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Steve keeps busy with five children and a job in information security. He also has a second job as principal of the Hodgepodge homeschool.
I grew up in Southern California. One of our favorite summer Saturday outings as a family was to visit one of the many large regional parks in Orange County. One Saturday morning while I was in middle school, my dad called all of us children together and asked a question: “Would you like to go [...]
Chalk pastels are “blessedly messy,” as Nana says. Yet we’ve found a way to avoid the mess and enjoy pastels – even on the go! We discovered the iPastels iPad app from Norbyte. Of course this app isn’t exactly like holding a piece of soft chalk in your hand. But it does offer a close [...]
A four year old boy sits, waiting patiently. Ten minutes pass. Twenty. Thirty. Still he sits, watching. He leans in toward me periodically, wanting to get a close up view of what I’m doing. A boy’s construction truck playthings are not made like they were when I was a child. Back then they were big, [...]
In our home, we use basically three types of teaching applications or technology-based learning: computer games/apps, edutainment and courseware. Computer Games/Apps Did you know that spending a few minutes playing some of your child’s computer games can equip you to use these games to teach? One very popular game, Angry Birds (which is available on [...]
The Earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. –Psalm 24:1 My wife recently attended a two-day blogging conference. While at the conference, I spent the days with the children. Our family has long had a tradition of Daddy Destinations. A Daddy Destination is a trip to some [...]
The iPad has become a teaching tool. Educational apps abound, with an amazing variety of subjects available. In the geography category, we have Stack the States by Dan Russell-Pinson. Stack the States is both fun and educational; a game that uses some of the best mobile features – interaction and manipulation. While learning about the 50 states [...]
Last October, the Human Resources department where I work scheduled a leadership conference. All of the managers and directors for the organization were required to attend. Most of the people I work with thought this would be a colossal waste of time. There was simply too much to do to spend two days away from the [...]
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome — funding the project. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, [...]
…We drove to Petersburg, Kentucky. Stopped along the way at Joyce Kilmer memorial forest. We stayed in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. We visited the museum, travelled around the area, got to see a nuclear power plant up close. Ate too many cheeseburgers, and took advantage of the hotel’s free breakfasts. Along the way, we went through the [...]
It began as a game. Driving home from some activity one afternoon, I said to our eldest daughter, “Steer us home. You are responsible for telling me what direction to go at every intersection.” We do this occasionally with each of the three eldest children. We have always made it home. Sometimes we run in [...]
Have you ever wished for a note taking application that would work with all of your digital devices? That would automatically synchronize your notes between computers, smartphones, tablets, and laptops? What if that same application could also be used to make notes from web page clippings, audio notes, photos and videos? Meet Evernote. I have [...]
Another installment in our recent continuing education with Hodgepodge allergy friendly living. This one originally posted February 23, 2010… Our youngest boy had an allergy challenge today. Some time ago, he was diagnosed with allergies to egg and peanut. Here’s how it works: In a controlled environment (a clinic, intensive care facility, etc.) the doctor [...]
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