TOS Review ~ Always IceCream

Always IceCream is a wonderful, safe, fun, educational, virtual community for girls ages 7 to 12. Girls have the opportunity to explore educational content in a safe, monitored environment. 
How it Works:Basically, girls login and choose which game they would like to play. As they answer questions correctly they are rewarded with Scoops. Scoops are redeemed for pets, pet supplies and decorations for their homes in MiniWorld. 
 Details:~Tiered Membership from $4.99/month (currently first month is $0.99) to $99.99 for a lifetime membership.~Parents able to able/disable Learning Community (messaging other girls) as well as other subjects.~Supplemental to Core Curriculum~Safe: Content and Communication are monitored~Many subjects (basic and advanced math, geography, science, language arts, typing, Christian educational content and more (each can be disabled by parent).~How it's Made and How-to videos~Girls earn Scoops  to use as currency. Scoops can by virtual pets, food, toys, homes or to decorate their homes on MiniWorld.~Girls Ages 7-12 (Could be used for younger/older girls at parent's discretion).~Can be purchased as a gift for granddaughters or nieces!
Our Thoughts:Unicorn really enjoys Always IceCream. She loves earning scoops and taking care of her pets. Her favorite way to earn scoops is by watching the How-to and How it's Made videos. Her only complaint is that there are not enough of these videos!  :)
I like Always IceCream as a way to motivate her to do her other work (especially Math). She knows that once she has finished her assignments she can "play" on Always IceCream. I really like that it is a safe moderated educational environment that I can manipulate. Everything is educational in nature and I can disable anything I don't want her doing. For example, I did not allow her into the Learning Community. It is not something I am comfortable with as we don't know anyone in "real life" that is using Always IceCream. I also disabled advanced math because I don't want her to be frustrated on this site. I also like that I can give her Scoops for cleaning her room, being kind to her siblings, etc. If you are looking for a safe, educational, online environment for your daughter you should definitely check out Always IceCream!
Click here to see what my Crew Mates thought of Always IceCream.
{Disclaimer: I received a lifetime membership for my daughter in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation.}

Workbox Wednesday ~ Link-up

Hubby is on Fall Break (he's a High School Math teacher) this week so we are spending the week getting "caught up".  Here is what we are doing instead of workboxes this week:
Monday we did laundry and straightened up the garage. 
Tuesday I left the kids with Hubby and went to visit with a couple friends that I haven't seen for a couple of years. 
Today we are house hunting. 
Tomorrow I will be writing reviews and the kiddos will be using some of the products we are reviewing. 
Friday is currently unplanned.
Saturday is our 7th wedding anniversary! To start the day we will be participating in our Church service project (cleaning our city streets). Then, after showers and breakfast, we will drop the kids off at Grandma's house and head to the Mesa Temple and then to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.
When you link-up please grab a button and/or link back here. Thank you! 

TOS Review ~ Visual Latin

Unicorn (age 11) LOVES Latin. It is her favorite subject. Before we received the download version of the first 10 lessons of Visual Latin to review we were using another wonderful Latin program. It is great BUT, it is lacking a little something. It is lacking the elements that Dwane Thomas includes in Visual Latin.


Visual Latin is a series of SHORT videos taught by a REAL person using humor and real life to teach Latin. The videos range from 2 to 10 minutes in length. Dwane is the instructor. He is funny (no really, he is), he makes mistakes and he is honest. Students who are struggling with Latin may benefit from these key elements of Visual Latin. Using humor, students are set at ease. Short videos mean less boredom. What do you mean he makes mistakes?!? Just that, he is human and makes mistakes and he doesn't edit them out. He uses his mistakes to help you feel comfortable with your own mistakes. His honesty is also a great benefit. He tells you that parts of Latin are hard and that it will take a while to learn them! Again, you are put at ease that you don't have it all mastered at the end of the video!


Nuts & Bolts:
*Ages 9+ (children need to be able to read)
*2 levels - Latin 1 and Latin 2 (Lessons 1-40 are currently available the remaining 41-60 are due out during the 2011-2012 school year)
*each level is 30 lessons (1 per week)
*each lesson has 3 parts (1 per day)
*worksheets included (most lessons have a worksheet to follow the video)
*available via download or DVD (downloads work on MAC and PC using iTunes as well as iPod, iPhone and iPad)
*need to supplement to count as High School credit
*Latin 1 DVD is currently $80 (or $30 if purchased unbundled)
*Latin 1 Download $75 (download 10 lessons at a time $25)
*Latin 2 DVD $30 (lessons 31-40)
*Latin 2 Download $25 (lessons 31-40)
*Christian (the reading portions for the lessons reviewed are the creation story)
*Downloads are stored on Visual Latin website (you can download them as needed)
*Very little teacher prep (print the worksheets and then download lessons or pop in the DVD)

How it Works (Download Version):Prep: Download the lesson. Print the worksheets. Day 1: Play lesson 1 part A (grammar lesson). Do worksheet. Day 2: Play lesson 1 part B (sentences). Do worksheet.Day 3: Play lesson 1 part C (reading). Do worksheet.Repeat next week with next lesson! Very easy! 
Other Products:*Online Courses*Modern Parables*JAM (Jesus-And-Me) Films*Music*more
Our Thoughts:Unicorn and I REALLY like it! Visual Latin would be great for the beginner, anyone preferring a "teacher" and those who learn best using a "listen/see-say-write" method. Also, if you are using a Latin curriculum that doesn't explain gender, singular/plural, etc. then Visual Latin may be a great supplement! For our family, Visual Latin filled in some holes and connected some dots for us. We now know why and when certain endings are used! We also, love Dwane's humor and that he is human (makes mistakes) just like the rest of us! We will definitely be purchasing and finishing Visual Latin!
Click here for additional reviews by my Crew Mates (including reviews of the DVD version).
{Disclaimer: I received the Downloadable Version of Lessons 1-10 of Visual Latin in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.}

~Under Construction~

Pardon the dust! :) I won the MyMemories software last weekend and have been working on a new blog theme this week. I will be making the changes slowly so I (hopefully) won't mess everything up! Please be patient as I do this update!  Thank you!

Homeschool Mother's Journal ~ October 7, 2011

In my life this week…kids = crazy but I did win some cool stuff so, that offsets the bad stuff! I won MyMemories software from Rachel at Of Love and Beauty and Math House Games from Heidi's Ramblings, Reflections & Reviews and a scrapbook kit from Albums to Remember!

In our homeschool this week…we worked on products/curriculums that I will be reviewing. We will do the same thing next we as it is supposed to be our fall break!

As a family we are working on being Content. We also learned about Amenhotep IV and Nefertiti, King Tut and Ramses II (the Great).

Unicorn is getting ready for The American Math Challenge, writing an Approach Paper, learning more Latin and Cleaning her room!

Ladybug is helping me review Ooka Island and First Start Reading.

Monkey enjoyed My Blue Boat {BFIAR} this week.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…I am going to try to meet up with a couple friends that I don't get to see very often and hubby and I are going to go to the Arizona Temple and out to dinner for our 7th anniversary that is on the 15th!

My favorite thing this week was…well, it wasn't all the fighting and screaming the kids did so, I will have to go with my winning streak! ;)

Things I’m working on…using MyMemories to redesign my blog(s)!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share… some scrapbook pages I made this week!

TOS Review ~ Scruble Cube

Can I just say, "WOW!" and leave it at that? This product has been a lot of FUN to review! So,

What is it? 

It is a cross between Scrabble and Rubik's Cube! It's Scruble Cube! Scruble Cube is an educational game that is played similar to Scrabble. You form words using the letters on the cube. Words can begin and end anywhere on the cube as long as they are in a straight line. You can manipulate the cube in a manner similar to a Rubik's Cube in order to form more words.

What's in the Box?*The Cube*Instructions*Getting Started Guide*Timer*Score Pad
More Details:*$24.95 (click here to purchase or learn more) *Ages 8+*1-4 Players*Multiple Variations of Play*Website has Lesson Plans (Language, Math, English, Spelling, Logic and Science)*Online forum to see/share other ways to use the cube is coming soon!*Instructions and Score Pad template are downloadable from the website.  What do we Think?
We LOVE it! Unicorn used the Scruble Cube and the Scruble Cube PDF Worksheet from the website for practice finding words, counting up the points and looking up the words in the dictionary. She really enjoyed this game and I liked that it involved dictionary skills! I like that the instructions were easy to read and that they included 2 variations. In addition, I like that the website provides additional ways to use the cube and to make it even more educational that it already is. 

Unicorn using the Scruble Cube and the Worksheet

One thing I do NOT care for is that it feels fragile. I would love to let my 5 year-old try to find words but I am scared to let her touch the cube. I would be very careful allowing young children (or rambunctious ones) to use this product.
Click here to read what my Crew Mates think about the Scruble Cube!
{Disclosure: I received a the Scruble Cube in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and all thoughts and opinions are my own.}

Workbox Wednesday

This week I am featuring Ladybug's Workboxes. She is in K/1! We have a LOT of reviews coming up so this week and next we will be focusing on review products and our family studies.


After, reading the Friend and memorizing the 9th Article of Faith (Religion), learning to be Content and Obedient (Virtues) and learning about Ramses II (History), Ladybug will help me review the following products:

Ooka Island and First Start Reading Lesson 18 (reading words as, has, is, his and some sentences). Since she is doing so well in math and helping me review to Reading products at the same time, she is taking a week off of Math.

Guideline: Please grab a Button or link back here! Thanks!