Mountain of Grace Homeschooling and Life Thereafter

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

FACEBOOK/ WEBSITE

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.

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! *****

Till Next Time,

Monique

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Review~ Beyond the Stick Figure Complete Drawing Course

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.

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.

Connect with Beyond the Stick Figure Art School

FACEBOOK~ INSTAGRAM~ PINTEREST~ YOUTUBE~ BLOG

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

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~❀❀

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~❀❀

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

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Sunday, May 10, 2020

Sunday Inspiration~ May 10, 2020

Till Next Time,

Monique

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Review~ Fermentools

Fermenting foods has been around for centuries. The first fermented foods can be traced back to 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent. Almost every civilization has had at least one fermented food. The starter kit from Fermentools allows families to bring this ancient practice into their homes with ease.

Fermentools was started in 2013 my Matt Gross. In 2019, Alex and Cassie Deputie joined the Fermentools family. Alex and Cassie have been married eleven years and are parents to seven wonderful children. They are a fellow homeschool family. They are passionate about teaching others all about healthy eating and a lifestyle that helps people achieve their best health. With all their knowledge and experience, the family works together to teach others about the power of food and proper nutrition.

What are the Advantages of Fermented Foods?

We've all heard of probiotics. You can't turn on the TV or open your computer without seeing some type of endorsement for them. Our guts are filled with live bacteria (good guys and bad guys) and yeast that help protect the lining of our stomachs and intestines. They literally help with the absorption of food and nutrients. Many of us have guts so out of wack that our bodies are not getting the nutrients we need. When our systems are out of line, we weaken our immune system and reek havoc on our bodies. Food intolerance and autoimmune diseases can occur. We become tired, cranky, have bathroom issues, brain fog, can't sleep, gain weight, etc. The list goes on and on.

Fermented foods are a great dietary source of probiotics!

1. They improve gut health.

2. They help restore the proper bacteria balance in the intestines.

3. They help aid in digestion.

3. They improve heart health.

4. They help improve the immune system.

Besides all the health benefits, fermenting foods is a great weigh to preserve fruits and vegetables. It can help families save money by preserving foods from the garden or foods that were bought in bulk on a good sale.

What is the Starter Kit from Fermentools?

The Starter Kit is provides all the tools you will need to start fermenting your own food at home. No more expensive fermented foods from the store! The starter kit cost $21.49. The tools can be used again and again.

The starter kit comes with...

~1 Stainless Steel Lid~

It's made from 304 surgical stainless steel and is corrosion resistant. It will last a lifetime.

~1 Glass Fermentation Weight~

It's made to fit inside your standard wide-mouth mason jar and it won't react with your foods like other weights currently on the market.

~1 Air Lock~

The air lock inserts into the lid and allows for "burping" during the fermenting process.

~2 Rubber Stopper~

One has a hole for airlock and one is solid.

~1 Rubber Canning Gasket~

~Himalayan Powered Sea Salt~

The ancient sea salt has over 80 trace minerals. It's ground so fine that it mixes easily with cold water. The bag is 1 pound and is plenty for multiple fermenting processes.

~Instruction Booklet and Cloth Storage Bag~

~ Recipe for Basic Fermented Sauerkraut~

The only other items needed that are not included are a wide-mouth glass canning jar and whatever foods you wanted to ferment. The kit allows you to work on one fermenting project at a time. If you want to have multiple projects going at one time, you would need to purchase additional tools available on the Fermentools website.

~My Experience~

This was not my first attempt at fermenting foods. In the past, I've made fermented pickles, fermented salsa, and kerfir water. I don't consider myself a newbie, but I definitely don't consider myself a pro either.

The system with the starter kit was quite different from the ways I had tried before. My previous recipes had come from a friend who was, what I would call, a pro in the area of fermenting. I will admit her recipes where easier to follow and easy to execute.

My first attempt with the starter kit was not a success, but neither was my first attempt with my friends way too. As with anything, you have to expect something to go wrong the first time you attempt something. At least I do.

I tried the basic sauerkraut recipe. I'll be honest and admit I can't stand the stuff! However, I made it with the hopes that my hubby would like it. When it was ready, it just didn't smell right and there was some mold growing on the top. Of course, my hubby declined to give it a try. I honestly can't blame him. After reviewing what I did (or didn't do correctly), I feel I messed up. I don't think I packed it down tightly enough. My plan was to give the simple, spicy sauerkraut recipe a go next, but the store was out of cabbage. Our stores have been very hit or miss with all the issues going on.

So since I couldn't find cabbage, I decided to give the ginger bug recipe a try. I already had everything I needed on hand.

The ginger bug recipe was very simple. All you needed was water, ginger root, and sugar!
I grated 3 tablespoons of ginger root, added 3 tablespoons of sugar, and then covered with water. I mixed everything together until the sugar was dissolved.

I then placed the Fermentools air-lock system on the mason jar. I did have to add more ginger and sugar every 24 hours. Our mixture is almost done and I can't wait to give it a try!

After the ginger bug recipe is done, we'll begin the recipe for the ginger soda pop recipe. I figured everyone would be able to give this one a taste test.

I also found a recipe for fermented cinnamon apples that I want to try out..

For me, I found the brine/salt calculator thing a little difficult to get. It was a little confusing. Other recipes I had been given were not hard to figure out. It could be my friend had already done the calculations and saved me the headache. Looking at some of the recipes, I found them to be lacking in some instructions. They seemed to be written for someone who knows what they are doing. For someone new to the process of fermenting, I felt they were a little confusing.
I definitely think with practice and the more you ferment your foods, the easier it will become.

Want to learn more about Fermentools?

Find them on Social Media...

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Be sure to check out what the rest of the Review Crew had to share about the starter kit from Fermentools.

Just click the link below....

If you would like to give fermenting a try, Fermentools s offering a discount code for 15% off your order through June 30th. Just use code: CREW2020