GeoMatters: Profiles from History Review and GIVEAWAY

Who is remembered as "The Great Schoolmaster of the Nation"?

Which US President begged the people to let bitterness end & healing begin?

Who is the medical pioneer that saved many lives during WW2?

How are a baseball player & The Gettysburg Address similar?

The answer to these questions can be found in Profiles from History Vol. 3 from GeoMatters. Often times, history can be a child's least favorite subject but GeoMatters has created wonderful history and geography materials that bring history alive and make it fun, enjoyable and engaging for children.  In Profiles from History Volume 3 students will learn about the character and compassion of some of America's most influential leaders such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They take their places alongside those who impacted the world during it's most critical and trying times, the World Wars. Read about their courage, conviction and sacrifice.  

Profiles from History Vol. 3 can be purchased as a paperback book or a digital download.  We used the digital download and I was able to put it on the computer for the kids to read and then we simply printed out the pages we needed for them to complete the activities.  The kids loved the many details that they read about each person's life.  They read about their character traits, their personalities, how they influenced others and the world around them and of course, how they impacted and influenced American History.  This particular volume teaches them about well-known people such as Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe & Dwight D. Eisenhower to lesser known (but equally important) people like Dr. Charles Drew and Irena Sendler.  There is even some sports personalities and a concentration camp survivor included as well.  

With each profile study, there are several activities your child can complete to reinforce learning and help them connect it all together in the big picture of history.  These activities are fun for the child and often times they don't even realize how much they are learning because they are having so much fun completing the work.  There are word searches, crossword puzzles, scrambled words, language study through vocabulary and more! Our 10 year old loved "writing an obituary" for each person because she said it challenged her to remember the person's life details in order.  As a homeschooling Mom, I liked how that particular assignment worked on their writing skills as well as their memory. There is a touch of geography added in through the usage of maps that teach the children where a person lived or what areas their influence was felt.  Of course, when you think about learning history you probably picture a timeline.  No worries...Profiles from History Vol. 3 even includes a timeline!  We printed out the timeline and then pasted it together to hang on the wall. Each profile that they studied also included a picture of that person that they could cut out and paste onto the timeline in their correct order.  

I have to admit that this was our first experience with GeoMatters products but all 3 of our kids loved Profiles from History Vol. 3 and have even asked if we could study more people like that. We plan to use more GeoMatters materials in our homeschooling and the kids are really excited to be learning history and geography in such fun ways.  

GeoMatters wants to bless you by offering you $10.00 off when you purchase all 3 volumes of Profiles from History.  This discount is good on the paperback or the digital download. Use the discount code:  PROFILESTEN when you checkout.  They are also giving you the chance to win a digital download of all 3 volumes of Profiles from History!  You can enter to win on the form below.  

The Mighty Macs DVD Review and GIVEAWAY

ABOUT THE MOVIE......

It’s 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time … and she’s about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women’s basketball. In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women’s Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College. Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she’s willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she’s just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them. From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school’s Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team! While it appears the Macs don’t have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together. Will this pioneer buck cultural norms and spur her rag-tag team to unexpected heights? Or will her hard-driving ways create a wedge between the coach and everyone around her? One thing’s for certain: there’s never been anyone like Cathy Rush at Immaculata!

The Mighty Macs DVD is based on a true story and is a very family-friendly movie that is rated G.  There is no cuss words or swearing and the only questionable aspects of the movie is that in one scene the coach and assistant coach are in a bar drinking beer and at another time they lie to get a free airline ticket.  Overall, there is nothing in this movie a child could not see and best of all, there are lots of teachable moments to be learned from what the coach teaches the girls on the team in this movie.  

I don't want to give away too much about the movie or spoil it for you but there were several things we loved about this movie.  Each member of the basketball team has their own life story that is interwoven through the following of the basketball games.  It is true to life in showing that a person's personal life affects their game and this movie portrays that beautifully. This movie also shows how this particular team's story has impacted women's sports.  Today, there is a WNBA but back in the early 70's this team was fighting for their rights to play and earning respect along the way.  The coach says so many things in this movie that were inspiring for our children to hear.  She teaches these girls that even when the rest of the world is trying to tear you down that you should fight for your dreams and follow them.  I especially loved the "We Will Be #1" buttons too!  You can win your very own copy of The Mighty Macs DVD by entering on the form below.

Journal 10 Review and GIVEAWAY

I have always kept journals ever since I was a little girl.  I had my "secret journal" complete with a lock and key when I was in middle school where I stored all my secret crushes, my hurts and my dreams.  When I went to Russia and Siberia on mission work, I kept another journal to record everything from what I ate, to the people we encountered to my thoughts about every part of my time there.  When I was pregnant with our children, I kept pregnancy journals to document every day of their 9 month growth and then their birth.  Even today, I keep a daily prayer journal and a "1000 Gifts" journal.  I am a journal loving girl!

Journal 10 is a dated ten year journal!  It allows you to hold up to 11 years worth of thoughts and memories in one single volume.  The Journal 10 is extremely well bound so you can tell that it will last and hold up through many years of usage.  It has Smythe-sewn binding and "leatherette" cover making it look very professional and yet designed to last.

Takes just 5 minutes a day

No pressure to fill a blank page
Builds over time into a family memoir
As you make each entry you see what was happening on that day in previous years
Re-reading triggers memories of people, place and events otherwise forgotten
Captures personal and family development and milestones

Journal 10 is also a great reminder.  Since each day of the year is one page you can look back at previous years entries and be reminded of what was happening one year ago that very day.  With its page design, you can either write 4 things in each day's square of space or you can write it all the way across as one entry (like I did in the picture) for each day's journaling.  The Journal 10 can not only be used for journaling but also can be used as a calendar to document appointments, birthdays/anniversaries, record meal plans, use it as a baby book to track a child's progress, chart weather or current events, use it as a travel journal or a combination of some of these.  The possibilities are endless with Journal 10.

Journal 10 also has blank "carryover pages" in the back so you can write more details if you need extra space.  The Journal 10 also includes an address book, special dates section for birthdays/anniversaries, "Keeping Track" section for recording medical, auto or other records and two bookmarks to help mark your place and allow you find your journaling page easily. The Journal 10 is also about the size of a Bible making it easy to carry around with you or fit nicely in a backpack so you can always have your journal to record life in anytime you need it. 

I am super excited to be able to record 10 years worth of memories in one book. I am hopeful that this book will become a treasured keepsake to our children and grandchildren one day when they look back and remember all the things we did during this 10 year time span.  We are leaving to go on the mission field as full-time missionaries with To Every Tribe in July and I look forward to being able to record all our mission opportunities and adventures in one keepsake book. 

Visit the Journal 10 site and check it out for yourself.  Right now you can get the 2012-2022 edition for $39.95 plus FREE 2 DAY SHIPPING. Or you can buy the 2011-2021 journal for $29.95.  Journal 10 has graciously allowed me to give one of you your very own Journal 10 book.  To enter to win, simply fill out the form below!  

My Valentine's To You

I wish we could all get together and sit down in a big room together with a nice warm fire, lots of hot chocolate & snacks and enjoy an "in-real-life" Valentine exchange while we talk for hours but since we can't here are some "virtual Valentine's" just for you!   

One of the biggest focus points of Valentine's Day is all about love.  Love can take on so many forms and I love how this reminds us of 10 Ways to Love others.  How often we forget the little things in life and that loving someone can be shown through so many simple gestures.....

This next Valentine's thought really hits home with me right now. Valentine's is a day we remind the special people in our life that we love them.  My grandfather is in the hospital right now and not doing too well.  He is the only grandfather I've ever had and he is super special to me so this thought resonates with me.  We've always had a close relationship but we should never take one day forgranted with those we love because there is no guarantee they will be around forever for us to love. 

Of course, this next Valentine thought is the ultimate example of love and sacrifice.  Praise God for loving us (through all our weaknesses and failures) to send His only Son into this world to love me enough to be willing to die for me.  If you don't have a real & personal relationship with Jesus Christ, message me and let me share with you how much He cares for you and how much He loves you!  

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL MY FRIENDS!!!!

I'm linking up with The Homeschool Village today!

The Day the World Went Wacky & Puzzle Globe: #TeachtheTruth Twitter Party

Have you ever tried to explain the Fall of Man to a child?  Or how sin entered the world?  Or why bad things happen if God loves us? These questions can often be challenging to explain to young minds but MasterBooks  new book "The Day the World Went Wacky" answers all those questions in a kid-friendly format.  

The book begins with a child questioning why God made pain while he sits in the dentist chair.  (Note:  the child looks terrified in the dentist chair in this book but thankfully our kids love their dentist and even commented that their dentist doesn't hurt them despite the illustrations on this page.)  Our son could totally relate to the page that showed a bumblebee stinging as he got to experience the sting from a bee on a few different occasions last summer and he has never forgotten it!   

 The book traces the origin of sin all the way back to Adam and Eve and explains how their choice to disobey God allowed sin to enter the world.  Best of all though, as it shows the path of sin entering the world it also teaches kids how they can overcome sin and still be able to get into Heaven.

 This book is filled with short rhyming paragraphs and full-color illustrations that will have your child understanding both the Fall of Man and sin in simple text.  This book is a great way to teach your child about the Fall of Man, how sin entered the world and how sin still affects everything today.

We also received the 60 piece 3D PuzzleGlobe from MasterBooks.  This puzzle not only is enjoyable and fun but it can also present a beautiful Biblical truth about how GOD created the world...not evolution, not a big bang, etc....GOD created the world in 6 consecutive twenty-four hour days of creation!  

I had never put together a 3D puzzle so I think I was more excited about this than the kids were.  Inside the box was a little stand for the completed puzzle, 60 puzzle pieces and an instruction page.  Each puzzle piece is individually numbered (see middle picture).  I actually laid out my puzzle pieces in order from 1-60 before I began to make it easier on me to find them (see picture on the right).  Putting the puzzle together was actually very simple and quite fun.  The pieces are very strong and durable and held up well to my pressure when I was snapping them together.  The hardest part was putting the very last piece in on the top because I didn't have a way to push on it from underneath to snap it in.  I was so proud of myself for completing my 1st 3D puzzle and proudly sat it on the stand and put it in the living room by our large globe for homeschooling.

Here's where it gets embarrassing:  I put it together before the kids had a chance to because I was so excited to have a 3D puzzle.  That afternoon, our neighbor's daughter came over to play with our kids and she immediately grabbed up the globe to admire it.  I was rather proud of myself for my hard work until she said "Hey, you know this puzzle is messed up.  You have land and ice connected up here and this word down here is upside down".   I grabbed it out of her hand and sure enough.....#FAIL....I had 4 pieces wrong on the puzzle!  So she and our kids had no trouble quickly gently disassembling smashing all my hard work and putting the puzzle together themselves....without even looking at the instruction page mind you...and then proudly displaying their complete and correct 3D globe back where my masterpiece attempt had sat.  

Both The Day the World Went Wacky and the 3D PuzzleGlobe are fantastic resources to help #TeachtheTruth to our children.  MasterBooks wants you to join us for an evening of fun, friendship and prizes where you can win these very items to enjoy with your own family!

What:  #TeachtheTruth Twitter Party (sponsored by MasterBooks)

When: Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Time:  8:00 PM CST

Follow:  @MasterBooks4U & @MamaHall

and each of the Moms of MasterBooks

Use Hashtag:  #TeachtheTruth

PRIZES INCLUDE.....

The Day the World Went Wacky Book

The 3D Puzzle Globe

Noah's Ark Floating Park

The Not So Super Skyscraper

Hope to see you there!!!

Disclaimer:  I received the above mentioned products as a MOMS of MasterBooks reviewer.  No monetary compensation was received.  

Oliver Twist: A Naxos Junior Classic Audiobook

Most children will have to read great classics at some point in their lives.  Often times, it is a struggle to get your child motivated to read these great works of literature.  Thanks to Naxos Junior Classics series, this task just got a whole lot easier with Naxos Junior Classics "Oliver Twist". 

Oliver Twist runs away from the brutality of the workhouse only to find himself taken in by a gang of thieves run by the devilish Fagin, his violent side-kick Bill Sikes and the irrepressible Artful Dodger.  Rescued from London's dingiest and darkest dens but then forced to hlpe in a violent burglary.  Oliver's chances of survivial are slim, and his chances of happiness almost nil.  But one member of the gang risks everything to save him -- and loses everything as a result.

This classic story written by Charles Dickens has been wonderfully retold by Roy McMillan who has been featured in over 500 radio plays for the BBC and is read by Jonathan Keeble who is an award-winning reader who has recorded over 100 audiobooks. Created with children ages 8-13 in mind, this audiobook features the original text found in Dicken's classic but the words are simplified and clarified at certain points throughout the story to ensure that the child understands them and can easily follow along with the storyline. We had our kids listen to the audiobook over a 3 day span and even our 6 year old sat quietly in front of the radio totally engrossed in the story he was hearing.  This particular version will allow you to introduce your child to classic literature in a way that will create a desire to read more of the great classics.  This audiobook re-telling of the classic Oliver Twist will keep children's attention and have them engaged in the story through its unique and captivating audio and is a wonderful way to bring classic literature into your home.

Naxos Junior Classic Audiobooks for children are also available in several other genres including CD's such as "Pirates", "Favourite Poems for Children", "The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm", "The Vikings" and many more!  

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this audiobook as part of the Naxos Street Team.  No monetary compensation was received.  

Apologia Live Retreat ~ WIN A TICKET!

I still consider myself a "newbie" in the world of homeschooling as this is only our 2nd year to homeschool.  I feel like I have learned so much about our kids and about myself (like how I need to work on patience) over the past two years though and I am so thankful for all the lessons (good and bad) that God has shown me through the blessing of homeschooling.  One of my favorite homeschool companies is Apologia.  

We have the entire Apologia elementary Science curriculum and notebooks as well as the Who Am I Bible series.  We are currently studying the Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day and the kids love Science thanks to Apologia.  They have fantastic notebooks (in both regular and junior versions) that make learning hands-on fun for the kids too!  

At the beginning of this school year, our family entered a season in homeschooling where what we had done last year (our methods, curriculum, daily schedule, etc.) just wasn't working this year for me or the kids. I was so frustrated and confused and began to question everything about homeschooling. When we entered that particular season in homeschooling, I felt like a failure.  I watched other homeschool Moms have it "all together" (or so it seemed), read blogs where they were doing all kinds of awesomeness in their school days when we were just struggling to complete each days task without frustration or fighting.  I didn't want to tell anyone my struggles for fear of being judged or frowned upon as a "bad homeschool Mom".  I was able to read this awesome book.....

......and it was the "pick-me-up" and informational guide I was so desperately needing to get back on track with homeschooling, our methods, learning, my feelings/fears, etc.  I finished reading it feeling refreshed, renewed and ready to conquer our homeschool year with renewed vigor.  I now recommend Educating the Wholehearted Child to all my friends who homeschool or are considering it! Sometimes as Moms we need a little refreshment...a place of encouragement, support, friendship and most of all....understanding. The Apologia Live Retreat does just that!

Rachael Carmen created these awesome events with a desire to give homeschool Moms a "safe place to admit its hard".  A safe place to struggle well and finish hard!  The Guiding Scripture for these events is found in Psalm 145:7 which reads "They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." Why you ask??  Because we all know that on those hard days, seasons, years, we can't pick up the phone and call our friends and family who already think we are nuts for what we're doing.....because they don't understand it....not that that is bad....it's just they don't...and that's o.k. but, we still need somewhere safe to rest and lay down at the foot of the cross and hear the sweet words of our Father!  (from Rebecca @ MomsMustardSeeds)

I am so excited to tell you that on my birthday weekend (March 23 and 24, 2012) I will be in Atlanta, GA attending the Apologia Live Retreat.  I couldn't think of a better birthday present than to get to listen to amazing women who have walked the homeschooling path before me and are "seasoned homeschoolers" such as Rachael Carmen, Zan Tyler, Debra Bell, Jeannie Fulbright and Elizabeth Smith.  These ladies will speak and share that weekend during the Retreat. 

Of course, I am super excited thatTim Tebow's Mom, Pam Tebow will be a guest speaker in Atlanta as well.  We are leaving in July to go on the field as full-time missionaries with To Every Tribe and Pam has been involved not only with homeschooling but also as a missionary's wife so I am very excited to get to hear her speak and learn from her.  I have to admit, I'm hoping to get to meet her in person too!

From creating wonderful Christian based curriculum to a plethera of awesome homeschooling books, Apologia wants to make sure that as Moms we are not only fully equipped with homeschool materials but they want to make sure we are spiritually equipped for our homeschool journeys as well.  Apologia Live has very graciously offered me the opportunity to attend their Atlanta Apologia Live Retreat and best of all, they want to give one of you a ticket (valued at $115) to join us in Atlanta for a weekend of Learning, Listening, Worship & Prayer.