Luv'N Lambert Life

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The Assignment by Devon Blanton {Review}

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The Assignmentby Devon Blanton

Dr. Devon Blanton is a Professional Christian Counselor, a Pastor, musician and overall man with a heart for God.  Dr. Blanton has taken his knowledge and shared it within several books.  The Assignment is the first book I have personally read from Dr. Blanton.
The Assignment attempts to give answers to the great question that most people ask today: What am I here?  What is my Purpose on this Earth?   Through this study guide book, you will gain perspective on these thoughts and find reason for your existence.
The book is small enough that it can be carried along with your Bible or in your purse if you wish.  There are 13 chapters.  Each are short but packed with thought and information supporting Dr. Devon’s Biblical insight, as well as directing you to scripture. 
The book is set up in study form so that you read the chapter, then explore more.  Each chapter ends with a list of Study Words and then dives into the workbook activities.  All are included in the book so you only have one copy to keep up with.
The workbook activity sections are basically study guide questions designed to help you further understand the message of the chapter you’ve previously read.  This would be great for a Christian study group.  The amount of questions for each chapter varies throughout the book.

If you feel lost and can’t find your purpose or reason for being here, this book is a great way to gain focus and find your way.  The Assignment by Devon Blanton is available on Amazon for $8.99 with Prime shipping or $3.92 for Kindle.
You can find Devon Blanton at The Assignment Bible Study on Facebook!

Lightning Literature {Crew Review}

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I’ve been looking for a good program to use for Literature with Laycie for a little while now but hadn’t been able to find anything.  Homeschool Review Crew to the rescue!  They had the perfect program at the perfect time.
I had heard of Lightning Literature from Hewitt Homeschooling over the years and always been told that it was a great program to use for literature and composition.  I wasn’t aware just how great a program this product is though.  For our review, we were sent the Grade 1 Lightning Lit Set.
The Grade 1 Lightning Lit Set includes the Teacher’s Guide by Elizabeth Kamath and the Student Workbook also by Elizabeth Kamath.  Additional children’s books are needed for the course but these are easily obtained through your local library or through a local book retailer or even online.
I chose this level to use with Laycie since we are just moving forward into literature and this is the first time of us using a literature program with her.  I was looking for something more structured but not so rigid that it made learning stressful for her.  Lightning Literature surprisingly has been great for that.
This program allows for the fact that some first graders won’t be able to read the work or books provided.  The goal is to provide a love of literature beginning at a young age.  The program allows the child to dictate their answers so that they can have help to complete the exercises.  The books used are classic children’s picture books with a few newer books also included to give a well-rounded example of good literature.
Every day there are activities to complete for the specific book that you read for the week.  The first book is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  The activities change with the books.
Of course, this is a basic 5 day a week lesson set up for the program.  The course teaches literature, grammar and mechanics and also composition.  There are included Reading Journal pages, Dictionary pages, and Alphabet and Sentence pages.  Aesop’s Fables are included on Day Four of this curriculum each week but these can be skipped if your child does not enjoy them.  There are also lesson extensions shared to expand on the weekly lessons.
Break Down of Each Day’s Basic Set-Up
On Day One of the lesson, you read the book and answer comprehension questions specific to the book being covered.  Grammar and Mechanics is covered with a quick multiple choice worksheet. Composition is covered as well on Day One.
Day Two leaves you with the decision to read the book again but preferably to have your child narrate the story by telling what they remember of it back to you.  You can do this by looking at the book together and discussing it as you go.  This is a great way to encourage reading.
Day Two’s workbook work covers Grammar and Mechanics by completing a worksheet specific to what the child is learning at the time through the course.  This develops as they work through the program and learn.  This day also includes the Reading Journal activity: the child can either write or dictate the sentences related to retelling the story.   This particular part of the program is scheduled early in the week but can be moved to later in the week if preferred.
On Day Three, you and your child read the story again.  This day has more comprehension questions to help your child discover even more about the story they are learning about.  On this day, the dictionary pages are introduced for the week.  for these pages you can choose words from the story or you can choose words from daily life.  It’s up to you what words you chose for your student to learn. The longer sheets can be completed with assistance from the parent/teacher.
Composition is worked on daily with planning and on Day Three the work is put onto paper as a rough draft.  This can also be done as dictation if needed.  Whatever your child is ready to do.
Day Four introduces a new Aesop’s Fable each week.  The Dover edition of this book is used or you can use a free one found online.  These are random and shared for enjoyment of reading purposes mostly.  Grammar activity is done on this day in relation to what’s being learned for that week.  The composition final draft is also completed each week on Day Four.
Day Five is a free day or a catch up day if needed.  It’s up to you how it’s used.  This day could also be a day used to expand the lesson.
How We Used It:

This program is just awesome!  I used it with Laycie but it also worked great with Jack too.  As I read they both listened.  Jackson wasn’t ready for the book work but because these books are common children’s books, I was able to find activities online to use with him outside of what the curriculum provided.
The workbook provided just enough work for Laycie yet it wasn’t overwhelming.  This helped her writing skills and her storytelling and dictation skills as well.  We worked together to write answers both with dictation and working on her writing skills.
We chose to read our story daily together.  We also chose to do the weekly Aesop’s Fables and found additional activities to do online for that as well.  It was great to have the workbook to follow and guide us in this curriculum.
Where Can You Get Lightning Literature:
You can find Lightning Literature in different levels at the Hewitt Homeschooling website.  The price for the Grade 1 Lightning Lit Set is $88.11.  The set includes the books mentioned above and Aesop’s Fables as well.
Hewitt Homeschooling on Social Media:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HewittHomeschooling    Tag:   @HewittHomeschooling   

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/hewittonline    Tag:   @HewittOnline   

Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/hewittonline/          Tag:   @hewittonline   

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Purposeful Design: Understanding The Creation {Crew Review}

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Purposeful Design: Understanding The Creation is now one of my favorite books.  This book is gorgeously designed and packed full of wonderful information showing God’s Glory in His Design of Creation.  Jay Schabacker of Purposeful Design has created a wonderful experience for others to share within the pages of this wonderful book.
The book is hardback and the cover itself begins expressing the beauty that is held within these pages.  God’s hand holding our beautiful planet among the stars of the galaxy is showcased on the front cover of this gorgeous designed book.  The cover definitely draws the reader to find what lies inside the pages of Purposeful Design.
The pages are crisp and clean in design.  They are semi-glossy so they showcase the information better as you are reading through.  This really makes the gorgeous pictures within the book’s pages stand out.
The book itself is approximately 94 pages in length.  It is comprised of 7 chapters discussing various aspects of God’s intent in designing our world.  Chapter 1 begins with the First Day while Chapter 7 ends with the Seventh Day of Creation.
As you’ve probably guessed, this book is extremely Christian oriented.  It’s a Science and Fact book, as well as a Christian one.  It would be perfect for any household who’s lessons are centered around Biblical studies.
The font used within the book is large enough that even struggling readers can see it to better understand the meaning of the lessons and the wonderful information shared.  This also makes the pages feel less jumbled.  Great, too, for those who may not see as well, like Grandma who often reads to our children in my household.
We learned so much reading through Purposeful Design together.  We learned that we always see the same side of the moon because it does not rotate on an Axis.  We learned why an Apple a Day keeps the doctor away.  We learned about tides and we learned about turtles among many more things.  Each page was filled with some different and new info, some that we knew and others that we did not.
The kids truly enjoyed this book as much as I did.   They loved the photos and the information they learned from reading through each page.  They have shared this information with everyone they know and have enjoyed sharing the knowledge they’ve discovered through our use of this book.
A bonus to go along with the book is that on the Purposeful Design website you can find curriculum to go along with the book.  This is a PDF download of a short workbook that you can use to ensure your students are really learning what they are reading through the text of the book.  My kids and I enjoyed this review of the information contained within the book’s pages.
The workbook contains pages for each chapter of the textbook.  There are questions, fun activities and expansion ideas that can be used to build upon the lessons within the text.  This is a great bonus to use to learn with Purposeful Design.
You can purchase your own copy of the gorgeous book, Purposeful Design: Understanding The Creation by Jay Schabacker from Purposeful Design for $18.95 each.  It is recommended for all ages. This book is well worth the cost and has been greatly enjoyable to us.  We know you will love it as well!
You can find Purposeful Design in the following places online:

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/Jayschabacker (@Jayschabacker)

LinkedIn: Jayschab
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IEW: Teaching The Classics {Crew Review}

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Teaching The Classics DVD Seminar and Workbook from the Institute for Excellence in Writing is a full curriculum designed to help the user learn how to learn best from classic reading materials.  Providing a literature style that brings literature understanding to everyone, Teaching The Classics makes understanding literature elements easy.  This curriculum is sure to help everyone from teacher to student.
Teaching the Classics uses the Socratic approach to learning.  Through provision of short classical materials this DVD seminar breaks down literature elements of plot, theme, character, conflict and more.  This program begins with an explanation about Literature, taking the student all the way through each of the elements.
Lesson 1 prepares the student to analyze literature providing samples of some of the greatest authors known.  It begins explaining the structure of the Five Elements of Fiction.  It also discusses literary styles in writing.  The Socratic Method is also taught and thoroughly discusses right away through this lesson.
Following lessons teach and break down Plot and Conflict, Setting, Character, Theme, and more.  Each of these topics are backed up with short story models, charts explaining the information learned, and questions to provide a thorough understanding of the materials taught.   The DVD seminars work with the materials to help the educator/student better understand the lessons throughout the book.

I personally used this curriculum to learn more about using the classics in our daily education.  I try to use classics with my children because I feel they are rich in educational content and truly heartwarming books.  I want my children to learn to enjoy classical books as much as I do.  Teaching the Classics has helped me to provide a better education of the classics for my children in working as a reminder of the important elements I need to teach through the process of teaching them about the classics.  This program would be excellent for an advance middle school or a high school student to work through on their own.  It’s also excellent for a parent, like me, who needs that little extra reminder of these important elements in writing.

Teaching the Classics DVD Seminar and Workbook by Adam and Missy Andrews is available from the Institute for Excellence in Writing for $89.  This program was written for parents of children of any age and for High School aged students.  It can be purchased through the Institute for Excellence in Writing.

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The “U” Word {Homeschooling}

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I have four children.  Three who are school aged and one sweet baby.  I chose a long time ago to homeschool them.  If you have been on my blog long, or are my Facebook friend, etc then you already know all of this.

We are not traditional homeschoolers.  I don’t have time for that!  But we are homeschoolers none the less.

I came to realize recently that I don’t talk a whole lot about our homeschooling adventures.  I honestly have no idea why except maybe it’s because, to me, our homeschooling doesn’t look a whole lot different than the everyday normal.  We play, we eat, we draw, write, color, watch tv.  This list could get pretty long.  We do all the same things you do when your children are home, only we do them as part of our schooling.

See we are Eclectic in educational style.  We are extremely relaxed.  We border strongly on Unschooling.

I can hear your sharp intake of breath.  “Did she just say Unschooling?! Isn’t that doing no school at all?!  You mean she’s not teaching those kids?! The shame.”

No, no!  That’s not what Unschooling is at all!  Unschooling is allowing my children educational freedom to learn on their own.  Unschooling is having faith in God to lead our daily studies.  Unschooling is letting my children be children as God intended for them to be.

I teach by playing with my kids or seeing to it they have the necessary tools to learn with.  I teach as they ask questions to learn more about something they want to know.  I teach by explaining that it’s not proper to say “I ain’t gonna play with she today” and why it’s not.  This list can go on too.

What you won’t see in my home every day is me standing at a black board writing out words or me standing over my daughter as she practices her writing.  You won’t find me patiently waiting while they finish up a test or timing them as they learn their math facts.  You won’t find my children learning rote memorization of facts they don’t find interesting or us reading from a text book written just so they can be equal educationally to millions of other students.

What you will find is a library stocked with interesting books on 1000’s of subjects that they can and do pick up and read at will.  You will find a stocked video area and a subscription to Netflix, along with a full channel  satellite package so they can view documentaries and other educational movies at the drop of a hat as we learn.  You will find the internet connected at all times so we can research things that catch their interest or puzzle their minds.  You will also find tons of toys for interactive play, legos for building and math, crayons, paper, coloring pages, and a working printer for challenging them to absorb their world daily.

That is the way of Unschooling and Relaxed, Eclectic education.  We learn every day about many different things in a way we love, making education something we love.  And I, nor my children, would have that any other way.

March Update {Thoughts From Me}

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It’s always busy in our life.  One thing leads to another and it seems there is never enough time to get everything done.  Life is full and filled with ups and downs right now.

Our new porch is in the process of being built.  We’re using our front door because we aren’t able to get out the back.  I’ve got boxes stacked in front of it, to keep my littles from mistakenly going out.

We’ve been doing a lot with school. 

We’ve got a lot of reviews going on right now, too.  A lot of great stuff that I’m looking forward to sharing about in the future.  Needless, to say the kids are having a lot of fun right now.

We’ve had doctor’s appointments galore recently.  Emma had her nerve conduction test a few weeks ago and the results came back perfect.  No issues with her muscles.  She’s being set up for botox injections and casting to correct her toe-walking.

Jax also had his 6 month checkup.  He’s 27 1/2 inches and weighs 15.4 lbs.  She advised us to hold off longer on his veggies and try making our own to see if he outgrows his reflux issues.  She said he is gaining weight and doing amazingly otherwise.

I’m currently working on a reorganization project, house-wide.  Living in Chaos is for the birds.  It’s slow going but it’s getting there and I’m excited to see things in their place.

I feel like my mind is going a 1000 miles a minute, trying to keep up so this is just going to be a brief synopsis of our life at the moment.  Hopefully, in the future these posts will be come more organized.  Until next time…

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