I've written about coupon codes a few times and I'm writing about them again! lol I love to find a good coupon code for something I'm already planning on purchasing. Last month I found a great discount for running shoes. I copied and pasted that sweet set of numbers and letters into my shopping basket and saved $20! So sweet!
I also love finding unique and somewhat wacky gift ideas for the goof balls nearest and dearest to my heart... and there are many! lol My love for coupon codes and cool gadgets and gizmos make Geek Alerts an awesome site to visit on a regular basis.
Geek Alerts offers great up-to-date information on such things as
Expedia coupon codes for that next vacation you're planning. Travel plans should never be confirmed before seeking out all possibilities for saving a few bucks. A dollar saved is a dollar earned! I'm a firm believer in this principle!
Geek Alerts also offers Sierra Trading Post Coupons, Vista Print coupons, and so much more. Whether you're shopping for apparel or office supplies, you owe it to yourself to take a peek at Geek Alerts.
Now for my favorite part of the Geek Alerts site... the weird and crazy products they feature! Some are out right bizarre, others are cool, some are ridiculous, but they're all a lot of fun! If you're shopping for a man (almost any man), you have a challenge on your hands... until now. What guy doesn't love gadgets? Or, things no one on planet earth really needs? You know those crazy things people talk about... the weird gift everyone begs to ask... "where did you find that?". For example, check out these skull and cross bone bandages....
Buy Gadgets and you'll likely strike gold. We all love 'em and Geek Alerts does an awesome job scouring the web looking for all the best in unique and strange gift giving ideas. Check out some of the cool things I found on Geek Alerts:
Today I had Rafflecopter randomly generate our winner for the Math Blaster giveaway...
Congratulations to Crystal C! She now has 48 hours to respond to the winning email confirmation before a runner-up is selectd.
Thanks to everyone who entered! We'll be adding new and exciting giveaways to The Homeschooling Blog in the weeks to come... so please continue following!
Rafflecopter made this giveaway a breeze, so we'll likely continue using their widget and tools for future giveaways. :)
Does anyone else out there watch Man vs. Food? I love that show even though
it kind of grosses me out at the same time! Ever since I got Direct.TV
I’ve been watching a lot of Travel channel and that’s got to be my
favorite show although it is a pretty good example of American excess! I
recently noticed that they started a new show called Man vs. Food
Nation or something like that and I think the reason they did that was
because Adam said he just couldn’t eat like that anymore. I can’t say I
blame him since he’s literally eating pounds of food at each sitting –
it’s not the worst idea to spread out those calories a little bit before
the man has a heart attack! I just love good natured competition and I
feel like that show’s a great example and my sons love it which is
something we can bond over. Getting the extra channels was worth it just
so I have unlimited access to Man vs. Food!
We only have 44 entries in the 3 month giveaway to Math Blaster and Jump Start online. Be sure if to enter this easy entry giveaway before 11:59 PM (CDT) and secure your entry!
Remember, the winner may add as many as 6 children to the account, so if you have several children at home they'll all have their own account... and character. So much fun, as my own children have attest to right here on The Homeschooling Blog!
To enter, simply visit the Giveaway Button in my right sidebar, or click on the tab above labeled "giveaways". You'll find it in a heartbeat! Alternatively, you may simply click here: The Homeschooling Blog Math Blaster Giveaway!
Best wishes and good luck!
If you are in the position of needing a Romanian translation where do you go? Not all of us know someone from Romania! lol I actually know two women from this part of the world, but if I needed something translated from or to Romanian and couldn't track them down there's a service online that will do the job. If I'm ever in need of a professional document translated, I'd definitely want to find a professional Romanian translator!
Headquartered in London, Rosetta Translation specializes in Romanian translation, including but not limited to the following:
Legal
Medical
Technical
Financial
According to their website.... Rosetta Translation provides a free and instant quote for Romanian translation services and fully guarantees their work. The Native Romanian translators with Rosetta Translation state they'll provide a reliable service to those looking to professionally and effectively communicate between the Romanian and English language.
What's more... this service can provide translation to the variety of English translation you're seeking... whether that be British, Australian, Jamaican, or English- English!
I'm not likely to need this service, but then again you never know! In the world of business for example, you just never can tell what might lie ahead or what type of services you may need to access. We live in a shrinking world thanks to the Internet and emerging technologies. It's really not a bad idea to take mental notes along the way concerning products and services with the potential to increase your professional and even personal success!
Just a friendly reminder that this coming Sunday will be the final day to enter the Jump Start/ Math Blaster 3 month membership giveaway!
At the moment, we have just 40 entries and 4 days left to go!
Be sure to check out my recent review and giveaway post and take advantage of the simple entry method provided via Rafflecopter.
Only two mandatory entries are required! Both are super simple and if you'd like to increase your odds, there are a handful of opportunities to gain extra entries!
The giveaway link is here: MATH BLASTER GIVEAWAY or you may simply click on the giveaway button.
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
It can be done! I've been asked to share a cell phone plan with my readers that is not subject to contracts, activation fees, or cancelation fees. A plan that really has no plan, except perhaps to save you money! Sound good? I thought so too.
One of the coolest features of TracFone is the ability to call some 60 foreign destinations for the same price per minute of any other call. Seriously? What other phone company offers a plan like that one? In fact, TracFone offers so many features I can't imagine a disadvantage to tossing the idea of a cellular contract to the curb.
I haven't had a cellular contract for several years now, but my husband does. When that contract is up, I'm going to suggest he join the real TracFone customers who enjoy simple phones without commitments. Should he decide against a simple cell, he will also have the option to buy a more hip model with a camera, QWERTY keypad, web access, and more, for less than $30!
I wonder if I know any real TracFone customers? It's not like they'll stand out from the crowd... their phones will look and sound like the rest of America's, they just won't be paying as much for them! lol Hey... it pays to be smart!
Check out the video below to witness firsthand one of the awesome AFFORDABLE phones you can snag through TracFone. I'm really impressed!
What's that you say? Another giveaway? WooHoo you know it!
Recently the fine folks at Jump Start invited our family to a free trial-membership of the Jump Start and Math Blaster educational games. I'm all about sampling anything that promises to provide a healthy mix of fun and education. So naturally we jumped on this offer!
The name Jump Start isn't completely new to me. When my children were at the preschool level, their grandparents gave them a Jump Start computer game which they frequently played, but we never experimented with anything else from that series. What's more, I didn't realize an online version of Jump Start existed and had wasn't at all familiar with Math Blaster.
As many of you already know, my son struggles in math and we've had him enrolled in a local Kumon center since last December. We've also used Big Brainz' Time's Attack to help him master his multiplication skills. I don't think you can throw too much variety at a child when it comes to helping them gain and retain new skill, and what kid doesn't love a great computer game? So, I'm a huge fan of combining technology with learning!
The Review:
What first struck me about the Math Blaster and Jump Start games were their amazing graphics. These games aren't cheesy, but incredibly vivid and in great form. It's amazing what technology can bring us... and right from your home computer. My kids feel like they've uncovered something truly special and my daughter would love to spend hours playing these games. I've actually had to cut back her time on Jump Start. lol... I just don't think it's a good idea to have an 8 year old spend 5 hours sitting at a laptop computer! However, does this not speak volumes for the amount of fun and adventure these games provide? I've never had my girl take to anything like she has Jump Start.
Out of her own mouth, my girl says... "Awesome! It's really cool, you can design your own house and room. You pass certain levels by completing math and reading games." Overall, my daughter seems to be having fun with Jump Start and btw has asked me twice since I sat down to share this review when she might have access to the game again. lol
She likes Math Blaster too and that's where I'll focus my attention now. The images on this page all come from the actual Math Blaster game. You can also find more about this exciting game on the Math Blaster website.
Features of Math Blaster:
You may add up to 6 children per account... so no need to worry about extra fees for multiple children! If you're a teacher with a full classroom, Math Blaster has memberships for larger groups of children.
We've noticed Math Blaster remembers your score and where you were in your game should you stop playing at any time. This is huge when you have two children taking turns!
Math Blaster was developed for children at the kindergarten grade level through 8th grade (ages 6-12), Jump Start is designed for children 3-12 and is included in this giveaway!
Children can customize their character... described as a Blaster Cadet
Users enter a virtual world where they'll have the option to engage in games with other players (you set the controls on this feature).
Your children will find activities geared towards improving their performance in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages, money, place value, and 3d figures
What Your Kids Will Do on Math Blaster:
First off, they'll build a Blaster Cadet, choosing hair color, skin color (which by the way include such shades as green and blue should they wish to make their cadet an alien!). They'll also select a name.
They'll then be off to explore the Math Blaster world through the Blaster Cadet Academy portal. They'll have the opportunity to earn points and increase in the ranking system which will also give them the opportunity to tackle more challenging math activities.
Your children can even interact with their siblings, classmates, and friends within the safe virtual Math Blaster world. Parents are given a parent's page where they can control the level of interaction your kids will have with other online players.
Math Blaster offers arcade types of games, racing adventures, and for those who like to explore... there are multiple activities catered to please.
Your children can decide which type of activity they'd like to explore based on their individual interests and type of math enhancement they're wishing to engage in.
Benefits from a Parent's Perspective:
On a personal note, I love this game because it combines the fun and excitement of online games with actual learning. So many of the sites I've introduced my children too are only of interest to them for a few minutes, sometimes a couple days if we're lucky. Then it seems they've seen it all, aren't feeling challenged, aren't entertained, and simply uninterested in continuing.
I'm impressed with the images... which are brilliant and up to date. This is a state of the art game that will knock your socks off! I'm also struck by how many games are provided and how many activities your children can engage in throughout their adventures.
I love that the site offers a parental control page.
The only possibility for trouble I foresee with this game might be if you're on dial up. If you don't have a quick and responsive Internet connection, the game may not load or play well.
I was really impressed with how my kids took to both this game and Jump Start. When our trial membership expires, I'll no doubt become a paying customer! lol
My kids love the Monster Mutts, which are like baby aliens they can adopt and care for on a regular basis. Once the Monster Mutts mature just a bit, they can play games and eventually with proper care (feeding and grooming and the like) can become Monster Teenagers and Adults! lol Too funny.
To be fair... my 10 year-old son hasn't been playing these games nearly as much as my 8 year-old daughter has. He loves them too, but recently developed an obsession for magic card tricks and spends most of his downtime accordingly. He's maybe averaging 2 hours a week on the Jump Start games, whereas my daughter averages more like 7 or 8.
I also wanted to share that the Math Blaster games are 50% comprised of activities containing math drills... with the other 50% of activities dedicated towards exercising the brain towards mathematical thinking. So, in that respect Math Blaster is all about math! Jump Start is just over 50% in it's dedication to enhancing mathematical skill... so in either game your child will find tools for strengthening their math skills.
~The Giveaway!~
Ok, so now for the giveaway! I'm excited to have been invited by Rafflecoptor to use their new giveaway widget. It's simple to use and I think you'll find it a breeze to enter this giveaway!
Only the first two entry methods below are mandatory, the remaining entry methods are completely optional.
1 winner will receive a 3 month trial membership to both Jump Start and Math Blaster ($23.97 Value).
Giveaway Ends August 28, 2011 at 11:59 PM (CDT)
I took on way too much this weekend and consequently the Math Blaster and Jump Start review and giveaway has been delayed ever so slightly. Believe it or not, I was in my kitchen baking most of the weekend. lol Birthday parties take a lot of time, but what a great time. Now... I've got to get back to the business of blogging! Which... is sorta fun too! lol
My current goal is to have the review/giveaway posted no later than Tuesday, August 16th.
You don't want to miss entering to win this fabulous educational tool, so be sure to continue following The Homeschooling Blog! Thank you for readingThe Homeschooling Blog.
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bealls for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
So, you may homeschool, but how many of you shop this time of year for new clothing anyway? Your kids grow just like those attending brick and mortar schools, and with all the back to school specials to be found, who can resist?
Money is tight for much of the country and I'm not all that convinced that will change anytime soon. That leaves my family (and possibly yours) penny pinching like never before. I'm always looking for a bargain anyway, but lately I've taken that frugal spirit to a new high.
We typically watch sale circulars, hunt down coupons, and try and shop online when we can take advantage of free shipping and competitive pricing. Bealls for example offers free shipping on any order totaling $50 or more. Gotta love free shipping! Not only can we get our children's clothing shipped for nothing, be we don't have to deal with department stores or waste money on gasoline.
Our back to school ritual is that of a non-homeschooling family... since we broke from that lifestyle (temporarily). My kids will be starting back to the local public school come Monday and we're scrambling to get all our boxes checked. Honestly, we've been accumulating clothing all Summer long as we find deals. We only have a few last minute items to purchase, including shoes... which I hate buying. I don't even want to go there!
Bealls is offering tax free shopping this weekend (August 12-14, 2011)! They have everything too... shoes, clothing, undergarments, even backpacks. If your kids attend a brick and mortar school and need a uniform... Bealls sells those too!
Today we received our second pair of eyeglasses from Zenni Optical... so it's a little ironic that I've been asked by Zenni to share their amazing affordability and quality with my readers! lol
Seriously, this wasn't a planned thing, but I just opened our son's new pair of glasses this afternoon and they're just the best looking pair of glasses he's ever owned... and for only $43! That's for the frames, lenses, a snap on pair of shades, and shipping. The case and lens cloth you see in these photos were included in this price too!
We first tried Zenni's discount eyeglasses last summer and had such great success with that pair that when our son's prescription recently changed we went back to this amazing retailer.
I'm not the only one who appreciates Zenni... you may be familiar with HLN's money expert Clark Howard? He's a money guru who is all about saving money, spending wisely, and not getting ripped off. Clark has listed Zenni in his new book "Living Large in Lean Times". Why? Because they save you money without jeopardizing quality! They're an honest retailer offering a great product at an unbelievable price.
Let's face it... prescription eyeglasses can cost you an arm and a leg. Why waste your money? The first pair of eyeglasses we bought our son cost us over $250 and he broke them three times in 1 year. Each time they broke we took them to a local jeweler who charged us $35 to weld the frames back together. It makes me sick now to think of all the money we wasted. I wish I'd known about Zenni then. Strange thing is the eyeglasses we purchased last year from Zenni never broke... not even once. Could be just a chance thing, but even had they broke, we could have almost replaced them for what that jeweler charged for a single weld.
Clark Howard shares a few additional ways to improve your finances in just a weeks time. One of the other ways he recommends saving money is to use an Internet phone service where you may pay as little as just $30 a year!
If you're not reading this post on The Homeschooling Blog... the content has been hijacked. Please let me know by following this link and leaving me a comment. Thanks in advance!
Just a little head's up that we have two exciting giveaways just around the bend!
The first will be announced this weekend and will give one random (and ever so fortunate) winner a 3 month membership to Math Blaster and Jump Start online! This giveaway will be included with our family's review of both online games... so be sure to stay tuned! Btw, I found a blog dedicated to the love of Math Blaster, which is sorta cool don't you think? If you click on the Math Blaster button you'll find it!
The second giveaway includes 2 wonderful books on grammar that are sure to enhance your homeschool (or nonhomeschool) learning environment. Up for grabs to one lucky winner will be My Grammar and I... Or Should That Be Me? and Write (Or Is That "Right"?) Every Time.
This book giveaway will start next week and will include a review. Nothing happens if you click on this image. lol
Looking for a quick reference guide for mathematical definitions, formulas, measurements, and perhaps the proper strategy for calculating answers to everyday mathematical equations? The Math Dictionary for kids is an excellent resource not just for your developing student, but also a valuable asset for any teacher, homeschooler, or tutor. If you have a classroom where math is taught, you'll no doubt benefit from this information-packed mathematical dictionary.
Prufrock Press sent me a complimentary copy of this awesome reference book in exchange for my honest opinion. Before receiving it, I contemplated turning my review into a giveaway, but to be honest with you... I simply value this book too much to part with! lol It's conveniently geared towards children in grades 4th through 9th, and my kids are in 3rd and 5th, so I'm keeping it! lol
If only such a book had existed when I was in elementary school perhaps I would've experienced fewer brain cramps. Ever had one of those? I think I'm still recovering! Those cramps not only hindered my confidence through jr. high and high school, but well into my college career. Math was not something I was fond of... today I have a 10 year-old son who despite having an engineer dad, seems to have inherited my math brain and consequently we shall be keeping this book in our library! lol We're so blessed to live in a day and age where there are resources like this math dictionary to refer to and learn from. My 8 year-old daughter LOVES math and had a great time flipping through this book. She told me "Hey mom, we need to keep this for when I start 4th grade!". lol I second that!
Unfortunately, text books don't always do an adequate job of connecting the dots for those who struggle with numbers. Imagine having a reference book you could easily hold in your hands (not a dinosaur of a read) loaded with definitions and simple to understand steps towards mastering mathematical principles? I believe this book should be on every parent's bookshelf, within easy reach of their children.
The definitions in the Math Dictionary for kids are well worded (without being wordy), easy to understand, simple to follow, and come accompanied with colorful visuals. It's the perfect book for any math student... as well as for the parent helping them to understand, or explain the operations needed to find the correct answer... especially if it's been awhile since you've opened a math book!
Just a few facts about this book:
Includes over 400 full-color illustrated definitions
Provides definitions, illustrations, explanations, and examples of math problems
This book includes algebra, geometry, measurement, fractions, decimals, probability, and statistics
Available as an iPad app
You can read reviews of this book, as well as sneak a peak at the inside at Amazon.com
You may wish to learn more about Prufrock Press and their complete line of advance learning tools and resources by visiting their website.
I received no compensation in exchange for this post. Prufrock Press provided a "review copy" of the Math Dictionary for kids in exchange for my honest opinion.
If you're not reading this post on The Homeschooling Blog... the content has been hijacked without permission.
It's that time of year again-almost time for kids to go back to school! After a long summer, how do you get your kids back into their routines and keep them focused at home? I was recently introduced to a new mobile app called Marble Jar that eases the pain of getting kids through daily routines and eliminates the counterproductive negotiations that parents endure with their kids in the process.
To help prepare us parents and our kids for back-to-school, Marble Jar is offering its mobile app for FREE for one week only, August 22-29!!!
Marble Jar is a modern twist of a classic educational tool that aims to eliminate negotiations by breaking goals into small, achievable steps for children ages 2-12. (For iPhone and iPod Touch devices). Using Marble Jar, families can collaborate together, letting children add marbles to a jar every time they practice positive routines – and actually make routines fun! You can make the jars whatever you wish, suited for any age. For example, jars for your child can focus on:
• getting dressed in the morning
• finishing breakfast
• completing homework assignments
• tying shoes
As each goal is accomplished, a marble is added to the jar and families can celebrate together. This process reinforces independence and responsibility in the child, while allowing parents to track progress and instill confidence.
Marble Jar allows families to set clear expectations and keep acknowledgments consistent and top-of-mind.
Hey friends! I just heard back from the awesome folks at Kumon and my son is indeed one of 3 winners for a Nook Color! Hooray!!
Thanks so much for your support! Although we only had 24 valid entries, that may have been just the push he needed to maintain his standing. I haven't heard just how close the race was in its final 48 hours, but was told out of 1000 total votes divided between 10 contestants, our son had 169!
And now for the winner of our own little giveaway! Using Random.org's random number generator, we have the winning number as #5!
Congratulations to AbreyLaine!
AubreyLaine said...
" I liked Kumon on Facebook (Aubrey Laine Fick) and voted for you.
Good luck!"
We're notifying Abrey via email today!
Thank you to EVERYONE who entered our giveaway! Continue following us for exciting new giveaways and book reviews!
This giveaway was in no way sponsored or endorsed by Kumon.
If you're not reading this post on The Homeschooling Blog... the content has been hijacked. Please let me know by following this link and leaving me a comment. Thanks in advance!
Buy Gadgets and you'll likely strike gold. We all love 'em and Geek Alerts does an awesome job scouring the web looking for all the best in unique and strange gift giving ideas. Check out some of the cool things I found on Geek Alerts:
