This blog is my attempt to document our busy but BLESSED lives raising and educating our children for His glory. A child of God, wife to one, and mom to 6 fabulous kids. We are in our 16th year of homeschooling using a Classical ~ Literature based approach.

Come along for the good, the bad & the ugly.



Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Wordless Wednesday


 

© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


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Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Jacob DeShazer, Christian Heroes: Then & Now from YWAM Publishing ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations. 

Morning friends! 
I am here to share another review with you this week. If you are a long time reader of this blog you already know that we use a mostly Classical, literature-based approach to homeschool our children and that we get to read a lot each day. As a result, we have several titles from the Christian Heroes Then & Now series and the Heroes of History series, as well. What I love most is that our main history program uses many of these great books. 
Today I am excited to tell you about another great YWAM Publishing book offered to us from their Christian Heroes Then and Now series. We chose to review Jacob DeShazer: Forgive Your Enemies 
YWAM Publishing 
 YWAM Publishing is the publishing division to the Youth With A Mission organization and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. They were founded in 1960 with a mission is to provide quality Christian materials to help fund children and adults around the world through vital mission’s programs.
YWAM Publishing 
 The Christian Heroes: Then & Now series is geared for children older than ten and is available as a physical book, audiobook, or e-Book that can be downloaded from the website. Currently this series includes fifty books on Christian Heroes from the 1700-1960’s.
 We received a physical copy of the book, Jacob DeShazer as well as a downloadable PDF copy of the study guide for this review. If you have never heard the story of the famous Doolittle Raiders, who first attacked Japan after the Pearl Harbor bombing, then make sure to get your hands on a copy of this book to learn the story of Jacob DeShazer who was sent on a dangerous one-way mission which led to him being captured for over forty months. One day he was given a Bible after being beaten, malnourished, and left alone in his cell for days at a time. During this time, he found solace in the Bible and became a Christian. When the war ended Mr. DeShazer returned to Japan to serve his former prisoner as a missionary for over 30 years. This softcover book retails for $7.50. 

YWAM also includes a Unit Study for the book that is designed for both individual or group learning. For this review I chose to just read the story aloud to my children who are 15, 12, & 7. The study guide is suitable for a wide variety of learning styles because of the many different types of projects and activities offered. It includes many projects and writing assignments to keep you busy and engaged with what you are learning. There is so much in this guide for all ages including: 
 ~ Creative writing prompts 
~ Dramas 
~ Reading comprehension questions 
 ~ Essay writing assignments 
~ Geography 
 ~ Timeline project 
 ~ Movie critiquing
 ~ Hands on projects, audio visual projects, arts & crafts projects 
~ Games 
 ~ Many additional resource ideas 
Overall, we have truly enjoyed this book selection! Learning to forgive others even when they have done you wrong is a huge lesson to learn. The story of Jacob DeShazer shows us just how to forgive others. I know I can count on the quality of workmanship from the YWAM Publishing company. Many of their books grace our overflowing bookshelves and I would gladly remove another title to make room for one from YWAM Publishing. Be sure to check out what 27 of my CrewMates thought of this book/study guide combination as well as the other titles that were reviewed by clicking the banner below.
christian-biographies-from-ywam-publishing-bring-heroes-to-life 

 Company ~ YWAM Publishing 
 Format ~ softcover book, 
Paperback ISBN: 978-157658475-0 
 Price ~ $7.50 
 Ages ~ 10+

YWAM Publishing 

 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com

Wordless Wednesday


 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


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Monday, March 21, 2022

Happy 25th birthday!


 

© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


 https://astablebeginning.com

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Wordless Wednesday


 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.


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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

The End: A Bible Prophecy Study for Teens ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations. 
 
 The end…it’s coming. No one knows the timing but it’s definitely coming. For the last several weeks, I have been studying my Bible with The End Time: A Bible Prophecy Study for Teens by Cheri Fields. Understanding this last, final book of the Bible is sometimes a great mystery. Many educated Biblical scholars have trouble deciphering the Word of this book.

The author of this book is Cheri Fields , a homeschool mom and a self-professed Bible nerd. Mrs. Fields guides us through the book of Revelation by first starting with a review of the Old Testament prophecies. The tone of the book is directly speaking to you, the reader. Since the book is written towards teens this conversational approach is great for catching and keeping the teen’s attention.

Cheri Fields 
 This book has 144 pages in a softcover book format. Even though it is meant for teens it doesn’t come with set assignments, tests, or quizzes. As teens go through the book, they are encouraged to look up specific Bible verses indicated and to write their thoughts down.

Mrs. Fields teaches about a prewrath rapture in this book. As Christians, my husband and children know that the rapture will occur so we must be ready. We focus on learning the Scriptures and preparing ourselves to see the glory of God when the time comes. I think studying this last book of the Bible and eschatology is important, so we know what is to happen during this time period. 

 If you want to check out what my CrewMates thought of this book, click the banner below. I look forward to finishing my study and continuing to educate myself. 
incorporate-an-end-times-bible-study-into-your-homeschool-schedule
 Company ~ Cheri Fields 
 Format ~ softcover book, 
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7376716-0-2 
eBook ISBN: 978-1-7376716-1-9 
 Price ~ $13.99 on Amazon 
 Ages ~ teens through adult

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© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. https://astablebeginning.com

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Put the Phones Down ~ Let's Talk! with TRIVE ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.
Do you like setting goals? What about working through the process to meet those said goals? What if we, a collective “we”, put down the phones and start talking to our inner circle and start crushing some of the lifelong goals we have put off and start checking them off? Today I am pleased to present to you a game from GOZIMUS Enterprises, LLC called TRIVE.. 
Just what is TRIVE? A TRIVE is a small group of friends or family who meet face-to-face and share, discover, achieve, and celebrate personal goals through conversations. Like in the olden days before phones when people talked to each other and had meaningful conversations.

TRIVE
GOZIMUS Enterprises, LLC was invented over twenty years ago. The owners had moved overseas while their two college aged daughters stayed in the states to finish their studies. When the girls would come home for breaks the family found themselves engaging in deep meaningful conversations without distractions etc. It was during one of these breaks that they formulated a game to support and encourage each other in their set goals. 
The game of TRIVE is played over a six-month period with a group of 4-6 people aged 15 and up. There are three steps to playing this game. The first step being the discovery process where you gather your group and game materials included in the box kit together. During this phase of the game, one person is chosen to be the TRIVE leader, and that person is responsible for writing down and keeping track of everyone’s stated goals. The leader is responsible for being in contact with each person during the six-month Achievement period where you are actively trying to meet your goal. 
At the end of the achievement period, you and your group gather again and review each person’s achievements and goals. Since this is a game, there must be a winner, right? Well, everyone who accomplishes their set goals is a winner, however, the TRIVE champion is the one who completed the most accomplishments within their goal setting. 
TRIVE is a parent intensive game, but I think it accomplishes the goal of getting your children talking to you. I think this would also work in a small group setting as well. Since we received this product when my two university girls were already away at school, I was asked to write an informational review of this game because I did not have enough people to play the game with just my 15 year old at home.
However, I think this will make a great family activity for us to do over the summer months and to check back in with each other over Fall break. Eighteen of my CrewMates did review this product too. Be sure to read their thoughts on how they played the game by clicking the banner below. 

set-goals-to-succeed-while-playing-a-family-game:-trive
                           
 Company ~ GOZIMUS Enterprises, LLC 
 Product ~ TRIVE 
 Format ~ game set 
 Price ~ $39.95 
 Ages ~ 15 years old and up

TRIVE
 
 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

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Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Wordless Wednesday



© 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author.

 https://astablebeginning.com

Friday, March 4, 2022

SchoolhouseTeachers.com ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations. 
Happy Friday friends! Guess who’s turned 10 this year? Nope, not my baby boy but SchoolhouseTeachers.com a division of The Old Schoolhouse® has just celebrated their 10th anniversary! The site launched on March 2, 2012, with 11 courses and now they have grown to a full curriculum option for preschool through high school. Families can choose from over 400 course options, plus hundreds of additional resources, including curriculum guides that take the work out of planning your homeschool year with the Ultimate Membership. SchoolhouseTeachers.com has something for everyone in the family!
One of my favorite perks of being a part of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew is that we receive an Ultimate Membership and get access to the huge collection of homeschooling products on the site. There are literally hundreds of courses and resources available on the site so you’ll be sure to find one that fits the bill for you. If you are overwhelmed with beginning to homeschool, might I suggest one of the School Boxes that will take the guess work out of planning for you. Each box includes everything you need to have a full year of learning. Currently they are available for grades K-12 with Preschool and Parent boxes coming soon.
In our homeschool we have been taking advantage of the top-notch science curriculum for my 2nd grader. Not only does SchoolhouseTeacher.com offer great science classes you also get access to: 
 ~ Curriculum written from a Christian Worldview
 ~ Complete Scope & Sequences for PreK-12th grade 
 ~ Customer schedule builder 
 ~ A fully customizable yearly planner 
 ~ Videos, eBooks, and printables plus a special parent eBook library 
 ~ Literacy center 
 ~ Printable certificates for your records
 ~ Grade reports, report cards, portfolios, transcripts and more!

 Let me tell you we hit the jackpot with access to all of these curriculum resources! Right now you can take advantage of the Finish Well Sale and get the last three months of this school year for just $45.00 (Sale end March 18th) This price includes access to every subject, every grade, and for every student in your household including the over 400 steaming resources. 
As I said before, there are hundreds of courses and resources available on the site, so you’ll be sure to find one that fits the bill for you including the new courses that will be coming in 2022. These courses include Korean, Calculus, Psychology, and an updated Microsoft course.
Another great feature are the Fair’s and talent shows being offered. It’s not too late for your child to enter the upcoming Virtual Science Fair that takes place on March 25th or the Virtual Talent Show scheduled for May 20th. So much good stuff for your kids to take part in! But don’t just take my word for it! 37 of my fellow CrewMates also reviewed the Ultimate Membership. Be sure to click the banner below and read their thoughts too!
An Affordable Homeschool Online Option for All Grades with SchoolhouseTeachers.com
 
 Company ~ SchoolhouseTeachers.com a division of The Old Schoolhouse®
 Product ~ Ultimate Membership
 Format ~ online
 Price ~ see above for pricing 
 Ages ~ Preschool - 12th grade
SchoolhouseTeachers.com 
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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. 
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Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Wordless Wednesday


  © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. 


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Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Indescribable: The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God & Science ~ a TOS review

Disclaimer: I received a Complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Regulations.
 
Happy March friends! Today I am excited to share a new devotional with you from Indescribable Kids and Tommy Nelson Books. As part of our morning time together my daughter McKenzie (12) and son, Micah (7), and I have been reading The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science which includes short devotionals about the wonder of creation.
Hands down, we love this book! It is the follow up devotional to Indescribable and How Great is our God which we also have in our collection. Like the other two books, this devotional is printed on glossy paper and features detailed hand-drawn pictures. The black and white font is easy to read on the pages and the pop of color draws you into the devotion.
This is a hardcover book that contains 208 pages and was written by Louie Giglio with Tama Fortner and illustrated by Nicola Anderson. Inside you will find 100 devotions and prayers as well as scientific facts. Each devotion is featured on a two-page spread and begins with a scripture reading before you dive into the actual devotion. 
Science Topics covered in this devotional include: 
• Animals: birds, snakes, fish, and more 
• Space: black holes, volcanic moons, gamma rays, and more 
• People: anatomy, emotions, communication, and more 
• Earth: rainbow rivers, blue lava, glaciers, and more 
A short passage gives you all the meat and potatoes of what is being taught. Each page also includes a little spread about “Explore the Wonder” where you can dig in a little more about the topic. I really like that this book includes a nice ribbon to mark your spot each day.

Even though this book is intended for kids aged 6-10, my 12-year-old daughter, McKenzie, enjoyed reading these devotions too. While I read the devotional aloud to my 7-year-old son, Micah, McKenzie wrote the scripture out in her faith planner. Our favorite part of this book is finding out little nuggets of information sprinkled throughout the book.
This is the perfect book to add to your collection if you are looking to add in some STEM reading. With short devotions it would make the perfect book for reading first thing in the morning or at night before bed especially if you have a science loving child in your house. I have already shared about this book with my friends and I am glad I could share a bit with you today.
Make sure to click the banner below to read the thoughts of 22 of my CrewMates. This gem of a book has definitely earned a spot on our bookshelf so be sure to get a copy for yourself.
Marvel

 Format ~ hardcover book 
 Price ~ $14.19 on Amazon 
 Ages ~ 6-10 year-olds, 3rd-4th grade reading level 


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 © 2008 - 2022 A Stable Beginning. All rights reserved. All photographs, text, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. 

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