Friday, September 25, 2009

Growing Healthy Homes ~TOS Crew Review

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Growing Healthy Homes has created an incredible product titled Nutrition 101: Choose Life! It is awesome! I received the e-book and it is HUGE...448 pages! The pictures are beautiful, so I have been printing each chapter in full-color and putting them in a notebook with page protectors [to make a nice book].

The first 283 pages covers 6 units: 1) The Brain and Nervous System; 2) Digestion and Elimination; 3) Respiration and Olfactory; 4) Muscular and Skeletal Systems; 5) Cardiovascular and Immune Systems; and 6) Endocrine System and Emotions. The units include hands-on activities, science and art projects and nearly 80 family-friendly recipes. The remaining pages include an answer key and 31 appendices filled with nutrition facts, charts, practical tips and an exhaustive index.

It is a strong desire for my hubby and I to feed our children well and to teach them to eat healthy, so we cook low-fat, meals that focus on nutrition and I do my best to not buy junk food. We also buy organic, local when possible. We are all very active...the children are in gymnastics, tennis, & swim, my hubby mountain bikes approximately 50+ miles a week, and I exercise daily. We want them to grow up in a health-focused atmosphere, but I have been searching for a health curriculum that would teach my children the 'why' behind our choices. I had just about given up on finding a biblically based program (thought it did not exist), so you can imagine my excitement as we began reading the first unit 'The Brain and Nervous System'. The first paragraph states:
Psalm 139:14 declares "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." God made our brains and nervous systems to do some amazing things!
I quickly realized that this was the health curriculum I have been searching for!

Each chapter is approximately 5-10 pages long and includes a yummy recipe. It works well with my four-day schedule! We read/study the chapter the first two days, complete the activities on the third day and create the yummy recipe the fourth day! As we worked through the first chapter 'The Brain' I gave my children a picture of the brain to color (found it on Enchanted Learning). My children focus/listen better while coloring and we enjoy notebooking, so I always try to find a picture that goes with the chapter/unit we are studying...once colored, we add it to our notebook.

The second chapter 'Brain Health and Nutrition' included a Greek salad recipe. On our 4th day of study, we celebrated with a 'brain power' lunch! It was fun and the kids ate the salad right up! I quizzed them by asking questions like: "Which ingredient contains omega fatty acids? How does it protect our heart?, etc.... They seem to eat better [and make better choices] when they know how different foods effect our bodies.

I 100% love this product! It is a complete science/health curriculum that the whole family will enjoy and benefit from. We have made a few changes that are already reaping benefits...cutting out sugar! The kids are on board because they now understand why sugar [a chemical] is bad for our bodies. Learning the 'why' behind our choices empowers us and motivates us to live healthy!

Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is available as an e-book on a CD-ROM for $79.95. The printed book can be bought for $99.95, and the book and CD-ROM can be purchased together for $129.95. *I would order the full-color printed book...it's beautiful and well-worth the price! This will be a resource you keep and use for many, many years!

Take a look at the sample pages. You can see the table of contents with all the details and index topics!

To read reviews from my TOS crewmates, click here!



Wednesday, September 23, 2009

STUDYPOD ~TOS Crew Review

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A few weeks ago, I received a nifty invention in the mail to review. It's called a STUDYPOD and it is basically a book holder ~with perks! At first I thought I would not use it much, due to the fact I'm not in college, but one morning I used it during my bible study time...now I do not know how I have lived without it!

From the STUDYPOD website: Developed by a teacher, the STUDYPOD book holder provides a simple way to improve your studying. It holds any size textbook and study sheets upright at a comfortable level (similar to the angle of your computer screen) helping maximize your focus. It holds virtually any textbook wide open, freeing hands for writing, typing or eating. You’ll love the book-like design and the handy internal pocket that can hold your other study supplies.

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The STUDYPOD has great features:

~Holds virtually any size book. Large and small, soft and hard bound books are supported by the STUDYPOD book holder's durable design.

~ Holds your stuff- pens, pencils, calculator, note cards and other study supplies.

~Shaped like a book for easy storage and portability.

~Great for copywork, sheet music, crafts/painting, cookbooks, magazines, bible study, & more!

Here are some pictures showing the many ways we have used it in our home [click the pic to enlarge]:

Cooking, copywork, crafts, quiet time...we have used it a lot and we all LOVE it! Kate wants a pink one!

The STUDYPOD Black, Blue, and Pink and the BOOKPOD [same product] is available in Black, Gray, and Beige.

The STUDYPOD/BOOKPOD costs $19.95 or if you buy two or more you can purchase them at a discounted price of $16.95 each. You can mix and match STUDYPOD and BOOKPOD to take advantage of the $16.95 price. PLUS right now, they are offering a SPECIAL DISCOUNT for my readers! You can get $5 off your order by entering the code TOSBLOGS. I'm ordering lots for Christmas presents this year...perfect gift!

If you'd like to read more reviews from my wonderful crew mates, go check out the TOS crew blog!




Saturday, September 12, 2009

Pool School is launched!

POOL School is officially up and running! It will be a record of our day-to-day learning adventures. Go HERE to follow us.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

More progress on the playhouse!

Lots of good progress was made over the long weekend! The roof is on and the outside is complete...we will get the door on next. Lots of good pics, so one day we can say, "Look how little _____________ was when Daddy built the playhouse". :) Love it!


Cason drilled the holes for the electrical cord and then he pulled the cord through the holes. He's learning, so one day he can build his children a playhouse!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Playhouse!

When we moved up from Texas we left behind a wonderful playhouse that my multi-talented hubby built. I have dreamed of the day that he would build another one...the day has arrived! Yipppppeeee! I had a playhouse when I was a child and my sisters and I made many fun memories in that cute little house, so I have always wanted my children to have their own little cottage. My hubby said that he was building it more for me than the kids! :) More pics coming soon.