We need to learn Spanish to prepare for life in Costa Rica. I had a lot of fun immersing myself while we were there, and except for one occasion at a bus terminal where I was completely dumbfounded, I was able to communicate well enough. It would be really helpful to learn some of the grammar and improve my vocabulary for our return to Costa Rica.
I’m always on the lookout for free online resources since I spend a lot of time at a computer. I’m getting close …

To prepare for the eventual move to Costa Rica, we need to learn Spanish, which rocks since it’s a perfect example of self-directed learning. Why should the kids have all the fun? Our library system has been a great help since we can try different books and resources to see what gels with us. We started with library books for the kids, since it would be a fun way for all of us to learn together.
Our current reading includes Senor Felipe’s Alphabet Adventure, about a photographer whose …

Just ’cause something is called a children’s movie doesn’t make it automatically appropriate in my book. There’s a big difference between something like Finding Nemo and Robots, between something that is wholesome entertainment and one that is a needlessly crass. kids-in-mind can help decide whether a movie is appropriate for your kids or not.

I just came across this today and had to share it – a super-fast, no frills online dictionary called Ninjawords. Lately I’d been using The Free Dictionary, which loads pretty slowly but gives a ginormous plethora of info like a long list of synonyms with definitions. Ninjawords is WAY different – the page loads in a split second, and the definition appears a split second after you start looking for it (either by hitting Enter after typing the word or by clicking ‘Look Up’). Most of the …