In Freedom's Cause The Real Story of Wallace and Bruce Audio Theater CD Review

My family and I love audio books! We love to listen to them while: I am multitasking, we have a long drive ahead of us, or there is cruddy weather and we are stuck inside. My family usually enjoys them better if they are fun and adventuresome. I believe they are better than movies because more imagination is required and lots of imagination is great for growing minds.

I love it when a story pulls you in and holds you till the very end. This is what In Freedom's Cause from Heirloom Audio Productions does. This audio production and theatrical radio drama consists of 2 and a half hours of masterful storytelling on 2 CDs recommended for ages 6-adult. I cannot say enough good things about this. Really, the presentation is very extraordinary! It brings the history to life.

This audio theater is about the epic true story of William Wallace and how he changed Scotland's history forever with his faith in God and vision for freedom with Robert the Bruce. The audio version is upbeat and engaging with themes of faith, courage, freedom, strength, perseverance, virtue, valor, determination, adventure, and heroism. You might have seen the movie Braveheart which spins a slightly different tale on William Wallace. The story is similar, but the retelling by radio theatre In Freedom's Cause is apparently more accurate. Both Braveheart and this audio theater version are based on the book by the same name as this audio program. G.A. Henty authored many historical fiction novels in the late 1800's and early 1900's, including In Freedom's Cause in 1885. The CDs follow the book by G.A. Henty fairly closely although the main protagonist is named Archie in the book and Ned in the audio adventure. There are some other changes as well, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

inside the case to In Freedom's Cause audio theater

I had some definite favorite parts of the audio drama. I loved the girl up in the tree and the goat woo part. They both made me and my family laugh. I loved how William Wallace carried around a Celtic Knot and his Psalter (Bible) and how the symbolism of these two were woven seamlessly into the story. The way William was anchored in his faith in God was awesome! I also loved that Lady Marjory was a great female character, so headstrong and brave...she reminded me of Merida in Disney's animated movie Brave. They even said she had red hair.

Along with the 2 CD audio theater set I also received many other awesome package bonus downloads. The 2 CD set also has a list of the cast on the back of the case, a pamphlet insert that has the link to the study guide and a bit about Heirloom Audio as well as some notes on the more famous of the cast, and in the center under where the pamphlet goes is The Prayer of William Wallace which is from the sacred song for King David, Psalm 23. This prayer also comes as a digital download so you can print it out as a poster to put on your wall.

In Freedom's Cause Single Package (what I am mentioning in this review) includes:

• In Freedom's Cause (CD Set - Physical Copy + MP3 Download Version)
• In Freedom's Cause Study Guide (Digital Download)
• In Freedom's Cause Soundtrack (MP3 Download)
• Printable copy of The Prayer Of William Wallace (Digital Download)
• Cast of Characters Roadmap (Digital Download)

I want to also mention that Heirloom Audio was being generous to the Schoolhouse Review Crew that received this for review. We received additional bonuses other than that were supposed to be in the Single Package. The additional items may only be available if you buy the 4-pack.

The Schoolhouse Review Crew that received this for review received all of the above and these additional bonuses:

• In Freedom's Cause eBook (Digital Download)
• In Freedom's Cause Cast Poster (Digital Download)
• Membership Website Access (Link)
• Behind the Scenes Documentary (Online Showing)

I love the music and sound effects that accompany this program. The music that is used on the CDs is very lovely and is also by itself in soundtrack form as MP3 downloads. It is the original score by Emmy-winning composer John Campbell. This has some beautiful Scottish elements that I love. The sound effects make you feel like you are right there with the characters and immerses you more into what's happening.

The all-star cast in this audio book is expansive and amazing. Some of the cast consists of Joanne Froggatt as Lady Marjory (Anna in Downton Abbey), Billy Boyd as Sir John Comyn (Peregrin "Pippin" in Lord of the Rings), Skandar Keynes as Sir Allan Kerr (Edmund Pevensie in Chronicles of Narnia), Cathy Sara as Dame Forbes (Woman In Black, Topsy-Turvy), and James Cosmo as Sir Robert Gordon (Highlander, Braveheart). I also recognized the boisterous voice of Brian Blessed as G.A. Henty in this production. All of the cast's performances are wonderful and as a bonus you get a downloadable Cast of Characters Roadmap which has some background and an introduction on each of the In Freedom's Cause characters. This will help you distinguish between characters better because there are 4 different Johns you have to keep straight along with other characters that might be hard to follow. The character building is so wonderful as long as you can keep up.

There is also a study guide that has discussion points and questions to ask your children as they listen to the program. This is wonderful to use as part of a history curriculum while homeschooling. It is really easier to listen to the whole program before you do the study guide and then listen again a second time to do the study guide, in my opinion. It feels awkward to stop and start the program so many times (every 4 to 10 minutes) during play. The CDs don't have the places to stop at marked well either unless you know where the narrative takes a new turn. Each set of questions has three parts, Listening Well, Thinking Further, and Defining Words. There are questions in the Listening Well section which are to see if you and your child are really paying attention. There are questions in the Thinking Further section that helps you understand deeper and get you and your child thinking more. The Defining Words section is a list of words that will enhance the vocabulary of your child and places more meaning for the story. Having a dictionary handy might be appropriate because the definitions are not already spelled out. At the end of the study guide is a brief history of Scotland. These notes will further understanding of what is going on and why Scotland was under England's rule. It might be best to read this first to comprehend greater. The very end of the study guide is a Bible study to go along with the study and a bibliography to delve even deeper. My children learned and understood so much more with this study guide. We used the questions and Bible study section throughout it and it made for a very lengthy, but interesting discussion session with my older kids. I am very glad that it was included. I love the scriptures it had you look up and ponder too. I do wish, however, that there was a answer guide as well to the questions, because it would make the whole thing flow better in my opinion.

We all thoroughly enjoyed In Freedom's Cause and will probably listen to it many more times. I doubt this audio book will ever get old. I also loved all the bonus extras we received and will be going through them also in more detail.

Follow them on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InFreedomsCause
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InFreedomsCause
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/112701427096792421838/112701427096792421838/posts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jointhecause

Wordless Wednesday My New Bird Feeder and An Unwanted Guest

My new bird feeder is a hit with the birds. They love the compartments I fill with different bird seed.

Haha! This little guy is trying to get in on the food. I guess I underestimated my garden pole.

Thankfully this bird feeder shuts when a squirrel gets on it. The bird even dive bombed him telling him to get down.

The Portlandia Cook Book Review

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

If you are a fan of the hit satire TV series Potlandia by the Emmy-nominated stars and writers Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein or if you just love Portland Oregon you will love the companion cookbook which is aptly named The Portlandia Cook Book. It features local cuisine and delectable dishes from all around the Rose City.

Portland a.k.a Rose City is a food mecca! As well put in the cookbook, "The city is home to community gardens, breweries, farmer's markets,  brunch spots, salt stores, backyard chicken coops, food cart pods, artisanal ice cream parlors, co-ops, mixologists, olive-oil-ologists, ice cube artists, butcherariums, designer doughnut shops, and an unreasonable amount of thoughtfully named coffee shops." This is so true and is also why Portland is so great to catch a bite to eat especially if you love unique food fare and drinks.

Since I live moderately close to Portland Oregon I try to visit when I can. I have been to many of those thoughtfully named coffee shops, farmer's markets, food cart pods, artisanal ice cream parlors, and even some kombucha breweries. I love Portland because of all the interesting things to do, see, and eat. I am very thankful to have many friends that live in and around Portland too. After all the city hustle and bustle I retreat back to my home in Rainier to be with my horses, mini pony, llamas, bunnies, dog...and my very own backyard chicken coop (although technically it is in the front yard) with two chickens. I am a farm girl at heart and as much as I also love the city, I need my wide open spaces and rolling hills to come back to.

If you want to bring a little bit of Portland Oregon's cuisine home with you wherever you may be The Portlandia Cook Book is the perfect cookbook to get. With 50 delicious recipes for every food lover a.k.a. foodie, freegan, organic farmer, and food truck diehard this fun cookbook has something for everyone. The recipes are made up of five sections; Small Plates, Main Courses, Desserts, Drinks, and Brunch. Given at the beginning of most of the recipes is serving sizes, prep time, and total time till done. The recipes are accompanied by mouth watering full-color photographs and illustrations. Tucked into the pages there are also funny stories and sidebars from the characters of Portlandia (such as Mr. Mayor, Peter and Nance, and even Colin the chicken).

My kids and I had fun shaping Pretzel Knots from The Portlandia Cook Book.

I had so much fun reading this cookbook! I laughed and laughed so much. Besides humor The Portlandia Cook Book has a lot of yummy sounding recipes. We tried the Pretzel Knots which is not really a recipe, but more of a work of art. My kids had fun shaping and baking them. Next I think I would love to try the Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Tagliata with Artichoke Salad, Fruit Semifreddo, Mango Lassi Smoothie, and/or Red Flannel Hash with Poached Eggs, Smoked Salmon, & Horseradish. I admit that not all the ingredients in this cookbook are readily found, especially if you do not live in Portland, but substitutes can be made. I have made this a honorary member of my kitchen and plan to use it often. Great as a coffee table book as well for a conversation starter piece. This book is a must have if you want to cook like a local!

BUY IT:


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

IndoctriNation Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America DVD Review

IndoctriNation by Great Commission Films is a documentary that is about public schools and the decline of Christianity in America. In this documentary Colin Gunn takes his homeschooled family across the United States in a school bus that was purchased off of Craigslist. While on this educational tour he stops many different places to try and answer many questions about public education:

• The hotly debated question among Christian parents: should we protect our children by withdrawing them from the public schools or should we leave them in the system to try to influence schools for the better?
• Who established the American public school system?
• Are my kids physically and morally safe in the schools?
• Are the public schools religiously neutral?
• Should Christians try to be "salt and light" in public schools?
• Can the public school system be fixed or redeemed?

Lately there has been a rise in sexual sin, abortions, drug & alcohol abuse, and violence in public schools. It doesn't come to me as a surprise when Christianity has been banned from the public schools. When Christ is taken out of schools morality seems to be thrown out the window. The Bible and Christ's teachings about morals and values should be a key foundation to education. This foundation is broken when God, Christ, and Biblical teachings are removed. Things just start to crumble.

If you go far back in history you will see that America started with clear Christian convictions and practices. Government's involvement was a minimal part of education. It was the family's and church's responsibility, not the responsibility of the civil government to educate their youth. Homeschooling was never considered alternative education. It is so unfortunate that government run public schools have a history of trying to replace the church and family with state and are largely successful.

I grew up going to public school. I remember saying the pledge of allegiance with my peers in the morning at school. The words Under God in the pledge was a wonderful reminder to me that God was ever present and watching over me throughout the day. I remember one school I went to had taken those words completely out of the pledge because of some students whose parents were atheist and had pressured the school board to do so. This was a school I remember that had more problems than any of the others I had gone to. I am glad that I had a firm foundation in Christ growing up, because his beautiful teachings saved me from so much peer pressure to do wrong. So many of my peers unfortunately were so impressionable that they fell into temptation. Because I had a firm foundation in Christ I tried to be a shining example to my peers to resist sin. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. I was trying so hard to be the salt and the light, but it was a difficult struggle because I also wanted to fit in at school. I am glad that I made the decision early out that fitting in was not as important as doing what was right.

My decision to homeschool my children was in part because of my experiences with public school and also because I wanted them to gain a greater understanding of Christ's teachings. I am thankful that I still have a choice to homeschool and that this right has not been taken from me. I am glad that I got to watch this documentary and learn some more history behind the government run public school system. This movie is a powerful testimony of why we need to homeschool our children! It is also a documentary that will open your eyes about public education.

Check out the trailer:


Follow them on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndoctriNationMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/indocmovie
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/indoctrination
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IndoctriNationMovie

My #DisneySide @Home Celebration Party

I received free products to facilitate my party from Disney Parks and MomSelect. 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.

We had our second #DisneySide @Home Celebration Party on February 21th, 2015. We planned and prepped and finally it was the day. We put up the decorations and prepared the food. Then we partied! We had so much fun showing our #DisneySide!

#DisneySide Costume Party. We have a lot of Disney Fairies and two Disney Princesses. Show me your Goofy Faces!

We had a #DisneySide Themed Valentine's costume party. We had some really adorable Disney Fairies show up, plus an Anna and Elsa. We love playing dress up! Each girl also brought Disney themed Valentine's Cards that we exchanged.

Pin the Smile on Minnie Mouse.

The first game we played was a "Pin The Smile on Minnie Mouse" Game. I made the detachable bow freehand last year from a piece of cardboard and paint I had lying around the house. This year they provided a large poster for "Pin the Smile" on Mickey Mouse, but we wanted to make it Minnie instead. I used the bow from last year and my son, Jaedan, painted on eyelashes with a black sharpie. This game was a guest favorite. The kids wanted to play to get their turn at pinning the smile on Minnie Mouse over and over again. I am so glad they liked it so much. Then we did a Disney Character word find/search.

Disney Character Word Search.

#DisneySide Party Food and Drink.

We had some very yummy party food and drinks that I made for the celebration. I made the Duff Goldman Tie Dye Cake in the Wilton Mickey Mouse cake pan that was provided this year. We also made Mickey Mouse and Valentine's cutout sugar cookies to decorate with the frosting and sprinkles and displayed them on the cupcake stand that was provided. A veggie platter and pretzels to dip in onion dip made everything a little more healthy. I picked up some Donald Duck Orange Juice and some Disney Fairies and Princesses Fruit Snacks from the store to show our #DisneySide.

Cookie decorating fun sprinkled with love and pixie dust.

We had so much fun decorating the cutout sugar cookies! They were each sprinkled with love and pixie dust (sprinkles). The cookies turned out to be all Mickey Mousterpieces and even better to eat!

Disney Princess Nail Salon.

We also had a Disney Princess nail salon where we painted each girls nails. The parents that stayed helped with the nail salon. The little girls had a lot of fun picking out the colors they wanted and some even got alternating colors and fancy patterns.

#DisneySide Party Grand Prize Winner, Lilliana.

While they waited for their nails to dry I handed out the last of the take home prizes and gift bags to the guests. I picked a name for the grand prize, the Disney Palace Pet, and made a little girls day because she had apparently never won anything before. I also told the parents about the HP Photo Card Packs and MyPrintly, a HP website where you can create DIY projects and print them to share. We also talked about Disney Parks and why we love them so much!

The #DisneySide @Home Celebration Party turned out to be a hit! Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. Thank you Disney Parks for giving me the opportunity to do this again! Also thanks to the other sponsors: HP, Twinings Tea, Soy Vay, Beyond Meat, Duff Goldman, Wilton, All, Wisk, and Crayola.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: This post is in conjunction with Disney Parks and MomSelect. I received a party pack complimentary to throw a #DisneySide @Home Celebration to promote Disney's campaign "Show Your #DisneySide". 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 this post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else.

Wordless Wednesday Memorial Planting of a Tree

We lost our goat suddenly to illness on the 9th of February.

We buried our goat and planted a tree out in the field to remember him by. We will miss Goatee/Hedge, as my children fondly called him.

LEGO Justice League Vs Bizarro League Blu-ray Giveaway & Blog App

I have the opportunity to give away a (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack + with Batzarro LEGO minifigure) of LEGO Justice League vs. Bizarro League below free for posting this information. All information and giveaway prizes are provided by LEGO and PartnersHub.

Batman has joined the newly formed Justice League in order to keep tabs on Superman, a mistrust that is complicated by Superman’s clumsy – but well-meaning – clone, Bizarro. Bizarro’s creation of the Bizarro League has caused confusion amongst the world’s greatest Super Heroes, but an even greater and mysterious threat may force the Justice League and Bizarro League to band together to defeat evil.

#JusticeLeague
#BizarroLeague

Available NOW on Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack+Batzarro LEGO minifigure http://www.wbshop.com/product/lego-+dc+comics+super+heroes-+justice+league+vs.+bizarro+league+%28blu-ray-dvd-digital+hd+ultraviolet+combo+pack%29+blu-ray+1000547314.do?sortby=dateCreatedDescend



Blog App:

• Jen-Crush-Zarro-Mecca! Type in your name to reveal your Bizarro alter-ego - If you don’t like your name, press the refresh button or try again!
• Share your name from the app using the Twitter & Facebook share buttons - all shares will include a link back to my blog!
• Watch the official trailer & click the box art to bring the Bizarro League home today!

LEGO: DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack) Blu-ray


Superman Digital Exclusive Trading Card


Trading Card Pack Download Badge


WIN IT
Prize:  (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack + with Batzarro LEGO minifigure) of LEGO Justice League vs. Bizarro League

Giveaway open to the U.S. Each household is only eligible to win LEGO: DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack) Blu-ray via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the LEGO Justice League Vs Bizarro League Blu-ray Blog App I am getting a LEGO Justice League Vs Bizarro League Blu-ray Giveaway free for my readers as a giveaway. Thanks to PartnersHub and LEGO for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog app and giveaway.

Wordless Wednesday National History Bee and Bowl 2015

Jaedan and his 7th grade Middle School Team strategizing before the tourny.

National History Bowl Oregon tournament, Saturday, February 7th 2015 at Rainier Jr Sr High School: 19 teams in three divisions from 8 different schools getting ready.

Jaedan and his 7th grade Middle School History Bowl Team who qualified for the Nationals in Kentucky in May!

From The Chief (a newspaper in Oregon) posted on Thursday, February 12, 2015 8:14 pm "National History Bee Bowl organized its first nationwide series of National History Bowl tournament for the middle school age level. In all, 19 teams from around the northwest competed at this event. Rainier High School’s seventh and eighth grade History Bowl Teams qualified for the nationals final competition, which is taking place in Kentucky on the weekend of May 22-24. Tyler Brackin and William Carver will represent the eighth grade. Regan Zelinski, Jaedan Abel, Robert DuPlessis, Jack Bauguess, Josiah Jones, with student coach, Rocky Hein, will represent seventh grade. The History Bowl advisor is Mr. Andrew Demko of Rainier High School. Efforts are now underway to raise money for these teams."

Other related articles: Rainier hosts Oregon History Bowl and Bee for fourth consecutive year

Zero Waste or Waste Free Living: My Challenge to You

Unfortunately humans contribute too much waste to landfills every day. If it is out of site it is out of mind. But really this shouldn't be how we think. Just take a look at your trash can and how much waste you throw away daily in your household and at your work place. It shouldn't be a lot, but I am fairly certain that if you haven't adopted a waste free or zero waste way of living you still have a fair amount of trash per day. Society has thrown us into the idea that if it is convenient it must be better. This is usually not the case. We need to remember the first R in the old adage Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Rarely do we think about reducing our waste because it is so easy to just throw the rubbish away. I am going to be doing different posts throughout the year of how I am trying to change my family's lifestyle to a more sustainable one and tips and tricks to help you do the same. I also have questions in this post for those of you that have already made these changes for the better.

I have been trying to find solutions to my family's huge amount of trash that we throw away every day. We recycle/reuse/repurpose what we can but I still find that we throw away an excessive amount of waste and I find that the majority of it is plastics and other things that cannot be recycled and packaging materials that are evil, i.m.o...like Styrofoam.

As a review blogger I get packages from all over the world. Some are packaged better than others. It is hard when you get packages with things packed in plastic, zip ties, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts that are not biodegradable. I love seeing things wrapped in brown paper, cardboard, compostable containers, twine, reusable twist ties, fabric, yarn, and biodegradable packing peanuts, etc. I wonder if asking the people sending the items to send them more eco-friendly would help? Have you ever done this?

Going out to eat can not just be hard on the wallet (and sometimes stomach), but on the environment as well. Fast food and take out produces the worst amount of waste when it comes to restaurants. Plastic containers, lids and straws are a prevalent take away from these, as is Styrofoam. To eliminate this waste we need to bring our own containers with us to pack the food and drink into or make our food and beverages at home. I know many who bring a reusable cup with them for their coffee they get on the road. I wonder if it can be done for other things as well...like when you bring home leftovers from a restaurant or get take-out? Have you ever tried this?

Some of the lovelies in my pantry. A start to a waste-free life.

I know we have a choice for paper or plastic sacks or bags while checking out at the grocery. Choosing paper is a better choice than plastic and you can even bring your own reusable bags from home to use. Places around the country are also banning plastic bags from being used in grocery stores or offer a recycling option. But have you ever thought about the packaging on food and drink that you are bringing home? I know I used to not give it much thought, but now that I am also giving more thought to eating healthier with a nod to organic, non GMO, and raw foods I find myself being even more aware of other things I am bringing into my home too. There are ways to get around the packaging at the grocery store.

• Refuse: Say no to products packaged in plastic or Styrofoam.
• Make your own at home. We are already growing an organic garden and orchard and have chickens who lay eggs. We are also planning on doing aquaponics: growing fish and a garden that in turn give each other nutrients to live and grow. Our neighbor also hunts and fishes and shares some of this with us. We are also going to be slowly transitioning to making our own cleaning supplies, personal care products, etc. too so we don't have to deal with that packaging as well.
• Buy local. Buy from local farms, farmer's markets and co-ops.
• Bring reusable bags and containers to the store with you for filling with the below items.
• Buy from the bulk section (the section of the store with bins filled with dry goods).
• Go to the Deli, Seafood, Dairy, and Bakery Counter more for your meats, cheeses, and baked goods and have them package them in paper or other recyclable material. 
• Purchase unpackaged produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are wonderful and healthy. Buy organic to make sure you don't get toxic stuff with your food and watch the packaging.

There is even a packaging-free, zero-waste grocery store, called in.gredients in Austin, Texas. It is revolutionary and the first of its kind in the US. Hopefully we can get more grocery stores like this one to spring up all across the States.

The folks at these blogs are helping my family and I along our journey to live better and make the better choice of living waste/trash free. They know the ins and outs of living waste free and they want to helps us all to become waste free with them.

• Zero Waste Home
• My Zero Waste
• Trash Free Living
• My Plastic-Free Life
• Zero-Waste Chef
• Trash is for Tossers

I am going to challenge myself  and my family to get towards my goal of a waste free life and I am challenging you to do the same! What are you doing or are going to do to move towards this challenge? Have you thought about this topic much?

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day DVD Review

We received this product free from Click Communications to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

Have you ever had a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? I think it is safe to say that we all have at one point or another in our lives. Sometimes days just don't go how we have planned them. Having a positive attitude through the bad days can help us get through them easier.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a movie loosely based on the book by Judith Viorst with the same name. The book and the movie are different in a lot of ways, but the theme is the same. Alexander, the main character, has a bad day and thinks no one has bad days except for him. In the book it just highlights his mother at the end telling him that even in Australia they have bad days because he keeps saying he wants to run away to Australia. In the movie, though, it goes on and shows how everybody in Alexander's family has a bad day and how because of their bad day they become stronger as a family.

I love that the movie takes the story multiple steps further. Not only does the story-line get expanded upon, but Alexander's family gets a makeover. Alexander's family unit is more well rounded with the addition of a baby and a sister instead of a second brother. This, I feel, helps make the story stronger and even more relatable.

There are scenes in this movie that I loved and others that I could have lived without. The antics of the mishaps were pretty funny and there were lots of hysterical scenes. We generally had a great time as a family watching this film and laughed a lot throughout. There was however some potty humor that could have been left out, definitely where the mom was emphasizing that she's seen penises before. In my opinion this was inappropriate for little ears and my two young daughters who are 6 and 4 were watching with us. My favorite parts of this movie is where the dad in the movie does some shrimp catching in his mouth and the funny cameo with Dick Van Dyke. All in all though the movie was fast paced but very funny and had a great ending of family togetherness and support.

BUY IT Now on DVD or Blu-Ray


Rated PG from Walt Disney Studios, 81 minutes long.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate my 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. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Help Me Defeat the DARK Act In Congress and Support Mandatory GMO Labeling!

image from GMOInside.org

Today marks the first day of the National Week of Action to Label GMOs! Rep. Mike Pompeo’s anti-labeling bill, dubbed the DARK Act, threatens both national and state GMO labeling efforts across the country.

Rep. Mike Pompeo is expected to re-introduce the Deny Americans the Right to Know –or DARK – Act any day now which would deny consumers the right to know if there are genetically engineered ingredients in their food and if passed, this bill would allow companies to label products containing GMOs as “natural.” and further pull the wool over our eyes about which products actually contain GMOs or GEs or not. This biotech industry-backed bill would not only preempt states from taking any legislative efforts to require GE and GMO labels while tying FDA’s hands, it would make voluntary labeling the law of the land – permanently. In other words, if the DARK Act passes, the fight for mandatory GMO labeling is over!

Please watch "Labels Matter" and then click the link below to fill out the form to send a email to your Congress...



We have a right to know what's in our food! If you agree please take action...

TAKE ACTION NOW and tell Congress to reject this dangerous bill! Tell Congress you support Mandatory GMO Labeling! Add your comment to the FDA: http://justlabelit.org/take-action/take-action-congress 

Win a Year of Sonlight Curriculum for YOU and a FRIEND!

Sonlight is an awesome Christian based homeschool curriculum. My husband and I have used it in the past while homeschooling our kids. We haven't ever used it exclusively because of the price, but now we all have a chance to win a whole curriculum package for a entire year!! I am super excited to tell you all about this giveaway!

Sonlight is celebrating 25 YEARS of stories. To celebrate their anniversary, they're offering you AND a friend the chance to take home your choice of their award-winning curriculum packages – everything you need to teach your student for a whole year – FREE!

Here's how it works. Register for the Mom-to-Mom Curriculum Giveaway. Then share your personal referral link with all your friends/family on social media, your blog, email – anywhere and everywhere someone can click your link. When someone registers for the giveaway using your link, you're BOTH now eligible to win. But the catch is that you can only win if you share. The more you do, the more opportunities you have to win. Your friends who sign up will also receive their own personal link that they can share with their friends, too.

How the selection process works: The grand prize winners will be chosen on June 26, 2015. The first winner will be selected from among the database of registered names that have been entered into the giveaway. The corresponding referrer who referred that selected winner will then be the second winner, no matter how many other people previously referred this second winner. Each winner will receive their choice of one (1) Core Package or Full Grade Package for a specified grade level.

This is a wonderful chance for all you homeschooling parent's out there. I got my name in the running and you can sign up too...

Enter here: Mom to Mom Sonlight Curriculum Giveaway!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I am also entered into this giveaway and now have a referral link of my own I am sharing above. This means if you win and I was the referrer then I also win. :)

Give a Novica Gift for Valentine's Day, Review and $50 Giveaway

I received a $100 gift card free from Novica to facilitate this review and the opportunity below to giveaway a $50 Gift Certificate. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

There's still time to give meaningful gifts for Valentine's Day! Shoppers can save 10% on fast shipping gifts at NOVICA, with guaranteed delivery by February 13. Sale is valid Monday, February 9 through Wednesday, February 11 11:59 PM PT.

NOVICA's 2015 Spring Collection is here! Shoppers can save 10% on the collection, including embroidered tunics, handmade jewelry and vibrant home decor. Spring sale is valid Thursday February 12, through February 16 11:59 PM PT.

I received a beautiful set of three Brazilian Good Fortune Stretch Agate Bracelets named 'Wonders' by their designers at Joias do Rio. These amazing bracelets are many shades of a gorgeous purple hue. Agates are apparently the ultimate gem of protection. They almost remind me of jelly belly beans. These beautiful bracelets are handcrafted with natural agate stones and enhanced in color. I love the color purple and these agates are a treat for the eye.

I also got to pick out a second gift. I chose a very unique vase that caught my eye called 'Galaxy'. It is a Nicaraguan Handmade Ceramic Bottle Shaped Decorative Vase made by artist, Duilio Torrez. This beautiful vase from Central America reminds me of a batik cloth or a very elaborate crayon etching. "The spiral contours of this vase represent our galaxy: stars, planets and the milky way," says Duilio Torrez as he explains the design of this extraordinary vase. I love gazing up at stars on a clear night. The designs on this work of art is etched into the ceramic material and colored with crushed stones to get the shades of red, blue, green, orange and black brushstrokes. This is a great piece to showcase in a room as a decoration.

NOVICA helps change the lives of artisans in developing nations, while offering us wonderful 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 somebody for the Valentine's Day, just remember since these items are coming all the way from the country they are made in, the shipping might take longer than expected.

Go ahead, pick something unique and extraordinary for your loved one this Valentine's Day from NOVICA!



WIN IT
Prize: Win a $50 Gift Certificate from NOVICA (This GC Expires 3/31/15).

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to NOVICA for sending me a $100 gift certificate for free to review some items off their website and one $50 gift certificate to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review of their website. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wordless Wednesday The Real Me

Yes, this is the real me...spunky and whimsical with my Rainbow Dash MLP Hat on :)