Home School Navigator Review

May 29, 2018June 1, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

Grab a cup of coffee! I want to share with you today about our review of Home School Navigator. After thoroughly looking over the site and getting a really good feel for the program, I want to share what this could do for you and your children! Home School Navigator is a Reading and Language Arts Curriculum, a full curriculum including plans, teaching videos, and handouts that go along with the program. This curriculum is designed for elementary grades. This is a video, printable, online web-based site to use for the study of English Language Arts. ( Reading, Writing & Grammar ) This program allows you to save your child’s work and it is there to use as a portfolio for your child’s evaluation that you can save and print out for the end of the school year. Each learning level is represented by color and geared toward a certain set of books and lessons for the corresponding Level to be learned from. each level includes:
· A 36 Week Course
· Daily Reading, Writing, and Word Study Lesson Plan
· 60 Instructional Videos
· Word Study Program (including word wall headings, cards, and games)
· Activities That Encourage Multiple Learning Styles
· Monthly Skills Checklist
· Portfolio Maintenance
· Monthly Goal Sheet/Portfolio Check-In
· Downloadable Review Games
· Interactive Notebooks

Many of the books can be found at your local library, online in pdf files or purchased online, but some are available as videos on youtube where your child can listen to it being read to them.

My Review

I want to say that I try really hard to not base my opinion on a website or curriculum totally on our trying it. Sometimes it may fit our style or preference, other times it may not. In this review when we got the kids signed into the levels I chose for them they really were not overly impressed. Daniel being in Level Green (he is in 4th grade) Hope in Level Blue ( she is in 8th grade) and Faith in Level Indigo ( she is in 9th grade ). Since we are predominately doing online schooling this year, I thought they would enjoy this, all I can say is I was wrong on that count. They refused to even go past the first book in each level as they found them to be way below their reading level and about topics they really didn’t enjoy. We have never read them fairy tales or fables, so this didn’t go over well at all. They thought and I will agree that each level did not seem age or grade appropriate for my children. Well, other children may be interested in the content and with reading anything assigned to them, my children really like reading to learn a topic of study and not in just reading for literary enjoyment.

Issue Resolved

We were given the ability to check out several levels during the first few weeks of this review. Due to family health issues, we got signed in later and I had less time to try out the levels. I was not able to try to adjust the levels. When I first tried to do this I found no way to adjust the level that I became locked into and found no phone number or way to contact the website for assistance. I was given information to contact them and when I did this they promptly replied and added the email to the website for future support. They also addressed my issue of needing to change the level and fixed that for me. So I was very happy with the quick reply and issue resolved!

At first, I signed into the Green Level for Daniel and proceeded to try to check out the Yellow Level just for the review, but the lower level for Daniel seemed even more inappropriate for his reading level. But at this time keeping him at the higher level doesn’t seem to be working for him either. I think this is due to his always reading historical fiction and books that deal with learning a topic like coding, computers or a book that deals with one topic. His interests lie in technological things and computer stuff!

Every child is unique and at a different level of learning. Also, children develop a like for certain books versus other books.

Being an adult I can see the benefits of using this program for learning. I feel bad that my kids just didn’t take well to it. I hope you will check it out and see if it would be a good fit for your children. It is very complete in content for the year and full of so many educational things to do. I am going to try again to get the children interested in this program, we were just going through a lot at this present time and I think all the changes in things we were using and life happening has just got them a bit to stressed right now.

You can find Home School Navigator on Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolnavigation/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/schoolnavigator/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolnavigator/

Please click below to go and read others reviews on this as i know that some of the other crew members children really did well with this !

Books by Author Kayla Jarmon Review

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

We received three electronic books, A Boy, and His Dog, Dying is Part of This World, and Don’t Forget Me from Kayla Jarmon for our review.

A Boy and His Dog
You have heard folks say ” A Boy and His Dog! ” This book shows the close friendship and relationship of both. My husband is a dog person really can relate to this and we often have talks about our Dogs and our past pets we have had and loved.

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This book was so cute! It shows what a sweet loving and fun relationship he has with his dog and how they do everything together, even bath together and the dog even sleeps on his bed. Daniel enjoyed this book, in our home, we have dogs whose names are Baby and Konike. Baby is our Great Pryensse and Konike is our Black Lab/Retriever mix who is chocolate colored. Daniel knows that having a dog means more than just feeding and watering, it comes with expense and responsibility.

Dying Is Part of This World
Everyone has to deal with this subject and it seems that we all struggle with this topic. This thoughtfully written book shares about the fear of death. There are scripture references and discussion questions to provoke great conversation and prayer. With God’s knowledge and wisdom, you can overcome the fear of death and live a victorious life! Christ has conquered death! Amen

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Dying is Part of This World was sorta a needed thing for us, so getting to read this was very helpful. We lost my Dad a year ago May 25th, on my birthday. This was hard for me, but Daniel came to NY with me and we saw him the day before he passed. Since Daniel has had questions, this made it easier for me to share my belief on this without the worry of my emotions taking over. We could just read this book and talk about death in general. We know that my Dad is in heaven with God and having this book reaffirm this helped us a lot. At the end of each chapter is discussion questions for us to use and talk about. Really great book if your trying to share this with your children and have lost someone close to you.

Don’t Forget Me
Don’t Forget Me depicts a conversation between God and the Baby through pregnancy and birth. It will bring emotions and maybe even a tear to your eyes, as you are reminded that God is the author and giver of life. A perfect gift for expectant parents and siblings!

This book is meant to be used in the Christian Home. The Discussion Book Series encourages great discussions with discussion questions and Scripture references. This book is aimed at family discussion or even a woman’s bible study or teen girls class on marriage and pregnancy!

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Since Daniel is my baby, I read this one myself. This is the most Thoughtful and Encouraging book. Not just for children but for anyone expecting a baby. It would be a great book to read to your children if you are expecting to share the biblical worldview of God being there from conception, birth and beyond. I loved how it showed the love of God for the child, the love of the mother for her child and also the love of the father for the mother and for the Lord. The illustrations are so sweet and portray just how it is from the womb and it gives a very thoughtful and modest way of showing what happens in birth. This book touched my heart even as a mom who has had many a miscarriage and it really should be in the church and the home. I love the verses in the back of the book that we can use to share God’s word with our children on conception, development, and birth. I really love this book!

I hope you will consider these books for your children and your home. Also, consider getting this for your church when it is available in paperback or audio. I would so highly encourage Don’t Forget Me, for a teen group or a pre-marriage class. All of these books are so well illustrated and very well written.

You can connect with Kayla on the web at the following socials and on her website.

Website: http://kaylajarmon.com/books

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaylajarmonauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaylajarmon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylajarmon/

If you would like to read more thoughts on these books just click on the image below and you will be able to go to many more reviews of these wonderful books.

Weigl Publishers Book Review

May 5, 2018May 7, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

Weigl Publishers Media Enhanced Books, AV2 Books and
Digital books Review. We received three pdf’s and codes for media enhanced books, Glaciers, A Lion’s World, and There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant from Weigl Publishers, that we have been enjoying over the last several weeks! I have to tell you they are very captivating!

Glaciers from the series “Earth’s Water” published under their imprint Lightbox is intended for a grades 3-6. I think the first thing that caught our attention was the colors and all the details about Glaciers!

Daniel and I read through Glaciers and used the media version for a more thorough study of Glaciers. This was so nice as there were so many things to see and do. Links to outside websites like DK Find Out online where you can go and learn about the topic your reading and see all kinds of diagrams and enhance your learning. Also in the enhanced media book are links to learning files you can use to find answers while your learning and you can print them out if you desire to use them. The book itself shows a view where you can easily get back to an area your studying about, this helped us to be able to go back for reference while learning. There are also links to video clips to watch and they are very nice for learning and getting a feel for what it is really like when one of the glaciers decides to melt and come apart. It is just so amazing to watch and learn about them.

Other Titles

We also read A Lions World and There once was a Cowpoke who swallowed an Ant. Although they were a bit below Daniels reading level they were very colorful and entertaining to read. You can also use the feature to allow the books to be read to younger children who are not reading yet or not as fluent in their reading ability.

A Lion’s World belonging to our “EyeDiscover” series, intended for a K-2 interest range. This book was easy to read, full of bright colors that were eye-catching and just all around enjoyable for young children. It also gave a lot of simple but informative information for them to learn from.

There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant, a fiction title, intended for a K-2 interest range. It was a fun and humorous story. The illustrations were very colorful and great for young children to enjoy.

We really enjoyed these and you can learn more from this video on using these books for your students! I believe it will really be a fun and enjoyable experience for them.

We hope that you will consider these books for your own child’s reading enjoyment!

If you would like to learn more about what others thought of these books feel free to click on the picture below to be taken to more reviews by the Homeschool Review Crew.

Heroes of History- Christopher Columbus Review

April 30, 2018May 5, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

Over the last several weeks we have been using the book Heroes of History- Christopher Columbus from YWAM Publishing for studying history. This is part of the bestselling biographies from the Heroes of History Series by Janet & Geoff Benge. This series came highly recommended by other families we know and is highly recommended for christian schools and those homeschooling. These books could also be used for family study on christian heritage. They can be read by teens, parents and grandparents , but can be read also to younger children.

~ They make excellent chapter books for those age 10 and up ! ~

So what does a small town boy being raised in Genoa, by parents who were farmers of sheep being raised to be a weaver have to do with discovering the new world ? I am supposing that like every young boy Christopher , had a dream. This was one of the many things we learned while reading this book. We learned so much about Christopher Columbus, things we never learned before. From his boyhood adventures and growing up into manhood and getting married. This was the exciting part missed in much of public school learning, this is why I am so glad we homeschool and can chose the books we want to use for our children to learn from. But wither you homeschool or your kids are in public school, this series can be used to enhance your child’s learning experience !

The Heroes of History Series is full of so many interesting Christian biographies of Heroes Then & Now ! Each one of a missionary or leader that was very influential in history. If you are looking for positive role models for your children, these books are wonderful.

Each book comes with a downloadable Unit Study for you to use to enhance the learning experience. In the Unit Study you will find fun activities that are educational. The introduction will help you as the Parent/Teacher to know what you may chose to use. Understanding your child’s learning styles. Using this guide for group or individual study. Understanding grade levels or individual ability of your student/students. It is very through in helping you plan and decide based on the needs of your student and yourself. Key Quotes you can use for memorization, meaning and display purposes. Ideas for setting up a display area , to show what the students are learning, with things to include based on your study. You will also find Chapter Questions for each chapter with page noted for where to find the answers, this is excellent to use with the students to recall facts and quiz them on what they remember. There is a section on Student Explorations where you will find ideas for Essay Questions, Creative Writing , Hands on Projects, Audio/Visual Products and Arts & Crafts ! Also there is a section on Community links to help you find local, state or federal resources and places for field trips to enjoy.

The Unit Study has words to use for vocabulary studies, as well as geographical terms and names for map studies in geography. Time Lines and Conceptual Questions. Related Themes to in Science, Current Issues, Geography, History and Math. A Section on Culminating Events, How to plan out something for the students to experience and show what they are learning or have learned.

You may also like the Homeschool Overview for Unit Study Curriculum Guides for comparing time periods and planning your History Studies. In the Start Here link you will find more fun and informative things in the information about the character you are reading about in your book, guides for small groups, classroom and homeschool. Links to the study guide, in our case part 1 & 2. A bonus section of puzzles , games and more fun ! A meet the authors section so you can get to know them and why they wrote these books. Reader Reviews on the book.

For us there was so much to use and do. We decided to use the book it self for reading daily and doing some of the history study by following up with some books from our library. This is really a full study and can become very in depth for all involved. Even for those young through the adults teaching or studying along.

I think next we will be using John Smith: A Foothold in the New World, as it is next in the series and I want to continue our study of history and family heritage for my kids ! They are so exciting , not only for the kids but for me also !

You can connect with YWAM on social & the internet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YWAM-Publishing-482973445102

Twitter: http://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing

BLOG: www.ywampublishingblog.com

I hope you will consider using these wonderful books in your own studies and if you would like to read more of what the Homeschool Review Crew thought of this and many other books in the series, click on the graphic below !

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

April 16, 2018April 13, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

The last several weeks we have been using Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology, by Apologia. All about the human body for elementary grades. I have to say that I have been wanting to use Apologia for sometime and never got the chance until now and I am so glad we were chosen for this review !

We were sent the following for our review:

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Text: If you are looking for a Text that gives glory to God and teaches your children how each part of their body works inside them, this is an awesome book to study from. It is loaded with Lesson Plan ideas, Reading on Anatomy and Physiology, Projects & Experiments, Supply Lists and lots of colorful illustrations. Covering Topics from The History of Anatomy and Physiology, Basic Cells , RNA, DNA, The Skeletal System, The Muscular System, The Digestive & Renal Systems, Health & Nutrition, The Respiratory System, Life in the Blood, The Cardiovascular System, The Nervous & Endocrine System, More on the Nervous System, Your Senses, The Integument System, The Lymphatic & Immune System and Growth & Development. All of this is very in depth but presented in a way for young children to understand.

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Junior Notebooking Journal: This notebooking journal is full of loads of activities for your younger children and could be used for children from grades K thru 4th grade. It has coloring pages, copywork in manuscript and cursive, some simple crosswords and lots of hands on things to do, to reinforce what is learned from the text, like Mini Books to put together on many of the topics being taught.

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Notebooking Journal: This Notebooking Journal we felt was going to be a good use for Daniel (10 years old ) when he is a little older. This could easily be used for Grades 5 thru 6 th or even older children or an adult if your learning as a family ! It has Similar activities but seems to have more advanced things like Vocabulary Crossword Puzzles, Scripture Copywork in Cursive and Many fun projects that also go with the lessons learned in the Text.

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology MP3 Audio CD: This easy to use CD is great, as you can play it while you follow along with the reading of the author’s word from the Text. I found it to be a great resource. I usually follow along myself and I will tell you there are some things in here that I never learned when in school. It is easy to follow along with and if I need to Daniel could follow along and play the sections himself at age 10 ! It was nice to as it tells you when to do a project or when to do the Try This in the Text. So it is great for listening to at home or in the vehicle.

You can use the Lesson Plans given in the text for you can take things at your own pace !

I wanted to share with you a few pages from the text. It is beautifully illustrated and loaded with knowledge, which makes it wonderful for the children to see and understand what we are learning about !

Our Science Time looks something like this, Listen and Read the sections for the day, Talk about what we are learning and do a couple projects from the text and the notebooking journal. Daniel and I spend this time together working through the Text and I am really enjoying all the things were learning. It has been educational for me as well. Suffice it to say my Science learning consisted of basic chemistry in 8th grade and then some simple Biology in 9th grade.

As we studied about the History of Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body Daniel colored pictures from different time periods, made a diagram of a cell, made the vocabulary flip chart and also the cell wheel

Daniels Project ” My Body ” The beautiful overlays allow him to see just where the systems are in his body and how the body comes together as a whole. Doing this made it more personal for Daniel to learn of all the systems in the body. So far we have learned about the Skeletal System, the Muscular System, the Digestive and Renal Systems.

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I really think this would be great for Christian Schools, Home schools or anyone wanting to give their children a wonderful knowledge of Science from a biblical view. It is engaging and could be used by many grade levels. If you are teaching multiple grades and need something for Science or Health, this could be just the Series for you. It is easy to understand, simple to explain to the children, yet it teaches some very in depth concepts.

You Can Find Apologia on Social !

Facebook: www.facebook.com/apologiaworld

Twitter: www.twitter.com/apologiaworld

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/apologia/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/apologiaworld

Google+: https://plus.google.com/105053356034237782125

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/apologiaworld

If you would like to read more reviews about this please click the following link to be taken to reviews by the Review Crew !

Carole P. Roman books and collections review

March 26, 2018March 29, 2018 / Linda Marie / 2 Comments

Since the children and I have been studying History, we were very excited to be chosen to review three of Carole P. Roman‘s books! We were asked to chose three that we thought we would really enjoy, we chose these books from Carole P. Roman books and collections. If You Were Me and Lived in Colonial America, If You Were Me and Lived in The American West, and If You Were Me and Lived in Elizabethan England .

Our Review

We hope you enjoy our little video we made to share the books we read !

These are not just some small reading books for little ones. These are books filled with a whole lot of information on each time period. They could be read to younger children ages 4 to 8 , but they make excellent books for advanced readers ages 9 to 15 year old.

In If you were me and lived in Colonial America, you will learn about Puritans and Separatists, their differences and why they wanted to come to the new land. Learning about this and how government was set up in Colonial America, helped the children to see that rules were meant to help us live more peaceable lives and ensure everyone’s safety and survival. Reading about how their homes were built, what they ate and how they lived actually made the kids see that , they themselves have life really easy today.

In If you were me and Lived in the American West , You will learn things like what kind of food you might eat on the Oregon Trail, the clothes you would wear in the American West, what your name might have been in the 19th century, and what children did for fun once their many chores were done. I think this gave the children a view into the time period from a child’s point of view. For us that was important as they viewed History as mundane and reading this gave them more understanding and made them realize that History is anything but boring !

In if you were me and Lived in Elizabethan England, We learned about the differences between living there today and living there over 400 years ago. What folks ate and the differences between that was eaten by the Rich and the Poor ! We also learned about what the differences in clothing were. Also what people did for work. The children got to see what it was like for others in another culture then our own. Yet it was a culture that some of our family heritage came from.

Each book gives a rich history as well as people who influenced that era and told about them. The illustrations are very colorful and hold your attention as you look at each to see what is included in them. They are simple yet beautiful. Each book also includes a very nice sized glossary in them, one that could be used for Spelling and Vocabulary lessons if one wished to. We personally loved Carole’s books and I feel as a homeschooling mom that they really enriched our studies by giving us more understanding of our heritage and the lives of others. They are a fun and exciting way to add value to your studying or just reading for fun ! I like the way Carole writes so that the content covered is presented in a easy way for children to understand the historical era being talked about in her books. Although my teen girls thought Colonial America was a bit on the little kids picture wise, I still feel it portrayed the content desired being taught. My Ten year old son thought they were great and as you can see in the video he enjoyed reading them to me and hearing them read to him. I hope you will consider giving these books we read and other books Carole has written a place in the lives of your children.

About the Author

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children. She hosts two blog radio programs and is one of the founders of a new magazine, Indie Author’s Monthly. She’s been interviewed twice by Forbes Magazine. Carole has co-authored a self-help book, Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing. Oh Susannah is her first Early Reader Chapter book series. She lives on Long Island with her husband and near her children and grandchildren.

Her series includes:
Captain No Beard

If You Were Me and Lived in- Cultural

If You Were Me and Lived in- Historical

Nursery series
Oh Susannah- Early Reader

Navigating Indieworld- with co-author Julie A. Gerber
Indieworld Marketing- with co-authors Angela Hausman and Julie A. Gerber

Couldn’t Resist I purchased this one !!!

You can learn more about Carole on her Website and Goodreads

You can also connect with Carole on Social

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolePRomanAwardWinningAuthorAndBooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/caroleproman

Instagram: www.instagram.com/caroleproman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6A9PDx7NdBgYUN1giUOp0A

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroleproman/

If you would like to hear what the Crew had to say about the other books read and reviewed, click below !

CursiveLogic Review

March 7, 2018March 8, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

Cursive Logic Student Workbook

Today we are pleased to bring you our review of the CursiveLogic Quick-Start Pack and The Art of Cursive by CursiveLogic. CursiveLogic is a fast and efficient way to learn cursive handwriting. The lessons in the student workbook can be used by children teaching cursive letters in a very methodical way ( you will need a separate student workbook for each student who is going to be learning. ) while The Art of Cursive can be used for those who have completed the course or for adults to color, relax and destress while using what is learned from CursiveLogic. The following video shares a bit about why this was developed and about how it works.

After reading our review if you decide to order be sure to use the Discount Code at the bottom of this post to save 20% !

Our Review

We were given the CursiveLogic Quick-Start Pack which contains the seminar for showing you how to use the program to teach your children or others, so that they can learn cursive fairly quickly. After viewing the seminar, I decided that I would give daughter Faith a chance to try using this. The student handbook shows the children in picture about posture, correct hand position and the proper ways to form the letters using 4 strokes similar in all of the letters of the lower case alphabet. There are also lessons teaching uppercase alphabet. It is a very through study in cursive handwriting. This could be easily adapted for younger children, but my own are ages 10, 14 and 15. I allowed each of my children to try a page or two in the Cursive Logic Student Workbook. After this Faith worked through numerous lessons for our review. My 10 year old son was not into doing more, I guess that is his age and that he thinks cursive is too fancy for him to be doing. My 14 year old daughter liked it but said she would let Faith be the one to use this, since she has many more years of schooling to do herself and Faith would be done with school sooner. Being use to manuscript Faith found it very time consuming and difficult for her, that isn’t to say that it is hard to do in general, just hard for her. I hope through using this it will give her more motivation to keep writing and with practice she will see how beautiful cursive handwriting is.

This program could also be used to teach adults.

I decided to show some examples of the lesson and of her cursive work, so that you can get a better idea of how things progress in the workbook.

For months my children have commented on how nice my handwriting is and this came from many lessons as a child that took many more hours and so much more time then the way they are learning to write cursive. Truth be told I did not realize how rusty I had become in my handwriting until I tried doing this program. I think it is good for all of us to learn from as a family. Given how so many schools are not teaching this art and discipline today, I have decided to teach my own so that one day they can sign their names nicely, write letters that are legible. I also want them to learn History and be able to read documents that were years ago written with the finest cursive handwriting. After all if it was taught to men and women alike years ago, I feel it should be taught today.

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We are looking forward to completing the course as we will be having some fun using The Art of Cursive, to learn how we can incorporate cursive into some beautiful artwork. We will be using it to make some artwork to hang up around our home. It contains some lovely pictures to color and use the cursive handwriting learned in the program and also very wise quotes and sayings to inspire us daily. We will be using some colorful gel pens we were given and I think this will make studying this as an Art form even more fun !

We really enjoyed this and I hope that you will consider using this with your children or even for yourself.

You can find CursiveLogic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilovecursive/

If you decide to give this a try be sure to use this Discount Code to save 20%

If you wish to hear what others had to share about this review just click on this graphic and read more thoughts on CursiveLogic !

Magic Stix Washable Marker Review

March 5, 2018March 5, 2018 / Linda Marie / 1 Comment

We are pleased to bring you our review of the 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers from The Pencil Grip, Inc. These markers are no odor, have a vented safety caps and come in a nice variety of bright bold colors. They are also Non-Toxic Markers. They claim they will not dry out for 7 days, We tested this and were very pleased with our findings. These tempera paint sticks when used on a project dry in just 90 seconds. These paint sticks really work for a mess free paint experience. One that you and your children will enjoy !

7 Day Test

I just had to test out this theory that these markers would not dry out for 7 days. We took out one olive/army green colored marker and I laid it on my desk on its side with the cap off. Seriously I believed it would dry out or leak all over my desk ! It did not do either, which is a real great thing. I can’t tell you how many times the kids have lost a cap to a marker only to have it dry out in 3 days time. Well no more worrying about that, we have a week or more to find the cap before I need worry. I know that you have experienced this with your markers in the past. I know I am not alone in this. These markers hold up to the claim of not drying out for 7 days, but I think its much longer then this ! You’ll be amazed ! ( I forgot to write something on day one )

Hope’s Project

She is my artistic child, this is something that we share in life ! I was excited for her to try these on one of her pages from her adult coloring book. Coloring for INSPIRATION that she received at Christmas time. It has some of the most awesome pictures in it.

She chose to color some koi fish from this coloring book and they turned out so colorful and she enjoyed this so much with the Magic Stix Washable Markers. She spent several hours working on them and really loved the selection of colors she could chose from. This is her completed project ! She says they are her “Rainbow Fish”.

She really enjoyed the marks and the process and it was a relaxing and calming things or her to do. ( She is bipolar & ODD ) So we need times to “chill” and really relax. These Markers have really added a wonderful advantage to art for her. It also has really helped me to get her to take time to focus on something she really enjoys. I am so thankful for this, it means so much to us that she can find things she enjoys and can do on her own. She found the markers easy to hold and to use ( not bulky not like the other markers we have tried ). They are easy to control where your coloring.

This was a fun and enjoyable experience for us. We will be using the Magic Stix Washable Markers now for all our art projects. The nice carrying case allows us to take them along with us anywhere. In the van, to the beach or to see family. This will make them easier for taking on vacation this summer. We will be able to create and experience everything we find or see in an exciting way! This is what Life & Homeschooling are all about!

If you are in need of some wonderful Markers, I hope you will give Magic Stix Washable Markers a try !

You can find The Pencil Grip Inc. on your favorite social platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepencilgrip/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepencilgrip Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kwikstixpaint YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLmKo4Es5M5VwzXuFKk7j6w

For more reviews of this product click on the picture below !

Bytes of Learning Review

February 20, 2018February 20, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

Today I want to share with you about Bytes of Learning, an online source for learning typing. UltraKey Online Family Subscription has been proven effective for ages 8+ to Adult, but has been used for children as young as 5 years old.

UltraKey Online provides clear, voice-supported instruction with animation and video. This family subscription lets a parent or tutor manage the use of the program, while the family members learn to type. Good for home schoolers, and helping children do better at school. Compatible with browsers on Windows, Mac, Chromebooks, and iPads. HTML5. No plugins.

Touch-typing has to be taught, which is why UltraKey Online uses crystal-clear animated instruction to convey every important technique.UltraKey Online offers exciting new features including directed language arts activities. Once the basics are in place, the exciting new Game Zone provides typing fun, developing reading and writing skills, and improving typing fluency.

My Review

I started this review period with high expectations for myself and my children. I thought we would really excel at typing using this program. Being a graduate of 3 years of typing in high school, I really thought we would enjoy this. Well, I wanted the children to enjoy it and learn to type without looking at the keys and playing hunt and peck. I found the interface easy to learn and it was easy for me to go in and set things up for the children. I quickly got them set up and into the assessment in the beginning so that we could see where we were at. They progressed thru the part that accessed their abilities so that we would have a goal to work toward while building our skills. We then learned proper posture and finger placement, which I feel is very important when sitting to type. We learned the importance of getting up periodically and stretching, so that we did not become sedentary, also important when working on the computer. I had read recently that prolonged sitting can lead to poor health, so this was a nice bonus as the program reminds you when to take a break from sitting.

We had some glitches in the online program which may have been caused by my own internet or the program itself. (voice of the online tutor repeating itself and the movies or quizzes also freezing up, where you click on the person for the quiz seemed to not have immediate recognition to allow one to get through the quiz quickly. ) After we got passed that part , it seemed to go more smoothly. We worked on trying to progress thru the lessons and worked on building accuracy. I will say that we did do well with this area. The parent/teacher part of the program that allows you to see how each student is doing is a nice feature and it allowed me to know exactly where the children were at in their learning and also allowed me to set personal goals for each individually.

My 10 year old son had fun playing in the game zone which I feel is more geared toward younger children and perhaps fun for a child age 10 or under. My teens were bored with this area , as it was not really aimed at older children. My teens were also not thrilled with the slowness of the lessons and the lack of no real reward for finishing a lesson. They also felt that the graphics and lessons could have been more geared toward children and teens. Being an artist at heart, I have to agree. It was plain and somewhat mundane even for myself. Even with how rusty my typing skills have become over the years, it seemed slow and not that interesting. I feel we would have enjoyed the program much better had it been more interactive and colorful. A reward system on it would make it more fun for the children and hold their attention longer.

For those who have not taken typing in the past as we had, I think it might work out better for you. Learning the basics of typing is key to being able to work efficiently if you are homeschooling or working online as we do. If you have children who need to learn these skills for the first time I think you would be able to utilize this program to benefit your family and find great success !

You can learn more about Bytes of Learning on Social on Facebook !

Wulf The Saxon Audio Review

February 19, 2018February 20, 2018 / Linda Marie / Leave a comment

The year is 1065. Edward the Confessor is King of England. Wulf, a young Saxon landholder, quickly earns respect from those he serves, through his devotion to duty, courage, and honor. But when Wulf and his devout Christian friend, Harold, find themselves shipwrecked on the shores of Normandy, a desperate struggle for the throne of England begins. On a battlefield outside of Hastings, the very course of history is decided. Brothers become enemies. A boy becomes a man. A nation is born.

My Review

Heirloom Audio Productions brings another G.A. Henty novel to life with Wulf the Saxon!

I am excited today to be bringing you my review of Wulf the Saxon from Heirloom Audio Productions. We received this 2 CD Audio of this 2 1/2 hour Non-Stop Adventure for our honest review. It is rated for ages 6+ – Adult.

I can’t begin to tell you what an exciting adventure this was. My children ages 15, 14 and 10 listened intently as did my husband Mark and I. No matter what the age it was a great tale to be told !

( I would save this one for those over 6 years old, only due to the war and battle sounds and graphic description of battle tragedies, which may be scary to younger children.)

As the story begins, we wondered if this would be a sad story or one of true love as the relationships even friendships are quite intimate and loyal. You could really hear the the sincere care in the voices of all the characters and how they were genuinely concerned for one another. They really did what they thought was best for the other person and that shows sincere caring. The adventure was full of danger for those concerned and you could really sense the danger of the battle as we listened. I felt the pains of war as I listened. We also wondered for a long time if Harold would be able to have the love of his life or be forced to marry for the betterment of his country. Would true love reign or would it be cast aside ? Will he marry the love of his life ?

In many areas of life, we could see how Wulf was protected and provided for and it was a reminder to us of the way the Lord watches over and provides for us. Even in the hardest time during ones life when one chooses to do the right thing, it brings about a reward. Doing good to others even if they have not done good to you…

Wulf shows truly godly character in many ways he lives and how he treats others. Always a faithful servant and friend to all who know him.

While he is younger and not so worried about marrying, he meets a young lady who seems to like him, but he never seems show concern for his own life or living but his service is to that of his King and country. Will he ever take notice that the young lady cares about him ? Will she sidetrack him from his duties ? Surely there is a reason she is asking questions , wanting to know his thoughts on things. Years go by and Wulf grows in character and is promoted in station in life. He has many travels and opportunities. Will all this keep him from one day settling down ? Will he find his helpmeet for him ? Will he one day marry for love ? Will he find the woman who shares his dream?

I hope you will get a copy of this for your listening enjoyment !

I for one enjoyed the cast of characters and their voices as the story is told and the adventure plays out… this was a really fun and interesting story of history, that taught me things I had not learned before ! For me I wished it didn’t have to end !

It has peaked my interest in getting more G.A. Henty stories on cd and also the books for my children to listen to and enjoy reading.

You can connect on social media on the sites below !

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomAudio Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeirloomStories Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heirloomaudio/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/HeirloomAudioOfficial

Google+: https://goo.gl/d8btpX YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ9d9hNYwfUAUHhpcvnJ1_Q

Body Soul & Spirit

~ Faithful is he that calleth you ~

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My Review

Wulf shows truly godly character in many ways he lives and how he treats others. Always a faithful servant and friend to all who know him.

My Review

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My Review

Wulf shows truly godly character in many ways he lives and how he treats others. Always a faithful servant and friend to all who know him.

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