Kid-Friendly New Year's Eve Ideas From Kidstir!

Look what we are doing for New Year's Eve! Kidstir has put together some fun things for families with kids to ring in the New Year and you can join in the fun. Teach your kids how to say cheers from countries around the globe with this downloadable print out for some around-the-world fun.

Kidstir also has a healthy drink recipe for your kids to toast the New Year called Grape Fizz! Yum! 

And don't forget to put on some Silly 'Staches & Smiles while you count down to midnight! You can even add them to your straw for fun while you drink.

Zari with her silly stash 😁

About Kidstir
Kidstir is a unique cooking kit subscription service for children that can be joined or given as a gift, or you can send one of the single kits, as well. Each month, Kidstir will send your child a box filled with three delicious, nutritious recipes, kid-size cooking tools, games and activities! This subscription focuses on nutrition and hands-on fun. Created by moms who know that through cooking, children will gain important life skills in the kitchen — and cook up some fun family memories through the process.

Monthly, 3 month, 6 month, and 12 month subscriptions are available with free shipping. Plus, Kidstir will debut a new surprise kit which will be revealed on the 21st of each month! All subscribers receive a 2 year magazine subscription to Real Simple, Parents or All Recipes magazines as a thank you bonus. A Cookbook Binder and Sibling cooking tools & creative materials can be added at checkout.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this information and images for this post. I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of the fun. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I will be receiving samples later to try out and review.

Wordless Wednesday Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Carole P. Roman Books Review and Giveaway #CarolePRomanBooks

My family got to read these books from Carole P. Roman 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. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The two books from Carole P. Roman books and collections we received are:

• If You Were Me and Lived in...the Middle Ages: (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time)
• If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire: (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time)

Carole P. Roman is the author of many books including the Captain No Beard series, Oh Susannah series, If You Were Me and Lived in... Cultures Around the World series, and the If You Were Me and Lived in... Civilizations Throughout History series. She loves combining her teaching past with her love of exploration and interest in the grand world all around us. She also loves sharing history and culture with her readers.

If You Were Me and Lived in... Civilizations Throughout History Series currently consists of 11 books with more to come later. These softcover books take you back through time to visit different civilizations throughout history. Discover Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, Elizabethan England, Colonial America, Ancient China: The Han Dynasty, Middle Ages, American West, Viking Europe, Mayan Empire, Ancient Mali Empire and Mars. These follow what it would have been like to live and grow up in these places through the eyes of a young person. This makes the books more relatable to children who read them. These physical books cover occupations, food, clothing, recreation, important people, etc. Recommended for ages 8 to 15.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
We were given two books from the ones we didn't currently have. We have reviewed for Carole P. Roman before and we love her books! The books we received were: If You Were Me and Lived in...the Middle Ages, and If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire.

If You Were Me and Lived in...the Middle Ages is a softcover book by Carole P. Roman. The illustrations are fun and done in pastel colors by Mateya Arkova. This book has 97 pages with Famous People in the Middle Ages and a glossary in the back. We learned about when you would be born, what a rural village looked like and a bit about it, about who ruled, about feudalism, what the order of government (classes) looked like, who the serfs were, what the popular names for boys and girls there would have been, what your dad would do there for a job, what your house was built out of and what parts it had, what things your home had in it, what your favorite things to do there would be, how your family was, what hobbies you had, what food they enjoyed there, where you sat at the table, what you ate with, what your father wore, what the farmers wore, what you and your mom wore, about arranged marriages, what your siblings were doing, about religion, how the peasants lived, what cities were like, what tradesmen/craftsmen did, about sickness and medicine, about money, what people did for fun, about church, about travel, and about learning and school. I would love to visit faraway castles someday. We are going to be using this with our unit study of Middle Ages and Medieval times.

If You Were Me and Lived In...The Ancient Mali Empire is a softcover book by Carole P. Roman and Illustrated by Mateya Arkova. The illustrations look like they are chalked in lovely pastel colors. This book has 77 pages with pages on Famous People in the Mali Empire, and a glossary in the back. We learned about: when you would be born, what the word Mali means, about what a city looked like in ancient times, about Mali, what the economy was like, what the popular names for boys and girls there would have been, where you lived, what religion was like, what the spoken language was, what your house was built out of and what parts it had, what the family was made up of, about mosques, what the weather was like, about the surrounding places, about trade, about the royal palace, what the king wore, what instruments musicians played, about the people who served the king, the history of the Mali people, what job your grandfather and father held, what the army was like and their weaponry, other jobs in the area, punishment, travel, school, what your siblings did, arranged marriage, what the clothing was like, burial rites, what food you ate, the king, salt, and kola nuts. We are going to be using this with our unit study of Africa.

The If You Were Me and Lived in... series is a wonderful supplement for history lessons in homeschool. These are great to be used with unit studies and wonderful even just by themselves. My children loved reading these and learning so much more about these times and civilizations. I love how these cultural books teach a huge amount of children's history because they are through the eyes of a child. They are great for children's education!

Follow Them on Social Media:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolePRomanAwardWinningAuthorAndBooks
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/caroleproman Tag: @caroleproman
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/caroleproman Tag: @caroleproman
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6A9PDx7NdBgYUN1giUOp0A
• Hashtags: #CarolePRoman, #CarolePRomanBooks, #childrensbooks, #culture, #history

BUY IT

You can purchase the If You Were Me and Lived in... series: Middle Ages, and Ancient Mali Empire on Amazon for about $12.99-$14.99 per book.

WIN IT

What: win the Carole P. Roman ‘Introduction to Civilizations Around the World’ prize pack—includes a $100 gift card!

• One (1) grand prize winner receives: An autographed set of the If You Were Me and Lived…Introduction to Civilizations Around the World series (10 Books) and A $100 Amazon gift card
• Three (3) winners receive: An autographed set of the If You Were Me and Lived…Introduction to Civilizations Around the World series (10 Books)

When: Giveaway begins December 2, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends January 2 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Who: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product to facilitate this review. I did this review in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Carole P. Roman. 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. Carole P. Roman is responsible for prize fulfillment.

AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit Review

The AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit is a all-in-one digital decorating system. It has a high-quality standard-definition (SD) projector that creates stunning displays for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, birthdays, Independence Days, and much, much more! The projector has been preloaded with 14 AtmosFX Digital Decorations: two Christmas themed scenes, eight Halloween themed scenes, and four other seasonal scenes that turn every occasion into a celebration. It also has an SD card slot and USB slots to increase your digital capability, making it easy to add additional AtmosFX scenes.

Includes:

• Projector
• Professional mounting tripod
• Remote control (2 AAA batteries not included)
• UL power adapter
• Projection material (4' x 6')
• Digital Decorations SD Card with 14 pre-loaded scenes

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I set the AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit up for Christmas this year and since it came with a manual of instructions it was fairly easy to do. I got it out of the box and plugged it in to the UL power adapter and then found a great spot to project from and to. We have two houses on our property and the front one has larger windows and the front window closest to the driveway can be seen great from the road as you come up onto the house. So I opted to use that one for the projection. I screwed the projector onto the tripod and pointed the projector towards the window plugging it into the closest outlet. The tripod was very stable and you could position the projector on it up or down and straighten it out easily on it to get the perfect level.

AtmosFX Digital Projector set up.

I placed the SD card into the slot, turned the projector on, and went through the menu of scenes that were preloaded onto the machine using the up and down arrows. I placed batteries in the remote control thinking that this would be easier to flip through the menu and play the scene that I wanted from a distance, but the remote didn't work at all from a far off range. You had to be super close to the projector and pointing it at it for it to work. The buttons on the projector were a lot less finicky.

I looked at both the Christmas scenes, but ultimately, I picked All Through the House, Part 1 & 2, from Night Before Christmas. It was my favorite of the preloaded Christmas scenes. There were also two different formats to pick from, vertical and horizontal depending upon the configuration of your window. Our window was more horizontal so I picked that one. I placed the projection material over the window on the inside. The window was slightly longer than the material was tall, so I had to mess with it multiple times to get it placed correctly. Unfortunately, this used up more of the 3M double sided sticky squares that came with it than I would have and I ended up having only two to work with when I finally got it placed right. After a while it fell down on one side, so I ended up stapling it down instead.

AtmosFX All Through The House movie clips in my window

The scenes had to be focused with the dial and zoom lens so they wouldn't be all blurry at first. They came with sounds as well and I opted to mute those because they became a bit annoying after a while over and over again of silly belly chuckles from Santa. You can't really hear the sounds from outside the house where you would be seeing the projection anyway. The Santa they picked for the scene was a believable one with a real beard though which was cool. I also loved that the projection made my home look very festive...complete with a Christmas tree with lights and a roaring fireplace. I liked the look of the scene from the outside of my home even though it didn't quite fit my window because the projection was a bit wider still. The image quality was great. It looks best when all the lights are out in the house and it is dark outside as well though.

The other Christmas scene was Deck the Halls, from Santa's Workshop and it was very cheesy with silly looking elves in my honest opinion. I am glad the All Through the House one included because I really liked it a lot. I also loaded a photo I had done two years ago of my horses in Christmas hats eating candy-canes onto a USB thumb drive and plugged it into the projector. When I projected the picture though the words were backwards so I had to flip it with the menu so that it would read correctly to passersby through the window. Thankfully I could do this easily with the projector menu and so I didn't have to re-edit the photo.

My horses Christmas photo projected in my window.

I love this kit! It is wonderful for the holidays. I can't wait to use this for Halloween too! There are so many spooky/scary looking scenes to choose from in this kit.

BUY IT
Purchase the Digital Decorating Kit on the AtmosFX website along with other scenes to add to your collection. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product 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.

Wordless Wednesday Bedroom Art and Plushies

Some of the art and plushies in my bedroom.

Holly Lane Jewelry Review and Giveaway #hollylane #hollylanegiveaway

Holly Lane's sterling silver Christian jewelry is intentionally designed to create opportunities to share Christ with others and spark conversation about the verses in the Bible they are based on. When worn it is a personal reflection of faith. Each piece is lovingly designed by Tiffany Scott in Virginia. This jewelry helps bring comfort to the wearer of God's promises. Each piece of the Holly Lane line comes with a Story Card that features the verse reference on the front, and an explanation of the design's significance on the back. Tiffany uses many different semiprecious gemstones throughout the line. The customer can put together combinations of pendants, chains, and bead drops based on the promises that manifest more in their lives currently. Each piece of the Holly Lane line is packaged with the utmost care to make the unboxing experience special.

Holly Lane wrapped in decorative tissue paper and ribbon.

What We Thought:

I received the Esther Necklace from Holly Lane. When I opened the box it had arrived in I was in awe of the lovely way it was wrapped and presented. Inside the parcel was a magnificently gift-wrapped bundle. It was enclosed in decorative tissue paper with flecks of gold, a blue ribbon, and a gold embossed sticker with a crowned bird on it. Once I gently unwrapped that I first found a card with a bit about the company and a sheet with my order information.

The small jewelry box is uncovered.

Under that was a nest of shredded brown paper. In the center of the nest was a sticker with waves and the words, Be Still Psalm 46:10 and the Holly Lane logo in the lower corner. Under the sticker was a small box that opened with a ribbon tab like a drawer. The floral lined drawer held the Esther Story Card on top of a velvet pouch with the necklace inside.

The Story Card and jewelry pouch are revealed inside the drawer of the box.

After admiring and unraveling all of the intricate wrapping I finally beheld the Esther Necklace. The jewelry piece is so gorgeous! The pendant has a lovely geometric flower radiating from the center over a Star of David that represents Esther's beauty and influence as well as her heritage and faith. I love how it says, "You Make Me Brave" on the backside of the pendant too. Its two-tone sterling silver chain is adjustable up to 20" and is just as beautiful as the other details. Dangling from the chain are fine silver beads and iridescent freshwater pearls. The finishing touch is an 8mm genuine amethyst in a pretty bezel setting to represent Esther's royal position. I love the deep purple color of the amethyst! Amethysts are such pretty crystals. This necklace is a testament to that in which: if we have faith in God, He will help us be brave in the situations that we need to be brave the most.

The gorgeous Esther Necklace, back and front of the pendant.

Here you can see how the jewelry is crafted:

Me wearing my Esther Necklace from Holly Lane.

I would highly recommend Holly Lane Jewelry! Their level of craftsmanship and attention to detail in both their jewelry and packaging is outstanding. Christmas is coming soon and their unique jewelry would be an exceptional gift for your someone special.

BUY IT
Use discount code: 20FORYOU to receive 20% off your purchase at hollylane.com

WIN IT

• Prize: $100 e-gift card that will be emailed to the winner and can be used towards any purchase at hollylane.com
• Host: Holly Lane and FrontGate Media.
• Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
• Selection Process: Winner will be selected on 11/20/2019 and notified by email.
• Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/holly-lane-jewelry-giveaway.html and fill out the form to enter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product 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.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Review and Giveaway!

You know how around Christmastime some people get dressed up in ugly Christmas sweaters and get pictures taken just for fun?? Ugly Christmas Sweater.com has the perfect sweaters for that occasion! They have ones that are themed: The Office, Napoleon Dynamite, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Grinch, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ghostbusters, Fortnite, Star Wars, and Deadpool! These are perfect for boys and girls, men and women, children and adult.

I love nice warm sweaters this time of year when the days and nights grow colder. I picked the Women’s Harry Potter Owl Deathly Hallows Ugly Christmas Sweater in a small. I am a huge Potterhead and so when I saw this sweater I had to have it! This has a unisex fit and comes in XS all the way up to 3XL! It says on the website that this sweater runs small, so order one size larger than you would normally. The small size fit me quite nice.

Women’s Harry Potter Owl Deathly Hallows Ugly Christmas Sweater

This sweater would be the envy of all of Hogwarts and I am sure that Mrs. Weasley would be proud to whip up a sweater this fine in time for Christmas. This sweater is so comfortable and soft. Definitely not scratchy like Hagrid's beard. I love how cozy and warm it is. It is made from 100% Acrylic. It would be so great to wear with a hot mug of Butterbeer.

This Harry Potter Ugly Christmas Sweater is wonderful for any muggle trying to show their Hogwarts pride and it is officially licensed. I love the symbols it has on it: Hedwig the owl, the golden snitch, Harry's round glasses, lightning bolt shaped scar, firebolt broom, deathly hallows, and Harry's patronus: the stag deer. It has a traditional ugly Christmas sweater feel even though it might be a bit more unique.

I recommend Ugly Christmas Sweater.com for all your ugly Christmas sweater, suit jackets, pajamas, onesies, and accessory needs for the entire family. You can even all match or be unique...it is all up to you. They have so many different ones to choose from there is bound to be something that would be perfect for gifting. Perfect for Christmas celebrations too!

FOLLOW THEM

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UglyXmas
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/uglyxsweater
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3g3aN71m2t9aEGz8UTE7hg
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/uglyxsweater/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ugly.christmas/

WIN IT

• Prize: An Ugly Christmas Sweater of your choice from Ugly Christmas Sweater.com 
• Who Can Enter: 18+, USA and Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product 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.

WorthyKids Books The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Book 5 & 6 Review and Giveaway

My family had the privilege of trying the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Shepherd's Stone (Book 5) and Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Lion's Roar (Book 6) from WorthyKids Books for this review to use in conjunction with our own curriculum at home. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

WorthyKids Books is an imprint of the Hachette Book Group. WorthyKids has kids' Christian and inspirational books. This line of colorful, interactive children's books includes such notable titles as: VeggieTales and Berenstain Bears. They reach the top 10 best-selling children’s books during the Easter and Christmas seasons each year.

M.J. Thomas is a scholar in Bible studies and an author to The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls book series. When his son Peter was 9 he tried to find books that taught about the events in the Bible in a enjoyable, exciting, and captivating way. He didn't find any, so he decided to write his own. The main characters of the stories are named after his son Peter, his niece Mary, and his dog Hank.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls by M.J. Thomas are a time-traveling adventure book series that helps kids explore the Bible and increase in faith. These chapter books combine biblical accuracy with mystery, wonder, imagination, adventure, danger, and excitement. Peter, Mary, and Hank have discovered ancient scrolls that help them travel back in time. These scrolls have clues to solve and the three must solve them before time runs out or they will become stuck in the past forever. You will also meet Great-Uncle Solomon, the eccentric archaeologist who discovered the scrolls, and the angel Michael, who aides the children on their quests. These are recommended to emerging readers ages 6-9, readers ages 8-12, homeschooling families, and others that love adventure.

We have reviewed the first four books in the series, The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls and now we get to read the fifth and sixth books as well:

• The Shepherd's Stone (Book #5)
• The Lion's Roar (Book #6)

If you read below, just know there are spoilers...

In the fifth title of the series, The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Shepard's Stone; Peter was throwing a ball to Hank when it hit a suit of armor and knocked the sword and glove off. Inside they discovered a map of the home and some rooms they didn't recognize were on it. They Peter, Mary, and Hank went exploring a room in their Great-Uncle Solomon's home called the Royal Room and it had all sorts of crowns and portraits of royalty. Then the call of the lion beckons them once more to open another scroll. This time they are thrust into Bethlehem where they meet David, a shepherd boy, and his family. They witness the story of the Israelite and Philistine battle and David and Goliath from the Bible. With the help of Michael, an angel, they battle the forces of evil, the soldier in the black armor (The Soldier of Darkness). Will they solve the secrets of the scroll before the time runs out in four days?

In The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Lion's Roar Peter, Mary Hank, and Great-Uncle Solomon are playing hide and seek when they find a statue of a lion and a tile puzzle. They try to put the puzzle together when they get called by the lion's roar once again. This time they are called to the ancient Babylon. The time traveling trio meet: Hannah, Shadrach, and Daniel in their quest to solve the scroll. They get to see a statue of Marduk, Ziggurats, the Ishtar Temple and The Hanging Gardens. They witness the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. Will they solve the secrets of the scroll before the time runs out in four days and will the evil High Priest and his raven get their way?

Zari Reading The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls The Shepherd's Stone book.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
Zari, my almost nine year old daughter, and I read these books separately. The fifth has 120 pages and 14 chapters. The sixth book has 120 pages and 14 chapters. These were both a quick, fast paced read for the both of us. We both thought the books held our attention well. They also have some black and white drawings here and there in the books that were fun. At the end of each book there is a page that has where to read the actual story and synopsis in the authors own words of the chapters in the bible. These books had a lot of action and adventure throughout which made them fun to read.

I liked that the story basically follows with what happens in the bible fairly well. Even though there are fictitious elements in these books...like the kids traveling in time...they tell the story from the bible and make it come to life. Zari loved all the imaginative things that the author adds to make it seem like you are also there with main characters. The scrolls were a great idea also to make it even more of a challenge for the trio to get back to their time and we like that Peter writes things in his adventure journal that are included in the pages as well.

Zari and I enjoyed reading these books from The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series. She told me they are fun books to read and she likes the series a lot. We love that these Christian kids books teach kids about the bible. These have a great lesson also to trust in God and he will always be there for you. We liked the action and adventure as well. These were fun books to read. We hope to be able to read more books from the series once they come out.

Follow Them on Social Media:

• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WorthyKidsBooks/
• Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/worthykidsbooks/
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/worthykidsideals/
• Hashtags: #hsreviews #SecretoftheHiddenScrolls

BUY IT
Purchase these on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, here.

WIN IT
To help promote the newest book, WorthyKids Books is running a giveaway of all 7 books and will choose three winners to get signed copies of the entire series so far. Click on the image below or here to enter!




Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for WorthyKids Books...

Brain Blox Fun Family Chess Review

My family had the privilege of trying Fun Family Chess from Brain Blox for this review to use in conjunction with our own games at home. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Brain Blox is a family-owned company that makes educational games and toys that can be enjoyed by the whole family. They believe that kids should be free to play, explore, and express themselves in a way true to who they are inside. They want to empower families to have more meaningful time and relations with one another, without electronics devices...to engage more with the real world together.

Fun Family Chess is set up the same as traditional chess. Board has icons where you place the pieces other than pawns.

Fun Family Chess is a 2 player chess game with double the fun because there are two ways to play, Fun Family Chess and traditional chess. The game of Fun Family Chess is said to have been invented by a dog named Chesster. The Fun Family Chess game uses a chess cube or die that has all the symbols of the pieces color coded to match the reference card. The light side goes first and rolls the chess cube. Then you match the colored symbol to the reference card. If you roll a star you can move any piece that can move. You must roll a star to move the King because there isn't a King symbol on the cube. If you cannot move the piece indicated on the chess cube how it is stated on the reference card you get to roll again! You can capture pieces by landing on top of your opponent's piece. Once you capture it you can take that piece off the board. You win by capturing the other player's king instead of trapping it in a position it can't escape (checkmate in traditional standard chess).

How to Play Fun Family Chess:


Go here to watch more videos on Fun Family Chess!

5 ways traditional standard chess is different:

• no chess cube: instead choose any piece you can move legally.
• winning is different: you win by checkmate.
• pawn superpower: if a pawn reaches the other side of the board safely it can change into another piece (except a pawn or King)
• en passant: means your pawn gets another superpower...a special capture that is only used in specific situations. You can read more about this in the Full Color Chess Book.
• castling: in some situations, the Rook and King can do this special swap-move-thing. You can read more about this in the Full Color Chess Book.

Brain Blox Fun Family Chess pieces store inside the foldable wooden case that doubles as the board.

Includes:

• Folding Wooden Chess Board with Velvet Lining and Chess Icons on the Board for Easy Set up.
• 32 Wooden Chess Pieces with Velvet Bottoms in a Soft Pouch.
• Full Color Chess Book, teaches both Fun Family Chess and Standard Chess.
• 2 Color Coded Reference Cards, shows how each piece moves.
• Chess Cube/Die, when playing Fun Family Chess, simply roll the die to see which piece to move.
• Plus...Video Tutorials and 2 Months Gold Membership with ChessKid!

Zari and Teela playing Fun Family Chess.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

Chess improves problem solving, concentration, memory, strategic thinking, planning, foresight and intelligence. Sometimes though it can be a bit overwhelming to learn because of all the moves and plays you need to remember. My oldest son loves chess, but he can be a bit intimidating to my daughters who are younger because he is good at playing because of practice. The Brain Blox Fun Family Chess makes it easy to learn how to play chess and it has the piece icons right on the board to help you with setup and reference cards to know how each piece moves. You can start with the Fun Family Chess game and move up to traditional chess once you have learned the basic moves the pieces make.

I also love that the Fun Family Chess set is beautifully made. The pieces and the board are made of wood. The board folds up and is its own case for the pieces, cards, die, and booklet. It latches shut so nothing will fall out. The inside is velvet lined so that the pieces will be somewhat padded and their are two velvet pouches for all the light and dark pieces to go into. The pouches help you not loose the pieces and keep them all together. The pieces have felt on the bottoms of them too so they won't scratch the surface of the board as you play.

My daughters, Teela and Zari, who are 11 and almost 9 loved playing with this chess set. They thought it was a lot more fun to play the Fun Family Chess game with the chess cube because the cube told you which piece to play if you could play it and if not you could roll again until you could play a piece. My girls also loved that the cube had a star symbol on it which meant they could pick what ever piece they wanted. The Fun Family Chess game definitely gave a new perspective to the game of chess. They also loved that the moves of each piece was laid out for them on a full color reference card so they could see the piece and how it moved on the board. Even my youngest daughter said it wasn't as complicated because of the way it was presented. Both of my girls said that this chess set, even when playing traditional chess, was easier to both set up and play.

I am very glad we got to review the Brain Blox Fun Family Chess because it is a great way to learn to play chess or help someone like me who is very rusty at chess because I haven't played in a while. I recommend it very highly, especially as a chess for kids!

Follow Them on Social Media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mybrainblox 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainblox 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpUttakNtthj_haX8LwRlwA
• Hashtags: #hsreviews #FunFamilyChess

Also, on the Brain Blox website there are some awesome free resources. We love the free printables for the Conscious Kids Journal! Don't miss those.

BUY IT
You can purchase the Brain Blox Fun Family Chess from Amazon.



Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for Brain Blox Fun Family Chess...

TV Store Online Halloween Costume Review and Giveaway!

Halloween is coming soon and if you celebrate, you probably have started looking for the best costumes for your family to wear. TV Store Online is a great online store that has quality licensed merchandise from TV, movies, comic books, and 80's themes. There is stuff from Disney, Hasbro, Nintendo, Marvel, Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. You can find a number of accessories, clothing, footwear, pajamas, robes, costumes, shirts, leggings, etc. You can find so many great costumes at TV Store Online for this October 31st.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie. Super Cute!

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I am a Brony, a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that is outside the target demographic of little girls. Practically my whole family are into the animated TV series, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or MLP FIM for short. We go to Seattle Washington every year to participate in Everfree Northwest, the MLP convention out there. Sometimes we even cosplay characters from the show. I have been wanting to get a Twilight Sparkle Hoodie ever since the first convention because Twilight Sparkle is my second favorite of the mane six ponies. I already have the Fluttershy hoodie that is similar to this one.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie front.

For this review I picked out a Twilight Sparkle Face Lilac Costume Hoodie with Mane & Horn in Junior Women's S to review. The small fit me just fine. This hoodie comes in XS-2X in junior sizes. I love that this hoodie is super soft inside and has pockets to keep my hands warm. It is lilac which matches Twilight's actual color and has Twilight's cutie mark on one of the lower sides. The hooded sweatshirt is made from 80% Cotton and 20% Polyester. The draw string hood has adorable ears, a lilac horn, and a pink and dark purple mane that comes down the back. I was a little disappointed that this hoodie is of the old version of Twilight Sparkle, not the princess version... so it doesn't have wings. The zipper pull has the symbol from Twilight's cutie mark and her cute face on the chest. I cannot wait to wear this for Halloween and to Everfree NW next year!

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie back, no wings.

I recommend TV Store Online for all your fan apparel needs and costumes for Halloween for the entire family. You can even all match or be unique...it is all up to you. They have so many different items to choose from there is bound to be something that would be perfect for gifting.

MLP FIM Twilight Sparkle Hoodie has pockets and a cutie mark.

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Prize: A costume of your choice from TV Store Online
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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. 

Just in Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado Book Review and Giveaway #JustInCaseYouEverWonder

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

Just in Case You Ever Wonder is a children's hardcover book written by bestselling author Max Lucado. This is a re-release of a classic this time with illustrations by Eve Tharlet. With a wonderful story and lovely illustrations this book shows little ones that they are special, made by God, and brought to earth to live with a loving family that will be there for them always.

Zari enjoying the Just in Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado book.

What We Thought:
I recommend this book for preschoolers through second graders most of all. My youngest daughter, Zari, who is in third grade loves this book! This book is a bit under her reading level, but she still loves it because of the meaning of the words. She also loves looking at the adorable illustrations as well. In this version of the book it has two bears instead of people. I love that this book teaches that the parent and Heavenly Father will always be there for their child in times of need and comfort.

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Buy the Just in Case You Ever Wonder book on Amazon.



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Prize: Just in Case You Ever Wonder Book
Host: HarperCollins Christian Publishing and FrontGate Media.
Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
Selection Process: 5 winners will be selected on 9/20/2019 and notified by email.
Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/just-in-case-you-ever-wonder-giveaway.html and fill out the form to enter.

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.

Zeezok Publishing Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades Collection Review

My family had the privilege of trying the Zeezok Publishing Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades Collection for this review to use in conjunction with our own curriculum. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Zeezok Publishing is a Christian provider of enriching educational materials for homeschoolers. They strive to supply the best and most affordable homeschooling textbooks and supplementary materials that will compliment your educational needs. Zeezok Publishing is continuing to expand its curriculum, books, and supplementary materials to help the homeschooling family have the opportunity to give the finest possible education to their children.

Zeezok Publishing Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades Collection, minus Nutcracker Ballet book.

Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades is more than just teaching music theory or music appreciation to your student. This collection is from the Great Musicians Series. The collection includes a student activity book and nine composer biographies. This is geared for grades 5th-8th and a variety of learners including: auditory, kinesthetic, visual, etc. It also meets all national standards for music appreciation.


What is included in detail:

• Student Book: This soft cover book by Elisabeth Tanner and Judy Wilcox starts off with a Table of Contents, Introduction, Scope & Sequence, and Music List. Then it has each of the seven composers listed, each with 4 weeks of hands-on activities that include:  American and world history, grammar, geography, music studies, concert etiquette, timelines, character trait studies, and so much more. The activity book ends in Endnotes, a bibliography for each section. This is a great companion to the biographies and they suggest getting one of these for each student being taught. Comes with Music Appreciation for the Middle Grades App–QR codes and their app website that provides easy access to all the songs from the biographies, interactive quizzes, and a variety of additional website links to enhance the learning experience. MSRP $59.99
• 9 Composer Biographies: Nine different biography books for seven composers studied. Included is: Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Stephen Foster, Brahms, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Edward MacDowell. These biographies describe the childhood and adult life of each of these composers. These are true and accurate with every important event mentioned. These also have written music and lovely pictures throughout.

Music Appreciation: Book 2 Collection includes one Student Book and the following nine composer biographies: 

• Frederic Chopin, Early Years
• Frederic Chopin, Later Years
• Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff
• Adventures of Richard Wagner
• Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray
• The Young Brahms
• The Story of Peter Tchaikovsky
• Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet
• Edward MacDowell and His Cabin in the Pines

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

I used this set with my daughter, Teela, who is just starting 6th grade. We focused on Frederic Chopin and the book Frederic Chopin, Early Years and some of the Frederic Chopin, Later Years for the 4 week study and this review. First we looked through the Student Book and found that besides a nice table of contents, each composer had its own colored tab along the side to find the pages easily. The tab colors also go with the some of the reader colors. When we flipped to Frederic Chopin on page 17 we found the Weekly Lesson Outline layout for each of the four weeks. These Weekly Lesson Outlines are given for each composer too and is very well structured and spelled out for you so you know exactly what to do and when. At the end of the 5 weeks they also include an answer key to help the teacher with grading.

I noticed a few things when we received the set through the mail. We received all but one of the physical books in the series because of an error in shipping. We were instead given a digital download of the Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet, the last one we were missing, but I would have rather had the physical book. There is also a lapbook and coloring book that we did not receive and that are sold separately to go along with the materials. Also, I noticed that one book, The Young Brahms, was a hardcover not softcover like the rest.

In the Student Book there are Music Appreciation for the Middle Grades App–QR codes and a link to an app website that provides easy access to all the songs from the biographies, interactive quizzes, and a variety of additional website links to enhance the learning experience. We couldn't use the QR codes because we don't have a device to read them, but had a lot of fun with the website link which had all the same information. There are also activities in the student book that are starred and this means that those certain activities are required in order to meet national music appreciation standards.

Chopin Weekly Lesson Outline and an illustration in the reader.

The Student Book had 5 weeks about Chopin. Each week we had different things to work on; some included: chapters to read from the biographies, comprehension questions to answer, character qualities to read about with page numbers from the biography to correspond with, tidbits of interest to read about with page numbers from the biography to correspond with, listening to tracks, vocabulary to learn, musical parts to learn, recipes to try, etc.

We learned a great deal about Chopin's early years. Not only did we learn about his life, but we also learned about his birthplace, Poland; music, foods he ate with recipes of a similar facsimile, etc. Some of the things we learned was that he went by many names, he weighed only 100 pounds even as an adult, he liked doing smaller recitals than large concerts because he played softly and some people couldn't hear him, and that his sister died of tuberculosis.

All of the parts of this curriculum complement each other really well. We loved how easy it was to follow along each week in the Student Book. It was really fascinating to learn about Chopin's life in the Frederic Chopin, Early Years biography reader. The link, instead of the QR codes, worked better for us for the tracks of music to listen to for each composer, videos about his life and music, and there is a quiz at the end of comprehension questions about the reading. As you can see there are a lot of different activities besides reading.

Teela is excited to learn about the other composers in this collection as well. We are going to finish Frederic Chopin, Later Years soon and then start on the book, Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff. We can't wait to learn more about Chopin's life and other musicians in the series.

We highly recommend the Zeezok Publishing Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades Collection! If you are looking into a great classical music appreciation curriculum or homeschool music program look no further. This would be a great summer music program too! Also, look for the Zeezok Publishing Music Appreciation Book 1: for the Elementary Grades Collection if you have children in that age group. Book 1 includes: Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini and Schubert. I have loved learning about these composers.

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Retail Price is $185. 54. Sale Price is $169.99. Save 10% when purchasing the complete Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades collection!

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Britfield & the Lost Crown Audio Book Review

My family had the privilege of listening to the Britfield & the Lost Crown audio book for this review to use in conjunction with our own curriculum at home. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Britfield & the Lost Crown is a book authored by C.R. Stewart. It is a fast-paced adventure novel that starts off in Northern England, Yorkshire, as two orphans, Tom and Sarah, narrowly escape from Weatherly Orphanage, a place owned by dreadful Mr. and Mrs. Grievous and watched over by the corrupt caretaker, Mr. Speckle and the terrifying guard dog, Wind. Before this daring escape Tom finds out something about his past that will change his life forever and with only a clue word sets out to find out more. They are chased by Detective Gowerstone and his police force and gain altitude by taking flight in a found hot air balloon over central England.  Will they get the help they need to get to their destination? Will they ever stop being chased by Detective Gowerstone? What other secrets await to be uncovered?

This book has a 83-page pdf study guide that goes with it. It is an e-book that can be downloaded and printed. The study guide is intended to be used over eight weeks (or longer) taking students through the book chapter by chapter. This is available online at the Britfield Institute as a free gift for teachers and homeschoolers. It contains vocabulary, comprehension, further in depth questions, and enrichment activities that go with each chapter.

What the Britfield & the Lost Crown Audio Book looked like in Audible.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

I received the audiobook sent through Amazon's Audible. This book is authored by C.R. Stewart and the audio book is narrated by Ian Russell. The whole audio book is 9 hrs and 25 mins. The book is 17 chapters long. This mystery novel is a great first book in what is going to be a five part series. My daughter Teela who is going into 6th grade listened to the whole book with her sister Zari who is going into 3rd grade. They loved the action and adventure in this and enjoyed listening to the narrator tell the story.

Britfield & the Lost Crown Audio Book Chapters and length in Audible.

I too listened to the entire book with Audible. I had never tried Audible before and downloaded it to my personal computer. It was surprisingly simple to use and downloaded the book to it easily. My daughter Zari won a Kindle Fire from her school because of all her reading accomplishments so I borrowed it to listen to the story while I did dishes. This book was had me on the edge of my seat at times not knowing what would happen next. The narrator was wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed his narration of Britfield & the Lost Crown. It was very entertaining.

My favorite part was when Tom and Sarah were navigating the skies in the hot air balloon. They come upon more balloons and people that greeted them in different languages and to Tom's astonishment Sarah knew all 4 languages. Teela's favorite part of the story was the Grievous' car being stolen and crashed by one of the orphans in the chaos that ensued while Tom and Sarah are trying to escape. Zari laughed when the orphans of Weatherly Orphanage filled their bellies with food from the kitchen and liked the kind man that helped them on their journey to the train station. Both Zari and Teela were glad that the owners and the caretaker really couldn't punish the orphans fully because they all were to blame and the work couldn't be stopped or the owners would loose money.

We all loved the imagery of the story. You could definitely envision everything happening because of the great detail of the people, landscapes, buildings, and places. The suspense and bit of history is wonderful. In the book you are taken through places like: Yorkshire, The Midlands, Oxford, Windsor, Richmond, London, and Canterbury. The website has maps, information and pictures of these places as well.

We didn't use the study guide this time. But I did look it over and boy is it thorough. It goes through vocabulary study, comprehension questions, going deeper questions that make you think more, and learn more with technology sections that has you search stuff online to learn more about certain subjects related to the book. Chapters 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 are together and then the other chapters (7-17) are separate. It also has a synopsis and about the author in the beginning and additional resources and answer key for the vocabulary study and comprehension questions at the end.

We recommend Britfield & the Lost Crown Audio Book to everyone that loves a good English history thriller. It would be a perfect juvenile-fiction, middle grade, teen, or young adult novel. We cannot wait til the next book in the series is released. We are going to try to wait patiently, but I hope it is going to be soon. The suspense of what is going to happen next is going to kill me.

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You can purchase Britfield & the Lost Crown in Softcover, Hardcover, Audiobook and Ebook from their website.

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