Father's Day Freebie for Kids

This is really cute for kids to give to their dads on Father's Day. You can download a set of Father's Day coupons for free from the "Take me home" series of printables on CurrClick. The best part is it's FREE! Click here to download! 

Book Review: Lightning Fast Spanish for Kids and Families

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Lightning-fast Spanish for Kids and Families: Learn Spanish, Speak Spanish, Teach Kids Spanish- Quick as a Flash, Even if You Don't Speak a Word Now! by Carolyn Woods

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book takes a casual attitude toward learning a foreign language, which in my opinion, is similar to the full immersion experience that are popular with many different schools. 

This is a great book for kids especially since they are typically more retentive than adults, but I don't see any reason why parents wouldn't be able to learn as well. I loved Spanish and took it all through high school and college, but it's not necessary to be bilingual to use the book.

The author takes you through 15 various day-to-day situations suitable for incorporating Spanish. For example, while getting dressing in the morning, you ask questions regarding several articles of clothing, such as "which do you like better?" or "Is this red or blue?" (in Spanish, of course). Later on you might go for a walk outside and point out things you see and ask questions about its color or size. All the activities focus on everyday activities so there are no there is really nothing else you need besides your time. Each section provides a unique concept along with a conversational guide and vocabulary terms you can add to your growing word list.

There is also a section in the back of the book with extra activities like map games, scavenger hunts, bingo and Spanish charades.

I am a fan of living books that make you feel like you're living within the story, so I really like this approach to language learning. It's a fun, easy and inexpensive way to learn as opposed to worksheets and rote memorization.

There are currently 6 books in the series by Carolyn Woods in addition to Spanish. They include French, German, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. You can find more about Carolyn at her website and follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Big Letdown

I've been away for a little while. To be honest, I haven't felt much like writing. At first, it was because life was insane and I just didn't have time. Then came "The Big Letdown." I don't know about you, but somehow I managed to wrap myself up in my kids. What I mean is--I'm usually so busy shuttling kids around from dance, Royal Rangers and Mpact, co-op, the grocery store, etc. and keeping up with school and housework that I don't really know how to do anything else. There are lots of things that got put on the back burner or swept aside this year. Sometimes I probably looked like this...

Source

Since just about everything follows the typical September through May school year cycle, that also means that they all end around the same time as well. For someone who doesn't adjust well to change like me, this is hard. Everything is over right now except just a few short meetings left in our Royal Rangers/Mpact groups. School is just about over for us now as I focus on some short term educational goals. Coupled with me losing my once-a-week housekeeping job because they couldn't afford it anymore, I'm not too happy. It was a meager sum but it helped pay for all the little things in our life like the kids' allowance, school expenses, activities, etc. Now I'm back to $0 and I'm feeling very insecure and down in the dumps. 

The hardest part of all this, for me at least, has been the end of dance. My oldest daughter has been in dance for 6 years and I have enjoyed (almost) every moment of it. If you've never been a part of the dance world, let me tell you that it can be an expensive, competitive place. We were fortunate to be a part of a God-honoring school that had a passion for dance and the competitive spirit while still being uplifting and encouraging. I couldn't ask for a better school, truly. I've watched my daughter blossom from a painfully shy and somewhat clumsy kindergartner to a graceful and talented pre-teen. It's been incredible to watch, despite the cost in both money and time. 

A few months ago, she said she was tired of dancing and didn't want to come back next year. My daughter is a very headstrong, persistent child and once she makes up her mind, that's usually it. While it would be nice if she changed her mind, I'm not expecting her to. So, with that it mind, it was bittersweet to watch her last recital this past weekend.  

I was not prepared for the overwhelming feelings I felt. I almost had an ugly cry right there in the audience during the finale. I don't know why I'm so emotionally charged over this but I've been taking it really hard. I would never force my daughter to do dance if she really wasn't into it, but I am unconvinced that this came with a lot of thought and I hope that she just got a little burned out and will change her mind.

The good news is that this was also my youngest daughter's first year dancing and it was so special to see her beginning even when Skylar's time is ending. Here are my little dancers...

The final straw came when an important family member chose their addictions over the recital. I was expecting it because this person has not shown up to anything in 2 years, but I was hoping that it being Skylar's last recital would be an exception. I was wrong and I'm angry and upset about it. I realize addiction is a disease but it hurts and frankly I'm tired of explaining to the kids why this person keeps choosing their addiction over them. I'm tired of the worry, of the tiptoeing, the relationship. I've gotten no phone call of apology or anything like it. I guess I didn't really expect one, but still...Trying ti figure out what to do next in this situation has been the hardest part. I'm trying to understand where grace and enabling begin and end and whether I want to continue the relationship at all.

So, all this to say, I haven't been much in the mood to write. Even though it sounds like one giant pity party (and truthfully, it probably is), this has been somewhat cathartic though with what little anonymity the Internet can provide. Maybe I'll get the creative juices flowing and do this more often. In the meantime, I'm trying to get used to the slower pace and boredom. Any ideas on ways to fill the time with no money?

Have you ever faced any situation where you've had a major changes or changes in your life that were out of your control? I know that we should "let go and let God" but how do you do that when you feel like you don't know what to do to help things along or what to do while you just wait?

Feel free to share your stories or advice--Heaven knows I have time to read it! ;) 

Teaser Tuesdays 5/22

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for the week comes from Immortal Rules 

Here in the ruins, the darkness was alien, and the shadows seemed to creep closer, reaching out for you. Something shrieked in the night, a scream of animalistic fury, and I began to run. ~ p.42 of Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa.

Winners of the Pinterest E-Book AND RoosterFin Game

We've had a lot of giveaways recently and I'm happy to announce the winners of two of them!

The winner of The Quick and Easy Guide to Branding Your Business and Creating Massive Sales with Pinterest by Kim Garst e-book is GAIL PANACCI! 

And the winner of the RoosterFin Game of your choice is KRISTIN DUNCAN! 

Congratulations, Gail and Kristin, and thanks for entering! 

Movie Review: Mighty Fine

Mighty Fine is the story of Joe Fine (Chazz Palminteri), living in 1970's Brooklyn. who packs up his family and moves to the great New Orleans to give them a better life. Joe is a charismatic, intelligent and funny man who seems to love his wife and two daughters. He prides himself on being a good provider and spends his money freely, but when his business threatens to collapse, it becomes increasingly difficult and takes a toll on him emotionally. 

Unfortunately, Joe's darker side starts to prevail as he tries to maintain a grip on his pride and his financial security. His wife, Stella (Andie McDowell), a Holocaust survivor, recognizes that something is wrong but doesn't want to face Joe's disturbing outbursts of emotional abuse. Meanwhile, his oldest daughter, a teenager named Maddie (Rainey Qually, Andie McDowell's real life daughter) doesn't have any problem confronting her father about his abusive nature and rebelling against him. And youngest daughter, Natalie (Jodelle Farland, whom some will recognize from the Twilight: Eclipse movie), seems to be in the middle of the manipulation between her father and sister and isn't sure how to handle his fits. Together, they watch helplessly as the man they love spirals more out of control, directing his anger toward them, ending in a powerful climax that will leave viewers holding their breath.

You can view the trailer here: 

The independent film is directed by Debbie Goodstein and is based on her childhood. I really enjoyed this movie, despite the powerful and sometimes difficult to watch subject matter. It's an important message to open up to the public about abusive behavior. Not so long ago, what happened behind closed doors was swept under the rug.  For the many children and spouses who have been victims of abuse, this will certainly touch a nerve and hit close to home. Mighty Fine also shows the powerful nature of mental illness as well and the need for it to addressed.

I enjoyed the movie and while I can't claim to have the exact same experiences, I can relate on a smaller level. There are consequences of living with someone who has emotional and/or mental issues and they affect everyone on a very deep level, sometimes not even on a conscious one. It's very important to get help if you are or know someone who lives in a situation like this. 

After the movie, we were treated to a live chat with two of the cast members, Chazz and Rainey. They were very gracious and friendly and answered questions freely and honestly. It was great to be able to get inside the heads of how they played their characters and what they did to prepare. 

Mighty Fine premieres in theaters on May 25th. You can see where it will be playing near you by going here. You can also check out their website here.  

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mighty Fine and the distributor. I received access to an online showing of the film and a promotional item to thank me for participating”

Savory Summer Giveaway & Blog Hop is Here!

Are you ready for summer? Well get ready with this awesome giveaway bonanza! The Savory Summer 2012 Giveaway is here! I've partnered with our hosts, Measuring Flower and Graphoniac, and other great blogs to offer some really fantastic food-related prizes, each worth at least $25! This is a perfect time when picnics, barbecues and pool parties are right around the corner! 

Our generous grand prize sponsors are Nostalgia Electrics and Ella's Kitchen so make sure you pay them a visit! They're offering prizes worth over $100 each! Make sure you enter to win those by going here. 

Now onto my part! I'm offering up an adorable kit from the Handstand Kids Cookbook Company! 

The Italian Cookbook Kit comes packaged in a pizza box with a chef's hat (that fits all-sizes), and introduces kid chefs ages 3 to 12 to delicious and healthy Italian recipes. Recipes like "There's Bread in My Salad Panzanella", "Oh My Pizza Pie", and "Mamma's Spaghetti & Meatballs" will take your little chef around the world through your own kitchen. All the utensils and ingredients are translated into Italian so you can speak the language of Italy as you cook! The recipes are leveled from 1 to 4 garlic cloves so you will know the age appropriate level for your little chef.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now, get to hoppin'! We're not done yet! (Note: some of these may say "no giveaway"--please check back later in the day and they should all be posted).

Disclosure: Facebook is in no way affiliated with the Savory Summer event, its hosts, its sponsors, or its participating bloggers. The hosts (Measuring Flower and Graphoniac) are not responsible for event sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.

10 Freebie Downloads

Teachers Pay Teachers is offering some great freebies--10 of them in fact! First, TPT is a pretty cool site where educators can share, buy and sell downloadable worksheets and more with other educators. They have a ton of freebies too. 

Here are 10 freebies you can download right now:

• Amazing Facts and Statistics of Tornadoes Gr. 5-12
• My Personal AP English Literature Syllabus Gr. 11-12
• Characters In Film And Fiction Gr. 7-9
• A Social History of the American Civil War: Camp Life Gr. 9-11
• Costa lotta coffee Lesson Gr. 6-8
• May Ditzy Dictionary Gr. 5-8
• Happy Hangman Gr. 1-6
• James and the Giant Peach Reading Comprehension Activity Guide Gr. 3-6
• Summer Data Collection: Graphing and Tallying Gr. K-3
• Literacy Stations Freebie Pack- 19 stations sheets for 5 stations Gr. K-3

Enjoy! 

TIPsters: Summer Learning Plans

In our last topic, I discussed how this year has been one of many challenges and hurdles. Some we've overcome and many we've stumbled on. This is also the first year that we've decided to day school year-round. Okay, well truthfully, it was my decision because the kids are none too pleased with it--oh well, that's my right as Mom! *snicker* 

As summer approaches, we still have much of our regular school work to do as we fell behind in some areas this year. I will most likely lighten the load and cut down to the basics once June is over and hopefully we'll be done with a few things by then anyway. 

I want to focus on a few goals that I haven't been able to push throughout our year. There are some things that I feel we've just been struggling through and others that have been ignored completely. These are the things I want to be our main focus this summer. 

For my oldest, she will be 11 in September and we've never worked on writing papers before. I've always taken writing lightly with her because she absolutely hates it and most of what we do can be done verbally. But now that she's older, I think it's time that she learns how to properly do research, paragraph and short essay prompts to prepare her for when she's older. Right now, her idea of research is Google and dictionary.com--not entirely inaccurate, but certainly not the most effective. 

She is also transitioning with math and it has been very maddening for both of us. It is her least favorite subject and she despises her workbook. We got about halfway through her book and I finally had enough of the tears and frustration so I just told her to stop--that's it for the year. I will be taking a new method and doing a Life of Fred book or two with her over the summer to see how she does with this more relaxed approach. I think it will be a lot more effective and will cut both of us a bit of a break while playing catch up. 

My son, surprisingly enough with all of his issues, has been my easiest child to teach this year. Just about everything has been flawless and simple for him, which has been a relief. As we come to the end of his math book, I've seen it become a little more challenging for him so I will probably continue to work on those skills with him with the Life of Fred books as well. 

My youngest daughter has been relatively easy this year as well. Her biggest problem that has been a continuous struggle is reading. No matter what program or method we've tried, she just can't seem to get the hang of it. At this point, I'm wondering if there is a learning problem presenting itself, or if she is just not ready. My son was 8 before he really started to "get it" and fluently read, but I don't recall him having the same types of issues as much daughter is having. I plan on working with her on reading almost exclusively this summer, along with doing the math books with her siblings. I will also be looking into research on learning disabilities just to tuck in the back of my mind. I have had to learn to rely on my mother's instincts before in situations like this with my son and I fought for years to have him diagnosed and so I'm not afraid to go with my gut when I feel like something is "off" with my kids. 

So those are our summer learning plans so that hopefully we can go into the fall with a fresh new attitude and plan. 


What do you plan on doing with your kids? Will you be schooling year round? Giving the kids a couple months off? Taking school on the road on a family vacation? Tell us in the comments! 

TIPsters is a collaboration of myself, Kristin and Allyson. You can read their ideas on our topics at their respective blogs, Bits and Pieces from My Life and A Heart for Home. And make sure you visit our special guest poster on this topic, Jenna, at Delighting in Today! 


If you would like to link up and be a guest blogger on any of our upcoming topics, please e-mail me and we'd be happy to talk with you! We'll even give you a linky button to post on your blog. These topics include:


June 5: Feeding Picky Eaters
June 19: Television Viewing (What to Watch and How Often)
July 3: Quick and Easy Summer Meals
July 17: Taking Family Photos
August 7:Schooling Kids of Different Ages
August 21: Teaching Kids to Read

Feeling a Bit Overwhelmed

I haven't posted much the past few days because life has gotten very overwhelming and while there's so much I'd love to post about, I must prioritize! May is a very, very busy month for us but come summer, I will have a much needed break!

First of all, I want to say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  to you all! I hope you had a wonderful day full of fun and relaxation!

Second, my Blogger platform is giving me a HUGE headache, thus the simple design change for the time being. Hopefully I will have a nice new look once I get these problems fixed! 

So for now, I'm still here but won't be posting a whole lot for a couple of weeks. I will have this week's new TIPster up tomorrow though so stay tuned! 

Lots of Mother's Day Freebies at CurrClick + Win an iPod!

CurrClick is offering up some great Mother's Day freebies and giveaways! 

First, the freebies! Check out this page to download 6 freebies including a gardening lapbook, free e-card, homeschool conference guide and more, all marked down to FREE! 

From now until the 15th, you can enter to win an iPod Nano by reviewing products that you've purchased at CurrClick. Every time you write a review of at least 25 words, you will be entered to win! The drawing will be done and winner contacted on or before May 25th. You can enter as many times as you like. 

To write a review, simply log in to your account and under "My Library," click on "View All Products Awaiting My Review." The more products you review, the better chance you have of winning!

And for kids, you can download a free Mother's Day card, write a rave review of your Mom, and be entered to win an iPod Shuffle! To do this, log in to your account and under "My Library," click on "View All Products Awaiting My Review and choose to review the "Give Your Mom a Five Star Review" product.

The winner will be randomly selected. Only one entry per child, please. Reviews must be 25 words or longer. The drawing will be done and winner contacted on or before May 25th.

Another Freebie--Your Choice

If you are a member of the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op, they have a great Mother's Day freebie until May 16th! 

For all the wonderful homeschooling moms, the Co-op is giving away your choice of ANY ONE product in the SmartPoints Vendor Hall between now and Wednesday, May 16 at midnight.

Choose from 21 products from these popular suppliers: Brave Writer, The Critical Thinking Company, In the Hands of A Child, Math Mammoth, Chester Comix, Evan-Moor, Hothmath, Intellego, and Barnum Software.

It looks like you must be a member in order to snag this, but membership is free and you can sign up on the right side of the home page. Then check your e-mail for the link to this awesome freebie! 

Science Freebies! Build a Roller Coaster!

Check out Supercharged Science for a couple of awesome science freebies you can do over the summer! 

These are taken directly from Aurora's e-Camp program and she is generously giving access to these two activities for free! There's a brief video that introduces you to the activities as well as a materials list. There are key concepts and discussion questions listed as well. 

The first activity is an introduction to kinetic energy and the kids get to build a real indoor roller coaster, as big or small as you'd like! 

The second activity is an introduction to protons and electrons and an experiment with static electricity. 

You just need to supply your e-mail address and that's it! These have been used in live science workshops with great success and it gives the kids something educational and fun to do during their school break. 

Click here to get access and if you like what you see, you can also sign up for her e-camp registration at the bottom of the page. 

Field Trip to the National Zoo

Earlier this week we got to go to Washington D.C. for a field trip to the zoo with our co-op. I have never been before so it was a treat for everyone. Of course I snapped about a gazillion pics so I just wanted to share a few of my favorites: 

Adorable little prairie dog!

The red maned wolf

Love this little meerkat! So cute! 

The contemplative ape

The mighty tiger

Funny close up of a piranha

And of course my three little monkeys

You can see the rest by going here! 

Book Review and Giveaway: Crazy Dangerous

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The premise of this book sounded good, but I'll admit, as soon as I read the first couple of pages, I wanted to put it down. The author starts out with a bizarre sequence from the point of view of a 16 year old girl named Jennifer that just seems...odd, to put it nicely. However, it only lasted a couple of pages before switching to the main storyline, that of a more well-adjusted and normal character named Sam.

From there, the story did get keep my attention, despite a few more run-ins with Jennifer's childish, disturbed mind. I liked Sam and his family. He's a preacher's kid, but the family wasn't portrayed as a Bible-thumping, hardcore, overly-religious type. It was a real family with real issues and they were often pretty comical.

As far as Jennifer's character, I did eventually "get" her and she was more tolerable, but it was a bit jarring at first without the explanation. I won't say more as it would be considered a spoiler. The other characters in the book, particularly the bullies, were fairly realistic, although the dialogue was unintentionally funny at times in my opinion. I attribute it to the lack of profanity, which is acceptable, but the replacement dialogue could have been a little better. Honestly, one of my favorite characters in the book had two small bit parts--the old man in the truck. You'll have to read the book to find out why.

Overall, the plot was somewhat predictable and the ending was a little bit far-fetched and stereotypical, but the book was a page turner, nonetheless. I would recommend it if you don't mind some suspension of disbelief.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Want to win a copy of Crazy Dangerous? 

Celebrate with Andrew Klavan by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and
  5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!

 

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Teaser Tuesdays 5/8

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser for the week comes from Labor of Love: A Midwife's Memoir. 

I traveled all of the roads I had a need to explore, then matched my discoveries to the blueprint of my soul's design. Although I consider myself to have a pretty good analytical mind, I have never come to find my direction through deductive reasoning. The inspiration and driving force behind so many of the things I have achieved has come from a deep inner truth that I slowly uncovered with each life experience. ~ p.28 of Labor of Love by Cara Muhlhahn.

Turning Markers into Watercolors and Feeling Inspired

After my student left this morning from her art lesson, I was feeling inspired. We were working with trying to make markers bleed so that they looked similar to watercolors. We started with a basic outline of an animal--I chose an elephant but I gave her a choice of other gray animals like a dolphin, wolf or koala. We were working with black marker so when it bled, it would be a more grayish tone.

Forgive me, I drew this around midnight for practice so it was rather sloppy.

Then you take a small brush dipped in just a bit of water and trace your lines. Make sure you're not using a permanent, waterproof marker--you want it to bleed for this effect.

It starts taking on a more 3-dimensional quality and you can add shadows and details with thicker lines and more or less ink and water. Just play around with it to get the idea.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of her work before she left--oops! But afterward, I was feeling rather inspired. I really wanted to play around with this idea some more so I decided to tackle the wolf myself. This is the final affect.

I used black, gray and tan markers. I think the overall affect turned out well, but on principle, this would work better on a simpler design. I'm happy with the end result though and it felt good to be inspired!

Homeschooling Freebie for your E-Reader or PC!

Here's a free e-book for your Amazon Kindle, or if you don't have one, you can also download it and watch it on your computer for free!

Homeschooling in Your Garden by Jim Erskine is FREE right now in the Kindle store! 

Want to know how you can integrate your homeschool studies with gardening? Looking for ways to motivate your kids to get into the garden... and LIKE it? Wondering how to keep gardening positive and fun for your kids? Look no further: Here is a collection of practical, "real life" advice offered to you by over 300 other homeschooling families who have done just that! This treasury of ideas, tips and activities is filled with wonderful, practical, proven ideas for you… Read, glean, and use what works for your family in YOUR garden this year!

Hurry because these freebies don't usually last too long! 

Review and Giveaway! Cravings Devotions

Cravings is a collection of card-size devotionals based on the Psalms. They are written to help mothers develop their relationship with God in the midst of motherhood.

Each card contains a scripture for the day, a “thoughtlet,” and an action idea. As moms crave the sweet morsels from God’s Word, they can draw a card from a delectable Cravings holder—a pink cupcake!—that also displays the daily card for hands-free viewing. Versatile enough to fit with any feminine décor in a dining nook, a prayer closet, a kitchen--wherever you‘d want Scripture at your fingertips. If you find you need Cravings around the home, just one may not be enough!

Cravings can be a mom’s daily devotional, a supplement to her regular quiet time, or even doubled up during the day. The set of 40 cards offers over a month’s worth of Cravings in whatever way serves the spiritual needs of individual moms.

These little devotionals are so cute and perfect for displaying on your desk or tabletop when you're not using them. I really like the design and the ease of use--just pull a card and place it in the holder up top while you read. You can leave it there the whole day so it will always be a gentle reminder throughout your day. That's great for people like me that can get easily distracted as well as hyper-focused like myself lol.Those little doses of "God-speak" throughout the day really are a blessing.

You can purchase a copy of Cravings by going here. 

About the author:

Carey Bailey is a recovering perfectionist, wife, proud mama and Family Life director for her church in Surprise, Ariz. On the side she loves party planning, crafting, and pursuing her dream of writing. She has a degree in religion from Westminster College and writes at her blog at www.carebaileyonline.com. 

"When I became a mom I lost my God time," says Carey Bailey. "I couldn't figure out how to fit it in, since everything but that time was a priority. So I made note cards that I set around my house with scriptures written on them. Even when my arms were too full of babies, laundry, and diapers to pick up a Bible, I could easily read God's words of encouragement that I was starving for"

And Cravings--The Devotional was born. Celebrate with Carey by entering her Minute-for-Mom Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• $50 gift card to Erin Condren Shop (Your one-stop-shop for all things awesome!)
• $50 gift card to Victoria's Secret® (For something pretty.)
• $25 gift card to Bath & Body Works® (For a little spa treatment.)
• 2 Sets of Cravings - The Devotional (For you and a friend.)
• Scentsy Plug In and 2 Bars (A lovely scent for your space.)

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/12/12. The winner will be announced 5/14/12 on Carey’s blog!

Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Carey's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

New History DVD Series and Freebie!

Governor Mike Huckabee has a new American History DVD series called "Learn Our History." It features fun, animated DVDs along with downloadable curriculum tools including discussion topics and quizzes, timelines, maps and even great games that all enhance your child’s learning and appreciation of U.S. history! You can preview the series below:

Right now, you can get a Free history DVD for your homeschool, plus 6 more FREE GIFTS as a special thank you just for trying Learn Our History! Here’s everything you can receive for FREE:

• The "Birth of A Revolution" DVD all about the American Revolution 
• A Learn Our History logo DVD travel case, perfect for keeping your DVDs scratch–free 
• The Learn Our History logo Shoulder Sack, great for books, toys and more 
• A pair of Learn Our History binoculars, just like the time–traveling kids use 
• A Learn Our History sticker set, because what kid doesn’t love stickers? 
• FREE online streaming of Learn Our History videos at learnourhistory.com 
• FREE downloadable curriculum tools that keep the learning going long after your children have finished watching the DVDs

Click here for details! 

Pretty on Pinterest: Mother's Day

Each Thursday, Simply Stacie and Sassy Mama in LA host the Pretty on Pinterest meme where you can link up your posts on the theme of the week. Each week there's a different theme for you to find pins you love on Pinterest and create a post to link up.

This week's theme is Mother's Day! I hit Pinterest and gathered up some of my favorite ideas for gifts for Mom! 

Who can go wrong with photo gifts? I love this creative idea! 

Source: aloadofcraft.com via Georgii on Pinterest

Love this! For families with a lot children or grandchildren this would be wonderful (note: Don't click on the actual website 'cuz it's spammy but I still love the photo!)

Source: goo.gl via Elin on Pinterest

Source: aloadofcraft.com via Georgii on Pinterest

A lovely cupcake bouquet for Mom's sweet tooth!

Source: reynoldskitchens.com via Kaesma on Pinterest

Charmed bookmarks for the book lover (another bad site link, sorry! Lots of spammers out there)

Source: goo.gl via Leigh on Pinterest

Some adorable printable cards

Source: pumpkinsandposies.com via Leah on Pinterest

Review and Giveaway: Family Game Night with RoosterFin Games!

Every Sunday night is our family movie and/or game night. Since we're so busy throughout the week, it's important for us to reconnect when we can. 

I was excited when I was contacted by RoosterFin Games with an opportunity to try one of their games. Joe, the president of RoosterFin Games,  is a former math teacher who created educational games for the classroom and now devotes his time to making family friendly games. 

His first two releases were PongCano and Shufflin' Feet:




PongCano: The Game of Sacrifice
PongCano™ is the fast paced skill game that keeps players erupting with laughter! The task is simple - bounce the ball into the PongCano™ volcano. Players must  control their nerves and hold their laughter until the ball lands safely in the bottom of the PongCano™ volcano.





Shufflin' Feet: Put Your Best Foot Forward
Shufflin’ Feet™ is the funny game that takes unexpected twists on every turn! The players compete to win chips by playing higher valued cards than their opponents. But on every roll of the cube, a player’s card can suddenly slide away to another opponent. Quick wits and a little luck can leave any player in position to win on any turn. It depends on which direction the feet shuffle!

and now a new game is in the works called Masheroo, hopefully coming out soon once funding has been raised. 

Masheroo! The Game of Mash or Be Mashed Coming Soon!
Masheroo!™ is the hilarious game that keeps everyone on their toes! The first player to match their shape and face chips to their pattern card wins! But be ready for the unexpected, the Masher Bolt can mash shapes, leaving no choice but to rebuild. It's the fast paced game of Mash or Be Mashed!

My Review

I was delighted to try out PongCano for our family game night. We received it quickly and the kids begged to play it right away. I'll admit, at first I was a little concerned.  With only a few parts, I was afraid it would be too easy and the kids would be bored. 

The object is simple. You bounce the ping-pong sized ball into the volcano. Sounds easy right? Not so simple, my friends! You have to have a lot of control in order to get this! Each player also has a certain number of chips that they start with. If you don't make the shot, you have to put one chip into the volcano. If your ball makes it into the volcano, you get to collect the chips that are in it. The first person to collect all the chips is the winner. 

We played the game on the kitchen floor since our table is out of commission right now (long story!). It's important to have a hard surface so the ball can bounce properly. 

The kids didn't get bored with it as I'd expected. It was a little frustrating  since it was difficult but they didn't complain. They enjoyed playing and have continued playing it since we got it. Personally, my only quibble is the amount of chips the game comes with. It comes with a dozen, but it doesn't go very far when you have 4 or 5 people playing. This isn't a big issue though and it didn't affect game play much. In the end, I would definitely try out RoosterFin's other games as well. 

If you like what you see and want a chance to try out one of RoosterFin's games, enter below! You can win your choice of either PongCano or Shufflin' Feet! Contest ends May 17th! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Note: I received a product from the company in exchange for my review, but all opinions are 100% my own.