Homeschooling Through the Holidays

Homeschooling through the holidays can be overwhelming when you consider all the extras that are added to your already overflowing plate – gifts to buy and wrap, Christmas cards to write and send, parties to plan and attend, ingredients to buy and bake – the list seems never ending. Throughout the years, I’ve picked up some tips along the way to make homeschooling through the holidays happen without extra stress.


Keep Homeschool Routines

In my experience, having the comfort of a normal homeschool routine is the very thing that helps me maintain sanity during the holiday season. In our home, we do a four-day school week and we usually finish each school day by lunch. This allows time for some of these holiday extras to be completed in the afternoon, so our weekends can be filled with festivities.


Keep Family Traditions

Family traditions provide our children with a strong sense of family identity, values, and generate many wonderful memories through the years. You don’t have to stress out over keeping these family traditions when you have a homeschool routine in place. I simply look at my datebook and see what days are available and plan accordingly for baking those family favorite recipes that have been passed down through the years, attending The Nutcracker ballet, or strolling through the lights in the park.


Keep Christ in Christmas

We have some family traditions that keep Christ in Christmas. Every year, we read the Christmas story aloud from Luke 2 before we unwrap the gifts under the tree. We present our children with three gifts every year because Baby Jesus received three gifts – this keeps things in perspective and teaches it is better to give than to receive – especially when we recall the reason for the season. He was born to die upon Calvary. For my sin, He bore the cross. There is no greater gift than the free gift of salvation that extends to all mankind if we only believe. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Christmas in Your Heart

You may not be familiar with this Christmas song; but I woke up with these lyrics on my heart this morning and felt the Lord leading me to share them with you. This song is written by Ron Hamilton and I pray these words encourage you to make it Christmas in your heart.

Jesus came to earth and laid aside His princely crown. Came to His creation, yet a room could not be found. At this special time of year the call is heard anew. Will you hear His pleading voice? Let Christ be born in you.

Christmas in your heart, Make it Christmas in your heart. Open wide the door and let Jesus in your heart. As the Savior knocks today, will you coldly turn away? This Christmas, make it Christmas in your heart.

You may sing the carols that exalt the Baby's name. But when Jesus calls to you, the answer's still the same. There's no room for Jesus; He is crowded out again. Will you open wide your heart and let the Savior in?

Christmas in your heart, Make it Christmas in your heart. Open wide the door and let Jesus in your heart. As the Savior knocks today, will you coldly turn away? This Christmas, make it Christmas in your heart.

Texas HOME Educators - December Newsletter

Calendar of Events

December 06 Ballet Classes & Co-op Classes

December 13 Ballet Classes & Bowling Banquet

December 20 Ballet Classes & Co-op Christmas Party



Co-op Classes

Musical Theater – we will meet on December 6 at 1:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church in Kountze, Texas for our “Annie” rehearsal. Please be sure each student brings their copy of script and music that were sent through email (two attachments).



Service Scouts – we will meet on December 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church in Kountze, Texas to make Christmas cards for the military. Each family needs to bring 25 blank cards with envelopes and card making supplies. Members can enroll in our group at any time during the year. Students K-12 may participate in Service Scouts, a program designed to award youth for their community service.



Ballet Classes

09:00 Ballet I (ages 3-6)

09:45 Ballet II (ages 7-10)

09:45 Jazz (ages 11+)

10:30 Ballet III (ages 11+)

11:15 Pointe (ages 11+)



Classes are held at Studio D in Lumberton, Texas. Tuition is $50 per class, per month. Tuition is due by the first Friday of each month. Girls ballet attire is black leotard, pink tights, pink ballet shoes, and hair in bun. Boys ballet attire is white fitted shirt, black jazz pants, and black ballet shoes. Girls pointe attire is black leotard, pink ballet tights, pink pointe shoes, and hair in bun. Girls jazz attire is black leotard, black jazz pants, and tan jazz shoes. Boys jazz attire is black fitted shirt, black jazz pants, and tan jazz shoes. If you have any questions, please text Susan Reed at 409-504-8135 or Brieanna Reed at 409-998-9159.



Parents, please be aware that tuition is due by December 6, but t-shirt order forms and costume fees are due by December 13. No costume will be ordered without payment. Recital fees must be paid separately from monthly tuition; and checks made payable to Texas HOME Educators. We have extended the due date for the building fee, this will be due by January 10 when you pay monthly tuition.



Bowling Banquet

The homeschool bowling league will meet on December 13 at 1:00 p.m. at Crossroads Bowling Center in Beaumont, Texas for their bowling banquet. Bumper Buddies pay $5 weekly to bowl 2 games. League Members pay $8 weekly to bowl 3 games. Members will receive patches for highest game and highest series.



Christmas Party

Our co-op Christmas party will be held on December 20 at 1:00 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church in Kountze, Texas. Each student will need to bring a $5 gift card for a gift exchange, as well as a bag of candy for the goodie bags that will be given to each student. Each family needs to sign-up for an activity table – game or craft – and post on our Facebook page so we do not duplicate an activity. Each family is responsible for gather supplies needed and parents will work their table while students enjoy their Christmas activities.

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. I personally have two small businesses. When you buy from a small business, you're supporting a family. You're helping a little girl get dance lessons, you're helping a teenager play soccer, and your helping parents like me to pay for medical bills and the cost of sending a student to college. Please consider shopping with me on this Small Business Saturday.

Thirty-One Gifts offers high-quality, fashionable and functional products that make life easier for you and your family. And with personalization designs you can make them mean even more. SHOP this pink week for deals on utility totes, storage & organization, blankets, thermals, crossbody & shoulder bags, totes, backpacks, wallets & accessories, jewelry, wood decor, and photo products.

Mary Kay offers an amazing array of skin care products to choose from - everything from age-defying to acne-fighting to hydration, plus skin care for him! Shop with me this pink week and get this limited-edition Everyday Escape Bundle 25% off retail price. While supplies last. No limits! And all skin care items will be buy one, get one 25% off! Simply email susanmreed22@yahoo.com your name, address, cell phone, and order; and after I tally up your order, I will request payment through PayPal. And did I mention, all orders will receive FREE shipping during this pink week!

Thank you for supporting my small businesses!

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Our early American leaders realized the importance of having a special day each year in which people could recount their blessings and express gratitude to God for all of His goodness. The first Thanksgiving was decreed by Governor Bradford in 1621 to commemorate the Pilgrims' harvest. Later George Washington proclaimed November 26, 1789 as a national day of thanksgiving, but the holiday was not repeated on a national basis until Abraham Lincoln named it a national Harvest Festival on November 26, 1861. After that time, the holiday was proclaimed annually by the President and the governors of each state. Finally in 1941, Congress passed a bill naming the fourth Thursday of each November as Thanksgiving Day.

The first stanza of this hymn is an invitation and exhortation to give thanks to God for the heavenly care and provision of our earthly needs. The following stanza records the parable of the wheat and the tares. The final stanza is a prayer for our Lord to gather His people to His final harvest home.

Psalm 92:1 encourages us with these words - "It is a good things to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High." Carry this melody of thanksgiving with you throughout this week. 

LitWits Kits - Crew Review

I recently had the privilege to review four LitWits Kits from LitWits – Carry On, Mr. Bowditch,  Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, and Charlotte’s Web. These are digital products that encourage students to read for fun. They are not asked to read with an assignment in mind. Students can get lost in the story, and feel as if they’re there, instead of looking for answers to complete a classroom assignment. After students read the selected story, the LitWits Kit guides their comprehension through tangible, engaging ways – prop ideas, hands-on fun, book bites, takeaways, great quotes, handouts, and learning links.


The prop ideas generate the “aha” moment. Teachers choose props that are unique to the setting and props that are symbolic of the theme. These props are objects from the story that make it more real for the students. My daughter and I used an old lamp, compass, and ship models to learn more about the book Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.


The hands-on fun projects provide a variety of projects that enhance each story. The “Gloomy Gus” activity from Carry On, Mr. Bowditch was a fun skit where we were able portrait Ben and Nate and really feel the value of a positive attitude and perseverance. From all the projects available, we especially enjoyed our “collaging” project. The search for images that reminded us of the Anne of Green Gables story and its characters is like a treasure hunt. This time of hunting, clipping, and gluing provided the perfect space to talk about our favorite scenes from the book.

Book bites help students taste the story. Teachers choose a food right out of the book that is important to the plot, has thematic significance, or is unfamiliar for reason of culture, era, or location. We chose to eat jerky with the book Carry On, Mr. Bowditch; and we tasted plum pudding with the book Anne of Green Gables.


There are many takeaways in each story. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is full of many topics to explore, from American history and geography to navigation and mathematics. This LitWits Kit narrowed the focus to three “takeaway” topics – perseverance, attitude, and directions. Anne of Green Gables is also full of wonderful topics to explore, from the history of Nova Scotia to the nature of friendship. This LitWits Kit narrowed the focus to three “takeaway” topics – art imitates life, self-discipline, and imagination. These takeaways are hands-on connections to each story.


There are handouts included in each LitWits Kit, along with any necessary answer keys. These academic handouts include narrative arc, vocabulary, geography, characterization, essay writing, and creative writing. Here is the handout from the narrative arc in Carry On, Mr. Bowditch where we learned about the different points of the arc and how they help the story move along.

Learning links are provided to supplement your reading experience, research points of interest, and prompt tangential learning opportunities. Students will learn more about the book and author, as well as story supplements that go beyond the book. This is where we found the link to purchase the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook.


Each LitWits Kit uses the senses to see, smell, touch, taste, and do things from the story. This gives students a full comprehension of the story. LitWits makes great books fun for students of all ages! Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about the LitWits Kits from LitWits.

2019 Blue Ribbon Awards

It is truly an honor to be able to write for Homeschool Review Crew. Our family has used a variety of resources throughout the year - For The Temple from Heirloom Audio, First Form Latin from Memoria Press, Heroes pf History - George Washington from YWAM Publishing, The Hamlin Stoop Series from 12 Gates Publishing, Vocabulary Virtuoso PSAT-SAT Book 1 from The Critical Thinking Co, Shakespeare Tragedies from Hewitt Homeschooling Resources, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies from Memoria Press, Complete Starter Kit from The Kingdom Code, Life with Dog from Mill Creek Entertainment, Homeschool Planner from The Old Schoolhouse, Exploring Creation with General Science from Apologia, Tenth Grade Literature Guide Set from Memoria Press, Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grade from Zeezok Publishing, Britfield and the Lost Crown from Britfield, Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece, Wooden Building Planks from Brain Blox, Horses in History Series from Mattie Richardson, and I will soon be sharing about the LitWits Kits from LitWits. Several of these reviews were nominated for the 2019 Blue Ribbon Award. It is with great pleasure that I share with you our 2019 Blue Ribbon Awards as nominated by the 2019 Homeschool Review Crew. 

Favorite Learn to Read Program – Learning Dynamics
Favorite Reading Supplement Product – Reading Eggs
Favorite Writing Curriculum – Jump In! Second Edition
Favorite Writing Resource – BetterRhetor
Favorite Complete Language Arts Program – Hewitt Homeschooling – Elementary Lightning Lit Sets
Favorite Language Arts Resource – IEW
Favorite Literature Curriculum – Memoria Press Literature Guides
Favorite History / Social Studies Curriculum – Drive Thru History – Acts to Revelation
Favorite History / Social Studies Supplement – Heirloom Audio
Favorite Science Resource – Apologia – General Science 3rd Edition
Favorite Math Curriculum – CTC Math Online
Favorite Math Supplement – Smartick
Favorite Middle School / Young Adult Book – Britfield and the Lost Crown
Favorite Children’s Book – Worthy Kids- Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Books 5 and 6
Favorite Biography – YWAM Christian Heores and Heroes of History
Favorite Audio Drama – Heirloom Audio
Favorite Foreign Language Resource – Memoria Press Latin
Favorite Fine Arts Program- Creating a Masterpiece
Favorite Elective Resource – The Kingdom Code
Favorite Resource to Supplement the Bible – Drive Thru History – Acts to Revelation
Favorite Preschool Product – Rhythm and Writing
Favorite Elementary Product – Smartick
Favorite Middle School Product – Drive Thru History – Acts to Revelation
Favorite High School Product – Drive Thru History – Acts to Revelation
Favorite Parent Product – Library and Educational Services – Library Bound Books
Best Resource I didn’t know I needed – Smartick
Favorite Fun Resource – Brain Blox
Favorite Helpful Tool or Resource – Everyday Education
Kid’s Choice Award – Smartick
Teen’s Choice Award – Britfield and the Lost Crown
Crew Favorite – Creating a Masterpiece

Congratulations to all of our Blue Ribbon Award winners!

Mattie Richardson's Horses in History Series - Crew Review

Are you looking for a unique way to learn about American history? Then I would like to invite you to read this review on Author Mattie Richardson/Appaloosy Books from the Mattie Richardson’s Horses in History Series. For this review, I received all four books in this history series – Appaloosy, Dusty’s Trail, Golden Sunrise, and Day and Night; as well as a PDF enrichment guide for the Day and Night book. These horse-centered books are geared specifically towards ages 8-14, but are great for any horse lover in general. Each softcover book tells about a story in American history from the horse’s point of view.


Appaloosy tells the story of the Nez Perce Indian War. Storm is a soft brown, double-colored horse of the Nez Perce tribe. He is given to a young brave names White Feather, and the two move to the reservation. When war breaks out, White Feather covers his face with war paint, and is able to ride Storm sideways, a trick the Nez Perce tribe used so they could bring the bow over the horse’s back. The battle turns Storm’s life upside-down and he is taken away from White Feather. He is sold for $100 to be beaten down and trained to work; but Faith comes to the rescue when he twists his foreleg. Faith paid for Storm with her golden locket and brought him to live on a small farm with her family. But when he is stolen by horse thieves and cattle rustlers, once again his life is turned upside-down; but as fate would have it, he was able to escape and galloped into the night to return to Faith and his mare Savannah. Storm is content to live the rest of his days here on this small farm with Savannah and their foal named Stardust.


Dusty’s Trail tells the story of the Pony Express. When young Levi Anderson reads an ad in a local newspaper, he can hardly resist the urge to saddle up and head out for a new job; but his horse Dusty does not think it is a good idea. Dusty enjoys his quiet life on a small family ranch – chasing cows and sometimes horseracing with the neighbors. He cannot imagine leaving. Levi steals him away in the middle of the night. Dusty rears and bucks, gallops and balks, but remains with Levi for the long run. The more they gallop on the wild runs with the “Pony Mail” the closer they bond as friends. But when Indian trouble arises, endangering the Pony Express Stations and even Levi’s life, Dusty galloped into the cool night air and found his way to a Paiute village. Dusty had saved Levi.


Golden Sunrise tells the story of the Alamo. Jared becomes a volunteer soldier for the emerging fight for independence and Cheyenne, his beautiful Golden Palomino mare, travels with him into San Antonio, Texas. He receives orders to defend Fort Alamo against Mexican forces. Together, Jared and Cheyenne, make it through the war with the words “Remember the Alamo” ringing in their hearts and minds.


Day and Night tells the story of the Civil War. Tucker and Shiloh are two young horses that are brothers but they are as different as day and night. They were separated at the beginning of the Civil War – one with the US Army and the other with a young Confederate soldier; but the two see each other again after learning quite a bit from fighting on opposite sides of the war.


The enrichment guide for the Day and Night book is a great resource to dig deeper into the story and the history within its pages. Reading comprehension questions asks about the text itself and quiz the student on the history they’re learning in the story. Vocabulary quizzes the student on words that might be unfamiliar within the text. The history segment includes a brief reading of a historical topic mentioned in the story along with questions about the historical subject. The living history segment includes a related craft or game to bring history to life. Geography talks about different places related to the text, as well as landscape and other geographical features. For the horse lover, it talks about different horse topics that were discussed in the story. The biography section includes a short reading about a historical figure mentioned in the story. Writing assignments and further reading suggestions are also provided in this enrichment guide.


Mattie Richardson’s Horses in History Series is a unique way to learn about American history, especially from the horse’s point of view. Don’t take my word for it though – make sure to visit the Crew Blog to check out the reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew!

Epilepsy Awareness Month

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have two unprovoked seizures.



What happens in the brain during a seizure? The electrical activity is caused by complex chemical changes that occur in nerve cells. Brain cells either excite or inhibit other brain cells from sending messages. Usually there is a balance of cells that excite and those that can stop these messages. However, when a seizure occurs, there may be too much or too little activity, causing an imbalance between exciting and stopping activity. The chemical changes can lead to surges of electrical activity that causes seizures.



Many people living with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure. My youngest daughter, Isabelle, is living with epilepsy and has three types of seizures: atypical absence seizures, atonic seizures, and myoclonic seizures.



What is an atypical absence seizure? These seizures are a type of absence seizure that is atypical. This means it’s different, unusual, or not typical compared to typical absence seizures, which were previously called petit mal seizures. They are a type of generalized onset seizure, which means they start in both sides of the brain. The person will stare (just like in a absence seizures) but they may be able to respond a bit. Eye blinking, chewing movements, lip smacking or slight jerking may occur.



What is an atonic seizure? Muscle tone is the muscle’s normal tension. “Atonic” means without tone. So in atonic seizures, muscles suddenly become limp. Part of the body may become limp. The eyelids may droop, the head may nod or drop forward, and the person may drop things. If standing, the person often falls to the ground. These seizures are also called drop attacks or drop seizures.



What is a myoclonic seizure? Myoclonic seizures are brief, shock-like jerks of a muscle or a group of muscles. “Myo” means muscle and “clonic” means rapidly alternating contraction and relaxation – jerking or twitching – of a muscle. There can be just one, but sometimes many occur within a short time.



I share this information, not only because it is Epilepsy Awareness Month; but because I have a daughter living with epilepsy and want to inform people about this chronic disorder.

To God Be the Glory

To give glory to God should be the greatest desire of every Christian. We must always be alert in recognizing God’s leading and acknowledge His blessings – the great things He has taught us and the great things He hath done.


This hymn first appeared in a Sunday School collection, Brightest and Best, compiled by William Doane and Robert Lowry in 1875. In 1952 the Billy Graham Crusade Team went to England where they first made extensive use of the hymn in their meetings. It was an immediate success. Upon return to the United States, they found the same enthusiastic response by American audiences. It has been a favorite hymn ever since.


This hymn differs from most of the hymns written by Fanny Crosby in that it is a more objective praise of God rather than the typical subjective testimony of the Christian experience. It is a fine blend of the characteristics of both the hymns and the gospel song.

Today I would like to encourage you to reflect on whether God’s glory is really the desire of your life. Also, give Him a testimony of praise for His blessings.

Homeschool Collection October 2019

It has been a few month since I have linked up to the Homeschool Collection; and I am sorry for not participating when these posts encourage the homeschool parent, share tips and tricks for teaching all grade levels, and simply remind us that we're not alone on this journey. We have fourteen Homeschool Review Crew members here to encourage you on your homeschool journey.

Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses shares

* Science at Home

* FREE Geography Resources for Homeschool

* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Unit Study)

* Seabird (Unit Study)

Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break shares

* Can You Combine Classes for Kids in Different Grades?

* Homeschooling Is Hard for Extroverts

* 5 Tips for Finding What Words in Your Homeschool

* History Lesson - Thanksgiving in Canada

Susan @ My Happy Homeschool shares

* The Balance Between Homeschooling and Homemaking

Yvie @ Homeschool on the Range shares

* The First Thanksgiving (Unit Study)

* Ten Best Vinatge Novels for Girls

* Questions About Homeschooling High School with The Good & The Beautiful

* Willa of the Wood & Basic Foraging

Tina @ Meaningful Explorations shares

* Staying on Top of the Laundry Pile

* Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

* Fun-tastic Spelling Games

Lori @ At Home: Where Life Happens shares

* A Round Up of Bird Study Resources

* Inner Space Cavern

Crystal @ Our Little Bunch shares

* Letter of the Week - All About M

* Easy Leaf Suncatchers

Kristen @ A Mom's Quest to Teach shares

* B is for Barton

* Book Club: Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles

* C is for Chamberlain

* Book Club: Book Review of Hope's Highest Mountain

NA'Arah @ NA'Arah's Talitha shares

* How to Start Homeschooling

* 20 Reasons to Homeschool Your Children

* My Story 2 (Social Studies) Review

* Homeschool Burnout: Keep It Simple

Annette @ A Net In Time shares

* The Ease of Consistent Schedules

* Gather Resources for Highschool

* The Problem With Middle School Science

* Spies, Lies, and Disguise

Felicia @ Homeschool 4 Life shares

* Guess Who?

* I Can See Pumpkins

* Homeschool Basics

* 100 Family Time Activities

Pam @ Simply Passionate shares

* 5 Reasons to Love Outer Banks

* Raising Critical Thinkers

* WOW Summit Texas Takeaways

Dawn @ Schoolin' Sway shares

* School Doesn't Have to Come First

* Letting Go of Good Things

* Resources for Early North Carolina History

Jacqui @ Homestead Bounty Blessings shares

* Why Do I Homeschool

Happy Homeschooling! 

Creating a Masterpiece - Crew Review

Do you have a student who loves to draw? Then you might be interested in a one-year subscription to the online Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece. The program is designed for children and teens. Instructor, Sharon Hofer, teaches art classes out of her home studio and now offers step-by-step video instruction online.


My 16-year-old daughter completed three different drawings, one in each level, during the review period. The lesson videos in each project were very easy for my daughter to follow so she completed each leveled drawing within 30 to 45 minutes, all in one sitting; even though the instructor suggested that students take a break throughout the projects.

In Level One, she completed Lessons in Pencil: Tuckered Out Turtle. This project includes six lesson videos. Students need the following art supplies to complete this project: 9x12 white drawing paper, drawing pencil 6B, and pencil eraser. In this project, my daughter used curved and straight lines to draw the basic shapes. Then she experimented with texture and shading to make this slow, moving turtle come alive.

In Level Two, she completed Lessons in Pencil: Antique Lantern. This project includes five lesson videos in Lesson One; and three lesson videos in Lesson Two. Students need the following art supplies to complete this project: 9x12 white drawing paper, drawing pencil 6B, and pencil eraser. In this project, my daughter learned how to draw glass and make it look transparent while drawing the lantern three dimensional on a flat piece of paper.

In Level Three, she completed Lessons in Pencil: Rocketing through Space. This project includes six lesson videos. Students need the following art supplies to complete this project: 9x12 white drawing paper, drawing pencil 6B, drawing pencil 2B, pencil eraser, and ruler. In this project, my daughter learned how to draw smoke; and how to draw a cylinder to make it look round.


Through out these lessons in pencil, my daughter learned how to incorporate values in a project. Artists want to make sure they have a good value range in their drawing. You always want to have a dark value, a middle value, and a very light value. She also learned how to avoid smearing her project with her hand. When working with pencil, it is important not to allow the side of your hand to touch the paper where you have already drawn. If it does, you will find it smearing and the lead will cover the side of your hand. You will lose the different values of the drawing if you let this happen.


I would also like to talk about the importance of using quality paper. If you use cheap printing paper, you will not be able to erase as well, or get the deep values, as there is no grit on the paper. Also, when you erase on a thin piece of paper, it wrinkles the paper and makes the entire project look cheap. A good quality drawing paper is very important for getting professional results even for the very young artist.

The online Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece is a great resource for an online elective for art classes. It will inspire children and teens to create their own masterpiece through simple step-by-step video instruction. Visit the Crew Blog to read what the Homeschool Review Crew has to say about the Drawing Program from Creating a Masterpiece.