My Homeschool Grades~A Mosaic Review

Having one child in high school already, I was excited to review My Home School Grades, an online program which takes a lot of the stress out of tracking grades, classes, credits, and so much more....ALL IN ONE PLACE! You can use your own curriculum AND lesson plans, as well as your own grading scale. This program also provides you the ability to track extracurricular activities.

Here is a picture of my students screen, available after you log-in

As you can see, as soon as I log-in, I am able to not only see my son's GPA, (not current because I haven't put all of the grades in yet-we are finishing up our school year here), but I can also see how many credits he has so far.

There are several well known curriculum publishers already saved into the database to choose from, such as: Alpha Omega and Apologia to name a few. The company states that you can also request specific curriculum to be added. I have not done that, however, so I cannot state that as a factual experience for this reviewer. We are pretty eclectic around here, so that is difficult for us anyway. Abeka is a text that we used, and they are not included in the list.

There are many features to this site, not just Transcripts, although that is a big bonus. You can go in and add individual Lesson Plans for each child, which is a good thing if you need to keep track of that for your state. I prefer to use pencil and paper systems, as I am not on my laptop very often.

There are many informative videos on the website for you to get a true 'feel' for the program. 

The cost? $49.99 for a LIFETIME membership. Yes, I said LIFETIME. There is also a FREE two week trial available here. 

And yes....there ARE apps available for this!! You can even keep track on your smartphone or tablet.

This is a close-up view of the courses, credits and grades for the current year.

One of the 'cons' for us is that you are only able to keep track of a certain school year. For us considering a subject based vs. a traditional school year based transcript, this could possibly cause some issues and may make the high school years look 'lopsided'. That is the only con that I see. That, and I am more likely to keep track of things with pencil and paper. That said, I really may try to be more intentional in using this program. I can see a HUGE benefit with just pressing the print button and creating a Transcript.

Waterproof Bible!!~a Mosaic Review

I am absolutely thrilled to announce my review of this waterproof Bible available from Bardin Marsee Publishing! I am a Bibleholic and LOVE the crispness of a new Bible, but cherish and treasure my old ones. Highlighted, filled with notes from sermons and personal studies, also passages dated with prayers and studies. I thought I had almost every variety, (except a really cool Homeschool one and a Parallel translation), until I saw this beautiful Bible! Inside, however, I cringed. My mamaw NEVER lets you lay ANYTHING on a Bible--not even a piece of paper, so how was I supposed to 'test' this by immersing it in water? 

My little girls to the rescue!! They love their Bibles too, so it was really "cool" to them to be able to take it into the bathtub with them. They dunked it in a full tub of water, tried to read it, and just kept it in the warm water with them for the length of their bath. They were so excited to try this themselves.

The version that I chose to review was the King James Version. Long a beloved treasure in my formative years--I "cut my teeth" on the KJV, I was thrilled to see it offered. So few new editions of KJV or NKJV are available, as the popularity of other translations rise. However, it was the first Bible I was ever exposed to and therefore holds a special place in my heart.

The Basics:

• The story behind the creation of this Bible is humbling. (See the Our Story tab on their page). They wanted to be able to take God's word everywhere, regardless of weather or circumstances. Just imagine this with me. Our military men and women? This Bible is safe WHEREVER they are. The Mission field? Regardless whether it takes the missionary to an icy kingdom, monsoon season, a rainforest or anything else--this Bible? Yeah, it goes too! What a tremendous impact. Not to mention that this Bible is small enough to fit into any knapsack or backpack. Think of the amount of Bibles that could be carried to others!
• Translations offered: King James Version, New King James Version, ESV, NLT, NIV. Amazing! A Bible for almost every preferred translation! Once again, think about the impact this wonderful Bible could have!!
• Prices vary depending upon the item you choose. For example-a full King James Version Bible is $44.95, while one with the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs is $24.95. Since this review is limited to the King James Version, those are the prices I quoted. Click here to choose your preference and see the price and other available items.
• Dry highlighters are the preferred highlighters to use, as they will not 'rub' off. However, we used a 'liquid' one with success. (see picture below). And this was WHILE the Bible was still wet-not long after removal from the tub.

• Ball point pens and pencils will also work the best. However, Sharpies, gel pens or roller ball pens will not work well because they need "paper" to absorb the liquid. The pages are slick and smooth to the touch, not the feel of a "traditional" Bible.

Above is a photo of the Bible drying. We just patted it with a towel, patted some of the pages, and then stood it on it's end with the pages fanned open to dry. However--even to have been immersed in a tub, there wasn't much water "running" anywhere! Sure, you could squeeze it and get some out of it but not NEAR what I thought there would be. The pages are truly amazing!

 

Completely dry in the above picture! This was a process of  a little over a day, but NEVER did the dampness distract from reading it. It didn't leak all over or seep, and you could still highlight even when it was wet!

I am absolutely amazed at this Bible! In a world where it seems like a new Bible or a new translation comes out nearly monthly, THIS Bible is one that I think is a MUST HAVE-especially for a mission minded family or someone serving in the Military. It would make a fabulous gift for someone--especially for those going overseas for mission work. No weather will stop God's word from being spread with this amazing Bible!

Ooka Island~a Mosaic Review Team Review

The log-in page

Looking for an interesting way to not only teach reading, but to 'test' skills already acquired? A program that tracks comprehension as well as sight reading? Let me introduce you to a fabulous product that the members of the Mosaic Review Team was fortunate enough to review.

Ooka Island turns reading into a game...a fun game at that! Recommended for ages 3-7, or Pre-K to 2nd grade, your little ones will have fun exploring on a 3D island adventure. There are three core features to the program:

• The eye/ear reading method-according to the website, this feature has a science based foundation.
• READirect- provides differentiated instruction.
• The LIGHTHOUSE- this is where you go for online progress reports.

In addition to those three, there are many more features located here. According to the 'about us' page, "the goal is to teach children to read fluently and well through reading instruction that is fun and compelling."

Pricing varies upon the package you choose-the Home edition, the Homeschool edition, or the School edition. Yes, this program IS compatible for classroom instruction. The edition that we were given to review is the Homeschool Edition and the prices are as follows:

• Family- (up to 4 Homeschool students)- $19.95/month or $149.95 annually.
• Individual- (1 Homeschool student)- $12.95/month or $124.95 annually.

As you can see, this is an EXCELLENT deal the more kids you have. Shh...even my 12 year old thought the characters were funny and the game looked "cool!"

When my daughters, aged 3 and 5 at the time of review, found out this product came in the mail they were excited to get started RIGHT away! I had to upload it on two laptops so they could each play. They were both given different names. My oldest played as Hero, and my youngest was OokaElf. I couldn't drag these girls away from this game...I think they played at LEAST 2 hours the first day. My oldest is reading pretty well and she was flying through and reading the books but was NEVER bored with it. Here she is the first day:

Not one to be outdone, the 3 year old was ready to get involved as well!!

To a homeschool mama, aka "The Teacher", I was thrilled with what all was included in the reports. MANY reports are available-some examples: Reading Comprehension and Report Card. The reports are VERY detailed, showing: levels, scores on each level and average percentage. The bottoms include detailed explanations as to what is covered in the levels and instructions!! 

Here is the main screen to access your child's reports

An example of what is found on the Reading Comprehension report

Another cool feature of this 'game' is the included ebooks. They really capture the child's attention! I received a report via email from Ooka Island when they finished a book on the "Book Path." It included her success in reading it, a description of the book and what was coming in the next book. It also includes a link to the Ooka Island Lighthouse Dashboard, which is where you retrieve your reports.

This item was a BIG hit at our home. The only con was ONCE when Hero was playing, the screen froze and we had to restart the game but that only happened one time and didn't affect anything.

*Disclaimer for those concerned, Ooka Island states on their website that they DO correlate 100% with the Common Core Reading Standards for Kindergarten and First Grade. For their position on this, check here.

*They are currently offering an ADDITIONAL savings option-30% off! This is in addition to the 37% off an annual family subscription. This special runs through JUNE 1st, 2013!!!

To get this special, simply click here and take advantage of a great deal!

My oldest is reading pretty well, and my youngest is just getting her letters downpat, so we opted not to purchase this for the school year but it will remain on the 'bucket list' of things to explore at a later time because they enjoyed it so much. However, next school year....you never know!!! It's coming up soon!!

Spanish for You-A Mosaic Review

(How we put the digital download together on our own, along with using a recipe box for his flashcards-it does not come this way.)

Looking for an interesting, multi-level way to teach Spanish? One that uses files from a native Spanish speaker as well? One that was created to ease concerns for those worried about the 'flow' from elementary level Spanish to the high school level? 

Let me introduce you to Spanish for You, a curriculum recommended for those in grades 3-8. It can, however, be adapted for younger children with some creativity. For example, my 5 year old listened to the speaker along with her 12 year old brother. When he was practicing phrases, she practiced right along with him!  

Spanish for You was created to start children on the road to fluency in speaking, reading, writing and grammar. They learn everyday, useful vocabulary such as cultural words and familiar words; pronunciation by listening over time, verb conjugation, and grammar concepts--some which are found in a first year high school class according to the creator of the curriculum. This program uses the spiral method of learning-repetition and review. The material between books DO NOT spiral however, so they can start anywhere with any book. The spiraling is found within each book.

The 'Nitty Gritty':

• First, pick a package. Fiestas and Estaciones packages are the only ones currently available for a 'complete' school year. Viajes is available as a 4-week trial with plans to be complete in June of 2013, according to the website for ordering. Each package has a 'theme'. Viajes is Travel, Fiestas is Celebrations, and Estaciones is Seasons.
• Next, choose your grade level. You can buy the multi-level package to cover full grades 3-8, or split up into grades 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8. Prices vary according to which package you pick. For example, a complete package for grade levels 3-8 is only $64.95. This is available in soft cover-the ebooks are only available for the trial packages at this time. Lesson plans are separate and cost anywhere from $12.95-$14.95 each and are split up by grade, just as the packages are.  At this time, only Fiestas has the lessons plans available for purchase. However, the website does say that Estaciones lesson plans will be available by May 2013 which is just around the corner and in time for the new school year! The lesson plans are PDF downloads.
• What is included? From the website: A softcover book, 24-30 week lesson guide for the grades that you need (these give you the assignments for each grade broke up into a 4 day week), self-checking worksheets in PDF form, audio files of entire book (with bonus audio of native speaker reading the whole book), and flashcards/activity pictures available as a PDF download.
• Recommended supplies (not included): colored cardstock, dry erase cards/board/markers, index cards, dice, bingo markers, and board game pieces such as people. This truly is a multidimensional learning experience. Many 'fun' game type suggestions are included, as well as activities for further learning and games on the website.
• Able to go at child's own pace. The curriculum is set up for 24 actual weeks, but can be spread out to 27-30 depending upon child's level of understanding and ability.

We were given the complete Estaciones Digital Curriculum Package, grades 3-8, for review. I primarily used this with my 12 year old, 6th grade son. However, many times, as you can see below, his 5 year old sister wanted to learn with him! The 4 year old jumped in from time to time, but she is more interested in playing right now! His older brother, in 9th grade, helped him 'review' his phrases as well.

I was pretty overwhelmed with the downloads. I am not a very organized person when it comes to computer files, and probably would have done better with hard copies--including the audio. I ended up with files everywhere in the download section of my computer and 'lost' the non-native speaker file. The native speaker went way too fast for me, but my son has been learning both French and Spanish using other things, so he knew a little of what was going on. As the week progressed, he began to understand almost everything that she was saying. BONUS!! That was awesome-he even had to help mom pronounce stuff which is sad, considering there is a pronunciation guide IN the book! Aye yi yi! The good news is that Debbie has reorganized the audio files and they are now in folders for each lesson, as well as dividing the non-native audio file into 2 parts to make downloading easier. Yay!! I will say that she goes out of her way to accommodate her customers and is a pleasure to work with via email, etc. and answers right away!

As I stated, we received everything as a download, so as you can see in the very first picture, I comb bound EVERYTHING. I even combined the soft cover book and Lesson Guide for ease of use for mom. We used a recipe card box with index cards for his flash cards. Rather than cut out all of the cards included in the download, he created his own. I printed out EVERY LAST worksheet for his age and created a workbook for him.

We had some trouble starting right out of the gate. The very first 'worksheet' was to translate things from Spanish into English and vice versa. However, in the reading and in the audio file, many of the words were not covered yet, that we could find. We had to do quite a bit of flipping back and forth through the books. I had him look through the book and finally let him look at the answer sheet. He was able to pick up many words from the audio file, as well as what he already knows, so that wasn't a major problem. 

Overall, I found this to be a wonderful, very cost-effective product, especially when you compare the price to so many other foreign language curricula. It also reaches a wide variety of ages, provides an excellent foundation in Spanish for high school, and includes multidimensional learning. My son says, "I love it!!". For mama, it was a little difficult to navigate but I appreciated all of the helps--including the pronunciation guide. I can see using this in the future-especially with him.

Planners? Yes Please! Apologia Planners~A Mosaic Team Review

Can I tell you just how excited I was to realize that one of the Review Team items was coming from Apologia? We LOVE all things Apologia around here and use a lot of their products in our homeschool! And a planning system? Oh my! 

We were given the opportunity to review The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, The Ultimate Weekly Planner for Teens, and The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students. They can be combined and used as a complete system, the instructions are in the Users Guide section of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, or any of them can be used alone. Prices vary from $19.00 each for the Student/Teen planners and $28.00 for the 'main' planner. You can check their website for ordering or call 888-524-4724. Other vendors offering the planner include: Christian Book Distributors and Amazon.

I am a wee bit on the obsessed side when it comes to organizing and planning things. Sometimes, I plan too much and end up more lost than I was when I began. I have used many planners in the past and actually had my eye on this one last year.

These planners were created by Debra Bell, and I actually own her book The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens. The first thing I appreciate is the binding of The Ultimate Homeschool Planner book. It is slick, (read: spills roll off), and bound so that it opens fantastically!

(The complete system)

This is no ordinary planner! Inside The Ultimate Homeschool Planner, you will find helps, tips, insights, quotes, goals, records, and guides! The author has went all out to provide you, the teacher, with all of the amazing insights and helps you could need.

Upon opening the Ultimate planner, you find pockets on both the front and back inside covers. A great place where we stored worksheets, quiz papers and test papers. Handy for us--instead of searching, the kiddos could just pull them from there! A two year at a glance page comes next. A handy tool to also record your attendance if required in your state-just circle your school dates! Moving from there is all of the things that I mentioned above. 

Prior to starting your weekly planning, you will see an amazing section with more quotes, a Bible Plan, Battle Plan--complete with 'Fighter Verse', Prayers, Hospitality/Outreach sections, Memorable Moments and Evidences of Grace. I told you--this is no ordinary planner!

The Ultimate Planner itself is undated (LOVE!!) so you can fill in your own information. The sections are blank. You can choose to plan by child, by date, or by subject. I tried a combination of all of the above during my review weeks. The sidebar has room for Notes, Supplies, and Appointments.

(Here is an example of my planner, arranged by subject)

Next, we move onto The Ultimate Weekly Planner for Teens. Binding similar to the main planner, it is smaller in dimensions. There is a section in here for the students to write "All About Me"-all of their favorite things for the year. While labeled as a Homeschool Planner, these could easily be used by students anywhere. The planner itself is undated, set up by Month and Week, similar to the main planner. It is set-up in a grid format for the week. In the back, there is a place to log grades, activities logs, a credit tracker, handy grammar guide, citation information for papers using the various styles, math chart, periodic table, history timeline, and SO MUCH MORE! Once again, you are NOT getting an ordinary planner here. We used this planner with my 9th grade son. We wrote his subjects in the left column, and I transferred the info from my planner to his. Due to the various curriculum and books we use, his handwriting is too big for him to fit his daily lesson plans in here himself. That is the only drawback we had while using this planner. There wasn't enough room for him to do it himself. So, we let him use it for other things and ran off of the main planner. He just checked off on it when finished.

Finally, we used The Ultimate Daily Planner for Students. Similar in style to the Weekly Planner for Teens, the inside is quite different. There is an additional section with "The Future Me I Want to Be" for them to fill out, as well as Personal Goals for the Year. The planning part itself is set up by day of the week with room to write assignments, plus a place to check-off their 'quiet time'. We used this with our 6th grade son. Again, I ran into the same issue of his handwriting and not having the room to write it himself, so I took the info from the main planner and plugged it in for him. This one also has amazing 'helps' in the back, such as maps, timelines, scientific method, greek and latin roots, and more!

We thoroughly enjoyed reviewing these planners! However, as I stated, we had an issue with their handwriting not being small enough to fit in what they needed to and mom had to write out assignments three times. That is the ONLY negative that I could find to this planner and it really isn't a negative at all. We just use the main planner and they can check off their work from there.

Apologia is well known and loved for many things-and for a good reason! They offer Science, History, Language Arts and Worldview Training Curriculum. They also offer on-line courses. We have used and loved a variety of items from them and will continue to for as long as we homeschool.

We Choose Virtues--A Mosaic Team Review

I have heard the name We Choose Virtues praised and discussed often in Homeschooling circles. Imagine my delight to find out that the Review Team at Mosaic Reviews would get a chance to review some of their products! As believers in Jesus Christ, we want to instill Biblical values into our children. However, these products can still be used by anyone as there are not only options for versions of the Bible, but they have a secular choice as well. The main difference is that the Bible version has verses to go along with the cards.

For each virtue, there is a 'kid of VirtueVille' to help them remember it. The color and graphics are simply beautiful and so kid friendly!

I primarily used this with my 3 year old and 5 year old daughters. However, come assessment and game time, the 12 and 14 year old boys joined us! (shh--when I was teaching the girls the virtues, they were in the room and heard them as well. We have been discussing this with them through a study of Proverbs and other tools throughout the years.)

(How we introduced the card, virtue, kid, am not's, and the verse)

General Information and discussion about the products reviewed:

• The Teacher's Handbook (PDF format)- full of wonderful ideas to use any or all of their products. It gives you, the parent, or the teacher (recommended for use in schools as well), ideas and explanations for using the products. It does not, however, go into detail about each virtue. That is on the back of the Parenting and/or Teacher's cards. (more about those later).
• Printable Butterfly Awards- these come FREE in their kits in PDF form and are full of color! They may also be ordered separately. Award your child who shows consistent behavior in each virtue. My girls love butterflies so they were so excited when they got their award for being consistently "Gentle"

(The girls with their Gentle Butterfly Awards!)

• Kids of VirtueVille Coloring Pages- These also come FREE in the kits, or available extra in PDF form for $3.00. Sixteen pages of fun coloring each 'kid of virtue' and a word search! My girls simply adored learning about Oboe Joe and then coloring his picture!
• Family Character Assessment- These are FREE on their website: We Choose Virtues. Gets the whole family involved! This is a self assessment to determine where each family member's character is right now. We used this as a tool for discussion with the older boys. In many areas, I thought they were harder on themselves than need be. We discussed their strengths and weaknesses. We discussed their identity in Christ and that even though they were not a '10'- no one but Jesus is perfect. We discussed ways we could improve in this area.

(Self assessment in pencil, my assessment in ink. The older boys did this and it was a wonderful opportunity to build their confidence, discuss small weaknesses, and point them to Christ!)

• Virtues Flash Cards (NIV version)- my absolute favorite part!! These are sturdy, full color, beautifully illustrated cards. Whatever version you choose-(NIV, KJV, secular)-will determine what all is on the back. The Bible versions include a verse, the secular ones do not. The positives and the "I am Not's" are on the back. On the front is the virtue, as well as the kid that represents that virtue. For example--I am Obedient is Oboe Joe! These cards also come with another card that has fun game ideas on it and other ways to use these. 

The 'Scoop':

We Choose Virtues has multiple products and kits to choose from for any budget. They can be used in combination with other character building products or simply alone-no need to supplement. While we only used a few of the items, I am already starting to see more understanding in my children about certain character traits. Which ones are good, why they are good, and how to model the behavior. They also know the "am not's" and why they are not so good.

For information/questions about the product, email Heather: Heather @wechoosevirtues.com

For orders already placed, contact info@wechoosevirtues.com

They are running a promo special through the month of April. Use code HOME20 for 20% off of the Homeschool Kit! 
Another great deal is code VIRTUE15 for 15% off--I assure you that you will not be disappointed in any of their products!!

How we used these products:

(I used a comb binder to turn the coloring pages into a coloring book. This is Miss E learning our second virtue, Gentle.)

(Little A and Miss E coloring Oboe Joe!)

We also played Charades, which is one of the games listed on the Family Flash Card Games card that came with them. (I tweaked the game just a little.) The older boys even got involved with this! Each took turns acting out the appropriate virtue, then someone else acted out the opposite of that virtue. They loved this and everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves to see what they could come up with!

We absolutely enjoyed this product. My girls will commend someone, and point out which one, when an appropriate virtue is expressed. They are quick to point out when someone is not responding properly as well!

'Quiet time' has often been difficult around here. The girls have a hard time winding down and often are just as busy during this rest period as they are any other time. Today, however, I told Miss E that the TV was going off and she needed to practice Self-Control. She did it right away! I was so blessed and amazed. Little A? We are still working on those with her but she is so big hearted and often portrays kindness, helpfulness and she is a very good girl when it comes to sharing! 

The only tiny con that we encountered was some of the wording on the back of the cards due to their age. That was an EASY fix though, and I just used age appropriate words. This is one item that I see sticking around for a long time and we really enjoyed it!

Check out what the other Mosaic Review Team members are saying:
http://mosaicreviews.com/we-choose-virtues/

FamilyMint~a Mosaic Review Team Review

Ever wanted to teach your kids money management but wasn't sure how? Looking to teach them in a way that uses a variety of methods? Let me introduce you to FamilyMint's Money Management Certification Program. There are many options to choose from, depending upon your needs or wants. The price varies as well, however the most "expensive" package is only $29.99 at the Special Introductory Price-this option also allows you to purchase additional workbooks for 50% off the normal rate. The least expensive? FREE! Yes, free! This is the online application only and includes a 14 day trial of the Online Premium version as a bonus!
The workbook is recommended for grades 5 and up (ages 10+), but the online application can be used by anyone age 6-14.

The item that I received to review was Option #1. It comes with both the workbook AND the online component. For this product, you may choose to use 'real' money or just teach them using 'pretend' money. We opted to use their allowance and money they had already saved. Here is a picture of the workbook:

Upon opening the workbook, you will find an Introduction and Instructions. Then, it is divided into four sections: Tracking Your Money, Goal Setting, Budgeting, and Interest-Growing $. Follows is a Learning Summary, Worksheets and Forms, and Answer Key, Parent Checklist and on the back cover is a Certification of Achievement printed onto the same material as the cover of the workbook.

This is an example from inside the book on teaching how deposit slips work and having them fill one out for practice:

The second part, (or the only, depending upon the option you choose), is the Internet component. Here is where you access that. If you opt to go the Premium route, the workbook includes a code for you to access the online content.This is the image of my son's account: 

We used this program for a 6th grade, 12 year old boy and his 9th grade, 14 year old brother. The 9th grader filled out the workbook, the 6th grader primarily did everything online except the practice, (and real), deposit and check slips. They loved this program! Here is the 14 year old in action:

We always try to teach our children about Stewardship, and Biblical principals for handling money. This isn't included in this book as such, but it does mention saving for charity. My 12 year old set up an account primarily for Tithing as well. 

They were both especially excited about goal setting. Many ideas came to mind--my 12 year old actually created a long-term goal for a "college fund". He was so interested to see how his money was adding up and how long he had to go to reach his goal. They are given allowances each week and 'deposited' the money into their accounts. They then withdrew the money as per weekly expenses-example: tithing. 

They created short term goals as well. A particular video game was interesting to my 12 year old, so he set that goal. The 14 year old wanted a new hat, so he put money towards that. They had to figure how much of their money would be withdrawn into each account weekly. When their goal was met, we were more than glad to withdraw the money from their account for them, as they had learned the lesson of actually saving for something they really wanted, as opposed to just spending their money week after week on junk.

The parental control component also allows you, the 'banker', to set an interest rate for their accounts if you so desire. We chose to operate this much like a bank. The children wrote deposit slips to add money to their account, and then a check, (and a well prepared explanation), when they were ready to withdraw anything not considered and 'expense'.

Other than some user error--for example, mom 'forgetting' to withdraw/deposit the money on the parental portion (the kids did a really good job of doing it from their end), we really thought this was a well thought out, educational yet fun learning experience for them. Due to the 'bankers' error, it created problems on the bookkeeping end of the parental account. This in no way had anything to do with the product or the FamilyMint program, it was an oversight on this overextended mama. Overall, our experience was extremely positive and my children were very excited to learn about managing their money. The only cons I could see was the brevity of the workbook. However, considering the price and the online component, it is still a wise investment.

Confessions of a Homeschooler Free Blog Planner Review

Ever feel like you would like to blog but just don't have it 'all together'? Have you ever came up with fantastic ideas then forgot them an hour later? For many of us, that is called 'mommy brain syndrome'. With so much to do in a given amount of time, certain things fall by the wayside. Maybe you would like to blog consistently or want to remember blog posts past. 

Enter My Blog Planner 2013 from Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler. This fantastic item is offered for FREE!! I enjoy many of the items at her site, and have utilized some of her free printables in my own homeschool. In addition to the free printables, she offers paid (not expensive!) curriculum such as: the Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum, K4 Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum, Road Trip USA Geography and History, and Expedition Earth: A Journey Through God's World. This review, however, is limited to the Free Blog Planner.

This is a streamlined, no-nonsense blog planner with gorgeous colors and designs! My kind of planner. Too many bells and whistles and I tend to organize what I have organized if you know what I mean. This was just perfect for me- I am one who tends to get bogged down by clutter. However, that said, I am a tweaker by nature and I did tweak a few things to fit my needs and what I used the planner for.

Two options are offered for download: a Calendar Style Post Layout (the 'planner' page is in calendar form) or the Lined Format Post Planner. The Calendar Style offers: a Year at a Glance page, a calendar planning page and a blog notes page. The last two are for every month of the year (or two pages per month). The Lined Format, (which is the one I reviewed), also offers the Year at a Glance page and blog notes page, however the difference is in the planning page. It is lined with each individual date going down the page, versus a calendar look. Once again, the last two are offered for each month of the year for a total of two pages per month.

This is the 'finished' product. The planner is available for immediate download and printed on your own printer. She offers suggestions and tips for printing, binding and organizing. I did print the cover and last page on cardstock for durability. Then, used my comb binder to put it all together. On the first page, you are greeted with a Year at a Glance Calendar. Depending upon which option you choose, the Calendar or Lined Layout, determines what you see next.

The next page will be the blog planning page for January (I used this more in the month of February, hence the picture not showing January). Again, this is the Lined Format. At the top, she has sections titled: Post Date, Title, Scheduled, Review/Giveaway/Winner (labeled R,G,W with boxes to check off), and Social Media. For this last section, the media listed are: fb, t, P, g+. Already, you can see where I 'tweaked'. I changed the P to a B for Blogger. This reminds me that I need to publish something ON my blog. I also wrote Group 33 above the g+. This reminds me that I need to post something for a small group on Facebook that I lead for Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies with Melissa Taylor.

In the section titled Scheduled, I wrote HS for something I want to publish, or have already scheduled to be published, on HootSuite. I also list the time, above the title, that I have it scheduled to post. I place a check beside it when I schedule it. 

Out to the side, I wrote in Views. This allows me to track views on each blog post. At the very bottom, I will write the total blog views for the month.

The final page for the month is the page to write down what Reviews/Giveaways you have scheduled for the month. It has a place to write the date due, the vendor, product and price. The second section is your 'brainstorming' area. Topics that you would like to write about.

Overall, I absolutely love this item and plan to use it for a long time to come. It has really helped me to get organized and keep everything in one place where I can see it. The colors are different each month. The designs are beautiful. I know Confessions of a Homeschooler has many wonderful items and this one is here to stay! 

The only thing I would consider a 'con' is the small areas to write in, but this is only a con for those who write bigger. In keeping it streamlined, I don't see any way to make this area bigger. That said, it works perfectly for me! 

*Disclaimer--I received this item at no cost in exchange for an honest review.