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Sunday, March 27, 2022

Print a FREE Gifts of the Holy Spirit Memory Game



We've got another child preparing for Confirmation here, so, in order to help solidify the Gifts of the Holy Ghost in his mind, I whipped up a super simple printable card game that can be played in three different tried-and-true ways.

1. Concentration/Memory
(for 1 or more players)

Lay the cards words down in even rows. Then, turn two cards over to reveal what their words say. If the cards match - for example, “Fear of the Lord…” and “… fills us with a dread of sin”, keep the match, and go again. If they don’t, turn the cards back over and pass onto the next turn. If playing solo, the game ends when you have matched all cards. If playing with more players, whoever has the most card pairs at the end wins.


2. Go Fish
(for 2 or more players; if there are many players, use more sets of cards)

Lay all the cards face down as “fish in a pond”. Then, each player take three cards. Player 1 ask another play, “Do you have ____?” naming what is needed to complete the pair - so, for example, if holding “...fills us with a dread of sin”, Player 1 would ask, “Do you have Fear of the Lord? If the player asked has the card requested, the card is given to Player 1, who lays the match down. If not, the player says, “No. Go fish!”” and Player 1 takes a face down card from the “fish pond”. The next person then takes a turn asking. Play continues until all cards are matched, and the player with the most matches wins.


3. The Slap Game
(for 3 or more players)

Lay the cards that name the Gifts of the Holy Spirit face up so that the words show. Give the corresponding pairs to the caller, who draws one card and makes it a question, for example, “What fills us with a dread of sin?” In response, players compete to be the first to slap the corresponding card, for example “Fear of the Lord”. Whoever slaps the correct card gets to keep it. Then, a new clue is given by the caller. The game ends when all cards have been slapped, and whoever has the most cards at the end gets to be the next caller.

When making the cards, I purposefully went for function over eye appeal in order to save printer ink and so that my son - and anyone who chooses to print a set of cards out - can easily personalize the cards.

If you'd like to download and print your own set of Gifts of the Holy Ghost Matching Cards, click here.

You can find other complimentary printables by scrolling here.

May your child enjoy using these free cards to solidify the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in his or her mind.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

My Daughter Devoured C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller {A Homeschool Review Crew / YWAM Publishing Review}


Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

"OOO! Guess what, guys? We're being offered a chance to review another YWAM Publishing book!" I said before proceeding to read through the titles of the Christian Heroes: Then & Now books we could choose from.

No sooner had I read the words C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller than did my 14-year-old excitedly proclaim, "That one!" She had recently become enamored with some of C.S. Lewis' nonfiction writing and wanted to know more about the man behind the books she had been reading.


Shortly after, we were delighted to receive a 191-page softcover copy of C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller in the mail and a link via email to download a Unit Study Curriculum Guide that corresponds to the book.

As soon as the book arrived, my daughter dove right in and barely came up for air. This is what she had to write when I asked for her review:

When my mother asked me if I'd like to review C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller by Janet & Geoff Benge, I automatically ensured her that I did. Remembering my past enjoyment of these books and considering my latest - what would you call it- obsession with C.S Lewis, I knew I wanted to read the book.

I did not know much about C.S. Lewis when I started the book. I do now.

The book follows the common theme of Christian Heroes: Then and Now books, which, is, of course, to make what could be a boring history of someone's life a compelling and informative story. This book in the series was so compelling, in fact, that I believe I read it in three days! I kept saying to myself and my poor mother, "just one more page.... last chapter for now...." and then proceeded to read the next and the next until I had finished the book.

I do not want to say much about what I learned about C.S. Lewis, because I do not want to ruin it for others, but I will share some random things:

  • Did you know that C.S. Lewis' nickname was Jack? (I have a brother named Jack, so found this interesting.)
  • Did you know he fought in the World Wars?
  • How about that when he first married his life it was not because he loved her, but so that she would not have to go back to the United States?

 

I also learned more about some of the background of C.S. Lewis' writing.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about C.S. Lewis or to just read an interesting biography. I think it would be good for people eight and up.

As you can see, my daughter thoroughly enjoyed C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller, and, given that and our past pleasure with other YWAM Publishing books, I second her recommendation of the book and its corresponding unit study.

Regarding the Unit Study Curriculum Guide, it is a thorough one that can be used as a full-on unit study or can be cherry-picked for specific ideas and information that suit your particular child and homeschool style. Like all 
YWAM Publishing curriculum guides, it has ideas, prompts, and information for reinforcing various curriculum areas, including history, geography, essay writing, creative writing, reading comprehension, public speaking, drama, and art and is written so that both homeschool parents and teachers of co-ops/classrooms can use the material contained in it.

As a relaxed, eclectic homeschool family, we rarely use such resources in their entirety, but, rather, choose to cherry-pick ideas. Examples of how we do this are:
  • use included Bible verse quotes as journal prompts.

  • chat about the vocabulary words and terms that are highlighted in the Chapter Questions and Social Studies sections to ensure that my child understand each.

  • have my child browse the Essay Question prompts to select one for practice essay writing.

  • suggest my child look over the Creative Writing prompts to see if one strikes her fancy for journaling or a personal project.
  • use the included maps to find some of the places mentioned.

There's so much in the Curriculum Guide- and all well-organized and easy to browse through - so it is easy to extend learning as little or as much as you want.

We absolutely love YWAM Publishing here and  C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller did not disappoint. 

You can find our past YWAM Publishing reviews by browsing here. Also, be sure to click over to the Homeschool Review Crew to find links to current blog, video, and social media reviews from families that have read 
 C.S. Lewis: Master Storyteller or other Christian Heroes: Then & Now books.

christian-biographies-from-ywam-publishing-bring-heroes-to-life

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Sunday, March 20, 2022

Try Our St. Joseph's Sawdust Pasta

 



For years now, my children have enjoyed St. Joseph's "Sawdust" Pasta at our St. Joseph Table events.


{Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.}


Yesterday, as we shared some at a potluck for the feast day, a friend asked me for the recipe, which made me realize I had never shared it here for easy-access. So, I am doing so now.


  • 2 bags of your favorite gluten-free  linguine or spaghetti (We typically use the Sam Mills, which can be found at a local-to-us discount store, but can also be purchased on Amazon)
  • water
  • 1/2 cup soy-free Earth Balance
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4-1/2 cup raw local honey (depending on how sweet you like things)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (can use fresh if desired)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
  • crushed gluten-free, casein-free crackers - or GFCF bread crumbs (As much as you like)


1. Cook the pasta according to the directions. Then, drain.

2. Meanwhile, sauté garlic in Earth Balance.

3. Stir in honey and herbs.

4. Pour over drained pasta, stir together, and sprinkle with "sawdust" (crushed crackers or breadcrumbs).

We hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.

St. Joseph, pray for us.


Sunday, March 13, 2022

Try This SOS-Free Vegan Irish Stew!

Our whole household has been sick this week, so I have not been out to a store and will be making our St. Patrick's Day meal from our pantry and fridge.

As a part of it, I will make a simple salt-oil-and-sugar-free vegan Irish stew.




If you'd like to make something similar, here's the recipe:

1 onion, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of GF flour
3 cans white potatoes, chopped
4-6 carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon marjoram
1 can green beans
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
a generous splash liquid amino acids



1. Put just enough water in the bottom of a large pot to cover the bottom. Add diced onions and minced garlic. Cook for several minutes until starting to become translucent.

2. Sprinkle flour on onion-garlic mix and stir in.

3. Add potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, water, and herbs. Cook until carrots are as soft as you like them.

4. Add green beans, vinegar, and amino acids. Stir in.

You can eat this stew freshly made, or let it sit for a bit for the flavors to mix together and deepen. Any canned ingredients can be swapped out for fresh or frozen and vice versa. You can also add other vegetables if you like. It's quite a forgiving recipe and one my entire family likes despite it being vegan, salt-, oil-, and -sugar-free (which *I* love, but my family sometimes balks at.)

St. Patrick, pray for us.

 

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Set Goals with Your Family while Playing a Game {A Homeschool Review Crew Trive Review}

 


Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.


I have to admit: If it were not for the Homeschool Review Crew, I never would have heard of nor tried the goal achievement and team building experience TRIVE by GOZIMUS Enterprises, LLC., a game that aims to promote family relationships, communication,  and achievement, while everyone puts their phones down to converses with, coach, and compete with one another.


Part entertainment, part teamwork, all working towards motivating participants to discover, share, and achieve personal goals through face-to-face conversations, TRIVE is a unique experience.


What Comes in the TRIVE Box?




We were all impressed with the physical quality of the TRIVE materials.


The game comes in an appealing and sturdy box which includes:

  • a TRIVE instruction booklet

  • 50 Goal Cards

  • 50 Review Cards

  • 100 Quotable Cards

  • a TRIVE Leader Notebook


There is also an Online TRIVE Guide.


All of these work to help a group of 4-6 family and friends connect and achieve through a 3-step TRIVE process.


My family also found that the Quotable Cards make great quick-pick journal and impromptu speech prompts!


What Was Our Experience with TRIVE?


When I hear words like "goals," "teamwork", or "family communication," I think, You're speaking my language. Others here do not, though. Four of five like games though, so I was interested to see how my family would react to TRIVE.


Thus, after I read all the TRIVE instructions, I gathered my family for a TRIVE Discovery Session one night.

 

On the night of our Discovery Session, we each came up with three goals and, then, secretly, put a quick drawing, word, or phrase on a goal card to represent the goal.



From there, we followed the TRIVE directions to play a game where we took turns drawing Quotable cards, read the cards aloud, and guessed who had said each quote. (We had expected many older, traditional quotes, and were surprised by how many current figures were included in the Quotable cards.)



Then, we picked up random goal cards, read these aloud (or showed the sketches on them) and guessed who had penned the goal, and, finally, based upon points and conversation, paired up with coaches.



From there, we headed into the Achievement phase of the TRIVE experience, where - over the next six months- each of us is meant to work on our goals with our coaches encouraging us.  



For the first couple of days after our Discovery Session, some of our family actually began to coach and work towards goals, while others joked about it all. 

Sadly, too soon for my liking, efforts petered out, so I am not sure if it will be worth us continuing onto the Review Session where final discussion, assessment, scoring, etc. is done. For, while I would love to have this work for my family, it is clear that - at present- we just are not a good TRIVE, or group of friends or family members discovering, sharing and achieving personal goals through face-to-face conversations.

In fact, when I asked each member of our TRIVE for their thoughts, my 14-year-old - who tends to like personal goal setting and games, but also likes things to be clear cut, said:


I didn't really like using TRIVE the way it was meant to be used, but I did like to use the cards with the quotes to find journal prompts and impromptu speech quotes. Also, the materials were of good quality. 

The game itself was a little bit boring, because it wasn't really a game and wasn't really a meeting either. It was a fine line that I did not find pleasant. It was a little bit in between.

 


My 16-year-old, who is not a goal-setting and sharing, family time kind of kid right now, said:


I didn't enjoy it so much. I found it kind of pointless, because I don't see why you need something external to set goals with you and why everyone needs to know what your goals are. It's not my style, but people like my mom would like it. It is more organized...all with the family, and all that.


My husband, who willingly gave TRIVE a chance, but found it lacked the motivational factor that would work for him and some of our children said:


It was okay, but has not really been achieving its goal. I have not coached or been coached much. 


My youngest, however, who is just 11 - so young for this experience which is geared for those 15 years old and up - did like it. He said:


It was a fun way to set goals. I liked using the card points to pick coaches.


As for me, I think TRIVE has potential and would love to try it again with a different group of people - perhaps some of my friends.


I signed up for the optional TRIVE emails that offer tips and such, and enjoy reading what they have to say. I also think that TRIVE could:

  • effectively act as a framework for discovering, defining, sharing, and achieving personal goals.

  • encourage meaningful dialogue.

  • guide willing participants in the importance of coaching and how to be a great coach.

  • motivate the right personality types to overcome obstacles such as procrastination, self-doubt, and fear.

  • encourage commitment to tasks.

  • focus one on the value of discipline to a process.

and more.

What TRIVE Tweaks Would I Like to See? 


Undoubtedly, the mixed reviews my family gave for TRIVE were due, in large part, to the temperament and habits of different people here and not the quality of TRIVE materials. However, I do think that two tweaks to how TRIVE is presented would help families like mine benefit more from the experience: 


(1) Encourage varied goal setting periods

For a family like mine, with some members who don't like goal-setting and others who need more of a push to form new habits, I think the six-month timeframe for the TRIVE experience is too long. I think we would have found the activity more successful with a much shorter initial TRIVE cycle.

(2)  Allow TRIVE coaches an option for access to a website with links to each TRIVE Guide portions.


Signing up for optional emails is all well and good, but emails get lost in overcorwded inboxes and also, the automatic pacing of the emails prevents families from flexibly speeding up the TRIVE cycle as suggested above. So, I would love to see the ability to have immediate web access to all of the Guide once the Guide access code is inputted online.

Would We Recommend TRIVE?


While several in my family would not likely recommend TRIVE, I would - for families and groups of friends that like structure and wish to get together to talk, set goals, and coach one another. The product materials are well made, the concept interesting, and the goal of getting people to put phones down and start talking face-to-face a wonderful one.


set-goals-to-succeed-while-playing-a-family-game:-trive


Some Homeschool Review Crew families truly loved TRIVE. Head on over to read their reviews to see if your family, like theirs, will find TRIVE an awesome goal achievement and family communication experience.


Sunday, March 6, 2022

6 Ideas for Simple Suppers during Lent


Looking for simple meatless meal ideas to enjoy at home this Lent, share with others before or after Stations of the Cross on Friday nights, or bring to others on Meal Trains?

Let me share six categories for simple suppers that I drew up after one friend asked me for ideas since her child is going vegetarian for all of Lent, another friend asked what we'll be bringing to the Soup-n-Stations event she is hosting this week, another friend posted a meal train for a new-again mom we know, and my children and I attended a Stations and Simple Supper event at a semi-local parish this past week.

Hopefully, these ideas will get you going with your own menu planning for Simple Suppers this Lent.

  1. Soup and Sides: Pair your favorite vegatarian, pescatarian, or vegan soup or stew with a vegetable or fruit salad, some hearty bread, or some crackers and chips.
  2. Breakfast for Dinner: Pair a baked veggie omelet, French toast casserole, todu scramble, potato-onion-garlic home fries, vegan pancakes, or something similar with a fruit platter. Or, set out an oatmeal bar: a large pot of oatmeal with loads of delicious toppings to choose from: honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, berries, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.
  3. Pizza, Pasta, and Sides: Put together some pasta and sauce, lasagna, margherita pizza, spinach and feta pizza, raviolis, or whatever special diet (vegan, gluten free, etc.) alternative you like with salad.
  4. Dips-n-Spreads: Hummus, guacamole, hot artichoke and spinach dip, hot bean dip, baba ghanouch, salsa,... whatever your favorite dips and spreads are... Lay them ut with some crackers, bread, tortilla chips, vegetable crudites, and sliced fruit and you're good to go.
  5. Salad and...: Make salads the main dish! Enjoy ruit salad, Waldorf salad, Mexican-inspired salad, Asian cabbage salad whatever kind of salad you like paired with brea, crackers, sliced avocados, or an array of protein toppings/add ins (beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds).
  6. Vegetable Casseroles: Green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, baked ziti with lentils, vegan enchilada casserole, Mercian tortilla casserole, and.... the list goes on! Pair you favorite casserole with a fruit or veggie platter or some salad and enjoy.

I'd love to hear about your favorite recipes or other ideas. Do share in a comment.

Friday, March 4, 2022

What's New at SchoolhouseTeachers.com?


Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

This post may contain affiliate linksIf you purchase something through one of my links,  I may make a small commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

As a member of the Homeschool Review Crew, I receive an Ultimate Membership (aff link) to SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) a division of The Old Schoolhouse® for my family for the year. This is always one of my favorite perks of being on the Crew because SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) has so many helpful courses and resources on this website.

What is SchoolhouseTeachers.com? 


If you have not seen one of my past reviews about SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) , I will sum up the resource in eight words: online, self-paced, affordable, multi-age, user-friendly, flexible, customizable, and Christian.

I will also add that SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) is growing all the time! Their website, which was launched in 2012 with eleven courses, now offers 400+ courses designed by 230+ caring folk that serve over 9,000 families and new things are being offered all the time.

What is NEW at SchoolhouseTeachers.com? 

Curriculum boxes!


These are not literal boxes. They are even better. They're virtual boxes of homeschool curriculum and electives that give you instant access to materials and take the guesswork out of planning curriculum for every grade.

Around the time when many public and private schools were going online due to the pandemic, 
SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) put together these "boxes" to help new homeschoolers find their footing quickly and easily. The "boxes" have since proved to help veteran homechoolers, too, by reducing planning time and creating ease and independence for parents and students alike.


The 9th through 12th grade school boxes, like all SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) course materials, offer Christian, self-paced online materials. They include all of the core courses necessary for graduation in one easy place, and also leave room for flexibility and electives.

The online materials included in the "box"  include downloadable .pdf files, streaming videos, and other resources and cater to an array of learning styles. 

Because the materials are online, there is no physical box, no need to find more bins and bookcases to store materials in your home, no shipping cost, and no delay while waiting for materials to arrive. Rather, with your Ultimate Membership (aff link) , you get instant access to:

  • a curriculum guide for each subject that correlates objectives with the SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link)  Scope & Sequence
  • weekly checklists to keep you and your child on track
  • daily checklists that guide you and your student through each activity
  • direct links to the SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) courses and resources you need by the week
  • a list of additional suggested materials for the year -  like note paper and art supplies and - listed in one place,
  • links to additional SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) resources for those days your kids want to spend more time on a topic they love.

Better still, all of these things can be mixed and matched with other courses across different grade levels and subjects using Focused Learning Centers (aff link)  in order to customize your high schooler's education

So, whether you are a brand new homeschoolers or a seasoned veteran, you can easily get your high schooler going strong with studies.

Your younger children won't be left out either. Included in your membership is access to all of the elementary and middle school "boxes" and Pre-K and Parent Boxes are coming soon

Also coming this year are 
Korean, Calculus, Psychology, and an updated Microsoft course


If all-in-one things aren't your style though, do not worry! Eclectic and relaxed homeschoolers like me can still access all 400+ courses that SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) offers one-by-one, using the tabs at the top of the website to find materials by grade, subject, type (such as streaming videos) and more.


Also new with your 
Ultimate Membership  (aff link) to SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) are helpful things such as:

  • zoom chats
  • an online members' lounge
  • Story Time
  • Show-and-Tell
  • seasonal events and contests, such as a Virtual Art & Photography Fair, a Virtual Science Fair (on March 25), and a Virtual talent Show (on May 20).


Isn't that awesome? With your membership, you now get an ever-growing array of curriculum, new  events, and an online space that can be go-to for parent support! 

What have we been using?


Our family has been blessed to have a SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link)membership annually for years and have used a wide array of course materials, printables, videos, and more -appreciating it all.

This year, when my eldest was looking for a straightforward, online video option for studying high school chemistry, we took a quick look under the subject tab at SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) and found a 25-week, video-based Advanced Chemistry class which he decided to take.

In the pre-recorded classes I have listened in on, it has become obvious to me that the teacher Dr. Todd C. Wood has a passion for science and teaches it in a way my son can learn from.

Now, my son is self-pacing through each session's 45-90 minute video recording and accompanying
 practice exercises, worksheets, tests, supplemental readings, and answer keys, doing small amounts some days and larger amounts other days. 

Being able to stop and start as attention and life demand is convenient and helpful for my son. Knowing he can pick right back up where he left off with me and that a clear path lays ahead is helpful for me.

This is what he has to say about the course so far:

I chose to take this course because I need a Chemistry credit to graduate and this course is easily accessible online with a video component. 
I like the informal feeling that some of videos had, giving one a feeling of someone sitting in on a conversation rather than taking a class. I dislike the Christian influence, but understand that since it is a Christian curriculum. 
The teacher speaks clearly, is easy to understand and follow and is not completely dry like some teachers in other courses I have taken elsewhere.

The printables make it easy to move through the course and prove my learning to Mom. The course gets the job done. 


So as you can see, the course is a win for us right now. 

My son - even if he is in a stage where he is eschewing most things faith-based - is choosing to use the course, and the layout, ease of access, and knowledge imparted by the course all work for both of us.

We highly recommend SchoolhouseTeachers.com to anyone looking for Christian Curriculum! 

Seriously, if you seek online connection and learning for your whole family at an affordable price, we recommend the Ultimate Membership  (aff link) to SchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link).

Whether you want a full core curriculum and electives or something to fill in gaps and feed special interests, you will find it with the  Ultimate Membership  (aff link).

As I mentioned before, there a
re over 400 options for all ages with offerings which vary in length from ones with printable games that can be used in a single sitting to courses that last a few weeks to a full year or more, and, since the courses are not live you have the option of starting, stopping, and picking back up with them as you wish.

So, whether you're in all-in-one homeschooler that likes a one-stop homeschool resource, an eclectic or relaxed homeschooler that wants a place to dip into tried-and-true materials, a single child homeschooler looking for online community, or a homeschooler with students of all ages that each could use different resources at one affordable priceSchoolhouseTeachers.com (aff link) has you covered.

It truly is a HUGE VALUE with one price for the whole family!


With membership, you get:

  • Online Classes
  • Online Electives
  • Preschool Materials
  • Elementary Homeschool Courses
  • Middle School Homeschool Courses
  • High School Homeschool Courses
  • Homeschool Parent Support
  • Lesson Plans
  • a Report Card Generator
  • High School Credit and Transcript Support
  • a Custom Schedule Builder
  • Access to Rightnow Media
  • a Video Library with 100s of Videos On Demand
  • Access to World Books Online
  • Homeschool Planners
  • Interactive Content
  • School Boxes 
  • Individual Courses
  • a Literacy Center
  • a Community Members Forum
  • Special Needs Support
  • Special Events

...and other special bonuses with at an economical price - either by month or year - which covers every person in your family. You also will have no textbooks to buy and no limits on classes.


Complete curriculum for every student? If that's what you want.

Cherry picked supplements, one-off games and activities, or self-paced courses for just one of your children? You got it!

Helps and resources for parents? It's there!

Family entertainment? Yep!

Downloadable, printable elements as well as online classes and video components? You bet!

Whatever your homeschool need, whatever the season, SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a trusted source.

If you'd like to see how homeschool families with different styles and a wide variety of children's ages have been using the curriculum, head on over to find video, blog, and social media reviews from the entire Homeschool Review Crew!


Marvel

You may also to engage with SchoolhouseTeachers.com  (aff link) and The Old Schoolhouse® on social media at: