It's Time for the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge

If you've been here for long, then you know that every year around this time, I join Courtney Joseph over at Women Living Well for her annual Making Your Home a Haven challenge.

I'm excited to announce that it's time again for the making your home a haven challenge!

This week for Week 1 we are to light an extra large candle in our home every day. Like Courtney, I have placed my candle in my kitchen. It's on my kitchen table as you see in the picture above. I got a great deal on my candle with a coupon from Yankee Candle for a buy one get one free! I gave the other extra large candle to my daughter who is doing the Making Your Home a Haven challenge with me this year. I'm so excited that we are doing this together! I hope you'll join me too!

This week we are praying to live out the fruit of the Spirit of peace and patience in our homes.

Each time the light of the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace and patience in your home.

Peace and patience.

Many times, at least for me, my peace is threatened when my patience is running thin. Do you ever have those kind of days? I have to admit that most of the time it is because I have put too much on my "to do" list. God is really dealing with my heart on this issue lately.

Sometimes we can be doing so much that we lose the joy in the midst of the doing. I'm learning that we need margins in our lives - and marked boundaries - and that it's okay to say no in order to experience peace and patience in my home.

So as I sit here typing this blog post, I can glance over at my kitchen table and see the burning flame of my candle and in my heart I say a prayer for peace and patience.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that in order to have peace and patience in my home it begins in me. Help me to remember that I am the key ingredient to making my home a haven for my family. Give me wisdom in how to use my time wisely so that I'm not impatient with those I love. If there are things in my life that I need to let go of - even if they're good things - help me to do that in order to create margins in my life so that peace and patience can be a natural fruit of the Spirit flowing from my life and into my home. I humbly ask these things in the gracious name of Jesus. Amen!

Join me here again next Wednesday for Week 2 of Making Your Home a Haven! May you and your family experience the peace and patience of the Holy Spirit in your home this week!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Each week, I am blessed to be able to link-up with the following awesome blogs. While you're here at Grace-Filled-Moments, please take some time to visit my blogging friends listed below.

Sunday: Raising Samuels Homeschool; Me, Coffee, and Jesus
Monday: Just Another Mom, The Modest Mom, A Life in Balance

Tuesday: Time-Warp Wife Titus 2sDay, Hip Homeschool Moms, F. Dean Hackett ~ Tell It To Me Tuesdays
Wednesday: A Little R&R, Messy Marriage, Mom's Morning Coffee, Soul Survivor, Wholehearted Home
Thursday:  Hearts for Home, I Choose Joy, The Evolution of Mom
Friday:  A Divine Encounter, Missional Women, Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls

ASD Reading - An Online Reading Program for Austism Spectrum Disorder

Reading Kingdom is an online program that teaches your children in the following six areas of Reading:

1. Phonics (Sounds)
2. Sequencing
3. Writing
4. Meaning
5. Grammar
6. Comprehension

For this review, I was given ASD Reading (Autism Spectrum Disorder Reading) to use for a year with my son who is on the autism spectrum with Asperger's Syndrome. This fun and easy to use online reading program teaches students with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) how to read, write, and comprehend.

Based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marion Blank, ASD Reading is unique in that it offers instruction methods that you don't find in other programs.

• It requires no prerequisite skills (even non-verbal children can use this program).
• Graphics, audio, and animation are used extensively in order to reinforce meaning.
• Written and spoken language are linked together so that one mirrors and reinforces the other.
• Instruction is customized so that it adapts to each child's specific needs and skills.
• A child's skills are systematically assessed helping them to overcome difficulties and error patterns.

"ASD Reading is based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marion Blank, a world-renowned literacy and language expert who developed and served as Co-Director of the Columbia University Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program for Autism and Related Disorders."

About ASD Reading

ASD Reading is a completely online reading program. You will need a computer with a mouse or a tablet. You will also need an internet connection.

The lessons are short enough to complete in one session. You also have the option to pause the lesson if needed. Once the lesson is completed, your child has the option to continue on to the next lesson or stop for the day.

At this screen, your child can continue on to the next lesson or stop for the day.

The dashboard enables parents to see each child using the program, the subscription status, when the child last used the program, how many days per week the program was used, their current level within ASD Reading, and the percentage completed on the level they are on.

Throughout the ASD Reading Program, your child can score points that will open up their passport. There are 5 different levels in the program which your child will work through. Stars are placed on the passport as points are earned for their completed work.

How To Use ASD Reading

The first thing your child will do when starting the ASD Reading Program is take a placement test. They are placed in the reading program at their level according to the results of the placement test. Once the placement test is completed, assignments are generated and ready for your child to use.

Until your child becomes familiar with how the program works, you'll want to supervise them when they are using ASD Reading.

To ensure success with ASD Reading, it is suggested that your child uses the program at least 4 days a week.

My Opinion of ASD Reading

One of the wonderful things about this reading program is the clear instructions given along the way. My son was able to use ASD Reading without my help. Also, I loved the encouraging sounds and phrases spoken that were very motivating for my son. The lessons have colorful pictures that are fun and engaging. It keeps his attention which can be hard to do.

Overall, I am very happy with ASD Reading! I appreciate the progress reports I receive in my email that let me know if my son needs my attention for anything he's struggling with. There is also the dashboard where I can go anytime to get an update on my son's progress within the program and how he is doing.

If you have a child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, I highly recommend taking a look in ASD Reading. You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial. They also have a Scholarship Program for families who cannot afford to pay for the program that will allow you to use it for free with your child. You will need to sign up first for the 30-day trial and use it with your child for a minimum of 4 days per week for 3 weeks, then you can fill out their form for the Scholarship Program that is on their website.


You can connect with Reading Kingdom on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

You can read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew simply by clicking on the image below.

A Look Inside the Life of Fred Language Arts

Life of Fred is a fictional narrative that introduces students to essential concepts in a fun and easy way. Kids really love reading the Fred books. The Language Arts Series covers concepts on spelling, grammar, punctuation and more.

This series is best suited for middle school and high school students. The books can be re-read once every year to ensure total comprehension of all the concepts covered. Lessons include the seven parts of speech, punctuation, spelling, similes, silent letters, and so much more.  

Why these books WORK:

• Language Arts concepts are weaved throughout a fictional narrative about Fred, the 5-year-old math prodigy. The books read like storybooks, but have meaningful lessons embedded within the stories.
• Every chapter is a daily lesson that only takes about 20 to 30 minutes to read and complete.
• At the end of every chapter, there is an opportunity for students to practice the concepts covered during Fred’s adventure.
• The Language Arts Series can be re-read once a year to keep concepts fresh in students’ minds.
• Kids want to actually read these books - they are so fun!

Take a Look Inside Life of Fred Language Arts  

What customers are saying about the Life of Fred Language Arts Series:  

"This is a wonderful series. While it is presented in a silly, quirky manner it has a good coverage of grammar, and then some. It is an engaging story that helps you relate what you are learning to 'real' life." - Educents customer  

"My kids love this series. We started with Elementary Math and have used Fred for our entire schooling. Hands down, the best curriculum we have found." -Christian  


The Life of Fred Language Arts Series includes four titles: Australia, Begin Teaching, Classes, and Dreams. 

Here are a few examples of the concepts covered in each book. 

In Life of Fred: Australia, students will learn…

• The difference between a hemistich and heteronym 
• What these abbreviations mean: p.s. ps ps. and Ps. 
• How to experience two summers and no winters each year 

In Life of Fred: Begin Teaching, students will learn…

• The uses of 12 tenses in English 
• The 16 ways to make plurals 
• Why “since” is a dangerous word 

In Life of Fred: Classes, students will learn…

• The six rules for hyphenating compound adjectives 
• How the three moods in English are used 
• The four uses of italics 

In Life of Fred: Dreams, students will learn…

• The three uses of a dash 
• How to pronounce “viz” 
• The difference between metaphor and metonymy 

Check out the Language Arts books and the entire Life of Fred collection offered at the best price on Educents!


Do your kids love Life of Fred? Have you gotten the Life of Fred Language Arts for your homeschool? Get the entire collection for the best price at Educents the entire month of October!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Each week, I am blessed to be able to link-up with the following awesome blogs. While you're here at Grace-Filled-Moments, please take some time to visit my blogging friends listed below.

Sunday: Raising Samuels Homeschool; Me, Coffee, and Jesus
Monday: Just Another Mom, The Modest Mom, A Life in Balance

Tuesday: F. Dean Hackett ~ Tell It To Me Tuesday, Time-Warp Wife Titus 2sDay, Hip Homeschool Moms
Wednesday: A Little R&R, Messy Marriage, Mom's Morning Coffee, Soul Survivor, Wholehearted Home
Thursday:  Hearts for Home, I Choose Joy, The Evolution of Mom
Friday:  A Divine Encounter, Missional Women, Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls

Breast Cancer Awareness for Kids {Free Printable!}

Happy October! Did you know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Take a day or two this month to incorporate some very pink lessons! Check out this "Think Pink" freebie from Sweet Integrations. It includes pink-themed activities like Piggy Bank, Strawberry Ice Cream Addition, Place Value Selfies, and more! Whether breast cancer has impacted your kids' life from a friend or a family member, or not at all, it's important to start a conversation about this disease. What happens to someone who is diagnosed with breast cancer? What are healthy choices to prevent your kids from getting breast cancer? Gets tips from a mom on having a conversation about breast cancer with kids here: How to Talks to Kids About Breast Cancer.

Susan G. Komen is another amazing resource that organizes fundraisers and raises awareness about breast cancer. There are countless stories from survivors on the Susan G. Komen website. Let these stories inspire you and your children! If you need reading resources about kids and cancer, especially breast cancer, you can read The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco, and Mom Goes To War by Irene Aparici Martín. These are excellent books about kids that are helping friends and mothers battling cancer.  

How do you talk to your children about breast cancer? Are they aware of the disease and its impact? Share with me in the comments!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Each week, I am blessed to be able to link-up with the following awesome blogs. While you're here at Grace-Filled-Moments, please take some time to visit my blogging friends listed below.

Sunday: Raising Samuels Homeschool; Me, Coffee, and Jesus
Monday: Just Another Mom, The Modest Mom, A Life in Balance

Tuesday: F. Dean Hackett ~ Tell It To Me Tuesday, Time-Warp Wife Titus 2sDay, Hip Homeschool Moms
Wednesday: A Little R&R, Messy Marriage, Mom's Morning Coffee, Soul Survivor, Wholehearted Home
Thursday:  Hearts for Home, I Choose Joy, The Evolution of Mom
Friday:  A Divine Encounter, Missional Women, Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls

Just Like Jesus Bible Storybook Review

The Just Like Jesus Bible Storybook, written by Stephen Elkins, will inspire your children to model good character through the example set forth by Jesus when He lived on this Earth. In this collection of Bible stories, the character of Jesus is modeled through the lessons He taught and the life He lived. Each story highlights lessons on character for your children to model such as sharing with others, being patient, being kind, being content, giving thanks and more.

Each story includes pages for the following:

• A character trait of Jesus and a corresponding Scripture.
• A "Jesus in the Bible" story. The character of Jesus is shown in how He handled specific situations throughout each story shared in this book.
• "Jesus in Me" - Children are inspired to model the character of Jesus they read about in the Bible story. This is where they learn how to apply the character trait in their own lives.
• A short prayer - The lesson is closed with a short prayer so the children can ask God for help in developing the character of Jesus that they learned about in the story.
• A call to action where the children verbalize what they will do in order to be just like Jesus. (Example: To be like Jesus, I will be thankful.)

The adorable colored illustrations in the Just Like Jesus Bible Storybook are so beautiful and inviting! The padded hardcover is sturdy which is great for active hands who are not always so gentle with books. There are 176 pages total, including a table of contents that lists each of the 40 character traits of Jesus that your children will learn about in this storybook. The author has even included a note to parents and grandparents. The stories are written in a conversational style that will be easy for your children or grandchildren to understand. 

It's a perfect devotional book for small children ages 4-7 with the help and guidance of a parent or grandparent. There is plenty of interaction that can take place in each story's lesson, leading to a wonderful time of discussion between a parent/grandparent and child.

We all want our children to have good character. There is no one better for them to learn good character from than through Jesus!

I'm so excited to be able to read the Just Like Jesus Storybook with my little grandson as he grows. It's never to early to begin teaching your children or grandchildren about the character of Jesus and how they can too can live by His example.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

I received a review copy from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review, and the options I have expressed are my own.

The Message 100 The Story of God in Sequence Review

My husband leads our family in nightly devotions so we are always on the lookout for a good family devotional book. As true as this is, nothing is better than just sitting together in our living room and opening up the Bible itself and letting God speak to us through His Word.

The Message 100 The Story of God in Sequence by Eugene H. Peterson is the entire Bible laid out in 100 readings that reflect the unfolding story of God as He reveals Himself to His people. That revelation continues with us today as we open the Bible and are drawn into the truths that we find for our lives. Eugene Peterson gives a brief reflection at the beginning of each reading that prepares you for what you are about to read. In the back of the Bible is a breakdown of the 100 readings as well as a page listing where to find each book of the Bible.

This is a wonderful Bible that will take you sequentially through the unfolding story of God and His people! You can take your time reading through each of the 100 readings. Written in The Message version, it's easy to read so the whole family can take turns reading and even your youngest children will be able to understand what is being read.

There's nothing better than reading the Bible and growing spiritually together as a family! You and your family will be able to do that with The Message 100 The Story of God in Sequence. We have enjoyed our nightly devotions with this Bible!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

I received a review copy from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review, and the options I have expressed are my own.

October Scripture Prayer Calendar for Your Husband

It's October 1st and that means it's time for a new Scripture Prayer Calendar for Your Husband! Simply click on the image below to download your FREE calendar that is filled with Bible verses you can use to pray over your husband during the month of October.

Today is also my husband's birthday! We're celebrating with his favorite pizza from Sir Pizza and I'm baking his birthday cake - Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake. This cake was such a hit last year as his birthday cake that he has requested it again this year! You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, right?!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! I thank God for you every day!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

 

Each week, I am blessed to be able to link-up with the following awesome blogs. While you're here at Grace-Filled-Moments, please take some time to visit my blogging friends listed below.

Sunday: Raising Samuels Homeschool; Me, Coffee, and Jesus
Monday: Just Another Mom, The Modest Mom, A Life in Balance

Tuesday: F. Dean Hackett ~ Tell It To Me Tuesday, Time-Warp Wife Titus 2sDay, Hip Homeschool Moms
Wednesday: A Little R&R, Messy Marriage, Mom's Morning Coffee, Soul Survivor, Wholehearted Home
Thursday:  Hearts for Home, I Choose Joy, The Evolution of Mom
Friday:  A Divine Encounter, Missional Women, Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls