Around here, the end of summer break is usually in the middle of August. Even though we homeschool, most of our extra-curricular activities follow a version of that schedule too. And to say that summer is over feels incredibly bizarre for lots of reasons. The first being that it is incredibly hot here in Oklahoma. Today it dipped into the low 90’s and it felt amazing! By the end of next week its supposed to be back around 100 degrees. So as for the seasons of the year, summer is definitely still in full swing. Daylight is another one. I’m writing this at 8:30pm and I could take a walk around the pond and still get home before the sun sets. We complain about the heat or being out of routine, but the world getting dark at 5:30 shoves our heads into depression sometimes, doesn’t it? This beautiful daylight regenerates my soul, even as it’s almost out of view. Maybe it’s the ages of my kids, maybe it’s a different life perspective running through my veins this year, but I am really resistant to rushing through things this year.

Our busy culture tempts us to avoid or rush past life in the name of getting somewhere else, but what if I want to stay right here for as long as I’m allowed? I’m looking forward to fall and winter for all the comfort they bring, but there is good right here. There is good right here that might be gone soon and I guess I’m ready to accept that reality instead of avoid it. Accept it and face it accordingly. When my son’s moods fluctuate as much as his adolescent voice or the dog gets out for the 15th time chasing the guy on the bike down the street, I know there is good there and I’m ready to see it. My children are healthy enough to push into their next stage of development. That is something to celebrate. I have a smart, beautiful and good natured dog that has brought us so much joy this year. She is a great blessing. Maybe the cyclist didn’t feel blessed by her today, but who knows? I just want to live in it more. Maybe it’s mindfulness or engagement or just not going through life in a stupor of fear or reaction. Whatever it is, I’m trying to soak it in before this summer really ends.

There is so much about fall that I love, but honestly, we get cheated more often than not with a week of fall and then blasted with winter, while having been in tank tops 2 weeks before. I really don’t want to cheat myself out of the good right here by getting hung up on things that don’t matter as much. One of my favorite spots to write, think or just be right now is my front porch where a cozy corner waits for me with a bench and a big windchime (that I got when Costco marked it way down). I want the joy I get from spending time out there not be voided out because of the messes that I will find inside the house. It will sometimes, but it’s not good for me to live there.

Whenever your summer really ends, I hope you feel filled up. It’s not all perfect and a lot of it might be really hard. The sun can burn our skin if we’re not careful, but staying inside like a vampire is no way to live. The thorns and stickers that might hurt us should never block out the beauty of the waves on the ocean or the wildflowers in the meadow. Let’s soak all the beauty in until we’re all filled up.

One day in early November, I was taking a shower and Randy cracked the door, quickly saying, “We don’t have to talk about it now but what would you think about us fostering dogs?” The suggestion was almost as surprising as the manner in which it was suggested, but, if you know my husband, you know he rarely does anything he hasn’t already thought about at length. By the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we were picking up a very cute 5 month old puppy. As busy as we can be with church, homeschooling, sports, choir and co-op commitments, it might seem like this was a rash decision that we would soon come to regret. However, it is now mid-January and we are seeing the many fruits of this choice still unfolding.

A little history…

We are animal people to begin with. Less than a year after we got married in 2006, we had gotten 2 dogs that we loved until they died at ages 10 and 14. The 14 year old passed away last February and I’ve been mourning not having an animal in the house, but also not sure I was ready to commit to another one. They bring me a lot of comfort and the 10 year old, Grace. was my dog that had such an emotional temperament. All I really want is another one like her, which Randy knows and he quickly warmed up to fostering as a way to have animals in the house while still looking for the dog I want.

Benefit #1: You get time to shop around for what kind of animal would work best in your house. With any official fostering programs, you always have a choice to say no to any animal, have choices as to gender, age and breed, to limit the time you can foster the animal, to go on a vacation, or take a break from fostering. If you are unsure about fostering or unsure about what animal your family really needs or wants, this is an ideal trial program.

Why would we add this to our already full plate?

It is true that we lead a full and busy life, but one of the bigger frustrations that I have is that I am a mom with ADHD to kids that share a variety of ADHD symptoms. Discipline and structure doesn’t always come naturally to any of us and it has grown more and more apparent that they needed to be more independently disciplined with their chores and schoolwork. The busier we are, the less of me there is to go around and it grew clear that everyone was waiting for me to push them. A little tip for dealing with anyone with ADHD is that they like things that are new or novel. New supplies, new setup, new obsession, new DOG, anything new increases the dopamine they are inherently low in and helps the internal motivation to increase. Fostering animals with the idea that our house is a temporary spot for them to recover, put on weight, gain some training and prepare them for finding a good permanent fit teaches kids (and adults) a lot of compassion, patience, dog training and commitment to something outside of themselves.

Benefit #2: Fostering an animal gives your family an opportunity to learn skills of service through the novelty of a new animal. As a homeschooling family, it’s my job to give my kids a well-rounded education. Besides our Christian values imploring us to serve, I feel like it is important for them to be willing and able to serve others regularly and not just be satisfied to receive. This is a small way that they are learning that the world is bigger than themselves and when given resources, they should use it to help others whenever possible.

But what if I don’t want an animal?

Not everyone is setup for animals, that’s true. Allergies might be holding you back and that can be really disappointing. Still, some people think they don’t want an animal, but have never really given it a chance. If that is you, I think you don’t know what you are missing. Animals can be work, they require a little bit of money, and most need some training, but they give you more than they take most of the time. The comfort of an animal that sits at your feet, begs to play or simply follows you around to clean up the crumbs your kids drop is simply one of the comforts of home to me. Do you know what I missed the most after my dogs died? Having a good cry in my closet with a too-big-for-my-lap dog in my lap. Trust me, I’ll be the first person to say not all dogs are created equal. Finding one that suits you can take time, but once you do, it will quickly feel like they’ve always been there.

Benefit #3: Animals, while not the same as humans, provide comfort, purpose and joy to the family who owns them. If you have children in your house, they deserve an animal to care for at some point. If you struggle with loneliness, you deserve the comfort of a constant companion. Need a good listener that won’t interrupt or give bad advice? Animals are notorious for not talking very much!

How can you handle giving up an animal after a short time?

I think it’s all in your mindset from the start. In a very real sense, you are doing this animal a big favor by keeping it out of the elements, providing a safe space without 50 others competing for attention and teaching it some manners. Fostering usually happens when animals are about to be put down due to lack of space. You are saving it’s life. So in a sense, you have already done so much for this animal. By eventually sending it to a permanent home, you are providing that same salvation to another animal. We are enjoying our current foster dog, but we are also looking forward to whoever we might get next. Female puppies are our preference and always bring a level of cuteness in the beginning. So, whatever attachment we feel for a foster we find a home for will be replaced be the exciting newness of the next one.

Just like every kid is different, animals come in all sizes and personalities, but if we let them, they always teach us lessons about the world that are worth learning. And if we aren’t willing to learn and grow, how are we living the life God intends for us? If you are wanting more information about fostering in your area, look up your local animal shelter and they will get you in touch with the right people. We have adopted from and are now fostering through Pets and People Humane Society. They are also a great place to donate in supplies or financially because of all the work they do.

I spent years dreaming about being a wife and mother, but I never imagined homeschooling being a part of my life. It wasn’t something I had ever really been exposed to or had thoughts about at all. My oldest is 12 and I started planning to homeschool him probably as soon as he was born. I had been sitting in college classrooms and listening to all the struggles classroom teachers were having with the current public school model and government framework. What was best for the individual child seemed continually at odds with what was practical, feasible and quantifiable in the classroom. I had been to school and college and I knew how to learn and to teach so why couldn’t I share that with my son? Of course, I would eventually learn about the hills and valleys of homeschooling but the bottom line stayed the same, especially in this internet age. Whatever I don’t know, I have resources regularly at my fingertips to begin educating me on it.

Now that we’ve been living this homeschooling lifestyle for over a decade, I have no regrets about the choice to homeschool. There are details I would change if I could and lessons I wish I had learned sooner, but I am so thankful for all the time I get to be a witness to my children’s growth. But does that mean we will always homeschool? Not necessarily. Does that mean they would fail miserably in another environment? Nope. Does that mean I believe that anyone who doesn’t homeschool is wrong? Of course not! Am I mad when other people make different choices than me? What? How does that even work? You can’t see it but I’m rolling my eyes at all of these questions! They are silly, but I’ve gotten a version of all of them before.

There will always be debates about the choices people make and arguments for or against, but I suspect that for the most part everyone just wants to feel confident in their own choice. A 1 bedroom apartment seems great until your friend upgrades to a penthouse. Eating dinner at the local diner seems fine until you hear about friends’ fine dining at a fancy steakhouse. Your nicest dress seems great until you see that fashion icon friend who can pull off anything and makes you feel frumpy. We often get sucked into comparison or validation-seeking behavior in all aspects of life, but especially when it comes to our parenting choices. How you educate your kids (public, private, or homeschool) just might be a huge stumbling block, but don’t forget that in each category are dozens of subcategories. The moment you choose a private school, there will be judgements made about it compared to the other one down the road. I always felt pretty judged for my (public) high school because we were inner-city and underfunded. You think homeschoolers just agree on everything and become inhuman once they make the jump? There are dozens of homeschooling styles, curriculum options and entirely different approaches to co-ops. No matter what you choose, you could feel judged by some for it. So, if you are making your education choices in hopes of being the least judged, good luck! There is judgement everywhere! Once you make peace with that, life gets a little simpler, I think.

If there is one thing I have learned and grown in conviction for over the last ten years it’s that when parents are able in body and mind and engaged in their kids lives, there is no better advocate in the world. No matter the educational choices, families can make or break the direction a child goes. I am thankful that homeschooling is an option for us, but don’t misunderstand me. There are homeschool kids that fail. There are private school kids that make horrible choices in their life. There are public school kids that are a menace to society. And in all of them, there are also wonderful, wonderful outcomes.

Never let yourself believe that one method is 100% right or wrong in all situations, because it isn’t true. There are competing factors that will always vary from kid to kid and family to family. Many private schools are out of our budget, but so are a lot of the co-ops in our area. Some students do not thrive in public or most private classrooms because of learning issues, but thrive in homeschool settings. Never believe that you would never adjust your choice if circumstances changed either. The resources we have or the needs of our children can change in a moment. Single parent households might be limited with time outside of work making homeschooling challenging at best. Parent health issues can change what’s possible. Whenever you feel judged for a choice or a heated discussion arises on the topic, remember that the most important thing is that our children get what they need and you have the best seat in the house to see what that is, especially if it changes.

I am an advocate of homeschooling, especially because historically there has been so much pushback against it. I’m living in it and seeing the beauty, value and success it is bringing my family. That’s why I write about it a lot. Still, I’m a mother first. Mothers look for what’s best for their kids and family, even if it doesn’t look like what others think it should. If you want to chat about homeschooling, I’m ready for it! But more importantly I want parents to feel encouraged to make whatever decisions are best for their kids’ and family’s needs. The world will be arguing about what that is until Jesus comes back so in the meantime, ignore them, decide what your family needs and love your people.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of the many gifts homeschooling has given my family is the love of reading so any new book is exciting in our house. The joy of discovering a new book that you turn out to love is only surpassed by also learning that it belongs to a series with at least 6 other books! As a chapter is closing in the Homeschool Review Crew and this being my final review for them, it is appropriate that it is a book review. My children have grown up with exciting adventures waiting for them in the mail every so often for reviews and Quest for the King's Crown from Focus on the Family closes out our time in the same fashion.

What We Received:

We received Quest for the King’s Crown, Book #7 in the Last Chance Detectives Book Series in a paperback form and a pdf file emailed to us. The book is 25 chapters long and 144 pages.

What It’s About:

The Last Chance Detectives series chronicles 4 kids, Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence and their adventures. In Quest for the King’s Crown they race to find an artifact that claims to be Jesus’ crown of thorns. Through some plot twists and people turning out to not be who they claim to be, the kids make their way through clues and signs of what is really going on. In past books, one of the kids had discovered the plane his father was known to have died flying and the end of this book proves to be an exciting cliff-hanger.

What We Thought:

My 9 year old daughter read this book and loved it! She loves adventures and mysteries, which Quest for the Crown is both. When I asked her all about it, she was especially excited to tell me how the thief, who you don’t know is the thief at first, disguised himself with prosthetic limbs making him appear much larger than he actually was. She thought that was hilarious! :) I asked her to compare it to other books she had read, it was clear that it definitely comes from a Biblical worldview and supports the Christian lifestyle in mentioning Bible studies, faith and of course historical events around Jesus. She immediately asked to have the other books in the series put on her Christmas wish list, so definitely daughter approved! After a recent visit this summer to Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado and discovering several books they have available, I’ve grown very fond of so much of what they do and stand for. They have a large number of books and series that my kids are thriving on and I am so grateful for that. Praying they continue to be successful!

Follow Tyndale on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyndaleHouse
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyndalehouse/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TyndaleHP

Wondering what other families thought about this book? Check out the other reviews through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

My oldest child turned 12 this week and my youngest is 5. We have officially moved out of the baby years in our household. There are many blessings to that, but I do miss those toddler voices. We are incredibly blessed to be living in a time where audio and video recording even exist. What I wouldn’t give to have recordings of my grandparents and the stories they would have told. The product I’m reviewing today, The Voice Library - Audio Book Creator from The Voice Library, is something every family could find beautiful uses in preserving those little voices or epic memories for posterity.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription to The Voice Library.

How It Works:

The Voice Library is known as a digital storytelling platform that allows the user to record audio up to 15 minutes per file. Those files are then available to download and/or stored for listeners to hear at any time. You can make recordings through their website or mobile apps available for android and apple products. In the program you can download a file, as well as upload one. If you have audio editing software, you could download a file, edit it, and then upload the edited file onto the Voice Library database. Through the subscription, there is the option for a recorder login or a listener login. As the recorder and owner of the account, I can share listener access information with whoever I want. If I wanted to allow others to record on my same account, I could give them my recorder access information as well. For example, if I was working on a family history project it might be convenient to have others make recordings of family members who are a long distance away. Another way allowing for multiple recorders would be a birthday or anniversary gift that includes messages from love ones all over. The company is a big proponent for encouraging storytelling and increased relationship connection as well as increasing our attention spans. The projects and uses for this product are truly endless.

What We Thought:

There are several ways to access the program and it was my experience that not every one of my devices worked the same. On apple devices, I could upload photos to attach to each audio file, but not on the website. My android phone would record, but you had to be careful with how close the person speaking was to it or it would just sound like static. There are also phone numbers you can call to make recordings that way, but I didn’t try those. Once I tried everything out, I found what worked best for me and it was easy after that.

When I first received this product, I had several ideas on how I could use it. The first big one that came to mind was to record my mom and dad’s commentary on the various recipes they make regularly, since they both are very active cooks. I can’t tell you how many times they have commented how much they would like to ask my grandmothers questions about how they did things with various recipes, especially around the holidays. I thought how nice it would be - for me and my kids especially - to have their own advice documented. I still may attempt that as we are heading into holiday cooking, but I didn’t have the time to dig into that. Aside from general storytelling, my next idea that I actually acted on was just to get my kids voices and reactions saved and what better way than about our recent trip to Florida. It was like an audio scrapbook. I showed them pictures of a particular day or destination we stopped at and then recording what they thought about it. Some of it was very plain, but a lot of it just captures where they are in their life right now, which is moving so fast. Being able to save it and be reminded of those precious voices is such a gift.

Follow The Voice Library on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVoiceLibrary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/voicelibrary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevoicelibrary/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thevoicelibrary/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ovVepv493OI
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/703528895

Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn about how other families used this product? Click on the link below to read their reviews.

How are you spending your time? Are the things I’m consumed with today worth my time, considering I only have so much? When your children move out, what values will they carry with them? When they start their families, what priorities will they have learned from their years in your house? When their marriages get difficult, finances get rough or medical hardships overtake their life, will they have learned strong and resilient lessons from watching you climb your own mountains? When I am finished with my life here on earth, will my loved-ones carry regret over how much time I spent looking elsewhere for contentment or satisfaction? Will the relationship with God that I model throughout my life be one they are trying to imitate or will it be the “What NOT to do” guideline they live by?

As the busyness of school, sports, holidays and just life gets stirred up this time of year, our priorities can get really jumbled. The list of HAVE-TOs are largely made up by expectation and peer pressure when you really think about it. So many things we do are good or nice, but when we let them get in the way of what’s important, they’ve become a problem.

It is so easy to fall into have to mode before you’ve even really thought about it. Honestly, that’s hard any time of year. Music, committees, programs, sports, social clubs, co-ops, and jobs of all kinds can be very good for our families. We are heavily involved in several of these things in my family right now. They are valuable on so many levels. But it becomes a problem for my marriage if our involvement in anything eliminates all the downtime for just us. Or these activities become a problem if we are always missing time with family or worship because a job or sports team takes up the majority of our life. If my child moves out of my house and can’t fill a dishwasher, do a load of laundry or change a tire because all of his extra activities always came first, then I believe that’s a problem. If another child aces every test she takes, places first in everything she plays, and racks up a full ride scholarship to the best places, but can’t say a kind word to anyone or has no real appreciation for what Jesus has done for her, then there is a problem. No matter what we’re talking about, there’s always a line where really good things, can become a problem.

So, the purpose of a November Reset for Priorities is to eliminate or prevent those kinds of problems creeping in. In this year alone Randy has coached 2 soccer teams for 2 seasons and 1 season of t-ball in the middle of it, I have taken on a significantly larger responsibility at our local co-op, all 3 kids have joined the homeschool choir (which is a big driving commitment), and we’ve taken several trips on top of regular life and school stuff. All those things are good things and largely things we don’t regret in time spent. But there is a constant nagging in my brain that says, “Did we get to all the important stuff though?”

When I think about resetting my priorities, it looks like taking stock of the next several weeks and boiling them down to what’s really important. If 6 weeks go by, what are the most important things I hope to accomplish or facilitate? In 6 weeks, I could change the course of a relationship, establish new routines, eliminate bad habits, learn a new skill, and so many other things. We say we can’t get to things, but the truth is many of those can’ts are just non-priorities. We haven’t decided they are more important than the things we do get to. We all prioritize choices every day. The question is are those the important ones.

And after looking at your life, maybe you’ll come to the conclusion that you ARE prioritizing the important things. What a comfort that is! But, maybe like me, you see some things that you wish were different. The reminder I need is that it isn’t too late to grow over the next several weeks. Whatever needs tending to or refocused on, we can push a reset button and commit differently this time. One of the ways I want to adjust is my internal dialogue and how that affects how I think about my family. Here’s an example. When I get sick, I wish Randy took care of me the way my mother does. He will largely do anything I ask, but I have to hand out the instructions, which I wish I didn’t have to do. There isn’t a big right or wrong here but simply preference. We got sick over the weekend and I did have a bit of resentment over wanting to just burrow further into my bed and instead needed to get up and cover all the bases somehow. But today, that husband of mine offered to run an errand (with kids) for me so that I could have some time to myself. He even tacked on extra library time mostly just to give me extra time. He knows I need it and that I need to write. My mental commentary leans heavy to the negative. I know it. I’m pretty certain it’s genetic in more ways than one. The point is this. I should appreciate the good good man that I married for what he is, rather than get hung up on what he isn’t - especially when we’re talking about preferences. I don’t do that enough, but what if I set an intention for the next six weeks to dwell on and appreciate the things he does out of love. If I really tried, couldn’t I strengthen our relationship and encourage him as my partner with a more positive outlook directed at him? Lord willing, no matter where the kids go and what they do, my husband will be my constant friend. Why wouldn’t I want that dynamic to thrive every chance I get?

Maybe you simply want to walk through the holidays with peace and calm. Maybe your health is in a crisis and you need to make changes. Maybe there’s a project or skill that you’ve neglected for too long. Perhaps we’ve just let all these things in life to take our eyes off of Jesus and what He wants us to be doing. Whatever it is, let’s take stock and reset our priorities.

Exercise is something I really don’t feel like writing about, much less doing right now. So, that probably means it needs a reset in a major way. I always feel better when I exercise, even though I hate doing it. Yes, I know I’m complicated! Did you know physical activity is one of the top treatments for ADHD symptoms? Since 4 out of the 5 people in my household struggle with symptoms from time to time, it would be pretty foolish to ignore the value of exercise in our life. That’s one of the many reasons we incorporate sports into our kids’ lives regularly. Furthermore, healthy movement just makes everything work better. You sleep better. Your brain works better. Your mood is better. Circulation improves. Strengthens bones and muscles. It’s just really important to a healthy mind and body.

I know all this and I suspect you do too, but it is so incredibly easy to neglect exercise when we get busy or tired or stressed or…just about any reason. This summer I focused on coping better with stress. One of the big things I did was to incorporate yoga as a main source of exercise. Mr. Butler did it with me, which made it even better. I do much better with an accountability partner. Since the fall semester started back up, it has been hard to sync up our schedules and I’ve just been busy. Not an excuse, but it is real life. So, we’ll walk a few miles when we are both home in the day, but I have not been diligent with myself in any way. All hopes for a healthy exercise routine isn’t lost just because the vitamin D potential starts to decrease. I know it can feel that way, but that just means my body needs the immune boost even more this time of year.

Maybe you have a gym membership and don’t use it like me because of logistics. We have a Y membership, but I never want to bother getting the kids out. Since they are all old enough and trustworthy to put in the child watch/older kid hangout, maybe I should pick one day a week to at least switch it up? I know that I’m going to try to utilize my bicycle and stationary bike more, get back to yoga regularly and walk with Randy as much as I can. I’ve just not had any reason to follow through. I know that sounds silly, but my ADHD friends will understand. Since I’m writing about it and telling the universe to look at what I’m doing so to speak, well I’ll carry around some guilt if I don’t follow through! And I certainly don’t need anymore of that.

Getting exercise in every day is one of those all or nothing temptations for me. If I intended to do a particular activity at a particular time and then something messed that up? Well, just forget it. The day is lost. That’s the wrong approach of course, but it is sooo tempting to my brain that craves order and over reacts in the most rigid of ways. For this exercise reset, I’m striving to include movement - even if it isn’t what I intended when I woke up that day - every day. Tomorrow I’m going to use my watch that’s been dead for a month and haven’t bothered to find the charger until tonight. I’m hoping I’ll have an easy 10,000 steps without too much work, but I haven’t been tracking for a while so I’m not sure. Either way, having a minimum goal and then trying to improve upon that will hopefully jumpstart my motivation.

More than anything, a reset is intended to help us focus on what’s important and valuable rather than what is convenient and thoughtless. Finishing a meal and then sitting for another hour until bedtime is thoughtless and convenient, but it isn’t necessarily important or valuable. Playing soccer as a family for 20 minutes or walking to the pond or doing some yoga not only feeds the health of your physical body, but it can connect you to those around you, get you outside in many cases and bring joy into you’re life too! Do you have a good workout routine? Are you recommitting to one this week? It would encourage me to hear about it so let me know how it’s going!

As the beginning of November chimes, I don’t want to be rushed into and out of the events of the next several weeks. While it feels futile to fight the rush sometimes, I need reminding that it isn’t too late to reset some things in my life. We have so much more control of our lives than we often are willing to admit and the weeks before Thanksgiving are a great opportunity to take back what is mine. If I want to make healthier choices, learn a new skill or grow closer to someone, the days ahead of me are unwritten and wide open for any of that. I just have to reset my thoughts and intentions with that in mind. So, that’s what we are going to do. My October was really pretty good, but even if it wasn’t, November can be beautiful.

My oldest child was born in November and my end of the year memories were forever colored by his first infant days. It didn’t matter what the rest of the world was doing, Randy and I were beginning to wade in the ocean of parenthood for the very first time. I never want to forget that spark of excitement and awe in the air. So much of it was so terribly hard, but still, I couldn’t deny that I had done this incredibly hard thing and lived to tell about it. There is hope in November to climb a mountain, to start again and to be filled with joy. So, all month I’m going to be writing about different ways I need to reset. I hope you’ll join me and share how you are resetting this month. Follow me on Instagram where I’ll be sharing more ideas and maybe some videos about it.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

I have always been an advocate of off-line learning whenever possible. I still subscribe to that idea, but I think the realm of possibility has changed. It has grown increasingly unrealistic to stay offline entirely and some online programs and learning have proven themselves highly effective and useful. Reading Eggs is certainly one of the programs that fits into that category. We have been blessed to review this product several times and I’ve gotten to see all three of my children use it at various points of their reading journey. This experience certainly has given me confidence in adequately describing its strengths and weaknesses.

What We Received:

We received a one year subscription for 3 children. Since we have had a subscription to Reading Eggs before, it kept all three kids information and achievements so they could pick up where they left off.

How It Works:

If you are new to homeschooling or new to Reading Eggs, this program is designed to making reading and literacy fun and motivating. The program is designed for students age 2-13 with different sections based on age or skill level. The different sections are Reading Eggs Junior (age 2-4), Reading Eggs (3-7), Fast Phonics (5-10), Reading Eggspress (7-13) and Math Seeds (3-9) is their math equivalent program. Everything except for Math Seeds runs on Egg currency where you earn eggs for everything you complete and you can use those eggs to purchase things like clothes, furniture and accessories for your Egg person. Math Seeds has its own avatar and uses acorns instead of eggs, but on the same concept. Each user has the option to start at the beginning of each section (Junior, Reading Eggs, Eggspress) but can always take a placement test to determine a different level than just the beginning. The whole program covers everything from letter recognition all the way up to literature and reading comprehension skills. So even if your child already knows how to read, there is still a wealth of activities and growth provided in Reading Eggs.

What We Thought:

Everyone loves the feeling of money in the bank. Kids are no different. My children have always loved Reading Eggs, largely because they can do some ‘work’ and then get ‘paid’. And what do you do when you get paid? Shopping! So, Reading Eggs is a kid favorite in my household. My 11 year old and 9 year old still ask to do it when they are supposed to be doing school work but don’t like what they have in front of them. It’s often a happy medium because I know it teaches and sharpens their skills but they also think of it as a game. My 5 year old is learning to read and he is the one expected to use the program the most right now simply because it progresses his reading and he can do most of it without help. My biggest hang up with online programs has been screen time and not enough pen and pencil work. Reading Eggs offers all kinds of worksheets and even a full curriculum for homeschooling that allows the parents to use Reading Eggs online or offline however much they choose. And as far as online learning programs, you just can’t get much better than Reading Eggs. If you’re in the market for an online program to supplement or for full reading curriculum, this is a great choice!

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Looking for a different perspective? Take a look at all the other reviews to see what they thought!

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

One of the things I have loved about being on the Homeschool Review Crew has been the exposure to authors and series that we never would have known about otherwise. Even things you encounter rarely fall into the category of items you’re willing to spend money on without knowing much about it. A few years ago, we were introduced to Mattie Richardson’s Horses in History Series through a review that certainly fed my children’s love for all things horses. Getting the chance to read her latest, Blue Skies West from Appaloosy Books has been a real bonus treat for them, especially my daughter.

What We Received:

We received one 140-page paperback book, Blue Skies West - As told by: BLUE, A Horse on the Oregon Trail from Appaloosy Books in a beautiful turquoise package that included her autograph on the first page too!

How It Works:

The Horses in History series is designed to teach readers more about important events in U.S. History. By telling stories through the perspective of the horses, readers are engaged in a much different way than most history books offer. Blue Skies West introduces you to what it was like traveling on the Oregon Trail years ago, complete with hardships, struggles and deaths. As the author discusses in the back of the book, she does not shy away from the tragic realities of history but strives to remain as historically accurate as possible while treating them with sensitivity. Using dialogue and movements from the horses, there is an element of fairy tale that sweetens up the hard parts but facilitates an added dimension of historical perspective.

What We Thought:

A homeschoolers favorite thing is to combine two or more subjects at once in ways that reinforce everything in a better way than on their own. Horses, history and reading are combined in Blue Skies West and we love it! We will certainly hit historical events in our history curriculum, but this avenue allows all kinds of things to seep in and stick far longer than a straightforward history lesson. Even more interesting is that Mattie Richardson, the author, wrote her first Horses in History book when she was 13 years old! Her story and career are a great example of someone pursuing goals long before adulthood. Supporting her as an author and sharing the fruits of her labor with my family is satisfying thing. My 9 year old daughter is the one who read this one (though her and her 11 year old brother have read all of her others) and she said it was just as good as the others! When I asked her about it, she assured me it was really good except there were some sad parts, where a couple of kids die. She didn’t mention them while she was reading the book though so I don’t think it disturbed her reading or anything. From an educational perspective, this book could set the stage for a further dive into the historical events as a unit study. My children are wild about horses so these are the perfect enticement for engagement and further learning.

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Looking for a different perspective on this book and author? Check out the other reviews through the link below.