Motherboard Books

Hey Neighbors!

Do you have a child who is tech savvy? Or maybe a budding geek! Then you might be interested in my latest review opportunity from the TOS Crew. We received Let's Make a Web Page ($19.95) from Motherboard Books. Author Phyllis Wheeler is aiming this instructional book at children ages 8-12.

Now, my daughters are both slightly geeky anyway, so they were able to jump right in and take off with very little guidance. (Which is good, since although I know some about computers I generally ask for help when I get stuck!) Anyway they were able to work on this and walk right through the program. Using Let's Make a Web Page as the guide and a free trial from Coffee Cup HTML Editor they were able to design their own webpage.

I will tell you here that I am not sharing any pictures of their work. It was a family type design and unfortunately due to the nature of the internet I am not willing to share pictures of their personal site. I will tell you, that they were able to add/design the background. They then added animated graphics. They added interviews of the family and personal pictures. Other options include sound, browsers, and links. The program made this so easy for them. The final chapter explains how to post your work. We did not do this part for privacy reasons.

I would definitely recommend this to other homeschoolers. Most children 10 years and older could probably work through this themselves with no problems. Younger children will of course need help from a parent or older sibling. There is a section at the beginning of the book for the parents with some information on internet safety.

Table of Contents: Introduction for Parents
Lesson 1: An Interview
Lesson 2: Download and Set Up the Program
Lesson 3: Add Text
Lesson 4: Make a Table
Lesson 5: Add Photo
Lesson 6: From the Internet, Add Animations
Lesson 7: Browser Check, Backgrounds, Photos
Lesson 8: Sound
Lesson 9: Links
Lesson 10: Post Your Work
Appendix: How to Upload to the Internet

The pictures included help your child to understand what they are working on and what to expect. My daughters were able to swap back and forth when they needed. She also tells them how to find free backgrounds, animations and graphics. I have a feeling my daughters will be designing even more. We will either have to purchase the Coffee Cup HTML Editor, or find another option. They will be able to go back and reference Lets Make a Web Page in the future any time they get stuck and need some help. I think this really helped my daughter as she has tried doing some designing before and this gave her an outline to follow.

Be sure to check out what other members of the Crew have to say about their experience with Motherboard Books.

Baby First TV 'I Can Sign" First Words

Hey Neighbors! Here is a really neat gift idea for someone with a young child. Here we have I Can Sign (First Words) from Baby First TV. Now, I am just going to share right here that we have friends who have taught two of their children to sign at a very young age. And it works! Their children could sign before they could talk. The Dvd will teach your child many useful words that will be used in day to day life. Words like: eat, water, milk, cookie, ear, feet hands, kiss, sleep, book, mother, father, and many other words. Each word is taught in a short video clip where they will see pictures of the word/item and people signing. There is also a little character at the bottom corner of the video signing along. The Dvd can be done on English or Spanish. Also included on the Dvd are printable coloring pages that you can print off by inserting the Dvd into your computer. Inside the cover of the Dvd case is a little booklet that covers some of the words you and your child

What To Do About Those Fuzzy Uninvited Guests In The Home

When we talk about pests in the home, the most common that we tend to deal with are the creepy-crawlies that find their way in. Ants, termites, and spiders, for instance. Occasionally though, you have a real chance of getting a much bigger, fuzzier unwanted guest in the home. What do you do about the fact your home is at risk of becoming a wildlife sanctuary for some truly unhealthy and even dangerous beasts? Picture by Alexas_Fotos Know the signs It doesn’t matter if you’re in a suburban home, a country cottage, or a fourth-floor apartment. Some animals can find their way just about anywhere. It’s worth knowing the signs of pest infestation so you can confirm it and act on it immediately. Spotting droppings, keeping an ear out for scratching, and looking for signs of nesting like shredded paper, scrunched leaves, and grass clippings around the home without explanation can help you start fighting back. Picture by wolfgang_vodt Cleanliness is key If there’s

Hey neighbors, its with a heavy heart I let you all know that my mom (Lori) unexpectedly passed away the end of June. Our family has been taking the time between now and then to be together and remember what a light mom was. I came on towards the end of last year and was planning on fully moving my interviews and review to this website. I intend to to so partially to keep mommas beautiful website going. Thank you all so much for your love and support over the years. ~Mercy

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