When Your Original Plan Doesn't Work...

The other night, I woke up at 3am.  I have no idea why, but I couldn't get back to sleep.  I popped onto a blog that I have often read for ideas regarding homeschooling- The Homeschool Classroom.

She had just put up a post that just weighed so darn heavy on me, that even in my 3am stupor, I just couldn't NOT respond.  3am stupors are apparently what you need to let it all hang out, friends.  Mmm-hmm, that's right. I didn't hold back.  I think I didn't have on a filter, as it were.  But I shared with this mama what I had been through (read: put myself through) and the lessons learned therein. 
Bless it all, if she didn't find my ramblings helpful, and you can read my story over there!
Please do share your own words of encouragement there, will you?  We can all use an uplifting word, amen!?!

all graphics courtesy The Graphics Fairy

puppy love

Happiness is a warm puppy.  ~Charles M. Schulz

How to Be God’s Little Princess, a review

Happy day to you all!  I am pleased to share with you my much belated review of How To Be God’s Little Princess, by Sheila Walsh! 

The “God’s Little Princess” collection has not come by me unnoticed; I have simply tried to avoid it :)  It’s not that I don’t like princesses, or the “God’s Little Princess” collection, in particular.  It’s that I have an issue with how much we (read: our children) are the targets of aggressive marketing, Christian or otherwise. As soon as I find out there's all this Stuff associated with a title, I tend to just turn my back on it all together.

But…when I popped over to BookSneeze to select a book to review, this one grabbed me.  You must know that I do, in fact, have a God’s Little Princess-in-Residence.  Yes, EK loves the idea of princesses. 
The dresses.
The parties.
The planning of said parties.
The jewelry.
The food.
The talking.
And, well…if I have a Visiting Princess from the King in my care, I need the guidebook for manners, etiquette and above all – True Beauty. :)

When you do things, do not let selfishness or
pride be your guide.  Be humble and give more
honor to others than to yourselves.
Phillippians 2:3

Now, I have to be honest.  If you caught my tone at the beginning of my post, then you would not be surprised that I hesitated to select this book to review.  I really thought that it would be, as Charlotte Mason would put it, twaddle.  I decided to try it, however, because (1) it is free, so I’m not losing anything (2) I haven’t actually LOOKED at any of the God’s Little Princess things, so I need to give it a fair shake, and (3) at least it isn’t Disney.  (because if you know me, you know how I feel about that, don’t you?)
So I requested it.  And low, and behold – it’s not so bad!  
As a matter of fact, it’s a fairly nifty book!  How to Be… is a hardback book, and the lettering is in silver foil.  To a Princess-In-Residence (PIR), that is important. It’s pink, of course, which is another plus for the PIR, as well as the sweet illustrations sprinkled throughout the book.

But let’s talk content, shall we?  


How To Be... is not your standard book of etiquette. Like I said, I really expected a bunch of fluff out of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how author Sheila Walsh moves from matters of royalty, to matters of personal hygiene and self-care, time management and developing a good attitude.  There are 12 sections, from how to dress appropriately (and thank goodness for illustrations that are modest, but not babyish or frumpy!) to manners in different situations to how to be a friend to media wisdom and etiquette.  This book is really quite full of information that doesn’t gloss over things in one blanket statement, but doesn’t get heavy at all.

Believe in the value of wisdom, and it will make
you great.  Use it, and it will bring honor to you.
Like flowers in your hair, it will beautify your life.
Like a crown, it will make you look beautiful.
Proverbs :8-9

This book is definitely geared towards the more girly of girls.  While my oldest daughter would (and probably did) roll her eyes at how to wear a tiara or how to properly paint her nails, she would (and probably did) like doing the various puzzles, quizzes, reading the snippets of facts and verses included, and other activities that make up a fair chunk of the book. The examples and scenarios given include girls who like to climb trees,
don't like to wear dresses, and prefer function over fashion.

Buy		Read

There are couple items in the book that I didn’t think my girls were ready to work with, such as how to be Internet-safe.  Our girls have very limited access to the Internet, and zero access to social networking sites such as Facebook, so the Internet section is not applicable at this time.  Still, I think it does a good job of presenting the girls with the do's and don't of using the Internet.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, for future reference!
I am really glad I have this book a try.  Walsh does a good job of hitting the outside beauty notes, while always and again returning to the Bible and biblical principles for WHY we should …
…care for our bodies
…offer forgiveness to friends and siblings who hurt us
…start to consider our gifts and how they can be used to bless others
…put others before ourselves
…think about how we write, text, and otherwise communicate with others
…not wear a ballroom gown to a school pizza party.

You now have a chance to win a copy of How to Be God’s Little Princess! 

**Please leave a separate comment for each thing you do! **
Mandatory entry: leave a comment sharing one tip you have for raising godly girls (and boy, if you have any tips for tweens, that would be really really great!!)

Additional entries:
1-Follow via Google Friend Connect (or leave a comment saying you already do!)
2-Follow on Twitter
3-Share this blog post on Facebook and/or Twitter
4-Blog about this giveaway!
5-Follow along on Facebook via Networked Blogs (in my sidebar)

This giveaway closes Friday night at midnight (and yes, I will likely be up!) and the winner will be announced here soon thereafter.  Make sure you leave a way I can contact you if you don’t have an address!  I can’t wait to hear from you!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Book Sneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Beginning Geography, a review

When the package from Timberdoodle containing Beginning Geography arrived in the mail, I was a little unsure.
I am not really workbook kind of gal, but something about this Evan-Moor publication piqued my interest.  When the email came with the offer to review this book, I paused.  I thought. (we needed Something to go along with geography reading, didn’t we?)
And then I said yes.
And when I opened the package, skimmed through the book, I was pretty pleased.

These are the books we used when we first got started, and continue to check out at the library!

The book itself is pretty stout for a paperback (always a plus), and the work pages are quite well done.  The print is simple, the images pleasant, but not silly.  A nifty plus to this book is that it includes 2 maps – a little more cartoon-ish than I would care for, but not over the top by any means. 

There is a lot of learning to be had in these 112 pages, friends!  The age levels are stated at kindergarten through 2nd grade, and I would agree with that, but I wouldn’t dare say that any information is “dumbed down” at all.  My 7 you seemed to be a perfect match for it. 
For those who like to have the Standards laid out, you can look to the section titles.  Excellent! The book hits 4 different concept sets for the students to learn:

• map skills
• landforms and bodies of water
• continents and oceans
• around the world with animals

For those that like to have the answers for themselves or for their students to self-check, you will find the back of the book has you covered.  Dandy!  At this level, I really don’t see the need for the adult to even look back there, but for a child who can read, the Answer Section can be a tremendous help and confidence booster. The answers are actually smaller versions of the page, which a child will be able to interpret much easier than lists.
For those who like variety of activity across one topic/idea, you will be pleased to know that this is exactly how the book works!  Wonderful!   Each concepts has 3 activity pages assigned to it, each a little different, a tad more difficult than the last.  I like that it’s 3 pages, not just 1, but not 15.  If you know me, you know that I would want to do all 15, or I just wouldn’t have gotten my money’s worth. Anyone ever feel that way?
For those who just need that little “extra” hit of geography, be it for carschooling, workboxes or just some review periodically, this book has you covered.  The pages are basic enough that it fits with any curriculum that you might be using, but the illustrations are happy enough to keep children engaged. 
Here’s another perk: it’s not all pencil-and-paper.  As you move further into the book, you find simple cut-and-paste activities, bookmaking activities, map making projects – but again, it’s simple enough that this can be an independent activity!  Score!

(above are the maps that MG and EK made of their room, following an activity completed by EK from Beginning Geography)

In our homeschool, we have a 4th grader, 1st grader, preschooler, and toddler.  This book is really for my 1st grader with the preschooler floating in and out of the activity time.  I have used a few pages here and there as we work through our history program and watch movies and read books and ask questions.  We might work on one page per week for a while, then not pick it up for a few weeks (which is where we are right now)…and then use it regularly for another while (which is what we are about to do!)  Because the publisher permits single classroom copying of the pages, I made my boy HR his own copies, which makes him feel good, and he has picked up quite a bit from them!
Would I have bought it myself if Timberdoodle hadn’t graciously offered it for me to review?  Probably not. 
Am I glad I said “yes” and opened that package?  you betcha!  This book has saved me so much time and effort in finding that “one thing” to back up what we talk about in a lesson, because it covers so many skills and concepts!  I am so pleased with this publication, I am actually looking at other books similar to it!

Thank you to Timberdoodle who offered this book in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no other way paid for this review, and have spoken openly about my feelings on the publication listed. 

Go On In...

...to see just one way having a homeschool support can really lift your spirits!  

Amanda has invited you!

UPDATE: Curriculum Clean-OUT Giveaway WINNER!

How exciting is this!?!  I am so excited about sharing things this week to give away!  In this post, I have two books to give away as a set:

 STOP, LOOK & LISTEN: Using Your Senses from Head to Toe

and

Hand-Print Animal Art

The WINNER of these two book is ...wow...
{Let me compose myself a bit here.}
Sherry of Baker's Dozen Barnhouse News!
If you have read here or several other spots, you know that Mrs. Sherry is going through the loss of her home and her partner for 30 years.  I say CONGRATULATIONS, Mrs. Sherry, but I know that right now, winning a couple books isn't even on your radar. I hope you feel our prayers surrounding you in these dark days, and more than that, that you feel His presence all around you, to give you the peace that passes all understanding. <3 

And to all those who commented, joined, followed, shared, twitted -- thank you!!  I hope to chat with you more soon!  I have another giveaway, a few reviews in the works (with assistance from MG!), and some garden whoo-ha to share!
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I had both of these books from the days when I taught kindergarten at an ELOB school in Bryson City, NC.  I used them here and again when my oldest two were my only two!
Hand-Print Animal Art has excellent pictures and the paper quality is really wonderful!  I am surprised the “Senses” book looks so great, because it has been used in my K class, at home, and at our homeschool co-op! 
They are ready to find a new home, and I would love for it to be YOU!
Both books are in excellent condition, with only my name in the front cover (marked out). These books come from an inside-animal-free, smoke-free home.

The giveaway ends MAY 1, and the winner will be announced here MAY 2, and I will pay shipping costs within the US.
To be entered, leave a SEPARATE comment for each action taken.
REQUIRED ENTRY: simply leave a comment saying you would like to be entered.
OPTIONAL ENTRIES (But remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do – pretty please!):
--Follow my blog via Networked Blogs (in my sidebar)
--Follow via Google Friends (again, in my sidebar…if you are already a follower, leave a comment letting me know!
--Share on Facebook and/or Twitter
--Follow on Twitter
Best of Luck!