Nutrition 101: Choose Life!

For the last couple of months our family has been going through a nutritional overhaul! LOL! We've always been healthy eaters-my girls eat almost every vegetable, we hardly ever fry foods (even though we live in the deep south where EVERYTHING is fried) and we drink lots of water. After starting with a new chiropractor we were encouraged to go on a sugar free/gluten free diet. At first I thought this would be the end of the world! After a couple of days I realized that it wasn't so bad. Just because we gave up sugar didn't mean we couldn't have sweets. I went to a class that showed me how to make nutritional sweets with xylitol (yes, they are super yummy). We've changed to gluten free pasta too. Life is good!

So…when I got word that I would be reviewing the book Nutrition 101: Choose Life! I was very excited. This would fit in perfectly with our new lifestyle.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is a three-in-one family nutrition and health program for all ages that presents the major body systems, how they function, their common health issues, the benefits of good food and the consequences of bad food. Its 448 pages include into six units:

1. The Brain and Nervous System
2. Digestion and Elimination
3. Respiration and Olfactory
4. Muscular and Skeletal Systems
5. Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
6. Endocrine System and Emotions

Biblically based and packed with hands-on activities, science and art projects and nearly 80 family-friendly recipes, this program teaches and reinforces the why's of what we should eat, not just "because I said so." Containing a complete reference guide filled with nutrition facts, charts, practical tips and an exhaustive index, Nutrition 101: Choose Life! will serve as a constant resource for improved health and abundant living.

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

Today's children (in public, private and homeschools) are required to read and study many books written on science and biology. They learn about the body systems, organs, health issues and theories on how to live longer. Why then is disease increasing at an alarming rate in this country? Why, with all the drugs and state of the art diagnostic tools are we sicker than ever before? The American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Cancer all state the most important thing we can do to prevent and even "cure" these diseases is….CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT!

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." ~Psalm 139:14 This is why Nutrition 101: Choose Life! was created-to help families, especially children understand the real relationship between food and our bodies. The purpose of this book is to teach you how to feed your family more nutritious meals while on a budget. It's Biblically sound help from real families and expert counsel about real food.

Nutrition 101: Choose Life! is offered in three formats: the e-product (CD-ROM)-$79.95; a full-color, professionally printed hard copy-$99.95; and in a combination of the two-$129.95. The CD-ROM and book contain the same information, so the value of having both is the flexibility to use the e-product to reprint individual copies of the recipes, shopping lists, charts and any other relevant pages and still have a bound book to enjoy. Because the curriculum is designed for both elementary and secondary students, customers can use it for multiple years ... and then with their grandchildren.

I honestly can't say enough good things about this book. It was so much more than I had initially thought it would be. I have a BS in nursing and have studied all the systems of the body thoroughly. The authors of this book did an amazing job presenting the body systems in a way that a child could understand. That with the combination of the recipes, projects and activities makes this a must have for all families. My favorite part was how they tied scripture into each section, showing that this is not just their opinion, but God's plan.

You can read more opinions of this book at:

I received Nutrition 101: Choose Life! for free to review from the authors and TOS. No other compensation was received. This review is based on my personal opinion only.

KinderBach Review

Our family currently has 3 children in music lessons (violin). We know how expensive it can be to give your child this opportunity. We think it's very important for our children to be exposed to music as a part of their overall education. What do you do if you can't afford private lessons?

Classroom KinderBach is a music program for early childhood education facilities, homeschools or community centers. The teacher's materials include teacher aids, lesson plans, teacher's guide – everything needed to give quality preschool piano lessons to groups of children or just one child. Ages: 3-7

Online lessons start at $7.99/mth

DVD and CD packages-$40.45

"KinderBach is designed to provide an introduction to music using the keyboard or piano. First and foremost, KinderBach's primary goal is to ensure both student and parent have fun with this curriculum. Hundreds of hours of professional video instruction coupled with printed materials in the form of PDF files provide hours of well planned exercises. All student and teaching aids can be constructed from the PDFs. Children just love the games and puzzles too.

Thousands of families have used KinderBach successfully. The Learning Center on the website is a recent addition to our products and we look forward to your reviews and suggestions. All you need is a computer and an inexpensive keyboard or piano to play during the lessons."

It's as simple as that! KinderBach allowed us access to their site for free (thanks also to TOS). My first grader enjoyed adding piano lessons to her daily schedule. The lessons were short, fun and best of all-easy.

You can read more KinderBach review at the Crew Blog.

GoGo Kabongo Review

Launched In fall of 2010, GoGo Kabongo Is a fantastical world where kids can:

• Play challenging learning games

• Solve Exciting mini--‐quests

• Create A their own avatar

• Make reading--‐ready comic book pages

• Build and ride in a custom skate park

• Meet friendly, zany characters

In addition, parents can access activity reports on their child's in--‐game progress, resources from learning experts, and skill--‐building activities to try at home.

Target audience-ages 4-7

Price- First habitat, Laughter Lake is free. Additional habitats are available at an introductory price of $4.95 per habitat. No subscription fees ever.

Kabongo presents three fun-filled learning habitats: Laughter Lake, Galaxy Garden, and Twister Top. Here children can play challenging learning games, solve mini-missions, and discover lots of other hidden surprises. Along the way, children will meet a host of friendly characters who are always there to help and share a laugh. Each of GoGo Kabongo's learning games! Addresses a specific cognitive skill and adapts to the child's level, so they are never too easy or too hard, inspiring self-confidence and independent play. Critical thinking skills children learn and practice with GoGo Kabongo:

• Focus and attention

• Letter and pattern recognition

• planning

• Listening comprehension

• Phonics and phonetic awareness

As they play and learn, kids are rewarded with cool online collectables. For instance, kids earn interactive stickers, which they can use to create their very own comic book scenes, or skate park ramps to build and ride in a custom skate park.

Overall GoGo Kabonga is a colorful, fun website where children can easily learn. My 7 year old enjoyed playing there thanks to a free subscription from GoGo Kabonga and TOS. (We received no other compensation. This review is based on my opinion of the site).

You can read what others thought of this site on the Crew blog.

Zeezok Publishing Review

Zeezok is a company that's been around since 2003. They offer several items including High School government curriculum, Great Composers Series, various lapbooks and ebook guides. There newest product is the ZGuide. These movie guides are a great way to incorporate media (a powerful teaching tool in our increasingly electronic society) into any curriculum.

Each ZGuide contains a topic overview, movie synopsis, and ten learning activities for an in-depth study of the film. The topic overview puts the film in historical context, giving a student with no prior knowledge of the topic important background information. The one-page movie synopsis provides a more detailed explanation of the movie's storyline than typically found on the back cover of the video case or on movie review websites. While watching the film the first time through, students answer the movie review questions. This assignment forces the viewer to become an active learner rather than a passive observer. Nine additional activities provide interdisciplinary educational opportunities built around the movie's themes. Certain activities require the student to use outside resources (library, internet, etc.) to learn more about the topic. Several of the guides contain related memorization selections, combined with a public performance option, to develop the student's mental powers and public speaking abilities. Creative and critical writing assignments nurture the student's confidence in putting their thoughts on paper. Every guide contains a "hands-on" activity for the kinesthetic learner, designed to develop the student's artistic talents. The "Worldview Activity" goes to the heart of critical thinking by asking the student to evaluate the actors' attitudes and actions. "The Filmmaker's Art" activity focuses on movie-making techniques and their effect on the viewer. Parents and siblings can contribute their thoughts with the "For Family Discussion" section at the end of each guide. Many of these discussion questions relate to moral or philosophical dilemmas present in the movie.

For my review, Zeezok and TOS provided us with the movie guide for One Night with the King (which is a movie I highly recommend). The topics included in our guide were: Ancient Persian History, Ancient Jewish History, Loyalty, Results of Excessive Pride and Desire for Revenge , God's Providence.

The age level for this guide is High School.

Price- $12.99/ CD

My opinion- this is an incredible way to get the most out of quality movies. So many times we sit and watch but don't retain. Using this guide will allow you and your child/student to thoroughly discuss the topics of the movie. I highly recommend it.

The goal of ZGuide is not just supplemental educational activities but to teach the viewer to think critically. This is an important concept for any age.

If you'd like to read more reviews about Zeezok check out the Crew blog.

*For the purpose of this review I was given a free movie guide from Zeezok. No other compensation was received. This review is based on my personal opinion only.

The Reading Kingdom review

"We believe that reading is the single most important skill children need to succeed in school and in life and that every child has the right to learn to read. Shockingly, nearly 70% of children are failing to reach a proficient level in reading.* And failure in this critical area is the single greatest indicator of serious problems later in life. Our dream is to bring literacy to all in the United States and help those abroad who want to learn English by creating easily accessible and highly effective education methods."~The Reading Kingdom

11 years ago when we embarked on our homeschooling adventure the single most thing I was afraid of was teaching my child to read. How could I possibly do it? I understood that reading is the most important step in a quality education. Today there are many tools to teach your child to read. The Reading Kingdom happens to be one that lets your child have fun while working on their reading skills. It's colorful with cute little characters and is so easy to use that once we set it up, my daughter could work alone. Target age is 4-10 years for this website based curriculum.

How the Program is Organized

The Skills Survey
The program begins with your child taking a Skills Survey. Through simple, game-like activities, it reveals the skills a child has and does not have so that the program can start at exactly the right place to encourage the greatest success.

The Teaching
Once the Skills Survey is completed, the teaching begins. The program is organized into six levels.

Pre-reading Level

Teaches the Visual Sequencing and Keyboarding Skills that underlie reading and writing. A child goes through one or both of these programs if the Skills Survey shows that these components are needed.

Level 1
Gets your child reading, understanding and writing meaningful ideas by teaching key nouns (kids, girl, bird), verbs (actions such as eat, walk, fly) and "helping" words (the, some, is, can, are). Once a set of words has been taught, the child gets to read a book containing those words, along with words previously taught. As in all subsequent levels, there are six books in Level 2.

Level 2

Greatly expands the range of ideas your child reads and writes by adding new nouns (puppies, man, water), verbs relevant to those nouns (run, fix, move, including words that convey motivation such as need, want, like), pronouns (she, I, we), additional "helping" words (that, also, both, of) and question words (who, what, which).

Level 3

Enhances your child's ability to tell and understand stories by teaching the words to convey past tense (was, did, were), along with increasing the range of nouns (ground, rocks), verbs (push, think, hurt), "helping" words (most, on, any), and adjectives (sad, happy, nice, -y as in dirty, rocky).

Level 4
Gets your child reading subject matter that is different from typical stories and essential to school success. It introduces a wide variety of objects and beings from the natural world (animals, rainbow, moon, tongue, group, people, earth) and higher level question words (why, when, how). These are then incorporated into books that convey science type information.

Level 5

Has your child reading rich stories which provide a sense of fun while teaching complex cause and effect relationships by expanding the range of nouns (computer, letter, fish) and verbs (change, know, float), and introducing a set of complex ideas (luck, true, never, change, sure).

Keeping Track
Within a few weeks, many children are using the program totally on their own. Even though you may not be there during the lessons, you'll have no trouble keeping track of how your child is doing. After a session is completed, you can open a link that offers you a summary of how the session went, where your child is at, what's happening next and so on.

Progress Check
The Reading Kingdom has been designed so that a child moves ahead only if the learning is solid and secure. At regular points, a child is given a brief Progress Check to see if there is mastery of the material that has been taught.

If the Progress Check shows that your child is doing well, in the next session he or she moves on to new material.

On the other hand, if the Skills Survey shows some weaknesses in the learning, then in the next session, your child starts a set of review lessons that enable him or her to get past any difficulties. The review process may take one to two weeks to complete. Once it is completed, the child returns to learning new material.

Pricing

You receive a free 30 day trial. After that, subscriptions to Reading Kingdom are $19.99/month (with no monthly minimum), or $199.99 per year. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
If you can't possible afford to pay, you can apply for a scholarship. Also Educators can apply for a discount.

We received our subscription to The Reading Kingdom for free thanks to TOS. This review was based on my opinion of the product only. No other compensation was received. To read other review about this product, please visit the Crew Blog.

Math Rider Review

Everyone always says that hindsight is 20/20. I truly believe it. Looking back, I feel there are so many mistakes that I've made in teaching my children. Poor Mary and Grace. I'm trying hard to do better with them. Hopefully all of my mistakes won't leave 'permanent damage'. LOL! Fortunately for Emma, she's getting to reap the benefits of being the youngest.

One of the concepts I regret not reinforcing is speedy mental math computation. I thought as long as my children mastered fundamental math, they didn't have to have speed. I've learned the hard way, that I was wrong. Because of this my older girls had to play catch up. With Emma, we're starting this now. Lucky for her, TOS let me review Math Rider.

~Math Rider lets your child practice addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with numbers 1-12 all while playing a game instead of doing a 'sometimes boring' worksheet. The software is formatted so that each game is custom tailored to the rider. That way your child gets the practice they specifically need .An overview map of mastery is given for each number table which allows the parent to see how their child is progressing.

~Learning takes place in a land of fantasy and quests. Various noble adventures abound in the Land of Ray on a horse named Shadow Each operation contains four quests ranging from easy to master. The game is designed so that a younger child can complete just addition and an older child can focus on multiplication and division, but also revise their addition and subtraction as well.

~Up to 10 players can be on a single license. The game tracks each rider's progress and results individually.

~$37 for an instant download. Plus there's a 30 day risk free guarantee.

~What is my 7 year old's opinion? Let's just say I don't have to beg her to do her math. I can't imagine any child who wouldn't want to ride a horse through a beautiful, enchanted land and earn rewards for doing their math. This "mastery of mathematics in a land of adventure" is a truly creative way to memorize math facts and have fun.

To read other reviews on this site, please visit the TOS Crew blog.

*For the purpose of this review, I was given a free subscription to Math Rider. No other compensation was received. This review is based on my opinion of the site only.

Virtual Nerd Review

Virtual Nerd is a truly unique online resource to help students in math and science. It's like a private tutor right in your computer! I recently reviewed this program for Virtual Nerd and TOS. My girls have never been too fond of math so I have to say it was refreshing to find a program to actually help and answer all their questions.

What's this program about?
1. They anticipate the students' questions and offer in-context links to helpful tutorials.
2. Provide ability to progressively drill down to related tutorials as additional help is needed.
3. Enable the student to stay focused and oriented and work at their own pace.
4. Provide convenient anytime, anywhere access via the web.
5. Provides a platform for parents to see the students learning process.

What's available:
Algebra I
Pre-Algebra
Algebra II
Conceptual Physics

Coming soon:
Geometry
Pre-Cal
Calculus
Physics w/Trig
Chemistry
Biology


How much?
Individual Subscription: $49/mo
Custom school packages are also available

My personal opinion:
This is one incredible site! I know from experience that tutors can be expensive and they're not always able to fully explain the problems so your child can understand. With Virtual Nerd they cover every possible angle to take all the frustration out of learning. I only wish I had a program like this when I was in high school.

You can find other reviews on Virtual Nerd at the Homeschool Crew Blog.

I received a free subscription to Virtual Nerd for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was received. The content of this post is my own personal opinion only.

ALEKS Math Review

What is ALEKS?

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS offers truly individualized instruction that meets the student at her learning level and instructs her on the exact topics that she is most ready to learn. As a result, no two students will experience the same learning path while working in ALEKS. Learn more by watching a quick 2-minute video.

ALEKS can provide you with the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. With a comprehensive course library ranging from elementary school math to complex subjects such as PreCalculus, ALEKS acts much like a human tutor to help take the stress off of homeschooling parents.

ALEKS offers highly-targeted, individualized instruction from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a comprehensive and mobile education solution for your children. A subscription to ALEKS offers access to all courses and your child may take as many courses as needed during their subscription period.

ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Program:

~Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library

~No Textbook Required

~Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge

~Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12

~Master Account Includes Quizzing and Automated Reports to Monitor Learning Progress

~Unlimited Online Access - PC and Mac Compatible

QuickTables - Complimentary Math Fact Mastery Program for Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction
Learn More

ALEKS has been used successfully by homeschoolers, as well as by millions of students at schools and educational institutions throughout the world. Additionally, some ALEKS course products are American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended, meaning that your student may be eligible for college credit at participating colleges.

Student Account

Assessment: Students begin in ALEKS by taking an individualized, adaptive assessment to determine what they already know and what they are ready to learn next.

MyPie: The ALEKS Pie summarizes a student's current knowledge and offers topics that the student is ready to learn next. The darkened portion of each pie slice represents the topics that the student has mastered and the lighter portion represents what the student has yet to learn.

Input Tools: ALEKS provides a free response environment and sophisticated input tools that avoid multiple-choice and require students to demonstrate content mastery.

Learning Mode: The Learning Mode provides students with practice problems, and offers explanations of topics and procedures as needed. Once a student has demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the topic is added to the ALEKS Pie, and new material that the student is now ready to learn becomes available.

Explanations: When a student is working on a particular problem, she can access an explanation of that problem by clicking on the "Explain" button. The explanation typically provides a step-by-step solution, with commentary. In some cases, an alternative or more detailed explanation is also available.

Feedback: Students receive immediate feedback and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.

Worksheets: Students have the ability to print out 16-question worksheets for additional practice or review. These worksheets are uniquely generated based on the student's current knowledge.

ALEKS QuickTables: QuickTables is a research-based, math fact mastery program for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

Interactive Games: Provide additional review and built-in rewards.

Master Account
Master Account Homepage: Easily manage all student accounts, monitor student progress, view customized resources, and more.

Attendance Report: Track student time spent in ALEKS per day, the topics attempted, and the topics mastered and added to the ALEKS Pie.

Quiz Results: Quizzes are automatically graded and the results are available to both the parent and student immediately. View a detailed quiz results sample report (PDF).

ALEKS offers the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your child in mathematics. ALEKS is available anytime you are and offers individualized assessment and learning. Purchasing an ALEKS subscription allows your child to access the full course library, however only one course may be taken at a time. Additionally, some ALEKS course products are American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended, meaning that your child may be eligible for college credit at participating colleges.

A subscription to ALEKS is :

• $19.95 per student, per month, or
  



• only $99.95 every 6 months, or
  



• only $179.95 every 12 months.
  

My personal opinion of this math course…first of all let me say that around our house math is not a favorite subject. In fact, we've been known to have tears while trying to get through a lesson. After my daughter tried this course she said, "I LOVE this math." That said it all for me. We've shelved our 'fancy', expensive math curriculum in favor of ALEKS-a good, solid program that just happens to be fun too.

Read more reviews about ALEKS at the TOS crew blog.

*TOS and ALEKS asked me to review this curriculum. I received a free subscription for my review. No other compensation was received.

The Master Clock Review

I only have 2 words for this product: really cool! Master Innovations recently sent me the Master Clock to review. It could not have come at a better time. My 6 year old has been trying to figure out the whole world of clocks and time.

Master Innovations began over 10 years with a simple goal: to make sure every child in school had a Master Ruler. Since then they've moved on to include many more math manipulatives that make learning measurements more hands on and visual.

Our family received the Master Clock to review thanks to Master Innovations and TOS. It's geared toward any age-early learners or the older child who is having issues picking up on the concept of telling time.

For $14.95 you can receive the student workbook and the Master Clock. The clock itself is 4 clock faces in one. There's the basic clock that consists of half and quarter hour markings only; the hours face; the minutes face and finally the seconds face. Each face can be superimposed unto the next. The hands of the clock can be removed and used in any combination. Therefore if the child is just learning hours and minutes, you can take the second hand off. At the top , a digital clock is included. It can be used in many different ways in the learning process. The clock is about the size of a toddler's board book, made of sturdy plastic and packaged in a thick, clear plastic bag that snaps at the top.

The workbook is 100 pages full of useful information. It starts out giving a brief history of time including different types of 'clocks' over the ages. There are several different projects your child can make to go along with this ( a clock from a paper plate, a water clock, a sand clock). The worksheets are so much more than just clock faces to identify. They really go all out to teach your child the concept of time. Which goes first, about how long does this take, just a second, am and pm, etc.

I love that the Master Clock and work book are small and light enough to take everywhere. We take it in the car all the time and recently stuck it in my daughter's back pack on a long flight. The clock is colorful; the workbook is simple to understand with short lessons that aren't overwhelming. My daughter loves 'playing' with the materials and has learned so much.

In fact, we like this product so much that I plan on ordering more Master Innovation products like the Master Ruler, Master Fractions and Master Angle. It's hard to find products that are durable, easy to use, inexpensive and that my child loves and actually learns from. Master Clock is one of those. I highly recommend it.

You can find out what others think of this product at:

*I received the Master Clock for free in exchange for my review. No further compensation was received.

The Write Foundation Review

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. Luke 6:48

At our house, my middle daughter is our 'writer'. She's only 12, but for years she has been writing poems, short stories, etc. She has book after book filled with her words. Therefore when we received the package from The Write Foundation she was super excited. Thank you TOS for allowing us to review this product. We believe that writing is a pillar of a good education.

"The goal of the Write Foundation is for students to become well thought-out and organized writers which will help them be more effective communicators and therefore better prepared for other classes and life."

Objectives:
1. The Writing Process- the fundamental writing skills of brainstorm, outline, rough draft, edit and final copy.
2. Writing Structure-incorporating structured organization in writing.
3. Word Usage-basic grammar and figures of speech used to enhance writing.

"Repetition is the price of knowledge."-Keith Lamb

All levels can be used in a homeschool setting with 1-3 students. They can also be used in a co-op or classroom setting with multiple students. Schedules for both are included in the package.

Age levels are any where from 11-17; it depends greatly on your student's maturity, writing experience and interest in writing. Each level can easily be adapted to a 2 year format if needed.

There are 3 levels:
Level 1: Sentence to Paragraph Writing
Level 2: Paragraph Writing
Level 3: Essay Writing

Poetry is taught too for several reasons:
1. for teaching grammar
2. to teach structure
3. to learn to work with different parts and figures of speech to incorporate into paragraphs later
4. just for their enjoyment!

We chose Paragraph Writing which includes the following:

The entire Paragraph Writing Curriculum for teacher and student by Rebecca Celsor includes:

• Spiral-bound Teacher Instruction Manuals with Lesson Plans (about 160 double-sided pages)

• 1 set notebook-ready Worksheets (about 200 pages)

• 1 CD with additional resources

  • Grading System

  • Grading Record Sheets

  • Word Games

  • Checklists

  • Teacher Presentation Sheets

  • Weekly Assignments

  • Extensive Reading list

Prices for the program vary depending on what you feel would work best for child and for you.

Curriculum Package 1: Paragraph Complete Lessons 1-30 $100 + tax/shipping.

Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 1 – 15 & Lessons 16 – 30

Student Worksheets Full Set Lessons 1 – 30

Paragraph Additional Resources CD

Curriculum Package 2: Paragraph Lessons 1-15 $65 + tax/shipping.

Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 1 – 15

Student Worksheets Lessons 1 – 15

Paragraph Additional Resources CD

Curriculum Package 3: Paragraph Lessons 16-30 $65 + tax/shipping.

Spiral Instruction Manual Lessons 16 – 30

Student Worksheets Lessons 16 – 30

Paragraph Additional Resources CD

Only 1 addtional item is recommended:
Mind Benders
These are used to help develop the student's organizational processing. They learn to think logically by working puzzles. Most students love Mind Benders. The use of Mind Benders is optional.

Overall The Write Foundation is a very thorough, easily adaptable writing program that in my opinion is a very good product for the price. You can read what other TOS Crew Members thought at:

*For the purpose of this review, I received The Writing Foundation for free. My review is based on my opinion of the product only. No additional compensation was received.

Collectorz.com Review

As an avid reader and homeschool mom, I have tons and tons of books. Unfortunately some are duplicates. It happens to even the best of us! LOL! I see a good deal and suddenly I can't remember a thing. Fortunately for me I got to review Collectorz book collectors for free (thanks to my favorite magazine, TOS). I'm soooo happy! Finally a way to organize all my books!! I'm a happy girl.

Not only can you keep an accurate home inventory of book collections(the whole family's- from the toddler to dad's) with Collectorz.com but these programs assist with insurance records and general home organization.

The programs are perfect for people interested in keeping an accurate list of their belongings and also for those who are a little more serious- wishing to keep detailed records for each item in their collection.

What costs are involved?
*Standard format $24.95

*Pro format $49.95

*Barcode scanners are available from the Collectorz.com website to make entering data faster. Options include a simple scanner for $19.95 or a deluxe laser scanner for $139.95.

Why use Collectorz?

*Large collections of books can be worth a lot of money. Having an accurate way to keep track of them can be beneficial for insurance purposes.

*Having a list like this can help people like me keep from purchasing duplicate copies of books. It also helps you keep up with who you've loaned to.

*Book Collectorz makes keeping up with your book collection easy.

For more reviews on Collectorz, check out: The TOS Crew Blog

PG Key Review

PG Key is a unique device that plugs into any USB port on a PC and gives parents the tools they need to manage kids using the Internet. I received this really cool tool to review for free thanks to TOS.

It’ so simple to use. Simply take it from the box, plug it into any USB port and assign it a password. Done!

When PG Key is removed, the computer operation is suspended - this allows parents to control when their child can use the PC. You can also load time on PG Key like a cell phone and limit how many minutes a day the computer is used. When PG Key is in, 10 technologies are engaged, including site blocking and filtered searching. They allow you as a parent to create a safe Internet environment for the child. PG Key automatically records up to 60 hours of computer activity that can be reviewed just like watching a movie - sites visited, chats, e-mails, eveything.
It works with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7

There are also no annual fees. Just a one time purchase price of $49.99

10 Tools in one little device:

*Access Control Control computer use by inserting or unplugging PG Key.
*Time Allowance Decide the amount of time the computer can be used daily.
*Content Filtering Eliminate unwanted results from innocent searches.
*Site Blocking Block sites you decide are inappropriate.
*Activity Tracking Review all activity on the PC with a DVD-like interface.
*Activity Notifications Be informed via text message or e-mail of any flagged activity.
*Chat and E-mail Logging See both sides of chat and e-mail conversations.
*Computer Configuration Properly configure all users of the protected PC.
*User Name and Password Logging Keep track of user names and passwords.
*Inappropriate Activity Evidence Use video recording to show obvious or suspected inappropriate activity.

PG Key is one of the best products I've seen. It's fast and easy to use yet gives you so much peace of mind. You can read what other crew members thought of it at:

Peleg Chronciles

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation"
Isaiah 52:7

One thing I've learned with having 3 children is that you can't be too careful about what they put into their minds. I've always told them that what goes in through their minds ends up in their hearts. One particular incident I recall happened a couple of years ago. We were preparing to go on a trip to Europe. One of the first things we think about is having a book or books to read on the long flight. We went in a local (small town) bookstore and asked for advice on books for the girls. They took us to the appropriate section for their ages. First they tried to push the 'vampire' books on us. The girls politely declined, much to my relief. Next was the ever popular 'witch craft' books. Once again the girls said that was something they weren't interested in. Finally a series of books that had been made into a movie was presented. Because the store was about to close and our flight was leaving early the next morning, we purchased these books without reviewing them thoroughly. Much to my dismay, halfway through the book, my daughter brings to my attention not only inappropriate language, but also totally inappropriate content. I was devastated that I had let her put those things into her mind. From that point on, my husband and I decided that every book our children read would be first approved by us or someone close that we trusted. Our children's minds are just too impressionable to allow anything to enter them.

A few weeks ago I received the book "The Peleg Chronicles" by Matthew Christian Harding. TOS asked me to read and review it. The first thing I did was flip to the back cover where I read "No Magic, No Evolution, No Humanism". Immediately I thought this was going to be a good book!

"I wanted to write books of fiction for our youth and adults that
would strengthen these beliefs, and give another platform from
which to excite and exhort our children to believe the Bible
literally - every word. I also desire to give them exciting stories
that help train them in Godly character.

I believe the Peleg Chronicles will give you another venue for
speaking truth into your children's lives. Just look at the
repetitive bombardment of evolution and humanism our families
are exposed to. We can't be neutral in our approach towards
false ideology, or our culture will dictate what is taught by
default. And reading works of fiction are one of the powerful
ways that learning occurs. That's why we must be cautious and
purposeful in choosing what our children are reading"

~Matthew Christian Harding

This 256 page book, priced at $11.95, is written for ages 10 and up. It's classified as Historical Fiction-mine and my oldest daughter's favorite. This early human history weaves a web of entertaining and imaginative heroes who depend on the Lord for help. Faith in God is the core of what the story is about. The characters (dragons, giants, false priests, the death hunt, an under-city of the dwarven brotherhood, and many more) are brought to life by Harding. The story begins in the time period of Peleg ,after the flood of Noah, soon after the tower of Babel dispersion. "Foundlings weaves together the Biblical principles of chivalry, truth, courage, duty, faith and love within the framework of Genesis, and a bold adherence to its historicity." The Peleg Chronicles is a book I proudly read in our home and let my girls read on their own. It's so refreshing to find good literature in today's world that not only is exciting, but glorifies our Lord. I highly recommend Peleg Chronicles and hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

If you'd like to read more reviews on this book visit The Homeschool Crew.

*For the purpose of this review, I received The Peleg Chronicles for free. My review is based on my opinion of the product only. No additional compensation was received.*

Schleich Figurine Review

It's not everyday that I'm as excited as my 6 year old when a package arrives. Today happened to be one of those days. Not only were the two of us pushing each other, but my other 2 girls were 'oohing and ahhing' as we pulled the Schleich figurines from the box. TOS kindly asked me to review these. What a pleasure!

Friedrich Schleich founded the company in 1935. Each figurine is engineered by a German master craftsman who works on the finest details for up to six weeks. Each one is hand painted-therefore they are all unique. Even though I no longer have toddlers around the house, it's important to me that all our toys are safe. All Schleich products are thoroughly tested by in-house experts at the German headquarters in Schwäbisch Gmünd. That means they are durable and safe.

Did I mention that these figurines are absolutely beautiful! They are simply miniatures of the real thing. I guess that's why not only toddlers enjoy them (only the larger pieces that can't cause a choking hazard), but older children and even adults like to collect them. There are so many(over 500) to pick from that boys and girls can find something they like.

Schleich makes a wide range of figurines which are divided into the following categories:

Farm Life

Wild Life

Prehistoric Animals

The World of Knights
The World of American Indians
The World of Fantasy (including Bayala and the Smurfs)

Price range varies depending on the piece-anywhere from around $6.00 up to $50.00+. The Schleich website can help you locate a dealer near you.

"When deciding on licensing products such as comic figurines we pay careful attention to their character and the message they carry. Educational aspects play a more important part than possible sales potential."

Wow! How many companies would say that? I guess you can tell that I like these cute little guys and so does my daughter. I can see her playing with them for many more years. We've already planned to order some of the characters from Bayala. I have to have some Smurfs too because they bring back memories of my childhood J. Schleich figurines are perfect for almost every age range, interest and imagination. Safe, durable and most of all just pure simple fun.

You can find out what the rest of the Homeschool Crew thought at the blog.

*For the purpose of this review I received free Schleich figurines. My review is based on my opinion of the product only. No additional compensation was received.*