.  I really thought I would be doing a lot of writing this summer however our entire summer has been so full. We’ve had family come into town, church events, house repairs, and the most time consuming, yet, most exciting is that my older son started his own business. So, I have been busier than I expected this summer, therefore, causing me to neglect my blog.  I appreciate y’all for being so patient with me as I open up this new chapter of life, being the mom of an entrepreneur.   Just when I thought I had a good routine down it changed, again! -Insert my sigh here- LOL

Improve Your Child's Reading and Spelling With Dyslexia Gold

Hey, y'all!  It's time for another review!  I know it is that time of year that we homeschooling families are researching curricula.  Well, I have another one for you to add to your list, Dyslexia Gold Full Bundle from Dyslexia Gold.   This is an online program that goes above just teaching phonics, it helps solve the underlying issue that causes some children difficulty in reading fluently.   Go grab your notes and come on back so we can chat a bit more about this program.

Homeschool Planner Picks

Can you believe it’s July already? I don’t know about you, but I get excited about July for one it’s my husband's birthday and for two I get a pullout, my new homeschooling planners!  Here are the two planners I will be using for the 2019-2020 school year.

Entrepreneurship and Money Management for Kids - Review

Entrepreneurship and money management is something we have talked a lot about with our children.  All around us we see people just spend, spend, spend, and go into debt.  This is not the way of living we want our children to adapt to, so we started discussing these things with them at a young age.  Our oldest son started showing more interest in spending money about a year or so ago.  He knows how hard my husband works to provide for us, so he is very careful with how he approaches his dad when asking for things.  He began working with my husband at the age of 12 and saved his money to buy an iPad.  During the time he was working and saving he made sure he paid tithes.  This was something he started doing on his own without being asked because he had watched my husband do it for so many years he knew it was something he needed to do.  We were so proud of him!  Soon his job came to an end because there was no more work.  He asked his dad if he could start his own business.  My husband and I were both shocked but knew this was something he wanted to do.  He wanted to make money just like his father.  The opportunity for us to review The Complete Starter Kit from The Kingdom Code could not have come at a better time!  This curriculum is designed to help teach children how to make and manage money in a Biblical way.  It is helping us help our son learn that there's more to entrepreneurship than making money.   Go grab your cup of coffee or tea, a notebook, and something to write with so we can tell you all about our experience with The Kingdom Code.

Happy Memorial Day

We appreciate the many sacrifices they made! 

EdAlive - Math and Typing Fun - Review

Can y'all believe we are already near the summer?  I'm still trying to figure out where did the time go.  Although we school year round here at Cooks Christian Academy, our summers are lighter.  I like to make sure they are still learning something but without a lot of book work.  The kids recently spent some time brushing up on their typing and math skills with EdAlive.  We received a one-year subscription to their Typing Tournament Online and Maths Invaders Online in exchange for our honest review.  Using the Typing Tournament has been like having a Typing Tutor in our home and Math Invaders has been a great way for them to get some extra math practice in.  Go grab your coffee or tea and come sit with us for a while so that we can tell you all about them.

Elizabeth Prentiss - Book Review

Hey, y'all!  The kids and I have just finished reading another great read aloud, Elizabeth Prentiss More Love by Claire Williams.  Our family truly enjoyed this heartwarming story and it led to great discussions.  Elizabeth Prentiss is published by Christian Focus and is a part of the Trail Blazers series.  We received this book in exchange for our honest review.  Go grab you a cup of coffee or tea and join us as we tell you all about this inspiring story.

Side of the House Makeover - Wordless Wednesday

My oldest son recently decided he wanted to start a lawn business, so what better place to start than home.  The side of of house was a huge mess so we decided to give it a small makeover.  

Welcome back to another Wordless Wednesday

I am so proud of how it turned out.  We all pitched in and helped of course.

Are you working on any projects around your house?  I would love to hear about it.  

Thanks for stopping by today have a wonderful day!

Funny Facts About My Mom

Do you remember being young talking with your siblings about your parents?  Not gossiping about them, but laughing about their funny habits.  Well, I recently asked my children what are some of my habits that they find hilarious.  Y'all, they are pretty accurate on most of these and they are pretty funny!  I laughed a while as I read them.

CLEP and DSST Test Prep Review

Did you know college credits may be earned through CLEP and DSST testing?  I did not learn that until I started preparing my oldest daughter for high school.  Like you can actually test out of college classes and receive the credit.  That blew my mind!  You mean to tell me that I spent, and still spending money on student loans to pay for classes that I could have tested out of?  Well, like the saying goes if you know better you will do better.  I will help my children do better if college is the route they decide to take.  We received a 3-month subscription to the CLEP and DSST prep materials from Study.com in exchange for our honest review.  So, let me tell you all about our experience. 

The Hamelin Stoop Series Book Review - Kaela's Corner

Have you ever read a book that was not a genre you would normally be interested in, but then found yourself flipping page after page with excitement, anxiously waiting to see what would happen next? Well, that has been me with our latest read aloud!  I am normally not a fan of young adult fiction or fantasy books, however, when the opportunity arose for us to review The Hamelin Stoop Series, I decided to give it a try.  First, let me just say that I am so glad I did!  We received Hamelin Stoop: The Eagle, The Cave, and the Footbridge (Book 1) and Hamelin Stoop: The Lost Princess and the Jewel of Periluna (Book 2) in exchange for our honest review.  Both books are published by 12 Gates Publishing.  Normally I would be giving you guys the review, but my oldest daughter enjoyed the first book so much (she is just about to start book 2) that she asked if she could tell y'all about it.  I will check in later to add my two cents.  

What We Read in April

I missed posting what we read in March because we were so busy with the move, and now I don't even remember what all we read. Anyway, I do have what we read in April ready for you. I still can't believe we are already in April I mean where did the time go? Go grab your coffee or tea, pen, ad notebook and join me as I share with you what our family read in April.

Dear Moms of Girls - Wordless Wednesday

Today's Wordless Wednesday won't be so wordless.  Today, I just want to encourage you to encourage your daughters!  There are so many influences out there in the world, so many trends to follow, and don't let me get started on the social media world.  My oldest daughter made a post last week about staying true to you and she doesn't even realize how much that post blessed me.  I remember being the girl at school trying to fit in with the crowd, changing who I was just to feel accepted!  That is something I never wanted my girls to go through.  So I make sure as their mom, to pray for them and let them know daily that they are each known, loved, and accepted.

Teen Talk with Kaela - Stay True to You

Kaela's Corner

Hey, y'all! It's Kaela and I'm back with another post.   This one, in particular, has been something I've been wanting to talk about but wasn't quite sure how to put it. This is really great for teens so if you have any I'm sure they'll enjoy it wholeheartedly.

CrossWired Science - Review

I don't know about the children in your house, but the ones over here love science.  Well, I mean they never complain about it and they are always trying to create some concoction out of something.  They will dig up worms, create mud puddles, and just get gross with the things God created.  They love learning about God's creations.  So, although we were in the middle of another Science Curriculum I was happy to review Sound, and Fluid Dynamics from CrossWired Science.  

If you have been looking for a self-grading, online-based science curriculum taught from a Christian standpoint this is it!  It can be used for children ages 4 all the way to 18 years old.  I hope you already have your cup of coffee or tea, notepad, and pen becuase I am about to tell you all about it.

Transcripts Made Easy - Review

Hey, y'all! How is life?  We are just about settled in our new place, finally.  Most of you have been asking and waiting for me to talk more about high school well, today is your lucky day!
As a homeschool mom of two teens, I get asked on several occasions how I do it. A few of the things most people want to know is how do I create a transcript, how do I organize their paperwork, how do I choose their classes, etc.  Most of the time my answer is always the same, "Girl, we are learning as we go because I have no idea. However, Pinterest has a plethora of things."  
Well, moving forward I will have more concrete answers!  As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I was blessed to be able to review Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High-School Paperwork, written by Janice Campbell and published by Everyday Education. 

Wordless Wednesday - DIY Farmhouse Bench

Our first DIY project in our new home was a Farmhouse Kitchen Bench.

Improving our Grammar with IEW - Review

GRAMMAR, GRAMMAR, GRAMMAR!  If you know me then you know how I feel about grammar.  My grammar is horrible and I don't want my kid's grammar to be, so we have tried a few different things throughout our homeschool journey.  When my oldest daughter studied Ancient History, we tried Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)'s writing program that went along with the time period.  I failed at teaching it.  This was early on in our homeschool journey and my daughter was just coming out of public school.  We had no idea what we were doing, so we put it back on the shelf. I was disappointed becuase IEW was one of the first curricula I heard about when we first started homeschooling.  It was talked about very highly amongst homeschool moms.  I went to their booth every year at the homeschool conventions and asked a ton of questions.  However, I still did not feel confident enough to teach it, mostly because that is an area that I am not good at.  Fast forward to a few months ago we were given the opportunity to review the Fix It! Grammar program.  I am so glad accepted!  Hurry up and go grab your coffee y'all, because I can't wait to share our review of The Nose Tree [Book 1] part of the  Fix It! Grammar program from Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) with y'all!

Free Resource Friday - Pizza Hut

 Hey, y’all!  I hope you all are doing well!  If you follow us on Instagram you know we have been busy moving.  So, I’ve been spending the last week or so packing, unpacking, and moving.  Thank you guys so much for being patient with me during this time!  Today is Friday which means, Free Resource Friday.  For those of you new to our blog a couple Fridays a month I will give you a free resource to use as you please.  Today’s Free Resource Friday is...

   

PIZZA HUT 

Wordless Wednesday - Closing and Moving Day

I'm so glad you all are so patient with me.  Life has been extremely busy for the Cooks' family, but we are finally getting settled!  I haven't shared a Wordless Wednesday with you all in a while, but I have one for you this week, it is a day late, but here it is.

A Full Year of STEM Activities - Review

Are y'all ready for another awesome review?  Well, I have a really fun one for y'all today!  STEM activities are not only beneficial and educational, but they are also a lot of fun.  However, trying to incorporate them into your regular homeschool schedule is another story.  That takes a lot of research and it is time-consuming.  That is all we homeschooling moms need is another time-consuming task to add to our never-empty plate, right?  NOT!  The reality is we would like to add them in as seamlessly as possible.  Our family was given the opportunity to use and review the STEM Activities, Full Year of Challenges with Close Reading from Tied 2 Teaching.  They have taken the guesswork out of putting together STEM projects and even included Language Arts into it.  Go grab your coffee or tea and join me so I can tell you all about this awesome resource!

What we Read in February

We are plowing through this year like a snow plow in a Winter storm.  I can't believe I am already sharing what we are reading in February!  The kids were able to read more books this month than last.  They had some good ones too.  Do you have your pen and notebook ready so that you can be ready to add to your "to read" list?  Well, what are you waiting on?  We are going to get right to it, so go grab everything you need and don't forget your coffee.

Homeschool Complete an All-Inclusive Curriculum - Review

When looking for curricula many moms search for a curriculum is an all-in-one curriculum, meaning all subjects are included.  Another word for that is all-inclusive.  I am that mom however, I prefer it to be easily customized to fit each of my children's needs.  I also look for it to be literature-based because we love to read.  My youngest son, Elijah, and I were given the opportunity to review an all-inclusive curriculum from Homeschool Complete.  We reviewed the first semester of their Fourth Grade Complete curriculum.   This curriculum includes all of your basic subjects and more, in the form of Unit Studies.  Do you have your coffee, notebook, and pen?  Well, go get them so that I can fill you in on what we thought about the Homeschool Complete. 

FAQ I Get as a Homeschooler - Kaela's Corner

Kaela's Corner

Hey guys today's blog post as you can see by the title will be frequently asked questions that I get as a homeschooler. Before I get to that though, I want to know how has your week been?  Mine is going good. Okay, so back to the nitty gritty I chose three FAQs I get when someone realizes I'm homeschooled and I'll give you my typical response.

Happy Birthday, Kaela

Happy Sweet 16, to the sweet face behind Kaela's Corner here on the blog.

 

Y'all be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday!

February Morning Basket

I'm sure you hear the talk about morning baskets all around the homeschool streets!  Well, we have always set aside time in the morning for things we like to do before we start "schooling" sort of like a warm-up.  I just never called it morning basket until now.  We are officially on the morning basket train, well almost official, I still need to find a basket.  I wanted to share with you what we have in our morning basket for the month of February.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls - Books 3 and 4 Book Review

Hey, Y'all!  The kids and I are back with an awesome book review, just for you!  This series is one of the kids' favorite.  We all love to read for the most part and we are always looking for a good book to listen to or curl up on the couch and read. It can get tough sometimes trying to find appropriate books that are entertaining and give good life lessons or morals.  I was very curious when we were offered the opportunity to read books 3 and 4 of The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series from WorthyKids, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.  We had never heard of the series or of the author, M.J. Thomas, so I did some research.  Needless to say, I was impressed, so go grab your coffee and join us as we take you back to Bible days.

IXL Learning - Our Review

There are some days when we hit a roadblock in our curriculum.  No matter how the Teacher's Manual explains it, the drawings I write on the whiteboard or the amount of time I spend trying to break the question down we just can't get past that problem or concept.  Have you ever experienced that frustration?  I know it makes me feel so defeated.  IXL Learning is the perfect program to help you overcome those days!  Our family received a free full annual membership to IXL in exchange for our honest review.  Go grab your notebook and a cup of coffee or tea and join us while we tell you all about our experience with IXL.

Happy Valentine's Day

We love and appreciate each and every one of you!  You could be doing anything else with your time, but you choose to spend some of that time here with us, and we love you for it!  hope you have a joy-filled Valentine's Day!

For the Temple: A Heirloom Audio Production Review

If you have been reading our blog for a while you know how much I enjoy Heirloom Audio.  Their audio dramas are amazing, I can't say enough good things about them!  Our family was recently chosen to review their newest production, For the Temple by G.A. Henty, which is about the fall of Jerusalem. You know I jumped at the opportunity!  I used to be the type of person that had to have the physical in hand to enjoy it, but I have found myself starting to appreciate audio books almost just as much now.  I can't believe I just said that!  It is the truth though. Yikes! Anyway, enough with that go grab a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and come on an adventure with us as we tell you all about For the Temple.

Kaela's January Favorites

Hi, it's Kaela, again!  Okay, so I know I’m not the first to think, “wow last month went by really fast.” There were a lot of aspects that I enjoyed last month. Whether it was a scent or an outfit. I would like to share with you guys all of my January favorites.

Free Resource Friday

Free Resource Friday is back!  If this is your first time on my blog and you are not sure what Free Resource Friday is let me tell you all about it.  That is the day that I will be sharing free resources with you.  When I originally started doing this it was my intention to post a free resource every Friday, but let's be real life happens.  So now I will be sharing a free resource with you randomly on a Friday.  I hope to share at least 2 a month.  I am really excited about today's resource because, it not just one, but several free resources.

What we Read in January

Happy New Year, y'all!  It has been a while since my last post.  I took the month of December to spend time with my family.  Christmas is our favorite holiday, and we like to focus on the true reason for the season.  We take time away from work and school and just enjoy each other.
So, you should have read a post from my goofy daughter, last week, about her tenth-grade expectations vs reality for the first semester.  If you haven't read it yet you should go check it out, she is hilarious! You can be expecting to hear from her hopefully once a week here on the blog.  Anyway, let's get into what we are reading this month.

10th-Grade Semester Review - Expectation vs Reality

Good morning, I figured for my first official blog post I'll do a semester review. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I forgot to tell you guys who I am. My name is Kaela and I'm the oldest child of  Walter & Markie. I'll love to tell you more but I have an introductory blog post coming soon, so I'll save all that information for there. Okay back on topic now. We just got back to school all of two weeks ago, which meant the start of a new semester.  Yay!  I thought it'll be fun to tell you how my first semester went. However, instead of doing a typical "this is how my semester went"  I decided to do an expectation vs reality.  Here we go...