Thursday, April 30, 2015

Insect Lore Butterfly Fun!

This post contains affiliate links.

We bought a butterfly kit from Insect Lore.  If you haven't done this with your kiddos I highly recommend it!  You buy the kit then send away for your caterpillars.

Our kit came with 5 caterpillars.  They started out small then grew twice the size!  Next the climb to the top of the cup and form chrysalis!  They stay like that for awhile and you move them into the big habitat (that comes with your kit!) and wait for the magic to happen.

Soon a beautiful butterfly will emerge! 

tiny caterpillars
getting bigger!
getting ready to change!

waiting to hatch
our first butterfly
2nd one!
all hatched!


We had a great time learning about the life cycle of butterflies and seeing this first hand.  We watched a video on butterfly migration.  The whole family enjoyed this experience!  I only have one tip!  Be sure to order your caterpillars before it is too hot out because they cannot ship them if the temperature is too high.  Spring is the best time for this kind of thing.  Next up we will release our little guys because they only live for about 20 days. 

La


Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Love Inspired Books ~ Perfect for Mother's Day! #WIN

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *additional disclosure at bottom of the post*




I love to read and I have really been getting into the Love Inspired books.  Why?  They are typically short, sweet, clean books - which makes for some good reading!  Love Inspired sent me six of their new titles to read.  They are also sponsoring a giveaway that one lucky reader will win a set of the same six books!  How awesome is that!



About the books:
The Love Inspired product line is a series of 6 books that are released every month & only have a shelf-life of one month. These books will be on sale April 21 - May 28 and will make the perfect Mother's Day Gift!

Titles:

The Rancher Takes A Bride by Brenda Minton
The Doctor's Second Chance by Missy Tippens
A Firefighter's Promise by Patricia Johns
Bachelor to the Rescue by Lorraine Beatty
The Single Dad Finds a Wife by Felicia Mason
Winning the Teacher's Heart by Jean C. Gordon





So far I have read The Rancher Takes a Bride by Brenda Minton.  This story is about a single mom Oregon and her daughter Lilly.  Oregon takes a chance and moves to the town of her daughter's father, with the intent to bring him into her child's life.  She finds that opening her life can be filled with wonderful and unexpected moments and that just maybe her daughter wasn't the only one who needed more family in her life.

I love how inspirational these books are.  Characters have test of faith at times but find their way back to God.  The stories typically romantic but always clean.  I feel like they provide a nice little escape for a few hours of quiet time!

Love Inspired has given me a $1 off  coupon to share with you.  Just click on this link to print your copy!!


Win Win Win
One lucky reader will win a set of six Love Inspired books!


Entry-Form



"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Activity Sheets for Paddington now DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack!!!

A Rup Life received press to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links.




Paddington released today!   To help you enjoy the movie I have activity sheets for you!




Be sure to get your copy at your local retailer or online at stores like Amazon



'Let It Be Jesus' - A New Album from Christy Nockels #WIN #LetItBeJesus

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *Additional disclosure below*




Inspirational music is so important to me.  I love music and I need something I can have on that is family friendly and doesn't make me blush at the lyrics!  I've really been enjoying how far along Christian music has come.  Modern and fresh are two words I would use to describe how Christian music is today! Music is just another way to connect with God and worship him! 

I'm so excited to share Christy Nockels' new cd Let it Be Jesus with you today.  I simply loved this album.  The music is mellow enough that I can have it playing all day but the lyrics are powerful!  Songs like Leaning On You, Jesus fit where I am in life... leaning on my savior to get through the day!  Nockels' has a sweet, tone to her voice that makes me want to hear more!

Tracks:

Freedom Song (Live)
My Anchor (Live)
Everything is Mine in You (Live) 
The Wondrous Cross (Live)
Let It Be Jesus (Live)
Who Can Compare (Live)
Jesus, Rock of Ages (Live)

Leaning On You, Jesus (Live)
Find Me At the Feet of Jesus (Live)
Wonderful Name (Live)




Social Connection:




iTunes



About Christy:
As a worship leader for many years, she has been an integral part of Passion Conferences from its inception in 1997.  She's seen first hand music sweep people into the presence of God in a powerful way. A pastor’s kid, who was born in Fort Worth and raised in Oklahoma, she grew up singing in church. She met her husband, Nathan, in 1993 at the Christian Artists Seminar in Estes Park, Co. They recorded an independent record with fellow worship leader Charlie Hall under the name Sons & Daughters that led to an invitation from Louie Giglio to participate in the first Passion conference in Austin. Christy’s voice gained a national platform when she and Nathan formed the duo Watermark, recording four acclaimed albums before that musical season ended, paving the way for Christy’s solo career. In 2008, the couple moved to Atlanta to become part of Passion City Church where she serves on the worship team with sixstepsrecords labelmates Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill. The following year, Nockels released her acclaimed solo debut, Life Light Up and spent much of the next two years touring with Tomlin and Passion.



One lucky reader will win a Digital copy of Christy Nockels' new CD Let It Be Jesus! 

 
Entry-Form



"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Sunday, April 26, 2015

‘A Sparrow in Terezin’ by Kristy Cambron | New Book Plus a Book-Inspired Giveaway

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links.




Last August I had the privilege to read Kristy Cambron's debut  book The Butterfly and the Violin.  There we met Sera the art dealer and who has a big  mystery to solve.  Well, Cambron has brought us back into Sera's world with her latest book A Sparrow in Terezin.

I want to start off by saying you really should start off with the first book in the series.  (The Butterfly and the Violin).  Cambron didn't waste the reader's time with a lot of back story but it would leave you a little lost in the story without that information.  I loved that she did it that way because I always skip over the repeat stuff in series.

Sera and William are onto another mystery of sorts involving the present and the past .They have to work though the reconciling the two to see if they can make their life together work.  This novel has two settings past and present.  In the past, 1942 we meet Kaja. She is a strong women and her story in Nazi times is  truly fascinating.  Her story made me think of my relatives I never met who lived in Austria and what trials and tribulations they must have faced.  By reading both of Cambron's stories I feel like I have a sense of that time.

This book wasn't as dark as the first book but it does share true accounts of what happened at that time in Prague.  There is no shying away that it was a difficult time in our history and we can only learn from the past and move forward to a better tomorrow. Cambron has an amazing gift in mingling the past and making it relevant to the future.  Life, death, romance, it is all in this novel!


You can purchase A Sparrow in Terezin at your local book store or at online stores like Amazon


Additional Information:



Kristy is celebrating by giving away a basket filled with goodies inspired by her new book!

sparrow terezin - 400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A set of poppy notecards
  • A poppy pin
  • A copy of I Never Saw Another Butterfly
  • A copy of the Mrs. Miniver DVD
  • Literary tea bags
  • Tumbler
  • A copy of A Sparrow in Terezin
sparrow giveaway bastet 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 28th. Winner will be announced April 29th on Kristy's blog.

sparrow terezin-enterbanner

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

Thursday, April 23, 2015

When Calls The Heart Season 2 premieres April 25! Plus Season 1 DVD Giveaway! #FaithTV #Hearties

A Rup Life received promotional and press materials to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *Additional disclosure at the end of the post*




I think this giveaway will make some #Hearties very happy.  However before we get totally into that, let 's talk about  the season 2 premier of When Calls the Heart!  This series opener will air on the Hallmark channel on April 25th!  I'm not going to include any spoilers but I'm sure you will want to tune in!



About the series:
The series is inspired by Janette Oke’s bestselling book series about the Canadian West. “When Calls the Heart” tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley, a small coalmining town where life is simple, but often fraught with challenges. Lori Loughlin plays Abigail Stanton, a wife and mother whose husband, the foreman of the mine, along with a dozen other miners, has just been killed in an explosion. The newly widowed women find their faith is tested when they must go to work in the mines to keep a roof over their heads. Elizabeth charms most everyone in Coal Valley, except Constable Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) who believes Thatcher’s wealthy father has doomed the lawman’s career by insisting he be assigned in town to protect the shipping magnate’s daughter. Living in a turn of the century coal town, Elizabeth will have to learn the ways of the frontier if she wishes to thrive in the rural west on her own.
Connect:
 Now to the fabulous giveaway!  One lucky reader will win a copy of Season 1 on DVD!  How awesome is that!!  Enter using the widget below! 


Entry-Form





"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

An Unexpecting Blessing | Getting Pregnant After A Tubal

This post may contain affiliate links. 


tubal pregancy tubes tied pregnant


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Pregnancy after tubal


I'm going to share my story about getting pregnant after tubal ligation.  I'm going to start at the beginning because every good story does.  I have 3 children - all boys.  I had my first two in 2000 and 2002.  Getting pregnant was a cinch but the pregnancies themselves were hard. We were advised to wait at least 3 years before trying for another because of having two c-sections and most likely needing a repeat c-section.

In 2008 we were delighted to find out we were expecting!  Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. We were devastated but knew we wanted one more child to complete our family.  Then in 2009, almost a year to the date,we found out we were pregnant again. Sadly, this baby wasn't meant to be. This time I had a blighted ovum and I had a huge dermoid on my left ovary which my doctor removed. We were heart-broken but still hopeful that God would give us that blessing we longed for.

In 2010, we found ourselves pregnant with out youngest son!  We were thrilled yet cautious. Thankfully this pregnancy was wonderful and the only complication was gestational diabetes.  Finally after trying for a long time we had our precious last child!  After much discussion with our doctor we elected to tie the remaining ovary's tube. (Mostly because of pregnancy complications, to prevent further miscarriages and because I was already 34.)  I remember asking the doctor on the operating table, "This is permanent right?"  His response was, "Nothing is 100%".  How true those words were!  In 2013 my tubal failed the first time.  Not to give too much TMI - but my monthy cycle was super long which made me think maybe I should take a test. It came back positive.  We went to the doctor and had bloodwork and ultrasounds. Unfortunately that pregnancy wasn't healthy, the bleeding was from a  subchrionic hemorrhage. So we found ourselves facing our third miscarriage. The shock of the loss was tough but there was also this news that we could actually still get pregnant and that the tubal wasn't working.


In February 2015, my heart was heavy for just one more child. I decided to really pray about it and low and behold about 2 weeks later we found out we were expecting again. I didn't really have any early signs the truth is I had been testing every month since the last miscarriage just to be sure I if I was or wasn't pregnant. This pregnancy was my dream pregnancy. I did have to go through a bunch of test - because of my tubal and my age- but it was my healthiest and easiest pregnancy. Truly a blessing! In November 2015 we gave birth to our 4th son. We had another csection because of my history and the doctor was able to see exactly what happened. I had grown a new tube, which he called a fistula.  The tube was tiny not like a normal tube which further adds to what a miracle our baby is!




The Verse That Got Me Through:

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

God heard my cry and answered my prayer!  I am so thankful that God still hears and answers prayers!  The beginning of the pregnancy was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster because of all the testing I had to have to be sure the pregnancy was viable. I am something of a medical mystery!




Why Share Our Story?


When I found myself expecting after having a tubal... I searched the internet for others like me.  I found a few forums or answer type things but nothing sharing the details.  I wanted to share so that perhaps I could be a blessing to others looking for answers. Of course I'm not a doctor but I can tell you it can happen! If you are pregnant and have a tubal it is important to contact your doctor immediately.  Most of the time these pregnancies do not end up in the womb as ours did.  You will have to be monitored closely.


tubal pregancy tubes tied pregnant unexpected

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Art in Homeschool with ARTistic Pursuits #review

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links.



One of the most difficult subjects for me to teach is art.  We are just not very artistic people in our household.  That said I think it is very important to balance out our abilities with some sound learning and even just trying when it comes to Art.  That is why I was so excited to review ARTistic Pursuits.

What we received:

High School 9-12, Book 1: The Elements of Art and Composition

ARTistic Pursuits Review

This book is a spiral bound soft covered book.  It contains over 90 pages of art instruction and includes two semesters of work. 

There is a schedule included in the book to complete it in 36 weeks by working 2 hours a week. This book can be used for 1 credit for Art - there is more information on the website on how to calculate that information.  

A supply list is included in the front of the book (and can be found online when ordering.) 

How we used it:

Before receiving the book I looked over the supplies needed online.  I wanted to be sure we could jump in at any moment.  We actually had ALL of the first semester's supplies on hand from a previous art project.  These were fairly inexpensive supplies I had purchased at our local craft store.  A drawing pencil set (not just your typical #2 pencils!), vinyl eraser, metal handheld sharpener and drawing pad.

I knew both of my bigger boys would want to be included in the projects of this book.  Even though my middle son is only in 7th grade he has been able to keep up.  The three of us set up camp on the kitchen table to work.  I would read to them and show them pictures and then we would all work together on the project - each doing our own individual rendition. 

It was fun to see how each of us used the techniques we learned.  For example in Unit 1 we learned about space, both active and non-active.  Then our assignment was to draw an outdoor scene and show both types of space. It was neat to see each of our interpretations. Another thing we did was modify our project a little.  For example during the second project we were supposed to do a self portrait using a mirror or picture.  Instead we all chose different pictures to use.

This is my project - I drew my Great- Grandfather


My middle son used his own baby picture
My oldest did a drawing of his little brother




Thoughts:

I really like the simplicity of this book. Once you have the supplies it is very easy to pick up the book, open the page and go.  As a person who really doesn't have a lot of knowledge of art history and terms this is exactly the type of curriculum I need to teach.  I know the kids enjoyed the projects because it was time together.  We might not be the best drawers but we put our best efforts into each assignment and had fun.  I think that is what matters the most.  I feel confident at the high school level that a student could work completely independently with this book as well.  We just enjoyed doing the work together.  The true test of any curriculum we review is will we continue to work with it in the future and all three of us agreed that we would love to continue projects.




Last year I reviewed the Preschool book, The Way We See It - you can read our review here!  *Spoiler alert* we loved that one too! 


Be sure to click on the banner below to see what the Crew members are saying about ARTistic Pursuits - we reviewed levels from preschool to high school so there is really something for everyone!

ARTistic Pursuits Review
 
 
 
 
Crew Disclaimer







Monday, April 20, 2015

Against The Flow: The Inspiration of Daniel In An Age Of Relativism by John C Lennox #review

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. 



We've just wrapped up a study of Daniel in our church.  The book of Daniel  is a fascinating look at history,  God's power and prophesy! John C. Lennox's Against The Flow: The Inspiration of Daniel In An Age Of Relativism  book came at the perfect time to be able to continue that study. 

This is a big book - over 400 pages!  It is not something you simply pick up and quickly read through but it is better used as a continued study.  Lennox provides a wealth of history through his writing.  Because I was reviewing this book, I skipped around to the chapters I wanted to focus on.  I particularly studied the chapters on the 70 weeks and the 70th week.  I like how he gave the general opinions of both of these books.  I also love how he stated the importance of studying Daniel in relevance to today's world views.  People (believers and non-believers) are quick to judge God because he doesn't do exactly what they think He should - this book helped me to see from that perspective and how to actively discuss these thoughts with others. 


About the book:

Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 b.c., and captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration.
Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate.
This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel from a leading expert on faith and science. In his first biblical work, Dr. Lennox provides a unique perspective on both Western society and biblical exegesis that will make Against the Flow an instant classic encouraging Christians to speak out in our modern Babylon.


You can purchase your copy of Against the Flow at your local bookstore and at online stores like Amazon.  

Sunday, April 19, 2015

The Inn at Ocean’s Edge by Colleen Coble Review & Giveaway

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links.



I have a great book to share with you today.  It is part of the new Sunset Cove series by Colleen Coble.  The Inn at Ocean's Edge is a mystery with some romance thrown in.  I don't usually read mysteries but honestly I am really starting to think that might be my next genre to explore.  Why?  Well, this book drew me in on page one.  There were plenty of twist to keep you guessing.  Coble really knows how to develop a story and this page turner did not disappoint!  The setting of a shore town was the perfect place for this book.  Main character Claire comes back to the Inn after many years away.  Only she doesn't know her past... or that she had been there before.  Someone wants to make sure she doesn't remember the past.  Claire must figure it out before someone stops her from learning the truth.

About the book:


The minute she steps inside the grand Inn at Ocean's Edge, Claire Dellamare knows something terrible happened there. She feels it in her bones. Her ensuing panic attack causes a scene, upsetting her parents. Claire attempts to quiet her nerves with a walk on the beach, to no avail. She's at too great a distance to make out details, but she believes she witnesses a murder on a nearby cliff. When local police find no evidence of foul play, they quickly write off the "nervous" woman's testimony as less than credible.

But Luke Elwell, home on leave from the Coast Guard, has reason to believe Claire. Years ago when his mother went missing, Luke's father suspected she'd been murdered. So when an employee of the grand hotel doesn't show up for work, Luke steps in to help Claire track down the missing woman.

As Claire and Luke put together the pieces of a decades-old mystery, they discover that some family secrets refuse to stay buried. And some passions are worth killing for.
 

 
 
You can purchase your copy at your local bookstore or at online stores like Amazon

Additional Information:

Celebrate the release of The Inn at Ocean's Edge by entering to win a Kindle Fire and RSVPing to her May 5th author chat party!

oceansedge-400

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire
  • A copy of A Heart's Disguise
  • A copy of A Heart's Obsession
  • A copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced May 8th on Colleen's website. Plus be sure to clear your calendar on the evening of May 5th because Colleen is hosting an author chat party on Facebook to celebrate her A Journey of the Heart series and the release of The Inn at Ocean's Edge! RSVP here!

oceansedge-enterbanner

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on May 5th!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Orphs of the Woodlands Review

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *Additional disclosure below*



I have an awesome program that Xander and I have been reviewing the past few weeks.  Star Toaster gave us their Orphs of the Woodlands online software.  This program is an online reading adventure.  Children are encouraged to read through the story - in our case it is the first one in the series - Treasure of HighTowers.  After completing the reading then the fun unlocks.  Kids can work jobs the jobs earn you rewards which you use to take care of your Orphs.


About Orphs of the Woodlands:

Reading: 

For the reading portion of Woodland Orphs, you read the chapter online.  Each chapter varies in length.  As you work through the chapters the story unfolds.

Orphs:
You will earn your first couple of Orphs after completing your first reading chapter.   It is your job to take care of them.  Orphs are little critters from the story, they are poor, homeless and uneducated.  They need your help!

Jobs:

These are task you complete.  There are many different kinds.  They usually have an academic theme like math, quotes, science - kids learn without even realizing they are doing learning.  As you complete jobs you earn gold stars, which are the currency in the game.

Gold Stars:

These are the currency in the game.  You use these buy clothing, water, houses, land and other items for your Orphs.

How we used this program:

My son Xander was the primary user of this product.  He is 12 years old and in 7th grade.  He really enjoyed his time working. He used our main computer to work on the program several times a week.   Once he got on the program he would spend a lot of time there.  I had to remind him when it was time to be finished or I think he would have stayed on all day and night.

Star Toaster Review
One of the things I really liked was how hands off this was for me as a mom.  I just signed him up and he was able to navigate the rest.  That might not be the case for younger students but for him it was exactly that way and worked well as I've been not feeling well lately.

I received  progress reports from Star Toaster telling me what Xan accomplished and what was coming up next.  I really like that sort of thing because it helps me to keep track of how much he is accomplishing and see that he is actually doing work.


Another thing I liked was that it was a learning activity.  Xan had fun doing it but he was also learning. I feel like this would be a great summer bridge activity!  I plan on having my older son use it come June. I also like that it filled a need/gap.  Both of my kids like to play online games however I'm cautious about what I allow them to do online.  This was a secure site that doesn't include any interaction with other people on the program.  I really appreciate that because internet safety is a huge concern for me!  I think the only thing I know some parents might be concerned about it the story line.  It is a fantasy type story.  We have no problem with that kind of thing but I have friends that do. Overall as a parent I was thrilled with the product.  I will have Xan complete the story in the upcoming weeks.


Xander's thoughts on the product:

Star Toaster's Orphs of the Woodlands is a fun and educational game to explore. In this story you work your way as a spy to fight against the dreaded Night Creatures to find a treasure while taking care of Orphs and earning Goldstars. There are fun jobs to do, recipes to make, and a big vocabulary to learn new words from. After fulfilling the tasks you need to do to earn the Goldstars you can buy food, water, clothing, heat, housing, and land. I enjoyed the educational minigames to play and the storyline is phenomenal. I really enjoyed and I would do something like this everyday!

Star Toaster Review


This program subscription is $19.99 for two months and extensions are available for $6.99.  If you would like to try it out they offer free trial.


Click on the image below to see what other Crew Reviewers are saying about Star Toaster:

Star Toaster Review





Crew Disclaimer

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Grace of God DVD Review & Giveaway #WIN

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *additional disclosure at the end of the post*



Finding movies that have a faith based message is very important in our family.  It is nice when our down time can still be productive with our faith.  I am so excited to share a new movie with you today, Grace of God!

About the film:

Having lost his faith many years ago, Detective Bill Broadly is called to investigate the disappearance of the local church’s collection plate. As he questions its various church members, rumors swirl as more congregants learn about the theft. When one unexpected church-goer confesses to stealing the funds, the confession resurrects Broadly’s views on God, and helps him see that through faith and belief there really is rebirth and redemption.



My thoughts:

This was an awesome movie!  Bill Broadly doesn't have good thoughts about Christians.  Through the movie we see that all Christians are human and all have sinned.  It is where we go with that and how we move forward that makes the difference.  It is the truth so many judge Christians as if we are supposed to be perfect but truthfully we are not.  We are the same as everyone else - with one exception - we know Jesus.  That one exception is a big one!  It is the difference in trying to live a life pleasing to God.  We might struggle or slip on the path but we all have a greater goal of doing right.  I really enjoyed this one. 


 You can find additional information by visiting here.


$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway #WIN

A Rup Life sponsored this giveaway.This post may contain affiliate links.



I wanted to do a giveaway for my faithful readers here at A Rup Life.  I know my favorite place to shop is AMAZON!  I love having Prime and the shipping coming super fast.

So to thank you for being faithful readers I'm going to offer one lucky reader a $25 Amazon Gift Card!  Just enter using the widget below!





*Gift card will come in a form of an E-card

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

First Start Reading by Memoria Press #REVIEW

A Rup Life received product to facilitate this post. This post may contain affiliate links. *Additional disclosure at the end of the post*

****UPDATED AT THE END OF POST****




Teaching my youngest to read is something that gives me anxiety!  My oldest learned to read at school and my middle taught himself.  I've never had to really be the responsible party in teaching reading but this time around with my youngest I will be.  Thankfully Memoria Press sent me their First Start Reading program for review.  

What is included in First Start Reading, Phonics, Reading, & Printing:

Teachers Guide - This is a big soft bound book that includes the teacher's information for all four workbooks.  At 322 pages it is very complete.  Each lesson has notes for the teacher to help you with teaching your child.

Book A -  This book introduces children to beginning writing and reading.  You learn letters with a pattern to connect and have reading success quite quickly.

Book B - This book expands on book A but also includes dictation.  Writing practice is continued.

Book C - This book expands on book B.

Book D - This is the last book in the set and it includes some new activities for the words you know.

Memoria Press Review


How we used this book:

My adorable four year old was quite ready for a program like this.  He is in speech therapy and we had been holding him off on reading to make that journey easier.  However, once we received these books we dove right in.  We worked on book A several times a week.  He already knew his letters by sight and sound so that part was just review for him.  However, in the teacher's manual you go over identifying the sounds in words at the beginning or the end...  his knowledge of the letter sounds really helped him with this task.





One area he struggled with was hand writing.  At 4 his motor skills are not fully developed.  Some days he could complete a whole page of practice letters and some times it took 2 days to work on that.  Since he is 4 - that slower approach was fine with me.  My main goal was that he enjoyed the learning time and had some success.  I did purchase a large round pencil for writing at the advice of my sister-in-law who is a preschool teacher and I would recommend that for any one doing this set.


While he struggled with handwriting he excelled in the reading part.  By lesson 5 he read his first sentence!  You could see the pure joy on his face when he realized he read for the first time!

My Thoughts:

This is exactly the type of program as a mom I needed.  It wasn't flashy - all the workbooks are in black and white - but it was thorough and easy to implement.  It was something I could pick up and go with little planning.  The teachers guide gave you all the information you needed.   I have confidence that I will have a full reader once completing this course. This is a kindergarten course but I felt that at 4 with knowledge of letters (sight/sound) Jace was fully ready for the next step.  We will take it slowly because I'm in no rush to push him.  The best part about the program was how Jace responded.  He was thrilled with his success both in writing and reading.  He asks to do school and that is exactly what I want to see for him.  He has been practicing writing on his own since we started the course and I think it is further proof that he is learning and enjoying the journey! 




Update 7/11/16

We shelved this product for a bit of time because I was pregnant and sick and it was very hard to get going with anything at that time. Then about three months after the baby came we started again at a very slow pace. We actually completely restarted which I think helped my son to really get a firm foundation. There has been an update to the program with the edition of Book E which is intended for summer gap learning.

We are really enjoying this curriculum. MP is very easy to use and very grab and go. You don't need a lot of special things just a pencil and crayons/colored pencils. I appreciate that. My son is now reading short CVC books and really doing quite well. I'm so happy we've used this program and with the results.

Update 7/5/17

We finished our year with First Start Reading and it was a wonderful fit for my son! You can read more about that year here.  I also will be using Memoria Press as our Core for 1st grade.

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