Inexpensive Homeschool Curriculum

I'm of the mindset that the Lord led us to homeschool and He is certainly capable of supplying our needs. And He has. Over and over again. This can be in the form of borrowed items, free online items, library materials, sale items through curriculum vendors and thrift store finds.

Of all the categories I've listed, thrift store finds are my favorite, hands down. I love to shop. And I'm cheap. Thrift stores allow me to satisfy my near shopping addiction while spending a minimum amount of money.

To my delight, I've found a thrift store nearby that frequently has homeschool curriculum and an awesome selection of books for next to nothing. I normally stop in at least twice a week to check out the new donations and each time I walk away with an armload of books. Last week I hit the mother lode and carried out a box loaded with awesome titles for under $8.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that I can't possibly keep all of the books that I've acquired this way, after all, we are living in close quarters. So when we finish with the books that I buy I share them with friends, swap the books at Paperbackswap.com, trade them locally for store credit or sell them online and use the money to purchase materials that can not be found at thrift stores which allows me to keep our budget for homeschooling books and curriculum low.

Take a peek at what I've found this week:



I think thrift stores are just one more awesome way that the Lord provides for our needs.

Buying a Motor Home- Our Experience

When living in a hotel room had gotten on our very last nerve, it was clear that it was time for us to consider another alternative. Renting a house or apartment for short term, though available, was very pricey and it wasn't getting us any closer to our dream of becoming full-time RVer's.

But with all the styles and options for campers, we were torn as to what type to purchase. We needed something large to accommodate our family of 5 and our pound puppy.

A driving camper would be great, but we doubted we could afford one without a loan. And our goal is to get out of debt, not go further in. Neither of our vehicles were really equipped to pull a large travel trailer or a 5th wheel, and we weren't in the position financially to upgrade. That means we'd need to hire a company to move our camper when needed or we were stuck.

We began window shopping, visiting dealerships and RV shows, touring the displays and finding many units that looked like they'd be perfect. Judging by the price tags, it was clear a used model was in our future. But even at that, we needed to be frugal.

When it looked like finding something to fit our budget was impossible, I ran across a dealership that advertised a camper that we thought might work. It cost more than the cash we had on hand, but we were hopeful we could deal with them a bit. Though the unit drove well and appeared in great shape, there were a few issues that should have been glaring problems from the onset.

• The camper was only 24 ft. long, not a lot of space, huh?
• The 'bathroom' was not a separate room, rather there was a curtain that could be pulled closed around the commode when in use
• Everything was in that one room. Can you say, NO PRIVACY???

We reasoned that with it being relatively small as far as campers go, it wouldn't require as much gas to go places. Besides, we were planning on being outside most of the time anyway, right?

We made an offer to our salesman who tried hard not to laugh and took our piddly offer to the manager, who politely declined. However, and this was the part that scared me, they did have ONE camper that had just happened to arrive that was in our price range. They had no idea what condition it was in, it would be sold AS IS and they needed to know immediately if we wanted it. I don't know about you, but deals like that never work out for us. And yet, we were unable to run...

In desperation we couldn't resist taking a peak at what they were offering. When the salesman directed us outside to the back lot and pointed out the camper, I couldn't look. I waited for my husband to look and when he sounded pleasantly surprised, only then did I dare to peer across the lot to a large Class A motor home. It certainly looked better than the other, but looks are deceiving. So we had a peak inside. There were certainly a few obvious benefits to this new camper.

• It was 31 ft. long, doesn't sound like a lot but believe me 7 feet can make a huge difference!
• It had a bathroom; with a door
• It had a separate bedroom with a door

I was beginning to become hopeful. Maybe this was the camper the Lord had planned for us after all. My husband and I were beginning to get a bit excited and decided it wouldn't hurt to take it for a test drive. It seemed perfect but even at that, we were cautious. We told the salesman we'd think about it. He gave us a day.

We prayed about it, talked to friends that gave us pointers of what to look for and decided to go back for a thorough look through. We decided if everything worked, well ... if the air conditioning at least worked, we'd take it. After all, we'd been visiting in our home state of Ohio and were planning to leave in two days. We did not want to go back to a hotel room!

In the end, we decided the camper was a huge blessing. We wrote a check, packed what belongings were essential to life on the road and away we went, back to Alabama. And this time not to a hotel, but to a perfect mountain top campground- just in time for spring showers.

We had embarked on a new adventure. And it would take a bit of getting used to.

Questions to ask when making a hotel reservation

Though staying in a hotel room is no longer an event that we look forward to in our household, you may love the idea of packing up and having a special break away from home. Though I can’t give you a precise formula for finding the perfect hotel room, I can offer a couple suggestions and encourage you to ask a few questions prior to your arrival that may help ensure your stay is a pleasant one.

First, you need to determine what are you looking for in a hotel. Do you plan to spend quite a bit of time in the hotel or resort? If so you may want to ask some specific questions to ensure there are no surprises. If you plan to be out most of the day, you may simply be looking for someplace to rest your head and won’t be that particular. Either way, read on.

For over a year, I worked as a front desk representative at a very nice hotel. During that time, I was amazed at some of the questions that I was asked. So if you feel that yours are silly or off the wall, don’t fret, it has probably been asked before.


Common Questions
Do you plan to save money by taking advantage of the continental breakfast? Then you’ll be disappointed to arrive and find out that the advertised breakfast is simply donuts and watered down orange juice or coffee. Find out exactly what deluxe continental breakfast entails. Does the hotel offer laundry facilities? Do you sell laundry supplies? Are there safes in the room? If you reserve the room on your credit card, when will the room be charged (though rare, some hotels do charge the credit card at the time the reservation is made rather than upon check-in). What is the cancellation policy? What discounts do you offer? AAA? AARP? Corporate? Military? Sr. Citizen?

Traveling with Children
Inquire about special rooms; some hotels have larger rooms that would be especially appealing to a family. If your children are young, it would be best to request a quiet, first floor room. What features does the hotel have that appeal to families with children? Is there a game room? Vending machines? Pool? In room movies or game systems? What are the hours for the pool? Does the hotel offer pool parties? If so, are any scheduled for the date or your arrival? Does the hotel offer complimentary cribs for infants or toddlers? If this is requested in advance, the crib may be set up and waiting for you when you arrive. A nice touch if you’ll be arriving late. Will you need extra bedding? Request this ahead of time. Be specific about what you need. Do you need a roll away bed? Is there a charge? Microwave or refrigerator? If one is not located in your room, is there one in the lobby that can be used? What attractions are in the area that would appeal to families with children? Do they offer family specials or packages?


Traveling When You are Disabled
Ask for a description of the handicap accessible rooms that you have? Are the handicapped rooms on the first floor (believe it or not, they aren't always on the first floor or close to the door)? How far of a distance is the room from the parking lot? Is someone available to help me with my luggage? Do you provide shower stools or is there a built in seat in the shower?

Traveling with Pets
It's sometimes difficult to find a hotel that allows pets so you should certainly ask before showing up with yours. Is there a charge or deposit for cleaning, etc.? Is the deposit refundable? We’ve found that when we travel with our puppy, we don’t like walking him through the interior corridors when he has to go outside so ask if the hotel has the interior or exterior corridors. If pets are NOT permitted, is there a kennel nearby that they can recommend?

Traveling for Business
If you need to use the Internet make sure that it is free and that it can be accessed from your room. We’ve been to hotels where Internet is only available in various ‘hot spots’ located within the hotel. At least you’ll have Internet, but wouldn't you be more comfortable at a hotel where it can be used INSIDE the room? Does the hotel have a business center? Is a copier, fax machine or printer available to you? Is this complimentary? Is there shuttle service from the airport to the hotel, etc.?

Traveling with Groups
How many rooms need to be rented to receive a discount? Is it possible to keep the rooms close together? Are there adjoining rooms? Is there a room that can allow your group to have a ‘private’ breakfast each morning? Do you have room for a bus to park on site?

Romantic Getaways
Perhaps you’re planning a romantic outing with that special someone. Does the hotel offer a romance package? If so, find out specifically what it entails. Do they have whirlpool suites? Is the whirlpool separate from the bathroom? How big is the whirlpool? Can they describe the room? Can candles be burned in the room without setting off the smoke alarm? If you have something delivered to the hotel (flowers, balloons, etc.) can it be placed in your room in advance for a special surprise? Believe it or not, it was common for people to stop by to look at our whirlpool suites.

Parking Questions
This may not seem like a big deal, but if you are planning a stay at a major resort area or larger city, you'll want to know the answers to these questions before your arrival. Is parking on site? Is valet service offered? Is there a charge for parking? If your family is driving more than one vehicle, is there parking available for both? Is there room to park a motor home, tow-dolly, trailer, etc. on premises? Often, people like to see their vehicle from their room. If you are one of those people, request that ahead of time if it's a possibility.


Other Questions You May Not Think Of
Is there a restaurant, bar or nightclub in the hotel? Are safety deposit boxes available? Do you have a gift shop? Is it possible to exchange currency for international travelers? Does the hotel offer cash advance on credit cards or is there an ATM on premises? Do they rent DVD players or movies? If you will be staying in a resort area, is shuttle service to the major attractions offered? If so, is it continuous, what type of schedule is there? Does it have to be scheduled in advance? If you are a single woman you may want to ask if you would feel safe in the area- especially when it is someplace you're unfamiliar with or if you'll be arriving late. You could also ask if they could recommend an alternative.

Make a list of the questions you want to ask before you call so you don’t forget anything when making a reservation. Once again, I hope this information is helpful, if I forgot something, please leave a comment and let us know what questions you ask. Happy Traveling!

A Few Fun Stops

I know my blog posts have been a bit nonexistent lately and I do apologize. My computer crashed a couple weeks ago and it took me some time to replace it. But, now that it’s here, I promise, I’ll get busy adding some more posts. In the meantime, if you’d like to find out where we’ve been the past few weeks, here are a few posts from my other blog:

Disney's Christmas Carol Train comes to Atlanta, GA

I have to admit, after our first experience in Atlanta, I swore I'd never step foot in the city again. Well, I know the Lord has a sense of humor, because it wasn't long before my husband’s job led us back to the very place I intended to avoid for the rest of my life. Though I wasn't initially excited, a friend challenged me to make the best of our visit by finding five really cool attractions to visit. Well, that was a challenge I was up for and when we returned, not only did I find some really awesome outings to go on with my family, but I also discovered some reasons to return ... again ... and again ... and again.... (read the entire post here)

What'll ya have, what'll ya have?

When we planned to visit Atlanta several months ago, I sent out a plea on one of the yahoo groups I belong to asking for some recommendations of what we should or could do in the city. One of the suggestions I received over and over was to eat at The Varsity, the world's largest drive-in restaurant. Though we planned to go several times, we just hadn't made it. Until today. And it was worth the wait. Visible as soon as you exit I-85, the famous red V icon beckons you. (read the entire post here)

The B-17 Aluminum Overcast

This past Tuesday we found out that an historic WWII plane would be flying into our area and would be open for tours for two days only. Having studied that time period last year in school, and having two boys that are particularly interested in historic war planes, my husband and I knew that this opportunity was not to be missed. Thankfully my husband had a short day of work already planned on Wednesday so we were able to view this fascinating marvel. On the short drive to the airfield, my boys were taking turns impressing us with their knowledge of the B-17’s. Were they excited? You bet! (read the entire post here)

Jesse Owens Memorial Park

Sometimes I get a bit stir crazy and can't wait to get out of the camper when it seems as though the four walls are closing in around me. I have to admit that the past few weeks I've felt this sensation a bit more than usual. I seem to have an inner urgency to begin checking names off my list of all the places in Alabama that I want to see before moving on down the road. I'm not quite sure why I feel this way, as I'm pretty sure we'll continue to be in the area for a while yet. But in the meantime, that means a few field trips for my kids and family outings, when my husband is interested in joining us.

Last Thursday it happened to be a lucky, impromptu field trip day for the kids. Normally that would be the day for our afternoon biology class, but it happened to be cancelled, so we took a field trip to the Jesse Owens Memorial Park. Easy to find, the park is located on a county road just outside Danville, Alabama almost an hour southwest of Huntsville. As we pulled into the parking lot, we were immediately greeted by a friendly volunteer outside the Visitor's Center, asking if we were there to see the museum, which we were. He directed us to the top of the hill where the facilities awaited us.

Though our first stop was inside the museum to see the memorabilia and exhibits, I think I really made a mistake by telling the kids about the Long Jump Pit outside. They were so eager to see how far they could jump that they weren’t about to watch the 45 minute film highlighting the 1936 Olympics in Berlin where Jesse won four gold medals. We hastily made our way through the museum before moving to what the kids thought of as the ‘good stuff’ outside.

We all enjoyed touring the replica of the small sharecroppers home that Jesse was born in and lived in with his parents and nine siblings, until moving to Cleveland, Ohio when he was nine. Upon entering, you will hear a narration telling you a bit about the home and Jesse’s early life.

On the grounds you’ll also see a replica of the 1936 Olympic Torch lit in 1996 by Ruth Owens, his widow. The focal point of the grounds may be the impressive 8-foot tall bronze Statue of Jesse Owens, depicting him running through the Olympic rings.

And finally, the highlight of the trip, the Long Jump Pit. As the kids said, that’s not something that you find at every park or museum and it was certainly new to them. They spent several minutes preparing the pit and then each took turns trying to jump further than anyone else- though no one came close to hitting the 26 ½ foot mark that Jesse held the record for until it was broken in 1960. I don’t think we have any long jump candidates in this family but they sure had fun trying.

The museum is free unless you have a group of 10 or more, but donations are appreciated. We enjoyed our trip here, even though it was brief and I’m sure there’s at least one aspect that the kids will remember forever.

Decatur