Classical Conversations Dice on Mod Podge

I am the proud mother of a first grader! Woohooo! For all of you who have never had a first grader, here are some of the joys of first grade:

1. She is big enough to use the bathroom on her own, but still needs to be reminded to wipe, flush and wash. And please do it in that order! 
2. First graders can do chores, but still need mom to remind her when, where and how.
3. My first grader can read pretty much anything that is put in front of her (Thanks Abeka Phonics!), but that doesn't mean that she will fully understand it. 
4. She doesn't like to give hugs and kisses when we part company, but still needs cuddles at home. 

We had a great time homeschooling last year, but there were some areas of her education that I felt were lacking.  For example, when you are homeschooling one child, it is really easy to get off schedule. It is so easy to forget to do the fun stuff or to swing the opposite direction and do too much fun stuff. I really wanted accountability this year, so we decided to look into Classical Conversations. We talked to some moms that were already doing it and attended an open house day. When we left the open house, my little princess asked, "When can we do that again?" I knew that I had to make this happen for my child.

I am not one to just step into something and see if it is right for us. No, I jump in with both feet! Not only am I enrolling my child in Classical Conversations (CC), I am going to be a tutor! Which brings me to the dice.... CC is big on memorization. Yes, I can hear the collective groan of the education world, and I was once one of those folks who groaned about how boring memorizing stuff is. But CC has a reason and a method of teaching that is time tested and has been proven. If you want more information on that, watch this video.

One of the tools that CC moms use are reciting the grammar in different voices. Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood created these nifty dice that suggest different voices, subjects and weeks to review. She made them so they can be printed, folded and glued into a cube shape which is really cool! The only problem is that with kids, I don't see the card stock dice holding up for a whole school year. I have been searching for other options. I found some really cool foam blocks online, but the cost was $5 and up for a set of two! I contemplated a trip to the craft store or even Home Depot for wood blocks, but with gas prices on the rise, I have to have a really good reason to drive across town. Yesterday, I was in my local Dollar Tree picking up some athlete's foot cream. I decided to look in the school supplies and see if I could find some dice. No, dice! How about wood blocks in the toys? Nope, but I found these great foam dice! A set of two for $1! WooHoo! I went home, printed the dice pattern, cut them out and Mod Podged them on the dice! They are perfect! The Mod Podge is a little flexible, so if the corners get crushed a the foam will pop back into place without cracking the Mod Podge. I love them so much, I am thinking about making some photo cubes out of the extra set for Christmas gifts!
 

The Quotable Rouge

Today I have another BookSneeze review for ya'll. This book has been out for a while and I am kind of embarrassed that I have waited so long to do this review, but then again Sarah Palin is the politician turned pundit that folks just won't quit talking about, so I guess it is okay. No other woman in my lifetime has been such a lightening rod for controversy.

Book Description

Inspiring, impactful, and revealing words from political and cultural icon Sarah Palin.
Many a pundit has tried to define Sarah Palin, but this is one woman who chooses not to wear labels imposed by others but instead to define herself by her own words and actions. Today she is one of the most sought after speakers and commentators and is poised to help to frame the issues in the 2010 election and beyond. The Quotable Rogue encapsulates Palin’s thoughts on such salient issues as health care, taxes, and government spending, the right to life, climate change, what it means for a politician to serve the people, and more.

• “We need to spend more time lifting up America instead of apologizing for the greatest country on earth.”
• “How’s that hopey-changey thing workin’ out for you?”
• “My dad always says, ‘Don’t retreat, just reload.’ Don’t let anybody tell you to sit down and shut up.”

Matt Lewis is a writer, blogger and commentator based in Alexandria, VA. He currently serves as a senior contributor for The Daily Caller. To get up-to-the-minute Sarah Palin commentary and daily news updates from Matt, please visit the following:
Website: http://mattlewis.org/
Blog at The Daily Caller: http://dailycaller.com/mattlewis/ Twitter: @MattKLewis and @QuotableRogue Book Hashtag for more Sarah Palin quotes and commentary: #PalinQuotes

My Take

First off, I adore Sarah Palin. I supported her for VP and love that she stands for the American values that made this country great.  So basically, this book is a book of quotes. It is what she believes in and not what the liberal news media wants you to think she believes. While Sarah is no Ronald Reagan, she still has storng conservative values and a love for freedom that is the heart beat of America. The book is broken down into categories that make it easy to look up a quote on whatever subject you need a Sarah Palin quote. Some of the quotes are typical Alaska "Sarah" that make the intellectual folks in America cringe. Some is straight forward, honest issues that will challenge they way you think about the world. Check it out for yourself!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”