Book Review and Giveaway! ~ Treasury of Bible Stories : Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times

We have been very blessed to review this sweet Bible story book called Treasury of Bible Stories : Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times by Kelly Pulley. This hardback book was written for ages 4-8  with 352 pages is in full color. The illustrations are adorable, they were drawn by Kelly Pulley also. He has illustrated several other books including many from the Beginner Bible series.

What makes this book different from other Bible story books? Every story is written in rhyme, so my poetry loving little girls really enjoyed hearing the stories over and over again. It has found a permanent place on my bedside table with their other favorite bedtime books.

Each story can be read in just a few minutes, so if its an especially sleepy night you can get through a story quickly and then send them off to bed. Some nights we enjoyed more than one.


Some of the rhymes are so catchy I have heard the girls singing them. They like to make songs out of everything they hear. I have caught them just looking through the pictures on their own, they love all the cute little details, especially the animals. My 8 year old can read most of the words on her own, but she gets frustrated easily reading aloud and still prefers me to read it to her. She will read to my 5 year old though, she doesnt correct her because she doesnt know the difference yet.

You can purchase Treasury of Bible Stories : Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times at Christianbook.com on sale for $14.99, it is regularly $19.99. I get to give away one of these cute books to one of my readers, scroll down to enter below!

Watch this little preview to get a better look at the book!





Enter to win a copy of Treasury of Bible Stories : Rhythmical Rhymes of Biblical Times by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this post via email you will need to click here to go to the actual blog to enter. Thank you for entering!!


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Review ~ Heirloom Audio Productions - Under Drake's Flag

Do you and your family enjoy listening to audiobooks? My kids and I love them, especially on long car trips. I want to share with you a treasure we were blessed to review from Heirloom Audio Productions. It is intended for ages 6 and up, but my 5 year old sat and listened to it as well as the others.  

 They have brought the classic book, Under Drake's Flag  by G.A. Henty to life, complete with music, sound effects, and talented voices.  This is no ordinary audiobook, this is audio theater, and there is a difference! You can listen to the story summary by clicking here and get a taste of how well done this CD is.

If you have ever read a G.A. Henty book then you already know how interesting and well written his stories are. They are full of adventure, good moral character and Christian values. 

This 2 CD set sells for $29.95 and includes 2 full hours of listening pleasure plus a 14 page study guide booklet. You will also receive a downloadable PDF study guide that goes much more in depth than the booklet. 



Under Drake's Flag takes place in the 1500's when Sir Francis Drake was exploring the world by sea. He became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. A young boy named Ned gets the chance of a lifetime to join the ship's crew.

The story tells of Ned's adventures while traveling on and off the ship. The Spanish inquisition is going on during this time and he also faces the possibility of losing his life for his faith.  They go through some very hard and trying times, yet the hand of God providing and caring for Ned can be witnessed throughout the story. The main point of the story I believe is overcoming your fears through faith in God.


How Did We Use Under Drake's Flag?


The day our set came in the mail I couldn't wait to start listening in. It is a 30 minute drive to our church so I saved it for then. In the meantime I read through the study guide. Included are vocabulary words that I knew would help the kids and me to understand the story better, so we looked those up.

For example, Ned's father was a sailor and lost his life at sea, so Ned's mother was fearful of letting her son go. She does allow him to go however, but before he leaves she gives him the gift of a baselard dagger that belonged to his father.

This was the first time we had ever heard of such a thing, so having words to look up beforehand was very helpful. We were able to imagine more clearly the things being told about in the story.

The study guide also includes questions to discuss for each chapter along with the defining words. The Listening Well section has questions to determine how well your child was listening to the story. The Thinking Further questions focus more on getting your child's opinion about things happening in the story.

I decided not to use these after every chapter, but we did discuss them after hearing the whole story through. There is also a Bible Study section at the end with scripture references to enhance the values this story teaches.



What Did We Think of Under Drake's Flag?


All of us loved the story, but my 11 year old son loved it the most of all. He couldn't wait to share it with his best friend! He is an artist and often draws the things he sees or hears. His artwork revealed how well he saw this story in his mind's eye. (I wish he would let me share with you!)

One night while driving home from church a part of the story was playing where the ship is traveling through a hurricane. There was also a thunderstorm going on that night. The combination of the sounds from the CD and the flashing lights in the sky made the story really come to life for us! My son still talks about that night and how cool is was that God had it happen that way.

We are taking a trip to the beach soon and the kids requested to pack these CD's first! I really hope there are more audio dramas from Heirloom Audio Productions coming in the future!


I highly recommend Under Drake's Flag for its high quality and for the story itself!


Connect with this company via.....

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/UnderDrakesFlag

Movie Review and Giveaway ~ Holy Ghost Movie

Do you like documentaries that make you think? Do you like hearing the stories of those who have found Jesus, been healed, or done things that only God could have made possible?

Holy Ghost is a film that was put together without a script, without a plan, they simply went where they felt the Holy Spirit leading them. The result is pretty awesome in my opinion!

They meet people on the street and pray for them, pray for healing from the Holy Spirit. They go to a heavy metal concert where the band members tell the story of giving their heart to Jesus. They go out into the crowds waiting to go in and witness to them, pray with them, and share the love of Christ with an atheist. They tell about how they overcame drug and alcohol addictions. It is truly inspiring!

This part of the movie was the most moving for me because as a teen I used to listen to that type of music and dipped my toes into that dangerous lifestyle. I knew who these guys were from way back when. Hearing them testify and share the gospel with their fans made me cry tears of joy! God can use anyone! The life turnaround these guys have made because of Jesus Christ gives me hope!!





The Holy Spirit is alive and this film was made to glorify and give Him honor, to show the world He is really there if they only believe! I think you will be inspired by some part of it as well.

 The movie features big names such as Lenny Kravitz, Brian “Head” Welch, Bill Johnson, Michael W. Smith, Todd White, Meredith Andrews, DeVon Franklin, William P. Young, Phil Vischer, and many more!

This is a family friendly movie, my kids from ages 5 to 17 watched the whole thing with me. The only thing the film shows that I had to explain was why some of the people in the crowd at the concert were displaying their middle fingers. My kids know it is a rude gesture, but where we live they have never seen anyone do that. I take every opportunity I can to let me kids know we shouldn't judge others for what they do, but we also shouldn't repeat what they do. Instead we pray for them.

You can see this film for FREE on September 6th by clicking the link on this page. The DVD will release on September 16th.


One of my readers will be picked to receive Holy Ghost on DVD! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this post via email, CLICK HERE to enter on the blog page.



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"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.”

Review ~ Happy Kids Songs

Happy Kids Songs were written to help kids deal with various social and emotional situations in their lives, and to encourage character traits like sharing, manners, and being a good friend.

For this review we received a download of three different volumes.....

Set 1 ~ Friends and Sharing
Set 5 ~ Happiness and Attitude
Set 6 ~ Manners and Character

Pricing is $4.95 per album or .99 cents per song.

We also received the 125 page Happy Kids Songs Workbook ~ Hands on Activities to Build Character, Social, and Emotional Skills. ($12.56)

Downloading these songs was a bit challenging for me because I rarely download music and I just didn't know what I was doing on my new computer I suppose. I got some help though and was able to get them downloaded to my computer finally. The website says you can burn them to a CD, but even with help I was never able to do that, so we just listened from the computer. I'm pretty sure this was really more of a problem with me, because other reviewers reported being able to burn them just fine.

I let the kids just listen to the songs and see what they thought of them. I also gave them the workbook, which has pages to go along with each song.

The songs were written for ages 3 to 8, and two of my girls fall into this range at ages 5 and 8. The older kids listened at first but quickly left the room due to lack of interest. The little girls listened, but did not really get into the songs like I thought they might. They picked up a few of the catchy lines, and we had many nice discussions about the character traits they were trying to teach about in the songs.

The little girls colored in the workbook a bit, but a lot of the activities required them to be able to read well, so without my help they just skipped those. I felt like some of the activities were a little too difficult to complete for their age range, so we just used the parts they wanted to do and left the rest. I feel like it would be better suited for use in a classroom setting.





The songs in Happiness and Attitude were about being happy and having a good attitude towards others. Positive thinking is encouraged as well.







Friends and Sharing was about being a good friend and the different ways you can do that. Of course sharing is one of the topics, and including others in your play not excluding them.





Manners and Character had the most interesting songs for them. We talk about character a lot in our homeschool and bible studies. These songs are not Christian, they are secular, but you can always add this in yourself and use the songs as a starting point for a discussion or lesson.

Manners are always a good thing to work on, even for adults!



All in all this product was not really a good fit for us at this time. A few years ago I think the kids may have enjoyed listening to the songs a lot more, but now they are very musically opinionated and found these songs to be better suited for younger kids. I will say that they were recorded well and sound very professional, but I have to agree with them that preschoolers would get much more enjoyment from the songs than older kids would. You know your kids best, so have them listen to the samples from the website before you decide if Happy Kids Songs would be right for them.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happykidssongs

Twitter: @howsyourfam

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/4DrMacMusic

Movie Review and Giveaway! ~ The Boxcar Children

One of the very first chapter books I read as a girl was The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I was taken back in time when my 9 year old daughter discovered this book last year and read it all by herself. When I learned it had been made into an animated movie I couldn't wait to share it with all of my kids.  

When four children lose their parents they are afraid to go live with their grandfather because of assumptions they have that he is a mean man. So they go off on their own, and eventually find an old boxcar that they make into their home. The oldest brother finds work with a local doctor and things seem to be going pretty well until their little sister gets sick. They go to the doctor for help even though they are afraid of being found.

I wont spoil the ending for you in case you haven't heard the story before, but it is a wonderful ending for everyone! The kids stick together throughout the story and love each other with such patience and kindness. They are brave as they face difficulties and work together to solve problems. It is a timeless story of perseverance and the value of family.



As I expected the kids loved the movie. Although my daughter and I still agree the book is better, we think they did a pretty good job of telling the story.

It made for a perfect Family Night movie for us. It is rated G and is a movie I am very comfortable with my kids watching over and over on their own.

We had some great discussions after this movie! Of course we talked about why it is never a good idea to run away. I explained that back when this story was written the world was a different place, this story could have happened back then, in fact there were many homeless children. I assured them that if something ever happened to us they would be well cared for. We also discussed how it would be fun to "play house" for a little while, but bad things can happen to kids out on their own.

You can pre-order The Boxcar Children on DVD right now, or...

Would you like to WIN a copy of The Boxcar Children for your family? I get to give one away! Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below.....

(If you are reading this post via email click on THIS LINK to go to the actual blog page to enter.)

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"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.”

Review and Giveaway ~ Ragamuffin ~ Life of Rich Mullins

Do you know who Rich Mullins was? Are you familiar with his music? I did not recognize his name when I first heard of this film, but I am very familiar with his songs. Especially this one.....

Our God is an awesome God,

 He reigns from Heaven above,

 with wisdom, power, and love,

 our God is an awesome God!

Yeah, you know that one right? I bet you know more of them too. That song was on his 3rd album and made him famous, but that isn't what Rich ever intended to do. Rich simply wanted to share the truth about God's love, but inside he struggled to believe that God loved him.

This was a powerfully moving film to watch. So much so that I just had to watch it again. If you believe that the "church" is filled with hypocrites who try to look holy but aren't showing the love that Christ came to show us, this film will inspire you to action.

Rich could have had an incredible music career, could have been a millionaire, but if he was he never knew it. He asked his accountant to only give him what the average American lives on, the rest was given to where it was needed. He gave up stardom to serve God on a Navaho reservation where the children captured his heart.

This film is rated Faith Based with caution, because Rich struggled with drinking and depression. He was real about it, about how he struggled even though others tend to see people like musicians and actors as "having the ideal life". He blew that notion right out of the water and used his weakness to help others.

He considered himself a "Ragamuffin" after hearing an elderly preacher talk about what a ragamuffin is. This man helped Rich finally see that he was indeed loved by God, that we ALL are, just as we are.

I let my whole family watch this with me, even my younger kids. There is no foul language but there were scenes with Rich drinking alcohol, and being drunk. I felt like this was ok because we all know people in real life who struggle with something, be it alcohol, drugs, smoking, etc. I want them to know it is OK to show love to these people, because God loves them just as much as anyone else. We had some quite interesting discussions following this film.

If you know someone who needs to see this movie to be lifted up and inspired, maybe even yourself, I encourage you to buy it and share it with them!

You can purchase it online at http://ragamuffinthemovie.com/buy/ or download it through itunes or Amazon.

I also get to give away a copy to one of my readers! Watch the trailer below then enter to win on the rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this in email click over to my blog to enter the giveaway.






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"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.”

Movie Review and Giveaway! ~ Unstoppable

Unstoppable is the newest film from Kirk Cameron. It was inspired by the loss of a close friend who died at the age of 15 after a long battle with cancer. He and his wife have been serving in camps for children with cancer for over 20 years, and have seen many lose this battle. How do you answer the inevitable questions that come up when bad things happen? Where is God in the midst of tragedy and suffering? Why does God allow these things to happen when He could stop it?

Kirk does an awesome job of explaining that God is indeed right there through it all. He starts at the beginning of the bible, with Creation, and explains how it was never God's plan for us to suffer at all, He created a perfect world for us. When sin entered the world however, all of that changed. But God has never left us alone, all along He had a plan to fix what had been broken.

The visual depictions of happenings from the bible were very good in this film. Along with music, they give us a glimpse of not just what those moments looked like, but what they felt like. I could feel the devil laughing as Eve ate the fruit, I could feel the wrath of Cain as he killed his brother Abel. I also felt the sadness as the family of the young boy who passed buried him. I bet you cant watch this without shedding a few tears.



Kirk explains so well just why God's love is unstoppable. I have a renewed faith and hope after watching this film. I am passing along my copy to our youth leader in hopes he will show this to the teens. I could have used this kind of understanding and hope when my grandparents were killed when I was 17. I know this will touch the lives of many others out there as well and give them hope that God is GOOD all the time.

I watched this film with my younger kids, and although I dont believe they had a full understanding of everything that was said they watched it all and I answered the questions I could. The Cain and Abel scene was a little graphic for young children, but other than that there was nothing in the film they shouldnt see because of their age. I do feel like teens and adults will get more meaning from it.

Unstoppable is now available on DVD, you can find it at Walmart and other retail stores, as well as online at places like Amazon.

Would you like to win a copy of Unstoppable? Enter below using the rafflecopter form. US and Canadian addresses please.



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"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.

The Promise ~ Birth of the Messiah Review and Giveaway!

I know what you might be thinking right now. Who needs another Christmas movie? I know there are a lot out there, especially for kids, but this one is a little different than any others I have seen. The Promise ~ Birth of the Messiah is an animated musical. If you are a fan of musicals then this will be right up your alley!





My kids will watch anything in animated form (and this isn't always a good thing) so they were excited about watching it as soon as they saw the cover. My children have heard the story of Christ's birth many times in their lives and have watched many movies as well. I like to watch them with them just in case there is something questionable so this was our family movie this week.

The animation is very good, the songs are catchy, and everyone wanted to watch it again as soon as it was over. I asked the kids what they thought afterward and I was surprised by some of the things they said. Three of them said that it ended too soon, or should have a part two. The story ended shortly after Jesus was born and Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple. They wanted to see more, and I cant blame them. The Christmas story is about more than just the birth of Jesus. I hope there will be more of the story yet to come in other sequels.

My daughter was also disappointed that the angels who sang to the shepherds in the field did not mention following a star, and no star was ever shown in the night sky. I noticed this too, and I'm not sure why that VERY important part was left out. She wanted to know how the shepherds would have found Him without it. That's my logical thinking child for ya!

The whole underlying theme of this film is that Nothing Is Impossible With God, and I loved how Mary was portrayed as being so willing to be a part of God's plan even when she was so young herself and didn't understand fully what was going to happen to her. Yet she was willing to trust God and know that He had a plan for her life. Its a lesson we all need reminding of often!

I think your family will enjoy The Promise ~ Birth of the Messiah. It is a fresh new perspective on the Christmas story.

I get to give away a copy to one of my readers out there, if you would like to win one just enter through the Rafflecopter form below. A winner will be drawn on December 13th so the movie can get to you before Christmas so enter right away!

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Book Review and Giveaway! ~ Audrey Bunny

Do you have little ones who love curling up in bed with a good story and a stuffed animal? I do, and to tell you the truth so do I! One of my daughters especially loves bunnies. I was originally attracted to this book because of that fact, but it has become a favorite for other reasons.


Audrey Bunny is the story of a young girl who sees a stuffed bunny in a thrift shop and instantly loves it. The bunny thinks she will never be picked out of the animal bin because she has a defect, a spot on her chest that will not come off. She tries to hide her blemish, hoping someone will love her and take her home. When a young girl does choose her, she is afraid to believe that someone could actually love her for who she is so she tries to hide her imperfections to earn the little girls love.


Does that story sound familiar? I can think of many times in my life when I felt like I wasn't good enough to be loved. I felt like I wasn't good enough for God to love me either. I tried to "be good" and "do good things" to earn God's love. I tried to hide the blemish of my own sin. But each and every time my own efforts failed and yet God showed me that he loves me anyway. Even better, He loves me just the way I am right now. I don't have to do anything but trust Jesus as my savior.

God doesn't see our blemishes, He just loves. He made us who we are on purpose.

That is the message given in this sweet story. I really love this book, and I really love the beautiful illustrations too. Its a work of art and a story I don't mind at all reading 1000 times to my kids. We all need reminding of how much we are loved, each and every day, no matter what!

About Audrey Bunny

From best-selling women’s author Angie Smith (I Will Carry You, Mended) comes this sweet children’s book about a stuffed animal named Audrey Bunny who fears her imperfections make her unworthy of a little girl’s love. She'll learn the truth soon enough, and young readers will learn that everyone is special and wonderfully made by God.

[Also included]: The Parent Connection (last page of the book) shares discussion questions and activities reinforcing God's love for us.

Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), best-selling author of Mended, I Will Carry You, and What Women Fear, and one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, TN.

Audrey Bunny is available in hardcover with a dust jacket:  32 pages $14.99

Would you like to win this book for a precious little child you love? Simply enter on the rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this in your email inbox click on over to the blog post here to enter.



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Review ~ God's World News ~ News Flash

I first heard about God's World News magazine through the curriculum we use, it was highly recommended as a supplement for reading and keeping up with the news around the world in a Christian perspective. Every year I have considered subscribing but never took the plunge. Boy have we been missing out!

I chose News Flash to review because it is written for 3rd and 4th graders, it has kept the interest of my second grader as well. There is an edition for every grade level. Each issue has 32 pages of age appropriate articles at just the right length to keep their attention span and interest levels high.


Our subscription started with the September issue which also included a map. As we read articles we go find the location where the story took place. My kids love doing this, last year we studied Geography so this activity isn't foreign to them, and we have discovered a couple of new places. The map fits perfectly on our magnetic dry erase board so I didn't have to find wall space for it, we get it out as needed.

A few of the articles have left the kids wanting to know more, so we searched for more information. They have especially enjoyed the articles involving animals. I love it when they want to explore a topic more, it usually leads to discovering fun facts and information and feeds their desire to learn.

Many subjects are touched on including social studies, biographies, science, history, geography, language arts and math (in the form of puzzles and games), and of course reading comprehension. I especially like the BIBLE2LIFE sections where the story content is connected to what the Bible has to say about it. It is a wonderful reminder that God is always involved and cares about us here on Earth.

In addition to the printed magazine we also have access to all the magazines online. We can read from the computer or our kindle fire devices. This is nice because we each have a kindle fire, so we can all read together on the same page. We do prefer reading the print magazine, but this is a convenient option to have.

I think God's World News is a good supplement to any curriculum, and a good source of news from a Christian worldview that any family can enjoy whether they homeschool or not.

As an unexpected bonus I was sent an issue of World magazine, which is the adult version of this publication. I must say I am rarely a reader of the news simply because I do not always understand what is being talked about, or the obvious "worldliness" is something I would rather avoid. It was genuinely refreshing to read the articles in World, in fact I read it cover to cover. I felt they did a good job of explaining the topics, and because it was presented in a Christian worldview there was nothing offensive that I felt I shouldn't be reading.


 A full year subscription to God's World News magazine includes 10 issues received monthly except for May and December. The cost is $28.00 per print subscription, and also includes online access to all of the God's World News kids and teen websites. You can sign up for a free weekly email newsletter that gives even more content as well as answers to the quizzes and puzzles.

2 Book Reviews and a Giveaway ~ Grace Unplugged and Own It

Grace Unplugged is a book based on the movie which is coming out on October 4th 2013. Be sure and watch the movie trailer posted at the end of my review.

Grace Trey inherited her fathers talent for singing and music and is a part of the worship team at their church. She has a style all her own, but her father thinks her "style" isn't appropriate for praise and worship songs and would rather her keep things toned down.

Its hard enough being 18 and wanting to do your own thing, and she really wants a chance to have a music career like her father once had when he was young. She has no idea what all that can entail however.

When her father's old partner, Mossy, shows up and offers him a record deal if he will remake his old "one hit wonder" and he declines, Grace just cant believe it. Why would he do such a thing??

If her dad could do it, why couldn't she? So she secretly contacts Mossy and sends him a self made demo of herself singing her fathers song. She leaves home after a little fight with her dad, and heads to LA to start her musical career.

This story is a twist on the tale of the prodigal son. Life in show biz isn't all she hoped it would be, but God clearly uses the choices Grace made for good, and the story has a happy ending. Part of that ending is due to her reading the book Own It.

Paperback: 304 pages $15.99







Own It has been one incredible read so far,  Im still reading it. This book has life changing power. You will be challenged to discover just what you believe and why you believe that way.

Are you simply mimicking someone else's faith? Perhaps growing up in church or a prominent person in your life helped form your beliefs, but what about what the Bible says? What has God revealed to you? Its going to make you think!

Testimonies are given by others so you can see what owning your faith is like in real life. I am being challenged to own my faith and Im going to have my grown children read this book when Im done with it.

Paperback: 192 pages $14.99



I am so excited to be able to bless one of my readers with BOTH of these books! Just enter through the Rafflecopter form below.

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Book Review and Giveaway ~ Alone Yet Not Alone

When I first heard about the movie coming out September 27th called Alone Yet Not Alone I was so excited about taking my kids to go see it. I was blessed to be able to review the book first! This story was written by Tracy Leininger Craven, she heard it from her grandmother after she came across the account while studying the family's genealogy. The first draft was written when she was just 9 years old!

This is a true story of the Leininger family who came to America in the 1700's so that they would be a slave to no man and be free to worship God. They are a Godly family who read the Bible together and give their children hope in God that will help them their entire lives.

Tragedy strikes the family when Delaware Indians invade their home and take the two youngest daughters, Barbara and Regina, back to their tribe and tell them they are now Indian children. Many families were torn apart during the Penn's Creek Massacre. The girls get separated from each other, but their faith remains intact. They remember the words their father read to them from the Bible, and the song their mother sang to them at night, Alone Yet Not Alone.


This is my favorite preview from the movie......





This paperback book is 148 pages long and I couldn't put it down after I started reading it. I read it all in one day. My 9 year old daughter is reading it on her own now, she comes to me and tells me about what is happening, sometimes with a question, and always wanting to discuss how she relates to the story. It was written for ages 8 and up.

There are some sad times in the book, like when the girls realize that their father and brother were killed by the Indians when they were taken. Another time a woman is burned at the stake for trying to escape. The wording is not graphic however, I felt it was appropriate for my daughter to read on her own.

The story has such a good ending, and I will not spoil that for you!If you enjoy historical fiction and family friendly entertainment you are going to love Alone Yet Not Alone!

Would you like to win this book? I get to give one of my readers a copy to enjoy before the movie releases! Enter below on the Rafflecopter form. If you are reading this via email you will need to visit my blog to enter, just click on the title above to go there.

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Review ~ Little House on the Prairie ~ The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder

As a young girl I loved watching the Little House on the Prairie television show! It wasn't until I was an adult that I read Laura's books and became a little bit obsessed with all things Little House. I was so excited to have the chance to review a documentary about Laura's life called Little House on the Prairie ~ The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This documentary was compiled by Legacy Documentaries, and I think it is so appropriate that the executive producer is Dean Butler, who played Almonzo Wilder in the Little House TV series.

After reading the books I noticed a lot of things didn't match up with the television series, I wished for a book that would tell the "real" story behind Laura's life. I have to say that this documentary has fulfilled that wish for me. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the true story, without the hard details left out of the books for the sake of young readers.



I loved how real family pictures and the houses and areas of the country the Ingalls and Wilder family lived in were used throughout the DVD. Although actors were also used to help illustrate parts of the story they were not focused on as much. I felt like I got to know Laura in a more personal way by watching this documentary. My little girls ages 8, 7, and 4 also enjoyed watching this with me.

I always wondered what happened to her daughter Rose, not many details were ever given about her. It was interesting to find out that she was a writer and was the one who encouraged her mother to write. I am so thankful that she did! Getting her books published was not as easy as some might think, it was in the time of the great depression and the story about how it really happened was nothing short of a miracle.

I was also inspired to find out that Laura did not begin writing until she was much older. The TV series made it look like she was very young when she began writing. This gives me hope that someday I may fulfill my own dream of writing a children's book or two. It just so happens that her writing journey started because of her chickens. I also have chickens! Coincidence? You never know!

If you are a Little House fan I believe you will truly enjoy Little House on the Prairie ~ The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder, it can be purchased for $24.95.  

Dean Butler also has another documentary all about Almonzo's life called Almonzo Wilder ~ Life Before Laura. Other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew have written reviews of this one, read them by clicking the banner below.

Review ~ Brain Food Learning ~ The Fascinating World of Birds

We were recently blessed to receive a DVD from Brain Food Learning called The Fascinating World of Birds. These educational and fun DVD's  were created for ages 3-11, but they are interesting for all ages.

The DVD lasts about 44 minutes and has become my 4 year olds favorite for the time being. She can tell you many facts now about pelicans (her favorite) and ostriches, penguins and hummingbirds. My 7 year old can answer every question in the quizzes at the end and is very proud about it. My 8 and 10 year olds memorized all the facts the first time they watched it, but they still watch it over again with the little ones. It impressed me when they spotted a woodpecker in a tree one day and they told a friend why they don't beat their own brains out while pecking like that.

Other birds featured include the Canada Goose, owls, macaws, American Robins and eagles.

Watch this short preview to see what its like, and see why the kids enjoyed watching it so much. Its a lively and fascinating way to learn!



If you would like to use some worksheets and activities to enhance the learning opportunities for your kids there is also a free curriculum you can download to go along with each of the DVD's they offer.

My kids have enjoyed watching and honestly so have I. The length isn't too long for kids to sit through, but it isn't so short you feel like there wasn't enough content either. You can also watch it in segments if you like, and feature just one bird at a time. If you have kids interested in birds, insects or mammals they will really enjoy these! I plan on getting the other two and putting them away for Christmas.

The Fascinating World of Birds can be purchased for $14.99 at the Brain Food Learning website.

Brain Food Learning offers other DVD's as well, some of which were reviewed by other members of The Schoolhouse Review Crew. Click on the banner below to read about those!

Book Review ~ The Adventures of Lilly Lapp

We were blessed to have the chance to review two new books from Baker Publishing Group in the Adventures of Lily Lapp Series. These were written by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. Both of these woman have a love for the Amish people and this shows in their writing.


Book One, Life With Lily, introduces you to Lily Lapp. She is a 5 year old girl who is about to get a new baby in the family! We enjoyed reading the thoughts of this little sweetie about all the things going on the night of the birth that she didn't understand. Her thoughts and feelings were very realistic for a girl her age, and yet she was graceful and kind and kept her thoughts to herself. You can meet Lily's family here.

Lily has all kinds of adventures in this book, and reading them from a child's point of view was sweet and refreshing.

Book 1 ends with the family getting ready to move to a new home.


Book Two, A New Home For Lily, continues where book 1 left off as they move from New York to a new Amish community in Pennsylvania.

Lily faces the sadness of moving away, and making new friends. There is also a girl named Effie who bullies her. This book gave us lots to discuss about how we would handle a situation if it were us.

I personally enjoyed the parts where the family helps one another, and cares for each other so deeply. The tales of mama getting a milk cow for her birthday in Book 1 were precious to me. We have dreamed of having a milk cow ourselves for a long time, that would be such a lovely gift!








My little girls are 4, 7, and 8, and we found these books to be great bedtime reading for them. The recommended age range is 8 to 12 years but I enjoyed them just as much as they did. I believe this age range was meant to reflect a reading level for the books to read independently. If you are reading aloud they can be enjoyed by any age in my opinion.

My 9 year old son claimed he wasn't interested in hearing the stories but on quite a few nights he was in there listening in as I read. He thought it was a "girl" book because of the pictures on the cover but found there was more to it than that. I think he liked all the troubles Lily got into!

I appreciated the fact that this was wholesome storytelling, based on real life experiences, and I had no worries about questionable content popping up unexpectedly. My older daughter read this book on her own when she just couldnt wait to hear the next chapter.

We just adore Lily and we want to get the next two books in the series too! A Big Year For Lily will be out in July and A Surprise For Lily is coming in September. While we wait the girls are enjoying the Lily Games and Puzzles online.

You can purchase Life With Lily and A New Home For Lily from Baker Publishing Group in paperback or e-book format for $12.99.

You can find Suzanne Woods Fisher and Mary Ann Kinsinger on Facebook and like their pages to keep up with news of new books and glean some Amish wisdom from their posts. Mary Ann also has a lovely blog, and Suzanne has a website.

Ring The Bell ~ Review and Giveaway

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

About Ring the Bell:
Ring The Bell shares the story of a slick, big city sports agent Rob Decker who seems to have it all. But on his latest mission to sign a high school baseball superstar, Rob becomes stranded in a small town where the simplicity of life—and the faith of the people—stand in stark contrast to his own fast-paced, win-at-all-costs mindset. Torn between these two worlds, will Rob have the courage to let faith transform his life? This heartwarming story of redemption is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.
Ring The Bell features a host of well-known Christian music artists, such as Mark Hall along with his band Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Matthew West, all who play a role in this inspirational drama. Several former and current Major League Baseball all-stars are also featured in the film: ESPN analysts John Kruk and Rick Sutcliffe (a former Cy Young Award winner), along with Ben Zobrist.
This family-friendly movie was produced by Mark Miller, Beach Street Records' founder and Casting Crowns’ producer. Miller, who is also the lead singer and founder of country music group Sawyer Brown, co-wrote the script with Thomas Weber and Weber directed the production. 

What we thought......

Ring The Bell is one of those movies that has such a good ending you just cant help but cry, but in a good way! My daughter had a sleepover and we all watched it together, there wasn't a dry eye. This is one of those movies I will watch again and again, and enjoy sharing with others. I enjoyed seeing the concert scene with Casting Crowns, you could really feel the conviction happening in Rob's heart, yet the stubbornness of man was still there. It makes the ending even more beautiful as you watch him come to the point of surrender to God. The beauty of a life changed by the life saving power that only God can give shines through! It made me want to go ring a bell!!!

Ring The Bell would be a great movie for family nights, youth groups, even young children's groups. My 8 year old is still talking about it.There is even a study guide to download if you like.


Watch the movie trailer here....




Ring The Bell can be purchased for $19.99 or win a copy by entering through the Rafflecopter form below!

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Movie Review and Giveaway! This Is Our Time

This Is Our Time presented by Pure Flix

Releases on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, April 16. It will be available nationwide at Family Christian Stores and most Christian online and brick-and-mortar retail stores nationwide.

Website: http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4565

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsOurTimeMovie

From the website.....

About This Is Our Time

The movie tells the interwoven stories of Luke (T.J. Dalrymple) and Alé (Erin Bethea), who marry right after school and move to India to serve as missionaries for Embrace A Village, a ministry that cares for those afflicted with leprosy and their families; aspiring financier Catherine (Kate Cobb), who joins a prestigious financial institution determined to make an impact on corporate America; Ryder (Matthew Florida), who lands an impressive job in social media and can’t wait to use the powerful medium for a greater good; and Ethan (Shawn-Caulin Young,) seemingly the odd man out, who struggles to find his God-given-purpose and feels sidelined by God.

“What they all come to learn is that it never really was their time,” Arnold said. “It always was, always is, God’s time.”

What we thought of This Is Our Time.....

I consider this a great family night movie because there was nothing inappropriate that I would not want my young children to see. The characters are realistic and the plot is interesting. I do feel like it would hold the attention of teens and college students better than younger kids, but there was no reason why they could not watch it with us, and they said they liked the movie a lot. I think it would make a good youth group movie night film, especially for those graduating and heading to college soon. We all feel like "Its our time" at some point in our lives. When tragedy happens we quickly realize that it never was, our time is always lent to us by God. This movie is a good reminder for us all!



Purchase This Is Our Time at the Christian Cinema website or enter to win on the rafflecopter form below...

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Prayers For Every Day ~ Review and Giveaway!

Little Angels ~ Prayers For Every Day is such a sweet little book. I enjoyed reading it to my little ones just as much as they loved listening. Roma Downey has written short yet meaningful prayers for this book, and along with the charming illustrations by Lisa Reed it is destined to become one of my kids' favorites.

The book itself is a padded board book written for ages 2-5, but my 6 and 8 year old daughters are enjoying it just as much as my 4 year old. There are over 50 prayers inside for all times of the day including...

Prayers for Morning
Prayers of Praise
Prayers of Thanks
Prayers for Mealtimes
Prayers for Others
Prayers for Help
Prayers for Guidance
Prayers for Forgiveness
Prayers for Comfort
Prayers for Bedtime

Scattered throughout the book are Bible verses as well. Little Angels Prayers for Every Day would make a great gift for the little ones in your life. It is available from Ideals Books (A Guideposts Company) for $9.99.

 Would you like to win this book? I get to give away one to one of my readers! Enter to win on the Rafflecopter form below....

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Veggie Tales ~ The Little House That Stood - Review and Giveaway!

Veggie Tales has done it again! Now there is another great story to add to your collection, The Little House That Stood - A Lesson In Making Good Choices. Remember that song from Sunday school, The Wise Man Builds His House Upon The Rock? This parable from Matthew 7:24-27 is brought to life in this DVD by Bob, Larry and other characters along with the Three Little Pigs. Watch the trailer below.....



This new Veggie tales DVD is both fun and teaches a great life lesson, when God is our foundation we will stand strong against the storms of life!

The kids and I both laughed at the crazy antics and the new Silly Song, Happy Tooth Day :) If you are a Veggie Tales fan you will definitely want to add The Little House That Stood to your collection!

From the DVD package.... 

When the Three Little Pigs roll into Cabbageville looking to build some new houses, they meet one builder with a plan and two without a clue! Larry builds with hay, Mr. Lunt with bricks, but only Bob builds his houses on a firm foundation - following the wise plans from the Master Builder's Handbook! Will the Little Piggies make the right choices when it comes to building their houses - and their lives - on solid ground? Find out in this parable that shows kids when they follow God's blueprints, then can stand strong when the storms come!

You can enter to win one! Just follow the directions on the Rafflecopter form below.....

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Abel's Field ~ Review and Giveaway!

Abel's Field is a family friendly movie about a love for family, persevering through hard times, and finding faith. Seth McArdle (Samuel Davis) is a senior in high school who also holds down 2 jobs and cares for his young twin sisters. His father abandoned them and his mother passed away unexpectedly. It doesn't help matters that members of the football team are bullying him and end up getting him in trouble with the coach of the team.

God uses this situation for good though! Seth is given yet another job helping a man named Abel (Kevin Sorbo) fix the leaky football field, and in the end they both help each other.

This is a great movie for family night. I was able to watch it with my college aged daughter and her boyfriend, two 15 year old boys, and my 4 younger ones. The movie held everyone's interest until the end, and comments were made about what a good movie it was. It got a thumbs up from everyone!

I loved how gentle Seth is with his little sisters, how sensitive he is to their needs.

Although my younger kids enjoyed the movie, I think the characters are more appealing to teens and young adults because of the high school setting. It would make a great movie for youth group night and sleepovers.

Abel's Field is available to purchase on DVD at many retailers nationwide. It can also be purchased through the Abel's Field.com website. or from Amazon
 

You can also enter for a chance to win this DVD! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter form below. If you are reading this message in your email click on the title above to go to my blog to enter.

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."