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Solutions for a Car without Bluetooth

June 28, 2018 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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If you live in Georgia, you may have heard about the new hands-free driving law that goes into effect on July 1, 2018.  This has sent me scrambling because the vehicle I drive most does not have Bluetooth capabilities!  A friend of mine recently asked on facebook about this problem and received many great suggestions that I will cover below. But first, here’s the law:

Effective July 1, 2018, pursuant to 40-6-241(c), all drivers operating a motor vehicle on any highway of this state are prohibited from:

  • Holding or supporting, with any part of the body, a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device.
  • Writing, sending or reading any text-based communication, including a text message, instant message, e-mail or internet data.
  • Watching, recording, or broadcasting a video or movie.
Penalties:
  • 1st conviction – 1 point and $50.00 fine
  • 2nd conviction – 2 points and $100.00 fine
  • 3rd or more convictions – 3 points and $150.00 fine

As you can see, it’s going to hurt a bit if you are caught!  For my car without Bluetooth, I bought the Gogroove FlexSMART Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit.  I picked this one in particular because of a reader’s recommendation.  A bonus is that it can connect to 2 different phones so I can program it to mine and my husband’s phones.  It plays right through the car’s speakers.  Mine is supposed to be delivered today and then I’ll update with my thoughts on how it works.

If you’re looking for something a little less expensive and only need it to connect to one phone, I’ve heard good things about the Nulaxy Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit.

You can also go old school with the Bluetooth Headset earpieces.  I don’t particularly care for this type as they don’t fit in my ear right.  My husband doesn’t seem to have a problem with them, though!

If I were to get something I wore for the Bluetooth ability, I think I would go for a full headset like this.  That way I’m not fiddling with it while I’m trying to drive.

 

I also had a reader let me know that she uses the Sun Visor Bluetooth Kit and loves it.  
If you don’t have a car with Bluetooth, what are you planning to do?  Do you have any favorite products?

PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST Coming to Theaters March 23!

March 13, 2018 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m super excited about all the great movies coming out lately!  Next up, we are looking forward to seeing PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST.  I’m really excited that it’s supposed to closely follow the Bible! PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST will be in nationwide theaters March 23, 2018!

Using scripture as the only reference, director Andrew Hyatt recreated the story of Paul on film, including the close relationship with Luke, whom at the end of Paul’s life, at his own peril, traveled in and out of the prison carrying Paul’s writings to the community of believers

In PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST, Luke risks his life to visit Paul, who is held captive in a Roman prison under Nero’s rule. Together, they struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spread their message to the world.  Paul’s letters and writings were vital to the spreading of Christianity, and became a large part of the New Testament.  Our story focuses on how, despite persecution and peril, they shared Jesus’ message of love, redemption and forgiveness with a small community of believers who in turn, took it to the whole world.

 

Watch the Trailer below:

For More Information:

For more information, you  can view the PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST website.  You can also purchase tickets online.

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC, Collide Media Group and Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc. for providing tickets to see this movie on its release in exchange for this promotional post. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

6 Tips for Visiting Silver Springs State Park in Florida

March 12, 2018 By MommyOctopus 1 Comment
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When we went to Disney a few weeks back, we had a day before we could check in when my husband was off work and we didn’t quite know what to do.  We decided to leave Georgia early and venture out to Silver Springs State Park.  Silver Springs State Park is Florida’s first tourist attraction and one of the largest artesian springs in the world!  At Silver Springs, you can enjoy Glass Bottom Boat Tours every single day of the year!  I thought I’d share a few tips for visiting Silver Springs that you might find useful if you take a trip.

6 Tips for Visiting Silver Springs State Park in Florida:

  1. Be prepared to see wildlife and be aware of your surroundings:  We saw an alligator not far from a walking path and had a black rat snake slither out of a bush and right across the path in front of us!  Signs are also up in various places to beware of monkeys!

    Source: http://www.silversprings.com/

  2. Glass Bottom Boat Tours are a MUST, but can cause motion sickness!  This is quite an incredible attraction, but not everyone may enjoy it.  Please know that when the boat driver gets to one of the springs, the boat goes very slow and somewhat turns to give everyone a great view.  If you’re prone to motion sickness, you may want to bring medicine with you.  I enjoyed the first spring and after that, spent the rest of the time with my eyes close and trying to not lose my lunch!
  3. Allow time for exploration: Since we drove down from Georgia, we arrived early afternoon.  After waiting for the boat, we didn’t have much time to explore.  There are fun things along walking paths like the frog slide and then you can always grab an ice cream or snacks from their eatery.
  4. Use this as an educational field trip!  There is so much to learn from the signs and facts to the types of springs and more.  We were able to use this as a homeschool day for our family since there was so much to learn.
  5. Keep an eye on their event calendar: This park often has extra events such as garden tours, music events, ranger programs and more!
  6. There is a wonderful hotel across the street!  We stayed at the Holiday Inn and Suites Silver Springs during our visit.  It’s conveniently located right across the street from the Silver Springs State Park!  We could walk with the stroller across the road and be in the park’s parking lot.  This hotel was pretty nice and comfortable and had a decent free breakfast in the morning.

Overall we had a great time.  Whenever we go back, I will definitely be brining motion sickness medicine with me! It would have made the boat tour more enjoyable, but it was still an amazing experience.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed it and my husband and I did as well.  Definitely recommend taking the drive!

Have you been to Silver Springs State Park?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  

Christmas Books for Kids

December 7, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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We can’t get enough of Christmas movies and books around here!  My kids love curling up with a Christmas book or listening while I read one before bed.  It helps them settle down for the evening and enjoy some family time.   There are so many great ones that I decided to make a roundup of Christmas Books for Kids.  Most of these we have read, but a few we haven’t.  I’d love to hear in the comments which books are your family’s favorite to read during the holiday season.Christmas Books for Kids

One that we really have enjoyed and is new to our shelves this year is the first book – A World of Cookies for Santa.

It’s really neat because it shows different Christmas and Santa traditions all over the world.  My kids found this extremely interesting to see how kids celebrated in faraway places.  Other favorites of course include the Berenstein Bears and Curious George.  You can never go wrong with books from either of those.

A World of Cookies for Santa

[Read more…]

To Eclipse or Not To Eclipse

August 15, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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Source: http://www.sciencealert.com

This week my facebook feed has been flooded with articles regarding the eclipse and they all are extremely confusing.

On one hand, you see articles saying that it’s safe to watch with approved glasses.  On another hand, you see articles from eye doctors saying that you should only watch it on tv.

And then there is the chaos of having so many glasses out there that may not be approved for eclipse viewing!

We were planning to go to the mountains, but now I’m so torn about what to do!  I have one child that no matter what we tell her, she has to learn for herself.  I’m concerned she will try to look at the sun anyway and damage her eyes.  I’ve already decided our toddler will stay inside completely, but now what about the rest of us?  I’m honestly not sure.  We may just watch it on the computer, but I’ve also found a wonderful compilation of teacher approved videos about the eclipse that I plan on utilizing in our homeschool.

What are you planning to do?

Our Homeschool Plans 2017-2018

July 7, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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Wow.  I totally feel like I was just making last year’s homeschool plans.  This year has flown by incredibly fast.  It’s time to start planning for the upcoming homeschool year, where I will be homeschooling a 9th grader, 5th grader, 2nd grader, 1st grader, and of course, the ever-busy preschooler.

We are mixing things up a bit and my big 2 kids are going to do the majority of their social studies, science, and language arts with a tutor one day a week and I’ll be reinforcing their learning throughout the week.  That’s definitely different for us and I am hoping it goes well.  Sometimes you get to a point where you need to outsource a few things, and that’s okay!

If you care to look back, you can see what we used in the 2015-2016 year here or in the 2016-2017 school year here.  Some of it is the same and some has changed.

Also, be sure to read my article- Homeschooling a Preschooler – See What Works for Us!.

Here’s what we are doing this year:

Math:

Math, we are once again using Horizons Math, but only for my middle 3 children. We use the math books plus we supplement with the extra worksheets for more practice. For my oldest, we will continue with Math-U-See.  We are also continuing with XtraMath.org.  I can’t say enough great things about this website!  It’s a completely free way to make sure your kids understand all of their math facts.  As a mom, I can login and see how they are doing as well and what needs improvement.

Language Arts:

We will be using  Wordly Wise 3000 for my 5th grader to cover vocabulary and reading comprehension.  We will be continuing Easy Grammar with the older 3 children.  It only takes a couple minutes a day.

My 5th grader will continue with  A Reason For Handwriting, however the 1st and 2nd grader will be working on Horizons Penmanship since I think they need a little more writing practice before moving on to cursive.

All 4 of my school age children will also be working through Q&A For Kids: A 3 Year Journal.  I’m pretty excited about this and that it will only take a few moments to work on.

We are continuing Building Spelling Skills for the middle 3 to work on spelling.

My 1st and 2nd graders will also continue working on Explode the Code.  This is a very simple program, but can help with the fundamentals for the little kids.  Takes just a couple minutes each day and they are fun!

Little 2 girls are going to continue with ReadingEggs since it’s a fun program and helps greatly with reading and phonics.  This is one of those things that is worth outsourcing to me, even though it’s an online program, so it frees me up to help someone else with something.

Bible:

This past year we greatly slacked on our Bible lessons.  For Bible this year we are continuing to use Catechism for Kids, which I just love and the kids enjoy, too.  I also plan to introduce more scripture writing for handwriting practice.  I’ve been writing scripture to help get myself more in the Word and I think that the kids would enjoy this, too, especially with fancy journals and colored pens.

All the kids will also continue with VeritasBible.com.

Social Studies:

History we will continue to pull from Allinonehomeschool.com for the little girls and of course the vast variety of books at the library.

Science:

My littles will be continuing through Apologia’s Zoology.  We really enjoyed their Astronomy set last year and are eager to learn more with their Zoology program.

 

I think that’s it!  Seems like a nice rounded program this year, however I’m not super eager to start.  I’m enjoying having a break right now from teaching, but planning is still in order!  What are your homeschool plans for the year?

Painting with Toddlers WITHOUT the Mess!

May 16, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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My youngest is now 20 months old and he always wants to keep up with the big kids.  When they are painting, he wants to jump in as well, however I’m not quite fond of the huge mess that a toddler and paint can bring!  I remembered a trick that I learned when I was teaching preschool before kids on how to paint with a toddler without the mess.  Painting with toddlers doesn’t have to be a disaster!  If you don’t mind a little water, they can have fun, too.

First you need a piece of colored construction paper.  Pretty much any color will do and the brand doesn’t matter.  The darker the color, the more your toddler may enjoy watching the transformation.

After you have your construction paper, also gather a paintbrush and a shallow container with just a little bit of water in it.  Know that the water will likely get spilled, so I recommend keeping the water to the bare minimum.  For my son, I used about 1/4 inch or so.

Next, let them have at it!  When the water hits the construction paper, it makes the paper a little darker!  This gives your toddler the illusion that they are “painting” without actually using paints!  It’s a win for the toddler and a win for easy cleanup!

Afterward, you can even give your toddler a rag and encourage him to cleanup any spills.  Easy Peasy!  I’ve done this trick will all 5 of my kids and numerous kids that have been in our kid and they all love it!  You can set the paper outside to dry and then even reuse it a time or two.

This is how our family conquers painting with toddlers.  Do you have any other tips to add?  Leave me a comment and let me know

Talking to Kids about Sex

May 12, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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It’s never easy to have “The Talk”.  You know, the “Sex Talk”.  And puberty.  Let’s not forget that thing that causes our sweet children to turn grumpy and hormonal.  Talking to kids about sex doesn’t have to be hard or incredibly uncomfortable, especially since there are some great resources available to help parents like me along.

I’m all about having books and resources to help me through these tough topics.  Throughout the years of educating our children, we have found some really great books to read with our kids to teach about sex, personal safety, and puberty.  I’m not talking about tossing a book in our children’s rooms and hoping they read and understand.  I’m more about finding resources that we can work through together that will help facilitate some wonderful conversations.  Below, I’ll outline the ones that have helped us out the most and share which age group they are most appropriate.

Books Recommendations

First off, I really like the 3 books by Luke and Trisha Wilkerson.  They are made for the different stages from child to teen and they easily walk parents through what to do and say.  They are Biblically based and offer scripture readings to go along with the studies.  We have used and/or are currently using them with our children.  You’ll notice that these also have excellent reviews on Amazon.  I strongly recommend getting all 3 and using them as your children age.  My husband has used them in talks with our son and even though they were difficult topics, he found that getting through them was much easier with the books to guide.

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality is geared toward children ages 6-10.  Although I think some 6 year olds can handle it, we tend to wait until they are on the higher end of the age group for this one as it’s pretty detailed.  I think it depends on your parenting style and your child’s maturity on when you want to start this one.

Changes: 7 Biblical Lessons to Make Sense of Puberty was written for parents to read with children ages 8 to 12 years old.  The book also turns to scripture to help explain how God made everything wonderful, including our bodies.  This one has been very helpful in explaining body changes to our kids.

Relationships: 11 Lessons to Give Kids a Greater Understanding of Biblical Sexuality is geared toward 11-14 year olds and consists of 11 studies.  It covers many things that a teen may be wondering and helps bring them to light and keep the communication lines open.

Another one that I think is a must for any home is Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, which discusses pornography and what to do if you come across it.  We did this as a study with all of our children.  They actually were really interested in hearing about this and hopefully it preps them for when/if they come across anything by accident.  The statistics regarding kids coming across porn by accident are quite shocking!

Other books worth mentioning to check out for the younger ones are these, which we also own and read from time to time:

I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private


God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies

I’m sure there are many more great resources as well for talking to kids about sex.  We have found these ones to be particularly helpful for our family and it has turned into a not-so-taboo subject.  Feel free to leave a comment and tell me about some of your favorites or ways that you have found to bring about discussion with your kids about sex.

Homeschool Testing in Georgia

May 5, 2017 By MommyOctopus 16 Comments
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Homeschool Testing in Georgia

This time of year, the local homeschool groups are all abuzz about testing.  It’s always the same questions – What are my options for Homeschool Testing in Georgia?

 What is Required?

Where can I test?

When should I test?

Can I administer it myself?

Who do I need to pay?

Which grades need testing?

Where do I send my results?

Per Georgia State requirements for 2016-2017:

Standardized Tests: Children must take a national standardized achievement test every three years beginning at the end of the third grade. “Test scores are not required to be submitted to public school authorities.” Ga. Code Ann. ? 20-2-690(c)(7). Parent must write an annual progress report and retain it for three years. Ga. Code Ann. ? 20-2-690(c)(8).

 

Now what?

How can you find a standardized test and which one is right for your family?

Here are a few options that we have found:

  • Hewitt Homeschooling PASS Test: This is a great test that can be administered by a parent and this is the testing that we use.  It is untimed so children do not have to stress on rushing.
  • CAT5: No college degree required to administer test, so this is great for parents as well.  This test is timed.  I have no experience with this test, but I know several that have and like it.
  • Check with your local homeschool co-ops.  Many will know a teacher willing to administer the standardized test to your child for a fee.

Once you have finished testing, the parent just needs to keep the results on record.

You should also check out the Georgia homeschool requirements to make sure that your are within all the laws and are fully aware of how to start homeschooling in Georgia.

Also make note of the homeschool expo, such as the GHEA Convention.  There are a ton of great tips and ideas that can be gleaned from those sources.

For more great homeschooling tips, visit our Homeschool tab.

If you have any other options you’d like to add, please leave a comment!

4 Ways to Encourage Summer Learning with Your Kids

April 25, 2017 By MommyOctopus Leave a Comment
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Many kids may benefit from summer learning.  I know here in Georgia, many summer days are far too hot to hang outside for long, but I don’t want my kids just watching tv.  Oftentimes, I purchase summer workbooks for kids or we go on adventures and explore the areas near where we live.  There are several summer learning activities for kids that are worth sharing.

Adventure:

Take your kids on an adventure to a state park or somewhere that they haven’t been.  Museums, zoos, and nature centers are all great ideas.  You could set up a scavenger hunt for the kids to find certain nature items.  Look up your local state park and mark your calendar for upcoming activities and then go!  Learning by going and doing is a great way to stay active and learn this summer.  Georgia residents, be sure to check your look library for the zoo pass.  That brings me to the next point.

Library:

The Library is always a wonderful place to be during the summer.  The books are endless, many have puzzles and games that can be borrowed, computer games, and of course – AIR CONDITIONING!  During the summer, some will have special reading programs where your child can win prizes as they read and learn.  Many may also have activities and special plays or other programs.  Be sure to stop by and get their latest calendar of events.

Workbooks:

The workbooks that I have had experience with during summer are the Summer Bridge workbooks.  These books are designed to “bridge” the gap between one grade to the next grade.  The activities are typically more fun than you’d find in a normal school book.

A program just released that we have not tried out yet is the new Summer Brain Quest.  As of this post, there aren’t any reviews on Amazon for them, however some should be up soon.  There is a huge preview you can see for examples of what is in this book.  I’m pretty impressed!

If you know your child needs a little help with a specific subject, you can also try the Kumon workbooks or Spectrum workbooks.

Websites:

There are many websites that offer fun activities for kids that are perfect for summertime. Some are free and some are paid.  We will start with the free ones first.

Free:

We love Xtramath.org.  This is a great way to help reinforce math facts during the summer.

My kids really like to play on Multiplication.com.  Don’t let the name fool you.  Addition, subtraction, and division are all covered on this website through fun interactive games.

ABCYa.com is also a favorite.  You can pick grade level and then venture on to math games, reading games, phonics, coloring, and more!

Paid:

ABCMouse.com is a good one that my kids enjoy.  It holds their progress so they don’t have to start over each time they visit the site.  That’s one benefit to this paid website.

ExplodeTheCode.com can help with phonics issues.  It is a little pricey.  We have the workbooks but haven’t tried the website yet.

Starfall.com offers a few free games and activities, but many are part of the subscription.

My kids have greatly benefited from ReadingEggs.com.  Definitely recommend checking out this program.

 

Do you have other ways that you use to encourage summer learning activities with your kids?  Please leave a comment and share!  

Also check out our other summertime articles below:

  • Summer Bucket List Printable
  • 50 Fun Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer!
  • Summer Camps: Athens, GA
  • Fun and Free (Or Almost Free) Things For Hot Or Rainy Summer Days
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