Force of Nature: An Honest, Unsolicited Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Force of Nature
I review quite a few things on this blog related to homeschooling. This time I want to share what we are using to clean our home with these days: Force of Nature. I absolutely love it for many reasons. 
 

NOTE: This is not a product I received for free nor was I asked to review. I just was excited to share a cleaner that is on the EPA list approved to kill that wretched virus we are all dealing with in one way or another AND one that was as safe as this is! 
 
 
Force of Nature uses salt, water, and vinegar, already mixed in handy dandy little capsules. You simply add one capsule to the bottle and push the button on the machine. That’s where the magic happens. The water is electrolyzed by the machine and the combo of safe household ingredients creates a powerful cleaner.
 




This is considered an all-natural cleaner and is completely safe for kids, pets, and everyone else. There is a very slight chlorinated smell, but this is completely normal because of the chemistry that is happening between the water and salt. Because it is the right balance of ingredients, this is a non-toxic cleaner that is stronger than the ones full of chemicals. 
I have been using it everywhere! 
Kitchen Counters and Sink
Butcher Block island
Kitchen Table

Piano
(Sprayed onto a cleaning cloth first, not directly onto the piano!)
Bathroom
Kitchen and Bathroom Floors
Door Handles

It says it is safe for fabric as well, but make sure to test that in a small area before you try it everywhere. I haven’t had opportunity to use it on fabric yet. 


I took about a month to read and learn about this company as well as the science behind the cleaner before purchasing. I read and read and read…from all different sources, not just from their website. When I finally purchased it, I was feeling quite confident in my decision and even more so now that I’ve used it in our home. 
 
Disclaimer: I do not make any commission from this referral. I do earn free capsules if you click on it and purchase.

Adventures inOdyssey: Jay Smouse bringing Smiles!

Grace-Filled Writer
Jay Ice Cream Character Headshot 
We are often introduced to new characters in Odyssey. One of our family’s new favorites is Jay Smouse! Here is a descriptoin of Jay directly from the Adventures in Odyssey website…

“Jay might call himself a bully, but it’s only in his own mind. He likes to torment kids with his nicknames and attitudes, but most others don’t take him seriously. He is often his own worst enemy—getting himself into crazy situations of own his own doing. He sometimes hangs out with Vance King, though even their relationship can be adversarial.”

The factor that gives us delight is the comedic nature of this character. The actor (Whit Hertford) brings a likability to a character with a bad reputation. My husband especially really likes this character. When we are traveling and we ask what everyone wants to listen to, he will frequently respond with, “Anything with Jay!” 
Here are some of our favorite Jay Smouse episodes. 
1. Stage FrightBarrett is excited about getting the lead role in the school play. But when his first practice is interrupted by a mysterious booming voice, Emily must investigate the “phantom of the school play.
 
2. How to Sink a Sub
 When Katrina becomes their substitute teacher, Jay and Valerie rouse the class to revolt, even persuading Olivia to help with a plan to get Katrina fired.
3. Unbecoming JayJay schemes a way to ditch his cousin Cindy by leaving her with Barrett, but Priscilla grows jealous of the new friendship. 
4. Mistaken for Good
 Jay’s visit to a nursing home takes an unexpected turn when an old woman mistakes him for her grandson — and offers him money as a birthday present.
5. Groundhog Jay
 After Jay pushes Priscilla into an unexpected trip in the Room of Consequence, the two of them experience the same event over and over again.
6. The Friend Formula
 Riley is new to town and hoping to find some new friends. For advice, he turns to an unlikely (and unreliable) source – Jay Smouse!
7. Walk Worthy
 Buddy and Jay explore what it means to live with integrity as members of a wilderness troop for boys.
There are many others, and honestly anything with Jay Smouse is good for a laugh and a lesson! Explore some of these stories and more with an Adventures in Odyssey Club membership! 

Disclaimer: In exchange for promoting The Adventures in Odyssey Club I receive a membership to The Adventures in Odyssey Club. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Peek into our Weeks: July in Review

Grace-Filled Writer
July, much like the rest of the year, has been anything but normal. We tried to have as much fun and normalcy as we could. Here are a few highlights.


We had a short trip to Florida and our kids got to spend a little time with their cousins. One of the fun moments was the cousin band! The kids worked to learn a couple of hymns on various instruments. It was really beautiful. I played piano and everyone not playing sang long.

Since we were unable to take any trips away this summer, Daddy thought camping in the backyard might be a fun distraction for a while! So the tent was setup and the girls had a couple of nights camping. Penny, our puppy, happily joined in the fun!
One thing the girls have enjoyed this summer is building and creating. They have been writing novels and movie scripts, building with Legos, and creating lots of art. We may not be having official school, but we are definitely learning and creating! 
We had a pretty big milestone for this sweet girl. She turned 13 and is growing in grace and beauty. She loves writing epic novels, cuddling our pets, reading, and laughing.
So those are a few glimpses into our month of July. There are many things we wished we could have done…swimming, the water park, the amusement park, more time with family…but we have chosen to focus on the blessings and are thankful for technology to allow us to communicate and play games with family.

School This Year… It’s Going to Take A Lot of Grace!

Grace-Filled Writer
This is Rose in February 2012, about 3 months after we began homeschooling and right about the time we realized this was going to be more than a 1-year-commitment.

 This is Rose in February 2012, about 3 months after we began homeschooling and right about the time we realized this was going to be more than a 1-year-commitment.

There are so many schooling options for the year to come at the moment. With that is coming a lot of emotions: fear, frustration, confusion… I want to let you know that those are all feelings I understand completely. I often refer to myself as an accidental homeschooler. We began with Rose’s educational journey in the traditional classroom. In 2011, when she was in 1st grade, we chose to begin homeschooling at the end of October fully intending to return to the traditional setting the following year. After a few months we realized this was a beautiful fit for our family and never looked back.
I am praying for my many friends who are single parents or both parents are essential workers. Praise God for you! We need men and women who are willing to keep doing what needs to be done! I’m praying for my many friends who find themselves out of work because of their state or local community polices. I feel for you and am praying that communities will begin to open soon. 
On the flip side of this, know that if you are doing a virtual school option either by choice or not, it is very different from traditional homeschooling. Every homeschooler I know is happy to help and be supportive no matter what you are doing, but this is quite different from how most of us educate.

There are a lot of blog posts, videos, and meet-ups happening all over the country in response to all of this. My thoughts are not geared towards what to choose or how to begin, but here they are.



1. If you are virtual schooling with a classroom setup, give your teachers grace! They will be trying their best many times with their own children’s school to consider as well as learning how to remotely teach.
2. If you are virtual schooling without a classroom setup, give yourself and your child grace! There will be a learning curve for you both!
3. If you are traditional schooling with or without restrictions and limits, give your kids and teachers tons of grace! Things are most likely going to feel different in some regard and that brings a lot of emotions into the package. 
4. If you are opting to homeschool for the first time, give yourself and your child grace! This is a new and sometimes overwhelming journey. Reach out and ask for help. We have all be where you are at some point.
5. If you are opting to homeschool as you already have been, reach out, be supportive, and encourage a mom around you who is feeling stressed!
Above all else…Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6
Here are our homeschooling plans for the year: 


EveryoneForeign Language: Talkbox French and Spanish (Click this link to read my full review of this amazing language curriculum!)
Bible: AWANAWeekly Shakespeare Study: Usborne Shakespeare and Heart of Dakota notebooking pages

Grace – age 11, 5th GradeHistory: Hearts for Him Through Time – Creation to Christ (Heart of Dakota)
Math: Math Mammoth Grade 5
Science: Weekly class (meeting virtually until local regulations are lifted)
Spelling: All About Spelling
Grammar: Rod and Staff
Writing: Writing StrandsLiterature: Classics and Abridged Classics

Beth – age 13, 8th GradeHistory: Hearts for Him Through Time – Revival to Revolution (Heart of Dakota)
Math: Algebra 1 (Math Essentials)
Science: Weekly class (meeting virtually until local regulations are lifted)
Spelling: All About Spelling
Grammar: Caught Ya’!
Writing: Writing StrandsLiterature: Classics and Abridged Classics

Rose – age 14, 10th GradeHistory: Economics and Government (Schoolhouse Teachers)
Math: Geometry (Mr. D Math) and Algebra 2 (Teaching Textbooks)
Science: Chemistry (Master Books) and Mel Science Experiments
Spelling: All About Spelling
Grammar: Caught Ya! and Jensen’s Grammar
Writing: Writing StrandsLiterature: American Literature (Schoolhouse Teachers)
What are your plans for this school year? If you need a place to start, check out SchoolhouseTeachers! 
I would love to hear about your own plans for the year whether it is homeschooling, virtual school, traditional classroom, or some combination. Leave a comment below!

The Romance Episodes: Adventures in Odyssey

Grace-Filled Writer

As my daughters are growing it is so important to me to help them learn about love from godly perspectives. The Bible of course is our first resource for this. Modern media is rarely a good source. The writers and producers at Adventures in Odyssey have done a beautiful job of dealing with the topic of romance in a way that I feel edifies my daughters.

Here are some of our favorite romantic episodes.

Crushes and Attraction
Album 19 Passport To Adventure
Album 19: Passport to Adventure
Episode # 5 Truth, Trivia & ‘Trina
Bart Rathbone’s TV trivia contest pits Eugene and Connie against a college student named Katrina Shanks, who seems to have captured Eugene’s heart.


Album 36 Danger Signals Novacom Saga 2
Album 36: Danger Signals
Episode # 2 Green Eyes & Yellow Tulips
Connie falls for a Novacom employee named Robert Mitchell. Bart Rathbone protests that Novacom’s programming is immoral.

Album Cover For The Sky's the Limit
Album 49: The Sky’s The Limit
Episode # 6 Wooing Wooton
Wooton Bassett’s father comes to town to get his son’s help on a business deal. Meanwhile, Grady must make a decision that could cost his mom her job.

Dating and Courtship
Album 29 Signed Sealed And Committed
Album 29: Signed, Sealed, & Committed
Episode # 1-3 For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll, Parts 1-3
Someone is getting married in Odyssey … but who? Is it John Whittaker and Margaret Faye, Eugene Meltsner and Katrina Shanks, or Jack Allen and Joanne Woodston?

Album 48 Moment Of Truth
Album 48: Moment of Truth
Episode # 3 Prequels of Love
From chicken costumes to phone scams, we hear the stories of how Bart Rathbone, Whit, and Bernard Walton met, or proposed to, their wives.

Album Cover For The Best Small Town
Album 50: The Best Small Town
Episode # 8-9 The Triangled Web, Parts 1-2
Lucy Cunningham-Schultz becomes the center of attention when Jimmy Barclay, Curt Stevens, and Jack Davis return to Odyssey for a reunion–each young man determined to win her heart at last.

Breaking Up
Album 08 Beyond Expectations
Album 8: Beyond Expectations
Episode # 4 First Love
Connie falls in love for the first time with a guy named Jeff Lewis, who turns out to be a non-Christian.

Album 24 Risks And Rewards
Album 24: Risks and Rewards
Episode # 12 The Turning Point
Eugene and Katrina’s relationship takes a surprising turn after Eugene meets Katrina’s father, Armitage Shanks.

Album 27 The Search For Whit
Album 27: The Search for Whit
Episode # 8 A Question About Tasha
Jason Whittaker and Tasha Forbes announce that they’re getting married . . . tomorrow!

Album 36 Danger Signals Novacom Saga 2
Album 36: Danger Signals
Episode # 3-4 The Triangle, Parts 1-2 
Jack Allen and Whit tell Connie the story of how Whit met his wife in college.

Album 41 In Hot Pursuit
Album 41: In Hot Pursuit
Episode # 10-11  Something Blue, Parts 1 and 2
When Connie gets the news that Mitch might leave for Europe in a few days, the two of them decide to get married immediately.

Weddings
A few of the previous episodes also include weddings!

Album Cover For Eugene Returns!
Album 44: Eugene Returns
Episode # 11-12 For Better or for Worse, Parts 1-2
Eugene and Katrina finally plan to have a proper wedding. But the two wedding coordinators (Connie and Porcelain Shanks) engage in an epic battle of decision making.

Album 61 Without A Hitch
Album 61: Without A Hitch
Episode # 5-6 A Very Bassett Wedding, Parts 1-2
The Bassett and Wise families have arrived in town for Wooton and Penny’s big day, but a damaged dress, stomach pains, and an investigation into a missing ring mean that the couple’s walk to the altar will be anything but simple. 

Album 67 More Than Meets The Eye
Album 67: More than Meets the Eye
Episode # 6-7 Nightmares by Constance, Parts 1-2
Two days before a “Dreams by Constance” wedding, the grandmother of the bride approaches Connie with a proposal: she’ll pay her double if she breaks up the ceremony.


You can listen to these and more through the Adventures in Odyssey Club! Try your 14-day trial today! 

Disclaimer: In exchange for promoting The Adventures in Odyssey Club I receive a membership to The Adventures in Odyssey Club. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Adventures in Odyssey Free Trial and Activity Pack!

Grace-Filled Writer
Summer is looking very, very different than any of us expected at the start of the year. One of the bright spots has continued to be The Adventures in Odyssey Club! We are excited for a new album to drop first in the club soon and have had themed listening parties for our favorite characters. 

You can also click on the picture above got a fantastically fun summer activity pack! We’ve really enjoyed these resources over the last few years! 

Comment below with your favorite Adventures in Odyssey character! 

Several weeks in review…

Grace-Filled Writer

Life has been moving forward in a bit of a blur. We having been continuing school with Heart of Dakota and two of my girls finished up their guides at the end of the year. That hasn’t happened in ages! The third has a few more units to go and then all three will begin afresh for the next year. 


In between all of that we have been occupying our time with outdoor play, teaching virtual piano lessons, a social distanced virtual piano recital, French, time with grandparents, online church recording, and more, although I can’t remember much about what that more is right now. We watched the countdown to the space launch…twice. 

We are enjoying the beauty of the nature around us. We normally do, but even more so now…. 

bluebirds nesting…

a full moon…

 daisies blooming in all their glory…


I’m also tending my herb garden, harvesting, drying, and sharing some amazingly gorgeous herbs! 

As we enter into a much different summer than usual I’m reading more. I’m currently re-reading the Hangenheim series from Melanie Dickerson. These are some of my favorite stories. I’m also sketching some. 


I’m spending a fair amount of time working on editing family photos again. It’s a long project, but something I’m passionate about.  
The girls have discovered a new way to play board games online with their cousins and friends. We also have 3 new games we are enjoying as a family: Patchwork Doodle, Lowdown Dice, and MadGab. We continue to play some of our favorites like 7 Wonders, Azul, and Lowdown (original cards). 

I’m also sharing my love for old movies with the girls. We are watching classics that I can find on our Roku. Some are on Amazon Prime and others on TCM. Some have been excellent, other flops. We also have several DVDs and currently are loving the Abbott and Costello films. 

Things we are missing: 
Clogging
This one is really tough
Hugs at church
Sigh…
In-person piano lessons
Virtual is a great blessing but I miss my students
Summer mornings at the pool
I really took this for granted in the past!
Trip to an amusment park
 The girls saved their own money for tickets

Having friends over
Our city hasn’t yet lifted the SAH orders
Shopping
Grace is really the only one who misses this! 

Things are not so bad for us and I remind myself and my girls of this consistently. It doesn’t mean we can’t miss those blessings we are used to. It doesn’t mean we can’t lament the losses. We should however, keep things in perspective as we know others are sick and grieving in addition to the turmoil in our nation. 

Like many others I’ve been spending time in prayer for our country. I’m praying for spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. I’m praying all the events that seem to be overwhelming us in 2020 will lead to a new openness to the gospel and therefore revival. I’m praying to understand and hear truth in the midst of the noise of a constant news cycle which thrives off drama, intrigue, and demise. 


I’m also avoiding social media. I have some responsibilities on social media for groups I monitor for homeschooling and scrapbooking so I am not completely off. However, I am rather quiet and definitely not spending as much time as usual in those spaces. It’s refreshing to say the least. 


I’ve encouraged our girls to journal these last few months. I’m documenting our life through photographs and will include it in our family scrapbook. Life is weird. We rarely know for certain what day it is. 
Yet…this too shall pass.

What are you doing with the time?
For me, staying busy helps my mind to focus on the good. 

Adventures in Odyssey: 1 Month Free and a Listening Party!!!!

Grace-Filled Writer


The wonderful people at Adventures in Odyssey have generously offered a free month of access to the Adventures in Odyssey Club to help families have some wholesome entertainment during the Covid-19 virus crisis. Look out for a list of my favorite episodes to encourage my kids when the unexpected things in life happen! 

I grew up listening to these fabulous stories and they are a part of our regular routine every day. There are many episodes my kids can quote word-for-word! 

 If you’ve never heard of this radio drama or it’s been a while since you listened, now is a great time to tune in! You can binge this wonderful drama all day long for the next month for free. Since it’s a radio drama your children’s minds will be engaged without screens. My kids enjoy playing games, coloring, crafting, drawing, or puzzling while listening. We also swapped all the winter clothes for summer stuff this week and listening made that huge chore much easier! 

AND…

Tomorrow there is going to be a listening party to catch you up on the most recent Rydell Saga! My kids are super anxious to hear the 3-part episode story coming in the next album which promises to answer MANY  questions about the shady actions of Morrie Rydell. We have debated back and forth as to his motives, if he’s really the antagonist, if he’s the son of The Chairman from the Novacom Saga! This is all purely speculation, but he’s definitely one of the most intriguing characters we’ve had in Odyssey. We also enjoy that he is voiced by Atticus Schaffer. 

Tune to hear the Rydell Saga tomorrow at 2! We’ll be listening in too! 

Disclaimer: In exchange for promoting The Adventures in Odyssey Club I receive a membership to The Adventures in Odyssey Club. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Week in Review: March 23-27

Grace-Filled Writer
Like much of the rest of the country our spring break turned out to be in quarantine. We do not mind at all as we recognize how serious the situation already is and knowing we can do something to help. Still, it’s hard. Thankfully we already had plans for a new back-yard project and my husband went out to get the supplies before the quarantine order was announced. So we took our spring break last week and my husband and the girls started building an obstacle course! 

This is just the beginning. There will be 2 more sections that crate an L shape. I have some other ideas we may add in the future, but this is a great move for us. We had a sweet little swing set that was here when we moved in 12 years ago. Unfortunately the wood was rotting and they were mostly too big for it anyway. We bought disc swings that they can use to swing on if they want. 





Life in Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Well, we are still around! Now that the world has slowed down I have time to get back to an update. As the girls are getting older we have more and more activities going on, which is a wonderful thing. We intentionally stayed away from too much busy when they were little. I’m so glad we did that. They love the activities they are involved in and passionately pursue them. 

These include: 
Science Classes
Basketball
Cross Country
Clogging (Traditional Appalachian Dance)
Piano
Ukulele
Hand Drumming
And more! All three aren’t involved in everything on that list, but they do have a nice balance of activities each. 
Basketball season ended just as Clogging was getting started, but now everything is on a break. 
As our schedule has been abruptly disrupted I decided to do some things differently. Even though we homeschool, our routine has been altered dramatically just like everyone else. So we are doing “together” learning instead of individual studies like we usually do. We aren’t doing all of this every day, but we are still getting our schooling in! 
(None of these are affiliate postings! Just the resources I use!)
1. History
Using American Girl movies as a jumping off point to study ares of American history. Not using any particular curriculum, just books I already have on my shelf!

Studying individual states

3. French – TalkBox!!!!

Seriously, if you’ve not looked into this program, do it now! They have a free activity you can do RIGHT NOW to try out their amazing immersion system! Below is a coupon you can use for your first purchase!

We are continuing on with our regular individual math studies and also challenging our minds with lego builds! We have enjoyed watching Lego Masters and this is an awesome in-home friendly version!

5. Fitness – Family Time Fitness

We haven’t used this excellent program in a really long time. We did when the girls were younger, but it’s been a while for sure! I’m excited to get back to this program again.

6. Bible – Virtue Training Bible
Again, this was an excellent resource I used a lot (along with the Child Training Bible) when the girls were younger, but as they got older it wasn’t as much a part of our daily routines. It’s exciting to get back to this at the moment. It is good to refocus on the Lord in the midst of unrest all around us.

7. Literature – Shakespeare

We are using Usborne’s Complete Shakespeare book read aloud. The girls are also coloring the wonderful Shakespeare notebooking pages from Heart of Dakota!

I would love to hear what you are doing with your days at the moment! Are you keeping the routine the same? Changing things up? Comment below!