Living with Less so Your Family Has More (Giveaway)

March 15, 2010 by admin

Today I’d like to welcome Jill and Mark Savage. Jill and Mark’s newest book Living with Less so your Family has More just released and I’ve invited them to share a little bit about this great resource!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

We have been married for 27 years…17 of them happily. After finding ourselves in a marriage counselor’s office around year 8 or so, we realized that we really didn’t know how to be married. We worked hard to turn things around and now we like to share that hope with other couples.

We have five children ranging from 13 to 25. Our oldest three are married. Anne (25) and her husband, Matt, live in Zion, IL, and are expecting our first grandchild in April. (We are very excited!) Evan (22) and his wife, Julie, have been married a year and a half and they live just a few miles from us. Erica (19) married her husband Kendall last September. They live in Augusta, GA, and wherever else the Army takes them.

We have two teenagers still at home. Kolya just turned 16. He’s learning to drive and we’ve nearly worn a hole in the carpet on the floor in the passenger seat trying to find that non-existent brake pedal. Kolya is the newest member of the Savage family. We adopted him at the age of nine from Russia.

Austin is 13 and in the 8th grade. He wants us to make sure and tell the world that this “living with less” life is a real bummer because he’s the ONLY kid in 8th grade who doesn’t have a cell phone.

Tell us about your newest book Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

The world screams the message that bigger is always better, but we have found that is not often true. When it comes to raising a family, less materially can actually result in more relationally. Children don’t need the best houses, the best lessons, the best cars, or the best clothes. What they really need is the best home life and the best family relationships we can give them.

Why did you want to write this book?

We didn’t start out with the “less is more” mindset. We started as a double income family wanting to have the “best” of everything. Then Mark decided to pursue ministry. We went from the “high life” to the “frugal life” very quickly as we moved to another state for him to go to Bible College full-time.

That experience introduced us to the concept that less is more. We definitely had less money, but we had more time. We had less stress and more peace. We had less activities and more fun.

Since that experience, we’ve continued to live primarily on one income for the past twenty years. We’ve had to battle cultural peer pressure and make different decisions for our family than many other families in our neighborhood have made. But we’ve never felt that we were materially depriving ourselves or our kids…instead we’ve focused on what we’ve actually been able to provide for them emotionally and relationally.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?

We hope the reader is encouraged to evaluate how they are living their life, spending their money, and thinking about family matters. Our goal is to introduce families to the “less is more” concept and then equip them with the attitudes and actions to actually make that happen.

For families that are already committed to less is more, we hope to bolster their resolve and help them stay focused on the long-term goal of providing relationally for their kids.

In today’s economy, there are many families being forced to live with less. We want to help them see the opportunity they have with this unexpected downsizing they’ve been forced to do.

And for those who have just been a little discontent with their life and saying things like, “I’m tired of the rat race of life,” or “Is there more to life than drive-thru meals for dinner?” we hope to help them see other choices they have and how they can lead their family in a different direction.

What unique elements will the reader find in Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

For couples who want to read the book together, we’ve included discussion questions at the end of every chapter. This helps move the readers to discussion and eventually actions. Even a single parent can use the discussion questions for personal evaluation.

Readers will find this book a practical guide to changing your attitude and your actions to live a successful “less is more” life. They’ll find our writing style to be a warm, casual, honest discussion where we not only share our victories but our mistakes along the way. We are an average couple living successfully on an average income who want to help others to see the possibilities before them.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

It’s healthy for parents to occasionally pause and evaluate their vision for their family and the choices they are making. We hope this resource will help them do that together and that it will lead them to live a life of little regret.

Would you like to win a copy of Living with Less so Your Family Has More?
How can I win? Simply leave a comment on this post. If you are seeing this on Facebook, visit the post at http://heartofthematteronline.com/living-with-less-giveaway.

**Contest ends Friday, March 19th at 10pm EST, winners will be chosen and emailed by Monday morning and must respond before Friday, March 26th at midnight!

If you are not the winner, you can purchase a copy for only $9.35!

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Focus on High School: Submissions Desired

March 5, 2010 by AmyS

Win a Lapbook from Egghead Academics

March 2, 2010 by The Amies

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Egghead Academics is offering TWO lucky readers the chance to win their new lapbook titled Magnificent Marine Life.

Do you know what a marine biologist does?

How long can a sea turtle hold its breath?

Do mammals lay eggs?

And what are denticles, anyway?

Join us on an underwater adventure, as we explore life in the ocean with Egghead Academics™ newest Lapbooking Study

Deep in the oceans are amazing sea creatures, exotic plants, and fierce predators. Come and take a closer look and learn about these remarkable animals while building a beautiful lapbook with your children. When you are finished, you will have a gorgeous finished project to showcase what you have learned during your study.

Look through the study guide to find loads of clickable links with extra information. That’s right, the study guide contains everything your elementary student needs to complete their activities, and the links are fun and informative extras! No need to spend hours researching to find what you need; we have done the hard part for you. These links include fun games, cool videos, and extra research.

For those that need a little more, for their advanced or older children, we have lapbooking activities that encourage the development of researching skills – skills that will serve a child long past their childhood school days!

We also have activity pages, with crossword puzzles, mazes, “What’s the Difference” game, art activities and more! We’ve included:

A complete study guide for your child
Links for additional information and resources
Lapbooking activities for grades K-6
A separate set of lapbooking activities for older or advanced children
Activity sheets designed with fun in mind
Hands -on science experiments
Fill in the blanks, research activities, crossword puzzles, and more!

How can I win? Simply leave a comment on this post. If you are seeing this on Facebook, visit the post at http://heartofthematteronline.com/egghead-academics.

Bonus Entries (post each in a separate comment):

Subscribe to Heart of the Matter Online.
Twitter this giveaway.
Post this giveaway on your blog and leave the link in your comment.
Facebook this giveaway.

**Contest ends Friday, March 5th at 10pm EST, winners will be chosen and emailed by Monday morning and must respond before Friday, March 12th at midnight!

If you are not one of the 2 winners, you can purchase a copy for only $13.95!

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March 2010 Edition: Focus on Reading

February 28, 2010 by The Amies

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Photo Credit: Heidi, Mt Hope Academy

You can view our magazine in 3 ways:

Click here to be taken to the flipbook version, where you can click and turn the pages as you would a print magazine. Be sure to turn your sound on.
Click here to download the magazine in pdf format.
Click here and scroll down to view the articles in blog format.

A Few Words from Janet:

Even before I had kids, I was scared of two important parenting tasks: potty training and teaching my children to read. As confident as I was in other areas, these two important milestones in a child’s life seemed out of the realm of something that I could teach. I often wondered what would happen if my fears came true and my kids never learned to do either. Now the rational side of me told me not to worry, but my rational side doesn’t hang around our house much.

And now here I am…seven years and four kids later. All four of my children are potty trained. My seven year old reads with ease and I am in the process of teaching my five year old to read. Each day I am amazed that the gift of reading truly is something I can pass on to my children.

As I have spent hours putting this magazine together I have had the privilege of reading the articles written by parents whose expertise and experience in reading far exceeds mine. It has been encouraging to read about different methods for teaching, encouraging, and helping readers of all levels. There is one common theme woven throughout these articles: the written word is a gift to all of us and it is our joy as homeschooling parents to hold our child’s hand and heart as we share the love of reading. I hope that all of you are as inspired as I have been.

In This Issue:

Reviews by Karin: Wordly Wise 3000 by Karin Katherine
How to Painlessly Add More Books to Your Reading Schedule by Jimmie
Look First, Learn First by Patty
5 Fun Early Learning Reading Games by Amy Stults
Vocabulary in Your Read Aloud Books by Jimmie
Homeschool Reading Is Superior by Dr. Ruth Beechick and Debbie Strayer
Lost and Found in Phonics Paradise by Cassie Simpson
For Moms: Reading the Classics by Ruthanne Genco
The Tools to Teaching Reading by Heather Laurie
Reading Aloud to Boys by Debra Anderson
Help for Struggling, Reluctant Readers by Max Anderson
Reading Recommendations from a Disgruntled 14 Year old Boy by Amy Fleeker
Cultivating Readers by Stacey Chik
Great Homeschools have Socratic Dialogue…or Maybe Not by Lee Binz
Getting Your Reluctant Reader to Love Reading by Leslie Valeska
Encouraging the Love of Literature by Yvonne Ferlita
Top 10 Sites to Download Free Children’s Books by Amy Stults
How We Teach Reading by the Heart of the Matter team

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Give Away at the Forum: The Coupon Binder- CLOSED

February 24, 2010 by AmyF

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If you have not heard, I am gearing up for a coupon class at my church. I am so excited about doing this! One of the topics I am going to talk about is organization. To get the full potential of savings, I believe you need to be organized. There is many ways to do this and there are no right or wrong ways of organizing it either. You just need to find what works for you. What works for me is a Binder system. I have everything in one place and within easy reach.

Jennie, over at The Coupon Binder, has generously donated one of her wonderful binders to give away here. Here is a little about the Binder she offers:

What I like about The Coupon Binder is the convenience. It is built for you already to use and start that instant savings. This 3 Ring Clear View Binder is not wimpy one either, it a sturdy one. On the outside of the binder in the back is place for a insert. Jennie has not left that space empty. You will find Sorting Mats that help you do just what the name says- sort your coupons. In the inside pocket, you will find a few tidbits of information that will either be new to you or review. The Main Characters of this Binder will surely impress you.

*50 Ultra Pro 9 pocket pages
* 30 Pre-defined Category Tabs (installed to match the general layout of a grocery store)
*5 Customizable Category Tabs
* 1 Set of Coupon Sorting Mats that correspond to the Category Tabs
* 1 Pencil Pouch
* 1 Highlighter and Pen
* 3 Store Envelopes
*Spiral bound Notebook
And you get a stylish reusable bag also because The Coupon Binder is also committed to helping the environment.

To enter this contest you must do the following two things:
1. Be a member of the Forum (REGISTER HERE)AND
2. Post here on how you save money in homeschooling.

Because of the cost,Only avaible to ship within the Continental United States.
Winners will be announced at the Forum on evening of March 3,2010.

Good Luck and I can not wait to see your answers at the forum, see you there!

Information can be found about The Coupon Binder at http://thecouponbinder.com

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Tags: Coupons, Giveaways, Home Management, Organization, Reviews

I Spy – Reading Fun, Radicals, and Really Cool Crafts!

February 18, 2010 by Cassie

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Hello again friends! I hope you all had an awesome Valentines Day with your families. We weren’t able to do anything special around here, but that was just fine with me. I would rather be home where its warm instead of running around in all this snow! Speaking of snow, I hope you are all staying warm! While you’re cozied up with your computer looking for inspiration this week, check out these great reads…

Thinking about incorporating unit studies into your homeschool days? Lots of perspective in this article: Unit Studies – Time or Money?

Here are some great ideas for making reading fun for little ones you don’t want to miss!

Here’s another great homeschool link: How to Be a Radical Home Educator

We can’t let this week go by without a great arts and crafts link! Check out this really neat Eraser Dot Painting idea for a fun twist on painting.

And while you’re in the crafting mood, you may want to try making this Pirate Hat. It’s too cute and looks super simple!

I hope the rest of your week is full of love, laughter and blessings! See you next week

Cassandra Simpson is a homeschooling wife and mother of four children, ages 1, 8, 9, and 12. She is starting her 6th year of home educating in Indiana and uses a “Classically Eclectic” teaching approach. Cassandra is the Assistant Lead Moderator for HOTM’s forum and loves talking homeschool with anyone who will listen! Her hobbies are reading, blogging, sewing, and cooking. You can check out her family’s blog at In His Image.

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Random Tidbits – my oh my

February 15, 2010 by admin

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This weekend over on our Facebook page, we asked our friends to share some completely weird and random tidbits about themselves.

My oh my, are y’all some weird bunch of homeschoolers!! And I mean that in the most loving way.

Head on over to our page and find out who:

is completely addicted to Farmville

crosses each day off on the calendar at exactly 5 p.m. each day

can NOT put her hands in dirty dish water

reads magazines from back to front

used to be a “storm chaser”

has three sea urchin spines in her leg

cannot for the life of her touch a peach

loves french fries dipped in a chocolate shake

COMPLETELY tunes out her children while she is on Facebook

So how weird are YOU? Come and share some of your quirkiness on HOTM Facebook.

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Join us for a Lapbooking Workshop with Katie Kubesh

February 12, 2010 by The Amies

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Have you ever wondered about what a lapbook really is? Or maybe you have heard of it but the mere thought of unit studies and hands-on activities makes you want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head.

Don’t let your lack of understanding scare you away from this great way of enhancing your child’s curriculum! In fact, you can bring your questions to a bonafide lapbooking expert… LIVE, y’all!

Heart of the Matter is pleased as punch to introduce the co-founder of In the Hands of a Child, Katie Kubesh! Katie will be presenting a workshop on Beginning Lapbooking that will show you how to utilize this awesome teaching tool and answer questions such as:

1. What is a lapbook?
2. How are lapbooks made?
3. What supplies are needed to lapbook?
4. I have all the supplies, now what?
5. How do I find information and activities to complete lapbook?
6. How does my student complete a lapbook?
7. How do you fold the file folder to make a lapbook?
8. How do I incorporate lapbooking into my existing curriculum?
9. What are the benefits of lapbooking?

Katie will be speaking LIVE and will host a question n’ answer session Tuesday, February 23rd at 8:00am PST/9:00am MST/10:00am CST/11:00am EST

In the Hands of a Child

Recognizing that hands-on projects are essential to the learning experience, In the Hands of a Child has created Project Packs that go beyond the hands-on aspect. They have taken the preparation time out of the parent/teacher job description with Complete Ready to Assemble Lapbook-style units that are available in Ebook, Printed Book, and CD formats. We offer a fun, easy to use product that helps parents and educators bring laughter and learning together In the Hands of a Child!

Winner of the Excellence in Education Award for Best Unit Study by The Old Schoolhouse, Project Packs from In the Hands of a Child make unit studies a hands-on experience for all age levels. Students complete a unit study simply by recording what they have learned about a particular topic into reproducible graphics that are then stored in an instant portfolio- a lapbook!

In the Hands of a Child has over 300 titles to choose from in subject areas that include Bible, Economics, Geography, History, Math, Science, Social Studies, and more! Bring laughter and learning together In the Hands of Your Child today…please visit their website at www.handsofachild.com.

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I’ve labeled his learning style, now what?!

February 12, 2010 by The Amies

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So often, learning style materials pour all their time and energy into finding the right label for your child’s learning style.

(Yes, we now know he’s a right brained, global, sub-dominant, argyle-wearing, rational wombat…but how do I teach him to spell!?)

And while there are many different tools for assessment, too often these same materials are light on just what you should do after the label.

How do you teach history so it sticks?
What if she can’t understand fractions?
What if he loves language but hates to write?

We at Heart of the Matter are very excited to present Carol Barnier’s workshop “What Are You Thinking? Learning Styles and Beyond.”

This talk is BIG on the beyond and will be all about “What do we do now?” You will come away with lots of ideas you can use come Monday morning.

Carol will be speaking LIVE and will host a question n’ answer session Monday, February 22nd at 12:00 PST/1:00 MST/2:00 CST/3:00 EST

Carol Barnier is a fresh, fun and popular conference speaker unlike any you’ve heard before. Her objective is to have the wit of Erma Bombeck crossed wih the depth of C.S. Lewis, but admits that most days, she only achieves a solid Lucy Ricardo with a bit of Bob the Tomato. She is a frequent guest commentator on Focus on the Family’s Weekend Magazine broadcast, where she’s spoken on a variety of humorous topics ranging from not being ready to be a Titus woman to why angels need a new public relations manager. She has been a guest on many radio programs and is a speaker to conferences nationwide.

While her humor will have you leaning sideways, her faith is solid stuff. Whether speaking about her first born son’s 13 surgeries, her homeschooling challenges, her family’s many ADHD challenges, or her own walk from being a God-denying atheist to the most grateful recipient of God’s amazing grace, this woman speaks from the heart. She knows why she knows what she knows.

She’s the author of three books about dealing with (or possessing) a non-linear mind in a linear world. Her first book, How to Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and On To Learning, gives the reader understanding into the mind of the highly distractible child. It answers the imponderable question, “Why does this child constantly fall out of his chair?” (hear the kathunk) It also provides idea after idea on how to teach a child who simply can’t sit still.

Carol’s second book, If I’m Diapering a Watermelon, Then Where’d I Leave the Baby?, was born of the realization that her highly distractible son had not fallen very far from the tree. (hear the next kathunk) This book celebrates women who are non-linear thinkers, women who are the Mary’s in this very Martha world. It also provides strategies on how to keep the distractible mind on track while taking advantage of the gifts that come with being gloriously unregimented.

Her third book, The Big WHAT NOW Book of Learning Styles, takes all the mystery and complexity OUT of learning styles. This book keeps it simple, and puts its emphasis on the “What do we do now?” It takes each academic subject and then provides dozens of ideas on how to teach it from a variety of angles to a variety of learning styles. It makes teaching the atypical learner not only easy, but fun. No really, it does.

You can connect with Carol at her main website, CarolBarnier.com, SizzleBop.com, Facebook (seach for “Carol Barnier”), and Twitter @Carol_Barnier. You can listen to four audio clips done by Carol at Mid Atlantic Christian Artists.

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