Thrift Schooling

It was a four mile hike.  At the crux of the fall season we ventured through winding trails, stone steps and wooden bridges with four kids in tow.  They did great. The kids kept pushing on. They knew that once they made it to the two mile mark- they would be greeted with the largest waterfall they've ever seen- 69 feet high! (It's true- I haven't taken them to Niagara Falls yet- I'm so ashamed.) For them- this was a big deal. My oldest son's jaw almost hit the ground when he turned around that last bend and finally witnessed the huge, gushing waterfall- it was bigger than he had ever imagined.  The trail follows a bubbling brook which creates a beautiful, scenic experience. Also, along the one side of the creek we found a wide variety of mushrooms.  The kids kept wanting to jump in. I'll admit, the kids were not the only ones that were tempted! We finally told them that once they made it to the large waterfall, they could take a dip. ...

Are you worried about having guns in your home? Afraid that your cat will become too curious? I mean, curiosity did kill the cat, didn't it? How To Talk To Your Cat About Gun Safety will answer burning questions that cat owners all across the country have been asking themselves.  What is the right age to talk to my cat about firearms? Is it even legal for my cat to own a gun? Is it wise to teach my cat how to use a gun? Aside from the burning issue of gun safety, the author addresses other hot topics including: Evolution Abstinence Online Safety Drugs Puberty Post Apocalyptic Survival Satanism Who is this book for? I have no idea. At first I thought this book was written by an ultra-right-wing conservative trying to push their beliefs in a humerous way. But, once I got into the book and looked at their fake website, fake author bio and fake story about how these books got started I starting thinking this book is completely mocking right wingers. I guess ...

Read and Share: Look, I'm Reading! Bible Storybook  is a perfect book for beginners. Young readers find joy in being able to 'read' with the help of images. I am not opposed to this concept. It builds confidence and gives them the courage to read a book that might otherwise seem intimidating. Some schools of thought frown completely on this style of teaching. They suggest giving the child no colors, no images, no hints and have them memorize phonetics first, before even attempting to read a phrase, sentence or a book. I disagree. I am a strong believer in immersion. I immerse my children in books, usually way above their reading level. By doing this, they are exposed to challenging vocabulary at a young age. With books like this, I encourage them to read as much as they can and then I help with the more difficult words. The pictures placed sporadically throughout the page help immensely because even though they might struggle through a few hard words, they can breathe ...

  40 Days To A Joyful Motherhood:  Devotions and Coloring Book To Nourish Mom Wouldn’t it be marvelous if mothering came with a concrete set of instructions—an easy recipe we could follow? Instead, motherhood challenges women to find their faith, their true selves, and their family through daily doses of trial and error. It is a brilliant and healing time of life that is full of joy, pain, and beauty with a small side of crisis (and humor). What mothers do not know, they learn. And through this lifelong process of learning, they nurture and care for the most precious gifts on earth: children. In a modern society where moms often have a full and busy plate, these 10 minute daily devotions focus on six key topics of motherhood: —Self-acceptance —Self-care —Reconciling with grief, hope and expectations —Generosity —Presence —Forgiveness In addition to the devotions, these beautiful pages are adorned with handmade illustrations to help you refresh from long days ...

Snuggle up in front of a warm, cozy fire this Christmas and teach your tiny tot that though he is small, he too can do big things for God with the sweet board book, One Small Donkey .  This story follows a donkey who feels inadequate as he sees large horses prancing about. He wishes he were quicker and not as slow when his master calls for him. He trudges through and makes his way to Bethlehem. His reward? Witnessing the birth of an ever so special gift, God's son. This book presents the story of Jesus' birth in a way that a young child can understand. The pictures throughout the book are bright and creative and the cover sparkles with gold. Any young child would be thrilled to open this book on Christmas morning! Disclaimer: This book was provided by Book Look Bloggers. All opinions stated here are my own.

Yes, another Christmas review, but bear with me because there is bound to be at least one kid on your Christmas list that will light up over this! The Berenstain Bears Christmas Fun Sticker and Activity Book .  Taking a long trip to Grandma's house and need something to keep the little ones entertained? Planning a dinner out at a restaurant and fear that your kids will become restless? This activity book is written for children ages four through eight, and rightly so. Some activities are certainly geared towards writers such as the crossword puzzles, word searches and fill in the blanks. Some of the other activities would be fun for the older bunch but also doable for four and five year olds, like the dot-to-dot puzzles, coloring pages and patterns. The stickers, of course are perfect for all the ages within this range. I appreciate the variety, the vibrant colors and of course the lovable Bear family that we all know and love. This would make an adorable gift that won...

Pre-readers and young learners tend to be drawn to books where they have to look for hidden objects. I know mine always were at that age. Whenever we read one it seems like they thought they were getting away with something since it wasn't a book that technically was "read." Little did they know, this type of book was preparing them for basic reading skills down the road. The concept of searching is an integral aspect of reading, whether kids realize it or not. Seeking phonetic clues, trying to figure out the meaning of a homophone by reading it in context or looking at punctuation to get the feel of a sentence. Seek and find books are a great way to encourage kids to excited about books, and Ready, Set, Find Christmas is perfect for the holiday season.  The story follows Mary and Joseph as they prepare for the birth of God's Son. There are five sections in this book, each with a cute colorful tab providing easy access for little hands. Each section in...