Time4Learning.com review

A short while ago, I received an offer to test Time4Learning.com in exchange for an honest review of the program.  My girls, ages 12 and 8, were eager to try out this new program.  They love to be my guinea pigs.

Overall, the girls really enjoyed the program and it is the first educational program that they have consistently asked to do.  That was the main thing that impressed me.  It got their attention and kept it.  Rarely do I have to tell them to stop doing something educational, but this was the exception.  As a home educating family, we used this as the main course of study for the girls.  My 12 year old daughter enjoyed it the most and found it challenging, in a good way.  My 8 year old, who is a struggling reader, had a harder time maneuvering through the site, so of course, required my assistance on many of the tasks she did.

I personally found the site a little difficult to move around in.  I wasn't sure where they should be working at any given time and found that they didn't complete as many assignments as I thought they were.  I'm not sure if we weren't sure on how to complete the assignments or if we were closing them out wrong, but much of the time it showed they weren't complete when they were, from our perspective anyway.

My girls review is simply "We like it".  I asked them if there was anything they didn't like about the program, to which they responded, "no, we really like it".  I guess that's about the most simple review I can give.  If they like it, I'm sold.

BEFORE pics!

These are some Spring "before" pics of our back yard.  I'm pretty disgusted actually at how it looks.  It's really been neglected and yes, there's an old dishwasher sitting back by our shed.  *rolling eyes*  The honey thinks he's gonna get some "parts" off of it.  I say it's going bye bye VERY soon!  The garden has been tilled up :)  The pool is getting a new deck railing and some plants and flowers planted around it too.  I'm going to make a little "sitting area" under the tree by the pool (don't have a "before" pic of that yet).  Here in a few months, I plan on this looking a LOT different.

This is the "big" garden spot which is 18 ft by 28 ft.

And here is the garden spot behind the pool, which I didn't measure, but it's about half as big as the big spot.
The weeds need mowing down. LOL

The dogs area, sadly....I'm not sure if there's any hope for it.  Having 5 dogs wreaks havoc on a yard.  We used to have grass all in this area, but it's completely gone now.  They dig everywhere! Plus just running around wears down the grass! ugh!  I want to just pour concrete on the whole thing!  That would teach them!  ha!  I'll figure out something for this area.....just have to think, think, think!!

I seek HIM!

Not really sure how people can deny the existence of God.  I keep thinking perhaps they just haven't noticed Him working in their lives or can't acknowledge His work, instead claiming things in their own power.  

He helps me do things like find discrepancies when balancing my checkbook.  Might sound silly to some, but this morning I was getting very frustrated.  I stopped and said "I need to find this"....... then instantly went RIGHT to the problem.  This was while sitting with several pages of figures before me.  

As a side note, those "I need to find this" moments are always directed at God.  You see, I "talk" to my Abba Father.  He's not this God that I have to always bow my head, clasp my hands together and say Oh magnificent Heavenly Father, etc, etc... While I don't deny there ARE times like that, to ME, He is so real and personal that we talk, like I would talk to anyone else.  He is always with me, He's always present and always ready and available to talk to.  He and I talk anywhere, anytime.  Sometimes I'm driving, sometimes I'm walking, sometimes I'm washing dishes.  There are equally as many times that I'm on my knees or literally on my face on the floor too.  I love my time/talks with my Daddy. 

So back to the issue at hand...... Even in the little things, he cares and this was a fairly small amount to some, just $30, but it was bothering me a lot.  $30 is a big amount for us at times. THANK YOU Lord for caring about my finances!   I still have much to learn, though.  I could have saved 30 minutes of frustration trying to find $30, if only I had asked Him first.  Yes, even when you've known God for so long, you still forget sometimes ;)

I acknowledge Him in ALL THINGS.  He helps me in ALL THINGS!!

Proverbs 3:6 in the New Living Translation says: 

Seek his will in all you do,  and he will show you which path to take.

Yes, even in matters of balancing a checkbook. :)

March 15, 2011

I feel like my dogs are getting too spoiled.  This isn't some delicious casserole I whipped up for the family.  It's today's doggie chow.  It's made with natural and/or organic ingredients.  The funny thing is, with FIVE, yes count them FIVE dogs, we spend a bunch on dog food and this isn't really going to cost more to prepare their food from scratch.  What I do know is it's better for them.  Reading the ingredient list on a bag of dog food makes me want to throw up.  


This is made from a ground chicken blend that I get from my natural chicken supplier along with organic brown rice, Greek yogurt made at a local dairy farm and organic peas and carrots. :)  Macie said it looked good.  It smells delicious.  LOL


Everyone loved it, but Holly left a few peas.  She said she doesn't really like begebles....so Max ate her peas. ha!

March 14, 2011

I feel like I'm ready to share my life in pictures again. It's not exactly a Project 365 anymore, but I will do my best to play catch up.

These are a few of the pics I've taken since I stopped posting.

Tonight's apple crisp before it went in the oven. I think I could eat it like this! YUM! Every last ingredient is organic! I am getting so much better at this! :)

My beautiful girls on a gorgeous park day :)

What's more gorgeous than a sunset like this?

Macie decorating a cookie at the vo-tech open house.

Yeah, I think Miss Madilen got just a bit too carried away with her icing. LOL