Ramblings From the Crazy House 2

Hi Tech Kids!

2012-02-13T12:08:00.001-05:00

Psst... Please take my poll in the sidebar! Thanks!!! :)

The other day my youngest son, Baber, who is eight, was on the laptop when he still had school and chores to do, so I took it away from him. The next thing I knew I found him sitting on the stairs with his portable DVD player! I confiscated that, and told him to get going on his list. He reluctantly gave it to me, and I took it and hid it.

I started going about my business when I saw him walking around, calculator in hand. Really? Is the kid that desperate to manipulate images on a screen? So then I had to take away the calculator! I finally realized that if I wasn't working along side him every step of the way he wasn't going to do anything he was supposed to be doing. It was either that or hide all the digital watches!

New Review and Giveaway from MyBlogSpark: Gevalia Coffee!!!

2012-02-10T14:57:00.002-05:00

Psst... Please take the poll in my sidebar! Pretty please. :)

Gevalia Kaffe is much more than your average `cup of joe.´ It´s a Swedish-style break from the usual coffee grind. Perfected by the Swedes´ passion for quality coffee for more than 150 years, Gevalia is an exquisitely rich smooth coffee experience that is never bitter. Gevalia isn´t just coffee, it´s `Kaffe´ to savor.

As part of the MyBlogSpark blogger program, I was blessed to recieve two samples of Gevalia coffe and a nice coffee Gevalia mug! And guess what? You can get two samples and a mug too! (BTW, when I say samples, these are not small bags.) Directions for the contest appear at the bottom of this post.

Okay, I must 'fess up, I won't actually be giving my own opinion, but a friend's. You see, as you know, this is The Crazy House. In The Crazy House things are broken on a regular basis. Not long ago my youngest son, Baber, was putting the pot from my coffee maker in the kitchen and he dropped it and broke it. Sooo.... I was unable to personally make this coffee at home. So, I did the next best thing. I took it to our homeschool co-op.

Well, since the coffee is made early, it was too late to make it this past week, so I couldn't taste it there, either. So, I did the next, next best thing. I offered up the second bag to the first person who would offer to test it out for me. Here's where the beautiful and talented Pamela comes in. Her dh is a coffee lover and she took it home for him to try. Here are her exact words:

"We really enjoyed this coffee. I liked how the packaging was easy to open, something I rarely find in coffee bags. Aroma was excellent, of course, and the coffee itself tasted really good. I would definitely purchase it. The one thing I'd say is that the bag I tried was labeled "medium" roast, but it seemed much stronger than a typical medium blend to me. All in all great coffee though. I'll just use less from now on."

Wow, this girl knows what she is talking about, I didn't even know what medium roast meant! LOL I understand regular and decaf, and flavored and non-flavored. I'm not exactly a barista. But I did keep the mug. I do like it! :)

Now here is some info I got from MyBlogSpark to give you a little more info about the coffee.

Gevalia is a luxurious departure from the everyday, an escape from the routine cup of coffee. Whether it´s a morning ritual made just for you, or the finishing touch at a dinner party, it brings the taste of Swedish-style luxury into your home.

In Sweden, where the citizens drink more coffee than almost anywhere else in the world, Gevalia is their preferred brand.

In fact, Gevalia enjoys the honor of being an official coffee of the Swedish Royal Court.

Gevalia, now available at Safeway, brings unexpected Swedish-style luxury and rich, never bitter taste to the Safeway grocery aisle.

Gevalia has been refining the art of luxurious coffee since 1853 and has a deep history of finding and blending the finest Arabica coffee beans from locations around the world.

Gevalia is expertly made with carefully selected beans, ground extra fine, to produce a rich coffee experience.

Previously available online only, Gevalia is now offering its top-ten varieties in U.S. coffee supermarket aisles nationwide in 10 varieties, including roast and ground, whole bean, flavored and decaffeinated varieties:

Now, here are the different varieties available!

Gevalia Traditional Roast (ground and whole bean): Gevalia Traditional Roast provides a perfectly balanced taste every time. Our most beloved blend - made of choice, mountain-grown Arabica beans - this coffee has a distinctive body and flavor with a lighter intensity. (Medium Roast).

Gevalia House Blend: A Gevalia favorite, House Blend is a robust yet never bitter coffee. This roast has a captivating aroma that is only matched by its exceptional flavor. (Medium/Dark Roast).

Gevalia House Blend Decaf : Delivering the same rich, never bitter flavor, House Blend Decaf has the same robust taste without all the caffeine. (Medium/Dark Roast).

Gevalia French Roast (ground and whole bean): Gevalia French Roast is a coffee of impressive richness and dimension, expertly crafted from prized Arabica beans grown in Colombia and Brazil. Hints of aromatic smoke give this dark-roasted French Roast blend an intense, yet uniquely satisfying flavor. (Dark Roast).

Gevalia Colombia: Grown high in the Colombian Andes, these beans produce a rich, bright and well-bodied Colombian coffee. This single origin classic is world-renowned, which is why we have sourced these beans for decades. (Medium Roast).

Gevalia Espresso Roast: Gevalia Espresso Roast is made of premium, mountain-grown Arabica beans from East Africa and Central and South America. This roast is bold and full-bodied with a hint of caramel undertones. (Dark Roast).

Gevalia Vanilla: This rich blend with vanilla flavor notes is crafted from choice mountain-grown Arabica beans, then roasted for exceptional body and flavor. Gevalia Vanilla is a flavorful and balanced experience with a heavenly aroma.

Gevalia Chocolate Mocha: Gevalia Chocolate Mocha allows you to indulge your passion for decadent flavor. Rich, velvety chocolate flavor is blended with mountain-grown Arabica beans for a sweetly satisfying experience.

Now for the contest!!!

Win the two bags of coffee and the mug in the picture above! Prizes to be supplied by Kraft:

◦(1) sample of the House Blend from Gevalia Kaffe

◦(1) sample of the French Roast Blend from Gevalia Kaffe

◦A Gevalia Kaffe branded coffee mug

Now, here are the instructions for the contest. Please read them CAREFULLY as I don't seem to be explaining them well enough. LOL

Leave a comment. Which variety of this coffee sounds good to you? Let me know in a comment ON THIS POST for one entry. Want more entries? Here are five more ways you can enter, for a total of six ways to enter! :)

Take my poll in the sidebar and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment HERE ON THIS POST letting me know you did. (If you've already taken the poll, just let me know in a comment and I will still count it as an additional entry.)

Follow me on facebook and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment HERE ON THIS POST. (If you already follow, just leave an addtional comment HERE ON THIS POST to let me know.)

Follow me on Twitter. and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment HERE ON THIS POST. (If you already follow, just leave an addtional comment HERE ON THIS POST to let me know.)

Follow me with Google Friend Connect and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment HERE ON THIS POST. (If you already follow, just leave an addtional comment HERE ON THIS POST to let me know.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment HERE ON THIS POST. . (See sidebar. If you already subscribe, just leave an additional comment HERE ON THIS POST to let me know.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in The Crazy House. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win, or I'll have to draw another winner. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to six entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, February 26, 2012. The winner will be chosen on Monday, February 27, 2012 or sometime soon after.

Kraft Foods has provided sample product to me and is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Ramblings from the Crazy House.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

People Pleasers and Potatoes

2012-01-31T23:32:00.002-05:00

Psst... Before you read, would you just take a second to take the poll in my sidebar? Please?

My name is Crazy Mom and I have a confession to make. I am a people pleaser. Yep, that's me. A people please, a peacemaker, a pacifist. In other words, my goal in life is to get others to like me and to avoid conflict at all cost. Okay, it's not my only goal, but it pretty much describes who I am.

I am not alone in my people pleasing ways. My sisters are both people pleasers too, as is my mother. Lord help us if we offend. We'll be traumatized for days. Be nice to us.

Now, I always knew our mom was a people pleaser, but I never realized how bad it was. You see, we were at my brother's house for Christmas, and we were all helping out in the kitchen. My older sister was washing dishes, and my mom and I were drying. As I wiped out a bowl I noticed some left over mashed potatoes so I cleaned them off and for whatever reason mentioned it to my mom. She proceeded to tell me that when she was new to the family, some fifty plus years ago, she was also in the kitchen helping dry dishes when she noticed some left over food. Suddenly she found herself in a horrible dilemma. Does she tell? I mean, she's a perfectionist, but dare she insult her hostess? Oh, my, what would she do? She kept silent, and did the best she could to eliminate the evidence. Fifty plus years late the memory still haunts her...

Now even I got a laugh out of that. I couldn't believe she was so perplexed. I told her I certainly didn't think anyone would have thought twice about it if she'd handed the dish back and let them know they'd missed something. Ah, but that is the life of a people pleaser. I mean, I certainly understand.

Now I'd bought two clear glass bowls of corn to the dinner, and I went to grab them before we left, but someone had already put them in the cupboard. The problem was, I'd forgotten exactly what they looked like. My sister-in-law pulled a few out of the cupboard. One I knew was mine, but I wasn't sure about the other. I took one, looked at it, and noticed something yellow in the bottom of the bowl. I wiped it out with my finger, and sure enough, it was butter. I felt like Monk at a crime scene! It was my bowl alright, I'd loaded that corn up with butter. So maybe missing a wee bit of food could be a good thing! I couldn't help but consider the irony of the situation. The bowl wasn't clean, but no one had noticed. Or maybe they did, and just didn't say anything. I wonder if my mom dried that one. :)

A New Opportunity! VocabularySpellingCity.com!

2012-01-30T12:47:00.021-05:00

Pssst! Would you please take my poll in the sidebar? ;)

Hello everyone! :)

I've been given a premium membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review.

VocabularySpellingCity.com helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as MatchIt Sentences, HangMan, and Word-O-Rama. Parents can create their own spelling lists, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of free teaching resources on topics such as analogies and compound words. Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.

I'm really excited about this because several of my kids have dyslexia and spelling has always been a challenge. However, any game on the computer is always popular around here, so it sounds like it will be a great fit for us!

There might be more free memberships available for bloggers. If you're interested, find out how you can review VocabularySpellingCity.com.

Happy Spelling! :)

Movie Review: A Mile in His Shoes

2012-01-21T15:50:00.001-05:00

Psst! Would you please take the poll in my sidebar?

As part of the propeller blogger program I was sent a DVD copy of A Mile in his Shoes to review so I could share my thoughts with you. I am also blessed to be able to give a copy away. (Contest details follow the review.)

First let me say, I have really been enjoying the fact that there seems to be a lot more decent family films out there these days. Finally! For a while there it was almost impossible to find a movie that I could watch with my family without feeling I was compromising my faith. Well, A Mile in His Shoe is yet another great movie!

I love being able to share these great finds with you, but I have to admit, I kinda hate writing the reviews because I am the kind of person who really doesn't like to know a whole lot about a movie before I see it. Ever see a trailer that is like a mini version of the movie? I hate that! LOL So, I find it hard to write a review without giving too much away. LOL So, I'll just give you a little hint about what the movie is about. :)

From the director of Angels in the Outfield, this new movie, A Mile in His Shoes stars Dean Cain and Luke Schroder (son of Ricky Schroder) and is about a semi-professional baseball coach named Arthur Murphy (Murph) who accidentally stumbles across a young man named Mickey who is a naturally gifted pitcher. The only glitch is that Mickey has Asperger's Syndrome (a form of autism) and is the son of very protective parents who are reluctant to allow Mickey to play ball. When they finally give in, Mickey learns about a whole new world that exists outside his farm, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yes, it's a baseball movie, but it's more of a movie about learning to love, reach out, and take chances. It's also about forgiveness.

I watched this film with my daughter and we both really enjoyed it. It had a great message, but wasn't overtly preachy. I'd like to see a lot more films like this where it portrays Christian people in a positive light, but is not targeted to a exclusively Christian audience. A Mile in His Shoes also helps people to understand a little more about , autism and Asperger's Syndrome, which is always a good thing. Mickey is different, but he's a great kid and worth getting to know.

For more info about this movie check out these links:

Website: http://www.watchgmctv.com/video/mile-his-shoes#biography

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Mile-In-His-Shoes/270101973014772?sk=wall

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev2T0BFetH4

Dove Foundation Review: http://www.dove.org/reviewmasterframe.asp

Would you like to win your own copy of A Mile in His Shoes? To enter, please leave a comment on this post. You can also earn additional entries by doing the following:

Take my poll in the sidebar and leave AN ADDITIONAL comment letting me know you did. (If you've already taken the poll, just let me know in a comment and I will still count it as an additional entry.)

Follow me on facebook. (If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me on Twitter. (If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar. If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar. If you already subscribe, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to six entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, February 5, 2012. The winner will be chosen on Monday, February 6, 2012 or sometime soon after.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

4 Degrees of Separation

2012-01-03T19:46:00.006-05:00

Psst! Please take the poll in my sidebar! :)

Some like it hot. I am one of those someones! If I were in charge, my thermostat would be set at at LEAST 72 degrees. Sane Man, on the other hand, likes it at 68 degrees. At that temp I am in fuzzy socks, boots, a turtleneck, a scarf, and a sweater. I am always sneaking it up a few degrees when he leaves, and then sometimes I forget all about it and he comes home to a nice warm home. I then have to very sneakily set it back to 68 which can be tricky because the thermostat is in the direct line of sight from his favorite chair. Thankfully, he often takes a quick trip to the bedroom or bathroom before sitting down.

This got me to thinking about the Garden of Eden. It was paradise, right? Well, I seriously don't know any couple that is in full agreement on temperature. Most of the ladies I know are always cold and their dh's always are hot. (Yeah, my dh is hot! LOL) The rare few gals I know that like the heat lower seem to have married those few rare guys who are always cold. So how could it be paradise for both Adam AND Eve? Could they have possibly agreed on the same temperature? Hmmm...

So, after pondering it a bit, I decided it probably had a whole lot less to do the temperature than it did with the fact that in Eden they hadn't yet sinned. Adam and Even were not obsessed with their own personal comfort like we tend to be as fallen people. Maybe if I were more focused on my husband's needs than my own I would not be so dead set on making myself comfortable. Plus, it would be a lot cheaper. Well, until summer. ;)

Image obtained here.

Take My Poll!!!

2012-01-02T17:55:00.000-05:00

I just added a little poll to my sidebar. I'm trying to decide just exactly what my readers are looking for. I know that I've been doing mostly reviews and haven't posted a whole lot of personal stuff. I thought I'd see if that's something you're looking for or if it's the reviews you want. Vote today!!!

New Review, Contest, and a Special Offer! Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure :)

2011-12-07T21:05:00.004-05:00

I recently reviewed a sweet little book called Cooper and Me. I was especially impressed because it was co-written by an 11 year-old, Alexa Peters, along with her mother, Monique. Alexa even drew the illustrations! I received the book free as part of the propeller blogger program. So, when propeller contacted me to review another Cooper and Me book, I was happy to do so!

In Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure, Cooper and his friend Bella go off on an adventure in the snow, and find themselves lost. Cooper and Bella must then howl until another friend, Trooper, hears them and barks back. The two lost dogs follow the sound of Trooper's barking to get back home. This book would be a great way to teach your child what to do if he or she was ever lost. One of my daughters wandered off once, and I was so glad she knew what to do. The book retails for $12.99.

Special Note: $1 of every Winter Adventure book sold will go to advance research and treatment of pancreatic cancer, via the Lustgarten Foundation. (http://www.lustgarten.org/)

Also, our friends at Cooper and Me will be offering an EXCLUSIVE DEAL FOR MY BLOG READERS: Make any purchase of $25 or more at CooperandMe.com and get FREE SHIPPING now through December 15.

YOU MUST USE THIS CODE @ Check Out: COOPERBLOG

For more information check out these links:

Website: http://www.cooperandme.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooper-and-Me-Inc/214695101924101

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cooper_and_me

The contest:

Now for the giveaway! Would you like to get a free copy of Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure? If so, just leave me a comment telling me who you'd read it with. ;) You can leave a comment either here or on my facebook page. For additional entries:

Follow me on facebook. (If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me on Twitter. (If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar. If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar. If you already subscribe, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to five entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, December 23, 2011. The winner will be chosen on Monday, December 26, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or servicesmentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:
"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Out of Context

2011-12-01T20:05:00.002-05:00

The other day I was at church when I got a text message from my bestest friend. It said: Luke went out on "seizure." Well, some of her kids seem to go through little spells where they faint a lot, but never Luke, and they've never had actual siezures. I found the way she worded it a little odd, so I asked my husband if he thought that it meant that Luke had a seizure. He assumed it did, but I told him I was going to text back to be sure. He tried to tell me not to bother her, but I had to know. So I texted: Huh, Luke had a siezure?

A few minutes later I my phone beeped, and I quickly grabbed it. Here's what the text said: No. He was in Spelling Bee. Suddenly it all made sense to me. I had known about the spelling bee but had forgotten all about it. LOL Apparently she also sent the message to another friend who was teaching a class who actually stopped the class to pray for Luke, and who also prayed for him every time she woke up that night!

Communication is a funny thing sometimes, and people often misinterpret each other whether via text, e-mail, facebook, and even face to face. Thinking about that makes me appreciate my relationship with God all the more. He knows what I mean every single time, even when I don't even know myself!

Total Transformation Review (Part 2)

2011-11-30T19:26:00.001-05:00

Okay, I know a lot of people have been very anxious to hear all about my experiences with the Total Transformation program. Well, I am still very much working through the program. Initially, my hope was to listen to one CD a week, implement what I learned, and blog about it. However, it's not that simple. I have been listening to the CDs, and they are so full of information that I cannot possibly digest everything just listening to the CD once. Then there are the workbook pages to fill out, then there is LIFE! LOL

Let me start out by saying that I had heard about this program for years before I got a chance to try it. I always wondered if it really was as great as it sounded. I even got online and tried to find reviews of it, but wasn't having much luck. I found a few positive ones, but they seemed to be affiliates. I found one negative review, one, and it was by a guy who never even had used or even seen it! I was just dying to know what it was all about, but it seemed to be the world's best kept secret. (Which isn't actually true, you can even get a free parenting newsletter.)

I really honestly thought that Total Transformation was just some money making scam. Then I got the program and watched the DVD. I might have heard it before, but I didn't remember that the creator of the program, James Lehman, was actually a very troubled youth. He was a heroin addict and even served prison time. So, I guess this guy knew something about troubled kids. (Sadly, I also learned that James Lehman passed away last year.) He also worked for years as a Childhood Behavioral Therapist.

I liked James Lehman and the program right away. Yes, he does take more of a tough love approach than I am used to using. I am not tough. At all. I am a wimp. Or was. LOL I'm learning. Here's just one thing I've learned. I'm a negotiator. Here's a real life example: I had to run a few errands and told my youngest son, Baber, that if he had his whole list done when I got home he could have a reward. (I actually forgot now what it was. LOL) Anyway, I got home and it wasn't done. Old Me would have renegotiated and told him he could still get the reward if he did it in "x" amount of minutes. New Me simply told him that he didn't do what I'd asked and wouldn't get the reward. Period. He tried to renegotiate, but I held my ground. If I keep it up, he'll soon know that I say what I mean, and mean what I say. Simple, perhaps obvious, but I was always negotiating and renegotiating. Yes, things were getting done, but not when they needed to be done, and every one of my kids seems to have a future in law.

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me back up a bit. I've watched the DVD, listened to the first three CDs, did the workbook pages that go along with the first three CDs, and listened to the Bonus CD. The program starts out by explaining the "whys" of your child's behavior. Then the program goes on to explain how different parents respond to bad behavior. I pretty much knew where I was having trouble, I knew I was a wimp. LOL Then, and here's the part I like, James Lehman explains exactly how to change wrong parenting patterns which will, in turn, change wrong patterns of behavior in children. That's the plan, anyway! So far I have taken so few baby steps, I can't say I've had a total transformation with any of them, but I do think I am on my way.

I will share just one more thing I learned. I have always tried to get inside my kids' heads when they did something wrong, especially if it was something, well, shall we say, uh, stupid? Yeah, my kids do some things that are really just kinda dumb, and I am left scratching my head. So, I ask them why. Why? Why? Why do they do these things? Well, James Lehman doesn't recommend asking why. When you ask a child "why" when he does something that is clearly wrong, and I mean when you know that your child knows it was wrong before he even did it, you are actually implying that there is a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, why would you ask for one? He explains it much better than I do, but it made total sense to me. Of course! There is no reason "why" they did what they did other than they chose to break the rule. That is all you need to know. If you are doing the program you will have a pre-determined consequence for breaking the rule. If you follow through with that you won't need to ask why, because if you are consistent, the behavior will end! (Okay, not making a promise here, but stating a general principle.)

I do have to share one more thing I learned. It was kinda eye-opening. Since listening to this program, I have had a few incidences with the kids. I've actually figured out that a couple of my more difficult children (Did I just say that? LOL) naturally have been using these very techniques on me! Here's one of them: When someone starts to argue, walk away. My son did this very thing the other day. I was upset about something and started to lecture him. He turned and walked out of the room and into the basement. What?! LOL You know, it worked! The discussion stopped. I totally felt defeated, and though I don't know for sure, I can only guess that he felt quite in control of the situation. Now, just to be the one to walk away first. LOL

My youngest son likes to walk away too, but not until making his demand. He says it like he means it, walks away, and just expects it to happen. The other day I was getting ready to give him peas with dinner. He looked at me and calmly and firmly told me, "I don't want peas." Then he walked away with authority. I actually had to talk myself into making him eat the peas because he spoke with such determination and conviction. Then, when I gave him his dinner he said very calmly, and again, with determination and conviction, "I said I don't want peas." Again, I had to take a deep breath and talk myself into giving him the peas! (I tend to avoid confrontations, can you tell?) In both of these cases I kinda had to chuckle to myself. I mean, maybe I don't need James Lehman, I could learn from these kids! LOL

Anyway, like I said earlier, I am not done with the program. I am really just still taking it all in. I have realized that the name of the program refers a whole lot more to me, than to my children. I do have a lot of bad parenting habits that I need to break, or I could say, that need a Total Transformation. It won't happen overnight. It's not magic. I can't guarantee yet that it works, but I am sure liking what I see so far. The few things I have been able to implement have seemed to work. I'm pretty much already a believer.

Is the program really anything new? No, I imagine that most of this info is really just common sense that could be gleaned elsewhere. Why buy it then? Well, it's just so well put together. All the information is organized for you to work through, step by step. There are the CDs, the workbook exercises, and there's even additional support you can get with the free newsletter and the parenting hotline. (Once you get the program you can, for an additional fee, get access to a parenting hotline that you can call to get help in any situation.)

Are you interested yet? Here is a link to the program:

Child Discipline Methods – http://www.thetotaltransformation.com/

Here's where you can get the free parenting newsletter:

http://www.empoweringparents.com/parenting-newsletter.php

I needed to get this review up today because I was asked to have it done by December 1. However, I will be continuing to use the program and, God willing, will continue to blog about my progress!!! I hope you'll stay tuned!

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Happy Parenting!!!

New Review and Giveaway! FFH's One Silent Night Christmas CD

2011-11-29T21:17:00.003-05:00

Contest Closed!

A couple of weeks ago, as part of the propeller blogger program, I was able to download FFH's latest Album, One Silent Night, free of charge so that I could check it out and let you know my thoughts. Before we get to those, however, I'd like you to check out the press release.

Press Release for FFH:

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Sept. 30, 2011– Best-selling pop group FFH will usher in the holiday season with its first Christmas album. One Silent Night, available Oct. 18, is a mix of original songs and Christmas classics.

Produced by FFH founding member Jeromy Deibler, One Silent Night has been four years in the making. Giving in to the persistent appeals of loyal fans, FFH has crafted a project worthy of your holiday music collection.

Listeners will recognize favorites like “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and “Jingle Bell Rock,” among others, while being introduced to new tracks including “The Birthday of a King,” “Glorious Impossible,” and “One Silent Night.”

Deibler comments, “We just feel blessed to be able to make this record and wanted to do the kind of Christmas music we like to listen to, something that’s not trendy but more of a classic style. For us Christmas is about remembering… slowing down to see what is important. And being reminded of the glorious impossible that was the birth of Christ. We hope this album reflects that desire and inspires others to do the same.”

FFH plans to support the album with singles “One Silent Night” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” to radio Oct. 1 as well as select tour dates in November and December.

About FFH:

Pop vocal group FFH has released thirteen projects, sold more than two million albums, and garnered 24 radio hits, including seven No. 1 singles and ten Top 5 radio singles. In addition to multiple Dove Award nominations, FFH has been recognized at the Inspirational Life Awards as well as the Billboard Music Video Awards. The group has performed more than 1000 dates since 2000 and continues to be a favorite on the tour circuit. FFH is also known for its work with the “Make-A-Wish Foundation,” Kurt Warner’s “First Things First Foundation,” and for its contributions to national ad campaigns for Coca Cola and IBM.

My thoughts:

You know, I'm sure that since FFH has had so much success I've heard some of their music, but to be honest, I am not familiar with their work. I really had no idea what to expect from this album. However, it's Christmas music! How can it not be good! LOL I don't know why, but even though I have some very specific ideas as to what kinds of music I like, I am simply just not all that picky when it comes to Christmas music. Perhaps the holidays make me more open-minded, perhaps it's just the spirit of the season, but I pretty much like any style of Christmas music. Period. As the years go by, I find myself beginning to dread the hectic, materialistic side of Christmas, so I have to crank up the music to get in the mood. Somehow it works!

So I checked out the album, and sure enough, I started to feel "Christmasy!" Would I like FFH's other albums? I'm not sure. However, I do feel that I can recommend this album for anyone who likes Christmas music. I mean, it's Christmas music, how can it not be good! LOL

For more info, please check out the following websites:

Website: http://ffh.net/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FFHmusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/FFHMusic

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/one-silent-night/id474548207

The contest:

Now for the giveaway! Would you like to get a free download of One Silent Night? If so, just leave me a comment telling me your favorite Christmas song. ;) You can leave a comment either here or on my facebook page. For additional entries:

Follow me on facebook. (If you already follow just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me on Twitter. (If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar. If you already follow, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar.If you already subscribe, just leave a separate comment to let me know.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to five entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, December 11, 2011. The winner will be chosen on Monday, December 12, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:
"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

New Movie Review and Giveaway! The Christmas Lodge!

2011-11-27T15:15:00.005-05:00

Contest Closed!

I was sent a DVD copy of The Christmas Lodge as part of the propeller blogger review program so that I could watch it and share my thoughts with you. Check out the synopsis provided by propeller, then keep reading to get my thoughts and find out how win your own copy!

Synopsis:

Thomas Kinkade presents Christmas Lodge: a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now-dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

Check out the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1554553881/

My thoughts:

I actually watched this movie a few weeks ago, back in early November. I admit, it was a bit early for a Christmas movie, but I still found myself enjoying it. Okay, it's another "feel good" movie, and one with few real surprises, but there's actually something strangely satisfying about knowing everything's going to "turn out all right in the end" and watching it all play out in front of you. Even Sane Man liked it. :)

I suppose the thing I liked best about the movie was the closeness between Mary and her family. You hear about so few families today that can even seem to get along, so to see a functional family in a movie is a breathe of fresh air. I also appreciated the fact that God was part of the family's life and that they allowed Him to lead them in their endeavors to rebuild the Christmas Lodge. I did find the whole idea of Mary's grandmother "speaking to her" from heaven a little odd, but not so much that it took away from my enjoyment of the movie. I'd call it a "chick-flick" but, like I said, even Sane Man liked it, so I guess I can recommend it to everyone! :)

The Contest!

And now for the giveaway! Would you like to win your own copy of The Christmas Lodge? If so, just leave me a comment telling me who you'd watch it with. ;) You can leave a comment either here or on my facebook page.

For additional entries:

Follow me on facebook. (If you already follow, still leave an additional comment for an extra entry.)

Follow me on Twitter. (If you already follow, still leave an additional comment for an extra entry.)

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar. If you already follow, still leave an additional comment for an extra entry.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar. If you already subscribe, still leave an additional comment for an extra entry.)

The rules:

You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to five entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, December 11, 2011. The winner will be chosen on Monday, December 12, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Happy movie watching!!! :)

New Review and Giveaway! Cooper and Me!

2011-11-26T21:40:00.001-05:00

Contest Closed.

A while back I got a cute little book called Cooper and Me from the good folks at propeller. I read it, put it aside, then forgot about it! LOL So, here I am sheepishly posting the "better late than never" review. ;)

This is a neat book because the illustrator and co-author is a child! Check out the press release, and then read my thoughts. :)

About Cooper and Me:

Cooper and Me was illustrated by 11-year-old Alexa Peters and co-written with her mother, Monique Peters. The idea was inspired by Alexa's own experiences on her first day of school. A talented young artist and writer, Alexa wanted to give back to others in a meaningful way through her art. Starting at a very young age, Alexa created illustrated stories about her daily experiences, and from the pages of her sketchbooks came the idea for her first book, Cooper and Me.

Through rhythmic verses, Cooper and Me tells the story of a young girl who is nervous as her first day of school approaches. She is frightened about leaving home and doesn't want to go without her best friend, her dog Cooper. Fortunately her mother finds the perfect solution to help the little girl overcome her fears – a small replica of her beloved pet she can take to school with her. In Cooper and Me, the story of a child’s fears about starting school has evolved into a timeless tale about overcoming separation anxiety and trying new things – basic emotions all people experience throughout their lives – but this time, written by a child, for children.

The story behind Cooper and Me also offers an inspiring example of families working together to help others. In addition to helping young children gain emotional resilience and confidence through their books, Alexa and mom Monique wanted to go beyond that to help less fortunate kids. Their search for an organization to which they could donate a portion of the proceeds from the Cooper and Me book led to a charitable alliance with the Happy Hearts Fund, founded and run by Petra Nemcova, the supermodel who was directly affected by the tsunami in Thailand. Happy Hearts improves children’s lives through education and sustainable programs in natural disaster areas.

My thoughts:

I found this to be an adorable book. Admittedly, I am a homeschool mom, so the whole "first day of school" aspect of the book didn't apply to my family. I mean, we school at home and our dog is right here with us! LOL However, we still have had first days at Sunday school, co-op, etc. So, while I know most of my readers are also homeschoolers, I can still recommend this book. I mean, what a cool thing that it's written by a little girl! Even if you don't send your child to kindergarten, you can still enjoy the book and talk to your child about living out your dreams. Maybe your child wants to write or illustrate books. Maybe they have other dreams. Maybe they have no dreams, and this will inspire them to do something more exciting than reach the next level of the latest video game. LOL

Wanna find out more? Check out the link below.

Website: http://http://www.cooperandme.com/

And now for the giveaway! Would you like to win your own copy of Cooper and Me? If so, just leave me a comment telling me who you'd read it to. ;) You can leave a comment either here or on my facebook page. For additional entries:

Follow me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ENTRY for up to five entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 4, 2011. The winner will be chosen on Monday, December 5, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Happy Reading!!! :)

Last Day for FREE MILK and to win a $25 Kroger Card!!!

2011-11-26T00:17:00.001-05:00

Contest Closed.

Purchase any four participating General Mills products like Cheerios, Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies, Nature Valley Bars and Fiber One Bars* that your family knows and loves, and Kroger will reward you for your purchases. It´s that simple! Head on over to your local Kroger to take advantage of this great offer. You will either receive free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) or to receive $3 off your shopping order.**

*Excludes General Mills meal and baking products including; Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Progresso, Hamburger Helper, Macaroni Grill, Wanchai Ferry, Yoplait

**Promotion varies based on store location; check your local Kroger store for details. (Cash Offer: Mid South, Delta, Mid Atlantic, SW Louisiana stores, Central Missouri stores and Dillons Missouri stores)

Check out these sites for more Kroger info!

Kroger Website http://bit.ly/Krogerfreemilk

Kroger Facebook Page http://on.fb.me/KrogerMilk

Kroger Twitter Page http://bit.ly/KrogerTwitter

Wanna win a $25 Kroger card? Today is the final day to enter! Leave a comment either here or on my facebook page to enter. You can also earn additional entries by doing the following:

Follow me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar.)

The rules: You must be 13 years old or older to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDTIONAL ENTRY for up to five entries per person. More than one person may enter per household if they are at least 13 years old. That's about it. :)

The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. on November 26, 2011. The winner will be chosen on November 27, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

Happy Krogering!

Good Golly Miss Molly! A Hand Soap Review! :)

2011-11-21T16:26:00.121-05:00

Hey everyone! Guess what? I am once again trying out for a new gig. As you might know, I reviewed for the TOS (The Old Schoolhouse) Crew for three years and loved it, but this year I decided it was time to take a little break. Things are getting crazy (okay, crazier) around here with six kids still being homeschooled, as well as all of them growing up and getting involved in millions of activities. Okay, so it's nowhere near millions, but some days it feels like it. I feel like I pretty much have the homeschooling down to a science; it's the housework and cooking that suffers.

Enter Molly Green. Who is Molly Green, you might ask? She's the ultimate frugal, creative housewife! She's the head of Molly Green/Econobusters, a sister company TOS, but she focuses more on the home ec side of things rather than the homeschool side of things. So, I thought this just might be the perfect fit. If I end up on the review team, I'll be reviewing things like cleaning supplies, household items, and maybe even some food. Yum! (Oh, and I might also add that Molly is a cartoon! LOL)

So "Molly" asked if I'd post a sample review. I decided to share about a homemaking product that we all absolutely love. It's Family Dollar aloe vera moisturizing hand soap! (The bottle actually says that you can compare it to Softsoap (R) aloe vera handsoap.) I hadn't used liquid soap for years assuming my kids would go crazy with it and waste it. A few months ago, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot. So, I picked up a 7.5 oz bottle one day for a dollar. (Be still my frugal heart!) I was thrilled to find it because it's one of very few handsoaps I've found that is not antibacterial. I'm allergic to anti-bacterial soap, and it makes my hands break out. So I was a happy girl. (And the kids have actually been good with it!)

I love this soap because it's definitely not cheap and runny, has a pleasant scent, and makes my hands nice and soft. I wash my hands a lot, and I love that it doesn't make them dry. When we recently ran out, I bought another brand that was just awful. It was very thin and runny and just didn't do the job. Well, maybe it did, but it sure didn't feel like it. Okay, so I'm not a scientist, but there is something about having nice, thick, soapy bubbles that makes you feel clean. :) I can vouch for the fact that the Family Dollar aloe vera soap does clean amazingly well. Sane Man has been working on our vehicles a lot, and the soap cleans all the grease and oil off his hands like a charm. Normally he has to use a special mechanic's soap when he works on cars, but so far this has been all that he has needed. He was really amazed at how well this soap works!

We've also found that this soap is great at getting stains out of clothing. I don't know if that means it's harsh, but it doesn't seem to be. Since our laundry chute is in the bathroom, every time one of us gets something on our clothing (you know, like once or twice a day, lol) I just clean it really well with the soap and throw it down the chute. So far I've had great success. I've even tried it on a few set in stains. I can't say it works every time, but I've had at least as much success with it as I've had with any other stain remover.

We love Family Dollar's aloe vera handsoap so much that we are now buying the 64 oz. refill bottles. I pick up all they have of it in stock when we get down to one bottle, and my husband told me to see if I can order a case! So, yeah, we like it. :)

I'd also like to add that Family Dollar actually sells other handsoaps including clear, antibacterial, milk and honey, and shea butter. I cannot vouch for any of the other soaps, not having tried them, but I am thinking of trying the shea butter as I have used other shea butter products and love how they feel. If I find something else to love, I'll let ya know!

Recap:

The product: Family Dollar aloe vera handsoap

Where to get it: Family Dollar :)

The pros: This soap in inexpensive, but feels like an expensive soap, leaves your hands soft and clean, has a nice scent, and even gets stains out of your clothing! Also, for those who don't want an antibacterial soap, this is a great choice!

The cons: I find nothing not to like about this soap; however, it is not antibacterial if that is something you prefer. (They do carry an antibacterial soap, but I have not tried it.)

The bottom line: The pump bottle is only $1.00 and the refill is only $3.65. What a bargain! :)

Rating*: Home Run!

Check it out yourself at a Family Dollar near you. To find the nearest location, click here.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I bought and paid for this product myself, have no connection to Family Dollar other than the fact that I shop there, and have received no compensation for this review. I just liked it so much, I thought I'd let you know."

*Rating Scale

Home Run! This product is totally awesome, and I'd recommend it to anyone!

Triple! This product is great, and I think almost anyone would like it.

Double! This product is good, and it would probably work for some people, but not everyone.

Single! This is an okay product that some people might like, but I wouldn't recommend it for most people.

Strike Out! This is not a good product, and I could not, in good conscience, recommend it to anyone.

Happy lathering! :)

New Review and Contest! What is He Thinking?? by: Rebecca St. James

2011-11-10T12:19:00.004-05:00

Contest Closed

I recently finished reading What is He Thinking?? by Rebecca St. James, a book she wrote about dating, love, and marriage that I recieved free as part of the propeller blogger program. Check out the press release, then read my thoughts.

About What Is He Thinking??

In What is He Thinking??, Rebecca interviews a range of men from high-profile types to the guys next door, men that every woman can relate to. Although the interviews focus on single guys ages 20-35, Rebecca also includes words of wisdom from older mentors she respects who have been successfully married for years, people like her dad, life coach, and pastor.

The men share their thoughts on topics like how women can respect themselves and the men in their lives, modesty, purity, taking it slow, friendship, letting guys lead, and more. This book gives them the floor to say what they would really like women to know.

The men respond candidly to questions such as:

•What is the most attractive quality to you in a woman?

•Is modesty truly attractive?

•Is neediness a turn-off?

•What do you find beautiful?

•How can we be dependent on God for our identity, not on you?

•How can we help you with boundaries physically?

Rebecca also discusses her own dating life, speaking openly about the single life, her struggle with loneliness, and her hope for the future. She challenges women to see the men in their lives as brothers in Christ and to trust God with their dating lives.

About Rebecca

Australian born Rebecca St. James is a Grammy Award winner and a multiple Dove Award recipient, with international success that has driven her record sales into the millions. In January 2008, she was named Favorite Female Artist in Contemporary Christian Music by readers of CCM Magazine for the seventh consecutive year. Rebecca also won Best Female Artist of 2007 from Christianitytoday.com-her fifth consecutive year to be given this honor. She's been involved in several film productions and voiced the character of Hope the Angel in VeggieTales' bestselling DVD production The Easter Carol. You can read more about Rebecca on her official Web site: www.rsjames.com or on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/RSJames.

My thoughts:

I had sort of mixed feelings about this book, mostly because it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a "the results of an anonymous survery" kind of book. Instead, the book is from the perspectives of only Godly Christian men. While this is good, I think sometimes girls need to know what other guys think, because so often I see them dating non-Chrisitians not realizing how differently they think about just about everything. Also, and I hate to say it, a lot of the Christian guys often don't have the purest intentions when dating either. This is just reality folks. So, while she interviewed some really great guys, I think they were not really an accurate representation of guys everywhere. That being said, there were some great guys, and reading this would really help a girl know what to look for.

There is much to love about this book. For one, she doesn't even discuss teen dating. This book is not about hanging out and having a "bf "so you can post mushy stuff on facebook for all the world to see. This book is about finding a mate for life. This is, in my humble opinion, what the purpose of dating should be. I think the youngest guy she quotes in the book is 18, and hasn't even dated yet. The rest of the guys are all older.

I also liked that she did discuss things like boundaries. Compared to most folk, she is very conservative. She gives a lot of great advice. I am a bit more conservative, however, and a few things I thought were not something I would advise. For example, in one part of the book she talked about a rule that stated that you should never sit on a bed with a guy. Okay, I'm all for that, but I would advise to stay out of the bedroom completely, and even out of the house if no one else is home.

So, do I recommend the book? For just about everyone, yes. For those who are following a more strict "courtship model," no. My suggestion is that if you are a parent, you can click on the OpenBook link below to read the first 10% of the book. If you feel comfortable with that, buy it, finish reading it, then if you feel it represents your family's dating philosophy, by all means buy it and share it with your daughter. Or, better yet, you could win the book! Check out how right after these links:

Facebook (Author): http://www.blogger.com/Facebook%20(Author):%20http://www.facebook.com/RSJames

Facebook (Book): http://www.facebook.com/whatishethinkingRSJ

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rebeccastjames

Website: http://rsjames.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/rsjchannel

Link to HBG website book detail page: http://goo.gl/RTy0O

OpenBook Link: http://goo.gl/BWgEs (preview the first 10% of the book)

Would you like to win this book? It's easy! Simply comment on why you would like to win it. Having trouble with comments here on the blog? Leave a comment on the Crazy Mom Facebook Page instead. (I'd love it if you'd do both, but I am only counting one as an entry.) For up to four additional entries, you can do the following:

Follow me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar.)

Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar.)

The rules: You must be 13 to enter and not live in my house. :) Please leave your e-mail address or some other way I can contact you if you win. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ADDTIONAL ENTRY. That's about it. :)

The contest will end at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, November 27, 2011. I'll draw the winner Monday, November 28, 2011 or sometime soon after.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

New Review and Contest: Revolution Worship

2011-11-04T00:17:00.000-04:00

As part of the propeller review program I was able to download and listen to the new Revolution Worship Live! My World Revolution CD. Before I give you my thoughts, check out this press release:

About Revolution Worship LIVE:

“Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International”, is a tremendous Praise & Worship album with a powerfully inspiring collection of songs that is unparalleled to any other Praise & Worship series in it’s category. Filled with meaningful lyrics and sincere, personal worship, “Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International” masterfully demonstrates authenticity at it’s best. From fiery, electrifying tracks with edgy, rock-driven guitar to peaceful, intimate tracks, this album focuses on pointing attention to God.

And because it’s recorded live, you get to experience the congregational feel of being in a vibrant church service.

Infusing musical quality with a spiritual impact that raises the bar on what to expect in new Praise & Worship music, “Revolution Worship…Live At Joy Church International” brings you a brand new worship experience.

From start to finish, this release is about the act of ministering uncompromisingly God-centered music through pure, heart-felt praise!

My thoughts:

This is a very professionally done CD, especially considering the fact that it's done live. I do have to admit, however, that this isn't the particular style of music I normally listen to. However, while it's not what I'd listen to for entertainment, I'll take some TobyMac or Newsboys, please, I can see myself worshipping to some of these songs in a corporate setting. For someone who does enjoy this style of music on a regular basis, this is really well done, as I said, and would probably quickly become a favorite album. Actually, Sane Man has some CDs that seem to have similar styles to this and he loves them. To each his own! I know I haven't given the music much of a description, but you can check that out for yourself by clicking on these links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MyWorldRevolution

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MWRevolution

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/revolution-worship-live/id467741849

Video: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2371896618238

Now for the contest!

Would you like to win your own Revolution Worship CD? To enter to win, simply leave a comment either here or on the Crazy Mom facebook page. Just tell me why you want to win this CD. You can gain more entries by doing the following:

Follow me on facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow me with Google Friend Connect. (See sidebar.)
Subscribe to my blog via Feedburner. (See sidebar.)

YOU MUST LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EVERY WAY YOU WISH TO ENTER!!! Also, make sure you leave me an e-mail address or some other way for me to contact you if you win. :)

I will run this contest until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, November 20, 2011. I'll draw the winner on Monday, November 21, 2011. Anyone can enter as long as he or she is at least 13 years old and doesn't live in my house. :)

The fine print:

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

So... I've started the Total Transformation! (Part 1)

2011-10-24T09:46:00.001-04:00

I just might be the latest skeptic turned convert! So far I am liking what I see/hear. Can't say I've done anything to really utilize the program, but I am learning. I told a friend at church yesterday that if this program really works like they say it will, I will be out spreading the word like an evangelist. We shall see!

I have watched the Jump Start DVD and have listened to most of the first audio CD. I've also checked out the first lesson in the workbook. My biggest trouble is that I have to try to "sneak" around to listen to the CDs so that my kids don't catch on to my little secret. LOL

The first week is really mostly all about understanding the "why" behind your child's behavior issues. I know it's supposed to be serious, but I actually have to say I had a few giggles over how well they know my children without having even met them! They sure have them pegged. One of my kids seems to have just about every issue they talk about. I joked to Sane Man that we should pass out a copy of the CD to everyone who meets him. LOL

I seriously am very pleasantly surprised so far. I really thought it was a gimmick and wouldn't work. Now, I still can't say it works, as I haven't implemented it yet, but it is no gimmick. The program is very well thought out and organized. And it is readily apparent when you look at it that it's going to take some work on the part of the parent(s). Honestly, I think if I were the one marketing the program, I would do it differently. Every time I heard the infomercial it sounded too good to be true, so I always assumed it was. I think it might have actually been more believable to me had it been more obvious that it wasn't a quick fix, but a tough but workable program that works.

I'm glad to be doing this for a review because it will keep me more on track with it. My plan is to try to blog each week after listening to each CD. I'm hoping to get to the second one today before the kids get up. It always gets so crazy, busy, and LOUD around here that it's really difficult to find a few moments of peace to actually listen. Perhaps this will change once I finish the program. :)

Here is a link to the program:

Child Discipline Methods – http://www.thetotaltransformation.com/

Here's where you can get a free parenting newsletter:

http://www.empoweringparents.com/parenting-newsletter.php

I hope you follow along with my progress as I work through this. Since I have eight kids (and yes, technically two of them are now "adults" but...) I'm not going to try to focus on all of them. It would be too overwhelming for me. My idea is to pretty much focus on one of them and then as I get used to it, my hope is that it will just come naturally to use the ideas with the others. Again, we shall see. :)

Movie Review: The Mighty Macs

2011-10-21T12:41:00.000-04:00

The Mighty Macs opens today in theaters across the U. S. I got to pre-screen it yesterday as part of my affilliation with Propeller. Check out this press release and then read my thoughts.

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

It's 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time ... and she's about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball.

In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women's Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College.

Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she's willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she's just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them.

From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school's Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team!

While it appears the Macs don't have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together.

Will this pioneer buck cultural norms and spur her rag-tag team to unexpected heights? Or will her hard-driving ways create a wedge between the coach and everyone around her? One thing's for certain: there's never been anyone like Cathy Rush at Immaculata!

My thoughts:

Well, first of all, I think it's way cool to be able to see a movie before it even comes out in theaters. Makes me feel so "plugged in." LOL Anyway, I did enjoy the movie. Admittedly, it was pretty much the classic feel-good underdog sports team does good story. Also, it seemed to have more of a TV movie than a theater movie feel. (Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I have always said that I tend to prefer TV movies over theatrical releases.) There were no real surprises, and it all worked out in the end. However, I still got into it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, even the moments of suspense when I pretty much knew the outcome. :) Compared to what is normally out there, this movie is a winner. (No pun intended.)

I do have to give a bit of a warning. For those of us very conservative stay-at-home mom types there is an overt femininst message. You know, like follow your dreams, and don't waste your life as a homemaker. I mean, they didn't come right out and say that, but there was that implication. However, this wasn't even a full time job, and Cathy and her husband (who you might recognize as Booth if you're a Bones fan) didn't have children, so I didn't find it especially troubling. Just wanted to get that out there in case this is something your family wouldn't be comfortable with. Oh, and I should mention, this is based on a true story. :)

Anyway, overall, I did enjoy the movie, and it did inspire me. Okay, so for me, I was inspired to be a better wife and mom (and blogger?) and that's a good thing!

Want to know more? Check out these links!

Website: http://www.themightymacs.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themightymacs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MightyMacsMovie

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/MightyMacs1

New Review and Giveaway! Carlito C. Caterpillar's Math House Games

2011-10-08T19:17:00.005-04:00

Contest Closed.

I just got another package from propeller which contained Carlito C. Caterpillar's Math House Games. I honestly didn't even know what I was getting. I half expected an online game, or perhaps a board game. It was neither. This is several cards on a ring with different games on each card. A description from the company follows, but first I had to share a little classic Crazy Mom funny. One of the games is about matching. It starts out by telling you to seperate some pairs of matched socks. Okay, that's hilarious! Matched socks! Here? At my house? I was just glad none of the games involved clean underwear!

Okay, moving forward... ;) Here's what the makers of this product have to say:

Carlito the Catepillar's Math House Games is based on a 20 step sensory math teaching system, which teaches kids math in a fun way! Early childhood development professionals note that young children are most open to learning when they play. Thus, they have created activities and games for parents to play with their children. The material is presented in 3 stages, with a total of 20 steps and 2 games in each step covering quantity, numeration, and operations.

Now, here's a letter to moms from the creator:

Dear Mom,

Most parents know the importance of math but many are unsure of how they can help their young children learn the fundamentals of math. There are so many questions. "How early should I start? What does my child need to learn? What concepts are most important? What do I do if my child has more trouble than other kids their age?" Often times the answers to these questions are not clear or consistent.

The c3pla Sensory Math Teaching System was created by Domenico Marcario, M.S., a retired math teacher and loving grandfather, to answer those questions. This system utilizes the natural way children learn to teach them math skills. We have built the Carlito C. Caterpiller's Math House GamesTM from this system and are excited to offer you a chance to receive a copy of the Games Pack to review and a copy to offer as a gift to one of your readers. The Game Pack is presented in 3 stages, with a total of 20 steps and 2 games in each step covering the math skills of quantity, numeration, and operations.

You are a mom and understand the importance of learning. We value your feedback about the product. We want to help kids learn math and we want to help parents to have the resources they need to make that happen. Thank you for your consideration of the Carlito C. Caterpiller's Math House GamesTM.

Sincerly,

Bill Haljun
Co-Founder, Director of Creative Development

So now you might be wonder what I thought of the games. (Well, I hope you do!) Anyway, first of all, my youngest is now eight (sniff, sniff) so he is beyond these games, so I really wasn't able to actually use these games with any of my kids. I did do some of these kinds of things with my kids just sort of naturally. Well, I did with the older ones, because, well, I wasn't quite so overwhelmed with life at the time. I have often thought that I wish I could have done more with the younger kids. I admit that I did far less with them just due to the fact that I was also teaching their older siblings, and cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry for ten. Soooo..... yeah, I did struggle to find time to work with them doing fun little things as the day went on.

Perhaps having something like Carlito C. Caterpillars games could have helped. It's all planned out sequentially. (And if you know me, you know I am totally sequential.) Being honest, I doubt even with this product I could have squeezed in a whole lot more time out of my schedule, but I could have put an older child in charge of playing these games with the younger kids.

So, I have pondered this, and here is what I have come up with. I think most parents with just one or two small kids probably wouldn't need something like this necessarily. However, I know a lot of parents like to get started "schooling" at the preschool level because, let's face it, it is a huge undertaking to homeschool a child. So, for the parent who is either very structured, or just feels he or she needs something tangible to use for early math, this is great. My philosophy is to hold off on things like worksheets as long as possible becasue most kids, especially boys, just aren't ready for it. However, what kid wouldn't love to spend time playing games with Mom or a big brother or sister?

I think Carlito C. Caterpillar's Math House Games is also be a great idea for a preschool class or co-op. I mean, it is all logical and thought out, and even though my kids just did fine as we did it my way (all of them, even the younger ones who didn't get my full attention) I know there are folks out there who love things like this. As always, my suggestion is that you check it out for yourself.

Website: http://www.c3pla.com/products.shtml

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carlito-C-Caterpillars-MathHouseTM-Games/190370157687889

How would you like to win one of these games? It's easy! All you have to do is leave a comment either here on my blog, or, if for some reason that doesn't work, leave it on my facebook page. (Under the contest post, please or I might miss it.) I have had several people tell me they tried to comment, but couldn't, plus I know some others actually read my posts via facebook, so I am trying out this option. Please don't comment in both places as I am trying to keep it fair. ;)

For each of the following you can gain one addtional entry. You must let me know either here or on facebook under the contest post with a seperate comment for each thing that you do for a total of five possible entries.

Like me on facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
Become a Google Friend Connect friend. (See sidebar.)
Subscribe to my posts via Feedburner. (See sidebar.)

NOTE!!! I have changed up the rules a bit! For this contest you must be at least 13 years old, and not a member of my immediate family to enter. More than one person per household may enter, but please do not enter as an individual more than the five possible entries. Make sure you leave me a way to get ahold of you if you win!!! THANKS!!!

The contest will end at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, October 23, 2011. I will draw and contact the winner sometime on Monday, October 24, 2011.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

______________________________

Happy game playing!!!

Total Transformation Review: Coming Soon!

2011-10-05T17:31:00.000-04:00

We've all heard the informertials, right? The Total Transformation Program is supposed to take even the most stubborn rebellious child, and turn him or her into an obedient, loving child who is a joy to have around. Skeptical? Well, I am. I mean, a few of my kids can be rather, um, let's just say "not-so-compliant."

Still, I hear these commercials and wonder. Would it work for MY child? Well, guess what? I am gong to find out! My little package is on the way and soon will be dropped off by the UPS man on my doorstep. I cannot wait! I mean, I AM skeptical. However, there's a part of me that holds out hope. I honestly don't think I'll have perfect children once I am done with the program. However, I'm really hoping for a least some improvement.

I know you are all dying to know, Does this program really work? Keep tuned, and I'll let ya know! Now, I tend to be a sporadic poster, but I am hoping to be a bit more regular when posting about this program. I would suggest that if you don't want to miss any of my reviews that you either subscribe to get my posts via e-mail, or follow my with Google Friend Connect, facebook, or Twitter. Just check out my sidebar.

I'll let you know when the package arrives!

New Review and Giveaway! Theo, a DVD for Children of All Ages

2011-09-23T12:22:00.005-04:00

Contest Closed.

Hello everyone! I've been meaning to blog about this great new animated series for kids called Theo, but our computers have been giving us grief. Right now my sons' computer has decided to behave, so here it is! I am only going to give you my brief opinion of these DVDs, then let you read what I received with the press release so I can get this out there as quickly as possible. (Oh! And then let you enter the contest!)

So, I guess I'm not really good at suspense, because I already called the Theo DVDs great in my first sentence. LOL But they really are very well done. I like the fact that they actually touch on some really deep theology, while keeping it at a kid's level. For example, in the story about faith the kids are taught about the faith of Abraham. Hagar's name did not come up. LOL The animation is unique, I think, because when Theo (and he's the older man in the picture above) first comes on the screen, he is animated in one style of animation. Then, when he is telling the story, the animation changes to a different style. After the story, the animation goes back to the original style. Not sure why, but for some reason I really liked that. I got to see two episodes and the "story telling style" was actually different in both. It just really seems to highlight the theological part of it.

To really bring the lesson down to a kid's level, there are two little mice in the story, Luther and Belfry. These two mice seem to get into mischief pretty easily. Amazingly, they seem to learn the same lesson that the kids do when they carry out their little escapades. So even if the story goes over your child's head, the mice might just bring the point home. My only disappointment is that these stories were a bit short. I think they were like 9 and 13 minutes. I would have loved to seen them in a half-hour format. However, for young children, that might just be a bit long. Not that my brain has all that much of an attention span anyway! LOL

Are you interested in learning more? If so, you can check out the websites below:

Web: http://www.theopresents.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thesehearts

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Theo-Gods-Love/dp/B005ETZEPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314304071&a
mp;sr=8-1

FREE app (available now for iPhone and iPad): http://www.theopresents.com/

Church Curriculum available now (from LifeWay Christian Stores): http://www.lifeway.com/Product/theo-church-edition-foundations-of-faith-P005397446

Here's something else exciting to pass along!!! The Buy 1 - Give 1 campaign!

For every Theo DVD purchased, Whitestone Media and Child Evangelism Fellowship® will send a child in need their very own copy of Theo.

You can log onto TheoPresents.com after making your own purchase, and select the region of the world you'd like another copy of Theo to be sent.

About Theo:

The animation series of Theo guides children and adults through a careful study of systematic theology. Theo discusses doctrines about sin, God's character, the Bible, salvation and godly living with easy-to-understand illustrations that make children want to learn more about the Christian faith.

Theo Presents recognizes a universal fact: children and adults alike love cartoons. Theo captures the attention of young minds with liberal amounts of humor and high quality animation to present the Gospel of the Christian faith through the teachings of Theo and with the use of his two object lessons, Belfry and Luther.

Theo Presents is designed to serve as a multi-media resource tool that will help men, women and children fulfill the Great Commission of Christ, to go into all the world and make disciples and to teach those disciples God's Word. The multi-media outlets include a DVD series, curriculum, books and iPhone/iPad app. Each of these facets are designed to work with one another or individually.

Theo was created to reach kids of all ages. The lessons and teachings of Theo can be used for Sunday school lessons, Christian school curriculum, missions, evangelism and homeschooling.

About the creator - MICHAEL JOENS:

Mike Joens has produced and directed scores of animated commercials for toy companies such as Milton Bradley, Hasbro, Kenner, McDonald's and Playskool. In addition to commercial work, he produced and directed the animation segments for the award-winning video series McGee and Me, as well as the animated Adventures in Odyssey for Focus on the Family. After a waiting period of over 30 years, God opened the doors to Joens for the production of Theo Presents. At last, the dream of a cartoonist, called to teach the Word has come true. It is Mike's hope that God will use Theo to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to children and adults in every country of the world!

I do hope you are excited about this new DVD series! Would you like to win a copy? Here's how:

Had you heard of Theo before reading this post? Answer that question in a comment for one entry. This is a mandatory entry, and no other entry will be valid if you don't answer this question.

Want more entries? It's easy. Just do any/all of the following:

Like me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect

Subscribe to my blog by e-mail.

Please leave a comment for everything you do, for up to five entries per person. There is no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years old or older to enter, U.S. residents only. Sorry, my immediate family cannot enter. You can share my DVD. :)

All entries must be submitted by 11:59 Sunday, October 9, 2011. I will draw the winner on Monday, October 10. Once a winner is contacted, he or she will have 48 hours to respond or I will chose another winner. For this reason, please make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you win.

I think that is all except for the "fine print" below. :)

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services
mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I
only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:
"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

New Review and Giveaway! Furious CD from Jeremy Riddle

2011-09-20T21:57:00.005-04:00

Contest Closed.

Jeremy Riddle
"Furious"
(9/20/2011 release date)

Hey everybody! Guess what? I've got a great new review and contest for you! (And there's still time to enter to win the Ginny Owens CD if it's not after September 26, 2011 when you read this.) Anyway, I was blessed to receive the brand spankin' new Jeremy Riddle CD, Furious, from the good folks at Propeller. Now, I love worship music, and the name was very familiar to me, but I honestly couldn't tell you a single Jeremy Riddle song. I popped in the CD not really knowing what to expect. Well, I loved it! I used to be a big U2 fan, back in the day, and I could be crazy, as I'm really not a professional music critic, (oh, you'd already figured that out?), but to me he totally has that U2 sound. That's the way I hear it, anyway. :) It's all worship, very well done, and in my humble opinion, worth a listen!

Want to check it our for yourself? Click on the links below:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vineyard-Music/18257532074

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/vineyardmusic

Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/

And here's the press release:

Vineyard Worship artist and worship leader Jeremy Riddle has announced the release of his new studio album entitled, Furious. The album is set for release on September 20 via NewDay Distribution.

Riddle began production on the album nearly a year ago with Dove Award winning producer Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, David Crowder Band) at the helm. Cash’s contribution forms the backbone of the album which also features production from Bobby Hartry, a long time Riddle collaborator. The project follows Prepare The Way: Live, an album recorded in front of a live audience in Corpus Christi, Tex., earlier this year from Vineyard.

Riddle describes Furious saying, “It’s hard to come up with words that depict the magnitude of Christ’s love – the depth and width of it. Furious doesn’t work outside of the context of love; we tend to translate the word as angry, but I see it as a super-powerful force; stronger, deeper, broader than our vocabulary can fully describe."

Four years on the road as a touring worship leader eventually took its toll on Jeremy, so in January 2011, the former jr. high youth pastor came on staff as worship community pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, Calif. Working under pastors Brian and Jenn Johnson, Jeremy facilitates a worship community of over 200 people within the church.

“My wife (Katie) and I have always had a heart to serve the local church and never wanted to do the full-time travel thing for very long, so it felt like a good time to transition into something different,” Jeremy says. “I’ve developed such an appreciation for the fruit that has been sowed from my life – personally and artistically – by being part of a local community.”

Consequently, several of the tracks on Furious are also featured on Be Lifted High, the most recent album from Bethel Church.

“These songs are a reflection of being part of something bigger than just me,” Jeremy says. “Through some significant growth in understanding and living out humility from a very independent place, I’ve shifted into a place where I can’t even claim this record is completely inspired by me. There are so many elements of the album that could never have flowed from me had I not been connected to people walking out life with me.”

Now for the contest!

Had you heard of Jeremy Riddle before reading this post? Answer that question in a comment for one entry. This is a mandatory entry, and no other entry will be valid if you don't answer this question.

Want more entries? It's easy. Just do any/all of the following:

Like me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect

Subscribe to my blog by e-mail.

Please leave a comment for everything you do, for up to five entries per person. There is no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years old or older to enter, U.S. residents only. Sorry, my immediate family cannot enter. You can share my CD. :)

All entries must be submitted by 11:59 Sunday, October 2, 2011. I will draw the winner on Monday, October 3. Once a winner is contacted, he or she will have 48 hours to respond or I will chose another winner. For this reason, please make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you win.
I think that is all except for the "fine print" below. :)

“Disclosure of Material Connection:

I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

New Review and Giveaway! Ginny Owens: Get In I'm Driving

2011-09-14T11:54:00.004-04:00

Contest Closed.

Recently I was given the oportunity to check out the new Ginny Owens CD, Get in I'm Driving. I've heard Ginny Owens on the radio before and knew I liked her music, so I was in. Now, I am quite picky when it comes to female singers. I normally don't care for them. However, Ginny has the kind of voice I like, and I was thrilled to actually own a CD of her music. I wasn't disappointed. The CD releases today, so you can get your own copy, OR, if you enter my giveaway below, you just might win a free copy!

But first, a little more about Ginny.

Ginny was playing around on the piano before she could complete a sentence. And while she was left completely blind by the age of three from a degenerative eye condition, it seemed as though as her vision decreased, the songs inside increased. Eventually she decided to pursue music as a career. Music has served to provide a window into a world Ginny can't see and serves as an outlet for her to express her thoughts and dreams.

In 2005 Ginny Owens launched The Fingerprint Initiative, a hands-on, non-profit organization designed to “bring hope to the world, one project and one touch at a time.” The organization has partnered with and raised money for groups such as Compassion International, International Justice Mission and Habitat for Humanity.

To learn more about Ginny Owens, her music, and her mission, please check out the links below:

Ginny's website: http://ginnyowensmusic.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GinnyOwensMusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/GinnyOwens

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/before-you-fly-single/id442050145

And now for the giveaway! To enter simply let me know in the comments if you are already a Ginny Owens fan, or is she is new to you. For additional entries you may do the following:

Like me on facebook.

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow me with Google Friend Connect

Subscribe to my blog by e-mail.

Please leave a comment for everything you do, for up to five entries per person. There is no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years old or older to enter, U.S. residents only. Sorry, my immediate family cannot enter. You can share my CD. :)

All entries must be submitted by 11:59 Sunday, September 25, 2011. I will draw the winner on Monday, September 26. Once a winner is contacted, he or she will have 48 hours to respond or I will chose another winner. For this reason, please make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you win.

I think that is all except for the "fine print" below. :)

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Heads Up for Reviews and Giveaways!

2011-09-12T20:52:00.000-04:00

I have four new reviews and giveaways coming up real soon, so stay tuned! There's a little bit of everything. One is an animated DVD for kids called Theo, another is a math game for kids from Carlito C. Caterpiller's Math House Games, one is a brand new music CD from Ginny Owens, and another is a CD from Jeremy Riddle. All of these reviews are of products promoted by Propeller. I am new to them, but it looks likes it's going to be a great partnership. I'll be able to share about a lot of great new family/Christian products, so, like I said, stay tuned! :)

New Review! Game Time: Tackling the Past

2011-09-03T12:27:00.003-04:00

I just found out about something I didn't even know was going on. Apparently, in an effort to bring back wholesome TV to prime-time, Walmart and Proctor and Gamble are sponsoring what they call Family Movie Nights. Tonight on NBC at 8:00 (7:00 Central) they will be showing Game Time: Tacking the Past. I have to admit, I was actually amazed that this movie is going to be on TV. It's all about honor and integrity. They even show a family (gasp!) praying around the table! What a breath of fresh air.

Now, you might ask, how I have seen this movie already. Well, I'm special of course! LOL But seriously, I am now going to be doing reviews for propeller, and in this instance I had access to a special pre-broadcast online viewing.

Since this movie is showing tonight, I want to get the word out quickly, so I'm going to make this brief. As you might suspect, this movie is about football. Well, not really, it's about making right decisions, with football as the backdrop. Now, I'm not a football fan, but I do seem to like football movies. This movie was no exception. It's bascially about a guy who has gone pro, but suddenly finds himself back home and with family. Through a sudden turn of events, he ends up having to make the choice between staying home and continuing a pro career. To find our more about Game Time: Tackling the Past, just check out the links below. :)

Website: http://www.familymovienight.com/game-time-tackling-the-past/#trailer
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/familymovienight
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/fmnib
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fmnib

Happy movie watching!!!

Another Review and Contest: Check out The Grace Card!

2011-09-01T12:17:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not giving it away. I'm posting this to get two more entries into a contest to win The Grace Card. Only problem is, I'm just asking for more competition! LOL Anyway, to see the review and enter the contest, simply head on over here to Chatter, Clatter, and Things That Matter. I have heard SO much about this movie and am really hoping to win it. If not, its on my list to buy for sure. :)

Win some Chocolate!

2011-08-31T12:47:00.001-04:00

My dear friend, Chai Mommy, is having a great contest over on her blog! Check it out here! :) You can win chocolate, a fleece throw, a journal, and a mug! Good stuff Maynard! :)

So, I was having a bad day...

2011-08-16T20:03:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago I have having a really bad day. I have six boys (and just two girls) and sometimes the testosterone level just gets a little too high for my taste. Anyway, the two youngest boys seemed to be in super-duper hyperactive mode. They were bouncing around the house, loud, and not exactly following my list of things to do. I was getting quite stressed out when a couple of the older boys decided to "get into it." This is actually a rarity around here these days (thank goodness!) so when it happens, especially when I am already stressed, it really wears on me. It was just "one of those days."

On top of all of that my oldest son's engine has recently died. Never fun. So, that evening he asked if he could use his dad's car or my van to go to church. I told him he could, and he took the car. (The van is having its own issues since two cars collided in front of me, and then one of them crashed into me at a four-way stop.) Anyway, my son got to the church, drove into the parking lot, pulled into his space, and THUD! The bearing or something broke and the car was suddenly on the ground. I don't mean the tires, I mean , you know, the actual frame. Okay, so now we were down to just my van and my other son's car. (We do have a fifth vehicle, but it's not exactly in road-worth condition either.)

So, let's just say when I got the call from my son that evening, I was not exactly thrilled with the news. The day was nearly over and I was glad for it. And now this lovely news meant we had to survive with one less vehicle and it had already been a bit of a challenge with my son's car broken down. Why this?

A little later a light bulb went off in my head. (And, mind you, it was not one of those new screwy mercury-laden ones that can contaminate your home. It was a good old, thank-you-Thomas-Edison iridescent bulb.) I realized that if my son's car had been running he'd have taken his own car and my husband would have taken his car to work the next day. He drives nearly half an hour to work and at speeds up to 50 MPH. It might very well have broken down while he was driving and caused an accident. He and/or others could have been seriously hurt or worse. Yet the timing was perfect when it broke down at the church.

So, here is what I learned: Sure, not all days are going to be perfect. Actually, none of them are. Some days are going to bad, and some are going to be downright horrible. But how do you know that your bad day didn't keep you from having a horrible one that day, or the next, or at some other time in the future? Once my little light bulb went off, I realized that maybe those broken down vehicles may have saved my husband's life. Of course, maybe everything would have been okay had he taken his car in the morning, but either way, I know that God is Control. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Hoarder/Keeper Challenge. I FORGOT!!!

2011-08-06T18:54:00.000-04:00

Oh, no!!! Yesterday I did some shopping and started organizing stuff for the coming school year, AND I FORGOT TO GID RID OF MY WAL*MART BAG OF STUFF!!! So, today I have to do two. :) So, what am I doin' on here talking to you? I'd better get going!

How are YOU doing with our little challenge?

The Homeschool Hoarder/Keeper Challenge!!!

2011-08-02T21:26:00.001-04:00

I have decided to take a suggestion from another homeschool mom, Jennifer, to make a goal for myself to get rid of one Wal*Mart (or other store) bag full of stuff every day. I have set my own goal for this week. I did fill a bag yesterday, and I have started a new bag today. I am going to go for six day straight, so I'll end on Saturday. Maybe I'll even do it again next week!

Will you join me?

I'm not saying you have to get rid of a bag of stuff everyday. You can, if you'd like. Or create your own goal! If you blog about it, post the link in my comments, and I'll create a special post with the link (or links if more than one does this.)

So clean, de-clutter, post, and link. That's it! :)

Happy homemaking!

Yikes! I Just Watched Hoarders! (Part 3)

2011-07-29T22:03:00.008-04:00

Okay, it's been a while, but I am finally back to write some more about hoarding. Well, not so much hoarding, but just, uh, let's call it "keeping." I like that because that makes me a keeper, as in "Crazy Mom's a keeper." LOL

Before I get to the today's topic at hand, which is how being frugal leads to hoarding, uh, keeping, I thought I'd explain the above photo. This is one of my little hoarder pockets. You see, my son had cleaned out the van. Now, when my kids or Sane man "clean out" a vehicle, what they really do is contain the mess in garbage bags which they bring in the house for ME to sort through and put away. So, in reality, I am cleaning out the van, though they don't see it that way.

So, anyway, my son Dode Man cleaned out the van and left everything in a laundry basket. Then he did it again and put it all in a bag. There were a couple of other bags from other such endeavors and they were in my dining room. Appetizing, huh? Well, they had been there for a while, so I thought I'd condense them all into an overflowing basket, take a picture, and show you one of my little projects. My initial intent was to also take a pic of the empty basket, but I never did. I'm sure if you try very hard you can imagine what it looked like. LOL

Now onto the frugal thing. :)

So, I came out from the womb frugal. It's in my blood, and it's just the way I am. It's the one good thing I actually picked up from my mom. You see, my mom is thin, energetic, organized, and in ten times better health than me, and she is 82 years old. I figure I was born backwards so I got the reverse of everything she is. That's my theory, anyway. However, the frugal thing must have already been transmitted to me through the umbilical cord, so frugal I am.

Now, being frugal is normally a good thing. Because I'm frugal I don't go out and buy tons of stuff. I think my sister got that one. If she finds a shirt she likes, she'll buy it in every color. She gives me bags of hand-me-down stuff and there will be like eight black sweaters in the bag only slightly different. And this is the stuff she is getting rid of! BUT, she is also neat and organized and has a huge walk-in closet, so it's not really a problem for her. I do like a good sale though. I do sometimes stock up on things, like today I bought 12 deodorants because they were 99 cents, but that isn't really my problem either.

So if I'm frugal, and don't buy loads and loads of stuff, how have I become a "keeper?" Well, I have a really hard time getting rid of stuff! I mean, you know, I might use it some day. For example, I have a really hard time getting rid of clothes. If it has a stain or tear, it can still be "work" clothes. If' it's a tad small, I'll lose the weight. (Yeah, right!) Now, like I said, I don't buy tons of clothes, but over the years I have gotten bags and bags and bags and bags of them. Even when my kids had more than enough of them, I'd still take them. After all, I have eight kids, right?

And books. I love books! But I have only two large bookcases and a storage cabinet. I also have about five bookshelves worth of books. The bookcases are where I keep most of my curriculum, but I have baskets and Rubbermaids (c) of books everywhere. Of course, if I actually want to read one, I haven't a clue where it is. So, what do I do? I sign up to do book reviews! LOL So now more and more books show up my mailbox on a regular basis.

I guess when I really think about it, most of my "keeper" issues are with clothes and books.

Soooo..... here's how I am dealing with it. :)

As far as clothes go, I have made a new rule for myself. I no longer accept bags of clothes. Recently I made the mistake of letting someone give me some clothes for my girls. Now, I had pretty much only been given boys clothes, because I have six boys. So I said I'd take them. Well, what I got was like a dozen bags of clothes! It took quite some time to get through them all. I mean, I was blessed, for sure, but wow, I just was way overwhelmed. So, when someone offers me clothes I ask if them have what I specifically need, or if possible, I go through the bag, get what I want, and give the rest back. I just don't have the space or time to sort through a lot of clothes. Also, I have been trying to bag up as much as possible that we don't use. I need to be the one giving the clothes away!

As for books, I simply have decided the make full use of the library. My son loves a series on Christian heroes which I just assumed the library wouldn't carry, so I've been buying them up. However, on a whim, I decided to see if I could, in fact, borrow them. Well, surprise, surprise! They have the books. Now to get rid of the books we no longer need. This will be a seriously long and arduous task. It must be done, however, and I'm going to do it. One day. :)

Oh, I did think of one more thing I have trouble with. It's with throwing away things that seem valuable, but that I don't need. For example, those ever so versatile margarine tubs, or a nice pickle jar. I didn't have to make any rules about this one, however, because my city recently started an awesome recycling plan. I mean, I'm no greenie, but I LOVE recycling. I can throw stuff away without really "wasting" it. We actually fill up a 96 gallon bin of recyclables each and ever week. Yeah, it really, really, helps. I mean, I did throw the stuff away before, but it always felt somehow "wrong." Now, it feels so "right." Yes, I do realize I'm a bit odd. ;) (Okay, really, really, odd.)

So, that's it. I am frugal, and it makes me a keeper. Are you frugal? How does it work for or against you when you are trying to clean and organize your home? Any tips to share with the rest of us? Please do tell!

Searching for Buried Treasure!!!

2011-07-08T20:31:00.000-04:00

You know the commerical that asks, "What's in your wallet?" Well, I'd like to ask you, "What's under your couch cushions?"

I used to try to keep things clean under my couch cushions. Several years ago I had a weekly meeting in my home. Each Wednesday I would make sure to dutifully clean and even vacuum under each cushion. There was one time I didn't get to it, and wouldn't you know, some friends brought their sick kid to the meetin who proceeded to throw up right in the corner of my couch. It was clean up the puke myself and avoid letting them see what was lurking under there, or let them do it and expose myself. Well, in that case, I chose the latter, but any other time I would be just horrified if anyone saw what was actually under there. That is, until now. I see the junk under the couch cushions in a whole new light!

It's amazing how helpful it has been to keep that treasure trove just as it is! The other day I needed a pencil. I reached my hand in the cushion and "Voila!" there was a pencil! Then my husband yelled that his comb was missing as he rushed to get ready for work. I reach in my trusty treasure stash, and "Tada!" there was a comb! The other day my daughter had a great time. She decided to reach in to see what she could find. Wouldn't you know, she came up with two miniature Mr. Goodbars and a Starkist candy! What fun! So you see, you have to look at things in a different light. Now, whenever I need something, a pencil, comb, nail clippers, ponytail holder or midnight snack, I just reach on into my trusty couch and I am never disappointed. Just don't bring over any sick kids.

Take that cleanies!!!

~The Crazy Mom

Yikes! I Just Watched Hoarders! (Part 2)

2011-07-01T12:38:00.002-04:00

So, I think I struck a nerve. I am not the only homeschool mom out there with hoarder tendencies. As a matter of fact, if you read the comments from my last post, you'll see that I have come up with a new idea for a reality show called Homeschool Hoarders. LOL It does seem that we homeschoolers have a little more hoarder in us than the average mom. Not all of us, of course, but how many homeschoolers do you know that don't seem to more books then they have space for? Seems to be a pretty common problem. Homeschooling means you not only have a home in your house, but a school too. Then consider that there are many homeschool families out there that have bigger than average families, and, well, you have the makings of a perfect storm.

So, after thinking about I have added a few more reasons why I have to fight against hoarding. Here is my now updated list.

I'm frugal.
I'm sentimental.
I procrastinate.
I'm disorganized.
I'm a people pleaser and just WAY too nice. (Here the kids snickering?)
I homeschool.
I have ten people living in a small house.
My house is dysfunctional. (I mean the actual house. LOL)

You'll notice, I added that my house is dysfunctional. I have an old house that doesn't really have much closet or storage space. The only closet on the main floor is one small closet in my room. This means no coat closet and no linen closet. The bathroom is tiny and consists of a tub, sink, and toilet. There is no vanity. There are no cabinets. In other words, there is very little space to organize stuff. It's Hoarders waiting to happen.

I do do some things right. Some things are done every day. For example, in the kitchen, the dishwasher is loaded and unloaded twice (at least) everyday. The counters are wiped down, the sink in cleaned out, the floor is swept, and the trash is taken out. Two loads of laundry are done, that is washed, not necessarily folded and put away. :) In the bathroom the sink is wiped out, the faucets are shined, the floor is cleaned and swept, and the trash is emptied. The couches and chair are cleared in the living room, the hearth straightened up, the table cleared, and the floor swept/vacuumed. The dining room floor is swept and the dining room table cleared (usually, unless there is laundry on it, which has been the case lately.) My bed is made and the floor is cleared and swept on Sane Man's side per his request. (He doesn't like to get crunchies on his feet after taking a shower, go figure.) But all this seems to be undone as fast as it's done. Actually, about ten times faster. It also seems to consume a considerable amount of time every day. This means the other areas of the house become neglected. This is where the little "hoarder pockets" start to grow.

So the plan is this. I will take each of the items on my list and blog about how I am conquering in this area. I will also be looking for input as to how to do better in that area. I want to hear your ideas. Let's do this together!!!

The next post will be about how being frugal, while a great thing, can lead to hoarding. I hope to post it at the beginning of next week. So, please think about this and come back so that you can comment with your ideas. Also, if you happened to post about it on your own blog, leave the link and we'll all learn from each other!

Well, I suppose I'd better get back to my little hoarder pockets now. Maybe I'll even take some pics! Ewwww...... :)

Yikes! I just watched Hoarders!

2011-06-28T13:05:00.002-04:00

Have you seen Hoarders? It's a reality show on the A & E Network about, well, hoarders. LOL In other words, these are folks who take messy to a whole new level. Now, I don't have cable, but we recently bought a BLU-RAY player which came with a free subscription to Netflix. I'd always wanted to see the show, and Netflix has it as an instant download, so this was my big chance to watch it.

Wow.

I thought I was a messy gal. I AM a messy gal. I have messy kids. But I am not a hoarder. I don't have a house full of expired food, empty wine bottles, rotten pumpkins, or dead cats. So, watching Hoarders should make me feel better, right? WRONG! Know why? Because I see that I have great potential! LOL What drives these people to become hoarders lives in me. Yes, I have self-diagnosed myself as having hoarder tendencies. Here's a list I've come up with as to why I feel this way.

I'm frugal.
I'm sentimental.
I procrastinate.
I'm disorganized.
I'm a people pleaser and just WAY too nice. (Hear the kids snickering?)

Because of these things I tend spend hours cleaning with little tangible results. Now, if I have a few hours I can make this place fairly presentable for company. The four main rooms on the main floor pretty much get cleaned every day. They never get so bad that we can't tidy them up with a little concentrated effort. That being said, I still rarely have anyone over. It's just too darn stressful for me. Another problem I have is that I tend to put off fun stuff, like getting together with friends, visiting relatives, or just going to the park because "I should really just stay home and clean." My house is like a ball and chain that keeps me tied down. I need to really take a look at that list above and figure out a way overcome these issues so that I can be free. My house should serve me, not the other way around.

Will you join me for this journey? Maybe you're have a little bit of hoarder in you too, or maybe even a lot! Or maybe you used to and have overcome. Or maybe you don't get this at all and can just be here to encourage me to keep on keepin' on! My plan is to do a little series on what is causing me to be a messy and what I can do about it. I have no real plan, I'm just winging it, but I do plan to check in a few times a week to let you know my progress. I do hope you'll come along beside me. I always work better with a friend. :)

Making a Comeback! That's the Plan, Anyway!

2011-06-11T13:02:00.000-04:00

Okay, so some of you have been around for a while, and some of you are new followers. If you've been around for a while, you know that my blog used to be a mix of reviews, funny stories, memes, and other assorted stuff. Well, life got overwhelming for me this past year. Well, MORE overwhelming, and so other than the reviews I was obligated to write, and a few contests, you haven't heard much from me. Soooo.....

I made the decision to drop out of the TOS Crew. (Well, maybe I quit before I got fired, but I'd like to think they'd have had me back!) Anyway, this probably doesn't really free up much time as things have a way of filling in empty time, but I am hoping to get back to writing more fun stuff! And maybe, just maybe, I'll write some posts on my Crazy Mom style of homeschooling. I want to do this because I listen to all the reasons people say they "could never homeschool" and I am proof that you can still do it, if you have the committment and desire. For example, I am disorganized, impatient, and more or less clueless about just about everything. However, my kids do just fine. I wanna be here to be the one who says, I don't care how poorly you think you are doing, if you can teach your kid to read, do basic math, follow basic directions, and love the Lord, YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Progresso Light Soup and a new CONTEST!!! :)

2011-05-25T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

Well, it's been a while since I've given anything away, but today is the day! I am running one of my "speed contests," which means you only have a short time to enter, so you'd better enter quick! The deadline is this Friday, May 27, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.

But first let me tell you a little bit about Progresso Light soups. I received several free cans of Progresso Light soup so that I could try them and let you know what I thought. They are very low calorie, so I was liking them before I even ate any! However, I have to say that I liked them even more after I tasted them. I mean, they were yummy! No boring or yucky "diet" taste about them. My fave was the chicken noodle, but there are actually 40 different flavors with less 100 or less calories per serving each!

Here's a quick video which will show you how you can eat right with Progresso!

Okay, so I bet you're wanting to know what you can win, right? Well here it is!

The Progresso Souper You gift packs contains a VIP coupon for a free can of Progresso soup, as well as a yoga mat, water bottle, set of aerobic bands, sport headband, and two sport wristbands. Entering is easy. Just leave a comment on this blog telling me your fave soup. Then you can win get additional entries by:

Following me on Twitter (1 entry)

Tweeting about the contest (2 entries)
Following me on Facebook (1 entry)
Posting about the contest on Facebook (2 entries)
Following me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)

Blogging about this contest (2 entries)

Subbing to this blog with Feedburner (3 entries)

Wow! That's 13 ways to enter! Now, you will have to do a bit of work, because I'll need you to leave a separate comment for each entry. This means you might have to leave 13 comments! LOL But, hey, you could win! :)

NOTE: You must be at least 18 years old to enter, and a resident of the United States or Canada. The contest ends Friday, May 27, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. I will not be able to accept comments posted after the deadline.

Good luck!

Disclaimer! The the product, prize pack, information, online coupon and giveaway were all provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.)

New Review!!! Mad Dog Math!

2011-05-18T21:15:00.001-04:00

Well, hello there!!! I'm so glad you stopped by! :) I bet you'd like to get my posts delivered right to your inbox, now wouldn't you? So why not sign up for Feedburner? Check it out, it's right there in my sidebar! Thanks!! :)

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of Mad Dog Math. Math Dog Math is a program that is set up to review the basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. The program is set up so that kids move from level to level as they advance through the worksheets. The first goal is to get the problems done in two minutes. Utlimately, the goal is to get it done in less than 30 seconds. A cute little dog Ruff, helps lead the way!

What are the pros of this product? It's great review for kids and the cute little dog just adds to the fun. The best part is that kids compete against themselves, so they are motivated to learn their facts!

What's not to like? Nothing really. :) It is a wee bit confusing at first understanding how it works, but that's probably just me. :) My kids seemed to get is just fine.

The Crazy Mom take: I mostly had Baber doing this program. He's always begging to get on the computer, so I would bribe him by saying he could get on to do his Mad Dog Math! He didn't seem to mind (most days) and he enjoyed being able to try to get the problems done quickly. It's a nice program, and the dog is really cute, so it's one I'd recommend. :)

Happy problem solving!

What's the bottom line? One year license $19.99/Two year license $29.99/Perpetual license $39.99

I am going to give Mad Dog Math 4 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.maddogmath.com/about.html

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783984/

*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 isn't right for everyone.

Most homeschool moms will find this useful.

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

Disclaimer!!! I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others. Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way. I am in no way obligated to give a positive review. I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal! What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.

As with all products, you must do the research before buying. Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying. I can't guarantee that a product will work for you. You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s). I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review. I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else. I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family.

Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath. Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them!

New Review!!! WonderMaps!

2011-05-16T12:02:00.001-04:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of WonderMaps. Wondermaps is a new product from Bright Ideas Press (The Mystery of History folks!) that includes over 350 maps. I'm going to be lazy this time, and pull some of the description from the Bright Ideas website. (There are just some times when it doesn't make sense to re-invent the wheel.)

WonderMaps is designed with easy-to-use layers that allow you to enjoy great customizable features with just a click. Select:

• Historical or modern-day maps

• Outline, reference, political, or topographical maps

• Black-and-white or color maps

• Features including: names, borders, rivers, cities, physical features, and graticules

WonderMaps includes:

• 60+ maps of the world

• 60+ maps of the USA

• 125 historical maps, including 25 biblical maps

• The complete map sets from The Mystery of History vols. I–III and All American History vols. I & II

Here's a video!!!

What are the pros of this product? Well, let's just say, if you want a map, you can pretty much be sure they have it! :) Oh, and it's very, very cool!

What's not to like? Well, maybe you'll get overwhelmed with all the choices! :)

The Crazy Mom take: I admit, I was blown away by how cool this product is! I'm really sorry that I didn't have this a little earlier in the year when we needed some maps for a couple of projects. I just decided that for review purposes, I'd just let the kids play around with it for fun. I know this product will come in handy time and time again. We've been a bit "light" on geography, but now I can easily pull it other subjects like literature, current events, and more! Very cool, indeed.

What's the bottom line? $49.95

I am going to give WonderMaps 5 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://brightideaspress.com/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783915/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Andi's Pony Trouble from Kregel Publications!

2011-05-06T14:29:00.000-04:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free copy of Andi's Pony Trouble by Susan Marlow from Kregel Publications so I could share it with my kids and let you know what they thought! :)

This book features Andi, who first made her debut as an older child in the Circle C Adventures series. Now younger kids can get to know Andi, too, through the Circle C Beginnings series. It's a chapter book, recommended for ages 6 to 8 but, in my humble opinion, is quite appropriate for kids a bit older. (I have been known to read and enjoy many of the kids' books around here!)

In the story, Andi sets out to prove to her family that she is old enough to own and take care of her very own horse. Can she convince her family? Will Andi get her own horse? You'll have to read it to find out! :)

What are the pros of this product? It's just a nice little book for young readers.

What's not to like? Drawing a blank here. :)

The Crazy Mom take: I knew right away who'd be my "Junior Reviewer" this time around. It had to be Bear because she loves horses and this book was right up her alley. Even though it is written for kids in the 6 to 8 year range, and she was 9 (almost 10) when she read it, she loved it! She would highly recommend it to others! :) (Oh, and she is literally begging me to get the rest of the books as I type!)

What's the bottom line? $4.99

I am going to give Andi's Pony Trouble 5 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://store.kregel.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=2199

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @ http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783897/

*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 isn't right for everyone.

Most homeschool moms will find this useful.

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

Disclaimer!!! I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others. Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way. I am in no way obligated to give a positive review. I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal! What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.

As with all products, you must do the research before buying. Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying. I can't guarantee that a product will work for you. You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s). I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review. I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else. I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family.

Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath. Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them!

New Review!!! Latin's Not so Tough!

2011-04-29T12:28:00.000-04:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received, free of charge, Latin's Not so Tough Level II from Greek 'n' Stuff. I recieved not only the book, but also a pronunciation CD. The book is part of a set of six workbooks designed to teach young children Latin. (These can actually be ordered as a complete set.)

The workbook starts out by teaching Latin letters. (This would be a review if you started with Level 1.) Now, for the most part, they are the same as English. However, there are still many differences. Most of the letters have only one or two sounds they make. The child is to learn each of these sounds and practice daily. (There are also dipthongs and special consanants.) Once the letters are learned, individual words are introduced. This is as far as the book goes as it is meant for young children. (Note, while very young children will start with Level I, mid-elementary children may start at Level II.) The are also activities like matching and puzzles to help make it a bit more fun.

What are the pros of this product? Everything is laid out very easily. The pronounciation CD is a big help so you don't have to guess how the sounds are made.

What's not to like? Like all languages, it is difficult to learn by simple rote memorization. However, since you can't really go to a country that speaks Latin, this is pretty much the only way to learn it!

The Crazy Mom take: I used this with my son, Baber, 7. He's in second grade; however, he is not reading fluently yet. He is still at the stage where he is sounding most words out. For this reason, the program was a wee bit over his head but we plugged along anyway.

We probably sat down with this workbook about three times a week. We only did a page at a time, so we took it very slowly. We have finished most, but not all of the book. Right now he knows several words in Latin. However, as I have noticed in the past, as he tries to learn more and more, I notice he is forgetting what he knew quite well in the beginning. After the review (after today) we'll set this aside and pick it up again next year. I have noticed much improvement in his reading lately, and by next school year, I think he'll be a lot more ready for this. In his case, the Level I would have been more appropriate. (Funny thing, about halfway through the book I found I actually have a Level I! I had gotten it as a free product at one point, but at the time didn't have a reason to use it. I'll probably start with that next year.)

Not being a Classical educator, I never really considered teaching Latin. However, I do love words and all things word related, and I can see how learning Latin can really help with English. I do admit I have enjoyed doing this program with Baber. I don't wanna brag, but I think I learned more than he did. LOL

I do think this is a good program if you want to teach your child Latin. However, I would wait until your child can read well before you start. But that's just my humble opinion as always. You can check it out yourself!

What's the bottom line? The workbook is $18.95 and the CD is $10.00.

I am going to give Latin's Not so Tough Level II 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.greeknstuff.com/info/infoLA-02-WB.html

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Math Rider!

2011-02-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free trial download of Math Rider. I would describe this game as a morph between a math facts drill program and a role playing game for young kids. (The program is bascially geared towards grade school kids.) The whole idea is that the child goes on a "quest" to do things like get magical flowers, return a gem to elves, or rescue a princess. Things must be done along the way, but to do them, basic math facts must be correctly answered.

I should add that math is not taught with this program. The basic (0-12) additon, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts are simply practiced. You can also choose the level of difficulty, so, for example, if your child is just learning, he or she can simply pracitice the 0-5 facts. It's an intuitive program, so facts that are answered incorrectly are repeated more often until the child consistantly gets it right.

What are the pros of this product? The fact that the kids practice the facts as they follow the "storyline" of the game keeps them interested. The are so busy trying to reach their game goal, they hardly notice they are doing math!

It's also nice that you can choose both the type of fact, and the level of difficulty. Kids can also play in practice mode in case they need to brush up on facts before starting a quest. Also, the game includes a simple chart so that parents can follow their child's progress.

Oh, and a big deal for me is the fact that the storyline is read to the player so my youngest can play. He does well with math, but is not yet reading, so most books and games are difficult for him because he needs someone to read everything to him. This is great!

What's not to like? The game does involve things like magic and wizardry which some parents might not approve of. The graphics are also not the greatest which might make some kids who play a lot of fancy schmancy games misjudge its "fun" potential. Also, the quests don't have a lot of variety. Some kids might find this boring.

The Crazy Mom take: I have four kids who have been playing the game, Princess, 12, Dode Man, 11, Bear, 9, and Baber, 7. They have all very much enjoyed playing this game. I love games like this that make it fun to try to do a math fact quickly as well as correctly. My kids all can add, subtract, etc., but they don't necessarily have the facts down so well that they don't have to think about them for a few seconds sometimes. Games like this really help motivate them to keep practicing.

As for the graphics, I kinda like the more, not sure how to say it, "basic" graphics. Okay, I really mean "low budget" but that doesn't sound quite right and has a negative connotation. I mean, really, that's the reality; however, those fancy graphics cost a fortune to make. This game most likely didn't have a budget in the millions. Still, I think it makes it kinda cool. That's just me, so check it out for yourself!

Happy gaming!!!

What's the bottom line? Retail Price $49.95 Currently on Sale for $37 (as of this posting)

I am going to give Math Rider 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://mathrider.com/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783766/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3S from VocabAhead!

2011-02-07T17:02:00.004-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free copy of SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3S. This book covers 300 SAT level vocabulary words organized into 30 units of 10. At the end of each unit is a review that using matching and fill-in-the-blanks to help the students remember the newly learned words. On each page is the word, the part of speech, the definition, a cartoon, some sentences using the word in context, and a short list of the word's synonyms and antonyms.

Purchasing the book also gives you access to videos and MP3s.

What are the pros of this product? It's a fun and easy way to learn vocabulary whether you plan to take an SAT or not! :) Also, it offers several way to learn the words in case simply reading definitions is not your childs learning style.

What's not to like? The book is geared towards teens, so some of the cartoons seem to reflect a bit of that "teen attitude."

The Crazy Mom take: These are the kids of books I do not assign to my children. Why? Because if I tell them to study, say, the first ten words in the book, they will totally balk at the idea. However, if I leave it lying around, they will inevitably pick it up and start going through it. I guess I sorta go with a "leave things lying around" homeschool method. LOL Anyway, it worked with this book just as it has in the past with others. I can't say they are now going around talking like they've been reading the dictionary, but I can't say they haven't learned anything either. I know, not much info, but that's just how I roll with these things, and so far my kids have done well on the Language portions of standardized tests. (Though we take the ACT here and not the SAT.)

Happy word learning!

What's the bottom line? Available at Amazon for $12.95

I am going to give VocabAhead 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.vocabahead.com/Products/tabid/131/Default.aspx

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783745/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Roman Town from Dig It!

2011-02-04T15:50:00.000-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of Roman Town from Dig It! This game is targeted to kids in 5th through 8th grade, but can be enjoyed by just about anyone who wants to learn more about Roman history.

In this game you are an archaeologist who is working to excavate Fossura, a town which was in 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. As you move along in the game you virtually uncover all kinds of exciting treasures that will help you learn all kinds of things about the ancient Romans! Learn about their art, their language, their architecture and more. You also learn about archaeology in general as you learn things like which tools you are best used for which projects. Your guides are an archaeologist and two kids right from Roman times!

What are the pros of this product? This is a very clever and well thought out way to get kids interested in Roman history. My experience is that kids prefer to do just about anything on the computer rather than in a book. Well, other than simply reading for pleasure. I like it that you can dig deeper (no pun intended) into the different topics if you want to, but it is not required to play the game. That way kids who are not really huge on Roman history will still get something out of it and won't be bogged down with the details.

What's not to like? If you are into flashy graphics, this will seem quite simple. Also, I had a hard time getting it to work until I changed the screen resolution on the computer. (Uh, I think that's what it's called.) The end result was that my screen is not quite as sharp as it could be. I am not that motivated to keep switching it back and forth, but Sane Man didn't even notice, so I guess I'll just keep it that way as long as the kids are interested in playing the game.

The Crazy Mom take: When I first got the program I tried it out myself. My first thought was that it wasn't nearly as good graphics wise as what my kids were into (when allowed to play games, which is rarely.) I decided it was that it was a nice game, but more educational than fun. Since I'm not really into Roman history or video games, and extremely short on time, I didn't really get into it. I did, however, think the whole idea of the game was quite clever and well done, even though it is not exactly animated in the way most games are today.

I had decided that for this review I would ask my son, Dode Man, 11, who is the resident history buff, to play it and give me his thoughts. Now, I might add here that while Dode Man loves history, he is more of an American History guy. However, he did spend quite a few hours playing this game, and he tells me to let my readers know that he did, in fact, like it! He further stated that he still prefers American history, and he also agrees with me that it is more of a fun educational tool than it is a game. However, he still gives it a thumbs up. I do know that he learned a lot, because he started spouting facts about Roman history. I can't complain about that!

Happy digging!

What's the bottom line? $39.95. SALE!!! TOS Crew Readers can use a special code TOS2011 which gets them 20% off the 2010 price of $24.95. The code expires Feb 21, 2011.

I am going to give Roman Town 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://dig-itgames.com/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783744/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Times Alive Software!

2011-01-31T12:07:00.001-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of Times Alive Software from City Creek Press so we could use it in our homeschool and let you know what we think!

This product is a software adaptation (available as a download or on a CD-ROM for both Macs and PC's) of the the Times Alive book I've seen advertised over the years. The idea behind both the software and the book is to create silly stories out of multiplication problems in order to help your child learn them better. The book uses cartoons, but the software actually uses "music videos" that take the cartoons and animate them, adding a song to help remember the problem.

An example of a problem would be a little story about two snowmen, which represent two 8's. The snowmen/8's are cold and want to warm up by a fire so they need some sticks. "Sticks are for" the fire. "Sticks are for" sounds like 64, so now you remember that 8 X 8 = 64.

The software also has pre-tests, worksheets, coloring pages, and more!

This method has been proven to work and kids can help kids retain up to 95% of their multiplication tables!

Check out a sample here.

Check out kits which are available to learn multiplication here.

Check out City Creek's products to help learn addition facts here.

What are the pros of this product? It's FUN!!! And it WORKS!!! Do I really need to say more?

What's not to like? There was nothing we didn't like about the program. However, it would be nice to have a drop down menu when you sign in because say your daughter, Jennifer, signs in as Jennifer the first time, and then forgets and signs in as Jen or Jenny, she will not access her previous work. Not a big deal really, but I guess I am just used to drop down menus for signing in.

The Crazy Mom take: My kids love this software. I have only assigned it to them as part of their school day a few times, because they often just want to do it on their own. Baber, 7, Bear, 9, and Dode Man, 11, especially love it. It's just silly enough to make learning multiplication facts fun. I have always used little games and tricks to memorize things, so this just makes total sense to me. The fact that it's now software makes even more sense. We really have enjoyed this program!

What's the bottom line? $44.95

I am going to give Times Alive 5 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.citycreek.com/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783695/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! TenMarks!

2011-01-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received six months of free access to TenMarks. TenMarks is an online math program meant to supplement your child's regular math curriculum. Created for grade 3 through 10, this program basically consists of online worksheets with ten multiple choice problems on each sheet. The subject matter is chosen by you, the parent, and the program is intuitive so it adjust to your child's abilities. It even is smart enough to make sure your student is learning according your state standards! Don't know what your child needs? Simple. Just use the online assessment.

What are the pros of this product? There are a lot of them! One is that each worksheet has only ten questions and they are multiple choice. My kids really don't like seeing a paper filled with 30 or more questions on it. Plus, it's on the computer, which is always a plus, even though the reality is that you have to do the work on paper. Then you add the fact that there are videos and hints to help them along the way, games to play after finishing a certain amount of worksheets, and even rewards put in place by the parent or teacher. Also, the program is totally customizable. You can set it up to help your child learn or review what you want him/her to and in what order.

There are lots of other built in benefits. One benefit is the price, it's rather inexpensive compared to other similar programs. Another is the fact that you can "pause" the program. So if you pay ahead for six months and take a two week vacation, you don't pay for those two weeks. You simply place the program on pause and resume when you get home.

I also found the site fairly easy to navigate. It took a bit to get used to getting around it, but not too long. I was soon able to check up on my kids' work with ease. But the biggest plus for me is that my kids literally BEGGED me to let them do TenMarks!!!

What's not to like? I can think of just a few things I'd like to tweak. For one, when you get less than seven right on a worksheet, you get a "do over." Well, I love that, but I'd like the ability to up it to eight or even nine. (I'm a meanie!)

Another thing is that sometimes the videos didn't seem to help my kids. I tried watching one that Dode Man wasn't understanding and I did find it a bit confusing. Most of the time, though, they didn't really want to watch the videos, as they preferred me to help them. (I should mention that the man on the video has a foreign-to us anyway-accent.)

The last thing I can think of is that I would like to see the problems more interactive. For example, one problem gave three points on the coordinate plane that formed a triangle when connected. (I do hope I said that right.) My daughter was supposed to draw it out on paper (though she guessed instead...grrr...) Anyway, it would be great if the program had a graph you could plot the points on with the computer. For some reason my kids are just so much more willing to do just about anything on the computer. I do hope I am making sense with this!

The Crazy Mom take: Now the weird thing is that I have probably just written far more than I ever have in the negative section of any review, but... we LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!! My kids go on it all the time and I never even have to tell them. They love, love, love it. This is why I'd love to see it tweaked a bit. It would be perfect and I'd consider switching over to it full time! Yes, that's how much they love it!

Now, why do my kids love the program so much? I think it's mostly because it is so simple. They are not intimidated by the worksheets because they only contain ten problems. They also love to be able to "earn" game time. We don't have any game systems here and to be able to play a game is a real treat. Plus, I have rewarded them for doing worksheets (this is an optional part of the program) with things like a trip to the store for a candy bar or a free pass on a chore. They love it.

I truly wish this was a full curriculum because I would so want to use it for all of our math. I'm actually thinking of just using it for Princess and Dode Man for the rest of the year. It's always so stressful to try to finish a whole textbook every year (not that we ever have) and this just seems to have sparked something in them. I'm not sure how long it will last, but for now I am totally thrilled with this program!!!

What's the bottom line? $10 per month/$49 for 6 months/$89 for a year.

I am going to give TenMarks 4 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out!

http://www.tenmarks.com/home.action

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783666/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

Available from Timberdoodle: Critical Thinking Workbooks!

2011-01-27T19:59:00.003-05:00

Several weeks ago I received three products at no charge from Timberdoodle so that my kids could use them and I could let you know what we thought! :)

The three products were:

Math Reasoning Level C

$39.99

Age: 7

Grade: 2

SAMPLE PAGES

This full-color, adorably illustrated, consumable workbook contains 320 pages of math problems which help second graders develop mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills. The book uses a "spiral" approach, which means that concepts are reviewed throughout the book so that the child does not forget what he has previously learned as he moves forward. By the end of the book the child will have covered all of second grade math, and will have been introduced to third grade concepts. This book can be used as a complete curriculum or as a supplement.

Building Thinking Skills Book 2

$29.99

Ages: 9-11

Grades: 4-6
SAMPLE PAGES

This 408 page black-line reproducible workbook covers describing shapes, figural similarities and differences, figural sequences, figural classifications, figural analogies, describing things, verbal similarities and differences, verbal sequences, verbal classifications, and verbal analogies. (Think puzzles!)

Building Thinking Skills Book 3 Figural

$29.99

Ages: 12+

Grades: 7+

SAMPLE PAGES

This 280 page black-line reproducible workbook teaches critical thinking skills in a logical sequence. Each skill is presented first in the semi-concrete figural-spatial form and then in the abstract verbal form. Your child will learn to observe, recognize and describe relationships between objects, between words, and between objects and words so they they might learn to better identify and complete sequences, classifications, and analogies. (Again, think puzzles!)

~~~Our Take ~~~

My kids were so excited when these books came in the mail. Princess, Bear, and Baber forgot about everything else they were supposed to be doing and started working in them. For some reason, there's just something fun about these workbooks. Even though they are good for them, they think they are just having fun! For this reason, I did not "assign" any particular pages to the books. I let them do them when they wanted to. Well, I do expect Baber to do at least one page a day, but I let him choose which page since he pretty much already knows most of the concepts in the book. For him it is his "fun" book since it is much more colorful than his regular math book. Bear loves any workbook, so of course she loves it, and even Princess who is getting to "that age" where she is getting a bit more, um, independent, enjoys her book. She recently took a "Thinking Detectives" class, so she has really enjoyed learning to solve these type of "thinking" puzzles. :) Now, I can't say they are still spending every waking moment working in these books, but they are a great supplement to break up the sometimes boring everyday work we do around here.

Highly recommended!

I am going to give these workbooks from Critical Thinking four smileys!!! *

To check out more products from Critical Thinking, click here.

Legal Disclosure:

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of these books in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

*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 isn't right for everyone.

Most homeschool moms will find this useful.

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

Disclaimer!!! I reviewed this product because I am a reviewer for Timberdoodle. I was given the product by Timberdoodle to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others. Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way. I am in no way obligated to give a positive review. I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal! What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive.

As with all products, you must do the research before buying. Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying. I can't guarantee that a product will work for you. You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s). I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review. I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else. I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family.

Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath. Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them!

New Review!!! Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids!

2011-01-26T13:38:00.001-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free copy of The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids from Lifeway Christian Stores so that I could check it out and let you know what we think!

While I'm at it, I thought I'd let you also know I checked out the website and Lifeway Christian Stores look like a great place to buy Christian resources. You can shop online, or if you're lucky enough to have one in your area, you can shop in one of their stores. They sell just about everything you can think of from books and DVDs, to church supplies and furniture!

Anyway, getting back to the book, it's a beautiful hardcover book with over 200 pages which explain over 700 Bible terms. There are lots of photos, illustrations, and maps which make everything easier to understand. The book is geared towards ages five to ten, but is valuable for anyone wanting to learn more about the Bible!

What are the pros of this product? This book has lots of color and is layed out so that it is very visually appealing. Even though it is a dictionary, it has a bit of an encyclopedia feel to it. With all the tables and illustrations and such, it's much more than a book with words and definitions.

What's not to like? I think the only thing not to like is the fact that it's marketed to young kids. I think it should be marketed to families! It's great for adults too!

The Crazy Mom take: This is a fabulous resource. It was kinda funny, because Sane Man usually don't get too involved in the products I review, but he happened to be home when the book came and he opened it up. He must have spent an at least a half hour looking through the book! He kept finding things and showing them to me! Of course the kids enjoy thumbing through it too, and so do I! A fabulous resource. :)

Happy Bible Studying!!!

What's the bottom line? $14.99

I am going to give Alphabet Beats 5 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=0805495312&mscssid=PNLFDPCKDV5X8H1692U2Q99SWK3TD72A

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783689/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Speakee TV!

2011-01-21T14:03:00.000-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free two month subscription to Speekee TV. This site offers over two and a half hours of video featuring native Spanish speakers speaking directly to the viewer about things kids like, such as going to the park, zoo, or beach. There are also worksheets you can download that go along with each episode. The program is geared to young children. I'd say roughly from two to ten. The star of the show is a puppet named Speekee, pictured below.

What are the pros of this product? Spanish is taught in a much more natural way than simple trying to learn each word by rote memory. Words are learned in context and I love the video format. Having the worksheets to go with the video is also a great idea for kids who learn best by writing.

What's not to like? Some kids, might not like the character Speekee or just might not have an interest in learning Spanish.

The Crazy Mom take: I had great hopes for this program, but my kids just were not interested. I had them watch several times but it was like pulling teeth. (Too bad the Tooth Fairy doesn't pay them for watching! LOL) I sometimes think that my older kids were much more open-minded when they were younger than my littles are now. They had no older siblings to pronounce things "dumb" and sway their thinking. My older kids didn't like Speekee, so my seven-year-old "decided" that he didn't either. I figured he'd be thrilled to get to go on the computer to "watch TV" but he wasn't.

Personally, I love the idea of the videos because they are much closer to presenting Spanish in the way one would learn it naturally than any textbook I've ever seen. I'm currently teaching Spanish in our co-op and I realize how frustrating it is trying to simply use flashcards to learn hundreds of words. I know that if my students had to live in a Spanish speaking environment for a few weeks they would learn far more than I can teach them in a year. I was really hoping my kids would love this and they would get a head start on learning the language. It was not to be. However, my kids are not your kids and they might love this! How about introducing them to some of the kids on the video here. Or sign up for a FREE TRIAL.

What's the bottom line? $7.50 per month

I am going to give Speekee TV 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.speekee.co.uk/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783681/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

New Review!!! Early Modern History Schedule from Easy Classical!

2011-01-10T21:41:00.002-05:00

About the product/service: As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of the Early Modern History Schedule from Easy Classical. In this case I did not actually use the schedule as I am not a classical educator, nor are we studying early modern history. My job for this review was to simply review the schedule itself and let you know what I think! :)

First I should tell you that this is not the only product available from Easy Classical. Easy Classic not only sells complete schedules, main schedules, science schedules, and of course, history schedules, they also sell writing guides, copy books, and curricula that incorporate geography.

As far as the schedules go, they basically take an entire year's worth of work and break it down into daily lessons for a 36 week period. Sure you could do this yourself, but I imagine it would be quite time consuming if you had to try to pull from different resources and then somehow coordinate the subjects so that it all "gelled."

The Early Modern History Schedule (Explorers to 1815) interconnects history with geography, art, writing and read-alouds. It comes in both a download version and a hard copy version that comes in a 1" three-ring binder. This schedule was developed for students in K-6 and includes over 45 pages of lesson plans, charts, and sheets to aid you in teaching. There are projects, activities, and ideas that are included to compliment all learning styles. There are also review questions and answers, quizzes, and even a handy shopping list for each lesson so that you can prepare ahead. Check out a sample of the schedule here. Check out sample lesson plans here. Click here to see a page that not only lists all the required and supplemental resources, but actually has links to where they can be purchased.

What are the pros of this product? Well, if you are a schedule person, and are a classical educator, this would be a perfect fit for you! Everything is laid out very clearly, and there are all sorts of extra helps built right into the schedule.

Another plus is that Easy Classical Press is not one of those companies that claims to know the ONLY perfect way to homeschool. The creator of the schedule, Sandra Williams, understands that you will want to tweak the schedule to fit your needs, and it's made to be quite "tweakable."

What's not to like? Honestly, if you are a classical kind of gal (or guy) you will most likely like this unless you are not a schedule person. Somehow I think that most classical educators ARE schedule people. I have no scientific backing for that, just my own hunch. :)

The only classical educator I can think of who might not like this is one who is totally into creating his or her own curriculum from scratch. If you are one of those people, well, I am sorry for you. Okay, just kidding, here. But seriously, I think most moms (or dads) would love to have some of the basic organization done for them. :)

Now, though I'm only reviewing the schedule, I do think it bears mentioning that there are simply loads of resources that are required for this program. Though many of them are available at the library, it could really get costly to have to buy all of these books. This is a huge consideration for those who are on a tight budget (or are just frugal like me.)

The Crazy Mom take: Like I stated above, this is a unique review in that we were not actually required to use the product. (And, yes, we normally work very hard to actually USE each and every product we get with our children unless it is an absolutely wrong fit. Even then, we will use it ourselves as thoroughly as possible so we can share our opinions with our readers.)

Anyway, since we are probably on the complete opposite end of the spectrum as the classical homeschool, I am a bit out of my element. I tend to use one book for history that my children read through on their own. I then supplement with lots of biographies and other relevant material. I don't test much, and to be honest, so far my kids have tested very well in social studies on standardized tests. Anyway, I just wanted to give you an idea of where I am coming from here. When I look at the classical way of education I am like, NO WAY!!! LOL It is just not my style. However, if I were to go classical, I would have to have something like this to keep me sane. (Wait a minute, I'm Crazy Mom, too late for that! LOL) OK, I would have to have something like this to keep me from going completely crazy. I am very sequential and that is the main reason I can't do integrated studies. I just get too overwhelmed pulling information from so many resources and trying to keep it all straight in my head. A schedule like this would be a total must.

So if you are totally not classical, you probably won't be interested. (Though like I always say, you really ought to check it out yourself.) However, if you are a classical educator, or would like to be, this might be the best thing to ever happen to your homeschool!

Happy scheduling!

What's the bottom line? Digital $29.95/Notebook $25.95

I am going to give Early Modern History Schecule from Easy Classical 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out! http://www.easyclassical.com/index.html

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/782787/

*The Smiley System:

I can't really recommend this product.

Ramblings From the Crazy House 2

Hi Tech Kids!

New Review and Giveaway from MyBlogSpark: Gevalia Coffee!!!

People Pleasers and Potatoes

A New Opportunity! VocabularySpellingCity.com!

Movie Review: A Mile in His Shoes

4 Degrees of Separation

Take My Poll!!!

New Review, Contest, and a Special Offer! Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure :)

Out of Con*text*

Total Transformation Review (Part 2)

New Review and Giveaway! FFH's One Silent Night Christmas CD

New Movie Review and Giveaway! The Christmas Lodge!

New Review and Giveaway! Cooper and Me!

Last Day for FREE MILK and to win a $25 Kroger Card!!!

Good Golly Miss Molly! A Hand Soap Review! :)

New Review and Contest! What is He Thinking?? by: Rebecca St. James

New Review and Contest: Revolution Worship

So... I've started the Total Transformation! (Part 1)

Movie Review: The Mighty Macs

New Review and Giveaway! Carlito C. Caterpillar's Math House Games

Total Transformation Review: Coming Soon!

New Review and Giveaway! Theo, a DVD for Children of All Ages

New Review and Giveaway! Furious CD from Jeremy Riddle

New Review and Giveaway! Ginny Owens: Get In I'm Driving

Heads Up for Reviews and Giveaways!

New Review! Game Time: Tackling the Past

Another Review and Contest: Check out The Grace Card!

Win some Chocolate!

So, I was having a bad day...

Hoarder/Keeper Challenge. I FORGOT!!!

The Homeschool Hoarder/Keeper Challenge!!!

Yikes! I Just Watched Hoarders! (Part 3)

Searching for Buried Treasure!!!

Yikes! I Just Watched Hoarders! (Part 2)

Yikes! I just watched Hoarders!

Making a Comeback! That's the Plan, Anyway!

Progresso Light Soup and a new CONTEST!!! :)

New Review!!! Mad Dog Math!

New Review!!! WonderMaps!

New Review!!! Andi's Pony Trouble from Kregel Publications!

New Review!!! Latin's Not so Tough!

New Review!!! Math Rider!

New Review!!! SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3S from VocabAhead!

New Review!!! Roman Town from Dig It!

New Review!!! Times Alive Software!

New Review!!! TenMarks!

Available from Timberdoodle: Critical Thinking Workbooks!

New Review!!! Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids!

New Review!!! Speakee TV!

New Review!!! Early Modern History Schedule from Easy Classical!

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