Kerry Beck's Blog

Do you clip coupons?  I know some people do and some  people don’t.  And some people who DO clip coupons even decide it’s better not to when it doesn’t make the desired product any cheaper than the generic.

But here’s an idea.  Begin to clip and use coupons for new products the manufacturers put out, especially household products.  Usually these coupons offer a deep discount just to get you to try it, and if you look online, you might find a coupon for the product that makes it FREE!

A friend of mine recently tried this the with new Bounce “Dryer Bar” and really discovered (for very little money) a new way to add that fresh smell to her laundry.   It works just as well as the dryer sheet but without the hassle of remembering to add  a sheet to each load of laundry or throwing the same said sheet away afterwards.

I have been quite concerned with the way America is taking Christ out of Christmas. I’m working on editing a video about what’s really happening to Christmas these days. I’ll be sharing some of my findings next week, along with solutions you can use with your family this Christmas season. Watch your email for more details.

In the meantime, I already have our Advent Countdown up & running.

What’s an Advent Countdown?

I’ve created 25 daily emails that give you ideas on how to put Christ back into your Christmas celebration as you prepare for Christmas. The season of Advent is upon us, usually beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I want you to be ready so grab your Advent Countdown right here.

http://budurl.com/christmascelebration

When you get your Advent Countdown, you’ll also be signed up for our “first to know” list about our Christmas webinar -

“Rekindling the Spirit of Christmas & Overcoming the Commercialism in America”

Be sure to tell your friends & family to get their own copy of our Advent Countdown.

http://budurl.com/christmascelebration

Have a wonderful week…have you seen some of the new ideas on my blog to celebrate Thanksgiving?

Blessings,

Kerry Beck

P.S. Enjoy celebrating Advent with your family this year… http://budurl.com/christmascelebration

P.P.S. Remember to whitelist my email so you get all the Advent Countdown ideas.

During the month of November I will be posting on my blog a quick idea you can use as you celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s the 30 Days of Thanksgiving. There are craft ideas, school activities and family fun ideas over the entire month.

I know how hard it is to remember to get back to someone’s blog after you’ve seen something really cool. So, I set up an email to notify you and give you a quick summary of each post. (If you’re a techie, it’s the RSS feed to my blog)

All you have to do is look over to the right … at the top of the right sidebar. There is a place to sign up for email updates to this blog. You’ll get an email every time we post one of our 30 Days of Thanksgiving.

Go over there right now and put your name & email in the boxes so you don’t miss out on any of these goodies.

Blessings,
Kerry

ps. To read the Thanksgiving activities already posted,click here

Today I have guest author, Terri Johnson, sharing an article on great homeschool resources.

This past year has not been an easy one for many Americans, that’s for sure.  With businesses downsizing and laying off staff, many loyal employees find themselves out of work.  With the bursting of the real estate bubble, many hard-working homeowners find themselves in a house they can no longer afford to keep and yet can neither afford to sell.  We live in hard times, but often it is these very hard times that generate the most creative thinking.  As they say… Necessity is the mother of invention.  I believe that was first spoken by Plato.  Or you could say… “Invention is the mother of necessity.”  Thorstein Veblen, the author of that quote, was a U.S. economist and social philosopher who lived during the latter portion of the 19^th century until the Great Depression.  He lived in times not unlike our own.  Swift change can cause turmoil.

So, if invention and creativity is spurred on by necessity or difficulty (and vice versa), then now is a great time to look for and use no-cost resources that will serve us well during this economic downturn.

There are many of you who cannot afford homeschooling curriculum this year.  Does that mean that you should put your children into public school?  No, what it means is that it is time to get creative, even inventive, when it comes to our children’s education.

And this is your place to start.  I am going to share with you my top 5 “must-have” homeschooling resources that won’t cost you a dime.  Bookmark each of these sites and refer to them often as you prepare and teach your children during this upcoming school year.

Top 5 Must-Have No-Cost Homeschooling Resources

(These are not listed in any particular order because they are all good!  Bookmark or sign up for them all!)

1. Jim Erskine’s Freebie of the Day -http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/.  If you are not aware of this site, then I am excited to share it with you.  Jim works with homeschool publishers to provide you with 1 freebie each day.  The link to the freebie is only active for 24 hours, so you have to act fast, but these are quality offerings and not just filler junk.  Trust me, I have participated in this program and we have given away a full U.S. geography curriculum on one occasion and another full ebook on another occasion.  Other publishers are doing the same thing.  So sign up using the “Join List” tab at the top of the page.
2. The Old Schoolhouse’s Teacher Toolbox -http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/E_News/index.php#teacherstoolbox.  Most of you are probably aware of their Freebie Friday newsletter (if you are not, then sign up for that one as well).  But the Teacher Toolbox newsletter is a lesser known treasure. The Teacher’s Toolboxis a great way to inject something extra into your teaching plans especially when you are homeschooling on a shoestring.
3. The Homeschool Mom Unit Studies -http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/schoolroom/unitstudies.php.  Actually, the entire Homeschool Mom site is a gem and you should spend some time there getting familiarized with it and find out what it has to offer.  But I specifically highlighted the unit study page because unit studies are a great way to homeschool your children especially if you are working with limited funds.  You can teach them all the same topic but at varying levels.  You can often utilize library books and online information resources – all for free.
4. Donna Young Printables and Resources -http://donnayoung.org/index.htm.  Yes, this site is a treasure trove of lessons, planners and forms.  There is a form for everything you could ever need.  I especially like her diplomas!  If you are looking for a specific form, a planner or a lesson for a certain subject, make sure that you check here!  Donna Young has so many useful forms and resources that you will think you have hit the jackpot.
5. Homeschooling ABCs Free 5 Day MiniClass –http://tinyurl.com/kkmjee.  Sometimes when you are throwing it all together yourself and not using pre-made curriculum, you can start to wonder if you are on the right track.  Worry no longer… sign up for the free 5 day mini-class at the site above and receive information on:

What to Teach and When

• 4 Steps to Homeschooling Success
• Homeschooling on a Dime
• Getting the Help You Need
• Planning and Scheduling

There you go – 5 “Must-Have” No-Cost Resources for Homeschooling.  Take advantage of them.  Let them be the fuel that starts your creative engine and keeps it going strong.  My hope and prayer for you is that you have NOT been hit hard by this financial mess our country has found itself in.  But if you have been, then look for the silver lining amongst the gray clouds.  As Patti Handy says, “Don’t let a good financial crisis go to waste.” (www.teenscashcoach.com)

Warmly,

Terri Johnson

Bramley Books^TM, a division of Knowledge Quest, Inc.
www.KnowledgeQuestMaps.com
1.877.697.8611

We really need to reduce our IEW inventory before the end of the year.  Otherwise, we have to count all that inventory

Soooo…..
I’m making a fantastic deal for you.  You won’t see this anywhere else and we will still offer FREE shipping on all IEW products.

**Special 1
All orders of $100 or more on IEW Excellence in Writing products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95

**Special 2
All orders of $200 or more on IEW products (Writing, Reading or Grammar) receive a FREE copy both – A Thomas Jefferson Education (hardback) that sells for $26.95 AND Accelerated Distance Learning ($19.97 retail)

As always, we provide FREE SHIPPING on all IEW products.

Click on any of the following IEW product to read more and grab your own copy:

Character Based Writing Lessons

Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons

Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons

Explorers to Gold Rush  U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (Vol. 1)

Civil War to Present  U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons (Vol. 2)

Elegant Essay

Advanced Communications

Since we had so few people enter my Easter blog candy contest, I’m sending a copy of my 209 page Family Fun:  Easter Activity Book to everyone who posted a comment below.

If you didn’t enter the contest, watch this blog because each month I usually have a give-away.  You could be the next winner.
Here’s the link to all the great ideas for celebrating Christ’s resurrection, Easter
Celebrate Easter Ideas

It’s time for some blog candy. I’m giving away a 209 page ebook all about Easter.

Family Fun: Easter Activity Collection

It includes Easter recipes, Easter crafts, Easter puzzles, Easter games and Easter coloring pages.

How can you win?

Leave a comment on my blog telling me how you celebrate Easter. It can be religious or a fun activity your family has done over the years. I’ll randomly choose one of the comments on Thursday, March 20 to win the Easter Book

I look forward to hearing all your great ideas. BTW…I’ll be posting Easter ideas all week long. I hope to give you some unique ways to tie activities into the real celebration of Easter – the Resurrection! Check this blog every day for new ideas.

Make your own 2008 paper bag calendar before the year starts.

 
Follow these directions:  Paper Bag Calendar 

from scrapbook-crazy.com

Since you are getting the Advent Countdown and it is the Christmas season, I want to give some extra Christmas cheer. I hope this makes you merry to your day!

I am GIVING AWAY a Copy of Christmas & Advent Celebrations in 36 hours…on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 9pm Eastern Time

To win the copy of Christmas & Advent Celebrations for the Holidays Package, post a comment on my blog that tells me one family tradition you have at Christmas time.
http://www.CurriculumConnection.net/blog

On Tuesday at 9pm (eastern time) I will draw a winner from everyone who entered the contest.

I will send all the downloads to the winner and announce it on my blog this Wednesday.

Don’t wait any further…go post a comment below on my blog about one of your favorite family traditions…

Blessings,
Kerry

ps. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Nov 28 at 12noon! That’s when you can buy a copy of my Christmas & Advent Celebration Package with gobs of info to help you put Christ back into Christmas and reduce your stress this holiday season!

Free Advent Activities

If you haven’t posted a comment to win my Blog Candy, do it today.  Friday is the last day to enter our Blog Candy Contest to win a hardback copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education.

I’ll post the winner tomorrow!