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 17th year of homeschooling using a Classical ~ Literature based approach.

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



Friday, April 5, 2019

Fix It! Grammar from Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) ~ a TOS review

Happy Friday friends! It’s the end of another week of learning and today I get to share with you one my favorite vendors, the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW).  

We have used and reviewed several of their award winning products over the course of the last 10 homeschooling years. Last time I reviewed for IEW, we reviewed their Fix It! Grammar program and we received Frog Prince, or Just Desserts, Book 3. I am so excited today to share our review of The Nose Tree, Book 1.


If you have been on the homeschool scene for any length of time I am sure you have heard of Mr. Pudewa and his company, Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW). His mission is to teach children "…to write well, think clearly, and express themselves eloquently and persuasively." You might be surprised to hear that IEW is just a company for teaching writing, but it’s not! They also have a complete grammar program as well. Let me tell you a little more about it!



Pamela White, a certified Accomplished Instructor for IEW is the author of the Fix It! Grammar series. She holds an M.A. in English and A.B.D. from Vanderbilt University and currently teaches online for IEW. Fix It! Grammar was developed by Pamela after she was frustrated with traditional methods of teaching children grammar.


This grammar and writing curriculum is apart of the newly revised Language Arts series that teaches the principles of grammar through real stories. These real stories use sentences that contain common errors that your student may make in their own writing. The principle of parsing a sentence and finding the errors helps students in the long run learn correct grammar and punctuation.

There are six books within the Fix It! Grammar series written for third grade and up, including:



As you can see from the comparison chart there are many parts of grammar that is covered. If you need help placing your child into the right book, a placement test is available. However, IEW recommends that all learners start with book 1, regardless of age.




Because I was specifically looking for another grammar program for McKenzie when this review came available and the fact that she has had limited, beginning grammar instruction I knew she would start at the beginning of the program with Fix It! Grammar: The Nose Tree {book 1}. The student book retails for $15.00, while the teacher’s manual costs $19.00.


The Fix It! Grammar program is designed to just take 15-20 minutes a day, four times a week. As they progress through the book, the child will actually be writing a complete story. The student guide and the Fix It! Grammar: Nose Tree {Book 1} Teacher Manual cover 33 weeks of daily passages to correct, daily vocabulary instruction that covers 132 vocabulary words in total, reproducible student pages, clear and precise teacher’s notes and a grammar glossary. This is an easy to use program that includes daily vocabulary, indenting, capitals, marking and identifying subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases, sentence openers, clauses, and punctuation errors; divided into 4 parts, learn it, fix it, discuss, copy it.


Learn it ~ explore a new grammar concept. 
Fix it ~ find and fix errors within a short passage, four times a week. 
Discuss it ~ apply the correct grammar to the passage. 
Copy it ~ rewrite the corrected passage within a notebook.


Completing the work each week follows the same format with Monday being the day that I teach the weekly concept and demonstrate the correct markings. The rest of the week we study, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with Fix It! Grammar. Since the program follows the same weekly format, McKenzie who is just finishing up 3rd grade, she is able to work somewhat independently through the daily passages with me in the room to field questions.


While my older girls have been using a solid grammar program, the opportunity to use the Nose Tree book with McKenzie has been a blessing. We are in a different season in our family where it is just me versus the children. This program helps me know that McKenzie is getting the grammar instruction she needs. McKenzie likes that she is writing a story while doing her lessons and I like that the Grammar cards that have helpful reminders of the rules of grammar are included. McKenzie likes the story aspect of the work and I especially like the included Grammar cards for extra review.


This grammar and writing program works great for us and we will be finishing this book and moving on to the next book once finished. I also plan to have my soon to be 7th grader, Montana, start in Book 3, Fix It! Grammar: Frog Prince, or Just Desserts in August and use it as a supplement to our Grammar program.


Fix It! Grammar {Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Reviews}
I recommend that you check out the Fix It! Grammar series if you are looking for a strong, solid grammar and Language Arts program, either as a stand alone program or as a supplement. McKenzie enjoys completing her grammar lessons and that make this Mama happy! 



Fix It! Grammar gets the job done! But don’t just take my word for it. Be sure to check out what 59 of my CrewMates thought of the Fix It! Grammar: The Nose Tree {book 1} or any of the other 5 books being reviewed by clicking the banner below.

Fix It! Grammar {Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Reviews}

Format ~ paperback, spiral bound notebooks 
Price ~ teacher’s manual, $19.00; student book, $15.00 
Ages ~ 3rd grade and up 


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©2008 - 2019 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.   



Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Wordless Wednesday






©2008 - 2019 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.   

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Rhythm & Writing ~ a TOS review

Today I have a fun handwriting program for the youngest set of learners from Rhythm & Writing. For the last few weeks my JrK’er, Micah, has been working in their Rhythm & Writing with the Get Write Crew.


Rhythm & Writing with the Get Write Crew was created by an Occupational Therapist, Nikki Wilson, to be used as a full curriculum or as a supplement. This program is an excellent way to start learning correct letter formation for beginners. It is a fun way to teach and practice handwriting. The program encourages correct letter formation through engaging stories with a set of animals who sing about letter formations.


We received the softcover, spiral bound notebook with a transparency film to use. We also received access to online videos that are really cute and fun. To start the lessons your child will complete a pre-assessment that checks the child’s ability to form letters correctly. After you know which letters your child needs help with you can either progress through the program letter by letter or follow the program in the order it is laid out in the book.


One of the features of this program is the ability to watch fun little music videos that correlate with the book lessons. The video lessons are short and sweet but enhance the program and make it more fun. I also really like that the pages have a red baseline with a green top line and a yellow dotted midline. This has helped my son visually see where his letters are supposed to start and stop.


Since Micah has not had too much formal writing instruction, I elected to just go with the order in the book. However, right from the start I realized that his fine motor skills are lacking in letter formation. While he does know how to write the letters of his own name, he struggles writing and forming other letters. No fault of his own, I just need to up my game and get him up to speed.

I love that this program appeals to a wide range of students. The cast of characters included in the workbook include characters of different abilities. I love that it shows diversity so that everyone is included even if you need the help of a wheelchair, etc.


Over the course of time that we have been using this handwriting I have seen a bit of improvement in Micah’s handwritting, but he is still a long way from where he needs to be. But, he’s young and I realize that homeschooling is a marathon and not a sprint so he will be just fine in the long run so we will just plug away a little bit each day.
Rhythm & Writing with the Get Write Crew {Rhythm & Writing Reviews}
But don’t just take my word for it! We are only one of 38 families to have reviewed this curriculum so be sure to check out what my CrewMates thought of this program by clicking the banner below.

Rhythm & Writing with the Get Write Crew {Rhythm & Writing Reviews}

Company ~ Rhythm &Writing
Product ~ Rhythm & Writing with the Get Write Crew
Ages ~ elementary


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Friday, March 29, 2019

Classical Phonics with First Start Reading from Memoria Press ~ a TOS review


It’s Friday and time for another review! This is one of my favorite companies, so sit back and grab your favorite beverage and sweet treat. When we first started homeschooling the thought of teaching my children to read used to make me tremble with fear. I know that’s probably silly to say out loud, but it is how I felt when we embarked on this homeschooling journey nine years ago.


I have since taught three children how to read and now it’s time for my soon to be 5 year old JrK’er, Micah. He is the next in line to become a reader with the help of Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading from Memoria Press.



Micah was so excited to get his curriculum box in the mail. We began using the phonics program the day after it arrived because he was ready to read. Because of the past success we have had with Memoria Press I too was eager to start Micah with the program.


We have been working diligently over this school year on letter recognition and sounds. The best part of this program to me, is that the child will get a boost of confidence on Lesson 8 when they read their first sentence… I am a man.



  The First Start Reading Program takes on a classical, traditional approach to teaching phonics. We received the two Teacher’s Guide and 5 Student books, A, B, C, D, & E.


The program focuses on three important skills throughout the phonics program which include:

1.pencil grip & correct manuscript letter formation 
2. mastering the sounds for consonants and vowels 
3. mastering short and long vowel sounds, short 3-letter words and 45 common “sight” words



The Teacher’s Guide provides scripted lessons and everything you need as the teacher to successfully teach your child to read. It is a great resource for helping with vowel sounds, ear training, b-d confusion, and pencil grip.


Scripted lessons make teaching the classical phonics program so easy. You don’t have to worry about what to say or what to write because it is all there right for you. In the beginning it is a bit repetitive, but Micah and I don’t mind the repetitiveness.


Four days a week we started out our days by completing the phonics recitation. Some days Micah had a hard time with this task, especially reciting the alphabet while pointing to each letter because he just didn’t want to do it.



However, it has helped him with his letter recognition tremendously! Before starting phonics recitation he would do the normal LMNOP, instead of separating them as individual letters. Once I had him slow down he was able to say each letter. He still has trouble now and again with the “W”, not sure why but it does throw him for a loop every now and again.



Each lesson covers the following categories: 
 ~ Letter sounds 
 ~ CVC Words (Common Word, which include sight words) 
 ~ Reading skills such as beginning punctuation and plural sounds 
 ~ Beginning Sentences


To make it easier for Micah to spot the vowels, I choose to highlight them in his favorite color in the back of the student book. I did the “Y” in yellow, just to visually remind him that it “sometimes” can be considered a vowel. That may be too much now, but visually seeing that these six letters were special has helped Micah too.



Phonics, Poetry & Latin {Memoria Press Reviews}
Memoria Press offers a wide assortment of homeschool material from Latin, Greek, Literature, to whole grade level sets from Junior Kindergarten through high school. We LOVE this program and I have been recommending and sharing it with friends for the past few weeks whether or not they homeschool! I will sing praises to Memoria Press to all who will listen! 



But don’t just take my word for it! Check out what my CrewMates have to say about Memoria Press and their products. You will be able to read 64 different viewpoints on Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program and the following curriculum reviewed:
Phonics, Poetry & Latin {Memoria Press Reviews}



~ Poetry for the Grammar Stage Set.    
 ~Poetry & Short Stories: American Literature Set.   
  ~ Poetry, Prose & Drama: The Old English & Medieval Periods Set.   
   ~ Poetry & Prose Book Two: The Elizabethan to the Neoclassical Age Set.    
 ~ Poetry Book Three: The Romantic to the Victorian Age Set.   
  ~ Prima Latina: Complete set.   
  ~ Latina Christiana: Complete set.  
     ~ First Form Latin: Complete set.   
 ~ Second Form Latin: Complete set. 
     ~ Third Form Latin: Complete set.    
 ~ Fourth Form Latin + Henle I:  Complete set. 





By clicking the banner below.

Phonics, Poetry & Latin {Memoria Press Reviews}

Company ~ Memoria Press 

Product ~ Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program
Format ~ paperback books 
 Price ~ $16.95 and $42.95 
 Ages ~ K-2


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©2008 - 2019 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.  

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Wordless Wednesday




©2008 - 2019 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.