Mose's Detective Agency (A Timberdoodle Review)

When my daughter saw Mose's Detective Agency in this year's Timberdoodle catalog, it quickly made it to the top of her list. I don't know if you have fond memories of getting the Christmas edition of the Sear's or JC Penny's catalog as a kid, but I do. As soon as it would come in the mail (or sometimes my mom would pick it up in person at the store first!) I would have it in hand with a thick marker ready to circle what I wanted for Christmas—if my sister didn't get to it first. I don't ever remember if I actually received anything from those chicken scratches I made in the catalogs, unless it happened to be sheets or socks, but it was memorable nonetheless.

This may actually have been the first time my daughter received what she circled in one of our homeschool catalogs (our modern tradition). She was so thrilled when this came in the mail. Do any of you have children that are outgrowing their toys but they aren't quite sure what to ask for as gifts? They are too old for toys, but too young for a driver's license. What to do?

These tiny dollhouse-style kits are the perfect solution. My daughter actually has a house similar to this item and she spent hours upon hours creating it. They are all the rage these days and this Timberdoodle one is super affordable. When she got this one, she didn't waste any time looking at all of the pieces, sorting them out, and getting to work creating her new detective agency to go along with her other piece of art in her room—a mini-house.

She loved the tiny little pieces that she was able to put together from this desk to the bulletin board (classic detective movie-style) and even the cute flooring. She loved putting everything together and seeing how it came out. She wasn't thrilled that it included a pretend bottle of alcohol but she said she would just pretend it was perfume. Overall, it was everything she had hoped for—and more.

One thing to note with kits such as these, is you often need to use more glue than what it comes with, at least my daughter does. That said, when she ran out of the glue she used a hot glue gun. Her options were Elmer's glue, a hot glue gun, and wood glue. She felt the most comfortable with the hot glue gun. It did leave a small stringy mess in the end but nothing that can't be pulled away off of the little pieces if she wants.

So, no, those are not faux cobwebs on those bottom drawers, it's hot glue! This gift was a win-win for my young teenaged daughter. If you are looking for a gift for a tween or young teen, this is it. It provides hours of entertainment and a quality piece of artwork to showcase when all is said and done. Order your Mose's Detective Agency whether you teen loves mysteries, dollhouses, or anything in between.

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Timberdoodle for providing the above product in exchange for an honest review.

Original 13 Colonies Fact Cards (Free Printable)

These Thirteen Colonies Fact Cards were created for my kids as we studied early American history. What a pivotal time in our history! Puritans seeking religious freedom, adventurers setting out for a new land, and those in debt hoping for a fresh start—a new life. From the first colony in Virginia, until all thirteen stars on the first American flag were represented, these cards are a perfect review for your homeschoolers. Use them to drill the first thirteen colonies so your child can recite them with ease, and have them dictate the information on the cards to help them remember a small fact about each colony. Feel free to print these out and have your children write facts that they learn about each colony on the back. Go ahead and laminate them, too! Simply right-click, save, and print to use this resource in your homeschool as you study about the original thirteen colonies in America. Use the facts for dictation, copy work, or discussion in your home. Disclaimer: All co...

Truck-Themed Homeschool Chore Chart

Use this truck-themed homeschool chore chart to keep your kids on track throughout the school week. With lessons, field trips, meals, and unexpected errands filling up your week, even the simplest chore chart can help your home run more smoothly. At times, kids are excited for the new opportunity to help out around the house and do it with joy. Other times they stomp toward the trash can with anything but a good attitude. Help keep attitudes in check by using stickers, smiley faces, or positive verbal reinforcement as your child completes each task on the chart. For the child who loves lists (and the mom) this is the perfect free printable to have on hand! (Simply right-click, save, and print)

The Pencil Grip Inc. {Review}

We have found what we have been looking for in The Pencil Grip Inc .'s 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers . These markers are the perfect fit for a homeschooling family such as ours. I am thrilled to tell you about our experience with them! Normally, I do not have a favorable impression of markers for several reasons. For one, as a kid, I remember markers having such a strong smell that it would give me a headache. I know some kids enjoyed the scents but it certainly was not for me. And to be honest, if I had markers like that in my house today, my kids would probably stick them up their nose or something. Another reason I have a distaste for markers is the drying out factor. As a parent of many children this is super frustrating. I finally teach the older ones to put the caps back on when they are done using their markers but then a younger one comes along and just doesn't understand. This then leads to the undue frustration of your child sitting down to...

Thrift Schooling

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