Our Homeschool Reviews

Thursday, October 14, 2010

I Heart CSN Stores - Giveaway!!!!

Last month Our Homeschool Reviews was given the opportunity to purchase and review an item from CSN Stores. I had a lot of fun with it and bought a crockpot and made some awesome Jambalaya with it! So this month, CSN Stores has been generous AGAIN and is offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win a $35 gift certificate!! If you are not familiar with them, CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from beautiful wardrobes to cookware to chic lighting pieces, and if you are in the market for one, you can even find a beautiful barstool!

So, here's how to enter to win a CSN Stores $35 Gift Certificate! For each comment, you will get one (1) entry. Only the first comment is mandatory, all others will just increase your chance at winning.

1. Visit the CSN Stores website and tell me what you would buy with your $35. This is a mandatory entry! Leave me a comment and this will give you 1 entry.

Additional Entries:

2. Follow my blog using Google Friend Connect (on the right side of my page) or let me know you are already a follower. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email though feedburner HERE. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

4. Like my Facebook page HERE. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

5. Follow me on Twitter @OurHSReviews. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

6. Share this giveaway on your blog or twitter. Leave me a comment sharing your link and this will give you two (2) entries (leave separate comments for both).

7. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

8. If you use BlogFrog, add yourself to my Recent Visitors widget on the right of my page. Leave me a comment and this will give you another entry.

**Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry**

One random winner will be selected using Random.org on Friday, October 22, 2010. (U.S. Entries only.) If I am unable to reach the winner within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be selected. Your entry is only valid if you include a way for me to contact you (either an email address in your comment or on your profile).

Disclosure: I have received no compensation for this post and all opinions and experiences within this post are my own.

Thrifty Thursday

I'll be adding more freebies and samples throughout the day to Our Homeschool Reviews, so please check back, or better yet, follow along with Google Friend Connect on the right or "like" me on Facebook!

If you find any good freebies or deals, let me know by commenting below!

FREE Origami Paper

Get 50 sheets of origami paper FREE, and then check out the Everything in Paper Crafting site for origami tutorials.

FREE Books

If you are a teacher or homeschool mom go to Pacific Learning and register to get 6 Free books at the learning level of your choice. Offer good through 12/31.

FREE Emergen-C Sample

Get a FREE sample of Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix when you fill out the form!

FREE Vaseline Sample

Get a FREE Sample of Vaseline Intensive Rescue from Everyday Health.

FREE Breathe Right Sample

Head on over here to get a FREE Breathe Right Advanced sample!

FREE Cindy Crawford Meaningful Beauty Masque

Get a FREE sample of Cindy Crawford Meaningful Beauty Deep Cleansing Masque at participating Sephora inside JCPenney stores! Offer good through 10/16 or while supplies last.

Office Depot - $10 off $20 Coupon

Office Depot just released a new coupon HERE good for $10 off any $20 or more in-store purchase, valid through 11/20.

FREE Kangaroo Express Coffee Coupon

If you have a Kangaroo Express nearby, you can head on over here and fill out the simple form to get a coupon for one FREE small coffee!

Healthy Choice Coupon

Healthy Choice is offering what they're calling a "progressive coupon" on Facebook. The more people that "Like" Healthy Choice on Facebook between now and 10/25, the higher the value of the coupon will be!

FREE Natura Advantage Pet Food

Get a FREE 5-lb. bag of Natura Advantage Pet Food when you request a coupon by mail!

FREE Worst-Case Scenario Official Slime

Request your FREE Worst-Case Scenario Official Slime from Chronicle Books in honor of the newly released The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Gross Junior Edition!

FREE Axe Deodorant (Sam's members)

Get a FREE sample of Axe Dry Solid Deodorant in Phoenix scent! This particular sample requires a Sam's Club membership number to request it.

FREE Sample Roundup
Here is your FREE Sample Roundup from Deal Seeking Mom!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wordless Wednesday: Play Pals

Get your own FREE Linky Tools

Monday, October 11, 2010

Read, Write & Type by Talking Fingers

I was just telling a friend the other day that I think it was time I looked into buying our daughter some sort of typing software. She uses the computer several times a week to write stories, play games, and email her friends. The main problem she has though, is that she only uses one finger to type, her other hand is usually resting under her chin, holding her head up...lol!

Literally, within weeks of me making that statement, I received notice that I would be reviewing Read, Write & Type by Talking Fingers! I was initially very excited, but when I saw that it was for ages K-3, I became a little worried. Our daughter has been able to read and write now for many years now. I just wanted the part that teaches her how to type. Would it be a good fit for us?

Well, my daughter LOVES and so do I! Here is how it works. The child hears the individual sound of the letter and associates each sound with a letter and fingerstroke on the keyboard. It uses a multi-sensory and motor approach, which helps children who have different learning styles. The child gets auditory and visual feedback to correct their answers and their progress is then tracked by the program, which suggests activities to help them in problem areas.

And the best part is, all this learning takes places with colorful characters who inhabit a fascinating world, filled with music and animation. A lively gang of storytellers live in two houses that look like the two halves of a keyboard. A very mischievous computer virus called Vexor tries to steal the letters and prevent the storytellers from writing down their stories (Vexor is my daughter's favorite character)! Two Helping Hands, Lefty and Rightway, help children foil Vexor through 40 exciting levels, building hundreds of animated sentences and stories as they go. Children are rewarded with certificates of advancement after every four letters. For a more detailed explanation, you can take a Product Tour, which takes you through just about every activity.

My Thoughts: I really like this product and my daughter loves to use it. The storyline and characters are a great way to get children to learn to read, write and type. It is very easy to use and although our daughter already knows how to read and write, the story is engaging enough for her that she wants to keep going to see what will happen.

I think our daughter is at a good age to learn to type correctly because of her hand size. That being said, I can see how this may be harder for smaller children whose hands are not as big. They may get tired more easily or may not be able to stretch to reach the letters as well. For us though, it is a perfect fit! We will continue to use this product!

Thoughts of a 7-Year Old: Without Vexor, it wouldn't be half as exciting as it is! It has a mixture of phonics, picture reading, and typing, along with extra details such as capital letters, periods, etc. Each letter has a character, and they do funny things. My favorite character is Hug the Hamster (see picture above). As you can see in the picture, your child will have to write H words (with no time limit). Three strikes, and Vexor will huff, puff, and blow you out!

Find Out More: Read, Write & Type by Talking Fingers online pricing varies depending on the number of users, but it starts at $35 for one student. You can find more information on pricing HERE. With the online version you get a FIVE-year license but for the home version, it is yours to keep, and for multiple users, for only $79.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Read, Write & Type, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclosure: This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Tag You're It: I Want To Know

Guiding Light Homeschool has tagged Our Homeschool Reviews in this fun game. Thanks! She has asked 8 people 8 questions. I get to answer her questions then tag 8 people and ask them my own list of questions. What a great way to get to know more about the people whose blogs you read every day!

Here are the questions I am supposed to answer:

Do you dye your hair and if you do what is your natural color? I do not dye my hair. If you look close enough at my picture on the right, I do have a patch of white hair on the left (my right). I was not born with this so I'm not sure if it is some sort of birthmark, but it became prominent after giving birth. I will occasionally dye it, when I get tired of it. ;o)
What is your favorite book from the Bible and why? I enjoy many books of the Bible so it is hard to pick just one. I really like Paul and like reading about him and his life, so Acts is a good book for me!
What is your favorite verse from the Bible and why? Philippians 4:6 - Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer let your request be made known to God.

Why did you decide to homeschool and are you happy with that decision? Our initial decision to homeschool was because our daughter was extremely ahead of her age. We were worried about her getting bored in Kindergarten. Of course now, I have different reasons and believe this is what God wants me to do. We are very happy with our decision!
Dog or cat and why? Dogs...we LOVE dogs...and our Maisy Moo!
What is your favorite food? Wow, ok, I would have to say peanut m&ms. Love ice cream too...I love my sweats!!
What is your favorite time of the day and why? I love when it gets just a little cooler before the sun sets.
Did you enjoy participating in this? Of course!! Although, answering these questions was easy...thinking up 8 new ones will be hard!

Now the 8 questions I will ask others (and answer too):

Where were you born and do you live there now? I was born in New Jersey and currently live in Florida

What is the best vacation that you have ever taken? We went to Hawaii on our honeymoon and visited Maui and The Big Island. It was wonderful!

What is your favorite season or time of year? My favorite season is Fall. I love the cooler weather and watching the leaves change...although not many do around here.

What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving!

Do you have a favorite place you like to visit with your family? We go to Disney a lot but also like to go to the beach.

Do you have a room set aside for homeschooling? We do have a homeschool room but we tend to school all over the house.

How many children do you have compared to how many you thought you would have? I always thought we would have a large family but we have just one (and love her to pieces). :o)

What is your favorite room in your house? The family room when daddy gets home so we can all hang out together!

The eight people I have tagged are:

Confessions of a Homeschooler

Homeschool Creations

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Growing Fruit

Chatter, Clatter, and Things That Matter

Day by Day in Our World

Heritage Homestead and Homeschool Academy

Friday, October 8, 2010

Weekend Shopping Anyone??

There are a ton of coupons to take with you shopping this weekend! One hot deal to get excited about:

Saturday only, Old Navy is offering coats for $16 (reg. $29-$49). There are coats for the whole family part of the sale. Go to Old Navy’s Facebook page for printable coupons to make it even better!

The Coupons

Advanced Auto Parts- $5.25 off $25 (exp 10/31)
Aeropostale – 20% off purchase (exp 10/30)
Bath & Body Works – Free Room Spray/Oil with any $10 purchase (exp 10/12)
Big Lots – 20% off purchase (exp 10/9 )
Borders – 40% off list price of any one item (exp 10/9)
Carter’s – $10 off $50 (exp 10/13)
The Children’s Place – 20% off purchase (exp 11/15)
Coach Leatherware- 20% off purchase (exp 10/17)
Coldwater Creek – 25% off purchase (exp 10/9)
Dress Barn – 20% off purchase (exp 10/11)
ESPRIT – 20% off purchase
Famous Footwear – 15% off purchase (exp 10/16)
Finish Line – $10 off $60 (exp 10/31)
Gordman’s – 20% off one item (exp 10/13)
JC Penney – $10 off $50 (exp 10/10)
Justice – 40% off purchase. No coupon necessary. (exp 10/12)
Kirklands – 20% off a single item (exp 10/14)
Kohl’s – 15% off purchase (exp 10/11)
The Limited – $15 off $50 (exp 10/10)
The Limited – $15 off $30 / $30 off $100 (exp 10/17)
Michael’s – 40% off regular priced item (exp 10/9)
Michael’s- 50% off any one Martha Stewart’s craft item (exp 10/16)
New York & Co – 15% off purchase for signing up for their Email Newsletter
Office Depot – $10 off $25 (exp 10/16)
Office Max – $15 off $75 (exp 10/9 )
Petsmart – Free Day of Doggie Day Camp (exp 10/31)
Pier 1 Imports – $5 off of your $15 purchase (exp 10/11)
Pier 1 Imports – Free Reed Diffuser ($12 or less) with $30 purchase (exp 10/11)
P.S from Aeropostale – 20% off purchase (exp 10/30)
Ralph Lauren-25% off purchase (exp 10/ 11)
Sunglass Hut – $20 off non-prescription sunwear (exp 12/31)
Tanger Outlet Mall – 20% off
ULTA – $5 off $10 (exp 10/23)
Victoria’s Secret- FREE Beauty Rush lip gloss with any purchase (exp 10/13)
Yankee Candle – $10 off $25 (exp 10/9)

Thanks Southern Savers for this awesome list!!

And the SpellQuizzer Winner Is...

Comment # 4: Chad and Lindsey said...I just posted your link to my blog letting others know how they can register. - Lindsey

I used Random.org to pick the winner and I have already notified her via email.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the SpellQuizzer Giveaway via Our Homeschool Reviews and thanks again to SpellQuizzer for allowing me to offer this great giveaway package!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thrifty Thursday

I'll be adding more freebies and samples throughout the day to Our Homeschool Reviews, so please check back, or better yet, follow along with Google Friend Connect on the right! And don't forget to enter my current giveaway HERE!

And if you see any deals, please leave a comment to tell me about them!

FREE Box of Barilla Pasta

If you’re a member of Vocalpoint, then log in to see if this is available in your profile. If it is, you will get a coupon for a FREE box of Barilla pasta. If you’re not, you can do so at Vocalpoint. You’ll have opportunities to receive samples and full size products to review and express your opinions.

FREE Kids Workshop at Lowe's

This Saturday, October 9th, register your kids at Lowe’s to build a Funhouse Mirror. All children who complete their projects will receive a free apron, goggles, a project themed patch, and a certification of merit upon completion.

FREE Amazon Prime Trial

When you register HERE you get a FREE 3-month trial of Prime (FREE 2-day S&H On ANY purchase from Amazon) You do not need to be a mom to sign up, just a caregiver.

Disney Movie Rewards: Free 5 Point Code

Get 5 free points added to your Disney Movie Rewards account with code T2PW84BG6Y .

Three FREE Issues of Redbook Magazine

Just head on over here to see if you qualify for a FREE 3-issue subscription to Redbook magazine courtesy of Mercury Magazines! When asked about your industry, you will have the option to choose homemaker (if needed).

FREE Walmart Samples

Wisk Detergent, Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Garnier Moisture Rescue, Tena Overnight Pads

FREE Sample of Dove Clinical (BJ Members)

BJ’s members can go HERE to get a FREE sample of Dove Clinical Protection deodorant! Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

FREE Subscription to Interview Magazine

Go HERE to get a FREE subscription to Interview magazine courtesy of FreeBizMag.com. You do not need to enter any credit card info and you will never receive a bill. When asked about your Industry, you’ll have the option to choose homemaker.

FREE Food Storage Chef Sample

Food Storage Chef Online, a site that sells highest quality gourmet food storage products backed by a 30-year shelf storage guarantee, is currently offering up a FREE sample. Just go HERE to get yours.

FREE Sample Roundup

Check out the Free Sample Roundup by Deal Seeking Mom!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

LanSchool Review

Do you have more than one computer in your home? Do you wish you could monitor your children's computer time? LanSchool is an award winning software created for classroom or home school computer management.

For home use, LanSchool helps parents:

Monitor real-time thumbnails of their home computer
Limit distractions such as the Internet, games and instant messaging
Track Internet history
Log every keystroke typed on a computer
Limit computers access by locking out the computer
Provide help through remote control
Chat with family members

For classroom use, LanSchool helps teachers:

Facilitate learning by allowing the teacher to show their screen and audio to the students
Remove distractions
Keep students on task through real-time thumbnail monitoring
Get students’ attention by blanking out their screens
Assist students through remote control and chat
Assess student understanding through testing
Provide audio listening and chat in language labs
Efficiently distribute and play video files

My Thoughts: For our family, this was not a good fit. At this time, I really have no reason to not be physically monitoring our daughter's computer time. She is young and we only have one child. We are rarely on two different computers at the same time, and if we are, we would be in the same room. That being said, I can see how this could be helpful for a larger family, or one with older children.

Installation was very easy. Things like allowing or blocking specific websites or applications is important, and I like that you can view all Internet Explorer browsing history.

Find Out More: LanSchool Home is only $99 for a home license (up to three computers) and you receive support and upgrades for three years! You can take a guided tour HERE and there are multiple tutorials HERE. You can also sign up for a free, fully functioning 30-day trial version for your classroom HERE.

My Crewmates are also reviewing LanSchool, so you can check out what they think HERE.