Joy In Our Journey
  • Home
    • Disclosure Policy
    • About Me
  • What's New! (Blog)
  • Low-Carb Lifestyle!
    • Trim Healthy Mama-inspired Grocery Lists
    • THM-style Beverages >
      • Mock Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos
    • Family Favorite Recipes (Not Low Carb) >
      • Snacks >
        • Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars!
        • Healthy Peanut Buttery Treats
      • Soups and Stews >
        • Jamaican Seafood Chowder
        • Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
      • Salads >
        • Red Cabbage Coleslaw
      • Main Dishes >
        • Beef >
          • Beef Stroganoff
        • Chicken >
          • Chicken Fiesta
          • Chicken Nachos
          • Marinated Zucchini and Chicken Sandwiches
          • Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas
          • Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
          • Green Chili Chicken Lasagna
        • Lamb >
          • Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder
        • Seafood >
          • Chilled Quinoa and Salmon Salad (E)
          • Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas
        • Pasta Recipes >
          • Baked Lemon Pasta
          • Paccheri (Pasta) with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
      • Desserts >
        • Cookies >
          • Free Christmas Cookie cookbook download!
          • Healthier Gingerbread Man Cookies
          • Healthier Holiday Cut-Out Cookes
          • Maple Leaf Cookies - YUMMM!
        • Donuts
        • Frozen Desserts >
          • Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
    • Recommended Ingredients and Foods >
      • Inspiration Mixes - Gluten/Dairy/Caseine/Wheat Free and delicious!
      • Organic Maple Syrup
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool Curriculum & Product Reviews >
      • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews >
        • Art >
          • ARTistic Pursuits
          • Simply Draw!
        • Grammar >
          • All About Homophones - (Marie Rippel)
          • Time 4 Learning
          • Daily Grams
        • Handwriting >
          • Cursive Handwriting - New American Cursive
        • History >
          • The Mystery of History >
            • MOH vol. 3 Audio MP3's
          • Tapestry of Grace History
          • U.S. History >
            • America, The Last Best Hope (William Bennett)
          • Winter Promise
        • Latin >
          • Latina Christiana, by Memoria Press
          • Visual Latin
        • Literature-based Unit Studies >
          • Beyond Five in a Row
          • Further Up and Further In by Diane Pendergraft
        • Logic and Reasoning >
          • Building Thinking Skills (Critical Thinking Skills Co.)
        • Math >
          • Math Mammoth
          • Math Tutor DVD.com
          • MathRider: Horselovers' Math Facts Software Game!
        • Music and Composers
        • Online Educational Courses >
          • Aleks Online Courses
        • Science >
          • Apologia Science >
            • Apologia Science's Notebooking Journals
            • Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
          • Science Weekly newsletters
        • Spelling >
          • Phonetic Zoo (by IEW)
        • Writing >
          • The Write Foundation: Level 2 - Paragraphs
          • WriteShop's StoryBuilders
      • Homeschool Product Reviews >
        • eBooks >
          • College Success Begins at Home (TOS eBook)
          • Dreams and Designs—Homemade Supplies to Complement Your Homeschool
          • Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!
          • The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner
        • Online Educational Website Memberships >
          • KB Teacher
        • Science >
          • Polymer Crystals
    • Driver's Education for Homeschoolers
    • Foreign Language >
      • Latin >
        • Christmas Songs in Latin
        • Latina Christiana (Level 1) >
          • Latina Christiana Level 1 Lesson Links >
            • Charts and Helps
            • Year One Sayings
            • LC1 Intro and Lesson 1
      • Latina Christiana (Level II) >
        • Latina Christiana Level 2
        • LC2 Intro and Lesson 1
    • Forms and Charts >
      • "Week At A Glance" Planner
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
    • Free Audio Books to Download
    • Free Homeschool I.D. Cards!
    • Government and Civics
    • Handwriting
    • History: Classical / Chronological >
      • The Mystery of History, by Linda Lacour Hobar
      • The Middle Ages (MOH vol. 2)
      • Ancient History (MOH vol. 1) >
        • Ancient Rome >
          • Roman Architecture
          • Roman Houses
          • Roman Town (software game by Dig-It)
          • Roman Trade and Commerce
    • Language Arts
    • Science
  • Free Printables
    • Holidays >
      • Christmas
  • Book/DVD/Audio Reviews
    • Children's Movie/DVD Reviews
    • Other Product/Company Reviews
  • Home & Family
    • Frugal Living
    • Gardening and Herbs
    • Marriage - God's Way
    • Life at Home
    • Godly Kids & Teens >
      • Godly Womanhood
      • Sharing God With Your Children
      • Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home >
        • Keepers At Home - "Beginning of Club Year" Helps
        • Keepers At Home - "End of Club Year" Helps
        • KAH Skills >
          • Bible Memory >
            • Memorizing New Testament Books and Their Meanings
            • Proverbs 31:10-31
          • Cake Decorating
          • Card Making >
            • Stitched Cards
          • Computers
          • Character Studies >
            • Contentment and "I'm Bored" phrases
            • Willingness
          • Decoupage
          • Hospitality
          • Library Skills and Literature Pins
          • Sewing >
            • Beauty and the Pig - Goldie Doll
            • Edwardian-Style Aprons
            • Paper Piecing
      • Children >
        • Bible Study Bookmarks
        • The Church History ABCs (for kids!!!)
        • The Lord's Prayer - copywork
        • Some Thoughts...Family Bible Time
        • Running Away...with permission
      • Young Adults (Teens) >
        • Stepping Heavenward, by Elizabeth Prentiss
        • Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God
  • Frugal Family Trips to Washington, D.C.
  • Home
    • Disclosure Policy
    • About Me
  • What's New! (Blog)
  • Low-Carb Lifestyle!
    • Trim Healthy Mama-inspired Grocery Lists
    • THM-style Beverages >
      • Mock Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinos
    • Family Favorite Recipes (Not Low Carb) >
      • Snacks >
        • Delicious Homemade Gooey Granola Bars!
        • Healthy Peanut Buttery Treats
      • Soups and Stews >
        • Jamaican Seafood Chowder
        • Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
      • Salads >
        • Red Cabbage Coleslaw
      • Main Dishes >
        • Beef >
          • Beef Stroganoff
        • Chicken >
          • Chicken Fiesta
          • Chicken Nachos
          • Marinated Zucchini and Chicken Sandwiches
          • Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas
          • Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
          • Green Chili Chicken Lasagna
        • Lamb >
          • Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder
        • Seafood >
          • Chilled Quinoa and Salmon Salad (E)
          • Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas
        • Pasta Recipes >
          • Baked Lemon Pasta
          • Paccheri (Pasta) with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
      • Desserts >
        • Cookies >
          • Free Christmas Cookie cookbook download!
          • Healthier Gingerbread Man Cookies
          • Healthier Holiday Cut-Out Cookes
          • Maple Leaf Cookies - YUMMM!
        • Donuts
        • Frozen Desserts >
          • Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
    • Recommended Ingredients and Foods >
      • Inspiration Mixes - Gluten/Dairy/Caseine/Wheat Free and delicious!
      • Organic Maple Syrup
  • Homeschooling
    • Homeschool Curriculum & Product Reviews >
      • Homeschool Curriculum Reviews >
        • Art >
          • ARTistic Pursuits
          • Simply Draw!
        • Grammar >
          • All About Homophones - (Marie Rippel)
          • Time 4 Learning
          • Daily Grams
        • Handwriting >
          • Cursive Handwriting - New American Cursive
        • History >
          • The Mystery of History >
            • MOH vol. 3 Audio MP3's
          • Tapestry of Grace History
          • U.S. History >
            • America, The Last Best Hope (William Bennett)
          • Winter Promise
        • Latin >
          • Latina Christiana, by Memoria Press
          • Visual Latin
        • Literature-based Unit Studies >
          • Beyond Five in a Row
          • Further Up and Further In by Diane Pendergraft
        • Logic and Reasoning >
          • Building Thinking Skills (Critical Thinking Skills Co.)
        • Math >
          • Math Mammoth
          • Math Tutor DVD.com
          • MathRider: Horselovers' Math Facts Software Game!
        • Music and Composers
        • Online Educational Courses >
          • Aleks Online Courses
        • Science >
          • Apologia Science >
            • Apologia Science's Notebooking Journals
            • Zoology 1 - Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
          • Science Weekly newsletters
        • Spelling >
          • Phonetic Zoo (by IEW)
        • Writing >
          • The Write Foundation: Level 2 - Paragraphs
          • WriteShop's StoryBuilders
      • Homeschool Product Reviews >
        • eBooks >
          • College Success Begins at Home (TOS eBook)
          • Dreams and Designs—Homemade Supplies to Complement Your Homeschool
          • Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler!
          • The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner
        • Online Educational Website Memberships >
          • KB Teacher
        • Science >
          • Polymer Crystals
    • Driver's Education for Homeschoolers
    • Foreign Language >
      • Latin >
        • Christmas Songs in Latin
        • Latina Christiana (Level 1) >
          • Latina Christiana Level 1 Lesson Links >
            • Charts and Helps
            • Year One Sayings
            • LC1 Intro and Lesson 1
      • Latina Christiana (Level II) >
        • Latina Christiana Level 2
        • LC2 Intro and Lesson 1
    • Forms and Charts >
      • "Week At A Glance" Planner
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
      • 2012-2013 Homeschool Attendance Form
    • Free Audio Books to Download
    • Free Homeschool I.D. Cards!
    • Government and Civics
    • Handwriting
    • History: Classical / Chronological >
      • The Mystery of History, by Linda Lacour Hobar
      • The Middle Ages (MOH vol. 2)
      • Ancient History (MOH vol. 1) >
        • Ancient Rome >
          • Roman Architecture
          • Roman Houses
          • Roman Town (software game by Dig-It)
          • Roman Trade and Commerce
    • Language Arts
    • Science
  • Free Printables
    • Holidays >
      • Christmas
  • Book/DVD/Audio Reviews
    • Children's Movie/DVD Reviews
    • Other Product/Company Reviews
  • Home & Family
    • Frugal Living
    • Gardening and Herbs
    • Marriage - God's Way
    • Life at Home
    • Godly Kids & Teens >
      • Godly Womanhood
      • Sharing God With Your Children
      • Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home >
        • Keepers At Home - "Beginning of Club Year" Helps
        • Keepers At Home - "End of Club Year" Helps
        • KAH Skills >
          • Bible Memory >
            • Memorizing New Testament Books and Their Meanings
            • Proverbs 31:10-31
          • Cake Decorating
          • Card Making >
            • Stitched Cards
          • Computers
          • Character Studies >
            • Contentment and "I'm Bored" phrases
            • Willingness
          • Decoupage
          • Hospitality
          • Library Skills and Literature Pins
          • Sewing >
            • Beauty and the Pig - Goldie Doll
            • Edwardian-Style Aprons
            • Paper Piecing
      • Children >
        • Bible Study Bookmarks
        • The Church History ABCs (for kids!!!)
        • The Lord's Prayer - copywork
        • Some Thoughts...Family Bible Time
        • Running Away...with permission
      • Young Adults (Teens) >
        • Stepping Heavenward, by Elizabeth Prentiss
        • Deeper Roots: Discovering Our Amazing God
  • Frugal Family Trips to Washington, D.C.
Picture

Considering God's Creation Review: Science by Eagle's Wings

5/25/2011

2 Comments

 
Picture
     God's Creation, the universe, stars, suns, planets, rocks & minerals, weather, plants and animals and the human body...can you imagine studying all of these subjects with your children at home - and having tons of fun doing this?

     Eagle's Wings has developed an easy-to-use science curriculum with homeschooling parents in mind!

. . . written with the homeschool parent in mind . . .

     Would you believe that many public elementary school classrooms don't study science during the school year?  I thought that was very curious when I was teaching in the public schools.  And as I've talked with children in my church and in other social situations, they've told me the same thing.  They rarely study science and history in their classrooms anymore.  How sad!

       The study of the world around us is a natural outlet for hands-on learning.  So why would so many elementary school teachers set their science texts aside and ignore them?  My biggest challenge in teaching science well in my public school classrooms was that I was only provided with $60 to use for the entire year for supplies for science experiments, art projects, and the like.  With around 30 students in my class each year, I only had $2 per child to spend for extra supplies beyond tempera paint, construction paper, and a few other things that were automatically ordered for us each year.  Since we didn't have computers in our classrooms back then, and I didn't have my own computer at home, nor did the Internet really exist, I had few resources to enhance our dry textbook approach to science without spending a lot of my own money.

     I've noticed that some homeschooling families set aside science studies, as well.  Why is this?  What is it about science that terrifies many trained teachers as well as parents?

     Maybe it's because in the last couple of generations, the focus in science studies in the school system has swung away from our natural world around us to encourage introductions to chemistry, physics, and other more challenging sciences.  Maybe it's because, in the past, women haven't been encouraged to enter fields of science, and many public elementary school teachers are women.

     The only real science studies I remember doing in the elementary school years was in the 1st grade.  Mrs. Arnold helped us study birds and develop a love for all winged creatures.  But other than that, I know we read through chapters of science textbooks a few times, but no experiments were ever done, no hands-on science completed in my elementary school years.  What a shame!

     When you read through the Little House on the Prairie books, and watch movies which take place in the 1800s to mid-1900s, you'll see that frequently, those one-room schoolhouse students spent quite a bit of time outdoors, studying nature and the world around them. 
Picture
    For the last 24 years, Eagle's Wings has been providing home schooling families with curricula to meet their needs.  In 1987, two home schooling families launched Eagle's Wings Educational Materials from their homes. Their goal was to provide the home schooling community with materials designed to help busy parents stimulate their children's thinking, creativity, and learning.

     We've used Considering God's Creation for our science studies, and we loved it!  We weren't able to complete the entire book, but this is a fabulous, inexpensive curriculum that works very well in the home.

Considering God's Creation:  Biblical

     As you can probably tell from its title, this is a biblically-based science curriculum.  Since I enjoy using science texts that combine God's Word with accurate science principles, I appreciate this!  Especially for younger children in the lower elementary school years, they don't need to be inundated with the theory of evolution and other theories that can wait until a child is older.

Considering God's Creation:  Hands-on

     In our studies with Considering God's Creation, not only is this a fun curriculum, but it is also very hands-on.  If you have children who enjoy activities, being outside with nature, or cutting/coloring/gluing to make a 3-D notebook, this will work well for your family!

Considering God's Creation:  Creative!

     Considering God's Creation is a creative, in-depth encounter with natural science from a biblical perspective.  The children listen to interesting lessons read by the parent, are involved in hands-on experiments and activities, and do fun "lapbooking" types of 3-D paper projects that fill up a notebook with some great material to show to grandma and grandpa later on!  We have really enjoyed using Considering God's Creation.
Picture


     The student workbook for Considering God's Creation is 190 pages of well-designed activities to demonstrate knowledge of what has been taught, or to help learn new scientific principles and ideas.

     We found that none of these pages were what I would call "busy work."  They just weren't.  What you are seeing here is a sample of the "Scientist Detective" pages which are used to help summarize the biographies of various scientists over time.

     Here are some photos of the human body we've been working on using Considering God's Creation materials:
     The human body systems are really fun to study and learn about by using Considering God's Creation!  What a neat project to show a friend or relative at the end of the school year! 

     Each lesson contains new vocabulary to discuss, an introduction for the parent to share with the children, a song or poem (with an audio CD to accompany it), an activity, a notebook project, a Bible reading, an "Evolution Stumper", review questions, and the "Digging Deeper" section.

Considering God's Creation:  Flexible

     While Considering God's Creation is designed for children from 2nd through 7th grades, it is easily adapted to older and younger ages.  For the younger student, it's not difficult to read aloud the lessons with slightly simpler wording to meet your child's learning level.  Younger children may need a bit of help cutting out the paper projects, but they can still learn a lot with this program.

     Each lesson also provides "Digging Deeper" suggestions to challenge those students who need more.  Suggested books to read, ideas to research and write about, crossword review pages, field trip suggestions, and websites to view are offered for students who are ready to look deeper into the topic being studied. 
Picture

Considering God's Creation:  Inexpensive

     Since Considering God's Creation can be used over a one year time frame or be stretched to as long as three years' use, it is very economical.  The activities and experiments are designed to use things you already have around the home, so it's easy to gather up the supplies you'll need for each lesson. 
Picture
  



     The teacher's manual is 128 pages in length, containing the lessons, activities, instructions for all paper projects, and answer key for written work.

Picture
     The student book contains all of the paper projects and activities for all lessons.  While the student book is 272 pages in length, many of these pages are one-sided so that the student can cut out the 3-D projects to add to his or her notebook or binder. 

     While Eagle's Wings gives families permission to photocopy the student workbook for each individual child in the family or the classroom, there are over 190 pages that would need to be photocopied.  Since an additional workbook is only $13.95, it is quite economical to go ahead and purchase a workbook for each student.  Where I live, the main office supply stores charge 8-9 cents per page for photocopying, and it will take a long time to photocopy that many pages.  Unless you can photocopy pages much cheaper on your own printer at home or somewhere else, and you have a lot of extra time to be making all of those copies, I'd recommend just purchasing a workbook for each child in your family.

Picture
     Basically, for $29.95, this small purchase will provide your family with wonderfully fun science lessons for one to three years, depending on how quickly or in-depth you move through the lessons! 

     Oh, and an audio CD is also provided with the Teacher's Guide so that each lesson's songs or poems can be listened to in your own home.

     We LOVED using Considering God's Creation!  The only one thing that I could suggest here to do differently with this neat science curriculum is to consider checking out a few library books that contain colorful photos or pictures, to illustrate what is being discussed, if you have visual learners.  Or, you could get onto Wikipedia or Google and find photos and graphics ahead of time that would enhance your studies.  While the student notebook contains paper projects that are to be colored in with colored pencils, the teacher's guide has no photos or pictures in it, really.  Some children may really prefer having a color diagram of different types of rocks and minerals, or the food chain, or a human embryo.

     My other suggestion is purchase some decent quality watercolor pencils for your children to use to assist them in coloring in the paper 3-D projects.  I'd avoid Crayola or RoseArt, and instead use a coupon at one of your local craft and sewing/art supply stores to purchase a higher-quality set of colored watercolor pencils for your children to use.  Their projects will turn out much better, and they will enjoy the experience of using colored pencils that don't scratch the paper or make irritating sounds and squeaks.  Of course, since those pencils aren't a dime a dozen, you'll probably want a hand sharpener to sharpen those pencils without wearing them down to stubs!

     You can visit the website for some samples from the 272-page student book, or to listen to some excerpts from the CD included in the teacher book.

     You can also view frequently asked questions about Considering God's Creation. 

     You may also find it helpful to read other TOS Crew reviews of this same product.  I think you'll find that it was a favorite with many families!
Picture
Picture
Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of the Teacher and Student manuals plus the audio CD for the purpose of writing an unbiased, honest review.  All opinions are solely my own.  No other compensation was provided. 

2 Comments

Sharing the Gospel app with your iPhone, iPad, or Android-capable Device

5/21/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
     Today, when I was ordering a few Awana award pins and supplies for my church's Awana kids' club, I noticed that Awana is now providing a FREE app for download to the iPhone, iPad, or any Android-capable device to share the Gospel! 

        What an excellent and relevant idea, to have a solid, biblical, personal way to help communicate your faith with people you come across in your everyday life, when you may or may not have a Bible on hand.

     This "Gospel Wheel" app includes three different versions so you can modify the Gospel presentation for adults, teens, or children. 

     When I see helpful apps like this, I sometimes wish to have the type of phone that would handle this.  I am blessed to have a cell phone, but it is a TracFone, so I'm not able to use things like this on my cell phone.  That's okay.  For 2,000 years, a cellphone wasn't needed to share the Gospel with others!  But this looks like a neat resource for many people to have available on their phones.

     You can learn more about this new app by viewing this YouTube video!

     If you have any difficulties or questions about using this app or getting it downloaded, you can check HERE for help. 

EnJOY!

Picture
Picture

0 Comments

Marriage: To Have and To Hold

5/19/2011

7 Comments

 
Picture


     It's official.  The extravagant and beautiful marriage ceremony of Prince William and Catherine Middleton has concluded, and they are now known to the world as man and wife.



Congratulations,
Prince William and Kate!



     Like every marriage ceremony I've viewed, regardless of how simple or how exotic, I find myself praying for the couple as they recite their vows, much as I hoped some loved ones were praying for my husband and I almost 17 years ago on our wedding day. 

     If someone asked me - out of the blue - if I was happily married, I would resoundingly say, "Yes!"  Am I always happy with every part of my marriage, my spouse, my life?  I hope not.  If I was happy with every part of my marriage, this would mean that there was nothing that needed improvement.  We would truly have a "perfect" marriage, which would mean that we both would be "perfect" people.  And, we'd be in heaven.

     Don't worry. 

        We're not. 

        And those of you who know us well would agree.  We both need the Lord every second of the day to be who we already are and who we would like to be in the future.

     I'm not perfect, nor is my husband, Elmer.  Our daughters recognize that when we carelessly speak impolitely to each other occasionally.  They notice when we don't always listen closely to each other, or when we don't always support the other's decision.

     But am I happily married? 

     Definitely - YES!
Picture
     I didn't need to marry a royal prince to bring happiness and joy to my life.  I waited a bit longer than most of my friends to marry.  I was fussy - I wasn't going to settle for any ol' guy who came my way.  My husband, Elmer, is my prince.  And my spiritual leader, and an excellent father to our children. I'm so thankful that I waited for God's best for me.

     The wedding ceremony, and even the many months of planning that come with it, is the easy part about being married.  The hard part is sticking to your vows, being whom God wants you to be, and learning to live every moment of the day in a respectful attitude toward your spouse.

     My prayer for Prince William and his new bride, Catherine, is that they will begin to seek the Lord for His will for their marriage.  I pray that they will ask themselves, "How can I best serve my spouse to benefit him/her and not just myself?"

     I pray that they will forego selfishness and instead introduce selflessness into their relationship.

     Is it easy?  No!  But with the Lord's help, the person to whom you are married is the perfect person for you, and your marriage can soar to great heights if you are willing to live out your marriage using God's ways.

Picture
        I wish I could send Prince William and Catherine a copy of the bundle of marriage materials I have been able to read through and contemplate during the month of May.  The insights I've gained from the eBooks, articles, and MP3 audios have been far greater than I even have time to share here.

"Marriage:  To Have and To Hold" bundle

     As a member of The Gabby Moms, I received this beautiful package in time for spring and its accompanying romance and marriage that we often see this time of year.  Lorrie Flem has gathered up some of her best eBooks, articles, and audios about marriage and is now offering them in a special package of godly, biblical wisdom and insight about marriage.  Whether you would call yourself "happy" with your marriage, or feeling like you want to throw in the towel, there is something here for every woman.  I was blessed and encouraged to see all of the incredible suggestions, ideas, and tips for living with our spouses in a godly yet practical manner.

"Marriage:  To Have and To Hold" includes:


Audios:

  • One Life to Live, One Man to Love
  • Godly Womanhood - the 5 R's ~ Rekindle

E-Books:

  • Marriage Tidbits to Treasure
  • Roadmap to a Marvelous Marriage  
  • Loving Your Knight in Shining Armor, Even When He Doesn't Shine
  • Marriage Report
  • Quotes Not Quibbles

E-Booklets:

  • 31 Daily Biblical Prayers for Wives to Pray For Their Husbands
  • Encouragement Report
  • SHMILY (Making Marriage Fun)
  • What God Says About Marriage
  • 75 Inexpensive Romantic Rut Cures
  • The Right One/Don't Settle
Picture
  • It Happened One Afternoon

E-Magazines:

  • Loving Your Husband
  • Marriages Made Marvelous

     Any marriage, royal or not, will benefit from the wisdom and insight found in Marriage:  To Have and To Hold.   I wish I could have the opportunity to share this with many of my friends!  If you'd like to take a closer look at this wonderful marriage package, you'll find it at the Eternal Encouragement Shop, in both electronic and hard copy formats.

     You can also find 19 other "bundles" of wisdom in their shop.  I've truly been encouraged and strengthened in my faith and in my relationships by being able to read and use numerous products from their shop this school year.  I know you will be, too! 

       And for Prince William and Catherine, I will continue to pray that your marriage will be greatly blessed by God and that you will seek His will for your lives, as we all need to be doing, day by day. 

     Thank you, Eternal Encouragement magazine (formerly TEACH magazine), for making available some excellent tools and advice for couples who want to see their marriages thrive, not just survive. 

     What new insights about your marriage and relationships have you gained in the last twelve months?  Leave me a comment! 
Picture
Disclaimer:  I am reviewing Marriage: To Have and To Hold as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement magazine.  I did not receive compensation for this post, and all opinions are solely my own.

7 Comments

WonderMaps: Maps Could Become Your Favorite Part of Teaching!

5/15/2011

1 Comment

 
Picture
     Maps...some people love 'em, and some people hate 'em. 

     Now, rumor has it that men won't use maps...or at least, ask for directions.

     I think that's why GPS devices were invented - so men could use them without looking less manly while doing so! 

     What about your children?  Do they enjoy using maps?  Or is it tiresome or boring to them?

     I've been using a mapping product this spring called WONDERMAPS, by Bright Ideas Press. 

        It. Is. Awesome! 

     I'm not new to Bright Ideas Press.  Our family has been using their fabulous history products (The Mystery of History, by Linda Hogan) for over six years now.  I went from greatly disliking history to having it be my favorite school subject in our home, all because of Bright Ideas Press.  In the future, we plan to use Bright Ideas Press' All American History books.  We've also used their Illuminations program for 3rd-8th graders that combines literature, geography, language arts, writing, spelling, and a lot more using The Mystery of History texts as the spine, for the whole family. 

         But I just have to tell you about WonderMaps!


WonderMaps
by Bright Ideas Press

Picture
     WonderMaps is a new mapping software that uses layers which may be turned off or on to customize the type of map that you may want to use in your own geography, history, art, science, and literature studies. 


     Here's a nice tutorial to explain how the WonderMaps program works for you:


     WonderMaps is a beautiful collection of over 350 different maps.  When you download WonderMaps, you'll see the Home Page, which provides you with several different avenues of how to use WonderMaps.
Picture
     As you can see on the Home Page, above, links to the Teacher's Guide, Contact & License, The Mystery of History, All American History, and the four options of viewing maps are easily accessible.


The Teacher's Guide

Picture
     I found the Teacher's Guide very simple to use.  The one-page Quick Start Guide was just enough to get me started.  Don't you wish everything had a one-page Quick Start Guide that was truly useful?  The tutorial video explained the depth of this software.  WOW!  I liked seeing the two bonus free MP3 parent training sessions for me to listen to at my convenience.  Nice!  I always appreciate some homeschool parent-teacher training! 

     The extra resources contained in the Teacher's Guide were also unexpected and very helpful.  I already was familiar with making salt-dough maps, and we've done quite a bit of mapwork in our home over the years, but the extras here will still be useful in the future.


Maps by Title

Picture
     Maps can easily be viewed by title, as you can see, above, using an alphabetical index.


Maps by Time Period

Picture
     You can see that no matter which era of history you are learning about, you can easily view the maps as they are divided into four major eras of time.

     See how you can use the timeline feature to find the map you are wanting?  Easy!
Picture


Maps by Theme

Picture
   And look!  You can even look up maps by specific themes that cross various eras of time.



Maps by Textbook

Picture
     WonderMaps can be used with any academic curriculum, regardless of the publisher or the source.  However, if you do happen to be using The Mystery of History or All American History, an added bonus is that the maps for the lessons in those curricula are already here on WonderMaps for your use! 

     WonderMaps are:
  • historical or modern-day maps
  • outline, reference, political, or topographical maps
  • black-and-white or color maps
  • maps that have featured layers that can be toggled on or off:  names, border, rivers, cities, physical features, and graticules
     WonderMaps includes:
  • 60+ maps of the world
  • 60+ maps of the United States of America
  • 125 historical maps, including 25 biblical maps
  • the complete map sets from The Mystery of History vols. I-III and All American History vols. I and II plus answer keys for maps from The Mystery of History vol. I (2nd edition) through volumes III

So...what do the maps LOOK like?

Picture
     Here's a view of the world map.  Notice that by clicking on the blue text, you will be able to zoom in on that area and get a closer look.  If you click on any black text, a new map will open.
Picture
     So, here's a map of Australia, after zooming in on the Oceania region.  It's in full color, with all layers ON.
Picture
     Here's the identical map with most of the layers taken OFF.  Are you beginning to see the kind of flexibility you have with this amazing software?  It's so quick and easy to arrange the layers to your teaching needs, and click on the print icon at the top of the window.

     The layers feature enables you to show or hide certain elements of the map, such as rivers, voyages, battle locations, city names and locations, modern-day borders, topography, the map's key, and much more.  Turning layers on and off is as simple as a click.

     A map of Lewis and Clark's expedition could be used as a reference map in your history studies, or by turning off the "voyages" layer, you could have students retrace the explorer's route with colored pencils.  This makes it simple to have map quizzes and tests, if you desire those, based on what has already been studied, simply by removing certain layers. 
Picture
     Bright Ideas Press  has developed an extremely innovative mapping and geography product for educational use in all types of situations:  homeschooling, public and private schooling, and even at the college level.  This is a terrific product that I really like because of its ease of use, the variations that can be made within individual maps to fit my purposes, and because of the high quality of most of the maps.

     Here are some notes of importance:
  1. The licensing agreement allows this product to be used on two computers in the same household, plus a backup copy saved on disc or other backup device.
  2. If your computer uses Adobe Acrobat Professional version 8 or lower, this software cannot be used.  Simply download the free version of Adobe Acrobat 9.1 or higher, and you will be ready to access WonderMaps.  

     The easy way to check which version of Adobe your computer uses is to open up your version of Reader and under “Help”“Check for updates.”    If you have an older version than 9.1, go to www.Adobe.com . Install version 9.1, reboot, and try again.  Mac users often find that PDF files default to opening in a program called “Preview”.  This is fine for simple image files, but WonderMaps' PDF files are complex, and Preview can’t handle them. If Adobe Reader is installed on your Mac, control+click the file you’re trying to open and select “Open With“—>”Adobe Reader.”  If Adobe Reader isn’t an option, you need to download it from the above link and install it.


Final thoughts...

     We will be using WonderMaps for years, if I can figure out how to make a backup copy on a DVD or CD.  I'm not terribly wonderful at doing things like that, for some reason.  If I was buying this on my own, I'd definitely be buying the version on CD.  I've had two many hard drive failures, even with doing backups, that have failed.  Whether you choose to download this product or purchase it on CD will be up to you and your family's needs.

     I'm not sure if it's just my own copy of WonderMaps, or if this is for all purchased copies as well, but for some reason, my copy of WonderMaps has just a blank page for an icon on my desktop.  I'd prefer to have something more specific to WonderMaps instead of something just generic.

     It is curious to me that there aren't any maps of individual African countries.  Only Egypt can be pulled up individually.  The other countries in Africa are only in a regional view.  If I was looking for just one African country, I would need to enlarge the regional map so that the nation fills the entire page.  Then, I would select "print current view."

     I was thrilled to see maps for The Mystery of History and All American History, but I should note here that the maps for those texts are not the same high quality maps you'll find in the regular WonderMaps versions of maps.  Instead, these are the maps which were published in the original texts of those history books.  Because of this, the quality varies greatly from book to book.  I was disappointed to learn that the specific maps used in these texts are actually not WonderMaps versions where the layers can be easily removed or added.  Yes, I realize that I can go through the normal WonderMaps list of maps, and make a map based on what I want to see on that map, but I was really hoping that WonderMaps for each text had already been provided for each lesson that suggests mapwork.  Maybe this is something that Bright Ideas Press will consider including in the future.

     Regardless of the ages of your children, the type of history/literature/music/arts/sciences/geography curricula you use in your home, or your educational situation, WonderMaps will meet your needs for easily customizable maps.  I highly recommend this product!

     Keep in mind that with any 1st edition mapping product, there may be a few errors.  Bright Ideas Press has already been working to correct any errors that may have been found, and updates will be provided at some point in the future. 

     WonderMaps sells for $49.95 from Bright Ideas Press.

     For those of you who subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse magazine, you may check your newest issue for the WonderMaps advertisement for a "20% off" coupon code for WonderMaps!

     Read what other homeschooling parents on the TOS Crew have to say about WonderMaps!

     What kind of geographical or mapping curriculum do you already use with your children?  Do you think that this WonderMaps product would enhance your own curriculum?
Picture
Picture
Discloser:  I was provided with a free copy of WonderMaps for the express purpose of sharing my honest opinion with you, my readers.  No other compensation was provided.

1 Comment

The centsible life is having a giveaway...

5/15/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
     I don't usually do this, but I've entered a contest to win an iPad 2 at The Centsible Life's website, and in order to increase my chances of winning, I'm sharing this info here with you all.  You don't have to do anything except read this...and visit The Centsible Life if you'd like. 
   
I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by CheckNGo at The Centsible Life! I want to win the iPad 2! Enter to win here: http://bit.ly/TCLiPad


According to The Centsible Life, she says, "While it’s not necessary to enter, it would be fantabulous if you could follow @ChecknGo and @centsiblelifesubscribe to the blog to find out who wins, and check out the rest of my centsible and money saving advice. "

     Thanks for listening (or reading)!!!

Picture
Picture

0 Comments

New 18-year-old Christian musician, Robert Pierre

5/14/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
     You're a guy who's 18 years old, just graduating from high school, and you love sports and music.  That's pretty normal these days.

     You've already produced one album of Christian worship pop/soft rock, and have a second album almost ready to be released.  Well, that's definitely above and beyond normal!

Meet Robert Pierre.

     Robert Pierre is your normal, everyday Christian young adult, who loves to sing.  God has gifted him with a special talent to sing well in a Christian pop/soft rock style of worship music that would fit as easily on K-LOVE as it would in many Christian churches on Sunday morning.

     I listened to four of his newest songs that will be released on his upcoming album, and I enjoyed the music.  It wasn't sloppy or over-the-edge rock.  The lyrics were uplifting and encouraging.  I know my family will enjoy Robert Pierre's music when it becomes available this summer!
Picture
     I find it a bit difficult to explain in writing how I think and feel about someone's music unless it's really horrible.  You know, the kind of music that makes you cringe.  Well, Robert Pierre's music doesn't make me cringe!  Instead, it makes me want to listen to more.  That's always a good sign, don't you think?

     Instead of writing a poor attempt at trying to describe Robert Pierre's music, I'm going to show you how you can get free downloads of four of his newest songs for yourself!  Click on the image below, and it will take you to the free iTunes download page:
Picture
     Or, if you prefer to just download the songs to your computer in mp3 format, you can go to NoiseTrade.com and you can access the free songs there.  Once you are on NoiseTrade, simply click the Robert Pierre EP image to open the online player.  You will see four songs available for you to enjoy:  JESUS; YOU HOLD ME NOW; BREAKING MY HEART; and IDENTITY.

       If you're interested, you may review the song lyrics to these songs by clicking these links:


SONG LYRICS:

1.  Jesus
              

2.  You Hold Me Now 
              

3.  Breaking My Heart
              

4.  Identity

      If you're interested in downloading all four songs for FREE to have on your own computer or ipod, NoiseTrade.com provides that downloadable zip file of the 4 songs when you enter your email address, postal code, and click NEXT (just under the online player).  After you click NEXT, NoiseTrade will email you a link that you can quickly click to have the 4 songs downloaded.

     If you'd like to learn a bit more about Robert Pierre, you can also visit his Facebook page.
     I look forward to when Robert Pierre's newest album is released.  I hope you are, too!  I plan to share more about his music ministry with you all when his album is released later this summer - and I'll be hosting a giveaway of his newest CD!

     For now, I'll just have to be happy with the four free songs I was able to download.  EnJOY! 
Picture
Picture

0 Comments

GoTrybe Fitness Website for Middle Schoolers - Review

5/11/2011

4 Comments

 
Picture
     In our neck of the woods, it rains quite a bit, off and on (or more "on", as my girls would say) for many months.  On our small property within the city limits, our yard is a bit on the swampy side from November through April or sometimes, like this year, May.  It's tough to have the girls go outside to get some exercise when it's raining, or when the backyard is mushy.  While we're not totally vain about the appearance of our backyard, it would only take an hour or two of running around on very mushy grass to completely tear up the backyard - and it would take many months of regrowth for our lawn to repair itself naturally.  My hubby wouldn't be all that happy about having a torn up yard year after year.

     So, needless to say, we don't play outside for about six months of the year.

     Since we don't feel like we can afford a family gym membership, that leaves us with a lot of months of inactivity unless we can motivate ourselves to work out in the dryness and comfort of our own home.  I'm ashamed to admit that we haven't done very well with this over the years.  We have zero room for any workout equipment, unless it would sit right smack dab in the middle of our living room, so we are limited to watching workout videos/DVDs via the television.  And right now, our DVD player is broken, so that means no workouts.

     GoTrybe to the rescue!  As a member of the TOS Crew, I was given a 3-month trial membership this spring to GoTrybe.com, a fitness website that is trying to revolutionize fitness, nutrition, motivation, and wellness for students.

     GoTrybe is an online fitness video website that provides a large number of short workout videos for a variety of fitness levels and activities.  We were excited to sign up for this, but we were curious to see how it would all work for the girls.  The girls signed up immediately after receiving directions on how to do that, and it was easy for them to do, with me watching, to see how the process went.
Picture
     GoTrybe is designed for three different age levels:
  • ZooDoos is for the elementary ages, K-5th grade
  • Trybe180 is for middle school ages, 6th-8th grade
  • NexTrybe is for high school ages, 9th-12th grade
     We received memberships to the middle school age group, so my comments will only be about the middle school content, not that of any other age group.
Picture
     After the girls registered their accounts, they were asked to select an avatar.  Neither of the girls felt like any of the two female options fit them.  One looked like a little kid, and the girls felt like the more mature female option wasn't posed in an appropriate, modest pose (at least, from what they saw in the shadow, above).  But, they went ahead and selected their avatars.  I chose one, too, for my own account.  Oh, if I were only that  thin.  Sigh.
Picture
     Here's my avatar.  By doing workouts, answering nutrition questions, and watching motivational and wellness videos, students can earn points which will enable them to "buy" clothing, hair styles, and accessories for their personal avatar. 

     I don't know that the whole avatar deal was a big motivator for my girls in doing the workout videos, but some students in this age group would really enjoy this part of GoTrybe.
Picture
     Here's the part of GoTrybe that my girls used the most:  GoTrybe Fitness.  Members can have GoTrybe select a workout for them, that includes warm-ups, cardio, strength, and flexibility video segments, or they can personalize the workouts for themselves. 

     Basically, the member selects a category (warm-up, cardio, strength, flexibility) and drags video segments that appeals to her to their respective category video boxes.  It is really simple to do.  We can also hover the mouse over an individual video thumbnail, and it will tell us the name and description of the video, its length, whether appropriate for classroom or individual use, how intense the workout is, which body parts it focuses on, which (if any) equipment is needed (think exercise mat, exercise ball, weights, etc.), and the name of the instructor.
Picture
     There is a decent variety of workout video segments available on GoTrybe.  I didn't count all of them up, but I'd say that there are probably around 200 video segments from which to choose!  We watched or previewed video segments containing hip-hop, circuit training, kickboxing, yoga, salsa, mambo, Pilates, and more.  In addition, there were sport-specific warm-ups and workouts for basketball, track and field, and cross training.

     Warm-up video segments were from 3-4 minutes in length.  One video segment could be chosen for the warm-up section of a workout.

     Cardio allows 3 video segments to be added, and they are around 3-4 minutes in length, giving members 9-12 minutes of active workout time.

     Strength allows one video segment to be selected, and they are each from 5-8 minutes long, focusing on either the abs, back, biceps, legs, etc.

     Flexibility video segments are from 2-3 minutes in length, and one video segment can be added to each workout. 

     A built-in timer shows how much time has elapsed during the workout.  This is really handy to have it built right into the website like that.
Picture
     Every day that a member logs on to GoTrybe, he or she can earn points by answering nutrition questions and watching motivational and wellness videos that are 1-2 minutes in length.  These can only be viewed once per day.  Above, you'll see a sample of one of the nutrition questions. 

     Members can become "friends" with other online GoTrybe members and "shout out" at them, which is a simple chatting format.  We chose to only become "friends" with each other in our own family, although I've heard that some people using GoTrybe automatically were forced to become "friends" with strangers on GoTrybe simply because the strangers requested it.  We didn't experience this, so I can't comment on whether that was the case or not.  Some TOS Crew members experienced swearing and coarse language in the chats that they chose not to become a part of but couldn't remove from their user pages.  We didn't have any difficulty with this, as we were only communicating with each other, and rarely at that.  We prefer to chat with each other in person!  But you may want to be aware of this.  Hopefully, GoTrybe has an option to exclude unwanted strangers from becoming online "friends" on their site.

     GoTrybe also has a members' only forum.  From what I saw, this isn't something that is very active at this point.  We chose not to use the Forum feature.

     What it really comes down to, though, is what my daughters thought of their experiences with GoTrybe.  They really enjoyed using it!  Kelsi was very  faithful in getting up a bit earlier each morning so she could do a full GoTrybe workout before breakfast.  She toned up and actually lost a little bit of weight, too.  She was excited about that!  She really liked the hip-hop segments!

     Brittany used GoTrybe about every 2-3 days, not quite as much as Kelsi, but she did enjoy it, too.  I think her favorite video segments were the salsa!

     There are a few things I'd like to point out about GoTrybe: 

1.  If a child is dishonest or not being supervised at all, potentially he or she could start a video workout on the computer and then walk away while it is playing and instead go do something else.  Points would still be earned for "completing" a workout, but they really weren't earned.  Conversely, if a child goes outside and plays tag for 20 minutes or plays a game of soccer on a Saturday, no workout points are earned.  I'd love to see a special secret password for a parent or administrator who could enter additional exercise activities into GoTrybe so the child could earn points for them on his or her account. 

2.  At the middle school level of GoTrybe, only a few videos have male instructors.  If you have sons in your family, they may or may not prefer seeing almost all-female instructors.

3.  While the workout clothing on instructors and students is probably typical of what anyone would see in a gym or workout club, you may or may not think that the attire is modest enough in some video segments.  If you have high standards for modesty, you may want to preview some of the video segments to see if they are appropriate for your own family or situation.  The clothing worn in the workout videos and the instructional/wellness videos will be acceptable for the majority of people in the United States, although for my own family, some of it would not be acceptable.

4.  If the mature, female pose of the "teen" avatar is not appropriate for your situation, you can easily have your child select the younger avatar.

5.  We did notice that a few of the video segments were lower quality or older video quality, but most of them were fine.  In a few segments, the students didn't seem interested in following the instructors, or just didn't seem happy about being there for the workout, but I suppose that goes along with the typical middle school experience these days.

     All in all, we thought that our GoTrybe experience was very positive!  The large number of workout videos, and the ability to mix and match them to create our own workouts, is appealing to us.  Since GoTrybe is inexpensive for an annual membership, this is something we are considering extending for one or both of our daughters once their memberships expire at the end of June. 

     If you would be interested in giving GoTrybe a trial run, you can click on the graphic below, and have a free, 24-hour trial of GoTrybe by entering the promo code, "GETFIT":
Picture
     GoTrybe is normally $39.95 per student per year.  However, you can click on the banner below and register for a GoTrybe account for 99 cents per month using the promo code, "KIDSFITNESS". 
Picture
     If you find that the above links/banners don't work for you, you should also be able to use the GETFIT code to receive an annual membership for $19.95 per person. 

     Jump on over to the TOS Crew Homeschool Blog to see what other crew members thought of GoTrybe!

     What do you do in your family to motivate your pre-teens and teens to workout during the wet and rainy months? 
Picture
Picture
Disclosure:  My family was provided with several memberships to GoTrybe.  All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not asked to share any views other than my own.  No other compensation was provided.

4 Comments

The New ESV Seek and Find Bible for Children

5/9/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
     I'm always on the lookout for books and Bibles that I can use in our home to hand down our Christian faith to our children.

     Even though our youngest daughter, Brittany, is a couple of years older than the age recommended for this Bible, I was interested in reviewing this ESV (English Standard Version) Children's Bible.  And so was she!

     The inside flap of the ESV Seek and Find Bible states that it "is the ideal complete Bible for pre-readers and young readers (ages 5-9) to grow up with." 

     I do agree that this is a great Bible to grow up with!  But I would venture to say that for pre-readers and new readers, the 10-point font size might be a little bit intimidating for them.  My oldest, Kelsi, would have felt comfortable with this format and size of font when she was about 7 years old and was reading fluently.  My youngest, Brittany, would have enjoyed using this Bible when she was about 5 years old - but she was a very early reader and was reading out of my own Bible at age 4-1/2.

     Every child is different!  But to sit and read this together as a family and have children sit and listen while Dad reads the Bible?  Well, this would work well. 

     The copy I received of the ESV Seek and Find Bible by Crossway is hardbound with a thick, glossy dustjacket.  This Bible also comes in at least two other versions that I've seen, which are leatherette:
     Here are some of the things about the ESV Seek and Find Bible that I really like:

There is some color on the pages, but not enough to be distracting or overwhelming.  You can view a small section of this Bible HERE.
Picture

     The ESV Seek and Find Bible feels and looks like a real Bible, which it is.  It is not just a condensed version of an adult Bible.  It is a word-for-word Bible translation.  It contains the entire text plus additional helps for children.  Most children would be very happy to have this as their first real Bible.  It contains 1,888 pages (!), is 1-3/4" thick, and seems a little bit on the heavy side for very young children, but would work well inside of a Bible cover that had handles.

Picture






The Table of Contents is easy to use at a glance.










Picture

There are over 130 beautiful, full-color paintings illustrating an important story or event right along with the text of the Bible.  They are neither too childish, or unappealing to children.  Each painting is also paired with a simple retelling and summary of its story to help children understand the Bible.




Picture
At the beginning of each book of the Bible, there's a short, one-page introduction that includes the author, date, key people, purpose, central themes, a timeline, and suggested memory verses.  This is part of the "grow up with" portion that 9- to 11-year-olds would appreciate more than the younger children.




Picture
At the end of each condensed Bible story that follows a full-page illustration, you'll find a "Seek and Find" section, to help children understand and apply Bible truths.  It tells where to find the real Bible text in the Bible, a key Bible verse, three key questions to help children apply what they are reading, and related Bible readings that show connections between the major themes, events, and characters in the Bible.



Picture



You'll find over 50 character profiles of key Bible figures in this Bible.  Each includes a brief description of who the person is, what he may have done, and how he fits into the storyline of the Bible.  Notice the beautiful paintings that accompany these profiles.








Picture




There are eight full-color maps included in the back of this Bible to help children locate Bible places as they read about them, and to trace the travels of Jesus, Paul, and other key people of the Bible.  Most of us in our home love maps, so we were happy to see these here.







Picture




A simple dictionary and concordance allows children to find out the meanings of important biblical terms, and to find places throughout the Bible where those words are used.

     I think that the ESV Seek and Find Bible is a wonderful Bible resource to use with your family!  My only concern is that I do wish Crossway hadn't placed an age range at the bottom front of the dustjacket.  Even though one of my daughters read well at an early age, I would still suggest that this Bible is more appropriate for children who are already reading fairly fluently, without struggling sound by sound through individual words.  I'd recommend this Bible for children, in general, ages 7-12. 

     Thankfully, if you remove the dustjacket from this Bible, the hardbound cover doesn't contain the age range listed on it.  I was pleased to see that.  For older children who are not strong readers, they wouldn't feel badly about using this even in the junior high years, as long as the dustjacket was removed.  In fact, I'd recommend removing the dustjacket and placing this Bible into a Bible cover to avoid the age range altogether, even before your children see or begin using this Bible.

     While browsing the internet, I've seen the ESV Seek and Find Bible retail for as low as $14.60 and as high as $28 for the same hardbound version.  For a well-made Bible, that's a decent price range.  Children's Bibles can be found in lots of places, but this is one that I do recommend for families who want their children to have their own full-text Bible that is not goofy or silly yet is applicable to their ages.

     You can learn about new Crossway books and other updates at their BLOG.
Picture
Picture
Disclosure:  Crossway Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of the ESV Seek and Find Bible for children.  No other compensation was provided.  As always, my opinions are my own and were not influenced by Crossway or any other person.

0 Comments

Happy Mother's Day to my mom!

5/8/2011

0 Comments

 
Click to play this Smilebox collage
Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox
This free photo collage made with Smilebox

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

     I know this will embarrass my mom, Julie, but I don't care.  I love her very much, and I want to share a little bit with you about my mom, not only because it's Mother's Day, but also because she's such an important part of my life!

     When my mom was a little girl, she began longing for a family of her own someday.  She always imagined she'd have twins; she'd pretend with her dolls that she had twins of her own. 

     My mom grew up, graduated from college, and met and married my dad.  My parents moved to New Zealand before my TWIN sister and I were born.  Yes, I said, "TWIN!"  God heard the prayers of a little girl and answered those prayers, as He often does, with the birth of multiples.  Well, God always answers our prayers, but sometimes it's not with the answer we had hoped to hear.  This time, it was in the affirmative x 2!

     My mom was very organized and efficient back then, and she managed twins very well.  To her, every day was a delight!  She smiled at us - and still does - so often.  We knew that we were the apple of her eye!  And when our baby brother, Bryan, came along, she felt very fulfilled with having her boy and  girls.

     I remember Mom speaking about us in a positive light frequently.  As we were growing up, she would often talk about the great strengths we had and the neat parts of our personalities that she loved.  I always felt very loved in a warm and encouraging way.  Without her having to push or challenge us, we were willing to try new things because we felt secure in her love.

     We were blessed to have Mom home with us, full time, until the economic crisis of the early 1980s forced her to begin working outside of the home. 

     Was the house less organized after she went to work full time?

        Meals less prepared from scratch?

        Fewer clothes sewn for us?

     The cookie box filled with dry, store-bought cookies?

No!

     Her work day, including commuting time, was well over 9 hours per day, and yet she still kept the house organized, taught us how to cook and prepare dinners with her carefully written instructions personalized at our own skill level, sewed all or most of our clothing (second-hand clothing stores really hadn't been available yet), made cookies for us each week for our lunches at school, and kept the house humming.
Picture
     When my sis and I were in the 9th grade, we learned that a friend of ours from school was about to be placed into the foster care system with her younger brother and sister.  We pleaded with Mom:  could we bring them into our home so they could all stay together?  We prayed and talked about this a lot, and Mom and Dad agreed that we would enlarge our family by another three people.  It wasn't an easy path; we were challenged to live out our faith in our own home.  We didn't always make it easy for Mom and Dad and the three foster siblings, because we were used to doing things our own family's way, and to bring in jr. high and high schoolers into our home who had lived in a different way was very hard for us.  Mom and Dad prayed with us and helped us work through some tough days.
Picture
     Much of who I am today can be credited to my mom.  She taught me to cook and sew, to care for my own home, to decorate cakes and enjoy crafts, and to begin playing piano. 

     She encouraged me to follow my interests and dreams.  Despite having limited income in our high school years, she encouraged my sister and I to plan to attend college.  "God will make it possible if He wants you there," she would say.  And He did.  We were both able to attend private colleges of our choice, graduating with very little debt compared to many of our peers. 
Picture
     My twin sister and I both became elementary school teachers.  At the beginning of each school year, both my mom and dad would come down to my classroom during the week or two before school began, and they would help me set up my room.  They made bulletin boards, labeled file folders, organized textbooks, and so much more.  I will always be grateful for their help at such a busy time of year.
Picture
     When I was preparing to marry my sweetheart, Elmer, my mom began sewing my wedding dress and the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.  She never complained about all of the extra work I was adding into her busy life.  She enjoyed helping to make our wedding day extra special. 

     When our babies were born, Mom was there to help me and pray for me during their deliveries.  She sewed clothes, burp rags (those were the best!), and did whatever she could to help me transition from being a DINK (double income, no kids) to a full time mother. 

     My ministry as a mother to my own children has been much easier because of the godly example that my mom set for me.  I owe her so much - I can never fully express in words how much I love her.  Love you, Mom!  Happy Mother's Day!

Love,

Julieanne

Picture
Picture

0 Comments

Yesterday's Classics: Classical Children's Lit at a Classy Price

5/3/2011

5 Comments

 
Picture
     When I was growing up, I only read a few older books which were owned by my parents or were available in my school library.  Most everything I read was much more modern.  If it hadn't been for reading out of a King James Bible, I might have had a tough time reading Shakespeare or other similar books in high school.

     I didn't necessarily care very much for older books when I was younger.  I think a lot of that stemmed from not being introduced to many older styles of writing until I was in my last two years of high school.

     But now as an adult, I really enjoy reading older books!  In fact, one of my favorite books is going on 100 years old, and I enjoy it immensely.

     When I heard that I might have the opportunity to use and review 225 older books via eBook format, I was excited!  Then, I looked at the titles being offered.  I knew that some of these books were already available at no cost on the internet already, so I wasn't sure how I was going to review this eBook company, Yesterday's Classics, if they were charging money for what I could already obtain on the internet for no charge.


Yesterday's Classics sells over
22 genres of books in both paperback and eBook formats.

Picture


Here is a brief sample of some
of the titles that
Yesterday's Classics publishes:

      I had to smile when I saw a few of the titles available from Yesterday's Classics.  I actually already owned three of their paperback books; I purchased these to use with Tapestry of Grace curriculum! 

     Yesterday's Classics republishes classic books for children from the golden age of children's literature, the era from 1880 to 1920.  Many of the titles they offer have been out of print for decades and have been difficult to find.

     My husband and I have encouraged our daughters to listen to old-fashioned radio programs which are now available via MP3 or CD.  It took them a little while to get used to the more formal manner in which people spoke to each other fifty to one-hundred years ago, but now they enjoy most of the audios to which they listen.

     I've tried to do much the same with the types of books that our girls have read.  We've allowed them to read books "just for fun", and books that are more modern in their language style, but we've also encouraged them to read books that are deeper and more meaningful, and are written with more style and grace than many books these days.

     When I received these 225 books downloaded from Yesterday's Classics, we didn't own a Kindle or EPUB type of eReader.  That was fine; I'd installed the Kindle for PC application onto both of our computers, so we read through the clear directions that Yesterday's Classics provides and made sure we could read these new eBooks on both computers, if necessary. 

     I'm going to be honest with you.  Yes, many of these older books are available for free online.  However, some are not, or they can only be read online and not downloaded to my computer.

     The eBooks from Yesterday's Classics are very nice and clean compared to many of the free books that I've downloaded over the years. The illustrations are clear, and the table of contents in each eBook is clickable so that you won't need to page through every page in a book to reach the place where you wanted to start reading.  I have found that being able to use a clickable Table of Contents is invaluable!  That alone makes Yesterday's Classics books worthwhile. 

     Many of the eBooks in their large list of 225 older books are used frequently for homeschooling curricula like Ambleside Online, Heart of Dakota, Living Books curriculum, Old Fashioned Education, Mater Amabilis, and Tapestry of Grace.  To buy these 225 books separately in printed form would cost a lot more money than I have to spend on an entire school year of curriculum!  It's such a great deal to be able to have excellent digital copies of 225 books like these for under 50 cents per book!
Picture
     Yesterday's Classics has done something else that I really appreciate seeing on their products:  a 100% risk-free guarantee.  Since I was a bit wary of the clarity and professionalism in these eBooks, this would have allowed me to give it a try and to be able to get my money back if I had bought this set of books and had a problem with what I was viewing and reading.

     One of my daughters won a Kindle about a month after I was able to download the 225 eBooks.  We were thrilled to be able to transfer them to the Kindle and view them there as well.  They are clear and easy to use on the Kindle.

     In addition, my hard drive on my computer failed in the middle of using Yesterday's Classics eBooks.  I was able to download the books again after contacting the company.  Thank you, Yesterday's Classics, for your excellent customer service!

     If you'd like to give a sample eBook a try from Yesterday's Classics, you can go HERE.  You'll find the link to download The Dutch Twins for free, just to see how it works with your computer or your eReader or iPhone or iPhone Touch.  The eBooks are DRM-free, so there's no problem with having them available on several computers and devices in your home. 

     Bottom line?  We are thrilled to be able to have access to high quality e-formats of these classic books!  The girls have already read through some nice and enjoyable books, and they are especially enjoying reading these classic books in eBook format on the Kindle.

     I do have to say here that if your children are used to reading more "fluff" types of books, like most of the newer books available for children in the last 30-40 years, it may take some getting used to with classic children's literature.  But a few read alouds to them, now and then, should help them turn the tide so that they'll more readily enjoy reading classic children's books.

     Yesterday's Classics has announced that they are discounting their set of 225 classic eBooks for children to $99.95 through May 31st, 2011.  This set normally costs $149.95, so it's nice that they are offering a sale price to families through the month of May.

     To see what the rest of the Crew thinks about Yesterday's Classics, visit the Homeschool Crew Blog.

     Have you viewed and read any of Yesterday's Classics in your home?  If you have, what did you think about them?  How did they compare to the regular, free versions that are available for some of these 225 titles?   I hope you have enjoyed them as much as our family has!
Picture
Picture

5 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    ​​Hi!  I'm Julieanne!
    You'll find me in the kitchen
    ​trying new 
    Trim Healthy Mama recipes, loving God, and carrying out that love as I bless my husband and teen daughters. ​


    Find
    Joy In Our Journey on:


    Sign up to receive
    Joy In Our Journey's
    latest blog posts, freebies, and more!

    You won't want to miss my FREE "Trim Healthy Mama-inspired" recipes, tutorials, giveaways, and deals - get them delivered fresh to your inbox!

      
    Picture
    Picture
        I'd love to share your product with my readers.  If you would like me to do a review and giveaway, just contact me via email and let me know how I can help.


        Disclosure: Some content includes links to sponsors or affiliates, which give me a small percentage of the sale without costing you anything extra. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so, it helps to support this site, so thank you!
     

     

    Search
    Joy In Our Journey

    Loading
     

    Archives

    December 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from jaakko.hakulinen, theglobalpanorama, Sarah Korf, jeffreyw, crayonmonkey, Joshua Singh, Sam Howzit, kimberlyac, miggslives, rust.bucket, Derick Leony, Big D2112, Violette79, Andrea.Pacheco, youngthousands, niiicedave, mommyknows, Dominic's pics, sleepyneko, madaise, Daquella manera, Arild Andersen, TounoTouji, jchapiewsky, dennis, cooper.gary, supersum (off), advisorymatters, Nomadic Lass, Effervescing Elephant, ralph and jenny, alubavin, brendan-c, ImNotQuiteJack, jeffreyw, iamlemonfilm, Colin_K, Andrew Michaels, ivoryelephantphotography, bennylin0724, Jo Naylor, daveoratox, f10n4, Bludgeoner86, Ack Ook, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, pylbug, limaoscarjuliet, Barbara L. Hanson, CapitalK buy design, Vibragiel, matthiasxc, Podknox, qnr, Sadie_Girl, ComputerHotline, pppspics, Anna Loverus, Joi, Rob.Bertholf, Sheyla Ruiz, nachans, ♥serendipity, IsaacMao, *cart-wheels*, TRFPhotography, vxla, lisaclarke, Missouri History Museum, doortoriver, sunshinecity, anna gutermuth, USCPSC, L. Allen Brewer, bluebirdsandteapots, ell brown, vestman, *PaysImaginaire*, mightyohm, Lars Plougmann, Alex_Lewis116, yoppy, HealthGauge, 401(K) 2013, aprilandrandy, Ben Sutherland, Mason Masteka, WillowGardeners, MStewartPhotography, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, kodomut, DanCentury, TrishaLyn, Katie@!, Looking Glass, Nicholas_T, Francis Storr, Allie_Caulfield, Creative Tools, Aidan Jones, Tim Brown Architecture, HerryLawford, Brett Levin Photography, Gudlyf, Chocolate Reviews, greggoconnell, EmilyWhitwam, Phú Thịnh Co, ilovememphis, cliff1066™, Chi King, erix!, Tony Fischer Photography, GlasgowAmateur, ktylerconk, cfourcalvin, David Locke, blhphotography, dominiqs, quinet, stevendepolo, surlygirl, guzzphoto, mikebaird, rich701, coolmikeol, procsilas, • Happy Batatinha •, pmarkham, Luz Adriana Villa A., LisaW123, fireballsedai, CJS*64, gagilas, Christian Haugen, freddie boy, tausend und eins, fotografik, roland, nedradio, makelessnoise, Salvation Army USA West, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Arenamontanus, 401(K) 2013, f_mafra, trippingbobcat, brooklyn, Viajar24h.com, yanajenn, jamieanne, hardworkinghippy, ccharmon, eofstr, Julia Manzerova, jhoc, Orin Zebest, battlecreekcvb, jmrodri, trekkyandy, timsnell, Salil Wadhavkar, ewen and donabel, Ted Van Pelt, David Paul Ohmer, Kevin May, CCAC North Library, I_Nneska, AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, dwstucke, Bonnie B., elise.y, Bill Selak, sam_churchill, JD Hancock, olga.palma, cbr_case, acme, alyak, creating in the dark, TrishaLyn, jacilluch, hans s, cwwycoff1, Karen Roe, AlexiUeltzen, surrelmar, Jeff Kubina, rich701, adie reed, pacificbro, dwstucke, rharrison, avlxyz, Jim, the Photographer, Danndalf, storebukkebruse, rodaniel, dicktay2000, exfordy, torres21, Mr. T in DC, avlxyz, andrealindenberg, HarshLight, stevendepolo, publicenergy, Jan Tik, aechempati, ume-y, xfce, Pink Sherbet Photography, nlian, bittle, bradleygee, rs-foto, JamieDrakePhotos, SimonDoggett, slopjop, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL, BozDoz, GoRun26, prettyinprint, WTL photos, Minnesota Historical Society, www.bluewaikiki.com, stevendepolo, LibAmanda, jspatchwork, Jinx!, ncmichael2k3, Clevergrrl, michaelkmak, Generationbass.com, Dougtone, roger4336, slgckgc, twicepix, lisatozzi, Lee Nachtigal, Kevin Lawver, brianfuller6385, jamieanne, quinn.anya, SupremeCrete, StockMonkeys.com, OliverN5, jeffreyw, Muffet, krossbow, fdecomite, JeepersMedia, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Zanastardust, joyosity, frotzed2, szapucki, Vincent van der Pas, normalityrelief, Emily Carlin, Clevergrrl, allyrose18, sleepyneko, Jeff Kubina, efleming, Artman1122, notjustsquirrels, PhotoAtelier, roolrool, onnola, Charles Williams, greggoconnell, Highway Patrol Images, andrechinn, loop_oh, ayustety, toinerooijmans, vmiramontes, Claricethebakergardener, mind on fire, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Kat Johnston / Sanura Sakai, toinerooijmans, rfduck, stu_spivack, OmegaPoint, ingridtaylar, AdamSelwood, Gog Llundain, pbody