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This forum is for the discussion of the following themes:

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I believe that we can learn a lot from each other, and I know that my life is enriched by hearing other points of view and how people came to their ideas.  Questions are encouraged for the purpose of understanding, with a spirit of hearing the other person’s heart.

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Donna Otto and American Idol star Scott MacIntyre are featured at Homemakers By Choice event

 It is a typical scenario that many homeschool moms are Stay-at-Home Moms (SAHM’s) as they choose to focus their full attention on the raising and educating of their children.  Often, this option is maligned by those who seek to be “politically correct”, stating that the women are wasting their talents by being home all day surrounded by children.  In reality, it is a noble calling and privilege to devote oneself to training the next generation, and to be content with making your home an inviting place for your family to grow and be nurtured.

The journey can be wearying, though, can’t it?  Give yourself a gift of refreshment this week by attending this celebration of womanhood, motherhood and homemaking.  Your choice to stay home will be confirmed as you see the wonderful opportunities you have to know and influence your children.  

Scott MacIntyre was a 2009 American Idol finalist who was homeschooled in Scottsdale, Arizona.

COME CELEBRATE “HOME FOR CHRISTMAS 2009″

Hosted by Homemakers By Choice

Homemakers By Choice invites you, your family and friends to the 11th Annual Home For Christmas Celebration! A unique and highly anticipated event.

Scott MacIntyre - American Idol Finalist and our special musical guest will usher us into a musical celebration of this cherished season with songs and carols.

Donna Otto - Nationally known author and speaker will focus on “The Best Christmas Present Ever”…the gift of relationships and prepare our hearts and homes for a Christ-centered holiday.  Donna is the founder of Homemakers By Choice.

WHEN: Thursday, November 19, 6:30-9:00 PM

WHERE: Scottsdale Bible Church Worship Center

COST: $25 per person advance purchase after Nov. 5; $30 at the door

WEBSITE: www.homemakersbychoice.org/hfc.html

Homemakers By Choice  began as a small group of mothers in Scottsdale, Arizona, supporting each other in their desire to be at home raising their children.  It has become a large group of women who meet weekly for worship, teaching and small group time. HBC is a great place to make new friends, hear practical teaching and find support, refreshment and encouragement among like-minded women.

 

Homemakers By Choice offers Bible studies, encouragement and friendships for women who are SAHM’s.

 

 

More info:

Homeschoolers: if you created jobs in a district that doesn’t exist, how much would that stimulate the economy?

Arizona map of Congressional Districts seems to be missing some data. I wonder who moved the district boundary lines.

Homeschoolers generally include Arizona Civics and History and Geography in their curriculum, so this shouldn’t be a very difficult question:

How much money does it take to save or create jobs in Arizona’s 86th district?

A quick internet search (for those who have forgotten) for the Congressional District map shows the document on the left, with a total of eight districts.  However, federal government reports indicate that massive amounts of money have been spent (with jobs saved or created) in Arizona’s 9th and 86th districts.

The United States government has set up a fascinating website on Recovery.gov to show how the stimulus funds are being spent.  The following article from ABC news reports that non-existent districts all across the nation have received funds and numerous jobs have been positively affected.

Here are some interesting notes about these reports:

• ABC is reporting on these discrepancies.  I thought ABC only reported on things that gave a positive side to the news from the administration.  Perhaps this is a REALLY big deal.
  
• If you take the administration figure of 640,329 jobs that have been created or saved, divided into the $159 billion spent, the average cost per job is $248K.[1] I wonder if the people hired are happy with their wages?
• Numerous errors have been found in the number of jobs reported–some as high as ten-fold what the actual numbers are. [1] [2]
• When the numbers were crunched to reflect cost per job, Jared Bernstein, chief economist and senior economic advisor to the vice president, called that “calculator abuse.”[3]
• Just a brief check of the funds spent near my home in Arizona yields many projects worth hundreds of thousands of dollars which have zero jobs reported saved or created.

ABC NEWS Exclusive:  Jobs ‘Saved or Created’ in Congressional Districts That Don’t Exist

Recovery.gov Lists Millions Spent and Hundreds of Jobs Created in Districts Not on Map

By Jonathan Karl

Nov. 16, 2009

Here’s a stimulus success story: In Arizona’s 9th Congressional District, 30 jobs have been saved or created with just $761,420 in federal stimulus spending. At least that’s what the website set up by the Obama Administration to track the $787 billion stimulus says.

There’s one problem, though: There is no 9th Congressional District in Arizona; the state has only eight Congressional Districts.

There’s no 86th Congressional District in Arizona either, but the government’s recovery.gov Web site says $34 million in stimulus money has been spent there.

In fact, Recovery.gov lists hundreds of millions spent and hundreds of jobs created in Congressional districts that don’t exist.

Read more about this exclusive report.

Great bargains abound in many local stores

The Christmas season is a great time for finding bargains and stocking up on every day essentials.

I have never met a homeschooler who didn’t enjoy a great sale.  Not just on books, mind you, but if a good deal can be found on food or clothes or just about anything, homeschool moms will be there.

I have started looking at some of the fabulous websites which specialize in sharing the outstanding bargains that they have found.  I am overwhelmed at what we can get for FREE or at amazing discounts.  From time to time, I will pass on some of these moneysavers.

One of my favorite columns is The Holt House.  Rebecca Holt is a homeschooling mom in Phoenix who is networked with numerous other frugal folks and has saved me lots of money.  Here are some of her current postings:

• Gap Brands 30% off Coupon
• $5 off Coupon at Hallmark in Women’s Day, Martha Stewart living
• Free Greenies at PetsMart
• Amazon Coupons on Leap FrogTag Systems
• I love Ebates.com
• Cheap Wipes & Potato Santa Spud for $.99 at Target
• 50 Free Photo Cards and Free Shipping Too!
• Toys R Us: 7 Hasbro games for $3.97!
• 30% off Gap, Old Navy & Banana Republic
• Opt Out for Yellow Pages
• Borgata Holiday Sparkle Event
• Free Pampers Gifts to Grow Point
• Free 10×13 Picture or 12 greeting cards
• Script Gift Card Program

Wow!  That’s a lot! and that doesn’t even touch the grocery freebies and bargains that are available.
For more on that, see my previous article on ways I saved $181 at CVS last week!

Please share with me other great bargain sites that you have found.

More info on Home Education:

Earn a cash prize with a vocabulary-building video contest

Homeschoolers (and anyone else interested), how important is vocabulary knowledge and correct usage? 

Perhaps just important enough to make or break your college entrance and scholarship applications.  If you are a master with words, you may net some prime monetary awards to top schools.  If your skills are poor in this area, your paperwork may not get a fair reading.

Your language skills will be constantly, albeit subconsciously, assessed at every stage of the college admissions process, each of which has a bearing on your status as a merit-based financial aid recipient:

• SAT and ACT entrance tests have a high emphasis on written English skills–word knowledge and usage in the multiple choice portions as well as composition, grammar, sentence structure,and writing style in the essay portion.
• The application itself gives opportunity to observe your verbal adroitness
• Excellent language application is essential in the personal essay that many schools require
• Your spoken words and style will be observed in the live interviews

The ability to communicate appropriately and well can be a huge key to your future success, in school, in the workplace, and in your relationships.  Vocabulary development is a key way to get a head start in your life goals, but is often looked upon as tedious and boring.

What if learning new words and having opportunity to use them could be fun, entertaining,and possibly income producing? 

Brainyflix.com is a web-based enterprise started by MIT graduate Jack Yu, who has a mission to help increase verbal intelligence of students through the use of flashcard pictures and videos which demonstrate the meaning and usage of college level words. Jack has helped set up a contest to get folks involved in fun, creative ways to share their wisdom.  Each week has a theme, such as Conversation, Halloween or Funniest Photos, and prizes for the best submissions.  Readers have the chance to vote on the videos and pictures to determine the winners.

The contest is now in progress.  Here are the details:

MIT university & Salesforce.com are running a nationwide contest to get teens to teach each other tough vocab for the SAT & ACT. Their user-generated content will become part of a free online resource at Brainyflix.com.

For the contest, students will be creating Brainypics flashcards, for which they create interesting sentences and pair them up with memorable pictures as a visual cue. Between now and Dec. 7, a total of 5 Brainypics will be selected each week to compete for the Grand Prize of $200. iTunes songs are also being given away for every 5 Brainypics created, and gift cards are going to the runners-up of the finale.

Full details here: http://brainyflix.com/main/contest_rules.

Read more on college vocabulary building.

Answers in Genesis free forum is open to homeschoolers

Mike Riddle from Answers in Genesis will discuss the evidences for creation at NW Christian High School.

Monday – Answers In Genesis at Northwest Christian School, Phoenix,

Mike Riddle, staff speaker at Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis organization, will be speaking at Northwest Christian School (located just South of 43rd Ave & Bell) on Monday morning, Nov 16. His subject will be Creation Science and the Christian Worldview. He will address Middle School students at 8:10 and High School students at 9:00 in the NCS Gymnasium.

Our superintendent has extended an invitation to this event to all valley home schoolers. If you’d like to advertise this event through email or newsletter, please feel free to do so.

Home schoolers attending this event must be accompanied by an adult and all in the party must sign-in at the NCS office on campus.

If you would like additional information about this even, feel free to contact me by email or phone.

Sincerely,

W. Garry Kaiser
Technology Director
Northwest Christian School
16401 N. 43rd. Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85053
Phone: 602-978-5134 x122
Mobile: 602-486-4920
Email: GKaiser@NorthwestChristianSchool.org
Web: www.NorthwestChristianSchool.org

More Info:

Holiday favorite Narnia, the musical, opens November 13

Mr. Beaver talks with Lucy, Susan and the animals.

Involvement in theater is commonly a staple in homeschool curriculum or extra-curricular activities.  Students, and sometimes whole families, will explore the dramatic arts through homeschool drama groups, community theater, and sometimes professional acting experience.

Christian Youth Theater is one of several dozen valley organizations bringing arts and dramatic presentations to the Phoenix area. They boast of a good number of homeschoolers in the Narnia cast.  This show is a classic holiday experience, and serves well as a family outing or homeschool group field trip.  Group discounts are available and will save you a considerable sum.
,
Tickets are now on sale for the magical world of Narnia. 

NARNIA, the musical version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe . . opening November 13.

 Phoenix, Ariz. (October 20, 2009) Tickets are on sale now for the beloved story of NARNIA, as youth theater CYT Phoenix celebrates three years of entertaining audiences with quality dramatic programs.  Performances will be at the Third Street Theater in Phoenix.

Christian Youth Theater opens its Narnia production November 13.

Step through the back of a wardrobe into the magical world of Narnia – a place where animals talk, trees walk and clans of fascinating creatures sing and dance their way into your heart. Lucy and her siblings took that path, and find themselves thrust into the heart of an epic battle between Good and Evil. They discover that they have a destiny to stand with Aslan the Lion to free Narnia from the deadlock hold of evil winter that the White Witch has cast upon the land. However, many obstacles of treachery, betrayal, and evil magic threaten to undo them along the way.

Narnia is a musical retelling of the first book from the seven volume series, The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis.   The beautiful musical scores add depth and richness to this classic literary masterpiece which has sold more than 120 million copies in book form in 41 languages. 

The tale of Narnia was written by an Englishman, C. S. Lewis, and parts of the story are set in England during World War II.  It is fitting, then, that the lead role of Peter Pevensy is played by a young Englishman.  Harry Mears is fourteen years old, but has been in the United States with his family for five years.  His British accent is authentic, and he has been invaluable in helping the other students sound believably English, as well as opening up cultural understanding of some points in the drama.

Come along on the adventure as the talented cast of over 50 youth brings the story to life as Aslan and the children battle to save Narnia from destruction.

Narnia will offer six performances:

Dates and times: Friday, November 13^th at 7PM;
             Saturday, November 14^th at 2 PM and 7 PM;
             Friday, November 20^th at 7 PM;
             Saturday, November 21^st at 2 PM and 7 PM
Location: the Third Street Theater, 1202 North 3^rd Street in Phoenix.
Ticket prices:  range from $12-$15 and are available online at www.cytphoenix.org
     or call 480-310-0367 for more information. 
     Have a group of 10 or more?  Group rate is $12 each

High King Peter (Harry Mears) challenges the Black Dwarf.

CYT® Phoenix is part of the largest and most successful youth theater program in the United States. CYT (Christian Youth Theater) began more than 30 years ago in San Diego and continues to have more than more than 10,000 young people across the country participate in classes and productions every year. 

CYT® Phoenix currently offers after-school theater arts classes in Scottsdale and the West Valley as well as the opportunity to participate in fully staged productions and summer camps for students ranging in age from 6-18. Professional instructors teach acting, singing, dance, improv, stage combat and a variety of other theater arts skills which build confidence, character, and leadership abilities in young people.

Read more about theater opportunities for the holidays.

Ready for saving money during the holidays? Here’s how I saved over $181 in one trip (and made money!)

Retail value: $181, Sale price-$71.40, out of pocket after coupons-$26.66, net gain after rebates and future incentives: +$11.81

The holidays are filled with gala events, family activities, lots of food, travel, gift giving . . .and usually more spending than the budget can afford.  January brings the credit card bill, which can put a quick damper on all the good cheer and festive merry making from the past months.

How can we keep from being overtaken with distress and indebtedness, and still afford to enter in to the holiday spirit?

One great thing I have rediscovered is the value of couponing.  When my girls were young, I carted my shoebox of coupons to the stores after diligently studying the ads for all the best deals.  In those days, even with a coupon at face value, the store brands were still generally cheaper, so I relieved myself of the burden and time of being an avid couponer.

Enter the computer, double coupons (and even triple, quadruple and more!), stores that accept competitor’s ads and bargains, and some women with a desire to help lots of folks save huge amounts of money, and you have a phenomenom called Coupon Sense.  It is now so much easier to save money–even on the name brands–and to get wonderful things for free that you may never have considered.

This is one of the greatest boons to homeschoolers, people on a fixed or limited income, and all the rest of us who want to learn to save money.

Here’s how Coupon Sense works:

Read more to find out how I saved over $181 and made money on the one trip to CVS.

Homeschooler journalism students sought for Patrick Henry College Scholarship opportunity

 

Journalism students have a great opportunity for a scholarship at Patrick Henry College.

Do you have a flair for writing?  Are you longing to get into a journalism school that combines a Christian classical liberal arts approach with apprenticeship programs that will pair you with some of the best writers and thinkers of the nation?

Would you be delighted to get a scholarship to help pay for that prestigious education?  Here is a great opportunity.

The Samuel Adams Scholarship for Journalism

Patrick Henry College is offering three scholarships for highly-qualified applicants to the College’s Journalism Major. Awards will be one $10,000 scholarship and two $5,000 scholarships. These privately funded scholarships will make it more financially viable for talented, dedicated young people to take advantage of the unique education opportunities available to Journalism students at PHC.

Patrick Henry Journalism Scholarship – Deadline Is December 1

Patrick Henry College (PHC) is offering scholarships for highly qualified applicants to the college’s journalism major. These scholarships will assist talented, dedicated young people in taking advantage of the unique education opportunities available to journalism students at PHC.

Please see the website for details.
www.phc.edu/journalism_schol_court.php

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Fabulous 50% off deals on homeschool curriculum

The best deals on used homeschool curriculum are at Covenant Home School Resource Center

This is a wonderful time of year!  As all the retailers prepare for the holiday sales, great bargains are abounding!  The same is true for homeschool curriculum, and even though that may not seem like a great Christmas gift for the kids, parents will certainly appreciate being able to save money on these essentials.

Covenant Home School Resource Center has a wide selection of new and used curriculum, readers, Christian living materials, games and much more!  Everything in the store will be on sale next week, so now is a great time to stock up.

COVENANT HOMESCHOOL RESOURCE CENTER  NOVEMBER BOOK SALE
November 17 – 19, 9:00 AM- 4:00 PM

50% off all used books 10% off all new books1117 E. Devonshire Ave, Phoenix, AZ  85014
     1/2 mile west of the 51, 2 miles north of the 202 in central Phoenix.

Location: 

Phone:    602-277-3497
Email:  info@chsrc.org

Suggestions for making the most of your visit:

• Call ahead this week to see if the books you want are on hand
• If you are needing to find out more about curriculum materials, plan to go down on a non-sale day if possible and sit and browse the offerings to get a feel for different styles.
• If you want more assistance in getting started with homeschooling or understanding all the curriculum options, contact me.  I can set up a workshop or individual consultation to help customize your purchases with your family’s needs.

If you would like to receive homeschooling updates as I post them, please subscribe using the RSS feed feature.  You will receive one email when new articles are posted with the headlines.  I would love to hear your comments, suggestions or questions in the comment portion below, or email me.

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Arizona provides an 85 foot Christmas Tree to grace the White House Lawn

Arizona will make history with the first Capitol Christmas tree from the state for 2009.

Every year, one state is chosen to provide a Christmas tree to grace the US Capitol lawn, and will likely be the most photographed tannenbaum of the year.  For 2009, Arizona will supply the tree that will take the record for being the tallest of all the previous 45, measuring in at 85 feet. 

The magnificent Blue Spruce will be cut at a special ceremony Saturday, November 7, in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.  Then it will tour Arizona for ten days before making its way across the country.  On Monday, November 30, it will be presented to the United States Congress in preparation for the decorating ceremonies.

School children from around Arizona have created ornaments to be hung on the Christmas Tree, and one student will be selected to help decorate and light the tree in Washington DC. 

Here are some unit study topic ideas:

• Make a graph of the heights of the previous trees and the contributing states
• Collect pictures and discover the differences in the varieties of spruce, fir, and pines that have been used at the White House
• Find the number of ornaments on the Capitol Tree and the number of other Arizona trees that will be brought into the government complex in Washington DC
• Who is the staff person in charge of the trees and the Capitol grounds?
• How did Arizona get to be this year’s donor, and who selected the tree to be cut?
• When is the decorating ceremony?  Can you watch it on TV or the Internet?
• Attend the tree cutting ceremony and one of the Arizona tour stops and create a photo-journal article about the event.
• Find out about the trees that are used in Arizona for local Christmas trees. What percentage come from our state, and what percent are brought in from elsewhere?
• Collect articles on the history of the Christmas tree, and the meaning behind various kinds of decorations
• Research the Christmas traditions at the White House and discover unique aspects from each of the presidencies
• Can the public attend the lighting ceremony?  How do people get tickets? (Hint:  application date is November 4-6, 2009.)
• How are the program participants selected for the Christmas tree event?

You are invited to the Cutting Ceremony of the Capitol Christmas Tree 2009
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