MathTacular Review & Giveaway!

Have you ever heard of MathTacular?  I had not until I came across it at a homeschool convention.  Once I saw it I knew it would be absolutely perfect for Alpha Boy.  He loves hands on stuff, like most other little five year olds.

MathTacluar is a multi-level math curriculum.  Although, I hesitate to use the word curriculum because that word sounds boring and MathTacular is so NOT boring.  MathTacular is a series of DVD lessons that are based on real life math that use lots of different manipulative's. The math lessons in the DVD's are lots of fun and easy to understand.  Justin, the math master mind of the DVD series, catches the children's attention and knows how to keep it. 

There are 4 DVD"s in the MathTacular Series, lots of math manipulative's as well as several packages that are available.  We reviewed the MathTacular Educational Kit which included the following:

• MathTacular Kit DVD (67 of the 88 activities in MathTacular)
• Bear Counters
• Color Tiles
• Red & White Counter
• Mini-Clock
• Die
• Base Ten Blocks
• Pattern Blocks
• 12" Wooden Ruler
• Number Flash Cards
• Number Chart
• Gram Centimeter Cubes
• Geo Board with Bands (my kids especially love this!)
• Popsicle Sticks & Pinto Beans (for place value practice)
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Math Manipulative's Guide

We have really enjoyed watching Justin and friends teach us about ordinal numbers while running laps around a track.  As well as learning the difference between odd and even numbers while watching Justin make peanut butter and cracker sandwiches.  There is alot to learn on the MathTacular DVD that is included in the Educational Kit, from number basics to comparison, to practical math.  There are 67 lessons in all. 

The MathTacular Educational Kit that we reviewed is geared toward children ages 4-7 and costs $49.99. 

The wonderful folks at MathTacular have offered to giveaway a DVD to one of my readers!  The winner will get to choose between 4 MathTacular DVD's. 

Please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each entry and PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! The giveaway is going to run until Friday, October 7, 2011. Here is how you can enter to win a MathTacular DVD of Your Choice:

• You must be a Follower of LSG to Win! Please leave me a comment and let me that you follow.
• If you have just become a new Follower, please tell me how you heard about this giveaway
• SPREAD THE WORD! If you blog about this contest please come back and leave me a link to you post.
• Please visit the MathTacular website, let me know which MathTacular product most appeals to you.
• Facebook or Twitter about this giveaway and leave me a comment to let me know about it.
• Like MathTacular on Facebook. 

Thanks for Entering!

  

To My Mansion in the Sky

lyrics by Jimmie Davis

This train I'm riding they say it's leaving
For a place where we'll never die
And the pilot will by my Jesus
To my mansion in the sky

Now don't be grieving because I'm leaving
Don't cry when I say goodbye
There'll be no weeping where I'm going
To my mansion in the sky

The plane I'm ridin' will be returning
Some sweet day Lord, by and by
So get ready to go with Jesus
To that mansion in the sky

Now don't be grieving because I'm leaving
Don't cry when I say goodbye
There'll be no weeping where I'm going
To my mansion in the sky

My journey with Jesus will end my sorrow
Heal my affliction, no more I'll cry
I'll be rejoicing while I'm going
To my mansion in the sky

Now don't be grieving because I'm leaving
Don't cry when I say goodbye
There'll be no weeping where I'm going
To my mansion in the sky


Not quite a hymn : )  Still a favorite though!  I used to listen to this song years ago when the Lord first saved me.  I pulled out a cd to listen to this evening while I was tidying up and found myself listening to this song, it was a mixed cd that a friend had made us when my mom died. 

This song makes me smile and long for heaven!  As a Christian we are supposed to long for heaven and to see the face of Jesus.  I do!  On good days and bad days, I do long to be with my Savior. 

If you would like to hear To My Mansion in the Sky, click here.

The Purpllinker

We were recently given the opportunity to review The Purpllinker from Timberdoodle.  Timberdoodle is a family run business that offers lots of other REALLY fun stuff for kids and homeschoolers, at amazing prices. You might want to consider following Timberdoodle on Facebook, sometimes they have some really cool giveaways!

The Purpllinker, believe it or not, is one of the most amazing toys I have ever seen!  Really! I will admit at first glance, I didn't feel this way BUT after watching my kids (especially the boys) play with it I was convinced.

This is a house with a carport. 

The Purpllinker kind of like reminds me of those old fashioned measuring sticks that fold up like an accordion.  It is made with durable plastic arms and aluminum rivets, right here in the US of A.  The assembling and packaging of the Purpllinkers are actually done by adults that have developmental disabilities, which I fully support.


Let me tell you some of the wonderful things that The Purpllinker can be used for:

• Developing fine motor skills
• You can make every letter of the alphabet, including the upper and lower case letters
• Numbers 1-10
• Geometric Shapes
• Many different animals like a giraffe, horse, snake and camel
• Physical Therapy
• Your imagination is your limit, really!

If you were a Knight and needed a sword, or if you were an Solider and needed a gun, the Purpllinker has you covered!  It really amazed me all the things that my kids ended up making with the it. 

Alpha Boy makes his letters from A to....

The Purpllinker would be great for toddlers, early learners or any child that likes hands on learning (which is pretty much is all of them, right?).  It would be great for traveling or to keep in your purse for when you are out and about.  I already have holiday gifts on my brain, so I have to add that the Purpllinker would make a fabulous stocking stuffer!

Z!  Thumbs up for the Purpllinker!

You can get you very own Purpllinker directly from Timberdoodle for $11.25.  The Purpllinker also comes with instructions on how to make all the letters, numbers and many different shapes as well a few games.


As part of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team, we received the Purpllinker free of charge for review purposes only.  We were not in any way compensated for our opinions, they are our true and honest opinions about this product. 

So far so good...

We had been schooling for several weeks and finally started to get into a good routine when everything got all mixed up.  All of the out of the home things that we were going to be doing started last week.  I have to admit I was a little stressed as to how it would go, but it went surprisingly well. 

You see there are several things that I wanted to incorporate into our schedule this year, Beginning Public Speaking or BPS (for the girls), an instrument (for the girls), choir (all kids) and Bible Study (for me).   I also had soccer on the to do list : ) The Lord had closed the door with soccer, I had missed the sign up date, which was fine.

You know all these things that I wanted us to do really sounded like a lot and I knew that we couldn't do everything.  I really prayed about everything and just really asked the Lord to give me wisdom in this area.  I didn't want to be so overwhelmed that we dropped the ball with our schooling or our home. 

Then it happened.  The Lord gave me a great peace about it all and changed my perspective on everything.  He showed me that all the things on the list are things that has us working toward the goals that I had for my children. 

My hope that BPS will give me children confidence to speak to others, especially in giving the gospel.  Ultimately, this has to come from God but I still think this is a wonderful tool to have.  One of my children is very shy when it comes to standing up and talking in front of people and I really want her to grow in this area, BPS will definitely help here. So far the girls really like it and have their first poems picked out to memorize.

An instrument is something I want my kids to have, especially my girls.  I feel like it is something they can us later in life if they pursue it.  Now I know that God's plans may not line up with my plans but I am hopeful that my kids will go on to homeschool their children.  Wouldn't it be nice for them to know how to play and teach an instrument to my grand kids one day : ) or to teach lessons for extra income.  Maybe even to play in church or for weddings or something.  I had been praying for a piano teacher.  I prayed that if He wanted them to play the piano He would have to provide a teacher because I didn't think it was in the budget right now.  Like a week or two later a friend of mine, out of the blue, said Hey, I would love to give your girls flute lessons and you don't have to pay me.  I, of course, looked up and said Thank you Lord!  I still can't get over that blessing!!

I know that I am having them do instruments and choir, at the same time.  Someone said to me that we were heavy on music this year.  That may be so BUT you don't know the choir teacher at our church.  Choir is much more than choir.  The Lord has greatly blessed our church with an AMAZING choir teacher.  Well, two of them actually.  But more specifically, the junior choir members learn the gospel.  I have sat in on choir rehearsals and have been amazed at how the teacher in constantly bringing in the gospel.  She also created a 4 or 5 year cycle for the kids that focus on different areas in music.  Last year it was rhythm and this year they are studying the Psalms.  So, even if we are heavy on music I am totally fine with it.

As for Bible study, my church offers a mid week Bible study for moms and provide child care.  I do read my Bible pretty much daily but I also wanted to do a study and if I am in a Bible study group I feel like I am more committed.  It is not as easy for me to not make it a priority.  While I am in my study the boys are in Busy Bee classes where they have like a little Sunday school lesson.  There weren't any classes for my girls so they are helpers - which they LOVE!!!  The Lil' Chef is helping with the toddlers and Computer Girl helps in the class where Alpha is at.  I love that they are getting a chance to serve others and just be helpful.  I was concerned about this taking away from school, so to be realistic I have designated Bible study days to be "core days."  A "core day" for us is Math, Grammar and Spelling.  They are quite fine to come home and do their work or make it up through the week.  For now we are still not really schooling on Fridays, but if they need to make up any of their core work it will be done on Friday so that we can stay on track.

So, like I said, so far so good.  I am hoping that we continue to fall in this schedule well and that the important things still get accomplished because the kids and I really want to continue all of the above. 

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners

Words by J. Wil­bur Chap­man & Music by Row­land H. Prich­ard

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!

Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Refrain

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
[or Jesus! I do now adore Him,]
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.

Refrain

 
We sung this song in church today and it reminded me of all the things Jesus does for those that are His!  You can listen to Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners here.

Plugging Along and a New Schedule

We are about 6 weeks into school and we have been plugging along.  Some days at a better speed than others. 

Last week I was having some migraines, as I tend to have at least one week out of the month, so we just didn't do school as much as I would have liked.  I am not worrying about it though since we have a few weeks under our belts already.

This week all of our extra curriculum activities start.  Today both girls started Beginning Public Speaking (BPS) and The Lil' Chef also started Young Speakers Guild (YSG).  My girls are funny, they were both pretty sure that they did N O T want to do speech.  One meeting later, they are so excited and glad they went. : )  We will be doing speech every other week.

Tomorrow I am starting a Women's Bible Study.  While I am in the Bible study, the boys will be in their own age appropriate classes and the girls will get to help out with the little kids.  I am really looking forward to the Bible study and I think it is great that the girls have an opportunity to help out with other kids. 

Right after the Bible Study, the girls are going to start flute lessons.  Did I tell you I was praying for a piano teacher and the Lord blessed us with a flute teacher?  Not long after I started praying for a piano teacher, a friend of mine offered to teach the girls flute.  What a blessing that was!  Pawn shops are a great, inexpensive place to find flutes, FYI.

This week the kids also start back to choir.  This year all the kids will get to participate.  The girls will be in the junior choir together and the boys in the cherub choir. 

I have never been one to run here and there all week long.  Last year it was enough just to get to choir once a week, but this year I am making a few changes.  I have always only schooled 4 days a week and took Friday off.  This year I am swapping my Friday for Tuesday.  I am thinking that once we get home the girls can do their core work (Math, Grammar and Spelling) but if they do not get it done then we will make it up on Friday.  They really love having their Friday off so I imagine that they will want to get their stuff done on Tuesday afternoon, but we will see. 

I will be honest, I was am wondering if I have over extended us but the Lord gave me comfort the other day in knowing that all these things that I want to do (speech, flute, Bible study and choir) work towards the bigger picture of what we want for our kids.  So, for now I am resting in that and hoping that the new schedule doesn't stress us out.  If it does then I guess I will be posting the new, new schedule.

Blessed Assurance

by Franny Crosby

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain

 
 
This is an awesome song.  Franny Crosby really did write some beautiful hymns!  You can listen to it here.

I L-O-V-E Yardsales!!

I have been a yard sale girl for many years.  I love getting things for a bargain.  Why pay full price when I can find something for so much cheaper. 

Most Saturday mornings I am up and out the door, usually by 7 or 7:30 am.  I like to be early, but not too early.  The early bird does get the worm when it comes to yard sales.  Most of the time I go solo, sometimes Computer Girl goes with me and occasionally we all go

The Lord has majorly blessed us through yard sales.  I can not even begin to to tell you about the very nice clothes that we have got for the kids at.  I mean really NICE stuff.  I am especially thinking about all the long sleeve button up dress shirts and corduroy pants that I have found for Alpha Boy.  Yard sales are a great place to find church dresses for my girls.  Games for the kids... yard sales.  Books, books and books....you guessed it, yard sales. 

I have a general route that I drive through the neighborhoods and I normally stop even if the yard sale looks like a dud.  I have found some great things at yard sales that don't look like much.  For instance, a few months ago I was out with Computer Girl and we found a yard sale.  This guy had a small table and that was pretty much it.  BUT we stopped and I got a cast iron griddle that I have been wanting for a while.  These things are $50 new, I paid $5 for mine.  I am still excited about this one! 

In addition to my normal route I will usually check Craigslist.  Several weeks ago, I came across a yard sale that had lots of HOMESCHOOL books!  Can I tell you I loaded up on science and history readers, as well as a microscope and some math manipulative's, for like $25 total!

Yard sales that have kids books are a dime a dozen.  Yard sales that have homeschool books seem to be a rarity, but I found another one today!  I got a few grammar books, science readers and some great history books.  Most of the history read alouds that I got are about  $10-20 each, if purchased new.  I got the following books for a TOTAL of $16:

• George Washington's World by Genevieve Foster
• The World of Columbus and Sons by Genevieve Foster
• Poor Richard by James Daughtery
• Of Courage Undaunted by James Daughtery
• From Sea to Shining Sea for Children: Discovering God's Plan for America in Her First Half-Century of Independence, 1787-1837 by Peter Marshall & David Manuel
• The Light and the Glory for Children : Discovering God's Plan for America from Christopher Columbus to George Washington by by Peter Marshall & David Manuel

We are pretty set for American History next year!  Isn't that a blessing!!

So when people have asked me questions like, "Is it really worth getting up early and going to yard sales?" or "Do you find anything good?" My answer is Y-E-S!!!  Some people think that yard sales are full of junk but really there aren't.  Yard sales are full of great treasures, you just have to be willing to go find them.  I have found some amazing things at yard sales and am so thankful for them!! 

Do you have any yard sale tips?  What great things have you found lately from yard sales?

TOS Crew: Nature Nuts Game

We love all things nature!  Whether it be birds, animals, plants, bugs or anything else that the Lord created, we are all about it!  So when we were asked if we wanted to review the Wise Alec: Nature Nuts, Travel Game and Expansion Set by Griddly Games we were all very excited. 

Griddly Games also has a Wise Alec board game, that Nature Nuts can be an expansion set to.  We, however, are just viewing Nature Nuts as a travel game. 

I want to first say I was impressed with the packaging of this game.  That might sound a little lame, but if I am supposed to be able to travel with this game and four kids it needs be durable, which it most certainly is.  It comes in a sturdy, narrow box that stays closed by a magnet, very smart idea I might add.  There are no directions to lose because they are printed right on the inside of the box.  There are 200 playing cards and a dice which stay nicely tucked away when not in use by a clear plastic cover.  Now that I have all my Type A reader's attention : ) let's move on to the fun stuff! 

Nature Nuts comes with 200 Cards:

• 50 Animals Trivia Cards
• 50 Plant Trivia Cards
• 50 Earth Trivia Cards
• 50 Wise Alec Cards

Each of the trivia cards has 2 levels of questions on it so that younger children can play along with the older kids and adults.  For instance one of the Animal Trivia Cards has these two questions:

• Reptiles have these covering their skin.  What are they?   Answer: scales/scutes
• Some animals disguise themselves to look like more dangerous ones. What is this called?  Answer: mimicry

As you can see there is a big difference in the levels.  Which I think is great for a family style game, it makes it challenging to the older players as well as the younger. 

The way that you play Nature Nuts starts off this like:

• Get a pen and paper to keep score. 
• Then decide on a point goal to place towards depending on how long you would like to play.
• Roll the dice.  Depending on what color you roll, this tells who will draw a card for you and what kind of card is going to be drawn.  You will then be asked your trivia question. 
• If you roll the color purple then you get to pick up a Wise Alec card, and look out if you do.  Those Wise Alec cards can have you doing exercises, brainteasers or tongue twisters and winning or losing points in the process!
• The winner is the first person to meet the point goal!

We think the Wise Alec cards are neat, they really add a lot of fun to the game!  They have you do things like:

• Do your best bird call.
• Name 3 Mammals.
• Repeat this 5 Times - Six Sleek swans swan swiftly southwards.
• Do your best impression of a monkey.
• Do your best shadow hand animal complete with sound effects.

This game is simple, yet lots of fun.  It would be great to take on at trip.  Nature Nuts would be great for family game night or to play for science.  It would also make a great family gift for the holidays!

You can purchase you own Wise Alec: Nature Nuts Travel Game from Amazon for $14.99 plus shipping. You can also check Griddly Games' website for a local store near you.

If Nature is not your thing, but you like the sound of the game, have no fear!  They have a Sport's Buff and a Civilize This! version available as well as the full Wise Alec Game.

Hope you all enjoy this game as much as we have!

We received Wise Alec: Nature Nuts free of charge for review purposes.  We were not in any way compensated for this review and the opinions expressed here are my own.