Click n Read

A couple months ago, we signed up for Click n Read to help cement phonics rules for Isaac. Since he already knows how to read, I started him in the middle and he's done great! And it's really helping him. Yay! Recently I also began Daniel and Lydia on Click n Read as a fun start to reading. They just love it! Don't tell them they're learning, they just think they're playing a computer game. I am so impressed with this program. FINALLY learning to read isn't boring and tedious! And for the most part, they do it totally on their own, freeing me up to focus on another child's long division. Oh joy!

And Click n Read has given me the ability to offer Clark Chatter readers a special offer:

If you go to Click n Kids (they have a phonics & a spelling program) and are interested in either, you can get 20% off the low price of home programs when you use this promotional code:

the9clarks@yahoo.com

How Is Saving Money Fun??

When you hear the word "frugal", do you cringe? Does it make you think of cutting back, making do, and living with less? Saving money is FUN!

• When I bought a $75 Ann Taylor skirt for a mere $3 at the thrift store, that was fun!
• When we took the whole family out for dinner on "Kids Eat Free" night and spent only $20 for the eight of us, that was fun!
• When we found an almost-new chest freezer for just $50 on Craigslist, that was really fun!
• When we borrow DVDs from the library instead of paying for them elsewhere, that savings is fun!
• When I scored a $30 book for $2 at a used book sale, that was fun!

Frugality is no respecter of persons. Rich and poor alike enjoy the benefits of saving money. This is the beginning of a series of articles about saving money. I hope you enjoy it and learn something along the way!

Have you saved money this week? Tell me about your latest bargain!

School for Free

I am a tightwad. It's true. No denying it. And homeschool is no exception. I don't buy what I can get for free, whether it's from the library or online. Here are my favorite places to get free audio schooling:

ESV Audio Bible - totally free. We use this to help us memorize scripture. (scroll to bottom of page)

Librivox.org and Books Should Be Free.com - Gobs of free books from the public domain. Think: classic literature.

Blue Behemoth - trustworthy, downloadable audio and video content for the Christian family. One or two free downloads daily.

Christian Audio - a new free book download offered every month.

My Audio School - classic books, old-time radio theater, historical radio, and television broadcasts; all organized by time period.

It's Official!!

We have a new nephew and cousin!! Read the awesome story here.

My Go-To Herbs

I got this email over the weekend and thought I'd do just as asked:

I was wondering if you could tell me what your go-to herbs are for sickness(I'm wanting to prepare for winter). What do you always have on hand and what do you use them for? Maybe you could do a thorough blog post about it;)

Your wish is my command. These are the ones we use all the time:

GSE- This is our antibiotic - we use it as a preventative when we're going on trips, and as a treatment for any kind of virus. It can also be used for fungal infections as well.

Sambucus - Given alongside GSE for colds and coughs. It's an echinacea & elderberry syrup that boosts the immune system.

Emergen-C - Ok, it's not an herb, it's vitamin C in a packet. All sickies get one. We call it Vitamin C juice.

Horehound Extract - For preventing ear infections when child has a nasty cold; or treating ear infections.

Bentonite- For all stomach ills. Whichever end it's coming out of, this will cure it. (Sorry to be gross; I wanted to be clear what it's used for.)

Peppermint - For upset stomachs, drink this tea.

Tea Tree Oil - for any kind of fungus (ringworm, athlete's foot, etc.). Rub a drop or two on it. The fungal infection will disappear in a matter of days.

Wondering how to use herbs? Here's a reminder.

Baby Brown Eyes

Beall Phillips Shares on Baby Brown Eyes and the Beauty of Adoption from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

Why Herbs?

Why choose herbs instead of drugs?

1. Herbs were created by God for healing and nutrition. Drugs are synthetic forms of all that God made.
2. God knows better than man. Always.
3. Drug antibiotics frequently result in recurrences of the illness. The earlier they are given, the greater the chance of recurrence.
4. Drugs treat symptoms; herbs heal. Think about meds given for reflux, for instance. They make the symptoms stop, but do not heal the problem causing the reflux. So the reflux is still present and still problematic, even if you can't feel it.
5. Herbs are cheaper.
6. Herbs are just as straightforward as drugs. If you can learn the difference between Tylenol and Tums, you can learn what herb to use for what problem too.

This is my favorite book for learning about herbs. This is the one I keep going back to: