Schoolhouse Review Crew 2015 Blue Ribbon Awards

The Schoolhouse Review Crew term has come to an end for 2015.  It's a little sad to see the year come to a close, but it's pretty exciting to anticipate the beginning of a new year of reviews.  As a group, we had the opportunity to review some really cool stuff this year and I have enjoyed sharing a ton of new products with you.  Fun, huh?

I really do love being a part of the Crew.  As a matter of fact, I wrote a note to all my Crewbies just last week.  I thought I'd share a little bit of it with you so that you would maybe understand what a great part of my life it has become.

I love the Crew.  I mean, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Crew.  I've been hanging around here for quite a while now -- I'm completing my 6th term this week -- and I have truly enjoyed every moment.

I actually blog because of the Crew.  A sweet real-life friend of mine invited me to check it out way back when and I had to start a blog to apply.  Scary!  But I did it -- and I haven't looked back.  I started that original blog way over on homeschoolblogger. Remember it?  And then a few years into that, we all had to move elsewhere.  Now, that was a scary thing.  I was so afraid that I would lose all of my content like I lost all of my followers.      Now I look back at some of those early posts and I think    hmmm . . . who was that woman?  There's some stuff there that just makes me wonder what I was thinking.  As a result of blogging, I've learned more about who I really am way down deep and who I want to be when I grow up.    

Anywho, like I said, I have enjoyed EVERY term on the Crew.  We spend a year getting to know each other and welcoming each other into our homes through our fingertips.  It's a privilege to pray over each other and laugh together and celebrate the victories.  The people on this team make it easier to travel the homeschooling journey.  I like them!  I really, really like them!

The Crew changes just a little every year.  Some friends leave the Crew as different seasons of life come.  New friends come along and join us.  New friends, new opportunities, new ways to invest ourselves in the homeschooling community.  How exciting is that?

It's been a good year.  A really good year.  The kids and I had the most fun reminiscing together over all of the things we've had the opportunity to review this year as we filled out the Blue Ribbon voting form.

I think we ended up doing somewhere around 50 reviews this Term.  I like doing this.  I enjoy trying new things and seeing how we can make them work for us.  We are homeschoolers and that's our superpower.  We definitely don't fit the mold of those around us and I think that's grand.  We accept every review as a challenge to make it fit us and we look for ways that they can all make us better.   Whew!  It's been a SUPER year with some really cool stuff!!!  How blessed we have been.

To everything there is a season.  That definitely fits my family's time on the Crew.  When I first started, I had four children at home and we fit into all categories of reviews -- from elementary to college prep.  Now, I have a daughter in Grad School, a daughter who is married and in the workforce, a high school Junior, and a high school Freshman.  WOW!!  What changes I have walked through with my friends on the Crew.   I've even met a few of my Crewbies in real life and I have HIGH hopes of meeting others.  It's fun to put faces and mannerisms and voices to those people who invest in my daily life.

Today I will rejoice in the fact that I have been a part of a very special team.  The Crew  is wonderful and I treasure the time that we've had together over the past year.    I am thankful for the friendship, thankful for the laughter, thankful for the understanding of my life because we walk a similar path,  and thankful for the love.  

Once a Crewbie, always a Crewbie!

All righty, now, it's time for you to see what the Crew voted on.  There are LOTS of neat things here so hang on.  This is FUN!

Favorite Reading Curriculum: Reading Kingdom
Favorite Writing Curriculum: Institute for Excellence in Writing
Favorite Vocabulary Program: Dynamic Literacy
Favorite Spelling Program: Institute for Excellence in Writing: Phonetic Zoo
Favorite Grammar Program: Institute for Excellence in Writing: Fix-It! Grammar
Favorite Penmanship Program: CursiveLogic
Favorite Literature Curriculum: Progeny Press

Favorite History Curriculum: Home School in the Woods
Favorite History Supplement: Heirloom Audio Productions: In Freedom's Cause
Favorite Science Curriculum: Visual Learning Systems
Favorite Science Supplement: Ann McCallum Books: Eat Your Science Homework
Favorite Math Curriculum: CTC Math
Favorite Math Supplement: SimplyFun

Favorite Christian Education Curriculum: Grapevine Studies
Favorite Christian Education Supplement: Brinkman Adventures
Favorite Foreign Language Curriculum: Middlebury Interactive Language
Favorite Fine Arts Product: Maestro Classics
Favorite Elective Curriculum: Apologia Educational Ministries: Field Trip Journal
Favorite Audio Drama: Brinkman Adventures
Favorite Video: FishFlix.com

Favorite Preschool Product: La La Logic
Favorite Elementary Product: Star Toaster
Favorite Middle School Product: The Critical Thinking Co
Favorite High School Product: Writing with Sharon Watson
Favorite College or College-Prep Product: Freedom Project Education
Favorite Parent Product: Koru Naturals
Favorite Planning Product: Apologia Educational Ministries: The Ultimate Homeschool Planner

Best Resource I Didn't Know I Needed: Homeschool Planet
Best Online Resource: Super Teacher Worksheets
Best e-Product: Home School in the Woods
Just for Fun: USAopoly
Kids' Choice: La La Logic
Teens' Choice: YWAM Publishing
All Around Crew Favorite: Institute for Excellence in Writing

That's a pretty comprehensive list of some of the most wonderful things for your homeschool journey.  Check out the reviews and see what their use looks like in real-life homeschool environments.  I think you'll be pleased with what you find.

Thank you for trusting our opinions.  Thanks you for sharing life -- even though it may be virtually.  Long Leaf Academy is looking forward to our next Crew term after the holidays.  Stay tuned for more reviews and introductions to fabulous products.  This next year may just be the best one ever.
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