Slime Time

Where in the HuHot have I been? 

I know. I know. I teased you with Cousin Camp announcements and then left you with homeschool product reviews. 

Not that they weren't completely awesome. 

Anyhoo. July has been a looong month and I spent a good portion of it at the farm. In fact, Josiah is still at the farm. The Muffin and I are keeping the home fires lit. 

Princess the Cat is really missing her boy. He carries her around on his shoulder like the queen she is. We still have a few more weeks or so before we bring him home. She will just have to be content with me and The Muffin...and she LOVES The Muffin. 

Cousin Camp was a blast. It was a little bit different year. We didn't plan quite so many activities. Our theme was The Movies and the Cousins created a few videos. I am still in the editing process. I only have one video completed. And honestly, I don't know when the others will be ready for viewing. 

I am that far behind in life. 

I thought I would share the little video that is completed. SOOO CUTE!!!!  Enjoy, my friends. I'll talk at you soon. 

Exploring Creation with General Science (A Homeschool Review Crew Post)

My very first review for the Homeschool Review Crew (which had to be back somewhere in the Middle Ages) was for Apologia. My only taste of Apologia had been drooling over the beautiful books at a Homeschool Convention. It felt like I had one some sort of Homeschooler’s dream lottery…not that I play the lottery…but you get the point.  Because I am a faithful and loyal creature, we have used Apologia science curriculum ever since.  So I must tell you that what I recently had the chance to review/look over filled my heart with song. Exploring Creation with General Science, 3^rd Edition. It’s really good stuff, my friends.

If you aren’t familiar with Apologia, you must go over to their website and quickly introduce yourself. They are an award-winning company…mainly for their excellent science curriculum. Of which, I have quite a collection of. 

My newest acquisition and the one I want to feature today is, of course, Exploring Creation with General Science, 3^rd Edition. It is designed to be the very first course taken during Middle School. It is intended to be used for around 7^th grade. This edition has been rewritten to help students transition from the teacher-led elementary science to more independent work.

I received:

Textbook

Student Notebook

Solutions and Test Manual

Set of Test Pages (included with manual)

This curriculum includes the following models:

1. The History of Science--Search for the Truth

2. Scientific Inquiry and the Scientific Method

3. Documenting and Interpreting Experimental Results

4. Scientific Analysis and History

5. Earth Science--Astronomy

6. Earth Science--Geology and Paleontology

7. Earth Science--Meteorology and Oceanography

8. General Chemistry

9. General Physics

10. Life Science

11. General Biology

12. Marine Science

13. Environmental Science

14. Science and Creation

There are at least a few lab experiments included with each module with a variety of supplies needed.  The lessons are also intended to be done four days a week. If you are familiar with any of the other Apologia Sciences you know that the Elementary School curriculum is set up for only a few days a week and the High School curriculum features 5 days a week. So this curriculum sits nicely in the middle.

The textbook is GORGEOUS.  It reads conversationally and has beautiful photographs, graphs, charts and plenty of good, meaty discussions and information for students to enjoy.

The Student Notebook is also really nice. I noticed immediately that it is heftier than its Elementary counterparts. It also is set up in a way that guides the student to check off their own progress. It features journal and question prompts, vocabulary lists, lab charts and places to record notes. I believe this Student Notebook is really essential to get the most out of the curriculum.

The tests are typically a little bit of everything, multiple-choice, short answer, etc. You, of course, will love the solutions.  Solutions make the homeschool parents' life much easier. 

As always, there are book extras located on Apologia’s website to help your student further explore each module. You only need an account and the password located inside the book. I was also really excited to see that this course has not only an audiobook feature (which we use) but has a thumb drive available with video instruction. That alone could be a game-changer for many families. I was thrilled to see that addition.

I do need to tell you before I send you on your way that I plan on using this curriculum this next school year for my High Schooler. He is actually taking a class at our co-op that is using the High School version of Apologia’s General Science. He is dyslexic and has struggled some with independent work. I think this will be an excellent product to use on his own. I love how Apologia has created such versatile products!

You can connect with Apologia via the following social media outlets. Don’t forget to click on the banner below to read more reviews.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apologiaworld/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/apologiaworld
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/apologia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apologiaworld/

The Heart Changer (A Homeschool Review Crew Post)

I am most assuredly a bookworm. One of my favorite genres is historical fiction. I recently had a chance to review The Heart Changer from Jarm Del Boccio, Author. 

Jarm is a fellow Schoolhouseteachers.com writer so I was extra excited to get my book in the mail. I received a physical copy, but it comes in an ebook, as well.

The story is based on 19 verses in 2 Kings. The story is of Naaman and his wife's maid. Namaan is the commander of the Syrian army. He has leprosy, which is a horrible disease of the day. His wife's maid, who is unnamed in the Bible, tells Naaman of the prophet Elisha. Naaman travels to Israel and is given the instructions to bathe in the Jordan river seven times. The end of the story is that Naaman does so and is healed.

The central character in The Heart Changer is the maid. The account of Naaman in the Bible does not reveal her name, nor does it give any details about it. Obviously, the author has built a fictional story about the girl, but I didn't find anything in her story to give me pause. I think it was very true to the time period and was so encouraging and heartfelt.

In the book, the maid is given the name of Miriam. She is a slave who has been captured during a raid and given to Naaman's wife. Miriam struggles with being taken away from her home and family. She has to deal with the jealousy and bitterness of a fellow servant. She wonders how God could have placed her in Namaan's household.


When it is revealed that Naaman has leprosy, God uses Miriam to point Namaan towards the prophet Elisha. Through Naaman's healing, Miriam is reminded of God's love and sovereignty.

This was such a great story. And even though it is intended for middle-school students, it resonated with me. I needed to be reminded of God's love for me and purpose for me....despite my circumstances.

There is also a great teacher's guide on the website for your use, as well. It features an interview with the author, Jarm. It also gives a short interview with Miriam. There are questions included that promote those issues brought up in the book. How does one deal with circumstances outside our control? Is it right to question God? There is also information about Syria and some recipes to try out. The guide is only 12 pages long and is a good addition to any study.


This is really a precious book. It is a short book and reads easily. The message is invaluable. There was a portion at the end of the book where I truly felt the Holy Spirit and was encouraged that God knows about all of us and He loves us. He is a miracle working God!

This one is truly a keeper!

You can connect with Jarm via the following social media outlets. Don't forget to click on the banner below to read more reviews.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JarmDelBoccio/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/JarmVee
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIcs5IpR56kqsj1z4Co2Bew?view_as=subscriber+%28Jarm+Del+Boccio%2C+Author%29
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarmdelboccio/

Dyslexia Gold (A Homeschool Review Crew Post)

I've talked about my son's struggle with dyslexia in the past. I always am on the lookout for resources that can assist him. Recently, we had the chance to review the Dyslexia Gold Full Bundle from Dyslexia Gold. He has really enjoyed it and I am excited to continue to use it.

My video below takes you through a visual walkthrough of what it looks like, but I thought I would talk about just a few of the highlights.

The program is intended for ages 5 and up. The recommended activity time is about 10-15 minutes a day, five days a week. Most of the programs can be used on PCs, Macs, tablets or iPads. EXCEPT for Engaging Eyes. That program can only be used with PCs or Macs.

A pair of 3D glasses will arrive on your doorstep when you purchase the program and there is also a link for purchasing the glasses on Amazon. 

The program is made up of four different programs. 

Engaging Eyes uses games to help student with vision, mainly tracking and focusing both eyes on the same point. You might know that this is something that struggling readers find difficulty with. It isn’t that they can’t see. My son has great vision. The words sometimes get jumbled and jump off the page. The games include: Eye Tracking, Whack an Alien and Target Practice. The Target Practice game was harder for Josiah to get into…Whack an Alien was his favorite.

Fluency Builder helps students improve their reading accuracy, speed and comprehension. This program deals more with phonological issues. We didn’t use this one as much.

Spelling Tutor was the program that Josiah spent the most time. The students are taught to spell 1000 of the most common words. The program uses a multi-sensory approach, including dictation.  I did find that when I went back to check on Josiah’s progress it didn’t appear he had completed hardly any of it. I found that the student needs to completely complete the lesson before it is recorded.  I am assuming he just spent the time repeating the same group of lessons. I’ll know better from here on out!

I am really excited about the Times Table Tutor. It is based on Singapore math. Josiah has really struggled with math facts. I think this one will help him tremendously. \

I think Dyslexia Gold would be something really great to start this summer. Most of us have an easier and lighter schedule. 10-15 minutes a day could really make a difference with your struggling reader. 

This summer for us has been a wild and crazy one so far and my son hasn't been home and won't be home for a good portion of it. Still, this is something that he can do at his grandparents' house. 

I do need to encourage you that you don't have to have a child with an official diagnosis of dyslexia for this program to work. It is for struggling readers. 

You can watch my video below for a visual overview of the program. PLEASE excuse the shakiness. I tried many different solutions to prevent all the "wiggle." This was the first video that I didn't have my camera (phone) propped up on something. I just couldn't manage it and use the computer at the same time.

 Don't forget to click the banner below to read more reviews!