Summer Art Fun: Index Card a Day

With summer fast approaching, I am looking forward to just relaxing and having FUN with my kids! One of the fun activities that I am planning to incorporate this summer is the Index Card a Day project. When I stumbled onto the idea, I immediately fell in love and my mind started spinning! Basically, each day for the months of June and July you doodle, draw, color, paint, stamp, sew, whatever onto an index card. My plan is to have the kids journal on the lined side and illustrate the blank side. Hopefully the collection of cards will be a fun keepsake from our 2012 Summer! Be sure to stay tuned! I will be posting some of our favorite cards here on the blog! Want to join in? Be sure to head over to Daisy Yellow and let her know Mama Jenn sent you!

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Top 10 Must Have Gadgets {2012}

I’m really not a gadget girl. I don’t have an iPod. I don’t have an iPad. I don’t even have an iPhone/smart phone…yet! (wink, wink) But, while I would not really consider myself a gadget girl, I do have a few gadgets that I regularly use and love and would venture to add them to my “2012 Must Have Gadget” list!

In no particular order, here is my list of Top Ten Must Have Gadgets for 2012:

1) Laminator: Where oh where do I begin! I L.O.V.E my Scotch Laminator! I love NOT having to go to the office supply to laminate all our educational materials! I use the Universal brand laminating pouches as opposed to the Scotch brand. They are a MUCH better deal and they work just as well!

2) Vitamix: We have had our Vitamix for about 8 years and I use it to make “green drinks” for me and my kids! We also love using it to make ice cream! Costco is by far the best place to purchase a Vitamix! (That’s where I got mine!)

3) Camera: My hubby surprised me with a Canon Rebel T1i for Christmas a few year ago. I just got a new lens and I am so thrilled because I can now get great photos of my kids from the sidelines of their games and from the audience at recitals!

4) Juicer: I have a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer and nothing beats fresh squeezed orange juice!

5) Laptop: My laptop is my connection with all of my wonderful online friends!

6) Printer/Copier/Scanner: I LOVE being able to make copies in my own home! (I have an HP Photosmart All-in-One).

7) Bread Machine: My Breadman Bread Machine makes making fresh homemade bread amazingly easy! We even use it to make delicious homemade jam and yummy sticky buns!

8) Maxiglide: After watching some late night infomercials, my hubby convinced me to buy a Maxiglide to straighten my hair and it works great!

9) Pencil Sharpener: I know this probably isn’t even considered a gadget, but after having an manual pencil sharpener for so long, my kids and I are loving our new electric pencil sharpener!

10) Label Machine: My brand new label machine was part of another one of my incredible garage sale finds. I never knew how much I would love labeling stuff! Just yesterday, I labeled my kids new electric toothbrushes! Hmm, guess I could add the electric toothbrushes to my gadget list too! LOL!!

This post is part of the iHomeschool Network “10 in 10” blog hop showcasing 10 weeks of Top Ten lists! Would you like to join in and share your Top Ten list? Be sure to head over to link up with Top Ten {Tuesday} at Many Little Blessings! Stay tuned for my next Top Ten list next Tuesday!

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The 5 Love Languages of Children {Review & Giveaway}

As a mom of five kids {with very different personalities} I was very excited about the opportunity to review The 5 Love Languages of Children.

Author of best selling The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman, teamed up with Ross Campbell, author of How to Really Love Your Children, to write The 5 Love Languages of Children.

 

You know you love your child. But how can you show it so they really feel loved? –The 5 Love Languages of Children

 

The 5 Love Languages of Children will help you:

- Discover your child’s love language

- Understand the link between successful learning and the love languages

- See how the love languages can help you discipline more effectively

- Build a foundation of unconditional love for your child

 

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book and it inspired me to be more intentional with how I express love to my kids. As indicated in the book, kids can have multiple love languages (and they are not set in stone). I have discovered that all five of my kids crave quality time. I kind of knew this already, but the book really solidified it to me and motivated me into action! I have since begun having one-on-one time with all of my kids and I have already seen a difference in their behavior.

 

Even if your child’s primary love language is not quality time, many children crave the undivided attention of parents. Indeed, much childhood misbehavior is attempt to get more time with Mom and Dad. Even negative attention seems better than no attention to a child. (Chapman, 64)

 

This book is full of so many wonderful nuggets that have inspired me to invest more into my children, particularly in making them more of a priority by regularly spending undivided time with each of them!

 

It takes real effort to carve out this kind of time in your schedule, and yet making the effort is rather like an investment in the future – of your children and your family. (Chapman, 66) Don’t be a victim of the urgent. In the long much of what seems so pressing right now won’t even matter. What you do with your children will matter forever. (Chapman, 69)

 

I previously discovered my daughter’s primary love language. Using the Love Languages Mystery Game for Children (which can be found both at the end of the book and on the website) I have since discovered my 7 year olds’ love languages! While Quality Time was tops (as I expected) I was very surprised by what came in as close second for each of them! Take a peak:

 

I am SO very thankful for The 5 Love Languages of Children. It has truly provided me with insight into the ways that my children give and receive love best! Prior to reading the book I “thought” I knew what their love languages were, but the book has really opened my eyes! I had no idea how much DC thrived on Words of Affirmation. While JJ makes little creations for us all, I didn’t realize how much these small gifts really mean to him! I cannot begin to express how thankful I am to have this new insight into my children! I owe a huge thank you to Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell for helping me to love my kids so that they feel loved!

Giveaway Info:

~Giveaway has closed~

Would you like to win a copy of The 5 Love Languages of Children? The first and mandatory entry is to leave a comment letting me know why you would like to win.

Optional (Additional) Entries: The following are additional ways that you can enter to win. However, you MUST complete the mandatory entry above. (Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!)

• Leave a comment {on the blog post} telling me what you think your child’s love language is. (max 1 entry)
• Subscribe to Mama Jenn via RSS and/or via email and leave a comment letting me know that you do. Leave a comment {on the blog post} for EACH follow or subscription. (max 2 entries) 
• “Like” The 5 Love Languages on Facebook AND/OR “Like” Mama Jenn on Facebook. Leave a comment {on the blog post} for EACH like. (max 2 entries)
• “Share” the giveaway via Twitter. Leave a comment {on the blog post} letting me know that you shared. (max 1 entry) You can copy and paste this:

@MamaJennBlogs is giving away a copy of 5 Love Languages for Children by @DrGaryChampman Enter to win: http://bit.ly/JKLuTq

PLEASE NOTE: Comments (giveaway entries) ARE moderated and will appear after they have been approved. ONLY comments posted on the actual blog post count as entries!

The giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, June 4th! Giveaway is for US residents only. Winners will be randomly selected and emailed. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and a way for me to contact you in case you win!

Purchase Info:

If you can’t wait to see if you win The 5 Love Languages of Children, you can purchase it from the 5 Love Languages website, via Amazon, or via ChristianBook.com. It is even available as a downloadable eBook!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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My 2012 Blogging Planner {FREE Printable}

Confession time…I used to be a MAJOR perfectionist. Well, that spirit of perfection is LONG gone! {I think having 5 kids in less than four years could do that to you!} While I am thankful that I am not as anal as I used to be, I do kinda wish that I was a bit more on top of things. One of the areas that I battle with is blogging. In case you aren’t aware, there was a time when I deleted my blog. Once I was “released” to blog again, I knew that I didn’t want my blog to have the same “power” over me! Well, in effort to make sure that I keep blogging in its proper place, I decided that I needed to become better at planning. So, I have since come up with my very own blog planner!  

This is what my blogging planner looks like and I am loving it!

There are four different pages included for each month of planning! The first page is the Monthly Blog Calendar. I write my blog post titles on the date I plan to post the blog. Once I have written and scheduled the post, I check it off the “Scheduled” box.

The second page is the Monthly Blog Planning page. Included on this page are check boxes along with the following topics: Major Posts to Write / Giveaways & Reviews to Complete / Link-ups to Participate it / Upcoming Holidays or Event to Post About. There is also space to keep track of my Blog Related To-Do List, Monthly Blogging Goals, and Future Blog Post Ideas.

The third page is the Blog Post Notes page. This is a place for me to record notes and reminders about blog posts, which allows me to have all of my blogging notes in one place! I actually printed 4 of the pages (per month) to include in my planner.

The fourth page is the Giveaways / Reviews page. This provides a place for me to record information about various reviews and giveaways that I post on my blog. Again, it allows me to keep all of the information in one place. I printed 2 of these pages (per month) for my planner.

I also used some large construction paper to make folders in my planner. This allows me to keep various blog-related papers all in one place.

Finally, I had everything hole punched and spiral bound at Office Depot for under $4. In addition to the binding, I had them to include clear page on the front, a back cover, and a piece of cardboard just before the back cover to make the planner a little sturdier.

And, there you have it! My 2012 Blogging Planner, which I absolutely LOVE! I would like to thank Erica from Confessions of a Homeschooler and Amy Bayliss from Cajun Joie de Vivre whose blog planning pages provided inspiration for my own blogging planner!

Would you like to use this blog planner for your own blog planning?

Download the 2012 Blogging Planner from my webpage For Moms!

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Top 10 Homeschool Websites {2012}

As a homeschooling mama, the internet is a GREAT resource for me! In fact, there are a few website that are my “go-to” sites when I am in need of homeschool resources! In alphabetical order, here are my top homeschool websites of 2012:

1) 1+1+1=1: I love using 1+1+1=1 printables for my 4 year olds! Right now we are using some of the ABC printables.

2) Confessions of a Homeschooler: We have used a lot of COAH printables! We are currently supplementing with the Expedition Earth curriculum!

3) DLTK Kids: This is one of my favorite sites for finding printable crafts!

4) Donna Young: There are tons of printables for both students and teachers!

5) Homeschool Creations: While there are TONS for great printables, my absolute favorite resource from Homeschool Creations is the Weekly Homeschool Planner.

6) Homeschool Resource List: This is a collection of all of my FREE online homeschool resource findings.

7) KAHN Academy: LOVE this site! I am currently using it to supplement my daughter’s math lessons.

8) Making Learning Fun: This is another favorite “go-to” site for fun printables!

9) Notebooking Pages: Be sure to check out all of the prizes, freebies & discounts at the Facebook party tonight from 8-9pm EST celebrating the launch of the Notebooking Publisher, which I am TOTALLY excited to use! . (It allows you to create & customize your very own notebooking pdfs to print off & use!)

10) Mama Jenn: When I can’t find printables that I want/need for our homeschool, I usually just make them myself and often share them with my readers here!

This post is part of the iHomeschool Network “10 in 10” blog hop showcasing 10 weeks of Top Ten lists! Would you like to join in and share your Top Ten list? Be sure to head over to link up with Top Ten {Tuesday} at Many Little Blessings! Stay tuned for my next Top Ten list next Tuesday!

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Gg for Goat {MFW Kindergarten Printables}

As much as I love the hands-on activities and crafts in our My Father’s World Kindergarten Curriculum, I was not very good about doing the Words to Remember badges with my daughter. So, I came up with something a little different for the boys. I created printable  art/copywork pages for them to work on their penmanship while creatively depicting the Words to Remember.

 

This is the Lesson 12: Gg for Goat page from one of my older boy’s kindergarten school year. For this page, I printed the goat paper craft from DLTK. The boys colored the pieces, cut them out, and then glued them together to make our goat!

Visit the MFW Kindergarten Words to Remember blog post for information on downloading all of the Words to Remember copywork pages.

PLEASE NOTE: These copywork printables are only for students who are reading and writing easily. This type of copywork is not a regular part of My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum.

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A Perfect Pet for Peyton Giveaway Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered to win A Perfect Pet for Peyton by Rick Osborne and Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages of Children.

We have a winner! Congratulations to commenter #2, Wendi Walker!

UPDATE: The winner selected above did not respond to multiple contacts. Hence another winner will be selected. The winner of The 5 Love Languages for Children giveaway will also receive A Perfect Pet for Peyton.

For those who didn’t win, you can purchase your own copy of A Perfect Pet for Peyton directly from Amazon. Also, be on the lookout for another upcoming giveaway to help you determine your child’s love language, The 5 Love Languages of Children!

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Elijah McCoy: The REAL McCoy

Have you ever heard the phrase, “The Real McCoy?” The phrase dates back to African American inventor/engineer, Elijah McCoy! Believed to have been born in Canada on May 2,1844 to escaped slaves, McCoy was notable for over 50 patented ideas.

As a young man, McCoy went to Scotland to apprentice as a mechanical engineer. After returning to his family in Michigan, the best job he could get was as a oilman and fireman on a steam-powered locomotive. Using his expertise, McCoy solved a common problem faced by the railroad system during his time. He created an oil cup that allowed an engine to remain in motion and receive constant lubrication, as opposed to regularly stopping the train to manually lubricate it.

McCoy's invention was such a success that when ordering the part people insisted that they receive McCoy’s lubricator and not an inferior substitute. Buyers began to ask for “the real McCoy,” popularizing the expression that is still used today!

Want to learn more about Mr. Elijah McCoy? Be sure to take a peek at some of the books below and visit my Elijah McCoy webpage for more information.

Want to go even further, check out the FREE notebooking printables and activity pages I have created for our unit study on Elijah McCoy! There are over 40 printable pages available to download!

Download the Elijah McCoy printables HERE!

This post is part of the iHomeschool Network “Birthday Lessons in May” blog hop! We have teamed up to share mini-units for famous historical figures whose birthdays are in May! Be sure to head over to check out some of the other May Birthday Lessons!

 

 

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