The End is Near!!

We have a few last minute things to finish up for the school year, mainly TOS Reviews. But I think everyone is nearly finished! (Hallelujah choir in the background!)

I can't say it's been a perfect year. There have been some great moments, some awesome curriculum, and some fun field trips. But there's also been struggle, tears, frustrations and setbacks. Homeschooling high school can (and will) be done, but don't let anyone tell you this path is easy. Connor has come so far, and he has worked hard. Co-op presented some amazing experiences and growth, but it also brought some disagreements on teaching and essentials we believe need to be covered, as well as some we found completely irrelevant. But that is the beauty of homeschooling. We learn at our pace, and we find what works for each child individually. He has to finish up his work on his Constitution final here at home, then he will be on summer break - a well deserved and hard earned break!  I got his transcript typed out using Homeschool Planner (see my review on that here), and it's ready to print as soon as he's done. I can't believe in just a few months, he will be a sophomore with his learner's permit...

Chloe has strived for excellence, as usual, and has achieved nearly every goal she set for herself this school year. She is so much like me - flaws and all. She is an overachiever, she is competitive, she is her own harshest critic, and she is completely emotional over everything all the time! She has about two weeks left of pre-algebra work left and she will be done. Having completed nearly all 8th grade level work this year, she could be considered a freshman next school term. However, while she will start on some high school classes, I won't declare her to be a 9th grader - which she is very upset about! ;)

Canon and Caleb have done so well this school year, too. They had some crazy weeks of mama switching things up, new curriculum to review, and still getting everything for co-op done. Then with me finding out I was pregnant, there were many days they were completely on their own. I am so glad that they both have a strong work ethic and kept up with everything when I asked them to. Their summer break is well deserved, and I'm so proud of them both.

Now to start thinking about next school year....nah, that can wait a few weeks. Mama needs a break, too! :)

A TOS Review: The Pencil Grip, Co.

Are you one of those moms who love arts and crafts? Glitter, glue sticks, and play dough makes your creative juices flow? Well, if you are...we probably can't be friends! I don't love craft time - in fact, I avoid it whenever possible! I know this is an area I am sorely lacking in for my kids, but I feel like they get great exposure to these things at church, Co op, and my mother in law's house! I am not the greatest housekeeper, and I hate the idea of extra messes! So when the Review Crew wanted me to test out a new painting system from The Pencil Grip, Inc., I was very hesitant. But I knew the kids would love it...so I decided to give it a go. The company sent me a 12-pack of their new product, Kwik Stix.

Kwik Stix are sticks of solid tempera paint. They are all the fun of painting with very little mess. When we opened the box, I was actually a little surprised. They looked just like glue sticks! I didn't know what to expect, but this was not it. Even though I knew it was "solid", I didn't have a clear understanding of what it would possibly be. When I think of tempera paint, I think of thick, gloppy, gooey blobs of brightly colored mess. This was a very pleasant surprise! The paint is literally the consistency of a glue stick. The stick even has a turn knob at the bottom, just like a glue stick, so you control how much paint is being used at a time.
Castle loves to finger paint! But as I've already stated, I can't stand it. When I pulled the Kwik Stix out of the box and asked him if he wanted to paint, he gave me a look like I was crazy. "You mean color?" "Nope! This is paint!" Another look from my 3 year old that he really shouldn't be able to give yet.
But when we sat down and I showed him what they did, he got so excited. I drew a few things, and he joined right in. His little hands had no trouble handling the sticks, and he had great control over what he was creating. 

  

Before I knew it, Caleb had wandered over to see what we were doing.  He grabbed a piece of paper and joined us. A few minutes later, I looked up, and Chloe was painting, too! Needless to say, kids of all ages love this product. (Even my 17 year old niece saw them this weekend and was super excited to use them!!)

The kids had a great time using the Kwik Stix. We've had them out a few times now, and they've made some great paintings. I've been very happy with the fact that they are little to no mess as well as how fast they dry. It says on the package 90 seconds, but it has actually been barely 30 seconds and they are dry. 

So if you are a mom who finds herself saying no to the kids when they ask to do an art project, you may find yourself saying yes to Kwik Stix!

You can purchase Kwik Stix through The Pencil Grip, Inc.'s website, or you can find them on Amazon.

To keep up with the company and new products, follow them on these social media sites:

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The company also sent us a sample of their original product, their classic pencil grip. It makes hours of copywork much less tiresome for little ones. Plus, it encourages them to hold their pencil correctly. I am looking forward to trying out their many other grips in the future.

To see what other crew members' families thought of the product, follow the link here:

A TOS Review: YWAM Publishing

History comes alive with books about people. YWAM Publishing authors do this amazingly well. We were glad to review the book Heroes of History-Ronald Reagan from the Heroes of History series and the adjoining Study Guide.


Ronald Reagan is unquestioningly one of the greatest presidents of the 20th century. His life story is one of overcoming challenges and rising to the top with hard work and integrity. He still is considered one of the most influential men in America.

The story begins with a look at his childhood. Ronald "Dutch" Reagan's family moved a lot, but he mostly grew up in small towns in Illinois. His father Jack was a shoe salesman who struggled with alcoholism through Ronald's entire life, causing much heartache for the entire family. His mother Nelle was a strong Christian woman who strived to put others' needs before her own, and to teach her boys to do the same. Her giving spirit made her beloved to all who knew her. Dutch also had an older brother named Neil, who he was admittedly not very close to.

As he grew, Dutch became very interested in sports - particularly football and swimming. He also loved theater. Some of his greatest childhood memories were going to see silent cowboy movies every Saturday. In college, he found a new passion: politics. All of these interests and pursuits helped him to become a great radio announcer, then actor, then public speaker, then politician. Through it all, he kept a steadfast faith in God that his mother shared with him from a very young age.

YWAM also sent us their digital study guide with comprehension questions, projects, and essay assignments. We enjoyed reading this book together as a family and discussing the questions. The older kids were very interested in all the events in history through Reagan's lifetime like the Depression, WWII, post-war Communism suspicion, and the Vietnam War, and how they affected him personally. His past as a Hollywood actor intrigued them, as well, and made them consider who we admire in Hollywood today that we would like to see make a move to politics. There were many varied answers to that question!

Some of the activities included putting together a time line of important historical events during Reagan's life. It sparked a lot of conversations and rabbit trails about different topics, including what major historical events I have seen in my lifetime and what ones have occurred in theirs. I don't think this generation even comes close to the major changes that the greatest generation overcame.

There were also some very interesting projects to do in the study guide. One suggestion was making a crystal radio, which we have not done yet. But we have looked at kits online and will probably do this soon!

Studying Ronald Reagan so quickly after the loss of First Lady Nancy Reagan made this book truly reach my kids. They wanted to know more about them both when they saw how much I mourned her passing. Two great people who had a profound effect on our nation. I am grateful for the opportunity to tell their stories to my children.

The books from YWAM Publishing are very well written. They are not just a dry biography with facts and figures. There is dialogue, personal introspection, and exciting detail that draws the reader in. I love reading aloud to the family, especially books from YWAM.

To keep up with YWAM on social media, follow these links:

• Website
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To hear more about other books from YWAM, check out my fellow bloggers' reviews!