TOS Review Amazing Bible Timeline

As part of the TOS Crew we received the Amazing Bible Timeline to review. It arrived in a sturdy box which also contained information on how to download a free interactive map of the Holy Land and a snazzy looking genealogy of Jesus.

This time line is different because it is circular, not linear like most timelines. While the circular patterns allows the authors to list more information, I think it is difficult to read. That, coupled with the small print and very bright colors, makes it visually unappealing to me.

It is quite large, 36" x 48" and on sturdy paper with a 'scuff coat varnish.'

I put the timeline on our schoolroom wall to see if it would grow on me and went about my merry way. Recently, I (and many other Crew members) received an email from the authors, Bill and Margaret, addressing some concerns raised by Crew Members who had already posted their reviews.

I was previously ignorant of any controversy so I was a little surprised when I read this*. And then I read the review of another Crew member who has nicely laid out the findings of her research.

*As of today, 10/28/09, the link that was sent to the TOS Crew is not available from the author's website which means your average Joan looking for a timeline for her homeschool isn't going to see this. It answers questions about the product so it seems the authors would make it available to all potential customers.

So what's the big deal, you ask. There are a handful of references to the Book of Mormon on the timeline. These were apparently overlooked when the authors needed to re-create their non-LDS version of the timeline after their original film was accidentally destroyed. That seems reasonable... except that happened in 2000- yes, nine years ago. Kind of a long time for such errors to exist.

I was also a little surprised to read this (Please note that what is below is the original text that was sent to the TOS Crew members in the email I reference above; it has since been edited on their site to omit what I have put in bold lettering.):

The Native American belief in a White God who would one day return. This is historical fact. You can find it in the Complete Idiot's Guide to Native American History - a condensed version of history. If it makes that book you know it's standard historical fact. (emphasis mine)

I have nothing against Native American history or historians of Native American history, however, my family chooses to use other sources for our historical studies. Their apparent confidence in the inerrancy of that book gives me cause to question the academic integrity of the product.

They also state:

The Amazing Bible Timeline places important Bible figures in the context of world history and events. The reality of their day to day lives become real to you. And so do the principles taught by their stories. The deeper your understanding the better able you are to apply these principles in your own life. Bible figures become real and you connect on a spiritual level with these ancient people.

My husband and I aren't interested in teaching our children to 'connect on a spiritual level' with ancient people, and it becomes clear that the authors and the Machens do not hold the same values or beliefs.

Perhaps much of the controversy could be alleviated if they removed the word "Bible" from the title of the product. I realize one can be a Bible scholar and not be a Christian (I am NOT saying the authors are not Christians). But when you insert the word "Bible" into a product title, assumptions -foolishly or not - are made. I foolishly made this assumption, and I am grateful for the detective work of other Crew members.

For these reasons I cannot recommend this product.

If, however, you feel this product will meet your family's needs, you can purchase it here for only $29.97.

Click here to read what other TOS Crew members have to say about this products.

TOS Review Virginia Soaps and Scents

Being on the TOS Crew has some major perks, and having the opportunity to learn about Virginia Soaps and Scents and then use their products is one of them.

Virginia Soaps and Scents (VSS) is owned and operated by the Spargur family, homeschoolers in rural Virginia. They did what many people dream of...took a family project that became a family passion and turned it into a business. What a blessing to work doing what you love!

And even better is the fact that everything from the soap to the labels is handcrafted.

We like natural products. We eat a lot of whole foods. We even grind our own wheat for Pete's sake. But we've never ventured into the homemade soap arena. I'm not sure why; it just never made it to the top of our list of things to do.

I was excited to see that the very nice folks at VSS put together a special sampler just for the TOS Crew. It included 3 bars of hand soap- fresh orange, coconut lemongrass and oatmeal, milk and honey- a shampoo bar, and a laundry soap kit.

The hand soap was a no brainer. Natural ingredients, smells good, lathers good, happy mom. They offer a dazzling array of scents from Country Clothesline to Bay rum. The ones we received were scented just enough to smell good but not enough to be overpowering.

The arrival of the laundry soap kit was timely because we've been talking lately about making our own laundry soap to save money. We followed the simple directions and made ourselves some laundry soap. We used a 'free and clear' type detergent before, and I have to admit I don't notice a huge difference in our laundry using the VSS laundry soap.

I personally find that that's a good thing though. I don't like perfume-y smelling laundry at all. And once stink bug season is over (if you live in or near Maryland, you're nodding your head in agreement), I'll start hanging my clothes back on the line to dry. So the bottom line on this is that we plan to continue to use the laundry soap because it's less expensive and gives us the same quality laundry as store bought soap.

The shampoo bar...I will admit I was completely skeptical. I have long fine, curly/frizzy hair, and I have to use conditioner to be able to comb through my hair. So I did some experimenting.

First I tried just the shampoo bar, and I was able to comb through my hair with a lot of work.

Then I tried the shampoo bar with a vinegar rinse (do the vinegar rinse *before* you shave your legs...ouch!). I think disaster best describes this experiment; I had to get back in the shower and condition my hair so I could comb it without becoming bald.

Finally, I settled on using the shampoo bar *and* conditioner. Happiness. I have to add that Bill and Ella both have very dry skin, and they love, love, love the shampoo bar. I actually use it as body soap for Ella, and her skin is noticeably less scaly. Bill has had a mystery rash on his chest since forever, and it completely cleared up using the shampoo bar.

To say we like these products is an understatement.

You can purchase a 4.5 oz bar of soap for $4.50 per bar, 3 bars for $12.00, 10 bars for $35.00. If you buy 4 bars, you'll get 1 free, and they have many scents from which to choose.

You can purchase 1 laundry soap kit for $4.95 and 6 kits for $25.00. Or you can buy just the soap bar and use your own borax and washing soda.

The shampoo bar is available in 3 different scents - Ginger Lime, Coconut Lemongrass and Cherry Almond - as well as an Oily Hair/Clarifying Formula Tangerine Grapefruit option. You can buy a 5.5 oz bar for $5.50 or 2 bars for $10.00.

But don't stop there. Be sure to check out their full line of handcrafted products including pet shampoo, lip balm, shaving soaps, and gourmet soaps. They even offer a fundraising option.

If you live locally, you can also purchase VSS products from retailers such as Quail Cove.

Do yourself a favor and buy some Virginia Soaps and Scents soap today!

You can read other TOS Crew reviews here.

~ I received these products for free so that may use them and give my honest opinion of them.

Hiking the AT

We are very blessed to live near some beautiful outdoorsy places like the Appalachian Trail. The kids and I decided to enjoy the gorgeous weather last week and go play.

We began with them running up the hill away from me

Then Ella slowed down for a picture because she found a heart-shaped rock

Then I made them all sit down and endure some group shots

The princess all too gladly posed for some pictures

We saw this cool plant

And a dead tree that looked like a woodpecker hang out

The boys are looking forward to going back with daddy so they can hike farther and maybe even see a bear (we don't have bears around here, but the boys keeping hoping one will wander down to our neck of the woods).

TOS Review Sarah's Wish

We just finished reading "Sarah's Wish" which is the first in the Sarah Books series, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

The author, Jim Baumgardner, wrote the books for his grandchildren. I want them to know about history and where we as a people have been. I hope they learn that although the United States allowed the curse of slavery to imprison a race of people in body and mind, yet that same nation finally rose up to defeat those who were intent on keeping the status quo. Sarah’s Wish introduces them to the institution of slavery and sheds some light on those who opposed it. The defeat will come later in the Sarah books.

The main character is a Christian, 12 year old girl named Sarah who is suddenly orphaned when her mother dies in an accident. Sarah has promised to keep a secret and to continue the work her mother began. This is also the beginning of Sarah's relationship with Granny, who will crack you up again and again with her fiesty sayings like, "What ya waitin' on- lets' cut dirt!", and their journey together to find Sarah a new family. Your children will be inspired by Sarah who repeatedly turns to the Lord and trusts Him for provision in difficult moments.

This is a good story that is also well told, and I think you'll enjoy it.

"Sarah's Wish" is the first of three books with (hopefully!) more to come. You can read excerpts of the books here. "Sarah's Wish" includes a free audio download of the story from the publisher. We listened to this on a recent road trip, and we all were hooked from start to finish.

Each book begins with a glossary of words and terms to help your students better understand what they're reading. There is also a forward looking snapshot at the end of the book giving you a hint of what's to come in the next book.

You can sign up to receive Sarah's Web newsletter by sending an email to sarahbooks@cox.net. Just enter "send newsletter" in the subject line. You'll enjoy Mr. Baumgardner's wit and sense of humor. The newsletter includes "Interesting Facts and Other Good Stuff," "Question of the Month," "Words of Wisdom" and more.

Mr. Baumgardner's grandchildren are homeschooled, and portions of his website are tailored to kids. He has a section titled "Think it over" with lots of fun facts. He has posted reviews written by students and pictures of students who have won his contests or that he has met at curriculum fairs.

You and your kids will want to curl up on the couch and read this book from cover to cover.

"Sarah's Wish" is available in hard copy for $9.99 or as an audio book for $16.99.

"Sarah's Promise" is available in hard copy for $13.50 and as an audio book for $18.99.

"Sarah's Escape" is available in hard copy for $17.50.

Or you can purchase all three books for $34.95. If you order from the author, shipping and handling are free and each book is personally autographed.

If you enjoy well written historical fiction, you will definitely enjoy "Sarah's Wish."

You can read reviews written by other TOS Crew members here.

*I was not compensated financially for this review. The book was provided to me free of charge so that I could offer my honest opinion of it.

FREE Autumn Treasures Unit Study and Lapbook

The very nice folks at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine want you to enjoy a completely free autumn unit study and lap book from Amanda Bennett and The Old Schoolhouse®. It is over 80 pages of activities and resources.

This free autumn unit study can be downloaded through their store.

They also have an encouragement article they think you might enjoy reading, along with a special coupon code.

Happy Autumn!!

TOS Review Guardian Angel Publishing

Guardian Angel Publishing is the latest vendor to send the TOS Crew products for review. We all received a handful of different books so be sure to check out all the reviews.

Guardian Angel Publishing has many, many titles in stock and they are available in formats ranging from downloadable PDF to hard copy with DVD. You can click here to browse the alphabetical listing of their books; you are sure to find something to suit you.

Here are the books we received:

Andy and Spirit Go To The Fair
This is a sweet little story about a young boy who is wheelchair-bound and his Albino horse, Spirit. They qualify for the 4-H Fair and have to overcome even more obstacles in order to do their best in the horse show. The writing style didn't appeal to my kids and didn't keep their interest. If your kids love horses though, they may well love the story.

At the end of the book, there is a summary of how wild horses are managed in the US with resources for further study. There is also an explanation of 4-H with more resources for more information.

A portion of the proceeds from this book are donated to Healing Reins of Bend, OR.www.healingreins.org , a non-profit organization,and Horseplay of Fernley, NV. http://downshorseplay.googlepages.com

There are a number of purchasing options:
$5 for the PDF e-book
eBook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H
PRINT Book $10.95 + 6.95 S&H
DVD Book Video $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

Earthquake!
This book explains the science of earthquakes and provides some hands on activities. It also includes lists for disaster preparedness. There are fun factoids throughout the book like - "Why don't we fall off the earth? The law of gravity keeps us on the earth. Obey gravity! It's the law!"

You can choose from the following purchasing options:
PDF eBook DOWNLOAD $5.00
eBook CD $9.95+$5.95 S&H
PRINT Book $11.95+$6.95 S&H

Hamster Holidays
This book follows a group of hamsters through a year as they celebrate different holidays. Adjectives are highlighted by red text and nouns by blue text. At the end of the book you'll find a noun and adjective study guide explaining the basics about these two parts of speech. There are also games and puzzles to reinforce what your child had learned. The illustrations are cute and the story rhyme is fun to read.

You can choose from a variety of purchasing options:
PDF eBook DOWNLOAD $5.00
eBook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H
PRINT Book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

Maybe We Are Flamingoes

Flora and Fernando are the wrong color for flamingos. They wonder what they could be until they discover becoming pink can take a year, and staying pink is due to their diet. At last relieved, they draw funny pictures of how they might look if they ate broccoli or blueberries.

The kids thought these pictures were pretty funny, and we spent some time imagining what we would look like if our diet affected our looks.

Many of our Picture Books will be released at iTunes APP Store- iKids Play™ App for iPhones and iPods! Our first book in the iKids Play™ App has now been released! Purchase MAYBE WE ARE FLAMINGOS iKids Play APP for your touch screen iPod and iPhones! here.

Choose from the following purchasing options:
PDF eBook DOWNLOAD $5.00
eBook on CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H
PRINT paperback book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H
DVD Book Video $9.95 + $5.95 S&H

No Bones About It
Learning the bones in the human body can be a challenge for anyone. Using this clever learning tool in rhyme may be just what you’ve been looking for, no bones about it. You’ll be amazed at how fast you will be able to learn them from head to toe. Study the bones, find fun factoids, take the quiz, discover the mystery bones.

While the book is interesting, the kids and I found some of the illustrations to be disturbing.

You can choose from different purchasing options:
PDF eBook DOWNLOAD $5.00
eBook CD $9.95 + $5.95 S&H
PRINT Book $10.95 + $6.95 S&H

Click here for FREE ebooks and coloring pages.

You can read more TOS Crew reviews here.

*I recieved these books for free for the express purpose of providing my opinion of the products.

Pumpkin Patch

We took a last minute field trip to the pumpkin patch last week when we decided to cancel science class and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

The kids love the corn bin

Shane at the duck races

The hay slides are always a big hit

The bouncey pillow is so fun it oughta be illegal

TOS Review, Nature Friend Magazine

We received the August and September editions of Nature Friend Magazine to review. There is so much to love about this magazine!

Let's start with their purpose:
Since the doctrine of Divine Creation is the first and foundational one of Scripture, our children must be able to stand on it securely to withstand the undermining influences from our culture. Nature Friend has never chosen to be controversial or militantly confrontational about creation vs. evolution. Its policy has been to simply stand on the truth of God’s Word and to present it as enjoyable fact while learning about the creatures God has created. Nature Friend recognizes that God has planned for man to be wise stewards over His creation, and that He alone is to be worshipped, not His creation.

As a family we enjoy nature studies of all kinds. We love to learn about God's Creation as we go on walks and collect little 'treasures' like interesting rocks or bird feathers. Our nature study verse is Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Nature Friend beautifully captures God's handiwork. The photography is crisp and wonderful; the illustrations are very nice; the articles are written in an easy to read, conversational tone; the paper is nice and sturdy. Did I mention that we love this magazine?

Here is a small sampling of what you'll enjoy each month:
~ "The Invisibles" or hidden pictures - each month has a very nicely drawn nature scene with hidden nature pictures. Hank (7 y/o) particularly enjoys this.
~ "Wondernose" - a Pennsylvania Dutch term for someone who is very curious and asks lots of questions. The August Wildlife Wondernose question is, "What animal has both a hard beak and fleshy lips that cover that beak?"
~"Creation Closeups" - nature pictures submitted by readers
~ An art lesson - Approximately 6 times per year, the art lesson is 2 pages long rather than 1 page. This gives opportunity for learning more in-depth techniques. They also feature drawings that children have submitted from previous lessons. This is Ella's (5 y/o) favorite feature.
~ "Learning by Doing" - a science lesson followed by an experiment. In the September edition the title is "Plant Pigments." We read an informative and easy to understand lesson why different plants produce certain pigments, and then we made chromatographs.

Another great feature they offer for an additional fee is an 8-page Study Guide which can be photocopied for classroom use. Each Study Guide has puzzles and questions that reinforce the science lessons learned in that month's magazine. It also includes "The Photo Critique" which gives tips for successful nature photography. Your students can submit photos for publication and feedback. And "A Study in Nature, A Lesson in Writing" is a creative writing lesson.

You can buy a 1-year subscription for $36, and you can purchase the Study Guide for an additional $24.

A 2-year subscription is $68, and the Study Guide for 2 years is $48.

Use the code BLOG93 to save $3.00 off your new subscription, but hurry this offer is good only until November 30, 2009.

A subscription with the Study Guide is the perfect gift for your budding naturalist. I highly recommend Nature Friend Magazine.

Don't forget to see what other TOS Crew members think of it!

**I received the magazines free of charge and did not accept any payment for this review. My review is my opinion of the product received.