Hearthside Homeschool Reviews...and More

Brian Richardson's Web Design For Kids (...And Curious Grown-Ups!) is an instructional video on DVD that teaches your student (and you!) how to navigate the sometimes seemingly confusing world of HTML. Using only Notepad and Internet Explorer (or TextEdit and Safari if you're on a Mac), the student will learn how to build their own web page without needing an Internet connection. At an hour and twenty minutes long, it teaches basic lines of codes, designing backgrounds, font and background coloring, changing fonts, adding pictures and moving letters.

I sat down with my 14 year old son and we decided to view this DVD directly on our desktop, pausing and minimizing as needed to work on the site. At first, Brian Richardson's delivery is quite stiff and the staged questions of the two "students" almost humorous but the information was great and the instructor seemed to relax a bit more as it went along. My son and I were able to follow along without any problems.

About fifteen minutes or so into the lesson, I had to leave for several hours. My son decided to continue working without me. When I returned later that evening, he had finished the DVD, created the basic "candy" site taught on the video, and then built another site of "Random Facts". I have some familiarity with HTML, just picking it up here and there via blogging, and was amazed when he began telling me how to change colors and spouting off color codes. His only complaint was that the DVD ended before explaining how to publish his new site to the Internet.

Brian Richardson is currently at work on his second DVD, which will cover publishing aspects, but was nice enough to give us a quick instructional page so we could get it up and running for now. You can you see my son's Random Facts site HERE. This page was created using Notepad, Internet Explorer, Paint, and a free photo site suggested in the DVD.

Web Design For Kids does a great job teaching the basics of HTML in a simple, easy to follow manner. After "helping" my friend redesign this web site using Dreamweaver, I understand the need for knowledge of HTML even when using some of these great software programs available to us today. She needed to locate and change the HTML code several times as we revamped everything. Understanding the basics is a skill that I'm confident will come in handy for years to come.

I asked my son to add his thoughts and he had this to say, "I thought it was great. I just wanted more and want the next one to come out so I can keep going with this. It was actually a lot of fun." This from a kid in his last two weeks of summer vacation who volunteered to spend an afternoon testing this out for me. He continues to pop on the desktop and add to his site, with no prompting from me.

Web Design for Kids (...And Curious Grown-Ups!) is available for $40. There is a 50% off special currently. This is labeled as a Summer Special so I am unsure how long it will last.

A few years ago, after reading Senior High: A Home Designed Formula for the second time through, I sat down and wrote out Our Family & Homeschool Vision. It seems that at the end of every year I am questioning myself and wondering if we did enough, if we did the right things, if we did the wrong things, etc. Then at the beginning of each school year I wonder if this will be that elusive perfect year where nothing will go wrong, no major life traumas will occur to disrupt our schooling, the kids will behave like perfect angels, the high schoolers will suddenly realize their need for algebra and biology and no longer complain, and the dinner will make itself every night.

I needed focus.

I needed vision.

As a Christian home educator, I began with two Bible verses on vision;


From there I created a vision statement. I stated them as objectives, much as I was taught in Elementary Education classes, but I realized my main objectives were not all educationally based. For our family, our faith is the main objective and I ended up with the following;


I then listed what I believe to be our purpose in home educating. These include teaching, training, equipping and developing our children. Goals were the last item and I tried to list practical ways to implement the vision and purpose. For example, being aware of each child’s individual gifts, talents, and interests and providing the tools needed to develop these as much as possible.

I typed it up, printed it out, and stuck it on the refrigerator door where I was sure to see it daily. It was a great reminder for awhile. I would read through it and remember my goal of creating a peaceful and joyful home and I’d begin humming rather than cursing the fact that I had no idea what in the world to make for dinner that night. I’d see my ultimate goal and remember that success is often in the process rather than the product. I had vision and, although I never had that elusive perfect year, it was good.

Over time I forgot to read the paper and it became just another thing cluttering the kitchen. At some point it got shoved back to the side of the fridge...

forgotten.

I found it there yesterday.

I sat down, read through it, and realized I’d lost my vision once again. It’s been a few years and the details need to be revamped and renewed, along with my heart and my mind, but it reminded me of that vision, that ultimate goal. It’s not easy to restart once you’ve lost your passion but it’s doable. And I’m feeling that spark being fanned and am excited for the flames to ignite once again.

I’m ready to run on toward that goal.

Have you ever sat down and really thought about why you home school and what your purpose and goals are in this pursuit? I know we all started this journey for different reasons, but I’d encourage you to take a moment and jot down your reasons. Create your own Family & Homeschool Vision. And then keep it in front of you and draw encouragement as you begin this new year of teaching and training your children. Determine your goal and then run on out there and do it.

I’ll be there, running alongside of you.

Summary:

Summary: "When Lacey McHenry accepts a prestigious research fellowship at the world-renowned Kendall-Jakes Longevity Institute, she sees it as a new start on life. But when a disturbing late-night encounter with a bizarre intruder leads to a cover-up by Institute authorities, she soon realizes all isn't as it seems.

Caught in an elaborate game of deception and seduction, her only ally seems to be the brilliant but absent-minded geneticist, Cameron Reinhardt. A favorite of the Institute's charismatic director, Cameron, too, came to K-J hoping to escape his past. But the more he learns about Lacey's attacker, the more he fears that the past still pursues him.

Not certain they can trust each other, Cameron and Lacey reluctantly work together to uncover the shocking secrets that lurk behind the Institute's respectable façade—secrets that turn out to be bigger, stranger, and far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined."


Author Bio: Karen Hancock has won Christy Awards for each of her first four novels--Arena and the first three books in the Legends of the Guardian-King series, The Light of Eidon, The Shadow Within, and Shadow over Kiriath. She graduated from the University of Arizona with bachelor's degrees in biology and wildlife biology. Along with writing, she is a semi-professional watercolorist and has exhibited her work in a number of national juried shows. She and her family reside in Arizona. For discussion and further information, Karen invites you to visit her Web site at www.kmhancock.com.


My Thoughts: The Enclave is labeled as a suspense thriller but I didn’t find it truly suspenseful. I would identify this as more of a medical thriller. The plot twists and turns were fairly easy to follow but thankfully interesting enough that I didn’t always care. Although I could predict the major plot lines, they were intriguing and the characters were well written and fascinating so I just wanted to walk with them and see what happened. The author brought you right into the world and the people and let you live there with them and experience what they experienced.

This is an instance of a book from a Christian publishing house being very Christian in it’s storyline. There is an unusual take on a passage in Genesis that sets up the theme and plot of the book and yet causes the reader to consider the consequences of current medical research.

It’s a little bit of supernatural combined with a lot of science and experimental research and several captivating characters. It may not be suspense but it was a good story nonetheless.

The Quarter Mile Math software helps kids drill their math facts independently and without resorting to flashcards. Instead, they race cars or riderless horses and compete against their previous scores as they quickly solve math problems.

I was already familiar with The Quarter Mile Math as we owned the original version years ago. At that time, my kids were more enthralled with software that included music and characters and was a bit more flashy. I agreed and it was shelved rather quickly (and has mysteriously disappeared). Years have gone by and my kids are not the strongest in their math drill. I am not a flashcard fan and now see the benefit in this program. It may not be the flashiest or the most fun, but it's a great way for kids to practice their math facts quickly and effectively.

We received the Deluxe version, which includes every topic they provide and is designed for grades K-9. This is a subscription program (as opposed to the Standard version) and will track all of your children's progress via Internet. The Standard is a one time purchase while the Deluxe is a subscription option (There is a comparison chart on their web site that lists the differences between the two versions and is helpful in deciding which is the best fit). It's an affordable subscription service though, at only $2.95 per month per family. One year ($19.95 per family) and two year ($34.95 per family) subscriptions are also available. There is no added charge for the software itself, making it a very reasonably priced product in my view!

Their website provides a great overview of the system, even allowing you to download a demo and try it out yourself. They've recently added a special section for homeschoolers, including printable progress charts and instructions for creating family tournaments. There's even a Users forum for questions, comments or added ideas.

My bottom line: I find this to be a dated program in graphics and style. However, it does what it sets out to do and that's drill math facts in a more enjoyable manner than flashcards (some of you may love flashcards, that's fine too!). It's very reasonably priced, the whole family can use it, and it covers a large age range. I plan to assign this to my kids this school year, as they need the help in recalling their math facts quickly. As a mom of seven, the fact that they can work independently on this is a huge plus. The Quarter Mile Math is an effective, no prep way to drill those math facts- and that I like.

Update: The Quarter Mile Math is offering $5 off any product. Use the coupon code- 7K7R7 in the appropriate section on the order form. This code is good until September 30, 2009.

Maverick Books may or may not sound familiar, but chances are good that you have heard of the series they publish- Hank the Cowdog! I have met many a Hank fan throughout thirteen years of homeschooling, and a few of my children have read a book or two themselves, so of course I was interested to check it out via the TOS Crew.

We were sent an audio sampler CD, a book, and a game. It arrived while I was sick with the flu and I asked my kids to place it in my review cupboard for later. The youngest three were too excited to try out the game and wanted to go ahead and get started on their own, so of course I said, "Sure!".

The Tornado game is based on the book, The Case of the Swirling Killer Tornado, and is somewhat similar to the childhood game, Trouble. It is a small, travel size game where everything can be stored right inside the foldable plastic board. I LOVE this! The characters sit inside pegs so this would be a great option for long drives, flights, etc. It comes with twelve plastic characters from the story and a spinner. My kids (7, 9 & 10) had a bit of a problem with the spinner sticking at first, but seemed to get the hang of it pretty quickly.

They played a couple of times and then a couple more times a few days later, but haven't played much lately. I'm not sure this is the "game of the century" but it is an enjoyable game and the travel aspect makes it even better.

Inside the game box is a cassette tape with the audio version of the book on which the game is based. Unfortunately, we do not have a cassette player and could not listen to the story. I'm sure if we had that it would have added to the game play enjoyment.

As my children were more familiar with Hank than I, it seemed like a good idea to read The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse myself before anyone else claimed it. I threw it in my tote as we headed to the pond and read it while the children played in the water. I had heard how humorous the Hank books were, and did find myself grinning several times, but was a tad disappointed when I finished. It was a cute story but I didn't understand most of the humor. I figured it may be the Yankee blood in me that just wasn't getting the whole Texas ranch flavor.

I still had the audio CD left. A few days later I was waiting in the van, alone, in a high end mall parking lot. It was hot and the windows were rolled down. I turned on the sampler CD, Tales and Tunes, and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I found myself laughing OUT LOUD. Author John Erickson's rendition of his stories brings the whole thing to life and suddenly I could see the humor! I turned it up, causing many odd glances to come my way as Cape Cod tourist's shopping was interrupted by It's Not Smart to Show Your Hiney to a Bear and the like. This CD contains snippets of stories and songs from several of the books. This is a great way to get a taste for each and discover which your family would enjoy. And I would HIGHLY recommend listening to an audio version before the written. The excerpt from the book I had read had me laughing aloud when I listened to it, as opposed to a grin here and there.

I am convinced that if I'd reversed the order of products, I would have enjoyed them much more. Unless you're familiar with Texas ranchers, I'd suggest audio. They're great fun! Especially in snooty public places. ;-)

Tales and Tunes from Hank the Cowdog is available for $3, Hank the Cowdog books range from $4 to $20 depending on format (packages are also available), and the Tornado game sells for $12.99.

I've had the opportunity to receive the Taste of Home magazine through She Speaks. I didn't realize until I received my first issue that this was the same magazine I had borrowed from a friend to try a recipe awhile back. I can't remember the recipe at the moment, but I did recall the magazine and was excited to check it out myself!

This is not a magazine that puts on airs. The recipes are simple, yet creative, and designed for the "average" cook. I am not a whiz in the kitchen, in fact I don't usually enjoy cooking at all, but I found myself interested in trying several of the recipes in the magazine.

Taste of Home is offering a free issue if you'd like to check it out yourself. Or you can get or give a subscription for $10!

Summary:
"Four lost souls on a collision course with either disaster or redemption. A random community of Faces in the Fire.

Meet Kurt, a truck-driver-turned-sculptor with no memory of his past. Corinne, an e-mail spammer whose lymphoma isn't responding to treatment. Grace, a tattoo artist with an invented existence and a taste for heroin. And Stan, a reluctant hit man haunted by his terrifying gift for killing.

They don't know each other, at least not yet. But something--or someone--is at work in the fabric of their lives, weaving them all together. A catfish, a series of numbers scribbled on a napkin, a devastating fire, and something mysterious. Something that could send them hurtling down the highway to disaster--or down the road to redemption. But they won't know which is which until they've managed to say yes to the whispers in their souls."

Author Bio: "TL Hines writes "Noir Bizarre" stories, mixing mysteries with oddities in books such as Waking Lazarus, The Dead Whisper On, The Unseen and Faces in the Fire. His work has won recognitions ranging from the Maryland Writers Association novel contest to Library Journal's "25 Best Genre Fiction Books of the Year" award."

The first sentence immediately grabs you and lets you know this isn’t your typical “Christian fiction” novel. Combine that with the fact that the story begins with chapter 34 and you know from the beginning you are in for something different. The back cover describes it as “Noir Bizarre” and that’s a great description. This is a story unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s quirky, a little strange, slightly disjointed, and wonderfully done. T.L. Hines has a gift and he uses it to pull you into a character and their world very quickly, almost effortlessly it seems, without giving you time to decide if you want to be there. My son’s 19 year old friend picked it up, glanced through it, and was on page 40 before he knew what happened. It’s that kind of story.

This is an example of a book being labeled Christian fiction due to having a Christian author and a Christian publishing house. There is nothing inherently Christian about this book but it’s a great story. I would hate for anyone to miss this little gem because they are either adverse to Christian fiction or are a Christian expecting everything from the author to preach at the reader. Rid yourself of any preconceived notions, pick up a copy of this book, and lose yourself in a wonderfully bizarre story. I’d love to hear what you think.

There's even a bizarre web site where you can read a sample chapter, order the book, become a fan, or learn more about the author. Check it out HERE. Faces in the Fire is available for $14.99 at Thomas Nelson, Amazon, or your local bookstore.

Summary: The 40 Minute Bible Study series from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries tackles important issues in brief, easy-to-grasp lessons you can use personally or for small-group discussion. Each book in the series includes six 40-minute studies designed to draw you into God’s Word through basic inductive Bible study. There are 16 titles in the series, with topics ranging from fasting and forgiveness to prayer and worship. With no homework required, everyone in the group can work through the lesson together at the same time. Let these respected Bible teachers lead you in a study that will transform your thinking—and your life.

Titles Include:

•The Essentials of Effective Prayer •Being a Disciple: Counting the Cost

•Building a Marriage That Really Works •Discovering What the Future Holds

•Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past •Having a Real Relationship with God

•How Do You Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk? •Living a Life of Real Worship

•How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret •Living Victoriously in Difficult Times

•Money & Possessions: The Quest for Contentment •Rising to the Call of Leadership

•How Do You Know God’s Your Father? •Key Principles of Biblical Fasting

•A Man’s Strategy for Conquering Temptation •What Does the Bible Say About Sex?

Author Bio: Kay Arthur, executive vice president and cofounder of Precept Ministries International has worked with her teaching staff to create the powerful 40-Minute Bible Studies series. Kay is known around the world as a Bible teacher, author, conference speaker, and host of national radio and television programs.

My Thoughts: Already a fan of Kay Arthur, I was happy to receive one of her studies. This is a series unfamiliar to me but it looks wonderful. As a Women's Bible Study leader, I understand the desire for shorter studies. At our church, we tend to alternate between in-depth and lighter studies. There are also times that there are several studies going on simultaneously and we need a no homework option. Having a 6 week, 40 minute, no homework study by Kay Arthur would be an excellent solution!

The thin, very un-intimidating book is set up to read, dissect, and discuss each chapter all at once. The inductive method is used and the Scripture passages are printed directly in the book for you, making it easier to diagram as needed.

I happened to receive the title, "What Does the Bible Say About Sex?". Ooo, sounds intriguing! In our culture today, this would be a great study. As a homeschool mom, this may be a good tool for our high schoolers. Many times we ask our children to read man's interpretation of God's view on this subject. How about checking out what He has to say directly?

Summary: During a particularly painful time in her life, Sarah Zacharias Davis learned how delightful–and wounding–women can be in friendship. She saw how some friendships end badly, others die slow deaths, and how a chance acquaintance can become that enduring friend you need.

The Friends We Keep is Sarah’s thoughtful account of her own story and the stories of other women about navigating friendship. Her revealing discoveries tackle the questions every woman asks:

• Why do we long so for women friends?
• Do we need friends like we need air or food or water?
• What causes cattiness, competition, and co-dependency in too many friendships?
• Why do some friendships last forever and others only a season?
• How do I foster friendship?
• When is it time to let a friend go, and how do I do so?

With heartfelt, intelligent writing, Sarah explores these questions and more with personal stories, cultural references and history, faith, and grace. In the process, she delivers wisdom for navigating the challenges, mysteries, and delights of friendship: why we need friendships with other women, what it means to be safe in relationship, and how to embrace what a friend has to offer, whether meager or generous.

Author Bio: Sarah Zacharias Davis is a senior advancement officer at Pepperdine University, having joined the university after working as vice president of marketing and development for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and in strategic marketing for CNN. The daughter of best-selling writer Ravi Zacharias, Davis is the author of the critically-acclaimed Confessions from an Honest Wife and Transparent: Getting Honest About Who We are and Who We Want to Be. She graduated from Covenant College with a degree in education and lives in Los Angeles, California.

My Thoughts: As someone who has had difficulties with friendships in the past, I began reading this book with the hope of finding answers and encouragement for navigating the sometimes shark infested waters of baring your soul to others. I expected something deep, life changing and convicting. I came away disappointed, but I believe it's simply because my expectations were too high.

What I did find was a book filled with reflections on friendships, specifically the experiences of the author's own life and those who shared with her for this book. Some of these connected with mine, many did not.

This was an odd mix of anecdotes, historical references, cultural examples, and Spirituality. Despite not being quite what I was looking for, I did find several gems sprinkled throughout. Acknowledging that friendship is a risk and forgiveness is difficult, the author adds, " If we are to love as Jesus loved, it is in spite of fear and with all that love demands." In another section she shares her childhood angst over the realization that she could never be God's favorite. I admit it, I could relate to her desire to be someone's favorite person! The discussion of how our friendships can be a mirror, allowing us to see ourselves more clearly, was definite food for thought. And I found myself nodding along at her description of a support group meeting she attended, "a community characterized by such grace", causing her to lament that such was not frequently found in today's churches.

The Friends We Keep is available for $12.99 at Waterbrook Press or your local bookstore.

With seven children, a dog, and two cats, I worry about the chemicals in and around our home. When asked by Ecostore USA to review a couple of their all-natural products, I was happy to agree. Ecostore USA carries housecleaning, pet, bath and body supplies that are all natural. No nasty chemicals to cause concern, which is wonderful! My biggest question was, do they work?

My package arrived and it contained the All-Purpose Spray Cleaner and a lemon scented Cream Cleanser. My nine-year-old daughter was excited to open the package with me and immediately asked if she could clean the bathroom. How could I deny such a request? Perhaps this is enough of a reason to order cleaning supplies, it makes it exciting for the children. GRIN.

I was happy to allow her to clean the bathroom, as I knew she wouldn’t be using any harsh chemicals. It was wonderful to not worry about anything more than if she’d remember to do the toilet bowl.

She went to work and several minutes later asked me to inspect the bathroom. I am pleased to say that she proved herself capable of cleaning the bathroom and Ecostore USA proved themselves capable of producing an all-natural cleaner that does a good job cleaning!

Do you have any experience with Ecostore USA? Are you concerned about your family being exposed to too may chemicals? Is this something of importance to you? Please, leave a comment and share any thoughts or experiences you may have. By leaving a comment, you'll be entered into the giveaway for a $25 gift certificate to their site!

Giveaway Instructions (USA only please):

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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 17th.

We have WINNERS!

Yoplait Stationery Gift Box Winners:

• Denise (True Random Number Generator Result: 6 )

• G. Silva at The Best Baby in the World (True Random Number Generator Result: 2)

Please send me your mailing address (HomeschoolReviewsandMore@yahoo.com) so that I may pass it on to the vendor and have that sent out to you!

Tal & Acacia Pre-Release CD Winner:

• Diana D. (True Random Number Generator Result: 9)

Please send me your mailing address (HomeschoolReviewsandMore@yahoo.com) so that I send that out to you!

I used random.org to determine the winning comment numbers. Congratulations all!