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Books in our Homeschool – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Well, this week is a given for a homeschool resource that we use in our homeschool…b is for books! Lots and lots of books! I have a slight addiction, and that would be to books, and I think I am passing this on to my kids. I am not sorry for sharing this addiction!

Homeschool Books

We have books that are for homeschool. I love having the kids put pencil to paper and use a book. But, we also have storybooks that are for homeschool. The kids love that we can just sit, cuddled up, and read a book for school. This is a great thing to do for the sick days, busy days, or just because days.

Some of our favorite homeschool books are:

  1. YWAM books. These are great books that help bring people from history to life. I love to use them as unit studies now that Ray Ray has fallen in love with this style of learning.
  2. Living Books. I love finding books that teach something when I read them. All books teach something, but to have books about what we are currently learning, it is a bonus!
  3. Master Books. This is a great company that we love. This is my first choice for our homeschool supplies. I especially love their America’s Story for history.

Picture Books

I love picture books! I love the pictures the most. I make all the kids read a picture book at least once a week, no matter how old they are. I love the idea of them taking the simple book with the pictures and just enjoying. I may not be able to take them around the world or to the best art museums, but I can give them a picture book!

Some of our favorite picture books are:

  1. Rainbow Fish. This little fish has so much to share with us!
  2. No, David! Our doctor’s office has this book EVERYWHERE! It is a known fact that we will read this book every time we go to the doctor. I love the ending the most!
  3. Elephant & Piggie. These two friends make some great stories. The kids love to come and laugh while we read some of the things these two friends do!

Chapter Books

Chapter books are so much fun! They take out the pictures and add in the use of more imagination. Even before they can read on their own, the kids are listening to me read aloud chapter books. It is so much fun to see the kids engaged and listening to the stories as I read them!

Some of our favorite chapter books are:

  1. The Doll People. This is a new favorite! Little Miss got this series for a Christmas gift, and we both fell in love with reading these together.
  2. Roland Dahl. These books are favorites in our house! We love to read the book and watch the movie after. The kids always seem to enjoy the books better!
  3. Little House on the Prairie. I grew up reading these books and watching the TV show whenever I could. I love reading and sharing these books to my kids now!

Books are well loved in our house. We love to have them everywhere. My one problem, I don’t have enough shelves for all my books!

What are some of your favorite books?

Join the rest of us in our journey through Blogging Through the Alphabet. Check out my co-hosts here:

Do you have a post that you want to share? Or do you want to find more posts on the Letter B? Check it out here: 
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Affordable Homeschooling – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Welcome to the new round of Blogging Through the Alphabet! I am so excited to be jumping back in this round after having a few issues last round. This round is all about homeschooling, and I am starting off the journey with A for Affordable Homeschooling.

When we started homeschooling, and even now, we don’t have a lot of money for those fun boxed curriculum kits. We currently have four kids who are in need of something, from a senior down to Pre-K. At $200+ per child and a tight income, there is no way that would happen. So, what did I do? I looked around and found some great affordable homeschool ideas!

SchoolhouseTeachers Membership

One of the first things I did was grab a SchoolhouseTeachers membership. I loved that it was one price for everyone in the house and we could pick and choose what we needed. This is the one program that I have continued to use throughout our whole homeschooling journey! I love the planners, and if you get a new membership before the end of February, you get a printed planner for FREE! I always recommend SchoolhouseTeachers to anyone when they mention they are wanting to homeschool, especially if they have more than one child!

Library

Yes, the library is an excellent spot for finding affordable homeschooling resources! When we have health issues come up in the house, we jump at the chance to slow down and read. There are lots to learn just from picking up a book and cuddling in with your children! I learned a lot about this from reading The Read-Aloud Family. This is a great book for any family, and I bet you could find it at the library!

Notebooking Pages

This is the other resource I grabbed as soon as we started homeschooling. This is a great way to print up pages to go with the books that we were reading. I also use these when one of the kids finds something that interests them. They are given books or online resources and a notebooking page to record what they are finding. This is a great tool for my independent learners!


Easy Peasy

This is a full K-12 online free homeschool option. This is one that we used among other things when funds were tight. We love that this was Christian based, and the main focus was on reading. We still use this for preschool, I love Getting Ready lessons and how fun and simple they are, yet my kids remember them!

There are Many Ways to Have Affordable Homeschooling

These are just some of the ways that we have made our homeschool happen even when we didn’t have the extra funds for it.

I am so excited to be back with this wonderful group of ladies in our Blogging Through the Alphabet journey! Check them out:

 

 

If you have a Letter A post and would like to share it with us, you can do that right here:



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Another Round of Blogging Through the Alphabet!!

It is a new year, and time for a new round of Blogging Through the Alphabet! I am so excited to be hosting again, and this time around we have a large group of co-hosts! If you have the chance, you need to check them out right here:

I have had so much fun in the past with this series. It is so exciting to share with you about everything in alphabetical order! This time around I want to share the Homeschool Edition of Blogging Through the Alphabet. What does that mean? Each week, my post will be something about homeschooling and related to the letter of the week.

This is not just for me to share with you, although I love sharing with you! If you have a blog you can join us! All posts will go up on Friday of the week. Here are the rules:

* Each post must be family friendly. If it is not, we have the right to remove it.

* When linking up to this post, you give us permission to share your post and/or a photo from your post in future posts and social media shares.

* Place the Blog Button from the site onto the post you are linking up.

* Use the hashtag #abcblogging when promoting your post. This will help us find you and help us promote you as well.

* If you have time, check out a few of the other posts and share the love.

* The most important rule is to make sure you are having fun! This is not something we want you to be stressed out over. We want to see all the fun ideas that everyone comes up with for the letters!

Come back on Friday, February 22, and see what I have to share about the Letter A and share your posts!

 

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On Guard – Blogging Through the Alphabet

I am here! These last few weeks life has been busy, and I apologize for not getting my posts done and up on time! I will work on getting an N post up to share with you about Neroli, one of the daily oils that I use. Today, I want to talk about On Guard for my O post.

On Guard is an oil that I have fallen in love with for my whole family. On Guard offers a fragrant, natural, and effective alternative to synthetic options for internal immune support. There are many On Guard products that I am able to use throughout the house. I will tell you the ones we regularly use today.

The very first On Guard product that we use daily is the On Guard Cleaner Concentrate. By adding one tablespoon to a spray bottle, you have your own all-purpose cleaner. You can use this on counters after working with raw meat and on your eating surfaces as a non-toxic cleaner. It also works great in the bathroom! Not only that, but you can use it on toys without the worry of toxins or chemicals getting on your children’s hands.

The On Guard Beadlets and Softgels both help to support and maintain a healthy immune system. We use these on a daily basis in the house, but especially when we need extra support from environmental threats.

dōTERRA also has On Guard Natural Whitening Toothpaste. This toothpaste is safe for sensitive teeth. It cleans and freshens the breath with a unique cinnamon-mint flavor. It improves the appearance of teeth while still be gentle enough not to damage the tooth enamel. The toothpaste has a fluoride-free formulation that helps to reduce plaque while whitening teeth with gentle polishing agents. On top of this, it has the protective benefits of the On Guard essential oil blend and the Myrrh essential oil.

These are our favorite On Guard products, but you can also find Protecting Throat Drops, Laundry Detergent, Sanitizing Mist, and Foaming Hand Wash. We love having On Guard in our house!


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Motivate and Microplex VMz – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Where in the world did this last week go to? I almost forgot to get this post up because I am a day or three behind in schedule! But, here I am ready to share with you about my favorite Letter M essential oils!

This week one of the oils I have been using is from the Emotional Aromatherapy line, Motivate. Motivate is an encouraging blend of Peppermint, Clementine, Corriander, Basil Yuzu, Melissa, Rosemary, and Vanilla. This blend helps to promote a feeling of confidence, courage, and belief. It will also help to counteract the negative emotions of doubt, pessimism, and cynicism.

I have this oil in both the straight oil and the touch blend. I love how I can use this oil in so many ways around the house. With the straight oil, I can add it to the diffuser and the whole house can benefit from it. With the touch blend, I can quickly apply this to my touch points or the back of my neck when I need that extra push to get things done.

The other item that I want to tell you about is Microplex VMz. This is not an oil, but a vitamin. Microplex VMz provides 22 essential vitamins and minerals to support normal growth, function, and maintenance of cells. It fights free radicals with the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. It supports healthy metabolism and cellular energy, as well as supporting bone health with calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D.

My favorite part of Microplex VMz is that it’s made with sodium lauryl sulfate-free vegetable capsules and does not contain milk or wheat products. Also, Microplex VMz is specially formulated to be used daily with xEO Mega and Alpha CRS+ as a comprehensive dietary supplement foundation for a lifetime of vitality and wellness.

There are many other M oils available from dōTERRA, all you need to do is check them out here.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at hopkinshomeschool(at)gmail.com.

Check out my co-hosts and see what they are sharing this week for the letter M:

Do you have a letter M post you want to share with us? Add it here:


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Lavender and Lemon Essential Oils – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Welcome back to Blogging Through the Alphabet: Essential Oil edition! I have been having so much fun these last few weeks sharing some of my favorite oils with you. I hope you have had just as much fun learning about them!

If you have a minute after reading through this post, stop by and visit my co-hosts:

This week I am super excited to talk about two oils that every house needs, in my opinion, Lavender and Lemon!

Lavender is a widely used oil for its calming and relaxing qualities. It can be used to soothe the occasional skin irritations as well as reducing the appearance of skin imperfections. But that is not all, this is just the beginning of the list of things that Lavender essential oil can do for you.

This essential oil helps to ease the feelings of tension. You can simply add a few drops to your pillows, bedding, or the bottoms of your feet to prepare yourself for bed. Or, you can add lavender to your bath water to soak away stress. With dōTERRA Lavender oil, you can also take it internally to reduce anxious feelings or for a peaceful sleep.

Lavender essential oil may support the heart and cardiovascular system. It may also help to support healthy immune function and response during times of seasonal threat. Lavender synergistically helps to soothe and calm the nervous system.

Lemon is my other must have oil! Lemon cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces. You can add Lemon to a spray bottle of water to clean tables, countertops, and other surfaces. Lemon also makes a great furniture polish when added to olive oil.

Along the lines of cleaning, you can soak a cloth in Lemon oil and use it to preserve and protect your leather furniture and other leather surfaces. It is also a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver or other metals. You can put a few drops of Lemon on a rag to help remove stubborn, sticky residue off surfaces. If you have greasy hands, wash with Lemon essential oil to remove that grease.

When diffused, Lemon is very uplifting and energizing. It may even help to improve mood. You can also use dōTERRA Lemon Essential oil to cleanse the body and aid in digestion naturally. It supports healthy respiratory function, and it promotes the healthy functioning of the GI tract.

These two oils are oils that we use almost daily in our house! We love them and always make sure to have them on hand. How do you use Lavender or Lemon in your house? Did you learn a new way to use them?

If you have a letter L post that you would like to share with us, new or old, please read through the rules and add it below! We can’t wait to hear from you!


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Kits – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Welcome back to another week in Blogging Through the Alphabet! I am having so much fun this time around. I say that every time, but it is so true each time! I am adding more of the previous posts to my Pinterest board, have you checked it out yet? Hop on over and check them out! While you’re at it, check out my wonderful co-hosts and what they have to share:

This week I am going to talk about something a little different. I don’t have a K oil I want to share, more like I have Kits I want to share! Yes, kits. There are many wonderful kits provided by dōTERRA. You can get your face cleaning systems in one kit, your vitamins in one kit, your hair care in a kit, and even your Slim and Sassy weight management in a kit. But I don’t want to talk about those, right now. Right now I want to talk about the Enrollment Kits.

The enrollment kits from dōTERRA are a great way to get yourself started with oils if you haven’t done so yet. These kits give you a great discount on getting a bunch of oils in your house right away. This is the way that I started using dōTERRA oils, and I would not do it any other way!

Two kits stand out when I look at them as great deals. These two kits can save you almost $100 on getting the oils you need into your house. They are the Home Essentials Kit and the Family Wellness Kit.

I want to start with the Home Essentials Kit. This is basically the kit I started with, but they have updated it since I started. This kit comes with 15 mL bottles of Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Melaleuca, Oregano, Peppermint, dōTERRA Breathe, DigestZen, dōTERRA On Gard, a 5 mL bottle of Deep Blue, and a Petal Diffuser. This is such a great kit with many uses. You will be able to help your house with all of these oils.

With this kit, you get some of my favorite oils, Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint. These oils are my favorite of all time. These oils help with so many things! On Guard is included in this kit, this oil is a great alternative for synthetic options for immune support. This is an oil that I plan to talk about more when we get to the letter O.

The Family Wellness Kit comes with 10 mL roll-ons of Touch Cheer, Touch Peace, Breathe, Deep Blue, DigestZen, Frankincense, Lavender, Melaleuca, On Guard, and Peppermint all Touch Blends. It also includes the dōTERRA Life Long Vitality Pack, PB Assist Jr., and the dōTERRA a2z Chewable.

The Touch Blends are a great way to keep oils on you that can go from the bottle onto you without needing to dilute anything. That means that you can carry these oils with you everywhere and use them as the need arises.

If you are thinking about joining dōTERRA and getting all these great oils at wholesale cost, I would highly recommend checking out a kit to start your journey with. If you have questions, leave a message below, or send me an email at hopkinshomeschool(@)gmail.com.

Do you have a letter K post, new or old? Add it right here:


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Jasmine and Juniper Berry – Blogging Through the Alphabet

Welcome back to another week of Blogging Through the Alphabet! I am so glad that you are here with us. Did you know that I have a Pinterest Board that I have been adding all of the Blogging Through the Alphabet post to? Well, I am getting there! I have the last few letters and some from the previous runs, but I am working on getting all of them added over the next few weeks. Make sure you stop by and check out my co-hosts:

This week for the letter J, I would love to talk to you about Jasmine and Juniper Berry. Both of these oils are new to me oils, meaning I just got them in the last few months. I have wanted them both for a long time but would grab what we needed each month vs. what we wanted.

First, let me tell you a little about Jasmine, my favorite. This is my perfume as of right now. Jasmine evokes feelings of joy, peace, and self-confidence. Not only that but during the month it will help to balance your mood. You don’t have to use it as just perfume, Jasmine helps to promote a healthy-looking, glowing complexion and reduces the appearance of blemishes.

Juniper Berry is another oil that helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes, but it does so much more! Juniper Berry supports healthy kidney and urinary tract function. With doTERRA’s Juniper Berry, you can add a drop or two to water or citrus drinks as a part of a natural cleansing regimen. Not only that, but you can diffuse Juniper Berry for positive feelings, add in some citrus oils to freshen and purify the air as well as lesson stresses.

Juniper Berry may also help to maintain cellular function and overall cellular health. It also supports healthy immune function and response. Juniper Berry supports healthy lung and respiratory function. It may also be calming to the nervous system and supports healthy nervous system function. On top of all of that, Juniper Berry has a woody, spicy, yet fresh aroma that has a calming and grounding effect.

If you want to know more about either one of these oils, post your question in the comments, or send me an email at hopkinshomeschool(at)gmail.com.

Do you have a Letter J post you want to share with us? Make sure you add it right here:


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HD Clear Facial Kit – Blogging Through the Alphabet

I want to first apologize for last week. I was not feeling good and therefore did not get my post up as I had hoped. I might get back to the letter G in the future, but I also have to keep moving forward.

This week we are on the Letter H, and I am going to go off a little from straight oils and share with you about the HD Clear Facial Kit. This is a great kit for the kids in your life!

Before I get too far into talking about this amazing kit, let me invite you to stop by my co-hosts and see what they are talking about this week:

Now, onto the HD Clear line. In the kit, you will find the HD Clear Foaming Face Wash, HD Clear Topical Blend, and HD Clear Facial Lotion. Together these work together to address skin problems at its core.

First, you start with the HD Clear Foaming Face Wash. This face wash will clean your child/teens skin without drying it out. It will remove oil and dirt for a fresh and clean feeling. This is a great start to keep your child/teens skin clean and hydrated.

The HD Clear Topical Blend is next. This can be used as a spot treatment for acne breakouts or as an all over application to promote a clean and healthy complexion. This blend features a unique blend of black cumin seed oil, Ho Wood, Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Geranium and Litsea oils to help reduce breakouts and keep skin clean, clear, and hydrated.

To finish up the routine, there is the HD Clear Facial Lotion. This lotion contains the same combination of oils as the topical blend. With this lotion, your child/teen will have a clean, touchable face. Using this lotion will help to promote a clean complexion and help reduce breakouts. Not only that but it will help to soothe redness and irritations.

We have been using this facial kit with Moe Man, 17, Ray Ray, 9, and Little Miss 7. They all love this kit and how their face feels after using it. I have noticed fewer blemishes on Moe Man and Ray Ray, and Little Miss loves the feel of their face after using this kit.

If you have a child, tween, or teen, this is a facial kit that you will want to look at for them!

Do you have a letter H post you want to share with us? Add it right here:


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Blogging Through the Alphabet – Letter G

Welcome to another week of Blogging Through the Alphabet! Please take a moment to check out my co-hosts:

I have been under the weather this week, and honestly thought I had another day to write my post. Please check back later today or tomorrow for my Letter G post! While you are waiting, check out some of these posts here:


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