The Adventum: Volume 1 (plus a coupon code!)

by Meghan // August 30, 2022 // Comments off

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

Let me tell you about a little something my children are absolutely obsessed with and quote all day long- The Adventum. This is an audio drama style recording of God’s story of redemption; The Adventum, Volume 1 covers stories from creation to Abraham. At just over 4 hours, this is absolutely loved by all 5 of my children, and I promise your kiddos will love it as well. The Adventum is an entertaining, family friendly, creative, full- cast Bible epic with over 50 voice actors, music, and sounds.

Our family loves *loves* audio dramas, and this audio drama is going to be for anyone of any age. I’d say if they’re old enough to listen to stories on audio, kids can start enjoying The Adventum. Parents and grandparents are going to enjoys this Christian, family friendly audio drama, as well.

The Adventum Volume 1

What is The Adventum, Volume 1

There are 4 CDs in the volume 1 set. We received the physical CDs, but you can also choose to order the downloadable mp3 version. Not only are the stories told with great detail and energy, but the actors voices are great! If you are someone that listens to audiobooks or podcasts, you know the narrator’s voice makes or breaks the listening experience. The voice actors in The Adventum bring the stories to life with vibrance and energy that shows their love for telling God’s story. The quality of the sound and music is just beautiful; but it isn’t overbearing or over the top.

It’s just right, it’s just the right amount of everything-excitement, drama, sound, quiet, nature- to go along with God’s redeeming story, with the gospel.

What I really love as a mom, is that I have watched and listened as my children have fallen even more in love with God’s Word. They are actively looking up stories they hear on The Adventum and reading them from scripture. The audio definitely takes creative liberties to get a laugh from kiddos or grab their attention with sounds, music and details, but it is so wholesome and easy to listen to. This has been on repeat in our home since the day I handed it to them!

The Adventum Volume 1

The Adventum has been a wonderful addition to our home for those hot summer afternoons when we are worn out from playing, swimming, and choring, and need to rest indoors for a while. The girls even took the CD player and cds downstairs so they could act it out with dolls while listening.

My almost 10 year old son has created inside jokes with his siblings about all the silly parts in their favorite stories; he enjoys acting out the parts for his sisters.

This isn’t going to be the Bible word for word. If you are like our family, you have Bible time together, and devotional time together. Your children have probably had the Bible read to them since they were babies and knew many Bible stories by the time they were 3 years old. This won’t replace that. But it will be a fun, relaxing addition to your day and a wonderful way for your children to interact with the Bible. And maybe they haven’t heard God’s word daily since they were born, maybe you know a family that doesn’t know much about the Bible, or maybe you’d like your kiddos to want to dive in more deeply. I can honestly tell you that The Adventum will do just that.

I have found turning on The Adventum definitely creates an atmosphere in our home where there is a lot of excited talking about the Bible all. day. long. And who can complain about that?

And guess what?! The Adventum, Volume 1 is currently discounted by 50% on the website. A special offer for readers includes Free Shipping (US only) using Discount code: advcrew2

I would love to get the remaining volumes for our family. We don’t really do big birthdays or Christmas, but I think this will be just right for those occasions. The other volumes would also make great Advent openers leading into the Christmas season, or even as a Resurrection Sunday tradition.

Connect with The Adventum

Wholesome Family Chapter Books (mid grade): Whatsoever Stories

by Meghan // May 10, 2022 // Comments off

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

(Can we just take a minute and appreciate the logo above?! ????)

I am always running out of books for my oldest. She is almost 12, a voracious reader, and loves to read anything she can get her hands on. My oldest son is almost 10, and he really enjoys adventure animal stories, and historical fiction.

I love finding wholesome books that leave an impact on my children; the kind of books that have them asking questions while they’re reading, and when they’ve finished. That’s why I was so excited for Whatsoever Stories‘s Trial At The Ridge, by Kinsey M. Rockett. This is a beautiful fiction book that your entire family will enjoy!

Trial At the Ridge

This is the story of the Whitlocks, a God loving family, and their life on the place they call home. Their farm. When they are threatened with foreclosure, we watch as the family handles it with grace, and love. Although the plans put in place to save the farm continuously get derailed, they find a way to make it work, all the while working together.

My daughter says:

My favorite part was when the too friendly cat jumped on the shoulder of a man wanting to buy the farm. I also liked that there were some hard words, and it gave their definitions. I enjoyed the book because it was dangerous and they were Godly people, that makes it different from a lot of books I’ve read.

While this book is generally written for a 10+ audience on an independent reading level, it will make a wonderful family read aloud! Kinsey has written a book that is definitely going to be enjoyed by parents, grandparents, and kids alike. With the beautiful glossy cover, easy to turn pages, and easy to read font, the 188 page book is going to make a great read aloud, or reader. I would say that using copywork from the book would be super easy too, with witty dialogue and scripture throughout (did I mention the vocabulary?!). Of course it would make great leisure reading as well. The binding is sturdy, and overall I love how the book feels in my hands- it really is just right. =)

What I love is that my children are reading books by a Christian author, the storyline isn’t introducing my kids to a plot or attitudes we do not value (no agenda, or worldly kid/teen “problems” here!), and the* vocabulary!* I loved reading the language Kinsey used in her book to draw in the reader. Add to that actual vocabulary words and references in footnotes throughout the book, a glossary, and her Not All Fiction section at the back of the book, and I am here for it! Kinsey is a homeschool graduate ????, and her love for the Lord clearly shines through her writing.

I can’t wait to read her book, Prisoner of War, which features many of the same characters. I know the kids will love it as a fun read aloud this summer.

To read more Crew reviews of Kinsey M. Rockett’s books by Whatsoever Stories, click the banner below:

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Bible Book Breakdowns {for your homeschool}

by Meghan // October 12, 2021 // Comments off

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

My kids really enjoy using their Bibles as we do our Bible reading or memory verse work. When my kids are about 7, reading well and able to understand the Bible better, I get them their own Nirv Bible. Teach Sunday School has created dozens of helpful tools for children and adults; we’ve been using their Bible Breakdowns. These are really fun, easy to use, and visibly uncluttered breakdowns of the books of the Bible.

What Are These Bible Breakdowns?

These breakdowns cover each book of the Bible, and are divided into two sections: New and Old Testaments.

Each breakdown includes:

summary about the book
number of chapters
type of book (ex: history, Gospel, Epistle, as well as what category of each type)
date written
period covered
author
and an overview of each section of verse-what those verses are about, or what Bible story they pertain to, including not well known stories.
most popular verses from that book

How to Use Them

These Bible Breakdowns are going to be perfect for families studying the Bible together; whether during homeschool, bedtime devotional time, or for personal bible time, the breakdowns are helpful for anyone needing more in-depth information for studying their Bible. You can spiral bind them, which is what I plan to do, or hole punch and put in a folder for easy access. We liked using them before our homeschool Bible time, to go over all the specific information about that book of the Bible. It was easy for the kids to understand and helped me explain things without too much over thinking. It’s also great if your family is working through a timeline book, you can easily add the dates of each book and when they were written to your timeline.

The breakdown of Esther looks like this:

I also like that there are spots for you to check off as you go through and read each chapter of that book.

These Bible Breakdowns are so easy to use. My oldest has her own copy, and likes looking through them as she reads her Bible, or when she has questions. I think these are also going to be helpful if you’re reading the Bible on an app; you can keep the PDF version of the breakdowns on your device so you can easily reference them. I like pen and paper, so printing them was my preference.

Teach Sunday School has so many wonderful resources for anyone studying the Bible, doing Bible activities, or looking for information about the Bible for their home, small group, or classroom. Check them out!

Connect with Teach Sunday School

Check out more Crew reviews for Teach Sunday School by clicking the banner below:

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

2019/2020 Homeschool Year- 3rd grade

by Meghan // December 16, 2019 // Comments off

Instead of posting everything we are doing in one very overwhelming post, I thought I would break it down by grade level this year. I am late … I know. I’ve been in a deep first trimester exhaustion of random naps and no motivation beyond sleeping and eating. We’ve been sick with one stomach bug after another, and of course with 6 people in the house, it takes forever to get over 1 thing just in time for another to hit! (But I’ve stepped up my elderberry syrup and vitamin C game for the family, so hopefully the rest of the winter won’t be so bad).

And I’m feeling better now, that I’m closer to second trimester! Woo Hoo!

This year, my 9 year old is doing 3rd grade, for all intents and purposes.

Math- CLE Grade 3 math. We like this math so far because it is clean, simple, straight forward, and has students becoming more independent at an early age. I am involved in their lessons, but they aren’t dependent on me for learning 100%. I like this because one of our goals as homeschoolers is to create intrinsically motivated, self taught students who love to read and learn as they grow.

Grammar/Writing/Language Arts- This area is a little more gray. We are using The Good and the Beautiful, and also Easy Grammar (which we have reviewed before). For my 3rd grader, this is working out very well. I would like something that is a little more consolidated so I am not using 2 different programs (we don’t use the reading and spelling in TGTB). I’ve ordered BJU English which includes writing, grammar, and mechanics all in one book. I found it used for super cheap, just so I can look through it. We will see how it is, and may give it a try. Other than using 2 different programs, I *really* like TGTB and also Easy Grammar. Both bring a lot of their own qualities, and most importantly, my daughter enjoys both and does well with them.

Reading and Spelling- This is still All About Reading, and All About Spelling. We don’t really use AAR very often … she just doesn’t need it as much as spelling. I have started implementing he reading aloud to us from our History Core, so I can hear her reading, and help with any difficult words. She is a very fast reader, which is great when you’re studying or looking for key words in notes, or need specific info. But I want her to slow down and enjoy what she is reading, read with inflection, and wait for the good parts. haha When she reads on her own, it is fast and for the purpose of finding out what happens … which is also great; however reading aloud is so beneficial and she is willing to do it with joy!

Homeschool 2019/202 3rd grade

All About Spelling is what we are working through with her brother, still. They just do it together since he is naturally a great speller, it is easy for them to do it together (and takes some pressure off of me to get one more thing done in the day).

Science– Oh dear science, how we love you. We have really slacked in science since last year, short of nature exploration. So it is my intention this winter to take this season of cold weather, and do a *LOT* more science. We will utilize Apologia’s Creation series because frankly, it is just so good. We love listening to the text on audio, and the activity book that goes along is also great. We have reviewed Astronomy and Anatomy, and really love both. I can’t wait to try their Botany and zoology series.

History/Bible/Read Alouds- This is Sonlight Core C for us, this year. We are finishing up our second year of world history, and will move on to American history next year. I am not entirely sure if we will use Sonlight Core D for American History. I *think* we will, but I also want to look around and see if there is anything else we may want to use for AMerican history years.

Other Stuff- We are using Wordly Wise for vocabulary. I do like to pull words from our read alouds for the kids to learn, but this is something they all really enjoy, can do on their own, and helps develop more than just vocabulary skills. These books are simple, yet awesome.

We get to use lots of other fun stuff throughout the year, like Lit Wits, STEM activities, and foreign languages. We have co op and of course all our handicrafts and arts we enjoy freely.

This homeschool year I definitely feel more organized, and like we have stayed on top of things better so far. Last year was full of concussions, flu, puppies, baby goats, and travels. We got behind and did math through August! NOT FUN; I didn’t enjoy it at all. I DO like doing school year round, because we want to … not because we have to, if that makes sense.

So this school year we do math every single day, whether we are sick or not, or we double up if we miss. Any independent or workbook pages are divided into week in folders, like every year. We put that work each week on their clipboard. Some weeks we do 2 weeks worth of work when things are going really smoothly, to account for any sick days we may have.

Baby #5 should be here in June, so I want us to have plenty of time to enjoy the spring weather, play in the pool, and be homeschool work free! Life is going to change a lot with a newborn, so it will be important for the kids to have a solid routine, without me having the stress of “we must finish.”

What are you using for homeschool this year?

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Glow in the Dark Easter Eggs: Egglo Eggs {a review}

by Meghan // April 16, 2019 // Comments off

This post was written 5 years ago, and still these eggs are a joyous tradition in our home! While you can no longer find these specific eggs for Resurrection Sunday, you can purchase the scrolls to go inside any glow in the dark egg HERE.

In our home, we have never done Easter egg hunts, or Easter baskets. In the spring, the kids get a spring basket, that is completely separate from Easter itself.

For the Resurrection, we read scripture leading up to that Sunday, learn about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and have a nice family dinner. We avoid Easter bunnies and chocolate- Everything is pretty low key.

I had the chance to review Glow in the Dark Egglo Eggs and the book, The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure by Egglo Entertainment.

About The Program

Egglo Eggs are different; they aren’t just another egg you stuff full of candy for your children to hunt on Easter morning. This program is based on John 1:5, “The Light shines in the dark and the darkness has not overcome it.” This entire set encourages your children to learn, love, and truly enjoy the real meaning of Easter. Though it is designed for children ages 4-13, it can be adapted for all ages. I used it with my three year old and 18 month old.

Glow in the Dark Egglo Eggs and The Great Easter Adventure book are fun and Christ centered. The eggs either have a beautiful cross on them or are plain. There are 12 in a box, consisting of four colors- blue, green, yellow, and pink.

What I received

A box (12 eggs) Glow in the Dark Egglo Eggs ($11.99)
The book The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure ($12.99)
The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure audio download ($2.99)
Egglo Treasures Scripture Scrolls ($4.29)
The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure Program Guide ($14.99)

How we use the Program

Lexie and Max are both obsessed with eggs in general- Max likes to eat them, Lexie likes to crack them when we bake. We have one little play egg, I am not even sure where it came from, but they both obsessively play with it. Now that we have the entire set of glow in the dark Egglo Eggs, they like to go in the closet and watch them glow; we charge them several times a day! haha

I overheard big sister telling the tot, “Now, this light is just like the light Jesus.”

I wasn’t really sure if they would be into hunting the eggs, but I laid them on the counter and let them “charge” under the light so they would glow really well. The directions say to let them charge for about 30 minutes in direct sunlight, or 45 minutes under in-home lights.

So, we looked through the book (which in many ways was over Lexie’s 3 year old head, but was valuable non the less. Then I hid the eggs in her room (we have blackout shades in there so it was nice and dark) while they waited in the hall.

*I cannot tell you how much fun they had hunting for these glow-in-the-dark eggs!* But then, Lexie also understood the lesson of the glowing eggs, what they represent, and how they tie into Easter. It was a win-win for us all!

hunting egglo glow in the dark easter eggs

(it was dark in her room, but the flash on my camera is on)

We may have hidden and found the eggs a dozen times the first day. Quite possibly more. She has asked to do them once a day ever since. They are such a joy and I feel good about using them in our home.

After we tired out from the excitement of hunting the eggs, the kids enjoyed coloring some of the pages from The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure Program Guide. There was something in there for both the kids to enjoy. The program guide includes lots of valuable activities, fun snack recipes, and items to print to add to your Egglo Eggs. It is also set up for both schools/churches and families. I highly recommend purchasing it to accompany your eggs.

As part of my review, I received the scripture scrolls as well- we love these! They take the eggs to a whole new level. We put the scrolls inside our eggs before hiding them, and then after the kids found all the eggs, we opened each one. Lexie thought it would be fun to choose a few scriptures as our memory verses for the coming weeks. Max just liked to shake them inside the eggs and make music. =)

Overall Experience

Our experience with the Glow In The Dark Egglo Eggs and The Egg-cellent Easter Adventure has been a positive one. It was a great way to add a little more fun into our Easter celebration, and keep Christ in the center of it all. Lexie understands the real meaning of Easter, and the little Mister is on his way to understanding too. That is what this program is about- and that is why I can gladly suggest this program to anyone interested in doing an Easter egg hunt or celebration with their children.

Connect with Egglo Entertainment

Christian History Audio Drama for the Whole Family {a review}

by Meghan // February 15, 2019 // Comments off

During our morning time, we have been enjoying the latest publication, For The Temple from Heirloom Audio. My children have LOVED this listening experience. (You can see our past Heirloom Audio review HERE)

We reviewed the 2 disc physical CD set, as well as the digital PDF study guide.

The guide is full of details and comprehension/deeper thinking questions found under sections: Listening Well, Thinking Further, and Defining Words. You will find each section has its own content for each chapter of the story. Thinking Further includes activities, such as googling images/information from history that pertain to the story and reading Bible passages for comparison/historical context. The study guide itself is beautiful and takes the adventures of G.A. Henty to a new educational level; meant to help parents have juicy conversations with their children, it can also be used independently by older students. (My 8 year old enjoyed using it on her own, while the others used it orally with me.)

What It Is How We Used It* What We Think*

Heirloom Audio is one of our favorite companies to support- you can read more about who they are HERE, which outlines what they believe, and how they get these great history stories. I love that their stories are wholesome, being safe for my kids to listen without me needing to know every detail before pressing play.

Based on the book by G. A. Henty, For The Temple is another gripping, family entertainment, audio drama from Heirloom Audio. Though John wants to stay home and follow in his parents’ footsteps as a farmer, he knows God is calling him to fight the Romans. He shows great leadership skills and integrity while defending the Jews, rescuing innocents, and encouraging the men in his army. Later, we see God has been preparing John, as he is called to defend God’s people once again in Gamara.

What began as the story of a young boy, silly and not ready for marriage, turned into a hero’s story of brave risks, integrity, and Godly intent. As John realizes he has been called by God to lead an army against a great threat, we see great excitement and purpose in his life, which God saw all along (of course). He overcomes not only defeat in the field, but also slavery, as God’s hand writes his life story. In the end we rejoice with John and his family as they accept Christ and become followers of Yeshua.

This is so much like our own lives- we have plans, feel our personality is best suited for one thing or another, and yet God sends us through trials, introduces us to people we may have never known … all so we can do His work and come to know Him better.

He equips the called.

My 8 year old’s favorite part of For The Temple:

“While the Romans were trying to reach the temple, John took a lot of fishing boat on the Sea of Galilea, and everyone held torches to make the Romans think they were a large army-he said if it worked for Gideon, it could work for them. Another part I liked was when the Romans were waiting for the people to starve inside the city, because the Jews couldn’t reach food and water without going outside the walls. But John was brave and fought the Romans with swords, even though he was out numbered. But I don’t think John knew Jesus, because he didn’t believe, at first, that He rose from the dead.”

The production team, acting cast, and recreation of this original G.A. Henty story is top notch family entertainment. We like to turn on the audio each morning during morning time, but be warned- it can be hard to turn it off! It is also a great independent listening time for the kids while mama gets a shower, tidies up, or prepares a meal.

Beautiful life lessons and Biblical character traits are threads throughout all the Heirloom Audio stories, and that is no different in For The Temple. We meet characters from the Bible and how their stories would have impacted people during this era of history. Even the youngest of listeners can recognize those people, and see the impact Jesus’s death would have had during that time.

—I want to add, that exploring their website is worth the effort! The “Kid’s Corner” and other resource links are safe for young children, and full of family fun! You will find videos, links, quizzes, and more!

Connect with Heirloom Audio:

30 Days to Understanding the Bible {a book review}

by Meghan // January 20, 2019 // Comments off

Bible reading, journaling, and studying are some of my favorite ways to unwind, begin my day, and end my day. This month I’ve been using 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders. This has been a fun review; learning, studying, and refreshing what I know about the Bible really helps bring everything together when I am reading and journaling.

About the Book

Dr. Max Anders is the author of over 25 books. He has taught on the college and seminary level and is a veteran pastor. Max was also one of the original team members with Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. He provides resources and discipleship strategies at MaxAnders.com to help people grow spiritually.

His book 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for 30 years. I found it to be a straightforward, easy-to-use guide. I really like the structure of the book; in just about 15 minutes a day I have been learning and studying about the history, context, and structure of the Bible itself.

Inside, the 385 page book you will find 7 sections:

The Story of the Old Testament, including the geography structure of the Bible, and each Old Testament book
The Story of the New Testament, including the geography structure of the Bible, and each New Testament book/era
The 10 Great Doctrines of the Bible (SO fascinating!)
Nano Summary of the Bible
How to Mast the Bible So Well That The Bible Masters You (how to study the Bible well)
Teaching Plan
Bonus Chapters-this is full of chapters that cover chunks of the Bible in depth, such as miracles, parables of Jesus, The Resurrection, prophecies, etc.

Also, there is a great appendix in the back, along with several blank pages for note taking (love that!)

The chapters are made up study notes, charts, lots of visual helps, and review studies. I found that their reviews are very similar to the classical education model, in repeating back what you have read, which is a proven helpful way to memorize and learn, then apply what you’ve memorized.

The visuals, charts, and icon images are definitely going to help visual learners! I can’t wait to hand this to my daughter; she will so enjoy the history, context, cultural break down, and studying of the Bible.

Alongside my copy of the book, I’ve been using my ESV Study Bible. This certainly isn’t necessary, but I like to make notes and highlight in my books, especially my Bibles. I was able to make many notes and reminders in my ESV study Bible of things i learned from 30 Days to Understanding the Bible.

This book will be a wonderful addition to your library or as gift for someone you love. Whether you are new to Scripture, studying as a refresher, or just wanting some history context and break down of the Bible, this is going to be a top notch resource!

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Life is Moments {of grace}

by Meghan // January 7, 2019 // Comments off

They sometimes disagree, I sometimes have to say “go work it out with your words, then come tell me how you fixed the problem;” We avoid being their referees as much as possible. Real life doesn’t come with a referee, we have to learn when to stand our ground and when to retreat.

Life is Moments of Grace

This life, homeschool, building relationships with siblings and each other … it is messy. It can be harder than we would like, yet often it is only as hard as we make it.

But Grace says we can. Grace, knowing there is room for error because Jesus, means we can.

(small backstory-grace is a really big trendy word in the Christian community the last several years. For what it’s worth, I am still learning about it. I think it is overused and misused often, so I was hesitant to make this post. I believe a lot of new Christians or those that don’t know Jesus yet are probably confused by the use of grace as I once was… but alas it was laid on my heart so here I am.)

The Word says we can overcome, work through, build, grow, fail, and try again at this parenting thing because of Him.

Not because we are patient.

Not because we are good or kind.

I’m not patient y’all and Im surely not good ?- I’m not any better suited for this gig than any other mom.

**But we are not called to make choices based on patience, ability, or lack there of … God calls us, and He decides how to arm us for His work.

We aren’t perfect, therefore life isn’t either.

But life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.

And we don’t have to be perfect parents to have beautiful, blessed, non-perfect children.

But we do need to be able to see them, speak affirmations of faith over them, and stop criticizing them, our spouses, and ourselves.

Don’t let the noise distract from the beauty. Find your quiet in the chaos in Him, in truth, and in all things beautiful to Him.

Those dirty hands, the messy hair, the loooong bedtime conversations that seem to go on forever- they’re going to end one day, sooner than I’d like.

I’m thankful for this reminder- for children that just came in from playing in the dirt, gathered around a book, one sprawled on a table covered in crumbs ?- the reminder that the hard days are *really* hard but they reap joyful moments, and that’s what life is made of.

Life is moments, good or bad, that we don’t get again.

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Scripture Bible Art Journaling {a review}

by Meghan // November 16, 2018 // Comments off

I *love* journaling, doodling, and especially writing; I have been debating buying a few different art and journaling books. I’ve been journaling since before I could write a sentence, but love learning new things like hand lettering and art methods. My love for words runs deep, and God has used that love of language to encourage me in Bible and scripture journaling.

How excited was I when given the chance to review some of the most beautiful art journals ever?! SO excited, y’all! AND, on my 33rd birthday? YES, please- (… and thank you!)

These are some of the most beautiful, high quality, well made art journals I’ve laid my eyes or hands upon! Ellie Claire Gifts has created delicious hardbound art journaling books that everyone should add to their shelves (or desk … or hygge space).

The Illuminate Your Story Journal opens with an introduction to illuminated letters, the history of this intricate art (how interesting!), and the process used to create your own within the journal’s pages and beyond! The journal is complete with a riveted pen loop, sewn binding, and smooth white pages which detail the art of creating illuminated letters, scrolls, ivies, and other shapes used in the ancient art of illuminated lettering. Between art practice pages you will find lined pages featuring quotes and scripture for journaling or continuing your practice. It even features an expandable envelope in the back for keepsakes. ? I LOVE this feature; it expands super wide, too. You will love it!

This journal is cream with a teal spine, pen loop, and elastic closure. It is smaller in size compared to the other 2 journals I received, but boy is it a beauty! There is a light teal bookmark found in the back, and beautiful gold embossing on the cover.

The Illustrated Word coloring journal features sewn binding with a beautiful orange cloth spine, and contains sturdy, thick antiqued/cream colored pages filled with forty illustrations from the archives of the Museum of the Bible- there are lined pages between each illustration for journaling.

Each illustration spread features the original art work with a reference to it’s collection/creator at the bottom of the page, with a full page adapted illustration for coloring or painting. This is a beautiful, classic coloring journal; the cover is beautifully embossed with gold foil details all throughout the cover illustration.

Lastly, there is my personal favorite, the Faith and Lettering Journal– it also has sewn binding with a riveted (thick) elastic pen loop (also found on the Illuminate Your Story Journal) filled with crisp, white, lined, grid, and decorative pages. The introduction has complete helps for rediscovering your creativity and how to use the book. There are step-by-step letter practices for decorative/creative lettering. Colorful, artistic verses are found throughout for inspiration during your devotional and time- they are sure to help imprint God’s Word in your heart. ?

I love how helpful the Pro Tips (one example seen above) found throughout are to the practice of lettering and design. The square grid and dot-grid pages are perfect for getting letters, scrolls, doodles and other creative designs just right and sized to scale.

These are all perfect Christmas gifts for anyone- young and old- in your life! I know my 8 year old daughter would love using these, as would I! I cannot wait to dive into them further. They are simple to use, encouraging, and did I mention-Beautiful? Their beauty will definitely light a fire to inspire your creativity!

Thank you, Ellie Claire Gifts, for these amazing art journals; they have been a joy to review ?

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Critical Thinking in Your Homeschool {with Progeny Press-a review}

by Meghan // July 19, 2018 // Comments off

Our family loves to ~~(hoard books)~~ read! Anytime I can combine a quality book my children love with learning, it is a win-win. My almost 8 year old has been using The Josefina Story Quilt – eGuide from Progeny Press. This Christian homeschool company has put together guides for some of the very best literature for students, referencing scripture and using questions that allow children (and adults!) to see some pretty amazing messages in what may feel like simple stories.

About Progeny Press eGuide

Not only was this book a perfect fit for our little hobby farming family (think: quilts, chickens, and family), the eGuide was a lot of fun! We printed the eGuide, stapled it together, and my almost 2nd grader got started. This guide is 32 pages; it can be printed or you can work from the download on your computer/device (see their YouTube channel for how to do that).

Included in the beginning of the guide are pages about the author, a synopsis of the story, and pre-reading activities for better understanding. After these first few pages you find various activities such as mapping, comprehension and vocabulary questions, crossword puzzles, and questions that allow for a deeper understanding & literary analysis.

The Dig Deeper section was especially fun when my daughter was able to read through Bible passages that applied perfectly to the story, and then analyze them in a developmentally appropriate way (getting to use a dictionary, which she also loves). I appreciate how the guide uses open ended questions, allowing the student to interpret what they will from the text, but with a clear message that leads to scripture and how God works in our lives. This is so developmentally appropriate for an early elementary student! Sometimes there is no absolute right or wrong answer, but because of how the guide transitions from one topic to the next, going deeper in each section, my daughter was already thinking on a deeper level about the story. Therefore, she was able to answer (and understand the questions) at a deeper level.

I was honestly surprised at how meaningful the comprehension questions were- things that I don’t necessarily think to ask after narration of a book or chapter. But what was even more exciting for me as a mama, was that these weren’t “testing” style questions. This eGuide is more of a writing lapbook, or notebook if you will; the authors never shove analysis down students’ throats, or make learning dry and boring. Just flipping through & glancing at the pages gave me a sense of gentle learning. No meaningless, daunting, intimidating or dry questioning here!

What We Think About It:

One of my top (academic) reasons for homeschooling our children is avoiding many of the testing and busy work approaches to learning. Forcing children to constantly test and analyze on a developmentally inapropraite level creates burn out- it kills the fire for learning, that they are naturally born with-creating adults that don’t enjoy reading or learning on their own, or problem solving that requires a little hard work.

The eGuides from Progeny Press support a gentle and more fulfilling homeschool education that so many of us are striving for. They help create students that can think critically and independently as they read, which we all know is so imperative. I cannot wait to use more of their guides in the future!

Connect with Progeny Press

To read more reviews of this and other Progeny Press study guides, click the banner below:

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!