3.30.2015

Thick as Thieves ~ Review

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/-2015%20CREW/Thick%20as%20Thieves_zpsxhnvndjv.jpg We are a house filled of readers.  Even Kaden is caught more often then not with a book in hand squished in some corner of the house on an adventure.  A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to Review a book by Susan K. Marlow.  I had never read anything from her before, so this was a first time for the kids.  The book, Thick as Thieves is part of the Circle C Milestones series published by Kregel Publications.   And it came with a very helpful 40 page study guide also. 

The book is the first in a new series with Andrea Carter, who is a 14 year old girl growing up in California in the 1880s.  Mahala just turned 15 and we live in California, so I thought this would be a fun read for her.  Even though we don't live on  a ranch like Andrea Carter does in the book, we have always loved Historical Fiction.

Whenever I do a Book Review I don't like to give away the whole story.  So, I'm going to give you a small taste of the main Character and a brief synopsis of the book.  I will say that Mahala was originally going to read the book with Kaden, but he kind of got lost in some of the words that he was unfamiliar with.  Even though the amazing study guide went over many of the unfamiliar words.  So, I decided to read it aloud with her and I thought it was a Great book.  It reminded me of the books I used to read as a child.  Kind of had a Little House on the Prairie feel to it.....I loved that show.  It took all of 3 days to finish the whole book.  It was filled with suspense and wholesome drama, nothing that you couldn't read beside Jesus.  Love a good book like that!  Honestly, it's hard to find decent books for a teenage girl these days.  I felt like the plot was deep enough to hold our interests and filled with everyday life that Andrea struggles with.  It was nice because all of us have struggled with some of her struggles at some point in our lives.  Mahala could relate.  You get to kind of see the life of a school girl that's new named Macy Walker.  She's not the easiest person to welcome into the fold. :)  She has a totally different life then Andrea.  Andrea has to face tough decisions and she is able to show how her character was developed from having the Family she does and her Faith.  This book is wonderfully written and any Pre-Teen or Teen would enjoy this series.  I look forward to spending more afternoons with Mahala reading more in the future!  Susan has another book in this series coming out in July 2015 called, Heartbreak TrailRead an excerpt from Heartbreak Trail.

I wanted to mention a little more about the 40 page study guide.  It was a very helpful resource and could be used for more then one kiddo independently or in a read aloud setting.  The guide splits the book up into small bit-sized portions that consists of only a few chapters a piece.  It's filled with Vocabulary work, extra reading ideas, Questions to get your noodle thinking a little deeper about each of the characters, life on a ranch with horses and the overall Plot of the book as a whole.   Mahala super loved doing the crossword puzzles and I enjoyed learning so much more about horses with the vocabulary sections.  Mahala gave me a test after we finished... I now know what foaling means. ;)

So, would I recommend this book?  Well of course I would!  I would say most kiddos in 4th grade and up, boy or girl would find this book interesting and could relate to it.  The official age recommendation is 12 and up.
 

Thick as Thieves is $9.99 plus $2.50 shipping and handling and available here. The study guide is a free download available here.

Read an excerpt from Thick as Thieves HERE
Susan K. Marlow and Circle C Milestones can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Koru Naturals ReviewCrew Disclaimer

3.26.2015

HomeSchool Office from Lord Heritage ~ REVIEW




http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/-2015%20CREW/LordHeritage_zpskoyfpdp5.jpg 

The mission of Lord Heritage is to preserve and teach
God's Truth in education by following His
commandments in instruction so that,
"All thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children."
Isaiah 54:13


We all know organization and keeping to a schedule is not my thing.  I want it to be my thing so bad, but it's going to take some Major work!  Lord Heritage has Blessed me with a full year subscription to their All-In-One Christian based program called HomeSchool Office for me to Review.  Now, to see if this will work even on me.....

This Web-based program brings a one size fits all basket of sunshine to the party.  No matter what your teaching style is, the curriculum you use or how many Kiddos you have this program was designed to work right along with you...for you.  It's pretty affordable too, only $79 for the entire year.   Imagine being able to schedule both your home and school life all in one central location and that would be your computer with access to it 24/7.  Sounds pretty dreamy to me, I for one am tired of toting multiple planners and notebooks in my arms.  I have Always been a paper and pencil kind of girl, but maybe now is my chance to venture out into brighter horizons.  


3.20.2015

GPALOVEMATH Online Math Program ~ Review

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/-2015%20CREW/GPA%20Learn_zpsyds4cdst.jpg 



We had the fun opportunity to try GPALOVEMATH  from GPALEARN several weeks ago.  I'm always interested in new Math Curriculum, programs, games and resources.  GPALEARN was super generous and gave us a subscription for a whole year.


GPALOVEMATH is an Online based Math Program for grades Kindergarten-5th grade.  Each grade level has a Fun Character Instructor to guide them through their lessons.  Kaden tried all of them out, but ended up sticking with the 5th grade.  This program follows an Instruction, Practice and Quiz format, covering over 10,000 practice problems per grade.  That's a ton of lessons for each grade, a full 10 months worth if your Kiddo works 4-5 lessons a week.  And don't worry about getting all those lessons done, because this program can be used on your Computer, MAC, iPad or Galaxy Tablet.  While we were sitting at softball practice Kaden could catch a Math lesson, how Awesome is that.  Dragging workbooks around with you is sometimes a pain.  And let's be honest here...sometimes the Kiddos conveniently "forget" their schoolwork when we go on errands, but they Never forget their devices.  And Now Math goes everywhere!  YAY!



So, let me tell you a little more about the program and how we used it.  First, the program was Super easy to log onto and set up.  That was a major plus.  And when Kaden logged on he was presented with a fun tutorial video.  And yes, he watched each and every grade level. :)  When you get all set up this is the screen you will see each day, that shows your Kiddo their recommended path of instruction.  They can also choose what they would like to do for their lesson also.  As you can see here in the picture above, there are some colored paths to choose from (green, purple, or blue).   To ensure that the skill is learned before they move on to other lessons each lesson is locked and must be passed before moving on to higher skill levels.  After your Kiddo receives their instruction they get a quick review and then they begin working through the practice problems. I love that there are many ways presented in the questions for the student to answer the problems.  There is clicking and dragging, multiple choice and fill in the blank.  It's not boring and same old thing over and over....Kaden liked that he was always on his toes.  And if your Kiddo gets stuck on a problem, they are offered 3 lifelines that they can use to get help figuring it out.  I also liked the positive responses his animated Instructor would give him when he answered correctly or incorrectly.  They were encouraging and motivating.  Another Big Plus!!!  After practice time, your Kiddo will move on over to the quiz where they can earn points based on the number of problems they answered correctly.  As they move along the path they will be able to collect Badges, this is so encouraging to them as they move along the lesson path.

And that brings me to another cool feature that I LOVE about this program.  To help Motivate and Encourage your Kiddo they have a Reward System!  I'm excited just typing it out!!!   There are over 100 different reward options that You, the parent can choose for your Kiddos to earn.  The more options you choose, the more often they are rewarded to the child. I chose so many Kaden was rewarded after every 3 lessons.  He needs that kind of reinforcement, but you get to decide for your Kiddo.  The more problems your Kiddo gets right the more points they earn.  And then the points are turned into "CASH" that can then be used for goodies and privileges.

There are so many options parents can choose from.  Something as sweet as snuggle time with a Family member and playing a Family game all the way to a visit to an Amusement Park or even money.  You can also go in and make up your own  make up your own prizes. Kaden's Hot ticket items were Baking with Mom, Money and Going to the park and riding bikes.  Works for me and he totally loved this feature!


There was one more thing that I had never seen before, especially in a Math Program and that was the message center.  Because this program was so easy to log on to and instruction was easy for Kaden to do a whole lesson without me I enjoyed the little emails he sent me.  At the top of their dashboard is a place for them to send the Parent an email.  He would ask me a question or tell me simply that he loved me.  I could also send him sweet notes too.  I would catch him rereading them sometimes or logging on to check if I replied.  It was just an extra element to the program that we really used and enjoyed.

 So, What do I think?
Well, I like many things about the program.  The independence it gives Kaden, the Reward system, Emails between us and the way the program presents the Math material.  The Only thing that both Kaden and I disliked was the voice of all of the characters were very Robotic and went in and out at times.  I know it may seem like a little thing, but when it's your "instructor" it can be rather annoying.  The graphics were really nice and honestly I was caught off guard when I heard the voices.  It didn't really match the high quality of the program.
Would I still use it?  Yes, because the benefits and enjoyment out weighs the not so smooth voice of the animated character.
  Here is what You need to know to get GPALOVEMATH for your Kiddo!
For $149/year per child, GPALOVEMATH provides:
*Entire year math curriculum
*Includes all grades K through 5th
*30 Day Money Back Guarantee
*Includes Learn, Engage, Motivate and Parent dashboard features

And right now (as of the publishing of this post 3/20/2015) they are offering a Special Price of only $129/year per child (using code GPAINTRO15).

Stay intouch with GPALEARN by Social Media
 www.facebook.com/gpalearn
www.twitter.com/gpalearn
www.pinterest.com/gpalearn
 


GPA Learn Review


Crew Disclaimer

3.16.2015

Two Tales of One Kitchen Cabinet

Here is the scene of the crime....it's bad, it's BIG, it's a mess!  Do you have a place in your house that looks a little like this? :)  You may be like me and have looked at places in your home that look similar to this, but just get overwhelmed and decide to just shut the door or turn away.  I have lived this way for 25 years.  But, recently I've discovered that you can have an unorganized room or shelves filled with clutter and it's just that...it doesn't define who you are as a Person.  This may seem like "duh" for you, but for me not so much.  I had a problem looking at things for what they are and not making them an extension of who I was. 

Normally this would freak me out and  I would be filled with shame, but let's look at what these shelves really represent.  When I look at these shelves with non-judging eyes I see that the person in this kitchen actually uses her kitchen.  They must cook at home more then they eat out.  I see bottles of food coloring from numerous science projects, Easter egg coloring sessions and endless nights of baking.  Extracts for all the fun drinks sipped while taking long walks, nacho cheese seasoning so their movie night popcorn is less naked.  All the baggies in the back filled with exotic spices found in little shops or Whole foods proves you can take a trip around the world and not even leave your house.

So, there is no need to feel embarrassed or discouraged.  Take what you have and make it Functional and Beautiful to you!  That is what I've been doing around my house and I haven't really been documenting it or blogging about it, because it's just been a lifestyle change for me this past year.  But, I want to share because I have meet so many people lately that carry this deep dislike for themselves and they have been dealing with it since childhood.  And everyday the pile grows taller and taller as they keep adding all their "failures".  The thing that helped me was realizing and truly believing that the things that I thought were "failures" were simply just areas of my life that I needed to give extra attention to.  And once I released the judgement and looked differently at the tasks at hand I found relief.  With relief I found motivation to tackle projects that burdened my soul for years.  Healthy eating, organization of the whole house, writing, Bible studies needing to be studied, building projects, hobbies I had wanted to start, languages I wanted to learn and a plethora of odds and ends that I had been putting off for YEARS!

One of my areas of weakness is the Kitchen, I have so much of everything!  I love to cook and I love flavorful food so I have spices and cookbooks galore.  A few weeks ago I donated 18 cookbooks and I still have about 35, that will be a slow weeding out process and I can live with that.  Right now they aren't cluttering the counters and floor of my kitchen, so I'm a happy momma.  Now my Spices are another story.  I couldn't just organize or get rid of them.  I buy most of them from Sams so they are huge!  Because of that they are bulky and I waste time searching for what I need.  Here is my solution....
My Son started buying these coffee drinks from Sams that came in glass bottles.  I've been keeping them for months because I knew they could be re-purposed.  I decided the bulk of them could be used to hold my seasonings. :)  After I took out all the seasonings from my spice cabinet this is what was left!  We wiped down the shelves and lined up our spices to look at what all we had.  We even found a few lost gems in the back! :)  
 
Make sure your bottles are completely dry any that you have removed any labels.  I used some goo gone and nail polish remover to help with the stickiness from the label.  We started filling up each coffee bottle carefully with a small funnel.  I'll give you a tip, gently tap the bottom of the bottle to the counter or table so you can get as much as possible into the new bottle.  It's amazing how much you can squeeze into just one bottle.



We decided to use black paper with a silver sharpie for labeling, that's what we had on hand.  We figured we would paint the lids eventually and maybe use chalk board paint to write the seasoning names on it if the paper messed up.  But, to tell you the truth it's been weeks and our black paper looks the exact same as it did on day 1.  
And here is the result, I feel so much better and looking for what I need is much easier.  I feel more inspired to cook new things when I look in my cabinet now.  I would say this project was accomplished in about 2 hours.  Now, what should I cook for tonight's dinner.....hmmmm.  First that huge container of coconut oil is making me want to pull some oil.  More on that later! ;)

3.14.2015

Sibling Education Takes Flight

You know those days when you think the only thing holding you upright is your bones, some invisible heavy duty string and the good Lord's firm grip?  Yes, well, I've been having one of those lifetimes.  Ok, probably only the past 5 years or so, but seriously.  Enough is enough already.....I am turning 40 in a few months and I am going to be working super hard to take back my health, both mentally and physically.  

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For now I am going with the flow, getting things done when I have the strength and loving on my Kids.  That's the most important thing to me.  I have learned so much this year about the importance of loving on your kids, giving them an environment that supports them and nurtures them.  In our school Bible time, Math, Reading and Art are the important areas we work on in some way every single day.  History and Science usually comes in the form of reading and experimenting.  We actually do a lot of History through art also.
Last week Kaden was talking about an aerodynamics class he took last year.  We decided to dig around and find his old notes and pictures.  There is so much out there to learn.  I Love this about homeschooling....anything can be turned into a learning experience.  We looked online and learned about flight patterns, airplane construction and we even added weather into the mix.  Mahala was also able to join in and since she is much older she brought a lot of additional questions, knowledge and project ideas that enhanced learning for both of them.  Sibling Education rocks, when you have a few of your kiddos working together not only does it make learning easier and fun, but it also promotes a close Family Bond.  They will not ever forget the times they had growing up and learning side by side.

 
After a few hours of researching and recording what they had learned in their Journals we decided to paint some airplanes and fly them at the park.  Kaden was going for a war plan look while Mahala went the more cartoon character look.  I can't believe I don't have a picture of hers.  :(  She liked her plane so much she decided to take her second plane that wasn't painted yet to the park so her painted plane wouldn't get messed up.  Kaden tried to reassure her that the battle scars would give it character, but she wasn't buying that. :)  
When we arrived at the park we realized that it was extremely windy and flying these Styrofoam planes was going to take an act of God.  Sure enough after 2 tries they took flight alright, but they flew straight to the back stop of the ball field.  They were Not coming down anytime soon, but of course the kids both had to try jumping and rattling the fence.  We gave up trying to get them down and played a game of Frisbee and tag.  When we went back an hour or so latter they were still hanging on.  Mahala had an idea to toss the Frisbee up to knock them down.  After several tries between Kaden and Mahala we walked away owners of two wind beatened airplanes.  HAHAHAHA  
Fun times Homeschooling in the Mainc House!

3.12.2015

Mother Should I Trust the Government? (FreedomProject Education) ~ Review



Our little Historian, Skylar is all grown up now and on to Big things at college.  So, around here we try our best to stay current on all that's going on in our world and whatever happens to be in the plans for that week school wise.  I was interested in taking on this Review mainly out of curiosity. 

We received access to a Family course from FreedomProject Education and the book, Mother, Should I Trust the Government?  Let me tell you a little about FreedomProject Education (FPE).  It's an accredited classical education academy with a philosophy based on a Judeo-Christian worldview.  They are also highly opposed to the whole Common Core situation.  They want to teach students how to think, not what to think.  Which is exactly how we feel about education.  They also believe in the importance of us being “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”.  I have that posted up on my classroom wall right now.  Love this saying!  FPE offers classical, constitution based education to kiddos in K- 12th grade with an online classroom environment.  I'm a very eclectic homeschooling Mom, so I was nervous about the class structure from the beginning.  The kids and I were able to participate in one of their Family Classes for the past few months.   They offer these in addition to their regular classes.  Take a quick LOOK HERE at the 2015 classes coming up.

Here is a video to tell you a little more about FPE.


The class we took, Mother Should I Trust the Government is based on the book with the same title.  What a title, at least we wouldn't forget the name.  :)   The class was an 8 week course intended for ages 13 and up and was taught by the Author of the book, Dr. Jake Jacobs. This was really neat, to not only be able to read what the book, but to also have the opportunity to be involved in a discussion with the author himself.

Each of the online sessions were once a week for 2 hours.  Getting into the class was super easy and effortless.  I would receive an email each week with a link.  Afterwards I would get a link to the recording of the class from the week before.  This was very convenient, because class time was during the same time I was cooking dinner and eating.  And honestly I liked being able to go back later and revisiting certain places in my notes to clarify what was being discussed or taught.  I am a pencil and paper type of person, so is Mahala.  So, even though I'm sure 99% of the rest of the class loved having the Powerpoint presentation and chat features, but it was distracting for us and that's why we loved being able to go back over the sessions later. 
 photo Mother20cover_zpsqfl8sxux.jpg

When we received the book in the mail, we found a few surprises too.  Included with the book was a small paperback of The Declaration of Independance and Constitution, as well as two bonus discs from FreedomProject Education: “Who Owns Your Children?” and “Common Core”.   Thank You!!!   I have to go on the record and I know I have said this before, but I totally goofed off in High School.  So, most of the History I know right now has been from learning right beside my kiddos.  I was intimidated from the moment I saw the book, but was pleasantly surprised.  The way the Author writes is so nonthreatening and once I heard his voice during the class I felt like we were sitting around the porch sipping iced tea.  Don't get me wrong....he knows what he's teaching.  You are not going to be bored to death while he rattles off facts and figures.  I'm just saying he is a wise approachable teacher! I learned so much and I have a notebook of notes to prove it.  Even Skylar enjoyed and learned a lot.  He is in the process now of going back through  the recorded sessions.  I will definitely be signing up for more online classes in the future, this was a great experience for the whole family.

Connect with FreedomProject Education online:




Freedom Project Education Review

disclaimer_tos

3.09.2015

Egglo Entertainment Glow in the Dark Easter Eggs ~ REVIEW

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2014TOSCREW/Egglo/Church_Lawn_new_egg_zpsb35ea5b3.jpg
The Light shines in the dark and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:15 

Easter is right around the corner.  We are excited to celebrate our Savior and all that he has Blessed us with this past year.  This year Mahala and Skylar are going on a missions trip to build houses in Mexico for Spring Break.  They wont be coming home until the night before Easter.  I'm assuming they are going to be exhausted when they get home and not as excited to hunt for eggs the next day like Kaden will be.  
Which is why I am so Thankful we were given an Early Easter Surprise this year from Egglo Entertainment.  
Our Family was given several Egg-cellent Products to review.


Egglo Entertainment was Created by Darcie Cobos, who had a burning Desire to help show her own kiddos the real meaning of Easter.  Darcie shared her Passion with children at her church and watched it grow into a Huge ministry. The message behind the glow in the dark egg hunt is that Jesus is the light in the darkness and that we are God's people that also become a light in the World.  
I tell my Kiddos that everything you say and do can be a light in the world.  That they never know who is watching for and needing to see a light.
This past year we have grown leaps and bounds in our Faith, so these little eggs are more meaningful in my children's hearts then ever before.


3.02.2015

Are You Waiting for Your Stuff to Make You Happy?

This weekend was like 5 weekends wrapped up into one.  I love when we can get many things accomplished, on the flip side you feel like you need another weekend to rest.  But we can't so we drag ourselves to bed late Sunday night only to find the Monday morning sun creep through the blinds way too early.  But, then again the Lord just Blessed us with another glorious day to be together as a Family so why complain!?!  

We have lived in this house almost 18 months and we are still settling in.  After moving 4 times in 5 years we have individual boxes filled with things that belong in several different rooms, not just the room that's written on the outside of the box.  Sorting and purging has been the new norm around here for a few months now.  When we moved in we were off to a great start, but given our Family's situation over the past year we honestly stopped doing anything 14 months ago.  Now, we are on the road to recovery and taking the time to not just stuff and shove things away.  But, to really look at something and think if it's something that has purpose or is it something I think will make me feel better.  Over the past 10 years as our Family slowly shifted away from each-other I noticed we all became dependent on things to change our moods.  We needed to feel loved and needed so in a way having a room full of crap that we could arrange, dust, use, see, arrange again, step on accidentally, forget about and then find again made us feel a fake sense of connection to the item.  And when we went to a store we would find shinier things that promised to make us even more happy and fulfilled then the stuff we had at home.  And the sickness goes on and on and on.

Now, I'm not saying to throw away a special something that your Grandma left you or that you have to stack your books on the floor because that shelf needs to go.  But, do you really need 5 spatulas or a half dozen different lotions?  What about all the knick knacks and storage containers?  The shoes, clothes, decorations, kids stuff, basically everything you have stuffed in a closet, under the bed or in the garage.  Is it really serving it's intended purpose for you?  You know that project on Pinterest that you know you will get around to doing?  That has been my excuse for almost anything I have brought into this house.  I can use it for something else that I saw that I just know would look good or benefit the Family in some way.   But, I realized even though I was not the one with the addiction problem we were all numbing out.  Stuff was our drug of choice to deal with the big elephant in the living room.

Saturday I was going through a box and I found 20 tiny Tupperware containers for spices that I had bought probably 6 years ago at a yard sale.  My intention was to fill them with beads and sequence.  I knew it was going to be perfect for the classroom.  From the looks of it I had started filling a few of them, but that was about it.  I never finished my project and where are my little crafty things right now?  They are in a plastic carousal that I love and it's one functional piece.  So, those 20 little containers are now in the back of my van to be donated.  
If it's a true need and it has function like for Beauty, Function, Safety, Storage anything really...just be mindful that your stuff doesn't own you.  That you surround yourself with things that have an actual purpose.   Don't depend on your stuff to make you feel a certain way or for it to change something in your life.  I used to honestly think life would be better if all my dishes matched and if the bathroom was full of fresh new towels.  If I change the artwork around things would be better.  People would change if I could just make this house more cozy and less stressful.  People change when they accept responsibility to do so.  Nobody can lift the Denial Curtain accept the person behind it.  Indeed my life was more stressful, I was stressing myself out.  Not anymore though, gone are those days, I feel so relieved and I haven't bought towels in years.