What We're Reading and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll July 2021

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 Join The Creative2xmom Family on their journey of being a family of 5! 💑19yrs led to 👱15 yrs, 👧13 yrs, and 👱 9 yrs.

Raising Resilient Kids Review: https://creative2xmom.blogspot.com/2021/07/raising-resilient-kids-review.html Willodeen Review: https://creative2xmom.blogspot.com/2021/07/willodeen-review.html A Christmas Engagement Review: https://creative2xmom.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-christmas-engagement-review.html Continuing Education for Homeschool Parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AJW9sy6Wd8 Best of the Homeschool Year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VoTH3hjZYQ&t=1s Fourth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhhBtibAvNo&t=2s Board Games Our Family Loves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzzPR2lCgpc&t=1s Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com C O N N E C T subscribe at http://www.youtube.com/creative2xmom read at http://www.creative2xmom.blogspot.com like me on http://www.facebook.com/creative2xmom follow me on https://www.instagram.com/creative2xmom/ https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/52903?ref=nav_mybooks Music Attribution: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod FTC Disclosure: This video is not sponsored. *This video is not intended for audiences under 13 years.

A Christmas Engagement {Review}

A Christmas Engagement is the story of a young woman named Liz who, after a broken engagement, decides that marriage isn't for her.  She finds a contented place in her home and work, and has come to terms with the fact that she'll be single for the rest of her life.  Along comes Matthew, her new boss, who wants to change up the business, so much so that Liz considers leaving her job.  So why does she find herself attracted to him?  And will her fears continue to hold her back?

This sweet Amish romance takes place during the holiday season, though not much focus is given to the setting.  While the first half of the book was engaging, the storyline seemed to slow considerably.  Liz and Matthew were well written, and I especially loved Liz's mother.  This is what I would characterize as "sweet" fiction: very quiet, low-key reading without a lot of rising action; in fact, it was even more "sweet" than most Amish fiction I read.  This might make a good read for teens moving into this genre, but for me, my attention fell off in the second half of the book.  

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

 

Willodeen {Review}

Orphaned Willodeen lost her family in a tragic fire, but so still carries their lessons with her.  Now living with Mae and Birdie, Willodeen would rather spend her time in nature like her father, then attend the local school.  It's this intense love for nature that leads her to study the native wildlife, particularly the Screechers.  In fact, she may be the only one alarmed when their numbers start to dwindle.  The rest of the town is more concerned with the sweet Hummingbears and why they aren't returning for the annual festival.  Could the two events be related?  And if so, will Willodeen be able to solve the mystery before it's too late?

 Katherine Applegate tells a sweet and timely tale of how nature works in relationships.  There is so much to unpack in this book: from Willodeen's family situation and healing from trauma, to the interdependency of nature, to developing relational skills, and so much more.  The themes in this book are all age appropriate for upper elementary to middle school, making it a wonderful tale to explore as a family or in the classroom.  The characters are vulnerable and real.  They each have unique strengths, and yet they also have weaknesses that can only be overcome in relation to each other.  No one person is pitted as "the bad guy," rather the characters are rich with both good and bad qualities making them very relatable.  The message was a little heavy handed at times, but all in all, Willodeen would make a lovely transitional novel for children who are ready for richer themes within a manageable length.  

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Tips for a More Affordable Homeschool

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Wondering how to keep homeschool affordable? These are just a few of the tips and tricks we've learned over the years.

Join The Creative2xmom Family on their journey of being a family of 5! 💑19yrs led to 👱15 yrs, 👧13 yrs, and 👱 9 yrs. Continuing Education for Homeschool Parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AJW9sy6Wd8 Best of the Homeschool Year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VoTH3hjZYQ&t=1s Fourth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhhBtibAvNo&t=2s Board Games Our Family Loves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzzPR2lCgpc&t=1s Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com C O N N E C T subscribe at http://www.youtube.com/creative2xmom read at http://www.creative2xmom.blogspot.com like me on http://www.facebook.com/creative2xmom follow me on https://www.instagram.com/creative2xmom/ https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/52903?ref=nav_mybooks Music Attribution: Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod FTC Disclosure: This video is not sponsored. *This video is not intended for audiences under 13 years.

Raising Resilient Kids {Review}

 

In Raising Resilient Kids, Rhonda Spencer-Hwang sets out to discover how parents can raise kids for greater resilience in life,  As a professor, researcher, and epidemiologist, Spencer-Hwang decided to spend time in the Blue Zone, a community known for having a high concentration of centenarians, individuals around 100 years old.  What is their secret to longevity?  And how can that help future generations find resilience: physically, emotionally, and spiritually?  The result of that research is this 8 principle challenge for families to reduce stress, find healthy balance, instill values, and more.

This books wasn't quite what I expected.  I thought the author would go more into a growth mindset.  Instead she focused on a variety of topics to develop a resilient mind, body, AND spirit.  Most of the principles in this book are well known, such as the value of sleep or the need for children to contribute to the family good.  However, seeing the science behind the principles clearly laid out was a nice bonus.  I also especially enjoyed the application part of each chapter where Spencer-Hwang gave some practical application examples from her own parenting journey.  For the most part, this book was pretty common sense.  However, for a parent of elementary aged kid, this would make a good read.  For those of us who have been parenting for awhile, this one is a pass.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.