And Here We Go!

Giveaway - Chris Tomlin's Adore CD!

2015-11-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I've got the Christmas happies, and I'm ready to do a fun GIVEAWAY to get you in the holly jolly mood, too!
Have you heard of Chris Tomlin?
No?

Ha! Yeah, right! I'm pretty sure most of you know of this American contemporary Christian music artist (if not, you NEED this CD!). He's also a worship leader and songwriter, and he's sold nearly 30 million records! He's been nominated for 32 Dove Awards and won 19! Pretty awesome!
His new CD, Chris Tomlin's Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship, is just amazing (click here to visit the website)! I'm listening to it right now, and it's just so worshipful and beautiful, y'all. You have to hear it! This album features guest performances by Lauren Daigle (love her!), Crowder, and more. It has some classic Christmas songs mixed with some original ones. Silent Night featuring Kristyn Getty is sooooooo good! Take a look:

Songs:

1. He Shall Reign Forevermore

2. Adore

3. Midnight Clear (Love Song)

4. Noel featuring Lauren Daigle

5. Hymn Of Joy

6. Silent Night featuring Kristyn Getty

7. What Child Is This? featuring Sons & Daughters

8. It's Christmas

9. A King Like This

10. Bethlehem

11. A Christmas Alleluia featuring Lauren Daigle & Leslie Jordan of All Sons & Daughters

Can't wait for the giveaway and must have it NOW? I hear ya, friend; it really is that good! Click here to purchase on iTunes.

Would you like to win a free copy of Chris Tomlin's new Christmas CD? Of course, right?! Here ya go, friend! (I did put a little plug in the entries for my book biz. I'll be having lots of Christmas giveaways soon over there, and I don't want you to miss out!) The winner will be announced the following day and will have 48 hours to respond to claim this awesome CD. Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): 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, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Thanks for stopping by, friend!
I can't wait to hear your favorite Christmas traditions!

A New Direction

2015-08-10T07:55:00.001-07:00

Yup, it's what it looks like...
We're not homeschooling anymore.
God has called us in a different direction.
It all started the end of last school year when my youngest, Anna, started having extra therapy appointments during the day. We had to leave CC early for the last six weeks or so, and I knew something needed to change. My director was amazing, and the moms in class were so accommodating and supportive, but I knew I couldn't keep this up.
We first looked into different homeschool co-ops that would be less of a time commitment, but God never gave us peace. We explored the private school option, and today Mary starts her first full week as a second-grader at our church's academy.
It's different, that's for sure. I can't believe I'm not with her; being apart from her is hard. But, she's happy (she couldn't wait to get to school today!), and we feel God's hand in all of this.
What started this spring as an extra therapy appointment for Anna has turned into weekly doctor appointments and hospital stays that have sapped my energy (and sometimes sanity). We go in tomorrow for a 24-hour video EEG to check for seizures (she's not sleeping through the night still, and Anna's first sleep study indicated seizures and sleep apnea).

Yeah, try to sleep with all that on ya; good luck!
We start vision therapy in a couple of weeks, and that's twice a day (at their office) for two weeks, then twice a day at home. We go back to Memphis next week for her laser procedure to take off her latest round of basal cell cancer spots, and the list goes on.
So, I'm not homeschooling.
And I'm finally coming to terms with that.
And we're going to take things year by year.
And that's okay.

The best thing is that I finally feel God's peace about this whole situation.

I don't know what I'm going to do with this little blog yet, but I know that I'll keep it going. I still get questions about CC, so I'll keep those resource links up. Click here to see my Cycle 1 weekly plans from a few years ago.

The book business is going well, and I have that blog going, too. Please head over and check it out if you enjoy Usborne books! This little side business is now paying for Anna's medical bills, so God is providing there, too. Whew! And it also took us to Ireland recently! Click here to check that out!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support through the years, friends. I know many of you have been faithful in praying for Anna, and we appreciate you more than you know. I'll keep you updated on her condition as much as I can. She's been a trooper through everything, and I'm just overwhelmed by God's mercy and grace in blessing us with these beautiful children. I'm learning to trust the Engineer day by day...

Again, thank you, friends, and whatever your school year looks like, I pray that it's fabulous!

Stitch Fix Review #4

2015-03-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

Time for another box of happy! Hoorah!
Have you heard of Stitch Fix yet? It's a fabulously fun service that sends me a box of five clothing items every few weeks. If I like them, I keep them and pay online, and if I don't, I return them. Easy peasy! Click here to learn more (and this is my referral link - thanks so much for your support!).
Last box, I gave my awesome stylist, Kalesa, a challenge! Let's see what she put in this fix!

It's always so nicely packaged - like a present! Just for me!

And a special, personalized note about her selections:

She is so sweet! I asked her specifically for the striped sweater, and she SENT IT! Woot! It's the little things, y'know. ;) And I love that she mentioned Anna; that was very touching.

(picture quality/lighting is a little wonky - sorry about that)

1. Burgdorf Diamond Printed Henley Blouse by Fun2Fun - $38

Yeah, not a fan of the color, print, or style of this first one. It was very soft, as is everything that I've received from Stitch Fix, but it just wasn't me. Returned.

2. Dido Mixed Print Knit Top by Pixley - $58

This was an interesting shirt. The majority of the front was a soft gray, and then the back and sides were a sheer fabric. It was pretty, and I love the length, but it just wasn't my style. Returned.

3. Alessandra Striped & Colorblocked Blouse by Market & Spruce - $48

I'm always looking for cute, bright tops to wear under my sweaters (love to layer!), and this one was just too fun to pass up! I paired it with a gray cardigan from my closet, and viola! Loved the laid-back look! This one's a keeper!

4. Barrymore Solid Pleat Detail Tank by Market & Spruce - $48

Another bright shirt to pair with a sweater - score! Kalesa knows my style so well, and she really delivered when I asked for bright, fun colors a few fixes ago! It's a little thin, but nice and loose, which is how I prefer my tops. The details at the top add a fun element to the shirt, too. Another keeper!

5. Layla Striped Elbow Patch Detail Cardigan by Honey Punch - $48

Aaaahh! Friends, THIS is the sweater that I've been wanting for months - months! I was hoping for it, and then last fix I just flat out asked for it, and Kalesa came through! It's the softest material in the world, nice long length, and I've worn it probably 4 or 5 times already. I. love. this. sweater. Best item I've ever received in a fix, hands down! Do I even have to say it? Keeper. ;)
Overall, I was happy with this fix, mainly because Kalesa was able to send that incredible sweater. With my referral credits (thank you!!) and my $20 styling fee credit, I paid under $45 total for the three items I kept! Sweet!
Want to give it a try? Want to see a box of happy arrive at your door every 2-3 weeks, or every month, or every other month? Click here to check it out (and thanks again if you choose to use my referral link!).

People ask me if there's a monthly fee, and I'm happy to report that there is not! You pay $20 one time to get started, and then when your box (your 'fix') arrives, if you keep at least 1 item, you get a $20 discount! So, it's really an awesome service that you should definitely consider if you don't have time to shop for yourself, or if you just like getting packages in the mail (I'm a yes on both accounts!). Click here to get started! And click here to see my past Stitch Fix reviews!
Thanks for hanging out with me, and thanks to my fab stylist, Kalesa, for the fun clothes!

First-Year Surprises - Part 1

2015-03-23T13:42:00.001-07:00

It's been one year since I signed up with Usborne Books & More, and I must admit that I'm a little shocked about how fast time has flown. Has it really been a year? This time last year I was at Teach Them Diligently in Nashville, and I was stalking the Usborne booth; I must have visited it four or five times. I looked at the consultant kit (in a sneak way because I didn't want anyone to know I was interested - ha!) and bought a bunch of books. By the time the convention was over and we were back home, I knew I wanted to have my own book show. I messaged the first local consultant I could find with an active website to set up my party, and then I messaged her back the next day or two and said I was just going to go ahead and sign up and would that be okay (hahahahaha!). I started Usborne Book Barn, but I really had NO idea what to expect my first year with a direct sales company.
I've never sold anything in my life - and I hate the thought of being a 'salesperson.' Would I be good at this? Would anyone want to do this with me? I prayed that God would just take my business and do what He wanted with it.
Well, it's been a year, and I've certainly had my share of surprises!
First, comfort zones are meant to be left behind.

Surprise? Not really, but surprising that I've learned that I can do this! (I've learned that with God's help, I'm capable of a lot of things!)

And, ooh, this has been hard, y'all! But, it's in doing the hard things that I've been given the greatest rewards. It's not easy to go to a stranger's home and meet a bunch of other strangers and share my books with them. But, this is what a 'home party' is, and it's actually quite exciting!

(this just makes me giggle)

The hostess becomes a friend, and then I meet her friends, and then we end up having an awesome girls' night out eating yummy snacks and talking about books! And then after our fun evening, I bring home my commission to help pay for our Disney vacation, or therapy toys for Anna, or Mary's camp tuition, or spring clothes for the girls. Magical!

Needless to say, working the home party circuit is waaay out of my comfort zone, but I've come to really love it! In fact, aside from the occasional Facebook party, home parties have become my specialty! (Seriously, they're a blast!)

Plus, they've become my me-time, and this is something that I didn't know I needed. With everything crazy that's been going on with Anna medically, I need time to decompress, and my weekly girls' night out has been such a blessing. And, I've made some amazing friends at these parties!
Another surprise my first year with Usborne has been all the incredible friends I've made within the company. Just blows my mind to think about these awesome ladies that God has brought into my life!

But, more on that later, friends, because my Stitch Fix box just arrived!
Stay tuned!

Not Expecting This

2015-03-21T08:26:00.002-07:00

Say whaaa???
(This was me on the phone yesterday with my 'Oh no you didn't' look.)
As most of you know, Anna has Gorlin Syndrome, and you can read more about that by clicking here. She's had close to 250 cancer spots removed from all over her little body; however, some of her other issues don't fit exactly with Gorlin. After some ~~Googling~~ extensive online medical research, we thought we had found the missing link! We mentioned it to our absolutely fabulous doctor, and she had already been working behind the scenes to have Anna's DNA tested for this exact syndrome. Brilliant! So we did the blood test and have been waiting for 4 weeks to hear back, really, just to confirm that she did indeed have this other syndrome tacked on to Gorlin (it's on the same gene, for pete's sake, so of course THIS is the missing piece!).
Well, the call came yesterday, and she tested negative for this other syndrome.
Negative?!
Shocked. Stunned. Floored.
But this was going to tell me everything I needed to know about Anna's future!
I am a planner. A PLANNER, people!
Mary's life is all planned out; I'm trying to work on Anna's now, and this phone call was a major set-back! What in the world am I supposed to do now?!
This is how I feel:

And I feel as if I've been 'loading' for a loooong time.
But...
I know what to do.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11
Oh, friends, we throw this verse around don't we. We offer it up as comfort in a myriad of circumstances. But, to really put our faith and trust in that verse, in God, to handle our unknowns, well, that's something else entirely.
That's. just. hard.
Especially for me, the over-planner.
But, God made me this way, the over-planner that I am. And He made Anna the way that she is. And He made you the way that you are. And He does have plans for us. And even though I have absolutely no clue as to the future, God already has it planned out, and it's for my good, and Anna's good. So, as hard as it is, I have to keep trusting and looking to Him.
And it's so hard for me because I want to DO something. You're that way too, right? Trusting and resting in God's peace is much, much harder than actually 'doing' something. It requires patience and self-discipline, things I'm pretty crumby at personally. But, really, I think we make it hard ourselves - God doesn't make it hard, quite the opposite:

See, I make it hard, but it's not. God is not hard - God is love and rest and peace, and I have to remind myself of Him and who He is all. the. time.
I was trying to describe to a dear friend the other day what life is like right now. And this was the best thing I could think of:

Remember this from Dumbo? I'm like the baby in the sack on the cloud, and when I stop thinking about Jesus, I start to fall through the cloud. And then as soon as I look to Him, He pulls me back up.
That's me, and that's where I've been for a while. And I'm sure you've been there, too, and you might be right there with me now, on that cloud. And you might be thinking, as I do, "God, I can't handle this!" And you're right. WE can't handle this, and we're not supposed to, friend. Our job is to trust in God and know that He will handle it - He has plans that are for our good. And I'm not throwing that around lightly; I'm right here living it with you. It's hard, but God is good, and He will handle our fears, our doubts, our diagnoses, our wayward kids, our sick parents, our everything-that-could-go-wrong.
Let's focus on Him, and He'll put us right back on that cloud. And if you are indeed on that cloud with me right now, please know that you're in my prayers.
Thank you for your support during this journey, and I'll be sure to keep you updated.
Hugs!

Welcome to Holland

2015-03-14T21:31:00.001-07:00

Anna has been on my mind constantly these past few weeks. We think she may have another syndrome on top of her original diagnosis of Gorlin Syndrome, and we're waiting for her test results to come back. Any day now. (It's been 'any day now' for a week, which makes it frustrating.)

If she does have this new thing, I'll share more. (I've found that there's a fine line when you have a blog. How much should I share? Will my sharing help others? If the answer is yes, I try to share as much as possible with you.)

I've wanted to write more about my journey with Anna, but it just hasn't been the right time. I've written posts in my head for weeks, and then days later I'm so glad that I waited. I was just about to go to bed a few minutes ago, when God told me to write. So, here I am. I don't have much to share right now, but Welcome to Holland is a good place to start. This poem is well-known in the special needs community, although it obviously is applicable to pretty much every life situation where our expectations differ from our realities.

Welcome to Holland

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Yep. That's where I am. Holland. Not sure if I'm still sitting on the plane, or walking down the little hallway thingy they attach to the gate at the airport, or if I'm standing by the baggage claim in a daze. Jury's still out.
And while I can understand why some parents don't agree with this poem, it's been a huge comfort to me lately, and I really feel God calling me to share this with you tonight.
Debra Jenkins, founder of the amazing Merrimack Hall in Huntsville, Alabama, created this beautiful performance with the author's permission. Please click here or below to view.

(Isn't she adorable? I'm so stinkin' in love with this sweet face!)

I'll keep you posted about Anna's test results. In the meantime, thank you so much for your concern and prayers. Continued prayers for peace are appreciated.

Good night, friend.

Stitch Fix Review #3

2015-03-01T18:07:00.001-08:00

I absolutely LOVE finding my Stitch Fix box of happy waiting for me outside my door each month! Do you know about Stitch Fix yet?

It's an amazing service where your personal stylist sends you five items in the mail, and you keep what you like and send back what you don't! It's perfect for me because I don't have time to shop for myself, plus, it's just a lot of fun! Click here to learn more about Stitch Fix, and click here to read about my first SF review, and click here for my second SF review!
Now, onto this month's box!

I love the cards showing suggestions on how to wear each piece!

Plus, I always look forward to my personal note from my stylist, Kalesa! She is SO awesome, and I have a surprise challenge for her (say what?!) - more on that in a minute!

And here we go!

1. Edmond Chevron Print Henley Shirt from Pixley

I love the way this Henley shirt feels; it's very bouncy. However, I wasn't a fan of the pattern, so I had to send it back. (In every picture I'm wearing the scalloped lace top extender from Grace & Lace, and I promise that I really don't wear it with everything in everyday life!)

2. Esten Button-Up Sleeveless Blouse from Collective Concepts

Loved the color and wanted to keep it, but it was over $50, so I would have needed to really love it at that price. So, sadly, this cute top was returned as well. However, props to my stylist, Kalesa, for sending me items that fit my style profile so well! I always ask for shirts and sweater that I can layer, and I ask that the shirts not be tight. Kalesa, you're doing great!

3. Flynn Colorblock Sleeveless Blouse from 41Hawthorn

This is not a thin top, which I love about it (the pink one above was a little thin). Kinda having returner's remorse now; yes, I did return this one, too. It's beautiful, but I just didn't have much to layer with it. I have dark sweaters already, so I'm looking for more colorful tops to wear underneath them. But, I really do like this one, and if I had a million dollars I certainly would have added it to my wardrobe. ;)

4. Benfield Heathered Drape Front Cardigan from Caramela

Ohmyword!

Talk about soft! Y'all, this comfy, cozy sweater is the best thing ever! Kalesa stuck with my desired length (long enough to cover what I like to cover ;) ), and it's just fabulous! Too bad I had to return it...

Psych!

I kept that sucker! It's perfect!

5. Abrianna Longsleeve Knit Cardigan from 41Hawthorn

This long sweater (love that length!) was very soft, and the color was pretty, but the arms were a little long and the material was a little too thin for me. So, this sweater wasn't a keeper, unfortunately.

Okay, so I mentioned a surprise challenge for Kalesa, and y'all, she has no clue who I am - ha! But, I know that she reads the blog, so, Kalesa, here we go, girl!

I'm going to request one specific item in my future fixes (like that striped sweater I put in my note earlier to ya), but the rest is UP TO YOU! I want to let loose and be styled by a pro, so whatever you think will look good on me, send it my way! Don't bother with my Pinterest board, you just have fun creating a look for me! I promise to be open and give each piece a shot, scout's honor.

(Am I crazy?! Perhaps, but this makes it more fun!)

So, this month, I ended up keeping 1 out of 5 items from this box, BUT, I'm extremely happy with what I kept AND happy with the price I paid for that sweater. Want to guess how much it cost in the end?

Go on... guess! ;)

Okay, I'll just tell ya.

The sweater was $58, but I had my styling fee discount of $20 (you get a $20 discount EACH time you keep at least one thing in your box!), plus I had a referral credit of $30 (thank you so much for using my link to sign up; I truly appreciate it, friends!), so I paid just $8 for that super-soft-and-cozy-cuddle-up sweater! Yes! $8! Crazy, right?! Yeah, crazy-AWESOME!

And you can totally do this, too! Click here to sign up with my link to get started. Then you can share YOUR link with your peeps, and YOU will be getting a great discount on incredibly fun clothes that arrive at your doorstep! You pay just $20 one-time to get going, and then each time you keep an item from your box, that $20 you paid comes off that box's total. So easy and, yes, I'll say it again, FUN!

And I need some good ol' fun right now.

We have lots of things going on in our family, which I hope to blog about soon. Lots of BIG changes and new directions. Heavy things. Things that are not fun. So, when something like this comes along, something fun, I'm so blessed that my sweet husband gives me the go-ahead. Anyway, we're waiting for test results to come back on Anna (possibly this week), and then I'll share more about her journey with you.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by, friends!

I appreciate you!

Adventure To Fitness - Review!

2015-02-14T03:23:00.000-08:00

My husband found the COOLEST thing the other day, and I just HAVE to share it with you!

Many of you know about my sweet Anna's condition where she can't be in the sun (if not, click here to learn more about Gorlin Syndrome). To protect her skin, we usually don't go outside and play when we're home, since the UV rays from the sun give her more cancer spots (she's had over 200 removed so far, and we go back on Thursday to get more removed).

Well, what in the world do we do to try to stay active and healthy?

Um... hmmm... let me think for a sec...

She's in a dance class once a week, but she usually doesn't get close to breaking a sweat. So, we really don't do anything. Ugh!

And we can FEEL it, too - the whole family. We're just NOT active!

My husband recently got a check-up, and the doc said he needs to start exercising. What?! But we can't go outside for regular walks, no hiking or swimming (unless we want to join a gym, and who has time for that?!), nothing in the sun. What are we supposed to do?! (Okay, yes, small pity party, sorry.)

Well, Adventure To Fitness is a great place for us to start!

Adventure To Fitness is 30 minutes of active, indoor FUN for our family! We've watched four episodes online so far, and it's such a GREAT workout! Now, it's not Zumba, but I broke a sweat with each episode, and the fun graphics and exciting missions kept my girls engaged. I LOVE it - and I'm not being paid to say it, and I did not get the product for free in exchange for my review; I'm just a happy mama who wants you to know about this great program that's fun, active, AND educational!

Click here or below to check out this clip from our first mission that transported us back to Renaissance Europe - Medieval Madness!

Seriously, it is so fun! Each episode is a mission, and we just do what Mr. Marc does. When he jogs in place, we jog in place. When he jumps over rocks or climbs up mountains, we do, too!

And there is so much INFORMATION packed into each mission! It always starts off with a question that we're supposed to find the answer to before the mission is complete. This was the Question of the Day for the Atlantis Aquaventure!

While our bodies were moving during the Atlantis mission, we learned about sharks, giant clams, photosynthesis, diving safety, the legend of the lost city of Atlantis (first mentioned by Plato!), Poseidon, respiration, and just a whole list of other smart things. I am SO impressed with this program, friends! AND, Mr. Marc's nemesis is Mr. Laze (pronounces Lah-zay, but also called Mr. LAZY!), and he makes an appearance in each mission to try to mess it up. Lots of humor in these missions, too! It reminds me so much of Carmen Sandiego, with the education tied into fun episodes!

Look at us! We're MOVING!

We're still on our free 7-day trial right now, and if you're looking for something active to do indoors (think of those cold and rainy winter days!), consider giving Adventure To Fitness a try for a week! After the trial week, we're going to purchase the Parent annual plan for $99.99, which will give us 10 episodes a month, with 2 new ones rotating on each month. You could also pay $9.99 a month if you don't want to get the year-long deal.

Check out the names of these episodes!

Icelandic Meltdown

Arctic Freeze

Colonial Chaos

Serengeti Stampede

Medieval Madness

Atlantis Aquaventure

Outback Asteroid

Catastrophe Cavern

(just to name a few!)

Oh! And each episode has fun printable activities and games! My girls LOVE coloring sheets, so I'm thankful that they're available.

I could really go on and on, friends. There is just SO much to say about this incredible kids' exercise program - you're just going to have to experience the fun for yourself! To hear my sweet Anna ask if we could exercise when we got home yesterday (for real!), well, that makes it a winner for me. I'm SO excited that we've found something the whole family enjoys that will help us get on the road to a healthier lifestyle!
If you do the trial, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Alright, friends! Now go get movin'!

Stitch Fix Review - February Box 1

2015-02-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Got another FIX in the mail!
If you don't know what I'm talking about, please click here to read my first review and the details. Basically, Stitch Fix a service where you get a surprise box of clothes just for you on a regular basis (think monthly, every two months, etc.). I LOVE it because it's convenient, the clothes are unique, and it's just plain FUN! Click here to check it out!
So, here's this month's FIX!

It always looks so pretty when I open it!

My stylist, Kalesa, really hit it out of the park this fix! And isn't she so sweet! I always enjoy the personal note letting me know why she picked each item. Above, you can see the card included with styling ideas. Very cool.

Alright, let's see 'em!

1. Rowson Colorblock Striped Sweater

by 41Hawthorn

This lightweight sweater is so soft! I love the colors, and I'm thrilled to know that my stylist is checking out my Pinterest board (pinned this one)!

Cost: $58

Verdict: Kept!

2. Filbert 3/4 Sleeve Popover Blouse

by 41Hawthorn

SUCH a fun color (asked Kalesa for more color, and she totally delivered!)! I love the length, too; it goes down over my bottom (love to keep that covered!).

Cost: $58

Verdict: Kept!

3. Landers lattice Crochet Detail Tank

by Pomelo

Umm.. yeah. Not a fan of this tank. I always, and I mean always wear an undershirt, and if I can see it when I put my top on, the top is too low, which is the case here. I also didn't like the crochet part at the top. And, it's too pricey for a tank, but the length was great.

Cost: $78

Verdict: Returned

4. Ivy Petal Print Blouse

by Pixley

Look! It coves my bottom!! PERFECT length! I think the pattern is fun and different, and the blouse feels so soft and silky. Love it!

Cost $58

Verdict: Kept!

5. Concord Striped Draped Pocket Cardigan

by 41Hawthorn

This sweater is SO soft, AND check out those pockets! The pockets are built into the drapey part of the front - so awesome! I could totally stick a baby into my pocket, like a baby sling sweater! I paired it with a Target top, may not be the best choice, but that's what was hanging up in the laundry room ready to go - ha! SO glad Stitch Fix includes those little style cards to give me good ideas. Such a GREAT sweater, and I'd totally buy like two more in different colors (Kalesa?). ;)

Cost: $58

Verdict: Kept!

I'm SO happy with what Kalesa put into this month's fix! Thanks, girl! Keeping 4 out of 5 is pretty good! I feel like I'm starting to build a better wardrobe for my business, girls' night outs, and date nights with my man! I mean, yes, I love my hoodies and tees, but I'm not in college anymore - I feel like I should have some better clothes. And with Stitch Fix, I'm doing that in baby steps!

Want to give it a try? Click here to use my referral link and get started! It's so easy and FUN! Please let me know if you give it a try!

Stitch Fix #2 - December Box!

2014-12-11T19:13:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wished and prayed for a personal stylist to send you cool clothes that you can't find just any ol' where? Yeah, me neither! BUT, that's exactly what I got when I took a chance and signed up under a dear friend for Stitch Fix!

(I am sharing my referral link, and if you take the plunge, I'll get a little 'happy,' so thank you!)
Have you heard of this service yet? I hadn't until our CC Moms' Retreat. Stitch Fix is like having a personal shopper, which is great for me because I really don't have time to go and do some good shopping for nice clothes. I mean, c'mon, I usually buy my clothes where I buy my food (did I really just type that!?), So, Stitch Fix has been an efficient - and fun - way to get quality clothes into my closet. And these are clothes that not everyone has; you know what I'm talking about, right? I'm talking about that cute yellow/mustard sweater from Target. You have it and so do I, and so does everyone who shops at Target, because it's super-cute. However, sometimes I want to wear something that's a little different, something unique.
Enter Stitch Fix!
Here's how it works:
To start, you sign-up ($20, but that's credited towards your first purchase - nice!), then you fill out an extensive style profile. What you like and don't, fabrics you like and don't, colors, fit, size, price point, etc. Then you're paired up with a stylist who picks out 5 items based on your profile and sends them to you! And you have NO IDEA what your stylist is going to pick - that's the fun part! Of course, she's going to try to send you stuff you like, so you're encouraged to help her out and make a Pinterest board and pin clothes that fit your style.
After you get your box, you have 3 days to try your pieces on in the comfort of your own home and see how they fit into your wardrobe. Whatever you like, you keep and can pay for online. What you don't like, you just slip into the mail bag (pre-paid shipping and addressed - it's all ready to go back!), and send it on it's way. What if you don't like any of it? Just send it all back! No money spent! Oh, but what if you like all of it? If you keep all 5 items from your box, you get a 25% discount on everything! Saweeet!
This is only my second month with Stitch Fix, but I'm lovin' it so far!
Okay, ready to see what I got this month?!
Here's my December box:

You can schedule your 'fix' for once every 2-3 weeks, once a month, etc. Mine is scheduled for every month.

It looks so pretty when I open the box! Wrapped in paper! Paper, people!

A personal note from my stylist is included, letting me know why she picked each piece. Love the customer service. Shout-out to Kalesa for being a rockin' stylist! Woot!

Also included in each 'fix' are some ideas on how to wear the pieces. Handy.

Here we go...

Let's see what's inside!

Item 1: Colibri Solid Tab Sleeve Blouse

I was not a fan of this olive color (nor was I a fan of taking pictures of myself to put on the internet - felt reeealy weird!), but I LOVE the length (exactly what I asked for - long and loose tops). I've paired it with my new obsession - lace top extenders from Grace & Lace (GREAT company, btw). And it just feels sooo smooth and nice and pretty. Price: $48.

(Sidenote: why in the world am I taking pictures of myself in these clothes? Well, first, to share this fun service with you, friend! Stitch Fix makes me happy, and when something makes me happy, I want to share! And second, it helps other Stich Fixers. I've been to lots of blogs to check out items and how they look on other mamas before I request it in a fix. So, I just want to return the favor to my fellow Fix buddies!) Okay, back to business! Don't you love how long this top is?!

Verdict: It's in my closet right now.

(See, isn't this fun?!)

Item 2: Shiloh Tonal Dot Print Sleeveless Blouse

This is really pretty up-close with a fun scalloped hem along the bottom. I do apologize for these less-than-stellar photos; I just didn't have time to get all artsy this morning. Anyway, it's really cute and loose, which is what I like. Price: $58. Ouch, right?! Yes, I know, it's expensive for a sleeveless top, but, y'all, you just have to see it and feel it, and well, you can probably guess what I did with it...

Sent it back.

NOT!

Verdict: Yeah, it's hanging up in my closet.

Item 3: Augustina Lace Back Open Cardigan

Looks great from the front, paired with the sleeveless top above. LOVE the kelly green color. However... take a look at the back (and my face):

It's lacy and open. I wanted to like it because the color was so great and again, it felt so pretty. But in the end, I just need a sweater that has a back to it. Price: between $50 and $60 (the actual price is in the room next to sleeping kiddos, and there's no WAY I'm going in there right now!) And yes, that is a homemade platform swing behind me in all these pictures. And yes, my four-year-old Anna loves it, but that's another post. ;) )

Verdict: Returned.

Item 4: Leandro Chevron Stripe Henley Knit Shirt

All of the shirts feel sooo pretty; I just can't explain it, and this one was no exception. I like the length (paired again with my Grace and Lace extender) and the pattern is fine. This is something I would never pick out for myself and try on in a store, but that's another great thing about Stitch Fix - it gets me out of my boring-clothes rut! Price: $54.

Verdict: Hanging up in my closet.

Last one for the month!

Item 5: Lindy Grid Print Blouse

This shirt reminds me of a jacket my mom used to have back in the 80's with those big shoulder pads. Total deja vu! And although it felt soooo good on and fit just right, I couldn't get past the memory of my mom's 80's jacket. Ugh! Wanted to love it, but just couldn't. Price: around $50 (and for these prices I have to really love it to keep it).
Verdict: Returned.
So, what do you think?! Is this totally crazy? Is this a solution to your don't-have-time-to-shop-for-good-clothes problem? The answer will be different for everybody depending on your season in life. I didn't need 'good' clothes until I started my own business. Now that it's taking off, I'm going to retreats and meetings (and having a blast!), so I want to look a little nicer than I do when I'm reviewing math facts at home with my kids. I think Stitch Fix is just a lot of fun and something to look forward to every month that's just for me!
Want to give it a try? Click here to go for it! And let me know when you get your first 'fix!'

Poetry Party!

2014-12-07T09:55:00.001-08:00

It's been a looooong time coming, but Mary has completed Level 1 of IEW's Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization program! Waahooo!!

Click here to read my original post when we started back in July of 2013. (Wow!! We really HAVE been doing this over a year!)

I'm very, very excited about Mary completing Level 1 because, well, it's one of the only things we've really stuck with throughout her schooling (so far). It fits right in the the classical model of memorization to train the brain to retain, and I can tell such a difference in how quickly she can memorize something now, a year and a half since we started! It's incredible, and it only takes about 10 minutes of our morning!

Everyday when I fix Mary's hair, we say our poetry and Shakespeare. It's just what we do, like brushing our teeth - and the routine is working for us (thank You, Lord!).

The IEW poetry program has 5 levels, and each level takes about a year. There are 20 poems in each level, with Level 5 being important speeches to memorize, and we just LOVE it! We celebrated Mary's accomplishment in a BIG way, too! We had family over, she recited all 20 poems, and then we had cake and ice cream. It was a blast! And I'm just sooo proud of my big girl (and thankful to God for helping me to keep on keepin' on with this!).

Reciting Level 1:

Party time!
(Looks like a lonely party, but the whole family was there; they just managed to stay out of the picture - ha!)

We're SOOO proud of you, Mary! Hugs and smooches!

Usborne and CC Cycle 1 Match-Up!

2014-11-16T09:18:00.001-08:00

If you're not new to my little place on the world wide web, you know that I lovey-lovah-love Usborne books, so much so that I've become a consultant and team leader. It's just a great company that I stand behind 100%, and you can learn more about my journey by clicking here and here.
I was recently contacted about finding Usborne books that correlate with CC Cycle 1, so here's what I've put together! It's not an exact match-up with a fancy numbered table (I'm sure someone will create that if it's not already out there), but it's a good general place to start if you're looking to get yourself ready for Cycle 1. First, let's start with the general reference books that are great for all cycles of Classical Conversations. I highly recommend our encyclopedias, as they go so well with EVERY Cycle! You can get them as a set and save a few dollars. Click here to check that out.

I have the World History book matched-up for ALL cycles (woot! with a fancy table and everything!), so click here or the button below to download that and see inside the book.

Besides our Science Encyclopedia, another great Science book for Cycle 1 is What's Science All About! You can an exclusive look at the inside by clicking here or the button below:

We also have a younger Science book:

We spend 20 minutes in the morning on 'Encyclopedia Time,' and Mary can pick from any of our encyclopedias to read and write two sentences about what she learned - this is by far her favorite!

For Geography, we have the Geography Encyclopedia that's included in the reference collection mentioned above, and then we have my favorite Geography book, Lift The Flap Picture Atlas!

Lots of goodies in this book for Cycles 1 and 2! Click here to watch a sneak peek - you really do have to see the inside - just AWESOME (the video looks long, but it's the very first book I talk about, so no worries.).

Another one that's just perfect for Cycles 1 and 2 is our Time Traveler book! Click here for another exclusive sneak peek!

This covers Egypt and Rome, as well as Vikings and Knights! So much fun!

Okay, let's get a little more Cycle 1 specific. Ready?

The Encyclopedia of the Ancient World covers Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome:

These next two are also fabulous, but there is just a little nudity in the Greek one (nothing that a well-positioned sticker wouldn't fix!).

These are both available in the durable flexi-binding, which is in between a hardback and paperback; it's very smooth like the cover of a notebook. I personally LOVE the flexies (as I call them).

Cycle 1, Week 3's history is about Greek Mythology. We have TONS of Greek Mythology books for all ages (including an encyclopedia!), and you can see them by clicking here. My personal favorite for my own girls (ages 6 and 4), is the Illustrated Stories From the Greek Myths:

Mary LOVES this and reads it herself! The pictures are gorgeous, and it covers the Trojan War, Theseus and the Minotaur, and more!

If your child is like mine and has to be doing something while you read aloud, our fun Greek Mythology sticker book would be a great activity for your him or her while you're reading!

These next ones are great books about Egypt. Egypt isn't officially covered by a History sentence in Cycle 1, but many people add it in somewhere in the first few weeks (we did last time we did Cycle 1)

Look Inside Mummies and Pyramids above is a fascinating flap books with SO much information to discover, including a huge pyramid that opens up!

This Eygptian sticker book (along with all of the encylopedias above and MANY other of our books) is Internet-Referenced, which means you can go to our master site and learn more about the information in those specific books! The websites are safe, relevant, and appropriate to the books' recommended ages. This is SOO important and such a time-saver! If your child becomes fixated on Egyptian mummies, you can go to our master site, click on the book and page number, and boom! A list of safe sites pops ups! No googling for 45 minutes trying to find something appropriate. I LOVE our Internet-Referenced books!

We have so many great books for Cycle 1's Science memory work! Here are a few:

How Flowers Grow is a great $4.99 hardback non-fiction book that's also Internet-Referenced! Click here to see a quick video inside our awesome beginner non-fiction books! And then click here to see our full selection!

In addition to flowers, plants, and trees, Cycle 1 also deals with the ocean! Here are some of my favorite ocean books (click on the book to learn more):

Click here to see a video of the Big Book of Big Sea Creatures!

Volcanoes are also covered in Cycle 1, and we have the PERFECT book and activity! Check out our Volcano Kid Kit! It comes with a REUSABLE (finally!!!) volcano, rocks, colored fizzies for lava, instructions, and a beautiful beginner hardback non-fiction book! Kids LOVE this one!

China and Japan are also touched on in the History sentences for Cycle 1:

The fashion dolls are FABULOUS activities with an educational component! Click here to see Mary's video review of Fashion Dolls China!

For Math, we have TONS of great reference books! My favorite is What's Math All About. I've actually caught Mary reading this one like a story book! Nice!

Another fun one that goes SO well with all cycles of CC is our Lift the Flap Times Tables book:

This books totally makes skip counting FUN! Pirates, princesses, cheerleaders, spacemen, and tons of other exciting characters come together to help our kids learn their math facts!

Well, those are just some of the fantastic Usborne books that go well with Cycle 1 of Classical Conversations. It would be a very loooong post if I tried to show you everything that will fit, but I hope you've got some ideas to go on!

If you'd like to see more exclusive videos of our books, please click here or the button below:

Thank you so much for supporting my new adventure with Usborne! Many of you have become good customers, and I want you to know that I sincerely appreciate your business and kind words! To learn more about Usborne, please visit me on my other blog, UsborneBookBarn.com.

Looking for more Usborne and CC match-ups? Here ya go!

Have fun planning for Cycle 1! It's one one of my favorite cycles (Cycle 2 is my absolute favorite!)!

Buck Denver asks... Why Do We Call it Christmas Review + Giveaway!

2014-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

We love Buck Denver and the What's In the Bible series by VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer! My kids like VeggieTales in general, but I prefer the Bible series. I have my own opinion on VeggieTales, which you can read more about by clicking here.
I was sooo excited to get my hands on a copy of this Christmas DVD in exchange for my honest opinion! Buck Denver is having a Christmas party, and all of his friends are invited. They run into some delays along the way, and while they're waiting, everyone takes part in explaining some of the most popular traditions of Christmas.
From the creators:

About the movie: Approx. 60 minutes

Cutting down trees? Hanging stockings? Santa Claus? What do any of these have to do with Jesus' birthday? More than you'd think!  Join VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer along with intrepid newsman Buck Denver and all his friends on an amazing journey into the world's most popular holiday! Sure, you know the Christmas story. But do you know the story of Christmas? Don't miss the whimsical, educational, Christmical party to end all Christmas parties as Buck Denver Asks … Why Do We Call It Christmas?

Contains the following topics:

-Where do we get the word Christmas?

-When was Jesus born?

-What do Christmas trees have to do with Jesus?

-Who is St. Nicholas?

-What is Hanukkah?

-Who is Emmanuel?

-Luke 2 Story

Check out a sneak peek by clicking here or below:

My girls and I loved it, and the puppets did a great job of explaining Santa (very nicely done actually!). This is the perfect DVD to watch to get your holidays off to a meaningful start if you have little ones; I know we'll be watching it many times this Christmas season!
Now, that being said, I do have one objection to this video.
Sunday School Lady explain Hanukkah, which is fine. They do a great job of explaining the reason behind the holiday, and even point out that Jesus celebrated the Feast of Dedication in the Bible. Good, yes, and fine. You can watch that clip by clicking here.

However, then it's said that Christians could celebrate Hanukkah, too. Hmmm...
Yes, we could, but my family will not.
There's an interesting post from the What's In The Bible site on whether or not Christians should celebrate Hanukkah. Click here to read that (and be sure to read the comments after it too - VERY interesting!).
I agree with one of the people who commented that it's dangerous to stick our toes in the water of legalism. I really do urge you to read the link above and hear both sides in the comments. I could go on and on, really I could, but I'm on borrowed time right now as it is. I will, however, leave you with this incredible blog that's been very helpful to me in matters like this.
So, in my opinion, this DVD would be perfect if it just would have left off that one remark about Christians celebrating Hanukkah. Will we still watch it? Yes, it's great for kids, but we'll just use that part as a teachable moment for our own children.

Well, there you have it! Would you like to win your own copy? Here's your chance!
The contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. More legal stuff:

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): 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 the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'll email the winner, and then he or she will have 48 hours to reply before another winner is randomly selected. Good luck, everyone!

And don't forget to enter the contest for Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas goodies by clicking here!

Saving Christmas - Giveaway + Review!

2014-11-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

When I was asked to pre-screen this movie in exchange for my honest review, I was SOOO excited! I love all Kirk Cameron's projects (The Way of the Master is such an incredible evangelistic tool! Wow!), so I had high expectations for his new movie, Saving Christmas.

I was NOT disappointed!

From the movie's website:

This Christmas, have your family join with Kirk Cameron’s family and dive headfirst into all the joy, dancing, celebration, feasting, imagination, and traditions that glorify the true “reason for the season.” KIRK CAMERON’S SAVING CHRISTMAS is an engaging story that provides a biblical basis for our time-honored traditions and celebrations, and the inspiration to stand strongly against a culture that wants to trivialize and eliminate the faith elements of this holy season. So take in the splendor; take in the majesty; take in the story. Take it all in… and let’s put Christ back in Christmas!

Click here to watch the preview, or watch it below:

Saving Christmas comes to theaters this Friday for a limited time - only two weeks! Click here to go to the movie's website to learn more and find a theater near you.
As some of you may know, I've had my foot in legalism in the past, thinking that Christmas was a pagan holiday that 'real Christians' shouldn't celebrate. This was back in my skirt-wearing-no-hair-cuts time of struggle. Click here to learn more about my journey to freedom in Christ. So, this movie holds a special place in my heart because it addresses many of the common objections to this incredible holiday.
The movie is fantastic, as any Kirk Cameron movie is, and I love how he wraps it up at the end:
So this is Christmas. Pull out your best dishes, finest linens, nicest silverware, the biggest ham, every side dish you could possibly imagine, and the richest butter. It's time to feast. . . Make the most of Christmas. Fill your table with laughter, stories. . . Don't miss one single opportunity to pass along the JOY of the season.
Don't buy into the complaint about materialism during Christmas. Sure, don't max out your credit cards or use presents to buy friends, but remember this is CELEBRATION of the Eternal God taking on a material body, so it's right that our holiday is marked with material things. Things we can see with our eyes and touch with our hands - ribbons, decorations, hot chocolate, lights, presents, giant ham, stuffing, fudge, Christmas cards, and more hot chocolate. How could we possibly capture all of it? We could eat until we split at the seams, smile until our cheeks hurt, and laugh until our bellies ached. We could sing until our voices grew hoarse, and we could not begin to scratch the surface of this glorious day.
Throw your doors open and invite the world into the glorious celebration of our King! This is our story, our tree, our lights, our presents, our songs, our St. Nicolas, our home, our future, our Savior.
Oh, friends, it's just incredible - this freedom to CELEBRATE our Lord and Savior! I've tried it the other way, the no-tree-no-lights-no-joy way, and it just didn't feel right. I was filled with judgment for others instead of joy for Jesus. If you've wondered how bringing trees into our homes glorifies our Savior, then you need to watch this movie. If you think Santa and satan go hand-in-hand, then you need to watch this movie. Seriously, plan a date night, take your hubby to the movies, and be prepared to be FILLED with JOY for the upcoming season of the ultimate birthday party!

Kirk Cameron explains it in just a great way, conversationally, as he talks to his ba-humbug brother-in-law during the family Christmas party. It's so entertaining, so relevant, and so needed right now as we gear up for the Christmas season.
Ready for the giveaway?! Of course, right!
Up for grabs is an AUTOGRAPHED movie poster, signed by Kirk Cameron himself (eeek!), movie soundtrack, and a car air freshener (smells like Christmas trees!):

Click the picture to enlarge:

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. Legal stuff:

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The winner will be announced after the raffle ends, and he or she will have 48 hours to reply to my email before a new winner is chosen. I'm SO excited to be sharing this with you, and I hope you'll join me in supporting this fabulous movie and Christian filmmakers!
Stay tuned for another great Christmas movie giveaway going live VERY soon!

Christmas Gift Idea #2 - Wind-Ups!

2014-10-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

In anticipation of our first Mystery Hostess Facebook book party, I'm spotlighting some of Usborne's most popular books that make amazing Christmas gifts!

The new Slot-Together Castle with an Usborne Book was last week's top pick, and many of you have already picked up a few to put under your tree - thank you! Early shoppers are entered into the drawing to be the Mystery Hostess this Saturday night and take home TONS of FREE Usborne books! Woot! Click here to see all the goodies up for grabs!
My next top pick for Christmas comes in a variety of themes for the younger set:

Our Wind-Up books are just

so much fun!

See below or click here to see the popular Race Car book in action on my You Tube channel!

Another great choice is our Wind-Up Pirate book! Click here or see the video below:

We also have Wind-Up Bus, which takes a fun tour though London, and Wind-Up Tractor!

If your child is too young to handle the wind-up action (GREAT for building fine motor skills, by the way), give our Pull-Backs (aka Busy Books) a try! Click here or see below for our popular Pull-back Busy Bug Book:

We also have Busy Helicopter, Busy Train, Busy Santa, and Busy Car!

I hope you'll join me THIS Saturday at 8 p.m. CST for the fun online FB party! Put your kiddos to bed, grab some snacks and your book wish list, and then head over to my Facebook page by clicking here! To be entered into the drawing to win all the free books and discounts, place your order before or during the party by clicking here!

See you this Saturday night!

Christmas Gift Idea #1 - Castle!

2014-10-18T20:17:00.001-07:00

In anticipation of our upcoming Mystery Hostess FB book party on Nov. 1st (woot!), I'm going to be spotlighting some of Usborne's BEST books and activities to put under your tree!
First up is our new Slot-Together Castle with an Usborne Book!

My six-year-old daughter and I had a blast putting it together and playing with it! If you're looking for a gift to keep you child happily busy after the presents have been opened (and I mean seriously busy, like so busy you might not see him or her again until dinner!), check out this castle:

It took me about 10 minutes to pop out all the pieces, and then another 30 to assemble, but Mary started playing with the people before it was even finished. She had a blast with just the king and queen!

The instructions are step-by-step (nice!).

The people actually have backs! I love that they're not the same on each side!

The cardboard is very sturdy and thick.

We recently saw The Neverending Story, which inspired Mary to bring her big Moo-Moo cow into play. Why not, right? ;)

Prisoners in the dungeon! This castle comes with everything, even a horse and battering ram! In fact, there are 21 sheets of pre-cut pieces, 90 pieces in all!

Look at this face in the next picture:

THAT, my friends, is Reason #18 of why I'm a consultant! Her excitement for books, for learning, for READING (and pretend play with this awesome castle while I read the book to her), is just so encouraging to me!
I'm sure you've all heard the statistics of the benefits of simply having books in your home. It's life-changing, it really is!
"Books you can't put down are a lot easier to find when you pick them up."(read that somewhere)

Doing what I'm doing, being an Usborne consultant, I can always say 'yes,' when Mary asks if she can have that book about cats, or volcanoes, or the newest Billie B. Brown book - and that's such a good feeling. I have a lifetime discount, so I know that I will never pay full-price for any of our amazing Usborne books! If you're interested in learning how you can FILL your home with award-winning children's books and make an investment in the lives of your kiddos, please click here.

Here's another great visual of the importance of reading and reading aloud:

Back to the cool castle... ;)
I mentioned a second ago the accompanying book, and to get a better understanding of how incredible this castle and book are, please check out my quick video:

The Slot-Together Castle with an Usborne Book is $41.99, and you can get yours by clicking here!
Don't forget about our Mystery Hostess FB Book Party on Sat. evening, November 1st at 8 p.m. EST on Facebook!

Be sure to like my FB page and drop in at 8 p.m. at the page to join the party! One blessed mama will be randomly selected to win ALL of the free books and discounts! Click here to see all the discounts (you're going to want to see these if you haven't already!) To get your name in the drawing, all you have to do is place an order online before or during the party. If you're busy that night, just go ahead and shop now, and then send me a message letting me know you did. Easy peasy! I'll notify you if you win Mystery Hostess, and you can get TONS of free and discounted Usborne books in time for Christmas!
I hope you'll join me for a fun online book party on Nov. 1st, and please check back soon for my next Christmas gift idea!

Mystery Hostess FB Book Party!

2014-10-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

Usborne book home parties are SOO much fun, but sometimes it can be hard to get out of the house. Or sometimes we just don't want to clean or have people over. I hear you. Solution?
Facebook parties!
Partying in our jammies is easy, fun, and in this case, VERY exciting! Usually the hostess of the party will earn free books and discounts based on the amount of books purchased at her party. Like this:

Isn't that awesome?!
This hostess's Christmas shopping is DONE!
And I'd like to make this happen for you, too!
YOU could be the hostess - and you don't have to do anything except place an order through a special link by clicking here. When you order through that link before November 1st, you'll be entered into the drawing to win ALL the hostess books and discounts - YOU will be the mystery hostess!
The Mystery Hostess Facebook Book Party is Saturday, November 1st, at 8 p.m. CST on my Facebook page. Coming to the party will get you extra chances to win the free hostess books, as well as other prizes like free shipping and additional discounts on amazing Usborne books! Plus, Facebook parties are just FUN!

(probably best to not binge drink; check out that huge wine glass - yikes!)
But, you get the point, right? Books make great gifts, and Usborne books are the bomb.com! Why not order some Christmas presents and enter the drawing?! YOU may win ALL the free books and discounts!
Sounds good, right? But what exactly are the discounts, you ask?
If you win on November 1st, you'll get

free books
half-priced books
$25 in books for 65% off
another $20 in books for $5
any set/collection for 65% off!

The winner will cover the cost of tax and shipping, but that's never much when you think about all the free and discounted books.

So, please save the date, November 1st at 8 p.m EST, and join the party! To enter the drawing to be the mystery hostess, simply place an order online. Can't make it to the party? Shop through this link between now and November 1st, and your name will still be put into the hat. However, if you come to the party, you'll get MORE chances for all the free and discounted books (and it's pretty fun, too!).
To come to the party, just hop online November 1st and go to my Facebook page. Be sure to 'like' it before then so you're all ready to go! Also, check in often between now and then for ways to earn extra points for the raffle!
Are you excited?!
Are you pumped?!
Do you have November 1st circled on your calendar?!
It's going to be awesome, and fun, and I hope you'll join me at 8 p.m CST!
Oooh, and go ahead and start browsing the Usborne catalog by clicking here! You can also see inside MANY of our incredible books by checking out my You Tube channel by clicking here! (You can also see some pretty funny video-bombs by my sweet girls, too - ha!)

Hope to see you on November 1st at our Facebook party!

CC Moms' Retreat!

2014-10-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

A BIG part of Classical Conversations is the community - the fellowship and encouragement that we give each other throughout this crazy homeschooling journey. Last weekend, the Huntsville, Alabama, area communities got together for our first moms' retreat! The goal was to foster that sense of community, relax, and just enjoy being together as mamas. For me, this goal was certainly achieved! Take a look at our amazing weekend at Smith Lake!

We stayed at a beautiful lake house that was just PERFECT for our group!

A few of us spent some time talking on the dock, while others stayed on the deck.

There was no agenda, no schedule, and nothing planned (except dinner - thanks, Mary Ann!). It was fabulous! Imagine hanging out with your friends and NOT having to be somewhere or do something! Yeah, it was pretty awesome!

After dinner and some hangin'-out, some of us played Telestrations, and others watched Moms' Night Out. If you've never done either, I highly recommend both activities!

Here's a little Telestrations fun:

It's like Pictionary, but different, and it's hilarious!

Everyone gets a little wipe-clean book and a secret word.

You write your secret word...

And then draw it on the next page. Then we pass the books to the next person, and that person tries to guess the secret word by the picture. So... Anissa passed this to me, and I totally did not get 'boxer shorts.'

Yeah, this is what I thought she drew (my guess below):

So I wrote my guess, and then I passed it to the next person, who had to draw what I wrote:

Those are perfect polka dot mits! So this person then passed, and the next person had to guess what she drew:

Sure, those look like spotted gloves! So then she passed, and the next person had to draw 'spotted gloves.'

Perfect! Then she passed, and the next person guessed what she drew:

Spotted gloves, gardening gloves, close enough! Then the next person had to draw that person's guess:

So this person drew someone in the garden with a glove and an arrow pointing to the glove. Good. Then she passed, and the next person had to guess what that picture was:

Farmer. Nice.

Remember what the secret word was? Boxer shorts.

Nailed it. ;)

Hahahaha!

So, it's like the old game of Telephone and Pictionary mixed together. And it's just soooo much fun! For me, the secret word 'tumbleweed' was the highlight of the game! ;)

Checkout time was 11 a.m., so that meant I could SLEEP IN!! And I did! And then when I woke up, I read a book. I actually stayed in bed, snuggled up, and read a book! NO clue when the last time I did that was. Oh, friends, it was just so relaxing!

The weekend was amazing, and I'm so thankful for the friendships (and nicknames!) that were made and strengthened during our moms' retreat. If you're able to organize one for your own community or area, I say go for it!

Sooo, um, any chance we could make this a monthly thing, ladies? ;)

Dolphin Tale 2 Curriculum Review + Giveaway!

2014-09-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

When I was offered a chance to review the new free companion curriculum for Dolphin Tale 2, I was SOOO excited! First, because we needed something. Something new and exciting.
Warning: slight tangent ahead... Doing Classical Conversations, and I suppose just homeschooling in general, with just one child may seem like a dream to some, but it has its challenges. With CC we're told to just get little ones to memorize the weekly memory work, don't get too deep, just the facts, Jack. Well, that's what Mary and I have been doing, but I feel like I'm just quizzing her all. the. time. And, honestly, that's not fun. It's either right or wrong, there's no fun discovery and 'wow' moments together as we learn things. And I'm not criticizing CC or the classical homeschooling method - it's just difficult to fill the time when you're only working with one child. Review CC, do Math, Handwriting, and um... then what?
That's been my problem so far with homeschooling my first-grader.
We do a couple other things, too, but we do a LOT of 'training the brain to retain,' which is beneficial. I LOVE that we've stuck with our IEW poetry memorization program and memorizing Shakespeare passages. LOVE, love, love, LOVE that we continue to do these consistently - they will help Mary so much in the future with writing and just being a well-rounded young lady! However, we just don't have the fun stuff that I remember from my own first grade experience. School has quickly become a check-the-box chore to hurry and get through so we can go do something else.
That's not what I want.
That's not what I think homeschooling should be for our family.
Soooo, (tangent wrapping up) when this opportunity came along to learn about dolphins in anticipation of the release of Dolphin Tale 2, well, I thought, let's give it a shot! Let's actually learn and discover something together!
AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME!
We have so enjoyed the lessons and discussions!
There are lessons involving Art, Math, Geography, Biology, and careers in an aquarium.

Click here to download the FREE curriculum. Classical Conversations also put together its own 70+ page curriculum to go along with the movie, and it can be found at that link, too!
Click here to hear from the author of the curriculum (one of Apologia's amazing writers!).
Click here to visit the official movie website.
Click here to visit Clearwater Marine Aquarium and see Winter live!

After Mary and I completed the first lesson, we watched a YouTube video of Sea World's show Blue Horizons dolphin show. We were HOOKED! Then we watched the original Dolphin Tale that debuted in 2011. Oh, love, love, LOVE!
We've also been reading our Usborne Whales and Dolphins book and checking out the internet links (you just know I've got to throw my Usborne in here!). Sooo cool!

We are now all about dolphins! If I could go back and do it all again, I would totally become a dolphin trainer, I really would! What an amazing job!
We're wrapping up our dolphin study by taking a field trip to see Dolphin Tale 2 this Friday at our local movie theater!

We rarely go to a movie that's not at the 'dollar theater' (thank You, God, for dollar theaters!), but we want to show our support for this family-friendly movie, so we'll be there! If you can, please join us! Go ahead and watch this trailer - you'll be hooked, too!

Also, I'm giving away one Dolphin Tale 2 shirt and sunglasses! Woot!

The shirt is a beautiful blue, very soft, and mine was an Adult Small. I wish we could pick the sizes, but that is just waaaaay too complicated for a giveaway like this. So, if it won't fit you (yeah, I don't wear an Adult Small!), I bet your kiddo would love to wear it!

Disclosure time!

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Yep, I got a free shirt and sunglasses, and they're pretty awesome. And I'd love for YOU to win them, too! Enter below for your chance. The winner will be announced Friday, Sept. 19!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
So, now that we're ending our dolphin study, what are Mary and I going to do to keep discovering and learning together in addition to our memory work? The final frontier! What else would we start with in Rocket City, right?

Cuddle Bear Challenge!

2014-08-29T20:13:00.001-07:00

Call me cynical, it's okay, but I just never feel quite right about donating my money to a big organization for 'research.' I'm sure it's necessary, and I'm very glad people can do that, but I just don't. It feels like the money's just floating away in midair, never to be seen again, to pay for some... well, I don't know. And that's the issue - I don't know!
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month; I never knew there was such a thing, but I'm glad for it. As a mother of a child with cancer, it's like a little sticky note that says, "We have not forgotten you."
When Anna was first diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma Nevus Syndrome (Gorlin Syndrome), our support group sent her some fun happies in the mail. We all felt loved and thought-about. Just the fact that someone cared enough to send my child, whom they didn't even know, a little care package of cute toys just to make her smile, well, it was very moving. Very moving indeed.

(This is a picture of Anna just after opening her box of love from our support group a few years ago.)
I want to do that. I want to give a smile to a child, to a mom, to a family who has a tough road ahead. It's not easy, and every path is unique, but I want to give them that same smile that Anna has above.
So, what can I do? I'm just one mom (with limited funds!).
Meet Cuddle Bear.

Cuddle Bear is a super-sweet hardback picture book about everyone needing a friend (and a hug!). Usborne Books & More donates a portion of every sale of Cuddle Bear to the Scott Carter Foundation, which supports research to end childhood cancer. Great idea, I'm sure it's fabulous, but, like I said earlier, I just don't donate to huge foundations (although I'm glad people do, really). I just like to give to people.
So, here's what I've come up with...
I'm doing a Cuddle Bear drive for the month of September. Call it a challenge if it sounds more fun, but don't bother with the ice. Awesome, right?! Yeah, okay, but now what?
As you may already know, I work with Usborne Books & More, and they have a great program where they match donations by 50%. So, when you take the Cuddle Bear Challenge (it does sound more fun like that, let's go with it!) and donate $30 to buy the book and super-cute teddy bear, your hard-earned money stretches further. Who doesn't love that?! If you donate two sets, Usborne will donate one, too! If you donate four sets, Usborne will donate two, and so on!
At the end of the month, I'll take all of the Cuddle Bear sets to Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children to be handed out to little ones who need a smile - to kids who need a hug. And Cuddle Bear will be there to give them one.

Will you help make that happen?
Will you join me in taking the Cuddle Bear Challenge?
Our family is donating the first set. Please fill out the form below or message me on Facebook to send a hug to a family who needs it. Believe me, we do need it.
And if you're in my Usborne Book Barn VIP Club, be sure to check out our FB group for a very exciting opportunity!
(Sorry that the form is a little wider than the blog, but life is just too short to spend any more time trying to fix it! You know how it is, right?)
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Thank you! If you filled out the form, I'll be in touch soon to get your payment, so expect a call or email from me (check your Spam folder!). Since we're doing the matching funds program to give more sets (woot!), I have to put the order in a special way, which is why you can't just order it online.
I'll also be donating all of my commission from this Cuddle Bear Challenge. And to hype this up even more and get more Cuddle Bears into kids' hands, if you take the Cuddle Bear Challenge, I'll give you free shipping on your Usborne order this month! Please contact me to take advantage of this offer after you submit your form above.
Again, thank you so much for considering helping families who struggle with childhood cancer. It sucks. It really, really does. And anything to bring a smile to their faces is so worth it.
Let the Cuddle Bear Challenge begin!

Goal #1 - Accomplished!

2014-08-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

I want to say a big thank you to God, my husband, family, and friends, and my new Uzzie buddies for helping me realize my first goal with Usborne Books & More!
We're going to see The Mouse!
Our first family vacation will take place this January, and it's paid for!
And it may seem silly, but seeing this the other day on MY screen made me cry:

Yes, we have a reservation! Yes, my girls will be overjoyed when they see all their favorite princesses!

Yes!

I'm still in shock. Still amazed that it's happened in just four quick months as a consultant with Usborne! (Click here to read about my goal from the start of this adventure!) The money doesn't fall from trees; it's like any job - you have to work and train and go out there and give it your best. But to our family, it's worth it. I've built an INSANE library of amazing books for my girls, made a boatload of new friends, and paid for our first family vacation.

And I know I talk about Usborne a lot. I know. But, friends, it's just been such a blessing! It's hard not to share about something I've become so passionate about!

So, I'm sharing once again (shocker!).

If you're looking for something fun and flexible, something where you can be PROUD of the product and be rewarded for your efforts, something where you can stop and pick back up when 'life' happens, then I encourage you to take a look at Usborne Books and More.

This month, we have a great special on our new consultant kit:

Here's what's included:

There's a Mouse About the House (Classic!) - $10.99

See Inside Your Body - $14.99

Illustrated Dictionary of Math - $12.99

1000 Things That Go - $14.99

Illustrated Dictionary - $15.99

My First Word Book - $9.99

Secrets of the Apple Tree (SO fun; flashlight book!) - $12.99

Muddle and Match Adventure - $8.99

(we just passed the $100 mark...)

100 Paper Planes to Fold & Fly - $7.99

That's Not My Goat - $7.99

Ted and Friends (GREAT phonics collection!) - $19.99

Conspiracy 365 (young adult fiction) - $10.99

Special Forces (LOVE this one!) - $8.99

Baby's Very First Big Play Book - $22.99

Drawing, Doodling, & Coloring (AWESOME!) - $13.99

Wipe-Clean First Words - $7.99

(just passed the $200 mark...)

Jonathan James & the What If Monster - $6.99

The Last 13 (young adult fiction) - $10.99

100 Things for Little Children to do on a Trip (wipe-clean activity cards - SO great!) - $9.99

Dogs (non-fiction beginning reader book) - $4.99

Underpants for Ants (phonics book) - $6.99

Sticker Dolly Dressing Princesses - $8.99

Lots of Things to Spot at School - $8.99

And YOU can get them all this month for just $100!

For $100, you can give Usborne a try! There are no monthly minimums; sell, don't sell, it's YOUR business. However, I do encourage everyone to at least do a kick-off show with your new kit. When you do a kick-off, you are the consultant (get 25% commission) AND you're the hostess (get double-free books and other discounts up to 75% off)! So, why not?! The commission from an average party will pay for your kit, and you're left with bookoodles of FREE and discounted books! Kick-off parties are the bomb.com!
So, now that my first goal has been achieved, I'm moving onto my next:
Ireland!
Each year, Usborne has an amazing trip that consultants can earn. Everyone starts off on the same even ground (love that!), so anyone and everyone in the company, old and new, has a chance to earn a free trip! This year, we're going to Ireland! The contest started this past June and ends the last day of January...
(big news ahead...)
I'm over half-way to my free trip!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk!!
From my personal business page:

Am I saying to toot my own horn -
nope.
I'm showing you this because four months ago I never DREAMED that we would be going to Disney World. I never DREAMED that I could be going to Ireland for free! I'm not a dreamer anymore - I'm a realist. Going through what I do with Anna has (what's the right word??) leveled me out a bit. Did you ever read the Anne of Green Gables series? I LOVE those books! Well, if you remember, in the first couple of books, Anne is so bubbly and lively and over-the-top. Then tragedy strikes with her first child and it... levels her out. And I don't even know if that's the right word or phrase... maybe 'matured,' is correct. I don't know. She's just more even-stephen and cautious with her dreaming I guess. Well, that's exactly how I've changed with Anna's diagnosis. It's just a heavy-hearted thing to deal with (as I'm sure many of you have your own heavy-hearted issues and concerns as well), so my dreaming has taken a back seat.
Well ... today I dreamed again.
Today, after we got our commission report for July and realized Disney was now paid for, I hopped up on the kitchen counter next to my sweet husband (who was doing the dishes - makes him even sweeter!), and said, "What do you think?! Let's go to Ireland!"
And we talked about passports and childcare and got on the computer and looked at pictures of old Irish castles. It was surreal!
We're dreaming again.
And it feels good.
Really good.
And I want to give all the glory to God. He is the one doing this and leading us places. We have just prayed and prayed through this. He has led us to Usborne. And I just want to say that if you feel Him leading you to try something new to bless your family, I'd love to welcome you to the team. Click here to start your new adventure!
And if you're like me, maybe it's time to let yourself dream again.
It's feelin' pretty good!

Beginning of the Year Tutor Pep-Talk

2014-08-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

The tutors in our Classical Conversations community recently got together to share first-semester plans. It was a very fun and productive evening, but I kept thinking about one thing -
boy, have I mellowed out!
Wowzah!
My weekly plans for last year were soooo detailed; they were even typed up! This year, life has changed for us, so my energy is not focused on CC right now.
(did I really just say that?!)
Still friends?
I mean, we're doing CC, I love CC, but it's not my life. And I feel at one time that it was.
So...
My tutor plans for this year are actually (and ironically) more 'stick-in-the-sand' then they were last year. Ha!
Take a look!
(click the picture to enlarge)

Since I'll be tutoring 4-6 year-olds, I want them to be moving as much as possible. Stand up for one part, sit down for the next, stand up, sit down, etc (that's what's highlighted). The songs are the ones on the Memory Work Audio CD, but I plan on singing them without my phone or iPad. I will still use puppets to help with Latin (this was a class favorite last year - click here to see more), and then I listed on the bottom of the page the hand motions documents that I'll use from CC Connected (C3), and I'll use these motions ALL year.
Click here to download your own weekly planning guide. I think I first got this from my tutor trainer Sarah Minnon a couple of years ago, and I love it!
That's my Week 1 for Cycle 3! And guess what? My week 2 is almost identical, and so is my Week 3. I'm going to keep it simple this year. Bells and whistles do not make a great class. They make a stressed-out tutor who tries to outdo herself week after week (and the only person I'm callin' out here is myself - this was me last year, and not on purpose, either; it just sorta happened).
Tutors, as you're getting ready to start a new year soon, let me tell you a secret:
your kids will like your class if they like YOU.
Are you likable? Will you welcome your kids to class each week with a big smile and let them know that you're glad to see them? I was honored to be a Foundations Tutor Trainer this year (more about that here), and getting this particular point across was a big deal to me personally (until I got the stomach virus of death and missed the last day). Tutors, it's not about us. And I know you know that, but just take a second and really tell yourself that. It's not about the duct tape on your portable white board. It's not about the coolest review games. It's about the kids and their families. It's about relationship and community. It's about God working through our weaknesses. Be prepared, certainly, but don't try to do it all in your own strength.
Love on your families this year. Pray for them. Be there each week with a smile and a word of encouragement. In short, be a blessing, friend. :)
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:1-5 (emphasis mine)
Have a wonderful first day, friends! Enjoy every minute because, as you know, it passes by so quickly.
Find the blessings, and pray to be one, too.

Cycle 3 History Cards

2014-07-13T11:38:00.002-07:00

They're ready!
History cards for Weeks 1-12 are available to download at CC Connected! There are different ways to use the cards, but I like to cut out and laminate them, and then scramble them up for my big girl to unscramble as she says the sentence. Great for review!

Here's a picture of a young Memory Master using the cards last year for review. He rocked it; I'm SO proud of Jacob!
I plan on using the winter break to make the cards for the second semester. Life has just been happening all over the place lately, so I only had time to do first semester's cards right now.
You can find them under username: melodystroud, uploaded on 7/12/14.
Enjoy!

My Interview with Jim Weiss!

2014-07-05T13:01:00.003-07:00

sort of.
A little while ago, I received an email from Jim's wife, asking if I would be interested in talking a little bit about Jim's recordings on my blog. She would send me some free CDs to listen to, and if I liked them, I would write about them. Standard blog review. No biggie.
But, this wasn't 'standard.' This was JIM WEISS!
This was the man with the golden voice who guides my sweet girls into Sleepytown each night with his stories of Greek myths and Shakespeare. We've been listening to Jim Weiss for years! Click here to read one of my first blog posts, which happens to be about Jim Weiss!
So, I said no thanks, I already know who he is, and I certainly don't need any of his CDs, especially for free.
NOT!
You better believe that I emailed his wife, Randy, back as fast as I could and said YES! I did, however, ask for an interview. I wanted to talk with Jim Weiss! Well, honestly, I was too scared to actually ask to talk with him over the phone (because, he's like homeschool royalty, and the thought of actually speaking with him made me have a panic attack!), so I asked for an email interview. They were happy to oblige, because, well, it's Jim Weiss. Can you even imagine him being anything but accommodating and pleasant and comforting? Yeah, me neither.
I asked for questions from you on one of the Classical Conversations Facebook pages, and y'all came up with some great ones! I added a few, too, and emailed them to his personal email address! Chills!
Without further adieu, here is my interview with (eeek! still can't believe it!) Mr. Jim Weiss:

(He really is as nice as he sounds!)
AHWG (that's me): Many Classical Conversations families like mine listen to Story of the World. How long does it take to record an entire book? Did you do it chapter by chapter?

Jim: When I record a full-length book, I begin by reading it and making notes regarding pronunciation, how to deliver certain lines (“he said angrily” calls for an angry tone.) I will often record for three to four hours. When I start to feel a bit of fatigue, or hear fatigue in my voice (even if the listeners wouldn’t detect it,) I stop recording and move to editing. So I read multiple chapters at a time.

AHWG: Which was your personal favorite SOTW book to record? Which did you learn the most from?

Jim: I learned new information in all four volumes of SOTW, especially regarding African and Asian history. Although I already knew a good deal on my own, there were a few individuals, and even empires, about whom I knew very little. So reading Susan’s books added to my own education. Conversely, there were a few times when I called Susan to question a fact. If I proved to be correct, we talked over what I would say, and she would use that wording in her next print edition. Even with a deservedly renowned historian such as Susan, another historian serves as a useful back-up.

AHWG: I have two young daughters, ages 4 and 6, and we're also an American Heritage Girl family. I was thrilled to purchase your AHG stories this year! How did you get involved with American Heritage Girls?

(This is Mary's most-requested bedtime CD!)

Jim: Some AHG families were Jim Weiss fans, and they told us about the organization. We contacted AHG, and the upshot was a special project on which I told the story of AHG’s founding, followed by the stories of the historical figures with which the different levels for AHG girls are connected.

AHWG: Do you write some of the stories (or versions) yourself? What is that process like?

Jim: Most of the recordings I have done over the last 25 years have been in my own words – though I’ve recorded about 30 books right off the printed page. In general, though, I’m reading from my own script. I used no script for the first dozen or fifteen Greathall Productions recordings, however; I just sat in front of the mic and told the stories a few times until I liked what I heard. When I perform in concert, I follow no script, even if I used one in recording the story, so that each performance is a little different. It keeps the material fresh for me, and I think listeners can feel that difference. When I write a script for a recording, it may take only a few days, or it may take twenty versions, and in a few cases, I worked off-and-on for several years trying to find the right approach to the story.

AHWG: What was the longest you've worked on a recording? Which one was it? What's the average time it takes to record a CD from start to finish?

Jim: I just finished a collection of stories in less than a week. On the other hand, it took four attempts over four years to find the right way into the stories on “Galileo and the Stargazers.” But that’s unusual. Recording a book, using the author’s unabridged text, may take a month in the studio, as I record, edit and master the recordings myself.

AHWG: Can you tell us a little about your studio and the recording process?

Jim: You can see photo’s of the studio at http://www.greathall.com/photoalbum/studio.html. It’s across the driveway from our house in Virginia, with a view into the woods. There is a recording booth, a room with lots of bookshelves in which I write, a powder room and a small kitchen. We designed the booth for spoken word, rather than for multiple speakers/singers/musicians, and it works perfectly for what I do there.

AHWG: We have every Greek mythology CD; it's one of my oldest daughter's favorite subjects. Which is your favorite Greek myth to tell?

Jim: I, too, love Greek mythology, which explains why I have three recordings so far. As for favorites, I frequently tell Hercules stories in “live” shows. Perseus and Medusa, which was about 20 minutes long when I recorded it in 1989, has grown into an hour-long live presentation with many levels that all connect in the end. My other favorite, and one of my three or four favorite stories in the world, is the story of Theseus, which is not only a great adventure but is also a teaching tale. I have spent decades exploring that one, and I don’t expect I’ll ever be done with it.

(one of Mary's favorites!)

AHWG: How did you get into story telling? Who inspired you when you young? Did you want to be a story teller when you were growing up?

Jim: My father told us stories from literature and history when I was a boy. My mother read aloud to us. My grandfather had a repertoire of half a dozen stories we knew so well that we grandkids would chime in on certain phrases. They all inspired me.

AHWG: Do you have any advice or suggestions for young adults interested in becoming story tellers?

Jim: Read, read, read! Listen to (and sometimes watch) other people whose style and content resonate with you, and try to figure out what it is that you like. Then try it yourself. If you do this correctly, you will not come out as a clone of someone else; instead, you will incorporate certain element into your own style.

AHWG: What is your personal, absolute favorite, not-to-miss CD recording or story?

Jim: My wife, Randy, thinks that any Jim Weiss/Greathall collection must include “Animal Tales” and “Galileo and the Stargazers,” and I never argue with my wife.

AHWG: What story have you always wanted to tell but haven't yet?

Jim: There are MANY I haven’t yet told, and I hope to get to as many as I can. The order in which I record them depends on when the characters “tell” me that they are ready to be heard.

AHWG: Can you give us the inside scoop on upcoming recordings?

Jim: There will be at least two (maybe more) recordings coming in autumn, 2014. One is a collection of wonderful stories for young listeners. The other(s) will be history recordings. We are still confirming what the subject might be.

AHWG: What's the funniest thing that's ever happened during a recording? (or something unexpected)

Jim: I have cracked myself up on more than one occasion when I improvise a funny phrase. When I recorded “King Arthur,” I did not have a long enough clip of crackling fire sounds, and as this was before digital recording, we ran tape loops over the furniture over and over in the studio while recording onto another player.

AHWG: What's one thing you'd like my readers to know about Greathall Productions?

Jim: Every Greathall recording is built on classic literature or history, and every recording has an ethical underpinning or we just don’t do it. I have turned down materials from a few top authors because my wife and I felt that the books crossed one or another line, because our listeners count on our choosing material appropriately.

AHWG: Finally, to what do you attribute your success?

Jim: Everybody loves a good story. Stories are the vehicle by which we learn the fundamental wisdom of our civilization and our families, and a powerful way to learn how people think and feel so that we can better interact with one another. Ad for my own success, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, using the gift(s) I was given, for my family’s pleasure, but also to bring good stories and good teachings into the world for millions of people around the world. We feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

Isn't he awesome?!
We really do LOVE Jim's recordings and have been listening to Greathall's stories for years! They have a bunch of American History CDs and mp3s available now, just in time for CC's Cycle 3! Click here to check those out!

And lots more!
And if you're looking for something in particular, click here to check out their curriculum guide by subject, including G.A. Henty titles. Nice!
I'd like to thank Jim and Randy Weiss for being so kind and talking with me. Jim is just incredibly humble and gracious, and I'm still just star-struck that Jim Weiss actually talked to me!
While I've gotcha here, let me just give a shameless plug to my other blog, Usborne Book Barn!

In one of my latest posts, I share how you can score 23 Usborne books (the Cadillac of books!) for about $3 each! Click here to check it!
And finally, in other news, my sweet Anna is having her first major operation this Tuesday. Her right kidney has been having issues for a while now, so the doctors are going to try to save it by removing her ureter and reattaching it to her bladder (I think). Please pray for us, and I'll keep you updated! Thank you so much!

This is Anna with her helper, Lauren, at her dance recital last month. They sang 'Let It Go' together as a special solo during the recital!

Yep, adorable, memorable, and not a dry eye in the house.

Mommy and Anna after the show (tears and all). Lauren gave Anna her very own (and very big!) Olaf! Thanks, girl!
I hope you all had a fantastic Independence Day, and I'll try not to stay away too long this time. ;) You can always find me on Facebook here and at my other blog's fb page.
Toodles!

Usborne History Match-Up for ALL CC Cycles!

2014-06-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Encyclopedia... what images come to mind when you see that word?
For me, it's a dry, boring book with pages and pages of text of itty-bitty font.
Gag.
So, I think some people may thing that the Usborne Encyclopedia of World History looks like this on the inside:

Gives me the shivers!
Instead, this is what the Usborne Encyclopedia of World History really looks like:
(click pictures to enlarge)

Isn't that inviting and engaging!
Great double-page spreads, vibrant illustrations, maps, charts, PLUS it's internet linked! Which means, if your child wants to dig deeper, he can simply go to the master site, Usborne-Quicklinks.com, type in the book, select the page number, and viola! A list of recommended sites appears offering more details, downloadable pictures, activities, videos, puzzles, etc. And these sites are carefully selected and screened, so you can be sure they're SAFE for our kids - I know I don't want Mary just hopping on a search engine!

It's geared to ages 8 and up, and it's jam-packed with information that homeschool mamas like me dream of! Check out the table of contents:
(click to enlarge)

So, because we're going to be using this book throughout the year, for many years, I made a match-up for ALL the cycles Classical Conversations (with History and Geography memory work)! Click here or the image below to download your free copy!

This book does begin with a section on the prehistoric world and includes Big Bang and evolution:

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this part, but we just skip over it. Actually in Cycle 3 of CC, the last four week of Science memory work are about different theories of how life began. I do think it's important to guide my children through these false beliefs, so the inclusion of Big Bang and evolution aren't deal-breakers for me. We just skip that first section and begin with the Fertile Crescent and Sumer. However, I do want you to have all the facts, which is why I shared some pictures of the prehistoric part above.

So, aside from that first part, this book is awesome! One of my friends ordered it for her son who's 11 and a half, and he reads it in his free time! An encyclopedia!

As you know, I'm an Usborne consultant, so I do sell this book. I'd love for you to support my new business by clicking here to purchase your own copy.

I started selling Usborne books in April because I wanted to have them ALL without breaking the bank! And, because we want a family vacation.
We need a family vacation.
My little girl needs to meet Cinderella and Rapunzel.
I know what you're thinking, that all she really needs is her mama, and love, and comfort, and yes, yes, I know that. But she goes through so much; Anna also needs to meet The Mouse.

Here she is in mid-smooch. Ahhhhdorable!
I could go on and on about Anna, but this post is supposed to be about an encyclopedia match-up. I need to do an Anna update soon.
We actually just returned from Memphis yesterday where Anna had 90 more basal cell carcinomas (skin cancers) removed. Happy smiles before the laser...

And morphined-up after.

Love that the hospital gives kids Icees! Seems a little strange to me, but I liked it nonetheless.

It looks bad, but her skin heals really quickly; she's even back at school today having a blast with her buddies. It's still a hard road, thinking about all that's ahead. But, we have a big God, a God big enough to handle my fears, worries, doubts, and to just take me by the hand. I honestly can't imagine going through this, or anything really, without my God by my side. Thank you, Lord, thank You, thank You, thank You.
And, if any of you are prayer warriors, I'd appreciate it if you'd lift us up in prayer next week. Anna's right kidney has been having problems for a while now. It's either severely obstructed or it's dying and becoming non-functioning. Her left one is doing 76 % of the work, and right one is starting to lose tissue. We go on Monday for another test, and we'll get the results on Wednesday. The doctors are trying to save her right kidney, so please pray for wisdom and guidance for them, and peace for us.
Anyway, thanks for letting me share about my sweet Anna. Now, go get your Match-Up! ;) Oh, and if you missed the Science Match-Up, you can get that by clicking here.
This post is linked-up with Sola Gratia Mom's Link-Up #21 and Living & Learning at Home's Trivium Tuesdays. These ladies are amazing, and I invite you to check out their awesome blogs if you haven't already.