See it. Stream it. Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player is a Must Have

See it. Stream it. Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player is a must have for any family regardless of how techie one might be. We love our Google Chromecast with the ability to watch movies, shows, live TV, YouTube or streaming photos from all your family's devices. This is a really cool feature as we have multiple devices and at anytime, it's possible for us to want to show each other what we are watching or to look up something. We often will bring up YouTube to watch something which makes it really convenient versus having to go to the computer and huddle around it. The versatility is amazing and I love having so much entertainment control in one feature as the Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player. It's also beyond easy to use and we have helped our budget by eliminating cable!

It's easy and it's portable! Just plug it into your HDMI port on the TV and power away with your phone. Another great feature is you can still use your phone while streaming on the TV. You're not limited either as it works with over 2,000 other apps such as Netflix, YouTube, YouTube TV and HBO NOW. Google Chromecast also allows the user to start streaming via your voice with such commands like, "OK Google, play The Crown from Netflix on my bedroom TV." It's that easy! We use ours to watch YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime as well as various programs that can be viewed via apps like Drive Thru History for our homeschooling family. 

The Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player can make any TV a mega-entertainment TV too! No need to buy a new TV or one that has it build in! One of the things that I like about this is it is portable and can go with you especially when you are on vacation and are settling in for the night and prefer to watch what you want at the hotel versus their limited programming options. I don't stay overnight without it. It does have high speed wireless connectivity too so no extra cords and it's compatible with HDTVs.

Check out the Google Chromecast Streaming Media Player and not only save money by cutting the cord to cable but have fun with all the options in entertainment! It's portable, inexpensive and versatile. 





A couple of disclaimers:

• There might be subscriptions to view some content such as Netflix and Google Home, Chromecast and compatible content required to cast to a TV using Google Home.
• Web-based services and content require high-speed internet.

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Teach Sunday School Books of the Bible At-a-Glance Review

Teach Sunday School has a great way to teach the Bible with Printable Books of the Bible "Summary Sheets."  We utilized this as a supplement to studying the Bible.  These are perfect prepared Bible lessons for parents and Sunday school teachers. We reviewed Books of the Bible At-a-Glance which are one page cheat sheets summarizing each book in the Bible into an easy read document. I know my youngest, 11, has difficulty at times understanding the Bible which one can't blame her considering there are 66 books that were written by 40 different authors. The big questions we are all taught to answer of the who, what, where, when and why are provided in a quick easy way.

Each printable includes:

• Book title
• Book number and placement
• Author
• Date Book was written
• Time period covered
• Claims to fame
• Famous stories included
• Most famous versus
• Important points about the book

I admit I have not read the entire Bible and as a person who did not grow up in church or with parents that read or encouraged reading the Bible, it's been something I have picked up along adulthood. I know if I had these one page summaries, it would have really helped my understanding of each book I was reading. I think they are great to use before reading a book, when taking a break as well as after reading a book to re-read as a refresher. They are really wonderful summaries for each book. For this review, I'm going to reference one of the earlier pages covering Deuteronomy. Each page has the same format so it's easy for the student to understand the component of each summary. 

The "AT-A-GLANCE" section provides the book number, the author and timing. The description of the timing really helps to understand how it fits into each book of the Bible.

The next section details the "CLAIMS TO FAME" and the "FAMOUS STORIES INCLUDED" as well as "MOST FAMOUS VERSUS".  In the case of Deuteronomy, it covers the most famous person, Moses, and his death.

The final portion of the one page summary lists the "Important Points about the Book". I really enjoyed reading each of these and so did my daughter. It really helped to reinforce what she read and to ensure she understood the key points. 

The Books of the Bible At-a-Glance is a PDF printable providing quick access. You or your student(s) can read it online or print it. If you have a student that enjoys coloring, you could print it in black and white and have them color different parts of the page. Another key aspect is satisfaction guaranteed! Try it out without risk if you don't agree it's a great supplement to teaching the Bible. I would highly recommend it them for any age and I think it would be ideal for a Bible school too.


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David C Cook and Case Makers Academy's Forensic Faith for Kids Review

My youngest is a HUGE fan of Corgi dogs so when this review was presented, I jumped. She also is very interested in learning more about God which this book provides an excellent resource in diving into critical thinking. David C Cook and Case Makers Academy sent us Forensic Faith for Kids to read along with great online activities. This book is important to me because in today's society, there seems to be bigger pushes in denying God. The book, along with the online activities, draws the kids into thinking deeper and for themselves. I liked how they pressed upon not just taking another person's word for something even if they provide a compelling heart felt opinion as to why their way of thinking is right.



Throughout the book, there are various "extra's" such as: Dig Deep - Visit the Online Academy, CSI Assignments, various black and white illustrations as well as questions that make the cadets think a bit further in applying what they just learned from a Christian point of view. It's really a great book in applying the Bible to a story that is appealing to children while directing them in a non-obvious educational way to them. The fact that it had Bible versus, references to the Bible often and facts about Corgi dogs, really brought my cadet's interest in full circle. The book is not the only fun feature of this review as noted above, there is an online academy.

The Case Makers Academy is full of fun activities for children. The young cadets have an opportunity to work with Daniel, Hannah and Jason as they learn how to become detectives with Detective Jeffries. There are fun downloadable activities and videos to watch, and at the end, they can print off a certificate. The three sections include:

• Cold-Case Christianity for Kids - Investigate Jesus with a Real Detective. This has eight chapters and a Postscript on how to be a detective along with downloadables that compliment each chapter. Above are two screen shots of the sheets that can be printed. They are a lot of fun and more importantly, they teach cadets on how to really think about things and investigate further instead of taking things at face value. Critical thinking is vital in so much. One of the things I really like about this review was the reinforcement of resisting "philosophical naturalism." The Adult Leader Guide was also helpful in providing information to help guide my little cadet further. The website is easy to navigate and it's colorful which is appealing to children. Each chapter is short and gets to the point in what the cadet needs to learn.

• God's Crime Scene for Kids - Investigate the Case for God's Existence. This is set up similar to Cold-Case Christianity for Kids with eight chapters and a Postscript. They are short and concise videos with accompanying downloads to really enhance each chapter's lesson.

• Forensic Faith - Become a More Reasonable Follower of Jesus is just like the other two lessons within the Academy. The first photo below shows my cadet watching one of the chapter's videos. The second photo shows her reviewing the download available to print.

Overall, my daughter really enjoyed this book and thought it was "very cool!" I would recommend this as I think it's done in such a fun way and brings critical thinking to the forefront which is something that I think is needed more in educational products. I love that it's also Christian based. David C Cook and Case Makers Academy has a win with Forensic Faith for Kids in our family!

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Cave Tools BBQ Grilling Tools Set Review & 15% Off Coupon

Cave Tools BBQ Grilling Tools Set which is made from 20% heavy duty thicker stainless steel is the perfect accessory to your grilling or smoker collection. The three piece utensil set is professional grade that includes a fork, spatula and tongs. It's affordable too and makes a great birthday or Christmas gift! We used our's first with the smoker as with thicker cuts of meat, you really need heavy duty dependable utensils to avoid dropping it or causing an accident if it breaks.

Not only is the spatula convenient for flipping over anything that requires turning, but it's also a bottle opener that is perfect for tailgating or maybe even adding your favorite brew as a marinade for the smoker. It's also oversized for even the larger cuts of meat such as steaks. The grill tongs are not the ordinary type you purchase in the store as they have six teeth to help grip the hot dogs or brats. Each utensil has a extra wide hooks for hanging up in between usage or even while using them with the grill or smoker.

She rinsed the spatula off so please excuse the water spots!

They were very easy to clean up and are dishwasher safe. Not only do you get the beautiful set of utensils but you also get 25 barbecue recipes as a free download. There is also a lifetime warranty which I'm sure we will test out as we grill and smoke out a lot! As always, Cave Tools provided the very best products with no complaints from us! I did note a question/answer comment for this on Amazon stating the tools might be too heavy for a woman which I completely disagree with.  I picked them up and used them and had no issue as well as my seven year old granddaughter! They would definitely make a great gift for the tailgater, for Father's Day or even Christmas since it's coming upon us pretty fast!

They were a hit with my son-in-law who does most of the grilling and all of the smoking. He also uses the Cave Tools Instant Read Digital Thermometer (click to see the review) every time he cooks. 

Use GRILLSET15 for 15% off!

Click here to purchase and to learn more about Cave Tools BBQ Grilling Tools Set to learn more!

Click here to see our review for the Meat Claws which is a must have for any grill or smoker master!

Cave Grill Set

NEW - Sony Noise Canceling Headphones at Best Buy

Listening to music or even a good audio book is always best with great sound. My phone is inadequate and my computer speakers are not up to the task. When I read about the NEW Sony Noise Canceling Headphones, I wanted to learn more. Sony’s proprietary HD Noise Canceling Processor QN1 brings the WH-1000XM3 to the pinnacle of noise cancellation which is really makes a difference with listening to great sound. The 40mm drivers with their Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragms are Hi-Res Audio compatible which reproduces a full range of frequencies. Another great feature is longevity. You can listen all day up to 30 hours of playback and when it's ready to be charged, a quick charging will provide another five hours of listening pleasure in only 10 minutes!

For those that are really into great sound, the Smart Listening feature is really smart! Smart Listening by Adaptive Sound Control automatically detects your activity such as walking, waiting or traveling, and balances noise canceling levels accordingly without any required input. 

You can also ask it questions by activating Google Assistant with a simple tough! In a world full of many things to do, this type of convenience is nice to have. Often times I'm watching or listening to something and want to know who was the actor or the singer so this feature would be helpful to me. The Sony Noise Canceling Headphones are also designed with soft, pressure-relieving earpads in foamed urethane that is evenly distributes the pressure while increasing the ear pad contact for a solid fit without pain or pressure. 

No worries if someone calls either while using the headphones as with a click of a double-tap or to call, change tracks, turn down the volume and make your call by touching or swiping the panel. Another HUGE feature I like is Quick Attention Mode. No more having to stop and take off the headphones when you need to respond to something or someone. Simple place your hand over the housing to turn down the volume. That is pretty cool to me!

There is a one year warranty on parts and 90 days on labor. I've researched and read that the sound is "amazing!" 

Check them out the NEW Sony Noise Canceling Headphones now at Best Buy!







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Barbour Publishing: Kingdom Files Series Who Was Books Review

We are a homeschooling family that incorporates Christian based components whenever possible so when we had a chance to review Barbour Publishing two books in the Kingdom Files series, we jumped.  Who Was Jonah? and Who Was Mary, Mother of Jesus? were two books in which my children enjoyed reading. My youngest is a big fan of any Who Was type of books and loves to read about people. She has a keen interest in Biblical characters as well so this series of books definitely peeked her interest.

I had both my girls, as well as myself read What Was Jonah? and What Was Mary, Mother of Jesus? At first sight, my youngest stated she really liked the set up each book. She thought it was neat that the books were set up as file folders and enjoyed the illustrations. 


   
Each book begins with an introduction to the Reading Detective allowing them a chance to understand how the book is set up:

1. Fact Files contains the key information on the Bible character.
2. Action Files laid out the events of the Bible showing that particular character.
3. The Power Files contained more information and memory versus to help encourage a self-provoking thought process in how God is working in their lives too.

Each book encourages the Reading Detectives to memorize versus from the Bible as well as write down questions they might have as they make their way through the books. The books are perfect length to keep them entertained and encouraged to read to completion. I particularly liked the mini timelines too. The illustrations inside are black and white and are spaced perfectly to not bog down the message behind the books. The words chosen also speak to children and are not the same words utilized directly from the Bible other than the memory versus.

My middle child, 15, who usually grumbles when having to read books she has not chosen, was very agreeable to read both books. She enjoyed that they were short and concise and stated they were not boring which was a big win to me. She liked how they were similar to other Who Was books as she enjoys learning about other people too. She's not a big Bible reader and this was a good way to get her interested in important people of the Bible.

My youngest, 11, stated she enjoyed reading the books and thought they were neat. She actually approached me a few times to tell me something she read or to show me a picture she thought was funny. She read her first book in two days and was eager to start on the second book. She said they were easy to read and even though she didn't have to read the second one, she asked to read it. She even stated she, in addition to the two she read, she wanted to read all the other books in the series which include:

• Kingdom Files: Who is Jesus?
• Kingdom Files: Who Was Daniel?
• Kingdom Files: Who Was David?
• Kingdom Files: Who was Esther?

My youngest's final thoughts:  "They were good books!" and I agree!

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Roman Roads Media Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder Review

Roman Roads Media has an online course titled Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder which is the subject of this review. Roman Roads Media provides parents and teachers with a classical curriculum choice for their student(s) in middle grades to adults. It is a self-paced program in which the student is expected to complete a lesson per week over 30 weeks.

• Signing up was effortless to include enrolling my learners into the specific course I purchased or in this case, received to review. Each learner has their own login and there is a master account to track and adjust settings as needed. The master account holder can adjust the course from easy to normal depending on the skill level of the student.
• The campaigns are sequential so a student cannot jump to another assignment without completing the preceding one. There are activities or games to reinforce what was learned.
• Each word is presented and pronounced with extra information to put the word in correct context with an accompanied picture. The student can repeat the pronunciation as many times as needed to ensure he or she can pronounce it properly.
• After so many words, a game follows that is more or less a quiz of recognition. There is an information button that allows the student a refresher of that word. If the student gets one wrong, he can review it and it will pop up again until the student can complete all them. It will not proceed until all are correct.
• Scores will be listed on the Course screen and the student can repeat the lesson if he is not happy with the score.
• Students can review completed lessons but incomplete lessons will remain locked. 
• The online course is versatile and can be used on iOS, Android, PC or Mac.

The lesson screen shot example below shows how each word is presented in what my 15 year old student stated was in flash card format which she liked. Each screen allows the student to rehear the word and to see the definition:

After the short series of flash card type screens, a quiz follows to match the word with the picture. The pronunciation of the word accompanies each quiz question. My students, 15 and 11, both would have preferred longer time periods with the flash cards as well as smaller increments of words in between practice sessions. Luckily for them and myself, Roman Roads Media thought of everything and provides a training area to practice more. I can also track all progress and the grades received. 

There are 31 chapters in Picta Dicta Vocabulary Builder to learn from and the parent/teacher can set the learning level based on the student's skill level. The various exercises helps the student learn each word from Learn, Choose, Spell, Forms and Test Forms. The hand drawn illustrations are simple which was the purpose to allow students to comprehend them faster.  I believe this is a great program for those who have a Latin background or for a student that can pick and up and run with memory based learning programs. It's easy to follow and we all liked the flashcard component of each lesson. The pronunciation and definitions provided a well rounded manner in which to learn each word. I had to contact customer service once due to user error and they were fantastic in the speed in which they helped me and making me feel I was important to their program. Although I feel my students aren't quite ready for this program, I am going to look at the other programs such as Picta Dicta Ancient World as I think that one might be a better starter program for them.

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My Top Photographs from Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site - Texas Parks and Wildlife

Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site 

 Texas Parks and Wildlife

"For thousands of years, people have trekked to these rock hills in far west Texas. In earlier times, they came for the rainwater pooled in natural rock basins, or huecos (“whey-coes”). Visitors today marvel at the imagery left by those ancient people."

This wasn't my first time at this beautiful historical place that must be seen in person. It's in El Paso County, Texas and provides a great piece of history. If you get a chance, take at least the self-guided tour and watch the video that is provided by one of their wonderful volunteers. It's a small drive outside of El Paso but well worth it!

GrammarPlanet Grammar Online Program Review

GrammarPlanet provides an online comprehensive grammar program that is available online and is free supported by advertising. It is a program for students, ages 10 and up, to improve their English and is a good resource for adults as well. It's very easy to set up the students in the portal and once the student logs in, they start by watching a teaching video and reading a PDF of the accompanied notes. I found the notes were best utilized by printing them off to provide to my student. They do not take up a lot of ink for those that need to budget their costs and it's not a requirement to print them. After the student completes the teaching video and reads the notes, they begin to complete the activities that ensures the student understood and retained what they just learned. The activities are what is called responsive so students that require more time to understand will receive more practice before the test. If a student does not gain an acceptable score, they are advised to repeat the video and/or read the notes. If they are having a difficult time with the unit, their unit becomes locked and the parent/teacher has to unlock the unit. Also, if the parent/teacher feels the student might not to retake the unit, he/she has the option to reset a unit.

Recommended Usage:

The recommendation is to spend no more than 15 minutes a day working on a lesson and to work on a lesson every other day.

GrammarPlanet Outline Sample:

• Nouns
• Proper Nouns
• Articles and Adjectives
• Pronoun
• Possessive Pronouns
• Prepositional Pronouns
• Subject/Verb
• Adverbs
• Crazy Modifiers
• Patterns 1 and 2
• Pattern 3
• Patterns 4 and 5
• Helping Verbs
• State of Being Verbs
• Coordinating Conjunctions

That was just a sample of all the 13 units available.

_____________________

This is a series of screen shots showing my daughter completing the sentence diagram for one practice question. Each shot shows a next step in the process:

The parent dashboard provides a quick summary of where my students are in the program:

Our Review in Summary:

• I had two students utilizing the online program. One is 11 and one is 15 and I followed along with both to ensure they were utilizing it correctly and proceeded as appropriate after I find that I think they were skipping about. The good part of this program is if they get too many wrong, the parent/teacher has to unlock the lesson so it ensures they aren't moving forward without understanding the material.
• The quizzes in between the lessons also helps to reinforce the student's knowledge before proceeding forward.
• The teacher speaks clear and at the right speed. Both my students were puzzled at why the teacher is only shown from the head up. I do hope they fix that with adding some bigger type aids to correspond with the lesson as well as record her by moving back to show more of her.
• The notes, that can be printed at anytime, reinforce what is being taught.
• A subject can be repeated and the menu pops up by hovering the mouse over it.
• During the practice and tests, they did have difficulty remembering the different abbreviations for noun, verb, adjective, preposition, etc. so that part took a little longer than both liked. Although it seemed redundant or boring to them, it provided an opportunity for them to really understand and learn how to identify each part of the sentence.
• The parent can change the settings to be alerted to remember to sign on and when a student completes a lesson.

It's a nice program that allows the student to be self-sufficient in completing the lessons IF they understand what was taught otherwise, there will be a lot of unlocking by the parent. I did have to step in frequently to help explain some topics but I like to be involved with my children's lessons. This might be better suited for those that are already strong in grammar from the diagramming perspective or a bit older. I thought I was pretty good with grammar but I definitely learned a lot and this would be really beneficial for someone in high school and possibly entering college.

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