To the Mama in the trenches of daily life...

To the Mama in the trenches of daily life...

I have been where you are:

- sleep deprived

- emotionally exhausted

- wondering if they'll ever be potty trained

- wondering if they will ever read just for fun

- wondering if long division will be the straw that breaks the camel's back and sends you over the edge of no return...

I've been there and I know some of the lies you've been believing:

- I'm not smart enough to teach them

- I need to do more x, y, & z every day

- We'll get caught up if we just work harder...and longer

- my husband just doesn't understand

- I just can't take it anymore, I must have a break!

And I know God's answers to me, which are also for you:

God is always enough!

YOU are the perfect teacher for your child...because of your imperfections!

Your husband does not have to understand, he only needs to love you. God understands, and He loves you more than you can fathom!

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)

His grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9)

Your children will learn to read in their own time, they will understand long division,... and some day ~ they'll even be able to do their own laundry!

For all the things I used to be anxious about as a Mama in the trenches ~ The answer is JESUS!

For all the things that still drive me batty about my teens ~ The answer is Jesus. 

The answer, my friends, is ALWAYS Jesus!

Know that He cares for you, and you are loved.

Forbrain - Sound For Life Ltd ~ A Crew Review

Have you ever seen one of your children struggle with a particular task, but been unsure how you could help them? I’ve been in this spot several times over the years with Arlene with her hearing and speech so I was intrigued when we learned about Forbrain - Sound for Life Ltd and their bone conduction headset. We’ve been blessed to be able to review the Forbrain headset for the past six weeks, and I am starting to see some significant improvements in Arlene’s speech patterns. Because the recommended protocol suggests an initial usage of six to ten weeks, we’ll be continuing Arlene’s use of the Forbrain headset for a few more weeks before she takes a break from daily use.

The Forbrain bone conduction headset is designed for the user to boost their own brain through the use of their voice. The user wears the headset while reading aloud or talking for 10-30 minutes a day (depending on their age) and it helps them hear their own voice better. This improved hearing of their own voice, while still being able to hear outside noises (other people) helps strengthen their auditory processing. It becomes a sensory workout for the nervous system, but in small chunks of time so as not to overwhelm the user.

Arlene is in the middle of the age categories (she just turned 16 late last month) for using Forbrain, so she has been wearing it for 15-20 minutes each weekday. She could have also used it on the weekends too, but because we have been away from home most weekends, we’ve stuck to her using it on the weekdays.

As a young child, Arlene struggled with allergies, which caused her to not hear clearly. Because everyone else sounded muffled to her, she often did not enunciate well. We have worked with her over the years to learn to enunciate better, but she still struggles when she is tired or excited. Her words will often trip over themselves. I wanted Arlene to use the Forbrain headset in hopes that it would help her understand how she sounds to the rest of us when her words get jumbled, or she breathes in the middle of words instead of between them.

It has been six weeks since Arlene started using Forbrain. She says she hasn’t noticed a big improvement, but I am beginning to notice specific improvements in her speech and voice patterns. I think it's working!

The bone conduction headset from Forbrain creates a feedback loop that helps the brain differentiate between sounds and helps with better sound discrimination. The headset rests on the bones in front of the ears (it loops over the top of the ears and around the back of the head,) and directs the sound of your voice to your brain via the bones. It can be used to train for attentiveness, for auditory processing issues, to improve working memory,  to help with rhythm (such as in reading poetry,) or with language discrimination (especially while practicing a foreign language.)

Arlene has worn the headset while doing a variety of talking activities. Her favorite way is to wear it while reading aloud from The Hobbit. She likes how it helps her hear the character voices she creates. She has worn it while singing at home, as well as when we were simply talking. Last week she wore it while reading questions to the family as we played a board game. The idea is simple: use it daily. 

There are a few specifics about Forbrain to mention here: do not wear it for more than two hours a day, even if you’re working on the intense protocol (like memorizing a speech.) Also, Forbrain is for ages 3 and up. It should not be used by persons with Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy. It is unsuitable for people who have more than an 80% hearing loss in both ears or a cochlear implant. 

Forbrain has an dynamic filter that alternates while the wearer is speaking. It enhances long vowel sounds. When you first put it on, it takes a few minutes to get used to the filtering. Once you’ve tried it a few times, you don’t notice it as much. Part of the genius of the design is that the headset leaves your ears open to hear outside voices, so it can help you modulate your own voice to match the speed or volume of those around you.

Because Arlene has been the main user of Forbrain, I asked her to try to explain to you how it sounds when you use it. Here is her response:

Forbrain is kind of weird at first because most people think they hear themselves fairly well. When you put it on you sound so much different than you thought you did, closer to how you sound on a recording. I got used to the difference in sounds pretty quickly, but I did learn a lot during the process. I found out I don't sound as good as I thought I did when I sing, but my voices when I read aloud are better than I thought they were.

In Arlene’s defense ~ she does sing wonderfully, with or without Forbrain!

Forbrain is an expense tool ($359 US) but it comes with a 30 day money back guarantee, and a two year warranty. The Forbrain bone conduction headset comes with a sturdy storage case that zips closed. You charge the headset via a USB port/cord. If you charge the headset fully, it lasts about six hours of talking time. If you wear glasses, or have a lot of hair (like Arlene) you may want to spend a couple minutes in front of a mirror adjusting the headset to its best position the first few times you use it.

Overall, I am seeing improvements in Arlene’s speech patterns and enunciation. I think if Forbrain had been available when she was younger, I would have seen greater improvements in less time. Because we’ve been working on these things over the years, the improvements with Forbrain are slow but steady. I am hoping to schedule out time over the summer to use the Forbrain headset myself to work on my short-term working memory and attentiveness.

Forbrain’s website is chock-full of information about how the headset works, as well as suggestions for usage protocols, along with several testimonials ~ from laypeople and from speech professionals. I encourage you to visit their website and learn more about how Forbrain might benefit someone in your family. While it may not be the answer for everyone, it certainly shows promise for helping with a large range of auditory and language processing issues.

Connect with Forbrain on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, or use the live chat feature on their website.

To learn what the other Crew families experienced while using Forbrain, click the banner below.

Working and Homeschooling ~ Week 9 ~ Protecting Family Time

You might have noticed I haven't been posting as much the past two weeks. This goes hand in hand with this week's topic: Protecting Family Time. Mamas who work and homeschool have to make decisions about how they spend every hour of every day, every minute really, and they have lasting ramifications. Mamas who get the privilege of staying at home full time may not fully appreciate the opportunities they get for a "do-over" that are quite limited in families where both parents work.

I cannot change the past, neither can you. Once we've made a choice, we live with its consequences, good or bad. What we can choose to do is be selective about how we spend each day God grants us of our future. You MUST protect your family time! When you work and homeschool, family time is scarce. You need to protect it, nurture it, and make the most of it. If someone asks you to do something, anything, you need to take your answer before the filter of God's Word and see if it is something worth giving up family time for. Often, especially when your children are little, the answer is no.

There were many years when our girls were little that we did very little socially besides church, and the occasional homeschooling field trip. It didn't mean we didn't want to have friends, we did, but for Kurt and I, time spent with our friends without the girls was minimal because we understood how precious every hour we had of family time was to us. We did things as a family. If we could not afford for all four of us to go, or of it was an event where children were not welcome, we skipped it. Harsh? Not really. Sitting where we are today, with an 18 year old and a 16 year old, we can all look back on the memories we made as a family. That is worth far more than watching a movie with friends or a dinner out at the local restaurant.

It was worth protecting our family time, and it still is. However your family deems to spend your free time, make sure you are spending most of it together. There will be years when you are working and homeschooling that seem as if there is no free time at all ~ find some, even just a couple pf hours, and go make a memory with it! As Christians, we are called to not forsake the assembling of the saints. Go to church together. Consider the point that if both parents are working, this may not be your season of life to help with all the extras. You may be able to schedule part of a week off of work to help with Vacation Bible School, but you're probably not in a position to teach the children or watch toddlers every week. You may be able to help take food to shuts ins, but not commit to weekly choir practice and singing at every service. This is a conversation you need to have with your spouse! Together you seek God's direction, and ask for His help in planning and protecting your family time. You first ministry IS at home.

So what might family time look like? Every family is different, but I'll give you a glimpse into what we've done in the past. 

Games ~ Instead of focusing on organized sports, we chose things we could do together: board games, tennis, climbing around the playground at the park, swimming, creek stomping.

Outings ~ Picnics at the local park, hiking (we've always purchased a State Park pass so we could visit a variety of parks and only had to budget for it once a year.) Baseball games (many pro teams have family packs with discounted children's tickets so its only a couple more dollars for the whole family than it would be just for two.) The State Fair: pack a huge cooler of food, water bottles and sunblock and spend the whole day.

Events ~ Many local communities have free concerts, or places where you can volunteer a few hours in exchange for entrance to an all-day event. Keep an eye on local homeschooling or Mom-based activities groups to search out the details. Don't be afraid to contact the organizers of an event you'd like to attend and ask if they have a volunteer program!

Birthdays ~ when the Grandparents ask what your children want for their birthdays, suggest things you can actually use together as a family: sports equipment or a family membership to your favorite museum.

Library card ~ there is no less expensive way to read, watch movies, and listen to audio books than to utilize your local library! Even if you live outside of a library district and have to pay for a card, it is money well spent for the year!

So what have we been doing recently in our protected family time? Visiting relatives, having a birthday party, going to 4-H meetings, going to a cook out with friends, visiting a historic home. We've been busy creating memories. You'll read about several of those trips soon here on the blog. In the meantime, go find some family time and plan something fun and inexpensive. The more time you spend together as a family, the more you'll come to appreciate it, value it, and protect it.

God placed us in families. Cherish them!

The Glass Castle ~ A Crew Book Review

The Glass Castle by Trisha White Priebe and Jerry B. Jenkins is a Middle Grade Fiction title from Shiloh Run Press. Arlene (16) and I have both enjoyed reading this book, even though it is geared towards children ages 10-14. The story of The Glass Castle centers on Avery, a country girl who was kidnapped on her 13th Birthday and carted to a mysterious castle in the city on the hill. Shiloh Run Press is a division of Barbour Publishing, and The Glass Castle is the first book in The Thirteen Series. The second book in The Thirteen Series: The Ruby Moon is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2016.

Our review is going to include some spoilers, so if you want to be totally surprised, stop reading now and go get your copy!

Before I go any further, here is a note from Arlene:

The Glass Castle is about a young girl who on her 13th birthday is taken from her home to the nearby castle, to work with other 13 year olds. Its an interesting book filled with adventure, fun, and good reminders about the importance of family. Be prepared to get book two when it comes out (this Fall) if you like the first one. because the story ends with a very open ending. Even though the main character is 13 I would recommend the book for 11-16 year olds as even at 16 I liked it and can't wait for the next book.

The Glass Castle is a story of intrigue, politics, and daily life. When Avery is unceremoniously dumped upon the floor of the castle, she is surrounded by a large ragtag group of other children, who she later learns are also all 13 years old, who are wearing magnificent clothes, but have dirty feet and messy faces. None of them know exactly why they have been brought to the castle, but they know they cannot leave. Avery develops friendships with Kate, Tuck, and Kendrick, who work together to try to solve the mystery.

The Glass Castle includes some wonderful truths for your Middle Grade readers to absorb. Most of these are either wisdom from Avery’s new friend Kate, or memories of lessons her mother taught her when she was younger.

“Never believe the lie that we can’t be leaders. It’s a myth circulated by adults who choose not to lead. Even as kids we have everything we need to make an impact on other people.”

“There are no throwaways in God’s Kingdom.”

“Hope is the greatest gift we have.”

“You never know what burdens people are carrying,”…“Be nice to everyone.”

“Books are made for lending.”

And my favorite one…

“Silly Avery. We don’t worship to reflect on ourselves. We worship to reflect on God.”

Overall Arlene and I both enjoyed reading the book, and are looking forward to reading the sequel this Fall. However, there were a few things we  think parents might want to know about before handing the book over to their 10-12 year olds. There is a budding romance between a couple of the main characters. Nothing untoward, or physical is mentioned, but you do read about the female’s thoughts on it, and her musings as to whether or not this is what love is. To both Arlene and I this seemed a bit mature for a character who has just barely turned 13 and has only known the boy for a few days. In today’s world where relationships are encouraged at too young of an age, we would have preferred the story stayed focused on friendship and not turned to romance and a secret picnic.   

The Glass Castle does not give you a time frame to set the story in. You may deduce a general time in history from early in the story that does not sit well with later features of the story. There are points in the story that Arlene and I discussed that appear to be anachronisms. An anachronism is defined thusly: a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned. Originally I was thinking 1600’s from the descriptions of people, clothing, and relationships, especially a recurring reference to a “country bride” marrying at a young age (13 or 14.) However, later in the story the children discover the Castle’s library and book titles are mentioned that were published in 1726 and 1861. Arlene decided that the books listed in the castle library require it to be set in 1880 or later.

These seeming contradictions will probably go unnoticed by many of the target readers, but may stand out to older readers. 

Overall, we would give The Glass Castle a grade of B. It is available as a hardback book like we received (250+ pages) or as a ePub or Kindle format.

Last week we visited our local library and Arlene found The Glass Castle available on a 4CD set from Oasis Audio. Another great option!

You can visit Shiloh Run Press/ Barbour Publishing on Facebook or Twitter.

To read more reviews of The Glass Castle, click on the banner below.

The Flavor of the Month

The flavor of the month for June will be strawberry!

How do I know? Because I picked all of these Saturday afternoon.  Only days ago we had just four ripe strawberries. Before that there was only one.

We love strawberries. 

Maybe its time for some whipped cream and strawberries for dessert. Or some strawberries in my granola, or just a bowl full to eat in the afternoon.

Hopefully the flavor of the month for July will be Tomato.

Until then, we'll be busy enjoying strawberries. :)

National Donut Day

Did you notice that yesterday was National Donut Day?

Is that a REAL holiday? 
To some people, yes. 
To others, no.

We do not consider National Donut Day a real holiday in our home . . . well, Kurt might disagree with me on that one -LOL! What we sometimes do with things like the various food days is this: celebrate them anyway!

Did we have pizza on National Pizza Party day? Yes. Was it a last minute decision funded mostly by a teenager - yup.

Did we have donuts yesterday? Actually, we did. We rarely go out to eat unless we are traveling, and we try to eat healthy 95% of the time. But people - it was DONUT DAY! 

I did NOT tell the girls that we would be having donuts. At least one of them did ask me in the morning before I went to work if I could buy some at my store before I came home. My response was along the lines of "probably not." After all, if you're going to celebrate donuts, do it right ~ go to the donut shop!


After I got home from work, we had an errand to run and the girls had asked to go to the library. (The Summer Reading program started two days ago, so of course they think we're getting a late start -HA!) After the library I went by the ATM to get some cash for tomorrow morning's Goodwill shopping trip. (Anyone else love half-off day at Goodwill ?!)

And then, the BIG surprise! I drove home a different way than usual and that just happened to land us in the parking lot of the best local place to get donuts. Deluxe Donuts. I can't remember if the girls have ever been to a real donut shop. Franchises do not count in my book as real donut shops. You need a Mom & Pop store to get the best flavor.

Each of us chose a donut. We also picked up a couple for Kurt. If he didn't want them, I was sure Arlene and I could humor him and eat them for him. L-O-L!!! Then we took our donuts home and ate them while dinner was cooking. Dessert first? It was DONUT DAY! Sometimes you need to change things up a bit. 

There will be another national food day (or seven) next week. We probably won't celebrate those. But we will remember having a little extra fun on Donut Day. For you locals - I had the Blueberry cream filled donut ~ It was absolutely delicious!



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Hey Mama! Print Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017 ~ A Crew Review

Hot off the presses I received the new Hey Mama! Print Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017 to review. The Hey Mama! planner is from the people at The Old Schoolhouse (TOS) ~ those geniuses behind SchoolhouseTeachers.com, Molly Green, and of course, The Old Schoolhouse magazine! I've only had the planner in hand for two weeks, but that is enough to know I will enjoy using this year's version as much as I have past years' versions. This will be the fourth school year I have used the Hey Mama! planner from TOS, but this year I will be adapting it a bit unusually to fit our changing life.

Spring turns to Summer and students' thought turn to vacation, Mamas' thought turn to the next school year. It's not that we overlook vacation ~ far from it ~ we LOVE time off of grading math tests and doing grammar exercises, but we realize that a change in our daily education routine gives us more time to plan for what comes next. Because our family's next is going to look so very different from the past years, I'll be doing a different kind of planning than I have in the past. 

Before I tell you about our adaptations of the Hey Mama! Schoolhouse Planner, let me cover the basics of what's inside so you can start thinking about how YOU will use it! We will focus on the print version of the planner, but if you prefer the additional customization available from a digital version, keep reading, as we will talk about that a little later! This year's version of the Hey Mama! planner is 192 pages, has a pioneer theme, is printed in sepia tones, and has a double wire binding. The color scheme of sepia, black, and white is relaxing to look at, but a little hard to take a picture of . . . sorry if my photos don't do it justice. I really like the upgrade to the wire binding over the traditional plastic spiral binding that has been used in the past. It is sturdier, and easier to differentiate from all the other spiral bound books on our bookshelf. (Not that it will spend much time on the bookshelf until next July-LOL!)

The 2016-2017 Hey Mama! Schoolhouse Planner dates from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. This works well for us as our state records days of attendance for the school year from July-June. The planner begins with an introductory letter from Gena Suarez, who along with her husband Paul, are publishers of TOS. Next comes the table of contents, and then one page calendars for 2016, 2017, & 2018.

The first major part of the planner is the two-page monthly spreads. Before each month's spread, there is an encouraging Hey Mama note, plus a whole page to write down general notes for the month. One of the things I have always enjoyed about the two-page monthly spreads in the Hey Mama! planners is the simplicity. Large boxes without lines, and a really wide left margin for jotting notes . . . or putting your post-it notes on. In past years' planners, I've used the left margins to record passwords for short term or two week trial online programs so they are easy for the girls and myself to access. Our days can be busy, and I need to be able to see all the major events at once. This two-page spread with the large boxes gives me enough space without having to cram things in.

The middle bulk of the Hey Mama! planner is comprised of the Week of:_______ pages. Each week has a two-page spread that is designed to record up to five students' daily assignments. The Week of:________ pages cover 36 weeks, and are undated, allowing you to begin and end your school year on your schedule without wasting any pages. I also like how the undated pages make it easy to put in a week of vacation when you need it. If you follow a traditional school-year calendar, or use a version of sabbath schooling, this should be enough pages to cover your whole school year. If you school year-round, keep reading, as we'll talk about other options for you!

Pages 146-192 are filled with planning, recording and help pages for Mamas. Some of these types of pages have 5 copies, some only have one. Is there any U.S. home educating mama out there without access to a copier ~ probably not. The planning pages include: Monthly Goals, Semester Goals, Yearly Goals (with spaces on each for Educational, Spiritual, Physical, Personal Talents, Life Skills, Financial, and Relational goals.) Next up are 5 Attendance Chart pages with 180 boxes to fill in. The boxes are numbered, making it easy to see how far along you are in the school year. Depending on your state's requirements, you can either check the boxes, or enter the dates in them. Next you will find four of the Books Read This Year book logs. Arlene says that is good, because she always needs multiple sheets ~ she reads a lot! Five Curriculum Planning Sheets and a Homeschool Contact List page finish the planning and recording section. 

The Mama helps pages include: 36 General Writing Prompts, 35 Story Starters, The Thirteen Colonies by Date, Timeline of Inventions, and U.S. Presidents and Their Wives. The last part of the helps section includes pages on the Branches of Government, U.S. States and Capitals, two pages on creating a High School transcript, and two pages for recording skills learned and courses taken by younger students.

All of this is packed into a manageable 8.5" x 11" size, still portable, but also a decent size to leave open on your desk for easy reference. Mine will mostly stay open on my desk, so everyone can walk by and see what needs accomplished each day.

For those of you who school year-round, or who have more than five students still at home, you may want to consider the digital version the Hey Mama! Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017. This hulk of a PDF allows you to print off as many copies of each page as you need. Want more Week of:_____ pages? More book logs? More blank transcript copies? You can print as many or as few of the pages in the planner as you want. I used the digital version of the Hey Mama! planner a few years ago, printed the pages I thought we would utilize, and took it to our local print shop for spiral binding and a pretty cover. If you like the look and feel of the printed planner, you can simply print out the extra Week of: _____ pages to cover your extra weeks and paperclip them in to the back of your print planner.

If you have a membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com, you already have access to the digital version of the planner, if not, you can purchase the downloadable version for $19 form The Old Schoolhouse Store. 

The print version of the 2016-2017 Hey Mama! planner is normally $29 for US addresses, and higher for other countries. Right now, you can use the coupon code: CREWCODE for a $10 discount off of the print planner!

But wait, before you head over to get your own copy of this year's planner, in either a print or digital format, I want to tell you a little about how we're adapting the planner because of our changing schedules. Emily will be graduating in December, leaving me with only one full-time student at home. Do I still want to use a planner? Oh yes!!! While waiting for my newest planner to arrive, I pulled out my older copies and started thinking about adaptability. For the Fall semester, I'm still going to need to keep an eye on Emily's assignments as well as the planning for the hands-on time I'll be spending with Arlene as we dive back into math, and add a rigorous WorldView study, besides her regular science and electives.

Because I'm a working and homeschooling Mama, even though I don't love to plan, I NEED to plan, or things won't get done! Both girls are independent workers/ learners for almost everything, but still can benefit from a watchful eye to help them plan ahead and manage their time well. Right now they are in the thick of 4-H projects and volunteering at the local Living History museum, as well as co-captaining a spinning (wool, not bicycles) team. Add in church and time with their friends and you can see why they're just as active in the summer as during the school year.

I've already started using the Week of:____ pages, but only half of a two-page spread each week. Since they are designed for big boxes for the day, plus five students, I just moved the day outside into the margin and am using each pages' three columns for: myself (blogging, work, and 4-H Leader,) Arlene, and Emily. We will continue using half of each two-page spread per week through Christmas, then I'll evaluate if I want to change our usage again for second semester when it will just be Arlene and myself.

One last note before you go get your own copy of the Hey Mama! Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017. There is a pioneer theme to this year's planner, not just  on the cover but inside as well. Interspersed between the Week of:____ pages are short history lessons about the nine items on the front cover: the spinning wheel, cast iron skillet, butter churn, dibber, horseshoes, pitchfork, dolly stick, washboard, and iron. Across the page from each history lesson is another short encouragement for Mamas! I don't know about you, but with this being my 14th year of home educating, I can still use all the encouragement I can get!

I'm really looking forward to using my Hey Mama! planner to keep on top of things for the upcoming summer and school year. For me, it has always been a great resource for general planning, and then recording what actually got accomplished so I can remember it all when its time to work on the transcripts. For Mamas just beginning their home education journey, you may not use every page, but you'll be thankful for a place to record what you did with your children and be able to reflect back on all God has taught your children, and you, each year!

To read how other members of the Crew are using their planners this year, click the banner below!