Saturday Sabbath and Singing Through the Bible

With all the summer busyness it is very important for our family to have a day of rest, for us its Saturdays. Why Saturdays?  Well, Saturday evening is our church night.  Our goal is to use Saturdays as our Sabbath. 

This also includes taking a break from all the entertainment and mindless electronic media we get wrapped up in during the week. So on Saturdays we limit screen time.  However, there are times, like this past rainy Saturday that we give in and allow the boys to watch a show.  Sometimes a mama just needs a moment to breathe! Can I get a “Don’t I know it, sister.” To keep our focus on Jesus, we turn to a faith-based video. The boys get to pick from either What’s in the Bible?, Veggie Tales or Hermie and Friends.

This past Saturday Buck Denver and Friends Present Sing Through the Bible, was the lucky winner.  It wasn’t really a fair competition, the boys had never seen it.

Here’s the trailer to give you a little peak into it.

Our boys love this DVD. I have a couple of future worship leaders on my hands. Not to mention there father and I also got into it.  So, the “mama needs a break” moment turned into family time - karaoke style.

While 60 straight minutes of sing-alongs can seem like a bit much it’s was broken up nicely by introductions from Phil and Buck.  They do a good job of tying the songs together and providing context.  But what I love most about the songs is that they make great use of humor while not sacrificing the greater biblical truth. Our kids love these songs and, with Daddy’s help, they’ll even grow to understand all of the subtle humor. But more important than that my kids are learning biblical history and deep spiritual truth.

So our nice restful Saturday got a little rowdy once the tunes came on, but how can you not love these little rockstars? ‘'

 

We’re thankful for some entertainment for our boys that gets their feet moving while teaching them about our great God who loves them.

Do you own a What’s in the Bible DVD?  What songs our the favorite in your household?

Please be aware that affiliate links may be present.  If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!

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A Little More Info:

Buck Denver and Friends Present Sing Through the Bible, is 60 minutes of catchy songs that serve as a perfect recap and review of the 66 books of God’s inspired Word. The DVD features 30 songs and lasts about 60 minutes. In that time you’ll hear a great mix of musical styles performed by the likes of the down-to-earth Chuck Wagon, the ever-so-knowledgeable Captain Pete the Singing Pirate, the lovable Sunday School Lady, and of course, the fabulous Bentley Brothers. The Bentley Brothers are featured in a majority of the songs.

Current Special:

Get free shipping on all standard US orders - no minimum purchase required - through July 8, 2014!

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2 Teaching Mommies Review Disclosure:  The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost. All opinions expressed are my own.

Langmobile {Review}

As our younger son transitions from infancy into life as a toddler I’ve been considering ways to include him in our homeschooling day. I started a Spanish curriculum with our older son this semester and he has really been enjoying it, but it’s really suited for 1st to 3rd grade students. So I was excited to discover the Langmobile app which was developed with children five years old and younger in mind.

 

Langmobile is a company that exists to “enrich the quality of life for children of all ages by providing programming and workshops designed to learn languages.” Langmobile’s desire is to see parents bond and interact with their children as they take full advantage of the prime window of opportunity to teach their children a second language.

Langmobile Mobile App was just released last month and is built upon their method of language learning.  You’ll find it on iTunes and Google Play.  While many apps are designed for independent play or activity time, the Langmobile app is built with parent and child interaction in mind. 

The app features:

• Lessons in English, French and Spanish
• Original songs introducing new vocabulary
• Easy to follow parent’s guides for each lesson
• Engaging, hands-on activities designed to get your kids moving

Spanish Corazon Lesson-Playtime Activity: Adding a heart (corazon) to things they like (me gusta) and dislike (no me gusta). [He is a big fan of himself and dislikes helping with laundry.] Lil’Bro was just taking his brother’s hearts off of things.

Currently the app is available for $1.99 in iTunes and $1.84 in Google Play. Each language offers four lessons to start with additional lessons added free-of-charge as they become available. You can play songs directly within the app, but if you like you can purchase them for your personal library of songs.

So, here is my honest opinion of Langmobile Mobile App:

• Everything’s Planned - Essentially Langmobile is offering a language-learning curriculum in the palm of you hand. I love how everything is planned out for you. You will have to do some printing, but that can be done just before starting a new lesson.

Spanish Corazon Lesson: Learning the word “corazon” through a short video.

• Variety of Learning Styles – Langmobile’s lessons use video, songs, hands on activities and visuals making it perfect for a variety of learners. The music got our 1-year-old moving and both boys enjoyed coloring the corazon (heart).

Spanish Corazon Lesson-Coloring Page: Coloring, counting and creating the love character, while learning “Te quiero” (I love you).

• Several Languages Included – While we will probably stick to the Spanish lessons, I like that we could also try a French lesson or two if we decided.

If you’re interested in introducing your little ones to another language I recommend trying out the Langmobile app.

Please be aware that affiliate links may be present.  If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!

 

2 Teaching Mommies Review/Giveaway Disclosure:  The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by Langmobile for the sole purpose of product testing. I do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. All opinions expressed are my own.

Friends and Heroes Homeschool Unit Study {Review}

I was so excited when Friends and Heroes approached me about reviewing their Homeschool Unit Study 1. I actually had never heard of their materials until recently when reading reviews by fellow bloggers. I was highly intrigued. I’m always on the lookout for good bible resources.

For those of you who might not be familiar, Friends and Heroes is a DVD-series that follows Macky and his family in their everyday lives in AD 69 Alexandria. Along the way they learn life lessons and are told stories about the Heroes of their people, which are the accurately-portrayed accounts of Daniel, Rahab, Gideon, Moses and many others. For those who want to dig deeper into the shows, Friends and Heroes Homeschool Curriculum boasts a cross-curricular resource combining history/geography, creative writing, Bible study, creation-based science, crafts and discipleship. 

I don’t know about you, but for me there are two things I look for when in search for curricula: 1. instruction consistent with biblical teaching. 2. Comprehensive lesson plans. The Friends and Heroes Homeschool Curriculum provides both.

TOP 2 Reasons to Investigate this Resource Further

• Show Quality- The quality of the show is on par with most anything your kids will see on TV these days. Each episode runs about 25 minutes. The animation, storytelling and music are all well-done and engaging for the target audience of 7- to 11-year olds. Not to mentioned, I believe even your 5 and 6 year olds will enjoy them as well. I know my son did.

 

• Comprehensive Curriculum- The curriculum is truly comprehensive and I think appropriate for their target audience. My son (6 yrs) is a bit young for a variety of their included activities. However, that is the beauty of their materials. You could take each unit and work through the entire lesson plan or you could pick and choose the part you would want to focus on or that works best for your kids – age, level, interest, etc. Since every part of the lesson spring boards from the video episode you’re not compelled to work through each subject in the curriculum. In our case, since my son is a big art fan we decided to do several of the art and craft activities. (Roman soldiers drawing and paper strip weaving pictured below)

   

Overall
I think Friends and Heroes is on to something here. I could see our family making use of this curriculum as an occasional break from our current lesson plans. If you follow a 4-day schedule and are looking for something to keep your kids engaged on a Friday you might consider the Friends and Heroes Homeschool Curriculum. Or maybe this is a resource you turn to during your summer break to keep those young minds sharp. Either way it’s used, I could see more Friends and Heroes’ products finding their way into our home.

Now’s the Time to Buy
For the month of January, Friends and Heroes is having a promotion.

Here’s the scoop:

• 20% off all Friends and Heroes Homeschool Resources
• 10% off all other Friends and Heroes resources with curriculum
• 10% off all Friends and Heroes Home and Family DVD Collections

The offer began Jan. 1 and ends Jan. 31.

Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about Friends and Heroes Homeschool Curriculum, head over to their webpage for a detail look into what they have to offer.

The Friends and Heroes Homeschool Curriculum really is a great resource. I highly encourage you to take some time to check it out!

Please be aware that affiliate links may be present.  If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!

2 Teaching Mommies Review Disclosure:  The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by Friends and Heroes, LLC. I do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fabric Sun Photo Kit {Giveaway}

We are so excited to be teaming up with Eye Can Art to offer you this fabulous giveaway for their Fabric Sun Photo Kit.

A Little Info About Eye Can Art Kits...

• 8 kits to select from.
• Kit prices range from $24 to $30.
• Comes with enough materials to create several creations.
• All materials are supplied.

As mentioned above, we got to test out their Fabric Sun Photo Kit.  Let me just say that my son was ecstatic when it arrived in the mail. You see, my son (5 1/2 years old) loves to draw, but he also gets excited about using his hands to create things—mixing pancakes and food coloring, building characters out of Tinker Toys, mushing play dough through a press to create shapes, etc. So he was fascinated by the idea of using the sun and found objects to create art.

 

The Eye Can Art Fabric Sun Photo Kit has everything you need to create nine fabric prints. The only things missing are some found objects from around your house for creating silhouettes and your child's limitless imagination.

 

So, here is my honest opinion on the Fabric Sun Photo Kit:

• Little to no set up required. – Just open the canister and get to creating. 
• No skill required. – If you child can write, draw, or rummage through the house for flat objects then they can create a unique piece of art.
• It’s educational. – The instructions introduce your child to the concepts of silhouettes and composition. These might not be terms your child understands yet, but get them going on this art project and they'll have a firm understanding of these ideas.
• An element of mystery. – Your older children will probably know what to expect from their creation before it is complete, but witnessing our son make some observations about his creation during the process what fun. He was very excited to see his finished work.

Once your fabric sun photo print is complete you can hem the edges to prevent it from fraying and use the included ribbon to create hooks for displaying the artwork. I love that this isn't just another piece of paper to eventually get thrown out (and believe me, we've through out piles of drawings and coloring pages), but that this piece of fabric could be cherished for years to come.

 

Overall, this kit felt like equal parts artistic expression and science experiment.

Now for the Giveaway
One lucky reader will receive their very own Fabric Sun Photo Kit. {affiliate}This giveaway is OPEN FOR US ONLY. Ends May 23rd at 12:00 am EST.

Don’t want to wait? 

• Purchase it on Amazon {affiliate} or directly on the Eye Can Art website.

ENTER by using the Rafflecopter widget below and make sure to grab some extra entries. (Feed/Email readers you’ll have to click over to the blog to enter).  Before entering make sure you look over the Terms Conditions. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 Teaching Mommies Review/Giveaway Disclosure: The featured product for this giveaway was provided to us at no cost, by Eye Can Art. All opinions expressed are my own. Please be aware that affiliate links may be present.  If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!

The ABCs for Godly Boys {Review}

My husband and I have had several conversations about the lack of resources available that focuses on raising solid Christian men, so I was excited when I discovered The ABCs for Godly Boys.  I couldn’t wait to dig into the copy I received to review. (By the way, this is one of the 97 resources available The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle.)

So, let me fill you in a little on this bible curriculum.  The ABCs for Godly Boys seeks to introduce young boys to important theological and doctrinal ideas. (There is also a one specifically for girls.)

Twenty-six lessons cover a wide range of ideas and topics starting with Attitude and ending with Zeal.  This study, in the introduction, boldly states the importance of studying theology and doctrine and chooses some weighty verses to teach these principles. Admittedly, I have not set out to find a study tool for my sons that directly addresses such topics as justification and repentance, but I don’t think you’ll find too many. My thought is, you'll want your child to know about idolatry and salvation at some point, why not begin introducing them to the concepts now?

A Little Info About The ABCs for Godly Boys...

1. Handbook with 26 lessons that include:
   • a primary/memory verse,
   • some bonus verses
   • a key bible character
   • the lesson
   • an activity,
   • and a craft idea.
2. Additional Resources:
   • Godly Virtues BINGO for Boys
   • Copy Work Printables – Hiding God’s Word in My Heart
   • Memory Verse Flash Cards
   • Printable Maze Activity – The Path to Salvation

       

While we’ve only completed one lesson with our son so far, I've taken some time looking at some of the other lessons. The following are some of my honest opinions about The ABCs for Godly Boys.

While this study is advertised as being suitable for ages 4-10, you'll find that you'll need to tailor it to your child's age level and maturity. The crafts and even some of the activities seem geared for the low end of that age range. My 5-year-old some would enjoy doing them, but I couldn't see my 10-year-old nephew getting excited about them. That said, the meat of the lessons are very rich. You'll find plenty of points that will take your conversation with your older sons deeper.  While this might not be a study you can just "grab and go" with, you'll find with a little bit of prep work before you sit down with your son this could be just the thing you were looking for.

Plus(es):

• Characters are Key – Each "lesson" includes a bible character whose story illustrates the attribute or idea for that week. We are all drawn to stories, so reading about someone who personifies a virtue or another who made poor choices helps to drive the point home.
• Biblical Depth – The bonus verses provide some extra meat to chew on throughout the week. The primary verse is good, but seeing the same idea in other places in the bible helps little minds begin to understand some abstract thoughts.

• Lots of Options – The activity and craft ideas give you the chance to stretch the learning throughout the week.

Wish(es):

• Ask Questions – The lessons do not include questions. I'm not interested in quizzing my son, but I do want to make sure he understands the topic at hand. I didn't have any trouble coming up with questions as we went through each lesson though.

Overall, I think our family will get a lot of use out of this study. It promises to be a good guide for our spiritual conversations in the weeks to come.  And my husband is looking forward to how well our son receives the lessons on Bravery, Man, Quiet, Virtue and Warrior.  Personally, I think it would make a good Daddy and son study.

  

If you think you might be interested in grabbing this bible curriculum make sure and check out The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle sale, where you can score it, plus a whole lot more!

2 Teaching Mommies Review Disclosure: The featured product for this review was provided to us at no cost, by Road to 31 for the sole purpose of product testing. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Meaning of Easter with Phil Vischer

Great news!  What’s in the Bible has created a powerful 11-minute video to help explain the meaning of Easter using scenes from Vol. 10 and its FREE!  Check it out below and then SHARE it!

The also have a GREAT DEAL going on.  You can get $5 off your purchase of their latest bundle of Volume 10 "Jesus Is The Good News!" and My Jesus Journal (the print version).  Use coupon code MJJ5. Expires 4/1/13.

More about My Jesus Journal

My Jesus Journal is designed to guide your family into a richer understanding of who we are, what Jesus did for us, and how we are to live in light of the truths of the Gospel.

Even though My Jesus Journal wasn’t specifically created for Easter, my family is planning to use the tips they provided throughout the book to use it now during the Lent and Easter season.

What You Do:

• As a family-  you’ll build a mustard tree, with the resources provided, to record the ways you are seeing God work in your lives.
• Each kiddo – will learn about Jesus and learn to know Him through individual activities in their very own My Jesus Journal.

What It includes:

• Instructions to make and use your Mustard Tree
• Family Activity List (use to fill in your Mustard Tree)
• Instructions for each child to make their own My Jesus Journal
• Activities for My Jesus Journal, broken down into 3 sections  (Who Am I? Who is Jesus? How do we live because of Jesus?)
• Remembering the Cross Family Activity
• Additional Family Activities
• Online Access to videos and additional resources

When To Use It:

• It can be used anytime your family wants to spend time learning more about Christ and who He is. 
• You could also use it if your children have questions about Jesus, or when they make the decision to follow Christ.
• And as I mentioned above it provides a sample schedule of how you can use it the weeks leading up to Easter.

After reading through it these are the things I think I’m going to love about using What’s in the Bible? – My Jesus Journal:

1. I’m know my son is going to love making his own My Jesus Journal and completing the activities it provides. Although, he may be a little young for some.
2. I love the online videos they provided and I know it will be a great resource to help illustrate and reinforce the lesson of the day.
3. And lastly, I love that everything is provided for me, making it easy for me to just enjoy being together as a family learning about Jesus.

We are really looking forward into digging into this resource, especially since our son has been asking a lot of questions about Jesus.  I’ll let you all know how it goes and my final thoughts when we finish it.

2 Teaching Mommies Review Disclosure: The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by What's in the Bible?  All opinions expressed are my own. I am an affiliate, so if you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!

What’s in the Bible- Jesus is the Good News {Giveaway}

We can’t get enough of this series.  They have been a real life saver.  They have helped my son to better comprehend terms that are hard to understand by providing fun and entertaining visuals.  They’ve helped me by making it a lot easier to talk to him about faith topics, such as sin, by bringing in things we saw in the video during conversations.  Some big topics that have come up these days are getting to heaven and how Jesus takes our sins away, so you can imagine how excited I was when our What’s in the Bible Vol. 10 – Jesus is the Good News came in the mail! It was perfect timing.   

  

My Thoughts

Like I’ve already mentioned our family loves What’s in the Bible! But, WOW, Volume 10 is really special.  Here’s my three favorite things:

• Thorough - As always a good bit of background is given around the life of Jesus and how God sent his son at the opportune time in human history.  Plus, it  provides information on each of the writers of the gospels and how they wrote them.
• Relevant - I was amazed by how well the crucifixion scene was done.  It made it understandable for my son, while also still tugging on my heart strings.
• Reverent - It melts your heart when the characters all remember the crucifixion. They stand in silent reverence while a choir sings the hymn "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" It really is a touching moment from a cast of puppets.

Overall, this is a DVD you must add to your collection.  And guess what, you have a chance to get it for free!?! I’m teaming up with What’s in the Bible to giveaway Vol 1: The Beginning AND Vol 10: Jesus is the Good News!  If you’d like a chance to win just keep reading!

About the DVD

It contains two 25-minute episodes:

Episode 1: "God's Perfect Timing" Buck Denver and crew learn about the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments and how Jesus arrives at just the perfect time.

Episode 2: "The Messiah has come!" Learn about the life and ministry of Jesus - how he died for us and rose again to launch the kingdom of God in the world and in us!

Run Time: approx. 60 minutes

Here’s a little promo for it.

(Can’t see the video? Don't miss out, head over to the post.)

Want More? 

• Video Clips- If you’d like to get a better glimpse into this new DVD you can check out several other clips on What’s in the Bible’s website.
• Coloring Pages- They have a whole bunch of coloring pages available for this DVD. To download them them just click the image below. 

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The Giveaway
One lucky reader will receive a copy of Vol 1: The Beginning AND Vol 10: Jesus is the Good News!  This giveaway is OPEN FOR US Residents ONLY. Ends March 23rd at 12:01 am EST.

Don’t want to wait? 

• Purchase it directly through What’s in the Bible for $14.99. 
• Don’t have any of them yet? Grab their bundle at 20% off with BUNDLE10

ENTER by using the Rafflecopter widget below and make sure to grab some extra entries. (Feed/Email readers you’ll have to click over to the blog to enter). Before entering make sure you look over the Terms and Conditions. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 Teaching Mommies Review/Giveaway Disclosure:  The featured product for this review was provided to me, at no cost, by What's in the Bible?  All opinions expressed are my own. I am an affiliate, so if you purchase anything through an affiliate link, you give back a percentage to our family…thanks!