Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2013

Give Away and Review: VeggieTales, The Little House That Stood DVD

 
There is a new VeggieTales that came out this week and because I am a cutting edge blogger, I am blessed, I was given a chance to share not only my thoughts, but those of my pre-K Sunday School class with you. This was perfect timing, we incorporated the movie into our lesson on building your house on the Rock. If you happen to be too old for my class, read on for your own chance to win the DVD.
 
My Thoughts:
 
VeggieTales continue to amaze me with their creativity by combining current culture, biblical truth and humor. ***Warning*** If you are too religious, you may not enjoy their spin on the Bible.  The godly values are there, but this in no way should be the only source of scripture for little ones. I always enjoy VeggieTales because not only are they entertaining, they carry a great message.
 
Their Thoughts:
 
Little Guy: I love the new Silly Song, Happy Tooth Day.
 
My Pre K Sunday School Class:
Gweneth "I loved Humpty Dumpty!"
Mercedes "I liked the three little pigs"
Marcella "I learned I can help my friends."
Aiden "Bob the builder was funny."
Caleb "My favorite part was Happy Tooth Day"
Brandon "Oh, Yeah, I loved the fake teeth song."
The great thing about this movie is it included coloring pages for the kids and a discussion guide, which is a valuable tool for reinforcing the lesson. After the movie and popcorn, our class made a terrific craft about a wise builder. It was one of our best classes.
 
 
 
 




Learn more about the movie here:

  Websitehttp://veggietales.com/littlehouse/
Twitter#/veggietales
 
To win your own copy of the DVD, you must leave a comment for each entry below. Just leave a comment and tell me that you did each little mission. Comments=Entries. I will randomly draw a winner on Thursday, March 14th. It takes a little work, but the more you work at it the more chances you have to win.
  1. Tell me who in your family would enjoy this DVD the most, nicknames are o.k. with me.
  2. Follow Accidentally Homeschooling or let me know that you already do.
  3. Follow me accidentallyhs on twitter. 
  4. Tweet about this giveaway using the tweet this button. 
  5. Subscribe in the box below.
  6. Like  https://www.facebook.com/veggietales
  7. Follow VeggieTales on twitter #/veggietales
  8. Visit http://veggietales.com/littlehouse/ and learn more about this cute movie.


Thanks for stopping by,



Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

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

Friday, February 22, 2013

Winter Blues, Looking Forward and a Question

 
What's Happening?
 
It's been rather quiet here on my blog. I have missed writing, after a week of a long head cold, I have been home resting much more than I'd like to. Today, I finally caught up on the wash and vacuumed like crazy. Our new addition, has a way of making my vacuum neglect known to all. But I must admit the rugs looked great for about an hour.
 
While resting, I have had a chance to review a few movies. One that I highly recommend is not a new one, but a phenomenal classic that really encouraged me. I watched Flywheel, first the movie and then I watched it with the directors commentary. I was fascinated at how this movie was produced by amateurs on such a low budget. They offered so much insight into the making of the movie. If you can get a copy, please watch the directors cut and ask God to inspire you. 
 
In the next few weeks, I will be hosting not one, but two giveaways.  I'll keep you in suspense, but below is a hint of one of them. 
 

I have a question for my readers, if you were sick in bed with a killer cold and didn't feel like reading, do you a have a favorite movie? I tried some old sitcoms on you tube and I just feel like a square peg. They don't set with my spirit. I'd love to hear your favorites.

Thanks for stopping by,

 
Don't miss my upcoming reviews.
Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Ben Carson, He Just Makes Sense

A while back, I reviewed a great movie, Gifted Hands the Ben Carson Story. Well, Ben Carson is in the news again, and he is really making sense. Here is his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, if you haven't seen it yet, please do. He's an amazing man with a simple message. I hope to see Dr. Carson get more air time, he's offering real solutions.




Thanks for stopping by,

 
If you enjoy an occasional political post please sign up.
Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Zane Education, A review.

As member of the Schoolhouse review crew, I had the opportunity to try a membership to Zane Education. In exchange for the membership, I was obligated to share my opinions on my blog. I am not paid to say nice things, so read on for my thoughts of Zane Education.



What is Zane Education and what do I get if I join? 

Depending on the level of membership you get access to educational videos on demand, learning guides, lesson plans and study tools. In exchange for this review, I was provided with Gold membership for 12 months.

Zane education is a website designed to supplement curriculum and enhance lessons in any subject. The topics, lessons and grade levels are arranged by subject on the site. It was very easy to navigate and find a video on any particular subject.

Here are some things I liked about the site:
  1. I loved the variety of offerings. You can view short videos on so many subjects. Actually over 260 different topics. 
  2. The speakers in the videos speak slowly and the movies are not flashy, they use colorful photographs.
  3. The subtitles at the bottom highlight new vocabulary and important terms in the lesson. The subtitles are an excellent way to reinforce learning.
  4. The customer support was prompt. I forgot my password and it was quickly emailed to me.
  5. The arrangement of the topics made it easy to find any video.
A few things I didn't like:
  1. The math videos were inaccessible from the site. They belong to Kahn Academy and the link is broken.
  2. Some of the videos were not things I would share with my kids. For example the topic of teen pregnancy used a film covering a couple and their experience. Not only did the movie show this sad unmarried couple, it offered no hope or message of abstinence. It was tormenting watching it.
  3. Some films were boring. I love using videos to supplement lessons if possible, especially in science, but some reminded me of the old filmstrips I watched many moons ago as a child. 
Photobucket

I am thankful for the opportunity to try Zane Education, as I am planning for the next school year, I can see this will be part of our lessons in history and science. In years past, I had subscribed to a similar site, but the cost became prohibitive. Zane Education has many options that won't break your homeschooling budget:
  1. Free membership – access to the demo videos, ALL the math videos, and all the quizzes.
  2. Topic Taster – $5. a month- Same as free plus all the videos on one topic.
  3. Bronze – $8.99 a month or $98.89 a year – Same as free plus all videos by grade.
  4. Silver – $12.99 a month or $142.89 – Same as free plus all videos by subject.
  5. Gold – $17.99 a month or $197.89 – Same as free plus ALL the videos by topic, grade and subject. Plus the Christian Learning Guide and the Zane Home Learning Guide for free.
  6. The Zane Home Learning Guide and the Christian Learning Guide can be purchased for $49.95 or offered free with a one year subscription. 
  7. Zane Education is offering a 35% discount on the purchase of any annual 12-month Gold, Silver or BronzeMembership subscription through until the end of August 2012. Use Discount Promotion Code: ZE265HSM
Before you subscribe, I recommend you visit their site and try the free video of the day. Then click on the banner below to see what my crew mates have to say about Zane Education.

Photobucket

Thanks for stopping by,



 


Never miss a post, enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Woodcarver: Winner Announced!

Congratulations to Paloma who tweeted about this movie!  Look for more giveaways in the future.

Thanks for stopping by,  

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Woodcarver: A Family Movie Review and Giveaway!

One great thing about being a blogger is the opportunity to try new products and share them with my readers. Little Guy and I just finished a neat curriculum (Who Am I?) which featured a master woodcarver. How fitting it was to have a chance to see a new movie called The Woodcarver. He was excited just reading the cover.






About the Movie:
Matthew Stevenson is a troubled kid from a broken home. When he vandalizes the local church to get back at his parents, Matthew has to repair the damage to the church to avoid criminal charges. While working at the church, he meets Ernest (John Ratzenberger), an accomplished wood carver who created the intricate woodwork decoration that Matthew destroyed. Ernest has become something of a hermit, but reluctantly comes out of reclusion to help repair the church. Now Ernest and Matthew must work together to preserve the church's beautiful antiquity, and along the way, they also manage to restore their faith in God and in life.




I loved everything about this movie. The message, the choice of characters, the conflicts, and the suspense level captivated me during the entire movie. I enjoyed Little Guy's commentary on the parallels between the movie and the story we read. He decided the dad in this movie was worse than the father our Bible studyAlthough it is rated P.G., there wasn't anything in it that Little Guy could not handle. This is a terrific family film that has a great ending.


How can you win a copy of The Woodcarver for yourself?


  • Tweet this post.


  • Visit Christian Cinema and tell me about a movie from their site that you have enjoyed.

  • Like Christian Cinema on Facebook 


  • Subscribe to my blog.


  • Follow me on this blog or twitter @accidentallyhs, I promise not to overtweet you!

  • For each entry that you do, leave a separate comment. You can enter up to 6 times. This giveaway will end next Thursday, March 15th. If you can't wait to see it, it is available now at Christian Cinema for only $10.92.




    Thanks for stopping by,   




     



    On a side note...
    And now to satisfy the ever increasing need of the government to control our free speech:
    "Disclosure of material Connection: I recieved the movie listed above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and beli8eve would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in advertising."

    Earn a chance to win The Woodcarver, enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

    Wednesday, January 11, 2012

    Z-Guides to the Movies~ The Green Berets, A Review


    As a member of the TOS Homeschool crew, this year I am reviewing many homeschooling products that I have received for free. I am not paid to say nice things about the products, but I am obligated to use the product and share my honest opinions with you. In today's review, our whole family, minus the Little Guy used this product together.


    What is a Z-Guide?
    Z-Guides are a great way to enhance your history, geography and/or English lessons using activities centered around a motion picture. The product I received is in a download format, giving me the freedom to print the pages we need for our study. The guide includes a synopsis, historical background, review questions, and numerous activities pertaining to the movie. You can read more about Z-Guides here. You can see my past review of the Z-Guide, The Count of Monte Cristo here or see a sample of the Z-Guide here.

    Z-Guides to the Movies ~ The Green Berets, A Review



    Paperboy chose The Green Berets starring John Wayne for our next Z-Guide. A quick word of caution; let the kids choose together. Random and I were not crazy about this movie. A war movie would not have been our choice. My difficulties in following the movie were relieved by the synopsis in the guide, it cleared many things up for me.

    Because I am an honest blogger, I have to say this was one of my toughest reviews to do. Not because I did not like the product, I love them, I own five Z-Guides. It is because the movie associated with this guide bothered me. The similarities between Vietnam and today's Iraq situation are too close. My heart was broken thinking of all of the deaths and the end results of each conflict. But since this isn't my political blog, I'll get back to the Z-Guide.

    Things I loved about the guide:

    • The Movie Synopsis was very thorough. I missed many of the key points of the movie. The author does a fantastic job in the description.
    • The 25 Review Questions are open ended, requiring detailed answers. A few of them stumped me, but thankfully they provided an answer key.
    • The Compare and Contrast exercise was challenging and thought provoking.
    • The Worldview Activity is an import activity to keep the dialogue going with your children about moral choices. 
    Things we could have lived without:
    • The Crossword Puzzle, asking the same questions orally worked for our family.  Crosswords are loved or hated, it reminds me of busywork. 

    Zeezok publishing has created an incredible product for those who want to spice up their history lessons. The guide gives parents the tools they need to create an interesting week long discussion of a historical event using a movie. Because the ugliness of the war, mature scenes and intense propaganda of the movie was difficult for me, the grown-up, to follow, I recommend The Green Berets and it's Z-Guide for older high school students who are studying the Vietnam War.

    You can purchase this guide and many other Z-guides at Zeezok. They come in an e-book format or a CD version for $12.95. Many of my other Crew members reviewed other study guides. See their reviews here. Thanks for stopping by,


    If you find yourself in male company watching war movies more than you'd like to,
    subscribe, we have something in common.
    Enter your email address:
    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Saturday, October 29, 2011

    Marshall Publishing: George Washington Carver Movie


    Marshall publishing carries a series of educational Dvd's for homeschoolers. We had a chance to enjoy George Washington Carver, His Life and His Work. While this was geared to older students, I do think all ages would be inspired by this movie.

    When Random and I began watching, he commented on how 'old fasioned' it seemed. Little Guy was glued to it. This movie is not flashy, but 30 minutes of incredible information. It begins with beautiful nature scenes and quotes from George W. Carver. The fascinating history of his life pursuing education is told while using footage of each location he lived in. It was like following a museum docent around the country. The film used different voices to quote significant people in Carver's life. I loved the blend of nature, history, music and narration to tell the story of this incredible American.  I claimed many of the inspirational quotes for my life and will be placing them on bathroom mirrors in my home. Here are just a couple I adore:
    There is no short cut to achievement. Life requires thorough preparation - veneer isn't worth anything.
    I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.

    I enjoy using films in our homeschool. I was impressed that Marshall Publishing offers free study questions here on Marshall Publishing's website. They also have other films available for all ages. George W. Carver is currently $19.95. You can save 15% off your order by using the top secret code available to the wonderful readers of my blog. The code is TOSC1 at check out. And I mean it, you are wonderful!!!

    Now the necessarily disclosure:
     As a member of the TOS Homeschool crew, this year I am reviewing many homeschooling products that I have received for free. I am not paid to say nice things about the products, but I am obligated to use the product and share my honest opinions with you.


    Don't take my word for it. If you would like more information about the Dvd, click here. See what other crew members thought about this movie here.

    Thanks for stopping by,
    If you love inspiring movies, enter your email address:
    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Friday, September 23, 2011

    Winner................Is it You????

    The winner of the Shunning DVD is Christine. Christine, I am not a mind reader, please send me your contact information so the nice lady at Propeller can send you your prize. Congratulations!!! You are going to love this movie.
    Please click on the email button to the right and shoot me an email with your contact information.
    For those who didn't win......Christine has 48 hours to respond or I will shun her and move onto the next winner.

    Thanks for entering, and look for more great give aways of Christian products here.

    ~Terri

    If the thought of missing a single contest on my blog irritates you,
    enter your email address:
    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Friday, September 16, 2011

    The Shunning: A Movie Review and Giveaway

    Years ago, before homeschooling, career, and chaos, I had the luxury of endless reading. There was enough time to enjoy Christian fiction, and stay up late reading. I particularly enjoyed fiction by Beverly Lewis. One book, The Shunning, I recall clearly. I remember scrambling to order the sequel from my local library. It is part of a series, Heritage of Lancaster County.

    Beverly Lewis has tremendous insight into the Amish community. She answers frequently asked questions on her web site:

    Were you raised Amish? 

    I grew up an Assembly of God minister's daughter in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania—literally, on the second pew! However, my keen interest in Plain culture comes from a close family connection to Old Order Mennonites. My maternal grandmother—Ada Ranck Buchwalter—left the Mennonite community when she married. Many of Ada's family members were Mennonites, so I had Plain relatives on Mother's side.

    I am interested in knowing more about your Plain heritage. How much experience do you have with that lifestyle? 

    I have lived with Old Order Amish on two separate occasions, while doing continued research on The Heritage of Lancaster County trilogy (The Shunning and subsequent sequels). My connection to the Plain community comes from my mother's Old Order Mennonite heritage. Growing up, I was surrounded by Mother's family at reunions and church gatherings. I remember going to water baptisms and all of us singing without any musical instruments—the rich four-part harmony of voices—happily watching relatives and friends being completely immersed in the Susquehanna River, just as I was baptized later at the age of 12.

    What, if any, has the reaction been from the Amish community to your books? 

    I have received a lot of mail from Amish people. (Some who have been shunned.) Many ask, "How do you know so much about our tradition and culture?" Others from the New Order Amish have requested that I portray their communities, as well, such as Ohio, Indiana, and other states.
    My thoughts on  Beverly Lewis' the Shunning

    Years later, her book, The Shunning was turned into a movie. A good movie. 

    I am not what you would consider a movie buff, much to the Gman's disappointment. He loves the rare times when I sit still with him for a movie. He even jumped at the chance to watch a chick flick with me. I loved it. Because I had read the book and he hadn't, I knew the secrets. He kept asking me questions about what happens next and I replied in the manner of one who is surrounded by men.
    "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you!"
    I won't give away any of the ending, but this movie will have you waiting for the sequel or reading Lewis' books if you haven't already.
    Beverly Lewis' The Shunning - About the Movie
    Before she succumbs to cancer, the dying wish of Laura Mayfield-Bennett is to be reunited with the daughter she never knew. Unfortunately, that daughter, Katie Lapp, is a member of the Amish order. Katie is about to be married, but uneasy about the path ahead.  Now she discovers the secret her parents have kept from her: she's adopted. 
    The film is based on the celebrated first novel of the best-selling "The Heritage of Lancaster County" book series from author Beverly Lewis. Stars Danielle Panabaker & Sherry Stringfield.


    Visit the movie website or visit them on Facebook here to find out more about this great movie.

    If The Shunning sounds like a movie you would enjoy, I am happy to offer you a chance to win your own copy. Just leave me a comment below saying you would like to win. For extra entries, leave additional comments telling me you shared this link in any of the following ways:

    • Tweet it using the following tweet: I entered to win The Shunning DVD here http://bit.ly/p7mKuT
    • Share this on Facebook.
    • Follow The Shunning on Facebook.
    • Subscribe to my blog.
    • Follow me on this blog or twitter @accidentallyhs, I promise not to overtweet you!

    This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents. I will be drawing a winner next Thursday, September 22.

    If you don't win, don't worry. The Shunning DVD is available to purchase for $16.99 from Amazon.

    Thanks for stopping by,
    Terri G.

    On a side note...
    And now to satisfy the ever increasing need of the government to control our free speech:
    "Disclosure of material Connection: I recieved the movie listed above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and beli8eve would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in advertising."

    If you enjoy family movies, enter your email address:
      Delivered by FeedBurner

    Thursday, September 1, 2011

    Irene and I got along fine, Thrifty Thursday, and the Winner

    Hurricane Irene didn't disrupt our lives too much.

    We spent time at home together.

    The Gman was very prepared.

    Daddy taught paperboy how to hook up a generator to our electrical panel.

    The sticks and debris were cleaned up quickly.

    Life is back to normal.

    Some of my thrifty actions last week:

    Thrifty is not shopping before the hurricane. No chance of food getting spoiled.

    Thrifty is winning Red Sox tickets by calling the radio station. Of course, including prayer, faith and singing: Take me out to the ball game. Thanks to God, for my son's birthday gift!



    Saying yes! to turkey. My overachieving friend, Jan, dropped off a turkey since she had lost power and had no generator. I'm not crazy about turkey, but anything with enough gravy is awesome! Homemade gravy is easy and cheap!


    Cancelling the second Xm radio subscription is thrifty. Our first subscription was a lifetime membership which has more than paid for itself. During the attempt to reorder, the call was dropped and the restart never happened. We decided we could live without a second radio.

    As I promised last week:
    The winner of the Grace Card Movie is:

    Entering contests is a great way to be thrifty. This movie could be a great date night movie for the winner and her hubby. Congratulations to the guinea pig! Shirley, who is very thrifty.






    Look for more upcoming give-aways here.

    Thanks for stopping by, Terri G.
    Enter your email address:
    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Thursday, August 25, 2011

    The Grace Card: Review and Give Away!

    Thrifty Thursday: Win a Free Movie


    I was given the opportunity to review the movie The Grace Card. This movie is produced by Affirm Films, the same company that gave us Fireproof and Facing the Giants. Over the years, I have endured hokey Christian films that have some silly scenes which can be too distracting to portray the gospel message effectively. This film was a breath of fresh air...

    What it is all about.......
    Everything can change in an instant ... and take a lifetime to unravel.
    When Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, the ensuing 17 years of bitterness and pain erodes his love for his family and leaves him angry with God ... and just about everyone else.
    Mac's rage stonewalls his career in the police department and makes for a combustible situation when he's partnered with Sam Wright, a rising star on the force who happens to be a part-time pastor and a loving family man.
    Mac's home life is as frightening as anything he encounters on the streets of Memphis. Money is tight and emotions run high as he constantly argues with his wife and his surviving son Blake, who is hanging with the wrong crowd and in danger of flunking out of school.
    Sam Wright also never expected to be a police officer. He has a calling—to be a minister like his Grandpa George. But leading a small, start-up church doesn't always put enough food on the table for a young family, so Sam doubles as a police officer. With his new promotion to Sergeant, Sam starts questioning if his real calling might actually be police work rather than the pastorate.
    Can Mac and Sam somehow join forces to help one another when it's impossible for either of them to look past their differences—especially the most obvious one?
    Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God's grace. Offer THE GRACE CARD ... and never underestimate the power of God's love.





    What I thought about the movie...............

    I rate a movie by it's ability to keep me engaged and awake. My attention can only be held by a lot of action, drama and captivating plot lines. The Grace card had the ability to keep me awake long past my bedtime.

    Make sure you have tissues, because it can be a tear jerker.

    My favorite feature of this film was the numerous themes running through the movie. It multi-tasked with it's themes. The issues that were addressed while entertaining the audience would speak to any one's heart. Prejudice, bitterness, unforgiveness of others and self, teenagers, financial pressures, and marital strife. It was able to portray these themes while still interjecting humor and even some great music.

    The way things were wrapped up at the end was a little incredible, nevertheless, it was a great drama. It was not based on a true story, but many of the characters has striking similarities to people I know in real life.

    The movie will strengthen your faith, challenge you and entertain you.

    If you want to read more about The Grace Card visit their web site here.
    Good News!!!!

    You can win your own copy of the Grace Card.

    The first entry is mandatory:
    Just leave the word Grace in the comments with a way to contact you.

    The rest of the entries will increase your chances of winning. Just leave me an extra comment for each one.

    1. Be one of the over 50,000 people to like the Grace Card on Facebook. #/thegracecard
    2. Follow the Grace Card on twitter, #/#!/gracecardmovie
    3. Tweet about this giveaway using the the following tweet.
    4. Follow my blog on GFC.
    5. Subscribe to my blog with feedburner.
    6. Tell me when you first have experienced grace in your life.
    I will draw one winner on Thrifty Thursday, September 1st.


    On a side note...
    And now to satisfy the ever increasing need of the government to control our free speech:

    "Disclosure of material Connection: I recieved the movie listed above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and beli8eve would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in advertising."

    If you enjoy reviews of great movies with a great messages, enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner
    Thanks for stopping by,

    Tuesday, May 3, 2011

    Homeschool Conference Take Aways, Random Plans

    Thankfully, I don't let my emotions run the show. Because there were many swirling around on the day I left. My thoughts were filled with homefront details, stress and dreams of military boarding school. My arrival was marked by peace and gratitude. I felt grateful for my dear friends who dropped me off at the hotel. My quiet enjoyment was temporally rocked, but all was settled.

    I was ready to formulate my plan for next year.  I needed this time so I could touch, hold, read, analyze and sniff some books. I was in the right location to do it.

    I first must make a public apology to the vendors. I know I have disappointed you. Normally, I drop hundreds of dollars and need a rolling cart or a strong husband each day to carry my purchases. This time I needed neither. My trusty orange backpack remained half empty. Forgive me?

    This was a year of changes. I finally have figured out my strategy for Random. He loves learning on the computer and using online programs. He just had said to me "I regret not doing more online classes earlier."

    Well, my teaching style cringes at the thought of a child hunched over a computer all day. My perfect homeschool family fantasy involves all of us sitting in my sun room discussing the Animal Farm and politics.  He, to put it bluntly, likes me to be his mother, not his 24 hour teacher. We are ready for the transition. I'm checking out online and computer options. We haven't made a firm decision yet, but we know it's the right direction.

    He also is trying his hand at computer programming with a free program called Alice. I was introduced to this at a lunchtime seminar and knew Random had to do this. He has already commented that it is a challenge. Yeah! Alice is described as:
    Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing. It uses 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface to facilitate a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience. 
    Back to the convention...I thought I'd share some of the goodies I did pick up:

    Because Little Guy's new hobby is all about rocks, I hand picked each treasure and added a detailed Dover coloring to call it curriculum. Total for the thrifty minded: $2.50 rocks, $2.50 for the clearance book.


    Paperboy will remain in Math-U-See, he gets the weird shaped book. How's that for a geometric optical illusion?


    We all fell in love with these movie guides last month. The boys and I each picked a title, thanks to my cell phone. The convention special was buy two, get one free at $12.99 each.


    The Gman and I have a new $5.00 stapler for the office that won't be easily stolen. 
    This was purchased at the hospital gift shop where I met Marge, Heidi, and Katie for lunch one day.


    I was blessed to meet Carrie from Keyboard Classroom. Paperboy will be her next guinea pig product tester to improve his typing skills. Look forward to an upcoming review of Keyboard Classroom.  I'm excited about this opportunity, and it may be in the interest of marital harmony that the Gman will be my next student.


    I have so much more to share about MassHope, look more conference fun next week.
    Thanks for stopping by,
    If you love to hear what other homeschoolers are doing for their curriculum, enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

    Saturday, April 16, 2011

    Winner, late dinner and the good news

    If you forgot to enter the giveaway for the Magdalena: Through Her Eyes, I'm sorry, you snooze, you lose. It's probably the best thing I've given away on my blog, so far. I'm looking forward to watching this awesome movie again with the Gman.


    In the last few weeks, I have been very fortunate to win some blog giveaways. Look forward to some upcoming photos of Little Guy sporting his gift. I promise I won't bore you with the photos of his new Land's End clothes.

    Who else has been blessed this week?


    I am happy to announce the winner, nickandkatherine.  He/she/they have 48 hours to contact me. If you know Nick or Katherine, be a friend and let them know. My hope is for the winner to get their DVD before Easter. By the comments, it sounds like he/she/they will get the most out of it. I'd love to hold a discussion with a teen group after the movie.



    Thanks for stopping by,


    Enter your email address, if you never want to miss this blog again: Delivered by FeedBurner

    Sunday, March 6, 2011

    Must. See. Do. Not. Miss. DVD.

    Today's post is a submission to the Christian Home Magazine, Movies and music section from The Legacy of Home. This new magazine is published online each Monday by Mrs. White.


    This Christmas, Little Guy was thrilled to get the first three episodes of the  "What's in the Bible?". These movies, created by Phil Vischer, were a blessing to our whole family.


    I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these movies. The first time I snuggled with Little Guy and watched, I knew we were starting a tradition. My litmus test for a good movie is: Can I stay awake for it? This series passed with flying colors. I am looking forward to buying episode #4 for Little Guy's birthday. These are movies to own, not rent.


    The first episode  "In the beginning" covers what's in the Bible and who wrote the Bible. The second episode teaches how we got the Bible and salvation. The third one, my favorite, tells about the rules(Levitical law), and explains the Pentateuch.

    These movies have inspired my Little Guy to read his Bible. He has been fascinated with the books of the Bible since watching these over and over. I find him reading his Bible and studying the books of the Bible on his own. He sings about the Bible while we are in the car. He has a little notebook which he has started his notes. When he is older, he will have to forgive me for posting his adorable writings.

    I just love the creative spelling. And I love the idea of my boy reading the Bible. Phil Vischer has made the Bible so approachable for Little Guy.

    I was a huge fan of the Muppet show as a child. What's in the Bible is presented like a variety show with a similar style. The answers to so many questions are addressed with such an assortment of characters. The songs are catchy and hilarious. The kid in the mini van could be one of my own. The pastor even has the same name as my own pastor.

    The Gman loved the character Ian because he appeared to be stupid, but asked some pointed questions. We both loved the way they dealt with the question about laws. I added a clip below of one of my favorite scenes.



    I have to admit, I learned a few things about Bible history from Sunday School Lady. If you are not convinced, stop by their website. They have clips of the different episodes, games for the kids at JellyTelly and even a curriculum that goes along with the shows.

    I was not compensated to talk about this series, I just fell in love with them. If the What's in the Bible folks see this and want me to review their next episodes, I will gladly accept.

    If you love movies that inspire, enter your email address:


    Delivered by FeedBurner
    I welcome reader comments with open arms. I also understand if you aren't the commenting or hugging type of person, you can drop me an email at accidentallyhomeschooling@gmail.com.

    Monday, January 17, 2011

    A movie review: Gifted Hands, the Ben Carson Story



    Oscar® winner Cuba Gooding Jr., stars in this true story, Gifted Hands, about a renowned brain surgeon who overcame obstacles to change the course of medicine forever.
    Young Ben Carson didn't have much of a chance. Growing up in a broken home amongst poverty and prejudice, his grades suffered and his temper flared. And yet, his mother (Kimberly Elise) never lost her faith in him. Insisting he follow the opportunities she never had, she helped to grow his imagination, intelligence and, most importantly, his belief in himself. That faith would be his gift, the thing that would drive him to follow his dream of becoming one of the world's leading neurosurgeons.


    This was an excellent movie to watch with my boys. A few summers ago, a friend had passed around the book and we loved it. I had forgotten many of the details, but since Random and Paperboy have a better memory than I, they could predict some scenes. From what I remember, it remained true to the book. I felt it did an excellent job showing the emotions that young Ben had during key times in his life. I consider it a must see movie, a five star film, a gem because it kept me awake for the whole movie. I only closed my eyes during the surgery scenes, seeing blood does queasy things to my stomach.


    This movie did something to Random that all of our lectures could never have done. He acknowledged the importance of a great education and how it must be aimed for. He applauded the mother for her strict standards and change of heart. She had became intentional with her parenting. I guess you could say her child training was not like our homeschooling adventure, an accident. It has given all of us some things to ponder. As I was tucking in Random, we prayed about this and I believe God will continue using this man's example to touch our lives.


    Have you seen a movie that has had an impact on your family? Or even one that was so well made that you stayed awake through the whole thing? 


    If you haven't had a chance to watch this movie, I recommended getting the book by the same title first. You won't be disappointed. 


    If you can't stand the thought of missing a post, enter your email address:


    Delivered by FeedBurner




    I welcome reader comments with open arms. I also understand if you aren't the commenting or hugging type of person, you can drop me an email at accidentallyhomeschooling@gmail.com.