Books That Make Math More Enjoyable

Most math books read dry and boring, so when I discovered these at the library, we used them to enrich our math class. Look for them at your local library, used bookstore, or Amazon.
MathStart Series by Stuart J. Murphy.  Titles include A Fair Bear Share (regrouping), Lemonade for Sale (bar graphs), A Pair of Socks (matching),Betcha (estimating), and Get Up and Go (timelines).
Jerry Pallotta wrote much on math. Some of his books include Twizzlers Percentages Book, The Hershey's Kisses Addition Book, The Grapes of Math, Apple Fractions, and The Hershey's Fractions Book.
Janice Van Cleave books belong in every homeschool home. For math, she wrote  Janice VanCleave's Math for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Math Fun.
Hopefully, you will find some of these fine books near you!

Find the Master in the Morning

Find the Master in the morning,

Ere you start upon your way;

Find the Master in the morning,

And He’ll walk with you all day.

Find the Master in the morning

As you walk along life’s road;

Find the Master in the morning,

And He’ll share with you life’s load.

Find the Master in the morning,

No matter where you roam;

Find the Master ev’ry morning

And He’ll bring you safely home.

by Adlai Albert Esteb

Soap Nuts?

What are Soap Nuts? People who enjoy washing things? Kids who like playing in the bubbles?

Nope, Soap Nuts, created by God, produce saponin or natural soap. Seems crazy, right? Richelle of Virginia Soaps and Scents explained to me that women have washed with these for years. She gets hers from Indonesia. (Told my pastor’s wife to be on the lookout for these when she leaves for the mission field!) Out of curiosity, I bought 8 oz. containers for $10.95 and put to the test of towels, underwear, and dirty jeans. Putting five soapnuts into the provided muslin bag, I threw them into my HE machine. Towels usually are run through the washer twice, so did this with the Soap Nuts, too. Though wet Soap Nuts smell vinegary, the dried clothes have no smell. No stinky scent, no chemicals. Just clean.  Regular loads such as “lights” or “darks” are successfully run through once. Clean, clean, clean.

Talk about “green” or natural cleaners, these are incredible and truly all natural. Each muslin bag of 5  nuts can be used up to 10 loads. They can also soak in water which can then be used as a multi-purpose cleaner. I haven’t counted how many nuts are in each 8 oz. purchase, but I have been using mine since April! Love, love, love this product.

I did not receive these as a review item, but wanted to share a fantastic natural find from a wonderful woman of God. Please say a quick prayer for her son, Sam, who was injured in a car accident just before Memorial Day.

Visit http://www.va-soaps.com/ for ordering information on the Soap Nuts and other delectably scented soaps and laundry soap kits. Tell her Kimberly sent you. She has been one of my favorite TOS Homeschool Crew vendors from several years ago. Love her as much as her products!  Find my TOS review of some of her other products at  http://homeschoolblogger.com/kovach/737497/