Adventures of Rush Revere Book Series from Adventures of Rush Revere #1 New York Times Bestselling Book Series by Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

I love history and I love books that bring history to life. American history is my absolute favorite! For my kids that is a different story. History for them is boring and definitely not their favorite subject. Recently though, that has changed. We have been reading the Adventures of Rush Revere Book Series from Adventures of Rush Revere #1 New York Times Bestselling Book Series by Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh. These books are amazing!! As long as I've been homeschooling, I don't think I've ever been so pleasantly surprised over children's books before. When my kids ASK to read any kind of a history book, then you know it's good.

I'm sure at some point you've heard of Rush Limbaugh. If not, he's a political commentator and a very conservative radio talk show host. He and his wife, Kathryn Adams Limbaugh are the authors of these fabulous books. Just from reading the books, you can see their love and passion for American history!

There are five books in the series, and we were blessed to receive all five! I could not believe the quality of the books upon receiving them. The illustrations are so bright, colorful, and plain fun to look at. Even the pages look like old papyrus paper. We were really impressed with all of the little additions to make these books special. Look at the presentation! It definitely gives a great a first impression.

These are some of the pictures in the first book. They are really nice!

Let me give you a general idea of the characters in the books. Rush Revere is a substitute middle school history teacher. He isn't just your ordinary teacher though. He has a very cool horse named Liberty. Liberty can talk, and let me tell you, the things that come out of this horse's mouth keep my kids rolling with laughter! Not only can Liberty talk, he can time jump back into history. All it takes are the words "Rush rush rushing to history" and you are on the best history adventure ever! 

Each book covers a different part of history. We have only finished the first book because we are actually studying American history right now, and these have fit perfectly into our curriculum. We have used the first one as a read aloud and plan to do the same with the others. I knew I wanted to use them as a read aloud because I thought I would enjoy them too, and I was correct! Even if my kids didn't like these books, I would finish them on my own. That's how much I love them. I really can't see ANY child not liking these books though. Both of my kids have enjoyed them just the same, and I have one in high school, and one in early middle school. I think even younger kids would enjoy them although they are geared for middle school aged kids.

About the books ~

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims

Our first book is where we get to meet Rush Revere and his time jumping horse, Liberty. We will "Rush rush rush into history" all the way to the year 1620 where we will encounter the Pilgrims and the Mayflower with our friends Tommy and Freedom. We learn all about the trials and tribulations that the Pilgrims had to go through to get to the New World. We will meet and talk to famous people in history such as William Bradford, Myles Standish, and Samoset and Squanto. We even get to experience the first Thanksgiving!

Rush Revere and the First Patriots

In the second book in the series, we time jump to right before the American Revolution. I can't wait to start this book. Rush will take us on an adventure that allows us to encounter more people of American history such as Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and of course, King George III of Great Britain. The kids, Tommy, Freedom, and Cam, will also have to deal with Elizabeth back at school as she tries to tell their time jumping secret to her father, the principal. 

Rush Revere and the American Revolution

Next we jump right into the year 1775. We will get up close and personal with some of the soldiers that fought for our American independence! We will meet more historical men such as Dr. Joseph Warren, John Hancock, and George Washington. In the present time we will learn that Cam's father is in the military and is deployed. Cam has had an attitude change while he is away. Book 3 is action packed and full of excitement!

Rush Revere and the Star Spangled Banner

When Tommy's Grandfather becomes ill, Rush brings the Manchester Middle School crew on a field trip to Washington D.C. They will learn all about the American government when they visit the Washington Monument, and even the White House. Here in the year 1787, we also encounter more important people in history including Francis Scott Key and of course James and Dolley Madison. After dodging several obstacles, Tommy will bring back a very important notebook for his Grandfather. 

Rush Revere and the Presidency

In our final book of the series we learn that Cam decided to run for student-body president. Rush Revere takes him back to the first presidency to learn all about the decisions that have to be made in such an important position. Cam thinks that being president is an easy task, but will soon learn that it's not all about being popular, and is actually about serving others. He will be introduced to early American Presidents such as George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. 

What did we think?

Again, I have to say that we have thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series. It has been such a wonderful addition to our American history studies. These books are so well written, and will keep you on the edge of your seat with exciting meet ups with people that have had an impact in our American history. Mr. Limbaugh and his wife do a fantastic job of keeping the reader engaged, and have made learning fun. As an adult, I have had a wonderful refresher on our history, and have enjoyed every minute. These books aren't just for homeschool kids. They would be perfect for any student! In addition to the books, the website is also a huge benefit to the student. They have games, activities, and even a study guide for each book! They literally have thought of everything. 

I would highly suggest you order the complete set of the Adventures of Rush Revere Book Series from Adventures of Rush Revere #1 New York Times Bestselling Book Series by Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh. I can't wait to get started on the next book in the series, and I can tell you that we will actually be sad when the series is over. 

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Another crazy week around here ~ Weekly Wrap-Up

It's been a little while since I've done a weekly wrap up. We have just been so busy, that we haven't had one typical week! Our busy schedule is exactly why I love year round homeschooling! It gives us the flexibility to take off when we need to. That is working for us right now considering we will be having company three weekends in a row. We will probably only be having 3 day school weeks right now.

This past week we had my husband's parents come for a visit and we really enjoyed our time with them. They came in Thursday and we ended up going out to dinner. It was nice to have some adult time, and enjoy adult conversation.

Friday we took the kids to their hotel room so they could swim, and they ended up swimming all day. It was super hot, so the day was perfect for hanging at the pool. I got to watch Gav make several friends that he would only see that day, and probably never see again. He amazes me that he can make friends where ever he goes. We ended a great day with dinner at the hotel, and then more swimming. The kids were exhausted that night and slept like babies!

Saturday was our last day with their Mam-Maw and Pap-Paw and they surprised them with a trip to Natural Bridge Caverns. If you've never been, it's a real treat. Be prepared though, it's HOT! 

This trip we didn't do the caverns. They rode the zipline, did the obstacle course, and had a total blast!

On our way home, we saw some beautiful deer on the side of the road. It looked like they were posing for us. 

We ended the fabulous weekend celebrating Father's Day for my hubby. He really loved the card he got from the kids. 

Tomorrow is the start of another busy week. We are so excited to have so many people of our family come to see us. We have no family where we are, so we will gladly take as many visits possible!

Have a wonderful week!

Internship for High School Credit from Apologia Educational Ministries ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

Homeschooling high school can be a very rewarding, but also a very tedious process. You want to incorporate as much as possible into their high school years, and give them experiences that they may not even get in public school. Have you ever thought about an internship to get them some experience in their career of choice? For the last few weeks we have been reviewing the Internship for High School Credit from Apologia Educational Ministries and have found it extremely helpful. 
What did we receive? Internship for High School Credit is a nice spiral bound, consumable workbook that is close to 100 pages of worksheets to help your student with an internship. 

What is an internship? I have been going over this workbook with my high school student, Edyn. She is still trying to figure out what she wants to do for a career, but she does have photography in mind. What a wonderful opportunity it would be to be able to work under a successful photographer. She would be able to gain knowledge and work experience, and not to mention hands on learning. Immersion learning to me is the best way to get experience in your career choice. An internship under an established photographer would provide an opportunity better than any text book could ever give her. This workbook mentions benefits such as:

• Explore a career
• Learn day-to-day job responsibilities
• Discover job likes and dislikes
• Focus more closely on a college major
• Bolster a college application
• Gain experience related to career goals
• Increase scholarship opportunities
• Gain marketable skills
• Increase potential job offers

How does this book work? This workbook will help walk you through the process of gaining a high school internship. Internship is possible with pretty much any career field. It starts off talking about choosing the type of internship that you would want, and also choosing a company that you would want to intern with. You will learn how to help prepare your student for interviews by choosing the appropriate clothing and also how to write a resume. 
You can also potentially earn high school credit for an internship. You will need to figure out how many hours that you need to intern to count towards a half credit or full credit. This workbook is either worked in one or two semesters depending on the credit you are wanting or needing.
Let's talk about some of the things that I found to be extremely helpful. First off, writing a resume. I can't tell you how important it is that a high school student is able to write a good resume. This workbook gives a great example of not only a student resume, but also a letter of introduction. These are both key parts to obtaining an internship, and even later on a job. 

After receiving an offer for an interview, there are pages that discuss what to wear, what to bring, and even how to greet your interviewer. Sit up straight. Don't chew gum. These are all important steps to becoming a good employee, and some teenagers may not even think about them. Lots of great reminders on how to handle yourself as a successful young adult.

After starting the internship there will be worksheets to complete, some with your supervisor, so that the skills you learn will be defined and laid out for you. Weekly worksheets, Work Performance worksheets, and Skills Gained are just to name a few. 

What did we think? I honestly think that Internship for High School Credit from Apologia Educational Ministries is a great addition for your high school student. Adding an internship to a high school transcript looks great and can help in their search for a college.  Please feel free to also check out another product that's being reviewed at this time called How to HOMESCHOOL with Stunning Confidence, Contagious Joy, and Amazing Focus (DVD & Coursebook). 
I have reviewed several products from Apologia and have always been satisfied by them all! They never disappoint!
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Homesteading...my dream of getting back to basics and backyard farming

Have you ever felt that God has led you to do something, and at first it seems totally crazy, but then it all makes sense? Rewind to almost a year ago, and that's exactly what happened to me.

I had decided I was going to go on a journey to save money. I was trying to decide where to start because we were a paycheck to paycheck family. We always have been, and I've always hated it. I knew that one of the most obvious places to start would be with our food. Around the same time, I was also trying to start getting as much processed food out of our diet as I could, and then it hit me. I needed to figure out a way to grow our own food. As they say, that was all she wrote. My garden research turned into cooking from scratch, which I pretty much already did. I then started watching YouTube videos, and it all started snowballing from there. I want to raise chickens. I want a milk cow. I want goats. I want to raise our own meat birds etc. I decided what we needed to do was get back to the basics of living. I wanted to homestead.

Growing up, I had grandparents who homesteaded before homesteading was cool. Growing your own food, cooking from scratch, sewing, that was all a way of life for them. I never realized as a child running through their garden that one day, all of that would be the life that I wanted. I took it for granted that they grew this food, and they did it very well. I didn't learn their secrets to gardening, how to sew, or can food, and I really regret it. I've always felt that I live in the wrong time period. I would love to step back in time, and live a much simpler life.

So, we are on a mission. Right now, I am homesteading where I'm at. This is hard considering I live in the suburbs of San Antonio, but you can homestead anywhere. Homesteading is what you make it. It's definitely what I call baby homesteading, or newbie homesteading, but it is what it is.

I am learning to garden, even though it's in 5 gallon buckets. It won't produce enough to put any food up, but it's a start. Next year, I'm planning bigger and better. This year's garden has definitely been a hands on learning experience. I can't wait until next year. I have big plans already.

 I will also be learning how to can. We have several farmer's markets and also wholesale produce places that sell organic produce at a discounted price because it's in bulk. We will be purchasing our first canning set very soon!

I cook from scratch 90% of the time. I don't use hardly any boxed foods as we are trying to eat real food. I have learned to bake my own bread, and even gluten free for Gav. Just the savings from baking my own gluten free bread is amazing considering I was paying $7 a loaf! I love baking bread so much. I honestly should have made a career out of it lol. I can bake bread that has no chemicals or preservatives and it tastes so much better than store bought.

I am doing as much learning and research as I can on chickens. I plan on knowing all I can before I get them, even though I will learn much more when I finally do. I am already planning my coup, and learning how to feed them organically so that we can get the best eggs possible.

I know that when we start, we will start small and hopefully add on. I never want to take on more than we can manage. I will be happy to start out with a garden and chickens. I would love to eventually be 100% self sustained, but that would be extremely hard. I've learned to never say never though. Who knows what kind of land we may end up with. I know God has a plan, and I'm super excited to see where it leads us.

I've learned so much in just a few short months. I literally try to research different things every single day to gain knowledge. So, we are on our way to getting out of debt, so that we can find the perfect house homestead for us. I will post more about how we are using Dave Ramsey later. I'm ready to put down some roots, and get started on this journey.

Blessings,

Tasha

Weekend Fun ~ Wordless Wednesday

Nature's Beautiful Order by Memoria Press ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

I think Gavin's favorite subject to study is Science. He has always taken an interest in all branches of Science, but I think anything to do with animals is probably his favorite. For the last few weeks we have been reviewing Nature's Beautiful Order by Memoria Press, and it's been a great introduction to Biology for him.

If you're familiar with the homeschooling world then you have probably heard of Memoria Press. They are a classical Christian educational company that was founded in 1994 by Cheryl Lowe. 

Memoria Press prides themselves on a classical education, and their products are characterized by simplicity, quality, and affordability. They specialize in making sure that their products are easy to use by parents who are not familiar with the subject being taught.

What did we receive?

Memoria Press is always very generous with their products that we review. We were given the Nature's Beautiful Order text, the Student Guide, and Teacher's Key. 

The text book starts with an Introduction so that you can get a better understanding of the purpose of the book. It then covers 18 chapters that starts with "What is an Animal?" and works all the way to "Man the Steward."

Like most of Memoria Press' products, we had a consumable student workbook that had comprehension questions to go over with each chapter. The Teacher's Key was basically the workbook with all of the answers. This always makes grading or going over it together so much easier. 

What is Nature's Order all about?

Like I said before this is an introduction to Biology. It's mainly focused on grades 6th - 8th, but can be used to supplement older Biology students. 

After the brief introduction of  "What is an Animal" you are then taken right into the cat. It talks all about the cat and it's structure and characteristics. I have to say that at first Gavin was not interested. I'm not sure whether it wasn't holding his attention, or some of it was over his head. We pressed on and did find that some of the other chapters were much easier to understand for him. 

Each chapter from here on out, moves to a different animal and where it falls into nature's order. We worked through about a chapter a week, and I think his favorite chapter was about The Bee since we hope to one day have our own bee hives. He loved learning about the workers, drones, and of course the queen. Another of thing that he learned was that bees are a lot like humans and live in families. 

We haven't completed the book, but it does end with Man the Steward. Being that this is a Christian curriculum, which we love, it talks about the Earth and that it's our job to take care of it and all things in it. 

What did we think?

I think this is a great and useful set to have for Biology. I really loved it and it completely interested me, but only parts held Gavin's attention. This has nothing to do with the quality of the curriculum, but more to do with Gavin and what interests him. The curriculum is fantastic, very solid, and interesting to read. 

If you love Memoria Press, they also have other products that they offer including an assortment of Latin programs and a really fun set that is called The Book of Trees.

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