A Review of Girls of American History Curriculum

When I was contacted about writing a review for Girls of American History Curriculum which was chosen as one of the Top Picks of 2015-2016 in the Homeschool Curriculum Guide I was very excited to take a look!

Two of my girls are turning ages nine and seven this fall and I had been thinking about what history I wanted to study with them. I had pretty much settled back on American History since I already owned the entire Sonlight Core D American history package. However, I wanted another way to make it more fun, more hands on, more "girly", although boys needed to enjoy it too, since our youngest son, turning five would be joining in as well.

I was asked to pick any of the units I wanted. I chose to review the first one since that would be the one I would likely start with.
The website, although it is set to be updated, was pretty user friendly. The author of this curriculum, Justine Gamble, has done a great job explaining how the units work based on the fictional book series centered around the popular American Girl collection.
The first unit is titled "Nez Perce-Kaya®" and covers the time period starting with the Native Americans in 1764. The units are broken up into six week studies. Each week covers which book to be read, a craft and field trip to go along with each story.

Justine also offers other great resources to supplement the hands on experience such as History Pockets and the popular Draw Write Now series including which books that include the crafts for each unit.

In addition to these outside resources for purchase Justine also includes fun FREE resources. That was a nice bonus to see lists to FREE resources to supplement each unit study.
A weekly plan and schedule to implement this enrichment history course is also included, which I really loved.

When you purchase a unit study you have special access to even more online ideas! Justine will send you an email with your special code to access TONS more fun stuff to enrich your child's learning! Some of the fun crafts (with links to find the supplies to make them) for this unit are:basket weaving, drawing, make a canoe, make a teepee, necklaces, cave paintings. Field trips suggested were to visit a fish hatchery, create your own Pow Wow, as well as additional video sources.

Justine suggests that this curriculum can be both an enrichment curriculum to go alongside another core curriculum you are studying, or it can be stand alone by adding a few sources to it. It can also be used in a co-op setting with so many fun hands-on ways to learn and expand children's knowledge of American history!
I look forward to updating this post with pictures of our fun!

If you would like to make history more hands on, fun, and grab the attention of both young girls AND boys why not check this out for your family?

Girls of American History Collection

You can learn more here!

2015 Daily Planner by Sue Hooley, A Review

Everyday
May not be good,
But there is
Something good
In every day.

I am so excited to share this with my readers! I was chosen to review the 2015 Daily Planner, a homemakers best friend! Here it is! Introducing Sue Hooley's newest planner!

2015 Daily Planner

List Price: $13.99 with free shipping on three or more|

Format: 6x9 Spiral bound 

Order at: http://www.homemakersfriend.com

"A homemaker’s life consists of innumerable details. Appointments, church activities, school schedules, and homemaking in general, repeatedly demand her time and attention. Written tasks help to organize our days and duties and it frees the mind to focus on what is most important.

        The Daily Planner was designed by Sue, wife of Dan for 24 years and mother to six lovely children, two girls and four boys ages 5-21. The planner was developed after several years of motherhood and homemaking. Sue understood that a homemaker's day can rarely be scheduled and structured the same as the one before – not every task can fit neatly into the time-slot allotted by other planners. Since her first publication in 2010, thousands of homemakers have benefited from the daily planner.



This daily planner is divided into the following seven sections:

Yearly Calendar
Monthly Calendar
Weekly Planning
Tasks List
Projects and Events
Information
Shopping Lists

Some helpful tips on using the Daily Planner from Sue;

yearly calendar

This is for jotting down upcoming events,or making note of a special happening. To remember the one-year anniversary of the death of a friend’s husband, just post it in the appropriate space of the following year. If passports expire in October of 2016, make a note for future reference.

monthly calendar

Make an entry of all the upcoming events such as church meetings, weddings, school activities, appointments, reunions, holidays, etc. on the Monthly Calendar. It is helpful to see at a glance what will be happening over the next several months.This becomes useful for weekly scheduling.


weekly planning

       Under the heading Tasks for this Week are spaces to jot down things that need to be done such as phone calls, appointments, balancing the checkbook, etc. It’s beneficial to take time to sketch out the weekly tasks in advance. If a dentist appointment needs to be scheduled, write it down. If laundry is the biggest event on Monday, write it down. Look for short slots of time to do small projects. It only takes a few minutes to schedule a dentist appointment or to send a card. If it is written down, you are more apt to grab those precious few minutes when the opportunity arises. If a suit needs to be taken to the dry cleaners, jot it down so it isn’t forgotten on the next trip to town. If cleaning is consistently done on Friday, then consistently write it down. As monotonous as that may seem, it is still a big accomplishment.

       Plan the basic menu for the main meal each day. This can be done before the week arrives or it can be decided on a daily basis. Deciding on the type of meal for each day will lessen the choices. Example: casserole on Monday, soup on Tuesday, meat and potatoes on Wednesday… When Monday comes, just decide what type of casserole to make.
 To make the current weekly layout easy to find, clip the top corner of the page on the dotted line. Write with a pencil so daily tasks can easily be erased and rearranged to accommodate the unpredicted issues that come along. Written tasks are to serve as a guide so you can plan what is reasonable and comfortable. Freely modifying a schedule is not a sign of weakness, rather it is a mark of strength. This approach will help to make wise choices that are best for you, your husband, and your children.
To view more on how to use the Daily Planner just click over to their website under How To Use The Daily Planner.


My Thoughts: This planner is fantastic! I was given the 2014 planner to begin using right away to prepare for this review and I have loved it! It is portable and fits right into my diaper bag! It is thick but not too bulky. The pages stay intact despite being tossed in my bag and being on the go. I use it for planning meals, carpool, play dates, essential oil classes, field trips, trainings, journaling, recipes, grocery lists, and so many more things! I have NEVER been a planner type of person but have always wanted to be more organized. This was the perfect planner to set me on the right path toward being the type of mom, wife, homeschool teacher, and friend I long to be. 

The beautiful artwork on the front of the durable cover makes it a joy to take out and schedule events in my calendar. There is a lovely photo and scripture on the front that reminds me to always put God first in all of my preparations. Only He holds the plans of my life, I can only prepare. This planner helps me to be more diligent in helping me to live my life on purpose not just let life events roll on by.

"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" Exodus 33:14 This scripture graces the cover of the 2015 edition of the Daily Planner. May we all sense the Lord's presence in our daily lives as He grants rest to our weary minds by writing our days down!

Grab one for yourself before January, details below. Let your comings and goings be a testimony and light for the Lord each time you open your Daily Planner! God bless!



2015 Daily Planner
List Price: $13.99 with free shipping on three or more|
Format: 6x9 Spiral bound
Order at: http://www.homemakersfriend.com


I received a free 2014 and 2015 planner in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Clothed With Thunder by Vicki Watson Book Review, Gift Ideas, and Lapbook Horse Study

I had the chance to review one of Vicki Watson's new books Carrie and Bandit and I couldn't wait to read the next book in the Sonrise Stable series with my girls.

INTRODUCING.....

Sonrise Stable: Clothed With Thunder

This is Book 3 in a Series of 4 from the Sonrise Stable series.

A little bit about the book from the website...

"After sitting through a 4-H demonstration on the evolution of the horse, Rosie and Carrie are determined to present the arguments for creation at the club’s next meeting. The demonstration proves harder to put together than they imagined as everyone offers the girls their opinions. The lessons Rosie learns about creation extend into her life in surprising ways as she faces her old adversary, Billy King, who cheated her out of her first trophy with her pony, Scamper."

About the Author: Vicki Watson

My love of horses began when a teenage neighbor offered me my first ride, on the back of her horse. From my 8-year-old perspective, it seemed like the biggest horse in the world. From that moment on, I was addicted. Horses were to become a very important part of my life, although I never could have imagined, at the time, how much God would teach me about Himself and my relationship to Him through these wonderful animals.

The Sonrise Stable series combines my love of God and horses in stories that I hope will help children learn more about both. I have a vision for ten initial books in the series, taking the main characters through one year. Beyond that I'll see where God leads me.

I have been blessed with three daughters and homeschooled each of them through high school. I enjoy trail riding my Rocky Mountain mare, Nikki, hiking, photography, and playing guitar. I work from home as a computer programmer and enjoy the variety and flexibility that allows.

Here is a fantastic trailer to the book. It is very informative and presents wonderful illustrations on the design of horses and how they could not have evolved.

                                    

My Thoughts:

My girls and I were excited to receive the next book in the Sonrise Stable series. This book picks up where the last book left off leaving us delighted to learn how the grandmother was healing from her trail riding accident. This book also jumps right into a heated discussion when the two homeschooled girls, Rosie and Carrie have to sit through a 4-H presentation that focused on evolution. I thought the author did a wonderful job weaving truth into the story as we follow the girls and their progress in presenting their own clever 4-H presentation. There are several life lessons learned as the girls are involved in their parent's decision to attend an auction to buy a new farm and Rosie learns to overcome some hard feelings against an old enemy. The end of the book gives great definitions to dive deeper into the topic of horses and how they are clearly designed by God. The author also gives a website where the reader can learn even more about creation truths. I would recommend this book for any young girl who loves Jesus and horses! Such a great little book!

Oh, and if you check out the Sonrise Stable website you'll see they sell t-shirts and jewelry to go along with the books! Last year I bought their heart shaped locket like the one in the Carrie and Bandit book. I think this necklace would be a great gift to go along with this book if someone were to gift the book to a young girl.

It's labeled as "Blue Ribbon Necklace" and you have to get to the end of the story to know why it is such a fitting necklace to go along with this book! Sorry, I just can't give you anymore details...you have to buy the book yourself! 

Or this t-shirt would make a great gift too!

Purchase your copy today directly from Sonrise Stable here or Amazon.

Like Sonrise Stable Books on Facebook here.

Follow on Twitter here.

You can also subscribe to Vicki's Youtube channel here.

And a homeschooling side note: (because we homeschoolers are always ready to take this to the next level), I found this great little lapbook on sale at Currclick through Free Homeschool Deals just as we were finishing this book. The discount may have expired but at $8 it is quite an in depth lapbook study of horses and worth the price.

Topics include:

All About Horses, Safety on Horses, The Colorings of Horses, Weaning a Foal, Caring for a Horse, Measuring a Horse: “Hands,” The Stall, Accessories For A Horse, Branding, Cowhands, Roundups, Horse Fun Fact, Requires 2 folders.

  Just click this link to get your own!

I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

Making a Felt Board for Bible Through Felt Betty Luken Felt Set

With baby number 7 on the way due in November I've been trying to track down inexpensive ways to teach my little ones at home. We love StarFall, for it's fun preschool learning time. We also use Nick Jr. occasionally with my three and five year old girls. They love to print out the craft projects from their favorite cartoon characters. I began looking into Easy Peasy Homeschool.  I am planning on using some of their ideas but I was looking for a more in depth Bible time with my little ones when someone on the Easy Peasy Facebook page mentioned another free website called ABC Jesus Loves Me. It is a great website incorporating Bible time with crafts and pre-reading and pre-writing skills as well. It utilizes the Betty Luken felt stories and I was thrilled to find a used set on ebay.
My order arrived yesterday and I remembered that I had just sold my four foot by 2 foot daycare sized flannel board so I was going to have to get a new one. I decided to make one!

We set out with the girls on a shopping adventure!

We ended up at Wal-mart and I purchased a cork board for $5.97.

I bought one yard of felt for $2.27.

(The girls wanted pink, my husband and I settled on a magenta. I really wanted just a traditional black, blue, or even green felt.)

Next I measured around the board and simply stapled the felt to the BACK of the cork board so we could use the cork board if we wanted to.

Here is the front of our new flannel board!

Here is the back of the flannel board and the front of the cork board. I plan to embellish the cork board side a bit so it doesn't just look like the back of a flannel board!

Here  are the girls after we finished our first Betty Luken flannel story on Creation!

The flannel set came with the book too!

What a fun project for a wonderful Bible curriculum!

See The Light Art Class-Review

I recently had the opportunity to review a fantastic art curriculum called See The Light. They offer three DVD programs called "Art Class", "Art Projects", and "Bible Stories". I chose to review "Art Class".

I received the first DVD in the "Art Class" series valued at $14.99.

(You can purchase the entire 9 DVD series for $99.)

Art Class is a 9 DVD/36 lesson series geared for ages 6 + that includes:

Step by Step Tutoring

Integrated Art History & Biblical Truth

Progressive Skill Building

No Workbooks Ever – Only Basic Supplies

Three bonus lessons 

This series qualifies for the Fine Arts school requirement.

(This is what the first DVD Lessons 1-4 cover for instruction.)

Lesson 1: TOOLS OF THE TRADE - Learn the basics of what makes a drawing. Master artist Pat Knepley demonstrates what you need to have on hand in your drawing “toolkit” to always be ready to draw. Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11.

Lesson 2: IT ALL STARTS WITH A LINE - The most fundamental element of all drawing is the line - but not all lines are alike! Learn about different line qualities and the most essential skill of drawing - contour drawing. Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11, 2 Apples.

Lesson 3: CONTOURS & COMPOSITION - Train your eyes and hands to be synchronized! You'll learn some tips to place items in a drawing - or "composition" - to get the best results! Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 3 Sheets of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11, Black Fine Marker or Pen, Black or Dark Gray Charcoal Pencil, 2 Apples or any two pieces of Fruit.

Lesson4: DRAW WHAT YOU SEE - You'll take a common everyday item - a shoe - as your subject for a completed contour drawing. This is a true test of whether you draw what you SEE or what you KNOW! Supplies needed: #2 Pencil, White Eraser or Gray Kneaded Eraser, 1 Sheet of White Paper - 8 1/2 by 11 or a little larger if you have it, Black Sharpie Marker, A Shoe.

Bonus Lesson: CHALK-IT-EASY CHALK ART LESSON with See The Light chalk artist Gloria Kohlmann

I had heard of "See the Light" art curriculum but I didn't know they offered an actual art class that my children could use that would fulfill their fine arts requirement all with Bible-based lessons taught within the art curriculum! Check out this video to see "What is Art Class?"

Here is some information about the other two programs offered by See the Light.

Art Projects is a 9 DVD/36 lesson series geared for ages 10 +. Each of the 9 projects focuses on the work of a famous artist and contains:

Step by Step Tutoring

Integrated Biblical Truth

Art History

Art Elements

Art Principles

Bible Stories with Related Art Lessons is a 5 DVD series that includes a Bible story artistically and dramatically presented for the entire family. There are 3 step by step art lessons on each DVD that are related to the Bible story presented. Children of all ages love the “POP” of the black light included in each lesson. Bonus features are included on each DVD such as the Plan of Salvation, a commentary by the chalk artist, etc.

About the Creator:

Pat Holt has a passion for children and a heart for missions. She has worked with children since she volunteered for church ministry at age 14 before earning degrees in education and instructional technology.  Since then, she’s taught in public schools and founded a Christian school while authoring many books including the bestselling When You Feel Like Screaming – Help For Frustrated Mothers and the award winningDon’t Give in, Give Choices, as well as being a guest on a multitude of radio and TV programs. She was awarded the Gold Medallion in Christian Education by the Evangelical Publishers Association. Pat and her husband, Dave, live in California.

You can "like" See The Light on their Facebook Page or follow them on Twitter.

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a fantastic DVD art class program. Pat Knepley's love for art and teaching art really shows. Also her love for God and His Word is woven throughout the lessons and I found this a wonderful way to add inspiration to my children's daily lessons. The kids seemed to enjoy the DVD lessons too. I even had fun drawing along with my kids and learning the lessons with them. I'm looking forward to ordering the rest of the DVD's so we can finish out the year with a full art curriculum!

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

"Don't Forget To Pack the Kids"- by Jill Richardson REVIEW

I grew up in a small town in Maine. It wasn't until I got married and moved to California that I ever really encountered people who didn't look like me on a daily basis. I went to work in a child care facility on a military base in Southern California. I took care of children 12-18 months five days a week. I once got to care for a little African- American baby named Corey. He had no teeth even at 15 months but he could "eat" a peanut butter sandwich with his gums! He was the sweetest little kid and I remember him snuggling up to me one day and I looked down at his wonderful brown skin. Such a stark contrast to my own milky white skin. A seed was planted in my heart that day to care for a child other than one who looked like me. For a child with dark skin to call me, "Mom".

Since then, my heart has longed to go on a missions trip and possibly adopt a child from a foreign country one day. I have not had the privilege to do either of these-yet, although my heart still longs to. So I was thrilled when I saw I had the chance to review Jill Richardson's book, Don't Forget to Pack the Kids. Maybe taking my family on a missions trip isn't such a far off idea.
What if there were more "why not" answers to my "why should we" questions?

Watch this video and see how the author's children and family were able to serve God on a short-term missions trip!




Here is some more information about the book.

"Short-term missions have traditionally been the province of singles, youth groups, and married-with-no-kids.

Five years ago, few would have picked up a book about taking the family on a short-term mission. Now, more and more of us 30 and 40-somethings with kids are asking―

Why can’t we do something meaningful for others with our kids? 
Why do we have to wait until they’re teens and then and pack them off on a youth group trip?
Why can’t we let them experience using their gifts in ministry now? 
And why can’t we discover those gifts alongside one another in an experience they’ll never forget?  Well, you can. With some planning specifically geared toward making a family mission trip successful, you can. And you should.

Don’t Forget to Pack the Kids interweaves personal experience stories with extensive how-to information.



Statistics tell us over three-fourths of our kids will leave the church when they leave home. Why? Part of the reason is their feeling that church is irrelevant to their lives and they can get entertainment and fulfillment elsewhere. If we taught our kids early that the church is relevant because they are the church, and it is fulfilling because they fill it with their gifts and ministry, we could reverse those statistics.

Serving together can be a huge part of that."

My Thoughts:

I loved this book. The author takes the reader on a fabulous journey of all the ins and outs of how and why you can and SHOULD take your family on a short-term  missions trip. I found this book to not only be inspiring but very practical. From fundraising ideas in chapter 6 to dealing with all the realities of missions trips I thought this book was a wonderful read and very inspiring to step out of my comfort zone and actually do this one day! The author reminds us through her own personal stories woven into her tips such as things like you can't think of this mission trip as a "vacation" as she describes having to "sleep" on a train with her family. This book has so many tips like making sure your health records are up to date to being certain you "pack Jesus" and spend a huge amount of time in prayer and planning and learning about the country you will eventually visit. If you have ever considered a short-term missions trip but thought you should wait to go once the kids were older, you might want to read this book and reconsider what God might have you do while your children are still young and what God  might teach your children out of their effort to serve and love people around the world!

Author BIO:
Jill has a BA in English and Education and an MDiv in theology. She is ordained in the Free Methodist Church and has served as a worship, preaching, and discipleship pastor. She is also a professional speaker available for speaking engagements. Jill is represented by Diana Flegel at Hartline Literary Agency.

With three daughters, three cats, and (thankfully!) only one husband, she keeps busy otherwise with community theater, gardening, reading, scrapbooking, and bugging her last child to do 4H projects. Jill loves oceans, cats, chocolate, teenagers, her family, the Cubs, and God, not necessarily in that order.

Follow Jill on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or on Youtube.

Amazon Link

ISBN-10: 0615581188 | ISBN- 13: 978-0615581187 | List Price: $8.00 Softcover, $3.99 Kindle |Format: Softcover and Kindle | Page Count: 134


I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

My T.R.I.P. Update-Final Post!

We are coming in for a landing!!!

We have come to the end of our reading and writing journey with the Targeted Reading Improvement Program, also known as, T.R.I.P. To read more about why we started this program and  follow our progress through it you can follow the links below.

Why we started this T.R.I.P.!

First Update

Update number two

Update number three

A little information about the T.R.I.P. program...

From a trusted homeschool curriculum reviewer, Cathy Duffy,

"TRIP grew out of years of clinical work with students with reading problems. The same techniques used in one-on-one clinical lessons can now be done at home with parental guidance at far less cost with this interactive video program. The program is very nicely done with bright, colorful graphics and a clean, easy to use layout..." 

www.cathyduffyreviews.com

TRIP was created by Walter C. Waid and Jordan H. Price, teachers with a combined total of 40 years experience working with special needs, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexic, and special ed students. They received their degrees and teaching credentials from California State University Long Beach and Fullerton California, respectively. 

SPECIAL FEATURES 

TRIP Contains 20 lessons. Each lesson consists of 3 parts. Plus A How to To Instructional Video With Step-By-Step Teaching Instructions.

Below is a sample video of what you will see when you purchase the DVD.

The program is divided up into three parts.

Part 1: WORD LISTS

These contain 160 basic sight and phonetic words for instant recognition. Spelling practice is incorporated as well. You, the parent, administer this program with your child, just as though you were a private tutor. You make a check beside each word as your child reads the words correctly. My son breezed through the 160 words with little difficulty. My daughter is just learning to read so she had quite a bit of trouble reading the words. We will definitely revisit this program with her in another year or two.

Here are three of my kids. My 10 year-old is working through the flashing words at a fast pace. My 5 year-old is waiting patiently for her turn while my 3 year-old looks on.

Part 2: FLASHING PRACTICE. 

This consists of flashing a series of symbols, letters, numbers and words on the screen. Students have a choice of three speeds and write down what they see. This is designed to improve visual imagery for better spelling and reading accuracy. My kids loved this part of the program. My son enjoyed controlling the laptop flashing by pressing the flash button after each shape/line or word or number revealed. We started at the beginner level for my daughter but my son really had a blast working at the faster pace to challenge himself to write the symbols he saw before they disappeared!

Here is my son checking over his word list after completing the flashing words.

Part 3: STORY CARD. 

10 sight words are reinforced with each story card which is read aloud. Students practice writing down the words while following directions and answering simple comprehension questions. For this section of the program I had my son read the story out loud. In doing this, I was able to catch any words he was mispronouncing or transposing. I found he has a  tendency to place words not written there into the context as he tries to read through a sentence. For instance the sentence might say, "There were tears in her eyes." He would actually say, "There are tears in her eyes."

Overall, for the price of the DVD at only $19.99, I think this program is well worth it. The T.R.I.P. website explains that "private reading centers and tutors charge anywhere from $65.00 a lesson and up. Many tutoring centers will not even take special needs readers."  I'm so glad we were able to try this program out. If your child is a slow reader, a struggling reader, has ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, or other reading problems, this would be a great tool for parents to use to help their child become better readers. I think this program can really help a child break bad habits in reading and spelling and even writing as they work through the written flash words, and read through the spelling lists. At the end of 20 lessons, your child will be confident they can read through 160 words and you, the parent, will have an idea of where your child's strengths and weaknesses are in both reading and writing. You will be able to be more confident moving forward whether you homeschool or your child goes to public/private school knowing you have helped your child improve their reading skills!

Follow T.R.I.P. on Facebook.

Follow T.R.I.P. on Twitter.

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

T.R.I.P. First Update!

We have started the T.R.I.P. program with my 10 year old and my 5 year old has joined in too! You can read here why I decided to be a part of this review.

We only have a few mornings a week to do the program but we try to do it at the same time each day as the program suggests.

(From their website:)

"TRIP" lessons consist of hand-eye coordination training exercises to help those with Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD and other reading problems. "TRIP" has been in use at our reading center for over 30 years and has helped thousands. "TRIP" contains 20 lessons in downloadable form. Each lesson contains sight words, flashing practice and a story reading exercise. Also included is a home reading lesson video showing you how to use the exercises plus techniques to successfully help your child. In a recent survey done by a well known consumer magazine to help students with reading problems three strategies taught in our video are listed as being helpful. These strategies are: the use of a tutor, one on one instruction and a daily or weekly schedule."

I found the instructor DVD very helpful in learning first how to implement this curriculum. The video is very thorough and walks you through the first lesson. It shows you how to become your child's tutor as your child makes his way through the 20 lessons, guiding and correcting them through the hand-eye coordination exercises, reading, and comprehension. Here is a photo of my son after completing lesson 4.

Each lesson has two pages you need to print out. One is for sight words, the other is for reading comprehension and fill in the blank. My son is getting the hang of how the system works and  is progressing quite nicely through the curriculum. I have actually caught a couple of mistakes he was making in writing his letters that could pose a problem down the road.

The first part of each lesson consists of 10 sight words. The child reads these out loud and the parent looks for errors. Making a check mark beside the word only if they said the word correctly.

The second part of each lesson is called flashing practice. My son liked this part. There are three speeds to choose from in which symbols, numbers, letters, then sight words will flash and your child must write on paper what they just saw flash before them. We used the slowest speed since my daughter was trying to follow along. I think my son had more fun when he was being challenged at the higher flashing speeds.

The third part of each lesson is the Story Card. Here the child is challenged with a story where all the sight words are integrated into the story. The child must read along and comprehend the story with the sight words and fill in answers to questions at the end of the story. I love to see the excitement in my son's eyes as he gets to see the sight words being used in a story and he gets the chance to comprehend and discuss them as he fills in and answers the questions! These first four lessons are still very easy for him but I am thankful for my son's willingness to use the program and allow me the chance to tutor him and look for reading and writing errors as he becomes a mature 4th grader!

I found this quite from the T.R.I.P. website:

*Three-quarters of students who are poor readers in third grade will remain poor readers in high school.

– Yale University

For that reason alone I would buy this product. This is a great inexpensive product to allow parents to evaluate their own kids in the privacy of their own home. This is giving me the confidence that if my son becomes a great reader NOW, in the 4th grade, he will STILL be a great reader when he gets to high school! So far it has been a wonderful tool to evaluate my kids' progress in reading and writing skills. A private tutor would cost around $65 a session. This program only costs $19.99!

I have a few more sessions to complete before I finish reviewing this product, so check back and follow along with us on our T.R.I.P.!

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

We Are Going On A T.R.I.P.!

We are going on a T.R.I.P.! Not a real "trip" but we are reviewing the Targeted Reading Improvement Program for the CWA Review Crew!

Never heard of them? Here is a little about the program...

"We know what it's like, your child is smart, active, but has reading problems and poor grades. Can anything be done? Yes, a lot can be done. With over 40 years of combined experience working with special needs readers, we have created "TRIP Targeted Reading Improvement Program"
"TRIP" lessons consist of hand-eye coordination training exercises to help those with Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD and other reading problems. "TRIP" has been in use at our reading center for over 30 years and has helped thousands. "TRIP" contains 20 lessons in downloadable form. Each lesson contains sight words, flashing practice and a story reading exercise. Also included is a home reading lesson video showing you how to use the exercises plus techniques to successfully help your child. In a recent survey done by a well known consumer magazine to help students with reading problems three strategies taught in our video are listed as being helpful. These strategies are: the use of a tutor, one on one instruction and a daily or weekly schedule."- from the T.R.I.P. website, www.buytripnow.com


I have a ten year old who is a pretty average reader and a 5 year-old who is learning how to read. Teaching my kids how to read has always been a daunting idea which is why I put my first three boys in Kindergarten. I have opted to try homeschooling Kindergarten this year so I am looking forward to using this program with two of my children. I hope to use this program to catch any learning problems they may have and correct them early. I figure the more tools I have to teach reading the better! I am excited to share our progress with you! I will be posting over the next few weeks what we think of the program.

To read our updates you can click here:

T.R.I.P. FIRST UPDATE

T.R.I.P. SECOND UPDATE

T.R.I.P. THIRD UPDATE

T.R.I.P. FINAL POST!

I received a free copy of this DVD to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

#ShapelyGirl Fitness Final Post And GIVEAWAY!!!

Here we are, November 1st, the beginning of a new month, and you are reading my final post on my #shapelygirl fitness DVD challenge. If you missed any of my previous posts, you can see them HERE. I do hope you will check out my previous posts as this has been a MONTH long journey for me to take steps at getting moving toward a better (and hopefully thinner) new me!

So what is this all about, you might be asking? Well, I was chosen along with 26 other women to try one of Debra Mazda's ShapelyGirl Fitness DVD's for one month and report weekly on my progress along with a full review on the last day. I got to choose from a couple of different DVD's and I chose the "Let's Get Stepping" DVD. I took a step class at the gym about 9 years ago. I really liked it and have had three babies and haven't done any step classes since so I thought it would be fun to get this DVD and try it at home. What I never realized was how much MORE I would get out of this than just a step class. I went to Debra Mazda's website and learned all about her testimony and how she began her own personal road to fitness. Here she is below when she weighed over 300 lbs.

You can read the full testimony at Debra's website HERE.

 What I love about Debra's story is that it is so much less of focusing on dieting and exercising.

 Her motto is,

 "Fitness comes in many sizes. 

Get off the couch, start moving and feel better, today."

I LOVE this no-nonsense approach to getting in shape. Over the last month I had MANY days when I just struggled to get off my couch to fit my workout in, and then I would remember Debra's words. Just "get off the couch"! So I would find the time to get my workout in. Some days it wasn't until after 7 p.m. other days it was early afternoon or before lunch. I always tried to make sure my body was fueled but not full (of food). I worked out with this video at least twice each week, sometimes 3 or 4 times which is what Debra suggests if we really want to see the big changes.

 “My mission is to share my story to help women learn the skills they need to win the battle with food and self esteem.”-Debra Mazda

On The ShapelyGirl Fitness website Debra also shares recipes. I love Debra's "Breakfast of Champions" recipe. I had already begun adding 1/2 cup of Chobani plain non-fat yogurt to my cereal which adds an additional 11.5 grams of protein to my diet even before adding the milk! I LOVE this breakfast and sometimes eat it for a snack. I drizzle a little agave nectar over the yogurt and cereal for a little extra sweetness (I have a huge sweet tooth) but without affecting my blood sugar levels. But back to the DVD!

"At the age of 21, locked into an abusive relationship and struggling with chronic depression and high blood pressure, Mazda took one simple, but daring, step that changed her life. She walked in the door of her neighborhood gym.  Her first workout exhausted her so completely that two bodybuilders had to carry her off the gym floor. But a call from the gym manager encouraged Mazda to come back the next day, and a habit was born. A habit that is at the heart of Mazda’s primary message to other ShapelyGirls, to “get moving.”"

I love this photo of the orange picking itself up. I feel like that some days and Debra's testimony inspires me to pick myself up and carry on, get moving! The DVD has fun music to workout to. Debra is a great motivator too. I feel like she's right there in my living room encouraging me to complete the steps. I love the balance of intense stepping mixed with dance steps like the "cha-cha". I can really get my body moving to Debra's workout during the "cha-cha" and my husband has enjoyed watching me workout a time or two! 

Here is a photo of my new "step" my husband actually built for me to complete this DVD fitness challenge. He even painted it PINK!

 I found if I couldn't fit an entire DVD workout in at one time I could stop the DVD after 20 minutes and still feel like I got a great workout in. In my first few workouts I didn't always add the optional toning session with weight lifting and sit-ups but as I got using the DVD, by the 4th week, I was making the time to do the toning session because I was feeling so much stronger! I could see results from my hard work (and SWEAT!) 

So in one month, I have lost a total of 5 lbs. I would have liked to have seen a bigger weight loss but I am proud of the loss overall. It works out to be about 1 1/4 lbs lost each week. Not a significant amount, but I am most proud of the total INCHES I lost.

Here I am with my daughter at week one.

My total INCHES lost were as follows...

1/2 inch LOST in calves

1/2 inch LOST in arms

1 1/2 inches LOST in thighs

3 1/2 inches LOST in hips

and my biggest LOSS....

(Here I am tonight with my daughter again.)

5 1/2 inches lost in my waist!!!!

Woo hoo! My pants are fitting better than ever!  I feel better. I don't feel like I'm dragging at 2:30 p.m. every single day any more. I not only have more energy, I have stamina. This helps a lot in homeschooling all my kids for sure! My daughter was dancing and running around the room the other day and I felt the urge to (once again) just jump off the couch and start chasing my daughter. I chased her around the room for several minutes and I noticed I wasn't feeling winded in the least like I normally would.

All I can say is that we all KNOW we need to take care of these bodies we have been given. I've had six babies, all by c-section. I KNOW the strain on my stomach muscles and how hard it is to not only carry the extra weight around but also how hard it is to want to eat healthy and get off my couch to exercise. Debra Mazda's videos are SO inspiring. They feature REAL, shapely women dressed very modestly. I felt like I was working out with a group of my friends. I hope some of you check out her videos and take the first step to a new YOU! I am so enthusiastic about these videos Debra Mazda has allowed a handful of our original group to offer a DVD FREE. That's right, one of you can own one of Debra's DVD's for FREE. Enter daily for a chance to win one of Debra Mazda's ShapelyGirl Fitness DVD's! Just follow the link below to enter!

(Noelle Mena-Photo credit)

"You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies" 1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV.

 I received a free copy of this DVD to review and one to give away. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

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