Week in Review: May 18-22

This was actually a week off of school for us. I’ve been loosely following a 6 weeks on, 6 weeks off type of schooling schedule. It has been a great way for us to stay steady and not get burned out. Sometimes the week off falls a little early or a little late just based on our needs, but this week was perfectly on schedule!

One of the reasons this week worked well for us was it was also my spring recital. My three daughters played and so did my two nieces whom I’ve been teaching piano over Skype since the fall! It was a great recital and so much fun to have all five of the girls participate.

These 5 are super close and had so much fun being together for the recital!
In all I have 32 students and 28 played in the recital this year. The three adults I teach never participate and one of my school-aged students was not able to attend. Our recital was titled Animals on Parade. Rose played Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins, Beth played Rubber Ducky from Sesame Street, and Grace played The Mickey Mouse Club March. My oldest niece played Shepherd’s Song by Beethoven and her younger sister played Winnie the Pooh. They are such sweet girls and I’m always proud of all my students, but there is something extra special about having the privilege to teach your own family something you love. 
My husband and I escaped for a weekend away and had a grand time! Grace, Beth, and Rose spent the weekend with their grandparents which is always exciting! 
My sweeties chose matching dresses while out shopping with Grandma which just made my heart smile. I dressed them matching when they were much younger, but have never forced them to do so. Rose (my oldest) came up with the idea and I thought it was so sweet!

My husband and I enjoyed touring Fort Fisher and the USS North Carolina. We both love history and this is usually what we do on our trips even when the girls aren’t with us. My favorite souvenir from our trip was one of the navy issued hymn books from World War II.
So next week it is back to the books and on with school! Summer is approaching and we may have a lighter load, but we will continue with school around all the other fun of summer like Vacation Bible School, vacations, field trips, and swimming. We are very excited for the summer and the break from the usual. 

Lightening Bug Lullabies: A Review AND Giveaway!!!

Our family loves music. All three of my girls play the piano and sing their way through life, sometimes familiar songs and sometimes their own made-up tunes. We listen to everything from classical to KLOVE, but the girls enjoy music geared towards them. One of our absolute favorite singers is Mrs. Kate Carpenter. Her music is loved by children all over the world…I know because her grand-kids live in in Ecuador! 

Mrs. Kate’s music glorifies God and His creation in each note. She has concerts in all sorts of venues including churches, schools, nature centers, libraries, and festivals, drawing a crowd at each event. Our church had the opportunity to host her a couple of years ago and all the children who attended had a fun-filled time!

Mrs. Kate’s newest release is Lightening Bug Lullabies. I have to say, this may be my favorite! Of course, I feel that way every time she has something new. The songs are perfect for bedtime with just the right mix of cheerful and relaxing tunes that will soothe your little ones to sleep.

We allow our girls to listen to stories at bedtime on the weekends, but on school nights we only allow them to listen to lullabies. They ever since we received this new collection of music they have listened to it every night…every night. Even on the nights when they listen to stories, I’ve had whichever girl was still awake come and ask if they could put Mrs. Kate in the CD player for them to fall asleep to. This is a true sign of how lovely it is. They usually want something new every couple of nights, but after several weeks they are still enjoying Lightening Bub Lullabies.

We were delighted on day when they were singing one of the songs in the car. They graciously let me video them again at home so you could hear one of their favorite songs from the CD.

Adorable, right? Now don’t you want to hear your little ones singing this? To get these songs for yourself you can visit Mrs. Kate’s website or download from any major internet store including iTunes and CD Baby. I assure you that you will be blessed by all of her music and especially this newest release. 
Now, thanks to Mrs. Kate’s generosity, ONE of my readers will be blessed with a copy of the Lightening Bug Lullabies CD! Enter below! 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Lightening Bug Lullabies to review from Mrs. Kate Carpenter. This review is my own opinion and I was not required o write a positive review. 

Cascade Actionpacs with Clorox: Review

Tonight I’m deviating from my usual homeschool-only reviews for a fun around-the-home review from Cascade. I had the opportunity to review one of their new products this past week and have been very pleased! 


Cascade ActionPacs with the power of Clorox is a new product from Cascade. It currently comes in Lemon Scent and has Clorox as well as their Pure Rinse Formula included in addition to the traditional Cascade detergent. It comes in a little packet which dissolves when wet to release the cleaning agents inside. 

We typically use a liquid dish washing detergent, most often what is on sale. We have tried many brands, but currently have regular Cascade under our cabinet. I have also tried a few DIY recipes, powder and liquid, to use in our dishwasher. The first thing I like about this product is how easy it is to use. I can even have one of my girls run the dishwasher after I load it. The only word of caution I have for any packet is to make sure your hands are dry while handling them so they don’t begin to dissolve too soon!

I also love how this detergent left my dish washer smelling. It always, always smells clean and never stale. Lemon is one of my favorite scents anyway and I was pleased that even though it has Clorox included, there was not a lingering smell of bleach as I anticipated. 


I do not have many dishes with stains, but I did have one mug which was stained with coffee/tea which I had not been able to get off prior to this. Here are the before and after shots of my mug…


Now, straight out of the dishwasher, it didn’t look that different, however, I simply wiped away the remaining stains with a dishcloth and my mug is like new! So while the packets didn’t wipe them all clean in a single cycle, it took minimal effort to finish getting them out. I believe this is probably because they had been on the mug for a really long time. These ingredients definitely loosened the stains in ways I never had been able to before. I firmly believe these packets would prevent staining if used regularly. I am very pleased with this aspect. I have tried many times to remove these stains and had not been able to successfully before now. 

My final observation while using this detergent actually comes from my husband. Our lives are really busy and he is wonderful to help me with the dishes when I can’t get to them. Since he used the packets as well I was interested in his observations. What he noticed and liked was that the dishes were spot-free coming out of the dish washer. These not only smelled clean, but they look clean and feel clean to the touch without any residual film like some detergents can leave. 

If you are looking for a detergent to get rid of difficult stains, definitely give this a try. It also does an excellent job of cleaning and leaving dishes without spots or film.  
Disclaimer: I received this product from Clorox in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and these observations are my own. 

Fairy Tale Romance Collection by Melanie Dickerson: A BookLook Blogger Review

Like most girls, I love a good princess story. Some of my favorite stories growing up were fairy tale stories. Good versus evil, conflict, good wins…it doesn’t get much better than that! At least I thought it didn’t.

Melanie Dickerson is an author I only recently discovered. I had the chance to review The Princess Spy. At the time I had no idea this was part of a series of princess novels written by her! I was delighted to have the chance to review the entire collection. This collection includes all of the previously published titles in the Fairy Tale Romance Collection: The Healer’s Apprentice, The Merchant’s Daughter, The Fairest Beauty, The Captive Maiden, and The Princess Spy.

Only after I began reading more from this series did I realize that these are actually loosely based on well-known fairy tales. This made them that much more fun for me! I’ve always loved the classic fairy tales and reading these updated versions have been simply delightful. I’m so glad I had a few days without a lot to do so I could read to my hearts content. Whether you fancy Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, the Princess and the Frog or Sleeping Beauty or perhaps even Snow White, you will find a heroine in one of these brilliantly crafted novels.

The best part of this series is that woven throughout these classics are stories of faith. I’ve never before read fairy tale stories which made me feel closer to God. The journey the characters take with their faith is never forced or tossed in as an after thought. I love how even in the fairy tale setting I can relate to the struggles the heroines and heroes face. These stories were excellent reminders that God sees us all as individuals, no matter our status, and pursues us relentlessly.

While these are classified as young adult novels, which I definitely no longer am, I thoroughly enjoyed each story. My daughters are still too young for young adult literature, but in the not to distant future I’m going to very much enjoy sharing this collection with them.

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook.com® <http://BookLook.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Deception on Sable Hill: A Booklook Blogger Review

Last year I read one of the best fiction books I’ve come across in a very long timeSecrets of Sloane House by Shelley Gray was one of those novels you lose sleep over as you convince yourself that just one more chapter won’t hurt your sleep any. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and my delight was doubled when I discovered the second book in the Chicago World’s Fair Mystery series!


As much as I loved the first book in this series, I think this second one may be even better! I love a good historical novel, especially when the history is intertwined seamlessly as it is in Shelley Gray’s novels. I never feel like I’m reading a textbook as I do with some author’s and I’m always drawn to learn more about the time period presented. 

The story opens where Secrets of Sloane House left off. The main characters were introduced towards the end of the previous novel and I was excited to see them more fully developed. Eloisa is a socialite, the woman every man desires to have on his arm, and the victim of rape. This secret which she guards very closely threatens to tear her apart as news begins to increase of the Society Slasher who is attacking women of her social standing all over the city. 

In the midst of the turmoil Eloisa is drawn to an unlikely man for comfort and refuge. Sean Ryan, an Irish policeman from a very poor background, becomes the one person with whom she feels safe. Their social differences are enough, however, to give pause to even a friendship. As their relationship grows, so does the fear and danger gripping Chicago’s elite. 

Intrigue, romance, and faith are woven together into a beautiful novel. I had to force myself to set this aside and not simply read it in one setting. Although I love to read, there have been few books in recent memory which have captivated me as Shelly Gray’s have. I hope there are more novels to come in this excellent series!

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook.com® <http://BookLook.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

A Plague of Unicorns: A BookLook Blogger Review

I remember getting the list of books I would read for my adolescent literature class in college and anxiously perusing the list of authors. I recognized most of the names, but Jane Yolen was one I had never read. After the one required book by Yolen I was soon checking out one after the other from the library knowing each would be an excellent read. I was over-the-moon excited when I saw her name appear with an opportunity to read another of her novels!

My oldest daughter, Rose who is 9, read this as part of her school work, but I can honestly say I know it didn’t feel like school when she read it! More than once I caught her taking the book away from the schoolroom to read just one more chapter as she couldn’t wait to get to the end!

The reading level was probably at 3rd-4th grade and while Rose’s ability is a few grades above that, she thoroughly enjoyed the story and quality of writing. I had planned for her to read this over the course of two weeks but I was pushing it to make her stretch it throughout the week!

When I asked her what her favorite part was she told me she liked how they made up a plan to get rid of the unicorns. She really liked the adventure aspects of of this story. She really enjoys fantasy and I liked how the unicorns were given a different role than most stories. Instead of being a good thing in this land, the unicorns are actually like a plague which must be overcome. This coming-of-age story will delight all ages is a great introduction to the genre of fantasy.

I highly recommend this book and Rose has already loaned it out to her cousin to read with a glowing review!

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook.com® <http://BookLook.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I Can Learn the Bible: A BookLook Blogger Review

Ever since my oldest daughter was just an infant we have made an effort to teach our children biblical truth. Rose was barely old enough to sit on her own when we started having family devotions with her. I remember clearly the sweet little board book devotional I picked out from a Christian Bookstore which was going out of business. It had just a few sentences on each page and a song to go with each of the devotions. It was great for tiny tots and we enjoyed starting out with this. We also have multiple children’s Bibles with pictures and stories and questions that we have used as they grew.

I have loved these previous resources, but I am ready for something more. Each of my girls has professed their faith in Christ and I have wanted something for our devotional time as a family which addressed more areas of discipleship.

I was so very excited to have the opportunity to review I Can Learn the Bible by Holly Hawkins Shivers. This children’s version of the Joshua Code has been exactly what my husband and I have been looking for to use with our girls. The cover of the book struck me as being adorable, but I wasn’t sure if it was going to really challenge my girls or grow them further in their relationship with Christ. They already know most of the Bible history by heart and I really wanted them to begin to engage more personally with Scripture. This sweet cover does not even begin to express the depth of truth my girls are gaining from it!

Subjects ranging from world view to your purpose as Christian are covered in a very real, yet understandable way for elementary children. Many of the topics were not ones I had really thought about addressing with my daughters who are 9, 7, and 5. I love answering their questions, but with this devotional we have been able to have a more direct, proactive approach to discussing certain topics. A key Scripture verse is included for each week as well as discussion questions and challenges for you as a family. It also ends with a suggested prayer to help you guide your children to know how to pray about what they are learning.

We are at war with our culture for the hearts of our children. I need as many weapons, both defensive and offensive as possible. Through resources like this we are more prepared for the battle and are preparing these sweet little hearts to know how to live godly lives.

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook.com® <http://BookLook.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Explore Dinosaur National Monument from Awesome Science: Moms of Master Books Review

My girls love learning about dinosaurs! They are ages 9, 7, and 5 and we have often enjoyed a trip to our local children’s museum to see life-size sculptures and have a chance to dig for fossils. I love giving them more opportunities to learn about these incredible creatures from the past and they just devour all the information I can give them.

Awesome Science’s newest DVD, Explore Dinosaur National Monument from Master Books (an imprint of New Leaf Publishing) is a great addition to our collection of dinosaur information. It’s fun and engaging style really interests my oldest daughter especially. My younger two are not quite old enough to appreciate the great amount of scientific information provided, but they did enjoy seeing much of Dinosaur National Monument. 
Noah Justice is a dynamic communicator. My girls enjoy having a younger person explaining and teaching about history and science from a biblical perspective. I was recently asked how I expected my girls to handle learning about evolution in college when all they ever knew was Creation. I was excited to explain that my girls do know about evolution and understand both viewpoints to an extent. I’m not afraid of my girls hearing or learning about those who choose to remove God from the equation of Creation. I want them to be equipped and I want them to come to their own conclusions and beliefs because of their study of the evidence rather than try to force them to accept what I believe just because I believe it. Awesome Science just one of the items in my tool kit for teaching my girls how to incorporate the Bible into their understanding of science as well as what and why secular scientists believe and teach what they do. 
One of the best things about this DVD and others in the series is how my daughters get to experience some of the great wonders of America which they may not see anytime soon. Living on the East Coast makes traveling to some of these locations very difficult. We might one day get to travel to Utah and some of the other areas west of the Mississippi River, but until then we will enjoy learning with resources such as these. 
This incredible DVD series isn’t just for children either. I’m often saddened by just how angry and vehement those who hold an opposing view of creation react and find myself unable to have a real conversation about science because of it. I’m not afraid to share my beliefs, but I do not care to converse with someone who fires hateful responses in my direction because I believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God. I’m very grateful to have the resources from Master Books which I do to help me learn for myself how I can balance my trust in the Word of God with evidence from science. I hope to one day have meaningful conversations with some of my friends on the matter and I want to be as equipped as possible. 

Beneath the Forsaken City: A Tyndale Blog Network Review

Beneath the Forsaken City by C. E. Laureno is a young adult fiction novel, set in an ancient time with magic and intrigue. This Celtic fantasy is like no other book I’ve read and it has been an interesting trip away from my usual choice in fiction.

C. E. Laureno is an award winning author with an unending imagination. The world she has created in her series The Song of Seare is beautiful and inspiring. I struggled to really get into the book from the beginning, and so I did a little research. What I discovered is this is the second book in a trilogy. My main reason for having a hard time fully understanding what was going on was I have not yet read the first book in the series.

Beneath the Forsaken City begins with a newlywed couple escaping danger created by the evil Druids who rule Seare. The groom, Conor,  leaves knowing that he will have to return in order to free Seare from the reign of the Druids. Just when the couple feel a small breath of safety the tragedy of a storm at sea separates them, neither knowing if the other is alive. Aine, the bride, is washed ashore in one place and Conor in another, resulting in the fight to survive and find one another.

Throughout the novel both Conor and Aine must learn to follow the leading of Comdiu, the One we would call the God of heaven. Each takes a different path and must struggle to lean on Comdiu alone, a journey they struggle through.

As I said before, this is a great departure from the genre of literature I usually gravitate towards. While the story-line itself was engaging, I found myself bogged down by the unfamiliar names of people and places, having a hard time keeping it all straight. I think this may have been a bit easier had I read the first novel in this the trilogy. The other struggle I had as I read was the amount of description for the violence. I know I am personally more affected by both reading and watching violent things, even when they aren’t very graphic. I have to say as far as that is concerned, the author did a good job keeping the amount of blood minimal compared to most popular novels, but it was still too much for me to comfortably read.

If you have an interest in reading Celtic fantasy, this is an excellent read for you. While it isn’t one which particularly delighted me, the story is well written and in my opinion would be incredibly engaging for anyone who loves this genre. I have a strong feeling my oldest daughter will particularly enjoy this book when she is a bit older.

Disclaimer: I received a paperback copy of Beneath the Forsaken City from Tyndale Publishers as part of  the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation. 

Lila Rose Review

*This post contains consultant links*


Ever hear the jokes about at-home-mamas and how they stay in their pjs all day?Ladies, somehow we’ve gotten the bad wrap that if we’re going to be home, we’re not going to make ourselves look nice. Now, I’ll admit, I want to be comfortable when I’m home. I often wear sweatshirts and comfy pants. At the same time, I’ve been trying to make more of an effort to look nice, especially for my husband. Whether you agree with me or not, I think it is important to make an effort for him. One of the easiest ways to dress up my typically very casual style is by accessorizing with Lila Rose! 



My blogging friend Jennifer, over at A Glimpse of Our Life, introduced me to Lilia Rose. I was ecstatic when she offered me a chance to review some of the accessories! She sent me several sizes and styles of Flexi Clips and hair sticks. The Flexi Clip is their signature item and there are so many amazing styles and themes to choose from! This is just a tiny sample of some styles they have to offer, and it’s only the beginning!
This is how my daughter worse her hair for our piano recital using the medium size Flexi Clip at Christmas. She has very fine, naturally wavy hair and almost everything slips out of it. The Flexi Clip stayed securely and she was pleased to have many sweet compliments on this unique accessory. 
No matter how thick or long you hair is there is a clip which can work for you! Rose, Grace, and I have very fine hair so we tend to gravitate towards the smaller sizes. My Beth has thicker hair and can manage some bigger clips. My personal favorite size is the mini. It has just enough splash of color and style to dress up any outfit and I usually pull back just a small section of my hair. When I’m wanting to wear my hair up, I vary between the small, medium, and large sizes. I too have naturally wavy hair, so it all depends upon how long it is and what the weather is doing to it. This is an excellent place to start if you are trying to decide what size is best for you. 
There are numerous ways to wear these clips as well! Beth prefers to have a low-down hair style. This is a simple flipped pony tail with the clip added in. 
As much as my girls love the Flexi Clips, my favorite item from Lila Rose are actually the Hair Sticks. When I was in high school I would sometimes use pencils to put my hair up. This is a much cuter alternative! Hair Sticks take a little time to get used to, but I have a few tips to get you started. 
First, start learning to use these with your hair in a pony tail. This was the easiest way for me to figure how the sticks work best with my hair while not having to deal with all the hair slipping through my fingers. Eventually you won’t need the pony tail holder, but I think it’s a great way to start. 
I think one of the easiest ways to learn to use them is using a bun. Here are the basic steps.
1. Wrap your hair in a barely loose bun in the middle or nape of your neck. 
(use a pony tail holder if you need to!)
2. Push one stick up through the center with the point of the stick facing up towards the ceiling. 
3. After the stick is in the bun, flip the stick around so it is point more towards the floor.
4. Push the stick down. 
At this point, your hair should be fairly secured. It may be a little loose, but you should be able to take your hands away and it stay up. If it doesn’t, try steps 1-4 again. 
And now for the second stick…
5. Push the second stick up through the bun just as you did the first. It can be in the same area or on the opposite side so you make an “x”. I’ve done it both ways and the “x” seems to keep my hair more secure. 
6. Push it up so the stick is point towards the ceiling, then flip the stick downwards towards the floor. 
7. Push the stick through to secure. 
The point of the second stick is to hold the style in place more securely. At this point you should be able to shake your head a bit and nothing come loose. 
Sometimes it takes a little time to get the feel just right. I don’t like it to be too tight, but if it is too loose, it will fall down. Also, the length of your hair will determine the way you wear your hair sticks. There are three basic ways I wear the sticks depending on the length of my hair. When it is shorter, I do a simple twist using the sticks. At medium length I use the bun technique. When it has grown out longer I wrap the hair on one stick and use the second to secure it. This last technique was the hardest for me to master. This is one of my favorite hair styles right now and because Lila Rose has such a wide range of styles you can find something to fit your personality in a flash. 
So what about those of you with much shorter hair? Don’t worry! There is something for everyone at Lila Rose!
My second favorite item from Lila Rose are the adjustable head bands. I’ve always loved the look of headbands, but because I wear glasses they have never been comfortable. Lila Rose has changed all of this for me! They have a beautiful selection of adjustable headbands which means my girls and I can share them. They look so fancy and I can wear the all day comfortably. 

Beth wears hairbands without complaint, but my other two daughters usually shy away from them. They were hesitant to try out the ones from Lila Rose, but I asked them to just give them a try for a little while. Several hours later I asked them how they felt. Rose (my oldest) said, “What hairband are you talking about?” She had completely forgotten she was wearing it! 

Some other products include Bobby Pins, Flexi Oh!, You-Pins, and Badge Clips. I haven’t used these as much, but all are beautiful and an easy way to dress up your style without a lot of effort. 
Disclaimer: I received 3 Flexi Clips and a set of Hair Sticks in exchange for my honest review of the products. I was not compensated in any other way and was not required to give a positive review.