Spring Has Sprung!

It actually sprung a couple of weeks ago and has continued springing since. Here's a few floral pictures from the Tinkel yard that I have taken. The past couple pics were just from today. Thank you, Lord, or the spring!

Have You Seen This?!?

I think it's because Sarah and I work with folks that are down and out that these type videos appeal to me so much. It all started a couple of years ago with Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent. It seems that the "Got Talent" shows bring out the best in folks that are down and out. I've featured several of them before. These two videos are from the 2012 season of Britains Got Talent. Once again they feature individuals that have faced hard times in life. They brought tears to my eyes so you may want to have some tissues handy. Of course, I'm an old softy anyway! Enjoy.

Only Boys Aloud




Charlotte and Jonathon

Action Alert



It happens all of the time...

• A young boy does an innocent search on his computer. When he opens one link he gets an eye full of some not so innocent pictures.
• An impressionable girl thinks she is chatting with someone she knows. Unbeknownst to her it really isn't a friend.

Or in our home it might be...

• A child sneaks on the computer when they are supposed to be doing schoolwork or, perhaps, even sleeping!

Things like the above happen. They have happened in my household...and I'm not talking about just the last example. Many times there are safety features built into you computer that you can use. But, many times those safety features are very difficult to use if you can even figure out how to set them up. Then, there are the products on the market made to help with these type situations. Some do what they claim and some don't. We have tried many of them and couldn't seem to find one that we liked.
Recently, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I was given the opportunity to review Action Alert and found that it is the best that we have tried yet. It has some amazing features. Let me show you a list of some of them and then I'll talk about our experience using this program.



As you can see there are several fascinating features on Action Alert. Some I have never seen before. They have the usual tools such as Site Blocking, Content Filtering and Keystroke Logging but there were a few tools that I thought were really neat.

• Access Control allows you to access your PC remotely - even by cell phone - to see what is going on. If you don't like what you are seeing, you can shut down your PC.
• I really liked the Activity Notification Alerts. If there is activity that seems unusual or suspicious, then an email is sent to you with details. This works even when your child is doing a search. I must warn you, though, that it is extremely sensitive. A few times I received an email that one of the boys had done a search that contained the word "a**". You know, as in another name for a donkey. When I asked him about it, he was adamant that he hadn't searched for anything like that. I was inclined to believe him. He plays several online games (all approved by me) that have acronyms and strange words in them. I don't know if Action Alert could have picked one of them up and thought that he was searching for something different or not. So, how can be so sure that he wasn't searching for that? Because of the next feature that I think is one of the neatest.
• It's the Activity Video Recording feature. You can actually log in to the easy to use parent dashboard and watch everything that has happened on your computer for the past 60 hours! You are shown a video (that thankfully goes a little quicker than real time) so that you can see what your child (or you) have been up to. You an easily see what websites have appeared, games they have been playing, chats they have been having. You name it, you can see it. It is really a neat little feature.
• Then there's the Time Allowance and the Chat and Email Logging feature. The Time Allowance allows you to set how long you want your child (each child has his own password) to use your PC. The Chat and Email Logging feature does just that. Logs all of your child's online chats and emails.

So, with all of these features you must think that the price would be "out of this world", but how does FREE sound to you?!? Well, you an actually get a limited version of Action Alert for free. There is also a maximum version for just $29.99. This program is by far the most comprehensive internet protection program that I have seen. Just click here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above to find out more. Other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew reviewed Action Alert and you can find what they thought by clicking here. Happy Home Educating!

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was given a free download of Action Alert in order to try out and give my honest review on this blog.

My Poor Neglected Blog and GO TEAM!

How's that title for trying to convey two things at once?!?

Anyway, I feel like I have totally neglected my blog the past few days. I've had laryngitis...the vocal kind which has nothing to do with fingers, so you would think that I could still type posts. Nevertheless, I have been coughing and sputtering and not really wanting to do anything but sleep.

Unfortunately I have also been extremely busy so I haven't been able to sleep much until today. Which brings me to my next topic. The reason I have been busy is that John Allen and Joshua had a big shooting match yesterday - the Tennessee 4H State Championship. John Allen shot air rifle and Joshua shot competative BB gun. This was the first full competition for John Allen and he placed seventh and his team placed second. Our BB team placed first! Sarah took pictures but I am just too lazy right now to download them and post them. So, pictures will be coming!

Congratulations Team!

Why is there a huge cow sticking its head into a bus window?

We just got home from our Teach Them Diligently Conference/Vacation and I can't wait to answer the above question. Unfortunately since I am very tired it will have to wait until tomorrow. Check back then for more great pics of a great time at a great place!



Missions In Action

I had the great pleasure of being able to chat with the host of Missions In Action today via MIA's weekly webchat. I didn't realize that they even did that until I saw it being promoted on Facebook. I really appreciate what MIA is attempting to do with their program. Their goal is to help other mission organizations by promoting them in their MIA broadcasts. They have no hidden agenda of their own. Their only agenda is to help others.

And, not only do their web episodes help others, but they are fascinating to watch. So many people are unaware of the world around them. They think that everyone lives the same way they do. They don't realize that there are folks in other countries that still live in grass huts or some other primitive means. Put away the poverty for a moment. These episodes are just plain fun to watch because it gives a glimpse of the day to day life of folks in other cultures.

Here are two more episodes of Missions In Action. Episode 14 is very touching. I pray that you will consider sponsoring one of these dear children. Just follow the instructions at the end of the videos or go to http://www.missionsinaction.tv/ for more information.

Episode 13

Episode 14

Progeny Press - Great Study Guides for Your Little Progeny!



I have said this a lot of times before but it is worth saying it again and again. We love to read and reading is worth it. I was just at a missionary meeting yesterday and the speaker said that still, in the day and age that we are in, that illiteracy around the world is getting worse instead of better. I won't get into that right now, because that isn't what this review/post is about, but it is worth saying that making sure that your children can read, understand what they read, and just plain old read, read, read, should be one of the main goals of a parent.

Progeny Press does just that with its great book unit studies and it does it in a fun way. John Allen has enjoyed working with the unit study that we were sent and I have been really impressed with it as well. I don't usually do a "What John Allen liked..." and "What I liked..." type review, but it really fits this time around and, since I like to mix up the way I write my reviews anyway, that's the way this review is going to be written. So, here goes...



What John Allen likes...

• First of all, he really likes the book we reviewed. I make a lot of mistakes in my parenting and in my homeschooling. One of the things that I really am a stickler on, however, is the books that I allow my children to read. We really try to read good, "living", books. The Bronze Bow is one of those books. Elizabeth George Speare is a great author. John Allen has loved every one of her books that he has read. Again, though, this is not what this review is all about. I mention it, however, to let you know that the type of literature unit studies that Progeny Press publishes are from good literature. If you are looking for studies that go with some of the sappy, ridiculous, novels that some authors write today, you won't find them at Progeny Press. They are a Christian company, and, although they don't stick to totally Christian books, they do have standards as to what books they write study guides for.
• John Allen also liked this unit study becuase it used the PDF format that allows you to type in the answers right on the computer. We had the option of printing out each worksheet or he could just complete it on the computer. Since he has to write in so many other areas of his homeschooling, he really appreciated the fact that he could just sit and type at the computer rather than have to use pencil. There are a few things where, if you wanted to do it completely, you had to print it out. The crossword puzze, for example, wouldn't allow you to acually type each letter in the puzzle, but you could type in your answer right beside each clue.

What I like...

• Well, first of all, I liked everything that John Allen liked. I'm glad that Progeny Press has standards as to what books they use for the unit studies they publish. Seeing the list of novels offered made me immediately comfortable with the company even before seeing a sample of the study. I knew by the list of books that they had the same values that I do and I was not dissapointed. I also liked the PDF format. I am a firm believer in making sure that my children know how to write, but every once in a while they need a break from the pencil and paper. This provided one.
• Another thing that I liked was that Progeny Press suggests using most of their study guides in ten week segments. This is not a quick unit study type thing. They are really thorough. If you are looking for a short literature unit study that you can do in a couple of weeks then this may not be for you. Off course, you could purchase one of their unit studies and adapt it. Homeschoolers are good at that and the Progeny Press unit studies are very adaptable.
• Finally, I liked that this study was, as I mentioned above, thorough. It is not just a simple "so, what did you think of this book" unit study. It involves many different subjects and many different learning styles. It has the usual things that a unit study of this type has...vocabulary, reading comprehension, etc. but it also delves into creative writing, analyzation, history, Bible, and more. Now, having said that, I have to mention that The Bronze Bow lends itself to Biblical questions. Even though Progeny Press is a Christian company, I'm not sure how much Bible is in the other literature studies, but, other TOS Homeschool Crew members reviewed literature unit studies for other books and you can find out what they had to say by clicking here. Suffice it to say, though, that I was really impressed with the different subjects that were covered and the way they were covered. This isn't just a "fill in the blank" type unit study. It utalizes a lot of different methods. The crossword puzzle that I mentioned above was one of them but there was also other puzzle types as well as multiple choice problems, writing assignments, and other creative ways to keep the student excited about the study guide and the book itself. It did have some fill in the blank type things, but it certainly was not boring.

So, how much are these wonderful studies? Well, they probably aren't as much as you think. The Bronze Bow study guide is just $16.99 for a CD or a downloadable email attachment. If you don't have a computer that you can use, or if you just like paper copies, you can order the booklet for $18.99 or even a booklet and CD combo for $23.99. If you would love to do a unit study on a book that you don't own, Progeny Press even sells some of the books that they produce study guides for. I didn't click on every single study guide, but it looked like the other prices were very comparable. To find out what study guides that Progeny Press offers just click here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above. Happy Home Educating!

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was sent a free download of the study guide for The Bronze Bow in order to try out and give my honest review on this blog.