We are starting a Composer Study

Last week we began A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers.

So far we have studied about Ancient Music in the Middle Ages, Music in the Renaissance, and the Baroque Period.

We are about to start on our first composer, Antonio Vivaldi.

We are loving it so far. It is not boring like I thought it would be. lol

We are not that far into it yet, so there is not too much for me to share, but next week I will have a better idea of how it all works.

I do really like the fact that this is from a Christian perspective, and that they were very careful of the composers chosen.

I think it is going to be great!

My Dilemma For This Year/ What Am I Going To Do?

Yay! The Blog Cruise is starting up again!

The first topic of the year is... What are your homeschool related plans for the year?

This is tough because I thought I had it all figured out. I even wrote up two posts on everything we were going to use this year. One for my son, and one for my daughter.

I will still use some of those products, but maybe not all of them. 

Here is the problem. I am going to vent a little bit now...

Two years ago my husband told me that we were gonna move, to go ahead and get the house ready. 

So, I did, and I packed up a bunch of stuff including my books. 

So for the last two years we haven't had access to everything we need, and it is really frustrating. I am not trying to bash my husband here, and I understand there are things that have kept up from moving, but I feel like we have been in limbo for 2 years. I just want to get out of this situation.

Now, we don't have to move. It is just that we want to move to land. 

I want to get my books out of storage so that we can dig into the things we really want to. I want things to get back to normal. 

I feel stressed out a lot because of this. Are we going to move, are we not? When will it be? Will it be at all?

Arggg, I just don't know how to live in this limbo. I am seriously thinking about getting my books out of storage so that at least if we don't move soon, I will have my books and all of our school stuff. 

Another thing that is driving me crazy is that my kids need some training. My daughter is 14 and I honestly don't know what the best way to do that is.

My son is 6, and I know how to handle that a little better. But the month of October will be training month around here.

I don't know exactly what I am going to do, but something has to change. 

So this year, while we will obviously be doing school, I am going to focus a LOT on character training. 

I also really want to incorporate more read alouds. My kids and I really enjoy read alouds, but we just don't do it often enough. 

So, my big plans for this school year are to focus on character training and adding more read alouds.

What are your plans for this year?

The Family Illustrated Bible

The Family Illustrated Bible is a large, hardback book. It has 347 colorful pages.

You may actually be familiar with this Bible as it has previously been published as The Children's Bible.

It has been republished with added information pages.



As I scroll through this book, it reminds me of the DK books. And actually DK did contribute to this book.

The information pages have little tidbits of information that is typical of a DK book.

Something that I don't like is the way this information is presented. The way some of the info is worded seems more like it is saying that this is what Christians believe, and is not necessarily presented as truth. 

For example in one area it said the disciples believed that Jesus performed miracles. This makes it sound as if it weren't really true.

The Family Illustrated Bible is typical of what you see in children's Bible story books. I have not read through every story, as that would take me a long time.

The Family Illustrated Bible is designed to engage every age in the beautiful truths of God’s Word. This special Bible is packed with:

• exciting facts about the people of the Old and New Testaments
• vivid, full-color photos and illustrations
• detailed maps of the lands of the Bible
• clear timelines
• and a thorough index

There were some things that I came across that didn't sit really sit well with me. 


Some examples are:

In the story of the Garden of Eden it says that God was pleased with His work so far, but there was one thing that still worried Him. Adam was on his own in the world. 

Obviously God does not worry about things, and He wasn't worried about Adam having a mate. This is not what Scripture says. I am not sure why the author put this in here. When we read this, we talked about how God wasn't really worried, but that the author worded this incorrectly.

I don't mind Bible stories.  I think they have a place in the home, but some of these stories are worded differently than they are in the Bible. And I understand that it can't be word for word when you are trying to tell a story, but some of them just don't sound quite right.

The pictures are large and colorful, although some of the pictures portray men with weird looks on their faces, and in a lot of the pictures the fingers of the men look really creepy.

For me, there is just something odd about this Story Bible, and some of the pictures are a little too weird for me. I don't think we will use this very much. We will probably stick with the ones we already have.

If you would like to more information on The family Illustrated Bible, you can find it here.

*I received this book for free from New Leaf Publishing, in return for an honest review. No other compensation has been given to me. 

Raising Real Men

 A MUST READ FOR ALL PARENTS...

I am very excited to be bringing you my first review for Timberdoodle! I was recently accepted as part of their Blogger Review Team, and I am just thrilled to be a part of it!

My first review item is Raising Real Men by Hal and Melanie Young. This 244 page book is a 2011 Book of the Year award winner, and I can see why. 

I will be honest and say that I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, but after the first few chapters, I was hooked. I love, love, love this book. It is one that I will definitely read over and over again.

I only have one son right now, but he is only 6, so this will be a great resource for years to come.

My son is very manly. He wants to be big so badly. He doesn't even want toys anymore. He wants real stuff. One day when we were cleaning his room he decided to get rid of most of his toys. He got rid of all of his toy tools because he has real ones now. lol

He is very sweet, but very rough and tough. Very boyish. :)

I really appreciate this book because it helps me to understand boys a lot better. 

Hal and Melanie have 6 boys, and 2 girls. They wrote this book based on their own experiences in raising boys. They did a great job of telling their readers what boys need to become real men. 

It is going to be very hard for me not to tell you everything they said in this book, because there is so much that I am excited to share with you. I will try to keep it brief and let you read the rest for yourselves. :)

One of the first things taught is that boys need good role models. Role Models can come in the form of books, movies, and of course family and friends. 

I agree that we need to be very careful of what our children read, watch, and who they hang out with. 

Hal says that boys need to be reading books and watching movies that encourage and show young boys how to be real men. That they need see what this means.

Dad is of course the biggest role model a boy can have. Here is a picture of my son with his daddy. Do you see how he even fixes his hair like his dad? Dad's are a huge influence on their little boys. Luckily for me, my husband is a great father.

"Our sons learn by examples - ours, and those of role models around them. They need heroes to follow, and they will find them one place or another."

"They will have heroes. For their own sakes, make sure they're the right ones."

Hal and Melanie present a biblical way of raising our boys. Boys can be very rowdy, adventuresome, dirty, and tough, and it's OK.

That is how boys are supposed to be. Sometimes we try to train the boy out of them because it is hard for us mothers to deal with some of these things. That is why I am recommending that every mother should read this book.

I think it will help you to understand how God made your little boy, and what he will grow up to be. I think that after you read this book you will be able to handle being the mom of a little boy much better. I don't think you will have as many issues as you may have once had.

Some of the things you will learn in this book are:

How to provide good role models for your boys
How to guide your boys' rowdiness
How to raise leaders
How to teach your boys (they may learn differently from your girls)
How to prevent laziness, and promote helpfulness
How to promote cleanliness
How to raise godly men
How to teach financial responsibility
How to encourage manners and chivalry
How to discipline your boys
How to teach your boys that doing household chores is not only women's work.
How to help your boys handle temptation
How to decide whether or not college is right for your boys
What the Bible says about weapons and force
AND MUCH MORE

I earmarked quite a few pages for me to read over again, and most of them were in the chapter on discipline.  I think my eyes were opened a little bit here as to the importance of discipline.

Here is a paragraph from the book that caught my attention:

"Our sons, too, need to learn obedience. When they are accustomed to respect their parents' instructions and wishes, they are better prepared to respect and obey the Lord. That sounds straightforward enough, but anyone who's tried it knows that disciplining boys is frequently exhausting, often frustrating, and seemingly pointless as you deal with the same issues day after day. Yet we can't ignore it; He who spares the rod hates his son, says the proverb, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. In fact, if we don't provide our sons with the discipline they need, the Bible says it is as much as disowning them. The Puritan Thomas Brooks said, "God had one son without corruption, but no son without correction" - seeing that even the sinless Christ suffered punishment for His people."

I have read this verse many times, but as my son is growing up it is becoming more apparent how important discipline is. I am seeing how early that independence starts to come out, and how they start to disobey. I don't think it is always that they are disobeying either, but rather their desire to lead comes out early.

I don't expect my kids to be perfect, but I can see how if it gets out of control, that it can become a big problem.

The point of this chapter is to help our sons understand authority while also understanding how to be a leader.

Every chapter in this book has something wonderful to offer.  I have found so much help in this book and I think you will too. I will be reading parts of this book again, if not the whole book.

I highly recommend this book to all parents.

If you are interested in purchasing Raising Real Men, you can find it HERE for only $12.75. But hurry, this is the sale price. The normal price is $15.00.

I honestly don't think you would regret this purchase. Let me know if you purchased this book, and if it helped you as much as it did me. Thanks for sticking with me and this long review! lol

Be sure to check out what my fellow Timberdoodle mommies thought of Raising Real Men. 

Find Timberdoodle on Facebook!

Get a free Timberdoodle catalog here! 

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of Raising Real Men in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation has been given to me.

Aletheia Writing Magazine/ TOS Review

 

Aletheia Writing Magazine is a Christian magazine for teens ages 13-19. 

In this quarterly publication Christian teens have a place to express their writing talents.

Teens can submit stories, articles, poems, book reviews, or even nature photos.

The TOS Crew received Aletheia's Fall 2011 issue in the mail along with a digital copy of the Summer 2011 issue. 

Each edition of the Aletheia Writing Magazine includes a Writers Challenge, a Featured Contributor, a Book Review, a Nature Photo, a section called Ancient Ink with famous quotes from times past, and an interview.

The Aletheia Writing Magazine is published by husband and wife team Nick and Stephanie Muzekari.

As homeschool parents they know how important creativity is for children.

Although this magazine is not strictly for homeschoolers, most of it's contributors happen to be homeschoolers.

My thoughts on the magazine:

I think it is a great idea. My daughter has participated in something similar to this before, and she loved it. She even got a poem published!

I do think that some of the content is not appropriate for younger teens, perhaps not even older ones.

Some of the content that I came across that may not be appropriate for some of your children include:

Family problems
kids that have issues with their parents
alcoholism
a poem that was dedicated to two young girls that were trafficked at the age of 13 and 14
sorcery
death
wizardry
etc...

The physical copy that I received was filled with so many sad stories that it really made me depressed.

I am glad we got to look at a couple of online copies as well, as they contained other stories that were more cheerful.

Most of the sad stories did have a good ending, but I wouldn't want my kids reading some of the stories.

So, I think that the magazine is a good idea. I love thought behind it, however, I don't feel like I could just hand this magazine to my kids without reading it first.

I actually did not let my daughter even look at this magazine as most of the stories in this issue were so depressing. I feel bad for the children who are writing these stories, if this is how they really feel. So I am not downing them, or their stories. I am just saying that they might be too much for my children at their current ages.

The magazine does realize that some of the content may not be suitable for younger teens, and does make a statement about this on the inside cover of the magazine.

So I recommend this magazine hesitantly, saying that I feel that it would need to be pre-read before handing it to your children. I think that each issue will be unique and that some may be better suited for your children than others. 

You can view a sample of their Spring 2011 issue here. It appears to me to be a full issue. 

You can purchase a subscription to Aletheia Writing Magazine for $26 per year. A subscription includes four color issues per year, and the price includes shipping and handling.


Be sure to check out what my fellow Crew Mates thought of Aletheia Writing Magazine!

*I have received a copy of Aletheia Writing magazine, free, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, in return for my honest opinion.
No other compensation has been given to me.*

Tri-Cross/ TOS Review

 

When we received Tri-Cross in the mail, we immediately opened it, and we were very surprised to see two games. 

We received the Standard Edition and the Eco/Travel Edition. We thought we were only getting the Eco/Travel-Edition, so getting the two was awesome!

Tri-Cross is a little complicated to explain, but reminds me of checkers. It is a lot of fun, but rather than me try to explain how you play the game, I am going to show you a couple of videos.

See, wasn't that better than me trying to explain that? :)

There are other  videos for advanced players if you would like to see them. 

"Being hailed as the “new chess,” Tri-Cross challenges competitors in the areas of strategy, critical thinking and problem solving in a fun and entertaining way. The board game, created by an Atlanta father-son duo, is designed to accommodate 2-4 players and can be played with varying degrees of difficulty, making it a perfect game for children as young as 8, families and seasoned strategists.

With accolades ranging from being named Dr. Toy’s 2009 100 Best Children’s Products to Creative Child Magazine’s Creative Toy Awards 2008 Game of the Year and earning the National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, Tri-Cross has sky rocketed to fame for its ease of play and fun, competitive nature."

The Standard Edition comes with a nice, sturdy board and 4 sets of game pieces. It also comes with a nice black velvet bag to carry the pieces in.

The game box is a fairly small size, which I appreciate as it doesn't take up much space.

The Eco-Edition comes in an organic cotton drawstring bag, and the board is an organic cotton board as well. It also has a bag to hold the game pieces like the Standard Edition, but of course it is made out of organic cotton too.

It is easily folded into the cotton bag.

Both editions come with instructions, but they are a little confusing to me.

My daughter can read them and figure them out though. :)

Something I really appreciated was that they sent a CD for us to watch on the computer that gave step by step visual instructions. That made it a lot easier for me to understand how to play the game.

We have really only used the Standard edition as we have only played here at home, but the Travel/Eco-Edition is going in the car. I do think you would need a lap desk, or a cookie sheet, or something to play it on as the board is made out of cotton material.

But it would be a lot of fun to play this game on trips.

You could even play it in a hotel. It is easy to pack up and bring along.

There are multiple ways to play this game. There is the Standard way that you saw in the videos.

There is a variation called GUTS where you place the pieces upside down and randomly, and then play as usual.

Another variation is REVERSE GUTS. It is like GUTS, but your opponent will look at your pieces and place them where they want to.

And there is a TEAM variation as well.

We really enjoy this game. It is like chess or checkers, but more fun!

I like the fact that it doesn't take a long time to play this game. Now, that could be because we aren't that good at it yet. lol

It may take longer the better we become.

I know the game says that children as young as 8 can play this game, but my son is 6, and he can play it, so your younger children may enjoy it as well. 

I wanted to share this video with you, because I thought it was really neat.



I highly recommend this game for you and your family. 

If you are interested in purchasing Tri-Cross you can do so here.

You can also find a list of retailers here.

                                                          

                                                    Tri-Cross Standard Edition - $24.95

 

                                                        Tri-Cross Wood Edition - $35.95

Tri-Cross Travel/Eco-Edition - $19.95

Be sure to check out what my fellow Crew Mates and their families thought of Tri-Cross.

*I have received The Tri-Cross Standard Edition and the Eco-Edition, free, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, in return for my honest opinion.
No other compensation has been given to me.*

I just wanted to share about TOS Birthday Bash on FB tonight!

"Thursday, September 22^nd – 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m (EST): Join us for our Schoolhouse Birthday Bash Facebook Party! 
 
Just stop by the TOS Facebook page during the event for meaningful fellowship with featured columnists, TOS staff, and homeschooling friends. We will have lively chat, homeschooling tips, freebies, and of course some fabulous giveaways!

You can RSVP on our Facebook event page!"

MEGA HOMESCHOOL GIVEAWAY! Usborne

Durable, fun and an established name, with over 1,400 titles,Usborne Books, has something for everyone and is a name that is trusted.

From the Usborne website,

"In 1973, Peter Usborne decided that educational, non-fiction books would need to change in order to compete with TV and comics. He borrowed some ideas from those two media and hired educational consultants to oversee the writing to make sure that the books would satisfy the child's interest, but also arouse it. Explanatory books which merely explain are doing only half the job; if a book fails to make its subject attractive and interesting to the reader, chances are the explanation will fail. Usborne Books are designed graphically to draw the students in, to make them want to learn the material and to help them retain that knowledge.

The magic of Usborne Books is that they make both reading and learning fun and not a boring or intimidating experience. Peter Usborne set out to break down a child's resistance to reading and learning at home. These books are so well organized that children absorb and recall much of the vast amount of information presented."

One of the many fabulous giveaways that is going on, "Usborne Books" is giving a lucky winner, the chance to win 21 different books from them; A great way for a new homeschooler to start a library or for current homeschoolers, build up their current library. So drop by "Usborne Books", discover all they have to offer! Don't forget to participate in Molding Minds Homeschool-Mega Homeschool Giveaway and tell your friends about it too!

Jeremy Riddle CD Review and Giveaway!

 You want to know something funny? I just found out that I actually know who Jeremy Riddle is! HA

Isn't that funny? I thought I was reviewing a CD from a new artist, or at least someone that I had never heard of before.

After doing a search of Jeremy Riddle, trying to find a video to put in my review, I realized that he is the artist who sings Sweetly Broken, one of my favorite songs.

Don't you love this song?

Well, I listened to this new CD, and it is hard to know whether you like a song or not the first time you hear it. I listened to many of the songs several times, and must say that I really like this CD. 

There are a couple of songs that I really, really like.

He reminds me of Jeremy Camp or Matthew West, so if you like them you would like Jeremy Riddle.

Of course that is assuming that you don't know who he is, or if like me, didn't realize you knew who he was. lol

"Riddle began production on the album nearly a year ago with Dove Award winning producer Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, David Crowder Band) at the helm. Cash’s contribution forms the backbone of the album which also features production from Bobby Hartry, a long time Riddle collaborator.  The project follows Prepare The Way: Live, an album recorded in front of a live audience in Corpus Christi, Tex., earlier this year from Vineyard. 

Riddle describes Furious saying, “It’s hard to come up with words that depict the magnitude of Christ’s love – the depth and width of it. Furious doesn’t work outside of the context of love; we tend to translate the word as angry, but I see it as a super-powerful force; stronger, deeper, broader than our vocabulary can fully describe."

Four years on the road as a touring worship leader eventually took its toll on Jeremy, so in January 2011, the former jr. high youth pastor came on staff as worship community pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, Calif. Working under pastors Brian and Jenn Johnson, Jeremy facilitates a worship community of over 200 people within the church.

“My wife (Katie) and I have always had a heart to serve the local church and never wanted to do the full-time travel thing for very long, so it felt like a good time to transition into something different,” Jeremy says. “I’ve developed such an appreciation for the fruit that has been sowed from my life – personally and artistically – by being part of a local community.”

Consequently, several of the tracks on Furious are also featured on Be Lifted High, the most recent album from Bethel Church.

“These songs are a reflection of being part of something bigger than just me,” Jeremy says. “Through some significant growth in understanding and living out humility from a very independent place, I’ve shifted into a place where I can’t even claim this record is completely inspired by me. There are so many elements of the album that could never have flowed from me had I not been connected to people walking out life with me.” 

Here is a video that I found on You Tube of one of the songs on this new album. Enjoy!



I very much like this CD, and I would recommend it. I particularly like that all of his songs are Christian songs. There are so many Christian bands out there that have songs that really have nothing to do with God.

You won't have to worry about that with this CD.


AND, guess what? I actually have one copy to give away to one of my readers! YAY! lol


All you need to do to enter my giveaway is let me know if this is your first time hearing of Jeremy Riddle, or if you are already a fan.

If you would like additional entries you can:

1. Follow my blog through GFC, and leave me a comment letting me know you are following me. You may leave a comment if you are already following me as well. 

2. Subscribe to my blog either by RSS or email, and let me know which way you are now following. If you are already subscribed, leave me a comment letting me know.

3. "Like my FB page. 

 

This giveaway ends on Friday September 30th, 2011 at noon. Make sure you leave me a way to contact you should you win. Thanks! 

 

Official Rules for this giveaway:

1. Eligibility. Giveaways are open to readers with US shipping addresses only, unless otherwise stated.

2. How to Enter. Entry is made by leaving a comment on the giveaway post. A limit of one entry is allowed per e-mail address. You may only enter once, please do not use multiple emails to enter.

You may, however, obtain additional entries on a particular giveaway through other channels when applicable.

3. Disclaimer. I will not be responsible for any lost or damaged items, or any lost or late entries, any technical issues, or anything beyond my control.


Good Luck!

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vineyard-Music/18257532074

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/vineyardmusic

Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/


"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."

Our Trip to the "Big" Movies/ Lion King 3D (slight review)

Yesterday we went to the movies!

This is a big deal for us, as we never go to the "big" movies. We only go to the dollar movies, and that is even pretty rare.

There is hardly ever anything playing that is appropriate for our family.

Well, none of us have ever seen a 3D movie, so we thought, let's just do it.

So, we went to the Warren Luxury Theatre.

It was so nice! The seats were super cushy and comfortable. The backs of the seats were tall enough that you could lean your head back and watch the movie, AND they rocked! How cool is that?

Oh yeah, and it didn't smell. HA!  Trust me, the dollar movies smell. :(

Can you tell we haven't been to a good theatre in a while? lol

On to the movie...We decided to watch The Lion King 3D.



The 3D part was pretty cool. I don't know that I would pay the extra that often because it was only some of the movie that really looked cool.

When it rained, the 3D was awesome! It was like it was really raining in the theatre. And there were a few times that it did look like something was right in your face, but it wasn't quite as cool as I thought it would be.

The movie was OK, but there were some things in it that I didn't care for.

*It was pretty scary for my son. He is almost 7 years old, so if your kids aren't used to violent movies, be aware that it might be scary for them.

*The word stupid was used a lot.

*There was one time that Timon was saying to Pumba, "Why am I always having to save your AAA (yelling)?, or something similar to that, but you know they meant to say AS*.

Younger children may not catch that, but older ones or adults will.

*And in another place, Simba tells Timon to be fresh bait, and he responds, "What do you want me to do, dress up in drag and do the hula? Yeah, that wasn't necessary at all.

There were a few other crude humor things that I can't remember off the top of my head, but those two really stood out. 

This is the stuff that drives me crazy about these movies. It would be just as good without that kind of junk. 

OK, now I am singing Francesca Battistelli's song in my head.  This is the stuff that drives me crazy.....HA HA HA

Anyhow, it was fun going to the movies, and I am happy that we saw a 3D movie, but I don't think we would watch the movie again. It wasn't too horrible, but it is not one that I want my kids seeing over and over again, you know what I mean?

I don't know that I can recommend this movie or not. It is one of those that I am on the fence about. It is not the worst thing ever, but there are things that I don't like. So I am not going to say if I recommend it or not. All I can say is that we don't plan on watching it again.

How was your weekend?

Good Morning Girls 1 John Bible Study

Tomorrow I am beginning a Bible study of 1 John with the Good Morning Girls.

I wanted to invite you to join us as well. Even if you don't want to join a group, you can still do this study.

I think it is going to be great!

You can find the details here. Be sure to scroll down quite a ways because there is a lot of info there.

I will be posting about what I am learning in this study on Wednesday's, I believe.

I am not totally sure how it all works, but I am looking forward to it.

Hope to see some of you join me.

The Shunning Review and Giveaway

Beverly Lewis' The Shunning - About the Movie

Before she succumbs to cancer, the dying wish of Laura Mayfield-Bennett is to be reunited with the daughter she never knew. Unfortunately, that daughter, Katie Lapp, is a member of the Amish order. Katie is about to be married, but uneasy about the path ahead.  Now she discovers the secret her parents have kept from her: she's adopted. 

The film is based on the celebrated first novel of the best-selling "The Heritage of Lancaster County" book series from author Beverly Lewis. Stars Danielle Panabaker & Sherry Stringfield.

I've actually read most of this book, but I didn't finish it.

I guess I just got too busy, or I needed to read a review book or something.

Anyhow, as one who has read the book first, I found the movie to be lacking a little.

I feel like the movie did not go into enough detail, but I still really liked it. I definitely want to see the next movie in the series.

I think I am gonna have to go get the book so that I don't have to wait and see what happens. lol

BEVERLY LEWIS - Author of "The Shunning"

Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, is The New York Times bestselling author of more than eighty books.  Her stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide.  A keen interest in her mother's Plain heritage has inspired Lewis to write many Amish-related novels, beginning with "The Shunning," which has sold more than one million copies.  In 2007, Lewis' "The Brethren" was honored with a Christy Award.

Lewis has been interviewed by both national and international media, including Time magazine, the Associated Press, and the BBC.  Lewis lives with her husband, David, in Colorado. 

Website: http://hallmarkchannel.com/theshunning

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheShunningMovie

Trailer: http://hallmarkchannel.com/microsites/video.aspx?simscode=OWN_891400000000000&pageid=2607&pn=PN147958&tabIndex=2&pnlist=pn147958|

I am excited to be able to give away one DVD of the Shunning! (Ends Sept. 23rd. 2011, at noon.)

If you would like a chance to win a copy, just leave me a comment telling me your favorite Beverly Lewis book.

If you would like additional entries you can:

1. Follow my blog throught GFC, and leave me a comment letting me know you are following me. You may leave a comment if you are already following me as well. 

2. Subscribe to my blog either by RSS or email, and let me know which way you are now following. If you are already subscribed, leave me a comment letting me know.

3. "Like my FB page. 

This giveaway ends on Friday September 16th, 2011 at noon. Make sure you leave me a way to contact you should you win. Thanks!

Official Rules for this giveaway:

1. Eligibility. Giveaways are open to readers with US shipping addresses only, unless otherwise stated.

2. How to Enter. Entry is made by leaving a comment on the giveaway post. A limit of one entry is allowed per e-mail address. You may only enter once, please do not use multiple emails to enter.

You may, however, obtain additional entries on a particular giveaway through other channels when applicable.

3. Disclaimer. I will not be responsible for any lost or damaged items, or any lost or late entries, any technical issues, or anything beyond my control.


Good Luck!

"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." 

MEGA HOMESCHOOL GIVEAWAY!

Christian Liberty Press is a homeschool curricula publisher that offers full curriculum for grades K-12 as well as supplemental materials.

From the website:

Whether you are a new or seasoned educator, or somewhere in between, we can help you sort through the maze of curriculum choices. It is our aim to minister to you in the great task of educating students in the fear and admonition of Christ. Our site not only outlines curriculum for each grade level but also provides a guide to evaluating the various subjects from a biblical worldview. It is our goal to provide you with the highest possible quality of Christ-centered educational materials at an affordable price. Please take time to discover how our resources can help you.

Christian Liberty Press has offered up a complete set of Studying God's Word books A-H to be part of the Mega Homeschool Giveaway. These books will give your child a firm foundation in Biblical knowledge including history and catechism drills. Please take a moment to visit Christian Liberty Press online and then go enter the giveaway for a chance to win this great prize as well as many others!

September TOS Blog Hop!

Good morning everyone!

I am excited to be co-hosting the TOS Crew Blog Hop this month.

This month's theme is NOT Back to School!

Join us in linking up about your homeschool. Here are some ideas to get you started:

How you celebrate not going back to school
First day not back to school
What you love about homeschooling
What your kids love about homeschooling

The Guidelines for participating in the TOS Crew blog hop are as follows:

1. Please grab the blog hop button to spread the word.

<a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=106247&type=thumbnail" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft" title="Crew Blog Hop" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/devildogwife97/Blog%20Pics/Design%20Elements/WheelBlogHopButtonVBlue-1-1.png" alt="Crew Blog Hop"/></a>

2. Please follow our wonderful hosts – Families Again, Marine Corps Nomads, Faith, Family, and Fun, and Training Children up for Christ as well as the 2 blogs in front of your link.

3. Please link directly to your blog hop post. Our theme for this month is Not-Back-To-School.

4. Please do not link up your giveaways, blog hops, etc. (These will be deleted.)

Link up your blog, visit and follow the blogs that interest you and have fun getting to know the 2011-2012 TOS Crew as well as the other participating homeschoolers. If you follow our blogs and leave a comment, we will follow you back! (Since we're all homeschoolers, it may take us a few days to follow everyone back. Thanks for your understanding.)

Now, let’s get blog hoppin’ and have some fun!

You only need to add your link to one linky for it to show up on all participating blogs. Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

Past Crew Blog Hops:

August 2011 - Getting to Know You

NOT Back to School/ Where is Your Heart?

How many times have you heard:

"I am so glad school is starting up again." 

"I sure am glad summer is over, I don't think I could stand my kids being at home all day any longer."

Or a similar statement?

Unfortunately I hear this every year from my own family members.

It breaks my heart.

I can't imagine being without my kiddos all the time.

I can't imagine being happy that my kids were going to be away from me all day long for 9 months out of the year.

I just don't get it. 

Well, I think I might.

I know there was a time that I couldn't wait to get back to work, to get out of the house, to have something of my own.

God really had to work on my heart to let me realize that being home with my kiddos was something of my own. It was a great job. It was important.

I thank God that He has allowed me to see this, and that He has brought my heart home.

I think this is the reason for these types of comments. A heart not being at home.

If you find yourself making these kinds of comments, perhaps you need to search deep within your heart and see what the real issue is.

Ask God to show you where your heart is, and to bring it where it needs to be. HOME

I love teaching my kids. It is fun. It is my joy!

It can be yours too if you ask God to turn your heart towards home.

He will bless you and your efforts if you do.

I was originally writing this post as a NOT Back to School post, but as I started writing, God led me in a different direction. He must have wanted this message written today instead of what I was going to write.

I hope you are blessed by this post. I know I needed the reminder.

Ginny Owens CD review and Giveaway!

Recently I received a CD from an artist named Ginny Owens. 

I had never heard of her before and was pretty surprised to hear that she is a three-time Dove award winner.

And I was very surprised to hear that she is blind. That is so amazing that she is still doing what she loves.

Here is a little more information about Ginny:

A three-time Dove Award winner, including the Gospel Music Association’s 2000 New Artist of the Year recipient, and multiple ASCAP Award winner, Ginny Owens has sold nearly one million albums. A top performer on the Christian radio charts with hits like “If You Want Me To,” “Free” and “I Wanna Be Moved,” among others, Owens’ music has impacted mainstream audiences at Lilith Fair, the Sundance Film Festival and the White House. Her music has received widespread film and television placement, including songs on the popular WB series’ “Roswell” and “Felicity.” Owens was featured on national television, including NBC’s “Today” and CNN, for her contribution to help rebuild New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Born and raised in Jackson, Miss., Owens was discovering melodies on the piano almost before she could complete a sentence. Songs began to emerge from her fingers as the vision began to leave her eyes and by the age of three.  A degenerative eye condition left Owens completely blind.  Despite her physical challenge, Owens pursued a music career.  Songs provide a window into a world Owens can’t see and an outlet for her to express her thoughts and dreams. Owens’ unique musical style and inspirational lyrics continue to appeal to Christian and mainstream audiences alike.

In 2005 Owens launched The Fingerprint Initiative, a hands-on, non-profit organization designed to “bring hope to the world, one project and one touch at a time.” The organization has partnered with  and raised money for groups such as Compassion International, International Justice Mission and Habitat for Humanity.

I listen to a lot of Christian music but have never heard any of her songs.

Her style is a little more slow, and relaxing than we typically listen to, but it is good. 

I really loved song number 5 of this album - Joined at the Heart.

It is about the blessing that a baby is to a family.

If you like slow Christian music, then you just might like this CD.

AND I happen to have an extra CD to give away! YAY!

All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment letting me know if you have ever heard of Ginny Owens before or not.

Giveaway ends Friday Sept. 16th, 2011 ant noon. 

If you would like additional entries you can:

1. Follow my blog throught GFC, and leave me a comment letting me know you are following me. You may leave a comment if you are already following me as well. 

2. Subscribe to my blog either by RSS or email, and let me know which way you are now following. If you are already subscribed, leave me a comment letting me know.

3. "Like my FB page. 

This giveaway ends on Friday September 16th, 2011 at noon. Make sure you leave me a way to contact you should you win. Thanks!

Official Rules for this giveaway:

1. Eligibility. Giveaways are open to readers with US shipping addresses only, unless otherwise stated.

2. How to Enter. Entry is made by leaving a comment on the giveaway post. A limit of one entry is allowed per e-mail address. You may only enter once, please do not use multiple emails to enter.

You may, however, obtain additional entries on a particular giveaway through other channels when applicable.

3. Disclaimer. I will not be responsible for any lost or damaged items, or any lost or late entries, any technical issues, or anything beyond my control.


Good Luck!

______________________________

Website: http://ginnyowensmusic.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GinnyOwensMusic 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/GinnyOwens

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/before-you-fly-single/id442050145


"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."

MEGA HOMESCHOOL GIVEAWAY!

I am so excited! I have had a steady inbox and mailbox full of great prizes to give away. This is my first group giveaway and I am so thrilled to share some really great homeschool products and blogs with you! I am using a program called rafflecopter for the first time that I hope will make it easy for you to enter. Just click on each method of entry, follow the directions and it will automatically enter you no matter which blog you enter from! Be sure to check back on those blogs every few days to read about the great companies who have sponsored this giveaway. With a prize lot of over $1000 in value, there is something for everyone!

I have looked around and while I can't say for sure, I am almost sure that I am about to introduce you to the largest homeschool giveaway ever! Ok, maybe not ever, but it is going to be big! So without further hesitation here is what you have all been waiting for!! Browse through, check out the great products, visit blogs and vendor sites, and enter to win!!

Time 4 Learning/ TOS Review

Time 4 Learning is an online home education program. It can be used by homeschoolers or as an after school reinforcement program.

It can be use for grades Pre-K through 8th.


*The subjects it covers are:

Language Arts/English
Math
Science
Social Studies


*How it works:

Your child logs into his account and will find his homepage.

 

Your child gets to decide what topic he would like to cover first. (Unless you are letting him know what to do.)

Once he chooses a topic, it will open up a new screen. 

Let's say he chose Science. This is the screen that would come up. 

 

Now, the child can choose which subtopic he wants to learn about. OR he can follow the arrow and go in order, which is probably what you are supposed to do, but we just chose what we wanted to. :)

As you can see in the above snapshot, my son completed the Surfaces of the Earth category. 

Let me show you what a lesson in science for the 1st grade level looks like. 

It is really difficult to show you what a lesson looks like without the audio and video, but in between these two snapshots, the 2 kids were talking about the surface of the earth. A mini lesson per say.

In this particular area it teaches a lesson, and then asks the kids questions. Here, the program does read the questions out loud, and has a repeat button if the child needs to hear it again. In some areas/levels, it does not read the question out loud. 

The lessons are pretty short, maybe about 10 minutes. Once your child is done with one lesson they can go on to another topic. 

The older child's lessons are very similar. 

They will also sign into their main page. 

 

Choose a topic. 

 

Choose a subtopic.

 

As you can see here, my daughter didn't go in order either. lol

I am going to show you a sample of the Science lessons in the upper level as well, so you can get a good comparison. 

I am also going to get into some of the issues that I have with this program here, because this is where some of them crept up. 

 As you can see the upper levels are no longer as animated, nor read out loud anymore.

If you look carefully in the green Clever Columbus box, you can see that it is talking about Columbus using magic to trick the natives, saying that he claimed to have magical powers. I don't know if this story is true or not, but I didn't care for my daughter reading it, that's for sure. 

It has never come up in any of our other books about Columbus, but we do tend to use Christian resources.

In this clip you can see that it makes a note to werewolves. Why? There is no need for that. (In my opinion) I mean, are any of our children werewolves? Who is it talking to?

OK, here is where I really started to get upset. This lesson actually tells the kids to try some magic, and tells them to "In a low, serious voice, chant the following mystical incantation; Umbra, Penumbra! Umbra Penumbra!"

It does go on to ask whether or not anything happened, and then says magic is not all it is cracked up to be, but seriously, come on. This just frustrates me. I don't want my kids reading about magic like this.

I am not opposed to some magical things like Narnia for instance, but this is just nonsense. This is why I stick to Christian curriculum.


Anyhow, after your child has finished his lesson, there is a series of questions for him to answer. Below is an example.

 

 After the lesson is complete there is also a quiz.

 

OK, now on to the other subjects...

I am going to start out with my son, 6. 

He has done some of every subject. The very first thing we did on Time 4 Learning was the Social Studies. 

I was very disappointed. He was learning about how it is good to do your chores, and was learning about Firefighters, police Officers, and Nurses.

Don't get me wrong these are good things, but what they were teaching was really babyish. 

They had a little lesson on profession, and then asked questions like, "Which one puts out fires?", or "Which one gives medicine?"

This would be OK if it were on a Pre-K or K level, but this was 2nd grade!

Same thing for the chores. I don't need my kids to sit in front of a computer to learn that it is good to do their chores. You know what I mean?

As far as the math and LA goes, my son just didn't want to do them. Everything that we did do, he thought was very babyish. 

Now for my daughter, 14, there were things that she enjoyed, and things that she didn't. 

As far as the science goes, I already talked about that earlier in my review, and as you know there were things mentioned that I didn't care for. So honestly, we didn't do much more science. 

She didn't care for the math. She thought it was a little boring. 

Now, she actually like the LA program. She really liked the way they did the summarizing. 

The problem for us both was the fact that a lot of the articles that she was supposed to read to summarize were not appropriate for our family, or just plain weird.

For instance, in one of the writing lessons about summarizing, the article was about how teens should go to the internet if they have embarrassing or awkward questions. UH NO! 

My daughter said it made it seem like it is OK to just get on the internet and look up stuff and not have to ask your parents.

I was really appalled at the article. It really sounded as if it were telling our kids not to go to their parents. It said if you have an awkward question, or to avoid embarrassment, go to the internet. I couldn't believe it.

It also said in one spot: "Since water was so important, the people of the southwest performed ceremonies and dances to keep the spirits happy, to bring rain and have a good harvest."

And when she opened up another writing lesson to show her dad, it was talking about how there were were two guys who were at a dance fighting over the same girl.
Really????

I had just had enough.


Some of the other topics that were not necessarily bad were just weird, at least for my daughter and I.

In one area it called geese evil, said the ice age occurred between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago, and had pictures of a cave girl.  It also talked about cloning and how they are keeping the DNA of animals to save the animals in the future. Another was about aliens. Just weird stuff. Nothing that interesting or educational.


And to top it off the topics were not on grade level, in my opinion.

Part of the problem with that is that even though Time 4 Learning says it goes up to 8th grade, it does not do so in all subjects.

For instance Science only goes up to grade 6, and Social Studies goes up to grade 7. So really only the LA and math go up to 8th grade. I am not sure why this is.

Here is a quote from the 6th grade Social Studies:

"The area of the North was very cold and icy. For shelter during the winter the groups built igloos and houses made out of ice; to keep warm they burn lamps filled with seal oil. They used furs to make warm clothes and seal skins to make water proof boots."

My 6 year old can understand this. He might not could read it, but he could comprehend it. Most of the Social Studies lessons were like this. At least the ones we saw.

Things just don't seem on grade level to me. Now I am not one to care about grade level at all, but things just seem to be way below grade level. 

I know many people who love this program, so keep in mind that we all have different opinions on what is good for our families, on grade level, etc.

I just feel like I need to express my honest feelings when I review a product.

I can see how this would be a fun after school program. I would just think you need to be careful if you prefer a Christian curriculum. There are things that won't line up with your beliefs.

I don't feel like I could just let my kids do this alone.

Now there were lessons that were good, please don't get me wrong. For me there just too many that I didn't care for to be comfortable with this program.

It is nice that I can log in to my parents page and see what the kids have been doing.

I also like that you can raise or lower the grade level, and that you can set time limits.

You can set a minimum time limit that they need to be doing lessons, or a maximum time limit they can play on the playground. (Basically arcade type games)


This is one of those programs that I can't tell you whether or not you would like it or not.

You can purchase a subscription for $19.95 / Month for Your First Child and $14.95 / Month for Each Additional Child!

The good thing is that if you are interested in Time 4 Learning you can try it out for free for 30 days in return for an honest review on your blog.

This would be a great way to see if it is right for your family or not.

Thanks for sticking with me on this review. I know it was a long one. :)


Be sure to read what my fellow Crew Mates thought of Time 4 Learning.

*I have received a 30 day trial, free, as a member of the TOS Crew in return for my honest opinion. No other compensation has been given to me.*