Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Sunday inspirations~ May 31, 2020
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Monday, May 25, 2020
For Love of Our Country
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Sunday Inspiration~ May 24. 2020
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Till Next Time,
Monique
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Review~ Second Form Latin from Memoria Press
Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in
exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I
compensated in any other way.
For this review, we received the Second Form Latin Complete Set. The full set costs $125. Families can add on 13 months of Streaming Video access for $10. Prices are subject to change, so please check the website for the most current information.
The Second Form Latin Complete Set arrives with the following materials.
Student Text
Student Workbook
Quiz and Test Booklet
Teacher's Manual
Teacher Answer Key
Pronunciation CD~ 2 discs
Instructional DVDs~3 discs
Flashcards
The Second Form Latin is geared for students in 6th grade and up. This Latin curriculum is the follow up to Form Latin. Students will then continue on with their Latin lessons using Third Form Latin and Fourth Form Latin.
Second Form Latin continues the journey of learning Latin grammar. The set builds on what the students have learned in First Form Latin. Students will review the material covered the previous year. The students will have mastered the following topics.
~6 indicative active and three indicative passive tenses of all four verb conjugations
~ 5 noun declensions, including -er/-ir nouns and i-stem nouns
~Adjectives in 3 declensions
~Personal pronouns
~Prepositions
~365 Vocabulary words (185 from First Form & 180 new words)
After completing Second Form Latin, students will have reached they half way mark in their Latin journey. The set is geared for students in the grammar stage. It focuses strongly on grammar forms and vocabulary. This focus allows students to build on their knowledge as they enter into the logic and rhetoric stages of learning.
Memoria Press wants students to succeed in their Latin studies, not to give up and drop out. They do this by providing students with the knowledge to retain, understand, and comprehend the Latin they are learning. The workbooks allow students to put their knowledge to the test. The exercises in the books provides students with the skills they need to excel in Latin and master it.
Over the past few years my kids have studied Latin using Prima Latina, Latina Christiana, and First Form Latin. We've worked on and learned Latin prayers and hymns using a chant CD and a Catholic homeschool curriculum. For us Latin is an important subject to learn. We still can attend Mass where the Mass is said in Latin and we still sing hymns in Latin. I will admit that neither of my kids are overly thrilled to learn Latin. Therese enjoys it a little bit better than Michael. Michael dreads the class. He says it is a useless subject, but he has seen how it comes in handy in other classes. We have taken a break from Latin the past 2 years. I loved how Second Form Latin review what was in First Form Latin. It helped the break from Latin go a little smoother than I thought it would.
For this review, I received a complete set for one student, so I did have to buy an extra set of student books for one of the kids. The test booklet is reproducible, so I only needed one of those. My kids are currently in 9th and 10th grade depending on the subject. If your start using First Form Latin in 9th grade, you can complete a four year program in high school by using the full Latin program.
9th grade~ First Form Latin
10th~ Second Form Latin
11th~ Third Form Latin
12th~ Second Form Latin
Second Form Latin was a perfect for us since we stopped of using First Form Latin. Some of it was review, but that was perfect since we had taken a break. It's always good to review. I was pleasantly surprised with what they had remembered. They do really listen!
Second Form Latin contains 5 Units and 31 lessons to work through.
Unit 1~ Nouns and Adjectives
Unit 2~ Personal & Possessive Pronouns, Prepositions
Unit 3~ Verb Present System Indicative
Unit 4~ Verb Perfect System Indicative
Unit 5~ Verb Passive Voice, Present System Indicative
Each unit has a review lesson.
The regular lessons in the student textbook are two pages long, while the review lessons are little longer 3-4 pages. The student workbook is broken up in the same way as the student text: 5 units and 31 lessons. The student workbook uses 5-6 pages for each lesson.
Lessons contain word study, grammar, vocabulary, drills, declensions, and translations.
For me the pronunciation CDs and the instructional DVD's are a must. I took one year of Latin in high school and I'll be honest I don't remember much from that class. It has been quite awhile since I sat in that classroom. The CD's and DVD's have been a life saver. I like how my kids can work independently now that they are older. They can complete their lessons on their own with little to no help from me.
We enjoy the flashcards too! In the past I hadn't ordered them. I just created them myself using note cards. Having the flashcards already made saves me time. We make a game out of the flash cards.
We use them daily to master the vocabulary. Whoever gets it right first, gets the card. Whoever has the most cards at the end of the game wins a small reward. When they were younger we did the same thing, except we played outside and they got move ahead if they got it right. It was sort of like Mother May I. The small prize is usually ice cream or a blizzard. What teen doesn't want a frozen treat.
Learn more about Memoria Press
Check them out on Social Media!
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
YouTube
The crew members were given the opportunity to review Prima Latina, Christiana Latina, First Form Latin, Second Form Latin, Third Form Latin, and Fourth Form Latin.
If you want to learn more about the other Latin curriculum offered from Memoria Press,
check click below!
Throughout our homeschooling journey, we have used a variety of curriculum from Memoria Press. We have enjoyed all the curriculum we have used over the years and we were excited to continue on with our Latin lessons with Second Form Latin Complete Set. Second Form Latin will be our fourth Latin curriculum from Memoria Press to use. In the past, we have used Prima Latina, Latina Christiana, and First Form Latin.
Memoria Press is a well-known homeschool curriculum company that provides parents with an entire homeschool program based on the classical approach. Parents can choose a full year curriculum or purchase a few subjects that appeal to them. The company is Christian based. I love knowing my kids will learn a wealth of knowledge from the materials provided. Parents can find science, literature, Latin, geography, poetry, math, Greek, Christian studies, history, art, music, and other books for enrichment. They have everything subject covered!
Till Next Time,
Monique
Monday, May 18, 2020
Happy Homemaker Monday~ May 18, 2020
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Good morning, friends...
I can't believe it's already Monday again. The days seem to be dragging on, but the weeks and months seem to be flying by. It doesn't seem possible that it's already the middle of May! Where did April go?
We had another busy weekend here. We ran to town to get plants, flowers, and building supplies. My dear, sweet hubby is building me some raised flowers beds for our garden. We used to have a garden at my father-in-laws's house when the kids were little, but it just made it hard to stay on top of it. The weeds would get out of control and no one over there was really able to help water and weed it. The last two years we've had no real garden.. only a few tomato plants that the deer would eat. Needless to say, I'm rather excited.
The builds built the beds this weekend and we put some soil in the bottom. We still need to add good soil, build the fence around it, and add the gate.
I did find some more flowers for the flower beds. IT's slowly starting to look like summer around here.
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Now, let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday post. Be sure to stop in and visit with our beautiful host, Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
Ugh...it's another rainy week here on the East coast. I'm really tired of all this rain and cloudy skies. I miss seeing the sun. One week of sunshine would be nice!
Monday~ Cloudy 65*
Tuesday~ Cloudy/Chance Showers 63*
Wednesday~ Cloudy/Showers 58*
Thursday~ Rainy 63*
Friday~ Thunderstorm 68*
Saturday~ Scattered Showers 76*
Sunday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 68*
❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀
Not too bad this morning. My allergies are good. My stomach is bothering me a bit. The older I get, the more issues I have with food. I drank a different kind of coffee yesterday and have had stomach problems since then. It sucks getting older at times. I wish I could eat like I did when I was in my 20's. I had no food allergies (at least none diagnosed). I could drink juice and have dairy with no issues. I find it strange that the older you get, the more problems I have with food. I wonder why that is? I did the Whole 30 Challenge back in January and felt pretty good. I think I may just have to go back and do it again.
❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀
I'm thinking about summer and what will go on. So many things have been canceled or put on hold. It's kind of hard to plan anything, but I feel I need to plan at least a few things. The kids are getting restless and miss their activities. There's only so much you can do at home before boredom really sets in. It's funny...if the kids were little I think they would have been fine during this stay at home order. They would played with their toys, explored the woods, and played in the pool. They would have had their bikes, swing set, and sandbox. I doubt they would have noticed us staying home so much. Teens are a whole new world. They miss hanging with friends, going to the movies, sports, etc. Oh well, it is what it is. We have until June 10th. I think they are counting down the days! A lot of us probably are.
❀❀~What they kids are up to~❀❀
Michael has 3 subjects left in school....math, history, Spanish 1. Therese only has math and history left. She's ahead in history so she'll finish up before Michael. Both kids will work on math during the summer. This will put Therese right where she needs to be next year and it will have Michael completing Algebra 2 next year. Michael should be able to start his freshmen year of college at the community college his senior year of high school. This will get him ahead of the game. He's actually looking forward to it I think. It' hard to believe my babies are almost done. When we starting this homeschooling journey 12 years ago, high school seemed so far off. Now I'll have a sophomore and a junior.
❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀
I tried a different coffee this morning. It wasn't great for my stomach either. I guess I need to go and get my coffee. I ate two pieces of gluten free toast to help with my stomach. I did put some butter and cinnamon/sugar on it so i was rather tasty.
❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀
I finished reading The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti. I have to write up the review for it still. I should have it posted sometime next week. At least that is my goal.
I went to my bookshelves (since the libraries are still closed here) and pulled of one of the many books I've bought to read. I'm just starting to read The Matchmaker by Elin Hildebrand
❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀
Therese and I are still working our way through the Gilmore Girls. We're on season 4 of Gilmore girls. Other than that not much TV watching for me.
We did watch the Shazam last night. It was Michael's pick. It wasn't' too bad.
❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀
I've been listening to a 90's play list on Amazon music. It brings back lost of memories.
❀❀~What I'm working on~❀❀
Same old stuff here.
Lesson plans... I never got around to them last week.
Wreaths. I finally got all the supplies I needed to complete them. With all this rain, I plan on getting them done this week.
❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀
The school room still needs finished. The floors are a mess. Too much rain brings out muddy floors. I need to pick out a paint color for the living room. We received the fabric sample for the living room furniture and we found one that we both loved. Once it arrives, we'll take the furniture to the upholsterer to have it done. I'm so excited! So now I have to figure out a paint color for the walls and a paint color for the entertainment center. I'm going to paint that and our two end tables with a chalk paint. Decisions, decisions!
❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀
Laundry~ not much left to do. I'm almost done for the week already.
Lesson plans
Pick out paint colors
Clean my bedroom
Finish the schoolroom
Groceries...I'm not looking forward to this at all. I miss the good, old days of carefree grocery shopping. I hope I can find some toilet paper. We are on our last pack.
❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀
Monday~ Chicken fried rice
Tuesday~Bacon wrapped pork chops, stewed apples, and beans
Wednesday~ Beef stroganoff with egg noodles
Thursday~ Creamy Tuscan Chicken, pasta, garlic bread, salad
Friday~Leftovers
Saturday~ Chicken,pineapple, onion, and pepper kabobs
Sunday~ Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, peas
❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀
❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀
Our country, our president
My family, my friends
Essential workers..it seems people keep forgetting about them
All those affected by everything going on
A little bit of sunshine
❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀
Good morning, friends...
I can't believe it's already Monday again. The days seem to be dragging on, but the weeks and months seem to be flying by. It doesn't seem possible that it's already the middle of May! Where did April go?
We had another busy weekend here. We ran to town to get plants, flowers, and building supplies. My dear, sweet hubby is building me some raised flowers beds for our garden. We used to have a garden at my father-in-laws's house when the kids were little, but it just made it hard to stay on top of it. The weeds would get out of control and no one over there was really able to help water and weed it. The last two years we've had no real garden.. only a few tomato plants that the deer would eat. Needless to say, I'm rather excited.
The builds built the beds this weekend and we put some soil in the bottom. We still need to add good soil, build the fence around it, and add the gate.
I did find some more flowers for the flower beds. IT's slowly starting to look like summer around here.
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Now, let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday post. Be sure to stop in and visit with our beautiful host, Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
❀❀~The Weather~❀❀
Monday~ Cloudy 65*
Tuesday~ Cloudy/Chance Showers 63*
Wednesday~ Cloudy/Showers 58*
Thursday~ Rainy 63*
Friday~ Thunderstorm 68*
Saturday~ Scattered Showers 76*
Sunday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 68*
❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀
Not too bad this morning. My allergies are good. My stomach is bothering me a bit. The older I get, the more issues I have with food. I drank a different kind of coffee yesterday and have had stomach problems since then. It sucks getting older at times. I wish I could eat like I did when I was in my 20's. I had no food allergies (at least none diagnosed). I could drink juice and have dairy with no issues. I find it strange that the older you get, the more problems I have with food. I wonder why that is? I did the Whole 30 Challenge back in January and felt pretty good. I think I may just have to go back and do it again.
❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀
I'm thinking about summer and what will go on. So many things have been canceled or put on hold. It's kind of hard to plan anything, but I feel I need to plan at least a few things. The kids are getting restless and miss their activities. There's only so much you can do at home before boredom really sets in. It's funny...if the kids were little I think they would have been fine during this stay at home order. They would played with their toys, explored the woods, and played in the pool. They would have had their bikes, swing set, and sandbox. I doubt they would have noticed us staying home so much. Teens are a whole new world. They miss hanging with friends, going to the movies, sports, etc. Oh well, it is what it is. We have until June 10th. I think they are counting down the days! A lot of us probably are.
Michael has 3 subjects left in school....math, history, Spanish 1. Therese only has math and history left. She's ahead in history so she'll finish up before Michael. Both kids will work on math during the summer. This will put Therese right where she needs to be next year and it will have Michael completing Algebra 2 next year. Michael should be able to start his freshmen year of college at the community college his senior year of high school. This will get him ahead of the game. He's actually looking forward to it I think. It' hard to believe my babies are almost done. When we starting this homeschooling journey 12 years ago, high school seemed so far off. Now I'll have a sophomore and a junior.
❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀
I tried a different coffee this morning. It wasn't great for my stomach either. I guess I need to go and get my coffee. I ate two pieces of gluten free toast to help with my stomach. I did put some butter and cinnamon/sugar on it so i was rather tasty.
❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀
I finished reading The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti. I have to write up the review for it still. I should have it posted sometime next week. At least that is my goal.
I went to my bookshelves (since the libraries are still closed here) and pulled of one of the many books I've bought to read. I'm just starting to read The Matchmaker by Elin Hildebrand
The kids are working their way through The Three Musketeers. Therese so far is not a fan. Michael says it not bad. He's actually ahead of Therese which is not the norm around here. Therese is also reading a book, Peak by Roland Smith, for a book club she and her friends are doing. Their first meeting will be in June...hopefully. If they can't meet in person, they plan on using a meeting online.
❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀
Therese and I are still working our way through the Gilmore Girls. We're on season 4 of Gilmore girls. Other than that not much TV watching for me.
We did watch the Shazam last night. It was Michael's pick. It wasn't' too bad.
❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀
I've been listening to a 90's play list on Amazon music. It brings back lost of memories.
❀❀~What I'm working on~❀❀
Same old stuff here.
Lesson plans... I never got around to them last week.
Wreaths. I finally got all the supplies I needed to complete them. With all this rain, I plan on getting them done this week.
❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀
The school room still needs finished. The floors are a mess. Too much rain brings out muddy floors. I need to pick out a paint color for the living room. We received the fabric sample for the living room furniture and we found one that we both loved. Once it arrives, we'll take the furniture to the upholsterer to have it done. I'm so excited! So now I have to figure out a paint color for the walls and a paint color for the entertainment center. I'm going to paint that and our two end tables with a chalk paint. Decisions, decisions!
❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀
Laundry~ not much left to do. I'm almost done for the week already.
Lesson plans
Pick out paint colors
Clean my bedroom
Finish the schoolroom
Groceries...I'm not looking forward to this at all. I miss the good, old days of carefree grocery shopping. I hope I can find some toilet paper. We are on our last pack.
❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀
Monday~ Chicken fried rice
Tuesday~Bacon wrapped pork chops, stewed apples, and beans
Wednesday~ Beef stroganoff with egg noodles
Thursday~ Creamy Tuscan Chicken, pasta, garlic bread, salad
Friday~Leftovers
Saturday~ Chicken,pineapple, onion, and pepper kabobs
Sunday~ Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, peas
❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀
Raised flower beds in the making!!!
❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀
Our country, our president
My family, my friends
Essential workers..it seems people keep forgetting about them
All those affected by everything going on
A little bit of sunshine
❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀
"The most beautiful moments always seemed to accelerate and slip beyond one's grasp just when you want to hold onto them for as long as possible."
~ E.A Bucchianeri
Wishing you all a wonderful week.
Stay healthy and happy!
Till Next Time,
Monique
Be sure to sign up to stay connected....You don't want to miss a thing!
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Sunday Inspiration~ May 17, 2020
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Till Next Time,
Monique
Friday, May 15, 2020
Review~ Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 from Math Essentials
Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in
exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I
compensated in any other way.
Mastering math is one of those skills that is essential to life. Over the years, I've learned that reading, writing,and arthritic are subjects that are extremely important in our homeschooling. Those core subjects is an area we didn't skip on. Recently, we were given the opportunity to review Mastering Essential Math Skills Book 2 Middle Grades/High School from Math Essentials.
Mastering Essential Math Skills is not just another math textbook.
This book teaches a system to learning and mastering math!
The Daily Lessons are broken up into 5 key points.
Two Speed Drills
Review Exercises
Helpful Hints (teacher tips)
New Material Section
Daily Word Problem
The material is presented in a way for students to master math skills and gain confidence in their math abilities.
The easy to follow lessons can be done in 20 minutes a day! Each lesson is concise and self-contained. The nice thing about the lessons presented in this book are that they pertain to all areas of math. The constant review allows students to completely understand these important math skills.
Everyone needs strong math skills!
The book is broken up into 8 chapters.
~Topics Covered~
Whole Numbers
Fractions
Decimals
Percents
Geometry
Integers
Charts and Graphs
Word Problems
The book contains a final review section to finish out the learning.
There is an answer key for parents and students to check their work. It's a standard answer key. It just provides the answer to each problem. How to solve the problems are not included.
At the back of the book, there is a resource center. It contains a glossary and a few important resource pages. There's a page of Important Symbols, Multiplication Table, Commonly Used Prime Numbers, Squares and Square Roots Table, and Fraction/Decimal Equivalents. These pages are a great resource for students to utilize.
Mastering Essential Math Skills Book Two is geared for middle grades to high school. There is a Book 1 that is geared for students in grades 4th through 5th.
An added bonus to this book is the free access to the online video tutorials that come when you purchase the book.
The book can either be used as a full curriculum or a supplemental curriculum. It's up to the parents and student to decide how they want to use the book.
I don't want to do math!
~What We Thought~
At first glance, I honestly thought the book was geared for younger students. It looked like simple math. Once Michael started using the book, we quickly realized it was a fantastic book to keep math skills sharp! So many math books tend to forget to review the basic math skills that students need day in and day out. Michael is currently working through an Algebra 1 and Geometry book and I noticed simple math skills were slipping. It wasn't that he didn't know how to do them, he just would make foolish mistakes. I'd see it was wrong and he'd immediately see what he did wrong and correct it.
We added Mastering Essential Math Skills to his schedule. He worked on lessons 3 days a week. He does math 5 days a week, but since we were using this as a supplement, I didn't want to overload him.
Michael found the time to complete a lesson very doable. He was easily able to add it to his daily school schedule. He felt the book was great at reminding how to do certain skills he hadn't seen in awhile.
Mastering Essential Math Skills would be a great supplemental math book for summer. It would keep the students math skills sharp and crisp in the mind.
Discover more about Math Essentials on Social Media
The Review Crew were given the opportunity to review two other books to review. We've used and reviewed both the other books, No-Nonsense Algebra and Math Refresher for Adults.
Still want to learn more about these outstanding math book?
Click the link below!
Till Next Time,
Monique
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Finding Annie by Katherine Turner~ BookSiren Book Review
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Paperback: 315 pages
Publisher: Josha Publishing ( February 19, 2020)
"The romantic tension and momentum of Finding Annie is off the charts…I can’t wait for the next book in this series."-Lauren Sapala, author of The INFJ Revolution and Between the Shadow and Lo.
Heartbreaking and redemptive, Annie’s story reveals the strength of her spirit, the healing power of unconditional love, and the potential of unexpected relationships to teach us to accept ourselves.
When Annie returns to the town where she grew up after twelve years, she plans to house-sit for her mother and take a much-needed break from her stressful job and worsening anxiety. But revisiting the past is never straightforward, and she soon discovers that she can no longer run from the things she’s tried so hard to leave behind.
Her ex-boyfriend Rob, the once-love of her life, is still living in her hometown, and Annie barely has time to process what seeing him again could mean before another surprising figure appears on her friend and mentor’s doorstep. Suddenly, Annie’s quiet sabbatical has turned into a whirlwind of traumatic memories and new romance, and the responsibility of navigating her PTSD without burdening anyone else in her life threatens to overwhelm her.
But even flawed love can help us to heal in unexpected ways, if we can only learn to accept it. Annie’s journey will keep readers glued to the page, brimming with compassion and rooting for her to find the love and peace she deserves.
When Annie returns to the town where she grew up after twelve years, she plans to house-sit for her mother and take a much-needed break from her stressful job and worsening anxiety. But revisiting the past is never straightforward, and she soon discovers that she can no longer run from the things she’s tried so hard to leave behind.
Her ex-boyfriend Rob, the once-love of her life, is still living in her hometown, and Annie barely has time to process what seeing him again could mean before another surprising figure appears on her friend and mentor’s doorstep. Suddenly, Annie’s quiet sabbatical has turned into a whirlwind of traumatic memories and new romance, and the responsibility of navigating her PTSD without burdening anyone else in her life threatens to overwhelm her.
But even flawed love can help us to heal in unexpected ways, if we can only learn to accept it. Annie’s journey will keep readers glued to the page, brimming with compassion and rooting for her to find the love and peace she deserves.
About Katherine Turner
Katherine Turner lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, and two cats. She's an author of contemporary romantic women's fiction that explores the power of love and resilience in the wake of trauma and abuse. She grew up in the foster care system and is passionate about improving the world around her through literature, empathy, and understanding. She uses her voice to address metal health issues, trauma, and what we can do as a society to be more compassionate.
When she's not writing, she's likely reading or exploring nature with her family.
Connect with her on her Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
My Review~
Finding Annie was one of those books you just can't put down. As soon as I started reading the book, I was drawn in. I immediately felt a connection with Annie and the rest of the characters. I felt like I was a member of the town. The connection I felt with Annie was undeniable. As a women, I have seen or dealt with many of the issues Annie has had to face.
After years of being away from her home town, Annie returns home to house sit for her mother while she's traveling through Europe. Heading home was not on the top of her to do list. Having fled years ago, she wasn't looking forward to revisiting the past. She's suddenly thrown back into her old life. Memories and people from her past come to the surface causing Annie to question her decision of returning home. She's forced to face her past and finally be honest with the people she left behind. The emotions Annie feels and all her heart wrenching decisions brings readers deeper into the story.
The story is full of emotions, romance, tension, and tough choices. Readers should be aware that the difficult topics of child abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, and rape are presented in the story. Annie is a survivor and an amazing women. She's strong and has overcome a lot during her life time. Like many women, Annie has faced tremendous hardships and overcome them. Finding Annie encourages women to find their own strength and fight to overcome their past. Love and honesty can heal us. We also see that you can't run from your past forever. Eventually it will come back to haunt you. We all have to return home and face the demons we've left behind. In the end, it will make us stronger.
Finding Annie was a fantastic book. I highly recommend the book. It's not your average romance novel. There's so much more to the story than girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, boy and girl get marries.
It gets 5 stars from me! *****
Katherine Turner lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, and two cats. She's an author of contemporary romantic women's fiction that explores the power of love and resilience in the wake of trauma and abuse. She grew up in the foster care system and is passionate about improving the world around her through literature, empathy, and understanding. She uses her voice to address metal health issues, trauma, and what we can do as a society to be more compassionate.
When she's not writing, she's likely reading or exploring nature with her family.
Connect with her on her Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
My Review~
Finding Annie was one of those books you just can't put down. As soon as I started reading the book, I was drawn in. I immediately felt a connection with Annie and the rest of the characters. I felt like I was a member of the town. The connection I felt with Annie was undeniable. As a women, I have seen or dealt with many of the issues Annie has had to face.
After years of being away from her home town, Annie returns home to house sit for her mother while she's traveling through Europe. Heading home was not on the top of her to do list. Having fled years ago, she wasn't looking forward to revisiting the past. She's suddenly thrown back into her old life. Memories and people from her past come to the surface causing Annie to question her decision of returning home. She's forced to face her past and finally be honest with the people she left behind. The emotions Annie feels and all her heart wrenching decisions brings readers deeper into the story.
The story is full of emotions, romance, tension, and tough choices. Readers should be aware that the difficult topics of child abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, and rape are presented in the story. Annie is a survivor and an amazing women. She's strong and has overcome a lot during her life time. Like many women, Annie has faced tremendous hardships and overcome them. Finding Annie encourages women to find their own strength and fight to overcome their past. Love and honesty can heal us. We also see that you can't run from your past forever. Eventually it will come back to haunt you. We all have to return home and face the demons we've left behind. In the end, it will make us stronger.
Finding Annie was a fantastic book. I highly recommend the book. It's not your average romance novel. There's so much more to the story than girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, boy and girl get marries.
It gets 5 stars from me! *****
Till Next Time,
Monique
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Review~ Beyond the Stick Figure Complete Drawing Course
Disclosure~I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in
exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I
compensated in any other way.
The layout of the course online is done well. Everything is labeled and set up in a concise way. I was able to find the lesson I needed to work on and go from there.
Recently, Therese was given the chance to work through a drawing course from Beyond the Stick Figure Art School. She's been showing an interest in learning how to draw better, so I thought this would be a great program for her to try out. She was thrilled to have the Beyond the Stick Figure Complete Drawing Course PLUS 3 Bonus Courses to work through since we've been on lock down since March. It has helped her pass the time during the stay at home orders our governor imposed during this pandemic.
Beyond the Stick Figure Art School was created by Sally, a fellow homeschool mom of eight children. Sally realized early on about her love of art. She followed her dream and studied art at Loughborough College of Art and Design in England. After obtaining her degree in art, she headed to the states. She is passionate about passing on her love of art as well as skills to learn art.
She believes everyone can learn to draw.
She believes everyone can learn to draw.
For this review, we received access to the Beyond the Stick Figure Complete Drawing Course PLUS 3 Bonus Courses. Families are offered four different art courses. The courses contain 180 easy to use art lesson and subscribers get lifetime access to the program. Each subscription is provided with personalized email support. It's like getting your own one on one art lessons from a specialized art teacher.
The program is designed to be used on a daily basis over the course of a year. With each lesson, students will gain the confidence to continue on with their artistic journey.
~Complete Drawing Course~
Drawing Part 1~ 17 topics
Drawing Part 2~ 33 topics
Drawing Part 3~ 5 topics
~Pen and Ink~
Pen and Ink Part 1~ 4 topics
Pen and Ink Part 2~ 11 topics
~Watercolor~
Watercolor Part 1~ 10 topics
Watercolor Part 2~ 19 topics
Watercolor 3~ 23 topics
~Acrylic~
Acrylic Part 1~ 5 topics
Acrylic Part 2~ 13 topics
Acrylic Part 3~ 6 topics
~ 3D Designs~
3D Designs Part 1~ 6 topics
3D Designs Part 2~ 14 topics
3D Designs Part 3~ 10 topics
How Did Therese Use Beyond the Stick Figure Art Courses?
Therese worked through a few lessons a day. For the first part of the drawing course, she needed markers, copy paper, scissors, and some cardboard to place under the paper.
Common supplies that can be found at any craft store.
Therese has worked through the entire drawing course and the bonus pen and ink course. She was able to do a few drawing lessons a day. She would often complete two in the morning and then work on one or two after dinner.
She stopped at the water color section because we need to get supplies for that one. She has looked at the first lesson though and is excited to give it a try.
She hasn't looked at the acrylic or 3D section yet!
~Our Thoughts About Beyond the Stick Figure Art Courses~
~My Thoughts~
I looked over the program before giving Therese all the information to sign in. The account was all set up on their set and they quickly emailed us the links to sign in. So, I'd say set was a breeze. At first there was no materials list provided up front. This was quickly resolved when the crew moderator contacted the company. Now there is a tab to access very easily next to the course tab. This shows that customer service is fantastic.
I personally didn't complete any of the art lessons in the program. I did sit in and watch a few with Therese and I was in the room working on other projects when she worked trough many of the lessons. I studied fashion design in college and took a variety of art classes during my four years. None of my classes were taught in the way that Sally from Beyond the Stick Figure teaches. Even my high school art classes were nothing like the classes in this program. The lessons were simple and broken down for students to really learn how to draw. I did like how she recommended looking at the shapes of objects when you draw. This was something ALL my art teachers over the years said!
Beyond the Stick Figure truly takes the student back to the basics. A student that has had art classes in the past may find them too simple. It teaches students to see the shapes in objects and then draw from there. I was a little surprised that there weren't more projects to complete. I think students would like to complete a piece of artwork and see their accomplishments. Drawing shape after shape can get a little boring to students. To me, it feels like it's a slower pace art course which would be great for beginners!
~Therese's Thoughts~
The layout of the course online is done well. Everything is labeled and set up in a concise way. I was able to find the lesson I needed to work on and go from there.
The first few lesson were simple. Since I had taken art classes in the past, I found the first few lessons a little tedious and too repetitive. They would be great for a beginner!
The videos were good. The pace and explanations were great. The directions were easy to understand and I could follow along. She is encouraging throughout the videos and I love her motto of everyone can learn to draw. It's like in the movie Ratatouille, when the chef says anyone can learn to cook!
There was one time during the pen and ink section that they camera angle didn't cover the area she was drawing in. She was explaining what to do, but I couldn't actually see what was being done. I'm more of a visual learner so I was a little confused at that part.
I wish there was a brief description or title for each lesson. I like knowing ahead of time what I will be doing. It kind of annoyed me not knowing! I would also suggest listing what supplies were needed for each lesson. Supplies are listed for each course section, but I didn't know exactly what supplies I would need for each specific lesson.
While working through the program, I did find a few things wrong. For drawing part 2, day 2, I couldn't find the downloads. For drawing part 2, day 5 & 6, the workbook downloads were flipped. It was confusing at first, but I quickly figured out the issue.
Overall, Beyond the Stick Figure Complete drawing course is well done. Students can work through the lesson pretty much on their own. Younger students may need some help. I enjoyed learning a few new things. I would definitely recommend the program to any student wanting to learn the basics to drawing.
The videos were good. The pace and explanations were great. The directions were easy to understand and I could follow along. She is encouraging throughout the videos and I love her motto of everyone can learn to draw. It's like in the movie Ratatouille, when the chef says anyone can learn to cook!
There was one time during the pen and ink section that they camera angle didn't cover the area she was drawing in. She was explaining what to do, but I couldn't actually see what was being done. I'm more of a visual learner so I was a little confused at that part.
I wish there was a brief description or title for each lesson. I like knowing ahead of time what I will be doing. It kind of annoyed me not knowing! I would also suggest listing what supplies were needed for each lesson. Supplies are listed for each course section, but I didn't know exactly what supplies I would need for each specific lesson.
While working through the program, I did find a few things wrong. For drawing part 2, day 2, I couldn't find the downloads. For drawing part 2, day 5 & 6, the workbook downloads were flipped. It was confusing at first, but I quickly figured out the issue.
Overall, Beyond the Stick Figure Complete drawing course is well done. Students can work through the lesson pretty much on their own. Younger students may need some help. I enjoyed learning a few new things. I would definitely recommend the program to any student wanting to learn the basics to drawing.
Connect with Beyond the Stick Figure Art School
Want to learn more about the Beyond the Stick Figure Drawing course?
Just click the link below!
Till Next Time,
Monique
Monday, May 11, 2020
Happy Homemaker Monday~ May 11, 2020
Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Good Morning! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It was a cold one here. We had a freeze warning Friday and Saturday night. I had to bring in my flower pots. I didn't want my flowers to shrivel up and die. I really wish it would stay warm! I'm so ready for shorts and sandals.
Saturday, we went out to get some food for the pets. We needed food for the cats, the dog, and the chickens. We're still waiting on baby chicks. So far none of the hens are broody yet. I think it's been too cold for them. While out, we checked a a fabric store for fabric to recover our living room furniture. No luck. We then headed to two furniture stores to see if we could find any furniture we liked at a good price...again no luck. We ended up coming home and ordering a few more samples of fabric. I really hope one of the samples we just ordered will be the one.
Before leaving town, we grabbed dinner at Chick Fil A. Therese wanted to eat there since she can get a chicken sandwich with a gluten free bun. They're the only fast food restaurant we can get a bun.
Sunday was Mother's Day. I hope all you beautiful mamas had a wonderful day. We spent the day at home. I finished up a book and then enjoyed a dinner of baked ziti that my beautiful daughter made.
O.K. enough about the weekend. Let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday! Be sure to stop in and visit with Sandra. Her blog is beautiful and I know you'll enjoy visiting.
Monday~ Partly Cloudy 53*
Tuesday~ Partly Cloudy 58*
Wednesday~ Mostly Sunny 65*
Thursday~ Partly Cloudy 72*
Friday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 81*
Saturday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 78*
Sunday~ Thunderstorms 77*
This week temps are definitely better. I just wish that we'd get one week without rain. I really want some warm temps and sunny skies.
❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀
I'm feeling pretty good today. I have one errand of running to the post office to do today, but the rest of the day is going to be low key. My allergies seem to have died down a little bit. Of course, I've been taking my allergy medication daily so I'm sure that it what is helping. We don't have any local honey. I really need to get some more. It really does help taking a teaspoon a day. It amazes my how it helps with the allergy.
❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀
I'm feeling a little optimistic. Our state is supposed to start phase 1 of getting back to normal. We're still on a stay at home order until June 10th, but at least we can start to head out a little bit more. 58 days of quarantine is enough to drive anyone crazy!
❀❀~What they kids are up to~❀❀
The kids are in their last month of school. I think they are getting a little excited with school ending right around the corner. Therese has been working on a paint by number, Michael has been working on a car model. He's also been helping my dear hubby with repairing the porch. We have a lot of rotten wood that needs to be replaced. I'm excited to see how the porch will look when they are done.
They both are reading The Three Musketeers for school. We'll see how they like it.
❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀
Coffee..3 cups! Two farm fresh eggs, strawberries, and some grain free granola
❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀
I have 3 books on my shelf that I'm reading for book reviews.
The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti, Family Affairs by Pamela G. Hobbs, and An Unexpected Turn by TJ Fox
❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀
Therese and I are still watching Friends (up to season 5) and The Gilmore Girls (currently watching season 2).
❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀
The kids and I signed up for the Amazon Music family plan. I've been listening to the new album from Kenny Chesney~ Here and Now. I've also been listening to quite a few songs from the 90's. Reminiscing about the past I guess.
❀❀~What I'm working on~❀❀
Lesson plans
Grapevine welcome wreath
Christmas tree skirt
Quilt for my bed
3 review for the homeschool crew review
❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀
The floors need mopped, the blinds and ceiling fans need wiped down. I need to pick out a paint color for the living room. I'm waiting for the fabric samples to come in first. I think I'll go for a neutral that way I can accent with different colors.
❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀
Laundry
Comforters and quilts need washed...I'm waiting for a nice sunny day so I can hang them outside
Bathrooms
School room...I need to finish organizing. I cleaned out the desk now I just need to organize the shelves
Go through the books and sell the ones the kids are done with
Clean off the porch
❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀
Monday~ Leftover Baked Ziti
Tuesday~ Asian Pork Chops, Rice, Veggies
Wednesday~ Honey Mustard Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans
Thursday~ Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday~Chicken Kabobs, Peppers, Onions, Pineapple, Rice
Saturday~Lasagna
Sunday~Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀
❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀
Our country, my family and friends, and all those affected by this pandemic.
❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀
Good Morning! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It was a cold one here. We had a freeze warning Friday and Saturday night. I had to bring in my flower pots. I didn't want my flowers to shrivel up and die. I really wish it would stay warm! I'm so ready for shorts and sandals.
Saturday, we went out to get some food for the pets. We needed food for the cats, the dog, and the chickens. We're still waiting on baby chicks. So far none of the hens are broody yet. I think it's been too cold for them. While out, we checked a a fabric store for fabric to recover our living room furniture. No luck. We then headed to two furniture stores to see if we could find any furniture we liked at a good price...again no luck. We ended up coming home and ordering a few more samples of fabric. I really hope one of the samples we just ordered will be the one.
Before leaving town, we grabbed dinner at Chick Fil A. Therese wanted to eat there since she can get a chicken sandwich with a gluten free bun. They're the only fast food restaurant we can get a bun.
Sunday was Mother's Day. I hope all you beautiful mamas had a wonderful day. We spent the day at home. I finished up a book and then enjoyed a dinner of baked ziti that my beautiful daughter made.
O.K. enough about the weekend. Let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday! Be sure to stop in and visit with Sandra. Her blog is beautiful and I know you'll enjoy visiting.
❀❀~The Weather~❀❀
Tuesday~ Partly Cloudy 58*
Wednesday~ Mostly Sunny 65*
Thursday~ Partly Cloudy 72*
Friday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 81*
Saturday~ Scattered Thunderstorms 78*
Sunday~ Thunderstorms 77*
This week temps are definitely better. I just wish that we'd get one week without rain. I really want some warm temps and sunny skies.
❀❀~How I'm feeling this morning~❀❀
I'm feeling pretty good today. I have one errand of running to the post office to do today, but the rest of the day is going to be low key. My allergies seem to have died down a little bit. Of course, I've been taking my allergy medication daily so I'm sure that it what is helping. We don't have any local honey. I really need to get some more. It really does help taking a teaspoon a day. It amazes my how it helps with the allergy.
❀❀~ What's on my mind~❀❀
I'm feeling a little optimistic. Our state is supposed to start phase 1 of getting back to normal. We're still on a stay at home order until June 10th, but at least we can start to head out a little bit more. 58 days of quarantine is enough to drive anyone crazy!
The kids are in their last month of school. I think they are getting a little excited with school ending right around the corner. Therese has been working on a paint by number, Michael has been working on a car model. He's also been helping my dear hubby with repairing the porch. We have a lot of rotten wood that needs to be replaced. I'm excited to see how the porch will look when they are done.
They both are reading The Three Musketeers for school. We'll see how they like it.
❀❀~What's for breakfast~❀❀
Coffee..3 cups! Two farm fresh eggs, strawberries, and some grain free granola
❀❀~My current reading pile~❀❀
I have 3 books on my shelf that I'm reading for book reviews.
The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti, Family Affairs by Pamela G. Hobbs, and An Unexpected Turn by TJ Fox
❀❀~TV shows/movies I'm watching~❀❀
Therese and I are still watching Friends (up to season 5) and The Gilmore Girls (currently watching season 2).
❀❀~Music I'm listening to~❀❀
The kids and I signed up for the Amazon Music family plan. I've been listening to the new album from Kenny Chesney~ Here and Now. I've also been listening to quite a few songs from the 90's. Reminiscing about the past I guess.
❀❀~What I'm working on~❀❀
Lesson plans
Grapevine welcome wreath
Christmas tree skirt
Quilt for my bed
3 review for the homeschool crew review
❀❀~Looking around the house~❀❀
The floors need mopped, the blinds and ceiling fans need wiped down. I need to pick out a paint color for the living room. I'm waiting for the fabric samples to come in first. I think I'll go for a neutral that way I can accent with different colors.
❀❀~This weeks to do list~❀❀
Laundry
Comforters and quilts need washed...I'm waiting for a nice sunny day so I can hang them outside
Bathrooms
School room...I need to finish organizing. I cleaned out the desk now I just need to organize the shelves
Go through the books and sell the ones the kids are done with
Clean off the porch
❀❀~What's for dinner this week~❀❀
Monday~ Leftover Baked Ziti
Tuesday~ Asian Pork Chops, Rice, Veggies
Wednesday~ Honey Mustard Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans
Thursday~ Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday~Chicken Kabobs, Peppers, Onions, Pineapple, Rice
Saturday~Lasagna
Sunday~Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
❀❀~ From the camera~❀❀
We had a visitor on the road. He was just casually walking across the road.
He's one of few bears we have here roaming the mountain.
❀❀~What I'm praying for~❀❀
Our country, my family and friends, and all those affected by this pandemic.
❀❀~Inspirational thought for the week~❀❀
Wishing you all a wonderful week.
Stay healthy and happy!
Till Next Time,
Monique
Be sure to sign up to stay connected....You don't want to miss a thing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
