We can all use a few more hands
I’m so excited that there is another great movie coming soon from the Kendrick Brothers! Show Me The Father is set to be in theaters starting September 10th. This is the same great group that has done the movies Courageous, War Room, Fireproof, Overcomer, and more. We LOVE their movies and cannot wait to see this one!
You can watch the trailer below and start making plans with your friends to see their latest movie.
“When the clock finally struck 7:00 p.m., the orphans diligently put away their tools and cleaned up their workstations. They filed out of the Factory two-by-two and down a long dark corridor. This was one of the brief moments they weren’t monitored or supervised by any Deviants, a codeword the orphans used when describing authority figures. Sarah ran up behind Tom and gave his shirt a swift tug. “So are you going tonight?” she whispered enthusiastically.“I’ll head out in a few hours,” he replied nonchalantly, trying to mask his anxiety.“You scared?” she inquired. “I’d be scared…especially of Wind.”“A little bit…but it’s got to be done, right?”“Right,” she acknowledged, then hesitated for a second. “I wish I was coming with you.”“It’s always been a one-person mission – too risky for more.””
“As they turned to leave, Sarah noticed the two plainly dressed men staring at her.“Tom, isn’t that strange?” she indicated.“What?”“Those guys over there. They keep glancing at me.”Tom looked. One of the men slowly lifted his hand and spoke into a small radio receiver.“Run, Sarah!” Tom shouted. “Run!””
“Tom peered over the basket and saw a vacant meadow with a gigantic structure sitting in the middle.“We should aim for that clearing over there,” he suggested.“What is it?” asked Sarah, squinting her eyes.Hainsworth looked out. “That, my dear, is Windsor Castle.”“M-maybe that isn’t such a good place to land,” Sarah cautioned.“We don’t have a choice,” Tom said impatiently. “It’s there or nowhere.”“But we’ll be arrested.”“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine,” Hainsworth said evenly. “It’s time I pay a visit to an old friend.”
The Jump In, 2nd Edition Student Book retails for $40 and the Teacher’s Guide is $10. I definitely recommend getting both to get a good grasp on this program.
On one of the first pages inside the Teacher’s Guide, there are schedules for the Jump In, 2nd Edition program that can be tailored to your student and your time frame. There are schedules for one year, two year, and three year plans. Each daily lesson will take anywhere from five to twenty minutes to complete. Students will learn how to write different types of paragraphs, topic sentences, and main ideas. They will also be guided in writing nine types of essays and a research project. This program is not designed as a stand alone program and you will need a separate grammar course to round out your English lessons.
Inside the Teacher’s Guide, there is “The Teacher’s Backpack” section that includes reproducible pages for constructing paragraphs. There are also sample essays and examples on how to give grades. I really appreciated this part since it helped show which sample essay paper would have received an A and compare it to an essay that would have received a C.
The 10-Minute Writing Plunges were my favorite part of the Teacher’s Guide. There are enough Writing Plunges to last all year. The guide recommends giving new prompts to students every day Monday-Thursday and then Friday choosing a paper out of those to proofread and turn in for a grade.
An answer key to the Daily Lessons and Assignments is also included. In the very back, there are Grading Grids for each type of essay and writing format.
The Jump In, 2nd Edition is filled with 286 pages of writing lessons, assignments, and lots of opportunities to improve writing. Some assignments may be a persuasive essay, a book response, a haiku poem, a how-to paper, and even a newspaper article. The student workbook is designed to be used by one student and consumed. In the past few weeks, my son has learned about an opinion essay and has started learning about persuasive essays.
My son decided to write his opinion declaring that “Poppyseed Chicken is a Great Meal”. I thought his topic was very creative and I loved reading his supporting sentences. Later in the program, he wrote his essay that was almost all put together from the prompts in the book.
I like that it gives sample essays and has the students pull out supporting statements and topic sentences so that they can see first hand the different parts of the paragraphs or essays. After they pull apart essays, they are guided through creating their own essays.
I really enjoyed this review and look forward to continuing the Jump In, 2nd Edition this fall with my son. He liked it as well since the work is broken down into bite size chunks to work on throughout the weeks. This one will definitely be going on our homeschool plans list for fall!
For more information, please check out Writing with Sharon Watson. You can also find out more by visiting Facebook and Pinterest. To view more reviews on this product and others, please click the banner below.
I’m always hesitant to buy something like a planner online because I prefer to thumb through it first and make sure it’s a fit for me. I’m glad I had a chance to review this planner because it’s now my favorite! Within it’s 189 pages, you’ll find everything you need to keep your homeschool organized including calendars, forms, record-keeping, devotions, and more! The planner consists of full size sheets of paper but with the binding, it’s easy to use on a desk.
Check out all that is included by looking at the Table of Contents:
When the planner first arrived, I was very pleased! I love that it is spiral bound so I can easily flip through it. I also like that it has room for plans for 5 different children!
One improvement that I’d like to see in next year’s version is some sort of tabs so I can flip to the page I need with ease. It can be a pain to find the spot I’m wanting to work on with all those pages. I am probably going to buy some sticker tabs to use in this planner. I also noticed that on one month, the numbers were off on the calendar, but with some white out, it was an easy fix.
I haven’t done a lot with the planner yet since we are still finishing up the current year of school, but I plan to soon! (Maybe I should write that in the planner! Ha!) I have started making lists of curriculum I plan to use with the kids next year.
I also like that there is an area to record books that my children have read, their yearly goals, and plenty of areas to make notes on each of the children. The kids are already planning how we will fill up these sections once we work more on planning for the school year.
The Devotional section is nice. After each devotion, there is a fully lined piece of paper so I can jot down any notes or reflect back on what I’ve read. This is a lovely feature that I know I will use.
The weekly planner has plenty of room for seven subjects or categories for each of the five children spaces. The blocks are a nice size and allow for writing down numerous assignments in each box.
This planner was a win for me! I will most likely use this again the following school year!
For more information, you can visit the Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year website. I heard that they are almost 98 percent sold out, so you’ll want to grab one soon if you are interested. They are currently on sale for $22.
You can also find out more on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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My husband was recently on medical leave due to receiving radiation for cancer. During this time, he has enjoyed reading books. One that has stood out to him among his favorites is The Logic of God by Ravi Zacharias.
In his first ever devotional, The Logic of God, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today. Each entry includes a Scripture, questions for reflection, and some practical application steps.
Jesus Christ alone answers our deepest questions. We all have doubts that challenge our faith. We wonder whether the Bible still matters, or whether God is truly as loving and personal as we hope. In his first ever devotional, The Logic of God, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today. To all our dilemmas Ravi says, “I am convinced that Jesus Christ alone uniquely answers the deepest questions of our hearts and minds.”
With a remarkable grasp of biblical facts and a deep understanding of the questions that trouble our hearts, Ravi tackles the most difficult topics with ease and understanding. But The Logic of God is more than intellectual; it is also personal, offering thoughtful wisdom on:
We like the setup of the 52 week study and reading through a section weekly. The questions make us think. There are application questions that help us further think and apply the lessons. The sections are nice and short, so it doesn’t take a large amount of time to read through. The lessons are very well done, God-focused, and point us back to Christ. This is going to be a staple around our house!
If you’d like a chance to win a copy of this book, head on over to Blessed Freebies and enter the giveaway contest there.
Christmas is such a fun time to dress up, be goofy, and have a little fun. UglyChristmasSweater.com reached out to us recently to check out their products and I’m so glad we did! Not only do they offer ugly Christmas sweaters, but they also have fun leggings, jumpsuits, and jackets. At UglyChristmasSweater.com, you’ll find lots of fun sweaters and accessories from your favorite movies. As a word of caution, some of them may not be appropriate for little eyes to view on the website.
UglyChristmasSweater.com has had their ugly sweaters featured on The Today Show, Live with Kellyand Ryan, Good Morning America, and the Ellen Show. They are also a national partner of charity organizations such as Toys for Tots, Arthritis.org, and the
Smithsonian Zoo.
The older 2 kids and I picked out an “Ugly Christmas Sweater” and we are thrilled with the results. I went with the Grinch sweater, my daughter picked the Santa! I Know Him! sweater, and my son picked an awesome Star Wars sweater.
The sweaters we received are pretty comfortable, and not scratchy and itchy. Truly, they are a lot of fun and we had a blast taking pictures in them! We’ve received so many compliments already on wearing the sweaters out and about. I know we are going to get a lot of wear out of our “Ugly Christmas Sweaters” this year.
First of all, we have been given the privilege of reviewing for Heirloom Audio Productions again and bringing another G.A. Henty novel to you guys with Wulf the Saxon.
Over 2 hours long, the Wulf the Saxon audio drama is sure to please listeners ages 6 and up! This audio drama is adapted from the book, Wulf The Saxon, by G.A. Henty. Through these audio dramas, you are free to “Live the Adventure” by building character in bringing the stories to life.
Wulf the Saxon takes place in 1065 while Edward the Confessor is King of England. Wulf and his friend find themselves shipwrecked at Normandy during the struggle for England.
This product is available in an Instant MP3 Download for $24.97 or a Single Pack with the CD set and MP3 Download for $29.97. Four packs and Twelve Packs are also available if you need more than one copy.
Having reviewed for Heirloom Audio Productions previously, we had high standards for Wulf the Saxon, and of course it didn’t disappoint. Now whenever a product from Heirloom Audio Productions arrives, my kids run off with it, never to be seen again until it’s completed. I managed to snag the CD set back so I could finally listen to the set! We often will let audio dramas run in the background while we do arts and crafts or play quietly.
As always, the sound effects make it seem like you’re right there with the characters! It is so well down that you can feel their emotion and almost taste the salty sea air! The background truly makes this audio drama come to life!
Here’s what my 11 year old son had to say:
I really like the Wulf the Saxon CD set. My favorite character is Wulf because he’s adventurous. My favorite part is when Harold and his men get shipwrecked and then captured. Wulf was able to escape and has to go tell the knights to help get Harold. Listening to the CD set allows me to be able to listen to books while doing other things. I hope that Heirloom Audio Productions produces more of the G.A. Henty audio dramas.
For more information, please visit the Heirloom Audio Productions website. You can also find out more on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube.
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This New Year’s one of our resolutions has been to get our 2 year old to stop sucking his thumb. Being cold, flu, and the dreaded stomach bug season, the last thing I want my toddler to do is to stick his fingers in his mouth after being in a store or play area.
We have committed to getting him to stop thumb sucking for good this year! We had great success using the TGuard Fingerguard with our now 8 year old, so we knew exactly where to turn now that it’s time to stop our thumb sucker. With the help from our friends at TGuard, we have been tackling this thumb sucking resolution with great results!
TGuard is a soft, flexible device that has been recommended by dentists, orthodontists, and pediatricians for over 20 years to help stop the thumb sucking habit. With consistent use, the sucking habit can be broken in 4 weeks or less with the aid of TGuard products.
TGuard is currently offering the TGuard Aerothumb, TGuard Classic, and the TGuard Fingerguard, each uniquely designed for incredible results. Each device design is comfortable, ventilated, and secure.
TGuard Aerothumb is the newest in the line of products, with an improved-design and over 95% success rate!
If you have a finger-sucker, Fingerguard will be your choice. Fingerguard works on any 2 adjacent fingers to stop sucking fast. When worn correctly, Fingerguard has a success rate of over 95% as well!
To use, you simply follow the instruction sheet and slip the device over the hand. Double check fit and then add the bracelet as shown in the instructions. The bracelet has to be cut to be removed, so little ones can’t just pull it off. Each kit comes with 30 bracelets, and more can be bought on their website if you happen to need extra.
Before you start, you want to make sure that you and your child are ready. For us, that meant making sure Simon was healthy, not teething, and not having any other major changes in his life. Once our TGuard Aerothumb arrived, unfortunately he had a couple back to back colds and ear infections AND got his 2 year old molars, so we had to put it off a bit. Finally we’ve been able to give it a try!
Being a curious 2 year old, he thought it was neat to have this device on his hand…. at first. He was able to eat, drink, bathe, play, draw, and anything else he wanted to do without hindrance. The only setback we have had was at nap time. This is where consistency and using other methods to self soothe can come in handy. Normally we would read a book, snuggle a little, and he would suck his thumb as he drifted off to sleep. Instead, we read a book, snuggled a lot, and then he asked for the Aerothumb to come off. I told him that it was staying on and he seemed a little surprised. I rubbed his back, told him he was a good boy, and gave him his stuffed animals to hold onto. It took much longer than normal for him to fall asleep the first time.
If I remember correctly, when we used the Fingerguard on my daughter years ago, she didn’t nap the first day. For children, the device can be a different experience, and they have to develop new ways to self-soothe. After a day or two, it took less and less time to nap or go to sleep at night, as long as we were consistent.
We haven’t used it the full 4 weeks yet, but we are seeing major progress! Simon hasn’t been putting his hands in his mouth as often, so I’m super happy about that! Less hands in mouth = less germs! That’s a win-win!!
I really like that the TGuard Aerothumb doesn’t get in the way of his normal activities as a very active 2 year old boy. He can even ride his little bike with it on and no problems. I also appreciate that the TGuard knows kids can be a little sneaky and has designed the device in such a way that it can only be removed by cutting the bracelet, when used properly.
I know we will stay consistent and he will be completely thumb free very soon. It worked brilliantly for my daughter with the Fingerguard and we are looking forward to complete success with the Aerothumb as well. I highly recommend TGuard products to anyone trying to break a finger or thumb sucking habit. For more information on the TGuard line of products, please visit the TGuard website.
If you’d like to try a TGuard product with your children, head on over to the TGuard website and learn more about the products. At checkout, you can use code mommyoctopus18 to save 10% off your purchase! You won’t be disappointed.
If for any reason you aren’t happy with your product, TGuard offers a 30 day money back guarantee!
Big thank you to our friends at TGuard for providing Simon with his Aeroguard that we received in exchange for posting. All opinions are our own.
Brinkman Adventures Season 4 features 12 episodes of adventures, each a little less than 30 minutes each. Over 5 hours of audio entertainment on these 4 cds! What’s neat about The Brinkmann Adventures is that most of them are based on a true story from a real life family. The adventures on this set take place in Cambodia, Russia, the Middle East, and more! You can head on over to their website to find out more about the stories behind each of the episodes.
Also on their website, you can purchase either the physical copy of the adventures or download the audio dramas. Downloads are $25.99 and physical copies are $31.99 for the 12 episode sets.
When the CDs arrived, my 10 year old son took off with them. He loves listening to books or audio dramas and was eager to get started with The Brinkman Adventures. We actually had never heard of these adventures before!
The kids really liked listening to Brinkman Adventures Season 4 during their afternoon free-time. They would have an episode going while they were building with their blocks or playing cars.
My son liked “A Paradise Lost” best. He said he liked that the kids were doing activities to imagine what it would be like to be a missionary. He found this one the most intriguing because he has always wanted to be a missionary or go on a missionary trip. I think that will be definitely in his future.
I found “Aisha’s Fear” incredibly inspiring. The amazing strength that Aisha possessed from God was absolutely fascinating to me, given her situation. God used Aisha in an incredible way to change so many people’s lives.
Although we listened at home, these would make for wonderful car trip material. I would recommend stopping in between each episode and discussing what was heard and how it can be applied.
I think we will be watching for more of these audio dramas in the future and possibly getting a few more for the children for Christmas. They are inspiring, encouraging, uplifting, and help us to remember what all is going on out there in the world and I especially like that they are based on true stories and that I can read the story behind the story.
For more information, you can visit the Brinkman Adventures website. You can also find out more on Facebook.
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In just 60 days, Homeschool Rescue can help you go from stressed and broken homeschool mom to feeling more confident, organized, and passionate for homeschooling with more time for the stuff that you want to do. Each lesson takes about 20 minutes or less of a video course and then some “homework”. The homework is printable worksheets to start getting your thoughts down on paper and preparing to be more efficient in your schooling. You can go at your own pace and do the program at your convenience.
There is also an online support group for homeschooling parents where “being real” is encouraged and frustrations and successes can be talked about with other moms.
There are currently 5 modules in the program. Course content includes studies on the following:
Prices start at $97 for the eCourse or $137 for the eCourse along with one-on-one coaching sessions. This is the one time, lifetime access price!
Goodness I knew I needed this course! With 4 homeschooling kids and a wild toddler, I have been thinking about throwing in the towel. Some days around here are crazy! During the course, I learned a few tips on toddler wrangling during our homeschool day, but most of all, I learned that it’s ok to have an off day! I really enjoyed the tips on getting organized and so I’m already starting to plan, in detail, our next school year.
The lessons on pacing the homeschool subjects and eliminating ones that weren’t benefiting us was also helpful. My biggest takeaway was remembering to look around my house and getting rid of things that do not bring any joy to our lives. Decluttering and cleaning out household stuff and curriculum will help me be more relaxed and ready for each day.
I have also found the online support group to be extremely helpful. I was able to ask questions and get feedback from other moms. I can learn from them and they can learn from me based on our prior experiences. That’s how life should be!
Even if I wasn’t writing a review, this would totally be worth the investment for the encouragement, tips, and printables. With the printables, I made myself a binder and as I worked through the course, I put the pages in the notebook so I could keep up with my goals. I cannot recommend this program enough if you are a homeschool mom. You can benefit whether you have all littles, all bigs, or a mixture.
For more information, please visit the Homeschool Rescue website. Enrollment is going on right now to take the course this summer.
You can also find out more on their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or Google+. You can also click the banner below to read more reviews on this product by other members of the Homeschool Review Crew.