Thursday, December 22, 2016

Bible Origami Review


“Bible Origami” Summary:
Keep your children’s hands busy during church services with Bible Origami. Instead of folding the service programs into paper airplanes, they can fold Noah’s ark, an oil lamp, or Joseph’s coat! As you develop the unique skill of creating these simple-to-intermediate origami designs, you will find opportunities to use them with all ages for lessons, activities, crafting, and everyday fun!


About The Author:
Todd Huisken is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the counseling manager at LDS Family Services in Fountain Valley, California. He attended Brigham Young University and the University of San Diego and has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Todd has served as the assistant director of Disaster Mental Health Services for the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. He has worked with victims from the San Diego fires, Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, and spent two weeks in Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010. He was an early morning seminary teacher for six years. He is the author of The Dating Directory and the founder of Process and Content, a graduate program newsletter at the University of San Diego. Todd has been married to his beautiful wife for twenty-one years and they have three daughters and a son.


Our Thoughts:
We love this paperback book! Origami is such a great hobby and these designs are definitely better than paper airplanes. While some of the projects in this book are simple others are quite involved. Each one has what skill level is required. There are a total of three skill levels. There are a total of 24 designs from the Old and New Testament. These have all the steps from start to finished design. Some designs even have more than one part to follow, while others need scissors to be finished. Each origami design also has "Did You Know?" facts about the item or passage in the Bible. These are really interesting and I learned all sorts of neat things from these. This book would be wonderful to incorporate with bible lessons, activities, crafting, and everyday enjoyment! Also great to keep children's hands busy doing something Biblical during church services for quiet, more reverent children.

I am a little disappointed though that all the pictures inside the book are all in black and white and are just drawings of the step-by-step folds. While this is still very helpful, I am very visual and would also love color representations of each of the finished designs after the instructions end, for each. I love that they do have some of these color pictures on the front and back cover of the book. I know that if done, that this would bring the cost to publish the books up, but I think that it would be eye pleasing and worth it to the author.

The author was so very kind enough to give us an envelope full of origami paper along with the book so that we could try some of the designs out ourselves with the instructions. We made the fox and the dove so far. The instructions were straight forward and easy to follow. It helps though that you get an overview of origami folds in the beginning of the book. You might want to brush up on these before you dive in, especially for the more advanced pieces.


BUY IT
Besides Bible Origami the author, Todd Huisken, has two other fun origami books: Mormon Origami and More Mormon Origami.






DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Monday, December 19, 2016

Babushka: A Christmas Tale Book Review


I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Babushka A Christmas Tale is a dusk-jacketed hardcover children's book written by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Amanda Hall. This classic Russian folk tale is about an old grandmother that loves to have a tidy home. One night while working on her chores she hears a knock on the door and invites three travelers inside to rest and have a bite to eat. She hears their story of where they are headed and is intrigued. After the three travelers are warm and well fed they get up to leave and ask if Babushka would like to travel with them. Politely she declines since after all, she is not done with her chores. The next morning she wakes and decides to find the baby the three spoke of and starts off on her own with handmade gifts in a basket. On her journey she cannot find the tracks of the three men, but finds others that are in need and helps them each with a gift from her basket.

This story is a wonderful tale that will warm your heart during the chilly winter. It reminds you and your family of the true meaning of this joyous holiday season. The lovely illustrations capture Russian folk art and bring this tale to life with patterns and color. I love that this story has a wonderful moral and theme of sharing love with others. The generosity of the old lady should remind us of how Christmas should be, a holiday of giving. I recommend it as the perfect gift for anyone for the Christmas season!

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Leonard's Beard Book Review


I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Leonard's Beard Summary:
Each day Leonard’s beard grows longer and longer, and more wild and untamed, but he doesn’t notice because as a writer, he is so engrossed in writing his stories. After a large storm passes over his house, Leonard discovers just how out of control his beard has gotten. He finds strange things that have gotten stuck in there, including a mouse, a bird, and some apples. As Leonard removes the items from his beard, he comes to realize that being consumed with writing adventures has prevented him from having his own. For ages 3-6.

Our Thoughts:
The book, Leonard's Beard, written and illustrated by Nancy Cote is so adorable! We love the sweet, funny illustrations on each of the 32 pages! This book got giggles from my girls as they read what Leonard had to pull from his beard. Aside from the lyrical words of the story that rhyme and wonderful illustrations, this book has a great message. You've likely heard the age old adage: “Energy flows, where attention goes”. This holds very true in this book. It shows how important it is to give attention to where it needs to go and live your life to the fullest. We should have adventure, play, fun, friendship, family, discovery, passion, inspiration, and also love life, not just write these things in stories or live in our fantasies. Such a great message in a wonderfully written and illustrated book! I recommend Leonard's Beard very highly!

BE SOCIAL
Website: http://www.nancycote.com/ 
Read about how the author and illustrator got the idea for this story HERE.
Nancy’s Twitter: @nancycote31
Nancy’s Instagram: @nancycote31
Nancy's Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/14778565@N02/ 

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Give a Novica Gift for Christmas, Review and $35 Giveaway


I received a $35 gift card free from Novica to facilitate this review and the opportunity below to giveaway another $35 Gift Certificate. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

NOVICA helps change the lives of artisans in developing nations, while offering us extraordinary handmade gifts, jewelry, apparel, and home decor. There are so many talented artists and artisans around the world. NOVICA provides these unique, hard-to-find items on their internet website at great prices. These services are all fair trade, meaning that they don't charge the artists and artisans any listing fees and the artists and artisans remain fully independent. They are free to raise their prices, lower their prices, or remove their items from their website whenever they please. This website is great to buy something from for your special someone for Christmas, just remember since these items are coming all the way from the country they are made in, the shipping might take longer than expected.


I received $35 to spend on Novica. I love the variety and eclectic feel to Novica. I sought out something unique to bring a welcoming knock to my farm house door. I purchased a Horse Door Knocker called 'Horse Arrival' which is made out of copper plated brass that has an antique look with a lacquer finish. It is so very perfect for welcoming guests into my home. This horse head door knocker is hand crafted by Khalid Ali, an artisan in India, and inspired by the ancient Mughal style. It even came with the iron screws to mount it. This door knocker gives an ambience of dignity and grace and also has a neat feel of the orient. At a little over a pound in weight, this has got some beef to it. I love the way it looks and hope it lasts a long long time out in the elements. I cannot wait to install it!


This brass door knocker 'Horse Arrival' can be found in decor accessory categories such as Animal Themed Decorative Hardware. Enjoy exploring these sections for other Novica treasures.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a $35 Gift Certificate from NOVICA (This GC Expires 1/31/2017).

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to NOVICA for sending me a $35 gift certificate for free to review a product off their website and one $35 gift certificate to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review of their website. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Cricket Media #DoubletheGiving Magazine Subscription Campaign and Giveaway


Cricket's "Double the Giving" Campaign
It's not too late to give the gift of reading this holiday season with a subscription to one of Cricket Media's award-winning parenting magazines. Any gift-giver purchasing an annual print subscription to one of four different Cricket publications will also deliver the gift of reading to a child in an underserved community through two award-winning, charitable partners: Libraries Without Borders and Parent-Child Home Program, both 2016 Library of Congress Literacy Award Winners. Each subscription bundle to BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) is priced at $29.95 (regularly $33.95), and is guaranteed to spark a life-long love of reading! Gift-givers can select between two charitable organizations to receive another 9-issue annual print subscription. Go to DoubletheGiving.com to find out more!


Cricket Media has been around for 40 years and has some wonderful annual traditions. And a long-time favorite of Cricket fans has been FREE printable cards for the holidays! For the 2016 holiday season, Cricket Media has selected 10 of their favorite holiday illustrations and created beautiful cards for you to share and send to loved ones.

To print them out, visit FREE HOLIDAY CARDS and follow the instructions.

Social Corner
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cricketmedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cricketmediainc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cricketmediainc/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CricketMediaInc/

BUY IT
Each subscription bundle to BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) is priced at $29.95 (regularly $33.95). Gift-givers can select between two charitable organizations to receive another 9-issue annual print subscription. Go to DoubletheGiving.com to find out more!

WIN IT
Prize: Win an annual subscription to any of the “bug” magazines being offered in the campaign: BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) {US Only}.

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this freebie and opportunity to give back. I will be getting a subscription and giving one away here for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

The Book of Kringle: Legend of the North Pole Book Review



The Book of Kringle: Legend of the North Pole is a children's book with gold foiled hardcover by Derek Velez Partridge with Mary Packard and illustrated by David Wenzel. This tale is a story about the North Pole, elves, Santa Claus, and magical reindeer. This however isn't the story you are probably familiar with. Kris Kringle has a evil brother that rules the North Pole with darkness...even Kris. The battle between light and dark has started between the two brothers and the elves go to find Santa, the one, truly kindhearted soul who could bring back laughter, play, and Christmas to the world. Could they do it in time?

This book is eloquently written and gorgeously illustrated. I love the storyline which is a classic battle of good and evil. My girls who are 8 and 6 enjoyed reading this book and looking at the elaborate illustrations. This book is truly magical. It is a wonderful, heart warming book that is perfect for the holiday season.

Social Corner
Website: http://www.thebookofkringle.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebookofkringle/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookofkringle
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeR_BeWupT-RcKzClgxQZ2w

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Jesus Is Born Book Review


Jesus Is Born is a dust-jacketed hardcover children's book retold by Sophie Piper from the story of the birth of the Savior and closely echoes the words of the Bible. This story is adapted from passages of the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. The text starts from the angel Gabriel's great visit with the Virgin Mary and ends with King Herod's decree and how the Holy Family must flee to Egypt so that baby Jesus stays safe from harm. This children's book is illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert with detail-rich colored pencil drawings. These are visually stunning and each picture reverently portrays the nativity story beautifully. Along with the narrative this is a lovely book that is perfect for the Christmas season.

This sweet retelling is a wonderful book to have children turn to for learning about or helping remember the story of Christmas. I love that this book helps us get into the true spirit of the Christmas season and is in language that young ones can understand. The exquisite illustrations are phenomenally well done. I love looking at the elaborate drawings. My daughters love this book. This will be one that we will cherish for years to come. I recommend it as the perfect gift for parents, grandparents, and children for Christmas!

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Edushape Marbulous Marble Run Review


The Marbulous Marble Run from Edushape is a fun marble maze toy that will help your child's imagination zoom. This fun, action-packed marble track set is loaded with extra marbles so there is no need to purchase them separately. The sturdy colorful plastic tracks fit together a lot of different ways so that the child can build a different track pathway every time. It is so much fun loading the marbles and watching them twist, turn, and roll down the track. Develops fine motor skills, socialization, spatial relationship, logic & reasoning, hand-eye coordination, visual sensory development, creativity, imagination, and more. Includes 80 pieces and 20 marbles. Compatible with all Edushape Marble Runs and more! Appropriate for 4 years and up; $39.99

What Is Included:
  • 80 Pieces: including bells, spinning pieces, bases, straights, tunnels, slides, shoots, etc. These are sturdy plastic and have vibrant colors.
  • 20 Marbles: These are colorful glass cats-eye marbles.
  • Instruction Booklet: has different designs that you can build from start to finish. These designs range from easy to hardest and more complex.

My daughters having fun with the Edushape Marbulous Marble Run.

What We Thought:
We loved this awesome marble run! The pieces fit together well and easily, even for my 6 year old. I loved that this set had marbles that already came with it because so many do not. The instruction booklet was mostly easy to understand and comes with pictures for each of the builds in it. Some of these builds were a little confusing because the pictures missed steps in between others, so you had to really try to understand the pictures well to get the pieces together like they had it in the booklet.  My kids loved putting the tunnels, shoots, slides, bases, etc. together mostly on their own to make the ultimate obstacle course for the marbles to shoot down and sometimes they would race marbles to see who would come to the bottom first. This is a great toy for them to play with together. Putting these pieces together they learned that some designs work better than others. I loved watching their faces as the marbles raced down the run and made it to the very end of the track! So priceless! My little engineers love this and so do I! It keeps them occupied and entertained.

I highly recommend the Edushape Marbulous Marble Run! I do not, however; recommend this to smaller children because of small pieces and choking hazards. It would make a great gift for a child 4 and up and is part of my Holiday Gift Guide!

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Amy Grant Tennessee Christmas CD Review and Giveaway #TennesseeChristmas #FlyBy


Amy Grant is one of the most well known and cherished songwriters in Christian music. Tennessee Christmas is her first all new Christmas album in nearly 20 years. This album features an updated recording of the Amy Grant Christmas standard, Tennessee Christmas, 6 new songs and the traditional Christmas favorites: Baby, It's Cold Outside, O Come All Ye Faithful, & Joy To The World. This album wasn't recorded in a big music studio. Instead it was recorded in Amy's Nashville Tennessee home. Her husband and country singer, Vince Gill, sings with her in Baby, It’s Cold Outside. This brand new album shares Amy's classic vocals with a more intimate, mellow feel. Some of the songs are also mixed with personal stories and Amy's memories from the holidays. The liner notes inside the CD case have some fun family photos and each songs lyrics as well.

I have been to Tennessee, but only briefly. I know they have some gorgeous scenery and beautiful Smoky Mountains. It is also the birthplace of country music and where Elvis grew up. I pray now for the people in Gatlinburg, Tennessee where wildfires are burning homes, businesses and parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I hope that those affected can stay positive through this trial. I also hope these people stay safe and even in the midst of heartache and loss can rebuild when the fires are finally put out. Let's all pray for them.

This album is a lovely medley of Christmas music. Amy has personalized the music with her thoughts, and to some, like me, it sounds like a cheesy Christmas card. It feels a little too sentimental and a bit sappy for my taste, but that is just me. I know she meant well, but these thoughts would have been better in the liner notes. I do love the songs and the feel to this new CD of Amy Grant's, however; I also wish there were more songs about the Savior's birth. My favorite songs on this Album are To Be Together, Tennessee Christmas, and Joy To The World.

Track Listing:
  1. Tennessee Christmas (4:27)
  2. To Be Together (4:10)
  3. Christmas For You And Me (3:03)
  4. Melancholy Christmas (3:02)
  5. December (3:29)
  6. White Christmas (2:23)
  7. Joy To The World (3:08)
  8. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (3:24)
  9. Baby, It’s Cold Outside [feat. Vince Gill] (3:14)
  10. Christmas Don’t Be Late (3:16)
  11. Still Can’t Sleep (3:11)
  12. Another Merry Christmas (2:22)
  13. O Come, All Ye Faithful (3:07)
Album length: 13 tracks: 42 minutes, 16 seconds
    Social Corner
    Want to be on a video with Amy?? Amy is asking fans to upload any videos they may have of them surprising loved ones for the holidays to social media. Post these to socials using the hashtag #TNChristmasSurprise! Those chosen will be part of a compilation video that Amy herself will share on her large social media outlets! Check out this video to see an example of what they are looking for.

    “To Be Together” Audio:


    BUY IT


    iTunes Buy-link: http://smarturl.it/TNChristmasAlbum?IQid=flyby

    WIN IT
    Prize: Win a copy of the Amy Grant Tennessee Christmas CD {US Only}.

    I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER:  (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog review and giveaway. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

    Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

    Monday, November 28, 2016

    Oregon Zoo ZooLights 4 Tickets Giveaway #zoolightspdx



    I have a fun giveaway for my local readers! The Oregon Zoo has provided me with 4 tickets for one of my local readers to visit the Oregon Zoo's annual winter festival, ZooLights, with their family!!

    The ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo opens at 5:00 pm nightly from November 25th through January 1st (with the exception of Dec. 24th and 25th!), and runs until 8 or 9 pm, depending on the day. This year, ZooLights visitors will receive reduced admission on Mondays through Thursdays through December 15 (although these value nights end at 8pm instead of 9pm.

    ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

    This event is a lot of fun and features some really cool light displays for the holiday and winter season. The Zoo is transformed into a fantastic winter wonderland of over a million and a half twinkling lights. You can walk through about 95% of the ZooLights. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture this experience!

    They also have a great train ride that goes through the park so you can see light displays that you would not be able to see otherwise. Trains begin running at 4:45 pm and tickets for the ride are $3.50 for members and $4 for all others per person.

    Penguins in lights reflected in a fountain during ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo.

    Besides your camera, don't forget to bundle up and dress warmly. I would recommend bringing: clothing with layers, warm coats/jackets, gloves/mittens, hats, scarves, thick insulated socks, and comfortable boots/shoes. I am going to be bringing my favorite reusable hand warmers and an umbrella in case it rains the next time I go with my family! You can purchase food, snacks, and drink while you are there and they have hot chocolate to warm you up as well!

    ZooLights Admission
    • Members: Free
    • Adults (12–64): $14.95, $9.95 on value nights
    • Seniors (65 and up): $12.95, $7.95 on value nights
    • Children (3–11): $9.95, $4.95 on value nights
    • 2 and under: Free
    Train Admission
    • Members: an additional $3.50 per person
    • Others: an additional $4 per person
    Schedule
    • Monday through Thursday through Dec. 15th: gates open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    • All other nights from Nov. 25th through Jan.1st: gates open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    • Grounds remain open an hour after gates close.
    • Closed on December 24, and 25.

    Please see my other posts on the Oregon Zoo.We loved going to the ZooLights in 2012 and hope to go again soon!

    WIN IT
    Prize: Win 4 Oregon Zoo ZooLights Tickets. (please don't enter unless you know you will be able to go)

    Winner will be notified via Crystal of Eccentric Eclectic Woman. Upon confirmation, tickets will be placed in will call at the zoo under the winner’s name. Tickets are valid for one-time use from completion of contest through the last night of ZooLights (January 1, 2017). Value of four tickets is $59.80.

    I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I have been given an opportunity to giveaway 4 free tickets to the Oregon Zoo ZooLights. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

    #LIGHTtheWORLD In 25 Ways Over 25 Days Advent Calendar



    “During Christmas, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. This year, we have an amazing opportunity to share that light by resolving to do the things Jesus Christ did. Every day leading up to Christmas, we will focus on a different Christ-like behavior and provide suggestions for ways we can emulate His example....” mormon.org




    The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints has provided each of us a way to #LIGHTtheWORLD from December 1st through Christmas Day. The Worldwide Day of Service is on December 1st and kicks off this Advent Calendar. For the Worldwide Day of Service people were given the opportunity to "serve anyone you want, any way you want" and "find a way to serve others as Jesus did". Just like this Christ-like day, each day following in the advent calendar has a theme and follows with suggestions of different ways you can get involved with small, but meaningful acts of service.

    “When people think of Christmas, they often think of lights,” said Bruce Muir, director of emergency response for the Church. “Christmas lights, lighted store windows, tree lights. Christ taught ‘Ye are the light of the world,” and we hope that through small and simple acts of service, we can spread the light of Christ—helping others to feel the love of the Savior through genuine kindness.”

    This Advent Calendar helps us get into the Christmas spirit and follow Christ's example this holiday season as we go about our busy daily lives. Just one act of kindness each day can make someones day or brighten their future. You can also see each video that goes with the theme as it posts each day. Videos and printables, including the advent calendar, are available in multiple languages so people from all over the globe can participate. Go download the advent calendar today!

    BE SOCIAL
    Please visit mormon.org for more information.
    Fan on Facebook
    Follow on Twitter
    Follow on Instagram

    Also, here are some fabulous FREE printable kits to help you too.

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this opportunity of service. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else.

    Saturday, November 26, 2016

    Learning Resources STEM Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set Review #learningresources



    Learning Resources STEM Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set is a fun toy that teaches sequencing, coding, and programming. This toy challenges players to sharpen their analytical thinking, critical thinking, logical thinking, and problem solving skills. For ages 5 and up and grades Kindergarten and up.

    STEM
    • Science: exploring the science of coding and programming with hands-on activities!
    • Technology: building and using tools for amazing discoveries!
    • Engineering: designing solutions for real-world problems!
    • Math: measuring, recording, and comparing data to draw conclusions!

    83 Piece Set Includes:
    • 1 Robot mouse named Colby: has a switch on the bottom with 3 positions (off and two speeds: normal to use on plastic maze base grid pieces and hyper for use on carpet and other more uneven surfaces). Colorful buttons on top make him do things in the order they are pressed and are: forward (blue arrow that points towards his nose, makes him move forward 5"), rotate right (purple arrow that points right when he is facing away from you, makes Colby rotate right 90 degrees), reverse (yellow arrow that points towards his tail end, makes him move backward 5"), rotate left (orange arrow that points left when he is facing away from you, makes Colby rotate left 90 degrees), action (red circle that makes him either: move forward and back, squeak loudly, or chirp 3 times with lit up eyes), clear (yellow circle clears all coding if you make a mistake or want to do another sequence, has confirmation tone), go (green circle that is the last command to be pressed when the sequence (up to 40 steps) is completed and Colby is set down on the maze). Takes 3 AAA batteries, not included.
    • 16 Plastic maze base grid pieces: connect together to form a larger board or any configuration that goes together.
    • 22 Plastic maze walls: to be placed around the grids in the crevices so that the mouse can go through the maze to get to the cheese.
    • 3 Plastic tunnels: can be placed on the grid or surface for the mouse to go under and through.
    • 1 Plastic cheese wedge: to be placed at the end of the maze for the mouse to find. This is magnetic and sticks to the mouses nose when touched by it.
    • 30 Double-sided coding cards: have one side with just the arrow and the other side with the mouse and the arrow. These help you plot and track the mouse's path and order in which the code needs to be pressed on Colby for him to get to the cheese in the maze.
    • 10 Double-sided activity cards: help you build the mazes from pictures on the cards. These are made in order of difficulty, 1 being the easiest and 20 being the hardest.
    • 1 Multilingual activity guide: is instructions and directions for how to play.

    How To Play:
    1. Pick an activity card with one of the challenge mazes.
    2. Build your maze from the picture on the card or just build your own: by connecting the maze grid pieces together and adding the walls, tunnels, and cheese.
    3. Use either side of the coding cards to create a step-by-step path for Colby to find the cheese.
    4. Program the sequence of steps with the buttons on the mouse.
    5. Set Colby down where he is suppose to start in the maze, press go, and watch Colby race to find the cheese.

    Teela and Zari playing with the Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set.

    What We Thought:
    My daughters who are 6 and 8 tried out the Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set. This is a neat toy. It teaches some very important skills and I love that it is educational and that my girls enjoyed it so much. We love bringing this toy out for when we need a break from book work during homeschooling. The girls liked making their own mazes and figuring out what code to program into Colby, the mouse. They also thought that it was funny that the mouse made little sounds occasionally and loved that you could program an action into it to make the mouse do random things. Someday we'd love to get the purple mouse, Jack, that is sold separately, so we can have even more fun with this set and race the two!

    The Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set is fun and educational! I recommend it to people that love games, puzzles, and educational toys! This is also a great addition to any homeschool environment. It is a great family centered toy and wonderful to teach and improve STEM and mental skills.

    BUY IT


    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

    Wednesday, November 23, 2016

    Bible Journaling Kit Review and Giveaway #BibleJournalingKit #FlyBy



    This Bible Journaling Kit from Ellie Claire, a division of Worthy Publishing Group is a great way to personalize the pages of your Bible or Book of Mormon. You can mark your favorite passages, doodle pictures to help you remember scriptures in the margins, or jot your thoughts down as they come to you in fun scrolling fonts as you study the Word of God. Be an artist and draw, color, or journal feelings and special moments with the colored pencils and pen that comes in this kit. Highlight your favorite verses with the stickers and colored pencils. Make your favorite Bible or Book of Mormon all your own and a treasure for generations to read and ponder its pages.

    Kit includes:
    • 4 sheets of inspirational word stickers
    • 4 sheets of alphabet stickers
    • 24 tab stickers to mark special passages: some say things like pray, faith, wow!, grace, promise, fear not, beautiful, love is, favorite, blessing, believe and others are blank so you can write your own.
    • 8 colored pencil twists to advance and never need sharpening
    • 1 archival quality journaling pen
    • 1 NIV Philippians 4:8 "Whatever Is Lovely" inspired pouch with adjustable strap to fit Bibles of all sizes
    • 1 ruled page protector mat with die cut edge for tracing lines

    How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

    This Bible Journaling Kit has been fun to experiment with. I love how it comes with colored pencils instead of markers or colored pens that might bleed through the delicate pages. This kit is a great way to start journaling. I love the verse on the pouch that comes with it as well which reads, "Whatever is lovely...think about such things.". This is not the whole verse, but is a shortened version. The stickers are a very nice addition too and make the verses stand out more. This pouch has an adjustable strap that can go around a Bible or Book of Mormon. The pouch can hold all of the journaling supplies except the page protector mat. I love that those supplies fit neatly inside my scripture case inside the pouch so that I have everything I need at my fingertips. This kit would be a great gift for someone!

    BUY IT


    Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/BNBibleJournaling
    Books-A- Million: http://bit.ly/BAMBibleJournaling
    Christian Book Distributors: http://bit.ly/CBDBibleJournaling

    WIN IT
    Prize: Win a Bible Journaling Kit {US Only}.

    I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    **Bonus: Along with my giveaway here on my blog the company is hosting a giveaway of their own! They will be giving away 5 more kits! Just follow this link to enter and get some free downloads of several coloring pages while you are there... http://bit.ly/BibleJournalingKitGiveaway.


    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    Monday, November 21, 2016

    The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith Book Review


    I received The Radical Book for Kids free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith is an invaluable guide to the Bible, history of the Christian church, and life for boys and girls age 8 and up. It is illustrated throughout its pages and filled with interesting facts and ideas. It unfolds deep truths and answers questions that elementary and middle-school aged kids need to know and understand. It will help edify the young readers' faith in Christianity and stimulate their natural curiosity for the truth within a gospel-centered foundation.

    The Radical Book for Kids will take children on a fascinating journey to learn about: the ancient roots of the Christian faith, people who had faith in Jesus and how/why they stood for Him even in turbulent times, ancient weapons (and how to make one), jewels, pottery (and  how to create your own), secret codes, stars, telling time using the sun, tying knots, ancient recipes (and how to make them), a board game that's 3,000 years old (and how to play it), and so much more! So many great things to learn, read about, do and explore! With a wide spectrum of important topics, this book is sure to engage the child.

    The author, Champ Thornton is an associate pastor at Ogletown Baptist Church in Delaware. Champ is also the author of "God's Love: A Bible Storybook," and of Bible curriculum for early and upper elementary-aged children. He has been happily married since 1996 to his wife, Robben, and they have three children.

    I love that you can skip around or read straight through and the table of contents and index help you find things. This book has 67 chapters, but each chapter is only 2-5 pages so they don't take too long to read. We love exploring the pages of this book and can't wait to do some of the hand-on projects too! We love to get this out for Bible study during our homeschooling. Such a great resource for kids....and adults alike!

    Follow The Author on Social Media:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/champ.thornton.7
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/champthornton
    Blog: http://www.champthornton.com/

    BUY IT


    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience Book Review


    Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience by Melanie Kirkpatrick is a wonderful book to read and cherish for Thanksgiving. Simple, yet elegant, illustrations grace the pages of this informative book. It is a compilation of religion, history, hospitality, economics, philanthropy, culture, food, traditions, and politics that surround this beloved holiday. Within its passages it holds timeless tales of how Thanksgiving came to be: from the Puritans and Wampanoag Indians and their feast together to how Thanksgiving became the holiday as it is today. It delves into four centuries of history to paint a more complete picture of our nation's celebration of family, friends, food, fellowship, gratitude, and faith than that you may have learned from school. Besides the history, it also includes Readings For Thanksgiving Day, which are excerpts from famous people like: Mark Twain, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ben Franklin, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Abigail Adams, Louisa May Alcott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc. and yummy Thanksgiving Recipes and Bills of Fare from households, cookbooks, and media passed down through the ages.

    The Thanksgiving holiday has always been a time of joy, celebration, and gratitude in my home. We thank God for the blessings and bounty He has bestowed on our family and friends. The greatness of the delicious food and drink on the table and multitude of family and friends that will surround us on this Thanksgiving Day are only a few things that I am thankful for. I am also so very grateful to live in a country where religious freedom is practiced and allowed and am glad that I am alive on this gorgeous planet.

    Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience is a comprehensive resource for understanding and coming to know the Thanksgiving holiday better. I highly recommend it for gift giving around the holiday. It would also be wonderful to share with your host or hostess this Thanksgiving or next. It is a great companion for a homeschool study on the holiday too.

    BUY IT


    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    NotebookingPages.com Cyber Weekend Membership Sale

    (4-DAY) CYBER WEEKEND MEMBERSHIP SALE
    ...LIFETIME Memberships on sale for $72!!!

    Cyber Weekend Membership Sale

    • WHEN: Friday, November 25 - Monday, November 28 
    • WHAT: SAVE $25 on Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Memberships...LIFETIME Memberships on sale for $72! They offer a 3-month payment plan: Get started with just $10 and pay 2 additional monthly installments of $31/each. LIFETIME Members receive all current & future notebooking products PLUS 2 bonuses: Bonus 1: 12 months free subscription to The Notebooking Publisher web-app Bonus 2: $100+ Homeschool e-book package 
    • WHERE: http://notebookingpages.com/memberships-2016cyber?ap_id=admin

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this sale. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    Thursday, November 17, 2016

    Where Jesus Slept Book Review and Giveaway #WhereJesusSlept #FlyBy


    I received Where Jesus Slept free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

    Where Jesus Slept is written by Norma Lewis and illustrated by Katy Hudson. This jacketed hardcover book is filled with delightful watercolor pictures to accompany a story that starts with one line of words and builds from there. It starts out with the manger bed that Jesus slept in, then straw, a cow, and so on until the end where the Wise Men give their gifts to Jesus. Each spread adds a new element to the story. On the last page is a picture of swaddled baby Jesus sleeping peacefully and the scripture John 3:16 (NIV): "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.". The book is geared towards ages 3-7.

    My daughter Zari enjoying the Where Jesus Slept book.

    This sweet book of the Savior's birth reminded me of the song, 'The Green Grass Grows All Around' and the story, 'There Was An Old Lady That Swallowed A Fly' because of how the story builds upon itself. The repetition of the rhyme is great for young children. The gorgeous watercolor art shows the nativity in a lovely light. My daughter Teela loves reading this to Zari and Zari loves looking at the childlike illustrations. We love this Christmas treasure.

    BUY IT


    WIN IT
    Prize: Win a copy of the Where Jesus Slept Book {US Only}.

    I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER:  (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog review and giveaway.

    Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

    The 101 Series Biology 101 Review



    My family had the privilege of trying Biology 101 of The 101 Series from Westfield Studios for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

    Westfield Studios was founded in 2004 by Wes and Tammy Olson for their two oldest boys. In 2003 Tammy was looking for a Biology curriculum for her homeschool that fit her needs and could not find it. Wes decided that since he had 15 years of corporate film production experience and a natural love of science he would produce it for his wife. Thus Westfield Studios was born and now it has three science productions: Biology 101, Physics 101, and Chemistry 101, with a forth, General Science, possibly coming in 2017. Before production these films were also reviewed by experts in the fields of biology, physics, and chemistry so they are scientifically accurate.



    Biology 101 is a full Christian biology high school course designed specifically for ages 15 and up for homeschoolers. It comes as a set of 4 DVDs and Biblically teaches biology following the book of Genesis and the creation days. There are nine individual segments and a guidebook that you can print out to accompany the film. The combined running time is 4 hours and 37 minutes.

     

    Contents:

    Disc 1
    • Introduction: Defining Life and Life Classification (15 min.): Classification and Taxonomy.
    • 3rd Day - Plants (37 min.): Vascular Plants - Plant Parts (flowers with fruit and seeds, leaves, stems, roots), Grasses, Annuals & Perennials, Trees. Nonvascular Plants - Moss & Liverworts, Algae, Fungi, and Lichen.
    Disc 2
    • 5th Day - Aquatic Creatures (40 min.): Vertebrates - Osteichthyes (bony fish), Chondrichthyes cartilage fish), Agnatha (jawless fish), Aquatic Mammals (nursing), Aquatic Reptiles (creeping). Invertebrates - Mollusk (soft body), Arthropod (joint foot), Protozoa, Worms, Cnidarian (stinging), Porifera (with pores), Echinoderm (prickly skin), Extinct Aquatics.
    • 5th Day - Avian Creatures (44 min.): Flying Vertebrates - Birds. Flying Invertebrates - Insects.
     Disc 3
    • 6th Day - Land Animals Part 1 (22 min.): Vertebrates - Warmblooded (Cattle & Beasts), Coldblooded (Creeping Things) - Reptiles & Amphibians.
    • 6th Day - Land Animals Part 2 (28 min.): Invertebrates - Land Arthropods, Land Mollusks, Land Worms, Bacteria & Viruses.
    • 6th Day - Mankind Part 1 (27 min.): Anatomy & Physiology - The Brain, The Five Senses, Skeletal System, Muscular System.
    • 6th Day - Mankind Part 2 (24 min.): Anatomy & Physiology Continuation - Circulatory System, Digestive System, Lymphatic System, Endocrine System, Human Development.
    Disc 4
    • Genetics: A Brief History of Biology, Cells and Genetics (40 min.)
    • Guidebook and Accreditation Booklet (PDF): accompanied by a printable 114 page fact-filled guidebook that also includes multiple choice quizzes and discussion questions to review all the information covered in the film. This also has labs/activities and field trip recommendations. A 12-page “Course Accreditation Program” booklet is included for those families who want a year-long biology course.

    SOME OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED SO FAR...
    • Vascular plants have tubes that are a lot like trachea (windpipe) that take in nutrients and water.
    • An easy way to remember the male and female part of a flower is to look at the ending: stamen is male and stigma is female.
    • Algae played a roll in the making of dynamite.
    • Grasses are essential for our survival.
    • Trees are the oldest living things on the planet. The oldest living one is 4500 years old.
    • The scales of fish have ring segments providing a record of their age similar to tree rings.
    • Seahorses are classified as bony fish even though they do not look anything like a fish.
    • California flying fish can glide up to 500 feet!
    • Sharks use and loose as many as 2000 teeth every year!
    • The word walrus means horse whale.

    How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
    Since The 101 Series is appropriate for the entire family we had everyone in the family watch the Biology 101 course. We had not had a taste of this series before, so this was new to us. My 16 year old did the questions in the guidebook, which goes along with the DVDs seamlessly.

    I love that it teaches biology along with the Bible. The way the curriculum went along with creation was genius! I love that we could also reference back to the scriptures while we learned.

    We completed aquatic creatures for this review. The Biology 101 course so far has been tremendously interesting and engaging. The videos are visually rich with pictures and illustrations. Wes is a great narrator and host for this program and he is both interesting and entertaining. He captivates his audience well. My children, even my younger ones, were fascinated with this course so far and are excited to learn and watch more. I was even learning things that I did not know!

    We cannot wait to continue this course! It is fantastic and not just for homeschoolers!! You can use this as a supplement if your kids are in the public/private school system, especially if you want to have Christian education in your home. This is a great homeschool science, middle school science, and high school science course. We highly recommend this to anyone that wants to teach their children a biblical worldview of science.

    BUY IT
    You can purchase Biology 101, Physics 101, Chemistry 101 for $69.95 each or save money as a bundle for all three at $168.95!

    Follow Them on Social Media:
    Facebook: http://forum.homeschoolcrew.com/index.php/topic,41322.0.html
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/the101series/ @the101series
    Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/the101series/ 
    Hashtags: #hsreviews #101series #homeschoolscience

    Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for The 101 Series...
    Physics, Chemistry & Biology 101 {The 101 Series}

    Crew Disclaimer

    Wednesday, November 16, 2016

    Chara Games Commissioned Review


    My family had the privilege of trying Commissioned from Chara Games for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum and Bible study. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

    Patrick and Katherine Lysaght founded Chara Games in 2014 in hopes to bring Christian based tabletop games to the home that are fun for the family to play together. They named their company Chara which means unshakable joy in Biblical Greek. They created their first game, Commissioned, which was funded through a KickStarter campaign and a second game called 3 Seeds was also funded through KickStarter later on.

    Commissioned is a board game that is for 2-6 players and is for ages 14 and up. This historically-based cooperative, strategic deck-building style game takes about an hour to play and is built upon how the Early Christian Church was spread. The game covers the first 150 years of church history. There is no need to know the history of Christianity to play.

    To play you get to be one of the six Apostles: Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Andrew, Thomas or John. Each Apostle has specific characteristics, abilities, and ways they can help the game. Players in the game work together as a team with the other chosen Apostles to strengthen their individual decks of faith cards, grow the church, collect the books of the New Testament, all while overcoming trials, obstacles, and persecution. The game is played in three rounds: Arm (drawing faith cards), Live (taking action: trials, pray, share, move, and grow), and Mature (expanding faith decks). Commissioned has five separate scenarios you can choose to follow: Acts of the Apostles, Peter's Gentile Outreach, The First Missionary Journeys, Appeal to Caesar,  and To the Ends of the Earth. These scenarios make the game interesting every time it is played. The first scenario is the easiest and suggested for the first play of the game. Commissioned has two different difficulty levels of play and one adversary variant as well. Game ends when scenario victory conditions are met, 5 churches are extinguished, or the last Trial Card is drawn.

    Chara Games Commissioned Contents

    What Is Included In The Box:
    • 1 Double-Sided Game Board: the board map you play on, has two sides for the two difficulty levels.
    • 5 Double-Sided Scenario Cards: the first thing you choose in play to start the game. These tell important information, game board set up, victory conditions, and what failure means for each scenario.
    • 6 Unique Player Boards: go with each Apostle player.
    • 96 Faith Cards: six are drawn at first for each player, use these to acquire more faith cards after accomplishing 5 actions in the Live round the required amount of times. These have up to 5 components: Title, Faith, Point Value, Board Effect, New Testament Books (only on 2-Faith Cards), and Historical Reference.
    • 27 Trial Cards: number of turns is limited by the number of these and when you run out it is the end of the game.
    • 4 Wooden "Missionary Meeples": help populate the cities on the map with churches when there is less than 6 players.
    • 75 Wooden Church Member Cubes: represent church members on the map.
    • 1 Wooden Elder's Staff: is passed left along to each player on turn, Elder makes important decisions and rolls die.
    • 6 Wooden Apostle Player Pawns: color coded to match the player boards.
    • 30 Double-Sided "Stop" Tokens: stop things from happening, these are played during the Live round when indicated. One side is growth stop and other side is mission stop.
    • 5 Double-Sided "Extinguished" Tokens: match the art of the board, these are placed when a city location containing a church becomes empty either by trial or choice. If 5 churches are extinguished, the game is lost.
    • 1 "Converted City" Leader's Token: is played in the location with the Elder's Apostle pawn when this faith card is selected in the Share action. No trials except for Worldly Priorities and Mount Vesuvius Erupts can affect this area. If card is selected again, move token to specified city. Previous city looses protection. If played on a ship, move to city when the church leaves the ship.
    • 1 Roman Legion Token: is played with the Adversary Variant.
    • 1 8-Sided Die: rolled to know what to do next.
    • 1 12-Page Full Color Rule Book: for teaching the set up, instructions, and rules of the game.
    • 1 Theme Appendix: helps you learn about historical concepts encountered throughout the game.


    How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

    My family loves all types of games; whether it be board games, card games, video games, relay races, competitions, etc. We love testing our skill, wit, speed, and strategy. Games are great opportunities to get together with family and friends and have a great time. They help us learn how to: take turns, think ahead, make choices, have consequences for our actions, cooperate, work as a team, and be a good sport. We love family game night because it strengthens family ties & bonds, and builds memories. We also love educational and historical games for homeschool and we always like getting new games to add to our collection because it means a chance to try something different.

    The artwork of the Commissioned box, game boards, cards, and tokens are superb and vibrantly colored. The game is beautifully made and constructed well. It is made of high quality materials and I could see this lasting a long time if properly cared for.

    We found Commissioned to be a great board game of strategy and cooperation. Since it is a game for ages 14 plus I had my son Delbin who is 16 play the game with me. I would not recommend this game for really young children as it does go long and I would expect my 6 and 8 year old would get too fidgety and loose patience. This game is intense and I am so glad we watched the helpful "How-to-Play" video that is on the website because we would have been totally lost without it! I am so thankful that Chara Games made this, as it clarifies everything! We set up the game and played along using the demonstration video as our guide. The 12-page rule book is nice, but still a bit confusing and definitely made the game sound very complicated at first. I have never played a game this involved before although apparently it is similar to other strategy games of this type. It is definitely a game for the serious gamer.

    We actually took longer to play and achieve the winning requirements than just the hour it says it should take, but we were also just learning how to play...so maybe this is why. Once we got the game down it flowed seamlessly. It has so many different ways of play with tons of neat pieces that I do not think we will ever get bored playing. We also loved how much we came to understand better what the Apostles actually went through to while growing the Christian church. What an eye opener.

    Look for my upcoming review of 3 Seeds from Chara Games shortly after I receive it.

    BUY IT
    Purchase Commissioned for $28.92 + $5.99 shipping.

    Follow Them on Social Media:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharaGames/
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CharaGames/ @Charagames
    Hashtags: #hsreviews #ChristianBoardGames #StrategyGames

    Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for Chara Games Commissioned...
    Commissioned {Chara Games}

    Crew Disclaimer

    Monday, November 14, 2016

    3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Light: Perfect For Holiday Gift Giving!



    My kids and I love to decorate their rooms different ways! Lighting is a great way to give the room better ambience. Not only that, but if the lighting is fun and versatile it is even better.



    3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Lights are the perfect gift this holiday season. They have a full range of comic book, super hero, Disney Princess, sports and car lights that look as though they are popping right out of the wall! They are battery operated and cool to the touch so you can place them any where in the room! Your kids will loves having these in their rooms and they're also the perfect editions to a den, family room, man's cave or office! Find all of these amazing products  at Target and Target.com!

    Pinkie Pie 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Light

    I have a feeling that a My Little Pony 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Light is going to be coming to my home! 3DLIGHTFX has three MLP Friendship Is Magic nightlights: Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. These will look so cool in my kids' room!

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Light Offer I am getting a FREE 3D Deco Light from 3DLightFX. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

    Wednesday, November 9, 2016

    The Pencil Grip, Inc. Kwik Stix Neons & Metalix Review and Giveaway #KwikStix


    Kwik Stix are from The Pencil Grip, Inc. They are solid tempera paint sticks that can be used without paint smocks, water, brushes, and drop cloths. These are simple to use, are mess free, and have no smell. You use them how you would a glue stick and they are about the same size too. Just uncap, twist up, and paint with it. Once you are done using that particular color twist down and recap. The paint dries in 90 seconds and the colors are bright, bold, and vivid. The paint's texture and consistency is a cross between lipstick, oil pastels, and crayons. These work great on paper, poster board, cardboard, wood, canvas, and more! These are non-toxic and safe for little artists.

    Kwik Stix Color Chart

    Kwik Stix Neons and Metalix are two sets of colors of Kwik Stix from The Pencil Grip, Inc. The Kwik Stix Neons 6 pk comes with a rainbow of neon colors including: pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The Kwik Stix Metalix 6 pk comes with a rainbow of jewel tone colors including: magenta, emerald green, sapphire blue, royal purple, silver and gold. Besides 6 packs of Neons and Metalix these also come in Classic colors and larger packs.

    My daughters making pictures with Kwik Stix solid tempera paint sticks.

    We received our first box of Kwik Stix 12pk in Classic colors not too long ago. Now we have the Neons and Metalix colors too. The neons are bright and luminous. The metalix colors are bold and rich. We love having so many colors to choose from! My daughters, Teela (8 years old) and Zari (6 years old), love them! I do too! The best part of Kwik Stix for this mama is the no mess factor! I also love that I didn't have to get out any extra equipment for coverage and no water is needed. This means no drips or spills. I also noticed that since the paint dried quickly there was also very little color bleeding into the next. You can not get very detailed with these because of the blunt end, but the paint makes great layers. The sticks are very easy for little hands to operate and are a wonderful addition to our kids art supplies!

    Top and Right: Metalix, Bottom: Neons. Notice how the Metalix shimmer in sunlight.

    Follow Them on Social Media:
    Website -  http://www.thepencilgrip.com
    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thepencilgrip
    Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/KwikStixPaint/
    Twitter - https://twitter.com/ThePencilGrip @ThePencilGrip
    Suggested Hashtags: #ThePencilGrip, #KwikStix, #temperapaint, #tempurapaintsticks, #kidcrafts, #kidsartsupplies, #lovepainting, #christmasgifts

    BUY IT
    Starting November 1st you will be able to purchase the 6 pack of Metalix and 6 pack of Classic colors in Target stores. You can also now purchase Kwik Stix at Target.com. Go to Amazon.com to see and purchase more of their products. These are perfect for stocking stuffers or Christmas gifts under the tree!

    WIN IT
    Prize: Kwik Stix Neons 6pk & Metalix 6pk.

    Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for Rafflecopter below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.