Review: IXL

I grew up with math phobia. Math didn't come terribly easily for me, and as I got older, I became more and more intimidated by it. I believed, and many people do, that mathematical ability is something you're either born with, or you're not, (like green eyes, or left handedness.)

The truth is that while some people are naturally inclined toward math, even the rest of us can improve our skills through practice. (Sometimes lots of practice.)

One of my goals as a homeschooling parent is to make sure that the kids grow up with with a thorough understanding of basic math, and also the confidence to feel like they're able to learn.

I'm happy with the math curriculum we've chosen, but I've been feeling like maybe we could use a little more practice.

As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we received a membership to IXL, which is a math practice website for students in pre-k through high school. The program offers several subscription options, including a monthly rate of $9.95, and a yearly rate of $79. (There is an additional upcharge for additional students, but it's nominal.) To say the kids love it would be an understatement. (They've actually been arguing a little over whose turn it was to practice.)

The program is not a teaching program per se, but more of a review program. Students can practice specific skills, and receive immediate feedback. (A wrong answer results in an immediate correction, and an explanation.) There is a timer and a score displayed while the student practices, and although you can opt out of them, my kids really enjoyed the competitive aspect of beating the clock, and improving their score. Succesful completion of review lessons results in the student winning "medals," and "awards," which my kids also found highly motivating. 

I found a lot to love about this program too. Under the parent's profile, you'll find all sorts of useful reports to help assess how your student is doing, and what they've been working on. (I just checked L's reports, and found that he's practiced for a total of 8 hours and 4 minutes, and has mastered 41 skills so far.)

To find out what other homeschooling families thought of this program, check out the linky on the Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure: We were provided with a free subscription to this program in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review: Dive Into Your Imagination

I mentioned in a previous post that the kids and I are working on a unit study about the ocean. As part of the TOS Review Crew, we were recently provided with some pretty fantastic curriculum to review called Who Lives in the Sea? by Dive Into Your Imagination.

Dive Into Your Imagination was created by Annie Crawley, (aka, "Ocean Annie," ) an underwater photographer, motivational speaker, and and dive instructor.

We were sent 2 products, the Who Lives in the Sea?  DVD, ($19.95, for ages 3-8, 45 minutes in length) and the accompanying curriculum guides ($69.95, for each individual PDF. ) On the website, you'll find several other DVDs, books, and other related merchandise, as well as to an option to buy the full set of printed curriculum guides for each DVD for $299. You'll also find coloring pages, and links to other resources and articles. It's a wealth of information.

The DVD was broken up into several topical sections, ("Let's Swim with Dolphins," " Turtles: Dinosaurs of the Sea," etc.) The sections are short, but full of beautiful, colorful footage, and cram packed with information. I doled out the sections one by one with my kiddos, so we could focus a little deeper on each topic, and take full advantage of the curriculum guides. The kids were begging to watch more. That says a lot.

The curriculum guides were unbelievable. (There were two, one for pre-k through k aged children, and another for grades 1-3.) Each was well over 300 pages long, and included DVD transcripts, lesson plans, worksheets, and many, many cross curricular activities for a fun, all inclusive unit study. I liked that there were a variety of learning styles represented in the activities. (You'll find there are plenty of hands on activities for wiggly kids like mine.) The PDF format is easy to read, and easy to print. The educator guides add immeasurably to the already fun, informative DVD.


I expect that when we finish our unit, the kids will have a deep, lasting knowledge base, and probably a lifelong interest in the ocean.


My only reservation about these products is that they're costly. Most homeschool families I know of are on a pretty tight budget, and these curriculum guides would represent a sizable chunk of our curriculum budget.
Annie is offering a fantastic promo to readers of TOS, and blog readers of the TOS Crew Members, though. If you order the Who Lives in the Sea? , What Makes a Fish a Fish? or Dive into Diversity DVDs, and mention that you are a homeschooler in the comment section of the order form, she will gift you the fantastic corresponding educator guides for free. That may be the best 20 bucks you'll spend this summer!

To find out what other homeschooling families thought of these products, check out the linky on the TOS Review Crew Blog.


Disclosure: I was provided with a free DVD and curriculum guides to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. All prices are accurate at the time of this posting. 

Review: Fresh Produce Clothing

In the days before I had the kiddos, I did (now unthinkable,) stuff like wear uncomfortable shoes, and iron my clothes every day.

I like to think I've just become more practical. I know I may have to run after the kids, so I wear flip flops or sneakers most days. Fancy clothes don't really lend themselves to cooking, and cleaning, and playing.

I still like to look nice, though.

When I was contacted about reviewing an item from Fresh Produce clothing, I went to check out their wares online. (They also have brick and mortar stores, but none local for me.)  Their clothes are stylish, modern, modest, and easy to care for. They also offer a large range of sizes, from XS to 3X. I got to pick what I wanted, and honestly had a hard time narrowing it down to just one thing. They have gorgeous tunics, cute summery dresses, lots of other fun, spring clothing.

I finally selected the Cafe Wrap Dress, in black, (retail $69,) and waited anxiously for it to arrive.

When got here, I dropped everything, and tried it on, and found that it fit perfectly. I normally wear about a 4, and the XS (2-4) seemed true to size. It hits me at about knee length, and although it's a wrap dress, the skirt portion is sort of a wrap over a real skirt, so there's no danger of flashing anyone on a windy day. (Ahem, not that I've ever accidentally done that or anything.) It was also super cute and comfortable.

(My husband took this really awkward picture of me wearing it. What can I say? I've been sick, I'm not feeling very photogenic.)

I've put it in the permanent rotation, and probably wear it once a week. I get compliments on it wherever I wear it.

I've had some health issues come up (again,)  and got behind on posting about it. In the meantime, I've worn it and washed it at least ten times. It washes nicely, with no  fading and pilling, and as long as I hang it after I get it out of the dryer, there are virtually no wrinkles.

In short, it's pretty much the perfect spring dress.

If I could, I'd have a closet full of them, in different colors and patterns.

Whether you're looking for a fun beach dress, something to wear to a casual summer wedding, or just want to look cute kicking around the house this summer, Fresh Produce has you covered.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free dress, in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review: Heritage History Ancient Greece

Unit studies are fun, and a great way to learn and retain information. One of the things I try to avoid though, is the temptation to build shallow units mainly around fun art projects and themed snacks. (Although I do like to include those things when I can.) Ultimately, I believe the backbone of a good unit study is a good book, or more commonly a lot of good books.

If you really want to know about a particular culture or time period, there's really no better way to learn about them than reading books from and about the subject at hand. Using those books for context, the art projects, and snacks, and all the other components of a typical unit study come together for a deeper, more meaningful experience.

It can be time consuming and at times difficult to obtain old, sometimes out of print books via inter library loan. Some old books, whose copyrights have expired are available for free on the internet, but you have to find them, and sometimes contend with awkward formatting and typographical errors.

We were recently sent the Ancient Greece Classical Curriculum CD from Heritage History to review. As you'll see, it greatly reduced the effort in finding good, appropriate, thematic books.

Heritage History provides History curriculum to homeschoolers, with an emphasis on real literature. Their Heritage Classical Curriculum CDs are essentially a digital library of so called "living books," which include fictional, biographical, and historical accounts, suited for a variety of ages. In addition, each CD includes a large number of "extras," which include maps, study guides, recommended reading lists, etc. There are currently 5 Classical Curriculum CDs available. (Four of them cover particular clutural histories. The last is a historical overview for younger students.) Each CD costs $24.99. (In addition to these CDs, you'll also find on the site that you can purchase teaching guides and e-books individually, as well as read the ebooks in their entirety for free, albeit in a less convenient format.)

The books on the CD are formatted in several different ways, as printable PDFs, and in two different e-reader formats to enable reading on the go. (I'm a noted technophobe, but the instructions walked me through the process of downloading the books onto my phone without too much pain and suffering.)

I've obviously not had time to read through the 40+ books included in their entirety, but I've surveyed a number of them, and was very impressed. The formatting is clear and easy to read, and many of the books include some illustrations, (a major plus for most young kids like mine.) 

The books are color coded on the CD, to help you choose the appropriate reading level for your student. (They're divided into three groups, "beginner," "intermediate," and "advanced.") There is no specific age guideline for the product, and I had a hard time trying to come up with one. My soon to be second grader could read and enjoy some of them, others would be way over his head. (He probably reads a year or two ahead of his grade level, though.) Obviously a child would need to be reading well to be able to enjoy the stories, unless you're planning on reading them aloud, so for me the main consideration wouldn't be age, but reading ability.

The books themselves cover a range of topics, some of which should appeal to almost anyone. There are stories about military conquests, mythology, (of course,) and several pieces of classic literature, retold for a younger audience.

My husband and I were both fascinated by the old maps of the known world at various times included on the CD. Those are the the things that make history really come alive!

The Classical Curriculum Cds aren't meant to be a full, stand alone history curriculum. As I've said, I believe they lend themselves nicely to unit studies, with the addition of other activities and resources, but ultimately, they could go alongside nearly any other history curriculum.

I'd highly recommend this product to families looking to build their educational experience around a foundation of good books. I'm actually interested in buying several other editions for future use. They're currently having a really good sale now, by the way. (Buy two, get the third CD free.)

To find out what other families thought of this product, check out the linky on the TOS review crew blog.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this curriculum in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review: Library & Educational Services Go Science

As part of the TOS Review Crew, we were recently given the opportunity to review two more Science DVDs, this time from the Go Science series, available through Library and Educational Services. (Library and Educational Services is a wholesale distributor, which specializes in Christian educational materials, and sells to churches, daycares, schools, and homeschools. Sign up for their mailing list, and you'll frequently be tempted by their fantastic sales.)

There are 6 volumes in the Go Science series, with each volume focusing on two to four scientific principles. Each DVD sells for $8.97, or they are available as a set of six for $47.95. The DVDs are recommended for students ages 6-14.

We were sent Volume 2, Simple Machines, Sound, and Weather, and Volume 3 Magnetism, Electricity, Engineering, and Design. Both of these videos clocked in at just under an hour. (I browsed the website, and discovered that some DVDs in this series were a little shorter, in the 40+ minute range.)

The format of the shows is as follows: Ben Roy, (a university instructor, and formerly the director of a science themed television program,) acts as host and instructor. He is assisted by a group of children, and an occasional adult.  The kids help Ben with a variety of scientific demonstrations. (Each of the videos I received included 14 demonstrations.) Ben is lively and cheerful. The demonstrations are done using pretty straight foward materials. There are no high tech computer generated simulations or animations.

Volume 2 included the following demonstrations:

1st Class Lever                                                                         2nd Class Lever

3rd Class Lever                                                                        Incline Plane

Pulleys                                                                                      Trebuchet

Singing Glasses                                                                         Singing Rods

Sound Waves                                                                           Singing Pipes

Making a Cloud                                                                       Weather Balloon

Tornado Tube                                                                          Air Pressure

Volume 3 included the following demonstrations:

Monster Magnets                                                            A/C Electromagnet

D/C Electromagnet                                                          Making a Compass

Static Electricity                                                               Light Bulb

Jacobs Ladders                                                               Conductivity

Solar Energy                                                                    Tesla Coil

Color                                                                               Cut Paper Halves

Heat Engine                                                                      Plastic Pre Forms

Our impressions: I thought these DVDs were fun. They somehow reminded me of my childhood, watching Mr. Peppermint, and Lambchop's Play Along, when we learned without so many technological bells and whistles. (Yes, I'm getting old.) These DVDs aren't meant to be a stand alone science curriculum, so in and of themselves, they probably wouldn't be "enough" to teach a full science course. They would be a great supplement or enrichment to whatever else you're using, though. Ben's excitement is contagious, and most teachers I know, homeschool or otherwise, are always looking for ways to get kids excited about math and science.

After each segment, Ben makes a link to God, the Bible, or Christian living, reminding us that learning about science is learning about God's creation. That's not something I'd run across before, but I thought it was a neat aspect of the show. (One of my personal peeves is the idea that God and science are somehow mutually exclusive.)

My one complaint about the show was that the volume was fairly uneven, with some segments much louder than others. My easily overstimulated son, (with sensory processing issues,) periodically had to cover  his ears and run shrieking around the room due to volume changes. (In fairness, most people would probably notice the volume changes, but not be so disturbed by them.)

To see what other families thought of these DVDs, check out the linky on the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Disclosure: I received 2 free DVDs in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

Review: Amazing Science! Volume 1

I haven't met anyone who wished their homeschool was less fun, less hands on. I've met a number of people who wished theirs was more fun, more hands on though. (I'm one of them.)

When we make the initial decision to homeschool, we often have visions of ourselves doing elaborate art projects and science experiments with the kids for days on end. Real life intervenes, with crying babies, and housework, and those plans get shuffled to the back burner.

I've got something to share about today that's helping us put the fun back in our homeschool days.

As part of the TOS review crew, we were recently sent a copy of Amazing Science, Volume 1, by ScienceAndMath.com. It's a two DVD set, which sells for $19.95 on the site. A digital download is also available for $17.99. (You can find sample clips here.)


The DVDs are broken down into 23 sections, (which are conveniently accessed from the menu screen.) Each section includes a materials list, a demonstration of an experiment, and an explanation of the science behind the experiment. The subject matter covers a variety of areas, including heat, electricity, magnetism,and chemistry.

The kiddos and I initially dove into the DVDs on a day when I wasn't feeling well, and watched about half the experiments in one sitting. They were both totally enthralled, and started picking out specific experiments they wanted to try. (We're working our way through them.) 

I liked the presentation of the experiments. The host, (a former NASA scientist,) and the setting were pleasant, but calm and businesslike. (L, whose ADHD I've written about previously,  is easily distracted by lots of scene changes and loud music.)

We found that we already had the materials for several of the experiments lying around the house, but the rest are easily obtainable from the grocery and hardware store.

There is no specific age recommendation for this set, but I'd say it would be appropriate for elementary and middle school aged kiddos, with varying degrees of adult help and supervision.

I'd consider these DVDs to be a fun, informative supplement to nearly any science curriculum.

ScienceAndMath.com sells a full line of (what else?) science and math DVDs in a variety of grade levels and subject areas.

To find out what other homeschooling families thought of these DVDs, check out the TOS Review Crew blog.
Disclosure: I was provided with a free DVD set in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford

Remember the Y2K scare? I do. I was just out of high school, unmarried, with no children, and I remember how funny I thought it was when the big day came, and all those people stockpiling bottled water and toilet paper just looked a little silly.

Fast forward a few years.

Do you remember Hurricane Katrina? I do. I was in my early 20s, married, with a 3 month old baby. I remember watching the footage on tv in absolute horror, and realizing that could be me. That could be us. Suddenly disaster preparedness made much more sense. I didn't build a bomb shelter or anything, but after that I tried to make sure we always had some extra diapers, and bottled water, and formula after my son weaned.

Last year a storm knocked out our power for nearly two days, and I realized we were still not nearly prepared enough.

Disaster preparedness is not just for eccentrics and doomsayers. It's for regular families, like mine and yours.

Blogger Lisa Bedford, aka The Survival Mom, has authored a book by the same name, to bring us all up to speed on what disaster preparedness looks like for families. (Softcover, 323 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-208946-5)

Whether you're just looking to get through a couple of days without power after a storm, or trying to insulate against job loss or a financial crisis, or are actually trying to prep for a total collapse of civilization, Lisa has tips, specific guidelines, and other advice you'll find helpful. (I fall into the first camp, by the way.)

Much of the book is devoted to the specifics of acquiring, storing, and prepping food and water for an emergency situation. I learned a lot. I liked that rather than just making sort of general statements about storing "enough" food for each person, she gave actual specific guidelines about quantities, menu planning, rotating out the stored food so none is wasted and so on. (She also points out things I hadn't fully considered, like how having 14 boxes of Cheerios in the pantry is probably not sufficient food storage. You probably could live for a while on cereal alone, but you wouldn't want to. Your kids wouldn't either. The focus is on responsible, usable food storage, not hoarding.)

Throughout the book, I was impressed with the specificity of her recommendations: actual products to research, stores to find recommended items, procedures for food prep.

In addition to the information about food, you'll find a wealth of information about things like getting organized, living without electricity, (shudder,) dealing with financial crisis, safety, and evacuation.

Which recommendations you follow, and to what extent you are going to follow them depend heavily upon what it is you're trying to prepare for.

I'm not interested in storing food for a year, and being ready to go off the grid at any moment.Some of you may be. I'm also not the target audience for the rather lengthy discussion of firearms. We don't, and we won't have guns in our home. I do believe if you're at all interested in preparing for natural or other disasters, (and you should be, if you have children,) you'll find plenty to do, research, contemplate and discuss in this book.

It was a worthwhile read that I'll be referring back to, as we gather a more responsible stash of food and water, and other necessities, like a solar charger for my beloved iPhone.

Lisa Bedford, The Survival Mom.

If you'd like to keep up with The Survival Mom on the web, you can find her on FB, Twitter, and of course, her blog.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this book tour.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book to review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review: AIMS What on Earth?

I was recently given the opportunity to review another AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) curriculum product as a part of the TOS Review Crew.

The title we selected was What on Earth? which is, as you might imagine, focused on various elements of Earth Science. The 127 page, softcover, black and white book, and accompanying cd of reproducibles retails for $21.95. It is also available in PDF form, in case you need it yesterday. It's aimed at (Ha, ha, see what I did there?) kindergarten and first grade students. This curriculum does require the addition of some supplies, most of which you'll already have, or at any rate can obtain from the grocery store. (There's a materials list for each project, as well as a helpful master list that includes everything you'll need to complete every project in the book.)

The book is broken down into several subject areas, as follows:

Resources

Rocks and Soil

Water

Changes

Day/Night

Seasons

Each subject area includes several activities, for a total of 30.

 (You'll find a sample of this book here.)

Our experiences: This is the second AIMS book I've reviewed this year, and I have to say, I love them. They're concise, the projects and activities are doable and they're a good value for the money. 

I love that they include a cd with any needed reproducibles, which means that you won't have to tear pages out of the book, and can use it for however many children you have, either at the same time, or some time in the future. I wish all publishers would follow suite.

Each activity is laid out in minute detail, from comprehension questions, to specific learning goals. The book assumes you're teaching in a traditional classroom setting, and if you're a homeschooler, you'll likely not be concerned with references to benchmarks, etc. You'll probably also have to tweak some projects and discussions to reflect a much smaller class, (possibly a class of one.) The prep time for each lesson is minimal, which is always a plus, as far as I'm concerned.

My preschooler and first grader both enjoyed this lesson.

I was pleased to find that 4 year old V was able to join her 6 year old brother on many of the discussions and activities. It seems to me that you'd likely be able to tweak the intended ages at least a year in either direction. The lessons are short enough to hold the attention of early elementary aged kiddos.

This curriculum is secular in nature, but I didn't see anything problematic as a Christian homeschooler.

I'd recommend this book to homeschool and classroom teachers alike.

AIMS publishes a huge variety of Science and Math related curriculum, and you'll also find a wealth of related supplies and manipulatives on their site.

To read what other homeschooling families thought about this, and other AIMS products, check out the linky on the TOS Review Crew blog.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book/cd in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

Thumbs Up for Seeds Family Worship

I mentioned yesterday that we'd be using Seeds Family Worship cds as part of our Bible curriculum for the coming year. Today, I thought I'd elaborate a bit. 

My hand looks weird, but whatever. You get the idea.

Seeds Family Worship essentially takes Bible verses and turns them into songs. The end.

It's the simplest idea ever, but it's awesome. First of all, it's artfully done. The vocalists have nice voices, and the mostly acoustic-y music is catchy. 

Secondly, if you listen to it, you will memorize scripture. (Even if you have a lousy memory, like I do.)

Each cd is based on a theme, (Courage, praise, faith etc.) and there are currently 6 albums available. Each album you buy will include a second identical cd to share with a friend.

I'm not being compensated for this post, and in fact I've happily forked over my own cash for these. I just wanted to gush about something I really love.

We presently own the first three cds, with plans to buy the others.

Volume 1 is our favorite so far. Four year old V has memorized most of the songs (!) and walks around reciting verses all day. It's fantastic. 

There are several printables on the Seeds Family Worship website, (a chart to record memorized verses, and cards with the individual scriptures.) You'll also find a wealth of related printables at Bible Story Printables. 

Review & Giveaway: Farm Rich Snacks

Farm Rich cheese sticks

Our hands down favorite appetizer at nearly any restaurant are cheese sticks. I don't know anyone who doesn't love them.

They're also great for a quick snack or finger food at home, but they're not all created equal.

Farm Rich recently sent me a coupon to try out one of their products, so I picked up a bag of Cheese Sticks. (In truth, I'd had them before, but it had been a while.)  

They taste just like the ones you'd get at your favorite restaurant.

We annihilated them. 

Farm rich has lots of other quick, yummy snack products, several of which I've tried and can personally vouch for. (The Jalapeno Peppers and Cinnamon French Toast Sticks are a big hit at my house.)

We have several parties coming up in the next couple of months, where we'll be serving snack-y foods to a big crowd. Since Farm Rich products meet the three main criteria of party foods (that is, they're quick, easy, and tasty,) we'll be including them on our menu.

Farm Rich has offered to sponsor a giveaway here. Two winners will each receive a coupon for one free Farm Rich product.

For your first entry, leave a comment saying which product you'll try if you win.

For additional entries, you may do any or all of the following:
Tweet/FB/Blog about the giveaway.(Up to once per day.)
Follow my blog.
Follow Farm Rich on Twitter.
Follow me on Twitter.

Please leave a comment for each entry, as well as a way to contact you if you are the winner. This giveaway will end on 3/24/12, at 10 pm, Central Time.

Disclosure: I was provided with a coupon for a free product, as well well as the opportunity to host a blog giveaway. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review & Giveaway: Celtic Woman Believe CD & DVD (2 Winners!)

When I was contacted  about checking out the new album and live DVD from Celtic Woman, I nearly passed. Though I'd seen bits and pieces of their performances on PBS over the years, they're not the sort of thing you'd normally find me listening to.

I clicked through to check out a little video trailer, though, and a funny thing happened. My kids went crazy. V was mesmerized by the ladies in the "fancy princess dresses," and L was interested in all the musical instruments. I asked the kids if they'd like to see and hear more and they said yes, so that was that.

When the DVD arrived, we popped it in, and once again the kids were riveted. In typical homeschool fashion, L and I ended up having several discussions about musical instruments, folk dancing, and Ireland. Nearly four year old V said she wanted to be just like the pretty lady in the purple dress that sang and played the violin. (In a world full of sketchy female role models, that's one I could get behind...)

The DVD was very pretty and well produced. The show included an orchestra, a children's choir, and dancers, among other things. The group covers several familiar songs, (Ave Maria, and Bridge over Troubled Water,) as well as a number of apparently traditional Irish songs. The ladies have lovely voices, and I was glad I decided to check it out after all.

Sometimes it good to stretch your boundaries a little.

Several weeks later, the kids are still periodically asking to watch and listen to the DVD and album.  How cool is that?

Celtic Woman is touring all over the U.S. this spring. Check out their website for tour dates and locations, to buy merchandise, or just to find out more about the group. You can also pick up the Believe DVD and CD via Amazon.

The PR company representing the group has offered to host a giveaway here. One randomly selected commenter will receive a signed copy of the DVD, and another randomly selected commenter will receive one signed copy of the CD. (U.S. and Canada only, please.)

For your first entry, just leave a comment saying you'd like to be entered. (Easy, right?)

For additional, optional entries, you may do any or all of the following, up to once per day: tweet, FB, or blog about the giveaway. (Be sure to leave a comment for each entry, as well as a way to contact you if you win.)

This giveaway will end 3/8/12, at 10 pm, Central time.


Disclosure: I received a DVD and CD in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

Review & Giveaway: Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles

We love bubbles.  They're an instant cure for the blahs, (yours or the kids'.) They rank right up there with sidewalk chalk and sprinklers as symbols of childhood fun.

My kiddos usually get bubbles in their Christmas stockings, birthday goody bags, and Easter baskets. We have bottles of bubbles in the car, on the front porch, stashed around the house, and in the back yard. You never know when or where you'll need a few minutes of impromptu fun.

When My Blog Spark offered to let us try out Crayola Outdoor Colored bubbles, I said yes, of course.

Our package came in the mail, and the kids were super stoked about trying out the bubble launcher. 

Crayola Bubble Launcher

The kids were appropriately impressed with the pink bubbles, but had a little trouble using the launcher themselves. (You have to hold it parallel to the ground, and be sure to only turn the crank in the right direction.) The launcher also seemed to sort of constantly drizzle solution, resulting in a fair bit of wasted bubble solution. (We went through nearly a whole bottle in just a few minutes.)

You can, of course just blow the bubbles, but the kids were sort of fixated on using the launcher.

As you can see in the above photo, the solution does leave colorful residue on the concrete, however it washed away easily. I was impressed that the bubble solution did indeed easily wipe off skin, as advertised. I got some on my jeans too, and it washed out as well. 

All in all, I'd give these products 3 stars out of 5. Bubbles are always fun, and colorful, slightly messy bubbles are even more fun. I do wish the launcher had been a little a little easier for the little ones to use, and not quite so wasteful.

If you'd like to keep up with Crayola on the web, you can find them on Twitter, FB, and YouTube.

My Blog Spark has offered to sponsor a giveaway here. One commenter will receive the same package I did, which includes the Bubble Launcher, and a three pack of bubbles.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment telling me who you'll be blowing bubbles with if you win. 

For additional, optional entries, you may tweet, blog, or post on FB about the giveaway, up to once per day. (Be sure to leave a comment for each entry.)

This giveaway will end on 3/8/12, at 10 pm Central time.

Disclosure: The Crayola Outdoor Colored Bubbles product information and gift packs have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

Review: Reading Eggs

As part of the TOS Review Crew, I was recently asked to review the Reading Eggs program. 

The program is intended for preschool aged children through approximately age 13. It's available on a month by month basis for $9.95, as a 6 month subscription for $49.95, or as a 12 month subscription for $75.00. (You can also sign up for a free trial.)

This program is broken down into two main sections, Reading Eggs for younger children, (approximately 3-7,) and Reading Eggspress for older children, (approximately ages 7-13.)

The Reading Eggs programs includes all the typical aspects of reading curriculum (letter and sound recognition, sight words, comprehension, etc,) and ties it into a neat little virtual world, where your child earns "golden eggs," and unlocks new characters and mini games.

I was initially somewhat skeptical about this program. L is nearly 7, finishing first grade, but reading several years above his "grade level." I wasn't sure if he'd be sufficiently challenged or interested in the program.

I was wrong. 

It's become his favorite part of the school day, and we've actually been using it as sort of a reward for a good effort on his other lessons. He doesn't regard it as "work," but he is being challenged.  L gets very excited about finishing each level, and unlocking a new character. He's currently on level 94 out of 120 in the Reading Eggs section of the site. (There are many more lessons in the Reading Eggspress section.) He's been motivated to take the tests by the fact that after having passed one, he gets to play a fun racing game for 60 seconds.

We tried the program with nearly 4 year V, and although she did enjoy it, she wasn't immediately sucked into it the way L was. She's also not terribly proficient with the mouse yet, which was also a factor.

Based on our experience, we're thinking about continuing our subscription for L, because I feel like he's really getting a lot out of it. 

We won't be continuing V's subscription when our trial runs out, because we generally prefer a more organic sort of reading instruction at the pre-k level, mostly just reading aloud, and discussing letters and sounds throughout the day. If, however, you're looking for something a little more "school-y" at the pre-k level, I'd certainly recommend this program.

To find out what other Homeschooling families thought about the Reading Eggs program, check out the TOS Review Crew blog.

Disclosure: I was provided with free access to this program in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review: Beeyoutiful Vapor Rub and Lip Balm

Our family is trying to go a little greener this year. There's so much to consider: the environmental impact of the products one uses, how the ingredients affect one's health, under what circumstances the  product was produced. We're still learning, trying to balance these issues with more practical things like budget constraints and availability. 

I was pleased to be asked to review several Beeyoutiful products, as part of the TOS Review Crew. Beeyoutiful specializes in natural bath and body products, supplements, essential oils, etc. 

I was sent two products to review, the first of which was Winter Breeze Vapor Rub. It retails for $18, and comes in a 4 oz plastic jar. It is, essentially, a petroleum free version of the mentholated vapor rub you've probably been using your whole life. It smells nice, not quite as overpowering as the stuff I'd been using. The ingredients list is fairly short, coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax, menthol crystals, and several essential oils. No petroleum products, (well, excepting the plastic jar it comes in, I guess,) and no unpronounceable mystery chemicals. 

I ended up using it two different ways. First, and most obviously, I used it on V's chest when she got a cold. She's not really old enough to let me know to what extent it helped, but she liked the smell, and asked to use it again.

The packaging also suggested that you could use the product on the dry, cracked skin on your feet, so I did for several weeks at night, under socks. It worked miracles. My husband even asked what I'd been using on my "alligator skin," since it felt so much better. I'd totally buy the product just for this purpose.

Winter Breeze Vapor Rub

I was also sent a tube of Beeyoutiful All-Natural Orange Lip Moisturizer. Again, the ingredient list was short: essential oils, beeswax, and shea butter. It smells wonderful, like a glass of fresh orange juice. It sells for just $3, and works nicely, with no goopy, sticky feeling.  I've had to hide it from V, she keeps trying to swipe it.

Beeyoutiful All Natural Orange Lip Moisturizer.

I was very happy with both of these products, and would freely recommend them.

You'll find a wealth of information on the Beeyoutiful website. All ingredients are disclosed, you'll find information about their manufacturing practices and standards, and an invitation to email if you have any unanswered questions. (Their products are made in the U.S., by the way, a definite plus.)

The site has many promising looking products, although I do wish there was a better search function.  As it is, you'll have to search by "type of product," or "concern." For my purposes, something like a keyword search would be much more helpful.

To find out what other families thought about Beeyoutiful products, check out the TOS Review Crew Blog.

Disclosure: I was provided with the above products in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own.

Review & Giveaway: Valentine's Pattern Bundle by YCMT

Valentine's day is quickly approaching, but there's still time to get a little crafting in. If you're still looking for some last minute inspiration, You Can Make This has got you covered.

You'll find tons of great patterns and tutorials there, no matter what your preferred crafting medium is. The best part is that they're all downloadable for instant gratification.

Apron Knot Dress, from YCMT pattern.

I was sent the Apron Knot Dress Pattern, by Little Lizard King to review. I thought it would be fun to dust off the sewing machine, and try to crank out a little dress for V. The pattern retails for $7.25, and includes instructions for making a dress in sizes 6 months-12 years. The completed project can be worn as a tunic over leggings and a tee in cool weather, or as a sun dress in warm weather. (A neat little aside, this pattern states that you may make items for sale from this pattern. I'm not sure I have time do that much sewing at this point, but I love the idea that I could.) 


I managed to get all but the button holes done in one longish afternoon. I'd rate the pattern as fairly easy. It included many pictures, and generally clear instructions. (There was some assumption of sewing experience, though. If you've never fired up the sewing machine, it might be an ambitious project.) The sizing seemed to be right on. I made a 4T for V, and it was perfect. I'd use it again.

She loves the full, twirly skirt. 

V adored the dress. She had to put it on right away and start dancing.

You Can Make This has put together a fun package of Valentine's Day themed patterns (as pictured at the beginning of the post,) for me to give away!

One randomly selected commenter will win a package containing the following patterns:

Rosetta Bag by SisBoom (value $7.95)
DIY Dish Love Quilt by DIY Dish (value $7.95)
Crochet Hat Pattern Vintage Inspired by Kris Moore (value $5.99)
Love Elephant by DIY Fluffies (value $9.00)
Apron Knot Dress by Little Lizard King (value $7.25)

For your first, mandatory entry, leave a comment telling me which pattern you'd love to try from You Can Make This.

For additional, optional entries, you may do any or all of the following:
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow You Can Make This on Twitter.
Blog/Tweet/FB about the giveaway, up to once per day.

Please leave a comment for each entry, and don't forget to leave a way to be contacted if you are the winner.

This giveaway will end on 2/12/12, at 10 pm Central Time.


Disclosure: I was provided with the above described pattern to review, as well as the opportunity to give away a pattern bundle. No other compensation was provided.

Review & Giveaway: Pillsbury Ready to Bake Shape Cookies

My kids sort of mark the passage of time by the appearance of holiday themed Pillsbury cookies at the store. Whether it's bunnies at Easter, hearts for Valentine's Day, or Christmas trees at Christmas, our holidays aren't complete without them.

They're fast and easy to make, and they're tasty. They're perfect for when you need a festive treat, but don't have the time to bake from scratch. My kids also love to help bake them with me.

Now they're even cuter than ever, with pictures of your favorite Disney characters.

Pillsbury Ready to Bake Disney Shape Cookies prize pack.

My Blog Spark sent me a fun prize pack to try out the new Disney Shape cookies, that included a coupon for a free package of cookies, a Pillsbury cookie jar, a neat magnetic oven mitt that sticks to the fridge, and a spatula.

Pillsbury Shape cookies

I did find some Pillsbury Valentine's cookies with hearts, but unfortunately I wasn't able to find any of the new Disney designs in my local stores yet.

My Blog Spark is sponsoring a giveaway here. One randomly selected commenter will receive the same prize pack I received. For your first, mandatory, tell me which Holiday Shape cookie design is your favorite.

For additional, optional entries, you may do any or all of the following:
Tweet/Blog/FB about the giveaway.
Follow Pillsbury on Twitter.
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow my blog.

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry, and a way to contact with  you if you are the winner. This giveaway will end on 2/11/12, at 10 pm, Central Time.

Be sure to check out Pillsbury on FB, and click here to print a coupon for $1.10 off the purchase of one package oh Pillsbury Disney Shape cookies.

Disclosure: The VIP coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. No other compensation was provided.

Review & Giveaway: Dulce de Leche Cheerios

By now it's no secret that Cheerios are sort of a staple item at our house. When My Blog Spark asked if we wanted to try their newest offering, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, I said yes, of course. 

The light caramel flavor is perfect for when you want, (or need,) something just a little sweet. In addition to eating them for breakfast, I've been eating a handful here and there, instead of my usual handful of M&Ms. L tried them, and liked them, (although Honey Nut Cheerios are still his all time favorite.) We give them a thumbs up.

My Blog Spark also sent me several links to recipes that include Dulce de Leche Cheerios. I really like the sound of Dulce de Leche Cheerios Snack Mix, and Dulce de Leche Cheerios Parfait. I also like the fact that the kiddos could help "cook" them. (There's actually no cooking involved, but as far as my kids are concerned, anything done in the kitchen is cooking.)

If you'd like to try Dulce de Leche Cheerios, you can click here for a coupon good for $1.00 off one box. 

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Prize Pack 

If you'd like a chance to win a Dulce de Leche Cheerios Prize pack just like the one I received, (which contains a box of cereal, a polka dot cereal bowl, a cereal spoon, and a Dulce de leche scented candle,) please leave a relevant comment on this post. (What's your favorite variety of Cheerios? Do you eat them for the taste or the health benefits? Who in your household would like to try this new variety?)

For additional, optional entries, you may do all or any of the following:

Follow my blog.

Follow me on Twitter.

Tweet/FB/Blog about the giveaway, up to once per day.

Don't forget to leave a way to contact you if you are the winner. 

This giveaway will end on 2/10/12, at 10 pm, Central time. 

Disclosure: The new Dulce de Leche Cheerios information, product, and prize pack have been provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark.