REVIEW ~ See The Light: God's Runaway Story & Art Lesson

I had the pleasure recently of reviewing this wonderful art DVD and I must say I was pleasantly surprised! My child is 11 yrs. old and often times wants to skip straight to the drawing but this product was so captivating that it held his attention all of the way through the story telling!

The disc begins with the telling of the story of Jonah and his attempt to flee from God's call to Ninevah. As the narrator engages your ears, the artist on the screen engages your eyes. Each scene is illustrated before hand, but as the story is told, a shot of a live drawing comes in and out between the scenes. Your child gets to watch as the artist draws out one illustration of the story while viewing others so not to get bored with only watching the live shots.

After the story is completed, you move on to the lesson portion of the disc. This particular disc was broken out into three different lessons, each given by different instructors with their own style and technique.

These lessons not only teach step-by-step instructions for how to produce each piece of art, but they also teach the students about the different tools and techniques they are using, all the while reiterating the bible lesson the pieces are illustrating. I loved that each lesson used different styles and supplies so the student gets the opportunity to test out several different skills.

The bonus material is interesting as well. There is a terrific section on Salvation that is told in a manner that the children can understand and relate to.

The only thing I would have like to see would be some better camera angles in a few areas. Some of the shots seemed to be just off from where the child would be able to get a good view of the example.

Overall this was a wonderful product and we will definitely be doing more of them!

The series can be purchased from See The Light as a 5 disc boxed set for only $74.95, or you can purchase each story disc individually for just $14.99 each.

**Disclaimer: I received this product in exchange for a fair review through the Gabby Moms Program. 

Backseat driving my child's education...

These last few months have been pretty crazy in our home. Most days are spent helping mom get things done, or doing them for me, and homeschooling has really not been on the agenda. But much to my surprise, learning has continued and possibly relished even without my scheduled instruction. I have always heard of unschooling, but the views and opinions on the subject are so widespread and diverse that it has been hard to wrap my mind around it. Having life basically throw us into unschooling has forced me to embrace it and acquire my own opinions about it. That being said, I am still understanding, building and shaping how it works for my family and some days are better than others. 
Even at my most relaxed, Braydon has researched, inquired and grown in so many areas. He has learned how to do laundry from start to finish. He has learned how to cook several items on his own, using a gas stove no less. He has researched the muscles, tendons and such in the shoulder to better understand my condition. He has even spent time scouring the internet on several different topics in order to help me in writing new lapbooks. Despite having complete freedom to choose what he watches on TV, more often than not, he chooses to watch educational shows or documentaries. He has spent countless hours teaching himself about hunting, survival techniques and weapons both new and historical.
Granted, after my arm is feeling better we will begin doing experiments and projects again, but I am so impressed with his ability to take his education into his own hands that I am comfortable allowing him to continue choosing what to and what not to learn.

I encourage you, if you feel like something is lacking in your homeschool, to give unschooling a chance. Just take a few months off of form learning, let you kids be kids and sit back and see what happens. Children are always wanting to understand the ins and outs of things, so let them! Let them play and get interested in what they like, then be ready to help them find their answers. After all, can YOU recite all of the presidents in order of their presidency? Is there a time in your life where you needed that information at your fingertips? I believe most of you would say no and in today's world the answers to these questions are just a few clicks away.
The time we are living in offers unlimited resources to our children, wouldn't you rather they learn how to access this information and research what they need to know, instead of pushing them to memorize these facts while stifling those things they are truly interested in?
There may be days were all they want to do is watch TV or play games, but I assure you most days this will not be the case. I would also tell you to USE these days to your advantage. There is something to be learned in everything they do, be it academic or social, there IS something there! This is will also give you a chance to really get to know your child. Invite them to aid you in what YOU do each day, this could spark a love of something they may never have thought about before. I have realized that this broken arm may have put a kink in MY life but it has lit a fire in my child they may very well lead him to a PhD. Give your child the benefit of the doubt and they just may surprise you.

Gabby Moms 2013

I am so excited to have been chosen to be a 
2013 Gabby Mom for 

Eternal Encouragement Magazine! 

In depth reviews on some terrific 
products coming very soon! 

Check back often! 

A Silver Lining

Recently someone reminded me to find a silver lining to all of the time I've had to spend in my recliner. Eating, sleeping, reading, working, family time... all from this silly chair!
Well, finding a silver lining is just what I've done!
I have had time to organize this year's subjects and plan a few weeks worth of lessons, go through piles of paperwork and magazines that I have been putting off for months, make all new labels for our work boxes and the supply boxes in my craft room, as well as dig out all of the important papers I wanted to file in my Mom's Household Binder. Aside from the closets that are in serious need of some attention I feel like a new woman, or at least a better organized woman! I have always said that my predilection to organization was more of a sickness than a gift but in recent months (or years) I have let MY life take a backseat to everyone else.I may have mentioned that I have a problem with saying "No", but what I don't think I've mentioned is that I tend to not just take on too much, but I also allow it to take OVER! If I agree to do something I takes control until I feel like I've accomplished it.
I can't say I'm grateful to have a broken arm right now, but I can say that I'm grateful that it's causing me to put the needs of my own life back where they belong, in the drivers seat!

I swear I AM NOT praying for patience!!

So, how many times have we all been warned not to pray for patience? I know I've heard it a lot over the years. Well, the funny thing about God is that he tends to dole out lessons in areas where HE thinks we need to grow, not necessarily where we WANT to grow! So whether I'm asking for more patience or not, when He decides I need it, I get it!

The latest thing I'm learning about myself is that I am not a patient person! I'm pretty sure I've always known this, Lord knows my family definitely has, but recently it's been brought to my attention almost on a daily basis!

Being almost completely dependent on those around you doesn't just mean you have to let them help you. It means you have to let them do it their way, on their time, all the while remaining grateful for it. One of our family's favorite movies is The Pacifier. The line I quote most from this movie is this:

"It's my way, no highway option."

This statement rolls all that is Candie up in a neat little package. My way is always the best, most thought out, and easiest to accomplish... so I think. Lately though, I'm learning that just because my way is right for me, doesn't mean it's right for everyone! Funny that I haven't already learned this lesson. After all, isn't that part of the homeschool mother's creed? Our children need teaching to their strengths and interests, they need to be treated as individuals, they need to learn how THEY learn!

Well, doesn't the same apply to everything in life? Could I be harboring a double standard? Well if so, surely I'm right about it, surely I couldn't be mistaken!

NEWS FLASH: God made us all different! Not just red and yellow, black and white, but in everything, in our hearts and our habits!

The people in your life may not put the dishes away where YOU think they should, they may not move as quickly as you would like and they may not do the things you ask in JUST the way you had expected, but the bottom line is that they are doing it!

My family has had to help me get comfortable in the recliner again with all 15 pillows every time I get up to go to the restroom. They have had to bring me that exact item from the exact spot I sent them to, even if my memory was wrong. They have had to fix me glasses of water with a full cup of ice because that's how I like it. And they have done all these things with a smile, something I cannot say for myself. I have been short with them, I have gotten frustrated and I have spat out my orders more times than I care to admit.

Yet they're still here, still helping, still taking it. That's not to say they will ALWAYS be here. It's important for me to learn NOW that I should appreciate their help regardless what form it comes in. This is the lesson I think my God is teaching me right now. He wants me to understand that humans are not as forgiving as He is, that there IS a limit to their willingness to help, "under fire" if you will. Not only does He want me to see that He will always be here and will come back blow after blow, but that others may not and it's my job to emulate Him.

That's part of being created in His image. Luckily for me, my immediate caregivers know God's love but will they always remember it? That is something I cannot control but showing my Lord's love and mercy is the beginning to ensuring they won't turn away from Him.

Have you shown His love this week? Let me challenge you to do JUST THAT! And not just to those you think NEED it, but to everyone in your life, especially those who don't always get your best!

Broken Arm ~ Broken Self-Dependence

As I explained in a previous post, I fell and broke my arm a couple of weeks ago. Since then, God has been teaching me alot of things. For those of you who know me, you are aware that I am always on the go. I work several jobs around each other and around my family's needs to allow me to be not only be a SAHM but also to homeschool our son. It's impossible to be this active, crazy busy person without being extremely dependant on yourself, or so I thought. I have spent the last several years building this lifestyle in which I thought I was the only person I could count on to keep going. In recent day however, I have had to start depending on everyone BUT myself. Its amazing how quickly one can go from "doing it all", to not being able to do anything.

So what has this taught me?

Well it has taught me a couple of things... The first and most important is something I already knew but at some point pushed under the rug and chose not to accept. Then late last night in the middle of a "poor little me" melt down my ten year old son reminded me all to quickly that I was in God's hands. That everything was controlled by Him and He would not let me down.

Here I've spent the last 10 days throwing myself the LARGEST pity party known to man and the whole time my God was just sitting back waiting for me to need HIM. Waiting for me to realize that this life of self-dependency will never be a fulfilling one and I will always be hanging onto it with my one good arm. I needed that small reminder from the most precious boy in my life to put me back on track. To help me get my priorities in order once more.

The second thing I have learned is just how lucky I am to have husband and son that I do. I'm also very lucky to have terrific friends who have cooked for us and offered to do anything I need, but my two boys have really had to step up to the plate lately and I could not be more grateful!! While Braydon is at my side for anything I need throughout the day, Randy is working BOTH of our jobs, keeping up the house and the laundry, paying the bills and doing the shopping. I could not have asked for a better helpmate! We all take the same vows when we marry, but so many time I see friends of mine and other women being let down by a spouse that can't see how those vows relate to the needs of his family later in life. I thank God for my husband and the example he has set for our son! Braydon his growing up to be such a strong young man in the Lord and one who is willing to help anyone anytime!

Be sure to stop and tell your family how much they mean to you! I know I haven't done it often enough but that's about to change! Take a minute to thank God for the amazing gifts you DO have and take a break from asking for those you don't.

KBC Day ??? Immediate Journey HOME

Well the last few days have been a crazy blur.
Monday morning Cyndi and I headed to Rainbow Resources.  This was a very productive day that ended with a delightful dinner with several of the friendly staff at Rainbow.  That night we headed back to Peoria before we began our trip to meet up with the other members of the KBC team.

Tuesday morning started off with a trip to Arthur, Illinois to tour the Amish Communities.  We took lots of pictures and just enjoyed watching how these people with a simpler way of life lived side by side with people in a modern world.  This was a neat stop and very educational, but our trip was about to take a turn for the worst.
Before heading to St. Louis, Missouri we stop to get gas and I tripped and broke my arm.  We then drove a miserable 30 minutes to Decatur, Illinois.  It took us the next three days to get me back home.
Sadly, our trip was cut short and we were not able to meet with Pam and Kim.

I'm praying to be all better before our cruise in September.  But won't see The orthopedic surgeon until Friday.  Trying to schedule that appointment was a fiasco all on its own!  That's a long story so I'll just give you a little advice.  If you're going to break a bone don't do it out of state.

KBC Day Five Journey To...

Today was a nice relaxing day for the most part. We left Indiana around 10ish heading for Illinois. Once here we checked into our hotel and got a little lunch we spent the afternoon getting caught up on emails and such. We did have a run in with an army of ants but after a small room switching fiasco we were finally in our third room for the day and ready to get down to business! LOL

This evening we had a nice visit and dinner with Leah from CurrClick. Until tonight I had not had the pleasure of meeting Leah, and I am so glad I did!! I really enjoyed getting to know her a little bit. Hopefully next time we will be able to meet Staley as well.

Tomorrow we are heading to Rainbow to work on some more videos and then we will be having dinner with the Rainbow crew! I can't wait to meet everyone!

Hopefully while Cyndi is practicing to be a movie star I will have some time to work on the Respect Character Lapbook.


Until tomorrow,

KBC Day FOUR Journey To...

Today was the BIG day!! I finally got to get my books!! It was amazing! Here they are:

 

Right off the trimmer!

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I also got to watch several other procedures while I was waiting.

 Here are some of our CD's being shrink wrapped.

 Here's Ester hand collating our colored paper.

These are HUGE stacks of KBC books waiting to be bound!  

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Then I got to watch them go through each step of the printing process for my books and it was so neat!!

 Here's a stack of the inside pages to my books straight out of the hopper!

 

The covers printing...

  

laminating...

 and binding.

 

 It's hard to believe my name is now printed on an actual product!!

 Now for trimming.

This was such fun! I truly appreciate Eloise and Chad at Country Pines showing me around and letting me see all of the back end to the production of my books!

We finally left Shoals around 4pm and headed up to Terre Haute for the night. We had a nice dinner and then spent the rest of the evening bouncing ideas off of one another and talking through alot of things we want to do further down the road. So keep an eye out, there are great things in the making at Knowledge Box Central!

KBC Day THREE Journey To...

As we come to the end of the day we are exhausted and ready for bed, but we still have so much work to do. It looks like tonight may be a late one. We spent most of today at Country Pines Printing going over cover images, orders and printing options. Tonight we are working diligently on printing specs for EACH of our almost 200 products to be sure that every product shipped out is the best possible quality it can be.

Tomorrow we are hoping to spend a little more time with them and then begin making our way to Illinois. But before that is the best part... I get to see each of my books for the first time! I am so excited! I will definitely be posting pictures of them tomorrow night!  Not much site seeing for the next couple of days but alot of meeting with other people who help make Knowledge Box so great so that's a good exchange in my opinion!

We will be meeting the wonderful ladies from CurrClick Sunday night for dinner and then it's off to Rainbow Resources Monday morning.

We can't wait to see these folks and tell you all about it!

I do have to say that I am missing my boys a ton!! Braydon is having fun with his cousins so that it makes easier on me. :)  A big thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law for helping out while I'm away!!

Until tomorrow,

KBC Day TWO, Journey To...

Today started off much like yesterday went, "detour" after "detour". LOL We finally made it to Graceland a mere hour after we had planned to be there, and it was amazing. I got a TON of pics!! My mom if a HUGE Elvis fan and had gone to Graceland back in the 80's but the only camera she had only had a flash setting so she go very few pictures. All this time I thought she didn't get many because they wouldn't let you take them in certain places so this afternoon when I found out the real reason it was a bonus. Now my momma will have all new pictures to go with those memories from so many years ago. The pictures won't just be a treat for me, I know my mom will cherish them as well!

Front of Graceland

 15' Couch in the Formal Living Area

 Basement

We didn't make it back by The  Mississippi River but are planning to on the way back through next week. When I told Braydon we were going to go back down there to take some pics and I would grab him a rock or something he told me to get a jar with a lid and bring him back some Mississippi Mud! He said it in this guttural smoker's voice and I just died!  LOL I laughed so hard!! Even 1000 miles away he's funny!! 

After Graceland we downed a couple of sandwiches and proceeded on our journey only to get lost take "detours" time and time again... I can honestly say this trip will not be short of stories to tell and laughs to be had in the years to come! 

We traveled through Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana all in six hours today. I have traveled more than 1300 miles since Tuesday morning and after today have crossed 4 major rivers; The Tennessee River, The Ohio River, The Arkansas River and the The Mighty Mississippi! Each one was just as amazing as the last and I am in awe of God's glory!

We finally made it to this amazing little cabin called the Salt Box in the woods of Shoals, Indiana, and I may never leave!! This place is so cute and peaceful! Cyndi and I are hanging out, working on a few projects and just enjoying not being in the car for a few hours.

Until tomorrow,

KBC Day ONE Journey To...

So we're off! My cousin, Cyndi and I, are taking a business trip together that will cover multiple states. The next two weeks will be full of so many FIRSTS for me, as I have never been to this part of the country! I'm hoping to post a little bit every night to keep you up to speed with where we are and what we are doing.


We are coming in on the close of day one so here's a quick recap of what today entailed.
We have traveled through Louisiana, Arkansas and part of Tennessee. Since today and tomorrow are traveling days we are making the most of them and having a little fun along the way!! The car trip alone has been a blast! Did you know that the distance from to Memphis from Little Rock is only about an inch in Google Maps? LOL Like I said, it has definitely been a fun ride. I took many a detour today; NOT because I got lost, but because I wanted to be sure we saw everything there was to see in Memphis. Especially the shady parts of town. I seemed to end up in those areas more than not today. But it's important that you know I DID NOT get lost! :)

We stopped for a bit in Arkansas and after a small "detour" took advantage of some of a couple of July 4th sales. Then we were back on the road toward Memphis.

As I said before this is a part of the country I have never been to, so crossing the Mississippi River was a really neat experience for me.  It was huge! I can't wait to go back down there tomorrow and get some pictures. Here's a pic I took from inside the car while crossing the bridge.

***Disclaimer: I know it LOOKS like I'm taking it from behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, but I can assure you that is not the case... it is an optical allusion, I promise! hehehe

Once we got into Memphis we found our hotel, got cleaned up and headed for Beale Street. It was a blast! We did little shopping and then had dinner at a little Cajun joint called Johnny G's. After dinner we came back to the hotel and now we are both working silently side-by-side. This trip promises to be both productive and fun!

Until tomorrow,