Friday, September 29, 2017

Things That Make Me Smile 9/29/17

Jake (11 1/2), Alyssa (9 1/2), Zac (7 1/2), Tyler (5 1/2), Nicholas (2 1/2)


Happy Friday! This week, Alyssa turned 9 1/2, Tyler turned 5 1/2, and I gave very personal details about my injury and what I'm learning during this process. What did you Smile about this week?


1. Me: "Did you know that I love you?"
Nicholas: "Oh! Daddy loves me!"


2. Nicholas giving "foot fives" (high fives with his feet).

3. Riddle: How can a man go 8 days without sleep?
Jake: "Coffee!"
(Do you know? The correct answer is at the bottom of this post.)

4. Zac: "I think I'm going to read extra, because I love that new book you got me."

Me: "Oh, I'm so glad!"
Zac: "Wait, is there a limit that I read?"
Me: "You have to read your required time each day, but after that you can read as much as you want."
Zac: "Really? There's no limit at all? I can just keep reading as long as I want?!"

5. Jake: "No matter what, you'll always be my favorite mother."

6.

7. Jake: "Can I play the Kindle now?"

Me: "Yes, 15 minutes."
Jake: "25."
Me: "14."
Jake: "20."
Me: "12."
Jake: "I'm trying to negotiate. 17?"
Me: "You don't negotiate with your parents. 10."
Jake: "I'm not a very good negotiator. 15?"
Me: "15."

8. Alyssa: "Knots are magical."

9. Jake: "Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. And boys are made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails . . . But what are grandparents made of? . . . Ooh, I know! Presents and candy and everything dandy." 

10. Jake: "Algebra would be so much easier if you didn't always have to figure out what X is."

11. Jake, writing a story: "How do you spell colonel."
Me: "C-O-L-O-N-E-L"
Jake: "C-O-L--wait. Colonel. How do you spell colonel?"
Me: "C-O-L-O-N-E-L"
Jake: "What! That doesn't even make sense! . . . I'm just going to change it to general."


What made you Smile this week?


Riddle: How can a man go 8 days without sleep?
Answer: He sleeps at night!


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Thursday, September 28, 2017

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls




We go through a lot of books around here, so we're always pleased to review new titles. This time, WorthyKids/Ideals was kind enough to send us the first 2 books in a brand new series called The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

WorthyKids/Ideals is a Christian publishing company in Tennessee. Their mission is "helping people experience the heart of God," and they do that by partnering with authors whose content are characterized by talent, creativity, and compelling ideas. They create colorful, interactive books for children, but their other lines include products for adult too, like journals, devotionals, inspirational books, and much more.


The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls was written by Mike (M. J.) Thomas. When he couldn't find any books to teach his son about the Bible in a fun and imaginative way, he decided to create his own series. The books combine biblical accuracy with adventure and imagination. The main characters are named after his son, his niece, and his dog.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Beginning (Book #1)
Peter and Mary's parents left for a month-long trip to Africa, so the children and their dog are staying with their Great Uncle Solomon in his huge house. The kids were apprehensive, because they barely knew their elderly uncle whose house was filled with old, dusty things. Their interest was piqued when they learned that he was an archaeologist who had a secret--he had found several ancient Hidden Scrolls. It wasn't long before a lion roared, they found a hidden room in the library, and the seal on a scroll was broken. Immediately, Peter and Mary were transported back in time to Creation.

The siblings were floating in total darkness. As time passed, they witnessed each day of Creation. They're there when light was made, when trees and fruits were created, when the stars were formed. In order to get back to their Uncle in the present day, they had to solve the secret in the scroll in 7 days. They experienced much as they worked to figured it out. They were rescued by the angel Michael, swam with dolphins, rode a rhino, lost the scroll to a monkey, were almost killed by the Snake, witnessed a big fight, and watched as the first man and woman were created. Peter and Mary solved the secret just in time and returned to the library. There, their uncle read the Creation story from his big, red Bible. They finished the story and learned it wasn't really the end, but just the beginning. They would have to wait to learn the next part of the story.


The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: Race to the Ark (Book #2)
Peter, Mary, and Hank go on another exciting adventure in Race to the Ark. As soon as they heard the lion roar, Great-Uncle Solomon tossed a few supplies in a bag and watched them run off to solve another secret of the scroll. The trio is teleported to an ancient city.

When they discover that there was no food in their bag, they went in search of provisions. They quickly learned that the people there "lie, cheat, and steal" to live. Sin filled their hearts. The kids were attacked by a couple of bullies and their wolf. They were able to escape with the help of the angel Michael once again. After spending the night in the woods, they followed thousands of animals prints, leading them to a giant ark. There, they met and befriended Noah and his family. The kids helped with the work of getting the animals in cages, cleaning, gathering, and preparing for the Flood. The kids were kidnapped by the Dark Ruler, trapped in a dungeon, and watched a battle between good and evil. Just when all hope was lost, they figured out the sixth word and solved the secret of the scroll. They learned that "even when you think you're alone, God is with you."


My daughter (9 yr) grabbed book #1 as soon as it arrived in the mail. She devoured it and book #2 that same day. She liked them so much that she enjoyed hearing them again as we used them as family read-alouds. Leighton read the kiddos the first book, and I read the second. They're cute little stories, just over 100 pages, perfect for ages 6-9, and a quick read. They are fiction books, for sure, but filled with much biblical truth. The characters are likable and funny. We liked these so much that the kids want to know when more books will be added to the series.

Here's what the kids had to say:

I like how they traveled back through time and learned about the Bible.

I like how they had to figure out the secret scrolls.

I like how they were kinda like spies and couldn't tell anyone they were from the future.


If you're looking for adventured-filled stories that teach your little ones about the Bible, The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls is a great series to have.


You can connect with Worthy Kids/Ideals on the following social media sites:
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If you'd like to read more reviews of these books, please visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Captain Bayley's Heir




We've been blessed with the opportunity to review the newest audio drama from Heirloom Audio Productions. They have produced some of the best audio dramas we have ever heard and always make our family happy to learn history. Our schooling is literature-based, so we're often reading quality writings together that teach life lessons and new vocabulary. For those times though when I can't sit and read to the kiddos, we like to utilize audio books and incorporate them into our schooling and daily life.

We couldn't wait to listen to Captain Bayley's Heir.


Heirloom Audio Productions has converted multiple historical adventure novels by G.A. Henty into theater-quality audio dramas. Our main curriculum lists many Henty books in the reading list, because they are known for their deep history, rich literature, and exciting plots. So far, my kiddos aren't drawn to the novels themselves, but they are truly captivated by these adaptations. If you close your eyes, you feel as if you're there in the story. The music, the actors, the sound effects--they all make the story come to life. You hear the sound of horses' hooves pounding on the ground, guns shooting, fire crackling, bird chirping, glass breaking, and you feel as if you are there as one of the characters of the story. It is that realistic. The narrator, Brian Blessed, has a rich, powerful voice that makes the drama exciting to listen to. We were immediately pulled into the plot.

The story begins in England in the 1800s. There's a whole cast of characters, but mostly follows the life of 18-year-old Frank. He is noble and generous and well-liked by everyone. After a series of poor choices and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was falsely accused of a crime. Before his punishment were to take place, he escaped to America. He experienced much adventure in three years' time. He nearly died in a terrible storm, happened upon a caravan of murdered pioneers, was attacked by 200 Indians, killed a man in self-defense, saved a man's life, found gold, fought to protect strangers, and experienced a miracle. He worked hard and overcame many obstacles. Despite being doubted by many and betrayed by one closest to him, he chose forgiveness. It's a story of grace, forgiveness, and love. Along with the non-stop action and exciting adventures, there are plenty of morals and Biblical truths taught along the way.         


There is a downloadable Study Guide & Discussion Starter that accompanies the story. This complete guide is used to enhance your learning and complement your study. Each section, which correlates to the tracks on the CDs, is  filled with review questions (Listening Well), ideas to get you thinking deeper (Thinking Further), and vocabulary words (Defining Words). There is more information about G.A. Henty, multiple Bible studies that coordinate with the story (God's Grace, Becoming a Christian, Honoring Your Parents), many pictures from the times, and much more historical information. There are Expand Your Learning boxes throughout the study that are filled with snippets of information that relate to the period.

There are many more extras that are included as part of the Live the Adventure Club, too. There is the original Captain Bayley's Heir ebook, the official soundtrack composed by John Campbell, a printable cast poster, an inspirational verse poster, and a downloadable desktop wallpaper. Also as part of the Live the Adventure Club, you gain access to many more features, such as the community forum, daily motivational quotes and stories, hundred of articles about parenting, collection of rare textbooks from the 1700-1800s, and hundreds of fun activities.



The whole family loved this story! Some of the other dramas have been a bit complicated between the story line and accents, but this one was easy to follow. It has a couple surprising plot twists that add to the excitement, too. And that soundtrack? I think it's my favorite from all of the Heirloom Audio dramas! It's so peaceful and calming. John Campbell really did a great job with this one. I've enjoyed playing the music over and over. 

We used the study guide questions to review the story and tackle difficult topics. The kids and I especially enjoyed the sections teaching about Victorian money, the water routes to California, the dangers of the mining camps, and living in the gold fields. Of course, the little ones didn't quite understand everything, but it's never too early to introduce quality literature.

Captain Bayley's Heir is another fantastic resource from Heirloom Audio Productions. We'll enjoy this for years to come. 

  


You can connect with Heirloom Audio Productions on the following social media sites:
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You can read more reviews of Captains Bayley's Heir on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.

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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Lessons in the Valley: Part 2


A couple days ago I posted about my valley. No one likes to experience hard times, but sometimes it's those difficult situations that can teach you the most. As parents, we can give advice to our kids, but that doesn't always mean that they truly understand. Sometimes they have to experience something for the lesson to solidify in their mind.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
II Corinthians 12:9

Sometimes, God has to allow us, as His children, to learn lessons in the same way, but He's always faithful to help us through. There are many lessons that He is teaching me through this experience. These are some of the big ones.


Homeschooling has many benefits. I already have a list of reasons why homeschooling is perfect for our family, but I found another reason to be thankful. If I had to drive the kids to school and pick them up every day, it would have been very difficult. For one thing, the older kids have helped so much. Those first couple weeks when I couldn't do anything, they did it all. If they had been away at school, I would have been alone with an active toddler. Also, we would have to had made other driving arrangements during this time, which would make things complicated. 

Instead, we were able to continue school from the couch. No, it's not ideal and it's certainly not without it's complications, especially because we've transitioned from a summer schedule to full-day schooling. On top of that, we have a toddler--who is already acting out because he knows something is wrong when Mommy is sitting all day--and who does not understand why his playmates aren't giving him their full attention--and who is in the still-needs-nap-but-refuses-to-take-napes stage. It's not been the easiest few of weeks of schooling. Not at all. But as I sit here, I can't help but be thankful for this opportunity and the blessings of it, especially during a hard time.


It's ok to ask for help. I bet this is a hard one for a lot of people. We think we can handle everything on our own. And it hurts our pride when we can't. I've said many times that I could never have a maid, because I'd clean the house myself before she even got here, ha. I've also said many times that clutter is stressful to me. Oh, I am all for making big messes for learning and fun (for instance, like here and here); it's just that they need to be cleaned up afterward. Aside from the playing though are the typical chores that arise daily--laundry, dishes, vacuuming, sweeping, sanitizing, decluttering. A lot of mess can happen in household of 7, especially when 6 of those people are here all day every day. Even if the kids always picked up everything after themselves all the time (riiight), there would still be chores that needed to be done, meals that needed to be cooked, bathrooms that needed to be cleaned, and dishes that needed to be washed. While I am training my kiddos to learn these life skills, I am the one who does the majority of the daily tasks. Now I cannot do these things and it all falls to others.

I've tried a couple different approaches to getting the work done. The best that I've found is when I specifically ask for certain chores to get done. Leighton works a grueling 50 hours a week. His workload is already too full, and now he picks up the slack at home, runs all the errands, and cares for the kids and me. Let's be honest, clutter does not bother him like it does me. On top of that, he really doesn't even realize all the needs to be done because he's never had to do it. Rather than ignoring it, waiting to see if he'll notice that {insert any chore} needs to be done, and getting frustrated when he doesn't . . . I just ask him to do it. And you know what? He does! As far as the kids, they've been helping a lot more, too. I may not be able to do much from the couch, but I can delegate really well, haha. I give each child a specific task. When they finish it, they get another. "Tyler, put away the shoes by the door. Alyssa empty the dishwasher. Nicky put away those books." Giving them each a specific job works so much better than "clean the kitchen." I've used this approach with them for years, but we're on a much bigger level now. I'm also blessed to have my mom so willing to help out. She came over many days in the beginning when I could not get up at all and even took Nick to spend the night at her house a couple nights. There are still a few times when the kids can't really do something and Leighton truthfully has not had the time, and all I have to do is ask and she comes. We also had other family and friends offer to do things. I'm learning that even though it's hard, it's ok to ask for help.


I am not in control. Oh, in theory I knew this, but in reality, I like to be in control--or at least as much as you can control things when you have a house full of little ones, ha. I am a doer. I like to plan and work. I don't sit down to relax until the kids are in bed and Leighton and I spend our alone time together. In the last month, I've done little else beside sitting. With that potential 6-month healing time looming over my head, I knew I couldn't push myself and chance injuring the ligaments more. At 2 weeks, the pain subsided a little and I was able to begin physical therapy exercises. Within a couple days the mobility of the ankle was greatly increased. By 3 weeks, I was able to put slight pressure on the foot as I used the crutches. I even could shuffle a few steps from the counter to the fridge if I absolutely needed to. The progress was exciting!

Then I made a huge mistake. I got fed up with sitting all day except for a few 15-minute periods where I was able to get up before being totally wiped out. There were things around the house that needed to be done. I realized that if I walked on just my toes and stayed off the rest of the foot, I was ok. I washed dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. I put away laundry and even changed the sheets on my bed. I went down the stairs one at a time sitting and scooching, washed a load of clothes, and went back up using my knee instead of my foot. It felt so good to do something profitable! Until I realized that the pain had returned full force. Worse than that, because of the way I was walking, I overexerted other ligaments, causing my ankle and leg to swell and ache in places it hadn't before. I was back to constant pain that woke me in the night. Again. I lost the mobility of the ankle. Again. I had shooting pains, again, but this time in previously uninjured locations along with everything that had been aching for weeks. It didn't take long to realize that those few things I was able to accomplish were not worth it. That was nearly 2 weeks ago, and I still am not where I was before that day.    

I cannot control how quickly I heal. It doesn't matter how much I'd like to be able to do certain things, I can't just ignore that my body is not ready for that activity yet. This is probably the hardest lesson I'm learning.  


Now is the perfect time to train young hearts. Training and teaching my little ones is always a priority for me (in fact, it is my focus this year), but habits can sneak up and, before you know it, you have a problem. It's like the backwards version of the idiom. In this case, it's you can't see the trees for the forest. Instead of being focused on details, you focus on the whole.

Being incapacitated for many weeks gives you a lot of time to step back and really see things. This time of stillness is helping me to be more in tune to my family, to recognize those "trees" that have grown in our forest and need to be removed or pruned. Attitudes that need tweaking, habits that need correcting, character traits that need improving. Because I don't have anything else vying for my attention, it's easier to identify the areas that need work and focus on correcting them. So many of these things are heart issues. The kids and I have had a lot of heart-to-heart talks in the last few weeks, helping them to recognize where they need change and helping them follow through. They have been some very special times. The problem though is that it's not just the kids who need work. God has shown me things in my own heart that need to change. Create in me a clean heart, O God has been my prayer (Psalm 51:10). Not having my typical responsibilities to distract me has given us the perfect opportunity to work on our hearts.


It's been a painful 5 weeks, and the end is nowhere in sight.  But I am thankful for the lessons that I'm learning. I won't claim that everything is perfect now and my fears gone. There are good days and bad days.

But I've decided that I will choose my response to the situation. I will look for the good, focus on the blessings.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God 
in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18 

I will be thankful.

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Friday, September 22, 2017

Things That Make Me Smile 9/22/17


Jake (11 1/2), Alyssa (9 1/2), Zac (7 1/2), Tyler (5), Nicholas (2 1/2)



Happy Friday! This week we celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day, Leighton took the older 2 boys hunting, and Alyssa turned 9 1/2. Did you make sure to Smile this week? 


1. Me, about Nicholas, teasing: "What are we going to do with that baby. I'm pretty sure he's trouble."
Jake: "Really? You're only pretty sure?"

2, Zac, about sea snakes: "God made these creatures really special."

3. Nicholas: "God go to fweep!"
Me: "God goes to sleep?"
Alyssa: "Well, the Bible does say that God rested on the 7th day of creation."

4. Nicholas, holding a play phone: "Beep boop beep boop beep. Hello? Gramma? Papa? Why you at your house? Hello, mateys!"


5. Nicholas, noticing that the TV remote was missing a battery: "Hey, what happened? Eberyone stole it!"
Me: "Everyone stole it?"
Nicholas: "Tink about it. Jakey stole it."

6. Tyler: "Nicky's fun to play with."

7. Zac explained a whole narrative of how Alyssa was mistreating him.
Me: "Alyssa."
Alyssa, sweetly: "Yes?"
Me: "Oh, don't pretend to be innocent. What's going on?"
Alyssa: "Well, Zac's not playing nicely!"
Zac: "She's being mean to me!"
Alyssa: "He's being like Nebuchadnezzar."
Me, trying not to laugh: "How is he like Nebuchadnezzar?"
Alyssa: "He gave himself gold and gave Tyler bronze. He thinks he's the best and better than everyone else, just like Nebuchadnezzar."

8. Jake got his second deer.


9. Tyler came inside with a scraped and bloody elbow.
Tyler, proud: "Mom, look!"
Me: "Oh, no. What happened?"
Tyler: "My body got ahead of the swing and I backwards flipped off. I liked the backwards flipped off part!"
Me: "Do you want me to clean it up?"
Tyler: "No, I just want to see it!"
{10 seconds later}
Tyler, whining: "Ow, ow, owie . . . It hurts. Ooow . . . Can you do it now?"
It didn't hurt until he saw it. A complete 180 with his reaction.

10.  Alyssa: "I have a feeling I'm going to be cold or hot. I'm just not sure which one."

11. Me: "Were you a good boy tonight at church?"
Tyler: "Uh . . . hmm . . . well . . . No. Yes . . . Kinda."

What made you Smile this week?

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Thursday, September 21, 2017

Lessons in the Valley: Part 1



My injury happened one month ago this past Saturday, 5 weeks ago yesterday.

I used to think that a sprained ankle wasn't really that big of a deal. I had heard numerous times about people getting a sprain, maybe using crutches for a few days, and then being back to normal. 

I've learned a lot about sprains in the last few weeks.

The most common type (which I just referenced) is a simple rolling of the ankle that heals quickly. The inversion sprain happens when the ankle rolls outward, the foot turns inward, and the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are injured. An eversion sprain is the opposite, causing damage to the inside of the ankle, and is much less common. 

The least common is the high ankle sprain. This can happen when the leg twists forcefully while the foot is planted. The ligaments that connect the leg bones together are stretched and torn, resulting in a severe injury and lengthy healing process. This sprain can happen alone or along with an inversion or an eversion sprain. 

(You didn't know you were getting a medical lesson today, did you? Ha.)


So where do I fall (no pun intended) in this list? I managed to get all three types of sprains at once. The dreaded high ankle sprain along with both inversion and eversion sprains, as well as damaging additional ligaments through my shin--because if you're going to do something, do it right. To make matters worse, they were grade 2 sprains because there is a significant level of tearing.

I quickly learned that sprains can be a big deal. In fact, I was told multiple times that it would have been better to break my ankle than sprain it the way I did. My healing process can take anywhere from 2-6 months. 

To read the facts is one thing, but to experience the pain is something completely different. 

I have a high pain tolerance. But this was different. It wasn't so much the initial discomfort, but after 2 solid weeks of throbbing, shooting, radiating pain, I was getting weary. My foot, both side of the ankle, all through my lower leg--everything hurt immensely. And constantly with no reprieve. Then when I pinched a nerve and caused sciatic pain to pulse from my hip all the way through my toes in a continual tingling sensation, I was near tears. 

It was agony.


It was so excruciating that it woke me often each night, both from the pain itself and the nightmares that it caused. The most gut-wrenching, disturbing, fear-inducing dreams I have ever experienced. I'd wake up breathing heavy with my heart racing. Had I been taking pain killers, I would have attributed the horrors to them, but there were no drugs in my system. 

Why? I know, reading that it seems foolish to even me, but I'm stubborn. I don't take pain meds unless I absolutely have to. And I figured that if I didn't take it in the beginning when the pain was potentially the worst, I surely didn't need to take it now. Every day was a little better than the day before. If I got through that, I can get through this. Leighton tried multiple times to get me to take something to lessen the pain, if for nothing else than to allow me to get some sleep. But I was determined to complete the whole experience without a drop of drugs. Why? Just so I could say that I did. (Again, I know it doesn't make sense, but, stubborn, remember?)   

I couldn't put any weight on it for those first 2 weeks, not simply because of the pain, but also because the torn ligaments just could not hold the weight. If I tried to stand, the ankle would buckle and I'd have to catch myself. I spent my days using the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method of recovery. I dutifully set my timer for icing: 20 minutes on, 60 minutes off. I was determined to do everything right in order to heal as fast as I could. I have 5 young children; I need to be able to care for them.  


My purpose in explaining this is not to complain or get sympathy. Before today, I didn't tell anyone but those absolutely closest to me what was happening in such detail, mostly because they could see it anyway. I believe that your attitude affects your situation. You cannot control your circumstances, but you can control your response to them. That's why even when things are rough and we've had a difficult week, I make sure to still post about what made me Smile. Because, no matter what, there's always something good. 

So, what's my good in all of this. 

It's easy when you're in the mountaintop living. Things are going right, and you just coast along without much thought. But it's those valleys that can really teach you. It's in those hard times when you may be searching for God and just feel lost. 

That was me.  

It was so much more than the physical pain I was experiencing. It was helplessness in caring for my family and our home. It was disappointment in not being able to partake in annual seasonal favorites (like canning bushels of tomatoes and apples, geocaching with the family, and more). It was worrying about things I knew better than to worry about. It was feelings of guiltiness for getting injured and putting extra responsibilities on others. My thoughts became my enemy.


I was starting to become depressed. Not just discouraged, but depressed. I'll spare you the details, but it was very unlike the positive, "there's always something good" person I try to be. That's when I really sought after God, not just my typical daily prayers, but begging for His help. I knew my situation wasn't going to change overnight, but I needed help in changing my perspective. God began to work in my heart. He helped me to be grateful for the blessings, to recognize the good things.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, 
to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28


Lessons in the Valley: Part 2 explains those good things--and also the huge mistake I made that reinjured the leg and set my recovery back. There are many lessons I'm learning through this experience.

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Let's Go Geography



When I saw that we had the opportunity to review a geography curriculum for kids, I was intrigued. Geography was never a subject that interested me when I was in school, and because of that, the information never really stuck. Now as an adult, I find myself wanting to know more about other places in our world. I want my kids to have an interest in countries and cultures. But all that can seem overwhelming to kids, and I don't want them to be uninterested. Once I started looking through the material though, I realized that Let's Go Geography was exactly what we needed.

Let's Go Geography, created by Carol Henderson, is a K-4th grade curriculum that gives you a little taste of traveling the world. The study takes you to a new country every week and suggests you visit about an hour. Of course, if you find yourself having so much fun learning about each country, there are plenty of options for staying longer. There's everything from activities, crafts, songs, videos, journaling, books, online content, globe skills, and more. So, pack your bags for a trip around the world!


A subscription to Let's Go Geography's online program gives you access to download the weekly curriculum and also sends you a reminder email each week that includes the country of the week and a few facts about it. The curriculum will be a three-year program, covering quite a few of the countries in the world. Year 1 teaches about 28 countries from all over the globe and includes a few review weeks and breaks.

The lessons are divided into 6 chapters:

  • Map It -- a printable map of the country and lists many things to find and explore (cities, bodies of water, neighboring countries, etc.)
  • The Flag -- mini flag to be cut, colored, and glued to either a page in the travel journal or personal passport
  • The Music -- the lyrics for the national anthem in English and also a link to a video of it being sung in the national language
  • Let's Explore -- various facts about the country (landscape, people, places, animals, occupations, and more) with links to videos for further study; also includes more online facts, library books, a printable journal page for notebooking, and a photo album of pictures
  • Create -- printable coloring page relating to something in the study and directions, tips, and any needed printables for a featured craft
  • Printables -- all the printables needed for the lesson

The beginning of each lesson includes a printable itinerary with boxes to check as you complete the assignments. After that is a detailed list of things you need for the trip: library books, craft supplies, and a travel journal (3-ring binder to keep and organize the printables and information for each country). Carol emphasizes that this curriculum is to be adapted to best suit each family's needs, ages, and abilities. She also stresses that you shouldn't feel obligated to do every single activity that's offered, since the goal is to familiarize the student with the country, not overwhelm him. 

The lesson format is incredible easy to follow and includes the links for videos and other content directly in the lesson where they're needed. It's easy to scroll through the lessons in order without having to jump around to find what you need. There are also photographs, maps, and graphics throughout the pages, making them visually appealing, as well.


The kiddos and I are studying one country a week, but dividing each lesson into 2 days. The first day, we cover the first 3 chapters. We start by finding the country on our globe and then discussing the Map It topics. From there we move to The Flag and The Music. Instead of making individual travel journals for each of the kids, I chose to make a combined one for the family. The kids take turns coloring the flags and marking the maps.

Day 2 is Let's Explore and Create. We watch all the videos together and stop them often to discuss different aspects. Even the 2-year-old comes over to watch with us. Because the videos are found on YouTube, they vary in quality, but that also means it keeps it interesting because the content is so different. After the videos, we move to the craft and coloring page. Some of my kids are craftier than others, so I don't require my non-artsy 11-year-old to participate. On the other hand, the crafts are my daughter's favorite part. There are so many aspects of this program that it's easy to pick and choose what to use and still get a good understanding of each country.


Our family is loving this curriculum! We're currently finishing up week 6, so we've learned about US, the Northeast region; US, Hawaii; Canada; Haiti; Nicaragua; and Belize. The material is easy for me to teach and keeps the kids' interest. The variety is good and leaves plenty of room for deeper study. 

There are additional resources to enhance your materials, such as personal passports, travel journal covers, continent coloring pages, and bookmarks. You can also sample some of the products for free and watch a  sample lesson. And don't forget to check out the special offers for the current coupon codes!


You can connect with Let's Go Geography on the following social media sites:
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You can read more reviews of this curriculum on the Homeschool Review Crew blog. 

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Imagine. . .The Great Flood



Reading is kinda our thing around here. The kids go through so many books in a week, so it's always exciting when we get a new one to review. I've said before that we like all types of books from fiction to nonfiction. This time, we enjoyed a fictional book that is based on factual events. Imagine. . .The Great Flood by Matt Koceich places the reader in the story of--yep, you guessed it--the Great Flood.   

Barbour Publishing was kind enough to send us this book. The company has been publishing Christian classics at value prices since 1981. With over 1,000 titles--covering audio books, Bibles, reference books, children's, devotionals, fiction, nonfiction, activity books, music, and more--there's something for everyone. This was the company that introduced us to the Diary of a Real Payne years ago. The kiddos liked that book so much that we purchased the other 2 books in the series. I was looking forward to reading another book that they offer.


Imagine. . .The Great Flood is the first release in an exciting new adventure series by Matt Koceich. Matt, a schoolteacher and missionary, began the Imagine series to help bring the Bible to life by portraying what it may have been like to live through a monumental biblical event. The books are written for ages 8-12, but are good for anyone who loves an adventure.

The day we received the book, the kids were getting over an illness. The two little boys (the ones who don't sit quietly for very long, ha) were napping, so it was the perfect opportunity for some reading. My girl cuddled up with me under a cozy blanket while the other two boys grabbed some Legos to keep their hands busy. At the halfway point in the book, I asked if they wanted to stop. Of course they didn't, and we finished the book in one sitting. It took less than 1 1/2 hours to read it aloud with a few short breaks. The 110 pages are broken into 15 short chapters, making it a quick read.

The story begins as Corey's life is falling apart. He doesn't understand why his family has to move. The idea of a new school, new city, new everything, scares him, but his mom assures him that he needs to trust God. Suddenly, Corey found himself face-to-face with a lion. Somehow, he had been transported back thousands of years to the land of Mesopotamia. He befriends Shem, son of Noah, and helps him load the animals on the ark. It was not an easy task though as they soon were attacked by the Nephilim. Superhuman giants, lion attacks, smashing boulders, a secret plan, a traitor, a sorcerer, a raging river, a deep pit, and a rhino ride are some of the excitement they experienced as they worked to prepare for the Flood. Corey learned to trust God and see the blessings in situations that he didn't understand. When he returned to his present time, he had a new attitude and learned a valuable lesson: things change, but God never changes.


The book is full of adventure and suspense. It does a good job putting the reader in the story and giving a glimpse of what it could have been like to live during the time of Noah. The only thing that I don't care for is that some of it is not biblical. I understand filling in details to make a story, but to change facts that are in the Bible to make a story "better" doesn't make sense to me. For instance, in this book, the rain pours before all the animals and Noah's family are in the ark; whereas the Bible says that they were in the ark and that God shut the door before the rain began. I made sure to read my kids the biblical account of this event and talked about this and a few other details that varied.

One thing that we found funny was that one of the character's name is Ardad (our dad). We made many jokes while we were reading (and even over the next few days, ha) whenever his name was mentioned. "Our dad did that? That doesn't sound like something our dad would do! Our dad lived before the Flood?" They thought it was so funny.

 Here's what the kiddos had to say about the book:

I like the giants.

My favorite thing is that Noah saved him and he saved Noah.

I like how it was about the Bible.


We really enjoyed Imagine. . .The Great Flood by Matt Koceich despite the few inaccuracies and look forward to reading the second book in the series which explains what it would be like to live during the Ten Plagues in Egypt.



You can connect with Barbour Publishing on the following social media sites:



You can read more reviews of this book on the Homeschool Review Crew blog. 


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Friday, September 15, 2017

Things That Make Me Smile 9/15/17

Jake (11 1/2), Alyssa (9), Zac (7 1/2), Tyler (5), Nicholas (2 1/2)



Happy Friday! This week I'm thankful for family and friends who have provided meals as I continue to heal. Their love and generosity have made this experience easier. Even in unpleasant situations, there are always reasons to Smile.


1. Tyler, after Nicholas jumped on his back and they both fell off the couch: "That was the best . . . fall . . . ever!"

2. How almost every book Alyssa reads is "the best book ever!"

3. Leighton, after giving Tyler directions: "Ok?"
Tyler: {emphatically}"Ok! . . .{hesitantly} But I don't exactly know what you said."

4. Tyler: "I smile at you all the time because I love you."

5.

6. Leighton brought up a load of laundry, but as I started folding it, I realized it was still damp. He took it to put it back in the dryer and brought up another basket of clean clothes.
Me, teasing: "What is this? I reject one, so you bring up another?"
Alyssa: "Kinda like the colonists and the taxes!"

7. Tyler: "Mama, I forgot, what's a mice called when it's only one?"

8. Nicholas, in bed, singing 'Jesus Loves Me': "Bible tell me He love meeeee!"

9. Jake: "I never met a cake I didn't like."

10. Jake: "Dee-ssert."
Tyler: "Dessert."
Jake: "It's dee-ssert."
Tyler: "Mommy, is it dee-ssert or dessert?"
Me: "You can pronounce it however you want."
Tyler: "Oh, good! I'm calling it bologna!"


What made you Smile this week?


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Thursday, September 14, 2017

Carole P. Roman Books

* This post may contain affiliate links. 


We've reviewed multiple books this year alone, and each time I comment on the fact that our family loves to read. Picture books, chapter books, fiction, nonfiction--we're not picky; just hand us a book or two. Or in this case, four.

We were given the opportunity to receive more books by Carole P. Roman. We own many of the books in her If You Were Me series and were excited to own more titles. In only 5 years, Carole has written over 35 books for children and received countless awards (no, really, there are so many I'm not going to count them all!) for her works. Not only is she an accomplished author, she's a generous one, as well. We were able to choose 2 of her titles; then she picked 2 more to send. We received the following books:


If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe was an easy choice. Because of my husband's Scandinavian roots and the vikings' pirate-esque qualities, my kids are fascinated with the people. This book, like the others in this series, is written in second person format. Each book places you, the reader, in that location during that time period. This book, which is part of the Introduction to Civilizations set, is so much more in depth and contains much more information than the Introduction to Cultures books. 

The 75-page paperback give a fantastic description of what it could have been like to live in Viking Europe in 870 AD. It teaches about the people and their classes. The Jarls were the wealthy people of government, the Karls were the free peasants or farmers, and the Thralls were the captured slaves who did all the hard labor. The book talks about food like cod, mussels, shrimp, whales, walruses, ducks, hazelnuts, cheese, berries, and more. It teaches in detail about the utensils and tools of the period, the clothing, and activities. There's information about their gods, marriage traditions, sagas, and poems.    

The back of the book contains a glossary of people, places, and things that are pertinent to that time and place. It also has a section about important or famous people and a description for each. These resources can be used as a spring board for further study.


As much as we love the If You Were Me books, I wanted to experience Carole's other writing styles, as well. Again, my choice was fairly easy: pirates. The Captain No Beard series is based on her grandchildren and teach a tender lesson while using  the imagination. I read through some of the descriptions in the series, but decided on starting at the beginning with volume 1, Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life)

This silly book tells the story of Captain No Beard and his crew: Mongo the Monkey, Linus the lion, Fribbit the frog, and first mate Hallie. The crew learns important pirate lingo and how to perform pirate duties, all while No Beard laments that "being a captain is hard work." They braved the open seas, survived a storm, searched for treasure, met a mermaid . . . and ended up back on Alexander's (No Beard) bed with his cousin Hallie and stuffed animal friends.


It was exciting to receive 2 surprise books. The first was Rocket-Bye

This book is Carole's love letter to her grandsons. The story takes the reader to the stars, quite literally. The pages are covered in illustrations in the galaxy. Two boys (representing the grandsons) sit atop a rocket ship as they zoom page-by-page past stars, planets, moons, constellations, and other cosmic colors. The rhyming text weaves and curves through the pages as if it's traveling through the vast universe along with the rocket ship. This story is sure to inspire an out-of-this-world adventure.


Our second surprise book was Can a Princess Be a Firefighter?.

While the last book was written for the grandsons, this book is Carole's love letter to her granddaughters. Little kids dream of what they want to be when they grow up. This heartfelt lesson to little girls encourages them to follow their dreams--whether they want to be an explorer, nurse, chef, farmer, teacher, police officer, pilot, accountant, or anything else they can imagine. And no matter what they choose, they can still be princesses.


The kiddos and I sat and read these books together. The 3 are quick reads and typical picture books. If You Were Me and Lived in...Viking Europe is a lot more educational and filled with facts.  I even found the kids reading these books on their own, too. Here's what they had to say:

I like the pirate one because I like being a pirate!

I liked Can a Princess Be a Firefighter because I like princesses. 

I liked Captain No Beard because I want to taste their treasure!

I liked the Viking book because I'd like to practice archery and spear throwing like them.


If you need some quality children's books, Carole P. Roman has many award-winning options for you.



You can connect with Carole P. Roman on the following social media sites:


You can read more reviews of many of the books written by Carole P. Roman on the Homeschool Review Crew blog.


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* Some of the links in the content above are affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I recommend products or services that I have used personally and all the text and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225.
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