E-mail, e-mail, e-mail... I don't know about you but I sign up for so many e-mails I think will be useful, but I often don't get to look at them. Between being a wife, mom, teacher, homemaker and many other roles I don't always get to read everything I sign up for. I admit it. I have every intention of reading the tips and advice of being a better wife, mom, teacher, etc. When we were asked to sign up for the Eternal Encouragement newsletter, I was already a member of this wonderful resource. This is one of a newsletters I make sure to take the time to read.
I was asked to review two of the most recent newsletters. This was obviously an easy thing for me to do! :) I love to read and love all the words of encouragement in these newsletters. The first one I was asked to review was sent February 10th and the second one was February 17th. The topic of the newsletter sent the 10th, which was in time for Valentines Day, covered marriage. I can think no better topic to cover for that week. I loved how Lorrie put this sentence regarding disagreements in a marriage. "Successful couples know how to keep the disagreements from spilling over and contaminating the rest of their relationship." I believe this to be very true! My husband and I have had our disagreements, but we always make sure that we don't go to bed angry and that whatever was being discussed was resolved in some matter. It isn't always easy. But we always do it.
The other thing I love about these newsletters are a little thing called "Chick Flicks for Mom." I absolutely love these videos from Lorrie. They are short, cute and to the point. I have found them to be very helpful to me. My most favorite one right now was the one dealing parenting our children and obedience! The lesson learned from that one I wound up writing down and laminating! It is now posted in the main area of my house so my 3 boys can see it. We are working on memorizing the rhyme that was submitted to Lorrie about obedience.
Then there are the Timely Tips in the newsletters! The two that I am going to talk about in my review are very important to me. The first one dealt with Praying for your husband. Now I know we all know we are supposed to pray for our husbands, but do we really know how to pray for them? The timely tip linked to a document talking about why we need to pray for our husbands and also gave a 31 day plan to pray for your husband. Each day includes a specific request and Bible verse to go with that request. I found that very important! I know that I want to pray for my husband, but I often don't know what to pray for. This has been a great help!
The 2nd timely tip dealt with a budget! This comes at a great time for me as I am leading a class on finances at our church. Having a budget is important but sticking to it is even more important! Anne Herrick talks about how reading Dave Ramsey's book "The Total Money Makeover" really helped her and her husband realize they were living outside their means and then gave them the tools to get things under control. I HIGHLY recommend reading any of Dave Ramsey's books or taking his Financial Peace University course! (which is what I lead at our church) I am seeing things in a new way since leading this class. We are learning to live within our means and also be able to save for our future, the future of our kids and to also be able to give to others! Seeing this timely tip in the newsletter was just another encouraging article to help us along our way. You can read this story here.
Along with all those things there is information on sales and discounts on products from the website. There are some great deals out there! www.HomemakingWithTeach.com
I HIGHLY recommend signing up for the newsletter. It has helped me in so many ways. I want to be a better mom to my boys, a better wife to my husband and a better child of God. The newsletter is so encouraging and is a great addition to my day. I look forward to getting this each week.
To sign up for Eternal Encouragement go to www.EternalEncouragement.com. Once you go there a window should pop up to sign up for the newsletter. If for some reason it does not, go to this website and scroll down to the bottom. The sign up will be on the bottom left-hand side. www.theshop.eternalencouragement.com
Also, take some time to visit us at the Gabby Moms! We have a lot of moms that are reviewing these wonderful products, newsletters, etc. www.thegabbymoms.com
I am reviewing Encouraging Moments as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.
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Here is our review of the Download N Go unit called Expedition Ireland. If you are not familiar with Download N Go, then you are in for a treat! They are unit studies combined with lapbooking. These unit studies are meant to last 5 days (but can go longer if you choose to do so). And don't let the work lapbooking scare you! It's really quite easy and the writer, Amanda Bennett, gives you links in the beginning that show how to make a lapbook.
I must say this is one of our FAVORITE units by far! I have always wanted to visit Ireland. I would love to want to one day take my family there. In doing this unit we were able to enjoy Ireland from afar. The videos were enchanting. My oldest kept one video on in the background because he loved the music so much! He bookmarked it so he could listen to it all day every day.
There was so much to discover about Ireland. From the legends, stories, scenery and history. We learned so much about this beautiful country. We thought it was so much fun reading the different legends involved in the Irish culture. Some of the stories were great! St. Patricks day was another great lesson. And seeing my son drawing shamrocks made me smile!
I love how the DNG Unit studies incorporate so many aspects of learning. I also love how the only thing I have to do is go to the library and borrow a few extra books (if you choose to do so). I will say the books do add a lot to the unit. We do try to pick up 1 recommended book for each day. :)
Take a peak at what is covered inside Expedition Ireland.
Day 1: Where on Earth Is Ireland?
Day 2: Some of the Special Places in Ireland
Day 3: A Bit of History
Day 4: Cool Things to Know About Ireland
Day 5: Fun and Games in Ireland
A peak inside Expedition Ireland. Click on the here or on the image for a sample of what you will learn in Expedition Ireland.
So I hope this has encouraged you to give unit studies and lapbooking a try. Use the Download N Go unit studies by Amanda Bennett! They are wonderful and a great addition to any curriculum you are using right now. :)
Click here to Purchase Expedition Ireland.
Expedition Ireland Blog Tour
**I was given this item in exchange for my honest review**
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George Washington was a farmer, a General, husband, step-father, and eventually the 1st President of the United States! I knew some of these things but not all of them. There was also so much more we discovered in our Download N Go (DNG) of George Washington. I am still surprised at what we learn in these unit studies. My boys are continually asking for more of them to do! We absolutely love them!
The books that we borrowed from our library went so well with this unit. The books on the list can add so much to the learning experience! I love being able to sit on the couch and read aloud with my sons. It is absolutely great. We learned this week about George Washington's journey through childhood to becoming a young man in the army. He got married and became a father to his wife's children (she was a widow). He then went back to be a General in the war for Independence and eventually became President! All the details in this study are simply amazing. These are just some of the highlights!
Doing these unit studies has made my oldest want to read more about what we are learning about. He has become more interested in learning and by doing that it has helped my 2nd child to become more interested in learning. What a blessing that is for me as a mom. To have my boys want to learn!
So here is an overview of what you will learn the week you study George Washington.
Day 1: Who Was George Washington?
Day 2: People and Places in George Washington’s Life
Day 3: The Accomplishments of George Washington
Day 4: Lessons to Learn From George Washington
Day 5: Remembering George Washington
Take a peek inside the DNG unit for George Washington.
So if you haven't done a unit study before or felt overwhelmed by doing them, a Download N Go is a GREAT way to start! They have all the research done for you. There are always great videos, websites and books to go with each day of learning. It is so wonderful that Amanda spends the time on this so you don't have to! Tie in the lapbook and you have an awesome week of fun learning and putting something together that will last a long time. :)
If the idea of lapbooking overwhelms you, there are very easy instructions to follow in the beginning of every DNG unit study! I know I was overwhelmed with the idea at first but we have done several now and the boys really enjoy doing them.
**I was given this item in exchange for my honest review**
Click here to Purchase the DNG for George Washington.
The DNG Blog tour.
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Blessed is how I should describe myself after reading this book.
Let me start by giving a little bit of info about myself. I have been married for 9 1/2 wonderful years! I married the love of my life. We had our first child, a boy, during our first year of marriage. 5 years later we had our 2nd son and started homeschooling. Nearly 3 years after that we had our 3rd child, another boy! I am a stay-at-home mom with 3 wonderful, yet sometimes crazy, active boys!
Does your day look like this? You wake up at 9am because the baby was up twice last night. You had EVERY intention of getting up early to star that "schedule" you have dreamed of, which included 30-45 minutes of exercise time and devotions for you. Your 2 oldest boys are having their own WWE match in the living room and you didn't realize you were the referee. The baby is crying because you are dealing with the WWE match in the living room and he needs to be nursed. You try to do school but get no cooperation. Then 4 O'clock rolls around and you have NO idea what is going to be prepared for dinner and you forgot that tonight the night you are supposed to take your oldest child to Taekwondo. So you get everyone ready after a rushed dinner, head to the class and call your husband to let him know where you are and just how chaotic your day has been. After class, you head back home, get the kids ready for bed and then settle down for time to breathe and try to figure out just what happened today. If this is your day then I can totally relate to you. This is often my day and when this day happens it makes me lost sight of something. My "why."
My why is my children, my blessings. As much as I get frustrated at the day described above, it is because I have forgotten my why. Our children our only young once. We try so hard to be the perfect mom and well, it's a hard job that we have. We try to be the best wife, mom, homemaker and sometimes, if we are lucky, we achieve that but there are probably more days than not that we feel like we fail. I truly believe that it is our calling to raise our children in the way of the Lord, to have God in the center of our marriage, and to keep HIM first. And to do that we need a lot, I say A LOT of support! The Bible is my #1 source but I often read other books to give me some inspiration and provide some extra encouragement. I need to know that there are other mothers out there like me.
When the opportunity came by to be part of a review team thought it would be a great opportunity. Little did I know that the book I would be reading would hit home with me.
The book which is a beautiful trove of stories from TEACH Magazine. They touched my heart. I would read it during our lunch break and I noticed times when the story I was reading would apply to what I was going through that day. They touched my emotions and helped me regroup so I could make it through the day. The different authors were great. I love how they each had their own unique experience to share with us. It is such a blessing to know that we as mothers are not alone. We will all go through similar experiences at one point or another.
True Treasures is put together in such a way that if you are struggling in a certain area that you can go where you need inspiration. I loved that about it! Some of the stories will make you look deep within yourself, some will hit that emotion box where the kleenex box is required and some will make you smile and realize that God is there with you. He knows your situation and your hearts desires. He wants you to be the mom that He created you to be. I am so grateful that the authors do a wonderful job in keeping Christ and the Scripture in these treasures. That helps keep me focused. I know that God is with me and that there is no problem too big that I can't handle with HIS help. Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength. It is not our own strength but what we glean from Him, through reading the word, through reading an amazing resource of encouragement like this one.
I am blessed to have been able to read this book and offer my thoughts. I hope that those of you who are reading this will consider it an investment. Just like your time in the Bible, I think that True Treasures will also offer encouragement to you. I know it did for me.
You can view this product and many others at www.HomemakingWithTEACH.com
**Disclaimer** ~ I received this product for honest review from TEACH Magazine as part of The Gabby Mom's blogging program. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Click here to go to The Gabby Moms
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Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars - From Fly Me to the Moon sung by Frank Sinatra
So this past week we discovered the Magnificent Moon! What a wonderful unit study by Amanda! We loved watching the Apollo mission videos. It is just amazing to think that man has been to the moon! What is more amazing is all the things about the moon! From the phases to the effects on Earth. We also learned about an Astronaut each day. From what they liked, to what they did after they went into space. I am simply amazed that we have been able to go into space.
Each day covers a different topic regarding the moon. Amanda always chooses the best things to study each day. The videos and links that go with each day are wonderful. The Mission videos always bring tears to my eyes. It is wonderful to share this with my children. I don't want history to be forgotten. It is so important and I am so glad that Amanda has done all the research for these wonderful unit studies.
So, this is what's covered each day for Magnificent Moon.
Day 1: What Exactly Is a Moon?
Day 2: Getting to Know the Moon
Day 3: The Story of the Moon
Day 4: Science Secrets of the Moon
Day 5: Cool Things About the Moon
Also the fun things to do at the end of each day are great. We try to do at least 1 from each day. It's so much fun to do things as a family.
Take a quick peek inside this unit!
This has to be one of our favorite units so far. It tied into what we have been doing in Science. (we are covering Astronomy)
For those who are unfamiliar with Download N Go, they are unit studies created by Amanda Bennett. They incorporate lapbooking into the daily activities. If you don't know what lapbooking is, you needn't be afraid. It is so simple and Amanda gives information about how to lapbook in the beginning of each unit. :) I love how she has researched each subject and chooses the best information and videos to go with these units. It saves us time and makes our day go so much smoother. The book lists are great too. So many books, so little time! My boys are always clamoring for more. They don't like me to say we are done for the day. This has been awesome for us!
Moon Map Giveaway Contest!
Take a look at this contest!
http://downloadngo.blogspot.com/2011/01/giveaway-national-geographic-moon-maps.html
Here are some more links of Interest!
Download N Go Review Blog
Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett
Click here to Purchase Magnificent Moon
Also, there is a GREAT Deal going on!
The Cabin Fever Fun Pack! This includes Magnificent Moon!
The Cabin Fever Fun Pack, which includes Magnificent Moon, Winter Wonders, Expedition Canada, and Popcorn is currently on sale, and will be through 1/31/11 for $20 (regularly $28). Click here to purchase this Fun Pack!
**I was given this item in exchange for my honest review**
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Hello again my friends. We had the opportunity to review yet another great Download N Go title! It even tied in perfectly with the weather we have been having over the past 2 weeks. Here is a little bit of information for those of you who may not be familiar with Download N Go (DNG). A DNG is a unit study that is done over a 5-day period and incorporates lapbooking. Now don't be scared by the word lapbooking, it is actually quite simple. You can go as elaborate or as simple as you want with your lapbook.
The way that Amanda, the author of DNG, creates these units is wonderful. She does all the research for you, plans each day, provides a book list and also includes the links in the PDF file of the DNG unit you are studying! It is SO easy to use one of these for your family.
So now on to my review. The title we were privileged to review was Winter Wonders. I don't know about you but there is something Magical about that first snowfall of winter. It is so beautiful, clean and brings a crispness to the air. I love to be in my house with my boys cuddling on our couch as we watch the snow fall outside. The past year we received over 4 feet of snow the month of February '10. My husband and I hadn't seen that much snow since the blizzard of '93 and it was the first time our 2 oldest boys had ever seen that much snow! They had a blast! We were snowed in for nearly 3 days. The joy of family time was great! I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Winter wonders has been great for us. The past two weeks we have been having some definite Winter Weather! Snow, ice, slush, stuff we really don't like to drive in. It was so much fun letting my boys learn about why winter happens, the fact that each snowflake is unique & that the shortest day of the year starts winter. But that's just the tip of the iceberg! So much more is covered in this unit study. I just wanted to give you a taste of what you will learn with this title.
A different topic is covered each day. Some days even offer some pretty fun experiments and activities. I will say that anything to do with ice or snow is always welcome in our household. My boys LOVE winter and the fun that comes with it. Mainly snow! ;) So here are the topics that are covered each day.
Day 1: What is Winter?
Day 2: Science Secrets of Winter (lots of fun on this day!)
Day 3: People and Places of Winter
Day 4: Time for Tips and Treasures of Winter
Day 5: Goodies and Gadgets of Winter
Take a peek inside Winter Wonders.
So, if you are thinking of doing Unit Studies and Lapbooking, take a look at Download N Go. Everything is done for you and is so very simple to follow. We have really enjoyed our time with each and every unit we have been allowed to review. They have not only been education but also a good way to cover a wide variety of topics and subjects for us. My boys (8 & 3) are always asking for more. The videos are wonderful and often times we watch them more than once. The links provide a wealth of information as well. I will tell you it is so nice to not have to do all the research for these topics. It makes this mom's day much easier!
Here are a few links for you.
Download N Go
Download N Go Store
Winter Wonders
Download N Go Blog Winter Wonders Tour
**I was given this item in exchange for my honest review**
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Hello again from my 3 boys and I. We have been quite busy this past month between celebrating Thanksgiving and preparing to celebrate Christmas. During that time we typically take it a little easy for school. And let me say that Download N Go is such an easy way to get a simple day of school in for us! We have really been blessed to do these and offer our review of them.
For those of you not familiar with Download N Go, here is a brief overview of what they are. Download N Go (DNG) is a combination of Unit Studies and Lapbooking. A DNG covers one subject and lasts 5 days (or one school week). Each day covers something different. It is a PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader File) that you download to your computer and print what you need and use the computer file to access the websites that are linked in the file. All the research has been done for you! This is AWESOME for those of us who may not know where to begin or are just way too busy to do any research. Amanda Bennett, who is the author of the DNG line has done a WONDERFUL job in researching, compiling and organizing everything for you.
The next part is the lapbooking activities. Now don’t get scared when you see the word lapbooking. It really is quite simple. It took us about 2-3 to really figure out what we wanted to do with ours but there really is no wrong way to put a lapbook together. Amanda even has links to show how to put a lapbook together. It couldn’t be easier than that! Amanda really wants to make this as friendly and easy as she can for everyone to use.
Our review for Creation Camouflage. Genesis 1: 24-25 (MSG) God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good.
WOW! Don’t those verses just amaze you? God created EVERY living creature on this planet. Cattle, reptiles, wild animals of all kinds, and bugs too! He created every living thing! He knew what they needed to live. He designed everything. From the stripes on the Zebra, to the color changing skin of the Chameleon; He knew they would need to blend in with their surroundings. It is just simply amazing that He created all of that!
This past week we had the opportunity to work on Creation Camouflage. What a treat! From learning about many different kinds of animals and how they are able to camouflage themselves to their surroundings, to learning about where they live and why those places were created just for them. Our days were spent watching some amazing videos and getting so much information from the websites.
One of the days had us rolling in laughter at the video we were watching. I had taken it upon myself to add some sound effects to the video which make it all the more fun. We probably watched that particular video 4-5 times with me doing the sound that made it extra funny.
Each day covered a different animal and their habitat. Whether it was really rainy, super dry or even very cold every animal has its own form of camouflage. It was amazing to learn where these animals lived, how they camouflaged themselves and why. We also learned that the camouflage can be used as a form of defense for some creatures! God certainly knew how to give each living thing what they needed!
So here is just a sample of what is covered each day.
Day 1: Hiding in Plain Sight
Day 2: Getting to Know the Rain Forest
Day 3: What Is in the Desert? (video where I made the kids laugh is this day)
Day 4: Hiding in the Ocean
Day 5: Cool Things About the Tundra
See what I mean about a variety?!? This unit was great at giving just a glimpse at the awesomeness of God’s creation! You will LOVE each day! I love how we have been able to use some of the trips we have done and tied them in to this unit study. We went to Arizona to visit family last year and the boys remembered that and when we were working on day 3 they were telling me some of the stuff from that trip. I love how this unit triggered those memories. Now we have to go to the beach, someplace VERY cold (not that Southwest PA isn’t cold right now) and then the rain forest. Oh do I see some travels in our future. For now it is just nice to be able to watch the videos and talk about what we have seen, read and learned from these units.
Here is a peak inside the DNG Creation Camouflage Unit.
GIVEAWAY!!!
So I have been authorized to do a Giveaway of Creation Camouflage! YAY!! 1 lucky person will win this unit for free! The contest runs from December 19th – December 26th. After that date, I will choose1 person at random. The rules and how to enter are below.
Leave a comment for EACH of the items you complete. So if you complete all 3 leave a comment for each one so that you will have more chances to win! J
#1. Share your favorite Animal/bug/creature
#2. Share this blog on your own blog or Facebook page
#3. Tweet about this blog
**TOS/DNG affiliates including the DNG Review Team and TOS Crew are not eligible**
To Order Creation Camouflage go here. It is on sale until Midnight December 18th for $5.95 and goes back up to $7.95 on Sunday December 19th.
Take a look at the Download N Go Blog.
Here is the Blog Tour for Creation Camouflage.
**I was given this item in exchange for my honest review**
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