God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh is a compact, hardcover book. The crown on the cover has inset jewels and the word Bible glitters with pretty pink sparkles. Most little girls would be drawn to this book immediately.

This is not really a Bible, per se, but more of a devotional book. A very girly devotional book. It contains sections of Scripture from the International Children’s Bible, along with articles and a variety of special features inserted throughout. These include songs, “beauty” secrets, “Bible Princesses”, tips on costume making and creating skits, ways to show love to other, character traits, etc.

The suggested age is 4 to 7 and this seems right on to me. The large print and pastel colors make this ideal for beginning readers, although the words themselves may still prove difficult. It would also make a very cute devotional for mom’s to enjoy with their daughters.

God’s Little Princess Devotional is available for $ 16.99 at Thomas Nelson Publishers, as well as your local bookstore .

What He Must Be...if he wants to marry my daughter by Voddie Bachman

What He Must Be... if he wants to marry my daughter by Voddie Bachman is somewhat mistitled, as it is meant to be more than just a book to hand to your future son-in-law. The author intends it to be a call to repentance for Christian men everywhere, both wed and unwed. He fills the pages with his interpretation of what Biblical manhood should be and what it should not.

Voddie Bachman is one of the teachers in a Sunday School curriculum I have used in the past and I really liked him as a teen speaker. I was looking forward to reading his book and am disappointed to admit that I am disappointed. I found this to be a difficult read. Although filled with great Biblical instruction, the tone read harshly at times. There seemed to me to be a lack of grace and occasions where other Christian perspectives that may not line up with Mr. Bachman’s were mentioned unnecessarily in derogatory tones. There were also wonderful sections that hit Scripture right on and presented challenges to men of today that I believe need to be heard and received. The last chapter on racism was well done and interesting to read from the perspective of a black man (as obviously, I am neither!).

He is very conservative in his Biblical view and promotes the headship of men, courtship, the blessing of children, and the priesthood of the father. He presents Scriptural evidence to back up his views, which I appreciate. What I had trouble with was that his opinions and those of the people he quoted frequently were presented in somewhat the same tone, without giving much leeway for different positions within the Scriptural parameters. Even when his opinions reflected mine, which they did more than they didn’t, I was put off that there wasn’t a better distinction.

Is this a book I would hand to the man who wants to marry my daughter? Not without reservations. There is treasure to be found within these pages, but it’s one of those where I would suggest taking the meat and spitting out the bones. If you are unable to add a tone of grace to your reading, please pass on this one. If you are able to read the Scripture for yourself and compare and contrast this with what is merely opinion on his part, you may find lots to chew on with this book.

What He Must ...if he wants to marry my daughter is available for $15.99. Check out other offerings and opportunities from Crossway Publishers at www.Crossway.org/blog

Yoplait Thick & Creamy + Giveaway

I love food reviews, especially when I get to review something I already adore. I am a fan of all Yoplait yogurts, it’s my favorite brand, and I usually purchase a couple of large boxes of it every month at BJ’s. I could sum up this review right now with one word- YUM.

But you may want a little more than more yum, so I’ll have to wax poetic on one of my favorite foods. Oh, the difficulties of life.

Yoplait has always been a favorite, as the fruit is already mixed and the flavors perfectly combined. I have the opportunity with this review to share my thoughts on the Yoplait Thick & Creamy version. I received my coupon and picked up the strawberry-banana flavor. This is one of my favorite combinations in many different foods and the smoothness and sweetness here did not disappoint. I usually am a fan of chunks of fruit, but the creaminess in this yogurt made me second guess that choice. It was delicious. Again, one word- YUM.

My friend still has toddlers and she mentioned how much she loves the Yoplait Thick & Creamy for her littles. The consistency is easy for them to swallow and the taste makes them believe they are having a treat, when actually they are eating healthy. Every mom’s dream to have that combination, right?

I was sent a nice box of stationery, along with my coupon for a free container of Yoplait Thick & Creamy. The box contained a pen, writing paper, note cards, and a really neat set of pretty sticky notes. I also received the offer to share a coupon and a box of stationery with two of you as a giveaway! I love giveaways and was happy to oblige. So if you’d like to win a coupon for a container of Yoplait, nestled in a box of cute stationery, leave a comment below letting me know you’d like to be entered.

Giveaway Instructions:

• Leave a comment above (required)

• Follow and/or subscribe to this blog (optional, for an extra entry.)

• Share this giveaway with your blog readers, linking to this post (optional, for extra entry)

• Share this giveaway on your Facebook/Twitter (optional, for extra entry)

For all extra entries, please leave an extra comment, letting me know which option you chose. If you already follow/subscribe, leave an extra comment saying so and be entered twice! The drawing will be held on August 3rd, so please enter by Sunday August 2nd, midnight EST.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. 

Wake Me by Tal & Acacia plus GIVEAWAY!

I love music. I grew up hanging around with my uncle and his band, listening to them jam. Most of the fond childhood memories I can recall revolve around music and singing (One uncle could do a mean Elvis impersonation!). I developed an appreciation for just about every genre out there. Now that I am a Christian, music that proclaims the Lord and His goodness and love is especially appreciated. I was super excited to be asked to review Tal & Acacia and even more excited to have the opportunity to share one of their Cd's with one of you! See the bottom of this post for instructions on entering the giveaway.

Tal & Acacia are new contemporary Christian artists whose joy in Him is contagious. Sisters from Maine, their voices blend into one strong and sometimes funky sound. Their style is somewhat similar to that of Joy Williams or Natalie Grant. I'd love to hear them branch out into some folk rock, ala Jennifer Knapp. One of the girls has a certain tone in her voice that I just love. It seems like it would be a perfect fit for a folk rock tune. Perhaps in their sophomore album?

I popped the CD in the van on the way to youth group. My sixteen year old daughter and her friend were unsure at first but the longer we listened, the more they began to enjoy what they were hearing. Highlights for us were Yahweh, Wake Me and Drifting Away. My daughters friend really liked Drifting Away. It has it's own original sound with nice harmonies. It's one of my favorites as well.

We arrived before the end of the album and I listened to the rest alone on my way home. The last song nearly brought me to tears. Warrior Child is a tender reminder that in the midst of battle, when you're at the point of wondering if you're going to make it after all, God has not forgotten you. You are never alone and never without His love.

"The war has kept you on your knees and you confess, 'I am tired, there's nothing left.'...Empty and alone you cry those precious tears. Warrior Child, I'm still here."

I would recommend this album on the strength of that song alone but I'm happy to say that there are many more that I know I'll be singing along to for awhile to come. All in all, it's a very good debut album and I look forward to hearing more from Tal & Acacia.

Interested? Head on over to their website, where you can download three of the tracks from the album. It looks like there are only a few tracks available at this point, from either iTunes or Amazon. Hmm...my copy says release date of July 14, 2009. Amazon has it listed as December 25, 2009. I'll try to remember to edit this post when the album is available. In the meantime, if you like what you hear, you can follow them on Twitter/Facebook/MySpace.

Wow, I guess that makes this giveaway even more valuable! Would you like to win a pre-release copy of Wake Me by Tal & Acacia?

Giveaway Instructions:

• Leave a comment above (required)

• Follow and/or subscribe to this blog (optional, for an extra entry.)

• Share this giveaway with your blog readers, linking to this post (optional, for extra entry)

• Share this giveaway on your Facebook/Twitter (optional, for extra entry)

For all extra entries, please leave an extra comment, letting me know which option you chose. If you already follow/subscribe, leave an extra comment saying so and be entered twice! The drawing will be held on August 3rd, so please enter by Sunday August 2nd, midnight EST.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. 

Homeschool Reviews...and More!

Welcome!  Hearthside Homeschool Reviews...and More provides homeschool curricula and product reviews, as well as reviews of items not specific to homeschooling but of interest to homeschoolers.  The More also means more than just reviews. I'd like to share about our experiences homeschooling in a crazy family of nine. We've graduated our oldest, homeschooled K-12, and we've had our ups and downs along the way. Our next oldest is scheduled to graduate June of 2010. With my youngest currently finishing up second grade, I have many more years of this adventure to continue learning and growing. I don't pretend to be an expert but would love to share what I've learned over the years and hope you will share in the comments section as well!  I'd love it if we could encourage each other along the way.

This site began in 2008 when I discovered that I'd been chosen to be a TOS Crew reviewer with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. My first year of reviewing was a huge learning process and it was all I could do to keep up with digging into the products and attempting to write helpful reviews.  The second year is coming to a close and I hope the addition of the new Blog Cruise Question of the Week, as well as the personal updates, have been helpful and/or encouraging to you.  

If you'd like to know more about me, check out the Welcome! on the far right sidebar of my much neglected personal blog, Reflections and Ramblings of a Not-So-Superwoman.  If you're a vendor interested in a product review and/or giveaway, please contact me at HomeschoolReviewsandMore@yahoo.com.  I do not promise positive reviews but do promise honest ones!

*Welcome post edited on 4/11/10.

Nature Valley's Nut Clusters

I started out reviewing homeschooling products (which I love!), added in a few book reviews (allows me to lose myself in a book more and call it "work"), and am now branching out into other products of interest to me. Hopefully they will be of interest to others as well!

MyBlogSpark is a fun program where bloggers can receive and review products. My first MyBlogSpark review is for Nature Valley's Nut Clusters. I am always looking for all natural, healthy snacks for the kids (and me!) and thought this product sounded like it could do the trick. I was happy to discover that it did indeed!

Nature Valley's Nut Clusters are like bite sized nut filled granola bars. I tried all four varieties; Peanut, Almond, Cashew, and Nut Lovers. I expected the Cashew to be my favorite but was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Nut Lovers. I am not really a nut lover and am often encouraged to eat nuts as a way to consume more protein. I usually find this difficult to do, as nuts are not a favorite. However, something about the combination of nuts, granola, and a touch of sweetness makes Nut Clusters a great solution and a great snack.

My children loved them as much as I did! They make a perfect snack at home or on the go. It's beach season for us and these are easy to toss in the tote bag on the way out the door. Our family really enjoyed them. If you give them a try next time you're grocery shopping, pop back here and let me know what you think!

Encouragement for the Day

"Bend the curriculums to fit your family. Do not bend your family to some curriculum written by a stranger who does not know your children." ~ Ruth Beechick

Links to Free Online Homeschool Helps!

The TOS Crew has it's own forum for questions regarding review products, etc. We also have a general conversation board where we like to chit chat about most things homeschool. The topic of homeschool freebies came up recently and many great links were shared. I thought this a great topic to share with you all!

I am not familiar with all of these sites, so please surf at your own risk, but have fun! If you have a favorite freebie site to share, let me know in the comments section and I can add it to the appropriate section.

Audiobooks:
http://www.archive.org/browse.php?field=subject&mediatype=audio&collection=oldtimeradio
http://librivox.org/

Bible:
http://children.calvarychapel.com/site/curriculum.htm
http://www.lampquill.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=28
http://firefighters.org/

Charlotte Mason:
http://amblesideonline.org/
http://homemade.truepath.com/
http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/curriculum.html
http://charlottemason.tripod.com/nature.html
http://www.backyardnature.net/nsop/welcome.htm

Early Learning:
http://janbrett.com/
http://www.letteroftheweek.com/
http://first-school.ws/
http://www.abcteach.com/

File Folders/LapBooking/Notebooking:
http://www.filefolderfun.com/
http://www.lapbooklessons.com

File Sharing/Networking:
http://www.hslaunch.com/mypage/

Foreign Language:
http://www.byki.com/
http://www.livemocha.com/
http://onlinefreespanish.com/

Geography:
http://www.50statesofmind.com/
http://www.wartoft.nu/software/seterra/
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_Intermed_State15s_500.html
http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf

History:
http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm
http://www.readingyourwaythroughhistory.com/

Homeschool Helps/Encouragement:
http://simplycharlottemason.com/ (free e-books linked in left sidebar)
http://donnayoung.org/index.htm
http://www.HomeschoolOasis.com

Language Arts:
http://www.englishgrammar101.com/
http://www.learningisland.org/
http://www.sfreading.com/resources/ghb.html
http://www.sillybooks.net/Catalog.htm
http://www.spellingcity.com/
http://www.classicreader.com/
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/freefonts/tp/Free_Handwriting_School_Fonts.htm
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/handwriting.htm
http://www.eclipsecrossword.com/
http://www.starfall.com/
http://www.thepcmanwebsite.com/pclibs.shtml
http://mystorytown.com/
http://www.mainlesson.com/main/displayarticle.php?article=aboutus

Lending Library:
http://www.hepn.com/library/content/

Math:
http://coolmath4kids.com/
http://www.mathfactcafe.com/
http://multiplication.com/
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/itv/MathDude/index.shtm
http://www.schoolhousetech.com/Downloads/
http://www.bigbrainz.com/
http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm
http://themathworksheetsite.com/
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/
http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm
http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/~csmp/

Misc.:
http://education-world.com/
http://www.freelyeducate.com/
http://heartofthematteronline.com/
http://www.hippocampus.org/index.html
http://academicearth.org/

Music:
http://www.music-utilities.com/

Reference:
http://www.britannica.com/#
http://1828.mshaffer.com/

Science:
http://www.squidoo.com/cmnaturestudy
http://www.eequalsmcq.com/
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/
http://icwdm.org/Inspection/droppingfeces.asp
http://charlottemason.tripod.com/nature.html
http://www.backyardnature.net/nsop/welcome.htm

Typing:
http://kids.learn2type.com/NewUser
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Unit Studies:
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/
http://www.easyfunschool.com/
http://www.eclectichomeschool.org/
http://highland.hitcho.com.au/

Worksheets:
http://www.schoolexpress.com/
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/
http://donnayoung.org/index.htm
http://first-school.ws/
http://themathworksheetsite.com/
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/

This seemed like a good topic for Works For Me Wednesday, so I've added it there as well. Hopefully this list will be helpful to someone!