New Review! Lightening Lit and Comp from Hewitt Homeschool!

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About the product/service: As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I received a free copy of the Lightning Literature and Composition Pack

British: Early to Mid 19th Century by Michael G. Gaunt from Hewitt Homeschooling so that we can use it in our homeschool and let you know what we think. This pack normally contains a study guide, a teacher's guide, and the four books you or your student will need to finish the course. (Reviewers did not receive the four books.) 

This curriculum is intended for students in grades 10-12. (Not sure why the info below says 9-12, but it does say 10-12 on the website.) There is an introduction followed by four units with two lessons in each unit. Each lesson has four parts: an introduction, comprehension questions, literary lessons, and writing exercises. The teacher's guide also includes an introduction, grading tips, sample schedules for both one semester and a year, answers to the comprehension questions, and the writing assignments. The main book, as stated below, is perfect bound (kind of a strange description, and honestly new to me!) but the teacher's guide is simply a stapled stack of copy paper. The books are paperback. According to the website, these books are more or less mid-range in difficulty. They are more challenging than, for example, the American Literature packs, but not quite as challenging as others such as the Shakespear packs. 

The four books studied in this pack are:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Charlotte Bronte by Jane Eyre 

There are also some other texts and poetry included in the guide.

Grade Level: 9-12
Author: Michael G. Gaunt
Publisher: Hewitt Homeschooling Resources
Publish Date: 2011, 3rd Edition
Binding: Perfect Bound
Dimensions: 8 1/2 by 11 inches
Number of Pages: 254
Item ID: 3442 A4A  ISBN: 978-1-57896-242-6

What are the pros of this product? I have to be honest and say that I don't really have a lot of experience with this type of curriculum, but it seems quite comprehensive to me. I like that it is so thorough and well organized. The book selections, as well as the selections that are printed in the book, seem to be rather well-rounded. I have read many books out loud to my children, and we have informally discussed them, but we really haven't done a lot of the more formal literature study. This seems like the perfect book for a family like ours.

What's not to like? I really like the teacher's guide, but I know that for someone like me, I'd prefer an actual book as opposed to a stapled pack of paper. It won't hold up as long as a book around here for sure! LOL

The Crazy Mom take: I am having my daughter, Bear, go through this curriculum. She's an avid reader, though she isn't much into studying books as she prefers to read for pleasure. This was actually addressed in the introduction as the author realizes that even he sometimes would rather read for pleasure than to study or, in his case, create a study. Bear is also not a fan of poetry or writing, but she is a good kid and always eager to help with a review.

So far, she feels this is a good curriculum. Would she do it for fun? No. However, she doesn't mind doing it for school and when fall comes, she will pick this back up and do it for credit. We'll continue to take it slowly, and will follow the year schedule. We didn't get through as much as we'd have liked to during the review period as she was gone for a week to camp and then I was gone a few days, but she did at least finish the introduction and most of the first unit, and she read all of Pride and Prejudice. She definitely preferred the Pride and Prejudice lesson better than the first lesson which focused on the poetry of William Blake because, as I said earlier, she prefers prose to poetry. 

I read through the introduction and found it very informative as it gives a brief overview of the basics of literature and writing. I also found the teacher's guide quite helpful and the grading helps are great. I consider myself a writer, but it's never been easy for me to critique or grade another's work beyond just correcting grammar and spelling. I mean, I know good writing when I read it, but it's nice to be able to really break it down and give more specific feedback. 

All in all, I feel this is a great curriculum and I look forward to picking it back up in the fall!

What's the bottom line? $53.73

I am going to give Lightning Literature and Composition Pack

British: Early to Mid 19th Century 5 out of 5 smileys!!! :) :) :) :) :) 

Check it out! 

https://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/Materials/mItem.aspx?id=8074

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See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

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*The Smiley System:

:) I can't really recommend this product.

:)  :) I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.

:)  :)  :) This is a good product, but it isn't right for everyone.

:)  :)  :)  :) Most homeschool moms will find this useful.

:)  :)  :)  :)  :) This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!!

Crazy Mom Strikes Again

I never cease to amaze myself.

So, the other day I went into the laundry room to switch over the load and start another. I tried to start the dryer and it wouldn't turn on. We've had some trouble with it, and I wasn't too happy because it wasn't a great time for it to break down, I mean, as if there ever is a great time for it to break down, right? I checked the plug, and I checked the fuse, and it all seemed good. Then I noticed that the door is wide open! I kid you not. LOL So, I closed the door and, wouldn't you know, it worked!

Then I went over to the washer and realized I hadn't even finished taking all the wet clothes out! No wonder I hadn't shut the dryer door. Ugh. I don't even know how I got distracted in the middle of that process, but I did. I guess I will never change. So I opened the door to the dryer back up and put in rest of the clothes. Of course, I shut it this time!

Sometimes I wonder how I have ever gotten this far in life. LOL

More Goals

I know I keep writing about goals and never seem to meet them. LOL I am here, once again, to try to make another list of goals and actually keep them. I actually still haven't done anything on my original list! It's terrible! I did, however, just make a huge dent in the laundry. I did a ton before vacation and I'm hoping to actually get caught up by the end of next week. You, know, I think that's enough of a goal. I'll stop there!

Goal list:
1. Catch up with laundry

Okay, that's it! LOL

Life is So Different

Just eight short years ago, all of my children were children. What I mean by that is they were all 17 and under. What on earth has happened? LOL Suddenly I have five, soon to be six, adult children, and my two youngest are now high school age! What???

This morning I just saw my four youngest off to church camp. One counselor and three campers. They are a whole state away! Yesterday my oldest just came home from a week-long trip with a friend where he drove several states away. Tomorrow my husband and I take off for a trip across the country for a week, and while we're gone, my third oldest son will be going camping for the weekend. While we're doing all that, my second oldest and his wife are house hunting. How did this crazy life happen? I remember the day when I had all eight of my kids 24/7 every single day. I could barely stand to drop them off at the church nursery. Now, they and we are spread out all over the place.

Am I totally calm cool and collected about all of this? No. But I have to face reality. One day they might all move out. Notice I say "might." It doesn't seem like that will ever happen, but I know it will. What will the next eight years bring? Only God knows. I told them all they weren't allowed to grow up, but they are doing it anyway. Kids never listen. LOL

New Review!!! Rush Revere!

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About the Book: As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I received a complimentary set of the Adventures of Rush Revere #1 New York Times Bestselling Book Series by Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh. Wow, that's quite a mouthful. LOL It is Rush Limbaugh we're talking about though. ;) 

Some people might be surprised to find out that Rush Limbaugh has written a book series for kids, but that's exactly what this is. The Adventures of Rush Revere series is about a substitute middle-school history teacher that travels back in time. His name is Rush Revere (yep!) and he and his horse Liberty, along with two of his students travel back to this country's founding to find out how things really went down. 

The five books in the series are as follows:

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims - As you might have guessed, the first book follows the story of the Pilgrims and their trip to the new world aboard the Mayflower. It also includes the story of their first winter and the very first Thanksgiving.

Rush Revere and the First Patriots - This book follows the event leading up to the American Revolution. Rush and the students get to meet people like Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, and even King George III! 

Rush Revere and the American Revolution - I think this one is obvious. LOL In this adventure the kids get to meet some of America's most famous founders, like George Washington and John Handcock. 

Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner - This one sounds the most interesting to me. Rush Revere takes the kids on a trip to Washington D.C., but then they travel back in time to meet Betsy Ross and see the Star-Spangles Banner written! 

Rush Revere and the Presidency - This one also sounds really cool. It's a bit more unique than other books I've seen as the kids actually get to see the first three presidents, Washington, Adams, and Jefferson, in action. Our first three presidents are some of the most interesting figures in our history and this book lets kids meet them in a fun and interesting way.

What are the pros of this book? These books look at the founding of America in a fun and entertaining way. They also include colorful illustrations and copies of original documents. They are written about middle-schoolers, but older kids, and even adults can easily enjoy them and even learn something!

What's not to like? Well, if you don't like Rush, you probably won't like it. Why? I don't know. That's just how people are. Haha. But, seriously, though, this is a book series from a conservative, so it has a conservative bent. I happen to think that is the probably pretty close to the right way to look at our history, to be honest. (And, yeah, you see what I did there.) 

The Crazy Mom take:

I have said it before, but these types of book are my favorite way to learn history. I absolutely despised history as a child. Despised it. It was all about dead people and events long ago. What did I care about all that? Really, there were "Brady Bunch" and "Happy Days" reruns to watch after all. Honestly, that's what really mattered to me as a kid. When I got older, I started reading biographies about actual human beings with dreams, feelings, and passions. What? These people could be interesting? Yes! They could be interesting, indeed. So, as a homeschool mom, I have tried to find books like this that are either biographies or historical fiction. Lo and behold, most of my kids actually enjoy them! 

Full disclosure: At first the Rush Revere character seemed a little silly to me. Rush's face imposed on a revolutionary figure. Really? I remember when these first came out. I actually thought they were more of a joke than anything. You know, just something to irritate liberals. LOL I often wondered what they were really like, but never got around to getting any. Then we got them to review and my daughter really liked them! Once I checked them out, I realized they are really pretty cool. Apparently, they are a great resource after all! (Who knew? I mean, I'm a pretty conservative gal, but I honestly didn't think Rush Limbaugh was the kinda guy I'd want to teach my kids. LOL)

Anyway, my daughter has only gotten through the first two books but plans to finish the series. She says "they are great books" and she thinks it is a "great history series and is a good way to introduce history to a kid who might not otherwise enjoy history." As a history lover herself, she says she couldn't put the book down and looks forward to finishing the rest.

I think I might just add these books to my summer reading list!

What's the bottom line? 

The book itself says $20 for the hardcover, but I found that the different retailers have it for varying prices. The book can also be purchased in audio and e-book formats for varying costs. Links to the book from several sellers are found on this page on the Rush Revere website.

I am going to give The Adventures of Rush Revere book series 5 out of 5 hearts!!! <3 b="" nbsp="">💗💗💗💗💗

<3 b="">

<3 b="">Check it out! http://www.rushrevere.com

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Six Down, Two to Go!!!

So, it's been a great weekend. Very busy, very stressful, but still great. Why? Because I just graduated my 6th student! Yep, my little Dode Man is now a grad. He graduated with a group of local homeschoolers in a very nice ceremony where he was able to be both a flag bearer and part of the pre-ceremony entertainment. He played drums and his sister, Princess, sang and played guitar. They did a great job! (Proud mom moment. What can I say?)

Soon Dode will start college and will (hopefully) be on his way to becoming a physics engineer. For right now, I just want him to clean the kitchen. (Yep, he is right here and I keep bugging him. LOL)

So, this fall it will be just me and Bear and Baber. It was more or less that way this year anyway, but now it's official. I can't believe I will be done in less than four years! It's almost unbelievable!

For now, though, I am going to try to enjoy my summer. I still have to plan for the upcoming school year, but it can wait. It's going by fast enough. I really don't even know what I'll do with myself when it's all over. One thing I can tell you is I'm going to have a big party. Ugh, but then I'll probably have to plan it. Maybe I'll just have my kids take me out to dinner. :)

Happy summer!

New Review! Milton Hershey: More than Chocolate

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About the book: As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I received a free copy of the book Milton Hershey: More than Chocolate, which is just one of 28 books in the Heroes of History series from YWAM Publishing. (See also the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series.) This is an autobiography of, yes, you guessed it, the man who started the company that makes Hershey Bars and Hershey Kisses, among other things. As the title states, though, his life was about more than just chocolate, and this is that story. Learn how he used his wealth to found a town for his workers, start a school for needy children, and start a foundation dedicted to education, culture, and health care. 

While we're at it, I should also let you know that there is also a downloadable unit study guide to go with the book, should you wish to use it. All study guides for the books can be found here. The guides are nice because they have different versions for small groups, classrooms, and homeschools. They contain questions to answer at the end of each chapter, ideas for hands-on activities, ideas for creative writing, etc. 

What are the pros of this book? These books are great. I really mean that. They are so well put together and interesting, yet easy to read. They are appropriate for older grade school kids and up. I am an adult (I think. LOL) and I absolutely love them. The Milton Hershey book is no different than the other books in the series. They basically follow the usual pattern of most biographies in that they follow the person's life from birth to death. I've never found anything inappropriate in any of the books. I had my daughter, Bear, read this book and she confirms that they are just as good as any of the others we've read. 


What's not to like? There is absolutely nothing not to like about this book or any of the other books in this series or the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series that we have read.


The Crazy Mom take: Like I said above, I love this series and also the Christian Heroes series. I'm going to say we've read at least a dozen of them, probably closer to 20. They are fantastic books. I didn't get a chance (yet) to read this one, but my daughter, Bear, did and said it was just as interesting and informative as the rest. Crazy coincidence, I wrote up this review yesterday, and when I later checked my Facebook, I saw that I had a memory from last year where I had posted a picture of two books from the Chrisitan Heroes that I had purchased! 

What's the bottom line? Regular Price: $9.99 YWAM Price: $7.50 

I am going to give Milton Hershey: More than Chocolate 5 out of 5 hearts!!! 💗💗💗💗💗   (Maybe I should make that kisses!)

Check it out! http://www.ywampublishing.com/p-1613-heroes-of-historybrmilton-hershey-more-than-chocolate.aspx

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