Home School Adventure Co Giveaway: More Than "Mere" Education Giveaway

I am excited to bring you an AWESOME Giveaway in conjunction with a review that I will be doing soon! Home School Adventure Co. is hosting this WONDERFUL Giveaway as they prepare to launch new material. I am EXCITED to be a part of the Launch Team that will be helping to introduce

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal. The Journal is based on C.S. Lewis's book, Mere Christianity and will release in early January. Here is a little snippet from the website of what the Journal is about:

The Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal is a powerful tool to strengthen critical thinking while cultivating a biblical worldview. Although it was originally created to be a companion resource to Philosophy Adventure, it may also be used as group or independent study for teenagers or adults.

It provides 10-16 questions for each chapter which can be discussed in:

• homeschools
• co-ops
• classrooms
• Sunday school
• small groups
• families

The Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal is one that has a wide ranging audience, it is really for anyone! Check out the Giveaway below, enter yourself and make sure to spread the word! 

The Home School Adventure Co. Launch Team is excited to help celebrate the release of the Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal with a special giveaway filled with books that will compliment your classical studies, as well as a couple of special surprises.  

The best news is that there will be two winners, each receiving a very valuable prize package!  

We would like to thank the following friends for their generous sponsorship of this giveaway! Be sure to stop by their websites to say thank you!

Institute for Excellence in Writing
Nancy Pearcey
Trivium Pursuit
Bright Ideas Press
Raising Real Men

Here are the prize packages you could win! 

Prize Package #1

Our first prize package contains all of the print resources from Home School Adventure Co., as well as wonderful books, curriculum, and even a marriage retreat. This prize package, sponsored by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, Nancy Pearcey, and Trivium Pursuit, has a value of $500!

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal $28.95
Philosophy Adventure - Pre-Socratics Complete Set $89.95
Philippians in 28 Weeks ESV $28.95
The Wise Woman with Literaray Analysis Journal Questions $28.95

IEW Teaching Writing/Student Writing Value Pack (Winner's Choice of Levels A, B, or C) $249

The Soul of Science $11.99
Total Truth $25.00
Saving Leonardo $26.99

Teaching the Trivium Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style $20.40
The Fallacy Detective $22
The Thinking Toolbox $22

Prize Package #2

Our second prize package is filled with all of the resources offered at Home School Adventure Co. in their downloadable editions, as well as a set of all 3 volumes of The Mystery of History by Linda Hobar. This prize package, sponsored by Bright Ideas Press and Raising Real Men, has a value of $300! 

Mere Christianity Critical Analysis Journal Download $18.95
Philosophy Adventure - Pre-Socratics Digital Download $39.95
Philippians in 28 Weeks ESV Download $14.95
The Wise Woman with Literary Analysis Journal Questions Download $14.95

The Mystery of History, Volume I $49.95
The Mystery of History Volume II $49.95
The Mystery of History Volume III $59.95

My Beloved and My Friend book and Marriage Retreat Online $45
Pollyanna Audio Book Download $18

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below. Residents of the U.S., age 18 and older please.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Home School Adventure Co Giveaway: More Than "Mere" Education Giveaway

Pin It

Christmas Countdown Planner A Review and Giveaway

This post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a commission if you purchase through the affiliate link. 

Are you like me and allow the "most pleasant time of the year" also become the "most stressful time of the year"? Do you never feel "ready" for the holidays and wondering how November and December seem to fade into January with a "Blink of an eye"? The joy of the holidays always seem to slide right by me as I feel rushed, stressed, forgetful as I try to set traditions with my family, follow long standing traditions and more. I finally admitted to myself: I am just DISORGANIZED for the holiday season.

I was very excited to receive an Advanced copy of a brand new 2013 Christmas Countdown Planner(with bonus pages for 2014). The planner is designed by Jill Craft of The Sassy Slow Cooker. I downloaded it to my computer and instantly feel in love with the Planner.

The Christmas Countdown Planner consists of 52 wonderful pages:

• 2013-2014 Calendar Pages for the months of November and December
• Notebook Cover, Dividers, and Spine Covers
• Budget Planner
• Inventory List
• Homemade Gift List
• Stocking Stuffer List
• Advent and Tradition Ideas
• Christmas Card List
• Master Gift List
• Individual Gift List
• Cleaning List
• Menu Plan
• Recipe Section

I have already been using the Planner and I am looking forward to a Stress Free Holiday and attending Christmas events around Chicagoland with the family. I plan on using the 2014 pages for keeping track of gifts purchased throughout the year, especially the "hiding place" so that I don't forget or overspend during holiday shopping season. Be STRESS Free this holiday season and ENJOY the Holidays!

Are you interested in being Stress Free this holiday season? You can purchase a downloadable copy of the Christmas Countdown Planner for $3.99 by clicking the button below.

Jill has also donated 2 copies to be given away on my blog this week.
Enter for your chance to win 1 of 2 copies below:

Entry-Form

Christmas Countdown Planner A Review and Giveaway

Pin It

Mosaic Reviews: See the Light Art Project DVD (Peaceful Sea)

My 11yr old LOVES drawing and is a "Budding artist". I was given the opportunity, as part of the Mosaic Review Team, to use and review See the Light Art Projects DVD. My son and I were super excited when we found out we were receiving a DVD.

We received the Peaceful Seas DVD in the mail about a week later and we began watching and learning right away. Peaceful Seas is a WaterColor Art Project, and we choose this one because WaterColor is something that my son has never tried. Peaceful Seas is also based on the works of Winslow Homer, a watercolorist from the 19th Century.

The DVD is 98 minutes long and divided into 4 Sessions: 

1. Set the Scene and Basic Wash (32 minutes)

2. Beach Foreground with Salt and Plastic Bag Techniques (20 minutes)

3. Creating the Water in Watercolor (26 minutes)

4. Final Details of Boat and Shore (20 minutes)

Pat Knepley is the instructor in the video and she takes the students step by step through the Art Projects.

My son & I worked through the DVD in a week, taking one lesson at a time.

Lesson 1: We learned how to draw sailboats and do a Basic Watercolor Wash. The sailboats had to be drawn in way that they would be "covered" up by the Watercolor and not be seen when done. My son had a difficult time with this step at first because he wanted to press hard, but after pressing lightly he got it.

Lesson 2: Joshua had the BEST time with this part of the project. He used Table Salt to create the Beach scene. He learned that the salt gives the Beach color a "sand feel" by it feeling grainy. The plastic bag was used to make the Rock look "rough".

Lesson 3: Joshua had the hardest time with "Creating the Water". He felt his hand wasn't steady enough, so we took a minute and rested the hand differently and he worked it out. I LOVED watching the water become real on paper, it looks so serene and beautiful.

Lesson 4: The Watercolor is almost done and this lesson was about adding in the detail of the Boat and Shore areas. Joshua LOVES using Chalk Pastels, so this was "easy peasy" for him.

Peaceful Seas Art Project is a WONDERFUL DVD and lots of fun. Joshua has inquired about doing more watercolor projects, something I could have never imagined he would be interested in.

Information about See the Light Art Project DVD: 

There are 9 DVD's in the Art Project Series:

- DRAW A WINDOW IN THE STYLE OF LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY
- DRAW A WATERCOLOR PAINTING IN THE STYLE OF AMERICAN POP ARTIST WAYNE THIEBAUD
- CREATE A PAPER COLLAGE IN THE STYLE FRENCH ARTIST HENRI ROUSSEAU
- CREATE A FRUIT STILL LIFE IN THE STYLE OF FRENCH ARTIST GEORGES SEURAT
- CREATE AN ABSTRACT FLOWER IN THE STYLE OF AMERICAN ARTIST GEORGIA O’KEEFFE
- CREATE AN ACRYLIC OR TEMPERA PAINTING IN THE STYLE OF RUSSIAN ARTIST MARC CHAGALL
- DRAW A CHALK PASTEL IN THE STYLE OF FRENCH ARTIST EDGAR DEGAS
- PAINT A WATERCOLOR SEASCAPE IN THE STYLE OF AMERICAN ARTIST WINSLOW HOMER
- CREATE AN OIL PASTEL SUFLOWER IN THE STYLE OF DUTCH ARTIST VINCENT VAN GOGH

Each DVD is $14.99 or you can get the whole set for $99.99. Purchase Details HERE.

The Art Project series is Recommended for Ages 10+.

See the Light also has many other products available in their STORE

Where to Find See the Light online:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Blog

Our Final Thoughts: 
We give this Peaceful Seas Art Project 5 out of 5 stars and HIGHLY recommend it!

Mosaic Reviews: See the Light Art Project DVD (Peaceful Sea)

Pin It

The Homemaker's Mentor CD Collection (Review and Giveaway)

Homemaking Skills is one of those things that has a VAST array of skills. I excel in some, I am good in others and a beginner in the remaining. I LOVE organizing and cleaning,and also baking. Cooking and Daily chores are things I am good at, and then sewing, canning, and other skills are am still learning. I have also taking a liking to making things from scratch, homemade, Back to Basics Homemaking, and all things Frugal.

I know I need help in certain areas and that is where The Homemaker's Mentor CD has come in handy. I was asked to use and review The Homemaker's Mentor CD as part of a Bow of Bronze Launch Team, and I have been blessed.

The Homemaker's Mentor CD is a collection of 110 PDF files organized into 34 categories for "All things Homemaking". Martha Greene and Rebekah Wilson are the authors of much of the content on the CD. The CD is now being distributed by the Erskine Family! You can check out the Table of Contents HERE.

My Experience and Review:

I received the Disc and popped it into the CD Rom Drive and that is when the FUN began. I was amazed at all the information contained within each topic. I found some VERY new info to me, like Cast Iron Skillet Care. We own some Cast Iron Skillets and my hubby is more familiar with them then I, so he has been "seasoning" them. Well we both certainly learned that we were doing it wrong. I also learned a great deal from the Fall & Winter At Home ebook. We like to "winterize" our home every year, but we mostly just do the Plastic on the windows and cover the Wall A/C unit, but we could be and we will be doing so much more.

A few of my other favorites from the Collection:

Dining In: An ebook on how to have a "Dinner Date" with some of your favorites right in the comfort of your own home.
Jerky and Fruit Leather: How to make Fruit Leather and Beef Jerky. I love that it has instructions for with or without a dehydrator. I do have a Dehydrator and have been looking for a good tutorial on making Jerky, and I have now found the PERFECT one.
Kitchen Sparkle: A wonderful ebook on how to clean your kitchen from "Top to bottom" and when and how often to do certain tasks.

The CD contains so much info and projects, that I have only been able to skim through most of it and I did "dive into" a few. I have begun making a list of the projects and recipes I am going to be trying. I am looking forward to using this resource for a LONG time!

Want a Copy??? 

The Homemaker's Mentor CD is on sale for $37 & FREE Shipping (normally $47). The sale is through October 31st! There are only 500 copies available so if you are interested, don't delay!

Buy The Homemaker's Mentor CD HERE.

I have the HONOR of being able to BLESS 2 of my readers with a copy of the CD.

Enter below for your chance to win a copy:

Entry-Form

I hope for those that win it or those that buy it, you will enjoy it as much as I am enjoying it!

Click here to read what other Bow of Bronze Launch Team Members had to  say about the CD Collection

The Homemaker's Mentor CD Collection (Review and Giveaway)

Pin It

Mosaic Review: iTooch App

My 3 boys all have Android Based Tablets that they really enjoy.  I have found it difficult to find Educational Apps that are geared toward their age. I was introduced last week to a company that has a nice selection of a apps for their age group. iTooch by Edupad has now released their apps on Android and we had the opportunity to use and reveiw as part of my participation for Mosaic Review Team.

About iTooch:

“eduPad is a French based start-up developing great applications for education on mobile devices from Elementary to Middle School.  We also work on the eduPad Studio, a cross-platform solution that enables 3rd parties with educational content to easily publish mobile apps. Tablets and smartphones are changing the way we learn. They are intuitive and have  the ability to eliminate the barriers between school and home, work and personal life, play and study.” (The Founders Words)

The app is available for Apple, Windows and now Android products. EduPad just released the Android version in August and it is growing!

Cost: The Basic "Trial" version is FREE and then full versions are $4.99 and up depending on the Platform and Level.

Features: iTooch has an amazing amount of WONDERFUL Features. Check them out HERE.

Where to find iTooch on the Web: 
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Google+

Our Thoughts and Review: 

We downloaded the FREE version of Science Grade 3 on my 8yr old son's  Android Table for my 8yr old and 10yr old to use. Both of the boys really enjoyed the app very much. They both liked that it is more of a "game" then learning. The points and leveling up and getting bonus points were fun for them. The app was very easy to navigate, the "Characters" were entertaining and the overall look and feel of the app was clear and concise. Both of my boys have asked for more of the subjects to added on to their tablets(each of my boys has their own Android Tablet).

I think this is a great app for supplementing, for "school on the road", or just for fun. My boys will continue to use the App!

Mosaic Review: iTooch App

Pin It

Menu Plan Monday 9/16

WOW, I knew it had been a LONG time since posting a Menu Plan(or even doing a menu plan), but I didn't realize it had been since February. The year has FLOWN by and my family and I have been quite BUSY. I am currently trying to get our family back into our old routines and get the time management under control. Menu planning and posting it is just one of the "back to routine" things I need to get back on track with. I get so frustrated when I don't do menu plans weekly, as not only is a "What's for Dinner" daily question, but it also is HARD on the budget.

I am working on not only the budget part of the Menu Plan, but I will be switching up our Homemade Snacks and also adding in "Never tried" recipes. The "Never Tried" recipes I am going to add in about 2 a week and see how the family enjoys them. Soo glad to be back to taking care of the food budget and menu planning.

 Here is our menu for this week with recipe links included:

Weekly Menu Plan 9/15-9/21

For more weekly Menu Plans and Recipes visit:

Menu Plan Monday 9/16

Pin It

Tyndale House Publishers Review: Road Trip to Redemption by Brad Mathias

About the Book: 

Brad Mathias thought everything in his family was fine. A busy, contented dad, he had vaguely noticed that Bethany, his middle child, had become withdrawn and moody, but he assumed it was part of being a “teen” and didn’t look any deeper. Until the night God spoke clearly to Brad and his wife: Ask her to reveal what she has hidden. They did—and learned the secret Bethany had been carrying, one that rocked their family to the core. In a desperate attempt to reach their daughter and to reconnect as a family, Brad and his wife piled everyone into the car and embarked on a wild, crazy, seven-thousand-mile, what-are-we-thinking trip across the country. As they drove, they realized how far apart they’d drifted, found unexpected blessings along the way—and journeyed together from pain and loss to recovery and redemption. In this book, Brad shares stories from the road about God’s grace, gives practical tips on what he learned about reconnecting as a family, invites you to consider your own epic journey as a mother or father, and calls you to trust wholeheartedly in the amazing love God has for your kids.

             

A Video Trailer by Brad Mathias:


About the Author: 

Dr. Brad Mathias is the president of Berna Media LLC, parent company of iShine, the largest preteen Christian media group. He also serves as co-pastor of the Four Winds Anglican Mission in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Brad has been married to Paige for over 22 years, and they are the parents of 3 teenagers.

My Thoughts and Review:

I was approached by Tyndale and asked if I would like to read and review this book. I read the synopsis of the book and immediately knew I would LOVE to read and review. I am SOOO glad that I did!

The book started out slow telling the tale of the lovestruck college students who decided to get married, the adultery that happened about 7 years into the marriage, the "Coming to Jesus" moment for Brad, the reconcilation of the marriage after 1 yr of separation. I almost lost interest in the book, but kept on reading. The reconilation of the marriage didn't happen overnight, it took about 5yrs of rebuilding the marriage.

The Mathias family was "Flowing through life" as many families do nowadays. The "flow through life" includes Dad being a workaholic, while mom either is a Stay at Home Mom or works outside the home(both of which still requires a lot of mom). The kids are active in school and After School events. Families have a serious "disconnect" and not spending lots of time together. The Mathias family certainly "fit this mold" and this would lead to a Family Crisis that would break any parents heart. 8yrs after the Marriage Reconciliation, Brad and his wife would make a discovery about their middle child, Bethany, that would lead the family on the "Road Trip to Redemption".

The discovery of what his middle daughter, Bethany, had been keeping secret for a while, lead to some realizations on how disconnected the family really was and how "out of tune" he was a father in not knowing what was truly going on. Brad "beats himself up" a little for not being there for his daughter and really connecting with her and his 2 other children, he decides to take the family on a Road Trip across the country to connect as a family. The family set out at the Beginning of Summer and arrived home 3 weeks later. The Road Trip was not without troubles, like a couple of major weather issues, but the Road Trip was all in all a SUCCESS. The family spends time in different areas of the country and God reveals much to them, and gives them opportunities to not only grow closer to each other, but more importantly grow closer to God.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. I really felt like I was experiencing the trip right along with the family. The back of the book, Brad Mathias gives ideas on how to connect as a family if a Road Trip isn't in the budget, and he gives ideas on how to do a Road Trip on a budget. The BIG message in the book is that Parents really need to connect with the kids and not "flow through life". Parents only have a certain amount of time to really capture the hearts of their children and connecting and reconnecting to them helps create stability and sense of "Being". My boys are 11, 10 and 8 and even though we haven't had an experience like Brad had with his daughter, I certainly learned some important parenting info from Brad and was soo encouraged by this book. I am now planning "Connection Time" each week with each boy and together with them.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for all parents and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Tyndale House Publishers Review: Road Trip to Redemption by Brad Mathias

Pin It