Product Review~Dive into Diversity

Anything to do with nature and animals is usually a hit at our house.  Chad has always had a love for animals and learning as much as he can about them.  So we were excited to be able to review a product from the company Dive into Your Imagination.  Dive into Your Imagination was founded by Annie Crawley, AKA 'Ocean Annie'.  She is one of America's leading educators on the ocean environment!

We received the DVD Dive into Diversity, which retails at the website for $19.99.  Dive into Diversity is just one of the fabulous DVDs offered.  Each DVD is about 35-45 minutes long, and has eight main chapters and some bonus tracks.  You can purchase educator guides for the DVDs-they are huge! Each chapter in the DVD has a corresponding chapter in the educator guide, and can be used for preK-K or 1st-3rd grade.  The educator guides are available as individual PDFs for $69.95, or you can purchase a printed version for $299.  The educator guides are impressive-there is so much information in them, and tons of activities. 

We thoroughly enjoyed Dive into Diversity, and I expect we will be watching the DVD again and again!  The underwater video was beautiful and vibrant, and we learned so much! We even got to see what happens under the sea at night! The educator guide will keep us busy for a very long time, and I'm excited to continue using it next school year.  Go to the Dive into Your Imagination website to check out all the different products offered, as well as tons of information and videos to watch. 

To read more TOS reviews of this product, click here. 
*Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur

As I read As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur, I kept thinking to myself, 'Everyone needs to read this book!'.  It has been a huge blessing in my life.  This is a book to keep and reread, and loan or give to others.  As Silver Refined is for anyone who has ever felt disappointed or discouraged, which I think covers us all!  It is also a book to read for anyone who has wondered why God lets certain things happen. 

I have read a few bible studies in the past by Kay Arthur, who is a best-selling author of numerous books.  I love the way she makes the reader feel like you are a friend, just sitting down to coffee with her.  She has a very personal way of getting a message across. Ms. Arthur uses many scripture references throughout As Silver Refined, as well as personal, touching stories.

The title As Silver Refined describes how God lets these disappointments in our lives (actually his 'appointments'), melt and mold us, like refined silver, into the person he would have us be-in His image.  You can give in to the disappointments and spiral deeper and deeper into depression and despair, or you can use them, through God's grace, to become a better person, a 'reflection of His goodness'. 

Throughout my health struggles, I have tried to remember that God has a plan for my life; a reason for putting me through this.  But I do get discouraged and call out 'Why?' to Him.  As Silver Refined is the best book I have read to deal with this topic, and I feel better equipped now to pull myself out of those frustrating times.
I highly recommend As Silver Refined to everyone! I look forward to re-reading it and sharing it with others. You can purchase this book at bookstores and retailers online, such as Amazon.

Here is chapter one for you to read:
 
As Silver Refined by Kay Arthur (Chapter 1 Excerpt)


*Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah Pubishing Group's Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest opionion.

TOS Blue Ribbon Awards!

My first year on the TOS Homeschool Crew has come to a close, and a new year reviewing has already begun! I have really enjoyed learning about and reviewing many products out there. TOS gives out yearly awards to the vendors that were voted as having the best products of the year. Here are this year's winners:

As the 2011-2012 Crew year comes to a close, we are once again presenting awards to our vendors. The awards are known as the TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards. The following vendors are the recipients of the award this year. Click on their name to check out the Crew reviews!

Favorite Reading Instruction Product: Reading Eggs
Favorite Writing Product: Write Shop
Favorite Language Arts Product: Progeny Press
Favorite Social Studies Product: TruthQuest History
Favorite Science Product: Amazing Science
Favorite Math Product: Math Mammoth
Favorite Online Math Product: Math Rider
Favorite Foreign Language Product: Visual Latin
Favorite Fine Arts Product: Artistic Pursuits
Favorite Christian Education Product: Apologia: Who Am I?
~~~
Favorite Preschool Product: Before Five in a Row
Favorite Elementary Product: All About Reading
Favorite Middle School Product: Write with WORLD
Favorite High School Product: Excellence in Literature
Favorite College or College-Prep Product: Excellence in Literature
 ~~~
Best Online Resource: Reading Eggs
Best e-Product: Heritage History
Best Homeschool Resource: Apologia: Educating the Wholehearted Child
Best Book, Novel, or Magazine: Apologia: How to Have a HEART for Your Kids
Best Children's Book: Amazing Animals by Design
Best Game or Toy: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
Best Hands-On Resource: Pitsco Education
~~~
Best Resource I Didn't Know I Needed: eMeals
Best Customer Service: K5 Learning
Most Adaptable Resource: Creek Edge Press
Most Family-Oriented Resource: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
 ~~~
Kids' Choice (favorite of CHILDREN ages 0-12): Reading Eggs
Teens' Choice (favorite per the TEENAGERS): Pitsco Education
All Around Crew Favorite: Visual Latin  

Each winning vendor has received this wonderful award to display with pride:

  Congratulations to our winning vendors! We hope you will sail with us again!

What were my personal favorites? There are many wonderful products I've reviewed, but two products that come to mind which we continue to use on our own, are Reading Eggs and Math Rider. 

Many Crew Members are blogging about these awards. Click below to see what they have to say! Powered by Linky Tools
 Click here to see the Crew Blog Posts...

Review and Giveaway~ Post Honey Bunches of Oats

I've always thought Post Honey Bunches of Oats was a yummy cereal, and now they've made it even better with more granola bunches!  This is a cereal that is good for you, and even my kids love it!

Honey Bunches of Oats Honey Roasted contains (per serving):
* 10 grams whole grain
* 6 grams of sugar
* 9 essential vitamins and minerals
* 4 nutritious grains

Check out Honey Bunches of Oats on Facebook, where you can find more information and coupons.

The Giveaway

THREE The Loose Screw Readers will each get a coupon for one FREE box of Honey Bunches of Oats, up to $4.49!  To enter:

* Leave a comment-what is your favorite cereal?
For one extra entry each (make sure to leave a comment letting me know what you did):
*Follow me on GFC or Linky Followers (right sidebar)
*Follow me on Twitter @athenalang (right sidebar)
*Follow me on Google Plus (right sidebar)
*Like Honey Bunches of Oats on Facebook-leave a comment that Athena at The Loose Screw sent you!
*Tweet about this giveaway, using the hashtag #HBOats

This giveaway will end on May 31, 2012 at midnight MST.  The winners will be notified by email, so make sure you leave your email address.  Good luck!!

*Disclaimer: Post provided a free sample of their Honey Bunches of Oats-Honey Roasted so I could review them.  However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

Review~CapJaxMathFax

Chad is at the point in school when we are drilling, drilling, and drilling math facts.  He is fairly quick with addition and subtraction, and is just learning multiplication and division.  You should hear the groans when I pull out the old flash cards! He would much rather be doing something on the computer than doing flash cards, so I was interested in trying CapJaxMathFax. 

Jack Fretwell is the creator of this program, and has over 30 years experience in education and computers. CapJaxMathFax is a drill and practice program that you can download to your computer, starting at $29.95.  It is meant to be used as a supplement to any math program you are currently using.

As the teacher, you would set the parameters for your student's drill and they can practice anytime. You can choose from addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, or a combination of the four.  The program randomly generates problems without repetition, and provides immediate feedback. The student gets extra reinforcement for fast, correct answers, and can even earn merit badges.

Teachers receive detailed reports, and with the rating system students can set personal goals and keep track of scores. Click CapJaxMathFax at a glance to learn more about the program.

Personally, I found CapJaxMathFax to be a fine, solid drill program for the computer.  Chad was a little overwhelmed at first with how busy the screen was, which he got used to. He has a different program for drilling on the computer that is still his favorite, but this would be a fine supplement for any student.

To read more reviews of CapJaxMathFax from the TOS Crew, click here.

*Disclaimer: I received this product in exchange for my honest review.

Movie Premiere!

Monday evening, Alyssa and I did something we haven't done before-went to a movie premier!  Jodi from http://www.myslcmommy.com/ had a giveaway last week, and 5 readers each got to bring a guest to see the premiere of What to Expect When You're Expecting, due to open Friday!!  The picture above is Jodi and her winners, with us all modeling our Centrum maternity shirts (the giveaway was sponsored by Centrum). 

The premier was unlike a regular movie-going experience, with a photographer snapping pictures, security taking our cell phones away during the movie and using the wand to check for recording devices, etc.   Inside the theater we each got a little gift bag with prenatal vitamins.  I think we will donate ours to the local Pregnancy Resource Center. 

The movie was good!!  There were so many great actors I didn't even know were going to be in it!  They covered every possible angle of having a child-from adoption to twins to different pregnancies, etc.  A fun movie!  Here is a picture of Alyssa and I showing off our shirts to the photographer:

Be sure to go to Jodi's website, http://www.myslcmommy.com/ for all sorts of good stuff-deals, giveaways, and more.  Also, check out her review of our movie night!