Mmmm Soapy Scents...

Do you love receiving packages in the mail? How about sweet, yummy smelling ones? Well that's what you'll get when you order from Virgina Soaps and Scents. Since I have made soap before, I am familiar with the process and ingredients. Soaps made of natural oils are so much better for your skin.

I received the Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, Coconut Lemongrass and Fresh Orange scented trial-sized soap bars. YUM! YUM! YUM! They just smelled scrumptious! I love using natural soap! Once you try some, you will find it a special treat to have in your bathroom at all times. These trial-sized bars lasted the whole week.

The Spargur Family has created a great product that you will love! This family started their entrepreneurial journey after a history lesson inspired them.

In their own words:
Most of us have grown up calling the rectangular thing in the shower stall soap, when most likely it's not - it's probably detergent. You see, during World War II the glycerin in fats was needed to make armaments. Women turned in their scrap cooking fats to support the war effort and they learned to use oleo margarine and detergent instead of butter and soap. Their patriotism was truly remarkable and inspiring, but after the war, butter and soap had to contend with those new, yet firmly entrenched products developed during wartime. Many of these products could be mass produced for much lower prices. But sometimes we do get what we pay for - like acne, dry stripped hair, suds that won't rinse out of clothes, and phosphates polluting the water - and oh, yeah - TRANS FATS!!


So what's in real soap? Oil and water bound together with sodium hydroxide. That's it. Basically, a fatty acid (the oil) combined with an alkali (the sodium hydroxide) creates a salt (the soap.) The alkali is neutralized in the reaction, leaving a cleansing, moisturizing compound we call "soap."


We use many combinations of oils in our soaps, but almost all will contain olive oil and coconut oil - in combination with other oils such as lard, cocoa butter, safflower, sunflower, canola, peanut, palm or soybean oils.

A Couple of Buys That Make Scents:

Signature Scents

$4.50 per bar, 3 bars $12.00, buy 4 get 1 free

Samples & Gifts
$18.00

I also received their Shampoo Bar. This being something totally new for me, I was anxious to try it. I want to mention that I had just dyed my hair a few days before using their Shampoo Bar. I didn't have the lather I was promised and after washing it out it left my hair feeling like it was stripped of it's oils. Either I didn't use it right by using too much or too little or it didn't work well after coloring. I tried it on another section of hair a few weeks later and it felt the same. Since this was my first time trying a product like this, I don't have any other experience to compare it to. You may want to read more reviews so you can get additional thoughts on the Virgina's Scents Shampoo Bar. I wish I had a better experience; the concept of an all-in- one in bar form sounds very practical and useful when traveling.

Did someone say Stalking Stuffers??
Share this with your husbands!

Blessings!

Disclaimer: I was given some samples from Virginia Scents to try out for this review. My thoughts are based on using their product whether positive or negative.

Timeline Aid

Not too long ago, I received The Amazing Bible Timeline. I opened the triangular box, unwound the contents and looked at this HUGE historical and biblical wall chart. My eyes crossed with all the small detail. Clearly, the author took a long time researching and contrasting historical biographies, the Bible and other references to come up with the dates and information. Since I teach from a chronological historical viewpoint, I am familiar with several timeline aids.



Although I appreciate the work that went into creating this timeline and have always been amazed at how many people lived during the same time and the events that shared dates and time, I wasn't a fan of this 37" by 45" chart. You have to be willing to want to sacrifice a lot of wall space which is something we don't have. Although it is large, the writing is so small because tons of information is included. This makes finding information more of a task than a joy. Also, I prefer more concrete information to use as dates than some of the dates that were given based on interpreted prophesies. If you're not familiar with any timelines, this might be a good one to start with. Although we won't be using this timeline, you can research the dates and events yourself to see if it is a good fit for your family. You can also go to the TOS website to read more reviews.

If you're interested in ordering the Amazing Timeline you can for $29.95. You will also receive a down-loadable interactive map of the Holy Land and a digital timeline on your computer for free with your purchase. You can also save $10.00 if you order two at a time which might make a good gift for your church.

Blessings!



Disclaimer: I did receive this item for free to review for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. The viewpoint is mine based on using the product stated above.

Compassion Is...

Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it. As busy, active, relevant ministers, we want to earn our bread by making a real contribution. This means first and foremost doing something to show that our presence makes a difference. And so we ignore our greatest gift, which is our ability to enter into solidarity with those who suffer. Those who can sit in silence with their fellowman, not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand in gratitude, to shed tears in grief and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken.

WOW! And now for the powerful one-two knockdown punch:

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.

Thank you Henry Nouwen!
Blessings!

Introduction to Educaching

Have you ever hidden eggs at Easter time? Then you might want to check into Educaching. The author describes Educaching as a mixture of Hide-N-Seek, treasure hunting and learning all wrapped up into one experience. Every lesson plan spells out in detail the objectives covered, the materials needed and the step-by-step procedures to follow using a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. I received their down-loadable pdf curriculum to review, but they also have a bound curriculum that you can purchase. Both cost $32.00, but the hardcopy is extra for shipping and handling. From reading the manual, it is easy to understand but definitely geared to a classroom setting. This is easy to tweak if you are using it in your homeschool or as an after-school/weekend outing with your children. There is some planning involved in making your cache ( a hiding place that your items are hidden in like tupperware, plastic film canisters, baggies etc...), hiding it and then allowing your children time to find it. If you prepared it ahead of time, then you could have your own special hunt ready for anytime you want to spice up your afternoon with the kids. The manual includes:


Section 1: Teacher training
This section is very comprehensive with pictures and all the definition and directions broken down into comprehensible bites. Their website has several samples and kits that you can check out.

Section 2: Lesson Plans
The lessons match up to the National Standard requirements in teaching social studies, language arts, technology, fine arts, science and art. Multi-subject and multi-sensory learning at one time is great in my book! The lesson plans are geared towards 4th-8th grade students, but can be easily adapted for all ages to be involved. I would have my 13yr. old do most of the upper math, my 9 year old record the information, both input data in the GPS and my 2 yr.old would get to hold the unit and pick up the cache once it's found. (The baby would be walking with mommy taking pictures:))There are 12 beginner, 6 intermediate and 2 advanced lesson plans included in the manual. Written for a classroom but are adaptable for single-student and family use.

Section 3: Field Sheets
The students take these with them on their hunts to record data, measurements and findings. Since I am not science or math minded, I felt relieved when I saw these worksheets. I didn't want to have to figure out how to record the data. I can just say plug the information into "blank" section on your sheet.

Section 4: Acquiring GPS
This section gives you ideas for purchasing enough GPS receivers for a class to giving you information for your personal GPS model. Your personal GPS can range from $100.00-$200.00. You can find several to choose from on Amazon.com and Best Buy. Maybe it will help you to know that I own a Triton 400. The kids and I have only used it twice and it has worked good. I am not an expert in GPS systems, I just know sometimes you want the specifics of what someone else has so you have a starting point for your own research.


Section 5: Beyond the Basics
Great games and ideas are added here so you the teacher can take your new found knowledge and create limitless ideas with multiple subjects.

I will be going Educaching with my children soon so check back for pictures of our adventure! You can find more reviews on Educaching on the TOS site:)
Blessings!

Disclaimer: I was given this product for free to review through the Old Schoolhouse. My opinions are based on my own thoughts on reading and using the product.

October & Still Going to the Beach

Oldest (13) and youngest (6mos)

Sweet Daddy and 9 yr. old

No fear 2 year old!

Beach adventures
Momma painting.

Family is a gift

Daddy and the Birdhouse

We have been studying flying creatures in our Zoology class. We made a small birdhouse in the co-op class I teach. My daughter made another birdhouse with her daddy. I love these times they have together!

Sarah's Wish

Do you love historical fiction? Several titles in this category have been some of our family's favorite books that we have read together. We love reading historical fictions when we are studying specific time periods. Sarah's Wish is a book that you will enjoy reading by yourself and along with your children. This first book in the trilogy is set in Ohio in 1858 during the time of the Underground Railroad. The main character is Sarah an orphaned young girl whose mother is killed in an accident. This tragedy leaves Sarah alone and with a big secret to keep. Their home is a stop on the Underground Railroad! Sarah must help the runaway slaves.

The author Jim Baumgardner not only writes passionately about history, but he volunteers at the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas playing the town barber. Mr. Baumgardner wrote these books for his grandchildren-nine of them! His book Sarah's Wish is a delightful read on a tough subject. To enhance your reading, Mr. Baumgardner also writes Sarah's Web Newsletter filled with extras. If you would like to sign up for the Sarah's Web Newsletter, send an e-mail to sarahbooks@cox.net with "send newsletter" in the subject line.

You can purchase an autographed copy of Sarah's Wish for $9.99. The next books in this trilogy are Sarah's Promise and Sarah's Escape which are also available for purchase. This means you don't have to wait to find out what happens next!

(Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge to review as part of my experience with The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I receive no other compensation and my reviews are my opinion only.)

Blessings,