A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers

A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers
by Bright Ideas


A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers is a year long curriculum study of various composers through out time.
This one year program does not cover all of the composers, but gives a great variety of especially the main ones. This study includes classical composers as well as modern ones.


There are activities to go along with each composer as well as cards to print out to learn more. The only thing not included in this program is the music itself. This is a drawback for me, as I had to find the various selections myself. Luckily we have a huge selection of classical music and I was able to find several. Obviously we have not finished this program because we have only been using it for a little over a month. we look forward to the rest of the program. I appreciated the way it was very thorough and had some interesting activities.


We really enjoy this and look forward to trying some of the other books in the young Scholar series.


A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers is geared for children in grades 4-8. I did use this for Ben too and he is in 3rd grade.


The CD Rom is priced at $29.95
The Paper book is priced at $34.95


*I was sent a download of this program for free. I am not compensated in anyway and am not required to give a positive review.

ACT Advantage DISCOVER

Career Planning Program





DISCOVER is a career planning program designed for career counselors, but used by students. Students are able to assess their interests, values, and abilities.

With DISCOVER students are able to explore various career paths. Students are able to uncover what they migh want to be "when they grow up." It is not a guessing game, DISCOVER is a well researched program to help high school students along their career paths.

DISCOVER has not only an up to date data base filled with occupations, (including military), colleges, and majors but also financial aid options as well.

Sonny is the eighth grade. In my opinion this program is geared toward high schoolers as opposed to middle schoolers. Sonny was not really interested in doing this program, I think because he is not thinking about his future yet. We did not finish the entire program because we have had a lot of intrenet issues with our current provider.


Price: $19.95 for a three-month license, $24.95 for a six-month license.



*I was given a free download from ACT in order to write a review. I was not paid for my review and am not required to write a positive review.

abcteach membership

abcteach has over 5000+ FREE printable worksheets and activities on their website.  Members will have access to over 35,000 printable worksheets and activities.  But that is not all! 

Members will have:

*ad free pages

*a large number of clip art images

*various range of grade levels and subjects

*new worksheets and added weekly

*customer service to help with your schooling needs

Whatever you are studying I am sure they have.  There are science worksheets, printable handwriting sheets, crossword puzzles, plus more!

Right before Columbus day I decided to look for some worksheets to make a unit study for Ben and Julianna to learn about Columbus.  I was able to print off several activities for them to use in our study of Christopher Columbus.  They are both talking about what we learned.

In the beginning of October I decided to try the crossword generator~ this is a fabulous program on abcteach that allows you to create your own crossword puzzles and word searches etc..~  I made Ben a crossword puzzle for General Conference with church related words.  He thought it was so cool that I could put in clues and the words that go with them and then the program made the crossword.  I can see how this would be helpful for spelling words, vocabulary words, etc...

Please check out this introductory page as it will help answer questions you may have.

Remember you can get 5000+ FREE printables without the membership, BUT with a membership you will have access to over 35,000 printables for $40 for a one year membership or $70 for a two year membership.

Check out what other TOS crew members had to say about abcteach.

Virginia Scents and Soaps

Virginia Scents and Soaps

When I found out we were going to have the oportunity to review products for this company I was so excited.  As a member of the TOS crew we mostly review homeschooling products.  Imagine my surprise to find this company on the list.  Virginia Scents and Soaps is owned and started by a homeschooling family.  You see, it started out as a fun project to go along with their early American studies.  They enjoyed it so much that the Spargur family decided to go into the soap making business.  The Spargurs researched and experimented until they came up with the best handmade soaps on the market.  They are all natural and made with olive oil.  See here for more information on soap.

I for one like to support families who homeschool, but only if their products and services are great!  I plan on purchasing some Virginia Scents and Soaps for friends and family for Christmas.

This company sent each of us on the TOS crew 3 complimentary bed and breakfast sized bars of soap (oatmeal, milk, & honey, fresh orange, & coconut lemongrass), one shampoo bar (ginger lime), and one sample laundry soap kit.

We loved all of the soap bars.  I am not sure we have a favorite~ too difficult to choose.  I have really oily hair so the regular shampoo bar did not really work for me.  But I do not hold that against them, I have to use 4-5 different shampoos every week to keep my hair balanced.  I do want to try the oily champoo bar though.

Making homemade laundry detergent is kind of fun.  The children think it is really neat to make it instead of buying it from the store.  I really think you should try it out and let your children help.  It is pennies a load and gets your clothes clean too!

I am so excited to try some of their other fragrances especially the holiday fragrances like peppermint.   They also have a pet shampoo bar that I want to order for our Bassett Hound, Rosie.

Check out what the other TOS crew members had to say here.

As usual I was sent these products for free to review for TOS and am not paid in any way for my reivew.  My review is my opinion amd I am not required to write a positive review.

Bible Charts & Maps

The Amazing Bible World History Timeline

The Amazing Bible Timeline is not in your usual format.  I have only seen ones that are long.  This one is larger than poster sized, with the timeline in round shape. 

I am not a history buff, but my husband is.  I found this confusing and not really wanting to spend a whole lot of time looking and studying it.  It is quite large and because of that I was unable to hang it up. I kept it rolled up in the family room.  It was not a very useful place to store it.  I personally to not care for timelines. 

It was interesting to see it all in one place.  If you are one that enjoys timelines you may like this.

Price: $29.97

Right now if you order you will receive FREE~

Interactive Maps of the Holy Lands and Digital Amazing Bible Timeline

For a limited time get 2 for $49.97

See what other TOS crew members had to say about this as well.

Sue Patrick's Workbox System

by Sue Patrick
E~book

Have you ever wished your homeschool day was more organized?  Do you wish your children were more self motivated?  I for one am not that organized with our school day.  I frequently day dream about a "perfect" day, one where my children happily work on their schoolwork first thing in the mornng and are finished by noon or so. 

I was sent a free copy of  Sue Patrick's Workbox System e-Book to review for the TOS crew.  I read through the entire e-book that evening.  I hoped that this may be the answer to my problems.  Reading through the book I was so excited to see some things that I was dying to try. 

Sue Patrick's Workbox system works by helping you organize and prepare the day.  The table of contents includes:

The Benefits of Homeschooling, How We Teach and Train, What the Workbox System is, Who the System is for, How a Day Works, Curriculum and Material, Breaking Down Curriculum for Success, Life Skill Foundations, The built in Discipline of the Workbox System, Problem Solving and Specialization of Your Child’s Education, Family Dynamics and Homeschooling, and Tips and Tricks and Problem Solving.

Watching the video explanation on Sue's Workbox System is very beneficial and I encourage you to watch it.

There are several resources you can purchase to start your journey. The User Guide (which is what I received) is available in either an eBook or paperback for $19.95 or the book with 4 months of consultation with Sue for $119.95. On Sue's website there are several downloads, to make your own materials, that are free when you purchase the book.  If you prefer you can purchase the pre-assembled material kits for 1 child for $12.75 or for 2 children for $24.  There are also center packages for grades 1-3, 3-5, and 4-6 available for $40 each set.  There are also a few different complete starter packages as well.

There are various aspects of this program which I love, but there are other ideas that just did not work for us for various reasons.  I do hope that in the future I will be able to implement the entire plan. 

Please check out what other TOS crew members had to say about Sue Patrick's Workbox System.

Sarah's Wish

by Jim Baumbarger
Sarah's Books

Sadly, Sarah is pushed into the adult world long before she should be.  With her mother killed in a tragic wagon accident Sarah is left an orphan.  She desperately wants a family and prays about that daily.  Sarah is bound and determined to keep the secret her mother entrusted to her.

Sarah's Wish takes place in the United States during the 19th century.  Runaway slaves are in existence as well as bounty hunters out to catch them.    During this time, the underground railround comes in to play creating compassion and heroes out of ordinary people.

We loved this book!  It is a wonderful book to introduce children to slavery and the underground railroad.  This is the first in a 3 book series about Sarah. To read excerpts from all of the books see here. 

Jim Baumbarger sent people on the TOS crew a free copy of Sarah's Wish to read and review.  Not only did he send us a book but he also personally autographed each book.  We also received an email newsletter.  What a great vendor to have had the privilege to work with. 

To purchase Sarah's Wish for $9.99 with free shipping click here.

To read the other TOS crew members' reviews click here.

*I was sent a free copy of this book to read and review.  This review is my opinion and I am not compensated in any way for my opinion nor am I required to give a positive review.

The Jewel of His Heart

Heart of the West #2                                  
by Maggie Brendan
Revell Publishing

                                                                                                         



What a fun read!  This is one I could not put down.


Josh McBride is a new sheepherder in Montana.  He comes from Colorado where his father is a cattle rancher.  Josh is trying to make his own way the way he wants.


Juliana Brady's mother is dead and her father abandoned her and her mother 10 years previous to become a miner.  She is poor and in need of a job desperately.  She finds a job at a local newspaper office that she really loves. 


Juliana and Josh meet and start seeing each other regularly, however when Josh tells her about the saphires he found on his land Josh may lose Juliana forever.  Juliana does not want to be invloved with a man that will become a miner and possibly leave her for the next big find.


This is a fun book that has a few suprises in store for its readers. 


*I was send a free copy of this book to read and review.  I am not compensated in any way for my review and am not required to write a positive review.

Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Giveaway!!

A fellow blogger has a really great giveaway on her blog~ raisingolives.com

check it out:  http://raisingolives.com/2009/10/elefun-and-friends-giveaway/comment-page-2/#comment-4368

Sound of Sleigh Bells

by Cindy Woodsmall

Waterbrook Publishing

GIVEAWAY!!!  Post a comment on this review and you may win your very own copy!!

Hearing the sound of sleigh bells gives Beth wonderful feelings.  However Jonah feels the opposite.  These two Amish young people come from different Amish districts but it becomes a matter of fate that they meet.

Beth is a single Amish girl with a secret~ about her dead fiance.  Will she ever be free of the terrible secret?  Lizzy, Beth's Aunt, thinks Jonah may be the answer to Beth's mourning of her fiance.  Lizzy is worried about her and wants to see her happily married, unlike herself who has remained unmarried.

Jonah is a woodcarver whom Beth desires to help sell his products.  When they start writing to each other some healing flows into Beth's heart.  However Beth thinks she is writing to an elderly gentleman, not to a fellow single man!!

This book was delightful to read.  I enjoyed the sweet healing that came to Beth and the innocent love story contained within its pages.  Although I do not have any secrets hidden, I did appreciate learning of the importance of forgiving oneself.  To purchase your own copy go to this link:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307446534

Don't forget to post a comment below to be entered into the drawing for a FREE copy!

Note~I was sent a free copy of this book by random house to read and review.  I am not compensated for my review.  My review contains my own opinions.  I am not required to write a positive review.

Guardian Angel Publishing

Guardian Angel Publishing

e-Books~
*No Bones About It~the Sum of Our Parts Series
*Rainbow~Sheep
*Andy and Spirit Go to the Fair
*Gifts from God
*Earthquake


I received 5 free ebooks to review from Guardian Angel Press. 

                                                     
         

Rainbow Sheep

This cute little story is about a shepardess who befriends a rainbow.  The rainbow is sad and the girl tries to cheer her up.  The rainbow cries tears and turns the sheep different colors.  Very cute for little ones.  Geared to ages 4-10 years.  At teh end of the book is a project on learning how to felt. 
It is 24 pages.  $5 for download $9.95 + shipping for paper copy.  There are also other options as well, see the link above.

The only thing that I did not like about this book is that I wished that the picture came after the reading instead of before it.  We would look at a picture then read about it and then end up scrolling up to see the picture in more detail.

Gifts From God

This book is full of pictures, scriptures, and sayings.  It is not a story book or an educational book, it is an inspirational book.  There are lovely pictures inclueded with the various quotes.  

I am not a fan of a book full of pictures of people i do not know with quotes etc..  But if you this is lovely and would be agreat gift. (in the paper copy form)  I really do not like it being an ebook, because it was not a storybook or educational and was hard to "snuggle" with my kiddos.

$5 for the eBook download or $10.95 + shipping for the print copy.

Andy & Spirit Go to the Fair

Andy and his horse, Spirit, find some great fun at the fair.  They learn to overcome challenges and become heroes in the process. 

My son, Ben, read this book to his sister and my daycare kiddos.  It was probably a bit long for them (they range in ages 1-4). It was great reading practice for Ben.  It also has a great messge. $5 for an ebook download $10.95 + shipping for printed copy.

Con~  It is really hard to snuggle up with an ebook,  my suggestion would be to buy the print copy of this story book so you can snuggle up on the couch with the little one.

The Sum of our Parts:No Bones About It

Have you ever wanted to memorize the bones in your body, but found it too daunting?  Well, this is not only educational but really fun.  Study the bones, take quizzes, and learn fun little facts.

This is just one of the books in The Sum of Our Parts series.

$5 for the eBook download & $10.95 + shipping for the print copy.

We really had a fun time with this book and enjoyed it.

Earthquake

This book won an honorable mention at the 2009 Green Book festival.

This book contains nearly everything you and your child ever wanted to know about earthquakes.  What causes an earthquake?  When can we do to prepare for one?  There are lots of fun tidbits.  There is even some experiments included! 

Earthquake is well worth the $5 for the eBook.  Get a printed copy for $10.95 + shipping.

Overall these were really good books.  However I am not a fan of eBooks, I would much rather pay a bit extra to get a printed copy.

Do you want to read what the other TOS reviewers had to say?  Click here to find out!!

Bonnie Terry Learning

The Math Zone game
by Bonnie Terry Learning

The Math Zone game is divided into two levels.  The first one is for ages 7-9 and is the one that Ben played.  It involved smaller numbers for subtraction, addition, multiplication, and division.  The second level is for ages 9-adult.  This is the one for Sonny and a great review for me! It has larger numbers for subtraction, addition, multiplication, and division. On one side of the first set of cards has two numbers and the other side of the card gives each of the answer for addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.  The other set of cards tells you which math function you need to do for your turn.  You can set a time for as long as you want to play or you can set a number of points.  There are also bonus cards that give you more math to practice.

Ben (4th grade) and I had a fun time playing this game.  It helped Ben reinforce his math skills.  Ben even played this game with Grandma!  It is a great educational game you can fit in daily as fun math time. 

The Math Zone is priced at $12.  I am not sure I would spend that much on the game, (just because I am to frugal), but it really is a fun educational game.

There is also a 60 day money back guarantee on all of Bonnie Terry Learning products.

Check out what the other TOS crew members said about it too!

Nature Friend Magazine

Nature Friend Magazine

What a gorgeous magazine! The pictures are amazing in this magazine. The content goes pretty in depth as well.  My boys and I learned many new things about nature with a Christian perspective.  It was enjoyable to read the role of Christ and Heavenly Father in a nature magazine. 


They publish 12 issues per year with 6 of those issues geared toward older children.  This gives a good balance for all ages of children (and adults too).

Each magazine is focused on one topic through out the magazine, which helps with children who want to learn more or those with distractions. 

The cost:

Magazine subscription $36 per year
Study guides are an additional $24 per year.

I do think the price is very steep and I would not be able to afford it. I really think that the study guide should come with the magazine.  In my opinion it is not worth an added $24to the price of the magazine.  Sure, it has some fun activities but with the cost of the study guides being almost the cost of another magazine subscription it does not seem worth it.  Even if I had the money I probably would not purchase it as I feel the price tag to be too high.

To receive a
I was sent S$3 off discount use the code BLOG93 when you check out.  Offer is only good through November 30, 2009!

We received the September 2009 and October 2009 Nature Friend for free to review from Nature Friend magazine.  (through The Old Schoolhouse review crew).

To see what my fellow blog reviewers thought about Nature Friend see here.

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services (EDUDPS)

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services (EDUDPS)

~Roots & Fruits~
~Career Planning~
~Write With the Best~

Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services is a website that offers homeschool curriculum at an affordable cost.  They specilize in productsfor dyslexic children although all of their products will work for any child.  I personally think that the name of the company sounds a bit scary and confusing, but I have been impressed with their products.  I was given these three products to try:

Roots & Fruits
eBook~$14.98 **but is on sale right now for $11.25!
Printed pages no binding~$17.48
Comb binded~$19.98

What a fun name for this curriculum!  When  Ben and I did the first lesson he understood what the "roots" were but wanted to know what the "fruits" were.  I explained that the fruits were the words which had the roots in it, you have to have roots to make fruits!  This curriculum is a vocabulary study the Latin and Greek roots in English form.  There are 673 different roots and prefixes.  It can be used by kindergartners as well as middle to high school students.  This will help your child in SAT and ACT exams as well as understanding the meaning of words.  We have really enjoyed this and look forward to continuing with it throughout the year.

Write With the Best Vol. 1
eBook~$19.95**but is on sale right now for $14.95!
Printed pages no binder~$22.45
3 ring binder~$24.95

This curriculum is geared toward 3rd through 12th graders.  Volume 1 is meant for an 18 week run with volume 2 taking another 18 weeks.  The set would be enough for a full year.  If you want to you can use volume 1 for the entire year and use volume 2 for the next year~ if your child is new to writing or struggles a bit then this would be the better way to go.
What I liked the most about this curriculm is that it takes it in chunks and is not overwhelming.  Both of my boys struggle a little bit with writing and sometimes things we have tried in the past was too much all at once.  There is also a daily guide to follow.  I also appreciated the whys behind good writing.  I asked Ben why he liked the books he read.  He mentioned that they were descriptive.  I told him yes, being descriptive is important in writing.  We talked about how the sentance, "The cat sat on her bed." compared to "The fat, fluffy, long haired white Persian cat nestled on her soft, warm, pink bed."  WOW what a difference, can you see what the first one looks like in your mind?  What about the second one?  I never would have had that conversation with him without this curriculum to guide me a long.

Career Guide
eBook~$34.95**but is on sale right now for $26.20!
Soft cover~$39.95

Ever wonder what your middle school or high school student might want to be when he/she "grows up?"  Me too.  I was so excited to be chosen to review this product.  My son, Sonny, is in the 8th grade this year.  He changes what he wants to "be" every few months.  The Career Guide has four self guided assessments for your child to complete.  This will help you determine the correct classes to teach, jobs to work, or colleges to look into.  This can keep your child focused when it comes to college~ no more wasting time (and money!) taking classes to see if you like it or not!  Sonny had a hard time answering some of the questions but he really liked it.  He is just an indecisive kiddo.


I was impressed with the curriculum I received but not the form.  It was sent to me in an electronic download.  You are allowed to save it to your computer, but it does not come in adobe.  The program only allows you to print twice.  The customer service is great because my printer jammed and I tried to print again and it would not go through so I had lost both of my prints and had to contact them to recieve it again.  Also, ifyou do not save it within a certain amount of time to your computer it is locked and you can not open it up.  I feel that if you purchase a product it should not be such a hassle to open and print it.  I would suggest spending a few more dollars and have the print form sent to you.
On the website there are also free downloads for a portion of the above books, so you can see in this is something that will work for your children.
Do not be intimidated by the name Educational Diagnostic Prescriptive Services.  These products really are wonderful. 
I have been wishing for a product that can help my children improve their writing.  Writing is such an important part of education and life that I knew I needed to find something that would work.  Thank you to EDUDPS for creating your products and for giving TOS a chance to review your products! 
Click here for more TOS reviews of these products.

Read and Share Toddler Bible

Read and Share Toddler Bible
by Gwen Ellis
Thomas Nelson Publishing

When I first opened up the book my first thought was how cute the illustrations were. I knew that my daughter Julianna (age 4) would like it.  This book is geared toward very young children as the stories are very short in length.  There are 40 stories in total.  The stories are all aapted from the Bible.  There is a DVD that come with the book that contains animated versions of the stories from the book.  It runs 60 minutes in length.  Julianna and my son, Ben~8yrs~ both watched in on Sunday after church and enjoyed it.

There was one story in the book and DVD that bothered me a bit because of my beliefs it was the story of Adam and Eve.  The story was portrayed with a "ssssneaky snake."  I have taught my children that it is in fact Satan tempting Eve.  My daughter said she liked the story of Eve with the snake the best, so then I had to discuss with her about the snake etc.. 

Other then this it is a really cute book.  It is small enough for little hands to carrry and look at.

The Potluck Club Cookbook

by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Revell Publishing

If you have read any of The Potluck Club books then you will love this cookbook. If you have never read any of The Potluck Club books then you will still love it. so, either way you would get a lot out of this great cookbook. My son, Ben, who is 8, loves to cook. We like to look at cookbooks and see what we would like to try. There were so many in this cookbook that we did not know where to start.
I do wish their were pictures of some of the dishes, if not all. It would have been lots of fun if Linda and Eva were in some of them. I think it would have made it more personable, kind of like their books. But, of course if you ask my friend, Tami, she will just say that I like cookbooks with pictures. I do not tend to buy a cookbook if there are no pictures so I am not sure I would have picked it if I was not sent it. However I am glad they did.
Throughout the book there are personal notes and tidbits from the authors. This makes it enjoyable to read too.
Don't know what to make? Need easy down to earth recipes? Get this cookbook~ NOW!!
"Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Are you still not sure? Try one of these recipes from the cookbook:

Grandmother’s Coconut Chess Pie
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. flour (should be heaping)
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ Cup white sugar
¾ Cup white Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
unbaked pie shell
¼ lb. butter
12-14 oz. coconut (can or bag)

Beat eggs well and set aside. In mixing bowl blend flour, salt, and sugar, then add eggs. Next add syrup and vanilla, beat until well mixed. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Slice butter into thick slices and cover top of pie. Sprinkle coconut on top of pie and bake for about 1 hour in 300 degree oven or until firm and brown.
Serves 8

Linda: “I inherited this recipe from my Grandmother Evans. It’s one of the best pies I’ve ever tasted!” (Page 83)


Corn Pudding au Gratin

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup diced cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine corn, flour, cheese and pepper; mix well. Add melted margarine and well-beaten eggs. Warm milk and add to mixture. Pour into 1 ½ quart casserole pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in oven until pudding begins to set, then sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over the top and reduce heat to 325 and bake until firm. If bread crumbs are not sufficiently brown when pudding is firm, turn to broil briefly. Cooking time is about 30 – 40 minutes.

Eva: “This recipe reheats nicely.” (Page 169)

Linda’s Chicken Tortilla Casserole

2 ½ Tbsp. chopped onions
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups milk
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. jalapeno peppers
1 ½ cups chopped canned tomatoes (stewed)
3 cups cubed chicken, cooked
½ cup shredded cheese
12 tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips

Sauté onions in butter, then add flour and cook until mixture is bubbly. Stir in milk and broth gradually. Stir in salt, peppers, and tomatoes.
In casserole dish, layer chicken, cheese, then strips of tortillas. Pour sauce over layers then sprinkle casserole with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.
Serves 6-8.

Linda: “You can’t go wrong with this tasty dish. It’s a potluck crowd favorite.” (Page 130)

A Taste of Fame

The Potluck Club Book Two
by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson
Revell Publishing

 

Even though this is the second book in the series, it is a great stand alone book. I think reading the first one will give you a deeper understanding of the characters in the book, but is not needed to read this book.

There are several women who are apart of the Potluck Catering Club. In this book they are accepted onto a television reality catering show. These ladies must go to New York and work their magic for viewers all over the country. Of course everyone has their own personal issues which get in the way along the way. Each of the ladies has to work through issues in the book. They try to stay down to earth and good friends while the TV world is doing their best to tear them apart.
I really enjoyed this book and am anxious to read the first in the series and anymore they decide to write. I found the ladies easy to get to know and in almost all of them I saw a piece of me. I rooted for them to win the money and title along with the rest of their church congregation! When you read this book you will want to read all the books by these authors!

"Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Love Has a Face

Love Has a Face
by Michele Perry
Chosen Books

Not very often to I come across a book I do not finish.  This was one.  The first two chapters were very interesting, but in the middle of chapter 3 it got really weird.  The author started to talk about her falling on the ground and not being able to move for 4-5 hours because she was caught up with the Spirit and a lot of what she was saying did not make much sense.  I felt really uneasy finishing this book so I did not.  Of course do not take my word for it, try reading it yourself.  It is about a woman who goes to Sudan to open a home for children, a missionary experience of sorts. 

Goodnews Express Series Volume

Goodnews Express Series The Birthday Gift   
by Passkeys Foundation

Passkeys Foundation has character building procusts for children and adults alike.  We were sent one of the Goodnews Express books to review. The Goodnews Express is a series of 4 books geared toward children ages 3-5~  The Cheerful Grump (Cheerfulness), Thanks, But No Thanks (Thankfulness), The Special Wish (Friendship), and The Birthday Gift (Sharing).  Each of the books sells for $7.50 or the set for $20.  Also, each of the books comes with a CD.

We were sent The Birthday Gift to review.  I read this not only to Julianna (4) and Ben (8) but also to my day care kiddos (ages 1-4).  They all were interested in the story and loved the colorful illustrations.

It is hard to find books these days that have good moral messages in them.  This books is just one of 4 that teach your children good character traits.  I loved the message in the book we reviewed, but do not just take my word for it check out what other TOS crew members had to say about the series.

Journey Through Learning

Journey Through Learning
Lapbooks~

Reptiles                                                                      
Amphibians
Autumn
Desert
The Parables of a King

I guess I am not a fun mom, because before we recieved these lapbooks to review we had never done a lapbook at home.  We were sen 5 different lapbooks to choose from (see above) I let Ben choose the one he wanted to do, I was hoping he would choose Autumn because I know a bit about that~ not so much the others.  Of course he chose Reptiles. 
We hve not finished the lapbook as of yet because we are going slow, but when we do I will post pictures.
These lapbboks come with answer guide, are color coded for help in putting the lapbook together, and in color!
Has any of your kiddos wanted to know what turtles eat or why snakes can be poisonous?  This lapbook will answer them for you.  I always thought that lapbooks were all fluff and not very useful, but these are a creative way to do a unit study on any topic.
I went to the website to see what other lapbooks they have.  Journey Through Learning has almost anythng you could ever want for lapbooking topics!  There are topics on science and social studies plus more.  Check it out and see which ones you need to amke your homeschol fun!  The lapooks come a few different ways.  The first is the say I received them~ in a download format, these run about $13 each.  You can also order a CD rom for $14 or you can orderthe printed full color version for $21. (some go for $20).
In my opinion, I think it is a bit pricey for this, but I am not that familiar with lapbooks and the cost. 

Please read what some of my crew mates say about this product here.

American's Heritage~An Adventure in Liberty

American's Heritage~an adventure in liberty
The American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc.


The American Heritage Education Foundation "AHEF is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation dedicated to the understanding and teaching of America's factual and philosophical heritage to promote constructive citizenship and Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility among our students and citizens.

AHEF accomplishes this patriotic mission by writing, producing, and distributing FREE K-12 lesson plans to teachers, students, and families in all 50 states and through additional initiatives, programs, and partnerships."

America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty is a K-12 teacher lesson plan resource. When we received the CD in the mail I was so excited. We are learning about American History this year and this fit in nicely. There are grades K-12 on the CD, so it is easy to teach American Heritage to all of your children using the same program.

All lessons are based on the themes: unity, freedom, progress, and responsibility. What I really like about this program is it does not have the children spit out facts, but hlpes the students think, explore, and understand the importance of liberty in United States history.

Price: CD Rom is FREE
Binder is $19.50 per level.

Here is what other TOS crew members thought about it as well.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life

Nutrition 101: Choose Life
by Growing Healthy Homes



We all try to teach our children proper nutrition.  As a homeschooling mom I hope that by eating all meals at home that we are teaching our children correct principles.  We also want them to learn about how their bodies function.  I have tried to find a curriculum that encompassed both aspects but was also fun and enjoyable.  We were sent Nutrition 101: Choose Life by Growing Healthy Homes to review.  This program is fantastic.  It is biblically based with scriptures to aid in the discussion.  We are LDS so we also have the World of Wisdom to incorporate into our discussion of nutrition as well.  We have learned so much in just the short time we have had it.  It is a full curriculum so we were not able to get through the entire thing, but what we have done is great. 

This nutrition program comes in two forms, CD-ROM, $79.95 and a printed book form, $99.95 or can order the combo which is both the CD-ROM and the book for $129.95.  We received the ebook to review.  There are six units and 448 pages.  Each unit is broken up into chapters.  There are recipes for new dishes to try, websites to go to, discussion questions to talk about, activites, and fun colorful pictures.

My son Ben, (almost 9years), was reading in Unit 2 (digestion) that it is not good for you to drink ice water with your meals, because it shocks your stomach and hinders digestion.  Well, I love ice water.  I tend to drink more water if I drink it with ice.  Ben is a great helper and gets me my ice water when I ask, so one day at dinner I asked him if he would get me a large glass of ice water for me.  He comes back to the table with a large glass of room temperture water and informs me that ice water is not good for me, which leads us into a discussion on why etc...  Brian, my husband thought that was funny that Ben was telling ME what was best.  I am not sure that I want him to learn anything ever again!!  Just kidding.  I love it that he is learning and teaching me as well.  We also made guacamole from the brain unit.  We learned that avacados have healthy fats that are good for our brain function.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life is a bit expensive but you will not have to buy another program for nutrition and human body again.  It is good for all ages, there are enough activites and discussion questions that you can make it as easy or as hard as you want.  I encourage you to go to their website and watch the video on the program and to check out the other TOS bloggers and read their reviews.

An Eye For An Eye

by Irene Hannon
Revell Baker Publishing

This book #2 in the Heroes of Quantico series. Unlike the last book I read that was in series this is a stand alone book. Each book in the series of three tells a story of one of three friends. This story is about Mark Sanders. Sanders is an FBI agent. he has recently been shot and is recovering both physically and mentally away from Quantico. One day as he is jogging in the park he comes across another jogger, a familiar one.
Emily Lawson is also jogging in the park that same Saturday morning. Emily and Mark were teenage sweethearts. Neither kept in touch with the other. However their reunion in the park is cut short when they are shot at. But, which of them was the target?
There is a lot of intrigue in this book. Every few chapters Hannon reveals a bit about the shooter in the book as we read about him. The book reveals how the FBI and law enforcement work out these types of incidents.
The big question in the book besides who the shooter is and will he try to kill one of them again is Will Emily and Mark fall in love again? and is the FBI too much of a dangerous job for Emily to deal with Mark having? Guess you will have to read this book that I give 4 out of five starts to in order to get those questions answered yourself.
There are many times in our lives when we feel we can not deal with trials etc... I saw myself a little bit in Emily and how frightened she was in loving and losing another man like her first husband.
Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Studypod

Studypod
by Genio LLC



What is a Studypod?

A Studypod is a fabulous innovation that I wished they had when I was in high school and college! It is essentially a book holder. It holds heavy textbooks as well as papers and paperback books. We even used it to hold a large songbook. It opens like a book so is able to hold a book open to two pages. We have another brand of book holder, but it can not hold an open book or a large heavy textbook like the Studypod can. The Studypod holds not only books,papers, and music, but a calculator too!

I LOVE this product. I keep thinking how I wish I had one during all of those studying sessions. It would have relieved a lot of back and neck strain. I am glad we have one so that my children will not have to go through what I did with neck pan. I like that it is lightweight and easily folds up to store in a drawer or backpack. The Studypod comes in three colors black, (which is the one we were sent), blue, and pink. The price is about right in my opinion. It is $19.95 for one. When you buy two or more they are $16.95. This would be a great gift for a high school or college student. Of course it is a wonderful gift for any homeschooler as well. Use it as an easel for painting for the little ones as well. this product has so many uses that it would be a great gift for nearly anyone. I just want to thank Studypod for sending me this product to review and for inventing it in the first place!!

If you want to see other reviews for this product please go to TOS blogger reviews

A Dream to Call My Own Brides of Gallatin County #3

By Tracie Peterson
Bethany House Publishing

A Dream to Call My Own, is the third book in a series. I was sent only this book to review. In my opinion this book is not a stand alone. It was really a continuation of what happened in the earlier two books. This made it confusing and hard to understand at times. I still liked the book, but was also disappointed that I had not read the previous two books. I think I would enjoy the whole series.
Aside from that fact, it was still a good book with good morals. Lacey Gallatin is the third daughter in the Gallatin family. Her father was killed two years previous and she is determined to find his killer. her two sisters are married and deliver their first children in this book. Lacey is in love with Dave, the local law enforcement, but is unsure if she really is. during this book she wrestles with that fact and tries to decide if she will marry him.
The truth comes out in this book about who killed her father and justice is served. i suggest you read the first two before you read this one. I know when I have a bit of time I am going to go back and read the first two!

Stray Affections

by Charlene Ann Baumbich
Waterbrook Publishing

Cassandra Higgins is a young mom of four boys. She still struggles with the suicide of her father when she was a young girl. Her mom, "Bad Betty" and her do not get a long. Not only does she have all of this on her plate but she discovers a snow globe at her annual shopping trip at a collector's convention, that sparks her interest. Does this snow globe hold the answers to all of her problems? But how can it? It is just a snow globe isn't it? Cassandra not only finds answers she did not know she was looking for but also healing.
I enjoyed this book. It has a bit of intrigue in it that is just enough to make you wanting to read just another chapter. I am not sure that I could relate personally to any of the people in the book, but the book helped me think about what might be holding me back from my dreams and desires. Take a leap of faith and go read this book today!

Fearless

Fearless
by Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson Publishing

Does fear run you life? Should it? With the day and age we live in, there are many things that we fear~the economy, losing our income, swine flu, nuclear war, wars, death, etc... I guess it is no wonder that we do fear the world we live in to some extent.
After reading this book I have pondered fear. Do I not believe in a Father in Heaven? Then why do I fear? Max Lucado writes that we should have faith in God and not have fear. there is no need to fear. Jesus Christ states many times in the Bible not to have fear~just believe in Him.
When we trust in Him we will have peace and come to an understanding of the fear the world knows. We must trust in our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. They know us the best, they are in "charge." Our object in life is to return to our Heavenly Father, fear will keep us from having the faith we need to trust Him.
There were places in the book that I disagreed with on a religious basis. My beliefs are a little different then Lucado's, however the book had so much good in it that it was easy to overlook. It is a simple to read book. Each chapter deals with a different fear and guides us to let go of that fear. I know that we as a society let fear override our life with worrying and carrying on about things we can not do anything about. We need to trust in God and what he has for us and let go of our fear and become Fearless.

Fools Rush In

By Janice Thompson
Revell Baker Publishing

Bella's family is crazy and zany but very loving. Her parents have run a wedding business and recently turned it over to Bella to run. Her ideas for the business are not only different but may cause her family to lose it. She finds herself plain and not pretty and is worried that she will become an old maid. She has just recently ended a three year relationship with a self centered man. When Bella is desperate to find a deejay to work a wedding in two weeks will she discover not only a deejay but the man of her dreams as well? She worries that he will not like her family, does she have need to?
This book was a hoot. I loved Bella's family. Fools Rush In is not your typical love story. It has a lot of family dimensions, fun, and twists. Get your copy today!

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