Luv'N Lambert Life

Mental Health, Homeschooling, Epilepsy and More

Whistlefritz: Educator’s Spanish Collection {Crew Review}

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Ever since I first saw an advertisement for Whistlefritz I have wanted to give their products a try.  I was so excited to see them on our Crew Vendor List this year and could hardly wait to apply for this review.  I was so happy when we were selected to give their Educator’s Spanish Collection a try!
What We Recieved:
We were sent the complete Educator’s Spanish Collection from Whistlefritz.  This package costs $165.  It was created to be used with children in the Early Education years. 
The package includes:
Whistlefritz Spanish Lesson Plans for Kids – Pre-K/Early Elementary (40 Lessons)
Whistlefritz Spanish Matching Cards
Whistefritz Ultimate Collection: Spanish For Kids (Ages 1-7) 5 DVDs and 3CDs set
How It’s Used:
Whistlefritz is a fun program to use for learning Spanish in the early years.  The fun DVD’s keep your child entertained as they learn basic Spanish words.  The adorably entertaining characters keep your child engaged in the program as they learn.  The games also help to keep the child interested and engaged when learning new Spanish words and comprehension of these new words.  
Another fun aspect is that the program includes live, native speaking adults and children.  This helps children with annunciation of the words they are learning.  Plus children love seeing other children using the language they are learning!
It’s never too early to introduce your child to a second language.  Whistleftitz provides all the things you need to make this happen in your home with ease.  This is a complete program that is fun to use.
How We Used It:
First we began by watching the DVD videos and following along.  My kids love entertaining DVD’s that teach them fun things.  They were immediately intrigued by the adorable characters teaching them this new language.  
Don’s grandmother is Spanish so the kids were even more excited to learn a language related to their family.  Anything related to their ancestry is exciting to us as a family.  So this was another complete bonus for us all.
Jackson, in particular, loved the flashcards.  Even though this is a game, he really wouldn’t let us use it as such.  He’s a big card collector so these were added into his stash.  Emmalee and I would talk with him and Laycie about the words on the cards.  He really enjoys the Fox that is on them in different poses, teaching him the new words.
I liked the Spanish Lesson Plans for Kids workbook.  It was easy to use.  The lessons are not hard and are easy to adapt as needed.  The games are fun and help the kids better understand what they were learning from the videos.  I look forward to working with this more throughout the year. 
Emma enjoyed the CDs. She likes to listen to learn.  Even though she’s older, she enjoyed learning the pronunciation of new Spanish words with these CD’s.  They didn’t bore her like other Spanish programs have in the past.
Where Can You Buy Whistlefritz:
Whistlefritz is available online.  They offer the Educator’s Spanish Collection and the Educator’s French Collection, as well.  
Whistlefritz in Social Media:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/whistlefritz    Tag:   @Whistlefritz  





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Another Week Bites The Dust {Thoughts From Me}

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And another week bites the dust.

I’m totally off schedule.  I feel behind in the plans I had.  I need to set up a better plan to stay on track.

Emma is talking my head off.  Distracting me from what I need to do but that’s okay because I don’t mind hearing her talk.  She’s such a social creature.

Laycie is putting all her energy into learning about baby possums.  She’s learned so much about them.  Next week we will dive deeper into some lessons to learn a little more.

Winston has been working on his Minecraft game, mowing grass, building social skills.  He’s ready for another Georgia trip.  He had a lot of fun.  I’m glad.

Jackson is busy busy.  He’s learning big, little and middle in sizes.  He’s learning that Daddy is big and Mommy is big and he is little.  He’s learning colors like grey.  He is counting to 10 on his own.  He’s gaining new skills every day.  He can balance on his head on the couch.  And today he actually held the possum.  He asked without prompting.  I was totally proud of him.

So life is busy and unorganized right now but we’re working on it and we’re enjoying life together.  Life is messy but joy overcomes the mess every day.  So for now I’m living in the moment and letting life go as it will.

Until next time…

Dana

The BeLOVED Life Plush Travel Pillow {FrontGate Review}

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This image belongs to The BeLOVED Life website.

$34.99
FrontGate Blogger Network blessed us with yet another amazing product.  They hooked us up with The BeLOVED Life for a free Plush Cushion Travel Pillow of our choice.  It was just in time for our Georgia trip too!
When reviewing I often receive products for the older kids but rarely find things for Jackson, my 4 year old.  I was pretty torn between a few designs when choosing this one.  There are just so many great products available at The BeLOVED Life. 
There was this awesome Cupcake Travel Pillow which Emma or Laycie would have LOVED!  The back is bright pink and says, “Taste and See ~ Psalm 34:8”. It’s adorable!
Then there was this beautiful purple plush pillow featuring a Crown.  This Princess cushion would have been awesome for Laycie!  The back says, “I Am Wonderfully Made ~ Psalm 139:14”.
The Wings of Eagles pillow would have been awesome for Winston.  It’s very manly in style.  The color is a nice tan featuring a Camo print Eagle.  The back says, “On The Wings of Eagles ~ Isaiah 40:31”.
Any one of these designs would have worked wonderfully for our home but there was one that truly stood out and I immediately thought of my Jackson when I saw it.  The very orange Strength Plush Cushion which features and adorable grey Robot with the word Strong across his chest.  My Jackson LOVES Robots and the color orange!
The back says, “I Can Do All Things Through Christ ~ Philippians 4:13”.
Jackson LOVES this pillow.  I gave it to him right after he woke up the morning it arrived. He was so excited that he immediately snuggled up to it.
He loves how soft the cover is.  I love that the brightly colored pillow IS actually a cover.  It unzips to allow you to wash it and the pillow inside can easily be replaced by an average size throw cushion.  (Did I mention it zips off so you can wash it??  How AWESOME is that?!!)
Our travel pillow came with a matching grey strap to make carrying easy.  Since this pillow was really designed for older kids of the preteen age, the strap is a great design to traveling with the pillow easy.  It also includes a great cell phone pouch for kids.  This is great to make keeping up with their often expensive phones easier and keeping it closer to them while they sleep or travel.
My personal opinion on the strap:
I felt the strap was stiff and hard like a backpack strap can be.  I tried to remove the cell phone pouch as my little one does need it but was unable to get it off without cutting it which I didn’t want to do.  The hooks are hard which aren’t really cuddly when you use the actual pillow and would personally bother me.  I think this aspect could be better designed though I like the idea of it.
The Strength Pillow itself:
This thing is ultra soft.  Jackson (age 4) loves to rub his hands over the soft cover when going to sleep.  Sometimes he stuffs his hand into the pocket on the back.  He likes to stick toys in the pocket too but it’s kind of flat and tight which makes it challenging for his toys.  It would be great for a journal or a notebook or book your reading.  Pokemon cards fit great too.  A small blanket may fit in there but it would have to be really lightweight.  
The embroidered pattern of the Robot and the writing on the back of the pillow are equally soft and do not distract from the comfy feel of the pillow.  I cannot even explain how soft this pillow is.  It completely amazed me.  Jack absolutely loves that.  He’s a texture lover.
As a little bonus, the company sent us a little Light Bulb key chain which I gave Laycie.  We stuck it onto her new purse so she can rub it for sensory.  She loves it as much as Jack.  It’s a great comfort tool for her ADHD.
Honestly, I could just go on and on about this super awesome pillow but I know you probably would like to know how to get your own.  There are several more versions available other than the ones I mentioned here.  The BeLOVED Life STRENGTH Plush Cushion Travel Pillow for Kids is available for $34.99.  For me, it’s totally worth the price for the joy it’s brought my kids.

As a bonus The BeLOVED Life is holding a giveaway where you could WIN your own Plush Travel Pillow for your loved one!  Click the Link below to enter.

The Beloved Life Blog Hop Giveaway

God Loves Daddy & Me {FrontGate Review}

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Bonnie Rickner Jensen
This review comes to us from FrontGate Blogger Network.  We were gifted a free copy of God Loves Daddy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen.  A few weeks ago we reviewed another book in this series called God Loves Mommy & Me also written by Bonnie Rickner Jensen.  You can read that review here.
God Loves Daddy & Me is very similar to God Loves Mommy & Me in design and artwork which are both done by Laura Watkins.  Laura and Bonnie work great together to create adorably intriguing books for children.  These books are simply awesome!

God Loves Daddy & Me features an adorable Raccoon Daddy and baby.  These guys really make you want to cuddle them up.  God Loves Mommy and Me featured an adorable set of Bunnies.  The Raccoons are a little more manly, in my opinion, which is great since this story is about Daddy!
The story takes the Raccoons on an adventure together showing all the way through that God is there and God loves them both.  They build forts, they go out in their boat, they take walks together just to talk.  One of my favorite parts is how they work together to get things done, like chores and then they can have lots of fun!
They play and camp, they hug and love and forgive one another.  And best of all, they pray.  Together they pray for the good and the bad in their days.
This is a wonderful christian book for your little one and just in time for Father’s Day!  You can grab a copy of God Loves Daddy & Me for $6.50 from Amazon.  You’ll love adding this one to your library at home.

The Whole Thing Together – Ann Brashares {Book Review}

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Ann Brashares
I’m a HUGE fan of Ann Brashares.  From day one when I read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Book One.  Then through the entire series which I read before it was ultra popular and turned into a movie.
I’ve read other books of hers as well.  So when I saw The Whole Thing Together, I knew it was a must-read for me!  Another great novel for my Ann Brashares collection.
The Whole Thing Together shares the story of Sasha and Ray and their somewhat odd family.  Sasha and Ray grew up in the same house but never at the same time.  They were almost the same age, save for a few weeks.  They had different parents but they shared the most amazing sisters.
Throughout life, Sasha and Ray shared everything.  The same bed.  The same shoes at some points.  The same toys.  The same bathroom. The same books.  But not once through their entire life had they ever met.  They’d barely even seen each other except in pictures or the occasional far away glance from the car pulling from the drive of the house their families shared.
Though this was a wonderful book, it was an odd story line to follow and a bit hard to keep up with even for a pro-reader like me.  There were some fun perks, like when Ray and Sasha shared a job: their two halves making a whole for working over the Summer.
The best thing about the book is the wonderful relationship they had with their families and especially their siblings!  Kids from mixed up homes need great stories like this to show them what a “normal” family should be even in it’s oddness.
You can find The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares online at Amazon in Kindle, Softcover and Hardcover format.

MarshMedia: Videos for Health {Crew Review}

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Puberty.  That’s a touchy subject whether your child is in Public School, Private School or Homeschooled.  Health.  That’s a subject that is sometimes hard to figure out how to cover when Homeschooling.  Health programs for Public Schools don’t really seem to fit.  Most curriculum cover Health within their Biology or Science curriculum.  This is where MarshMedia comes in.
MarshMedia provides quality videos that help with the instruction of Health and Puberty for parents and teachers.  We were given access to their Homeschool Special for this review.  This allowed us to view the videos the company offers through their online program.  We were able to choose which of the 59 videos offered we would like to see and view them along with our children to learn more on the topic provided.
Topics that MarshMedia videos cover are:

Puberty
Growing Up
Body Changes
Hygiene
Washing Hands
Lice
Keeping Clean
Aids and Other Diseases
Tobacco
Sun Sense
Birth
Alcohol
Nutrition
Danger
School Shooting Preparation
Social Skills
And Much Much More!
Now, seeing as I have children of various ages, I found a wealth of great info through these videos to use with my children.
Let’s Talk Teens:
Teens tend to be stinky.  They’re bodies are changing daily.  There’s interest in others.  They become more social, though sometimes awkwardly.  They have real fears to face (like school shootings and bullying).
These videos are great for teens.  They provide information on why hygiene is important.  They provide information on what to do in the event of a school shooting.  They provide information on Social Skills that kids need to know.  Growing up is hard but videos like these from MarshMedia help with that.
Let’s Talk Kids:
Kids are inquisitive.  Kids want to learn and sometimes the things they learn are not appropriate to their ages, especially those kids in the Public School.  Children learn from each other and when one child learns something inappropriate at home or elsewhere, you can bet he’ll bring that information to the next child and even home with him.
In our old home, my stepson came home at 7 years old, from Kindergarten and taught my then 8 year old about that sticky word, Sex.  As a parent, I was shocked.  7 years old and he knew way more than he should.  Then he taught it to my daughter!  I found them playing Barbies with Barbie and Ken naked laying together.  This was not something I was ready for and it was definitely not something my children were ready for.  But here I was with a 7 year old, an 8 year old and a 10 year old learning from another child something that is important and should be treated with respect.
I immediately made the decision that my children would learn about Sex from me before more influence came home from the Public School, so I pulled a book off the shelf and discussed what I wanted them to know about puberty and sexual basics without going to far at the precious young ages of 8 and 10.  I can honestly say it would have been great to have the puberty videos from MarshMedia available to me then but they’ve been a great review of things forgotten from our original talks.
Let’s Talk Some More:
Sticky topics are important to be covered with your children.  Teaching them correct things about sex is important.  Teaching them good hygiene in important as well.  Teaching them how to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and how to live with others who may have them is another important thing.  And teaching them how to survive events like a school shooting or attacks like the recent ones all over the world have become a must in life.
I’m thankful MarshMedia covers many of these things and helps to make teaching these things easier for Parents and Educators.  When you’re just not sure where to start or how to breach the conversation, MarshMedia helps make it easier for you.  Simply pick a video on your topic.  They are usually about 15 minutes or so.  Watch the video.  Make key notes that you’d like to point out or discuss.  Then watch the video again with your children.  Talk about what you’re watching.   Talk about the key aspects of the lesson provided.  Open the door between you and your child, letting them know it’s okay to ask questions, it’s okay to have feelings of fear, anxiety, desire, etc.  Whatever they are feeling is normal.
Teach them how to be clean as a Teen.  Yes, this should be learned from birth but sometimes Teens have that mental block that make them struggle with using deodorant and taking time to shower.  We’ve all been there, some worse than others.  These things are learned at home and these wonderful videos from MarshMedia can definitely help!  I know they have at our house.
What’s the Cost:
Normally, these amazing videos from MarshMedia would cost $69.95 each or you can rent them for $29.95 each.  That’s a lot when you consider there are 59 videos available.  But MarshMedia has created a wonderful Homeschool Special just for us!
During this limited time offer, you will receive access to stream all 59 videos for $50!  That’s less than $1 a video!  This is only available to homeschoolers and you can view these videos as often as you’d like during the subscription period.  How AWESOME is that??!!!

If you wish to take advantage of the opportunity to introduce the MarshMedia curriculum to your home schooler(s) click on the link below for more information:




You Can Find MarshMedia Through Social Media At:


Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Marsh_Media    Tag:   @Marsh_Media   




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