Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Northwest Treasures

     My children love to learn about dinosaurs.  Since they were little they have been fascinated by them.  I love when we can find information about these amazing creatures from a company that believes in a young earth and global flood that is found in scriptures.  Northwest Treasures is that company!  Their online videos teach just what I want my children to be learning.  We were so excited to be able to review Dinosaurs and the Bible. In order to fully understand our videos, were even given the opportunity to watch Taking the Mystery Out of Geology before viewing our videos. I thought that was very kind of them.  

 

     My kids were more than happy to sit through these very informative videos.  They also loved that fact that each session only lasted about 18 minutes or so.  It is much better to break down lessons like these so kids can absorb what they are being taught.  

     The lessons included:

• Lesson 1: How we got our modern view of dinosaurs.
• Lesson 2: The classification of dinosaurs
• Lesson 3: Dinosaurs and the Bible, The great dinosaur rush.
• Lesson 4: The extinction of the dinosaurs 
• Lesson 5 : Dinosaurs and the Ice Age
• Lesson 6 : Fossils, age, and soft tissue

     As I mentioned before, I love that this company teaches about the dinosaurs through a Biblical perspective. We have always tried to give our children the knowledge of the Bible as they go through their science courses.  It is so hard to find good lessons like these to reinforce what we have taught them.  I appreciate a company that stands for what they believe in. 

     After each class, we would sit down and discuss the worksheet that is made available for you to use after you purchase the class.  They also have a final exam you can use for your students. It's so nice to have everything right there.

    I love talking with my kids, and since we are technically on summer break as we did these classes, we thought we would make it more relaxed and just discuss the questions and go over the answers together as a family.  It sure brought up some interesting conversations and that is AWESOME!!!  These classes really got my kids thinking.  

     After we finished our lessons, my son, who is entering the 9th grade next week, asked me if there were any more classes like these for him to take.  I was happy to see that they do offer physical courses for high school students. The  Northwest Treasures Curriculum Project looks like something our son would love to do.  We are praying about getting it for him for his science curriculum this year.  

     Would you like to learn more about Northwest Treasures?  I encourage you to check out their website along with their social media pages listed below: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeologybyNorthwestTreasures/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/northwesttreasu/boards/

     We also have some more reviews for this resource and others like Taking the Mystery Out of Geology and Geology and Apologetics  over on the Homeschool Review Crew website. 

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!

Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of No Longer Little

     As a parent, I am always looking for godly advice to help me be the best mom I can be.  I was so excited to receive and review  No Longer Little: Parenting Tweens with Grace and Hope by Great Waters Press.  In this book Hal and Melanie Young help guide you through the pre-teen years of parenting. It doesn't have to be a huge struggle if you are willing to work through issues that arise.  

     This paperback book is about 200 pages long and is easy to read and understand.  After the introduction, you read through 12 chapters of wonderful information and advice.  The chapters include: 

• Getting Bigger: Hormones and Body Changes
• The Rollercoaster: Emotional Upheaval
• Brains Turn to Mush: Why School Goes Awry
• Many a Conflict, Many a Doubt: Spiritual Questioning
• The Awakening: Sexuality and Virtue
• Social Struggles: Overcoming Awkwardness
• Media, Gaming, and Discernment: More Than Amusement
• Conflict At Home: Family Relationships
• Transitioning: Youth in the Bible
• Celebrating Growth: Coming of Age Ceremonies
• Producers, Not Consumers: Work and Stewardship
• The Next Big Thing: High School and Beyond

     The book ends with a reference section, scripture references, and an index.  

     Each chapter brings clarity to what is happening in your tween's world and body.  They are going through so many changes and usually at a fairly rapid pace.  They get overwhelmed and that makes for some difficulties in their thoughts, actions and attitudes.  This book will help you see how to deal with situations that arise and gives you godly advice on how to handle them.  I wish I would have had this book when I was raising our oldest 3 children.  So much insight and wisdom! 

     My favorite chapter was on Celebrating Growth.  I do believe it is important to celebrate our children's growing up.  They need to be reminded that each stage is a special time in their lives.  We must make each season a joyous one as they grow and mature into the men and women God wants them to be.  

     I encourage you to get this book and to read it slowly and carefully.  Pray about each chapter before you read it.  Allow God to speak to you through this wonderful couple that are trying to impart knowledge by sharing their lives with you and how they were able to get through the pre-teen years.  When someone is willing to open their lives to help other's learn, I am thrilled to listen.  

     If you would like to learn more about this book and others like  Love, Honor, and Virtue: Gaining or Regaining a Biblical Attitude Toward Sexuality by Great Waters Press, I would suggest visiting their website and social media pages listed below: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/raisingrealmen  
                 http://facebook.com/halandmelanie  
Instagram: http://instagram.com/raisingrealmen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/raisingrealmen  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/raisingrealmen

     We have some more reviews for both of these titles over here

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Have a blessed day!!!

25 Years and We Still Do

      Today my husband and I are celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary.  I can't believe we have been married for 25 years!!!  

     If you would have told me back in 1985, that the new boy in our class would be my husband someday, I would have just laughed. We were only 12 and 13 when we met in 7th grade.  It wasn't until our Junior year in high school that we started to date. Our first date was to our Junior/Senior Banquet at our school.  We attended a Christian school, so this was like our equivalent to a prom.  It didn't take long for us to realize that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives 😊  

     Our lives have been filled with many ups and down, but I wouldn't change it for anything.  It has brought us to where we are.  We will continue to put God at the center of our marriage and family.  We will enjoy watching our children continue to grow.  We will be thrilled to become grandparents one day and hopefully even great-grandparents.  Life may not be perfect, but we love it!  We love each other and each of our children and their spouses. No matter what, together we will make it through.   

     God has a good plan for each of us and if we allow Him to work in our lives and through us, we will be able to accomplish what He has set before us.  So today, I encourage you to begin to cherish each and every day.  Life goes by so very quickly. Take time to look around you and see the blessings God has given to you.  Be who God has called you to be.  Love others and show God's love to everyone around you.

     I am so thankful that my husband and I have allowed God to do a good work in our lives and marriage.  He is the one who holds us all together.❤

Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Progeny Press

     A few years ago our daughter really struggled with reading, but now you can't stop her.  She reads about 5 middle school level books a week.  When she heard we were chosen to review the The Scavengers - eGuide from Progeny Press she was thrilled.  A new book that she hasn't read before and a study guide to help her through it.  What more could you ask for?


     Last year we were able to use the e-guide from Progeny Press with our Charlotte's Web book and she loved it as well.  These study guides are like no other ones we have seen or tried before in the past.  They are unique. 

      The book we were using with the e-guide is called The Scavengers by Michael Perry.  We were able to borrow our book from our local e-book library site so that was a bonus for us.  We didn't have to buy anything for this review 😊 

     Right away Hope, our 11 year old daughter, started reading. She said the book was a perfect reading level for her.  The book is about a little girl named Maggie whose family has chosen not to live in the special "bubble cities" that were created by the government to "help" the people to live better lives free from the troubles of the world.  Maggie's family has to work extra hard to live off the land that is left over for them and are fortunate to find a place that they can survive, but then something happens..... I will let you read the book to find out. 

    Now let's talk about the awesome e-guide for this book.  This e-guide begins with some pre-reading activities and then gets right to work teaching vocabulary words in each lesson. After that it's time for some reading comprehension They teach this by asking questions that are important to the book.  The lessons are ended with digging deeper into the book by answering some questions using Bible verses as reference.  
     

     The Scavengers has 59 chapters in it, so Progeny Press has separated the e-guide to study about 8 chapters at a time.  I think this was a perfect break down for this book.  I didn't feel like she was rushed through the book. Instead she had time to read and think through what was going on at a perfect pace.

     I just love the study guides provided by Progeny Press and hope they continue to make more.  I know I have a few picked out for our new school year beginning next month.  

     Would you like to learn more about this company and their amazing resources?  I encourage you to look over their website and their social media pages listed below: 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/progenypress
Twitter: https://twitter.com/progenypress
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/progenypress
YouTube: https://youtube.com/progenypress 

     

     We also have more reviews for this e-guide and some others for you over here

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Have a great day!!!

Homeschool Review Crew: Our Review of Code for Teens

     Our son is really enjoying learning how to code. When he received Code For Teens: The Awesome Beginner's Guide to Programming (Volume 1) from Code for Teens, he was very excited.  Learning Java Script has always been interesting to him.  After reading through this book and following the wonderful way it instructs, he felt more confident in his coding abilities.

    Right when you open the book you see that the author, Jeremy Moritz,  has dedicated the book to his children.  I think that is GREAT.  He saw things through the eyes of his children and that is what inspired him to write such a fun but educational book on the subject of coding.  The book is 221 pages that entertain while teaching! 

     Along with a Foreward, Introduction, and A Word for Parents, the book has 10 chapters that include:

• Chapter 1: Hello World!  
• Chapter 2: Time to Operate
• Chapter 3: Comment on the String Section
• Chapter 4: Have Some Functions
• Chapter 5: Shall I Compare
• Chapter 6: Logically Operational
• Chapter 7: Projects Galore
• Chapter 8: Hip Hip Array
• Chapter 9: Loop a Round
• Chapter 10: Make a Hangman Game

     After the chapters, they have a Conclusion, Answers to quiz and drill questions,  and Glossary of Terms.  Each chapter will walk you or your child through the wonderful world of coding with Java Script as you practice each lesson that is being taught. This book is not just for teens.  I think it has helped me to better understand this secret language that all computer programmers speak.  

     The only requirements for these lessons is that you have a computer with Google Chrome.  I know it is my favorite internet browser so that was not an issue for us. 

     My son, who is 13,  was the one who sat down with the book.  He said it was by far the best coding book he has ever seen.  I didn't find him zoning out as he read the pages of each chapter then worked on the drills and quizzes.  He is actually taking coding classes online, so he takes his coding very seriously.  He said anyone could read this book and understand how to code.  It was well laid out and very entertaining.  I asked if he had learned anything new, and he said "Of course mom, each time I sit down to learn coding, I learn more and more."  He was impressed with each chapter and that says a lot! 

     If you or one of your older children would like to learn more about how to code with Java Script, I highly encourage you to get this book.  They have a wonderful website that explains their product in detail and you can find them on Facebook as well.  

     Our review crew has more reviews of this product over here 

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     Grab a glass of iced tea and maybe even a bowl of popcorn, and head on over to read honest reviews of this resource.  😉
    Have a blessed day!!!!

Let's Talk Manners: Putting on Love & Watching Our Words

     In order to learn this manner, we must put on love.  REAL LOVE!!!! Do you know there are two Greek words for love?  One is agapao and that means to love dearly.  The second one is phileo, and this love is expressed with friendship or a fondness of someone.  We use the word love often in our conversations don't we?  We may say "Oh I love that book or that pizza", but what do we really mean when we use the word love there?  We just mean we are fond of it or we really like it. We need to be careful about our choice of words.  One afternoon, one of my children said, "Mommy do you love me as much as you love your tea?"   That really got me to thinking.  That morning I had said, "Oh I just love this blueberry tea."  See I used a word that didn't really fit there.  It caused my child to think I could love my tea just as I loved her.  That is not even fathomable.  I could never love anything more than I love my kids and husband and my Lord, but by using that word so flippantly, I raised that doubt in her little mind.  I had to tell her that Mommy couldn't possibly love anything more than I loved her and her siblings and daddy, and that my love for God went beyond that.  

      Real love is not a feeling, but an action.  We are commanded by God to love one another.  We must chose to do it because God has told us to and we are to obey Him out of love.  We need to put others needs above our own.  This is an act of love.  We need to be sure the others feel our love by the way we treat them and talk to them.  You are probably thinking, "How do I love the unlovable?"  This is where God comes in.  He is LOVE.  He teaches us how to love like He does.  We just need to spend time in His Word and praying in order for this to come about. 

     When we are teaching this manner to our children, we must be sure they know that love is a verb.  They need to know they may not always "feel" like loving someone, but it is not a feeling.  It is an action!  We can choose to be loving because God loves us.  He loved us so much, He was willing to come to earth as a man, suffer and die on the cross for our sins, and then raise from the dead in order for us to live eternally with Him, if we choose to believe on Him as our Savior.  God is LOVE.  He gives His love to us even though we don't deserve it and we need to follow His example.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8

    "One of the world's worst tragedies is that we allow our hearts to shrink until there is room in them for little beside ourselves."  

~ A.W. Tozer

     As we demonstrate love for others, it will be easier for us to watch what we say.  We won't want to call people names or to hurt them with our unkind words.  We will want to encourage them, build them up, and show them the love of our Father.  Are you ready to put on love?

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