Motherboard Books - Logo Adventures Review

Motherboard Books has come out with a homeschooling program, using MicroWorlds EX as the software, to teach kids, 8-12 years old basic Computer Programming skills.

This is probably my favorite product out of all of the products that I reviewed through the TOS Homeschoool Crew. Computers & Technology, no one doubts, is one thing that our kids should learn for their futures - and Motherboard Books will give your kids a headstart!

There are two materials in the set. The book Logo Adventures, by Phyllis Wheeler, and the accompaniment software called MicroWorlds EX, by LCSI. Logo Adventures gives kids a basic, easy to learn, even fun, way to learn basic computer programming.

Students will create shapes, patterns, animations and a game board using basic computer programming skills and commands.

The outline of the course, is to have your child use the materials one hour per week, for 26 weeks. In that time, they will learn:
*basic programming
*what input computers need to program
*draw shapes
*make games
*how to follow specific instructions
*how to personalize their work

Josiah used Logo Adventures with MicroWorlds EX software and has learned so much about what computers need as input to be programmable.

Josiah said, "My favorite part was that you could make it repeat it (the pattern you create) like 100 times!!"

This set is a great combination of teaching material and fantastic software.

I personally am so impressed by this set, that I will be purchasing the next level, when he is done with this one! The cost of Logo Adventures with MicroWorlds EX Software is $128.99. This is one set that I do feel is worth the money. Especially since you can buy it once & use it with multiple children.

The next level of books Computer Science, Pure and Simple, uses MicroWorlds EX software. If you have already purchased the program as a set with Logo Adventures, you do not need to rebuy the software, the books are available to you individually.

Motherboard Books has other materials in Internet Training for ages 8-15 using Let's Make a Webpage; Internet Training for ages 15 and up using Website ABC's; Spreadsheet & Internet & Programming ages 12 & up using Computer Science, Pure and Simple.

Motherboard Books also comes with a 30 day moneyback guarantee!
Visit the Motherboard Books website at www.motherboardbooks.com.

Rock & Worship Roadshow Weekend

(This post was written tuesday - but I didn't have time to upload the pix.) (Photo: Rod & Zindra & teens from First Class Skagit County & teens from First Class Clark County West.)
Rod & I had a great time with the Teens this weekend. It was pretty funny, the kids we needed to pick up, we had their address - but we didn't recognize where it was. So we put it into google maps on my phone for directions - and google couldn't find it. Finally, we called Sierra (in Vancouver) to find out where the Uptains live (in Mt. Vernon). We got them picked up on time & down to the St. Johns on time.

Kayla lent me a Ted Dekker book - Thr3E - which i'm interested in reading!

We were going to hang out at the house & instead ended up going to Multnomah Falls. I had not ever been there, so that was pretty neat. I love waterfalls. We had the nine seater surburban of the St. Johns filled with 2 adults, 6 Teens and 1 preteen. We got some good shots of the kids - and Sierra has hijacked them :D and put them on HER facebook. LOL. Will have to post a few. When we left the house, it wasn't raining. When we got to the falls - it was sprinkling pretty good. Right when we left it quit. Everyone got out and hiked the .2 miles up to the bridge.

(photo: at the bridge in front of the Multnomah Falls.) We knew dinner wasn't until 7, so Rod & I were determined to not return until about then. So after the falls, we went and got coffees at starbucks - and then everyone but me headed over to the Ikea (just a block away) to spend time together & kill some time too.

Heidi made a fantastic turkey dinner *yum*. The teens watched Phantom of the Opera while us adults hung out upstairs and talked.

(photo: Hawk Nelson in concert.) Sunday, I was just not feeling well. Tired & having problems with nausea. Rod went everyone off to church/lunch and I slept. Later he came back & got me & we headed over to the Portland Colesium (sp?) to meet up with the Teens and Jay for the concert. We heard 5 bands - Addison Road, 10th Ave N, Hawk Nelson (the best *show*), Jeremy Camp (who i'm most familiar with) and Mercy Me. It was a great concert. I guess they are planning on doing another tour again next year. They sold out the stadium (11,000 people).

Leaving Portland we ate at McDonalds. We all had #2's. That was pretty funny. *next time* we'll have to order #2's too :D

We got the Teens home in Mt. Vernon about 2am. Then we stood and talked at their house for about a 1/2 hour talking to Julie about what a great time we had with the teens and how glad we were to have taken them. Then we really did go to my parents and pick up Jaden & Julia. Mom said that dad wanted the boys for potting tomatoes for the Garden Club again in the morning, so they stayed. I just didn't feel after having issues this weekend with being tired, that I could hold myself accountable to getting up & going & getting our kids in the morning... At 3:30am, it felt good, to climb into my own bed! Yes, I realize we are crazy sometimes!

(photo: Rod & Zindra in front of the falls.) Rod went to work an hour or so later than normal (which worked out fine, he had a late meeting). Julie called and said that she was going to bring us over a meal as a thank you. I was *so* thankful. Having nausea & being tired, I haven't been the best dinner maker lately. Trevor brought over a yummy soup and warm rolls. Julie - I want the recipe!!! Such a treat. My little Julia said, "That soup makes my tummy happy!" I love that! Feeling so incredibly blessed by good friends today! Thank you Uptains!

Josiah's *NEW* coach called today and said that they were going to have their first practice tonight. I was so relieved to have him on another team! On Mondays, both of the boys will be having practice, at 5pm at Bakerview. Woot! Got ahold of Janet - & Christian is also on that team - so we will be able to rideshare with the boys. That was really helpful last year & I'm thinking with me pregnant, it's going to be even more important. Josiah was excited - he finally got to get out & wear his new cleats. That boy has big feet! He's 10.5 and wearing 10.5 sized cleats!

Janet came & picked up my boys & took them to practice. It was raining, so Jedediah's got canceled & Josiah's went for about 45 minutes. Janet came & spent some time at my house while she was waiting for practice to get over (the field is less than 5 min away.)

Vegetables & Mentos

(photo: Jed catching)

Vegetables and Mentos. I'd rather be eating Almond Joy :D. Seriously though, I now feel officially pregnant. Not that I wasn't a few days ago... In the last couple of days the whole Nausea thing has hit me pretty hard. I find myself reverting to what we did when I was pregnant before... eating lots of vegetables and not letting my stomach get empty. I haven't quite figured this one out - but I'm thinking because I don't keep much water down, that I'm getting some fluid in the veggies.

Mentos - well, peppermint is common to helping out with morning sickness. And right now, it's my preferred peppermint of choice. This usually lasts a few weeks and then I'm feeling much better, more like a normal person actually with lots of hope at new life.

We made plans this weekend to go down to the St. Johns and take a few of our teens to Rock & Worship concert in Portland. We used to do stuff like this all of the time before unemployment... and yet now, since Rod had had so much time with the kids in the last few months - and now he's back to work, they are having a hard time with the fact we are going to be gone this weekend. We thought about taking Josiah & Jedediah with us, but my dad wants help with the garden this weekend. They really need to get going on the Garden Club's plant sale & Josiah & Jedediah are their youngest members and most avid helpers.

(photo: park time at practice.) I keep telling my kids though, when Mommy gets her time with Daddy, that when Daddy's home, it's their turn. (Mommy doesn't try to steal the kid time when her Rod tank is full - it's true!) And then I realized, that we'll have to do something super fun next weekend - in honor of Rod's spring break for the kids. Maybe we could take them and stay the night somewhere with a pool, they really love that!

I still haven't gone & gotten Rod's books. I'm thinking that since I have the ISBN's that maybe I'll just get them off of fetchbook.info. I guess I better figure that one out in the next few days....

Thursday Jedediah had his first "real" baseball practice. For a child who has told me that he doesn't ever want to play - now tell me that he's going to be a "real good baseball player." - Let's just say Mom was pleased to see him bridge that gap. I've thought, that he knows that Josiah is a very good baseball player - and that maybe he couldn't measure up to Josiah. Not that 7 year olds really have that much of it figured out. There's something about a little boy in baseball pants, cleats with a mit - that Mommy just loves!

(photo: Jaden while at Jedediah's practice.) On a *praise* note, I got an email from the Joe Baseball (the LL President) letting me know that Josiah will be put onto a new team by the end of the weekend. PTL! Woohoo! Although, I have a feeling that since it's a new team that I may need to coordinate snacks or something... yet, at this point, I'd be happy to, as long as he's not on a team with a jerk for a coach!

Friday School was today. I really didn't feel well enough to go, and went anyway. Josiah spent the afternoon at Cade's and Jedediah spent the afternoon at Mikey's. Elaina came to my house to kid sit Jaden & Julia while I took a 4.5 hour nap. You may be thinking that I'm up late typing - but I've had TWO good naps since I woke up for Friday School at 7 am this morning!

Talk About An Oxymoron.

(photo: Jed in front of the van)
Today's been a car day. First my mom locked her keys in the car... so I had to put the kids in the car, drive to Burlington, to pick her up, so she could go home & get the spare...

Later, my dad said that one of the shocks in the strut on the van is going bad. I've been hinting at him test driving it for a couple of weeks - I just knew something was going on. So I ordered the part. Rod came home from work & picked it up. Meanwhile my dad was over, to help change it, when he realized that we needed a special tool, in order to put it in....

At first we thought we'd rent the tool from Schucks - it was $49.99 for the day. But they didn't have one. Rod called around and the Schucks in Sedro Woolley had the special tool for sale for $39.99. Go figure! So we drove to Sedro Woolley to pick it up. Then we drove out to my parents to switch cars, so that my dad can work on it tomorrow. I guess if he needs help, he'll wait until Rod gets off work.

Rod got an email from one of the advisers at Skagit, saying that if he didn't turn in a FAFSA application that they wouldn't pay for his Spring quarter classes. So he got online & filled it out. We spent an hour or so looking for 2007's tax records... other years are filed and right where they are supposed to be... 2007's weren't. Apparently, he may be eligible for a grant. Who knew?

Then he got another email, from the workforce people saying that, because of all of the people applying for the workforce program, that all workforce students have to pay for their own books - uh... a couple hundred dollars??? Are you kidding me? He was approved last Sept for tuition AND books! Literally, if Rod wasn't working, we could not pay for the books that would allow for him to continue to go to school and stay on unemployment. A month or so ago, we were barely paying our rent - books would have been a luxury! Talk about an oxymoron. It irritates me - we are trying to get on our feet - and things like this DO NOT help!

The workforce people want Rod to stay in the program. You would think that keeping Rod happy would keep him in the program. It makes them look bad if he doesn't finish. Go figure. He's not in it for them! I want Rod to finish because he's always wanted a degree. Workforce is supposed to pay for two more quarters. Rod'll end up with two certificates. If he wants a degree, I think he needs two more quarters. That's almost tangible - if we ever get that far.

Woot! Winter Quarter IS DONE!

(Rod's Photoshop Final 50/50) I am so excited! Rod was able to finish his final - final project today and he took his Photoshop Final Exam. One more quarter down! We officially have two weeks of dad/evening time! A couple of weeks ago I was stressed about these three final projects that had to be done.

Rod worked hard & got them done & they were fabulous. He will get two, if not three A's this quarter. In InDesign he got 100%! Uh, I've never done that! His InDesign & Photoshop final projects he got 50/50. I think on his third final project he got 94/100. So all's well!

Next quarter, he'll be studying *Multimedia Design *Digital Photography and *Web Design.

I'm up at 6 in the morning - Pregnancy has a way of messing with my schedule the first trimester. Sunday, I must have slept three quarters of the day. I know it's just part of the process. I was talking to Rod about it, and for some reason, I was thinking that because I know it happens, that this time, I would be able to overcome it... right.

Still praying about what to do about Josiah's coach. Haven't heard back from the President of LL about switching him out - but I sincerely hopes it happens soon. He's supposed to have practice tomorrow!

Jedediah is signed up for LL for the first time this year. I hope it's a good experience for him. We have the first pre-practice meeting on Tues. night.

Tonight we went to Big5 and picked up cleats. Josiah is in a 10.5 cleat! (He normally wears a 10!) We got Jedediah 5's. We also got Jed his first glove & first pair of Baseball pants. The team usually provides a set of clothing, but Josiah usually wears out an extra pair of baseball pants every year - so we thought ahead and got Jed an extra pair. Josiah has lots of clothing from over the past couple of years. Couldn't go get their socks/belt because we have to wait to find out what the team colors are.