Wow- I LOVE this site! If you are a board game addict as I am- you will ADORE it!
If you or your kids have any affinity for board games- take a look.
the blog, Yehuda Gaming and Blogging is entirely devoted to board games. It does not disappoint. Posts on top 10 board games ( an bet you haven’t heard of most of them- and will want to rush and and But most !)how to rejuvenate old games gone stale, playing board games with your kids.

The writing in the site is top notch- clever, insightful , honest and funny. The owner is Yehuda Berlinger , a game designer and Internet professional. Well worth the look!

Posted by Lisa - Unschooling Mom as Board Games and Board Game Reviews and Recommendations at 12:19 PM EDT

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Cam across this - teaches basic computer programming in a very easy to understand way ( good for ages 12+ ).
The HLA (High Level Assembly) language was developed as a tool to help teach assembly language programming and machine organization to University students at the University of California, Riverside. The basic idea was to teach students assembly language programming by leveraging their knowledge of high level languages like C/C++ and Pascal/Delphi. At the same time, HLA was designed to allow advanced assembly language programmers write more readable and more powerful assembly language code.

HLA was originally conceived as a tool to teach assembly language programming. Some people seem to be confused by the phrase “High Level Assembler.” They seem to think that if you learn assembly language programming with HLA you’re not really learning “real assembly language.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. HLA is “real” assembly language, just made easier for beginners so they can learn the language faster than ever before! Anything you can do with a traditional assembler can be done with HLA; HLA just happens to do a lot more than traditional assemblers!

Learn HLA: http://docs.google.com/View?docID=d674v6b_21hfm8nm&revision=_latest

Posted by Lisa - Unschooling Mom as General Homeschool and Unschooling, Math Skills and Homeschool Math Sites at 12:19 PM EDT

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This month’s book:

From the Publisher:
About three things I was absolutely positive:
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him–and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be–that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
“I’D NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW I WOULD DIE– I’d had reason enough in the last few months –but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. . . . Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of something else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.”
When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.
What Bella doesn’t realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back. . . .
Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight will have readers riveted right until the very last page is turned.

Posted by Lisa - Unschooling Mom as Book Recommendations: Books for Girls, Books for 10-12 year Old Girls at 1:47 PM EDT

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FINALLY! An online, FREE version of a family favorite of ours- Blokus.
The official Blokus website has come out with a flash version of their Blokus board game.
The site also has info on strategy, rules, etc .
If you have not tried the game - well worth the time and money. It is a game even my non-game enjoying partner ( and yes, I married him anyway) likes to play. It is good for about ages 6+.

Sign up for a 14-day free trial of GamePass here and get two free games ($40 Value.)

Posted by Lisa - Unschooling Mom as Board Games and Board Game Reviews and Recommendations, Online Games and Game Downloads, Outstanding Sites and Resources at 1:40 PM EDT

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If you like board games in general, here are a couple of games that you should try- they are both EXCELLENT and have ton of play value for all ages ( including moms and dads! ). As you may know- I am a HUGE fan of Carcassonne and Settlers of Catan. I have started playing Carcassonne with my 4 year old as well, though really my daughter didn’t really “get it” til about 7, YMMV. \If you are on this homeschooling site you all ready know the value playing games can be- not only do they provide tons of learning potential -strategy, planning, math and reading, but time spent together is invaluable- it is amazing the things that we talk about when playing together. I CANNOT recommend it enough. I would rather spend 100.00 on quality board games than a stack of workbooks any day!

Do You have a fmaily favourite board game? If you had only ONE game you could play all year- what would it be??

These two games are new to our family’s repertoire, Ticket to Ride and Thurn And TaxisI think you will enjoy as much as us!

Thurn and Taxis

In 1490, Kaiser Maximilian I awarded Franz von Taxis the contract to deliver mail between the Kaiser’s residences in Innsbruck and Brussels.

He did such a good job, that postal services in the country continue to be connected with the name Thurn and Taxis. With the introduction of postal carriages in the middle of the 17th century, members of the family were raised to Count status and given the hereditary title of Postmaster General. The game begins at this point in history.

Can you emulate the achievements of this family and build a successful postal network? Do you have the talent to connect the right cities to create an effective network and not lose sight of the need to acquire new carriages when they are needed? Plan your moves carefully and watch your opponents’ moves carefully, so you are prepared to respond to them.

The game takes you back in time and gives you challenges that will bring you back to the game over and over.

Ticket To Ride

October 2, 1900 — it’s 28 years to the day that noted London eccentric, Phileas Fogg accepted and then won a 20,000 pound bet that he could travel Around the World in 80 Days. Now at the dawn of the century some old friends have gathered to celebrate Fogg’s impetuous and lucrative gamble — and to propose a new wager of their own. The stakes: $1 million in a winner-takes-all competition. The objective: to see the most cities in North America — in just 7 days.

Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure game. Players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway. So climb aboard for some railroading fun and adventure. You’ve got a Ticket to Ride!

Posted by Lisa - Unschooling Mom as General Homeschool and Unschooling at 11:05 AM EDT

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