Dolphin Tale 2 Movie Promo Pack #Giveaway #DolphinTale2 #HomeschoolDay2014 #WinterHasHope

*I received information and a promo pack via  Flyby Promotions for purposes of review, however all opinions expressed are my own. 

Check it Out!  As a homeschool mom and teacher I am always looking for new curriculum and lessons to add to our homeschool experience. I recently got the opportunity to check out the Dolphin Tale 2 movie curriculum and we can't wait to see the movie!  I am excited to share it with you all today, it is Homeschool Day 2014 after all!

Product Review: "TeenCoder: Windows Programming" course for 9th-12th grade students

*Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Check it Out!  My kids are very computer orientated!  My oldest son who is now 16 wants to be a game designer and a historian.  He is a huge gamer and has for many years had a desire to create his own games.  One of the big benefits of being home schooled is that he can spend more time learning to do this and has in fact taught himself a great deal.  He is pretty advanced and has knowledge that just blows my mind.
When I had the opportunity to review a computer science course for teens, I knew it would be perfect for him.  Thanks to Homeschool Programming Inc. my son has the power to learn right here at home.

KidCoder and TeenCoder are award winning computer science courses that are designed to teach  4th thru 12th graders how to create their own website, video game and apps.  They are self study curriculum that introduces students to modern, industry standard technologies.  They learn HTML, Java, C# and Visual Basic.   These courses are ideal for homeschool students that are seeking elective computer credits.  They are great for any student!  Courses like this might not be available through normal schools so it is always great to be able to offer them to your children.
We received the TeenCoder Windows Programming for 9th- 12th graders and my son loves it!  It takes you from the history of windows right on through to completely be able to create your own projects.  It is amazingly user friendly and is so well laid out that James uses it without any help from me.  It has everything you need to learn, from the workbook to quizzes.  He even enjoyed the quizzes!  How often can you say your kid enjoyed taking a quiz?
Simple yet engaging and fun, this is a winner for us.  I highly recommend checking it out if your child has an interest in computer science.

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

Product Review: Smartypants Tavern Puzzle

*Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.  All opinions and photos are my own.

Check it Out!  I have always loved puzzles!  From jigsaw puzzles to computer puzzles and all kinds in between, I love the challenge of a good puzzle.  I recently got a new puzzle to check out and this is a very cool and unique puzzle.  I received the Smartypants Tavern Puzzle.

Tavern Puzzles are reproductions of antique wrought iron puzzles like those that were traditionally found in country taverns and inns.  All handcrafted of steel by a museum trained blacksmith right here in the USA, Tavern Puzzles are each mechanical in nature.  There is no force needed.  There are no tricks.  Just old fashioned problem solving!  The puzzles are solved when the object piece is removed.  But it isn't truly mastered until the object piece is then returned to it's starting place.  So each one is really like 2 puzzles in one!
There are 8 different groups of Tavern Puzzles ranging from basic to complex.  Basic puzzles have just a few steps.  The amount of steps grows with each group along with the difficulty.

So this is the Smartypants puzzle.  This puzzle is in group 4 and is in the Intermediate/Difficult level.  The object to be removed on this puzzle is the circle piece.  I spent quite a lot of time working on this the first day I got it and will admit defeat.  I do however have a son that we consider a smartypants and thrives on solving puzzles like this, so of course he wanted to give it a try.  He was successful in getting the circle off, but getting it back on to it's original position proved to be more difficult.  He finally got it though.  

The quality of this puzzle is amazing.  The pieces are all smooth, no burrs or sharp pieces and well made.  It really is a beautiful piece of work, almost like a piece of art.  My kids enjoyed trying to solve it as well as us adults and I have found it to be a great conversation piece.  

Each Tavern Puzzle comes in it's own drawstring cloth bag along with an information sheet that lets you know what the object piece is.  However, you do not get the solution!  At first I was like, WHAT?  But then the more I thought about it, I realized that without having it right on hand, you work harder and think harder to solve it.  But the solution is available by going on-line or by requesting a printed copy so if you absolutely can not figure it out, you can get it.  These puzzles also all have a hanger loop on them so you can display them if desired.  You can purchase a variety of display stands or mounts at www.TavernPuzzle.com where you can also see and purchase all of the puzzles available.  They have sets available as well.  
Tavern Puzzles are suitable for ages 13 to 113 and would make excellent gifts for children and adults alike.  They are also great for homeschool families as they are challenging and help to strengthen problem solving in kids.  

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

Book Review: Off the Edge of the Map by Michael Rank

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.  All opinions are my own. 

Off the Edge of the Map:

Marco Polo, Captain Cook, and 9 Other Travelers and 

Explorers That Pushed the Boundaries of the Known World

by  Michael Rank

About the Book:
"From the #1 bestselling author of History's Greatest Generals comes an exciting new paperback book on the greatest explorers in history and how their discoveries shaped the modern world.

Whether it is Rabban Bar Sauma, the 13th-century Chinese monk commissioned by the Mongols to travel to Europe and form a military alliance against the Islamic Caliphate; Marco Polo, who opened a window to the East for the West; or Captain James Cook, whose maritime voyages of discovery created the global economy of the 21st century, each of these explorers had an indelible impact on the modern world. 

This book will look at the 11 greatest explorers in history. Some traveled for religious piety, such as Ibn Battuta, who traveled from North Africa to China in the 1300s, visiting every Islamic pilgrimage site between. Others traveled for profit, such as Ferdinand Magellan, who wanted to consolidate Spain's holdings on the spice trade. Still others traveled for discovery, such as Ernest Shackleton, who led two dozen men to the bottom of the world in an attempt to cross Antarctica on foot.  

Whatever their reason for discovery, these explorers still inspire us today to push the limits of human achievement -- and discover something about ourselves in the process."

My Review:
As a homeschool mom I love to foster my children's interests and my oldest son is really into History.  He is a huge history buff and has a desire to become a historian so I seek out any and all books I can that help him to gain more knowledge.  He really loves learning about new people and places and events, so when I got the opportunity to review this book about a variety of great explorers that pushed the boundaries, I knew I wanted to add it to our homeschool library.  
This book covers 11 explorers that helped shape the world as we know it today.  Delving into the motivations, the historical conditions of their travels as well as their passions and their courage, the stories in this book are compelling and interesting.  Full of important facts, this is a well written and thought out book.  One my son enjoyed and is happy to call his own.  I would recommend this book for any homeschool family as well as your school or class library.



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

Homeschool Resource - Varsity Tutors

*I received no compensation for this post, all opinions are my own.

Check it Out!  As a homeschool family I am always looking for free online resources that I can use and as my kids get older and in higher grades, sometimes those resources are harder to find.  So when I was recently introduced to Varsity Tutors, I was super stoked!
Varsity Tutors is one of the most comprehensive free math practice test and assessment websites available on the internet.  They have tens of thousands of professionally created math problems in a variety of formats and include comprehensive diagnostics, short concept oriented practice tests and even flashcards.  What is super cool is all of this is Free and with their technology, they can track your progress for you and even manage study groups. 
If you're looking for a tutor, they have you covered as well. Varsity Tutors has a 98% satisfaction rate and 100% no risk money back guarantee. They focus on providing exceptional tutors at a great price.  
This is going to get used a lot around here!    

Powered By Varsity Tutors

Join CampusBookRentals and help @OperationSmile! Get a book, change a life! @textbookrentals

*This post is sponsored by CampusBookRentals.com.  All opinions expressed below are my own.

Check it Out!  Have you heard about 
CampusBookRentals.com?  
If your in the market for textbooks, you are gonna be glad you saw this post!  Campus Book Rentals is "your textbook alternative" and could save you up to 80% on textbooks! 

Over 1 million people from over 5,500 college campuses across the nation have rented from them and here is why:

• Renting textbooks can save you 40% to 90% off bookstore prices and CampusBookRentals.com offers Free Shipping BOTH ways
• They have flexible renting periods with the option to purchase the book if you want to keep it
• You have 30 days to return the book for full refund if for any reason you don't need the book 
• You can highlight and use the book as you normally would
• There are no hidden fees or charges
• You can make $ yourself with the Refer Friends program and/or the RentBack program

Check out the video above for some more insight into the programs.

Now that you know about Campus Book Rentals, you're also gonna wanna know about RentBack.com!  This is a new initiative that allows students and teachers (or anyone for that matter) to rent the textbooks they own so they can make the profits from their books.  You can make 2 to 4 times more money by doing this than you would in those traditional buy back programs.  You own the book and rent it out, over and over to make your own money!  Now that is an awesome deal!

CampusBookRentals.com also supports the children of Operation Smile, which is an organization that provides cleft lip surgeries to children whose families could not afford it.  These are life changing surgeries that provide long term improvements in the quality of these children's lives.  With each book rented from CampusBookRentals.com, a donation is made to Operation Smile.   So not only do you get a deal and the book you need, but you also get to help change a child's life.

Head over to CampusBookRentals.com and get all the info. 

Save $2 on Corn Maze admission to @LaneSouthern Orchards! #FallFun

*I will be provided with free admission for my family via US Family Guide for purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.

Check it Out!  Pretty much everyone is back to school now and that means Field Trips to look forward to.  Even though we are homeschooled, we still have field trips, in fact, we have even better field trips!  Because we have more time and less distractions, due to other students and riding buses, we get to spend our time exploring and learning! 

Our first field trip of the year is of course Fall themed, it is September after all, so what better than a corn maze?!

Thanks to US Family Guide, the first week in October, we are headed to Lane Southern Orchards in beautiful Fort Valley, Georgia.  

Lane Southern Orchards is a family friendly agricultural operation that allows visitors to see a real working farm. We are gonna check out the Peach packing process and how they go from fresh off the trees to my families table.  

They have their own Strawberry Patch in the spring and each fall they have their famous Pumpkin Patch and a mind boggling seven acre Corn Maze and a huge Farm Fall Festival!  Sounds super exciting and we can't wait to check out that maze and I have heard they have an amazing Peach Cobbler!  YUM!

Lane Southern Orchards commemorates America's independence with a fabulous 4th of July Picnic and Patriotic Celebration too, so there seems to be something going on all year long!  You can go to http://www.lanesouthernorchards.com/ to get more info and directions and when you GO HERE you can snag a $2 off your Corn Maze admission coupon! 

I'll be posting a review of our visit after so stay tuned for that, and of course pictures! Happy Fall Fun!

Urban Adventure Quest offers Urban Scavengers Hunt - Awesome Homeschool Field Trip Idea * Savings Alert!

Check it Out!  For all you locals to Atlanta!  Did you know you can experience the fun of an Urban Scavenger Hunt in downtown Atlanta?  Well you can and how awesome this is!  Take a Smart Phone guided adventure that lets you and your family experience the fun of the Amazing Race in 2-3 hours!  You solve clues and complete challenges while learning about the city in a fun new way.  This family friendly adventure is appropriate for ages 7-70 and is perfect to get the family out on a day of doing and learning.  The game keeps track of team points and you can start when you want and play at your own pace. 

Here are the details:

Cost: $39.20 for a team of 2-5 people after using Promo Code: USFamily

When: Play anytime during daylight hours

For More information and to Register visit: http://www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com

This is an awesome Field Trip for Homeschooler families because the whole family gets in on the learning fun together!

*I received information and the product in this post compliments of US Family Guide, however all opinions are my own.

Awesome Exclusive Homeschool Resource - 1 free month of Speekee

 

Check it Out!  The world's number one Spanish program for young children. Speekee TV Spanish for Kids is designed so that children can learn Spanish in their own time and at their own pace. Easy Spanish learning through video, without effort with the multi award-winning Speekee videos PLUS real-time 'virtual' friendships with the Speekee characters. Available only via the web, Speekee TV Spanish for Kids is loved by children and their parents around the world. FastTrack curriculum for homeschoolers.  My readers recieve ONE MONTH FREE of Speekee TV - Spanish For Kids Program - through this exclusive link. http://www.speekee.co.uk/?usfg

 Check out this quick little video and see how parents are loving Speekee!



 

*I received information and samples for purposes of this post however all opinions are my own.

Homeschool Resource - Free 2 week Trial Reading Eggs Program offer

Check it Out!  I am a huge reader and so are my kids, they learned it early not only by seeing me read, but by being read to and by practicing themselves. 

The Reading Eggs program is a cool program that was developed by experienced teachers, educational writers, animators and web developers to focus on the core reading curriculum of skills and strategies that are essential for reading success.  Designed for children ages 3 through 12, Reading Eggs has more than 500,000 subscribers with more than 15 million lessons presented in North America. 

Reading Eggs has an awesome offer out right now that allows you to receive a Free Two Week Trial Offer!  No credit card required.  Head on over and register for your free 2 week trial now and learn to read online!

*I received information to facilitate this post, however no compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

 

Homeschool Resource: Free Learn our History DVD

Check it Out!  Get a Free Learn Our History DVD! A simple Way For Kids to Understand and Appreciate U.S. History.  You'll also get learning guides as a bonus!    You only pay the shipping and handling.  CLICK HERE to get yours. 

Product Review: @CleanWell Hand Sanitizing Wipes #naturalclean

 

Check it Out! Although I have always been a bit of a germaphob, I have become even more aware of germs since living in a hotel.  Between the doors, the elevator buttons and all the public stuff that I have to share, that's alot of germs from alot of different places! 
I have taken to always have a bottle of hand sanitizer with me, but have discovered many problems with that.  I can't tell you how many times I have found the bottle leaking in my purse and I hate how it tends to harden at the top of the bottle and creates a crusty mess.  I also have learned that I have to pay attention to the scent as some of those bottles of hand sanitizer smell pretty weird.
Recently I got a Clean Well Hand Sanitizing Wipes sample via Influenster in my Naturals VoxBox and I am in love.
Not only do I love that they are individually wrapped, but they are perfectly sized and smell amazing!  When you use a Clean Well, it leaves your hands smelling and feeling wonderful.  No drying out from all the alcohol and other chemicals, just a soft and clean feeling. 
Clean Well kills germs naturally without alcohol using a Thyme based technology and is a kid safe formula.
I highly recommend Clean Well Hand Sanitizing Wipes and when you head over HERE to their Facebook page you can even snag a coupon!  You can also check out all the other products they have to offer.

*I received a sample of the product in this post compliments of Influenster for purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.

Homeschool Resource: Science Fair Central

Check it Out!  Discovery Education and Elmer's has an amazing new online resource that is sure to be bookmarked!  An all new science fair planning resource that is perfect for all students, even homeschoolers!  Using a fun interactive tool you can choose between 20 different popular topics.

There is an amazing amount of resources for students, teachers and parents.  Get printables to help in the planning and shopping for your project as well judging criteria, checklists and ideas!  Oh and you can probably snag some coupons too! 

Head on over to Science Fair Central and get all the help you need for your scince fair projects!



@UGLeePen Review & Giveaway (closed)

Check it Out!  Writing is something I do everyday and I enjoy it, but I will admit that I am picky about my pens.  I have standards and I have my favorites.  But I love to try out new pens as well, I get little excited when I find a new fave too!

I recently got the chance to check out a new pen called the UGLee Pen!  I know not a pretty name but a really cool pen it is! 

As you can see from the pic above the UGLee pen isn't an ordinary pen, it is a specially designed ergonomic pen that was created and actually used by a physician!  It features a Doctor inspired grip that can help eleviate pain and discomfort for those that experience pain when writing.  It is also a great help for kids that are working on fine motor skills or even special needs children who have difficulties holding a pen correctly.  If you take alot of notes or do alot of writing this pen can help keep that cramping of the hands and fingers away!

I really didn't know what to think about this pen when I first got it... I mean it is a little different looking! 

But that strange looking grip is actually super cool!  It conforms to your fingers and makes for a comfortable and firm grip when writing.  No slipping with this pen.  The grip is a jelly like feeling and seems awkward at first, but after just a few minutes of using it, it felt so comfortable in my hand. 

I love doing crossword puzzles while soaking in the tub so I keep a pencil or pen in the bathroom with my book so it's always there when I take a bath.  My pencil point broke and I asked hubby to bring me a pen or pencil and he brought me one of the UGLee pens from my desk.  At first I thought, I can't use this near water, but it actually was perfect for the situation. 

Because it's got the grippy handle, there was no slipping, even with sometimes wet fingers, which had me thinking that these pens would also be helpful to sports moms, ball moms, swim teams, etc...  Because the grippy is jelly, the pen doesn't roll away either, like a traditional stick pen.

Wanna win an UGLee pen of your own? 

Time for...

*The Giveaway*

Enter via Rafflecopter form below to win a 3 pack of UGLee pens.  US residents only. 

  

Snag a Free Children's Art Kelly Kit! Awesome Homeschool resource!

 

Check it Out!  Here is an awesome homeschool resource that is sure to help with Art!

Kelly Kits encourage art play using a wide variety of creative tools &  materials beyond what coloring books can offer. The Original Kelly Kit  comes complete with one set of five unique activities that cover the  five art disciplines: painting, drawing, sculpting, printmaking, & collage. Each kit contains all of the tools & materials needed for the activities, the user just needs access to a kitchen! To increase  functionality for homeschooling parents, each activity includes an  instruction card with an enrichment idea to adapt the art activity to a school lesson. Kelly Kits are designed to encourage creativity & teach! Designed for ages 2 to 102!

Head over HERE and you can snag a FREE Children's Art Kelly Kit Delivered to Your Door!  A $9.99 Value, just use Promo Code: USFG99 thru Sept 15th.

 

 

*I received information for purposes of this post and am eligible for a Free Kelly Kit, however all opinions are my own.

Snag $5 School Bucks for The School Box

 

 

Check it Out!  Head over HERE and you can snag yourself $5 School Bucks at The School Box! Print it out and redeem it for $5 off your purchase of $25 or more thru 9/15.  Happy Shopping!  

Get the Celebrate Urban Birds Kit for a great Homeschool resource

Check it Out!  Here is a great homeschool resource that will also be fun!  Head over HERE and sign up to get the "Celebrate Urban Birds!" kit via The Cornenell Lab of Ornithology that includes all you need to learn to about birds!  

The Many Uses of @Ivory- my #pureivorybarsoap via @Influenster

 

Check it Out!  I have been telling you about some of the great products I got in my Mom VoxBox via Influenster a few months ago and I have to be honest.... I lost them all in the house fire, but I still wanna tell you about them.

A few days before the fire, Tori and I did a little experiment with my Ivory bar, and I did take one pic that got uploaded.  I had taken more but they were on my camera and I lost that also, so I am gonna work with what I have!

So back to the experiment... did you know that when you put Ivory soap in the microwave you will get a soap "cloud"?  Well since Ivory is 99.44% pure, it has air in it and when the air in the microwave heats, the air in the soap expands and a physical change happens.  Not only is this easy to do, it's good clean fun, because you can then take your soap clouds and use them in the tub!  Yep the soap is still usable, it just changes shape.  I actually used this as a science lesson for my kids, and it's an easy lesson to remember because it's fun! 

This is about a third of my bar of Ivory.  It only took about 30 seconds to create this little cloud in the microwave.  You will get a strong soap odor once you open the microwave door, but the smell dissipates and doesn't harm the microwave at all. 

I was already an Ivory user before receiving this sample and I always kept Ivory in the house.  It is not only an affordable product, but it floats and that is perfect for kids.  I hate searching for the soap bar in the bath and at only around $4.49 for a 10 pack of Ivory, each kid can have their own bar! 

I love the clean smell and how clean it leaves me and my family.

There are so many ways that Ivory can be used too, from bathing to clothes washing, this is one verstile product.  You can even carve it! 

*I recieved the product in this post compliments of Influenster for purposes of testing and reviewing, however all opinions are my own.

Back 2 School Blog Hop - Day 6 - Kristin McGee Power Yoga DVD

Check it Out!  It's Day 6 of our Back 2 School Blog Hop Extravaganza and today I have a cool DVD that would be great for any homeschool family, and all you Power Yoga people.

Kristin McGee has been a yoga and pilates instructor since 1996 and has provided special yoga classes for the 2002 Winter Olympics athletes.  She also choreographed and starred in MTV's first yoga video and others since.  She has books, commercials, and has been on numerous TV shows and news sopts.

This DVD Power Yoga will get your body and soul revived.  It is presented in a realistic environment with an original and motivating soundtrack so it is comfortable and it is a DVD that you will use again and again.
Wanna chance to win one?
Time for ...

*The Giveaway*

Enter to win a Kirstin McGee Power Yoga DVD via the Rafflecopter form below.

Free MaxPerks for Teachers Program at Office Max

Check it Out!  If your a Teacher and you shop at OfficeMax, you can join the Office Max MaxPerks Rewards for Teachers program and get some fab perks.  You will recieve a free membership kit and get coupons good for Free items, like tote bags and supplies!

GO HERE to get yourself registered.