The Berry Patch

{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards - Week 5

2012-02-12T19:55:00.000-05:00

Kregel Publications is hosting a "graduated blog tour" of the book 1 Peter: Finding Encouragement in Troubling Times by Sue Edwards. Each week a group of bloggers will be completeing the weekly lesson, blogging about what we've learned, and linking it all up on the Kregel page (you can find that here).

Week five was entitled, "Strengthen the Sacred Mix." This week was all about how men and women should interact. As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to treat each other with respect. The focus this week was on 1 Peter 3:1-7 which not only calls wives to be submissive to their husbands, but also calls husbands to treat their wives with respect.There is a lot of truth spoken in those verses.

Jesus is our roll model - the one we need to be like. He has set the standard we need to aim for. Our lives need to reflect this. One of the days lesson was about what "true beauty" means. I think many might say things that are outward. However, God does not look at outward beauty. It is our hearts. It is how we treat others. It is how we feel about ourselves. All of these things contribute to our beauty.

The week didn't just focus on women, but this is a women's Bible study after all. There was also a day devoted to men. Peter called men to be respectful of their wives and children. This was not a cultural standard of the day. Women were considered property and had no rights. Peter was calling for the men to act differently. In fact, men are told that if they don't treat their wives and heirs with respect, their prayer life will be hindered.

I remember back to the first few years of my marriage. I was young and I my outlook on life had definitely been shaped by the world. I did not vow to "obey" my husband. What an archaic term! At least I thought so at the time. It took me years to realize that the Biblical model was there for a reason. Once I allowed my husband to lead our household, it was amazing how little we fought over trivial matters. I still remember the screaming matches I would instigate with him - little more than temper tantrums really. I look at how far I have come and I am so thankful that God didn't let up. He continued to show me things and how I needed to change my behavior in order to change things in my relationships. In fact, he is still doing this today. He never gives up and we all continue to need to improve. After all, our standard was set by Jesus.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

{Review & Giveaway} "I Love Your Presence" by Vineyard Music

2012-02-11T19:50:00.000-05:00

Taken from their website: "I LOVE YOUR PRESENCE was recorded live at the Burn Bright: Worship and The Kingdom Of God conference, hosted by Vineyard Worship. Several hundred worship leaders and worshippers gathered in the Arizona desert to explore the nature of God’s kingdom through music and teaching with some of the Vineyard’s most gifted communicators and musicians. This inspiring collection of songs recorded live at the The Vineyard Church North Phoenix will immerse listeners in the powerful worship that was the highlight of the event. I LOVE YOUR PRESENCE reminds us to not just think of worship as singing songs, but also laying down our lives for Him."

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I enjoy listening to worship music. I really enjoy listening to good worship music. Music that puts me in touch with God. Music that has a message behind it. Music that captivates. Vineyard Music has done all of that with this new album - I Love Your Presence ($9.99 as a download).

I have this playing not only in my truck at the moment, but I also have it downloaded to my phone. I have been listening to it while I do my workouts. One of my favorite tracks is One Thing Remains. I really love that song and I really enjoy Vineyard Music's take on it.

One thing that I enjoy more than just listening to worship music is attending live events and experiencing it with other Christians. There is nothing like standing together, singing to our Lord, more or less in harmony. It really does touch my soul. In fact, I currently have three concerts on my calendar. Vineyard Music created this new album at a live event. There is just something about standing together and singing that can help one connect to the Lord .

You can purchase a copy of the album through the Vineyard Store (CD is $11.99 & a download is $9.99) or through iTunes ($9.99). You can also connect with Vineyard Music on Facebook and Twitter.

Would you like to win a digital download of this album? Simply leave me a comment with the name(s) of some of your favorite worship music to listen to. I'll pick a winner on Saturday, February 25th.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Winner!

2012-02-11T19:14:00.000-05:00

The winner of the DVD - A Mile in His Shoes is......

Sara at Embracing Destiny!

A Glimpse At My Week

2012-02-11T19:08:00.002-05:00

I've been sharing my weight loss journey as I go through the "Biggest Winner" program at my local gym. I was in the midst of typing an update email to a friend of mine who has been helping to keep me accountable and to encourage me on this journey when I thought it might be interesting to share here. Here is a look at what I did this week.

Our "week" at the gym goes from Monday to Sunday. I take Sundays off due to the gym hours and my commitments at church. I also take one other day "off" during the week. And the gym is at least a 35-45 minute drive for me each way depending on the traffic.

Monday

Headed to the gym for 9am and did a spin class for 45 minutes. This has been my favorite one so far.
Changed quickly and headed to the hospital for my "Weigh to Go" class
Headed home and made lunch for the boys - ran a couple errands on the way
Ate lunch
Had a 2 hour on-line meeting for our 4H group
Had an hour to "veg" on line which I did
Headed back to the gym for a workout with my trainer. It was filmed for TV. Joy....

Tuesday

Home in the morning on purpose - did school with my youngest
Piano lessons after lunch (2 hours)
Rushed home, changed, and headed to the gym for Zumba. Got filmed for TV again during class along with some other ladies in the program.
Home by 6:30

Wednesday

To church (20 min. drive one way) by 9am for a 4H Tanglewood class - there all morning
Home after lunch for 45 minutes
Headed south for a chiropractor appointment (60 min drive one way)
No workout today

Thursday

To gym by 8:30 - took a "hooping" class - weighted hula hoop. I loved it. It was small - just four of us & the instructor. They were all impressed by my first time hooping skills. HA. Must be the Zumba.
After Hooping, I did my weight workout. Took 30 minutes. Then on the elliptical for another 30 minutes. Stretching after. At the gym for over 2 hours. Got recognized for the first time as a "Biggest Winner" contestant at the gym. Found out the program has started to air on TV.
Did grocery shopping before going home.
Did errands around the house. Worked on computer
Went and did Zumba at the local spot I used to go to

Friday

Headed to gym for 9am and did a spin class. Camera lady found me. I thought I had hidden pretty well too!
Only did 30 minutes of the spin class (it's an advanced one) so I went and did a "weight loss" workout on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Camera lady was following trainer workouts and caught me in there beside another contestant. Stretched. At the gym for 75 minutes.
Home
Took the boys to Wal-Mart to spend some of their money & treated them to a few special things (a couple new movies) for being so supportive this week
Took a much needed nap today!
Stayed home!

Saturday

Zumba this morning
Cleaned house after lunch

Needless to say it's taking a lot of time to do this, but right now I'm very blessed to have a teenage son who is very responsible. I can trust him to keep things running here at home while I'm gone. I'm also extremely blessed to have boys who will do their schoolwork without me having to oversee it all. I make sure to have a checklist for them each day that they follow. They are very good about doing this.

Our new week starts Monday. Our challenge this week is "No coffee/tea, no soda, no alcohol, no tobacco products, no artificial sugar, and no food with more than three ingredients." The only one I'm really worried about is the food one. Any good tips, recipes, anything to help me out there? I'm appreciate it. Oh & our week will begin at 4:30am with a group workout. I'm not looking forward to that, but it's doable. I hope!

Week One Done

2012-02-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

Phew! I'm tired. But it's a good tired. I shared previously about my new "get healthy" challenge. The first week is complete. Sadly our team came in second. The men's team (the blue team) came in first but we definitely gave them a run for their money.

The picture above is one of the boards at the gym. This one will list all the weekly challenge results. I'm not looking forward to week #2. You can see above that it's "most pounds lost in one week." The only problem with this challenge is that our weigh-in varies each week.

My first weigh was held at 11am in the morning. This week's weigh in was at 6pm at night after a full day of working out and running after kids.

Having said that the good news is...I didn't gain weight. But I didn't loose anything this week either. However, my trainer was still happy. Along with a weekly weigh-in, we are also measured with calipers and a measuring tape. Those measurements showed that I had lost a pound of fat and gained three pounds of muscles. The hard work is paying off!

There is another board at the gym complete with our photos. That board will list our measurements each week and our changes. While I am tired, I can tell I'm getting stronger. I can go longer and harder and not get as tired. I've upped my weights already as well.

Each week we have a workout with our trainer. I really like my trainer. So far both times we've worked out we've done the same routine. This week we jumped on the elliptical first and did that for about 20 minutes. Then we headed out to do my program. It called for using the flight of stairs in the gym to warm up. I thought we'd skip it. I was plenty warm from doing the elliptical. Nope. We did the stairs. However, Kate took pity on me - I think. She ran a flight and then I had to run a flight - for five minutes. And to top it off...the entire program is being filmed for the local cable access channel. Yup, I was filmed tonight.

While I was at the gym this morning (I tried out a hula hooping class - fun!) I was "recognized" as one of the participants. Apparently, the show has started to air on TV. Everyone has been very supportive. And it definitely gives me a new level of accountability.

My next weigh-in is a week from today - in the morning. I can't wait to see the results.

{TOS Crew Review} Math Rider

2012-02-09T22:52:00.000-05:00

Mastering math facts is the key to mastering math itself. However, learning math facts can be tedious and boring. Just ask my kids. This is one reason I was very happy to try out Math Rider - an intelligent math game.

Math Rider was created by a father who wanted to help his own children learn their math facts. The game is simple yet creative enough to not only challenge the child as they learn but also make it fun. Each child is on a quest and they must ride their horse, Shadow, through various areas in the Land of Ray. As they ride, hurdles appear that they must jump over. In order to complete a jump, they must answer the math question correctly. The game tracks the ones they get wrong and has those problems show up more until the child has them mastered.

Math Rider is designed for children ages 6-12 (grades 2-6). Each game purchase allows for up to eight children to be registered and each license also allows for the game to be installed on three different computers. Normally Math Rider sells for $47, but it is currently on sale - until February 15, 2012 - for $37.

What I really love is this screen shot here. For each of my boys, it shows me the level of mastery they have for each operation. It also shows me where they were before they started using Math Rider and after. For instance, my middle son has improved his addition facts by 42% since he started using Math Rider. The statistics screen also lists the most challenging problems the child has encountered. It really is a great overview of what they are learning.

I had all three of my children try this out. My youngest son wasn't quite ready for it and found it frustrating. He needs to get a bit more math under his belt first. My oldest son at 15 years old was just a tad too old for it, but did show a slight improvement and could probably benefit from using it more. However, my middle son, age 10, loved Math Rider. He used it quite a bit and will continue using it I'm sure. He thought it was a fun way to practice his math facts. I loved the fact that he was practicing them without complaint and making progress. Overall I thought this was an excellent product.

If you think your child might benefit from this product, head over to their website. You can try it out for free for seven days.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what the other Crew members had to say about Math Rider.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2012-02-08T23:16:00.000-05:00

1. What is something you are loving right now?

Oddly enough, my workouts. I'm doing five days a week with at least one workout a day. On occasion I do two workouts a day (for example on Monday I did a spin class in the morning and then worked out with my trainer in the evening). I don't mind sweating. I like challenging myself and being able to accomplish it.

2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?

Somewhere in Europe. If I had to pick, I think I'd go with Rome. I'd love to see the history there. My second choice would be Paris.

3. Are you a romantic?

Absolutely.

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?

I'm not sure I can pick just one. I love Ever After and Never Been Kissed. I'm a big fan of Drew Barrymore. I also love Sweet Home Alabama and You've Got Mail. I'm always up for a good romantic movie.

5. Everyone loves Pooh Bear and friends...which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question.

Apparently I'm Owl. I'm hoping my friends disagree...."Always full of stories and facts, you love to talk about your experiences. You don't always have the right information and you tend to talk to much." Yikes......

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?

I'm not picky. Anything with caramel in it or peanut butter tops the list. I'm working on curbing my sweet tooth though.

7. Share a favorite quote about love.

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. ~ Aristotle

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I have completed week #1 of my weight loss program. I'll be updating my blog in the next day or two with the results. I'm still trying to figure out how to fit it all in. I just finally got my dishes done - from last weekend. But I'm not sorry I committed to this process.

{TOS Crew Review} Celestial Almanack

2012-02-07T20:26:00.000-05:00

Astronomy. The study of the sky. This has been a much loved topic of study in our homeschool. As a result, I am always on the lookout for great resources to help enhance our learning.Jay Ryan, author of "Signs and Seasons" - a homeschool astronomy curriculum, has added a very nice monthly resource for astronomical studies. He has created the Celestial Almanack. He currently sells this monthly publication through CurrClick for just $3 each month. It is well worth the price!

The first thing that jumped out at me was the title page. It is designed after Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin. For example, it shares that this publication is about the "visual representation of the sky, particularly for Observers in the United States of America, but usable by persons of all Longitudes and Latitudes, especially such persons North of the Equator." I really just enjoyed the old-fashioned language that shared modern information.

This month's almanack contains:

an astronomical calendar for the month of February - including some fun fact dates such as President Regan's birthday.
Signs of the Seasons
Seasonal Skies - evening with star charts and explanations on how to find each one
Dance of the planets

There is also a wonderful introduction from Mr. Ryan that gives a brief history of the calendar. I found this very interesting as well as did my oldest son - age 15. I had him read through the entire almanack in order to get his take on it. He enjoyed it as well.

There are wonderful illustrations included throughout that help visual learners - like myself - find what is being explained. This is not simply a book full of star charts, but it contains information about how the sun, moon and stars are interacting each day.

Included in the alnanck are also "one-star activities." These are easy to do activities that do not require additional equipment.Mr. Ryan walks the observer through locating Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, Auriga, Perseus, Gemini, and Canis Minor. This is not inclusive as to what is contained in the almanack. There is far more information about even more to find in the night sky.

I found the Celestial Almanack to be choke full of information. It was presented in a way that even those not familiar with astronomy can find not only constellations, but also planets. Most activities presented were "one-star" which meant the casual observer could find it in the night sky with just the naked eye. A few harder activities were also included.

Mr. Ryan created this monthly publication in order to get families looking towards the sky. Over the course of the next six months there will be some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he wants to be sure people know about. They include:

the Jupiter-Venus conjunction on March 15 (occurs once every 24 years),
the annular solar eclipse on May 20 (occurs once every 18 years), and
the transit of Venus on June 5 (the last time until 2117!)

Overall I thought this was an excellent resource. And for only $3, it is also very economical. It would be a fantastic addition to any astronomy study.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew and see what other Crew members had to say about the February edition of the Celestial Almanack.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards - Week 4

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm sure that every generation has said, "it's hard to be a Christian in this day and age" and meant it. However, I think it really is true for today and this time.

I live in the Northeast region of our country. It's now considered a mission field because there are so many unsaved people in this area. I find that just incredibly sad.

Week four of our 1 Peter study begins with that question - "How can believers live good lives in an increasingly un-Christian world?" Peter shares with his fellow believers how to accomplish this and how to live out our lives for Christ through actions and words. And it if were pertinent during Peter's time on earth, it is certainly pertinent now.

As we can all attest to, fighting temptations can be hard. I'm sure we have all struggled with one temptation or another throughout our lives. I'm currently battling my temptations for soda (namely Diet Mt. Dew) and sweets. Even though I want to do what I know is right, I still find it very hard to resist. Romans 7:15 says it perfectly in regards to temptation: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." The only way to combat temptation and to live a life for God is to live a life that reflects God. Christ should be our model.

Our sin will always be at war in with our souls. And yes, there will be many times when we give in to this, but there should be as many if not more times that we overcome it. The only way to do that is to stay fully focused on what God wants for us rather than what we want for ourselves.

The title of this fourth lesson is "Shadow the Servant." That is how we can accomplish living a life that reflects Christ, by being a mimic of God. Christ was not accepted while here on earth. He was mocked. He was persecuted. Why should we expect any better treatment when we proclaim our faith? The short answer is that we shouldn't. 1 Peter 2:21 says this: "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

Jesus suffered for me. He suffered for you. We shouldn't expect life here on earth to be easy. If it were easy we wouldn't long for heaven. Christ suffered and died for us here on earth so that we would one day meet with him in heaven where he has promised life will be easier. Romans 8:17-18 states this, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

This song seemed somewhat appropriate for this week's work. Because of God's redemption and forgiveness of us, we have become children - adopted into the heavenly family. I'm so thankful. Are you?

We are the saints.

We are the children.

We've been redeemed.

We've been forgiven.

We are the sons and the daughters of our God.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

And so it begins...

2012-01-31T23:11:00.001-05:00

(taken from Facebook)

Last week I shared how I was chosen to begin a free 8-week "kick-start" to loosing weight. Last night was the actual "kick-off" to the whole thing. We learned what we would exactly be doing for the next eight weeks. So let me share so you can all help me stay accountable.

For the next eight weeks I have committed to doing the following through the "Biggest Winner" program...

Attend weekly "weight loss" support group meetings.
Commit to five workouts a week. These will consist of...

One workout a week with my trainer
Three classes a week (of my choice) at the gym
One day on my own doing my program set by my trainer

Follow my food plan

I attended my first weight loss class on Monday morning. We discussed how to stay committed and motivated. I thought the educator shared some insightful things. One thing that really clicked for me this time was identifying my reasons for weight loss. I need to put these in writing and perhaps I'll share them here. I want to be able to refer to them when the going gets tough - as it most likely will at some point.

He also shared how to set goals and suggested setting SMART goals.

S = specific
M = measurable
A = action oriented
R = realistic
T = timely

I actually revised my workout out goals based on this information.

He also suggested identifying any barriers and then coming up with some possible solutions. Having a plan helps to increase the chances of success.

As for my food plan, I met with the dietitian last week and she gave me a plan for a 1300 calorie diet. I was pleased that it was not strict and there is definitely a bit of wiggle room. I also loved that we were given four choices for each meal plus a page of snack ideas. The meal choices will help eliminate counting calories - if we follow it closely - which is great. I already count carbs due to my Type 1 diabetes and I didn't want to have to count calories too.

Last evening - after a vigorous Zumba class - I attended the kick-off meeting. I was able to meet the other participants and see who was on my team. We were also given a packet of information to help guide us through the next eight weeks. It will definitely be interesting.

Of the three other ladies on my team, I already know two of them and one even attends my church. Out of the 16 people in the program, I know three and two are on my team.

One last thing we learned last night is our weekly challenges. Each week the teams have a challenge to complete over the course of the week. The team that wins will earn a one month pass to the gym to be used anytime before the end of the year. Let's just say that Kelly - the owner of the gym and creator of the program - was very creative in her challenges!

Week 1 = most workout time logged (I already have 140 mins)
Week 2 = Most pounds lost in one week
Week 3 = No soda, tobacco products, coffee/tea, sugared drinks, alcohol, or any food with more than three ingredients. For each item consumed, you have to give yourself a point. The team with the fewest points wins. We are all stressing this week already!
Week 4 = Most body fat lost in one week - each week we will be meeting with our trainer and having these measurements (and weight) taken
Week 5 = Meet daily fiber requirements daily for one week. For women this is 25 grams and it's 38 grams for men
Week 6 = Faster 10-miler. As a team we will need to do this so each person will complete 2-1/2 miles. The plan is to do this as a group at an indoor track.
Week 7 = Most inches lost in one week
Week 8 = Low GI Foods. For each food with a GI Index of 80 or less, you get a point. The team with the most points wins.

Today I had my first workout with my trainer. Since I joined the gym at the beginning of the month and already did a trainer meeting, my program was still new enough to be used. I really like my trainer and come to find out - while we chatted on the elliptical machine - we grew up in nearby towns and our parents attended church together. It is such a small world.

I was pleased with how well I did today. It definitely helped to have Kate there pushing me. For example, my warm up consisted of walking up and down a flight of stairs for five minutes. I may have done the five minutes by myself, but I most certainly would not have run. However, she encouraged me to do so and I ran about half the sets. I'm actually looking forward to our next time together when she'll take my measurements again and I can see what I've lost.

Weight loss to date (from the time my program was first set up mid-January) - 1 pound. And I'll take it.

{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards ~ Week 3

2012-01-30T23:37:00.000-05:00

I am enjoying this Bible study more and more the further I get in to it. This week we learned that "we rock." That's right. You rock. I rock. She rocks. We all rock. Why do we need that reminder? Because we tend to lessen our gifts. Cheapen them even. We downplay what the Lord has done for us. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else.

However, God has promised us something. Something that we sometimes forget to cling to, to hold on to with all of our heart, soul, and strength. God lives in us. He created us. He will never leave us. He loves us too much to ever turn His back on us.

We learned this week that we are just like Jesus - living stones.

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ~1 Peter 2:4-5

So why would this be a comforting verse? I find it very comforting since I learn that Jesus it the true living Stone. He was rejected by men - scorned, laughed at, made fun of, and even beaten. However, God chose him as he was precious to him. Then it tells me.....God views me the same way....previous and chosen.

One thing I learned this week that I never quite connected before. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it says this - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. In the Old Testament days, the "temple" was a physical building. You went there to atone for your sins as God required of you. However, once Christ came, he set us free from a physical building. Since the Holy Spirit now lives in us, we have become that temple. Therefore, we must honor God by taking care of our body just as the priests once took care of the temple since God now resides in us, the believers.

I'm finding that even the core questions are very meaty and make me think hard about what it is I am here on earth to do. One verse that we looked up as part of our study this week is a favorite one of mine. I'll end by sharing it and ask that you think about how you could apply this to your life daily....

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

~Micah 6:8

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards ~ Week 2

2012-01-22T22:20:00.000-05:00

"God never asks us to do something without supplying

the needed 'tools' for the job, be they physical,

intellectual, or spiritual. You just begin with trust

and let Him stay in charge."

Sometimes it's hard to remember that last sentence...begin in trust and let Him stay in charge.

This week we were called to "Get Ready." We are called to prepare and set our mind to Christ. I'm reminded of a line in the movie Facing the Giants where the title character is told to "prepare for rain." In other words, trust that the Lord is going to provide and be ready when He does.

Once again I took away so much from this week's study. Not only are we called to be ready but we were encouraged to listen to the Holy Spirit's urging on our lives, to live holy lives as God created us to do, to love one another, and lastly we were encouraged to satisfy our craving - for God.

This last one hits home. It's something I'm working on right now - craving God more than anything else. More than food. More than anything.

I'm looking forward to week three.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

{TOS Crew Review} We Choose Virtues

2012-01-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

As a mom, one of the things I've always tried to teach my boys are virtues - things like "patience" and "self-control." And like most parents, it's sometimes difficult to instill those things in to our children - no matter how hard we work.

Heather McMillan created We Choose Virtues as a direct result of seeing the lack of this in the children she interacted with on a daily basis - including her own. So she created We Choose Virtues which has products from posters to cards to more to help children learn the virtues.

I recently received the Virtue Clues cards (currently on sale for $5.99). These are small business card style cards which come with a clear holder. Each has a virtue listed on the front along with a small catchphrase for each. The back of each then challenges the child to go the whole day with expressing that virtue. For example, the card for obedience says, "I am Obedient. OK, whatever you say, I will obey, right away. I am NOT...argumentative, slow or unwilling, and I don't refuse to do what I'm told!" Each phrase is easy to learn and as we all know, kids are such sponges and with repetition, they can easily memorize each one.

I also received the Teacher's Handbook ($4.99 for a download or $19.99 for a hard copy). This book contains lots of ideas for teaching the virtues for your children. It is included free in many of the kits offered by We Choose Virtues.

I was also given the Kids of Virtueville Coloring Book ($3.00 download). Each virtue has a character that goes with it. The coloring book has a full page of each character for the youngest ones in your family to color. There are also a few activity pages in the back of the coloring book. The best part is that it is a pdf download so you can print off as many as you need.

Included for free on their website are many assessment tools including the Family Character Assessment. This form, along with a few other great resources, are available for free. One is a list of memory verses for each each virtue along with a Bible hero. For example, "I Am Attentive" lists Samuel as the hero and Proverbs 22:17.

We Choose Virtues offers so much more than what I just reviewed. They have many products designed to make learning virtues fun while also teaching the importance of them.

We Choose Virtue currently has some promo codes available. You can only use one at a time so you'll need to pick which one gives you the most benefit.

VIRTUE15 for 15 % off the shopping cart is still available
SHIPFREE for free worldwide shipping

Also, for the months of January and February, the 100 Days of Virtue Poster and Butterfly Stickers are free with the purchase of any homeschool kit ($99).

So what did we all think of them here? I loved them. It made it easy to teach the boys. One of the things I added to our curriculum this year was a character study. Because they are small and portable, it is easy to take them with you and work on them anywhere - including in the car while we are running around to various errands.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what other Crew members had to say about We Choose Virtues.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Newest Weight Loss Adventure

2012-01-21T16:45:00.001-05:00

::deep breath::

It's no secret to anyone that has been reading my blog for a bit of time that I've been struggling with getting healthy for some time. I've tried a number of different things but nothing seemed to work. What was missing was my motivation. Good news? I think I've found it.

The part that helped the most...I just had a milestone birthday last month - the big 4-0. It was time to get serious and not just talk about it.

So at the beginning of this month - along with half the population - I joined a "local" gym. I say it that way since nothing is really local where I live. It's a good 40 minute drive to the gym. It was worth it though. It's one flat fee that includes all classes (and there are a lot to pick from - including my favorite Zumba) plus a meeting with a trainer to set up a workout program. I'm taking full advantage of it.

I also heard shortly before joining about a "Biggest Winner" competition they host. It's a free 8-week program that gives you full support on your weight loss journey.

They only pick 16 participants - 8 men and 8 women. They get broken in to teams of four. Each week there is a workout with your trainer, any two classes, a group workout, and a workout on your own. You have to commit to five workouts a week. There is also one-on-one nutrition counseling plus a weekly weight loss support group meeting. And there is even a weekly challenge.

So I applied. And I had a short interview last week. And I found out yesterday...I was chosen.

One thing I assured them in my interview and, it's so very true, while I know this program will help jump-start my weight loss, I was going to do it anyway. I have been going to the gym 4-5 times a week since I joined. I've been taking classes. I have met with a trainer and had my strength workout set up (and used it).

Part of me was tempted not to say anything here, just in case. But then I realized, it doesn't matter. I plan to blog about my successes and even the failures. I'll be in the public eye anyway...the local public access cable channel will be filming the competition.

The kick-off to the competition is on January 30th. I pray all who read support me in this effort. It's time to get healthy.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2012-01-18T23:06:00.000-05:00

1. A new Miss America was crowned on Saturday night-did you watch? If you were a contestant what would your talent be? No, I didn't watch. I might have if 1) I had known it was on and (more importantly) 2) I had broadcast TV. Makes it hard to watch stuff like this. And if I were ever a contestant, I would sing.

2. Do you have houseplants? Real or fake? Nope. Anything I bring in the house dies from poor neglect. I'm horrid at remembering to water plants. And I dislike fake ones. They would need to be dusted anyway and I'm horrid at remembering to do that too.

3. When you were in school did you speak up or were you more of the hide your face, avoid eye contact, and pray the teacher didn't call on you type of student? Ha! Nope, I was the quintessential "perfect student." I followed the rules. I did well in class. Unless it was math class, than I hid my face and prayed not to be called on!

4. Next Monday marks the Chinese New Year...what do you order when someone suggests Chinese food? Oh yum! I love Chinese food! I usually get fried rice, "meat on a stick" - chicken and/or steak, boneless spareribs, and my new favorite, General Tao's chicken. Now I'm hungry....

5. How would you define a miracle? What would it take for you to consider something a miracle? Any time God's hand is completely apparent in someone's life. That is a miracle.

6. What's your favorite Disney song? If you're stuck you'll find a listhere. "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. In fact, as corny as it sounds, that was the song my hubby & I danced to at our wedding. This is a neat take on it....

7. I should have _____________ yesterday. Not spent so much time on Facebook. Oh wait, that's my issue daily.

8. Insert your own random thought here. My baby turned 8 on Sunday. Still not sure how that happened....

{Review & Giveaway} A Mile in His Shoes

2012-01-18T22:39:00.000-05:00

Any woman my age will remember Ricky Schroder. I'll wait while you all sigh. Ahhhh.... Of course, now I'm feeling very old as I just watched his 18-year-old son act in one of his first movies - A Mile in His Shoes. And by-the-way, his son looks very much like his father!

Luke Schroder plays Mickey, an autistic boy, and Dean Cain (okay, another sigh!) plays Murph the manager of a minor league baseball team. Micky has an amazing pitching arm and the movie follows him as he leaves his family's farm and his very protective father to live life on his own. Murph and some of his teammates accept him and work trying to help him adjust to his new found status as the star pitcher on the baseball team. However, this also causes some issues with the current pitcher who finds himself ousted.

One very snowy day last week I popped this in for a fun movie afternoon with the boys. We all loved it. I thought it well done. Luke Schroder did an excellent job portraying Mickey. It was also family friendly. It was an excellent portrayal of how we should treat others - not based on the outside but on the heart.

*****************************

Would you like to win a copy? Simply leave me a comment telling me the name of one of your favorite movies. I'll pick a winner on Friday, January 27th.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

{Blog Tour} 1 Peter by Sue Edwards ~ Week 1

2012-01-14T22:03:00.000-05:00

Typically this is where I would post a review of a book and share what I liked about. A simple book review. However, I signed up for something a bit different this time and I'm inviting you along for the ride. For the next nine weeks, I will be sharing what I'm learning in my personal Bible study.

Sue Edwards has created a unique Bible study. There are three levels of questions for each day's study. There are six days in each lesson and the book contains nine lessons. The "core" questions hits the nitty-gritty of the study. These are the questions that will help you delve into the study but only take about a 1-1/2 hours total for the week to complete. Then the "digging deeper" questions allow you to do just that - dig deeper. You'll need some extra materials such as an atlas, Bible dictionary, and a concordance to complete the questions. Then there are the "summit" questions. You'll need a few more resources to complete them (such as an interlinear Greek-English text and Vine's Expository Dictionary). You'll also create things such as outlines, charts, and essays. These questions are for those who really want to dig deep and come away with a greater appreciation of the text being studied.

Now on to this week's study...

~ Revel in Your Resources 1 Peter 1:1-12~

What would you do if you knew you would be hurt for proclaiming your belief in the one true God? Thousands face this every single day. As the author shares in the introduction to this week - more Christians were martyred in the 20th century than in all past centuries combined. While we live in the US and do not face this on a daily basis as many of our Christian brothers and sisters do in other parts of the world, it seems like it's more of a possibility every day.

Peter knew first hand what it would feel like. He chose to deny Christ - three times. Christ even told him that it would happen and even looked him in the eye as the rooster crowed. Jesus chose Peter and even trained him personally during his three years of ministry on earth along with John and James. Jesus knew that this would strengthen Peter's faith so he could go and strengthen the faith of the young church after Jesus was gone.

We are exiles in this world. Peter even addresses this in the greeting in his letter - to the "elect exiles." I have a friend who loves to say that she is "peculiar" and we are called to be so by the Lord. We need to be set apart from the world. We need to appear different, weird even. Our focus needs to be on heaven, not on earth. This is not our home. This is not where our heart should be. Our heart and focus needs to be on our Father in heaven.

I also love how Peter greeted those in his letter - a standard of the time - "May grace and peace be multiplied to you." (1 Peter 1:2b ESV) What if we greeted everyone we met that way? Would it change our perspective and focus?

The last thing I'll share this week is one of the last things I read. In studying the last few verses of the week we examined the prophecies and how the prophets of old were searching. They knew the longed for Savior was coming but they didn't know when. They knew what would happen and what would show his coming, but they still waited. In verse 12 of 1 Peter it says "It was revealed to them [the prophets] that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."

That really struck me. The Holy Spirit was revealing things to the prophets that even the angels didn't quite know for sure. They longed to know when the Savior was coming as well. It kind of explains all the rejoicing that happened on that Bethlehem hill so long ago doesn't it?

If you'd like to check out what other bloggers are saying about week 1 of the 1 Peter study, you can check the list out here. Just click on "week 1 reviews."

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

{TOS Crew Review} Maestro Classics

2012-01-06T19:19:00.000-05:00

Over the last two years I have been blessed through the TOS Homeschool Crew with CDs from Maestro Classics. Every single one has been a huge hit in our audio loving home. Needless to say, we love these CDs!

Maestro Classics has taken classic music and made it fun and enjoyable. Their product is geared towards children ages 5-12 but really, all ages will enjoy these. Each CD takes a story and uses music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra to tell the story. It can sometimes be difficult to determine the story behind the classic music or what the composer is trying to express. Maestro Classics makes it, well, child's play.

This year we were given a copy of The Story of Swan Lake.What a great CD! There are seven tracks with over 50 minutes of listening.

The Story of Swan Lake (the music is played and the story explained)
Tchaikovsky's Life (learn about the composer)
Speed Metal Swan (definitely a unique take on Tchaikovsky's music)
About the Music (learn about the music that Tchaikovsky used to create Swan Lake)
"Tchaikovsky Wrote a Great Ballet" (A fun song to help you remember who wrote Swan Lake. It's a "peanut butter" song so be careful!)
Prepare to perform! (explains the words to the sing-along)
"Tchaikovsky Wrote a Great Ballet" Sing-Along

There are samples for each track on their website. Along with the CD, there is a 24-page booklet that gives even more information about Swan Lake and Tchaikovsky.Included in the booklet are...

A biography of Tchaikovsky
Information on acoustic and electric guitars
Sheet music and words to the sing-along
Explanation of major and minor keys (the bane of my piano lessons but I digress)
Puzzles
And more to help making learning fun

I simply cannot recommend these CDs highly enough. They are so well done and enjoyable to listen to. Not only do we enjoy the stories and music, but we always learn something new as well. There is so much information contained on each CD that you could easily turn it in to a unit study on the composer and/or music.

The CDs sell for $16.98 and you can now purchase them as a MP3 download for $9.98. The titles that are currently available are:

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Tortoise and the Hare (my review)
Peter and the Wold (my review)
The Story of Swan Lake
Casey at the Bat
Juanita the Spanish Lobster (also available in Spanish)
My Name is Handel: The Story of Handel's Water Music

Please be sure to check out what my other TOS Crew members had to say about Maestro Classics.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Happy Birthday...

2012-01-05T21:00:00.000-05:00

Today would have been my mom's 68th birthday. Sadly she passed away almost three years ago. That anniversary is coming up in March. I miss my mom every single day. I spend time thinking about "what ifs" in regards to her medical care. I just wish she was here supporting me, nagging me, being proud of me. I just miss her.

Last week I traveled back to my childhood home to retrieve some boxes of my things my Dad had found. It's been a long memory filled week for me.

On Monday my hubby and FIL and my boys and I all traveled back to my Dad's house for the last time to retrieve the wood cook stove. I knew it would most likely be my last trip "home." I walked around and took photos of those things I wanted to remember - including the bright red upright piano I learned to play on. Trust me, this is a much better color than the teal anything that stood still was painted one year - my Dad had a lot of extra paint in that color.

I spent most of yesterday going through my boxes. I found all kinds of school treasures, but the biggest treasure was an autograph book I found from 1982. I would have been about ten years old given the date on one note. Not only did a lot of my school friends sign the book, but I had my family sign it as well - including my grandparents (now deceased), my great-uncle (recently deceased), my mom, my dad and various aunts and cousins. I'm not sure why I had them all sign it, but I'm certainly glad now that I did.

Then finally today is my Mom's birthday. Needless to say it's been a long week of memories. I'm just thankful I know where my Mom is today and that someday soon we'll be reunited.

Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus,

because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life
set me free from the law of sin and death.

{TOS Crew Review} R.E.A.L. Homeschool Spanish

2012-01-05T18:35:00.001-05:00

Like a lot of homeschooling parents, I have found that teaching my children a foreign language just a bit daunting. English is and has always been my first language. My extent of learning a different language consists of four years of high school French many, may, many years ago. And the older one becomes, the harder it is to learn another language.

Dr. Karyn Williamson-Coria developed R.E.A.L. Homeschool Spanish to help those homeschooling families like me who struggle to teach their children another language. Dr. Williamson-Coria is a homeschooling mom of three boys. She has over 23 years of experience teaching foreign languages at both the high school and college level. She developed R.E.A.L. Homeschool Spanish after becoming frustrated trying to find a way to learn Spanish along with her children. This program solved that issue. It is designed to be used alongside your child and does not assume you already know the language.

Why "R.E.A.L." Homeschool Spanish? R.E.A.L. stands for "Relax, Enjoy, Aspire, Learn." Dr. Williamson-Coria has that as her one goal for each family - to make learning Spanish fun and easy.

The book is divided into 10 units and each unit has a general theme. For example, colors and numbers, clothes, family and more.Each unit contains vocabulary (33 total), tips for home educators, grammar information (eight items are introduced along with an entire unit on verbs), ideas for implementing the program (28 pages), audio files, activity book, and an answer book. Each section of the book has a corresponding section in the activity book in order to reinforce what has just been learned. You can see samples of many of these on their website. Along with all of these, there are free links on the website to help share the culture of Spanish-speaking people.

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received the "Book Bundle Download + Daily Curriculum Guide" ($59.95) which contained the R.E.A.L. Homeschool Spanish book, activity book, answer book, audio files, and (drum roll please!) a daily curriculum guide. You can see all the purchasing information on their website. There are various options.

The daily curriculum guide is well worth the price ($9.95 if purchased separately). It breaks each unit into weekly learning. There are tips on how to plan. The guide is simply a guide, but what homeschool family wouldn't love having it all planned out already. There is even room for notes and plenty of room to make any changes you wish. As most homeschooling families know, we love to tweak curriculum to fit our needs. Dr. Williamson-Coria actually encourages that - from one homeschooling family to another.

Unfortunately, I was unable to use this as fully as I had hoped as it arrived in the midst of our December break. It is a very extensive and thorough program. I would recommend purchasing the actual book bundle ($99.95 with the daily curriculum guide) rather than the download if funding allowed. I found maneuvering through all the various downloads a bit confusing at times. Although, I really liked the fact that there were black & white as well as color versions of both the book and activity book. While it's easy enough to do this when printing, it was nice to have it already formatted and ready to go.

I liked the conversational nature of the program and the I loved the daily curriculum guide. It was super easy to follow.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog to check out what other Crew members had to say about R.E.A.L. Homeschool Spanish.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Memories

2012-01-03T22:42:00.001-05:00

This stove was the focal point of the home I spent my first 21 years in. My parents bought an old farmhouse in the middle of central Maine over 40 years ago. When they moved in, no one had lived there for ten years. This was in the late 1960s. There was no indoor plumbing of any kind. There was, however, a two-seater outhouse in the barn and a well in the attached shed. Needless to say, plumbing became a priority with three young children and there was soon one bathroom and running water.

However, this stove, along with a wood furnace in the basement, was the only method of heating in the house until I was in high school. In fact, I spent most of my growing up years without running hot water in the warmer months. In the colder months, when the cookstove was being used, there was a water tank attached to the back that allowed for some hot water use. When I was in high school my parents had an oil furnace installed and soon removed the water tank.

Sadly, this stove no longer sits in my parents home.

The third year anniversary of my mom's death is this year. My father has since met someone and is now remarried and living in New Hampshire. He's letting the house go.

I had heard a few weeks ago that my Dad had "sold" the stove to my younger sister's ex-husband. Needless to say none of my siblings and I were pleased with this prospect. A lot of our memories of our mom are tied to this stove. She continued to cook every winter in it. Anyone who ever received a "coffee bread" from my mom - it was cooked in this stove.

After making sure it was okay with all of my siblings, I asked my Dad for the stove. The guy he had sold it to had yet to pay him. So this past weekend, my hubby, FIL, along with myself and my kids headed to my childhood home for the last time to retrieve my mom's stove. And yes, I am paying for it - gladly.

The stove came out of the house in pieces. It was the only time in my life I have ever seen the stove like this.

The stove is in amazing shape. It's now living in a shed at our home until we have a "forever home" for it. We'll cover it in WD-40 to keep it well oiled and free from rust.

I can't wait to share photos of it once we have a home for it. But that's another whole blog post. Thanks to all of my siblings for trusting to me to take the stove.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-12-28T23:15:00.000-05:00

1. Share something you loved about your Christmas Day.

First - that we went to church that morning. My hubby & I have been teaching Children's Church this month. On Christmas Day though we had all the kids stay upstairs and we did a "story time" instead. I read The Legend of the Candy Cane and then handed out little goodie bags with a coloring page, crayons, a mini candy cane, a poem about the legend, and two pipe cleaners - red and white - so they could make their own. It was fun.

Second - my hubby completely surprised me by giving me a Kindle Fire. I love it. In fact, I'm watching Netflix on it while I'm blogging.

2. You get to put five items in a time capsule to be opened in 100 years, what items would you choose and why?

Good questions! As long as I don't have to give up mine I would say an eReader (of course the Kindle Fire comes to mind), a smartphone (loving my Droid), a laptop, a Zumba video (my favorite way of exercising) and chocolate.

3. What do you like on a cracker?

Peanut butter. Pretty boring.

4. Do you make resolutions at the start of a new year? How'd that work out for you this past year?

Yes and no. I always look at the new year as a new start. This year is no different. I always have a vague idea of what I'd like to accomplish but I don't set firm goals. That rarely works well for me.

5. What's a song or song lyric you'll associate with 2011?

Laura Story's Blessings....

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

6. How will you ring in the new year?

I'll be home. I'm heading to a friend's homeschool graduation that afternoon but plan to be home by bedtime.

7. What is something you look forward to in 2012?

Getting healthy.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

The weather here lately can't decide if it's fall or winter. Today it was 47 degrees out and I was wearing just a light sweater. I even saw someone walking around in shots and a T-shirt. Tonight? It's in the single digits. Tomorrow will be even colder. I'm so not looking forward to hauling water tomorrow.

From Trains to Planes

2011-12-28T22:10:00.001-05:00

My middle son has been - in a word - obsessed with trains since the age of three. He would read train encyclopedias for fun. Not only did he love Thomas the Train but he loved real trains. In fact, he was thrilled when we bought the TV series Extreme Trains and was even more thrilled to learn the host lives in the next town over. They even had a short "meet & greet" at a soccer game a few years ago.

However, in the last year his love of trains has been fading and being replaced by planes. It started at about the age of nine by making simple paper airplanes. He even made quite a little profit by selling them at craft fairs the last two years.

This fall he bought a new paper airplane kit. The book that was included included patterns that were cut and glued together. You can see the 747 he made above. He used the scrap paper at the house so they always have interesting patterns on the paper.

If he were awake right now, he'd be able to tell me what this one is. I have no clue but I do like the design. Then we have these two....

Here's a few more. He will spend hours cutting and constructing and gluing and cutting...and then he gives them away. He has a paper bag full of them and he regularly doles them out to friends and even strangers. I love his new little obsession and can't wait to see where it leads.

Hi!

2011-12-27T21:53:00.001-05:00

A total random post about all sorts of things....

My husband has a very annoying "game" that he likes to play. He will say "hi" over and over to me. In order to get him to stop, I simply have to say "hi" back. Needless to say I view it as a challenge NOT to say "hi" and thus a game was born. In fact, today he called me out of the blue in an attempt to catch me off guard. I didn't realize it and unknowingly simply replied, "Hey." It was quiet on the other end of the phone and when I asked him why he called he, he sheepishly told me he was trying to get me to say, "hi." HA! I felt like I'd won a battle. Then tonight, without thinking, I looked at him and said, yup, "Hi." The worse part? I realized what I had done and yelled, "NO!!!" and hubby had no clue for about 4.5 seconds. ::sigh:: He has decided the game is no longer fun now that he's won. We'll see.....

It's a "Nerf" year this year. My boys have increased their arsenal. It's downright dangerous. Although, my rule is "you shoot momma and she takes away your gun!" Only one minor injury so far and it wasn't mine.

Our 4H club has been keeping busy with classes and such. Next month we'll be doing more Tanglewood classes (the 4H nature camp) as well as starting pottery classes and nutrition classes. I really need to get the boys paperwork caught up. It's going to be a busy year and if I don't get on top of it now, the end of the year will not be fun at all.

Just before Christmas I was putting plastic up on our porch. We have a nice screened in porch right on the front of our trailer. My hubby built some plastic panels to go over the screen areas for the winter to keep snow off. They have deteriorated quite a bit in the last six years we've had the porch so he decided not to put them up this year. I use the porch for storage in the winter so I decided to just staple up some plastic. I was using my hubby's hammer stapler. It looks like a large hammer but when you hit the wood, out pops an industrial staple. Yup, I hit my finger instead of the wood about three-quarters of the way through the job. Ouch would be an understatement. I couldn't even use my finger for four days and it throbbed for two days straight. I haven't lost the nail yet but I think it will eventually fall off. I hit the nail and the nail bed. Thankfully the staple didn't stick. The tip of my finger is still numb so I think I did some nerve damage. I'm not sure I should be using any type of tools in the near future.

Our school has been pretty much on break for the last six weeks. While we've continued with our 4H activities, art class, and piano lessons, we have not done a lot of other lessons. That will be changing soon. Although, right now I'm rethinking our school and curriculum. Mid-winter revamp.

My husband has completely spoiled me this month and I'm not going to lie - I loved it. For my birthday he bought me an Android phone. I so love my little smart phone, although I still haven't a clue how to use it completely. Anyone want to walk me through setting up my voice mail? I think I may have to swing by the cell phone store soon and have them help me figure it out. Then for Christmas he surprised me once more...he bought me a Kindle Fire. I love it and I'm figuring that out much faster! So fun but I think I'm becoming addicted to Angry Birds!

And speaking of my hubby, I have to brag on him a bit more. He has worked at a small engineering/surveying company for the last eight years. In fact, he started the job just prior to us moving back to the homestead. Over those years, he has worked hard. This past year the owner/founder of the company had some opportunities come his way via the state government that necessitated him selling his company. He decided that my hubby would be the best person to purchase it. And so he did. And I wish it had been that easy. It took a lot of months of negotiations and delays, but at the end of November it was finally finished. My hubby is now the proud owner of the company he has worked for. Seems odd at times. But it's also exciting. I'm eager to see how 2012 shapes up as a business owner!

There a bit of randomness. I have more things I want to cover, but one thing I'm really trying hard to do is go to bed at a decent hours. My late nights need to end and since it's almost 10pm here in Maine, I'm going to say "good-night" and see you all on the flip side.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-12-21T22:45:00.001-05:00

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?

No. I never have to cook. I know you all feel sorry for me. Anytime there is a holiday we either go to my sister's (like we did at Thanksgiving) or my in-laws as we'll do on Christmas. I don't think it's a reflection of my cooking skill....

I have no idea how many will be here this year. I know there will be hubby & I and the boys (5), my inlaws (2), Grandad (1), my BIL and his girlfriend (2), most likely an aunt and uncle (2) and possibly my SIL with her family (4). Not sure who else is showing and if all those I've listed are coming.

As for the food - my MIL usually does Italian. I know she's doing eggplant parmigiana, regular lasagna, and probably spaghetti and meatballs. There will be enough food to feed about the entire town.

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?

It used to be my mom's sugar cookies. SO yummy but I don't make them. Too time consuming for me - at least now. My mom loved to bake and did a lot this time of year. I miss that.

Here's a photo from a visit to her home a couple years ago. All of us were together so we had a get together. This is just some of the deserts she made....

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)

Yup. I do like milk on occasion. I don't drink as much as I used to. Now it's typically only when I have a low blood sugar. I keep 1% in the house for the kids but my teenager is the one who drinks most of it. My hubby is lactose-intolerant so I do keep some almond on hand for him in case he wants some cereal.

4. Time magazine recently named their 'Person of the Year' for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose 'The Protester'. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?

I must say I find this annoying. I love that we have the right to free speech, but I feel most take advantage of it. Rather than spending your time protesting, find a way to make the changes you want. Spend more time being grateful for what you do have rather than looking at what you don't. And I'm going to stop there before I climb on to my soapbox.

Who would I name Person of the Year for 2011? I honestly have no clue, but one name that just popped in my head is Michelle Duggar (and the entire Duggar family) - for living out her life in the spotlight of TV with dignity and grace while quietly proclaiming the goodness of God.

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day... when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one?

Ha! Tonight in fact - just a couple hours ago. Maine is experiencing an ice storm currently. In fact, my poor hubby is stuck at a hotel for the night - don't feel too bad for him. I'm thankful he's off the roads and safe! My FIL totaled his truck tonight (he's fine thankfully). Our power went out for about 40 minutes tonight.

As to where to find one - oh yes! Hubby gave me a smartphone for my birthday and one of the first apps I added was a flashlight. I just grabbed my phone - which is never far away these days - and we were good to go. I did light candles and the oil lamps though.

6. candy canes...yum or yuck?

Yum although I don't eat many these days. I love peppermint candy. Another "funny" is that hubby & I are teaching Children's Church this month. Since Christmas is on Sunday it was decided not to have regular Children's Church. Instead, we'll head to the front of the church and do a short story there. I received permission to do the "Legend of the Candy Cane." I'll be talking about how you can use the candy cane to remind us of Christ and his sacrifice for us. I found a cute poem that helps explain it. I'm attaching it to mini-candy canes to hand out along with a candy cane coloring page and red & green crayons. Hopefully the parents won't get too mad about the candy if there is a coloring page to go with it.

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you?

I'm not sure I can pick just one. Each song has something that means a lot to me. It's one reason I love this time of year so much.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I've been sadly neglecting my blog lately. I have had so much to blog about but so much going on in my real life here in Maine that I chose to let my blog slide. I'm working on balancing it all right now. But do we ever get that right?

{Review} Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure by Monique & Alexa Peters

2011-12-21T18:51:00.000-05:00

I can still remember the day when my hubby and I were shopping at L.L.Bean with his family. Yes, that L.L. Bean on a fall Saturday no less. And yes, it's open 24 hours a day 365 days a year and if you show up on a Saturday, it will be busy. Our oldest was about five or six at the time as our second son was still in a stroller. Hubby had B with him while I was wandering around with N and my MIL. I bumped in to hubby and asked where B was and the vague reply I received had me a bit nervous so off I went as fast as I could with a stroller, lots of people, and elevators to negotiate to find my FIL and see if B was with him as hubby thought. This was in the day before widespread cell phone use.

I soon found B at the trout pond watching a demo. He was with my SIL who promptly told me she had just found him - alone.

The scary part - he didn't realize this was okay. I quickly disabused him of that notion in quiet yet firm tones. In other words, I didn't scream like I wanted to - I was just so happy I had found him safe. But there comes a day when almost every family looses a child, however briefly, while in a busy place. It's easy to do. So are you and your child prepared?

The Cooper and Me series of books tackles hard situations like this and does so in a manner that is straight forward but not scary at all.

This series was created by a mom and her daughter, Monique and Alexa Peters. Alexa is a talented artist and works on the illustrations as well as helps write the book. Each story (there are four so far) feature a black lab named, Cooper - the Peters actual dog - who is used as the model for the stories.

I was able to check out Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure! In this story, Cooper decides to go sledding with this friend, Bella, and they get lost in a snowstorm.

I really enjoyed the story and all the extras that came with it. I read the book to the two little ones I occasionally babysit (ages 4 & 2) as well as my youngest son (age 7). The book not only explores a hard topic, but it does so in a straight forward manner. The is also a section in the back of the book which includes many learning prompts including questions to begin discussions about how to stay safe and other things such as what season it is, weather, colors and it even gives some questions to help discuss the story itself (great narration ideas!).

The book sells for $12.99 on the Cooper & Me website. Be sure to head to their website for all kinds of additional resources such as coloring and puzzle pages for each book.

In addition for each Winter Adventure book that sells, a $1 will be donated to the Lustgarten Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Sadly the Peters family lost their grandfather to this disease and are donating the funds in his memory.

This is an adorable book and one that almost any child would enjoy reading again and again and again and...well, if you have young children I'm sure you understand what I'm saying.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the above product mentioned for free fromPropeller Marketing in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

{Booksneeze Review} The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead

2011-12-19T22:20:00.001-05:00

What if there were alternate universes to explore? What if the "ley lines" in the world allowed you to travel to them? What if you could experience history first-hand? What if there was a map - tattooed on to the torso of one traveler - that would help you find your way? What would you do?

The Skin Map explores this concept and does a very good job of it too.

The book follows the adventure of Kit Livingston. His life is turned upside down one fateful day when he meets his great-grandfather, Cosimo, in a cold back alley of London. There he learns why his ancestor suddenly disappeared one day and what he has been doing ever since. Kit decides that he does not want to follow in Cosimo's footsteps and returns to his rather dull life in modern day London. That is until he tries to explain to his girlfriend, Mina, why he is more than six hours late for their outing. Kit decides it's better to show than explain and that is when the real adventure begins. Both Kit and Mina are whisked away to another point in time, but are separated in the process. Kit begins a frantic journey to find her and seeks out the only person he knows that can help - his great-grandfather.

I wasn't exactly sure if this would be an enjoyable book or not. If it was too science-fiction, it wouldn't appeal to me. However, I decided to give it a try all the same. I'm glad I did as I ended up loving it. I was given a copy of the unabridged (my favorite type) audio book via the Booksneeze program. There were nine CDs for a total of over 11 hours of listening time. Since I wasn't entirely sure how "kid appropriate" it would be, I only listened to it when I was alone in my truck. I've since recommended my hubby and teenage son listen to it. I think they'd both enjoy it very much as well.

You can purchase the audio book either through Thomas Nelson or Amazon.

The Skin Map is book one in the Bright Empires series. Book two is called The Bone House. I was so happy to learn book two was already out especially considering how book one ended!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through theBookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

{TOS Crew Review} World's Greatest Stories

2011-12-16T22:22:00.000-05:00

As a family we really enjoy listening to audio books. We own quite a few and I'm always looking to add to our collection. We live at least 30 minutes from anywhere so needless to say we do a lot of driving. We were thrilled to have a chance to listen to Volume 1 from The World's Greatest Stories.

George W. Sarris is the storyteller. He uses his accomplishments as an actor, narrator, and spokesman to help being the written word of the Bible to life. But let me clarify....these are not retold Bible stories. They aren't even a paraphrase. Mr. Sarris has simply dramatized the actual biblical text. He tells the stories word-for-word in a dramatic way.

There are currently six volumes available:

Volume 1 - The Prophets
Volume 2 - The Life of Christ
Volume 3 - Beginnings
Volume 4 - Joshua and Esther
Volume 5 - Joseph and His Brothers
Volume 6 - Defeating Giants

We received Volume 1 which contained the following stories:

The Blazing Furnace - Daniel 3
The Handwriting on the Wall - Daniel 5
Daniel in the Lion's Den - Daniel 6
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal - 1 Kings 17-18
The Prophecy of Jonah - The Complete book of Jonah

Each volume can be purchased for $7.95 and come either in the NIV or KJV translation. We reviewed the NIV translation.

We really enjoyed this CD. Mr. Sarris does a fantastic job making the Bible come to life. I really liked how simply he used the Bible as written. He doesn't change it in order to make it more "child-friendly." Most important - my boys enjoyed it as well. I would highly recommend this product and look forward to adding more to our audio collection.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what other crew members had to say.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-12-14T23:39:00.000-05:00

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate? No. Some years are better than others. This year I won't even be putting up my Christmas village. I still need to get up my nativity set. We at least have our tree up. That's all I have for now though along with a sign outside that says "Merry Christmas."

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why? Oh wow....I'm not sure. It would be a toss up between Iceland and Norway I think. The hot springs in Iceland are tempting to see. Norway - well, just cause. I never really thought about visiting any of these countries quite honestly so just not sure.

3. What does the word faith mean to you? Believing in the unseen. "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Hebrews 11:1-3

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose? Goodness! I actually have no clue. I'm sure if I thought long and hard, I could come up with something, but nothing is coming to mind at the moment.

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If it's not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe. Thanksgiving. We call it "Grandma's Punch" as my mom's mother always served it. I don't have the exact measurements to hand, but it simply contains pineapple juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale and sugar. So yummy but I drink very little these days - too much sugar!

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts? Yes, we do stockings. They are opened first and oohed & ahhed over. Then on to the regular gifts. My MIL also does stockings for EVERYONE so we all get two. When we go to their house Christmas afternoon everyone opens their stockings first and then presents later.

7. What takes your breath away? My children. Especially when they say something unexpectedly sweet.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I just downloaded my camera last night. I had photos on there from Thanksgiving! I am amazed that I took so few photos in November. Sad really. It also means I've been horribly neglecting my blog and not updating on just everyday life things. Hopefully I can find my groove again soon!

Winners - lots of winners!

2011-12-13T22:51:00.000-05:00

I've sadly been neglecting my blog lately and just realized I never pulled names for the giveaways I had up! Sorry!!!

The winner of the Revolution Live CD is....comment #1 by Becky K!

The winner of The Grace Effect is......comment #2 by Debbie!

And lastly, the winner of the FFH One Silent Night digital download is.....comment #2 by Christa!

Congrats!!!!

{TOS Crew Review} I See Cards: Fractazmic

2011-12-13T22:30:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me realizes that math is not my strongest skill. It's been the hardest subject I've had to teach in our homeschool and it just keeps getting harder. Thankfully I See Cards has helped to make it a bit easier and a bit more fun.

Fractazmic ($6.95) is a relatively simple card game that has been designed to help children specifically in grades 1-8 learn fractions and measurements. The deck comes with 60 cards divided in to three suits in three colors. The blue suit is the "twelfths," the green suit is the "tenths" and the red suit is the "sixteenths." The goal of the game is to make a hand that equals "1." The player at the end with the most "hands" wins the game.

Sounds simple right? The concept is definitely simple but as I mentioned, math is not my strong suit. Um, no pun intended. I struggled a bit with the game simply because it's been, well, years, since I've had to deal with fractions at this level. It was a challenging game for us here at The Berry Patch, but it is one I plan on using again and again in order to help my boys master fractions. I do think it is a unique way to learn fractions. For the price, you really can't find a less inexpensive way to have fun with fractions.

I really appreciate how much support I See Cards gives to their customers. For the visual learners, you can watch videos at YouTube on how to play two different versions of Fractazmic - Rummy or Trap. You can also download a 30-page book that shares various other methods of play for all the I See Cards.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what my other Crew members had to say about the game.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{TOS Crew Review} Great Commission Languages - The Easy French Junior

2011-12-01T22:47:00.001-05:00

Teaching a foreign language can be a bit daunting to even the most seasoned homeschooling mother. I've been dabbling at it a bit over the years, but I've yet to find something that worked for our family and made it super easy to implement. I find it a bit scary to teach a language to my children - other than English which is my native tongue, but let's face it, even that can be scary at times! The thought of having to correctly pronounce foreign words, teach my boys to not only speak it, but write it with correct grammar is, well, yeah... You know what I mean!

I have been eyeing the products at Great Commission Languages since they first came out. I thought they would be a good fit, but I wasn't sure. I should have taken this book by its cover. It even states it in the title - Le Francais Facile! or The Easy French.

I was thrilled to find out we would be able to try out their new product - Le Francais Facile! Junior - or The Easy French Junior. There are two important reasons I want to teach my boys French. First, I took four years of French in high school. Granted, it has been some time since I graduated high school, but I can still toss out an occasional phrase correctly on occasion. Second, we live only an hour from the Canadian border. Quebec is only about two hours away. I dream of taking my boys there some day since we live so close.

The Easy French is just that - easy! The creators of the product are also a homeschooling family of many children - six to be exact. They understand that homeschooling families do not want to drop a lot of extra money on workbooks for each child. They have made it easy by including two enhanced audio CDs. Before you do a lesson you simply pop it in your computer to print out all the activity sheets you may need. During the lesson, you place the CD in your player and your child has a person who knows how to speak French correctly telling them what to say and how to say it. I love it when a more knowledgeable person on a given subject can help me teach my children.

The Easy French Junior comes with 34 lessons. Each lesson focuses on a phrase or subject. For example, Lesson One focuses on "Je M'appelle" (my name is) while Lesson 25 focuses on "J'aime ma chambre" (I love my room). Each lesson begins with Marie having a conversation with either a family member or her cat, Cherie. The conversation is held in both French and English and, using context clues, the child begins to learn what each French words means. There are lots of fun activities included as well and I love how the author emphasizes not to do them all! This is a three year program so be sure to save some for later!

This level of the program sells for $69.95. It is geared for students in K-3 and is a great way to introduce them to the language. There is a higher focus on speaking the language rather than grammar and writing. If you have older students, you may wish to look at the Level I and above materials.

We really enjoyed this program. My boys had fun doing the lessons and pronouncing the words. They viewed it as a fun game. I know that we will continue using it and will most likely graduate to the higher levels when we finish this course. As I mentioned above, we live very close to Canada. In fact, the highway we drive has lots of Canadian (mostly Quebec) drivers on it and they stop to eat and shop in our area. While Spanish is needful in many parts of the country, here we find French a bit more practical.

I really recommend you check out this program. In fact, you can see samples of all the levels plus a video explaining what comes with the Level I program. The Easy French Junior level also has the table of contents linked up as well as Lesson 1 & Lesson 2 for you to try out. If you are still unsure, you can purchase a sampler CD for $15. The CD includes the first few lessons from each of their programs. Not only does Great Commission Language have a "Easy French" program, they also have The Easy Spanish! If you end up purchasing a level after buying the sampler, you will receive a $15 rebate towards your purchase.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what other Crew members had to say about the language programs from Great Commission Languages. Crew members received various French and Spanish levels.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-11-30T21:23:00.001-05:00

1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!) Yes, I do send out cards. I typically send about 100 - I have a large extended family. I change how I display the cards each year. I typically I tape them up on our porch door and on the walls and basically wherever I have room.

2. When do kids become adults? When they live on their own and pay their own bills. At least that is when I became an adult.

3. Does your 'beauty regimen' change with the seasons? Um....what beauty regimen? Am I suppose to have one? Oops!

4. What's something you like to eat that might cause another person to turn up their nose? I'm pretty picky so I doubt there is anything I eat now that would make folks turn up their noses. However, when I was younger I loved eating my moms homemade sweet pickles with a glass of milk. Yeah. I know. I'd never do it now but I remember it being delicious!

5. Gloves or mittens? Depends on what I'm doing. Typically I grab gloves and sometimes even finger-less ones - I have two pairs and hope to get more. However, if I'm outside playing with the kids in the snow, I'll grab mittens.

6. What's the longest queue you've ever been in? Was it worth it? Queue=line but doesn't queue sound nicer? Well, I'm not typically a patient person. Although the longest lines I've ever stood in were for autographs after concerts (FFH, Casting Crowns, Point of Grace to name a few). And yeah, it was worth it.

7. Besides Christmas, what is one thing you are looking forward to in the month of December? My birthday which is very pretty much around the corner.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I'm hoping by sharing this I'll find out that I am not the only one who has done this.

We live in Maine. You would think that by this point in time - since I've lived here my whole life - I would start digging out the winter gear for the boys by mid-October. I should have done that this year. We've already had two snowstorms. Which meant I was digging out stuff at the last minute when the boys want to go outside right now!

I could not find a matching pair of books for my youngest son. I had one boot that was a size 1 and one that was a size 2. So I made him wear those for now until I could buy him a new pair.

Today I headed to the local thrift store. I had bought three pairs of jeans for me but didn't try them on first which, of course, meant none of them fit. They will allow you to swap out stuff when this happens. I found a pair of jeans for my hubby & one for my oldest. On a whim I went to look at the boots since my oldest needs some winter ones as well. Guess what I found? The match to the size 2 boots. Yup. I had tossed it in a bag for the thrift store during a mad (literally) cleaning frenzy of my younger boys room.

I sheepishly explained what I did to the lady checking me out and even offered to pay for it. She assured me I wasn't the first to do something like this. The incredulous comment from the other worker broke me into giggles though..."You gave away your son's boots??" Well, no, just one - by mistake. Ha!

{Review} Family Movie Night - "Game of Your Life"

2011-11-23T21:58:00.001-05:00

Family Movie Night is back. In just over a week on December 2nd, their newest offering will be showing on the NBC network at 8pm ET.

Game of Your Life is the story of a gifted video game designer named, Zach Taylor. He has won a scholarship to a prestigious digital game college and has just begun his freshman year. The first semester is devoted to "The Project" which helps to weed out half the class. Zach is determined to come out on top and, with the help of his team, he seems as if he's destined to start. However, he finds out that his father's business and home are in financial trouble. He takes a side job with a gaming legend, Marcus Benton, - something that is strictly prohibited by the college - in order to help earn money to keep his family afloat. It all comes to a head when the team finds out. Zach also discovers that Marcus may not have Zach's best interest to mind. The movie is all about choices and making the right ones even when it's harder to do so.

Game of Your Life Official :30 trailer from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Once again Family Movie Night has come up with a family friendly movie that is sure to please all family members. I enjoyed watching it. I know that my teenager would enjoy it as well. He is in to video games - not only playing but creating - so that would be an added interest for him.

Be sure to tune in to NBC on Friday, December 2nd at 8pm ET to see Game of Your Life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a link to view the above product mentioned for free fromPropeller Marketing in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-11-23T19:06:00.001-05:00

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called at your house and what's included in your recipe...cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts? We call it stuffing. I don't make it. I'd have to grab my mom's recipe but I don't think any of the above are included, but again, I don't make it so I couldn't tell you for sure!

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to? Everyone. Those I think have it "all together." You know - the proverbial Jones family.

3. When were you last inside an airport? Wow - years ago. When my oldest was young - maybe 2 or 3 I had to do some travel for business - unheard of given my profession. I had never flown before and that year (1999) my hubby & I went to England for 10 days and the I flew two times for wok. I haven't flown since.

4. What is one side dish that absolutely must be included in a turkey dinner? Cranberry sauce - does it count if it's from a can?

5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing? Anything by Alvin & the Chipmunks...just saying...

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Doesn't happen where I live. At least not on a regular basis - I've had this happen once or twice in my entire life. I politely refused. Do you drop money 'in a tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? I live in the backwoods of Maine. Never happens. Do you have a specific charity you support during the holiday season and/or year round? We typically support Samaritan's Purse. The boys will do some Christmas shopping soon (we do this instead of shoe boxes) and they each pick out one thing to purchase.

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory. If you live in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving share a favorite memory associated with food. I just enjoy the time with family. I don't have a specific memory that sticks out - just enjoying time with family - visiting and, of course, eating really yummy food!

8. Insert your own random thought here. Happy Thanksgiving!

{TOS Crew Review} The Reading Game

2011-11-23T17:17:00.000-05:00

As most homeschooling parents know, teaching your child to read can be one of the the most fulfilling skills we can teach them, but it can also be one of the most frustrating. I should know. I'm working on teaching my third son at the moment.

We were recently given a copy of The Reading Game. This game was created by the same man who brought us Wordly Wise (a favorite resource here as well).

The game consists of six sets of cards and six story books. Each deck of cards has six sets of five words. You play it like the game of memory. Once all six sets of words are mastered (30 total) the child is ready to read the story book. You can see how it works on their website.

J7 looking pretty happy to start a round.

The Reading Game is not designed to be used as the sole method of teaching your child to read. It's designed to be used as a supplement. That is how we utilized it here at the The Berry Patch. By keeping it fun, we could work on reinforcing J7's reading skills.

As I mentioned there are six sets of cards and six readers in the game. Each one correlates with an animal. They are Skunk, Snake, Bear, Penguins, Unicorn, and Zebra. By the time your child has worked their way through all the cards and readers, they will have mastered 180 words.

You can also download free worksheets to help test your child's progress and to track it as well. These are available under the educator's tab on their website.

I had one issue with the product. While I understand the philosophy behind why the books are written the way they are, I was dismayed to see that there are no capitalized letters nor punctuation. I feel that grammar is learned through reading and would like to see correct grammar in readers, but this was a minor hang up.

My son, however, loved The Reading Game. This is his favorite part of the school day currently. He is making good progress as well. He definitely gives it two big thumbs up!

The Reading Game can be purchased for $24.95 directly from their website.

Please head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew's blog to see what other members had to say about this product.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

'Tis the Season

2011-11-21T23:43:00.001-05:00

My boys and I have been involved with 4H now for almost three years. Our first year we didn't start until mid-year so last year was our first full calendar year. We are part of a very active group. Last year the kids participated in "Money Camp." It was a six week program to teach them about entrepreneurship. The final part of the program was to take the products the kids had created and take them to some craft fairs. This year they all clamored to continue doing craft fairs. It's a great way for kids to earn some money.

My youngest son and I created "magic animal food." I had the idea to do "Magic Reindeer Food." I decided to search for a printable to add to our creation and found a great one over at DLTK Kids site. They even had one for "winter rabbits" for those who don't do Christmas.

My middle son once again sold paper airplanes. I'm always amazed that these sell so well. I think he does well in large part because he is such a great little salesman. Once thing we learned during Money Camp was how to greet potential customers. His confidence great even more this year. Every person who came near us was greeted with a "Hello" and if they responded with a "Hello, how are you?" He would politely come back with, "I'm fine and you?" And he would appear genuinely interested in their response.

My oldest son chose not to do craft fairs this year.

This was the set up for our fairs this year. There are five kids represented here. My youngest didn't have his creations ready for this fair. Since I was supervising at each fair I decided to create some photo cards to sell as well. I used some of my photos - like this one below - and just backed them with black cardstock and placed them on a half-sheet of white cardstock folded in half.

At this point I've gone to three fairs with the boys. At the first fair, my middle son - the one selling paper airplanes - out sold me. I sold two sets of cards ($8) and he sold $10.25 worth of paper planes. At the second fair my youngest son outsold us both. He made $10, I made $4 and my middle son only made $3.00. And the last fair he again outsold us with $12, I again made $4, and my middle son only sold one plane for $1. However, he did meet a gentleman who makes and flies model airplanes and has invited him to a meeting so N10 can try it out as well.

Obviously this has not been a money maker for us. However, I love that it is creating an entrepreneurship spirit in my children. I've been super busy each weekend getting ready for these fairs with my kids, it really has been fun. Although, I am glad we are done for the craft fair season. I have chosen not to participate in any fairs next month. I'm thankful we've had fun but I'm thrilled we're done for another season.

{Review} One Silent Night by FFH (and giveaway)

2011-11-21T23:14:00.001-05:00

I have been a fan of FFH for a very long time. They were one of the first contemporary Christian bands that my hubby and I both listened to. They were one of the first concerts we went to see and the first autographs we stood in line to get. Needless to say, when the chance came up for me to review their new Christmas album I not only leaped at the chance, I jumped!

Shortly after I received the link to download my digital album, I burned a CD to play in my truck. It's been there ever since. I've been playing it over and over and over and....well, you get the picture I'm sure.

The members of FFH cover a few standard Christmas songs such as Jingle Bell Rock - one of my kids favorites. They also have some original songs as well. My favorite is one of their originals. It's track three and the title track of the album - One Silent Night. I typically listen to it at least once every time I get in the truck. I've even been known to hit the repeat button and listen to it over and over and over, yes, well....you get the picture.

This is now one of my favorite Christmas albums.

You can purchase a copy of the album at iTunes for $9.90. Would you like to win a digital copy of their album instead? Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Christmas song is. I'll pick a winner on December 1, 2011.

***Deadline extended until Saturday, December 3rd!***

Congrats to the winner, Christa!

{Review} The Grace Effect by Larry Taunton (and giveaway)

2011-11-19T23:14:00.001-05:00

What is The Grace Effect? "Simply defined, the 'grace effect' is an observable phenomenon - that life is demonstrably better where authentic Christianity flourishes."

Author Larry Taunton is the executive director of Fixed Point Foundation which is dedicated to defending the Christian faith. The mission of the foundation is to help Christians become strong in their faith while addressing the skeptics. Mr. Taunton realized that his personal life was about to see the effects of what would happen if there were no Christian basis to life.

Mr. Taunton, his wife, and his two youngest sons traveled to Ukraine to adopt a ten-year-old girl who had spent her years in an orphanage in a country that had no Christian basis. She was considered unworthy and was raised in horrid living conditions. It gives us a glimpse into what life would be like if atheists abounded and the love of Christ was not lived out day to day.

I originally agreed to review the book as it centers around the adoption of Sasha. I'm praying that one day we will be able to adopt a child or more. I'm not typically a fan of non-fiction books as I find them hard to get through. That was not the case with this book. I loved it.

I found it quite easy to read. The redeeming story of Sasha resonated with me. Larry Taunton is an excellent writer. He did a fantastic job conveying the culture of Ukraine and all he and his family had to go through in order to bring Sasha home.

I simply can't recommend this book more. In fact, I have already lent the book out. You can purchase it through Amazon. However, if you'd like to try and win a copy, leave me a comment letting me know a book you are currently reading. I'll pick a winner on November 29, 2011.

***Deadline extended until Saturday, December 3rd!***

The winner is Debbie!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the above product mentioned for free fromPropeller Marketing in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #19

2011-11-19T22:36:00.001-05:00

I'm thankful for two things today. The first thing covers why I haven't posted for the last four days - my life has been too busy! So I'm thankful I'm able to keep up the crazy schedule I have. I'm thankful for living a busy life - and yes - this is being said a tad tongue-in-cheek.

But what I am most thankful for today is.....

A few years ago I had heard about Zumba. I bought the DVD set. I tried it in my living room. I wanted to like it, but I didn't. I found it really hard to learn the steps. I was discouraged with how the girls on the video were dressed. As the mom to three boys, I just simply couldn't put that in front of their eyes. So I sold the DVDs.

This past January I heard that there were now classes being taught at the old elementary school just 15 minutes from my house. I started going and loved class! It was fun. It was hard! I learned how many calories I burn at each class (roughly 800!!!) and I kept going.

After a month I started tracking my inches. While my weight has been very slowly creeping down, my inches lost help keep me going. I've been asked how much weight I have lost - only about seven pounds from my highest weight.

This morning I took my measurements again - I measure about once a month. Since I started tracking my measurements last February I have lost....

1.75 inches in my thighs
1.25 inches in my hips
2.5 inches in my waist
2 inches in my chest

I am not a great walking advertisement for the benefits of Zumba. This has taken my almost a year to accomplish, but I have to say, it's nice to see the measurements going down. I also love that my waist measurement is now less than my husband's - it's been a long time since that was the case.

I continue to attend Zumba as often as possible and my goal is at least three times a week. Between the three local instructors I have ample opportunities each week. In fact, this week there was Zumba every single night but given my schedule, I only managed three times. I still like it. It's still hard. But the health benefits far outweigh all else.

I'm now looking at purchasing a gym membership to help continue to work on strength training. Some might say it's because I have a milestone birthday coming up and they might be right, but my other motivation is to continue working towards being as healthy as I can be.

Want to see a bit of what Zumba is like? I was going to link to a add a generic video from YouTube, but this is an actual video from my class. Thankfully I wasn't there the day this was filmed, but you can see my great instructor and get a glimpse of what Zumba is about. Oh, and I am on the video that was made for those who wanted to buy copies to do at home.

{Review} Revolution Worship LIVE (and giveaway)

2011-11-19T22:07:00.001-05:00

Recently, I was given the opportunity to listen to Revolution Worship's new CD - a live recording of their music. It's no secret that I enjoy music. I've really enjoyed finding new bands in large part to the reviews I do for Propeller Marketing.

Here's a 90 second preview of the new album..........

The album is actually the debut for Revolution Worship. The group is led by a husband and wife duo, Paul & Lisa Wright, as well as Mark Mathias and Phil King. All members have a background in music and bring those collective talents to the album. They created a collaboration with the worship team at Joy Church International to bring this album to fruition.

I really enjoyed the album. As mentioned in the above video, it is a mix of gospel and contemporary Christian music. It's definitely a unique sound, but it's one I found enjoyable. I really love that it is a live album. This is a great album to listen to during your personal quiet time or when you really want to connect with the Lord through song.

You can learn more about this new album through Revolution Worship's website or Facebook page or Twitter. You can purchase a copy of the album via iTunes.

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Would you like to win a copy of this CD? Simply leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite genre of music is that you like to listen to. I'll pick a winner on Monday, November 28th.

***Deadline extended until Saturday, December 3rd!***

The winner is Becky K!

Winners!

2011-11-19T21:48:00.001-05:00

Oops! I completely forgot to pick a winner for the Brittany Hargest CD. Sorry about that! So without further ado....the winner is.............

Robin from Write At Home Mom!

And the winner of the Christmas Lodge DVD giveaway is...........

Beth H!

Congrats to you both!

I have three more giveaways coming up in the next few days.

{Gratitude Challenge} Days #11-14

2011-11-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

My life has been on screech the last few days. In fact, this internet junkie didn't even get on the computer all day Saturday and most of the day on Sunday - simply because I was out of the house for most of those days. Phew!

Of course, it's really four minutes into Tuesday but I have this magic ability to change my blog posts day/time so let's just pretend it's still Monday until I'm done typing, m'kay? However, given the time, I think today we'll be doing bullet point and no photos....okay, maybe a photo or two..

Day #11 - I am thankful for my hubby. He works long hours away from home in order to support us as a family. I'm thankful for his job and that his company is thriving even in this economy. I pray it continues. I'm thankful he does his job each day with integrity even when he has clients who ask him to do something he isn't allowed to. I'm thankful he's "handy" and knows how to build things and fix things and create things. Being married to an engineer at times is frustrating in that our minds in no way, shape, or form think alike, but that's a good thing. I'm also thankful that life is never dull. Although, I'm now realizing how hard it is to find a photo of my hubby as this is what I typically get when the camera is pointed at him.....

Day #12 - I am thankful for the TOS Homeschool Crew. This is my third year on the Crew. I've met some fantastic people over the last three years. I've received some amazing products as well. I've been able to hone my review skills and I've just really enjoyed myself. The two people that run the crew - Heidi and Brenda - rock! They do an amazing job keeping us all in motivated, lining up vendors, and encouraging us along the way. I've truly been blessed to be part of the Crew.

Day #13 - I am thankful for my two best friends - my sister, Beth, and our mutual friend, Tammy. Obviously I've known Beth the longest. There are five years between us and yes, she is older than me.

I met Tammy about 7-8 years ago. The actual date alludes me but the moment does not. At the time I was very much into paper scrapbooking. I used to coordinate monthly 12 hour crops at the church I attended. Tammy came to one of the crops and we ended up sitting by each other. We began talking and realized we had a lot in common - the two biggest things was our love of scrapbooking and that we both homeschooled.

I enjoy spending time with both of these ladies. In fact, we will soon be heading out for our annual girl's weekend away. Two nights at a hotel - plenty of shopping. Ahhh.....I always look forward to the time away with them and the chance to recharge.

Day #14 - This one is silly but I am thankful for my sheep. I enjoy taking care of them. It's giving me motivation to get up earlier in the morning - although don't ask me how thankful I am for that in a few hours. I have yet again stayed up too late! My new little lamb is utterly adorable and so fun to watch playing. He's teething - like all babies - and is constantly nibbling on the barn. Today I went in and he began gnawing on my fingers. Thankfully sheep don't have sharp teeth or many of them! He's growing so fast! He's at least doubled his birth weight (weigh-in for him this week) and he's only three weeks old. I have to piggy back a thank you to my hubby here as well as he did not want to get these sheep and the financial hit has been pretty big but he indulged me all the same. Thanks, babe.

{TOS Crew Review} College Prep Genius

2011-11-14T22:53:00.000-05:00

I once thought that when my sons reached high school age, we would give them the choice of where to school. We thought we'd allow them the opportunity to try public school if that is what they wished. However, the more I homeschool, the more I like having them here as well as the more I believe we can provide a richer education at home. I jokingly tell folks that the one downfall for this is that if their education is lacking I can't blame the system. I am the system!

While the simple thought of my oldest son leaving for college can reduce me to tears, I know that the reality is that some day he will be leaving home. I know that preparing for the SAT is the key to succeeding and being able to attend the college of his choice. Although, I do worry how my children will even do on the PSAT or SAT as we do not follow a standard curriculum (i.e. a public school scope & sequence). The makers of College Prep Genius have alleviated some of those fears.

The author, Jean Burk, has created a product that is designed to help students become intimately familiar with the workings and designs of the Standardized Achievement Test or SAT as it's more commonly known. Not only is the SAT used as a college entrance exam, but it is also used to determine some scholarships.

Using the same techniques that she teaches in the books and DVDs, Mrs. Burk helped both of her children receive full-ride scholarships to college. That is free college based on test scores. I don't know about you, but while I am hoping to help my sons pay for college, we will not be able to pay for all of their tuition - not even close.

The program consists of a textbook, a student workbook, and four DVD's. There are 12 lessons that cover each part of the SAT test. Each lesson takes between 45-60 minutes to complete. Mrs. Burk teaches all the ins and outs that are used to create the tests and shares tips and tricks on how to overcome them. She shares acronyms to learn to help remember those tips come test time.

The DVD set (workbook and textbook included) is currently on sale for 25% off. You can purchase the entire set for $99. Extra workbooks can be purchased for $19.99.

I was a bit worried that it may be too early for my oldest to begin learning how to take the SAT or even the PSAT. However, Mrs. Burk addresses this right in the introduction. She states - and she is correct - that it is never to early to begin preparing. The more comfortable a student becomes with the material, the better they will do on the test.

My goal is to have my son complete the program this year during his first year of high school. We will continue taking practice SAT tests (past tests can be downloaded for free off of the College Board website - the writers of the SAT/PSAT tests) and working on the skills needed to pass the test. Not only will this help him become at ease with the process but it will also help me teach him how to take a standardized test - something we have yet to do.

Overall I found this product solid. I thought Mrs. Burk covered each lesson thoroughly. I loved the "homework" and lesson plans. It made it extremely easy to follow the product and simply hand it off to my son to do at his own pace. I wish I had thought to prepare in a similar way all those years ago when I took the SAT. I'm pretty sure I just showed up with a couple of #2 sharpened pencils (the morning of my junior/senior prom no less) and took the test as quickly as I could so I could move on to other things. Really - the Saturday morning of my prom! Needless to say, I most likely could have received a better score although it wasn't horrid. Anyway....I'm digressing.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what other Crew members had to say about this product. Some members received the complete Vocabcafe Series (4-volumes) books which are designed to help increase a students vocabulary in preparation for the SAT.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{TOS Crew Review} Keyboard Town Pals

2011-11-13T22:20:00.001-05:00

In this day and age it's a given that your child will need to learn how to type on a keyboard. One of the best classes I ever took in high school was my typing class. I spent a semester listening to my teacher chant out..."a a a space a a a space" (and every other letter of the alphabet) as we all diligently typed away. I went on to work as a medical transcriptionist pre-SAHM years so it was a great skill to have learned.

Now that computers are part of every day life, it's even more important that children learn how to type correctly. That is where Keyboard Town Pals helps.

Sunny (the character above) helps your child navigate the keyboard. She is there to explain and introduce all of the Keyboard Town Pals....

Each character lives either on "home key street", "down town", or "up town." Keyboard Town Pals does not teach in the traditional horizontal method of typing as most people learn. Beginning with the little finger of the left hand and moving up and down for each finger while going across the keyboard, each letter is taught in a vertical pattern instead. I liked this method quite a bit actually.

You can see how the lessons work by viewing the video below which is a demo of the first lesson. An important note - the backspace and delete key are disabled. This allows the child to simply type without worrying about mistakes. I seem to constantly tell my children that there is a reason they need to practice - they don't know it all yet - but they still seem to become frustrated when they can't instantly master a skill. I liked that this allowed for mistakes, expected them even, and yet encouraged the child to just continue on while working to perfect their new skill.

Keyboard Town Pals can be purchased as either a web-based product (which is how I reviewed it) or as a CD that you can load to your computer. Normally priced at $39.95 for either option, it is currently on sale for $30.

Overall I thought this was a good program to teach young ones how to type. It is geared for children ages 7 and up. I had my 7 year old try it. While he liked the program itself he wasn't overly fond of the puppets and characters. He thought it a bit too baby-ish, but he did learn how to type better. The program also says it can teach your child to type in an hour. We didn't test this part of the program. I allowed my son to use it for as long as he liked, but he did have to complete at least one lesson at a time.

Head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what my fellow crew members had to say about the program.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #10

2011-11-10T22:37:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful for my youngest son. He is brings such a fun vibe to our house. He's very goofy and loud. He's also very loving and cuddly. I continually ask him to "please, stop growing" and he will give me one of two answers. He'll either say, "Mom, I can't!" or "Mom, I'm trying, but I just keep growing!"

Tonight I realized he's almost as tall as my shoulder. He's only 7-1/2 years old! I'm always amazed that my baby is that old. It seems like just yesterday he was born. He was a bouncing 10 lbs. 3 ozs. at birth (all natural!) but had some other issues. As a result he spent his first week of life in the NICU. He had a heart murmur, severe jaundice, and it took his blood sugars three days to stabilize after birth due to my diabetes. He was big compared to most babies but beside the other NICU babies he was a giant!

His laugh is infectious. He is such a giggler. Just the thought of being tickled turns him into a laughing puddle of mush. Which is why, of course, we tickle him whenever possible!

He is not afraid to try new things be it food or activity. That has turned out to be a good thing as we figured out this past April that he has a wheat intolerance so he now eats gluten-free. It's amazing how much better he felt once we made the switch.

I'm so very thankful little J is here in our lives. I couldn't imagine things any differently.

All the photos were taken at the Common Ground Fair this past September. It's an old-fashioned agricultural fair. The kids were sliding on cardboard down a grassy hill. The loom photo shows J working on weaving at an interactive spot at the same Fair.

{Review} Christmas Lodge DVD & giveaway

2011-11-09T22:24:00.002-05:00

I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. I'm already playing Christmas music. A few days ago I finally had the opportunity to sit down and watch a new movie called Christmas Lodge.

It is a wonderful story about how a family becomes reconnected through their efforts of restoring the lodge they had stayed at throughout the generations each Christmas. The lodge is connected to their memories. Due to some family circumstances it has fallen into disrepair. The story follows Mary as she rediscovers the lodge and works at bringing it back to its former glory. She discovers herself along the way.

I was very happy with the General Audience rating and so I popped this into the DVD player one afternoon late last week. My boys soon gathered around me and we all enjoyed watching the movie. I found it a great way to pass a lazy afternoon.

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Would you like a chance at winning your own copy? Tell me what your favorite Christmas movie of all time is - the one you have to watch every year. I'll pick a winner on Saturday, November 19th.

(If you are reading this on Facebook, please come to my blog and leave your comment there. You can get there easily by simply clicking on "view original post" right above the comment box. Thanks!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the above product mentioned for free from Propeller Marketing in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #9

2011-11-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for homeschooling.

Ten years ago I never thought I would be where I am today - living in the country and homeschooling not just one boy but three.

Ten years ago my oldest son was turning five. Most children who are five in our state head off to kindergarten. He had already had two years of developmental preschool for a speech delay and occupational therapy (sensory issues). In discussions with his teachers we decided to wait a year before starting him in kindergarten given that he would be turning five the week school started.

This is an option in our state. You can delay the start of kindergarten until the age of six. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the "compulsory age" for school in our state is actually 7th birthday to 17th birthday but I didn't find that out until later.

In doing research on schooling options, I realized that I did not want my son to go to the public school. He had been doing his speech therapy there and it was not a great spot. Then I sat down and did the math. You need to understand something. I am not a math person at all. But I had just quit my job to stay home to raise my boys. I figured out that my son would be spending roughly 40 hours of his awake hours a week at school - away from me. Someone else would have more time with him and thus more influence on him than I would. That just wasn't acceptable to me. I had spent the first 4-1/2 years of his life working. He had spent every day in daycare while I was at work from the time he was 10 months old until now. Now he could be home with me and I just could not send him off to school.

Thankfully I had a wonderful mentor right in my little town. She was an invaluable help to me. She encouraged me on the hard days. She supported my decision. She was amazing. This is why today I work so hard to support those I know who homeschool.

Homeschooling is hard. But for us, it was and is the best choice for school. I'm so thankful we can do this and that we have all the great support we do to educate our kids right at home.

Wednesday Hodge-Podge

2011-11-09T21:28:00.001-05:00

1. Of all the tools and gadgets you own which do you most enjoy using? My computer. It is my lifeline. It's where I get a lot of my information that I use to homeschool my children. I really don't want to try living without it. Yes, it would be doable, but I wouldn't want to try.

2. When (if ever) is impatience a virtue? Anyone who knows me might say every day. I struggle with patience on a daily basis. That might mean I think it's a virtue every day. The only time I think it might be is when a life is on the line. Not necessarily a daily basis at the Berry Patch.

3. What temperature do you keep your thermostat set to in winter? Do you have another way to heat your house besides a furnace of some type? Our thermostat is set very low. We use our oil furnace as a back-up only. We heat with a wood stove and so our heat varies. Some days it's too hot. Some days it's too cold. And occasionally we get it just right.

4. Do/did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents? I had a very close relationship with my maternal grandparents. I used to spend summers with them. My dad's father died before I was born. I was never very close to his mother either but I had a good relationship with her. However, my maternal grandparents were very special to me and I miss them very much. My grandmother passed away 12 years ago and my grandfather two years ago (five months after my mom). I miss them all very much.

5. When did you last have a family portrait taken? Just this past spring by my sister. The boys & I were at our piano recital and all dressed up for that. My hubby showed up directly from work so was still dressed up. I took advantage of the opportunity and had her snap some quick pictures. Prior to that it had been four years since we had a photo done and I took it of us on our porch using the timer on the camera.

6. What does the word patriotism mean to you? Loyalty to your country. Showing pride in what you come from.

7. Do you like to play cards and if so, what's your favorite card game? I don't mind, but it's not my favorite game to play. It really depends on the company for me. I do enjoy playing games but board games are my favorite.

8. Insert your own random thought here. We just had daylight savings time here. I'm not all that thrilled with the shorter days. It's now getting dark closer to 5pm and that will slowly become 4pm. It becomes very hard on me. I can't wait for the winter solstice so we begin gaining time back.

And just because....here's a photo I was able to take of the moon tonight...

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #8

2011-11-08T23:47:00.000-05:00

I am the mom of a teenager. In fact, said teenager is now 15 years old and is vastly taller than me. At the last measurement he was around 5'9" but I'm sure he's taller than that now. In fact, my hubby is six feet tall and we noticed the other day that B15 is really not that much shorter than his dad these days. While B15 hasn't quite reached that height - yet - I recently had to buy him a shoe size that is a 1/2 size larger than his father. I also bought him pants with an inseam two inches longer than his dad as well. So while he's shorter than his father, his legs and feet are bigger! Since he now towers over me, I love it.

I'm very thankful for my firstborn son.

He is the reason I am called "mom." While he can definitely be a typical teenager in some of his actions and behaviors, he has a wonderful heart. He is great with younger children. It's probably helpful that he has two younger brothers he has been helping me with since he was 4-1/2 years old.

This son of mine was an only child until he was 4-1/2. That is when we welcomed his brother in to this world. I still remember him sweetly singing to his brother - only a day old - when they removed the IV in his arm (due to my diabetes N9's blood sugar took some time to stabilize after birth so the IV was a precaution). And yes, he can annoy his brothers to no end (and me as well) but he's a great kid and I am truly blessed to have him.

...even when he is being a goof!

{TOS Crew Review} Bower Books

2011-11-08T23:23:00.000-05:00

If you are a parent, you want one thing most for your child. You want them to grow up and be happy. Many parents, including myself, are already praying for the future spouse for my children. But that's not enough. I also need to convey to my boys what qualities they need to be looking for in a spouse.

Gary and Jan Bower have produced a wonderful book called The Person I Marry. Gary wrote sweet rhyming text that conveys qualities a person should consider in a spouse. His wife, Jan, created the whimsical illustrations found throughout the book.

The Bowers have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents to nine daughters and three sons. They created the book to not only be read to young adults, but it also works as a wonderful wedding gift or as a character building book for children.

This is a hardcover book with 32 pages. As I mentioned, it's designed for all ages. It sells for $11.99. You can see more details at the Bower Books website.

If you'd like to see a peak inside and hear directly from the Bowers, check out the short video below.

The Person I Marry from Bower Books on Vimeo.

I found the book not only delightful with the adorable illustrations, but also profound in the wisdom conveyed in the text. I highly recommend this book for anyone with children or as a wedding gift or even if you have teenagers. I truly think this is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

If you'd like to see what my fellow TOS Homeschol Crew members had to say, be sure to head over to the TOS Crew blog to check it out.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #7

2011-11-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

Today I am most thankful for music. It's hard to explain how I feel about music but I truly believe for some people, music is a "soul-language." It reaches into places that no one else can for me. I can feel blue or upset or mad or whatever and music can calm me, cheer me, make me hopeful, made me sad. It can do all of that in only one song too!

Recently I began thinking about all the different music out there. Just like language there is a finite number of notes that one can use to create a song. Now think of all the different songs you know. While some of them might sound familiar none are truly the same.

I stand in amazement of God when I think about music (or the world around us or the people He created and so much more). Music touches my soul. Like I said, it's hard to explain.

And today I'm sharing one of my new favorite songs by one of my favorite bands....

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name, but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You, but they're tripping over me

Always looking around, but never looking up, I'm so doubled minded

A planked eyes saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our heart be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh, Jesus friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #6

2011-11-06T19:07:00.000-05:00

I was going to be serious with my post today until I headed over to Garden of Learning to get the link code for the photo above. That's when I was reminded of what I was most thankful for today....

Daylight Savings Time.

I am not a morning person at all. I thrive once it goes dark and would love to stay up until midnight or later and sleep until nineish each and every day. Unfortunately I can't. Well, let me rephrase that. I do but then I pay for it. I don't sleep until nine but I do typically stay up until midnight or later and get up between 6:30 to 7:30am. Needless to say I am tired all the time.

Lately I've had an even harder time with it with a lot of early mornings right in a row. I was so tired I could barely function. Saturday night I was just simply beat.

I turned all the clocks back and headed to bed at a super early hour - for me that is - 9:30ish.

This morning I needed to be up early so I could do all the barn chores and be to church early for worship team practice. My hubby has been away to hunting camp for the past week (he's home today - but that's another thankful post!) so I didn't change his clock radio on his side of the bed just mine.

When I woke this morning I was facing his side of the bed and noted the time. I inwardly groaned to myself that it was time to get up. Then I rolled over and found myself glancing at my clock.

I kid you not, I literally whispered....."Best morning ever!!!" and promptly went back to sleep for another hour. Ten hours of sleep felt awesome!!!

{Winners} Shutterfly Giveaway

2011-11-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

I used random.org to pick the {three} winners for the Shutterfly holiday card giveaway. The first winner chosen....

Thanks for entering!

I currently have a couple other giveaways running and there is still time to enter!

My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software. Closes on Sunday, November 13th. (only 6 entries at this point!)
Brittany Hargest CD. Closes Monday, November 14th. (only 2 entries at this point!!!)

I'll also be posting at least one more tonight so be watching!

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #5

2011-11-05T20:30:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for my middle son. He has such a giving heart and a heart to serve. I just spent the entire day with him and I have to say, it was a lot of fun. We had some other kiddos with us. They had all created some things to sell at a craft fair. I was the "supervisory adult."

I watched N10 willingly take the younger kids around the gym we were set up in so they could stretch their legs, spend their money (oh my - didn't they all love to spend the money they were earning!), and even share in what he bought! He spent $2 for a small bag of polished rocks and then handed one out to each child and even had ones all ready to give to his brothers when he got back to the house later.

This little man decided last year that his "thing" to sell at the craft fair would be paper airplanes. Yup, paper airplanes. Today he hit his all time high for sales. Let me just preface this by saying he only charges $1 to $0.75 depending on the design for each plane. He made $10.25. Think about that for a moment. I brought some photo cards to sell and made $8. My 10 year-old out sold me with paper airplanes.

Every time anyone approached our table and N10 was there, he would start talking to them, explaining what it was he made, talking about my cards, and anything else that might make a sale. Later on in the day he took two of the younger kids (almost 8 & 5) with him around the huge venue to hand out fliers for a craft sale our 4H Leaders Association is hosting next week. He talked to every vendor there and handed out the forms. I joked about the "unsocialized homeschoolers" we had (all the kids involved today are homeschooled). The truth is...N10 has never met a stranger. He's been this way since he was little. This is also why I keep a close eye on him. (And let me assure everyone, that all the kids were perfectly safe in our small town gym for the craft fair. But we still made them take an older kid with them before walking around.)

His brain moves faster than I can keep up with. We were driving home tonight and he noticed a jet crossing the sky. Here are a couple of the questions he asked me....

"Mom, how do you tell jets and rockets apart if they are so high up?" (I'm pretty sure I laughed and asked him where he came up with these questions!!! LOL)
"Where do you think the jet is going?"
Then he proceeded to talk out his though process on telling jets and rockets apart.

I'm pretty sure he's going to be an engineer like his daddy. He was intently checking out the wringer mop bucket today to see how it all worked.

N10 has the most giving heart. He will help me with anything I ask without much fuss - usually. If he has a moment of attitude, usually some time alone to "think about it" cures him fast. And if that doesn't work, more chores always does. I love watching him mature. He is going to be a very special man one day. But I'm thankful I get to watch him become that man.

The Ultimate Cuteness Contest

2011-11-05T17:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's no secret that the sight of a adorable little puppy or a sweet little baby makes people melt. Even the toughest men turn into a puddle of goo at times when they see a puppy or a baby. Sometimes it doesn't even matter - we love them both. But which one is cuter?

Animal Planet has decided to figure this out once and for all in their Puppies vs. Babies online contest. From now until November 23rd you can head over and decide which is cuter - puppies or babies. What did I vote for?

Quite honestly, I just couldn't decide so I voted for both!

Seriously how could you choose? Both the photos I included in this post are real-life babies and puppies that I know. Both melt my heart. They are just so sweet! This is why I never turn down a photo shoot that involve either puppies or babies. I love watching puppies be puppies - just no licking my face! And I love watching babies be babies - those to die-for yawns with the back-arching stretches. They do me in every time.

So which is it for you? Head over to help decide who wins in the ultimate Puppies vs. Babies contest. Voting was super simple and super adorable! Be sure to rate the cuteness factor for the photos!

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #4

2011-11-04T23:27:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for the Internet.

I discovered the on-line world shortly after I started staying home with my boys. I feel that it may have literally saved my sanity. And I'm dead serious.

I went from working 40+ hours a week, chatting with people, seeing what's going on in the world, to being home alone - a lot. I didn't have a network of other stay-at-home-moms to call for play dates.

I find it hard to make new friends - those who know me in-real-life are probably scoffing right now. I really am an introvert and being in social situations is hard. Although, over the years I've learned to adapt and adapt well enough that most folks don't know how hard it can be for me. Here's a hint...if we are at a large social gathering together and I disappear occasionally, it's because I need to find a quiet spot to regroup for a moment or two.

Anyway, back to the Internet...

I discovered this great place called "Yahoo Groups." (To be honest, it wasn't called groups then, but it's been ten years and I can't remember what they were before they were groups...anyone??) I soon joined a bunch. One that stood out was called "Christian Scrapbooking Friends." I loved that group. Not only did I meet some ladies there who I am still friends with today - but I learned a lot about just everything. I was a member there for quite a few years until my situation changed and life got busy with three boys and homeschooling.

But to you gals who helped me through those rough first month of being home - you know who you are!! - thank you. I do consider each one of you a friend even if we have never met in-real-life. But the biggest blessing is that many of us have met and I'm so thankful for that as well.

{Review} Love All the Way by Brittany Hargest & giveaway

2011-11-04T23:19:00.000-05:00

Brittany Hargest is a former member of the band Jump5. She has recently released her first solo album - Love All the Way. Many would think she is young - only 23 - but she obviously knows what she's doing. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her music. I couldn't stop moving - tapping my feet, bopping around in my chair, and my fingers are flying right now - to the beat I might add! Needless to say I think this is a super fun album. I dare you to listen to it and not dance.

Don't let that fool you though. The first track on the album - Critical - speaks about the need for us to let our faith drive us to act. To not just watch what is happening around us, but to make a difference.

Another favorite track of mine is number seven - He Can. It talks about how God will help you - when you think you can't go on, trust God and He can get you through.

I'm very interested in hearing more from Brittany as she continues her solo career. I know that this CD will be getting a lot of play time in my truck.

Would you like to connect with Brittany? Connect via her website, Facebook, or Twitter. You can purchase her album through iTunes.

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Would you like to win your own copy? Tell me what you're currently listening to or your current favorite musical artist. I'll pick a winner on Monday, November 14th.

(If you are reading this note on Facebook, please click on "view original post" right above where you would leave a comment. You need to leave a comment on my blog to qualify to win. Aside from all that - all the html coding works over on my blog! Thanks!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above from Propeller Marketing for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Park 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising."

{Gratitude Challenge} Day #3

2011-11-03T22:29:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful that I can stay home with my boys. Ten years ago I was pregnant with my second son. I was working full-time outside the home. My oldest son spent his days in day care. I loved his day care provider but he wasn't with me.
When I was six months pregnant my hubby and I discussed the sacrifices we'd need to make in order for me to come home full-time. The biggest - we would have to sell our home. I loved that house. It was huge - 4000 square feet, five bedrooms, five bathrooms - but only three of us living there. I still loved that house (and still do...). And we had just bought it. We had been living in it for about a year at that point.
However, we made that choice and listed it. We signed papers to sell it on a Monday and our second son arrived in the world on the Friday of that same week. We had three months until closing (which marked 18 months in our home) to find a new place to live and I embraced my new life.
It was during this time that I also decided to be a stay-at-home-homeschooling mom but I'll save that for another thankful post.
Today I am thankful I've been able to be a SAHM for the last ten years. I'm thankful that my boys are here with me - most days. After all they do get rather loud and smelly at times. They are boys. But I love that about them. And I love that I am able to be here with them fully each and every day.

{Gratitude Challenge} Day 2

2011-11-02T21:57:00.000-05:00

I'm thankful for my home. And I struggle with this - sometimes on a daily basis. Seven years ago my hubby and I made the decision to move back to live near his family. And when I say "near his family," I mean directly across the driveway from them. We talked about the various options for housing and decided to buy a used mobile home and live there - "until we could build a house."

Eight years later we still live in that mobile home.

I'm thankful though that we do have room for all of us. It may feel like we are bursting at the seams but a lot of that is simply clutter (which I'm working on getting rid of). I'm also very thankful we do not have a mortgage. I'm thankful we live across the driveway from my in-laws and my hubby's grandfather. In fact, my boys really have no memory of anything else. Our youngest was just an infant when we moved here and our middle son was 3-1/2. To say they have a great relationship with not only their grandparents but also their great-grandfather would be an understatement.

So even though some days I really struggle with the home I live in, I love where I live.

{BookSneeze} Heroes & Villains of the Bible

2011-11-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

As parents we want our children to learn to read and love their Bible. After all this is God's story. The story that we pray they will base their life on. And the Bible is the original good vs. evil story. And good prevails.

The stories in this book are stories from the Bible told with actual Bible text. The International Children's Bible is used. I love the computer-generated illustrations. They are extremely well done. My favorite is the one of Jonah - page 138 - it's awesome.

Just like a regular Bible, the stories are divided by Old and New Testament. Each story than tells the story of either a hero of the Bible (i.e. Noah, Moses, John the Baptist, etc) or a villain (i.e. Joseph's brothers, Haman, the Pharisees, etc). Each chapter also begins with a short explanation about the hero or villain and ends with an explanation of how to either be more like the hero or less like the villain. The verses that the chapter uses are also listed at the start ofthe chapter.

I really liked how child-friendly the book is. With the playful illustration it reads almost as a graphic-novel rather than a Bible. I like how the Bible truths are discussed at the end of each chapter. I feel this version is an easy way to help a child read the Bible.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

{Gratitude Challenge} Day 1

2011-11-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Last year Brenda at Garden of Learning hosted a "Gratitude Challenge" for the month of November. It's a way to focus on those things we're thankful for as we lead up to Thanksgiving.

Today - on this first day of November - I'm thankful for my health. That sometimes sounds odd as I am a Type 1 diabetic. I live with an autoimmune disorder on a daily basis. I wear an insulin pump (another thing I'm thankful for). However, diabetes doesn't define who I am. It's only a part of me.

I've talked a lot about it before so I won't go in to details, but this year marks ten years of living with this disease. Yes, I was an adult when I was diagnosed and yes, I do have Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes. No, diet and exercise won't reverse it. My body has essentially turned on itself and killed off the cells that make insulin.

However, other than Type 1 diabetes, I am essentially healthy. I have no complications from the disease as of yet - even after living with it for the last ten years. I have great feeling in my feet. In fact, at my appointment yesterday the nurse practitioner exclaimed over how good the pulses in my feet were. My eyes - other than a bit of nearsightedness that I have had since I was ten years old - are great. All my other organs are working well also. The scary fact is that not many people die from diabetes. They die from complications of diabetes. Thankfully I have no complications at this point.

So I am very thankful for my health - even as I continue to work hard at improving it.

{TOS Crew Review} Everyday Education: Excellence in Literature

2011-11-01T22:32:00.001-05:00

Everyday Education is a company dedicated to helping homeschooling parents teach their children from high school to beyond. Recently members of the TOS Homeschool Crew were given a copy of Excellence in Literature: Introduction to Literature to try out and review. I love the subtitle of this curriculum...Reading and Writing Through the Classics.

Teaching a high school student to not only appreciate good literature but to also analyze it can be tough. However, it's a necessary skill to have and one that will serve them well later. Needless to say, the thought of teaching my son how to do this was a tad bit intimidating to me.

However, Excellence in Literature: Introduction to Literature by Janice Campbell makes it all super easy to teach.

It took me a bit to read through the book and figure out how it all works. One thing I really appreciated was how it was written to the student. The parent really just needs to lead and evaluate - to be a "writing mentor."

The overview that Mrs. Campbell writes to the student is wonderful. I appreciated how she explained that this was going to a tough course but that they were old enough now to handle that. They would not be "spoon-fed" easy to find information, but they would be challenged to learn.

As I mentioned above, I was a bit intimidated by this program. My oldest son is in his first year of high school. I didn't feel he was quite ready for this type of program no matter what his age said. However, we dived in anyway.

My oldest son loves to read. Actually, all my boys love to read as do my husband and I. Our small home is filled to bursting with books. Any one of us can be found with at least one book we are reading if not more. That doesn't mean we understand all the time what we are reading - especially my boys. My oldest son reads at an adult level. However, I love how Mrs. Campbell explains the need for not only understanding what you are reading, but also to analyze it...."Reading without understanding is like walking onto a softball field and batting the ball, without knowledge of what to do next. You may hit the ball out of the park, but if you don't run the bases and complete the play, you've missed the whole point of the activity." Exactly!

The curriculum is divided in to nine units. The first unit uses short stories. This is to ease the student into the style of learning that may be new to them. From that point on, each subsequent unit covers one classical literature book. For example, in the Introduction to Literature course we used books like Jane Eyre (one of my all time favorites) and Treasure Island are covered.

Each unit is divided in this way:

A focus text (aka the book being analyzed)
The focus of that unit - the elements being analyzed
A short introduction to the focus text and the unit
Context Resources - these help "set the stage" so to speak. This section can include things such as articles written by the author, biographies about the author, other writings such as poetry by the author, audio links to things such as the actual book or other items to help learn more about the author and/or book, and even videos to help with background or perhaps even a movie of the book. There may also be links to visual arts (photos, etc), music, an outline of the story, quotes by the author, historical context of either the time period of the book or the author's life, and a literary context to help explain the genre being read.
An assignment schedule broken into weeks. Most units are designed to last four weeks.

Each unit also includes an honors track. This is a different book, typically by the same author, that offers a bit more challenge.

Excellence in Literature: Introduction to Literature (English I) is designed to be used in grades 8-12. It is sold either as a print book for $29 plus $4.95 for priority shipping or as an instant download (which is how I received it) for $27. There are five volumes of Excellence in Literature. Volume II covers Literature and Composition, Volume III covers American Literature, Volume IV covers British Literature, and Volume V covers World Literature. You can purchase all five volumes in print ($139 + shipping) or as an eBook ($135).

So how did my son do? I have to say that not only is he learning how to write essays with this program, but he's learning how to understand what he's reading. I also learned something very important. I shouldn't underestimate my son. We are taking the program slow and I am feeding it to him in bit-sizes, but he's getting it. I was thrilled with the paper he completed today. It was not something I would have been able to teach him on my own, but something he has done very well considering we have not done any essay writing at all. We will definitely be continuing this program and it's one I highly recommend.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews on Excellence in Literature.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

{Review} My Memories Suite software & giveaway

2011-11-01T09:58:00.001-05:00

I have been scrapbooking since my oldest son was just 18 months old. He's now 15 and four inches taller than me. In the last few years, as blogging has taken on a bigger roll in my life, my paper scrapbooking has fallen by the wayside. I was already behind, but now I'm even more so.

In my very small bedroom I have two dressers and two white metal closet-like shelves hanging above them. One dresser holds all my clothes. The other - all my scrapbooking supplies. I have tons of papers, stickers, die cut machines, adhesives, tools, and, most important, photos. On the shelves I have albums and more items stored. Needless to say, it takes up a lot of room

This is one reason I was thrilled to try out My Memories Suite.

My Memories Suite is a digital scrapbooking software that makes it extremely easy to put together layouts. It comes with a number of preloaded layouts, but you can also build your layouts from scratch. I actually prefer doing my layouts that way, however, the pre-made layouts really do save a lot of time. And time is hard to come by these days.

I have been considering going to a digital scrapbooking for some time, but didn't know which scrapbook software to use. I have finally found it. Not only is the software extremely affordable at just $39.97, but it's also very easy to use. I created the layout above called "Sheep" from scratch. I started with a blank page and added in a background, photos, text, title, and embellishments and did it all within about 20 minutes. That is my very first layout using the program. I also just created the layout below as well - again from scratch - in only about 10 minutes. And yes, both are very much done in the same style I have used paper scrapbooking. I'm go very simple and use the photos and lots of text to tell the story.

I can choose which size to create. The first one was a traditional 12x12 size, but the one above is 8-1/2x11 size. I was also able to convert them to jpegs to make sharing even easier. So far I really haven't found anything I don't like about My Memories Suite software.

There are a bunch of free kits on their website you can add to your software. There are also a large number you can buy. Still all very affordable. I love that I don't have to be online to use the program. Less distraction for me that way!

My Memories Suite retails for $39.97. However, if you use this code - STMMMS40499 - when you place your order, you will receive $10 off your purchase plus a $10 coupon code for the My Memories Suite store. This is an affiliate link.

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Would you like to win your own copy of the software? Simply go browse what's available for designs at My Memories Suite and then come back and let me know one of your favorites. I'll pick a winner on Sunday, November 13th.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of My Memories Suite in exchange for my honest review of the product. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own.

{TOS Crew Review} Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc.

2011-10-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

My boys, like most children, love to watch TV. However, what sets them apart, especially my oldest son, is the love of documentaries. In fact, given the choice, that is what they would choose to watch time and time again. I was very happy to for the opportunity to review a DVD from Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc about George Washington Carver (currently on sale for $19.95).

I had a vague knowledge of who George Washington Carver was prior to watching the DVD. I learned quite a few things and realized that he wasn't as old as I had anticipated. He died exactly one year prior to my mother being born, January 5, 1943. For some reason I thought he lived and died in the 1800s. Not only did he help revolutionize the way crops were grown, but he was also an inventor who found hundreds of uses for peanuts and many other inventions.

The video, about 30 minutes long, was well done although it did remind me a bit of the movies I used to watch when I was in school. It was thoroughly and weaved in quotes from George Washington Carver to help explain his view on life. The musical score was lovely and I enjoyed how real life photos were weaved in to the story. The life of George Washington Carver shows how the circumstances of your life (born into slavery, poor and dealing with prejudice) only helped him to overcome and succeed at his life.

I really enjoyed the DVD as did the boys. While it is geared for fourth grade and up, I did have my youngest son watch it with his brothers. He's only in second grade, but enjoyed it as much as they did. I love adding in videos to our school. It helps the kids remember it so much better. I really do try to use multi-media in our learning - everything from videos to audios to reading and more. This fit very well with our homeschool style. I also liked that there is a study guide online as well. A great way to extend the learning. You can see the study guide directly under the description of the video on the website.

Marshall Publishing and Promotions, Inc. is very generously offering my readers a code for a 15% discount on the video if they order now. Normally it sells for $24.95 but it is on sale for $19.95. The code will bring that price down to $16.95. Standard shipping & handling rates would still apply. Use code TOSC1 at checkout to receive the discount. You can order online at their website or by calling 1-888-300-3455 between 9am & 7pm CST.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to check out what my crew mates had to say about the video. Some members also reviewed Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc set of videos called Lots & Lots of Fire Trucks.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

'Tis the Season (giveaway included)

2011-10-28T22:16:00.001-05:00

Since the dreaded 's' word is in the forecast for tonight (that would be snow for anyone who lives in the southern parts of the world), I thought it would be a good time to share what I'll be doing for Christmas cards this year.

Last year I was able to participate in Shutterfly's Holiday Blogging promotion. I was thrilled with the card I picked and how easy it was to create them. I was able to add photos of each of the boys. That helped to eliminate the 4x6 photo I usually add to the card. The design also fit my style so well.

This year I am able to again use Shutterfly to create my Christmas photo cards and I'm thrilled. I love the photo cards over at Shutterfly. Have you ever checked them out? I love the designs. I also love how easy they make it.

You can pick by design, by the number of photos you want to include, or even the style of cards. You can even use those parameters once you pick the style of card. It makes it super easy to browse designs. This year I'm thinking about creating a "flat stationary" card. I like the look of this one....

I could easily fit photos of the boys on here. Black and white photos would really pop with the blue and white colors.

And I absolutely love this card design! I can so see my boys lined up just like the ones on the card. SO CUTE!

Shutterfly doesn't just offer cards. You can use your photos to create unique gifts for your list of friends and family this year. Photo calendars are always a fun gift. They offer traditional wall calendars, desk calendars and even calendar posters. Check out their photo gifts for even more great ideas.

Are you a blogger? Want a chance at 25 free cards this holiday season? Register here.

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Would you like to try out Shutterfly this holiday season? Tell me if you send out Christmas cards and if not, why you decided not to. I'll be picking three winners who will receive a code for 25 free greeting cards. I'll choose the winners on Sunday, November 6th.

Disclaimer: Shutterfly provided me with 50 free holiday greeting cards in exchange for my honest opinion about their service. No other compensation was received.

{Book Review} Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson

2011-10-28T21:40:00.000-05:00

I love to read. I read all the time, every day. Okay, I don't spend every day all day reading, but given the opportunity I would! I read various genres but sometimes I get stuck in a rut. I find myself pulling out my favorites and re-reading them. I enjoy a good story. I like to escape in to another world for a time.

I thoroughly enjoyed Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson for that reason. In fact, it had me neglecting a lot of things around the house as I couldn't put it down. I really like books that weave mystery and suspense throughout the story line.

The main character, Camden Bristow, finds herself at the bottom. She has lost her job, her apartment, and has very little money left. She turns to the one constant in her life, her Grandmother, but she hasn't spoken to her grandmother in a while. She arrives to find out that her dear Grandmother has passed away. However, she left Camden the family home. It seems as if life is getting a bit easier, but that's when the mystery begins.

There are rumors that the house she has inherited is haunted. There are rumors that there is a treasure hidden on the property. There are also rumors that her ancestors helped runaway slaves - that the house on Crescent Hill was a station on the Underground Railroad.

What I really liked was how all the characters were interwoven. It really is a small world out there and I found it quite plausible in how all the characters were interconnected. The connection to the Underground Railroad was also very interesting and it's peaked my interest to find out even more in this time period of US history.

You can check out an excerpt of the book by clicking over to the website (it's the first two chapters).

One thing I really loved is that the book is based on a real mansion that was in the author's hometown. Rumors surrounded the mansion that are similar to what the author incorporated in the story. In fact, you can see photos of the real mansion by clicking HERE.

You can purchase Crescent on Refuge Hill through Kregel Publishing or Amazon. Starting on Monday, October 31st, Crescent on Refuge Hill will be available for free on Amazon Kindle.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book through the Kregel Publications Blog Tour program. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions stated above are mine alone.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

2011-10-25T22:49:00.000-05:00

I used to watch a brother and sister duo I call H&H. Miss H started coming to my house when she was only 13 months old and stayed until she was about 2-1/2. Than her mom was able to stay home. Her brother joined her here when he was about six weeks old and stayed until he was about 18 months old. Their mom is now a WAHM (work-at-home-mom) and on occasion she needs some babysitting so I get to play with her kids. They were both here on Monday so I planned out some fun school stuff to do with them. I'm a bit out of practice on toddler watching. Miss H is now 4 (as she reminded me often) and Mr. H is now 2-1/2 (more like 2-3/4). He is such a hoot! Here are two conversations we had that stand out to me.

He is just starting to potty train. After one visit to the potty I was helping him get dressed and....

H: "I want to run naked in this house."

Me: "You can't run naked in this house."

H: "Yeah, cause that would be silly!"

And then belly laughs!

Later on while doing school....

H: "After I color the crocodile, he'll be a nice crocodile."

(We were working on "A" pages - it was an alligator even though Mr. H insisted it was a crocodile.)

I had a great time having them here and can't wait for them to come back on Friday!

{TOS Crew Review} Northstar Games: Say Anything

2011-10-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

We love North Star Games around here. They are an awesome game company that has come up with some very unique ideas for games. We were recently given a copy of their "Say Anything Family" game to try out. We love playing games around here and soon had a family game night to try it out.

Say Anything Family is geared to ages 8 and up and for 3-6 families. Our youngest is 7-1/2 and while he needed help writing, he did very well with the game. I love that as it allows us to play together as a family.

The details:

The game comes with:

60 question cards (360 topics!)
6 dry erase pens (nice ones too!)
6 dry erase boards
1 SELECT-O-MATIC 6000 (love the name of this!!!)
12 player tokens in six colors
1 dry erase score board
Rule booklet

Each player selects a color and one person is designated the "questioner" first.
The questioner asks the question.
Other the other players than must write down what they think the questioner would answer for that question.
They lay their answers out in the playing area.

The question was "most annoying cartoon character" (or something similar)

If anyone has a same or similar answer, the last person to lay down must choose a different ones.
The questioner than chooses their favorite answer and uses the SELCT-O-MATIC 6000 to mark the color choice of their answer.
The other players than place their tokens on what they think the questioner will choose. Each player has two tokens and can place them as they desire.

Apparently "licking monkeys" was not the crowd favorite.

The questioner than reveals their choice and points are awarded to the other players based on what was chosen, who wrote it, and who had tokens on the answer. Seriously, I had to have my kids explain the point system to me. It's not confusing. It just involves numbers and I don't like numbers at all.

The game retails for $19.99 at major retailers such as Amazon.com and Target.

I asked my kids what they thought of the game. It was an overwhelming positive response. My middle son gave it "four thumbs up!" because, as he said, he put his toes in too! It really is a fun game and the answer options are endless as they are open ended. This is definitely a game that will be staying in our game closet and we'll use for many years to come.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what my fellow Crew mates had to say about the game.

Want to try to win your own copy? One of my fellow Crew members accidentally had two copies sent to her for the review so she's being allowed to give away the extra one! Head over to The Homeschool Desk to enter! You have until November 1st to enter.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

A Favorite Resource

2011-10-23T18:17:00.000-05:00

I saw down tonight to work on my son's school checklists. The two oldest boys are working their way through math videos over at Khan Academy. I really love this free resource and it's one I highly recommend. Every few days or so, Mr. Khan uploads a new video and it's always front and center when you go to the site. Tonight it was the video embedded below.

I spent the seven plus minutes to check it out to see if he got it right so to speak. He did. This is a great visual explanation of what diabetes is, the difference types, and how they are treated - in very simple terms.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about 10 years ago. For most of that time I've been able to wear an insulin pump. It looks like a pager and I typically wear it on a pocket of my pants. It allows me to have a small amount of insulin going in to my body all the time (a basal rate). Whenever I eat, I give myself a larger amount (a bolus rate). I love the freedom it allows me. I even love that I no longer have to give myself 4-5 daily shots. While I wish I didn't have this disease, my pump makes it much easier to manage.

Khan Academy has tons of great videos that cover lots of topics - math, science, history, current events - it's really a great resource and it's free!

Pick M... Um..wait, what was I talking about?

2011-10-20T22:31:00.000-05:00

One of my fellow Crew Mates began a fun homeschool blogging awards last year. Who doesn't feel like a misfit? I love how Lori describes these awards....

Have you ever read any of the (mostly wonderful) homeschool blog award categories and thought, "Wow, these are cool but I'd never fit into any of these! Where's the award for the one who tries hard but knows she'll never be a super blogger"? That's where the Misfit Awards come in to play! These are meant to be fun, self deprecating, and humorous.

Over the past week Lori has been accepting nominations and while it's fine and encouraged to nominate yourself, I didn't do that. I figured I'd wait and see who I knew and go spread my votes around.

Color me surprised. I was actually nominated. I have no clue who did so but I want to say Thanks.

Oh - the category? That is a riot!

I am one of five nominees in this one:

The "Squirrel" Award- "Wait, weren't we supposed to be studying Abraham Lincoln? How'd we end up talking about the chemical properties of Styrofoam?" This is the homeschool blogger who begins her posts on one topic and then takes off in several different directions. ADHD anyone?

HA!

I'm not sure if the person who nominated realizes how much this is me! And even more so - my family. I'm the mom of three boys. Although, I do have to say, my hubby is the worse for this condition and I fear it's rubbing off on me. In fact, it's not unheard of me to whisper, "Squirrel!" in true Up! style.

Head over to Lori's blog and check out all the nominees in all ten categories. Take the time to check out all the great blogs there and then vote. Oh & in category #2? Vote for me! Voting is open until November 3rd.

{TOS Crew Review} e-Mealz

2011-10-20T21:56:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that families these days are in a hurry. There is a lot to get done in the short amount of time. Sometimes figuring out what to feed your family is one of the hardest decisions a mom can make in a day. Enter e-Mealz.

This neat website is the brain child of two sisters, Jane Delaney and Jenny Cochran. Both are busy moms who wanted to create meals that were healthy for their families but also preserve the family meal-times they so loved while growing. They saw this as a way of helping to connect as a family without spending hours on meal-planning. Not only did they have to create healthy meals, but ones that their children would eat as well as being cost-effective on the family budget.

They managed to do just that in just three easy steps.

It's very simple to get started with e-Mealz. You simply go to the website and begin to browse the meal plans available. There are quite a few to pick from. You can pick the type of meal plan as well as various stores to choose.

By simply clicking on each option above, you can find out what the plan includes as well as check out a sample for each one. Do your research here and spend some time browsing. Each subscription lasts for three months and within that time frame you can only switch your plan once.

Once you have your plan picked, you then log in each week to print out your menu plan. There are three pages printed. The first two are the meal plans. There are seven meals included each week. It lists the ingredients for each meal as well as the cooking instructions. The last page is where it lists the meal number, the grocery item needed to make it and anything else you need to complete it (other staples that are considered "pantry" items) as well as a spot to add in any other groceries you need. A one page shopping list.

I was given a three month membership to try out e-Mealz. Each subscription goes for three months and costs $15 for that time frame. That breaks down to $5 a month or $1.25 a week. That's pretty budget-friendly in my book.

I really wanted to love e-Mealz. While I didn't love it, I did like it quite well. I ran in to a few unforeseen issues. The first I did know would be an issue. I live in "no-where" Maine. I have one grocery store that I shop at and that is still a 30 minute drive from my house. We do have a "Wal-Mart Express" but it's not a super store and it doesn't have a ton of groceries. It was due to this that I went with the "any store" plan. I actually picked the "Any-Store Low Carb" plan as I am a Type 1 diabetic so carb control is important to me and how my blood sugars run.

However, the remaining issues cropped up here. My hubby is lactose-intolerant so I can't make anything with a cream-base or butter. I always substitute for those anyway. This eliminated a meal or two each week. My youngest is also gluten-intolerant. While e-Mealz does have gluten-free options, I don't have a lot of choices there either. I am very thankful my local grocery store does have quite a few things, but still, it's a quarter of an aisle and all processed. I did switch to the "Any-Story Gluten Free" plan to try it out. I was glad I did as it gave me a few more ideas to try out.

Overall I liked both plans. I loved the fact that the low-carb options had a crock-pot meal each week. That was very helpful to me. The meals were all definitely vastly different than I typically cook. My two older boys are super picky so that plays a roll in anything I make at home. It's extremely difficult for me to make a meal that we will all eat. And yes, I realize this is due to my issues, but I felt it should be mentioned nonetheless.

I was able to find 2-3 meals each week that we could try here given our various food intolerance, allergies, and sheer "pickiness." While for me, it probably would not make a lot of sense to subscribe, I see this as a huge time-saver and super budget-friendly for most families. I would definitely recommend taking some time to poke around the website and perhaps even try out some of the sample menus first before subscribing. One thing I really liked is that Dave Ramsey recommends e-Mealz. We're a "Dave" family so that goes a long way in my book.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to see what my other Crew mates had to say about e-Mealz.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in exchange for our unbiased opinion of the product.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

2011-10-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

1. How do you typically react in a sudden, extreme, pressure-filled crisis? Would you want you nearby in an emergency? It really depends. Some times I step up and do what needs to be done and I'm good. Other times I melt into a puddle of goo. So as to whether or not you want me nearby, guess it depends on the day! So be warned!!!

2. Caramel apple-caramel sundae-caramel corn-caramel macchiato...of the four, which carmel treat would you choose? Hmmmm....probably caramel corn. I love caramel though. Yummmmmm!

3. Is there such a thing as destiny? Explain. In a way yes - I believe that the Lord has already planned out my days, my hours, my minutes. Nothing I do is a surprise for Him. While it is sometimes a surprise for me, it is not for Him. My destiny has already been written - I just need to go live it.

4. What's your favorite piece of furniture? I'm referring to something currently in your possession as opposed to something on your wish list. Well, considering most of what I own is used....I'd have to go with....my bed. We did just get a new captain's bed frame for it a few years ago. The mattress needs replacing but for now - with the help of an egg crate/memory foam topper - it works.

5. Wednesday night marks the start of the 2011 Baseball World Series. Did you know? Do you care? Will you be watching? Ever been to a professional baseball game? If you're not an American do you find the title 'World Series' annoying or amusing? I did not know the World Series started tonight. Well, actually I did but only because I read a couple random comments on Facebook earlier today. Do I care? Not in the least little bit. Will I watch? Nope, I don't get broadcast TV since we cancelled our satellite two years ago. Makes life a bit easier. And yes, I have been to a professional baseball game. I boy I knew in high school once invited me to go see the Red Sox with him and his father and step-mother. His dad had season tickets and let him take a friend every so often. We went down and back in the same day. I slept the whole way home. More recently - as in last summer - we went to a minor league game right here in Maine with friends. That was fun.

6. A sound that takes me back to my childhood is____________. Songs can always transport me. My older sister and I used to sing show tunes while doing the dishes at night. "Hey Big Spender" was a favorite.

7. On average, once you've linked your hodgepodge post to mine how many other participant blogs do you visit? Do you ever come back to the Hodgepodge later in the day or even the day after to read posts? It depends on what time of night I link up. Sometimes I go check it out, but often I read them as they pop up in my Google Reader since some of the blogs I already follow participate. I rarely come back later to read. Sorry!

8. Insert your own random thought here. The sheep are growing on me. Slowly but surely. We now have them all named. I need to get photos of all of them and get that posted here soon. We have six ewes and one ram. Two ewes and one ram came with names. Our ram is named Lewis. The two ewes are Ginger and Pepper. I continued with the "spice" theme and went with Cinnamon (all brown), Vanilla (cream colored), and Sage (brown & white). The last ewe is called Ditto. She is Ginger's daughter and looks so like her that it's hard to tell them apart. The only difference is their ear tag numbers and Ditto is slightly smaller than Ginger. I think Pepper might be having lambs sooner rather than later too so things might be getting very interesting around here very soon! Ahh, life on the farm.

Cell Service on a Budget

2011-10-19T13:35:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have used a pre-paid phone now for years. In fact, I really wouldn't have a cell phone otherwise. I love that I just pay for my minutes, use them, and buy more. It really couldn't be easier. I'm actually looking to upgrade and the one phone and plan I continue to be drawn to is Straight Talk.

Everything you need in a phone service is included for an amazing price. For just $45 a month you can have unlimited calls, text, and data. There is no contract at all. If you want to save a bit more money, you can limit your calls to 1000 minutes, your texts to 1000, and your data to 30MB and you will pay only $30 a month. It really can't get better than that.

Android on Straight Talk is even joining the Straight Talk family. My hubby has a smart Android enabled phone and I am completely jealous of it! In fact, whenever we are out together, I will typically snag it so I can check my email or browse the web for a bit. If I had my own Android powered phone, I wouldn't have to keep taking his!

Call a friend - it's super easy to do. It doesn't matter if they live in the US or not. If you add an international calling plan to the phone, you can call anywhere in the world.

Phones range in price - the one I've been eyeing is under $100. Most come equipped with a camera, MP3 player and more. Simply because it's a pre-paid phone, doesn't mean you can't have all the bells and whistles. It just means yours is more budget friendly. Hook, line and sinker - Straight Talk covers it all.

Cell Service on a Budget

2011-10-19T13:33:00.001-05:00

{Review} The Mighty Macs

2011-10-18T22:59:00.000-05:00

I love an underdog story, don't you? As a former basketball player I was thrilled to be given the chance to watch a special preview of a brand new movie hitting the theaters this coming Friday - The Might Macs.

The Might Macs is a great story that your family can enjoy. It showcases women's basketball in the early 1970s. Prior to 1971 women only played half-court basketball as it was thought that full-court play would be too strenuous. The Might Macs shows how far women's basketball has come in the ensuing 40 years.

Cathy Rush is a first-time coach at tiny Immaculata College in Philadelphia. It is a small school for women only run by nuns. They school is struggling and is danger of being closed.

Cathy shows up as a first-time coach to work with the women's basketball team. While she starts out with high numbers, many soon quit and she's left with a rag tag team who doesn't believe in itself let alone their ability to win a game. She not only teaches them how to play basketball but she teaches them to believe in themselves.

Check out the preview:

I loved this movie. I was able to watch it this weekend when I was home alone (a very rare occurrence). I really loved the fact that this is based on a true story. It made it that much better.

The Might Macs opens in theaters this coming Friday, October 21st. I highly recommend going to see it.

Connect with the movie via their Facebook page, Twitter, and their website.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a link to view the movie online for free. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was given.

{Challenge} Week #4 Update

2011-10-18T22:35:00.000-05:00

I still continue to make baby steps. I really wish it were easier to make the changes I need to do. I'm finding a lot of things are quite the struggle right now. I was originally going to skip my post this week after I realized I had forgotten to post yesterday or just simply say it was a big old FAIL. Then I started thinking about the things I did manage to change and do rather than focusing on those things I didn't accomplish.

My Action Statement:

I will work on building good healthy habits - ones that will benefit my overall physical health, spiritual health and mental health. By working towards those goals, I will be giving myself the gift of life. I will live out 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

My {Revised} Actions Steps:

I will begin each day with a quiet time/Bible study. I managed this most days last week although not every day.
I will continue to attend Zumba at least three times a week. Sadly I missed Zumba all last week.
I will be in bed sleeping no later than 11pm each night. Did not manage every night but managed this more than I did not.
I will be done with all computer work no later than 9pm each night. Still a struggle.
I will daily log my calories, exercise, water intake, and weekly weight progress on the My Fitness Pal website. Did not do. Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike logging my food??
I will post weekly updates throughout the course of the challenge. Although, I'm late this week, I'm posting all the same.
I will increase my water intake so that by the end of the challenge that will be my drink of choice above anything else. Continuing to work on this.
I will begin the "No S Diet" immediately and will add (::gulp::) "No soda" to the diet plan. This was definitely the hardest for me, but I did see some improvements. I wanted to clarify something here as well. While the "No S" Diet states "no snacks" I do not and will not always follow that. As a Type 1 diabetic, I have to make sure my blood sugar stays higher than 70 and since it dips below that on occasion, I have to eat. It's definitely a struggle and one I continue to work on. I also decided not to go cold turkey on soda. My soda of choice is Diet Mt. Dew and I don't want to deal with the caffeine withdrawal, however, I have cut back to about half of what I was drinking and will continue working towards "soda-free" over the next couple of weeks.

I am continuing to strive to good health. I turn 40 in two months. I started this year wanting to be "Fit by 40" and I'm not going to make it. I'm disappointed in myself, but I know the changes will come. My goal now is to still be "Fit by 40" although I may be 41 before I reach that goal.

Thanks to Thrice Blessed for this challenge. She continues to be an inspiration to me.