~Wordless Wednesday-STRIKE!~

~Tulip's Wordless Wednesday~

We are keeping our son's cat at our house for a few weeks.  He's supposed to be staying outside....

Tulip has been a good sport, obviously!

The Haven Giveaway and Facebook Party-enter now!

Celebrate the newest book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series with Suzanne by entering her 4 eReader Giveaway and Facebook Party and RSVPing for the Live Video Chat on 8/30! 

See what folks are saying about The Haven!

Four grand prize winners will receive:

• A Brand new Kindle Fire or Nook Color 
• $25 Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com Gift certificate 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 29th. Winner will be announced at Suzanne's Live Author Chat Party on 8/30. Suzanne will be hosting an author chat (party will start on Facebook AND then be Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and several Burt's Bees® Nourishing Radiance Kits!!

So grab your copy of The Haven and join Suzanne on the evening of the August 30th for a fun chat (both on Facebook and via Live Video), trivia contest and lots of giveaways. 

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!

Wordless Wednesday~Kitty Hugs

Book Review~Submerged by Dani Pettrey

Submerged is author Dani Pettrey's debut novel.  In my opinion, she hit the jackpot!  This is one of the best mysteries I have read in a while.  It is the first book in the Alaskan Courage series, and it will keep you turning pages late into the night!!

Bailey Craig used to live in Yancey, Alaska and vowed never to return.  She has a sketchy reputation that the residents of the small town have not forgotten.  The death of a loved one forces her temporary return, and she becomes involved in investigating the possibility of a murder.  Also involved in the investigation is her former boyfriend Cole McKenna, who is a deep sea rescue diver.

Submerged is a great book!  The picture painted of the Alaskan scenery made me feel like I was there, and I felt a connection to the characters. It is a clean read-no profanity. God and a Christian lifestyle are also part of the storyline. Click here to read the first chapter and purchase Submerged.  To read more about author Dani Pettrey, go to her website.  While at her website you can read about the second book in the Alaskan Courage series, Shattered, which will come out February 2013.  I can't wait to read the next book!

*Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Schoolhouse Crew Review~Zane Education

We've been using Zane Education for the past few months at our house.  What is Zane Education?  It is the world's largest and most comprehensive library of fully subtitled educational videos currently available online. Zane offers over 1500 curriculum-based online educational videos for 11 different subjects and 260+ curriculum topics.  These videos are for grades K-12, and I can see adults learning a lot from many of the videos as well!  Zane Education videos are perfect for the visual learner, and can be used by schools and home educators for all students, including special needs, ESL, and gifted.  Subjects available are:

*Art
*Biology
*Geography
*Health
*History
*Library Skills
*Literature
*Music
*Religious Studies
*Science
*Social Studies

Zane Education does not just offer videos.  They have an online quiz database of over 23,000 curriculum-based multiple choice questions, lesson plans, and a Study Center  full of resources. Zane Education is aligned to state and national standards.

Research has shown that there is a powerful link between the use of subtitles on video to improve children's reading and literacy skills. It makes sense-with a struggling reader, I have seen that watching the words on screen along with the video is very helpful.  Zane education calls this use of subtitles and closed captioning as 'The Missing Piece'.

There are a variety of pricing and membership options.  The options are:
Basic membership: Free
Topic Taster membership: $5/month
Bronze Membership (all videos in a subject): $8.99/month or $98.89/year
Silver Membership (all videos for an age/grade): $12.99/month or $142.89/year
Gold Membership (access to everything): $17.99/month or $197.89/year
*Through August 31, use the code ZE855HSM  to get a 35% discount on any annual Gold, Silver, or Bronze membership subscription!

We've had a very positive experience with Zane Education.  Chad has enjoyed the videos, and I have a great example of how helpful they can be:  Here in Utah, July 24th is Pioneer Day, the day our state celebrates the Mormon pioneers arriving here. We have lived here 8 years and only know the very basics of the history.  Our daughter Alyssa was a dancer in a production depicting the pioneers travels, and before we left to watch the production I had Chad watch a few videos on pioneers and the Mormon migration. It was helpful for him-during the pageant he was pointing out things that were similar to what he had watched, and I think he enjoyed it more.

Negatives for our home were that videos can be from a secular standpiont (e.g evolution instead of creation), and I would have liked to be able to enlarge the videos to full screen. There is a 424-page Christian Home Learning Guide (reg priced $49.95) that is yours free with an annual subscription.

There is SO MUCH information Zane offers. To make the most of your experience, I suggest downloading their various 'Getting Started' and User Guides. To learn more about the Zane education philosophy, click on their Learn about Us page.  They also have an FAQ page to answer your questions, and be sure to visit/like them on Facebook.  To read more crew reviews of Zane Education, click on this button:

*Disclaimer: I recieved a Gold Membership to Zane Education in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.