Blog Archives

Review: The Adventure Bible for Early Readers

6/20/2014

This week I received the NIRV Adventure Bible for Early Readers to review. I have to admit, it's a great looking bible. A 3D image cover, lots of colour throughout the book, special pages and so much more. Come with me as we take a closer look.

The Adventure Bible for Early Readers is a bible designed with children in mind. Good graphics, snippets of information in colourful boxes, encouragement to live out what one believes, questions (with answers provided), good clear maps, and so much more.

In this bible you will find
- maps of the bible lands
- Pages introducing each book to be read.
- information on how to read the bible.. from finding chapter and verse, to helps to understand what each feature is all about.
- The features are

Words to treasure
Did you know - my son loved this feature
People in bible times
Life in bible times
Live it! (how to live out what you learn from God)
Subject index
Dictionary
Charts
Maps
and a section on where to start.

My Thoughts
Well laid out bible. Lots of details to interest children.
My Son's comments "Lots of words I like that". "mom.. this bible asks me questions!"   "mom, what does this word say?"

My son is an early reader. I would NOT call this bible an early reader bible. I would call it an elementary aged child's bible, but not an early reader. Many of the words we ran into were too difficult for my son to read, beyond his level yet, though suitable to offer him some challenge.   What I mean by that is .. it is a child friendly bible, so he's encouraged to read it, but having adult help nearby would be a good thing for your early reader.   Gives them the confidence to try to read God's word independently.

My son enjoyed going through the smaller features and reading through as much of them as he could.   He could grow with this bible.

Product Details
Published by ZonderKids
Translation is NIrV
Price: $29.99
Product reviewed: hardcover edition, The Adventure Bible for Early Readers.

For games and activities, visit www.AdventureBible.com.

This bible reviewed for BookLookBloggers.

An overall update

6/19/2014

It's been a while since I've given an update on our activities as homeschoolers. :)

We've been a tad busy.

We've been gardening. Some pictures of family work below.

BUT in the meantime the lad's been doing some gardening experimentation... can a person change how dandelions behave or grow if you put them in a pot? So far they are JUST starting to grow. it will be interesting for the lad to make his observations of them. I may even have to do up a separate post on them. :)

We've been redesigning the rabbitry which means lots of measuring, cutting, fitting, petting, moving, and other such hard labour. :)

I won't show you the old cages, but these new cages are well shaded from the weather, and are in great condition with lots of room. When you start out you make do for as long as you can, and then as you are able its good to make changes for benefit of rabbit and caregivers. :)

We chose to buy the cages unassembled as it makes it easier to transport them, and it gave the lad a chance to practice his tool skills.

For less natural learning the lad has been busy with Go Science DVD's, CTC Math, Reading Kingdom and Veritas Press. He continues to thoroughly enjoy these programs. :) Which just makes schooling easier. He's reading for 20 minutes each day. I FINALLY found a book he really wants to read and has sections just right for him to start and stop with.

Called the Boys Adventure Guide or something like that. I'd love to link to it for you but he guards it jealously so that's not so easy to do. :)

Clay work and digging. The lad cobbled together this homemade pick. Small enough for him to handle and yet sturdy enough to do the job of digging through clay so he soften it and then build things from it. He's built clay ornaments, a base for a clay house, and a variety of things. Clay hardens well so it also makes for excellent clay balls to toss in the air and then amazed at how well they break apart. So glad we have a farm field across the road for these types of experiments.

We had an excellent yard sale. The lad made $90 and I made more than that. He was so happy, he sold veggies, hot wheels, toys and baked goods. He did a good days work for that money. I overdid it and was exhausted for the next three days. I'm getting better though so that's a goodly thing.

Gotta fly! We have soccer! OH.. almost forgot... soccer's been keeping us busy as well!

Our Tomatoes

6/17/2014

Do you see him standing there?
He is my most excellent helper and strong man. :) Together we put up the frame.
and then once I got the tomatoes planted, he helped me get them all hung up.

I'm pleased. :) We did have to replace two of them today as they died on us (we think we inadvertently pinched them somehow). but they are up and they will grow well.

We had tested this out last year and it worked well, we are hoping it will work just as well this year. :)

Review: A Mouse Called Wolf

6/17/2014

"MOM"! came the plaintive cry.
"Is that the end of the book? It can't be the end of the book mom."
Alas it was the end of the book...my son was sad. BUT we can read the book again. :)

This short children's book by Dick King-Smith. I picked it up I don't know where, but I got it because it had a mouse on the cover and sounded like a cute book to read with my eight year old. If he were more confident in his reading he could have read it himself, but that's still a work in progress (though it is progressing well).

Wolf... a runty little mouse, smallest in his family, with an unusual skill. He can SING! Yes, indeedy, this little mouse can sing and so touches the world around him.

The cat made us laugh (you'll have to read the book to find out why).
The lady of the house sounds like a grandma you'd want to have.
His family well... if you are a runt in a family of busy mice you need to to learn to stand on your own four feet.

Is it the world's greatest kids book? NO.
But is it a fun read the will make your child laugh? YES.

So go on.. make your child laugh. Read this book. :)

Five Minute Fridays: Messenger

6/13/2014

Three
Two
One
Go   649

Messenger.
That's the word given to us today by Lisa-Jo Baker.   in her opening post she mentioned how sometimes it can get tiring to speak our words, and how we need to simply do our task... to bring our message over and over, just crafting it better as we are the only messengers of our particular message.

I have to admit... I haven't been feeling much like a messenger lately... not in most any part of my life. Not as I try to impart the Truth of God to my eight year old, to write of what "I" learn of God's truth, to speak well of our homeschooling days (or lack thereof), or even to talk well of my bunnies.   I just feel tired all the time lately. Makes it hard to get one's message actually out.

I know the tiredness will ease. It will just take time.
But right now.. I just feel tired to the bone.

But one keeps on doesn't one?
God tells us not to stop running the race he has given us. It's ours to run. No one else.   So if he has given us a message to tell.. it's our message. AND he has given us the best helper ever in the Holy Spirit.   It's what he's done.

So if you've a message to tell, may I encourage you to keep telling it?
Be the person that God has called you to be, the best you can, against all obstacles, just go out and do it.... even if it's just a wee bit, even if it's not perfect, even if it seems old, even if_______ ... at least you are doing it.   Be a messenger!

STOP 654

The rules are simple.
Write for five minutes.
Go to Lisa-Jo Baker's site and link up.
Comment on the person who linked before you. Be an encouragement.

G is for Growing, an abcblogging post.

6/13/2014

Doesn't look like much does it? This garden plot. Has some weeds growing in it, has to be worked up yet.... honestly doesn't seem like much.

In the course of one afternoon, one eight year old and one eleven year old planted this bed with potatoes. Did they need some help? For sure.. they'd never planted potatoes on their own and they were prime to learn, so I showed them how to cut them, how to plant them and left them to it.

A month's worth of rain and sun has shown the fruits of their labour.

I have to tell you, the plants aren't the only growing going on around here.
I have a boy child who is growing as well.
This young fellow... he makes my heart melt.

This creative little monkey is learning how to make GOOD jokes on his mom. :)   (last night he set up fakes spiders danging from the ceiling)... made me catch my breathe for a moment.
He was a total boon to me post surgery, being a helpful lad in so many ways.
He's having great discussions with his dad lately about all sorts of things and is great at butting his nose into conversations we'd rather he didn't... so he's teaching me to keep my mouth shut at times. :)
He's getting to the stage where taking pics of him is a bit of a challenge at times so it's hard to just get a regular posted picture of him..... he can just be a real goof ball.

But... ah.. he's a good lad.
Who thinks quiet and deep about things, and comes up with interesting questions.
He's growing and changing and not being MY LITTLE boy anymore.

Good to see I think...but at times I wonder... what will this little boy of mine become?
Will he be a man who loves the Lord deeply and truly?
Will he truly understand that sin is the reason for all the crummy stuff in the world?
Will he truly see the God is the answer to all that crumminess?

I hope so. I pray so.   I long for it much.

It is good to see the growth.. whether in a plant.. or in a lad. Don't you think?

Join us over at Ben and Me as we blog through the alphabet! :)

click image to go to link up!

Review: Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids

6/6/2014

Adventure, mystery, faith, drama...my son was intrigued throughout this entire book.

Product Details
Title: Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids
Author: Jill Osborne
Received: Trade paperback
Series: FaithGirls and The Good News Shoes.
Price: $1.99 (kindle), $9.49 softcover
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 252
Reviewed for: BookLookBloggers.

My Review:
My son thoroughly (at 8 years of age) enjoyed me reading this book with him. He asked tons of questions, showed interest and excellent recall of facts. We would mostly read one chapter a night unless the chapter was very short (some are only 1-2 pages).

My thinking is this is a good book for children. It seems to be geared to girls (part of the FaithGirlz club) series, but my son (and the few nights a friend of us joined us, both enjoyed it as well.

The story makes you want to know what happens next. My son had fun imagining going over the falls rolled up like a ball. And came up with lots of "mom, what do you think you would say if ___________" as he tried out all kinds of different scenarios. He was so happy that she was alright and worried about "why would someone want to hurt her mom? That wasn't very nice was it?" It was good to see that empathy there.

Would I say he understood everything in the book? No.... if he was a couple of years older I think he would, but he understood the broader themes, we learned about leukemia (gave us a chance to learn how blood and bone marrow works), understood a bit more about faith in action, and enjoyed a good mystery story.. that isn't quite finished.

"Mom, can we get the next book too?"

My answer was "I hope we can review it like we did this one buddy". And that was good.

Good book.
Enjoyable.
Can't think of anything truly objectionable.
Worth getting for your children indeed.

Five Minute Friday: Hands

6/6/2014

The rules are simple.
Write for five minutes.
Go to Lisa-Jo Baker's site and link up.
Comment on the person who linked before you. Be an encouragement.

Today's word is HANDS.
Three
Two
One
Go 952

Hands.. This is a word I needed to think on all day long. It's a word I pondered as I went about daily tasks.

Helping my son with his schooling.
Helping my son as he worked on some more details with his pond.
Helping my hubby as he dug a couple of post holes in the backyard.
Cooking, baking, hanging laundry, folding laundry, holding books as I read to my lad.
This hands were actually busy all day long today.
These hands are tired.
But these hands aren't finished....these hands have dishes to do (remember all that baking/cooking I did?).

Ah...
But these hands have been used for good.
Primarily the right one as well.. I'm right handed, though when I play chess I play left-handed.. I dunno why, I just think better when I do. :)
And sometimes it is easier to finish tasks when you take a moment to think and ponder about the tasks of the day.
To ponder all the goodnesses of God.

See.. two weeks ago... I would not have accomplished what I did today.
Two weeks ago I was still much in recovery from surgery.
So to have these hands busy all day... This is indeed a goodly thing.
And I am so blessed by the abundance of good weather and good males in my life.
Life is a pleasure... even when one is tired.

Taste and see what the Lord has done.
See his blessings poured out.

And STOP 957.

Marineland - Rides and Animals

6/6/2014

This past Monday our family joined several others from our homeschool group in a trip toMarineland. We had a good time, come on in and let me tell you a bit more about it. We gathered at 1000 a.m. to enter the park. it was a quiet day.. we almost had the park to ourselves.

We stopped off first at the killer whales and seals.

Rides are always fun and the boys enjoyed a variety of them (and one the lad most definitely did NOT).

Interspersed with the rides where a variety of animal attractions.

it's been years since I was at Marineland, I looked forward to the show they had. They've taken the Orca out of the show and replaced with belugas. The seals are out completely. Not sure why that is....

it was a good day out with the family. :) We didn't see much of the other families who went, the lads were all walk and lets see it all right away type of attitude and go. :)

We left around 230, stopped by to see the Falls since we were so close anyways. We plan to go back sometime to see more of the Falls. A good day to go. :)

Chestnut Grove Academy Field Trip Friday Blog Hop

F - fixing up a room (blogging the alphabet) #abcblogging

6/4/2014

Did you know that in the spring the lighter comes earlier and stays later?

This is a lesson my eight year old has been learning and it's been driving him crazy!

"MOM!!! It's too light out! I can't sleep!!!!

So we set out one day last week while hubby was away at a conference to see if we could do something about that.

We found what we needed at JYSK. We found ourselves a bit confused for a while about our options but a very helpful sales clerk alleviated that issue quite quickly.

My son wanted these drapes, and had me pick out a version of a lighter shade. It was hard to choose and the lad needed to think how long our window was and how long our walls were. There were plenty that he liked that were simply way too long.

We almost forgot a curtain rod and once we had two in hand off we headed.
Time to put them up there were no instructions so needed to figure out how to put them up.
Drill, screwdriver and "get her done" attitude served us well. :)

From the diagnosis of the problem.

Our blinds are very old and over time and handling by children and adults, they have developed health issues.

Should we duct tape them? The lad thinks that will hurt them more, so cover them up we shall.

Let's open them mom? Can I do it???

Then came the work of threading the drapes onto the rods. It had taken a while to figure out how the rods work. The one rod slides into the other and it simply didn't want to come out! Rather frustrating, but perseverance proved key in this instance.

The lad's cat Milo was quite intrigued by all these goings on. He wasn't helpful when it came time to thread the drapes on the rod...all that movement was too intriguing for him, but he did a great job of monitoring where the drill was so we wouldn't step on it.