Lobster Network Review

When I found out that the Crew would be reviewing something called "Lobster Network," I was curious to know what it was!  After taking a look at the website and viewing the "getting started" video, I am really interested in giving this one a try!  And Lobster Network isn't only useful for homeschooling moms/families--it looks like it could be great for anyone to use--especially those who have kids who love to get "new" stuff.

I suppose the best place to start is with an explanation about what Lobster Network actually stands for. 

Lend it                                Need it
Organize it                           Enjoy it/Examine it
Buy it/Borrow it                  Track it
Sell it                                  Want it
Trade it                              Offer it/Obtain it
Exchange it                         Request it
Request it                           Keep it


Lobster Network can be used to keep track of your own stuff--like DVDs, CDs, books--whatever you want to keep an inventory of.  It can also be used to show others the items that you have available for sale or to trade or even to loan out and get back later.  You can even use it to list items that you just want or need to get rid of and are willing to give away for free to someone else who needs it. 

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, then the best thing to do is probably to click on this link and watch the "getting started" video.  It's really not complicated to get started, and the video shows you how to easily do it. 

Since my youngest child will be starting third grade this fall, I have some homeschool items that I need to start getting rid of.  I have hung on to most of the books and other materials that my children all used and that my youngest just finished using after kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.  I simply have not taken the time to go through everything to see what I want to sell or give away, etc.  This review actually came at a good time because I am motivated to give Lobster Network a try--and now I know just what things I will list!  I also have several friends with whom I share books and even occasionally movies or CDs.  This network would be great to use for those things because it keeps up with who has what item(s) and even reminds the "borrower" to return what has been borrowed.  And the best thing about Lobster Network is that it is totally free to use!  I like ''free!" 

There are answers to some FAQs here.  You can also get more details about other things that Lobster Network offers (like communities for sharing) on their website.  You may also want to see what some other Crew members have to say about Lobster Network and some ways they use it with their own families. 
NOTE:  I was asked to review this product for the TOS Homeschool Crew.  I was given a free membership to Lobster Network--and you can receive a free membership too since there is no fee to join!  The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Cerebullum Corporation Review

Do you have a high schooler who is getting ready to take an Advanced Placement test?  My oldest two children are 14 and 13, so we will be there soon enough!  I was given the chance, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, to watch and review a video from the Cerebullum Corporation.  The video I received was "U.S. Gov & Politics AP Exam Prep."  You can watch an excerpt of the video here.  There are other Advanced Placement test preparation titles available on the topics of writing/English language, chemistry, and U.S. history.  These DVDs are regularly priced at $14.98 each but right now they are on sale for $11.24 each.

Each video contains two discs.  One disc contains the "video" part that the student watches.  The other disc contains a digital workbook, notes, games, and quizzes that all help the student prepare for the AP test.  On the video disc, there are several students of high school age who take turns explaining a little bit about the kinds of questions that will probably be on the AP test for that particular subject along with some test-taking strategies and advice.  Then they do what they call "30 in 30."  This is a 30-minute block of time in which they discuss 30 important topics that may be covered on the test.   

My whole family watched this video, and I was pleased that everyone enjoyed it!  Well, my 7-year-old didn't "get" most of it, but my husband and my two older children and I all enjoyed it.  My favorite subject is history, and my children enjoy it too.  Although we really enjoy the study of history, we haven't yet done much study of U.S. government.  I was glad to see that my children enjoyed it and seemed to understand most of it, though, in spite of the fact that we haven't  really studied U.S. government in depth to this point in our homeschool.  In fact, I myself remembered quite a few facts about the government that I had forgotten or had never really paid much attention to. 

I was surprised to discover how pleasant this DVD exam preparation video was!  Exam "helps" like this weren't available when I was in high school, so I always had to study the boring, old-fashioned way.  Although it wasn't as entertaining as a video made just for fun, it was absolutely nice enough to watch that a student getting ready for an AP test would, in my opinion, be able to watch it over and over (in order to aid in retaining the information) without being bored.  And along with the second disc that contains notes and quizzes and games, it seems to me like it might actually be kind of fun to study and prepare for the test.  I would have loved to have access to such a resource when I was in high school!

If you would like to take a look at this resource or others available from the Cerebullum Corporation, you can find their website here.  To see the particular DVD that I reviewed, click here.  You can also read reviews of this DVD and DVDs of the other topics at this link.  Happy studying!!

NOTE:  I received this product free in exchange for writing this review.  I received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure Review

                              

Earlier this school year some Crew members read and reviewed a book from Kregel Publications.  I was disappointed not to have gotten to review that book since we are a family of folks who love to read.  Kregel Publications recently sent another book to be read and reviewed, though, and I did get to review this one!  The book is titled Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure.  It was written by Susan Marlow and is the 5th book in the Circle C Adventure series. 

I normally don't like reading a book in a series unless I've read all of the books in the series in order.  It's just often hard to follow the action and characters in a series without learning about them "from the beginning."  I was thrilled to discover that I was totally able to follow along and understand what was happening in this book even though I haven't read the first 4 books.  Not only was I able to follow the plot, but I really felt like I got to know the characters too.

Because of my busy schedule lately, I didn't try to read the book aloud to my children yet.  I just figured that I would read it and review it myself since my "free" time has been so limited lately.  I can tell you that I will absolutely be using this book for my next read-aloud with my kids!  I loved it! 

The main characters in the book are "tweenagers," so my younger daughter will love reading/hearing about them since they are older than her.  I think that tweens and even teens and adults, though, will really enjoy this book.  I certainly did!

The summary of the book (from the Kregel Publications website) is below:

When innocent horseplay temporarily lands Andi and her friends in jail, they decide that a trip into the mountains will leave their troubles far behind. Accompanied by big brother Mitch and armed with a map showing old gold diggings, they can’t wait to strike it rich. What could be better than two weeks of camping and horseback riding? But instead of gold they find heaps of trouble—trouble that leaves Mitch gravely wounded. Andi needs help fast. But who can she trust? And what good is a bag of gold when her beloved brother lies near death in the middle of nowhere?

You can find this book on the Kregel website here.  You can also find the first 4 books in the series.  Each book sells for $7.99.  You  may want to read some of the reviews written by other Crew members about this book.  You can do that here.  I can't wait to read this book with my children, and I hope you and your children enjoy it as well! 


NOTE:  I received this book free for the purpose of writing this review.  I received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Beeyoutiful Review

A year or more ago I decided to switch to using all-natural and organic clothing detergents and dish detergents.  I decided that it just didn't make sense to be so careful about what we put IN our bodies while paying little attention at all to what we put ON our bodies!  For that reason, I was happy to use and review Hair Shine Hair Conditioner for a company called Beeyoutiful. 

I use spray-in leave-in conditioners on my two daughters' hair fairly often--especially when I don't take the time to condition their hair after shampooing.  Those of you with long hair know that it is nearly impossible to brush out long hair that hasn't been well conditioned!  I didn't particularly like using leave-in spray conditioners on their hair, though, because of all the chemicals they contain.  Unlike "regular" leave-in conditioners, Hair Shine conditioner is made of natural ingredients:  organic aloe vera concentrate, distilled water, sweet orange essential oil, lavender essential oil, and rosemary essential oil. 

Another really neat thing about Hair Shine conditioner is that it has other uses besides conditioning hair.  Because the main ingredient is aloe, it is good for spraying on sunburns or bug bites.  (Don't use it on your skin before sun exposure, though.)  The rosemary essential oil makes it a great astringent and skin rejuvenator.  Just spray it on skin after your shower.

Hair Shine does have a rather strong smell as it is being sprayed, but once it is on the hair or the skin, the fragrance "calms down" and doesn't smell so strong.  My 7-year-old doesn't like the way it smells as it is being sprayed on her hair, but she likes it fine after that.  I really like the smell.  And I also like that it really does a great job de-tangling my daughters' hair and mine too.  My girls usually don't have trouble with frizzy hair, but Hair Shine is also supposed to be good for helping to tame frizzy hair.

Hair Shine is sold in a 4-oz. bottle for $15.00.  I don't use it every day, but I do use it several times a week on my own hair and on both of my daughters' hair.  We have been using our bottle for several weeks and still haven't used up the bottle. 

Other Crew members used and reviewed other products from Beeyoutiful, so you might want to visit the Homeschool Crew website to see their reviews.  Beeyoutiful sells a few books about health and nutrition, supplements, essential oils and accessories, and skin and hair products.  You will find reviews of several different kinds of products from Beeyoutiful.  

You may want to take the time to request a catalog too.  Their catalogs contain some funny little stories, some great articles on health and nutrition, and of course their products.  I just received their spring catalog and really enjoyed looking through it! 


NOTE:  I received Hair Shine free for the purpose of writing this review.  I did not receive any other compensation.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My School Year

Wow!  What a school year I have had this year!  This was my first year as a member of The Old Schoolhouse's Homeschool Crew--which has been such a wonderful blessing.  It was the first year that I let my son (age 13) begin taking some online classes as part of his homeschool work.  It was the year that I began working as the conventions coordinator for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  It was also the year that I feel like my kids and I got the most school work done and were the most organized of all 13 years that I have been homeschooling! 

My year on the Crew has been amazing!  I received so many wonderful products to review from so many great companies.  Some of the products were great fun to use and some were challenging, but my family and I enjoyed something about every single product that we used and reviewed.  In fact, several times when I was considering whether or not I needed to change the curriculum I was using for a particular subject, I received a product for that very same subject and it turned out to be just what we needed.  I have also completely enjoyed blogging--another "first" for me this year--about all of the products and about other things going on in my life and in my family.

My son has loved taking Omnibus I through the Veritas Press Scholars Academy online this year.  I have never allowed my children to do online classes because I feel like a major part of homeschooling is taking the time to build a relationship with each one of them.  I had ordered the Omnibus I book intending to teach it to my 13-year-old son myself.  After taking a look at the book, though, I realized I was in over my head!  I honestly didn't feel like I had the expertise to teach the class the way I wanted my son to experience it and learn from it.    I still spend time with him each day doing his other subjects, but I am so very glad that my husband and I decided to allow him to take the online class for Omnibus I.  Noah has totally loved the class, the teacher, and the other online students.  He has been so motivated this year to do his work for this class--which is something I never thought I would be able to say about any class he was taking!!  It has just been a very positive experience all the way around.  He is already signed up to take Omnibus II online next school year, and he is already looking forward to it and suffering from SOW--Severe Omnibus Withdrawal--a terrible condition that his teacher assures him will only be relieved by the start of his Omnibus II class this fall. 

This school year I was so blessed to be able to begin working for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine as their conventions coordinator.  I had checked several months before and found out that they weren't looking to hire anyone at the time, so I just figured it was something that might happen in the future at some point but not any time soon.  A couple of months ago, though, I got a call asking if I was still interested in a work-from-home job because their current conventions coordinator was going to have to move (pretty suddenly and unexpectedly) and they needed someone to replace her since convention season was just beginning--the busiest time of year for the person with that job!  I know this was God's timing, and I am so thankful for my new job.  It has been quite busy, but I have honestly enjoyed every minute of it.  For years I have wanted to have the chance to earn some extra money from home so I wouldn't have to leave my children to go to work somewhere, and I am so thankful for this opportunity. 

I know this sounds crazy, but this has also been the year that I have been the most organized and have gotten the most school work done with my kids out of all 13 years that I have been homeschooling.  I think that the fact that I was so busy caused me to have to get a little more organized and to try to stick to a better schedule than I have done in the past.  At the beginning of the school year I was afraid that it would be difficult to have so many commitments and still get their work done, but it worked out in the opposite way--causing me to actually get more done with them! 

This year has definitely been different from any other year.  It has absolutely been busier than many other years.  It has also been a wonderful adventure and a lot of fun!!  I pray that next year will be even better and even more fun, and I am so thankful to be home with my kids and to spend my days with them while they are still at home.  I hope the rest of you have enjoyed your school year this year and are looking forward to what next year will bring.

Super Star Speech Review

The TOS Homeschool Crew members were recently given the opportunity to use and review some products from Super Star Speech:  Speech Therapy Made Simple.  My oldest child has autism and is totally non-verbal, although she does attend speech therapy to help her learn alternate ways of communicating.  My other two children (ages 13 and 7) don't have any speech problems at all.  They have always been very articulate and have always had good vocabularies too.  For these reasons, I got permission for my sister to use a product from Super Star Speech with her daughter, age 7, who has apraxia and therefore has some significant articulation problems. 

My sister is really enjoying using the speech book that she received with her 7-year-old daughter, Sarah.  She chose the book that concentrates on all of the consonant sounds because Sarah's consonants are the main problem for her.  Actually, Melissa (my sister) explained that the book doesn't include all of the consonant sounds, but it does include the main ones that children have problems pronouncing. 

She explained that the book has 4 basic parts.  One part covers directions for how to properly make each consonant sound.  Another part has lists of words that contain each specific sound that is being practiced.  Another part contains pictures the names of which contain the specific sound.  The final part contains games that are sound specific as well. 

Melissa explained that the book seems most suited to younger children--perhaps for preschool children or younger elementary children.  The games are very simple and would probably be lots of fun for these younger ages but perhaps not for children who are a little older. 

She mentioned several things that she really likes about the Super Star Speech book.  She said that the introduction to the book gives some very good information about what to look for in a child's speech development/intelligibility, and it gives general ideas about what's ok and what's not ok.  Although this information is very general (for example, it might say that a certain sound or skill should be developed during the "toddler years"), she found it helpful. 

She also likes the fact that there are pre-tests included along with specific directions for giving the tests.  These tests are meant to be given before beginning to work on any speech sounds.  The results of the tests should help parents know if the child does or does not need speech therapy.  (Of course if there is any significant problem, it is a good idea to have the child seen in person by a professional.) 

Another good thing about these speech materials is that a "therapy plan" sheet is included.  This sheet will help the parent to set goals and make a plan for reaching those goals.  Finally, the book includes lesson plan examples and blank lesson plan sheets.

One drawback my sister noticed was that, in her opinion, there wasn't quite enough emphasis on the fact that a child needs to be able to use a word or make a sound correctly in conversation--not just as an isolated sound or word.  She said this is mentioned, though.  Because my sister is an audiologist, she would pay more attention to that sort of thing than most "average" folks like me, though!  She also mentioned that some moms might be a bit intimidated by the tests at first.  She did say, though, that the instructions for giving the tests are well done, and that a parent who was willing to carefully read the instructions and pay close attention should be perfectly capable of doing a good job giving the test. 

Overall, she feels like the speech book she is using is a really good book.  She said she would certainly recommend it to parents whose children have mild speech problems and who cannot pay for speech therapy or who simply want to try whatever they can at home before paying for speech therapy. 

The book that Melissa reviewed, Super Star Speech:  Speech Therapy Made Simple, sells for $22.95 for the ring bound version.  The spiral bound version sells for $18.95.  The ebook version can be found at Curr Click  for $12.95.  You may want to see all of the products offered on the Super Star Speech website, and you can read the reviews of other Crew members here. 

NOTE:  I received Super Star Speech:  Speech Therapy Made Simple free in order to write this review.  I did not receive any other compensation.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Lesson Planet Review

My kids just cannot believe that their dad and I grew up during the days when most families DID NOT have a computer in the home and we actually looked things up in encyclopedias or dictionaries when we needed to know something.   To tell the truth, I'm really glad that as a homeschooling mom computers ARE available in most homes and the internet is available for daily use now.  I often look up information on the internet.  Being able to access activities and ideas from all over the world is such an amazing and wonderful thing! 

When I was given a free 3-month trial membership to Lesson Planet, I was happy to try it out and see what it has to offer to homeschooling families like mine.  First of all, Lesson Planet is a search engine that is meant for teachers--whether public or private school teachers or homeschool moms and dads.   When a topic is typed in, websites that have been reviewed by teachers come up.  Those topics can be narrowed down by using more specific words, by designating a grade level, or by specifying what kind of rating (2 stars or 5 stars, etc.) each website has earned.  Once the teacher chooses a website (or more than one) she can go to that website and find lesson plans or worksheets that relate to that topic.  The advantage is that instead of getting an infinite number of websites by Googling a topic, the list is more manageable and should (hopefully) contain only websites that are appropriate and might be useful in your school or homeschool program.

There are pros and cons to consider about Lesson Planet.  One of the good things is that it contains links to more than 200,000 lesson plans and worksheets.  I think that most any topic a teacher could need can probably be found using Lesson Planet.  Another good thing is that Lesson Planet members have access to LessonMaker, NewsletterMaker, and Online Storage.    Members also have access to a Homeschooling Guide who writes articles giving lesson planning tips and ideas, giving links to related resources, and offering some of her own favorite lesson plans for viewing.  Another thing I like is the Calendar feature.  Members have access to a calendar telling about birthdays of famous people born on each day and/or important events that happened on each day in history.  If you want to find out more about these specific features, you can sign up for a 10-day free trial.  

Although there weren't really any specific things that I disliked about Lesson Planet (other than several dead links I encountered--which are almost inevitable with the rate that internet resources change), I didn't find it extremely useful in my own homeschool.  I know many homeschooling moms who love to use activites and ideas to supplement lessons and keep the kids interested and involved in lessons.  I think those moms would love Lesson Planet and benefit from using it.  I, however, am one of those moms who looks for ways to somehow manage to get done what is necessary--not to supplement what we already have to do. 

In any case, though, it might be worth trying out Lesson Planet  for free for 10 days to see if it is something that might benefit you and your family.  Membership costs $39.95 per year, but I would encourage you to try out the free trial first.  Whether you are a classroom teacher or homeschool parent, a free trial is always a great thing!  The trial period will allow you time to try out searching for lesson plans, ideas, and worksheets as well as to try out some of the other features that members have access to.   You can take a look at the experiences and opinions of other Crew members here.

NOTE:  As a Crew member, I received a free 3-month trial for the purpose of writing this review.  I received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Now I'm Committed!

I've made the committment, and now I'm ready to do it!  I'm finally going to read the entire Bible from cover to cover.  I've started reading the Bible MANY times with the intention of reading it all the way through.  I usually make it through several books and then begin to waver.  I may even continue and do a few more, but then I usually wear out or get discouraged and quit.  

But not this time.  I decided to make this "public announcement" so that I will be accountable to others.  I know that I'm much more likely to follow through with some accountability partners.  In fact, I would love for some of you to join me if you'd like to! 

I had been considering trying (once again) to read through the Bible, but I hadn't yet committed to doing it or even really made a "plan" to do it yet.  Then a few days ago I was in a book store when I ran into a friend from church.  We started talking, and she mentioned that she was going to begin the Bible in 90 Days program in July.  I had not mentioned to her that I was considering how I was going to read through the Bible.  She didn't know anything about that.  I had been praying, though, that God would somehow help me to be able to stick with my desire to read through the Bible and that He would show me how/when I should begin.  I believe I got my answer! 

As we got into this discussion, she mentioned that she learned about this program through a blog called Mom's Toolbox.  The mom at that blog will be hosting a Bible in 90 Days program beginning in July and going through the beginning of October.  I may consider buying the materials and hosting a program myself in the future if I am successful with reading through the Bible as part of her program.  Right now, though, I want to start out by being part of someone else's program--someone who has successfully done it already. 

If any of you would like to join me--or would like to consider joining me--I'd love to hear from you!  Just leave me a comment and a way to get in touch with you.  The program through Mom's Toolbox begins on July 5.  (I will be reading along with the Mom's Toolbox group.  If you choose to join me, I will blog about it here, but you and I will be participating together with the Mom's Toolbox group.)  You can click the link to her blog (above) for more information.  You can also go to the Bible in 90 Days website if you want to check out their information.  It is not necessary to buy the "official" Bible in 90 Days Bible if you would rather use your own.  If you prefer, though, you can buy the "official" Bible in 90 Days Bible which has each day's reading marked and contained within 12 pages.  If you want to use your own Bible, you can download a reading schedule that gives you the readings. 

I decided to buy the Bible because, at $14.99, I felt like I could afford to buy it even though I have several Bible translations that I use often.  I just figure anything that might make my committment a bit easier to fulfill is worth it.  I'm the kind of person who loves doing things in an orderly way.  I love being able to see exactly where to start reading and where to stop reading each day.  That is very motivational for me.  If you can't or don't want to buy the 90 Days Bible, you certainly don't have to, though, even if you want to participate in the group. 

Wendy

NOTE:   I actually have read the entire Bible cover to cover with my children, but we used the Day by Day Kid's Bible (Tyndale House Publishers). It is a Bible that is written in chronological order and in which the text has been simplified to make it easy for children to read and understand. I haven't ever read a Bible translation all the way through, though.

Rose Garden

We moved into our house almost 2 1/2 years ago, but we haven't yet really done anything with the yard.  It is so expensive to build a house and then to buy all of the little things that you never think about until you need them that we just haven't had the money to spend on the yard yet.  Well, when spring began to arrive, my 7-year-old daughter, Mary Grace, decided it was time to create a rose garden.  Once she got the idea in her head, it became very important to her that we follow through on it.  She's right anyway--it is time to begin working a little bit on making the yard more attractive. 

We spent the better part of a weekend searching for rose bushes and bird feeders and shepherd's hooks and bird seed.  Then we worked many hours to clear out the area that we were going to turn into our rose garden.  It was hard work, but the results so far have been worth it!

We planted two rose bushes that beautiful bright pink roses on them.  We planted two more that having gorgeous dark red blooms.  We also planted two hibiscus plants that have dark peachy-looking blooms.  Then we placed three shephers hook and a little windmill (which we "borrowed" from my father-in-law and never returned!!) among all of the plants.  One shepherd's hook holds a cute little bird house.  Another holds a hummingbird feeder.  The third one holds two different kinds of bird feeders.

For the last several weeks, I have so enjoyed getting up in the morning and watching two little hummingbirds chase each other and vie for the position of "owner" of the hummingbird feeder!  One of them has a little white ring of feathers around his neck and the other doesn't, so I can even tell them apart.  The one without the ring will even visit and feed while I'm out watering the plants.  I have also been watching a beautiful pair of cardinals who stop by often to eat the birdseed we put out for them.  There are also a few little tiny birds that I can't identify who stop by for a snack occasionally as well. 

Here you can see Mary Grace and her daddy in their sun hats getting ready to begin working.  In the picture below, they are getting started on the work.   Below that, you can see the bird house and some of our rose blooms and hibiscus blooms. 

We still haven't quite gotten everything finished, so I don't have a "finished" picture to post yet.  I hope to do the last bit of mulching and weeding within the next couple of weeks or so before it gets so hot here, though, and hopefully I can post a "finished" picture then.  I hope wherever you live that you are enjoying some nice springtime weather or will be very soon! 

Alphabet Beats Review

I was given the chance to review a handwriting program called Alphabet Beats recently for the Homeschool Crew.  I had never heard of the TV Teacher or their Alphabet Beats handwriting videos before, so I was excited to learn more about them.  I looked at their website and knew that I wanted to take the chance to review their program with my daughter who has autism.

My daughter, Hannah, is actually 14 years old, and I thought the videos were made for only younger children.  After looking at their website, though, and emailing back and forth a few times, I learned that these videos are often used with special-needs children who have problems with handwriting.  Hannah's motor skills are very poor, and writing is particularly difficult for her.  I was hoping these videos would provide her with some help and some motivation to improve her handwriting.  I was not disappointed!

The DVD can be used in the computer using the mouse or on the television using a remote control.  I used it on the television because my 7-year-old daughter wanted to watch it along with Hannah.  If you were using it with only one child, though, you might prefer to use the computer.  Either way, the DVD is very easy to use.  The image above will appear on the screen, and the child simply clicks on the letter she needs to work on at that time.  It is not recommended that the child work on more than 1 or 2 letters each time.  I found that it worked much better for Hannah to concentrate on only one letter at a time.  That helped her to really practice and improve on that letter before moving on to the next one.  I didn't want her to be confused or overwhelmed by working on too many letters at one time and not learning to do any of them very well. 

                                                   

Once the child clicks on the letter she is going to practice right then, the teacher, Miss Marnie, demonstrates how to write the letter while saying a little phrase explaining how to form the letter correctly.  The phrases (or chants) are very catchy!  My daughters both enjoyed listening to them.  Because they are so catchy, they are also easy to remember.  I really like that because, even though my younger daughter already knows how to write her letters, she doesn't always form them correctly. 

Also, each section shows various words and gives additional information (like videos) about words that begin with the letter being worked on at that time.  This adds to the interest level, makes the program more fun, and makes it more memorable too.  I'm in favor of anything that causes my children to want to practice their handwriting because this is not typically something my children enjoy working on. 

I chose to review the lowercase letters since those are the letters used most frequently.  Some Crew members reviewed the uppercase letters DVD.  You can see reviews written on both DVDs by other Crew members here. 

I really liked this program and found that it did help both my special-needs child and her "neuro-typical" sister improve their handwriting!  I was so pleased that Hannah actually enjoyed the videos and enjoyed working on her handwriting!  In fact, I think part of the reason her handwriting has always been so poor is that it was just no fun to practice it when her poor motor skills caused it to be so difficult for her.  Although the DVD can't improve her motor skills, it definitely provides the motivation she needs to be willing to practice, practice, practice. 

I don't think I ever would have thought about using a DVD to practice handwriting, but I'm glad I was introduced to this one.  In fact, I will probably buy the uppercase letters DVD later once Hannah has improved some more on her lowercase letters. 

If you want to look at the website, you can do that here.  At this link you can look at the products they have to offer as well as watch a sample video of Miss Marnie teaching how to write the letter p.  You can buy the uppercase or lowercase DVD for $35.00.  If you want to buy both, you can buy them together for $64.99.  There are also sets of their DVDs and workbooks available at discounted prices as well. 

If you have a child who could use some improvement in his or her handwriting, you just might want to look into these DVDs.  I can truly say that they improved my children's motivation for practicing their handwriting as well as improving their actual handwriting.  That, to me, is a great handwriting program!


NOTE:  I received the Alphabet Beats lowercase letters DVD free in exchange for writing this review.  The opinions expressed in the review are my own. 

Out of the Mouths of Babes

My two-year-old nephew (in the picture above) is such a funny little fellow!  (And just FYI, I had the date wrong on my camera AGAIN when I took the photo above.  It was taken in 2010, not 2009.  For some reason I keep doing that.  Ugh!)  Isaac is one of the siblings of the new baby, Silas, that I posted about being born last week on April 19.  Because of the birth of his new baby brother, I've been spending a lot of time at his house lately helping my sister, Melissa, with him so she can rest and not be tugged on by a toddler while trying to care for a newborn. 

When I've gone to Isaac's house, of course I've taken my own children with me.  You may (or may not) know that I have a 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, who has autism and is totally non-verbal.  Isaac LOVES Hannah and enjoys talking to her, hugging her, sitting in her lap, and just in general being around her.  Hannah seems to really enjoy Isaac's company too.  He makes her smile and laugh, and I think she enjoys the fact that he spends time with her. 

My sister and I have often wondered what Isaac thinks about Hannah's being non-verbal--or if he even thinks about it at all.  He always just goes right on talking to her and doesn't seem to notice or mind that she never speaks back.  We just figure that, one day when he is old enough to ask about it, we will explain.  Until then, he probably wouldn't understand if we tried to explain anyway. 

A few days ago I was at Melissa's house taking care of Isaac and her other two "older" children.  Hannah enjoys books--books to read and picture books too.  She was sitting on the couch looking at some of Isaac's picture books.  Isaac decided he wanted to look at the book that Hannah had at the moment, so he came running to me asking if I would take it away from Hannah for him.  I looked at him and said, "Isaac, I think Hannah will give it to you if you just ask her."  Isaac looked back at me with that you-silly-grownup kind of look, laughed, and said, "Oh, Dede, you KNOW Hannah won't talk to me!!" 

I love that little boy.    :)