Do your kids like to build forts? Mine do. They will build forts out of ANYTHING (including stuff they are not supposed to use). While this is a great creative activity, it is usually unsafe! Chairs on beds, blankets hanging on everything, you get the point. Well, let me introduce you to Toydle. {Make sure you read to the end for the GIVEAWAY details!}
Toydle is an American Company (Boise, Idaho) that makes and sells quality forts (see photo).
They have two forts: The Toydle Fort (shown above) for $149 and The BIG Toydle Fort for $229.99 (click here to order).
From the Toydle website:
All Toydle Forts are constructed with
Hand made wooden blocks 3” sq. made with high quality, laminated poplar.
High Quality PVC tubes 29” long & 1/2in wide.
All Toydle Forts include an industrial strength storage bag.
All Toydle Forts include clips to help secure your sheets and blankets.
Our Forts are the strongest, longest lasting, and highest quality forts you will find anywhere! And we’ll back that up with an Unlimited Warrantee! No one else even comes close to what we offer!
Now on to the really good stuff!
First, make sure you come back in January and read about my family's experience with our Toydle Fort (yep, we are blessed to be able to review it for you)!
Second, click the link below to be taken to The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew Page to enter for your chance to WIN one of THREE BIG forts being given away! Also, be sure to check out Toydle's Blog and Facebook page!
I don't know about you but one of the challenges of raising children is teaching them what good person is and how to be one. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon We Choose Virtues and was instantly impressed. I was so impressed that I did something I have never done before. I contacted a company and asked if I could review their product! Not only did Heather (the owner of We Choose Virtues) allow me to review a couple of their products she is also allowing me to giveaway these products! Read on to learn more about We Choose Virtues and to enter the giveaway (and to find some awesome coupon codes)!
~ Asimple, effective, affordable tool to help build character!
~12 Virtues in the Early Childhood/Elementary Version (Diligent, Helpful, Perserverant, Gentle, Content, Attentive, Honest, Kind, Self-Controlled, Patient, Obedient, Forgiving).
~A Youth set with 9 virtues in Volume 1 and 9 more to come in Volume 2
~Community (without Scripture) and Faith-based (with Scripture~NIrV) versions
These cards are high-quality...bright pictures and 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.
The cards include several things. First, and my favorite, is using the "I am" statement (ex. I am Content). This gives the child ownership of the Virtue. It is not something they hope to be or wish they were. Second, the catchphrase, or definition. The catchphrase for "I am Content" is "I have my Wanter under control". Third is the antonym, or what the virtue is NOT. "I am Content" is "I am NOT...bored, greedy or always wanting more and I don't beg or whine!" Fourth is the adorable characters or Virtue Kids! The Virtue Kid for "I am Content" is Cake Jake. Jake rhymes with Cake and both Cake and Content begin with "C"! The Faith-based Virtue tools also include a scripture. The Scripture for "I am Content" is Psalm 131:2. And that is just on the front.
The back is loaded with tips on how to teach and reinforce the Virtues. There is a Challenge, how to apologize, games/activities and a little story about the Virtue Kid!
There is also a 13th card with caterpillars (Virtues to Improve), butterflies (Virtues that they are doing well) and a magnifying glass (to help them remember to look for Virtues in themselves and others).
I was also given the Kids Virtue Poster(retail $19.99 currently $14.99):
The poster is full color 11x17 and includes all 12 Virtues, Virtue Kids, Catchphrases and Antonyms! I bought an inexpensive poster frame and hung this poster on our wall! The kids love it! They are able to go to the poster at anytime and remind themselves of what they should be doing. Ladybug (age 5) who is just starting to read, can find the Virtue she is looking for because the Virtue Kid is right there. This lets her be independent even though she can't read all the words yet! Even Monkey (age 3) is starting to catch on!
Our Thoughts:
We love this program! We love it so much that I also bought The Three Rules Poster ($11.99), The Teacher's Handbook ($4.99), Virtue Kids Coloring Book ($1) and The Personal Virtue Charts ($3.99 sale $2.99)! The only thing we do differently is we use the King James Version of the Bible to look up the scriptures. This is only because that is the version of the Bible we prefer and our children are used to the KJV.
VIRTUE15 15% total purchase (no expiration date set)
OURHOUSE $15 off (Oct. and Nov. only) the NEWFamily Kit ~faith based (includes: Teacher's Virtue Cards, The Kids Virtue Poster, The Three Rules Poster and the Flashcards. Add-on the Coloring book at no cost too)!
FAMILY $3 off the Kids Virtue Poster (no expiration date set)
also the Coloring Book Vol. 1 is FREE for the remainder of October (no code needed)!
Now, on to the really good stuff! Use the Rafflecopter form to enter to win The Teacher's Virtue Cards and the Kids Virtue Poster!
{Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of the Teacher's Virtue Cards and the Kids Virtue Poster in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no other compensation. Some links are affiliate links...any money earned through these links helps us buy curriculum for homeschooling.}
A few weeks ago I was blessed to win a copy of MyMemories Software. I have since been in contact with the owners of MyMemories and they have generous enough to allow me to give away a copy of MyMemories Software to one of you!
MyMemories is easy to use and very versatile. Those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile may have noticed some changes here. Well, my banner, background, button, signature, etc. were ALL created using MyMemories Software! I have also made some really cute scrapbook pages!
In addition to helping make great scrapbook pages, MyMemories Software can add Audio and Video to your digital scrapbook and then share it in multiple formats.
In a Nutshell:
~$39.97
~Download Available worldwide (English only)
~CD Software Available in US and Canada only
~Windows 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later
~Tech Support Available
~Frequent Blog, Facebook and Twittertips, challenges and giveaways
~Easy to Use
~Make more than just Scrapbook pages!
~You can use content from sources other than MyMemories
~other products include Wedding Studio and Photobook Studio
~Weekly Deals, Dollar Store and Freebies make it easy to get a large variety of papers and embellishments quickly and inexpensively.
My Thoughts:
I have wanted this software for over a year and I am so pleased with it! I am enjoying all the scrapbooking fun with No Messy Clean Up! I also like that I can change things even after I save and share. I have been able to incorporate tips from other MyMemories users by sharing my pages on the MyMemories Facebook page and asking for ideas!
Bonus Information:
~If you don't win use code STMMMS80543 to receive $10 off the software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories Store.
~When you "Like" MyMemories on Facebook you will not only get a bonus entry for my giveaway but MyMemories is giving away and iPad2 when they reach 10,000 Facebook Likes (at the time of my writing this post they were over 6,000)!
~Every Tuesday I have a post called Terrific Tuesday and you will get a link to a FREE MyMemories download! So come back Tuesday! ;)
{Disclaimer: I won the MyMemories Software from another blogger. I agreed to write this review in exchange for the opportunity for one of my readers to win the software. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.}
So, I want to give you a little *sneak peak* of things to come here over the next 6 weeks or so!
Watch this week for a special co-host for Workbox Wednesday! Also,
the hours for the Workbox Wednesday link-up will be changing starting this week. The new hours will be from 12 noon (AZ time) on Wednesdays until 11:59 pm (AZ time) on Saturdays. This should help those of you who like to combine posts. It will also give me a little more time to get my posts ready...it has been close a few times as things are getting busy around here with reviews.
That leads me into my next *sneak peak* topic: Upcoming Reviews!
Last, but not least, I am teaming up with Chestnut Grove Academy to bring you a new Blog Hop! It is going to be a general homeschooling blog hop so you will be able to link-up anything related to homeschooling! More details coming soon! While your checking out her blog you should link-up to her blog roll!
I am joining Homeschool Creations Bi-Annual Curriculum Clean-Out and am giving away Four (4) Get Ready for Kindergarten Workbooks by Penny Dowdy. These workbooks are brand new and 32 pages each! I got them through Scholastic and while they are wonderful they are too easy for Ladybug and Monkey hates worksheets/workbooks! So, I am giving them away to ONE (1) lucky winner!
