5.25.2016

Sunya Publishing ~ REVIEW

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My Family is always on the look out for New Games, especially educational ones.  We supplement our school day several times a week with games.  Not long ago I found out about a New Company named Sunya Publishing.  We were given the opportunity to Review one of their Newest Math and Science Games called Sunya The Magic and Wonder of Math and Science Multiplying & Dividing. (ages9+)  Of course Kaden was all over it and we couldn't wait till it arrived.  He literally asked to check the mail every day till it came. :)

5.24.2016

Science Shepherd Introductory Science~ REVIEW

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2016%20TOS%20Crew/05-23%20Science%20Shepherd/ScienceShepherdIntroScience_zpsp2mry1vp.jpg If I want to get everyone to run to the Kitchen table I either announce I just made a huge plate of Smores cookies or that we are doing a Science Experiment.  I'm pretty good with either one of those options myself.  They both end up making me a Happy Momma!! :)  This next Review I did with Kaden, but Mahala poked her head in to see what we were up to every now and then.  Kaden was given a year long access to Science Shepherd and their Introductory Science.  We were also given a Physical copy of Introductory Science Workbook Level B and Introductory Science Answer Key Level B.  Introductory Science is Creation Based Science and is geared towards Kiddos 5-11 with Level B being more for ages 9-11.  Kaden is 9, so I thought this would be a great way to touch on a lot of areas of Science.  His reading level is extremely high, so this was almost too easy for him as far as the amount of work given and comprehension questions.  It was super easy to get him on board to try this program out.  

5.19.2016

Book of Astronomy Set ~ REVIEW

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Wow....Science has been one of my Favorite Subjects since I was a little Girl.  Astronomy was something near and dear to my heart because my Dad was a Sailor and loved teaching me about the constellations.  He would share stories with me about the nights he drifted out in the water.  How when he was lonely he knew he wasn't "really" alone.  God and all of His creations were just up above him telling the same stories over and over.  This of course would make me beg him to tell me those stories.  And the night would be filled with these amazing stories he had learned about these little dots in the sky.  After losing my Dad when I was just 11 years old I have treasured these sweet memories deep in my heart.  My Dad's stories are just one of the things I have enjoyed passing along to my own Kiddos.  When Memoria Press offered us the chance to REVIEW their Book of Astronomy Set(grades 3+) I was extremely excited to have something additional to go along with what we have already learned regarding Astronomy.  I have always had a special place in my heart for Memoria Press from previous REVIEWS I've done in the passed.  Even though we are very eclectic and less structured in our school I value their Classical Curriculum they offer.  

More than a Vacation

We have been super excited and trying to muster up some patience as we wait for our RV to arrive.  Yes, we did it....in just a few short months we will be going cross country spreading our wings.  This has been a dream of mine since I was a young girl.  The only glitch is Skylar, my oldest will not be able to come along. :(  But, that's ok Mahala and I plan to record and document it all so that he feels like he was right there with us. 

This trip is more then just a vacation, we plan to find our "new" home.  We have decided it's time to get out of Suburbia and dig our heals deep into the dirt....God's dirt.  We are putting it into God's hands and honestly have No preference or idea as to where our "new" home will be.  We just trust that when we get there we will know.  We have nowhere to be and no ties to try and keep.  The whole Family will take the move with us....Skylar and his Wife included.

So, lot's of changes to come in the near future...now to start planing for the trip.  The first thing I did was requested Travel and State Guides from each of the states we will be visiting....all 32 of them.  And they are coming in by the truck load, I wonder what our Mail Person is thinking?  Most states have been super generous and we have more then enough information to plan the most exciting trip ever!  We have local calendars, brochures for museums, shopping and entertainment.  All the camp grounds and theme park locations.  Not to forget the festivals and Summer festivities going on in all the small towns we will be going through.  I'm giddy just thinking about this New Adventure we are about to start.  

If you have any travel ideas, sight-seeing opportunities that we can't miss send them to me.  We will leave CA in the end of July and head East until September and then head back out West. :)

5.17.2016

Institute for Excellence in Writing ~ REVIEW

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I remember as a child memorizing, reading and writing little Poems.  It was a sweetness of my childhood that I fondly remember to this day.  Unfortunately this day and age I haven't passed that Love onto my Kiddos like I had wanted.  So, when I was given the opportunity to Review Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization($65.00) by Institute of Excellence in Writing I was like a Kid in a candy store. 

Here are the following items included in this set:
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*Sturdy spiral bound Teacher Manual containing all of the Poems and Speeches
*CD case with 5 cd's with all of the readings
*Student Book E-BOOK pdf download
*Special DVD of Mr. Andrew Pudewa's Inspiring Conference Talk~  
Nurturing Competent Communicators
*7 Audio Mp3 workshop Downloads from the IEW Website:
~Mastery Learning, Ability Development, and Individualized Education
~Ten Thousand Times and Then Begins Understanding
~On Listening
~On Speaking
~On Reading
~On Writing

5.12.2016

ARTistic Pursuits Inc. ~ REVIEW


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I Long to Create something Beautiful every single day.  From a To Do List, a Passage in my Bible to something to Hang Up on my wall for all to see.  Even though I'm always within a foot from some sort of a Craft Supply Basket busting at the seams I still need help "Teaching" Art to my Kiddos.  Luckily we have had the pleasure of using Amazing Art Curriculum from ARTistic Pursuits Inc. in the past. And several weeks ago they sent us their Sculpture Technique Model Art Curriculum to Mahala for Review.  The Sculpture Technique Series is geared towards High School and has 2 Books(sold separately)- Model and Construct.  Last year Mahala completed the Construct Book and enjoyed it so much.  And another great advantage is each of the Books count as a High School Credit! :)  

Updates in the Manic House.....

It's been super busy here....we are doing our backyard, buying an RV and planning our cross country trip all while we are trying to wrap up our Spring School Season and getting ready to start our Summer School.  I love the change of the seasons, we school differently with each one.  I noticed that a few years ago while we were struggling to get things done during the Winter months.  I'll have to post something regarding our Seasonal Homeschooling soon.  I love the flexibility that Homeschooling offers us as a Family!  

5.10.2016

Music Appreciation from Zeezok Publishing LLC ~ REVIEW

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Kaden has listened to classical music since he was in my tummy.  He fell in love with piano instantly from hours of listening to Mahala play and naturally he enjoys playing too.  Kaden feels the music much like most of the Greatest Composers of all time.  I tell him it's just one of the gifts his Autism has enhanced for him.  So, it was like Christmas morning here at our house when we received a box from Zeezok Publishing LLC.  Kaden opened the box quickly to find their Newest product.... Music Appreciation Book 1: for the Elementary Grades.  This 2 year long program introduces your Kiddos to Music Theory and covers the lives and beginnings of 7 of the greatest Composers that ever walked...Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini, and Schubert.  We received the Student Activity Book, Several Music CDs, & Composer Biographies and a Lapbook Making CD.

5.07.2016

Message from the Lord....

I Quickly wanted to share one of my Favorite Quotes that I heard a few months after Discovery of My Husband's Addiction.  

“God wont Protect You from What He will Perfect You through”.

This gave me a world of comfort and relief….I knew God had my life under control, even if it didn’t look like it to me.  Like that whole Tapestry story…..underneath the huge needlepoint tapestry is a huge mess of strings and tangled knots.  So many stray colors and lengths of thread, you couldn’t make out heads or tails of what the picture on the other side looks like.  But, when you walk around to the front you see the Beauty of His masterpiece.  It’s clear now….the storms are calm….You are His Masterpiece.  And He has created You for His work, to Love Him, to Live for Him, to Trust Him.
Your life may look like a mess now, but I promise God has a plan…..just Believe and have Faith.  Sending you all Love from my Heart and Praying Daily for You all……

5.04.2016

Kwik Stix~ REVIEW


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Kaden has been painting the town with his New Kwik Stix 12 pk from The Pencil Grip, Inc. that I was given a few weeks ago to Review.  It's no question from the looks of all our Art Projects scattered around the house that we LOVE Art.  Okay, I love Art....not Kaden though.  It breaks my heart...it really does.  But, I understand he has a hard time with his motor skills, he's a Logic Based Thinker, so he can only spell Creativity.  And he gets real stimmy when it comes to the different mediums we use when creating Art.  Messes are just one of the things that comes with a Kiddo on the Spectrum.  Many nights I have found myself scrubbing paint from a ceiling, couch cushion, even once I had to peal almost dried paper mache off of a plant near the kitchen.  So, needless to say we engage in Art with Kaden only a few times a month and that's more then enough for him.