Friday, December 18, 2020

Simply Earth December Recipe Box Review & Giveaway #EssentialOils #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received complimentary product through Simply Earth in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. Affiliate links are in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Simply Earth is a wonderful essential oil box subscription service. Every month they have a brand new box filled with four full size essential oils and other things to help you make 6 products to use in your home. Simply Earth's essential oils are 100% pure with no added fillers or artificial fragrances and the ingredients are toxic free. They are GC/MS tested to make sure of this. All of their ingredients are ethically sourced and come from smaller, family owned farms.

The December Recipe Box has 4 full sized essential oils, plus ingredients and recipes cards with recipes for the great things to make. With your first subscription you will get a Big Bonus Box with Almond Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax Pastilles, 6 Roll On Bottles, and 6 Amber Glass Bottles to help you with your first recipes. The recipe box has 6 recipes you can make with the combined ingredients from this box and the Big Bonus Box. These recipes include the: Winter Skin Protection Balm, Orange Grove Exfoliating Soap, Cocoa Marble Soap, Winter Sunshine Diffuser Blend, Calming Orange Grove Roll On, and Soap Jellies. The box also comes with labels that are sized to fit the individual bottles, etc.

 

Here is The December Recipe Box Reveal:



Simply Earth December Recipe Box Contents

 

December Recipe Box Contents:

 

My Thoughts:

I received the Simply Earth December Recipe Box to try out. This DIY soap making kit gets you started making your own soap and other products to use at home. I love the fact that each monthly recipe box comes with not just one, but four full size essential oils! Simply Earth has added so much love to each box they hand pack. If you are a new subscriber you will also get a free Big Bonus Box that will come with your first month. It has wonderful ingredients and bottles to use with your first recipe box. Plus you can have fun making all the natural recipes together with family and/or friends. My kids love to help out in the kitchen.

The December Recipe Box is wonderful! My favorite of the essential oils from this box was the Bergamot EO because of its warm citrusy floral scent. These EO boxes have so much more to offer than just a single EO subscription that you would find other places. I love that this subscription comes with a whole kit to make your own soap, plus other things. If you watched the December Recipe Box reveal video it has one thing that isn't in the kits: the dried orange slices. This is because Simply Earth had trouble with the quality and didn't want to put something in the kits that was subpar. Instead they have on their website instructions to make your own dried orange slices

I can't wait to make the recipes from this box! One recipe in particular, the Winter Sunshine Diffuser Blend, is supposed to boost your spirits this winter and it just sounds heavenly. I definitely need some cheering up with all that has been going on in the world lately. What better way to keep my mind off of these things than to keep busy with Simply Earth's fun recipes.

I love that Simply Earth has quality products at a fraction of the prices you would see from other companies. The Simply Earth subscription won't break your budget or empty your bank account and by subscribing you won't have to get pressured into sales at any EO parties. Also, 13% of profits from Simply Earth go to end human trafficking! This subscription would be a great gift for someone during the holidays!

BUY IT

Purchase the next Essential Oil Recipe Box and get the Big Bonus Box free with your first subscription! What Does It Mean to Be a Simply Earth Subscriber? Click here to find out and watch this funny video.                            

WIN IT

Win a Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box (US and Canada Only): FOUR essential oils & ingredients to make 6 toxin-free recipes. Go to this link to enter: http://grow.simplyearth.com/giveaway?kid=1E80WD

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Simply Earth November Recipe Box and Big Bonus Box Review & Giveaway #EssentialOils #ComplimentaryProductReceived


Disclaimer: I received complimentary product through Simply Earth in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. Affiliate links are in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Simply Earth is a wonderful essential oil box subscription service. Every month they have a brand new box filled with full size essential oils. These essential oils are 100% pure with no added fillers or artificial fragrances and the ingredients are toxic free. They are GC/MS tested to make sure of this. All of their ingredients are ethically sourced and come from smaller, family owned farms.

The November Recipe Box has 4 full sized essential oils plus ingredients and recipes cards with recipes for the great things to make. You can make 6 recipes with the ingredients this box comes with and the Big Bonus Box comes with, the: Love Candle, Winter Woods Candle, Wax Potpourri Disks, Love Bath Melts, Energy Synergy Roll On, Love & Spice Diffuser Blend. The box also comes with labels that are sized to fit the individual bottles, etc.

Here is The November Recipe Box Reveal:

 

Simply Earth November Recipe Box Contents

 November Recipe Box Contents:

 

Simply Earth Big Bonus Box Contents


Big Bonus Box Contents:

  • Almond Oil, 4 oz
  • Fractionated Coconut Oil, 4 oz
  • Coconut Oil, 12 oz
  • Beeswax Pastilles, 2 oz
  • 6 Roll On Bottles, 10 mL
  • 6 Amber Glass Bottles, 5 mL


My Thoughts:

I received both the Simply Earth November Recipe Box and the Big Bonus Box since I was a new subscriber. I love the fact that each monthly recipe box comes with full size essential oils and they don't skimp on any of the fun extras. The Big Bonus Box comes with your first month and it has wonderful ingredients and bottles to use with your first recipe box. This DIY kit gets you started making your own products to use at home. Plus, it is fun to make natural recipes together with family and/or friends.

I loved the November Recipe Box! My favorite of the essential oils from this box was the Love EO: which is a combination of Amyris, Bergamot, Sweet Orange, & Ylang Ylang. It smells so good and definitely would put me in a romantic mood. I love that this is no ordinary EO box as it doesn't just have one EO included and it also comes with so much more. One recipe in particular, the Energy Synergy Roll On, is supposed to rejuvenate you and who doesn't need that with this pandemic going on?!! All the recipes sound like a great deal of fun and I cannot wait to make them.

I love that Simply Earth has quality products at a fraction of the prices you would see from other companies. You can see all of the GC/MS reports on every batch of EO made. The Simply Earth subscription won't break your budget or empty your bank account and by subscribing you won't have to get pressured into sales at any EO parties. Also, 13% of profits from Simply Earth go to end human trafficking!

BUY IT

Purchase the next Essential Oil Recipe Box and get the Big Bonus Box free with your first subscription! What Does It Mean to Be a Simply Earth Subscriber? Click here to find out and watch this funny video.

WIN IT

Win a Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box (US and Canada Only): FOUR essential oils & ingredients to make 6 toxin-free recipes. Go to this link to enter: http://grow.simplyearth.com/giveaway?kid=1E80WD

Monday, November 16, 2020

Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog Review and Giveaway #christmasgiving #advancingnativemissons #givingcatalog #ComplimentaryProductReceived


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this catalog and a gift was given from it on our behalf through FrontGate Media in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Advancing Native Missions is a Christian mission based organization that instead of sending out foreign missionaries that have little knowledge of the people or culture, they have native (local) missionaries to spread the gospel and minister. They are already accustomed to the physical climate, environment, and political situation. These missionaries live and minister on a fraction of the resources because their standard of living is comparable to those they serve. They also already know the language, people, and culture and can begin work with minimal training and preparation. They are more committed to working long-term because they already know and love the people; their own family, friends, and neighbors. These missionaries preach the Gospel, plant churches, care for children; found: schools, medical clinics, and Bible colleges to train others.

ANM serves 345 native (local) mission ministries with over 10,425 missionaries, church planters, trainers, and workers working in 97 countries around the world. These missionaries are engaging 858 of these 7,000 unreached people groups and are reaching out to more all the time. Some of these countries that these native missionaries serve are closed to Western missionaries. This is the only way to get the message of The Lord out to them.

Through the Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog you can help these native missionaries with gifts and donations to them and the people they serve so that they may live in better circumstances. Included in the catalog is a coloring book for your kids to color of a true story about a small girl facing big struggles and how she overcomes with the help of others and the hope of Jesus. You and your family can also pick from many causes and charities to aid and advocate for those that are in need, including: 

  • Beekeeping kits for a native worker to support themselves through honey sales (brand new to the catalog)
  • a Bible to a fellow Christian for spiritual growth
  • a bicycle to a church planter or pastor so they can travel easier
  • a brick bundle (10 bricks) to help build new classrooms
  • a Newborn Care Package: care for a newborn and their mother in Israel for one month
  • a chicken so a family can eat and sell its eggs
  • Children's Gift Bundle: includes school supplies, sports equipment, a Christmas gift, and a pair of shoes
  • a Christmas gift box: a box of small gifts to a child in need
  • COVID-19 Relief Package: food for hungry families, hygiene supplies to help families stay safe and healthy, and financial aid for those who have lost jobs during the pandemic
  • a goat or sheep so a family can have milk and meat
  • medicine to support medical outreach in impoverished communities
  • a motorcycle so a church planter or pastor can access remote areas and share the gospel
  • a Persecution Aid Package will provide temporary safe housing, basic medical and care for injuries, food and other necessitates
  • school supplies so that a student is more equipped to learn
  • sewing machine so that a family can start a home business and mend clothing
  • shoes so a child can play, do chores, and walk to school safely
  • sports equipment so that kids can enjoy healthy recreation with friends
  • support a worker so they can start churches and care for their congregation
  • well to provide clean and accessible water for a community
  • etc.


 

My Thoughts:

By reviewing the Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog I was given the choice of three gift packages: Animals Gift Package, Children's Gift Package, or the Newborn Care Package that I could pick from for ANM to give on my family's behalf. I picked the Animals Gift Package which is a $116 value and I believed had the most benefit to a family. This package gives 2 goats so a family can have an economical supply of milk and meat and gives 12 chickens so a family can eat and sell its eggs. 

Food and financial security is so important and so many in this world are starving, going hungry, and don't have any way to make ends meet. I know that I am fairly privileged to live in America where I am living fairly comfortably and free to be a Christian and share my beliefs. I am so grateful and thankful for this. My family is overjoyed to be able to share something so important and essential with our global brothers and sisters who are less fortunate. I hope this gift blesses a family for many years to come.

 

My daughters looking through the ANM Gift Catalog.
 

Giving to this amazing fund is a wonderful and generous thing to do to celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with your family. Sharing the message of Christ and giving the gift of benevolence, service, and humanitarianism is so important for those that are impoverished and/or persecuted for their beliefs. Please help those who cannot help themselves. Use the Advancing Native Missions gifting catalog to donate and directly impact families around the world.

 

YOU CAN HELP CHANGE LIVES TOO
Find 20 simple ways to transform lives inside this catalog … all in the name of Jesus.

 

WIN IT

  • Prize: Win a painting from one of their partners in Bulgaria! They are artists and use that art to share the gospel and fund ministry.
  • Host: Advancing Native Missions and FrontGate Media.
  • Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
  • Selection Process: 1 Winner will be selected on 11/30/2020 and notified by email at which time they will ask for your address. Winner will have 2 weeks to respond.
  • Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/advancing-native-missions-giveaway.html and fill out the form to enter.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Give a Novica Gift for Christmas, Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary $50 GC to get something for myself for posting this provided information and the opportunity to give another away to my readers. 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.

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. 

 

This is a review I wrote about the artisan who made my metal wall sculptures.

 

I received $50 to spend on Novica. I wanted something that could decorate the side of my farm's well house. I needed something bright and cheery so that when guests come up our driveway they would notice it. I found a gorgeous steel wall sculpture of a Violet Hummingbird by J. Blas from Mexico. It was the perfect price because it was just a cent less than the GC I received and since I am a Novica Ambassador I received free shipping. It is shaped by hand and has cutout motifs on its wings and tail feathers. It is the perfect size too at just 21.25 inches high x 15 inches wide x 2.4 inches deep you can still tell from the road coming to our home that it is a hummingbird. I also learned that in Mexico when someone sees a hummingbird in flight, they make a wish. I love this sentiment so much!

I had purchased a different wall sculpture from the same artist a number of years back called 'Cave Art Pony' which is hung on a wall in my living room and I love it too. These metal wall sculptures are so unique and wonderful! I highly recommend J. Blas and his artwork!

 

Assorted face masks from Novica.

 

Be sure to check out Novica's selection of beautiful face masks. They will keep you safe during COVID times and your purchase will help the artisans too. These are all unique and there is sure to be one that fits your style.

WIN IT

  • Prize: Win a $50 Gift Certificate from NOVICA (This GC Expires 1/31/2021).


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!

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Thursday, November 5, 2020

Drive Thru History® Adventures Bible Unearthed Review #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My family had the privilege of trying the Bible Unearthed from Drive Thru History® Adventures 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.

 

 

Drive Thru History is a great series that makes history fun. There are currently four different captivating series to choose from: Bible History (Acts to Revelation: The World of The First Christians & The Gospels: The Extraordinary Life of Jesus of Nazareth), American History (America: Columbus to the Constitution), and Ancient History (Ancient: Christianity and the Birth of Western Civilization). These bring the history to life and engages the viewer in an exciting adventure and learning. These not only tell us about the history, but also the archaeology, geography, and art surrounding the people, places, and events that have defined our world and the Christian faith. These videos are shot on location to bring you an up close and personal view of what the tour guide wants you to learn.

Dave Stotts is our host of Drive Thru History. He has spent the last 20+ years in the professional film and documentary production which has taken him to nearly 30 countries to shoot and edit works. He loves shooting and editing films, videography, writing, media creation. Storytelling is the driving force behind his work.

Bible Unearthed is a brand new 12 episode Drive Thru History® Adventures series produced by RightNow Media that has yet to be released (we received early access to it). It explores archeology and the discoveries that help us understand the ancient world. Dave Stotts, the host of Drive Thru History® Adventures introduces us to his friends and colleagues: Titus Kennedy, PhD and Randall Niles to unpack the world of archaeology in the Holy Land.


Episode 3 Layout...you would see more text if you could scroll.


How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

We received a lifetime access to Bible Unearthed. This has not yet been released and so we received early access. We have reviewed different products from Drive Thru History® Adventures before and loved every single one, so we were excited about this product too.

Bible Unearthed Episodes

This digital course has 12 episodes. It also has a 2-part introduction and 3-part course resources. This makes 17 total lessons. Each lesson can be marked as complete and then it will have a check mark beside it in the course menu. Every time you complete a lesson and mark it as done the next lesson will popup to move forward. Each episode has a video, course materials you can download and print out containing a worksheet and answer guide, and some text you can read about the subject with full color pictures and links to learn more. The worksheet contains the same text as what is online minus the pictures and then has about 5 discussion questions to answer. The answer guide is an answer key to the questions asked in the worksheet. The text has one or more paragraphs about the subject (a full written exposition and breakout), a "Getting Technical" section to go more in depth into a specific aspect, a "Scripture Reading" section to tie into a bible study and scripture, an "Optional Activity" section for more hands on, and a "Dig Deeper Articles" section for further investigation and research. 

 

Some Bible Unearthed video screenshots.
 

This was different than previous Drive Thru History® Adventures productions that I have seen. Besides Dave Stotts (the host of Drive Thru History) the videos featured two other people that were also knowledgeable in the field of archeology: Dr. Titus Kennedy (the resident archeology PhD) and Randall Niles (lead writer for Drive Thru History). The videos did not have as much eye candy as the other series in Drive Thru History® Adventures because it wasn't all on site. Instead Dave lets his friend Titus do most the talking about his passion, archeology, while they sit around a table in the "lair of archeology", as Dave calls it. The videos within the episodes incorporate items of interest, slides of pictures, and videos of Titus in the field. All the while Dave is up to his old antics as he has some well placed humor throughout to make you laugh.

We enjoyed these episodes and learned a fair bit when we watched each one. Titus does a great job at sharing his passion. I also loved that Titus goes through and points out a lot of the archeological evidence that shows that the Bible is a true book. This would be great for people that homeschool or afterschool or great for anyone that likes history.


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Bible Unearthed {Drive Thru History® Adventures Reviews}

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Happy National Sandwich Day!

 

I wanted to share one of my favorite sandwiches for National Sandwich Day today. This is a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian sandwich as it has mayonnaise, white cheese such as Swiss, provolone, or pepper jack, and cream cheese. It is perfect for having with soup or by itself. I love it with a glass of buttermilk.

 

Veggie Delight Sandwich

 

Ingredients:
  • 2 Slices of Bread (seedy wheat or sourdough) 
  • Softened Cream Cheese
  • Condiments (mayonnaise, Grey Poupon mustard, stone ground mustard, or horseradish sauce, or a combination)
  • 2 Slices of Sliced White Cheese (Swiss, provolone, or pepper jack) 
  • Sprouts (aka micro-greens) (alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, clover sprouts, or radish sprouts, or a combination)
  • Sliced Avocado
  • Sliced Mushrooms (button, shiitake, or baby bella)
  • Sliced Tomato
  • Sliced Cucumber

 

Instructions:

  1. Spread  cream cheese on one of the slices of bread and your choice of condiments on the other.
  2. Layer some sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, and cheese on the side with the condiments.
  3. Layer some sprouts sliced mushrooms, and sliced avocado on the side with the cream cheese.
  4. Put both sides of the bread together with the ingredients in the middle to make the sandwich.
  5. Cut the sandwich down the center or across to make two halves.
  6. Enjoy!


Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Byron's Games Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game Review #ComplimentaryProductReceived


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My family had the privilege of trying the Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game from Byron's Games 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.

While having an extended stay in a hospital a 6 year old boy named Byron was inspired by Mrs. Ellen Donovan, of the Family Life Center and the Olympic games that were going on at the time. To pass the time, he created his first board game, Continent Race. He wanted to help other kids avoid boredom during their hospital stays and brush up with their geography skills. Now Byron's Games has 2 games: Continent Race and Math Sprint, the Connections stationery kit, and Trailblazer products.

Math Sprint  - The Mental Math Game is a great game for helping with math mastery. Byron originally created this game for a local game inventor challenge. It too was inspired by the Olympic games, especially the running events. All you have to do to advance your piece is to solve a subtraction, addition, multiplication, division, or word problem. It is a race against other players to solve the problem first. There are also different skill levels with 3 race lengths and beginner to advanced level cards. Each color coded athlete playing piece has a profile picture with different hobbies and interests to go with it that you can pick from. This gives the players to have something they might relate to in the game. This math game is for ages 7 and up, you can have 2-8 players or teams, and a game takes about 30 minutes.

 

Game Contents:

  • Instructions
  • 258 cards: 92 Addition & Subtraction, 106 Multiplication & Division, 30 Wild Cards, 30 Challenge Cards
  • 1 marker
  • 1 running track board
  • 10 dry erase cards
  • 8 runner playing pieces

How to Play:

  1. Base on the age and level of your group, determine which card types to include in the draw pile, shuffle those into a deck, and place them face down in the middle of the board. The challenge cards should not be in play when playing with younger kids.
  2. Select your runner piece.
  3. Choose the race distance: 100m (shorter game and beginner level), 200m (intermediate level when have a bit more time to play), or 400m dash (advanced or older players or when the group has more time to play).
  4. Line your piece up on the starting line on the board running track where the race distance is you are running and pick one of the lanes numbered 1-8. The Coach should be in lane 1.
  5. Each player takes a turn being the Coach going clockwise, draws a card, and reads the math problem aloud or the adult or oldest can be the Coach the whole time.
  6. Each time a player answers a question correctly they can move their runner forward 2 spaces.
  7. If there is a tie in answering correctly, both players advance 2 spaces.
  8. If a player doesn't answer the question correctly they don't move.
  9. The first player to get the correct answer advances and is on the way to the finish line!
  10. If the Coach draws a Wild card, then  the Coach moves his/her piece as directed.
  11. If a Coach Tip card is drawn the Coach reads it aloud so all players can learn.
  12. If playing with a large group you can play in teams instead of individual players. Teams can discuss quietly and raise their hands when their team has the answer.
  13. Use the blank dry erase cards and dry erase marker to make up your own problems or work out solutions.


 

● Improves your kid's reasoning and logic skills
● Helps kids practice processing, analyzing, and calculating
● Boosts your own mental math abilities
● Provides precious time for you and your family to grow together

 

Zari, Teela, and I playing Math Sprint.

 

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

It has been cold outside and so my kids have been playing a lot indoors. We have been enjoying a lot of board games, card games, and puzzles. One of the games that we have been playing on these chilly days is Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game by Byron's Games.

My daughters, Teela and Zari, who are ages 12 and 10 have been playing this game with me. I was the Coach in the first game we played. Teela chose the yellow playing piece which is Mary Matherina, Zari chose the green piece which is Mya Marcher, and I chose the blue piece which is Crystal Reaction. I liked Crystal, well, because she shares the same name as me and seems to like science. Zari and I started on the 100m level and Teela started on the 200m level. At first we shuffled all the cards together, but then Zari was having trouble with the division problems, so we took all those cards out so that we could level the playing field. We should have just picked out the appropriate cards to include in the game with all the wild cards to make it fun and unpredictable and make it a acceptable number of cards--not the entire deck.  Zari still didn't like that it was a math game because she doesn't like math and Teela was dominating the game because she was faster at getting the answers. Next time we play I think that I will play with Zari and be on her team so maybe she will have a chance at winning or maybe she can play with a friend that is at her same level.

All in all I liked Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game. It is a great game to brush up on your math and also help with learning new math skills for younger students. My kids had mixed feelings about the game and this is probably not going to be a game they turn to on their own off of our game shelf. I love that it is educational and teaches while playing. I think that I would still recommend it to families that homeschool and others that are looking for games that teach as well.


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Math Sprint  - The Mental Math Game {Byron's Games Reviews}

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Butterfly Box Review and Giveaway #yourbutterflybox #butterflybox #faithsubscriptionbox #christiansubscriptionbox #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through FrontGate Media in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Butterfly Box is a monthly subscription service for Christian women that helps you grow spiritually and get closer to God. Each box has 4-6 hand-selected curated items that have a overall theme. Boxes could include things like inspiring books, devotionals or journals, Christian jewelry, scripture decor or artwork, faith sharing cards, self-care pampering items (soaps, lotion, candles, tea, etc.), and other theme related gifts. These products are faith-based or support small Christian businesses.

 

Butterfly Box in use.

My Thoughts:

I received the September Butterfly Box which is Woman of Prayer themed. This was a lovely light blue colored box with the Butterfly Box logo, a shortened version of the scripture Romans 12:2, and website link on it. Inside were some hand picked items that were various shades of blue and some Tea Drops.

Inside this Butterfly Box: 

  • A book: The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian - this devotional book has a turquoise embossed faux leather cover and a ribbon bookmark. In this book Stormie shares her most-loved prayers for women.
  • A journal: 'Be Still and Know' on the cover, ocean themed, spiral-bound with 192 lined pages to write in, and a presentation page in the front for gifting. Perfect for recording your own prayers, testimonies, and devotions.
  • Jewelry: My Prayer Bracelet - a reminder to pray for joy from Heart on Your Sleeve design. The card it came on has a prayer; "Today, I pray for abundant joy... Lord, may I be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, & faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12"
  • Self-Care Pampering Item: Tea Drops - one in sweet peppermint an one in vanilla white tea. These are loose leaf tea that is USDA organic and gluten free pressed with organic raw sugar into a shape. These dissolve easily in hot water and come individually wrapped. These are the perfect companion for prayer and devotion times.
  • Card: Weekly Prayer Guide bookmark to help with daily reminders for important things to lift up in prayer.

September Butterfly Box Contents.

 

This Butterfly Box was a sweet reminder of the power of prayer. I love every inch of its contents. I am looking forward to reading this devotional and writing down my thoughts in the journal it came with. I love the little bracelet. I have small wrists, but since you can pull the strings tighter it fits perfectly. I love the butterfly bead on it. It will always remind me to pray for joy and Transform * Renew * Pursue. I tried the Sweet Peppermint Tea Drop and it was delicious. I love how it was made of organic raw sugar, organic spearmint leaves and organic peppermint oil, caffeine free, and heart shaped. The Vanilla White Tea one is made of organic raw sugar, organic white peony tea, and organic vanilla extract, low in caffeine, high in antioxidants, and is flower shaped. The card will be a good daily prompt for prayers.

This is such a wonderful gift for any woman that needs something extra special during these turbulent times. 2020 has been such a difficult year for many. With so many uncertainties, we as Christian women know that God is with us and that he can help us through any of our trials. The Butterfly Box helps remind us of these things. It helps lift our spirits and keep us close to Christ.


WIN IT

  • Prize: Win 6 months of Butterfly Box
  • Host: Butterfly Box and FrontGate Media.
  • Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
  • Selection Process: 1 Winner will be selected on 10/30/2020 and notified by email at which time they will ask for your address. Winner will have 2 weeks to respond.
  • Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/butterfly-box-giveaway.html and fill out the form to enter.

 

BUY IT

Purchase the Butterfly Box with coupon code: WELCOME10 and get 10% off your order.

Friday, October 9, 2020

NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle Review #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My family had the privilege of trying a one year access to NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle from NatureGlo's eScience 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.



NatureGlo's eScience is a neutral worldview (non-faith based viewpoint) math enrichment (MathArt) and science live and self-paced online courses and curriculum for home and school educators and students. It is founded and directed by Gloria Brooks; a nature lover, longtime RVer, and curriculum writer. She has been teaching since 1997 and holds a BA in k-12 education.

The NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle is a private bundle created only for The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew. It has roughly 25 courses with lessons in MathArt, Marine Biology, Herps (Reptiles & Amphibians), Botany, and Geology. Class content is completely digital with a year access. These self-paced classes are pre-recorded and include PowerPoint presentations with slideshows, study guides, lesson enhancing YouTube videos and web resources. Each class has a study guide and sometimes quizzes (using Quizlet) you can base grades off of also and participation and completion of activities can be recorded by parents. The study guide has questions and an answer key.

 

Roadmap

 

There are two ways to go about having your student do the courses. You can have them follow NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Roadmap or go through the courses and lessons how you choose. This makes it more flexible. If you choose to follow the roadmap you will need to go in order of all the lessons, how they are presented. If you choose to skip around you may do so, but you have to be in the "My Courses" list in the "Student Dashboard". Once your student has selected and clicked on the course they would like to do they can scroll down and click on the first green bar lesson on that course page to start. This is courseware, which means when students go through and finish a lesson they can mark lessons complete and earn a digital award per lesson section they finish.

 

My Courses in the Dashboard

 

These courses are recommended for ages 10 and up. Content is appropriate for upper elementary, middle and high schoolers. Each course can be used with multiple students in the same household. You can either share one account or make individual accounts for each student using different emails/password per child's account so they can go at their own pace. These courses could be applied towards middle school and high school credits depending upon your state homeschool requirements. This can be used as a standalone curriculum, typically for very relaxed or unschooled families. Other families that homeschool in a more ridged way can use this as a supplement to their learning.


NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle Lessons:

MathArt Courses
  • Introduction to MathArt
  • MathArt: Patterns & Shapes in Nature – 1 Lesson
  • Math Connections with the Real World – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • MathArt in Ancient Cultures – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • Mathematics in the Arts & Sciences – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • MathArt: Patterns in Nature – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • Bubbleology – 1 Lesson
  • The Life & Mathematical Art of Leonardo da Vinci – 2 Lessons
  • The Life & Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher – 2 Lessons
Marine Biology Courses
  • Oceanography, Marine Plants and Invertebrates – 6 Lessons
  • Jellies, Mollusks and Whales of the World – 6 Lessons
  • Marine Invertebrates and Fish – 6 Lessons
  • Cephalopods, Marine Turtles, Snakes and Mammals – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • Dramatic Deep Sea Creatures – 6 Lessons
  • Tide Pool Communities – 1 Lesson
  • Marine Zoology – Mandarinfish, Hermit Crab, & Queen Conch – 3 Lessons
  • Marine Zoology – Seahorses, Beluga Whale, and Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 3 Lessons
Herps (Reptiles & Amphibians) Courses
  • Herps Explorers: Anatomy, Caecilians & Crocs – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • Herps Explorers: Frogs, Geckos & Chameleons – 6 Lesson Unit Study
  • Herps Zoology: Poison Dart Frog, Python, and Caiman – 3 Lessons
  • Herps Zoology: Marbled Salamander, Children’s Python, and Galapagos Tortoise – 3 Lessons
  • Marine Reptiles
Botany Lesson
  • Exploring the Giant Redwood Trees – 1 Lesson
Geology Lesson
  • Intro to Rockhounding – 1 Lesson

 

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

We received NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle which is a private 25-course bundle of lessons in MathArt, Marine Biology, Herps (Reptiles & Amphibians), Botany, and Geology. I had reviewed NatureGlo's eScience MathArt Online 4-Class Bundle before and we enjoyed the courses so much that we wanted to review this as well.

When you go to each course they all have the same format. The courses have a main PowerPoint slide video that Gloria does. Some of the videos, since they were live previously, have kids that are interacting with her on them. There is a study guide that she has made to go with the main video. There are other resources in the form of links, projects, activities, and videos. This content is sourced from other parts of the web.

Since we had already finished the MathArt courses except Bubbleology previously I had my daughter Teela who is 12 pick some courses she wanted to start from the "My Courses" page. We were expected to use minimum of three weeks of lessons for this review. We had a 6 week period. My daughter picked Botany: Exploring the Giant Redwood Trees, Geology: Intro. to Rockhounding, and Bubbleology because they were all one lesson long and would take about a week each.

We learned a lot about the Giant Redwood Trees the first week. I hope to take my family to see them someday. They are such awe inspiring massive specimens. We learned about the largest and tallest of the redwoods and the 3 main species: Dawn and Coastal Redwoods and the super giant, the Sequoia tree. We learned about logging that happened in the 1850's too. We are sad that so many of these magnificent and mighty trees were chopped down for lumber. There was a lot we learned from the extra resources too. We enjoyed going to the many web resources, literature, activities and videos. We however, couldn't listen to Grandmother Cedar Audio story, see Redwood Ed, Giant Sequoia Groves - Interactive Map, and The Three Trees PDF because the links were broken. We also got to explore the redwoods virtually by live webcam.

 

A part of my rock and mineral collection.

 

The next week we learned about Rockhounding. This was all about rock and mineral collecting. My family loves looking for interesting looking rocks and minerals and bringing them home with us when we can. We have gone agate and diamond hunting before too. The agates we usually find around here, but I found a nice one at the Crater of Diamonds State Park when we were looking for diamonds on our Memorial Road Trip in 2010. We also love going to rock and mineral shows to see what others have found. We learned about basic and advanced rockhounding equipment and I remembered that I have a hand loupe magnifier that I purchased when I was taking my Master Gardeners courses. We learned about storing and labeling your collection, good rockhounding practices. We also watched the video on Holleywood Ranch that is in Oregon where rockhounds go to dig specimens, especially petrified wood.

The third week we learned about Bubbleology. This was all about the science and mathematics of soap bubbles. We learned about how bubbles are made, soap bubble physics, soup bubble mathematics (minimal surface), etc. The main lesson video was a bit different than the other two lessons we watched. It was more interactive and had poll, quiz and short answer questions to answer that popped up in the middle of the video. There were 6 questions to answer and there was no right or wrong. We loved the other resources of links and videos. The link to the Soap Films in Action had a problem loading for us, but we loved the videos of Melody Yang.

There were things that could have been better. I wish some of the links were not broken and that the links would open in a new window instead of having to go back and forth between the Resource Virtual Library Pages and the links on the page. This would certainly make the learning flow a lot better. I also had some bonus? courses that were not in the Roadmap list that were in "My Courses" list, these were: Sharks Online Unit Study Free Sample Lesson, Herps Explorers: The Komodo Dragon, Invertebrates: Insects of the World, Mammals: Wildcat, Gray Wolf, and Right Whale; MathArt: Polygons and Patterns in Nature, and MathArt: The Geometric Beauty of Snowflakes. I might have purchased these "extras", on my own, but I am not certain. We were not given a list of the courses except from the Roadmap. If these "extra" courses should have actually gone with the Roadmap they should have been listed there...but they were not, so I wasn't sure.

There is a lot of content to NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle other than what we have experienced so far. I can't wait to have my kids go through the Marine Biology courses because that was always my favorite in school and the Insects of the World Course looks neat too because it has a science, history, literature, art, and math connection. 25 courses is a lot to consume and there was so much in the lessons we went through that even I learned along with my kids. We can't wait to delve in deeper.

 

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NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science Course Bundle { NatureGlo's eScience Reviews}

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Spiritual Seeds Planner Review and Giveaway #spiritualseedsplanner #spreadtheseeds #weeklyplanner #faithplanner #ledbythespirit #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through FrontGate Media in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

The Spiritual Seeds Planner is a planning tool that is different from most planners in that it is Christian based. This planner helps Christians organize their lives to be filled with the Holy Spirit, love others, grow spiritual fruit, and become more like Christ. The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22-23) These are the foundations of this planner. It uses a fun gardening theme concentrating on four garden plots – Friends/Family, Self, Community, Vocation/Work. Each month has a focus on one Fruit, describing actions to plant + cultivate + grow. Daily actions are planned to focus on Spiritual growth rather than achievement. The planner comes with 2 sheets of cute garden themed stickers that provide visuals for tracking growth and a bookmark with the definitions and scriptures of the Fruit of the Spirit.

The 2021 Weekly Planner Consists of:

  • Easy to follow instructions with visuals
  • Fruit Vision Board (Annual)
  • Monthly Fruit Focus and Planning Pages
  • Monthly Inspirational Prayers
  • Weekly Dated Calendar, starting on Monday
  • Month at a Glance
  • 2021/2022 Year at a Glance calendar
  • Blank note pages each month
  • Faux Leather Cover
  • Monthly Tabs
  • Ribbon Bookmark
  • Interior Back Pocket
  • Elastic Band Closure
  • Planner measures 10" long and 7" wide

Bonus items!

  • 2 pages of stickers
  • Bookmark with the definitions and scriptures of the Fruit of the Spirit


My Thoughts:

I received the Adult and Teen Challenge Package. It has a free Fruit of the Spirit Tote bag, notepad, pencil case and pens to go with the planner. I received the 2021 weekly planner in Coconut Brown and bonus items that go with it as well. The Spiritual Seeds Planner has partnered with the Pacific Northwest Adult and Teen Challenge supporting their dedication to seeing people liberated from life controlling issues through the power of Jesus Christ. Adult and Teen Challenge students dedicate twelve months to transforming their life. A Spiritual Seeds Planner provides the student a place to plan their days and record their journey. You can purchase one of these packages and Spiritual Seeds Planner will donate and deliver it to a student in need.

Adult and Teen Challenge Package

This planner is a lovely instrument to help go throughout the year growing ever closer to Christ and the Holy Spirit. I love the gorgeous faux leather cover. It has a lovely tree carved into the front with the words from the Fruit of the Spirit written along its branches. I love the theme of gardening and growth. Growing closer to Christ with this Spiritual Seeds Planner is the perfect way to start the new year.

 

WIN IT

  • Prize: Win a copy of Spiritual Seeds Planner
  • Host: Spiritual Seeds Planner and FrontGate Media.
  • Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
  • Selection Process: 1 Winner will be selected on 10/25/2020 and notified by email.
  • Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/spiritual-seeds-planner.html and fill out the form to enter.

 

BUY IT

Purchase the Spiritual Seeds Planner with coupon code: FRUITOFSPIRIT and get 20% off your order ($28 planner plus shipping, or $40 planner/sticker book plus shipping, saving $7-$10).

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Wordy Wednesday Thunderbolt and Lightning, Very Very Frightening!

 

Last Friday, September 18th, 2020 we had a huge storm that rolled in to where I live in Oregon. It was raining hard and caused some flash flooding in areas close to our city and some in water came into my kitchen because it was raining so hard. Not only that, but we had a lightning strike somewhere close to the house because it and the thunder hit at the same time. This strike was deafening! We were counting how far the thunder was from the lightning and this strike didn't have any time between. 

This caused a power surge and then our power went out for hours. The power company fixed the fuse in the transformer, but it went out again in the middle of that night. The power company came out again and replaced the transformer on the pole with a brand new one. When the power came back on we assessed the damage and found out that we lost a bunch of our appliances and electronics, including our phone and internet. They had all been fried by the surge. 

 


It could have been worse though because my husband, Brian, was outside during all of this making a trench to take the water flow away from our house. He could have been struck by the lightening or injured by falling tree limbs. We are all a little rattled, but our family and our farm critters are safe and this is all that really matters. Also, we have some wonderful neighbors that helped us out with letting us use their internet for my daughters' schooling as well.

Things are finally getting back to some sort of normalcy. Our internet has been restored. We are taking action to get everything else that was damaged fixed. We are also going to be installing more surge protectors and making sure things are unplugged during storms like this one.

On the positive side the much needed rain cleared the air from the smoke of fires in the surrounding areas in the Pacific Northwest. We have blue skies and actual fluffy white clouds instead of haze and choking pollution from the smoke. I am so glad to be able to breathe again and go outside without feeling like I am suffocating. The rain was a blessing even though lightning did damage.

This has sure been quite the year with COVID-19, protests for Black Lives Matter, fires and other natural disasters, and now this. I am sure there are other things I have left out, but through all the trials that The Lord gives us, we can overcome.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Home School in the Woods Time Travelers: Colonial Life Review #ComplimentaryProductReceived


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My family had the privilege of trying the Time Travelers U.S. History Studies Colonial Life from Home School in the Woods 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.

Home School in the Woods is a family run business that creates Christian based history curriculum for homeschooling. This curriculum immerses your student in the topic. It is very hands-on with lapbooks, timelines, recipes, art, creative writing, notebook projects, dramatized audio theater, maps, crafts, projects, re-enactments, file-folder games, vocabulary to learn, etc.

The Time Traveler American History Studies are a seven part series that starts with the New World Explorers and concludes at the end of World War II. These are recommended for grades 3-8. There are two different versions you can purchase, a CD version or a digital download version. With the CD version everything that you access and print is on the CD. With the digital download version you download a zipped file, place all of the contents into a folder on your computer, and access it by the start.htm file that is in that folder. We received the digital download version.

Left: Main Menu, Right: Lessons

We found that there was a lot of preparation that needed to happen before getting started. There is a lot of things needing printed, items needing prepared for crafts and other projects, and general preparation of materials before one can begin the travel. The Beginning of the main menu includes: Acknowledgements / Copyrights and Usage / Bibliography, Introduction, Tips to Consider Before Starting..., and Teacher Helps which gives you a great foundation. Teacher Helps guides you with preparation and organization, gives you a Lesson Planner schedule to help you see an overview of the things being taught and Additional Resources to pull from. It also includes the printables for the 3-Ring Binder Covers and the Teacher Keys for the timeline.

Each study has twenty-five lessons and is supposed to last roughly 5-10 weeks depending upon how quickly everything is completed. These lessons have reading Text Pages and an activity that go with them. Project Pages accompany these to give directions, list of supplies needed, printing instructions, and illustrations for each project and activity. Masters are provided for all printables.

In the Other Resources section at the end of the main menu there are some visuals and directions to help you with the projects, activities, and lapbook. These include: All Master Pages in numerical order, A Gallery of Project Photos (final photos of what projects should look like at the end), and Lap Book Instructions. You can also have your student catch up with the five Project Days that are included in the schedule. The student will compile a lapbook in the 24th lesson. This lapbook is pieced together throughout the studies. The final lesson is a party with a theme that goes along with the series to celebrate the end of the study. These are very flexible and you can pick and choose what projects work best for your family.

You will need a few items to get you through the lessons:
  • Working Printer
  • Color and Black Ink for the printer to cover all the printing that will be happening
  • White and Colored Printer Paper
  • White and Colored Cardstock (this is best, but admittedly we didn't have any of this and used only white printer paper and it worked OK)
  • One 3-Ring Binder for the Teacher's Binder (reading text, project direction pages, the "Guide-at-a-Glance," teacher keys, and any of the other teacher helps)
  • One 3-Ring Binder for the Scrapbook of Sights (student binder for all notebook projects including)
  • Colored File Folders or Colored Pocket Folders with Fasteners
  • Scissors and/or an X-acto Knife (when using an X-acto Knife you will need a thick piece of cardboard or self healing mat to use as a cutting surface)
  • Crayons, Markers, or Colored Pencils to color the pictures, if desired
  • Glue
  • Other Craft supplies specified for each of the different projects that your student wants to do
Lessons for Time Travelers American History Study: Colonial Life:
  1. America's Colonies Begin
  2. The Colonial Home Pt. 1
  3. The Colonial Home Pt. 2
  4. The Colonial Home Pt. 3
  5. PROJECT DAY - 1
  6. Colonial Clothing
  7. Colonial Food
  8. Family Life
  9. The Colonial School
  10. PROJECT DAY - 2
  11. Faith in the Colonies Pt. 1
  12. Faith in the Colonies Pt. 2
  13. Colonial Pleasures & Pastimes
  14. Villages & Cities
  15. PROJECT DAY - 3
  16. Health & Medicine
  17. Colonial Artisans Pt. 1
  18. Colonial Artisans Pt. 2
  19. Holidays in the Colonies
  20. PROJECT DAY - 4
  21. Crime & Punishment
  22. Plantations & Slavery
  23. PROJECT DAY - 5
  24. Pulling the Lap Book™ Together
  25. Colonial Spree!

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I enlisted my daughter Zari, who was in 3rd grade this past school year, to learn about Colonial Life. She has loved doing Home School in the Woods in the past. This is supposed to be for 3rd through 8th graders so most of the projects she did very well on. She did need my help with some of the more advanced projects and writing assignments and it took her a lot longer to get through some of the written assignments than it might have taken for my older kids. I learned quite a bit too while helping her with this study.

Zari coloring the Colonial Farm pages.

This study was jam packed with information. This is all about early U.S. History. It is about the growth of this nation and the people that left their mark on it. In the weeks we had before this review we learned about The Lost Colony & Jamestown, The First Thirteen Colonies, Indentured Servants and Slaves, etc. There are creative writing, recipes of the era,  notebook timeline, factfile cards, file folder games,  penmanship pages, notebooking activities, three-dimensional projects, arts and crafts, lapbooking, and a Colonial Spree to bring the whole unit to a close. We still have not gotten through all the lessons, but we have enjoyed everything that we have done thus far.

This was differently laid out than the Project Passports I was used to. There were no stops or pretending to be on a trip and these did not have any audio files to listen to. Like Project Passport though, the instructions are not hard, but there is a lot of things to set up and print out initially and throughout the program....so be aware of that and set some time aside to begin with to get things done so you are not overwhelmed.

Old-Peas Soup

Zari really liked our project time together the most. She loves art and making things. She especially loved making the yummy Old-Peas Soup from one of the A Book of Goode Cookery Colonial cookbook recipes. This was like split pea soup in my opinion. She also loved learning and playing the games. We can't wait to make the Rope Bed, Colonial attire to dress up, a loom to weave on, an apple head doll, an embroidery sampler, silhouette art, quilling, a punch tin candle holder, and the other recipes etc. We are learning a lot and are enjoying every moment. These are so much fun!

I highly recommend the Time Travelers American History Study: Colonial Life from Home School in the Woods. This is great for anyone homeschooling who might need some help with teaching Colonial Life in a highly educational, fun, and very hands-on way. This is a great stand-alone unit study or can be used to supplement something already being taught. This would also be perfect for those wanting something fun to do with their kids in the summer time. I am looking forward to reviewing more from Home School in the Woods in the future and learning more about United States history with this study! There is also a U.S. Elections Lap-Pak that is relevant now because of the presidential election coming up this year.

BUY IT
You can purchase the download version of the Time Travelers U.S. History Studies Colonial Life from Home School in the Woods for $27.95 and CD version for $28.95.

Download the scope and sequence, look at a sample lesson, see photo examples of projects, and watch a video of "What is a Time Traveler" when you click the link above, to get more of an idea about the program.

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Election Lap-Pak, Benjamin Franklin, Timeline Collection, Time Travelers U.S.History and Make-A-State Activity-Pak {Home School in the Woods Reviews}