Enjoying the Chaos

We love reading books and making crafts. So when we were asked to review a copy of the book Why I Give - An Activity Book We haven't had time to do any of the activities in the book yet. We do have some picked out to do in the month of December. To be honest we don't start any Christmas festivities until December 1. I love Christmas, always have however I feel that the world is taking this special time of year and turning it into a time of greed and I want, I want, I want. Anything that helps teach our children that this season is worth more than that. This book definitely talks about why we should give to others and has a ton of ideas of things that children can easily make for others by themselves. There is also a lot of scripture references, I wish however there was a choice of translation. We personally just use the KJV not the NIV version used in the book. Some of the projects the kids have picked out to make are; Bottlecap magnets (our local craft store se

1. This Thanksgiving was the first that the five of us spent together without any other extended family. It was different, but still good. Dad and Jam spent Thursday morning playing flag football with some friends. I can't complain at all that he left me cooking dinner, as he had already prepared the Turkey, and made the most amazing stuffing. 2. Thursday afternoon after we ate dinner, we went out for a walk. The countryside around us is amazing. I love having an excuse to take more pictures. 3. My youngest is ALL boy. Sometimes he reminds me more than others... He found something that looked REALLY interesting and insisted on digging it out. 4. I heard that my local Walmart had about 4,000 people fighting for bargains on Thursday, while I was out on a beautiful walk with my family. I know my memories of Thanksgiving will be a lot more meaningful. 5. I woke up this morning and decided to pop into Walmart as my husband wanted Turkey sandwiches. The place was SO quie

Happy Thanksgiving fr om my family to yours Count y our many b lessings ; n ame them one by one... and it will surpr ise you what the Lo rd has done . ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

I love making my own laundry detergent. However when I get a good deal on laundry soap I don't see the point. However I always keep the ingredients in just in case,  mainly because deep down I am a little bit of a prepper. I have tried the homemade liquid detergent but to be honest it is just too gloppy for me, and so decided I had to find a better way. After a little research I found a cool website and blogged about their recipe here . You basically need 3 ingredients so it's really easy to keep the supplies at hand. 1. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 2. Borax 3.  Purex Fels- Naptha soap I have heard that you can make laundry soap with different bars of soap but personally I think the Fels-Naptha has the best results with stain removal. It really works great and even my majorly fussy ex-Tide loving husband loves the results. I have even used the bar for stain removal when I had enough of my Purex tabs and didn't need to make soap. (As a work from home, ho

Tyndale Direct   is a new website where you can find awesome, gift suggestions, and a special selection of books etc direct from the publishers at awesome prices. PLUS from December 2nd - 13th they are having a Deal of the Day promotion just for you. There are selections for everyone including the hubby and kids.  So what you waiting for...go check it out. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

Just another reminder about the huge sale going on over AplusTutorsoft . a Rafflecopter giveaway Thanks for using my affiliate link if you make a purchase.   ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

  I had to let you know of the awesome deal over at Aplushomeschool for Thanksgiving. Use my link above to get an additional 60% off. Remember even if you want to buy for next year that's OK because the subscription doesn't start until it's activated. This post contains affiliate links. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

I am late doing my post for today because I have been preparing for Boo's birthday party. 1. I made a Pinterest project for her birthday cake.  2. They are all out making smores. That's eleven, eleven year old's (and we didn't even plan the eleven eleven thing).   3. It's 8:32 and Little J is playing Jam's DS which is not a normal thing - but it keeps him from bugging the girls. 4. One of the HUGE highlights of my week is that I was invited back onto the Schoolhouse Review Crew . I have loved this last year, and I am so excited to see what next year holds. 5. My niece who swims for  BYU swam in the same heat as Missy Franklin at a UNLV swim meet in Las Vegas this weekend. She was stood on the blocks in the same heat as a an Olympic swimmer. You have got to love college swimming. Check out what others have said for their random five by clicking ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork,

Schoolhouse Review Crew Favorite Reviews 2013  Bl ue Ribb on Awards This year has been our first on the Schoolhouse Review Crew . It has been a huge blessing to our family, and the year has flown by. I have come to know and use some amazing curriculum and books this year, so many it's hard to count. I think we have done 30 reviews since last November. I said 'we' because I couldn't have done it without my kids. Everyone on the crew voted in the Blue Ribbon Awards there were lots of categories to cover all of the many products we reviewed throughout the year. So I decided to write a top 10 list - that is if I can keep it to 10. I don't consider these in any particular order as some of the reviews are so different it would be very difficult to match them against each other. So a lot of these in my list are products that we are still using or completed. 1. Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics (this links to my review) We love this curriculum

  The First Christmas Night- Book Review and Giveaway I recently received a copy of  The First Christmas Night written by Keith Christopher and illustrated by Christine Kornacki. Wh en I first opened th e packaging I was absolutely thrilled with the quality of the book. The illustrations are amazing and the quality of the book itself is wonderful. In fact for the sake of this review I almost wanted to put up my Christmas Tree just to take the 'perfect' picture.      The First Christmas Night   Written by: Keith Christopher  Illustrated by: Christine Kornacki Publisher: Ideals Books Hardcover: 32 pages  $16.99 I love poetry and that is just what you will find inside this book as you read it you can feel the musical influences. Keith Christopher is a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and educator, and he has served as editor and producer for several major music publishers. Keith Christopher is served on the faculty at the Blair School of Music

I don't like rice pudding. I never have. When I was young as a family we laugh ed about this poem. Now I have a husband , daughter and one son that love rice pudding and one son who doesn't . So we laugh about this poem . You have to love Winnie the Pooh.   Rice Pudding By A. A. Milne What is the matter with Mary Jane? She’s crying with all her might and main, And she won’t eat her dinner—rice pudding again— What is the matter with Mary Jane?   What is the matter with Mary Jane? I’ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain, And a book about animals—all in vain— What is the matter with Mary Jane?   What is the matter with Mary Jane? She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain; But, look at her, now she’s beginning again! What is the matter with Mary Jane?   What is the matter with Mary Jane? I’ve promised her sweet

1. Boo and I spent the morning learning how to make paper from pulp. It was great fun.   2. I had to choose new frames for Little J today. I was not convinced of the available frames. Hopefully I will like them when they arrive. The current frames have been awesome, but our new office doesn't carry them.   3. We had fun this week with our science program. Have you ever tried to stick a wooden skewer through a balloon. We have :) 4. Little J and I have been reading a new book for a review. You will have to wait a little for all the details - there will be a giveaway too - SO EXCITED. 5. Little J has such a sense of humor, today we were sat in Captain D's (fish and chips restaurant) when Little J says "There's something fishy in here" and then went on to laugh at his own joke. He is SO cute. Check out other "Random Five's" over at the Pebble Pond. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text,

The Force (A Review) I love books, real paper books, e-books I don't really mind. In fact I am the kind of person that downloads free e-books just in case I want to read them. I am very fortunate to have children and a husband that also like to read. In fact as a family we read a ton. I find it difficult to keep Jam and Boo in books as they read them so fast. Recently I was given the opportunity to read  The Fourth Kingdom and  The Force from The Kingdom Chronicles. The Fourth Kingdom is the first book in this series and The Force is the second book. I am not going to talk too much about the first book The Fourth Kingdom but I did want to share the synopsis from  Amazon just to piqued your interest. "On a warm September afternoon in the year 2000, Dr. Alexander Sinclair travels to the Doppelganger Genetic Cloning Facility near Santa Fe, New Mexico, to meet with its brilliant but mysterious director, Dr. Karl Helmick. Over the next 21 years, the two scient

We love getting out of the house on Sunday afternoon. We had a great afternoon last Sunday. The area near our house is beautiful. There are lots of fossils and fun things to look for. We had such a fun afternoon and found some really cool fossils. One of my husband's friends have told us where we can look for arrowheads. We may have to wait until the Spring. As you can see we had a blast. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

I have just finished reading  The Force (review to come soon) and my husband is right in the middle of it. I really enjoyed it and from what I can tell my husband is enjoying it too. I sent him the link from Amazon and he was intriged as soon as he read it and had to read the book. Read it for yourselves below and see what you think. If it is sounds like something you are interested in, don't wait for my review enter the rafflecopter giveaway below. "A dark force is rising. Someone is murdering the world’s most beautiful women—over and over and over. When Jarrod and Joshua Sinclair are called in to consult with the FBI about the Hollywood Starlet murders, they immediately suspect their old nemesis, Josef Helmick, of creating clones of famous women for a visiting Saudi prince. Wasting no time, they hire retired detective Fred Kowalski and send him to Dubai to uncover Josef’s base of operations and build a case against him for the murders. But Fred soon discovers

Yesterday was Remembrance Day in Great Britain. It's the day that the British people remember the soldiers who have fallen protecting the country. In Great Britain (and the Commonwealth) we have a wonderful tradition of wearing poppy's as a symbol of remembering these amazing soldiers.   My Dad was in the Military in England and I am very proud of his service. (Isn't he cute).   I now live in the United States and so I want to honor both sets of veterans those from the British Commonwealth and those from this great country I now call home The United States of America. I found an excellent resource over at Kathys Cluttered Mind she has some excellent information about Veteran's Day and some awesome home school freebies too. You ought to check her out and make today special. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the writt

Remember here when I shared one of my favorite poems from Pam Ayres . Well I am back again with another one...   THEY SHOULD HAVE ASKED MY HUSBAND by Pam Ayres You know this world is complicated, imperfect and oppressed And it's not hard to feel timid, apprehensive and depressed. It seems that all around us tides of questions ebb and flow And people want solutions but they don’t know where to go. Opinions abound but who is wrong and who is right. People need a prophet, a diffuser of the light. Someone they can turn to as the crises rage and swirl. Someone with the remedy, the wisdom, and the pearl. Well, they should have asked my ‘usband, he’d have told’em then and there. His thoughts on immigration, teenage mothers, Tony Blair, The future of the monarchy, house prices in the south The wait for hip replacements, BSE and foot and mouth. Yes, they should have asked my husband he can sort out any mess He can rejuvenate the railways he can cure the NHS S

  Since moving to Amish country my interest in their simple ways has increased. I love reading books about the Amish and my husband would tell you that I love anything Amish, well except the lack of air-conditioning in the summer. I just couldn't give that up. After reading the Amish proverb above I had to share a new book with you. I have had the opportunity to read The One Year Book of Amish Peace well to say I have read it all would be a fib. I have been reading it every day, as it is written like a diary with one page dedicated to each day. I have loved reading it, each day it gives me a little time to reflect upon a different thought and topic each day. For example today's page November 10 is entitled 'Open Home, Open Heart' this really struck home to me as I recently learned a new friend may be moving away. It made me think that we never know how long we have to get to know each other and be friends. I need to take a leaf out of the Amish way of life and in

Random 5 Friday 1. Dad is off work today and so we are taking him to see the penguins at the zoo. I took the kids last weekend, but Dad had to work...  2. Last week we went trick or treating with friends. I wanted to post a picture of my friends son. He went trick or treating as a 'Chicken Farmer'...yes it's a real rooster.  3. Sunday afternoon out... The view was amazing.  4. My kids love pancakes. When I took them to the zoo last weekend Friends of the Zoo members were offered a free breakfast. Unlimited Pancakes...I had very happy kids. 5. I hate this in-between time of year...everyone gets sniffles and coughs. ©2011-2013 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

We have been homeschooling for three years and during that time we have used Apologia Educational Ministries to provide ou r homeschool science curriculum so I was jumping with joy when I heard I was able to review their brand spanking new book Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics and the coordinating Note-booking Journal . For the last two years we have done science with another family, and I am delighted to say that although I received these books free to facilitate this review my friend bought the books for her children so we could still work together. The course is written for children K-6 although I am letting Jam join in as he LOVES science so much it would almost kill him to be excluded. Plus we go through the books at a slightly accelerated rate because our children are at the higher end of the recommended age they can keep up with the pace and still learn lots. In the past we have used Exploring Creation Astronomy, Botany, Zoo 1, Zoo 2, and Zoo 3. We ha