New Review! Drive Thru History (R)!!!

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About the product/service: As part of the Homeschool Review Crew, I received a free DVD set, Drive Thru History®- "The Gospels," from Drive Thru History®. The set includes three disks which contain 18, 30-minute episodes that tell about the life of Jesus and also comes with a study guide for each episode. I was impressed before I even put a DVD in the player. While the outside sleeve is cardboard, the DVDs case actually is very nice and looks like a book. The study guide is part of the case. For each episode, the are five discussion questions, a list of the pertinent scriptures, and a side road (which is actually a sidebar and just gives a little extra information about an aspect of that episode's topic.) The guide is full-color and also includes a lot of beautiful photos. 

Host Dave Stotts travels to 50 ancient sites in Israel as he brings the gospel to life in an adventurous, family-friendly way. You learn about the history, archaeology, art, and geography from the time that Jesus walked the earth. It's great for Bible studies, Sunday school, homeschool, or just family entertainment. 

Side note: There are other Drive Thru History® series, including those from American History, Ancient History, and the Holy Land. Just thought I'd mention that. :)

Here is a list of the episodes:

Episode 1: The Historical Landscape
Episode 2: The Announcements
Episode 3: Jesus is Born
Episode 4: Jesus Grows Up
Episode 5: Jesus Starts His Ministry
Episode 6: Jesus Returns to Galilee
Episode 7: Jesus Begins His Miracles
Episode 8: Jesus Teaches with Authority
Episode 9: The Sermon on the Mount
Episode 10: Jesus Travels the Sea of Galilee
Episode 11: Jesus Travels North
Episode 12: A Final Trip to Jerusalem
Episode 13: Jesus Arrives in Jerusalem
Episode 14: The Last Supper
Episode 15: The Trial of Jesus
Episode 16: The Crucifixion of Jesus
Episode 17: The Resurrection of Jesus
Episode 18: Who is Jesus?

What are the pros of this product?
Everything. LOL No, seriously, it's professionally done, informative, and entertaining. The host is great, the videography is great, the graphics are great. It's great.  LOL 



What's not to like?At $89.95, it's a little on the expensive side, but it is, after all, 18 episodes, so really you're only talking about $5 an episode. It's not your typical low budget Christian production, so I would say it's worth it. 

The Crazy Mom take:
We absolutely loved this video series! I now want to get everything from Drive Thru History®. Where do I start? First, the actual video quality is equal to anything on television. The host, Dave Stotts, is very informative, but also funny. He's the kind of guy you'd want to hang out with at a party. Most other documentaries have boring, old, gray-haired men sitting in a book-filled office very dryly telling about the subject at hand. This guy is far from old, gray-haired, or boring. To me, he looks and sounds like Booth from Bones. LOL 

We have learned so much from watching these videos, and it has really helped bring the gospels to life. At my ripe old age, I've probably read through the gospels dozens of times, but I honestly learned a ton from watching these DVDs. The next time I read through them, I will be able to really enjoy them at a much deeper level. 

I love learning about biblical history and archaeology. Now my kids are loving it, too. My youngest son, Baber, who is 13, is just not the academic type. School is something he does because he has to, not because he wants to. It's very rare for him to say he enjoys something. Well, he totally enjoys this series. 

We had been doing another Bible Study on Exodus before we took on this series to review, and while I really like the other study, I am going to miss this series when it's over. (We still have a few more episodes to watch.) I think I'm going to have to incorporate more Drive Thru History into next year's schedule. 

Dave Stotts

What's the bottom line? $89.95

I am going to give Drive Thru History (R) - "The Gospels 5 out of 5 smileys!!! :) :) :) :) :) 

Check it out! https://www.drivethruhistory.com/product/drive-thru-history-gospels/

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @

http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/the-gospels-drive-thru-history-reviews/




*The Smiley System:

:) I can't really recommend this product.

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

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

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

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

New Review! HISTORY Through the Ages Project Passport World History Study: Renaissance and Reformation

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 Homeschool Review Crew I received a free download of HISTORY Through the Ages Project Passport World History Study: Renaissance and Reformation from Home School in the Woods. This is one of a series of unit studies that also includes Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Middle Ages. Ancient Rome will be available in 2018. 

This download includes text to read, audio tours, a timeline that you create, a newspaper, postcards from Renaissance figures to their families, a lapbook, and instructions for over 50 projects and activities including art projects and baking, as well as information about additional resources which will add to your studies.


What are the pros of this product?
Since there are many different projects as part of this study, there is bound to be something to appeal to all students. I would think, though, that the hands-on aspect would be the most appealing to most. It's always nice to be able to create something to show that you've learned something. Because most of the work is organized into a three-ring binder, it will serve as a nice way to display all the hard work the student has done. I know many people really love lapbooks, but this includes even more. I think this is a perfect fit for families with kids who love to cut, paste, color, etc., instead of just sitting down with a book, reading, and testing.

What's not to like?
Here's where it gets tricky. Like I said in the pros, if you are one of those hands-on, lapbook-loving people, you'll likely love this! For the most part, it's hands-on all the way. Though there is some reading, and there are audio tours, it's basically a project-based study. True confessions here; I am not one of those people. I didn't love doing all the prep work that goes into this sort of thing, and my kids don't really like doing things like this enough to justify all the work. (When they were younger, they were more into these things, but now that they are older, they would rather do mostly reading.) Also, for me, I was totally overwhelmed by all there was to do! There are a lot of things to print out and organize that honestly had my head spinning for a bit. I am lost when things aren't totally laid out for me sequentially. I realize I am probably totally in the minority when it comes to this, though, so if you are a hands-on, organized type, you'll probably be just fine. :)

What I am trying to say is, for most people, I don't really see any cons. If you're like me, however, and prefer just to have a book in your hand and go one page after another, you might be a bit overwhelmed at first. If you have kids who love hands-on projects like lapbooking, it is probably worth the effort. If they aren't really into it, you might not want to use this resource. I suggest you really just check out the website before making your decision. The photos and descriptions will be a huge help to give you an idea of just what it's all about.

The Crazy Mom take:
Like I said above, it took me a while to get it all figured out. Once I had it all straight in my head, I realized that it's actually laid out in a totally organized fashion. It's all quite orderly; I'm just a little slow. :) It does take a bit of time upfront to get everything all printed out and organized. Maybe a couple hours, not a huge amount of time. I'm just glad I did it over the weekend and didn't wait until school time thinking I could just jump right in.

I decided to use this with my son as we needed something for history for the second semester. I chose this time period because my daughter is also doing the Renaissance period this year, so I thought we could coordinate. Since my son is more into just reading, I have been doing the reading with him, having him listen to the audio tours, and having him glue the figures on the timeline and help put together the laptop projects. My daughter is doing the coloring and drawing and writing for the newspaper. My daughter is also more interested in the other projects so she is doing most of those. I'm not sure if we'll continue to use this curriculum after the review period or not. At first, I was quite sure I wouldn't, but I have to admit it has grown on me since I have it all figured out now, and most of the prep work is behind me. We shall see!

Here's just a sample of what we've done so far:

What's the bottom line?
$33.95 Download/$34.95 for the CD


I am going to give HISTORY through the Ages Project Passport: Renaissance and Reformation 4 out of 5 smileys!!! :) :) :) :)

Check it out! 
http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/renaissanceandreformation.html

See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @
http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/history-through-the-ages-project-passport-world-history-study-homeschool-in-the-woods/




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*The Smiley System:

:) I can't really recommend this product.

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

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

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

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

New Review!!! Raising Real Men!

Raising Real Men:  Surviving, Teaching, and Appreciating Boys

by Hal and Melanie Young

Retail Price: $15

I came across this book one day, I don't even remember how, but I just HAD to have a copy.  So I asked for a review copy and was fortunate to receive one.  (Initially they told me it was only for "big time" bloggers.  Well, I hardly qualify for that, but I also told them I have SIX boys, so they gave in!  LOL)

Anyway, the Young family is a lot like a certain other family I know with six boys, and two girls.  Namely mine!  (Actually I see myself as the mother of 14 because, in my mind, boys count double!  LOL  Well, mine do anyway.)  If you have even one boy, you know they can be a handful.  Sure, there are some quiet, studious, thoughtful boys, but they tend to be the exception, don't they? 

To be fair, two of mine are also fairly quiet, but they still like to do wild stuff like ollie off the porch.  This basically means you run out the front door, jump onto a skateboard, ride off the porch, land back on the board on the sidewalk, and keep on going.  (Before you freak out and call Social Services, this is my 18 year old doing this.  And, no, I did NOT know about it until I saw the picture!)

Well, anyway, raising boys is kinda LIKE doing an ollie off the porch.  You gotta start off running, take a leap, and then keep on going even after you've safely landed, only to do it all over again.  That's what it feels like anyway.  Some days I don't land on the board, some days I'm afraid to take that leap, and some days I can't even get up and running!  But somehow I still manage to keep on going.

This is one of those books I could have written myself.  I agree with just about everything in it.  The Youngs are very balanced people.  They don't seem to take one extreme side of any issue.  Take gun play, for example.  They don't outlaw it in their homes, yet they have made very specific rules about how the boys are to play.  Rules like "no shooting other people" teach them not only gun safety, but also the spiritual lesson about "avoiding the appearance of evil."

The Youngs also discuss many other areas of "controversy," such as homeschooling, courtship, and discipline.  But no matter what the topic, they keep in mind that boys are simply men who haven't grown up.  (I know a few of those in their 40s!)  There is a tendency in our culture to make boys into sort of a boy/girl hybrid.  They are told to sit all "nicey, nicey," and are drugged when they don't.  (Yes, some kids really do have ADHD, but many who don't, I truly believe, are drugged just to make life easier for their parents and teachers.  And to say the thought of drugging my own boys has not crossed my mind, would be a lie!)

The book is laid out so that the first half attempts to explain male behavior.  I say attempts only because, while they do an excellent job explaining all about boys and their ways, us women folk will never quite understand them completely.  I imagine there are times when Melanie is still left scratching her head at some of the things her boys do.  (And dare I say at some of the things Hal does?  LOL)  Okay, to be fair, I'm sure Hal and the boys sometimes scratch their heads at some of the things Melanie and the girls do! :)

The second half of the book basically gives instruction on how to raise these wild, untamed creatures of the male species.  From what they share about their older boys, they have done a fantastic job!  (Would YOU send your 17 year old off to China as a tour guide?  You'd have to be pretty confident in the young man's maturity level, would you not?)

I don't want to tell you too much and give the whole book away, but I do want to tell you about one piece of advice that I have taken to heart.  Let the YOUNGEST child who is able do the job.  The absolute biggest mistake we've made is to rely on our two oldest boys to do most of the work.  Once they were trained it was hard to let the third and fourth take over as it meant re-training.  Who wants to do that?  Well, YOU do if you have more than one or two, or you will find that the others tend to get lazy and even resentful when you DO ask them to do something.  That's how it is around here anyway.  So I have been really on the younger kids to pull their weight around here.  When a job is to be done I now consider the youngest first.  Absolutely great advice.

I really enjoyed the book.  The family reminds me so much of my own, except somehow they seem to have pulled it off so much better than we do!  If you have a boy, I would highly recommend this book.  I could write so much more, but right now I have to go ollie off the porch! 

****************************************************
Check out the Raising Real Men Facebook page here.

Find out how to get your own copy here.

Check out the Table of Contents. Sample Chapter: Racing to Win

ISBN: 978-0-9841443-0-3
256 pages. 6×9 trade paperback.

A New Opportunity! VocabularySpellingCity.com!

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.

To be honest, we've been so completely busy around here that I haven't had a ton of time to really learn the site.  It has loads of activities and things to click around and do.  In my old age, I find that it's even harder for me to take the time to figure things out.  My very simple, ADD brain can only take so much!  These days I am often heard telling my kids to figure things out for me.  :)  So, that's what I did here.  I'd sign the kids in and let them do whatever they wanted to, which they were perfectly happy to do.  Of course, they gravitated to the games.  They especially liked playing the HangCat game which is a not-so morbid version of hangman.  Actually, it's not morbid at all!  LOL

Like I said, I didn't have a ton of time to figure it all out.  (Eight of use share one laptop.)  I didn't end up creating any of my own spelling lists, but I did use some of the ones already there.  The neat thing is that you can plug any list into any of the games.  My youngest two, Bear, 10, and Baber, 8, found it great fun.  I'm sure if I really took the time to figure it all out I could create an organized curriculum using the site.  As it is now, I find it just a great supplement.  My youngest, at 8, is really just "clicking" when it comes to reading, and I don't want to push any official spelling work on him right now, so this is a great way to weave a little spelling in painlessly.   I really hope that maybe by next year, when he has regular spelling lists, I will have had the time to really figure out how to maneuver the site so I can use it more intelligently.  Until then, I am content to have kids begging me to do schoolwork, even if it's only because they think they're just playing games.  :)

Happy Spelling!  :)

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

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."

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

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!  :)

Movie Review: The Mighty Macs



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

Total Transformation Review: Coming Soon!

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

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

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.”