The Waterproof Bible has much stronger pages than a normal Bible.  Well, they feel stronger because they feel almost like plastic sheeting.  There are a few things that I will do to test a Waterproof Bible, but I’m not willing to try to tear the pages even though they should withstand it, somewhat.

While I couldn’t bring myself to try tearing the pages, my daughter was happy to help me demonstrate how resistant the pages are to liquids and such.  Here, she is getting ready to pour a spoonful of coffee with creamer on it.

Can you see how it just beads up?

DD13 just wiped it away with nothing left behind.  No damage done.

Then, I wondered if something in soda might cause any problems.  Well, problems other than being sticky, that is.  No, the soda wiped away, too.  In fact, I used soap and water to wash the sugar off.

When I made supper that night, my daughter suggested that we put some of the creole on the Bible.  It was a little greasy and definitely spicy.  I wondered if the greasy nature of the food would cause any issues with it, but…

there wasn’t a bit left on it at all.  It wiped away clean and clear.  It is amazing how resilient this Bible is!  In fact, it has been read in the bathtub, too.

While the Waterproof Bible can be used by everyone, it would be a great choice for someone who spends a lot of time outside.  Maybe, a biker, a camper, or a military member would be grateful for the gift of a Waterproof Bible.  A Bible that would withstand the weather and terrain that a person like that would be in all the time.

The Waterproof Bible comes in a full Bible size and a New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs edition.  It is available in English Standard Version, King James Version, New International Version, New King James Version, and New Living Translation.  Prices vary, so please check the websites for pricing.

Disclosure:  I received a New Testament Waterproof Bible for the purpose of this review.  I received no other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review.  All opinions and testing of pages are 100% mine. 

Do your kids have any great plans for you for Mother’s Day?  We are in the middle of moving, but my family has promised to make it up to me later.  While Mother’s Day is only celebrated once a year, our children know how much we support and encourage them every day of the year.  The Mother’s Day clip from Monsters University shows just how much of a part moms play in a child’s everyday life.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Monsters University comes to theaters June 21, 2013.  You can follow Monsters University on Twitter and Facebook.

My son is very visual, so the Time Timer concept works great for him.  When he was in Occupational Therapy, his therapist had a large timer with a disc like this, and she used it to help show how much time was allotted for each activity.  It seemed to work well for him.  I didn’t realize that Time Timer had timers like this that would work great in the home/homeschool setting.  This new version has a protective lens over the red disc, and it has a handy carrying handle for DS10 to carry it with him as he transitions from activity-to-activity.

It also has an audible alarm that sounds when the time is up.  The best part is that the alarm volume can be adjusted.  So many timers have one volume, and that is set at loud.  Many times the sound of a loud alarm will startle DS10, so the ability to lower the volume of the alarm is a great asset on this timer.

If you have a child who is having a problem with the concept of time or a child who has issues with transitioning from activity-to-activity, a Time Timer might help you, too.  Even if you don’t have problems in your classroom, a Time Timer is an awesome way to just stay on schedule.

Disclosure:  I received a Time Timer PLUS for the purpose of this review.  I received no other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

KidsEmail offers parental tools that allow the parent to set safety parameters to monitor what their children send and receive and block unwanted content.  I was able to set up my kids’ profiles to only accept emails from approved senders and to send me copies of what they sent and what they received.  Since I limited who they contact to certain people, I’m not as concerned about the images and links that are sent to them.  However, if I allowed other people to send them emails, I could activate a control that would block all images and links.  Make sure you click on the picture above, so you can see it clearly.  This is a message that I sent from an “approved” contact address.  It came to me as a copy but went into my son’s account at the same time.

The above email was sent from an account that was not on my son’s “approved” contact list.  This is an email that I received to my parent email address.  This email is giving me the chance to approve the message, so my son can see it, or reject the message altogether.  I could also set up the account, so the sender would get a message saying that the recipient is a child and the message is awaiting approval from a parent.  It really is a cool setup!

Now, the kids’ side…  While the kids could access their email on the computer, they prefer using the app.  It is a really clean design and easy for them to use.

The part that I like is that there aren’t any ads and not many distractions.  It is a simple email tool for them to use without having to worry about unwanted people spamming them with unmentionable products.  I know you know what I’m talking about.

The only problem that I have had with KidsEmail is that the kids can’t send emails to each other.  I emailed support, and they thought they had it fixed, but it wasn’t.  I never pursued contacting them about it again because of other things going on.  It’s not a deal breaker, but I wanted to mention it in case your kids were ones who would absolutely have to email each other.

I highly recommend KidsEmail for families who are ready for their kids to join the email/internet world in a safe way without the chance of predators or spammers getting to them.  There are a couple of different pricing plans.  Make sure to check it out because they currently have a special of up to 6 email accounts for 13 months priced at $38.95.

Disclosure:  I received a subscription to KidsEmail for the purpose of this review.  I received no other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

As the release of Monsters University gets closer, we have been seeing more trailers and more graphics come out.  I think the coolest of these is the Monsters University Student ID! Who would have thought that we could make our own student ID.  Well, not really our own but make our own monster to be on the ID.  What would your ideal monster be?

You can click on the image above to download your own PDF of a Monsters University Student ID, so you can create your own Monsters University monster.

You can also download a game called “Pin the MU Badge on Archie the Scare Pig”.  There are two sheets to this PDF.  Think of Pin the Tail on the Donkey with a Monsters University theme to it.  If you want to make it last, laminate the game sheet and the game pieces and use a glue dot on the back of each game piece.  That way, your child can use it over and over again.

Monsters University comes to theaters on June 21, 2013.  Not long to wait…

And if you are waiting for PLANES, that comes out on August 9, 2013.  Would you like some PLANES-themed coloring sheets?  Check out the button below.

I have reviewed this software before.  The last time, I was instructed to download the software from the website.  This time, it was sent to me on a disc.  I highly recommend the second method.  It all seemed to go a lot smoother with the software on a disc because of the size of the file.  Since my son has been using Ooka Island, we have only had a couple of random issues with the game freezing up.  For the most part, things have gone well.

Ooka Island is a reading program that is definitely appealing to the younger set and at times appears like a video game, even though learning is still happening.  Ooka Island is built on a scientific foundation, and you can read more about the foundation and benefits here.  My son was able to choose the physical features and clothing to personalize his avatar.  Early on, it was a boy, but he was able to upgrade it to a robot later.

I highly recommend headphones because after time, the program does tend to grate on adult ears.  Kids really like it, though.  Also, when DS10 was using headphones, DD13 and I could continue our lessons together while DS10 worked on Ooka Island.  You can take a video tour of Ooka Island here.

DS10 really enjoys Ooka Island.  While it is for kids age 3-7, DS10 enjoys the games and is still learning at the same time.  I like how Ooka Island provides progress reports as DS10 progresses.  I even gotten a couple of emails when he completed a book.

I think that Ooka Island can be a huge help with teaching kids to read in a fun way, either at school or at home.  It is a little pricey at $124.95 per year for one child, or $149.95 per year for a family.  That’s where this 30% discount comes into play.  Make sure you use this discount if you would like to sign up for Ooka Island.

Disclosure:  I received a free trial membership in exchange for this review.  I received no other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review. 

Manners are so important in everyday life; however, it seems as they are not as common as in years past.  Just the basic courtesy of saying, “Thank you!” or “You’re welcome!” isn’t heard as often.  What about introductions and handshakes?  There are so many things that I remember being normal manners that are missing today.  Have you noticed this, too?

Well, I want to share a program that can help to guide your children on the path to proper manners and social skills.  The Etiquette Factory offers a 3-step system based on age.

• Etiquette for Beginners – Preschool – 4th Grade – $44.95 ($69.95 including placemats and music CD)
• Etiquette Intermediate – 4th Grade and up – $29.95
• Etiquette Masters – For Teens – $9.95
• Or you can get a bundle of all three levels for $99.95

We received Etiquette Intermediate and Etiquette Masters to review in our home.  These books are filled with a very simple common sense approach to manners.  One that any child can understand and is also a great review for parents, too.  Listen to what Monica Irvine has to say about Etiquette Intermediate.

Monica states that this was developed for the children to self-teach and then teach the rest of the family.  We have used this in our classroom by reading it together and discussing it together along with practicing the activities listed.

There are so many topics that are covered in Etiquette Intermediate!  She covers topics like introductions, borrowing, including others, dining, and much more over the course of 125 days.  We have not made it to Etiquette Masters as a family because we are trying to cover each day of Etiquette Intermediate, first; however, the teenage has been seen reading ahead in both books.  I like the fact that Etiquette Masters covers such important teen topics such as etiquette at work, with peer pressure, and on social networks.  It is a much shorter book that is packed with lots of information.

We have made it a priority to teach our children basic manners, but one of the problems we have had is making manners more concrete for DS10.  I’m sure that many of you with kids on the spectrum know exactly what I am talking about.  Manners is more of an abstract concept, but having it down in writing will help make it easier for DS10 to figure out and learn.

If teaching manners to your children is a priority for you, I would suggest that you check out The Etiquette Factory.  Monica Irvine makes her products so easy to use and effective.

Disclosure:  I received the products listed above free of charge for the purpose of this review.  I received not other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review.  All opinions are mine. 

David Bowman uses ‘wit, humor, and a variety of visuals to skillfully teach preteens and teens alike the wisdom of returning to our nation’s founding principles, and in a way that they will actually “get it”.‘  The way this book is written is certainly effective in catching a child/teen’s attention and really driving home how we have deviated from the founding fathers’ vision.

Mr. Bowman uses a different method of approach to really grab the interest of the child/teen.  In the first part of the book, Mr. Washington and Mr. Madison are shown Benjamin Franklin’s new invention:  Franklin’s Fantastic Future Forecaster.  A time machine in which the three travel to the future to see how the country has fared.  When they see the state of the nation, they decide to use a method to actually talk to the youth of the time.  It was great to see my children drawn in as Mr. Washington, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Franklin discussed the Constitution and basis of our country with the youth of the 2000s in the book.

As Barbara Stowell, Vice President of Constitution Week USA, puts it: “I’ve learned
more from this book than all the other government and constitutional course material I’ve studied.”

I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to read this book.  I am also thankful that my children have been able to read this book and will continue to read it.  What a great way to learn about the Constitution!

You can find David Bowman on his blog, Facebook, and Twitter.  You can purchase your own copy of What Would the Founding Fathers Think? for prices from $3.43 to $11.99 depending on location and whether it is digital or print.

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Deseret Books

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book free of charge for the purpose of this review.  I received no other compensation, nor was I required to give a positive review.  All opinions are 100% mine and my children’s.

There are several different books that can be personalized, and you can see the choices here.  The book that I was offered for review is called God Loves You!  Just click “Take Tour” on the book page to be able to see the book before purchasing.

The book I received has a hard cover and bright colorful illustrations.  The paper is fairly thick, but I don’t think it would stand up to tiny hands tearing at the pages.

I really like the vivid color and simple illustrations.  I remember buying a personalized book for DD13 when she was young.  It was from a different company, and DD13′s name was located just in one area of the book.  However, with I See Me books, the name is used several places throughout the book.  It’s used almost as if the author is talking just to your child.

Details of God Loves You! -

• For girls and boys ages 0-8
• Size 8.5″ by 8.5″
• 20 pages
• Price $24.95

An I See Me book would make a great gift for any gift giving occasion.  I know the website lists specific life events, but it really would be appropriate for any time.

You can follow I See Me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  Currently, I See Me sends a 10% discount coupon to new email subscribers.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of the above book for the purpose of this review.  I didn’t receive any other compensation, nor was I required to post a positive review.  All opinion are 10% mine.