Review: Children’s Bible Hour Ministries (Seasons of Faith Storybooks)

When I was a kid, I used to love listening to “read along” stories on cassette. (Those of you who grew up in the 80’s know what I’m talking about: “Turn the page when you hear this chime—DINGGG”)  While I never listened to Bible stories or anything like that (I admit they were primarily fairy tales), I was curious to see how my own children would take to the storybooks with read-along CD’s from Children’s Bible Hour.

We received 4 Seasons of Faith storybooks {You Can’t Come In, Seventy Times Seven, Braving the Storm & Race with Midnight} based on radio scripts from Children’s Bible Hour. These high quality paperbacks offer rich, full-color illustrations that kind of reminded me of pictures found in those old (like before the 80’s) series called “The Bible Story”. Remember those? The blue, hardcover books that graced many a doctor’s office waiting room? But I digress…

The Seasons of Faith series is designed to help children learn about their faith by focusing on specific faith-developing topics in each of the four seasons.

Spring: This is a time when people experience new life in Christ. Faith develops and Christians begin to share the Salvation message with others.

Summer: The season when faith grows under God’s love and care. Fruit is witnessed and triumphs are gained through applying His Word and striving to be the best we can be in Christ.

Autumn: Times of struggle and temptation, peer pressure, making mistakes, and scary transitions happen during this season. Even though it might seem like nothing good can come from this time, God has promised us He will be there. He will teach us how to forgive and then grow in grace.

Winter: This season is the most difficult. Deep struggles, mourning, trying to make it through difficult times, or the death of a loved one can pull us away from God. He teaches us to lean on Him for comfort and peace.


  

 You Can’t Come In: Adam and his new friend Zack decide to build a tree fort one warm summer day. After zooming down a hill and falling into a muddy pond, Zack asks Adam about going to church and salvation.

Will Adam be able to explain his faith to Zack?

Seventy Times Seven: Batter up! When Brad accidentally breaks the ice cream shop’s sign, the owner forgives Brad.

But when his best friend Doug ruins Brad’s favorite baseball cap, will he be able to forgive Doug?

 Braving the Storm: When Thomás moves away from his neighborhood and into a mobile home in his grandparents’ backyard, he misses his friends.

There’s nothing to do around the apple orchard with no friends, his dad works a lot, and his little brother was hurt in an accident.

All his sister wants to do is play with her dolls.

Will Thomás be able to rely on God to get through the difficult times?

 Race with Midnight: Becky spends spring break on her cousin Sarah's horse farm in Montana. Taking horse rides amidst the beautiful mountains and valleys, Becky tries to share her faith with Sarah as she talks about God's creation. Will Sarah listen? 

Details:
Each of these storybooks is available from the Children’s Bible Hour Ministries website for $10. In addition, there are a short series of discussion questions available for (free) download. You can check those out here.


Our Opinion:
The stories themselves are sweet and gently penned, but ring with a bit of a canned Bible story feel. There was always someone older and wiser to tell the main characters (or even secondary characters such as unsaved parents) about God, faith in Jesus, and how to get to Heaven which was/is fine and perfectly acceptable. However, the stories themselves just felt a bit unbelievable for my taste.

For example, in the situation of Mr. & Mrs. Palmer in “You Can’t Come In”, their son Zack shares with his mother about what his friend Adam told him about salvation. “Zack told me something Adam said,” Mrs. Palmer explained. “Adam said God didn’t want heaven ruined by sin. And God won’t let people into heaven who haven’t been cleansed of their sins. Mr. Palmer sat forward in his chair. “Zack said that?…Hmm, I guess he did some thinking.” “And I did too,” said Mrs. Palmer.

The parents then decide to take Adam’s parents up on their offer of attending church with them. Like I said, this is all well and good. Just very “predictable” and not entirely my thing.

My children weren’t too keen on the stories, either. My son (11) said he felt as though he was being “talked down to”. However, both he and my youngest daughter (10) did get a kick out of the CD’s. {Personally, I think this stems from the fact that neither one wanted to “read” that day but preferred to “listen” instead. ;o) } Later, I could hear them reciting the dialogue back ‘n forth in their own “deep, grown up” voices and laughing hysterically. They would much rather act the story out themselves than “listen” or “read” it any day! :) So the final score looks like this: Books—0 CD’s—3.

To learn more about these books, please visit the Children’s Bible Hour website. 

*As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received one free copy of each of the above books for free. No additional compensation was provided and the opinions/views expressed are my own.

Review: Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class (DVD)

For Sierra's 8th birthday (at least, I think it was her 8th birthday?) she desperately wanted a guitar. We bought an acoustic child's size one with booklet and CD for a semi-decent price. However, it went relatively "untouched" after the initial "unwrapping" ceremony.

Fast forward to Abby. On a warm summer's day, she decided to "teach herself". (Because by then we'd lost the booklet/CD. Ahem.) She spent several hours strumming away in the sun while a gentle breeze blew through her long hair. (All that was missing from that picture was a crown of flowers and dancing squirrels.) Then about two weeks later, the fascination was over.

Shortly thereafter, Ethan was bitten by the "I'm gonna be a rockstar" bug. A "bug" that passed through him with the same unfruitful results. :o/

Now they play Guitar Hero and think they're uber-cool. (Oooo! Talent!)

All of this unnecessary preamble to say, when we received a copy of Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class Volume 1 on DVD for review, I had some seriously high hopes. I was sure that this program would provide the necessary "spark" for someone in this family! And I was right....(sly grin)

Jean Welles Worship Guitar Class provides step-by-step instruction in beginning acoustic guitar. The lessons are taught by Jean herself, in a very sweet and gentle manner. The first lesson--which covers parts of the guitar, proper tuning, reading notes and understanding chords--culminates with students playing "He's Got the Whole World" with just two notes! (Pretty impressive!)

Granted, it does take awhile to get the finger switching down, so you may find yourself starting/stopping the DVD player a lot as you go along. (We certainly did!) Not only that but if you're doing it right, playing the guitar kinda hurts your fingers. From what I've been told by professional guitarists/musicians, you have to build callouses up on your fingertips in order to play without pain. But until then? Yeah. It's gonna be rough. :(

Volume One contains 7 lessons and songs that you can progress through at your own pace. Song titles include:

• He's Got the Whole World
• My All In All
• More Precious Than Silver
• Take My Life
• Lord, I Lift Your Name On High
• This Is The Day
• I Love You, Lord

The entire course consists of four DVD's (28 songs, 50 chords) that provide instruction in both English and Spanish (that's Spanish subtitles--not spoken Spanish). A companion book is also available for each volume.

You can purchase each DVD for $24.95, each companion book for $5.95, or a DVD/Book set for $29.95. Bundle packages are also available and range in price. (Click here for details)

The website comes equipped with free video clips (including the first lesson), helpful articles and more.

Personal Thoughts:

The children tried several lessons but have no desire to continue. Playing the guitar simply isn't their thing. But remember how I said I was right about this sparking someone's interest? Well, that someone happens to be my husband! Dean absolutely LOVED it! In fact, he's considering ordering the rest of the course for himself. (Who would've thought?!)

Overall, I found the course to be a good product for beginners. The lessons are short 'n simple to understand (read: not overwhelming), yet progress fast enough to foster a sense of accomplishment. If you don't have access to private (or group) music lessons, this is a decent alternative.

If guitar isn't your thing, you may want to check out their nifty looking Christian Drum and Percussion course! (You know...for Grandma's house. Wink-wink)

I give Worship Guitar Class 1.5 thumbs up; Dean gives it a high five and a resounding "Woohoo!!" The kids give it one thumb up :)

* As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received this product for free in exchage for an honest review. No additional compensation was provided and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Maestro Classics

I love classical music and enjoy listening to it throughout the day. When I was younger, one of my favorite stories was Peter and the Wolf which provided me with my first taste of this fascinating form of music. This next review product brought back some of those fond childhood memories.

Maestro Classics' "Stories in Music" cd's combines the beauty of the symphony with engaging storytelling. We received a copy of The Tortoise and the Hare for review, which is one of their newest products in a series of 8.

Created by the husband and wife duo Stephen and Bonnie Ward-Simon, Maestro Classics touts itself as "the ambassador of great music for both children and adults, helping them experience the art form in new and exciting ways. Through wondrous new recordings, innovative educational and performance materials, and uplifting live performances, Maestro Classics™ guides audiences as they expand their listening horizons and discover the magic that can only be called music."

The CD was designed for children ages 5+ and features the talented London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Stephen Simon, and professional narration by Yadu.

Other titles include:

• Peter and the Wolf
• The Story of Swan Lake
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Casey at the Bat
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
• Juanita the Spanish Lobster
• Juanita la longosta espanola
  

A coordinating 24 page full-color booklet is included in each CD. The "Tortoise & the Hare" review booklet provided the following:

• Pictures and information about the various orchestral instruments
• Simple explanation of basic musical terminology such as notes, measures and "beats"
• The differences between rabbits and hares (which came in handy right away as I had no clue and Ethan of course, asked!), and turtles and tortoises
• Accompanying music and lyrics to follow along
• and finally, a few games such as puzzles, word finds and dot-to-dots. (Answers can be found on their website under "Maestro Club")
• Because the booklets coordinate to each story, the information and activities will vary.

Each CD is available for $16.98 but you can receive a $6 discount when you order 3 for $45. (Enter coupon code MAESTRO45) Their website offers sound clips as well as lesson plans for 2 of their Cd's (Casey at the Bat and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel). The lesson plans are appropriate for grades K-3 and 4-6.

Final Opinion:

I was really impressed by the quality of this CD and the storytelling in general. Yes, it's more than a bit young for my three, but I know if they'd had this when they were younger, they would have absolutely loved it. Also, I know if we'd received the Swan Lake, my budding ballerina daughter Abby would've been all over it! :)

These lively Cd's would make a charming music appreciation supplement for your preschool through 2nd grade student.

To learn more about Maestro Classics, please visit their website by clicking here.

Now, I'm going to award this product with 2 thumbs up even though none of my children actually "enjoyed" it. (But again they're 9 1/2, 11 and 14 years old.) :)


*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a free copy of the above CD for review. No additional compensation was received and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Tektoma - Game Tutorials for Kids

Anyone who knows my children well, knows how much they enjoy a good video game. (I blame society. And their father...) In fact, my son especially adores all things Mario & Luigi and would love nothing more than to zap himself into Nintendo Land to live happily among all those funky little characters forever and ever. Or at least until he lost his last life. Then he'd want out.

Ethan has occasionally mentioned wanting to work for Nintendo when he's older and enjoys studying other gamer's strategies in order to cheat beat the games. His good friend, Adam is quite the genius (seriously!) and has partially walked Ethan through the process of creating his own video game. :)

Well, needless to say the heavens parted on this next review product and The Boy was very eager to try it out!

Tektoma offers online gaming tutorials for kids ages 7-17 using the free version of GameMaker Software(YoYo Games--which Ethan was already very familiar with). Varying skill levels make it appropriate for almost everyone and users have multiple gaming options:

• Arcade
• Racing
• Platform (Ethan's preferred format as it's most like Mario. Go figure.)
• Fantasy Adventure
• Memory

Tektoma provides several shortcuts and pre-made graphics to make the game creation process easier, however younger children may still require a bit of help. (Or mommies with absolutely no gaming background.)

Tektoma provides fresh content each month, so users never have to worry about getting "bored" and "learning it all". Their well-moderated user's forum allows children to safely ask questions, get help, and converse with other users.

Our Opinion

Like I said, Ethan was more than eager to try this out. However, he found himself struggling immediately and we couldn't figure out why the site/downloads weren't working the way they should. Well, it turns out---his mother's an idiot. Seems I failed to read the Compatibility and User Requirements before giving it a go.

Tektoma runs on Windows XP or Vista....not Windows 7. (Yeah. Guess which one we have?) But all wasn't lost. Seems there's a handy-dandy "compatibility mode" button at the top of the status bar....that and Abby's machine still runs on XP. Voila`!

Tektoma's tutorials are great. The graphics are nice and smooth (not choppy or "stupid looking"--Ethan's words), the explanations are very thorough, and students can work at their own pace.

However, getting through every single step involved with game programming is tedious to say the least. Especially when you're a mixture of Mexican, Irish, Spanish, Cherokee and Jewish blood. You have no patience with that mix of blood flowing through your veins, my dear readers. None! So needless to say, after spending over 2 hrs on one video game, we were ready to scream Ethan wanted to quit. (I don't see a desk at Nintendo on the horizon quite yet.)

I struggled a bit with Tektoma too, but only because video games are not my forte. Never have been, never will be. I had to keep going back over everything I just looked at/read because--whoosh! It was already out of my head by the time I got to the next step. (Oops)

If you have the patience coupled with a solid interest in gaming or programming, then Tektoma would be a good fit for you and your children.

A subscription to Tektoma is $14.95 per month or $140/year. You can try it out FREE for 14 days.

It requires a broadband internet connection and either Windows XP or Vista. (There is no Mac version available just yet.) The required GameMaker Lite software is available as a free download through their website.

Overall, I'd have to say that Tektoma is a useful product. Although my son and I have the patience of a gnat, that doesn't mean the website itself is to blame, nor the process of video game creation as a whole. However, we'll have to take things MUCH more slowly in the future if we ever hope to see Ethan's "inner vidiot" shine through. :)

Tektoma receives 1.5 thumbs up! :)

*I received a free membership to Tektoma for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: 3P Learning/Mathletics

This is by far one of the coolest educational websites ever! Mathletics from 3P Learning is a web-based K-8th program that provides a full math curriculum with the added bonus of friendly competition.

The site boasts an impressive array of over 750 learning games that walk students through various math concepts in a fun, step-by-step manner. Children create their own custom Avatars (think "Wii" with a purpose!), get immediate feedback on their assignments, and earn points based on their score. These points are then used to buy various features for their Avatars. (I've always said shopping was the best way to do math!--Hee hee) Children also receive printable Reward Certificates for a job well done.

Parents have the option of choosing what their students work on or give the child free-reign to work as he/she pleases. You also receive reports detailing your child's progress.

For those who enjoy putting pencil to paper, Mathletics offers nifty workbooks in pdf format, but just FYI--not all grade levels are available just yet. (They're working on it, though.)

In addition, Mathletics also offers students the chance to compete against other users from all across the globe in live races! (How cool is that?) This was the defining aspect of the program for my kids. They're all fiercely competitive and loved seeing their scores rise to the top.

Oh! One more thing. Just because they're competing against other users, doesn't mean they can actually "talk" to them. Complete online safety is one of the hallmarks of this program. Users cannot speak to one another, so you don't have to worry about some weirdo yakking to your child through this site. (Very cool!)

A subscription to Mathletics costs $59 per student per year. However, if you know what the Human Calculator's favorite number is (Psssst! The answer's 9!), then you can subscribe for $49.95. They're incredibly pro-homeschooling and even offer a beefy, 6 page brochure on the subject here.

I must admit that the price was the *only bummer* about Mathletics. Our family simply cannot afford to spend $49.95 x 3 children, no matter how cool it is. However, I may consider it later on for Ethan who absolutely ADORED the program and hates to see our trial subscription end. Price may or may not be a factor for you, based on your family's income and personal preferences. But just so you know---if they decide to offer a family rate, I'm totally jumping on it!

Overall, I'd have to say that Mathletics is a super fun, super cool program. The graphics were superb, the instruction was effective and simple to understand, the use of avatars made for a fresh, relevant approach, and the consistent pattern of rewards made for a delightful, engaging time. To learn more about Mathletics, please click here.

We proudly award Mathletics 2 Snoopy dancin' thumbs up! :)

Review: ACT Inc. Explore & Plan Assessment Tests

Attending college was never really "tops" on my Things To Do When I'm an Adult" list. I understood the reasons why some of my peers were working themselves into a frenzy over their SAT or ACT exams, but it just wasn't a priority for me. (After all, you don't need a degree to become a ballerina or a wife/mother, which were my goals at that time.)

As a homeschooling mom, college still isn't high on my list but I realize that one--if not all three--of my children may eventually want or need to attend college, based on their career choices. Enter the Explore & Plan Assessment tests from ACT Inc.!

The Explore and Plan Assessments are handy tools for parents to determine whether or not their child is on the right path for college. By taking either assessment, students gain valuable practice for the actual ACT exam, while parents are alerted to any potential learning gaps or holes that need to be covered in the process.

The Explore assessment is for 8th-9th graders, while the Plan assessment is designed for 10th graders to use as a pre-ACT exam. Each exam assesses your student's skills in four core subject areas:

• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science

Both assessment packets are available for $22.95 and contain:

• Testing booklet titled Sample Test Booklet and Answer Sheet
• Using Your Explore (or Plan) Results brochure—a brief overview of score results and the process
• College Readiness Standards handbook—a handbook that provides ideas for progress in each subject to prepare students for college or the workforce

While I may not be a huge pro-standardized testing, pro-college person, I did enjoy using the Plan test with Sierra. It didn't tell me anything I wasn't already aware of as far as her skills were concerned, but it did provide her with a helpful visual aid at this stage of her academic career. She also didn't seem to mind the testing process at all (especially when I told her it was just a "give it a shot" thing and not a "If you flunk, you have to practice saying, "Do you want fries with that?"). I'm actually looking forward to using the Plan Assessment in another year or two to see where she's improved.

If you've got a college bound student, are curious to see where you student's skills reside on the grand college scale, or simply want to brag about your skills as a homeschool teacher (Ahem! Not that any of us actually do that...), check out either the Explore or Plan Assessment Packets from ACT Inc. Click here to visit their website and learn more.

We give this handy product 2 thumbs up! :)



*As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received free copies of both the Explore & Plan assessments for the purpose of this review. No additional compensation was given and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Educaching

Whether you're directionally-challenged or not, chances are you have some sort of GPS device planted in your car or cell phone. Ours happens to be a nifty little Garmin, affectionately named "Martha".


Martha's been fairly good to us over the past year or so, helping us navigate through the rugged terrain of the Greater Seattle area. Although most roads lead to the freeway, there's the whole getting off the freeway and finding your way around after that, that's the hard part. Martha may have a quirky panache for taking us along the scenic route, but overall she's been a helpful, "fluent in droning monotone" co-pilot.


Why all this discussion about Martha? Well because without a Martha of your own, you'll have an impossible time utilizing this next homeschool product review, Educaching.

Educaching is a GPS based curriculum that incorporates math, science, and technology. Many homeschoolers are already familiar with GeoCaching, which (for those of you scratching your heads in confusion) involves using a hand-held GPS device to locate various hidden treasures or "cache" (pronounced "cash") in the area. You can learn more about this by visiting Geocaching.com.


Our family had never been Geo or Educaching before, although we do know a few families that have and ADORED it. This was actually something I'd been curious to learn more about but, due to my Swiss cheese brain, never got around to it.


As part of the TOS Crew, I received a digital copy the Educaching curriculum to review. My review is based on my family's experience only, and I received no additional compensation beyond the product itself.



What is it:



Educaching as previously stated, utilizes a hand-held GPS receiver to lead students on a hunt for various treasures or "cache". The cache can be hidden in any number of areas (near a rock, in a mailbox, up a tree, etc). All you have to do is track of the cache's coordinates, plug 'em into the receiver, send your kiddies on their quest, and off ya go!


This 128 page manual is available in PDF format for $32, or in a 3-ring Binder for $32 plus $6.95 shipping. Classroom Kits are also available for $129 and up, containing 1 or more hand-held GPS devices.


The curriculum is broken down into 5 Sections for easy navigation (Ha! Get it?):


Section 1: Teacher Training

• I totally needed this as, like I said, I've never done any sort of Geo or Edu caching before. The section explains in plenty detail just what it is you're trying to accomplish and how your GPS system works (didn't know all that myself!--Ahem).

Section 2: Lesson Plans

• Pretty self-explanatory, really. In this section, you'll find several lessons divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced sections. Also provided is a National Standards List which may or may not be beneficial to you. (I personally don't seek to conform to standards, so I skimmed this part.)

Section 3: Field Sheets

• These printables coordinate to the various lesson plans. Also provided are student and teacher maps.

Section 4: Acquiring GPS

• Information about Grant Writing and fundraising. This section would be most helpful in a classroom or co-op setting, not your average homeschooling family, seeking to add GPS based curriculum to their school.

Section 5: Beyond the Basics

• This section is actually pretty interesting as it contains info about forming your own Geocaching club, incorporating iPod usage into your hunts (Podcaching), races, postcards and more. While many of the ideas are great in theory, I would think they'd require a large group of students to perform properly such as (again) a school or co-op.

My Opinion:


I found this curriculum to be a great introduction to the world of geo/educaching. I appreciated the way everything was broken down, step-by-step, so that even newbies like me could get the gist of it.

Although Martha gave me more than a few fits at first, we soon came to an agreement that if she behaved herself, I wouldn't dump her in the nearest receptacle. (Seems she prefers my husband to me. Ahem.)

The kids really enjoyed the whole process (once Mom figured it out), and are eager to go on more educaching adventures in the very (very!) near future. In fact, my son asked if school could be like this all the time! :) (I told him that'd be fine but next time, Daddy's dealing with Martha.)

To learn more about this fun product, please visit their website by clicking here.

We're pleased to award Educaching 2 happy, snoopy-dancing thumbs up! :)

Review: Nature Friend Magazine

I've never been a huge fan of nature, science or the "great outdoors". When I was a kid, I'd often pout whenever my Mother made my sister and I go outside and play. I would much rather stay inside where it's warm 'n toasty, reading a book, playing with my dolls, or writing something in a journal. (Or pretending I was a rock star, but that was another phase...)

Climbing trees? Didn't happen. Camping? Yuck. Bugs? Don't go there. I like various furry animals (who can resist a bunny rabbit?) but not enough to actually seek them out.

But of course, God has a real snappy sense of humor and enjoys tossing a few pranks my way. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I gave birth to three nature lovin' kids. (I also cast partial blame upon my husband. He's a tree-hugging hippie.)

As part of my participation in the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received both the August and September issues (and supplemental Study Guides) of Nature Friend Magazine for review.

I'd heard of Nature Friend from my fellow homeschooling mommies but never actually read a copy. When the August issue arrived in my mailbox, I opened it up, found some very articulate photos of locusts, shrieked like a little girl, and handed it over to the kids. (Ahem)

But then I remembered that I'm a professional (nudge, nudge) reviewer, and therefore I had to give the magazine a fair shake. Once I "screwed my courage to the sticking place" (Thank you, Shakespeare), I sat down and began to read....

Nature Friend Magazine is a wholesome, Christian publication designed to teach children (about 8 years and up) all about the beauty of Creation in a simple, lovely manner.

Each monthly issue is free of advertising and filled with some of the most lush photography I've ever seen! Everything from locusts (ahem) to bunny rabbits (so cute!) to the solar system is covered in exquisite, rich detail. I found myself literally staring at some of the photos for several moments, pondering their beauty. Even my husband, an amateur photographer, commented on how extraordinary the photographs were. (Check out samples from their Photo Gallery here.)

Additional highlights include:

• 
  
  Short stories, hidden pictures, crossword puzzles and word finds,
  
  
  
• 
  
  Reader-submitted artwork, poetry, letters and "nature" experiences
  
  
  
• 
  
  Articles about a variety of animals
  
  
  
• 
  
  and a neat "You Can Draw" art lesson, Science lesson/experiment and of course, plenty of Scripture. Sample issues can be downloaded here
  
  
  

For an additional cost of only $2 per issue, you can receive their amazing Study Guide supplement. Perfect for homeschoolers, this excellent resource comes packed with additional puzzles, fill-in-the-blanks, photo critique, research questions, and a detailed writing lesson, designed to reinforce the topics covered in that month's issue. The Study Guide is reproducible, making it a supremely economical and mom-friendly!

A one year subscription to Nature Friend costs $36 (for 12 issues). The Study Guide costs an additional $24/year, bumping your subscription price up to an even $60. While this may be a bit steep for a lot of us (including myself!), I do feel that the benefit of this superior publication is well-worth the price.

To sweeten the deal a bit, Nature Friend is currently offering $3 off the subscription price from now until November 30th. Simply enter coupon code: BLOG93. (New subscribers only.)

I'm honestly very impressed with the quality of Nature Friend Magazine. Although it did little to curb my distaste of nature hikes or camping trips, I do find myself appreciating all that the Lord created just a bit more. My children have enjoyed reading it, filling in the puzzles, and studying the photography immensely. It is without a doubt, one of the best items review items we've received so far!

We proudly award Nature Friend Magazine with the highly coveted two thumbs up! :)

~Check  out what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about Nature Friend by clicking here~

Review: Vantage Learning--My Access Home Edition

As you may have already guessed, I really enjoy writing. This is just something I picked up on back when I was a kid and didn't really think too much of it until I became an adult. (Interestingly enough, it roughly coincides with the time various family members began asking me to write their letters to doctors, lawyers and supervisors, or my personal favorite--writing short blips for PTA newsletters. Hey, at least I'm good for somethin'!)

Writing for both enjoyment and "work" purposes makes me feel complete. If I've had a rough day, it serves as my release.

If I've had a great day, it serves as an outlet of thankful expression.

I've kept a journal since I was 10 years old, own a blog, write reviews, and conduct most of my communication in the form of email. So you can imagine how this carries over into our family's homeschool situation.

My children have all enjoyed writing for pleasure at one point or another. They've all written poems or short "books"--some much shorter than others. Abby's story, "Puppy's Birthday" is a prime example: "Today is puppy's birthday. Yum! Thanks for the cake Mom! You're welcome puppy! Woof-woof! The End."

However, when it came to actually teaching the mechanics of writing, I must admit (rather sheepishly) that I was a bit lost. All those years of creative writing and advanced English courses completely flew out of my head. (Whooosh!) Needless to say when I learned that we'd received a free membership to Vantage Learning's My Access! Home Edition online writing course, I did a Snoopy dance for joy. :)

*For the purpose of this review, I received a free membership to My Access! Home Edition. My review is based on my opinion of the product only. No additional compensation was received.*


My Access! Home Edition is a completely web-based writing course that teaches students the mechanics of great writing, directly from their computer. According to their website, My Access teaches students to:

"...begin by focusing on on the process of writing itself: planning, organizing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. They learn how to generate ideas, link them together in meaningful ways, and express them creatively, all while obeying the "rules" or conventions of writing and grammar." From there, the writing process builds as students "learn to organize, clarify, and communicate their thoughts."

Under the My Topics heading, parents choose which topics they want their children's essays to be about (science, history, etc). You can also choose to have your students write from a pre-selected batch of essays or create your own. It's all up to you.
Essays range from informative, persuasive, narrative, etc.

Parents also determine how many points each assignment is worth and can also create a reward for reaching a specific point amount. For example, my kids had to earn 250 points each before they got to pick out a movie of their choice. (Yeah, I'm cheap and only took them to the Redbox machine, but hey---it worked!)

Students are walked step-by-step through the writing process from pre-writing to drafting, revising/editing, to finally--the finished product. The "Tutor" function teaches students how to make their writing better and offers helpful suggestions.

The "Editor" tool works much like your word processing program (such as Microsoft Word) does, which is really helpful.... unless you happen to be writing a bit "outside the box".

In that case, the grammar correction tool goes bonkers. Ditto with spell check. If your student happens to write the name of a person or city that's not your typical-sounding name, it'll knock their point total down due to the supposed "misspelling". Kinda frustrating.

But if you're like me and can look past that, then you're good. :) However, overachievers (like my oldest--ahem!) might find this aspect a bit aggravating as they seek to obtain a "perfect" score.

One last thing; progress reports! Students receive scores such as Below Proficient, Proficient, and Advanced Proficient, and the reports are emailed to parents.

Oops...one "more" last thing: I recommend that parents actually sit with their children--at least in the beginning--while they use My Access. This is to ensure that their children aren't tempted to "beat" the system by doing the bare minimum in order to earn their points. (Ahem...not that ANYONE did that here, right kids?!)

My Access! Home Edition is a great writing tool that I've been most impressed with. I love the fact that the essays can be incorporated into any curricula you happen to be using, and provide immediate feedback to the students.

A one year subscription costs $99.95 for up to 3 students or $129.95 for 6 students. To learn more about the program, please check out their website by clicking here.

I'm pleased to award My Access! by Vantage Learning 2 thumbs up! :)

Review: Sarah Books

I love historical fiction. Getting swept up in a different time, a different world from my own, sends delicious tingles down my spine like nothing else. A well-written historical gem leaves me enchanted, dreamy-eyed, and lost in a state of unparalleled bliss.

The book, "Sarah's Wish", written by Jim Baumgardner does a good job at delivering a taste of exciting, historical fiction in a sweet little package.

Sarah's Wish is the first installment in a (currently) 3 book series. Set in 1858, the novel introduces readers to Sarah Smith, a recently orphaned 12 year old girl. Sarah is taken in by Granny Evans, a dear friend of her late mother who has quite the Southern accent. ;) (Love how she says things like "shore" instead of "sure" and "git" instead of "get". Nice touch of realism!)

Although Sarah misses her mother terribly, she "sucks it up" and continues her mother's work of helping slaves achieve freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Sarah's Wish whisks readers along a fast-paced tale filled with the ugly realities of slavery, harrowing escapes, gypsies and....butterflies. (*Grins*--That's all I'm going to say about those! You'll have to read it yourself to discover what that means. But I will say that it's really beautiful and made me tear up more than once.)

The story is filled with adventure, dangerous situations, and is a very quick read (Sierra and I each read it in less than an hour). The author doesn't go into sweeping detail nor provide adjective-riddled descriptions, which made reading a bit more difficult for me. (I'm a very visual person and like drawn-out descriptions when I read.) However, it's still a good book and one that we'd recommend to readers at a late-elementary to junior high level. A little side note: There are descriptions of blood, beatings, "whipping posts", etc. that--while accurate--are not for the faint of heart. I kinda had to skim over those parts as they just made me too squeamish on the inside. ;) My daughter Sierra on the other hand, had no such qualms.

And speaking of Sierra, her overall opinion is as follows: "The book was good, but it didn't go into enough detail for me. It moved along really fast and left me sorta "hanging" at times. Like "is that it?". Historical fiction isn't really my thing, but I liked it better than other historical novels I've read. I think girls who were ever into Little House books, horses, or studying civil rights, would appreciate this kind of book."

This book would also make a neat supplement to Black History Month activities within your homeschool.


Sarah's Wish is available for $9.99 through SarahBooks.net. This and other "Sarah" titles are also available through Amazon.com. But--this is really neat, listen up!--if you order from SarahBooks.net, Jim Baumgardner will personally autograph it, just for you! How cool is that?

Honestly, I was so impressed to find the autograph, complete with a pretty little butterfly sticker on the inside page of my review copy, that I was literally speechless. (No easy feat, lemme tell ya!) But honestly...talk about your personalized customer service! Wow!

In addition, each book comes with a coupon code to download the FREE audio version as well. (Instructions are found on the last page.)

Check out Sarahbooks.net to read excerpts from the Sarah Books, learn more about the "mighty gentlemanly" author, and sign up for the nifty e-newsletter filled with all sorts of interesting activities, recipes, poems, and more.

We appreciated the book, Sarah's Wish for the quick, lively read that it is. Although we personally would've enjoyed more details, the story and presentation of historical content--however disturbing at times--was terrific.

Our family awards Sarah's Wish and Sarah Books 1.5 thumbs up.

Review: College Prep Genius (Part Deux)

My first post about this product can be found here. This post serves as my formal review.

About the Program:

Created by fellow homeschooling mother Jean Burk, College Prep Genius is a PSAT/SAT prep program designed to teach students several helpful tricks, strategies, and acronyms to improve their overall SAT scores, thus paving the way to receive a free college education. The program consists of a textbook, workbook and 4 disc DVD set.


Using the Program:

My 13 year old daughter initially read through the entire textbook (in one day!--and not a my suggestion, either) to familiarize herself with the program. From there, we discussed how it would/not work for her, and her initial impression.

(I did not have her take the practice SAT exam. I instead selected random questions from the test for her to work through, while I gauged her overall approach and answers.)

While reading through the book, she found the amount of acronyms completely mind-boggling and overwhelming. In fact, she wasn't sure how they'd help her ace the SAT in the long run, as she was having a hard time memorizing them to begin with. (Memorizing the acronyms is a crucial aspect of College Prep Genius.)

Then it was my turn to read through the material. Oh boy! Let me tell you...I thought my eyeballs were going to fall out of their sockets. The sheer volume of information you're asked to retain is incredible!

Even after all that, we weren't about to give up without a fight. :) We were going to tackle this whopper, head-on!

After clearing our heads a bit, we decided to watch the DVD's together. This seemed to create a "light bulb" moment for us. Suddenly everything we'd read in the book made much more sense. Although the acronyms were still hard for Sierra to remember (like I said, there's a LOT of them!), she found the DVD's far easier to understand vs. simply reading the textbook. (The whole visual-learning thing in action, I suppose.)

We then worked through several sample math problems and practice essays, utilizing Burk's strategies. The results were amazing! I was so impressed with the whole "use logic to solve math problems without ever using a calculator" method, that I found myself (proudly--very, very proudly) solving algebraic equations with no difficulty, whatsoever. Sierra too, found herself understanding these normally "over her head" concepts with great success.
Now, I'm a huge proponent of finding a trick to solving problems. Back in school, one of the ways I learned my spelling words was to set the letters to a sort of "beat" with accompanying movement. (F-R-I...shoulder shake...E-N-D.)

Yes, I was a pretty weird kid. (And an even weirder adult!) However, I found the College Prep Genius method to be somewhat similar, albeit much more logical, in approach.

Details:

The overall key to SAT success, Burk stresses, is that the SAT doesn't measure what students already "know". It instead tests their ability to think logically. Also, there is no penalty for taking the SAT more than once, therefore students are highly encouraged to take the test multiple times in order to achieve their desired score.

The DVDs feel like a bit like a company Power-Point presentation with Jean Burk's kindly voice reading and explaining the text on the screen. Everything is presented in a "follow the bouncing ball" manner, with no frills or hype. Students are encouraged to follow along in their workbooks throughout the duration of the DVD's.

The textbook is a 178 page gold mine containing a wealth of information on everything from transcript information, reminders for getting enough rest, suggested hours of study (150), scholarship information and more.

Ok, back to the 150 hours of study....These should not be completed in a few weeks or even a couple of months! Rather, I would highly suggest that students take their time when working through this program. Otherwise, they may quickly become frustrated and begin reciting acronyms in their sleep!


Conclusion and Final Thoughts:

College Prep Genius is a very "meaty" course. Especially designed for the college-bound students, it's very detailed and extremely thorough. Even if your child doesn't necessarily want to attend college, this program would still prove beneficial due to the powerful test-taking strategies.

Like I said, Sierra was very overwhelmed at first. But later, she discovered she actually enjoyed the program (imagine that!), despite the fact that she hasn't officially decided on college yet.
I too was taken aback by its "beefiness" at first, but I'm now looking forward to using it with all three of my children later on.

College Prep Genius is available for a limited time for only $79. This is a great bargain considering the cost of tutors, or all the time and frustration associated with "going it alone". The website also provides several helpful articles on all aspects of college and SAT prep. Click here to learn more.

We award College Prep Genius with 1.5 thumbs up.

Review: Bonnie Terry Learning

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Math is not a favorite subject around here. At least not for us girls. Ethan on the other hand, seems to love it. (Where he gets that love from, I have no idea.) However, even though The Boy enjoys said subject, he often gets very, very bored with worksheets and textbooks. In fact, he'd rather play in his own drool than complete another dry, boring worksheet. (Sorry, that was gross...)

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when we received a package from Bonnie Terry Learning containing her Math Zone card game and Easy Math Reference Guide, my son was thrilled. My daughters..? Well, let's just say I was pleased with their reaction as well. (More on that in a bit...) :)

Bonnie Terry is an "internationally recognized expert in the area of educational therapy and learning disabilities. She's served as a special education teacher since 1973 and is currently an Educational Therapist in private practice." Ms. Terry's materials, packaged under Bonnie Terry Learning, are utilized in public, private, and home schools throughout the country.

Her philosophy is one that I readily agree with: "All students can learn. They just need the tools and the encouragement to find their wings to reach their goals..." If you child struggles in the areas of reading, writing, math, or study skills, Ms. Terry probably has the answer you're looking for. :)

*As I've previously mentioned, I received a free copy of "The Math Zone" card game and "Easy Math Reference Guide" for the purpose of this review.*

The Math Zone is an nifty card game designed to build basic math skills in a fun, drool-free way. Players answer an addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problem based on the cards they draw from the pile. Their correct answers serve as point values (example: Answer 7x2 correctly, get 14 points). The game quickly becomes exciting with the drawing of a "Sorry" card, which will reduce your points by half (ugh!), or the awesome "Bonus" card which doubles your points (hooray!).

This game was a lot of fun to play. It definitely beats flashcards any day, and all three children really got a kick out of it (even if Sierra initially said "The words "fun and "math" do not belong in the same sentence."). We plan to continue to use it a few days a week instead of our regular worksheets...just to spice things up a bit. ;o)

The Math Zone contains 81 cards in two decks (7-9 years old & 9 years-adult), "Bonus" and "Sorry" cards, and directions for play. You can purchase directly from Bonnie Terry Learning.com for only $12. The price I feel is extremely reasonable, considering it's non-consumable, you can use it with nearly every child, and it's just plain ol' FUN! It works...we love it...can't say enough good things about it. Period.

Next up is the Bonnie Terry Easy Math Reference Guide. This 16 page guide is filled with a variety of tips and explanations of math concepts spanning grades 1-8. It covers all operations such as:

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication and Division
• Graphs
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Percents
• Geometry
• Measurements
• Word Problem Strategies
• Math Vocabulary Terms
• and a host of additional concepts and topics.

Best of all, this super-handy tool arrives 3-hole punched and binder-ready. Just snap it in and you're off! This would make a good study tool for parents as well as students. (I don't know about you, but sometimes I umm..forget?...how to do certain math computations. But I'm sure I'm the ONLY one with this problem, right?)

The BT Easy Math Reference Guide is available for $17 through Bonnie Terry Learning.com. These products are also available in their Math Pack which also contains their "Super Spacers" paper organizers (a product I did not receive, therefore cannot write about) for $35.

Overall, our family was very impressed with the materials from Bonnie Terry Learning. They performed just as they said they would and my children enjoyed using them. You can learn more about these great materials by visiting their website.

While you're there, be sure to sign up for Bonnie's "Ten Free Tips to Eliminate Homework Wars and Improve Your Child's Reading". You can also find additional information about properly diagnosing your child's learning disabilities, including dyslexia by clicking here.

We're proud to award Bonnie Terry and her products with two happy thumbs up. :)

Review: We R Fun Inc.-- Life on the Farm Board Game

Generally speaking, my children love games. Not necessarily board games, but every now 'n then they get in the mood for a round of Monopoly or something similar. More often than not however, their gaming is limited to the Wii variety. Ahem.

I'm always on the lookout for something new to engage their brains; something that will not only teach but provide a quality entertainment as well.

We R Fun Inc. produces the board game Life On The Farm. The game's creators, real life 3rd generation dairy farmer, Keith Gohl and his sister Ev Johnson designed the game to give us city slickers a taste of what life was really like down on the family farm.

In Life On The Farm, "you race against your neighbors to buy more cows, and your income and your expenses grow as fast as your herd does! Collect your 'Milk-Check' when you pass the barn - market values can change with each roll of the dice! This game is filled with authentic family farm life experiences, yet it is easy to understand and play. A real family game - it was designed so ages 8 to 108 can easily play together, comfortably! First to "Retire" wins!"

Players start out with $10,000 and no cows. As you go around the board, cows are purchased from the Cattle Auction at $500 a head. The goal is to run your farm--complete with various expenses, mishaps (like say, having to slaughter ol' Bessie, or help a neighbor round up a few wayward heifers), paying taxes--better than the others so you can eventually retire at the end with 60 cows. (There's also a shorter version of game play where you only need 30 cows.)

I was very impressed by the quality of this game. Everything from the game board, to the detail of the pieces (including little cows on the money!), to finally the sturdiness of the box itself was great. And while the game is touted as being fast-paced, it really does take awhile to finish. Sort of like Monopoly. (A game I never could sit through, as I grew bored with it too quickly.)

Equally impressive was the fact that it actually *teaches you* a lot about farming--the good and the unpleasant. While I admit I've never really put much thought into it, it was rather interesting. (My previous thoughts went something like this: "Gallons of milk come from stores. Milk comes from cows. Happy cows come from California.")

With all that said, I have to be honest and say that my children and I just aren't that into farming. Or cows. We don't even participate in 4-H. Therefore, despite the business aspect of the game--which is really neat--I can't see my brood reaching for it very often. They played a round of it to "test it" but got bored with it after awhile.

Life On The Farm is available for $25 directly from We R Fun Inc as well as Kmart.com. A preschool version (with NO reading required) is also available for $20. Please click here for more information.


We give Life On The Farm 1 thumb up. :)

*As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I received a free copy of the above game for review. No additional compensation was provided and my opinions are strictly my own.*

Review: Virginia Soaps & Scents

Some folks are just oh-so crafty. I personally have a hard time creating anything but a tidy sense of order. I used to fail art class back in school (no joke), and I can't stand getting my hands dirty for the purpose of creativity and artful expression.

I have a few uber-crafty friends who sew, knit, make candles, and are familiar with the inner workings of Michael's and JoAnn fabrics. You'd think that being a homeschooling mom, this would just somehow magically transfer over to me. But you'd be wrong.

So when I heard that as part of the TOS Crew, I'd be receiving a package from Virginia Soaps & Scents for review, my first thought was "Uh oh! I have to make soap?!"

But contrary to my initial thought, Virginia Soaps & Scents does not force the consumer to "make" their own soap but rather, they make it for you.

Owned and operated by the Spargur family, a fellow homeschooling clan located in (where else?) Virginia, Virginia Soaps & Scents produces a number of homemade "gourmet" soaps, plus lip balm, laundry soap, pet shampoo and more.

For the purpose of this review, I received one each of the following products:

• Oatmeal, milk & honey soap
• Fresh orange soap
• Coconut Lemongrass soap
• Ginger Lime Shampoo Bar
• Laundry Soap Kit

Each of the soaps I received were the 1.75 oz "Bed & Breakfast" size samplers. Their regular sized bars are 4.75 ounces for the soap, and 5.5 oz for the Shampoo Bar.

Our Thoughts:

When I first opened my package, the family was greeted with a lovely combination of pleasing aromas. Everything smelled so good, that all five of us inhaled each bar and sighed, "Ahh....!"

Shortly thereafter, Dean and I walked outside in the backyard with the dogs. Suddenly we both paused and sniffed the air. Dean said, "Something smells good out here." I sniffed again. "Yeah, you're right. Hmm...Do you think it could be the soap?"

Since we couldn't tell if it was that or just some kind neighbor baking a fruit pie, we decided to have the kids sniff the soap and walk outside, too. You know, for scientific confirmation.

Yep. It was the soap! (Bummer about the pie though...) Moving on!

The next morning, the children and I put everything to the test, starting with the bar soap and shampoo bar.

The Soap: $4.50/each, 3/$12 or Buy 4/Get 1 Free

The soap lathers up quite nicely, and again, had a nice fragrance to it. The Fresh Orange smelled almost good enough to eat! The Oatmeal, Milk & Honey bar has a slightly rough texture that was great for exfoliation. Sierra used this one and really liked it. She said it didn't make her skin feel itchy at all, which was great.

Abby used the Fresh Orange bar and liked how it made her skin feel "soft" and "smell nice". Ethan used the Coconut Lemongrass and said it smelled "like summer time". This didn't make him break out in itchiness, either. (We all have very sensitive, eczema-riddled skin.) The only thing we didn't like was that the fragrance didn't last all day long. But that's really minor compared to not itching all day!

Shampoo Bar: $5.50

According to Mrs. Spargur, this product works so well for her that she no longer uses conditioner. Hmm...I had to test that theory out for myself.

Now with the Shampoo Bar, you have to actually RUB it on your hair. You don't lather it up in your hands. It only took a few rubs before I had a luxurious lather going on. It smelled great, rinsed well, and I skipped the conditioner as planned.

Once my hair was dry, my hair felt incredibly clean--like really, super-duper clean. Perhaps "too clean". And it didn't brush out well, either. Note to self: I'm definitely not a "skip the conditioner" kind of girl!

So the next day, I used the Shampoo Bar again, only this time adding my usual conditioning rinse.

My hair felt even worse.

I don't know what it was, but it was just not clean looking or feeling that second time around. Maybe it was the conditioner not playing well with the Shampoo bar or something. I'm not sure. All I knew was that it was definitely a ponytail day after that. (Ahem)

My daughter, Sierra also had the same results with the Shampoo Bar. In the end, we decided it was good to use maybe a once a week, to really deep-clean our hair. More than that was simply too much for our hair type.

However! All was not lost with the Shampoo Bar. It's also recommended as an all-over body bar (hair, skin, shaving), which we again, put to the test. This time? We absolutely LOVED it!

Our skin felt great; no itchiness, no redness. In fact, I think it actually improved the look of my facial skin during the few weeks I used it! My face just felt nicer after each use. Never dry or tight, nor did it break me out (a common issue with many facial products). And anything that doesn't give me a zit is worth it's weight in gold in my book!

Laundry Soap Kit: $4.95

Now, this was the product I was most looking forward to! I've been making my own laundry soap for a few months now, and had actually just ran out when this Kit arrived. (Perfect timing, eh?)

The Kit contains pre-measured amounts of grated lard soap, Borax and Washing Soda, which make a 1/2 gallon of laundry soap. All you need is a bucket and hot water!

I actually liked the way this soap turned out more than my current recipe. It turned to a nice gel consistency, whereas my current recipe didn't. ('Twas supposed to but...?). As there's no fragrance to this product, your clothes won't smell "Tide fresh", but they will indeed be clean. The cost per use comes out to about 5 cents per load, which makes this an incredibly economical option.

This Kit is perfect for those curious types who aren't ready to make a full commitment to the Homemade Laundry Soap Club.

Virginia Soaps & Scents has a variety of Samplers and Gift Baskets available, which would be perfect for your holiday shopping needs! I'm considering purchasing a few samplers to give as gifts myself. :) (Friends and family: You did NOT read that last line. Ahem.)

Their customer service is impeccable and their products are terrific. I loved how everything was so sweetly packaged, smelled great, and didn't involve me actually making soap. (Well, aside from the laundry detergent, but that's different.) Their prices are reasonable, and I am very pleased with everything I tried.

To learn more about Virginia Soaps & Scents, please visit their website by clicking here.

We're pleased to award Virginia Soaps & Scents two very happy thumbs up!

Review: ABC Teach.com

I'm a big-time fan of worksheets. Whether this stems from my years in school or just an insane fascination with the printed word (or a combination of both), I cannot say for sure. All I know, is that I tend to do an awful lot of worksheet printing around here, and my ink and paper costs reflect that.

For several years, I've been aware of and used ABCTeach.com, but never their paid membership subscription. However, as part of the TOS Crew, I was provided with full, free access to their website in exchange for this review.


What it is:

ABCTeach.com contains an extensive library of printable worksheets on virtually every subject imaginable, for Kindergartners on up to the upper elementary/junior high level. (Although there seems to be much more available for the elementary-aged students verses the older ones.)

The website offers everything from your basic "readin' writin' and 'rithmatic" sheets, to themed worksheets, book report outlines, handwriting practice, coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, flashcards, and more.

For the classroom teacher, the site provides nifty items like bulletin board trims, incentive charts, name tags, and certificates, plus lesson plan templates, power point presentation templates, and portfolio evaluation sheets.

While the site offers 5000+ free worksheets, paid members receive access to over 35,000 additional worksheets and teacher helps, with new items added each week, plus have access to their Worksheet Generator. (Umm...wow! Talk about a huge difference!)

What it costs:

Obviously, the free option is self-explanatory. With this option your access is very limited, but there are still several great worksheets to choose from. The free worksheets also contain ads, and there's no getting around them. Free users also do not have access to their Worksheet Generator, which is a bummer because it's so neat. (I loved the word shape one the best! It worked out really well for my "I hate spelling" son.)

Membership Package: $40/year or $70/ for two years, for 1-9 students. Larger groups receive a reduced rate of $35-25, based upon number of licenses. Groups of 100 or more are offered their "Super Site Licensing Price".

Paid members receive access to every single worksheet available, plus the Worksheet Generator, and your worksheets are ad-free. For more information, please click here.


Final Opinion:

I have to say that while I'm a fan of worksheets, I do have a problem paying for them. However, after using the paid membership service for a few weeks, I find myself torn in regard to the $40 price tag. Yes, it's still a bit much for our family's budget right now, but perhaps say around tax-return time, I may reconsider.

I was very impressed with the differences between the free vs. paid offerings, and my younger two children looked forward to the many different worksheets (I think they were bored with the other ones...oops!). Several times, I just let them scroll through the site and pick out one or two worksheets they wanted to do for fun. (Yeah, we're weird like that...) But in all honesty, they loved it.

Overall, I'd have to say that ABCTeach.com is a worthy site. While worksheets may not necessarily be every homeschooler's "thing", I do think that even the most die-hard, anti-worksheet family would glean some benefit from utilizing this website.

It also may not be the most economical option, depending upon your family's budget. However, when you consider all you get for $40 a year, especially for the younger grades, it doesn't seem too bad.

Therefore, I proudly award ABCTeach.com 1.5 thumbs up. :)