9 Things On What it is Like Being A TOS Crew Reviewer

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a TOS Crew Reviewer? 

Like with anything you know that there will be ups and downs with everything you do. I have the pleasure of saying that it has been mostly all ups being on the tos crew. This is a great thing. Some of this post is more technical, some of it purely from my experiences. Hopefully it is all helpful though. Give you a little more insight and knowledge into what you are looking into doing (being apart of the tos crew) or give you insight as to who were are and what we do.

1. What is the TOS Crew?
TOS Crew stands for The Old Schoolhouse Crew. The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew are a bunch of bloggers (about 200 of us) that both home school and blog. Many of us even blog about our homeschooling itself. We have many different home school types both within the crew itself and even within the families in the crew. We are a diverse set of mamas (and maybe even a few papas) who come from different backgrounds.

2. How do I participate in TOS Crew as a home schooler?
You apply first off to be apart of the crew. Once you get accepted into the crew spot-- early congrats on joining the team by the way-- you start!

They schedule when you show interest in particular products for homeschooling families. This can be from phonetics to crafts to toys to online resources to high school curriculum.

If you are picked for that review, you go ahead and your information goes to the vendor. They will either mail you the product or give you the codes to access the materials online.

You will have 4-6 weeks to review the product. After that you have about a week to do the review and get it live. Yes, there is a deadline for reviewing the product. Of course, many times, you either keep the product or have access the for the year to the product so you can use well beyond the review period in your schooling.

You will have word count requirements, mentioning the product you review and the business who gave you the product. This is super important to do. You are (as normal) required to say that you got the product for the review and also to put the blog hop banner at the bottom of your review.

It is fairly simple.

3. What kinds of Reviews do I get to do?
I will list at the bottom of this Q and A my list of reviews I have done thus far for TOS, but in general it is related to homeschooling. It can be a toy, phonics, books, online products, calendars for the teacher, audio books, and so much more. I even once got to do a review for a health product through them. I have some exciting ones coming up actually (including a kids email account that is safer for them).

4. What do my figures/stats need to look like?
This is not something I can personally answer to. I know it is different for each blogger. You need to have an established blog of course. Review background is a huge plus but not required. I highly suggest if you are going to do the reviews for this to have review background- it makes it easier to understand why they ask certain things of you to do in your blog and also it just makes it easier to approach the product with the review in mind. That way your review almost writes itself. Not really, because that would be a cool invention, but you get the jest of what I am saying, right? Okay, good.

Also make sure you have a decent (doesn't have to be super high) amount of followers across your social media channels. This will help you not only land the 'job' but also to get your reviews out there!

Join my Facebook Group for Homeschooling Free Thinkers here

5. Would I do it again?
Absolutely and in a heart beat. There are programs that I would not have been able to use or do otherwise.

6. Do my reviews need to be positive or honest?
They need to be honest. More than anything be respectful if you are going to do a review where you didn't like or agree with it. Remembering that a lot of the places we review for are small businesses. In fact, it is fun especially when you realise that your product you are reviewing is local to you. I have had this happen a couple of times. It's cool actually!

7. Is it a real job?
It is important for you to know that it really is a 'job' in a sense. You are representing TOS and your blog which is your brand and theirs while writing reviews for other brands. It is important to know that a commitment is a commitment. That being said, it is fun and worth it! It isn't a boring 9-5 and no you don't get paid in money sense but you get to try this cool (and some of them amazing) programs for your kids that you may never have heard of otherwise! That is worth gold.

8. My TOS Crew Reviews! (22 Thus Far)
1. 2 Ways to A+ Interactive Math
2. 5 Cool Ways GREEMU Can Work for You
3. 5 Ways "Talking Fingers" Helps Your Child's Learning
4. 13+ Ways Forbrain is the Best to Retrain Your Brain
5. Channel Your Inner Artistic Pursuits 1 Skill At a Time
6. Expand Your Homeschooling Horizons
7. Is LearnBop Actually Worth It for Summer Review?
8. Is there Magic and Wonder to be Had in Multiplication?
9. Hey Mama- Save Money Here Now & Get Your 2017 Planner
10. How Can Legos Fit Into Your Faith Building?
11. Math Made Easy For All Your Kids
12. Now Boarding for the Writing Adventure of a Lifetime!
13. Oprhs of the Woodlands: The Treasure of Hightower
14. Shepherd the Amazing Little Scientist in Your Home
15. Talking Shapes: One of The Best Ways to Teach Phonics
16. The Sword in the Tree-- A Great E-Guide
17. What Essential Skills Can Give Your Child the Advantage?
18. What is the Ultimate Gift?
19. What is One of the Best Ways to Learn Foreign Languages?
20. What is Your First Thought When You Think of Stars?
21. Writer's in Residence--- Be the Writer You Want to Be
22. Your Kids Can Become Awesome MaxGuru's Right Now

9. Meet the Crew
Blog Roll We all have different blogs, different styles but we come together as an awesome group of home schoolers and bloggers. We hope you enjoy our blog posts as much as we like doing it!

July & August 2016 Book Reviews

July and August are some full summer months...

You are finishing up travelling, experiencing summer, summer camps for the kids, whatever it may be before you pretend that school for the kids isn't starting back up.

You draw up a nice pitcher of lemonade and let the kids play outside while you read your books... for reviews... so here we go!





Via Bella Top Reads
These are the books that make my tops this month. It is the first (set of) month(s) that ALL my books I would easily consider my top reads. That is incredibly unusual for me!

To me, top reads are not just what books out of these groups of books, are the best. It is more the overall feel of each book individually and ranking them. There is no way you could compare, say, Code 13 with Pop Manga. Or a book about redeeming second chances with a biography from Scotty McCreery.

Code 13: Romance and Dirty Politics in the Navy
Greater than Olympic Gold...
Missy Franklin- Dream Big, Have Faith, Go For the Gold
How Pop Manga Adult Colouring Is The Best
Like Never Before- A Sweet Summer Romance
Who is the Real Scotty McCreery?
What Do Second Chances in Life Really Look Like?
40 Dares to a More Fulfilling Relationship with Your Teen

The Best Way to Get Tattoo Ideas... Colour!

Welcome to Life, It's Not Fair- So Love It Anyways!

What is YOUR Intent?

Via Bella Good Reads
Like I said above, normally around half of the months books land in this category. Books that were good but not overly inspiring. Books, say, that I could easily give away to someone else without a second thought and say how good a book it was. But I could also keep it and get good out of it too.

Via Bella Bad Reads
These are usually the books I prefer to toss across the room out of the stupidity or close mindedness of the writer. I have even had dreams about turning the books into oragami-- hey don't judge me... It's at least being reused. Ha ha! I have also thought of gifting them into our free little library once we are able to get one built, which will likely be spring 2017.

Have you read these books?
What do you think?

Well, Isn't That Punderful!

What?!

What does that title mean?

Well, I am stoked to get to review a game! It's Punderful!

Actually the game is called Punderdome.

We LOVE puns in the house... like a lot. (Like totally!)

So this is a great game.

You take the card, ask the quick draw question and then whoever gets it right gets 30 extra seconds to come up with a pun from the green card and the white card. For example:

Q: What's the most gullible candy?
A: Suckers

Then the two cards that you had to make a pun with was:
Cosmetics and Singing

We came up with: Lip Service

It is a lot of fun. Seriously.

First person to 10 pairs of cards wins the mystery prize.

I can put this into my purse, which I did, and brought with me when we dog sat a friend's dog. So in between taking the dog out with the kids, not sure of who was walking who, we sat down and did some school work and play this game.

Some of the fun pun questions are not the most appropriate for kids but most all of them really are.

 It is like sitting in the car and listening to pun joke after pun joke after pun joke from your 8 and 10 year old. Except this is more interactive, better jokes, and a lot of fun.

The other reason I really like this game is that it's not hard to learn how to play. The directions are written on card stock. It is not long and drawn out instructions. It is easy to read and understand.

The biggest thing is you have to bring the mystery prize. It even suggested a microwave... lol. Like a white elephant party.... sort of... Imagine the things you can get rid of....

I would suggest this for anyone looking for a fun new party game!

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Welcome to Life, It's Not Fair- So Love It Anyways!

Life is messed up... it just is! And sometimes you don't have the right words.

Because life sucks sometimes-- you find out you may have breast cancer. Your child has a learning disability. You are wondering what is next in life. The day you sign the contract for your house the roof in one of the rooms collapses in (when there were absolutely no previous signs of it before). Yes, this is real. Life is real. Not all fairy tales.

It calls for someone to be real with you. It calls for someone to make you laugh. It even calls on having someone making you cry. It calls on you to try to better yourself.... no matter the circumstances.

(Don't forget to treat yourself at the bottom of the post to entering to win a $25 gift card!)

And dang... I think I found a new friend... that I actually have to meet one day and form a life long friendship with because she speaks my language. She knows that those that struggle in life struggle in faith. She doesn't try to have the answers. But in the way she rights  writes (yes, that was on purpose, just because) it does enough to lighten the soul, be real, and grow. That is a gift!

She will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Because life is full of crude humour. There is no softening of truth, there is no over the top (okay, maybe a little) humour...She just is!

Thank you for speaking my language Melanie Dale! Thanks for writing "It's Not Fair".

I have absolutely fallen in love with this book!

It is like I am looking in a mirror, looking back in time to the me that would have kicked my butt for having negativity at all. Someone who would have said, make fun of it, move on. It also would have been indirectly negative with good intentions like 'move on, no one cares'. But this book is such a good read if you need that person in the mirror looking back at you helping you by making fun of real life situations. It will teach you to look at things with the right, in my opinion, perspective.

Many times we look at situations with grimace and seldom do we find something funny in the midst of a hard situation. I remember having surgeries as a kid and the doctor and nurses and I would have to make fun of the situation. Like them telling me that if I wanted to be come a rap star that they would refuse to do the operation but if it were smooth jazz we were good. LOL. I don't even remember how the conversation started, so don't even ask. It's been a decade... okay fine, maybe two!

I even may have my kids read this book at some point of their life. Heck, I may make this required reading for them in high school. I home school (and may be letting my kids discover physics through play right this second while I am still wearing what I wore to bed- we are all happier for all of this). It has the right perspective on life in my opinion and how to deal with hard situations.

There is a rarely a page in this book I didn't literally laugh out loud. Hopefully anyone walking by didn't think I was crazy while I was reading in my sanctuary-- aka, my porch.

I can guarantee, especially if you are off-the-cuff kind of person like me, you will enjoy this book. If fact, a bold claim I may have, but I genuinely think many many people will be touched by this book. This is one of the best books I have reviewed all year (and I have reviewed over 50 easily!). 

Thanks for being a healthy dose of medicine I needed today and during this very incredibly hard and difficult time in my life.

You rock planets Melanie!

ENTER A GIVEAWAY FOR $25 Gift Card here and now-- you know you want to!

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*I received this book in exchange for my honest review*

Local Scouts Helping the Silver Spring, MD Fire Victims {Scout of the Day}

Scout of the Day is starting back up! Yay!

Scout of the Day is done here where we honour and promote the amazing things that scouts are learning and bringing into their lives. It is easy going to meetings and having fun with scouts. It is even better when it translates into the scout's real life. Learning to "be a sister to every girl scout (and community member)" or in boy scouts "A scout is... friendly, helpful, kind". In both boy scouts and girl scouts part of the scout law is "to help other people at all times."

That is why, this time we have 3-4 scouts we will be highlighting because they worked together as a team to help others in their community!

(side note, there is a giveaway at the end of the post, so keep reading about the awesome things my scouts did). 

When you are getting ready for school the last thing you want to think about is having to get school supplies and getting it all in order. I know the feeling. But now, these people, have lost EVERYTHING in an apartment fire/explosion.

Some of our girl scouts knew the other kids that lost everything who lived there.

It only seemed fitting that we do something to help them.

They lost EVERYTHING, and I mean everything. 6 lives were lost due to the apartment explosion. There are still people missing. Houses gone. Businesses affected. Underwear and belongings literally littered all over the place in the surrounding areas. You can see video here of the damage which speaks just as much if not more than I could ever write here...


That is why when we got the chance, we jumped at it, to help these people! Our neighbours!

My co-leader, Mayra Ramos, has a family member, cousin, Ada Villatoro, who owns El Golfo Restaurant who started a School Supply Drive. It seemed like the most perfect way to have our girl scouts help and for it to hit home how important it is to have even the simpliest of things... school supplies.

In my opinion, I could bring a bring a bag in, which I did. But calling the community to action as well on something as simple as buying some extra notebooks (which I did, at 17 cents a pop, so not expensive at all) is so important. If you can afford to get fancy binders and lots of back packs, that was helpful too.

I put the call out for donations to the drive in my community and had several bags dropped off! How awesome, right?!

Often we forget that helping in small ways can mean much more than we ever think.

Come help our @girlscouts troop 5823 help raise school supplies for those kids who have lost their homes and everything they own in the Silver Spring Apartment Fire! Any and everything is welcome! Our girls will go Saturday to help pre-fill backpacks for these kids! #girlpower #girlscouts #troop5823 #girlscoutpower #helpingothers #silverspringfire #schoolsupplies #backtoschool #boyscouts #bsa #gscnc #givingback #elgolfo #community

A photo posted by Via Bella (@viabella.thebeautifullife) on Aug 18, 2016 at 9:03am PDT

Then later that day, we came back and we had this...
And even the day after a few more!

Came home to some awesome donations for our school supply drive for the victims if the silver spring fire! Go brookland dc! #silverspringfire #girlpower #girlscouts #givingback #volunteer #backtoschool #brooklanddc

A photo posted by Via Bella (@viabella.thebeautifullife) on Aug 18, 2016 at 1:19pm PDT

The kids put toys, candy, notebooks, protractors, pencils, glue, notebooks, folders and more into each bag to give to the kids. It was low key and the kids liked picking backpacks and personalising it with what they thought the kids would like. Ie: a pink backpack means a girl, obviously (not to me, but to them. Yay socialisation- I mean, boo!) so they filled with pink pencils, Lisa Franks colouring books, crayons etc. You get the picture. 

To celebrate, El Golfo gave them each an ice cream to say thank you for helping after they got dinner! Which was delish by the way. The food is amazing AND they give back to the community. There is no better kind of restaurant than that and for that they have earned loyalty with me and I hope more of the community!

Here is what my kids learned about being able to help others:

Avi (10 Years old, Webelos II in Pack 33 from Takoma Park MD/DC):
"I felt really good and I am really happy that I am able to give. I think I didn't do enough. I want to help make food packages, care packages, and even help build a school. I just feel very sorry for those people who lost their homes in the fire. I have a lot of precious possessions and I bet they did too. They lost everything in the fire. Even their favourite, and even most valuable, pokemon cards and teddy bears. I feel good about helping and donating. I hope they get treated very well. I pray they get treated well and that they live a good long life."

Via (8 years old, Brownie from Girl Scout Troop 5823 from Takoma Park MD/DC):
"I... I really did love doing it. It makes me feel very good to do something good for someone else. Especially when they lost everything. It feels good to do something for someone else even if they didn't do something for me. It makes me feel important. It makes me feel more important after doing it because I was able to help others. Those that don't have homes don't have anything else that they can save from the fire. It improves me as a person and reminds me how much I do have."

Kai (5 year old, honorary scout):
"Putting in toys and candy and we put it in backpacks. I went to do all of it with people. People like a girl scout leader and a girl scout did with it me. It made me feel good. Sometimes it did not because it was boring and I didn't want to do the whole thing because I wanted to do it by myself. It was a little bit old. I zipped them up. We did it to help people who doesn't have homes. That's it."

I even heard that my co leaders sister was stunned she wasn't able to go to help. THAT is a close nit family and that is why I love my scouts like family-- because at the end of the day, we are and we help our neighbours!

Thank you El Golfo and Ada for the opportunity! Also, to Mayra for helping us make it happen!

So if the kids can do it, so can we all!!!

Also, don't forget to enter this giveaway (and share this story! Just hit that you share any post!).
(You can see the giveaway post here)

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Greater than Olympic Gold...

With The Olympics in Rio ending for the Summer 2016 Olympics, and me being super sad about not being able to watch it (big boo)! #firstworldproblems, I know.

There is something however about being able to gather as many nations, as a world, to watch some of the best athletes, we call them Olympians, compete to represent our country and the world. It's like taking part in an ancient tradition that began thousands of years ago! How cool is that?

So reading this book,  Greater than Gold, I was excited about!

Olympians aren't mere athletes that were just blessed with talent. They were, don't get me wrong, but they worked day in and day out to train for this. That split second moment that jumping in the pool a hair of a second could cost you. No pressure, right? Most of us could not be athletes on this level.

Something I love in this story from David Boudia, an Olympian Diver for the United States, is that you see the struggles he faced. Even he was afraid of the 10 meter board that he had to jump from. How did he start practicing those dives? His mum gave him incentives with CDs and trinkets.

He talks about his struggles, how he lost faith both in himself and something greater (for him, God) after the Beijing Olympics where he had failure, heartbreak, and loss.

He goes through his sport; the in's, the outs, the hows, and the whys. If you didn't know much about the diving sport, you will soon learn by reading this.

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This book is an easy and fast read. It is also real about the process. He is honest that if he had gone to the Olympics the first time he tried the trails he would have been disqualified on the drug enchancing test. That is a bold honesty to include. I appreciate that.

He talks about fear being the absence of having faith- faith in something bigger. For him, that is God. For me, it would be something simply bigger- God, your higher self, whatever it is for you. I see that and I actually appreciate that. It make be a line I use more even with my kids when they feel they are afraid of trying something new.

He talks about, and candidly so, the struggles, the pride, the ego, the everything that went into not only the Olympics but also in how he lost himself to the sport. How he had to regain that back. The pivotal moment in which he knew he was destined to do better.

He goes through the heartbreak he experienced in Beijing. How he almost quit everything because of his lose of faith, his pride, and so much more. He talks about how he regained his faith enough to be able to come back and take the gold.

This real life experience is very cool in my opinion because sometimes we can be hard on ourselves to start. We think that we must be perfect to try. That if we can't look a certain way, act a certain way, and be the mythical and perfect version of what it means to be an Olympian, than you can't.

This story breaks that. Olympians are human and have human traits and struggles like everyone else. They are not mythical nor perfect- they are real. They can struggle with addiction, faith, whatever it may be. But they can get through it. Just like we can.

Be inspired- know that where you are now, is not where you are meant to be and you are growing...
Don't forget to enter the giveaway! (Ends 1 September 2016)
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Enter to Win a $25 Online Gift Card!

I got to review and blog the website and store for familychristian.com

Before you let the name put you off...

I am shopping for a family of mixed beliefs and I was able to do it. So you can too!

I looked the statement that said, "We are not for profit, we are for purpose." I clicked on the link to find out what that meant.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that this shop is a non profit and gives to a lot of charities to try to do a lot of good in this world. There is nothing better than giving back in my opinion. I am more likely to go back and buy from a company that gives back than one that doesn't. They work to give back by working with World Vision and Back2Back Ministries amongst others.

I mean, you can see it here in more detail, but they helped with feeding Guatemalans, raising more than $166,000 for Destiny Rescue that fights human trafficking, which they started to fix in Romania and Dominican Republic. The Haiti Challenge, they raised more than $280,000 to build a NICU Orphanage. They gave more than $50,000 to a Chinese Orphanage as well. They have more than 160,000 child sponsorships through World Vision.

Basically, they help and they give back! That is definitely making me feel better about shopping there.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!!!

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It didn't come without challenges though.

First, I didn't get the coupon with the code I needed.

So I called.

They were great and emailed me the code I needed to shop online. (I got the same $25 I am giving away on this blog.) So I went searching online for things that would be within that range.

First thing I suggest is making an account just so you can save your cart. Just in case. I had to re enter something more than once but it was over a longer period of time. I am a mum after all and chasing them around so I fit everything, including shopping into that!

So I continued to shop. I found some really good things actually.

Think that you can shop here if you aren't Christian?

You are right!

There are things that are Christian related, no doubt. But there are some good secular things as well.

There are toys, games, cups, books, movies, etc.
If you look enough, you can find something you will like, promise.

They even have a summer reading club that if you read 6 books you get one free for kids. That is on top of the "Buy One, Get One 50% Off" Sale.

They also apparently have active wear too but I didn't see that. (But just so you know...)

So what did my cart look like?

So, I know it is August, but I am already thinking about Christmas. So I used the $25 to get a few things-- one thing for each child of mine (three of them) and one for me.

I got:

"Let Your Faith Be Bigger" Tumbler 22 Ounce
"Beautiful"- Tumbler 22 Ounce
"Today is Going to Be a Great Day" Adult Colouring Book
Travel Spirograph
Skillet Skullcap
VeggieTales Egg Decorating Kit

All this for less than $25!

Totally cool right?

I was able to get my daughter and myself a tumbler. I am giving her the beautiful one and myself the bigger faith one. I also got the colouring book for my daughter (and myself for special time). She loves colouring with me for her and I time and actually wants me to get her a set of adult colouring books just for her for Christmas. The travel spirograph is for my older son.  He loves to be kept busy. So I have a feeling he will be possessive of it. I also got my youngest son the Skullcap and egg decorating kit. It is almost winter so it seems obvious for the cap but for the egg decorating, even during winter, it is a fun activity to do when it is too cold to go outside.

Overall, I struggled to really be able to use my gift certificate but when I called they were super helpful in the process. And that speaks volumes.

Other things I would tell them they should fix:
1) The scrolling side bar is the same colour as the side bar itself. It makes it hard to see where to grab the scrolling side bar to move the page up and down.
2) Some items that looked cool weren't available once I tried to add them to my cart
3) There should be a separate online store with a tab for what is available in person (as they have in person locations across the nation).
4) To fix the coupon issue once things are loading into the cart

If you have any issues though, don't hesitate to call and they will help you out!!

I can't wait to get these items in the mail and will have to find a place to hide them for a few months!

*I received this gift certificate to use as I wish in exchange for my honest review from Fly By Promotions and Family Christian.com * 

What is One of the Best Ways to Learn Foreign Languages?

We will be reviewing their Spanish Program, with the Starter Set 1 by Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids. I am VERY excited about this and my kids have turned out to be excited about it.

My older son wanted to do Latin and my daughter French. They will and I will be learning with them, but since Spanish is a language I know this is what we will be starting with. That is the easiest way to start.

I graduated with Spanish in my background, so that that makes it a lot easier in teaching my kids.

I was excited actually, more than my kids at first because I had seen the preview of what I was going to get to do with the kids. I knew they were going to like it.

One of the reasons why I was so excited was because when I got the box, I found out it was a local company in Maryland. This company is in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area! Although it would have been considered local for me as well if it were California because that is where I came from. Not going to lie. But DC is home now! Back to the point though, nothing like supporting a local place!

So the first day they were not super stoked on it right away. You didn't hear? This is the newest trend. Make mum aka your teacher feel bad. LOL.

Once the DVD started though, they were glued to it.

Why?

It was done with kids teaching kids and in an everyday real kind of way. I love this because this is the most practical way to do it. My kids loved it. And after they watched the DVD, they worked together on the workbook to answer the questions. It was my way of getting the learn team work. It helped that they were on the same level of spanish as each other.

Then, we did something fun... We put stickers (from the packet we got) around the house. We put "El Desayuno" on the cereal box for "Breakfast" and "El Pan" on the bread box.

They were required to ask for it the old fashioned way of learning. When they wanted to make themselves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and needed the bread, they had to say bread in Spanish instead of in English. This helped to build their skills for learning the word inside and out.

They even had to write all the words they learned for the day in their language notebooks. This is a notebook that we bought for them to use. Just an old fashioned quarter notebook from the local store. This helps them to be able to put the kinetic learning and writing-into-memory learning.

We started using the flash cards and still working on that because my youngest child doesn't read yet.

We had a blast learning it. I wish that the first part of the DVD, "Basketballs aren't for Breakfast" had more components to it through the DVD. Realistically it is how kids learn more and more each day. While it isn't the only mode it is important. So each day, if they get to watch the DVD with a lesson and then go to the workbooks that would be great. I don't like having them to do the entire work book in one day.

Looking in to the future, I think if they modified it just a little, it could be an easy and fun way for anyone, including adults, in learning foreign language as well. Sometimes we are visual and not textual.

I am learning, well, actually relearning, some of the things I had even forgotten and the fun facts about different countries and as such I am having fun learning with my kids. I am loving them wanting to wake up and start Spanish after Meditation.

Kid's Review:

Avi:
I think that the foreign language program is pretty good and it doesn't have many problems. The only problem is that EVERYTHING is in Spanish, if they some translation, I would like it more. Overall, I give it 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars.

Via:
It is a fun process to learn Espanol You learn about new words and it is fun. It is a little bit hard too. But once you learn more, it gets more fun as you learn. You can talk Spanish around your house and everything. I really think it is good.

Kai:
I like the thing. It's a little bit hard but I still know how to do it. Desayuno!!! Pequena.

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The Best Way to Get Tattoo Ideas... Colour!

I have been wanting to get a tattoo... since, I don't know, as far back as I can remember as a teen! Not just because it is the cool thing to do or the fad but because I wanted something artistic on my body. To celebrate who I was. Who I am.

I have this massive scar on the back of my leg and I would like to cover it up-- not to cover it up per say- but to show that our scars do not define us. It can become something beautiful. A part of who we are.

I have this idea of what I want for a tattoo though and a location of what it would be and where it would go. I want a tiger jumping out of flames in a 3D way on the my lower back. I have to wait until I am totally done having children though (and I know there will be no more for sure) so I can preserve the tattoo.

So, for the scar on the back of my leg, I am looking into different kinds of tattoos. I wasn't sure how I would want to transform it. But it has to become something beautiful and transformed.

So I was excited when I got to review this colouring book!

The author, rather artist, behind "Marked in Ink" colouring book is none other than Megan Massacre of NY Ink, and America's Worst Tattoos. I venture to definitely not be on the second show....  so I want to be sure the tattoo I get is right and done right.

What I like about this book is that there is a little bit of every thing in it!

Some pictures remind me of Dia de los Muertos, some are classic roses, some are Native American some inspired, some fantasy, some simple design, some spiritual, some nature and more.

I love that is varied so much.

Two of the pictures I first coloured, was the Shot Through the Heart one with the torch near it. I coloured it to resemble chakras of an inner person and being aligned. I feel like this one resonates with me deeply since I have been separated and recently made news of it. It was perfect for me. And I even made the torch like the olympic torch.

Another picture I coloured the was dream catchers. I love dream catchers. I made them each their own colour to represent chakras. I even got inspired while colouring it to teach my girls during Native American History Month this year how to do dream catchers and what they are about.

So, I was about to not only process what I was going through and show that you can still make beautiful something painful but also got some really cool ideas from the book.

I love that you can take the pictures out of the book and slip them back in as if they were a portfolio. I am going to have so much fun finishing this book!!!

* I received this book in exchange for my honest review *

40 Dares to a More Fulfilling Relationship with Your Teen

Many of us have tweens. Thankfully not yet teens. (Can I get a "Thank you heavens!" LOL) I have a younger child that also is definitely entering tween zone... like a year ago. Every child enters tween-hood at a different age and at a different maturity. So I like this book, "With All Due Respect" to help to try to work on the relationship with your child(ren) and the realisation that every child enters tween-hood at different times.

We all, as parents, have something in our relationships with our children that need work on. It is just the simple truth. And this book is helpful in guiding you to that- both figuring out the issues and helping you figure out how to come to a solution.

In this book, it says 40 days but realistically, I am going to say out of the gate, it is more like 40 dares. No way you can do it 40 days. Sorry.

Why?

Because relationships are complicated. They give great ideas in this book, With All Due Respect" but they forget that in saying 40 days they are setting people up for failure by virtue that easing the techniques in take more a day to become a full part of your repertoire. Just like when you are trying to build muscle. You have lift weights for days before seeing the results. This is more then matters of heart and mind and therefore take longer.

I think the ideas are fabulous though. A lot of introspection. One has to be open to reading this and changing. Being honest with oneself. Wanting to take the leap of faith and wanting to change themselves.

This is a one of the better parenting advise books I have read in a long time because it makes you go inward to change your parenting and that is helpful. I think that I have to modify it a little bit because my family is a family with different belief systems in it. I have to, even for myself, modify it a little to work for my family but, really I think it is a very good book.

The issues I have with it is that while it gives great tips and such for any parent, it is very focused on faith. So someone who could benefit from this may not read it especially if they are struggling in their faith or has no faith. That being said, I think me personally, I can skip over some of those things and focus on the stuff that is useful to me if I am having faith issues or don't believe in God. But some people won't even attempt to open the book and that is where I feel it could be otherwise helpful to them. (Or even go so far as to say to bring someone to faith).

The reason it bugs me sometimes, is because while I can see the good of having faith be involved in it, especially if you are religious or spiritual, it can seriously distract from the point that is being made. Like it is defending or defining itself (the goal of the book). I see the goal of the book and it is actually well written.  For example, I wish they would keep the scripture quotes at the end of each chapter rather than beginning. It means that the focus is on the goal. It means that the it goes with the end of the chapter and with the pray with us section.

Something I really like that in the beginning of the book they realise that people have many different kinds of relationships in relation to kids. Married, Single, Divorced, Modern. Mine is modern. I am very much separated. So a lot is in flux with the relationship with my kids' father and even with them. I want to grow and change in them.

Also, each dare, day or chapter is only a few pages. It is more like a devotional. Something you can do every day no matter how busy you are. Whether you are on a bus, do it after you brush your teeth, do it at lunch, or after the kids go to bed, reading it literally takes minutes. It is very doable and there is NO reason any parent can't do it.

It is not a sit down and read the entire book by yourself in one sitting. You can more read this each day over a month or more (how long ever it takes you, it will be fine). You will find something to help you within this book and will help  your relationship with your children, in my opinion, no matter their age. Even possibly most any relationship in your life.

Also, get a notebook when you read this. Seriously. It will be helpful. You can journal your process and examine a lot of your parenting styles and even grow yourself. There are questions at the end of each dare for you to really examine what your goals are as a parent.

Come in with an open mind and you will grow as a person and as a parent.

ALL THE DARES-- ARE WORTH IT! DO IT!
Seriously! Do it! 

No matter the faith you follow, this is a great book with a lot of profound advise, help, and guidance to help you become the parent you want to with your teen! 

The Most Powerful Change: Your Parental Expectations

I love my children with all my heart.
I really do.
I really would do anything for them in a heart beat- that even includes keeping it real with them!

But like any mum, even those that work three jobs, homeschool or stay at home, I have my days when I would rather just check out or be that mum that lets their kids watch movies because it is easier than listening to them fight. Today, all the little things are making my head hurt, including the fighting.

I am going to tell you the pretext to the story, then the story, then the realisation that came from it.

Yesterday, friends were in town and we went to the International Spy Museum and also the National Air and Space Museum. Then to MLK memorial and then to the Roosevelt memorial. You think that would be a blast of a day, right?

My daughter focused on the lunch. Yes, the lunch. *annoyed mum emoji here*

We went to Chipotle and I let them pick their lunch. She picked to share a bowl with her brother and together they picked the steak bowl with rice. Well, you would think she would have eaten something she choose, right? Wrong again. She flipped out and had an attitude and instead of just eating it, which of course, because it is the easier thing to do, she refused. She had a bad attitude about it most of the afternoon. She then proceeded to finally after it was already dinner time, decide to finish her lunch. She ate half of it. After we got home, she went to town again declaring she would never eat spicy again. Okay, fair enough. But this was not spicy and you need to eat! (Insert, 'has your child every made excuses for not eating before'?)  I finally had to hand the job after an entire day of either the attitude over it (when everyone else was done talking about it or dealing with it) or trying to get her to eat at all, to her father. I was done. (She finally did eat it and I was glad- didn't want a grump waking up).

Stick a fork in me, so so done!

What does that have to do with what I am about to talk to you about?

Because as parents, we all have our things that are important to us.

Mine happens to be trying new things, eating your food, and not wasting.

I grew up starving in parts of my child hood. It was not easy. It was hard and I remember it.
So when you parents told you to eat your food, it was for a reason. We don't realise that our neighbours can sometimes be struggling just to eat one meal a day let alone a simple balanced diet.

So of course, the transference of that comes into my parenting. I am relaxed a quite a bit of things. Food is not one of them. I am not making different meals for each person in this house (of course, minus allergies and of course, I try to stay away from dislikes).  I won't do it.

One, if they want to step up and volunteer ideas or help in making that meal, I give them reign over what we will eat because it is a growing experience.

Two, our diet in America has consisted of not taking care of trying new things, retrying them, eating and not wasting no matter how much we don't like it. We have confused the purpose of eating. Yes, it is important to have the food taste good. No doubt. But it is also important to not waste what the Earth has given us to sustain our bodies. Every time we waste food, that means someone is going without. Not always in the literal sense, but in a very real world kind of way.

If you don't like it, you can also find someone around you that doesn't have, even a homeless person, and give it to them. I am sure, as I have been there as a child, they would be grateful.

However, I digress into a even more profound statement.

I have used what I have been through to help or hurt and colour the lens through which I parent. I did it. I screwed up. Even with the best of intentions, I could do better.

I am doing a blog review on a book "With All Due Respect" by Nina and Debbie about raising teens, or preteens. In my case, I do have a preteen, two kids and one of those kids is a preteen by definition but not age. So I thought it would be helpful.

It has a challenge in the very beginning of the book that I think is good to even post here. For accountability. For sharing that you are not the only one. That we can all improve in our parenting.
I know very well that if my small amount of Facebook friends have the same struggle that millions of mums think the same think, in one form or another. We all criticize ourselves in one aspect of our own parenting skills- if not more. On the daily. You are not alone, my friend. *Cheers*

Seeing our kids not just as kids but as full time (and) life long relationships. This includes how we want to have a relationship with them in the future. We start that now, not then.

And one of the first ways we can do this is a radical thought...

Wait for it...

WE CHANGE!

Yes, we change! But what?

We change OUR EXPECTATIONS and OUR ACTIONS!

This is not something you walk into blindly, no! You wouldn't walk into a job interview ill-prepared so you certainly don't do that to parenting which is much more permanent. This is why many of us struggle with it. It is more profound, more stress bound, and more important. We don't want to screw up. Yet with the pressure we place on ourselves, we transfer it like I did, into our parenting in one form or another.

So that leads into what I will try to grow in as a parent to meet each of my kiddos where they are at.

The goal is to name 3 things you an improve upon as a parent.

So here are mine.

A) My 10 Year Old Son
1) I will encourage him to explore the world, even if it is something I wouldn't do and spend quality time with just him.
2) When he gives me his smart remarks I won't retort with my own version of a smart remark back as tempting as it may be out (especially out of frustration). I will simply and lovingly tell him what he needs to hear and redirect him if need be.
3)  I will encourage him to start making money on his own- something that is important to him- by giving him more responsibility and helping neighbours with things like cutting grass and shoveling snow. I will push him lovingly to see how much he is capable of on his own.


V) My 8 Year Old Daughter
1) I will not engage in the wars of wills. She has her opinion and I have mine. I will walk away when I feel she is just battling me for the sake of the battle. This can include even the smallest of things. Like what blanket to use, why she should brush her teeth, asking her to play outside, or why she needs to go to a meeting even when she doesn't want to.
2) I will encourage her to try new foods and be firm about the family rule (eat it now or eat it later) while making sure she knows I love her. I will do my best to support her and or reward her and not slough off her opinion of the food- even if she is falling apart during the tantrum.
3) I will try to spend quality time with her at least a few times a week that is a longer time period and try everyday to show her I love her in the little ways.

K) My 5 year old Son
1) I will no longer call him a baby. Even though I see him as my baby. So he can grow in who he is suppose to become. I know that this is a habit I fall into because he really is my cuddle bug and my baby- but I want to make sure he knows he can grow into the beautiful human and man he is meant to be.
2) I will ease him into the school process and not get frustrated if he doesn't understand something.
3) I will hold him and cuddle with him- his love language, every day, especially on the days that are hard for him.

So when I forget, I will even revisit this post and remember why shifting the focus from what they need to change into something I can change and how that aids in changing is important. How changing the focus of my expectations is important. That I am projecting on them expectations is only making the resentment grow stronger instead of teaching them the skills I want them to learn. The goal is to help aid them in their personal growth and what truly is important.

Even the best of parents, when looking deep inside, is guilty of this.

Every. Single. One. Of. Us. = Guilty.

But we have the power to change that.

Yes, YOU have the power to change it just I am trying to do right now.

So what are your 3 for your kids? 
Share them here!

What Do Second Chances in Life Really Look Like?

There is no better time for me to be reading this book than right now. I have been going through so much with my separation, as you may or may not know. It has been a brutal process. Some of the responses have been great or been absolutely heart breaking.



I got this book and it seriously is like it was divined. Which is funny because I am struggling in what faith I am. Not that I don't believe in God, because I do, but how and all the nitty gritty details of it are what is getting me. Besides the point though.

I didn't know who Pat Smith was. I didn't know she used to be married to Martin Lawerence or currently is married to Elliot Smith. I didn't even know that she lived here in the DMV area. DMV area is DC, Maryland, and Virginia. That gets her extra cool points in my book.

The way it is written is as if I am either watching her on YouTube in an inspirational talk or by sitting with her with a cup of coffee to talk to her.

She is nothing shy of candid in here about her struggles. She makes me realise that even some small struggles are big struggles for some people. Mine are pretty big- like, to blow off stem and get it out of my system, I would need to climb to Mount Everest and back down- kind of big.

I am so inspired to reach out to her to speak at one of her Treasure You events to help inspire others through my experience but also to be inspired. We all have SO much growing to do in our personal lives whether it is something we admit to or not. I know that with the separation I am going through, I sat back and thought what kind of karma or punishment I am going through with some of the processes that not only got me here but also some of the reactions that ensued after.

This book helped me gain more insight into the fact that I am not the only one and that there are second chances in life we get. It is up to us to quiet our minds just enough to be able to listen.
Then even that is not enough. We have to be able to act swiftly on what our higher self is telling us to do and do so pure of heart.

In this book she shares stories of herself, her friends, and people who she has met along the way that highlight her points.

I don't know if it is just timing on why I like this book a lot- but I really do. I think, even including some of the spiritual points she brings up (she is minister) she does so in a real and loving way. You don't feel pressured to believe in Him because her point isn't that but to show you that you have second chances in life. Period.

Think you screwed up?
You have a second chance.

Have you been divorced?
You have a second chance.

Have you been so hurt and reacted?
You have a second chance.

We all have second chances in life. Repeatedly. Something I am struggling with so thank you Pat! I would love too, if we could connect. I feel like you speak right to me and I could easily see connecting and making a friendship. :)

* This book received in exchange for honest review- opinions are mine alone *

   

Pete's Dragon Movie: A Boy and His Unusual Friend

"Puff the Magic Dragon" isn't sung...
We still haven't figured out how the dragon ate...
I really don't think the boy, Pete, could have survived eating mushrooms...
We were thinking about how if the brother kills the dragon, he will get in a lot of trouble with the feds...

But how was the movie?

Photo credit: Collage using Disney's Movie pictures. 

Amongst my group, some thought it was alright and some like it a lot.

My daughter at first did not like it as much. She has been a critic of movies lately. She really didn't like The Secret Life of Pets at all. She soon changed her mind about Pete's Dragon though.

If you allow yourself to get lost in the story, you will enjoy it.

The movie starts out with Pete and his family in the car. They tell him how strong and adventerous he is. There is a car accident that takes his parents' life and he is left on his own. He runs into the forest. Where a pack of wolves try to eat him. Then a mysterious and big creature stomps through scaring the animals saving Pete. They become inseparable after.

You will also notice how there wasn't a search for the boy, Pete, after the car accident. So you feel like it jumped a scene. It may be the magic of the forest that this happens and the focus is on the new found and built relationship between the dragon and the boy.

Fast Forward 6 years...

You will notice how this boy, who got lost in the woods at age 4 or 5, somehow has learned English as if he were in school. Maybe it's by the magic of the dragon. He is now about 11 years old.

Back in town, there is a man, Mr. Meacham, who swears he has seen the dragon in his tall tales. After no one believing him, he tales get taller for the reaction. His own daughter, Grace, does not believe him. She knows the woods inside and out. She protects them. She works for the National Park Service.

The person she is to marry is in the wood cutting business and he has a brother. All about business the brother is and he starts cutting into the forest, deeper than should be allowed, affecting the home of the boy and the dragon. Because of this, the boy is found.

Everyone tries to adjust him to being in the human world and all he wants is to be with his dragon, Elliott. Natalie, the girl that is his age, is one to help adjust Pete and they become friends. But his heart is with his dragon.

But, the bigger question, after the brother catches the dragon, who will go to great lengths to protect and free it? Who will help Pete? Who will help Elliot, the dragon? Who can't believe anymore in the tales of the city?

There is so much more to happen in the movie- but that is for you to watch. What I can tell you...

I found myself really loving this story. I think it is a classic.

As a parent, this was a great movie. Not once did my kids flinch or were scared. I love the magic, the value of tales and caring for the woods that it creates in this story. It will bring back memories if you saw the older version from the 70s but I did not see it. It still felt magical and nostalgic for me, although I felt it lacked some details (ie: how did the dragon eat? How did the boy survive on mushrooms? How did he learn English so quick?) but although that bugs me I loved the overall feel to the movie.

Does it have similarities to Jungle Book that came out earlier this year? Yes.
Does that mean you shouldn't see this? Absolutely not.

I still think it is a cute story and really takes us back to yester year of what Disney was and the magic that it brought into the lives of children with this stories that we heard growing up. I see myself buying this for my kids for Christmas, I am sure. It is a classic that will pass down.

I personally give it a 4 out of 5 (because of details).

KIDS REVIEW:

10 Year Old Son:
I think the movie is pretty good besides the weird malfunction with the 3-D glasses at the beginning. The story was great and the graphics are amazing. It is a great movie and a Disney classic. Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5 stars. The only problem is that that either the film or the glasses didn't work in the start, but besides that, it's pretty great.
                                             Signed,
                                              A

8 Year Old Daughter:
I think the movie is the greatest movie I ever seen. I think that a lot of people should see the movie peter's dragon. It's  a rally  good movie, it's about a boy that was on an adventure with his parents then... BAM they hit a deer. And if you want to hear more go and watch the movie. V out...

5 Year Old Son:
" Good. There is a dragon and a kid. I love that part. Sad part when they shooted it. Other parts were good. No one knows the whole time. They put him in the thing and the kids took the chains off and he turns invisible. Then the kids help. He goes. Bye!"
        
So as you can see, my kids liked the movie as did I. It will be a treasure and classic for sure.
It seems as if they are making, actually, remaking, a lot of classics in such a way that they will be part of a series of bringing old classics back to life in a modern way for the younger generation.

The movie comes out 12 August 2016 and I am sure it will be a box office hit! A great way to celebrate the end of summer or the start of school with your kids!

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Lawrence, Craig Hall, Isiah Whitlock

Who is the Real Scotty McCreery?

I have to be honest out of the gate...
I am not a country music fan.
Sure I like some country music but overall, I don't like it.
With age, it is changing a little but I still don't like it as much as I like other music genres.

This was a nice eye opener though about Scotty McCreery. To me, on American Idol, he has musical depth to him and that deep voice but that is all I saw. I didn't think about this amazing understory to his life that lead him here. (But don't worry, I have a new likeness to you because you wrote this book so well!)

Apart of him, that isn't seen on television, is shown. There is an element of realness to him. And like in the review for Missy Franklin's book, it was innate gift that he was born with. Her it was swimming before she could really make full sentences. Him, it was having melodic tones down before his first birthday! I am seriously blown away by this. It makes me really want to pay more attention as a parent to my kids and the gifts they have and how I can nurture them.

I would go out every morning to sit with my coffee on the porch with this book-- part of having to do the review but also as me time before having to really start on my day. (That being said I will need to practice waking up more on time. Boo to summer going away.)

This is a book that I felt that I can relate to both as a parent and as an artist myself. He was able to really listen to the inner voice, he calls it God, you can call it whatever you want (I do believe in God, but maybe not the same way, struggling with that right now). When you listen to the inner voice, you are able to see more where your path is that you are headed. Scotty had no problem with this.

He is very talented and my older son would love him for his baseball skills! Seriously, Scotty, when can we have you and my older son meet up? He would love to learn a few things from you and like you, do many amazing things in his life. Though his doesn't have to do with music- science is his fancy.

I love the insight that he has towards the whole process of American Idol as well. How dirt ugly it can get and also how you feel like cattle.  How you can have the biggest nerves thinking that for sure you would not make it but low and behold, when you surrender to the higher self and God, your path is already paved for you. Call it fate, call it God, call it whatever you want. It really motivated Scotty in his rise to fame.

I highly suggest this book to everyone-- it is very deep but written lightly, multi faceted, and enlightening.

* I received this book in exchange for my honest review*

 

How Pop Manga Adult Colouring Is The Best

Feeling like we are about to have that moment together that if you are reading this, you remember the once upon a time when you used to colour. Now you may say, "I no longer have time for it!" or "colouring is for babies!" "I am going going to colour- I have got better things to do!"

You, yes, YOU can colour! I am telling you it has been a way for me to have either me time or my daughter bursts in (as you can see the picture) to have a mum-daughter colouring session. This has been a very helpful way to connect with my daughter actually.

 It has been nice as well because I haven't been able to have a creative outlet like this in a while. Not that I am good at it but it is nice to stimulate that part of my brain. 

As far as this book goes, I like it. Nothing about it is realistic but yet it is real. It is made of dreams and it is made of nightmares. Some of it is the weird things you dream about-- what if you had a mermaid tail? What if you had a helmet that made ice cream out of your head? What if you had a tree growing out of your head?

I won't lie, I had to put the book down because I was getting so much into it that I would be cooped up in my room for hours just colouring. I am really not trying to finish this book in a quick go but it is so good and very therapeutic.

With everything going in my life it could not have come in better timing for me to not have to read, think, rather just to be. As I would colour, I would just allow myself to feel. Cry if I needed- which really didn't happened, but let's pretend it did. It helped me be present most of all where I was at. 

I love that you can colour everything, including the cover.

This book is by Camilla d'Errico who is a Manga artist and surrealist. It is her first colouring book and I think an absolute hit. So much so that my daughter wanted to have me give it to her. 

I suggest it for anyone who loves pop manga art. 

If you don't like it, you can easily gift it! 

* This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review*