NOTICE!!

I will no longer be posting on this site. 

After long conversation with my sisters, we have decided to no longer post on this site. I didn't think the title was fitting; as most of my posts were not money-saving related and the posts were mostly written by me. My new blog is Le Chaim on the Right. "Le Chaim" means "To life" in Hebrew and "on the right" refers to my conservative views. Although I am passionate about saving money, most of my money-saving tips can be found all over the Internet. I mean, you can only have so many soap recipes! My new blog will include everything this blog does, just with a different name. My sister Hannah's new blog is A Cowgirl and a Dream. Both blogs are a work in progress!

10 WWII Heroes: Their Stories, Legacies, & Lessons

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

You can see this series on my new blog, here. Thank you! 

Historical Movies For Kids (ages 6-12)

You can view this post here. Thank you!

Free Apps for Middle & High School

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

You can see this post here at my new blog. Thanks!

Why All Homeschoolers Should Garage Sale

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

I love garage sales. I think I should start a GSA: Garage Sales Anonymous. :)  But then I would just go to Goodwill...but ANYWAYS!


I made a mental list of things I need next year for school. Along with curriculum, notebooks, binders, sticky notes and index cards are on this list.

My TI-83+ graphing calculator!

Recently going to a garage sale, I came across a $100 TI-83+ graphing calculator for $20. I knew it was an EXTREMELY expensive calculator, and the best deal online is about $50. I also knew with Saxon Algebra 2, I needed it. Well, the calculator didn't work. I mean, the batteries were dead. BUT I wasn't quite sure if it worked, and I really didn't want to waste $20. I asked the lady if she would take $10, and she said yes. Despite being surprised, I was also thankful when I came home and the calculator worked.




My little sister (Olivia, who will be in kindergarten next year) got her homeschool for free. The value was over $160, with the books being A Beka. My mom bought a red tablecloth at a garage sale and told the lady it was for our homeschool books so we wouldn't scratch the table. The lady asked which grades, and then GAVE my mom a ton of A Beka curriculum. When my mom insisted on giving her some money for it, the lady declined. She said a lady gave it to her, and so she gave it to us.

Saxon Phonics 1- new - for $20

At another garage sale, we came across the Saxon phonics curriculum, valuing $160. The lady priced it at $20. She hadn't used it, but she had stapled and cut everything that needed to be stapled or cut. She had put it all nicely in a box. It also had two unopened CDs. Of course, we bought it and thanked the lady and God a million times. Between Pinterest and the Saxon and A Beka books, Olivia will be prepared for school this year and possibly next year.

Here is why I believe all homeschoolers should garage sale and Goodwill:

homeschooling supplies - all from various garage sales

1. It's fun. Plain and simple! :)
2. You can get SUPER cheap clothing, home decor, and homeschooling supplies.
3. You can get homeschool curriculum for dirt-cheap.
4. Garage sales are cheaper than Amazon, eBay, etc.
5. I cannot tell you how many perfectly good (or still-in-the-package new) pencils, binders, folders, notebooks, and sticky notes we have found at garage sales.
6. You will learn how to bargain and haggle. 
7. You will find lots of good books and movies!!
8. It's tax-free. (in most places)

Tips for going to Garage Sales:

1. Where I live, clothing prices for decent clothing are typically $1 or less for regular brands and $2-$4 for name-brands such as Justice, Ann Taylor, or Gymboree. Anything more than that is going to get haggled down. If a Justice shirt is $7, no matter the condition, perhaps ask for $5. Yes, Justice is a very expensive brand. `
2. If you buy ten shirts and your bill is $27, you can normally ask if they'll take $25 and most will say yes. (This also works vice versa: If you're having a garage sale, low low low!)
3. Know your brands. If those Ann Taylor pants are mar

   

   Some of our sticky notes - all 25 cents or less from garage sales

   ked $5, it may be for a reason. $5 Ann Taylor pants are a VERY good deal!
4. Don't go to one garage sale and expect to hit the jackpot. Yes, it may happen. But it is RARE. Note it is not even June yet and we have gone to over 60 garage sales this year. We started March 1, and it is currently the end of May. If we would have went to one or two, we wouldn't have got the deals we have gotten. It takes time.
5. You may go to ten junky garage sales before coming to a golden one. BUT when you find that person whose child has the same size as yours....priceless. 
6. Go to neighborhood garage sales. Memorize the ones that have your kids' sizes.
7. Dig. Dig through piles of books and clothing.
8. Need something? Pray! 
9. Don't give up!!! If you're on the hunt for size 8 clothes, don't give up until you find them! 

What are your best garage sale deals? 

Why do you like going to garage sales?

Character-Building Family-Friendly Movie Nights

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

You can find a lot of these movies at your local library.

I like movies. Ha! Who doesn't? I also like clean and family friendly movies. Here, I give a list of: Plugged In's movie nights, a few of my favorite movie review sites, and a list of MY favorite movie night ideas!

Thanks to my sister Hannah for the awesome popcorn and picture idea!

Plugged In Family Movie Nights

Secondhand Lions - PG, 11+

I love to watch movies. Focus on the Family's Plugged In is known for Christian-based movie reviews. Well, they also have movie nights for both kids and teens; clean movies they recommend. The kids movies nights are generally for kids younger than 10, the G and PG teen movie nights are typically for kids 11+, and the PG-13 teen movie nights are for kids 12+. Their movie nights vary from comedies to dramas to sport films.

Their criteria for movie nights:

• The good MUST outweigh the bad. (It is rare to find a thought-provoking powerful movie without something inappropriate)
• It cannot be rated R.
• It most have an important theme and/or message.
• It should be well made and interesting.

Click here for their movie-night page.

The teen movie nights consist of a two-page paper that has a full synopsis, (I would recommend not reading the ending of the synopsis!) rating, notable cast, themes, cautions, Bible verses applying the to the movie, talking points, follow up activities, and a fun fact about the movie.

The kids movie nights include themes, cautions, story summary, family activities, and topic discussions.  The topic questions are age-appropriate for younger kids. (i.e. for The Jungle Book, "How is Kaa similar to the serpent in the garden of Eden?" The second page normally includes something fun, like a word search, coloring page, or fill in the blank.

What the top of Plugged In's Movie Nights looks like

My favorite teen movie nights are: The Count of Monte Cristo, Fiddler on the Roof, Sergeant York, Life is Beautiful, National Treasure, Secondhand Lions, and Remember the Titans. 

Secondhand Lions is probably the best under-rated movie I have ever seen. It has valuable lessons, it is completely age-appropriate, and it is a fun movie with an un-cheesy fantasy twist.

Life is Beautiful is one of the sweetest films I have ever seen. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you smile. The first part is a sweet romantic-comedy and the second part is a bittersweet drama. You can either watch this in English or Italian with English subtitles.

Fiddler on the Roof... well, everybody loves Fiddler on the Roof.

LOOKING FOR A MOVIE BUT NOT SURE WHAT'S IN IT?

Common Sense Media

Although not Christian, Common Sense Media does have a lot of movies Plugged In doesn't. (mostly older movies) They also have A LOT of book reviews.

Each Common Sense Media review contains: a quality meter, similar movies, and an age range meter. Ages in green is "on" ages in yellow is "know your kid", and ages in red are "off". Of course, some movies aren't appropriate for kids at all. These are labeled in grey. 

Positive messages, positive role models, violence, sex, language, drinking/smoking, and consumerism  are rated from 0-5. 0 being none, and 5 being extreme. 

Dove Reviews

Meter for I Am David, PG

Although the Dove Reviews are Christian-based, they are not as "intense" as Plugged In. They include a synopsis, a Dove worldview, and content descriptions. The Dove worldview contains a short paragraph about WHY it received the Dove Family Approval Seal, or why it didn't. They offer two family-approved seals; one for kids of all ages, and one for kids 12+. The content descriptions are pretty basic, not nearly as detailed as Plugged In. But they do contain anything you need to know.

What I like best about Dove Reviews is their "Severity of Content". 0 means nothing, 5 means excessive. The categories are: sex, language, violence, nudity, and other. Anything more than a 2 does not get the Dove Family-Appoval Seal. 

I have seen (and loved!) a bunch of movies that are not Dove Family Approved, but are either true stories or contain good moral lessons. Lincoln, Les Miserables, Argo, and Red Tails are examples.

Although I do like the content guide, comparing a G-rated animated film to the true R-rated movie Argo are hard to gauge.

Christian Answers: Spotlight on Entertainment

Christian Spotlight on Entertainment offers a Christian-based review in an article format. They have moral ratings and movie-making qualities. Content guides are interwoven in reviews. Some articles may contain spoilers! Personally, I like the insightful reviews and the moral ratings best. It makes this site unique, but from a Christian review. 

The reviews I have seen are primarily kids, historical, and true stories (the only movies I watch) and the reviews weigh the positives and negatives. Some reviews contain "Relevant Issues", Q&A type discussion questions and articles. For example, Relevant Issues for the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas include, "Murder in the Bible" "Why do good people suffer?" and "Origin of bad - Sin in the Bible". Attached is relevant articles.

They also have older films, and a lot of movies Plugged In, Dove, and Common Sense Media don't have.

Unlike Plugged In, I like how Christian Spotlight focuses more on message and moral rather than content. I'm not saying content isn't important, I'm just saying I believe in plugging your ears and closing your eyes, if the overall movie has noteworthy themes. 

Hallmark Movies

Need a good cry? Watch a Hallmark movie. I love Hallmark movies! Firstly they are clean. Second, they have powerful messages in a non-cheesy way. A few of my favorites are:

A true story - watch on YouTube

• The Lost Valentine (A reporter helps a widow find her husband who was declared MIA 60 years ago during WWII. A bit slow at times, but BRING YOUR KLEENEX!!)
• The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (You can view this entire movie in parts or as a whole on YouTube. Based on a true story, Irena Sendler smuggled 2,500 Jewish children, one at a time, out of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. Each of the children, and Irena, survived the war. Best for tweens and up. Seeing desperate mothers give their children to a complete stranger of another religion is heartbreaking. Although dealt with appropriately, you will want to give your kids an extra kiss before bedtime. I strongly encourage you to view this film.)
• Beyond the Blackboard (Based on the true story of Stacey Bess, a young teacher who made a difference in the lives of her classroom children - who are all homeless.)
• Pictures of Hollis Woods (Based on the Newbery Honor novel, is the story of a young girl in foster care who finds a family. Bring your Kleenex.) 

My List of Family Movie Nights for Tweens and Up

I won't include content guides or synopsis. Most are dramas, historicals, biopics, or true stories. All of the following movies have valuable lessons, and you can easily make your own movie nights. "See how that man helped that woman? What does the Bible say about helping others?"

* means Plugged In movie night, and you can find this on Plugged In's Movie Night page. For some non-PIMN, I added a "best review", either Common Sense Media, Christian Spotlight, or Dove. Links above.

Kids 

• Cars* - G
• All of the American Girl historical movies (Felicity, Kit, Samantha, Molly)
• The Princess Diaries - G
• Stuart Little - G
• Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story - G (for horse lovers)

Tweens (10+)

• Secondhand Lions* - PG (A MUST WATCH)
• Newsies - PG
• Fly Away Home* - G
• National Treasure* - PG
• Valiant - G (this is an animated Disney movie about WWII homing pigeons. Best review on Christian Spotlight)
• Eight Below - PG (a true story, there is one scene although not at all violent, will definitely make you scream in shock!)
• Soul Surfer - PG (a true story about a Christian surfer)
• Akeelah and the Bee - PG
• Cheaper by the Dozen - PG
• Hachi: A Dog's Tale - G (nothing bad, but VERY sad)
• I Am David - PG (Best review on Christian Spotlight)
• Miracle - PG (a true story)
• Sergeant York* - G (A true story of a Christian soldier)

Tweens (12+)

• Life is Beautiful* - PG-13
• Left Behind - PG (based on the Rapture)
• It's A Wonderful Life* - G
• Radio - PG (true story)
• One Night With the King - PG (the story of Esther)
• The Blind Side - PG-13 (a true story about a football player)
• The Bible - TV-14 (Mini-series)

Teens

• Les Miserables (2012) - PG-13 (Best review on Common Sense Media)
• The Impossible - PG-13
• The Help - PG-13
• War Horse - PG-13
• Red Tails - PG-13

What are your favorite films? Let me know!

GIVEAWAY: Freedom Seekers series by Lois Walfrid Johnson

I wrote a post on my great but rare books and one included was the Riverboat Adventures series by Lois Walfrid Johnson. It is a six-book Christian series about the UGRR. (You can see more information about the books at the above link, or Lois Walfrid Johnson's website, here. The new edition of these books is called "Freedom Seekers"

River North Fiction, the publisher, is hosting a giveaway. The giveaway is this week only. They are giving away ten sets of the first three books. You can enter and find more information here.

Great Books for grades K-8 (that I bet you've never heard of)

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

You can view this post at my new blog, here. Thanks!

70 Not-So-Popular Christian Work-Out Songs

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

This is kind of my alternative to this list. I couldn't find myself working out to all of the songs. :P All of the following songs are inspirational, upbeat, and make you want to get up and exercise. Some songs (TobyMac) are more popular than others (LeCrae) but all are great nonetheless!

Warning: Some songs may make you want to get up and dance.

1. God Is Enough by LeCrae (for creative people - this would be a great song for a Zumba routine)
2. Holy One by Casting Crowns
3. Changed Forever by TobyMac
4. Outta My Mind by Anthem Lights
5. Joyful Noise by Flame ft. LeCrae
6. Showstopper by TobyMac
7. Forgiveness by TobyMac ft. LeCrae
8. Move by MercyMe
9. So Long Self by MercyMe
10. We Live by Superchic[k]
11. Made to Love by TobyMac
12. The Show by Hawk Nelson
13. Live Life Loud by Hawk Nelson
14. Crazy Love by Hawk Nelson
15. Friend Like That by Hawk Nelson
16. Fight Another Day by Addison Road
17. Gold by Britt Nicole
18. God's Not Dead by Newsboys
19. Your Love Never Fails by Newsboys
20. Identity by LeCrae
21. Courageous by Casting Crowns
22. What This World Needs by Casting Crowns
23. I'm Alive by Peter Furler
24. Something Beautiful by Newsboys
25. Lifesong by Casting Crowns
26. Good Morning by Mandisa
27. Eye On It by TobyMac
28. I Wanna Know You Like That by Anthem Lights
29. Everlasting God by Lincoln Brewster
30. I Will Not Be Moved by Natalie Grant
31. Keep Your Eyes Open by NeedToBreathe
32. Do Everything by Steven Curtis Chapman
33. Give You Glory by Jeremy Camp
34. Speaking Louder Than Before by Jeremy Camp
35. Revelation by Third Day
36. You Save Me by Kutless
37. All Because of Jesus by Casting Crowns
38. Tonight by TobyMac
39. Meaning of Life by Hawk Nelson
40. Me and Jesus by Stellar Kart
41. My Deliverer by Mandisa
42. Perfect People by Natalie Grant
43. Praise You With The Dance by Casting Crowns
44. Every Good Thing by The Afters
45. Hello My Name Is by Matthew West
46. Jesus Saves by Jeremy Camp
47. Strong Tower by Kutless
48. Walk on the Water by Britt Nicole
49. Here Goes by Bebo Norman
50. The Lost Get Found by Britt Nicole
51. Glory Defined by Building429
52. If We Are the Body by Casting Crowns
53. Lift Me Up by The Afters
54. One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture
55. Big Big House by Audio Adrenaline
56. Awesome God by R-Swift
57. Me Without You by TobyMac


Softer Songs (cool down)

58. Strangely Dim by Feancesca Battistelli
59. This Is the Stuff by Francesca Battistelli
60. Mountain of God by Third Day
61. In Me by Casting Crowns
62. Brave by Nichole Nordeman
63. Kings and Queens by Audio Adrenaline
64. Let It Out by Chris and Conrad

65. By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North

66. Losing by Tenth Avenue North

67. Get Back Up by TobyMac

68. Sing by Josh Wilson

Non-Christian but inspiring and clean songs

68. Marching On by OneRepublic
69. What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
70. Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammar



What are your favorite songs to work-out to? Any of your favorites on here? Please comment! (Anonymous if you prefer!)

7 Tips for Thrifty Road Trips

With a gymnast in the family, we travel a LOT, and it isn't cheap. Food for seven people, hotels, gasoline, it all adds up.

1. Stock up on snacks for the car ride, instead of hitting three McDonalds. Don't buy snacks from gas stations. Instead, go to your local grocery store, get some bags of chips/crackers/snacks and take them for the road. 
2. Bring a cooler (Thirty-One lunch bags and coolers are the best!) and pack your own drinks.
3. From a garage sale hand towel, we made our own toothbrush/toothpaste holder, which eliminates seven bags each family trip. It is super simple to make, and reusable. Here is what it looks like.
4. Take advantage of free breakfasts and hors d'oeuvres at hotels!
5. Collect the little shampoo/conditioner bottles in hotels. Even if you don't use the shampoo/conditioner, you can put your shampoo/conditioner in it and this takes up less space.
6. Pack your own food. We have invested in Thirty-One lunch bags that are not only super-cute, but are very useful and keep our lunches nice and cold. 
7. For vacations, meal-plan for the week! It will save you hundreds of dollars, if you stick with it!

9 Reasons Why I Homeschool

NOTICE! I will no longer be posting on this blog. See here. 

{Written by: Samantha}

What about socialization? Do you have friends? Do you have to take tests? Do you see other homeschoolers? Will you go to college? How do you get a diploma? Will you take the GED? How do you graduate?

I don't mind questions about my education, like "How do you graduate?". What I can't stand; the Socialization question. And, the Socialization question is one of the reasons I homeschool. Although we are a proud Christian family, we do not homeschool for religious purposes, although I know a lot who do.

Why I Homeschool

1. I can personalize the education and curriculum.

Think of it this way: You have a six year old. What would be better: buying clothes of your average six year old, or trying clothes on, and seeing what works best for HER, not your average six year old? The answer, of course, is option 2. The six year old may be size seven, or maybe size five. Every child is unique and different. With homeschooling, you can adjust curriculum and even grades to fit the educational needs of our child. This is why some homeschoolers aren't in a specific "grade". They may be in fifth grade science, sixth grade mathematics, and eighth grade English. 

I can adjust curriculum according to learning styles. I, an analytical visual learner would learn best by watching a video, whereas my young sister, a kinesthetic learner, would get bored with that and would rather be doing something with her hands.

2. It takes less time.
I am a very fast learner, and waiting for an entire class to learn something and me doing nothing (especially when teachers wouldn't let me read in between!) is very irritating for me. On the other hand, if a student struggles in a subject, they may get need more one-on-one time to complete something than another student. In third grade public school, a spelling test with five three or four letter words took about 20 minutes. In homeschooling, I can take a spelling test with 20 words in five minutes with just me and my sister.

3. I learn so much more.
I learned nearly nothing in my four years of public school. Sure, basic stuff, but as I look into what I should have known, I am fairly certain I wouldn't have known most of the things I should have known. The stuff I did know? You can thank my parents and the world around me. I mean, in the beginning of fourth grade, I actually thought Europe and Denmark were in western USA somewhere. Partially because I had never done History or Geography prior to homeschool.
In my four years of public school, I only did Math and Language/Spelling, no science, history, or any of the other main core subjects. I had the same teacher for grades 2-3, and she was AMAZING. During math class, she would let me watch Geometry videos (in third grade) and let me study Latin/Greek prefixes and suffixes instead of the easy spelling words. During reading comprehension, she bumped me up to the highest level, high-school level. Of course, she was the rarity. My lack of education was one of the reasons I wanted to homeschool. Besides, isn't the whole point of school an education?

4. Socialization
You (or your kids) spend 8 hours in a building for 180 days with children the same age and maturity; and you wonder where I get socialization? When you think of teenagers, what comes to mind? Drugs, underage drinking, teenage pregnancy, disrespect. Why would I want to "socialize" with that? How am I to gain maturity if the majority of my time is spent around peers?
Homeschoolers have an advantage; they socialize with the people of the real world and of different maturities. You are only with your peers for so long. When you get our of school, you're in the real world. You will be socializing with adults. And since homeschoolers aren't confined to four walls for eight hours in the day, they get to explore this world! Believe it or not, homeschoolers are actually better socialized than their peers. They socialize with young children, peers, adults, and the elderly.
Besides, you go to school to LEARN, not socialize.

5. My education is unlimited.
In first grade, my young sister, in public school, was not allowed to write her name in cursive "because that's not what first graders do". Since I was in third grade at the time, of course I wanted to teach my little sister cursive writing! Who says a first-grader can't write cursive? Who says a third-grader can't read chapter books? Who says I have to study more about American History than African history?

6. I get more time to read.
I don't think I have ever read a science fiction or romance novel, and I read all the time. The last time I read a piece of contemporary fiction was a mystery book about nine months ago. Before that, I don't remember. My thirteen year-old sister Hannah just finished Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, and I am currently trudging through Great Expectations.

7. Delight Directed Learning.
If your son is interested in baseball, you can design an ENTIRE curriculum that is centered on baseball. English? Baseball sentences. History? The history of baseball. Science? Science project on baseball! It is personalized and is something that child would be interested in. This method is called Delight Directed Learning and I believe it works the best because it's about the KIDS, not a standard curriculum. One of my favorite quotes is from this article."Schools are built for the adults that work in them, not the children." 

8. I learn about interesting people in history. 
In public schools, you learn through textbooks. Textbooks lists boring dates and names.  BUT living books, documentaries and movies bring history TO LIFE. My extensive study of WWII in the past two years has taught me my family a LOT - both historical and lifeskills. Who knew Adolf Hitler survived FORTY-TWO assassination attempts?? Or there were nearly 14,000 Gentiles who risked (and sometimes lost) their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust? It's not a textbook's fault; it can't include everything. I am interested in the 1940s, but my sister prefers studying the American Civil War. I mean, everyone knows who Harriet Tubman is, but what about Sarah Emma Edmonds - one of the many female cross-dressing soldier heroes during the American Civil War? And you may know what the Vietnam War was about, but what about Dieter Dengler - who escaped from a prison camp in Laos and posthumously survived in the jungle for over three weeks?

9. I enjoy spending time with my family.
I will not write "it is always fun! We get along perfectly!" we fight, we get mad, we yell and scream and tattle. But, ultimately, I am glad to have four great sisters and I love it.


I am not going to sugar-coat it. Homeschooling is not easy, and it is certainly not for everyone. There are some days when I want to throw my Algebra book across the room, or when the toddlers are fighting over a Barbie doll, or when I'd rather be reading or writing then spending hours researching curriculum and searching for the best prices. But, I definitely wouldn't change anything and I am so blessed with the opportunity to homeschool.

These are a few of the many reasons why I homeschool.

Why do you homeschool?

5 Life Lessons From A Holocaust Survivor

Eva Kor (from her website)

I have been heavily studying World War II and the Holocaust for over two years, and in that time, I have always wanted to meet a Holocaust survivor. I had that chance. Yesterday, I had the privilege of a lifetime meeting Holocaust survivor Ms. Eva Mozes Kor and it was the most amazing time of my life. I was speechless - I could not believe I was meeting a Holocaust survivor! I could not believe it. Most teens dream of meeting a celebrity, I have dreamed of meeting a Holocaust survivor.
Eva's lecture consisted of three parts; her story, her message on forgiveness, and her life lessons. I have seen many videos of Holocaust survivors speaking, but being in the same room with her and hearing her in person was priceless. I have heard many Holocaust stories, but her message on forgiveness and her life lessons were so powerful! A camcorder cannot do justice to the powerful, inspiring testimony of a Holocaust survivor told in person. You hear, live, the emotion. This is a short news video of Eva. (this is the one I attended)

Eva signing her memoir for me!

Eva and her identical twin Miriam Kor are in front. Liberation, 1945

Please see Eva's full story on her website here. Eva and her twin sister Miriam were only ten years old when they and their family were taken to the infamous death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Since they were twins, they were subject to inhuman, bizarre Nazi experiments by Josef Mengele. Although she and Miriam survived, the rest of her family were murdered.
Years later, in 1993, she actually forgave the Nazis for everything they did to her and her family and she went back to Auschwitz. Her story is documented in her memoirs Surviving the Angel of Death (for tweens and teens) and Echoes From Auschwitz.

Anyways, in her lecture, she gave us her five life lessons that I must share.

1. Never, EVER give up.
2. Prevent prejudice by judging people only on their actions and content of their character.
3. Forgive your worst enemy - it will heal your soul and set you free.
4. Give your parents an extra hug and kiss for us children who had or have no parents.
5. Each of us has an important part to play in repairing our world. May tikkun olam ("repairing the world" in Hebrew) begin with me!

Number two was my favorite, and number four had me teary eyed.

Of course, a simple blog post cannot compare to hearing her speak and tell her story in person. Afterward, I (well, Dad) bought her memoir Echoes From Auschwitz (I had already read Surviving the Angel of Death) and she had signed it and wrote my name in it. (I will treasure it always!)

In my head, I have always replayed the scene I had imagined of me meeting a Holocaust survivor. But...the reality was quite different. I could barely get my name out, let alone ask any questions. (Of course AFTERWARD I thought of a good question, "Have you read The Sunflower and what are your opinions on it?") All I said basically was thank-you for coming. I think (know!) I sounded like an idiot.

Eva currently lives in Terre Haute, Indiana and has a museum called CANDLES, Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors, dedicated to the victims of the Auschwitz lab experiments. If you ever happen to be in southern Indiana, I would strongly encourage you to visit.

Here is a 30 minute video of Eva sharing her story. This is VERY powerful and not graphic and I would encourage everyone to watch it.


Have you met a Holocaust survivor? If you could, who would it be? Have you met a soldier from the Greatest Generation? Please tell me your story! 

Saving on Entertainment

I am always listening to music, normally while reading a book, and who doesn't like to end the day with a good movie? Well, books, movies, and music aren't cheap. Although I am a bookworm, I own very few books compared to most. I have only downloaded a few songs from iTunes. And I watch new movies all the time.

BOOKS

As you may have guessed, I am addicted to my local library. My library has a wide selection of books, as well as free Inter Library Loans, which means I can pretty much get access to any book I want. If they don't have it, they can request it from another library. Or if it is new, my library will purchase it. (OK so there is a few books my library can't get (When there is no library in the US that has it) such as some Danish historical fiction and a few Scholastic Canadian historical fictions. Well, in those rare cases, I cry, and then get over it, because normally if there is no library in the US that has it, then you probably can't buy it in the US either.) Anyways, I use World Cat to find the nearest library that has the book I'm looking for.
Some libraries also loan eBooks, although I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet!

Garage sales, Goodwill, and any resale shop are good places if you want to buy cheap books. I have taken pictures of interesting books I see at Goodwill, and then looking them up on my library's website before. On half-off day, you can normally get a book for a little more than a quarter at Goodwill. Amazon is then my next resource...
iBooks (and most other eBook stores) has nearly all classics for free. Hannah recently read Les Misérables on iBooks, and I am currently reading Great Expectations. Not only is this free, but classical literature is often much more challenging and have valuable lessons compared to today's books. Examples of free classics include: Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo, Les Misérables, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, Phantom of the Opera, Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Ivanhoe, Romeo and Juliet.

MOVIES

Firstly, we rarely go to the theatre. I mean, we can a wait a little bit if it means saving $60. I can count with my hands the times we've been to a theatre. (Eight Below, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Prince Caspian, and Courageous are the times that stick out. There haven't been much more than that.)

Did you know you can get movies from your local library - free? Most have all the popular ones, but it WILL be hard to get them because the new movies fly off the shelves. However, this is the only way you'll get new movies for free.

Then there is YouTube. You will not find new Oscar-winners on there, but if it's older, rare, a Disney Channel original movie, low-budget, or made-for-TV, you may be in luck. The History Channel and National Geographic often have outstanding documentaries, and for the older ones (before 2010) you can often find on YouTube. The Hallmark biopic The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler is on there, as well as Fiddler on the Roof. For historical dramas (WWII, specifically) that were not SUPER big, you will often find them on YouTube, because, especially for WWII films, remembering what happened is the main purpose of the film. For example, the 2008 Holocaust film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has been uploaded quite a few times on YouTube. In 15 minute parts, in 10 minute parts, as a whole, in Portuguese, German and Arabic.

Hulu, Netflix, and of course, your TV, are also great resources.

Note: Never download movies from the internet for free. This is illegal.

MUSIC

I love music!! However I'm the type of person who likes a song, and listens to it a thousand times until I get sick of it and want to throw up the next time I hear it. The only time we really buy music is if we have an iTunes gift card, or if we really like the artist we will buy the CD. YouTube, radio, and Pandora are my two main sources for music. Internet radios are another free and legal source. Some good Christian Internet radios are K-Love and Air 1.

ALTERNATIVES

Of course, you don't have to always have to watch TV, listen to music, or even read. Swap some board games with a friend. Have a backyard picnic. Do a Pinterest craft with a friend. Visit a museum. 

100 Things To Do For Free

Going Paperless

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One thing that we have cut out of our budget is using cloth for everything but Kleenex and toilet paper. Not only is using paper napkins and/or plates expensive, it creates a LOT of waste! More waste = more trash bags = more money. Going paper-less helps the economy, as well as your budget.

Plates

I don't know many who do this, but I am adding it on here. Using reusable plates, utensils, cups, etc. is not only cost-effective, it saves on the trash! If you are currently using paper plates, go to your local Goodwill and you will probably find a set of dishes. (Make it do)

Napkins

With two toddlers, the second they touch a paper napkin with their greasy hands, it is dirty and who really wants a dirty napkin? Cloth napkins are typically bigger than paper napkins, and we don't have to set "extra" out. Since we already do about 2 loads of laundry a day, there isn't really extra laundry involved. Folding napkins is the toddler's job.

As you can see from the picture, we have napkins of different colors and designs and materials. Last summer (2012) we went to Goodwill and various garage sales, and those were only some of the napkins we saw. Really? You want to get rid of that napkin because it has autumn leaves on it? Good for me! You should have no trouble finding napkins if you go to enough garage sales or Goodwill's.

Sure, our family of 7 cannot have the exact same napkin at one meal. But we no longer have "napkins" on our grocery list.

Paper towels

We use cloth paper towels, and after using them, we wash them and reuse. You can use old t-shirts or 25-cent garage sale t-shirts.

Trash bags

No, we do not use cloth trash bags. However, we do save money on trash bags in a way we can have one trash bag last us a day or two instead of a meal. The main reason you take the trash out is because it stinks because of food. We put our food in a Meijer bag that we get free from the grocery store and take that out! Out kitchen trash is for paper and miscellaneous things like that.

Dust rags

Most "normal" rags go to our vending business. We at home use burp clothes we have found at garage sales for 25 cents or less. They're nice and soft, and make perfect and cheap rags.

Paper

We use our printer often, and occasionally misprint something. Instead of throwing that paper away, we use the opposite side and ta-da! Paper for school tomorrow! Little kids typically make a few scribbles and then throw a piece of paper away, so this slightly cuts back on paper usage.

Recycle

Recycling will cut down on trash and help the environment! It really doesn't take much effort to recycle. It also doesn't hurt to donate your pop tabs. Simply keep a trash bin for recyclables, and drop it off at the nearest recycling station near you. (Some states give a dime or so for each pop can) For plastic, you can tell if it is recyclable or not by looking for the recycle symbol, typically on the bottom of a product. Normally, it will have the recyclable symbol with a number inside. Find out which plastics your state recycles. In Indiana, where I live, you can recycle plastics that say 1 or 2.

What are some ways your family eliminates paper?

Victory Gardens in 2013

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You can view this post at my new blog, here. Thank you!

Homemade Salsa

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{Written by: Samantha and Hannah}

We grew our own tomatoes, green peppers, and hot peppers last year. We also had a pot of our own grown spices and herbs filled with cilantro, basil, and rosemary. A friend gave us an amazing salsa recipe. The salsa was flavorful, frugal, and we know exactly what is in it. The salsa tastes great in chili, and you can omit the spicier ingredients to make a fantastic spaghetti sauce. Since canning last fall, we have been eating salsa all winter, and we still have 24 quarts left!


Here is the recipe for our homemade salsa:

12 cups of peeled and chopped tomatoes
3 cups of chopped celery
3 cups of chopped onion
1/4 cup of salt
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of red ground pepper
2 tablespoons of mustard seed

Boil these ingredients above for 10 minutes. After that is finished, add these:

2 12 oz. cans of tomato paste
2 cups of chopped bell pepper

If you want a more mild salsa add 6-8 chopped jalepeno pepper, and if you want a hot flaming salsa you can add more.
Note: If you have only 2 1/2 cups of chopped celery or 3 1/2 cups of onion, it will taste fine. You can experiment until you find a combination that you and your family enjoys.

If you liked this post and/or found it helpful, please comment below (anonymous comments allowed) and please share it! Thank you so very much!

Homeschooling History, Spelling, & English

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In third grade public school, I was still reviewing two and three letter words. For a while, I was actually discouraged (from teachers) from reading chapter books because they were too "hard", yet when tested in third grade I was at a high school reading/comprehension level. The only history, geography, and vocabulary I knew were because I went home, read, and studied all of the US states, capitals and locations.

I loved books, and never did history until my first year of homeschool - and I used textbooks. I wish I would have known it was possible to create a curriculum with books. Because I would have devoured that curriculum.

Here are three free ways to homeschool history AND language arts AND spelling and vocabulary in elementary and middle school...without a ton of printables!!


Use books and the library

You can homeschool through books and know much more than a textbook could ever teach you. (And I'm not talking just dry-biographies.) I believe a well-written historically-accurate fiction novel can teach you more (historically) then a long and boring textbook. I mean, with a textbook, you can study it and if you're like most people, forget everything you learned after the test. But books stay with you long after you've read them.
VISIT YOUR LIBRARY'S WEBSITE. Use Worldcat.org to see the closest library with the book you want. See if your library offers free Inter Library Loan. Search online for age-appropriate historical biographies/memoirs/fiction and check them out at your local library.

"Historical fiction? Why would I waste time on fiction? It probably has a lot of inaccuracies."

Frankly, a history textbook is not error free.
Some of my favorite books are fictional biographies. Fictional biographies are true stories with some fiction drama or dialogue mixed in. In order for the biography to be INTERESTING, it has to have dialogue and little details. Since the author cannot go back in time and hear every word the person says, they use their imagination, while trying to stay as accurate as possible. (i.e. "She gasped, immediately posting the picture of the sinking Titanic on Facebook." would not be found in a historical fiction)
You might see a little-known piece of history in a book, and that might lead to an intense Internet research and boom! That boring biography just got more interesting from that exciting work of fiction.


Books also have two advantages to textbooks:

• In a textbook, you are limited to the views of the author and what the author thinks a student should know about history. You cannot go through every time period thoroughly with a textbook. For example, a textbook may dedicate a page, maybe less, to World War II. You go through a bunch of boring dates about Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the Atomic Bomb. But what about the courageous men and women who risked their lives resisting the Nazis, smuggling secret information, helping Jews? With a textbook, WWII just becomes another boring time in history.
• Books make you THINK. Textbooks are just fact-fact-fact. Books have plots, characters, and what-if's.
• Books bring history to LIFE. Therefore, are easier to remember because facts are interwoven with the story.

You can combine spelling/vocabulary, language arts, and history into one subject. Look into what your child should be learning in a particular grade. Diagram simple sentences in the book you are reading. Point out verbs, adjectives, nouns, and prepositions. If a word you are unfamiliar with pops up in a book, there is your spelling and vocabulary words for the week! For older students, book reports, character analysis', and other essay reports are appropriate.

Use historical movies, docudramas, and documentaries

This section is more for upper middle school, junior high, and high school, rather than elementary school.

The 2012 Oscar Best Picture winner Argo (an amazing movie!) is getting bashed for a few Hollywood drama fictional elements, and Spielberg's Lincoln is getting bashed for a few historical inaccuracies. Some are not saying history should not be taught with Hollywood movies. I disagree. Take the movie Pearl Harbor, for example. On IMDb, there are 47 historical goofs listed. However, through the flawed Pearl Harbor, we learned about the very-real Doolittle Raid and that led to an intense Internet search on James Doolittle. Again, you cannot go that in-depth with every subject in a textbook. It simply isn't possible.

Docudramas are probably my favorite type of movie/documentary. Normally, a docudrama includes a narrator(s) and/or facts that pop up during the film. They combine historical footage/pictures with a dramatization. They are definitely more accurate than movies.

Documentaries are probably the most accurate. The History Channel and National Geographic has some really interesting ones, and a lot of them are available free YouTube, Hulu, or their respective websites.

Most historically-accurate movies, docudramas, and documentaries would not be appropriate for young children for obvious reasons.

Act it out

If your child would rather move around than sit and read a book, that's fine too. Live like kids during the 1900s for a day. Visit a historical museum. Bake a dish that was popular in the 1860s. Turn the living room into Ancient Egypt and act out the biblical story of Moses. Listen to 1940s jazz for a day or draw your own 1950s dresses after finding inspiration in Pinterest. Watch classic movies such as Sergeant York (1941, for older students) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney, made in 1937) or a Charlie Chaplin film.

Examples/Ideas

*Younger elementary means grades 1-3

*Older elementary means grades 3-6

Being said, you can easily homeschool multiple grades with this technique.

MAGIC TREE HOUSE SERIES - YOUNG ELEMENTARY

For readers a little too young to read the American Girl series on their own, the Magic Tree House series is geared toward children in grades 1-3. The stories are filled with the adventures of two siblings, Jack and Annie and their travels back in time and around the world. This series is immensely popular, and libraries will often have the entire series. Some of the books even have non-fiction supplements that go with the book. I would recommend the 29 first books, because the rest of the series (The "Merlin Missions") are more fiction/adventure than historical fiction.

AMERICAN GIRL SERIES - ELEMENTARY

If you have elementary-aged girls who love reading, the American Girl series would definitely be a great choice. Each American Girl has six books, featuring stories of girls ages 9-11 in important times in American history. The books are clean, yet historically accurate. Since the series is fairly popular, most libraries will have all of the books. There are eleven historical characters so far, so you would be reading two books per week to stay on schedule. Each American Girl has 6 books as well as cookbooks and other activity books. Your local library may have some.

The American Girl website has free lesson plans for all of their historical dolls on their website.

Learning guides: http://www.americangirl.com/corp/corporate.php?section=new&id=3

Scholastic Lesson Plans for Kit: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=258

DEAR AMERICA - OLDER ELEMENTARY + MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Dear America series is a set of fictional historical diaries written by various authors. The books are set in both major and minor events in US history. Subjects include everything from the Lattimer Massacre in 1896 to the sinking of the Titanic, to the Mayflower in 1620. I don't really think boys would be interested in this series. A spin-off of this series is called The Royal Diaries - featuring fictional diaries of teenage royals. Here is a complete list of all of the books in this series.

Note: I have only read one book in this series (A Coal Miner's Bride) and I enjoyed it.

MY NAME IS AMERICA - OLDER ELEMENTARY + MIDDLE SCHOOL

The spin off of Dear America, the My Name is America series is journals by boys in iconic time periods in history. Subjects include Pilgrims, immigrants, soldiers, and Newsies (during the Newsie Strike in 1899). These books are more for boys. Although the series discontinued in 2004, the series relaunched back in 2012. Here is a complete list of all of the books in this series.

Note: I have only read one book in this series (The Journal of Finn Reardon) and I enjoyed it.

Follow Passions

Finally, follow passions. If one child has a passion for music, listen to music that was not available in the last 40 years. If another child is obsessed with clothes, look up historical clothing or WWII clothing rationing in the US (a very interesting subject). If you have a baseball lover, study the history of baseball, how it became popular, and certain people who made baseball into what it is today. A major advantage in homeschooling is the ability to follow your passions.

If you liked this post and/or found it helpful, please comment below (anonymous comments allowed) and please share it! Thank you so very much!