My Top Ten Favorite Freebie Sites

I was asked to be a part of a homeschool mom panel for a local support group today. One of my areas of "expertise" (why I was asked to be a part of the panel) was homeschooling on a budget. My handout from the mini-conference workshop is still available under Homeschoooling on a Budget.

I thought it would be nice though, to post my Top Ten Favorite Freebie Sites. These are sites I go to a regular basis, some of them daily! I will describe them for you, and you can click on the highlighted title to go directly to the site.

The Homeschool Freebie of the Day is a site I frequent Monday through Friday. The daily freebie could be an e-book, a classic book scanned or typed to e-book format, a unit study, a classic radio drama, downloadable coloring book, and list goes on. The Freebie of the Day is available for one day only, so that why I'm on there each day. It doesn't take long to download and I save the file on a USB memory drive under the appropriate file to find when I'm ready to use it. Sometimes we change our plans for the day and study whatever they have for us. Right now, if you sign up for their weekly e-mail "heads up", you will recieve their directory of free worksheets that they compiled and researched after many of their readers suggested sites. I have checked the directory out and it is awesome!

Honestly, the Erskine Family who runs the site are an awesome family! They have a sister site, called Homeschool Radio Shows or "Living Books for the Ear". These are classis radio dramas of everything! There are research shows, biographies, old family radio shows, classic books and plays. They are a wonderful addition to any homeschool.

Another daily freebie favorite is the devotional from Alpha and Omega. You'll need to sign up for an account with them, go to the freebie tab, then to the e-news link and check the box for the Daily Focus. I liked the devotionals so much, I bought the book through the Homeschool Buyers Co-op (you can get free student and teacher ids with them!). I still get the Daily Focus in my inbox though. Sometimes the devotional is so touching, I have to comment on the site.

I told the ladies at the meeting I am a bit Charlotte Mason in my teaching style. My favorite Charlotte Mason site is Simply Charlotte Mason. They have a free curriculum guide for those who are interested in teaching with the Charlotte Mason Method. There are three wonderful free e-books under the book section. You can download free samples of the things for sale. My husband originally got on this site and printed the free guide for Scripture Memory. There are loads of cool things to explore on this site. They have a wonderful e-newsletter, too, that I enjoy.

The Old Schoolhouse has some very enjoyable free we-e-books. Look on the left hand side under categories for "Freebies". The books range from things for the teacher to things for the student, and even things to share with those who are skeptical about homeschooling. You can also sign up to be on the list for the monthly free we-e-books.

A friend of mine, locally, has a great site called the Homeschool Helper. Before I knew this site belonged to her, I saw it in all kinds of national homeschool publications. I felt like I knew celebrity when she told me that was her site! Amy is a wonderful person, amazing mom and friend. Her site is a place that homeschoolers share unit studies, lapbooks, worksheets, and much more. She also shares homemaking tips, menus, and more. She also shares about homeschooling and family on her blog. She has an e-newsletter that updates you on the newest additions to the site.

Speaking of Amys...my next site is not just freebies, but amazing online homeschool magazine started by two Amys. I have won a couple of free things from the site and many homeschool moms share unit studies, lapbooks, crafts, and so many helpful teaching tools. This is a site that I have actually made friends with ladies across the country. I have done multiple Bible/devotional studies with my cyber-friend, Lori (that is to make the distinction between her and my co-op friend, Lori, and my sister-in-law, Lori). This site is the Heart of the Matter. They also have an e-newsletter that always includes a freebie link.

A site that I discovered through a couple of these sites is Don Potter, a Christian school teacher with a heart to share what really works with parents, educators, and homeschoolers. He has spent much time and energy to share old books and links and even make mp3 tracks to teach Math, Spelling, Phonics, and many other things. This is a site well worth spending some time perusing. He also has links to other sites and books and things related to the things he shares on his site. Checking out his "Education Pages" is a must. You can even learn Greek, Latin, Spanish, and Hebrew on his site! I'm looking forward to using his materials in the coming school year.

I recently discovered a couple of sites through the Homeschool Freebie of the Day. One is Practical Pages. The homeschool mom, Nadene, who runs this blog is incredible! She could totally being selling all the wonderful things she shares for free. She is Charlotte Mason style teacher. She has incredible notebooking pages, lapbooks, paper dolls,... you name it, I think she does it.

The other site I found recently through the Homeschool Freebie of the Day is kind of three sites all hosted by one homeschool mom, Lee Giles. Links to All Things Free for Homeschoolers is her newest site, I believe. She has also written a book called The King Will Make a Way (which I'll be reviewing at a later date) and has a blog called Just Us, which was linked to by the Homeschool Freebie of the Day, where she shares free lapbooks and homeschool info. These are new sites to me, but I really like what I've seen!

So, that is my top 10, but I'll give you two extra freebies! Another favorite spot of mine for freebies is Currclick. Not everything on the site is free, but they have weekly freebies and sometimes huge freebie selections for Mother's Day or some other event. If you sign up for their e-newsletter you'll find out what the current freebies are and know if you want to hit the site for a download.

Bonus number two is the place to go for free American History curriculum, Kindergarten through 12th grade. American Heritage (.org, not .com) has award winning American History curriculum for free. You can get the whole set of K-12 on cd, mailed to your house, for free! If you'd rather have paper form, they have the printed version in a binder for $19.50. This would be the one site of the twelve that I don't frequent, but should visit more often.

I slept and woke up and remembered another wonderful freebie that I have been enjoying during our homeschooling adventure, No Greater Joy magazine. You can read the magazine on-line, or get a print version for free! The magazine has information on homeschooling, child training, Bible Study, marriage, and much, much more! There is even a recipe for Peanut Butter Play Dough in a back issue that I shared with a friend recently.

So, that completes my baker's dozen of favorite freebie sites. Hope you all enjoy these freebies! I'd love to hear from you by e-mail or comments.

Science Fair

Tuesday was the Homeschool Science Fair hosted by our local children's librarian (who is AWESOME!). Ellie worked with her friend, Sam (she's a girl, Sam is her nickname), and brother Wyatt. Wyatt wanted to do more, but some things Ellie didn't want him to help with (and Sam apparently couldn't sleep for worry that he would ruin the graphs). He did help by entertaining Sam's little bro's and sis. Wyatt also helped count kernels, and Ellie let him help just a little with the graphs.

The kids did a project on testing how well different popcorn poppers popped popcorn. Hey! That would make a pretty good tongue twister. How many times can you say that fast?

Okay, back to the serious science project. They compared Orville Reddenbacher microwave popcorn with Orville Reddenbacher kernels in a microwave air popper, a regular air popper and a kettle cooker. They compared how many kernels were unpopped out of 500 (that was the constant from counting all the popped and unpopped kernels in the microwave bag). Then they measured fluffiness by putting each batch in the same bowel and then measuring it with a ruler. And then the not so scientific test of taste. The air popper was the fluffiest, but the kettle cooker popped the most kernels and was the tastiest by the testers (kettle corn has sugar on it...was there really a contest in taste?).

The votes at the contest were by penny's in a jar (later donated to charity). The Popcorn Project (as the kids named the science project) also included samples of the two winners. Guess who won the science fair? And made a mess in the library?

A Day with Grandpa

Some of you may not know, but I have a secret life. Well, it's really not so secret. I work part time as an optician. Right now we are short on help, so I'm also the fill in person. One of the ladies at work had a doctors appointment yesterday morning, so I got to fill in...and my Dad got to spend the morning and part of the afternoon with my kids. And if you're wondering...what about homeschooling? Well, the great thing is, you can do that any time of day (and we do), and we homeschool year round (thank you, Lord, that we decided that!)...so school will get made up.

Well, the kids and Grandpa had a great day. He found the Create channel on PBS. Mom and Dad have satellite, but we just have an antenna and digital converter box. I think Dad had fun finding new educational tv shows. Create had art and woodworking. So Dad and the kids all enjoyed the shows.

When I got home both kids were working on a drawing art project. Wyatt made a picture of a house, hills, grass, sun, and dog and wrote "I Love Grandpa. Love, Wyatt". Ellie was finishing a castle with the sun, a rainbow, and alligators in a moat. They gave their drawings to Grandpa when he left and we all gave him hugs.

They were all smiles and excited. The kids couldn't wait to tell me about their day. They had also painted and had a pile of paintings to show me. Little did I know Grandpa was going to homeschool! Though my parents are both good teachers, and Dad especially loves to learn new things. I am blessed to have young parents (and be the oldest in my family). I'm so glad they had that special day with Grandpa. I know that will be a wonderful memory for them.

New Year Goals

I am really excited for 2010. I find writing and saying 2010 very strange. Anyway, I've been reading a really great book called Homeschooling and Loving It: Create Your Best Homeschool Year Ever. The book has given me so many great ideas. One of them was to make a family mission statement. I was going to share the mission statement, but Wyatt thinks our mission statement is too personal to share.

At the book's suggestion, the kids and I also set life goals and semester goals. Ellie has already achieved her first semester goal...only one week into the new year! One of my goals this year is to spend time reading the Bible every day.

Ellie was looking at her Precious Moments Bible in the kitchen on Thursday while I was making lunch. She was looking at the back of it and said, "Mom there's a calendar at the back of my Bible."

I said, "Do you mean a time line? Let me see." So I went over to look and it was a calendar for reading the Bible in a year.

I explained to her what it was for and she said, "Cool! Can we do it?"

I was so excited because I've been wanting to read the entire Bible for years! I've started two or three times and never finished. So, I said, "Yes!" and told her how I've been wanting to do that very thing for so long.

So, at this point, we were six days behind (because the day was January 7). We had a lot of reading to catch up on. We got all caught up on the New Testament reading, but not on the Old Testament reading. We tried to catch up on the Old Testament reading on Friday, but we still didn't get caught up...then we got behind on our New Testament reading. Ellie was getting discouraged and was thinking maybe we shouldn't try to read through the Bible in a year.

That's when I got a brainstorm! We shouldn't try to read through the whole Bible in a year. I suggested that we just read through the New Testament this year and then we could do the Old Testament next year. Ellie loved the idea and so did I.

So, that's what we're doing, reading the whole New Testament this year. I've never done that either. It's pretty cool to read the whole thing in order. I've always read in bits and pieces that went along with a study, church service, my own just flipping, or looking for verses in a concordance that were on a certain subject.

Ellie and I are also starting a study together, Raising Up Maidens of Virtue. We started last week. I think we're going to make that a weekly study. Now we just need to pick a definite day to work on Maidens of Virtue each week.

My other goal this year is to tie strings with my children. It's an expression from Michael Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries. Forgive me if I'm not saying that exactly the way he does. The basic principle is to make real connections with your children. I want to spend not only quantity time with Ellie and Wyatt, but quality time. I want to do things they like to do. I've said before, I really do like my kids as people. I enjoy spending time with them. They are smart, creative, thoughtful, caring, and loving. I want to understand the things they like and share those things with them. I want to cultivate our relationship and I want them to know how important they are to me. My start this year has been playing family (in their new playroom with dolls), tea party, and coloring with them.

This sounds as if I am excluding Wyatt from many things. He listens to Ellie and I as we read the Bible out loud. He has also been much more of a man's little man ever since I got sick before Christmas. He avoided me because I was sick, and he didn't want to get sick again. That was really a blessing.

I find myself thinking how strange I feel when Wyatt picks Thomas over me to spend time with or do things with, but I am glad. I know that he needs time with his Daddy and the other men in our extended family. He needs to grow to be a strong Godly protector...and though I would protect him (and Ellie) with my life, I cannot teach him to be a man. I bought Thomas the book Raising a Modern Day Knight for Christmas this year. I look for that to bring my men time together with God.

I looked back at my first post last year, which was one year and one day ago. My goal for 2009 was to slow down and enjoy life and the people in my life. Unfortunately, at that point I was committed to quite a few things that I couldn't (or didn't feel I could) back out of. Slowly but surely, I did slow down.

About that time, Thomas bought me shelves and I went to work renovating our basement...still in progress, but nicely coming along. In painting shelves and the basement, rearranging, reorganizing, etc., I did involve Ellie and Wyatt in some of the things. Some of the projects I excluded them from...and I missed the time and camaraderie with my children.

They are such precious gifts from God. I know however long we have together will be so short. Many may find this strange coming from a homeschooling mom, but I already feel I have missed out on so many opportunities in my children's lives. I have spoken with other mothers about those times that we are physically in the same room with our kids, but not really with them. I think many moms may identify with that. If you can't, then you are amazing and I strive to be more like you.

The most precious gift from God is His Son. This year I want to improve my relationships, I want to connect with the precious gifts God has given me: His Son (Jesus), my husband, my children, my family and friends. To connect with Jesus, I will spend time daily in the Bible. To connect with people, I will make the most of the opportunities God gives me. I will try to be more Christ-like so that I can make the most of those opportunites. To become more Christ-like, I must spend more time with Him...which brings me back to the Bible and prayer. I really love it when things fit togther like that.

Part of our family mission statement that I will share is to dedicate one day each week to Family Time. So far so good. We spent of first offical Family Day of the year together last Friday. We also continue to have Family Reading Time, which we try to do each day. We are still working through the Kingdom Series books; an allegory of the Bible by Chuck Black. We are on the last one. After that, we will start reading the Knights of Arrethtrae again, also by Chuck Black. Our family loves the parallels to the Bible. We enjoy indentifying the stories and lessons.

Well, I think that sums things up for my goals for 2010. Lord willing, I'll be looking back on the page a year from now. Happy New Year!

Dave Ramsey for a Stronger Marriage

Those of you who have read my posts on marriage before are probably a bit puzzled by my title, but I am totally serious. There have been a lot of great books and people who have made a positive impact on our marriage. Recently Dave Ramsey has made a great difference in our relationship.

When our church held a Financial Peace University a while back, I was familiar with the name Dave Ramsey, but Thomas had no idea who he was. Thomas had taken a Crown Financial class at our church a few years before that, so he didn't have any interest in FPU classes. I was curious, but when I found out the kit you had to buy to take the class was $100, I thought that was crazy. I was thinking, "Who has $100 to spend on that kit if you are really in need of a class on finances?". I just thought it was kind of ridiculous. I don't think the classes were really well advertised at that time, or maybe it just wasn't the right time for us to take them.

So, Fall 2009, the kids started going to AWANA classes at Ellie's best friend's church. While the kids were in class, and I was at my part-time job, Thomas was invited to sit in on a Financial Peace class at the AWANA Church (as we call it). We had attended Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope, and Thomas liked what he said. So, at this point, Thomas was interested and wanted me to check it out, too, but I had no way to do that since I was at work. We asked our church about borrowing the dvds. At the same time they were offering for sale two leftover kits from the class at our church (long since done and people graduated). We weren't sure if we wanted to purchase the kit (still $100), but after viewing the videos, decided that we should purchase the kit and implement what we were learning.

Now, I should give you all a bit of a background on what we brought to our marriage in the financial arena. Thomas and I came from two very different backgrounds. My parents were savers (they bought their first car together as a married couple with cash) and didn't even have credit cards most of my growing up years. Thomas came from a family who relied on credit for emergency's and large purchases. I got my first credit card in college and only used it to "build my credit score" (which I now know is a load of hooey); I only used the card when I had the money to pay the bill in full. I pulled an Eve and encouraged Thomas to get his first credit card for the same reason.

Well, we did well during college and didn't bring a load of credit card debt to our marriage, but the only thing we really agreed about money before we were married is that we would share our money and we would share the bookkeeping and bill paying. I only wish we'd known then what we know now. We didn't really save money, though we didn't spend like crazy, we spent much of what we made. I am certian we could have done better at saving more money when we were first married if we were taught the principles (Godly principles) about how to handle our money that we have learned from Dave Ramsey.

So, through the last decade of marriage, we have went through many stages. At first, we shared our money and bill paying as we had earlier agreed. Only, we had both kept our own check book before and had different ways of doing things. We drove each other crazy. We also went through a stage where we didn't agree with the way the other was spending money. That led us to separate accounts and separate responsibilites for our money. That worked well for a while, but I think we still both felt that the other was not necessarily spending the way we thought he/she should be. The last year or so, we had been working together more to bring each other in on what we were spending money on. This was nice, because I do believe there was a bit of a wedge between us that money was leaving there.

Going through FPU has pulled that wedge away. We still have two accounts, but we have equal access to the accounts. We sit down and budget together. He no longer worries that I am spending on things I shouldn't be spending on, and I realize he doesn't spend as much on things I thought he was spending too much on either. I have a huge weight lifted off my shoulders knowing where the money is going. We finally have an emergency fund! That is a relief, too.

The kids sat in on our private FPU class and everyone quotes Dave Ramsey. Wyatt reminds Daddy that "The man is supposed to make the woman feel comfortable" (by saving, budgeting, and more)...especially if he feels Mommy is not feeling comfortable. Ellie likes to say "Gazelle Intense!". The kids are saving money and learning how to handle their money the way we wish we had learned when we were their age. We got the kids FPU JR. for Christmas and look for them to have a lifetime of wise handling their finances.

Our Pastor asked us to consider leading an FPU class at our church. The lessons have made such a positive impact on our marriage and family. Well, we prayed and discussed and decided we wanted to share what we learned with others. We will begin leading classes next month.

In the classes, Dave Ramsey quotes research that the #1 reason for problems in a marriage is money problems, money fights. I can't even explain how much closer Thomas and I have become in agreeing on our finances. I thought Created to Be His Help Meet and our Fireproof Couples Study made such a huge difference in bringing us closer, but Dave Ramsey's FPU has even surpassed those! Having a strong marriage means security for our children. Secure children means a stronger and happier family. It's all good. As Dave Ramsey says, "We're changing our family tree."

"... the borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

Looking forward to FREEDOM!

The Long Winter

How appropriate that the Living Books for the Ears (Homeschool Radio Shows) Freebie for this week, and the Homeschool Freebie of the Day for today is a 1950's audio drama from Hallmark of Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Long Winter! Bonus shows include The Blizzard of 1888 and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon. Very appropriate for this time of year, especially in our neck of the woods. Great listening for the entire family!

White Christmas and After

I have been saying this is going to be The Long Winter (like Laura Ingalls Wilder's book). The continuous falling of snow and below freezing temperatures are clinching my forecast for me. Above are some pictures of the snow and drifts from the day after Christmas. We have had too many mild winters her in the mid-west. We are totally due a cold, long winter. I am so thankful for a nice warm house...even in that, I'm more comfortable wearing layers! The kids were excited about the snow. Wyatt even "plowed" a trail through the yard with a shovel! But it's just so cold, no one wants to stay outside for long.