This blog is my attempt to document our busy but BLESSED lives raising and educating our children for His glory. A child of God, wife to one, and mom to 6 fabulous kids. We are in our 15th year of homeschooling using a Classical ~ Literature based approach.

Come along for the good, the bad & the ugly.



Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Wordless Wednesday

 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


 https://astablebeginning.com

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Christian Audio Adventures for Children with The Advent ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family and I pray you, the reader, find them helpful on your homeschooling journey. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.
The Adventum
 Morning friends! Hope you’re having a great week. I know I have mentioned before that we love books here at A Stable Beginning, but I have I also told you that we also love listening to audio books at bedtime? For the last several weeks, my two youngest, McKenzie (13) and Micah (8) and I have been listening to The Adventum, Volume 1 just before bedtime. 
The Adventum is brought to you from the same studio as the Jonathan Park series and is an entirely new way to hear the word of God. Volume 1 contains a four-CD set that comes in a nice hard plastic case. Inside the case there are protective sleeves for the discs. Volume 1 covers the major stories from Genesis, starting with Creation and ending with Jacob and Esau. 

This volume includes the following playlist titles:

 Disc 1 
1. It Was Good 
2. Paradise Lost 
3. First Family 
4. Brother’s Keeper
 5. And So On 
 Disc 2 
6. A New World 
7. High Hopes 
8. Whispers in the Wind 
9. White Lies 
10. Decisions, Decisions 
 Disc 3 
11. I’ve Been Thinking 
12. What’s in a Name 
13. Three Visitors and a Bargain 
14. Fire and Brimstone 
15. Heir Apparent
 Disc 4 
16. Sacrifice 
17. A Bride for Isaac 
18. Passages
 19. Stew du Jour 
20. Playing Favorites 
The Adventum
It is available as a physical CD set or a digital file. We were blessed to receive the physical CD’s to use during this review since both of the kids have CD players in their rooms to listen to their audio stories. The stories range from roughly 3 to 30 minutes in length, but on average you can expect a 10-12 minute story. It’s not just someone reading the Bible word for word, but rather, a dramatization of Biblical stories. However, when the voice of God is used, you can rest assure that it is spoken verbatim from NKJV and NIV Scripture.
The Adventum 
We have thoroughly enjoyed The Adventum and I am pretty sure you will too! This is an excellent, high-quality adventure through the Bible. It keep my son’s attention even though he has heard these stories many times over. The whole production from the sound effects, music, and cast or narrators is A-1! You can head over to the site and listen to a sample to hear for yourself. 



Currently there are five volumes in total and I already have plans to purchase the other four volumes for Christmas so we can continue listening. Plus right now The Adventum, Volume 1 is at a discounted price, $19.99, normally $39.99, on their website and you can use the advcrew22 for free (US only) shipping when you purchase.  The Adventum
Be sure to click the banner below to read what 36 of my CrewMates thought of The Adventum and get started on your audio adventure today!

audio bible stories 

 Company ~ The Adventum 
Price ~ $39.99, currently on sale for 50% off
Format ~ Audio CD’s 
Ages ~ family listening
The Adventum
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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. 

 https://astablebeginning.com

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Wordless Wednesday ~ 1st day of University

 

Senior Year

Sophomore Year


© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com


Friday, August 19, 2022

Homeschool printables from Super Teacher Worksheets ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family and I pray you, the reader, find them helpful on your homeschooling journey. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.

Super Teacher Worksheets 
Morning friends! Another Friday is upon us. Have you started back to school or are you waiting until after Labor Day? We have completed our first two weeks of school and are now on our mini vacation as we take our university girls back to their schools. However, before we left, we had the opportunity to add a few fun printables from Super Teacher Worksheets to supplement our math curriculum in our homeschool.
  Have you ever needed just the right worksheet to fit the bill for a concept or idea you are teaching your child? Does your child need a little bit of extra practice on a certain skill? Super Teacher Worksheets sent us access to a full year of the site. This allows my family unlimited access to all printable resources for just $24.95 per year!
 With over 20,000 worksheets the Super Teacher Worksheets website is chock-full of printable worksheets that are not only helpful but useful for homeschoolers, parents, and teachers alike. There are literally thousands of worksheets to choose from so there is sure to be something you can find helpful too! From preschool through middle school there are worksheets all neatly organized by subject area, concept and theme on the following topics:
 Math 
 Reading & Writing
 Phonics & Early Literacy 
 Handwriting
 Grammar 
 Spellings Lists & Worksheets (Gr. 1-5) 
 Science 
 Social Studies 
 Holiday Puzzles & Brain Teasers 
 Teacher Helpers 
 Pre-K and Kindergarten 
 Make Your Own Worksheets 
There are also seasonal and holiday worksheets for every subject along with: 
card games 
 mazes 
 coloring pages 
 mini-books
I was able to use these worksheets with my son, Micah, who is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade. Specifically, we worked on skip counting, writing his letters in cursive, and telling time. The worksheets do not feel like busy work at all so don’t let that turn you away thinking that they will. This site is a tool and you can use it just as that. Now that we are back into full swing of our school year I will be incorporating more worksheets each week including the 50 States Geography and Number Detective brain teasers.
   A really cool feature of this product is the Worksheet Generator. Yep, just as the name says, this gives you the ability to create worksheets on any topic you want your child to learn! From spelling lists to games with sight words you can study any topic your child needs a little extra help on. And while you are busy making all these neat worksheets, you can save them in the “My File Cabinet” so you will have access right at your fingertips. 
 I L-O-V-E Super Teacher Worksheets! There are so many worksheet topics to choose from to help your child succeed. This is a resource that is worth checking out! If you are looking for quality homeschool pintables to supplement your learning, look no further that Super Teacher Worksheets! Be sure to see what thirty-five of my CrewMates think of these homeschool printables by clicking the banner below. 

printable activities 

 Format ~ downloadable PDF worksheets
 Price ~ $24.95 
 Ages ~ Kindergarten – 5th grade

Super Teacher Worksheets

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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Wordless Wednesday ~ Senior year!

© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


 https://astablebeginning.com

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Christian Literature Study Guides from Progeny Press ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family and I pray you, the reader, find them helpful on your homeschooling journey. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations. Progeny Press
Morning friends! We are on the road bringing our two University girls back to school but I am happy to share a review with you from a long standing favorite, Progeny Press. If you have been around the blog for long, then you know our family has a fond affection towards good books. I try to fill our bookshelves full of good books as well as check them out from the local library. We love adding Progeny Press guides to our Language Arts studies, so we were excited to receive the Farmer Boy Study Guide this time to review.
Progeny Press has been a family owned and operated company since 1992. They produce high quality literature guides from a Christian worldview ranging from lower elementary years through high school. They literally have 100+ guides and add 3-6 new titles each year ranging from lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school. If you are looking for a literature guide, they have got you covered! 
Have you ever checked out the literature guides from Progeny Press? I highly suggest you look at them if you are looking to add critical thinking to your child’s learning this year. In our family I have found that literature guides make reading even more enjoyable for my younger children and helps me to check for comprehension.

For this review we received a downloadable interactive PDF copy of the study guide for the second book in the Little House on the Prairie series, Farmer Boy. This guide helps break down the story of nine-year old Almanzo Wilder and is told through Laura Ingalls Wilder’s eyes. With this literature study guide, your child will learn about literary techniques on synonyms, adjectives, characterization, dictionary, mood, paraphrase, in context, thesaurus, similes, metaphors, and theme. More importantly this literature study guide will teach moral and character lessons on attitude, work ethic, patience, the Sabbath, truth, consequences, and loving one another.
I used the Farmer Boy literature guide with my son, Micah who is 8 and in the 3rd grade. This study guide is suggested for children in upper elementary grades 4-6, however, Micah is a strong reader and currently reads at a late 5th grade reading level. Because of his age I am always on the hunt for quality of literature for him to read without being mature themes etc. Progeny Press helps me to provide quality literature books and for that I am grateful! Using this study guide is easy for the child and mom. 
During the first week it is best to read the entire book before getting started on the activities within the study guide. Vocabulary is addressed in many ways to make sure the reader has a full grasp of the words being studied. First students are required to define several words, determine word meaning from its context and then double check their guesses in a dictionary. Vocabulary words and definitions are also presented to be matched and there is a vocabulary activity in multiple choice format. Comprehension questions which ask the student to recall events from the book are also included.

Progeny Press’s website is easy to navigate so you can find the guide you are looking for. All of the literature guides on the website are categorized by both genre and grade-level to help with this navigation. Be sure to check out the sample of the types of questions and information contained in the guides at the website. The guides are extremely user-friendly and are currently available as a print version, CD in PDF format, and email as a PDF attachment. We enjoyed using this literature guide just like the others we own. The new interactive format allows the student to type in the answers directly on their computer screen which is awesome! I also love that there is no limit on copying pages for use within our homeschool. Progeny Press 
 Our family finds that literature guides make reading even more enjoyable! We give this guide 2 thumbs up and I look forward to adding more literature guides to our collection over the course of the school year. Be sure to check out what my Crewmates thought of this guide and the many other guides being reviewed, The Story of Ping Study Guide, The Last Battle Study Guide, and the Fellowship of the Ring Study Guide.

  literature study guides 

 Company ~ Progeny Press 
 Price ~ $19.99 
 Format ~ downloadable PDF
 Ages ~ upper elementary grades 4th-6th
Progeny Press
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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com

Friday, August 12, 2022

Non Common Core online math curriculum from CTC Math ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family and I pray you, the reader, find them helpful on your homeschooling journey. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations. Dynamic Literacy WordBuild Online
Morning friends! It’s Friday and we have made it to the end of week TWO in our new homeschool year. Have you started back to school yet? Does your state require testing each year and the math results for your children were less than desirable? No need to stress or wrack your brain worrying about your child “falling behind” and you don’t need to pay for a personal tutor. How then will you get your student back on track? Easy, just check out the online homeschool math program created just for families from CTC Math.
 CTC Math is the most complete online math tutor covering kindergarten math through Calculus. World – renowned Australian math teacher, Pat Murray, presents math concepts in a visual step-by-step process. Your child will have the ability to stop and rewind or repeat a concept until mastery. With over 1300 video tutorials CTC Math is there to help your child conquer their math studies and help them excel. For just $148.50 a year, this is special pricing for us cool homeschoolers, the 12 Month Family Plan allows up to 10 students to have unlimited access to all the levels the program provides. An excellent value for those with larger families! If you don’t need that many students slot, CTC Math is still an excellent value for one student at just $98.50 per year, again half off for the cool kids. An excellent value for those with larger families! One student access is just $98.50 per year.  
 As I said, we received a 12-month family subscription that I used with Micah (8-year old 3rd grader) and McKenzie (12-year old 7th grader). McKenzie and Micah each excel at math which is great. McKenzie however didn’t have a great math year for 6th grade last year, so I was especially grateful for the opportunity to use this homeschool math curriculum as a supplement over the summer months. Fractions and decimals is where she is struggling so I loved that with this program we could focus on those specific areas of hardship.
 CTCMath
 Each grade section includes video instruction for the mathematical topics which are typically 10 minutes in length. Once the lecture is complete the student then tests his or her knowledge by answering 10 questions. At the younger grade levels, the students answer questions online with the option to use a printable worksheet. Older, more advanced students print out a worksheet to work the problems, then enter the answer online for scoring. At the end of the question portion, the student is awarded a certificate of completion.
  
To get started with the program, there is a short diagnostic test for placement. However, you don’t need to start with the placement if your child is in kindergarten or you know their current math level. Each section is divided into subsections so you can focus on the topic at hand. For Micah I didn’t use the diagnostic test because I knew I wanted to work on the 2nd grade revision sets with him. For McKenzie I had her take the diagnostic test and I am so glad I did so I could see where she was struggling. For both kids I can set the minimum passing standard for their work, I choose 90% for our family.
Overall, we have enjoyed using this and will continue to do so to fill in the learning gaps and shore up our math. And guess what my favorite part of CTC Math is? There is NO Common Core! Just traditional math the way I, and probably you too, learned back in our school days. I also like that you can move to any grade level and/or any section you would like to pinpoint where you need instruction. 
Micah’s favorite part was playing the extra games, Speed Skills and Times Tables, found at the bottom of the website. He is also so close to solving the Swap Pieces game! As for McKenzie, I am looking forward to going full steam ahead and filling in her gaps as our school year has begun. She will be utilizing the CTC Math on her gym double days and when her competition season starts back up and we are on the road again. Her love for math is still there even though she has hit a rough spot. I know with the help of CTC Math she will be able to get back on track and build her mathematical confidence again. Dynamic Literacy WordBuild Online
With CTC Math, math might just become your child’s favorite subject! But don’t just take my word for it, click on the banner below and read the thoughts of 33 of my CrewMates. Online Math Curriculum 
 Company ~ CTCMath
 Format ~ online math curriculum 
Price ~ $148.50 
Ages ~ Kindergarten - Calculus

Dynamic Literacy WordBuild Online

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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com