Free Apps for Middle & High School

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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

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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)

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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!