Always Icecream

As much as I would love to tell you that I "always let my kids have ice cream", I actually am writing about a website called "Always Icecream".

This is a website for girls that really has a little bit of everything.  It is geared for 7-12 year olds, with an emphasis on education. It's really a melting pot of different popular kid's sites into one. 

As the "Always Icecream" site says:
  
     With Always Icecream, we’re trying to combine three important aspects of child-appropriate online learning in a unique way:
- Motivation: Girls experience Always Icecream as a fun “play” site, with a friendly community (parents can turn off the social features).
- Learning: Girls practice a wide variety of academic and practical skills in a playful way.
- Rewards and Recognition: Girls earn “$coops,” our in-game currency for playing learning games. This currency can be used to take care of online pets in PetWorld and decorate homes in MiniWorld. Achievements are recognized through medals and special awards as well as progress reports to parents.

My daughter, who is 11, has loved the site.  She has practically begged to play. There are a few features I'm not fond of, specifically the social media part. But the best part is, I can just turn that off, so she's good to go. 



The geography is one of her favorite spots.  She does quite well with it, and has really developed her U.S. Geography knowledge. I love watching her perk up when she hears news and says, "I know where that is!"

Of course, I think EVERY girls absolute favorite section is the pet section.


What young girl doesn't dream of having a pet to care for. And this is Mom's favorite kind. Nothing to clean up after! 

To check out the site for yourself, head to  www.always-icecream.com and see for yourself.  With memberships starting at $4.99 a month, it really is a good deal.

Beth

I was given a membership for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are mine. For other reviews, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew website.

Scruble Cube

A new word game has entered our house.  We love word games around here. Malcolm's Kindle is loaded with about 10 different games, there is lots of Scrabble played in our house, as well as BookWorm.  So when the Scruble Cube showed up at our house, it was game on.

If cube is like the love child of Scrabble and the Rubik's Cube. And then it took some steroids.  I cannot even begin to tell you the gaming potential here.  Malcolm enjoys playing by himself, and I often find the other kids playing with it trying to work out bigger words.  It promotes itself as appropriate for ages 8+.  My eight year old gets extremely frustrated with it. He doesn't quite "see" the 3 dimensional aspects of the game, and gets very mad nearly all the words he can find are 3 lettered.  My 10 and 11 year old enjoy playing together. They are pretty well matched in their vocabulary, and if they spell a word wrong, the other one assumes it to be right. Playing with Malcolm, who is 13, and a human dictionary, you better bring your spelling game.  He's like the Spelling Nazi! 

Not only is this a vocabulary builder, but I think it is a fun tool to help those prepping for ACT/SAT, or other college entrance exams.  You are always trying for the next bigger, better word, and is addicting!

The website is extremely helpful, and beneficial. Especially for people who cannot keep up with the rule sheet. *ahem* There are tons of ideas for play and use. Videos to help explain the game, and a place for educators.  You can buy one for your family for $24.95, and I think it would make a great Christmas present. 

Beth

This product was sent to me for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are mine. For more reviews, please check out the TOS Homeschool Crew review site.

Rain

It has been months since we've had rain. And here in my small farming town, we've only had a couple of inches all year.  Last night, as we were leaving church, it began to rain. The normally restrained farmers were giddy with delight. It was already dark outside, but the feel, sound, and smell of the rain was perfect, even though we couldn't see it. I'm not sure if it was rain coursing down their weathered cheeks, or tears, but I cannot even begin to express the joy of that moment.

Oh Lord, I praise you for your faithfulness.  You, God of the universe, redeemer of my soul, still care for our needs. You hear us cry out, and are faithful to sustain us. I trust You, and believe in You.  Do not forget me in my unbelief.  And just as the land is parched, and dying, so my soul feels. Bring the rain, Lord to my soul, so Your life may burst forth and produce.


Beth

Scissors and Little Boys

Perfect shoes

My sweet Anderson has the most adorable hair. It is a gorgeous color. And it hangs so perfect. I love watching it flop and fly when he runs and plays. That is until this week.

"Reading his Bible"

This week, he cut it. Not once. Or even twice. But three times that boy found the hidden scissors and cut his hair. And after the third cut, I couldn't just trim it and hit his work. I had to drastically cut his hair. And while I cut last night, with trembling hand, and teary eyes, the child fell asleep. It was quite the experience to cut a little boy's hair who was soundly sleeping in the chair.

I think, however, that he is more adorable now than ever before. And this is the perfect look for the soon to be three year old child.


Beth

If the shoe fits

So Georgia Beth turned one in mid-August.  She is finally beginning to take a few steps this last couple of weeks.  And I was hit with a dilemma.  The child doesn't have any shoes.  This is not for lack of trying.  I bought her a pair back in February, and apparently lost them in the next store.  Mom bought her the most adorable pair of slide on black and white shoes for her birthday, and they are still too big. And that is the biggest problem of all.  Her foot is TINY.  We're talking, the size TWOs Mom bought her are too big. Not a little big. Way big.  And, since it is no longer 150 degrees outside, her feet stand the chance of getting cold. She doesn't keep socks on, plus, it's hard for a learning walker to be in just socks. They slide too much.  So, Saturday night, I decided she had to have a pair of shoes for church the next morning.  Thankfully, I had a pattern, scrap fabric, and an hour in which I could spare.  The pattern is by SweetPea patterns, and I LOVE them.  I have sewn a couple of pairs of shoes before. Slippers really.  They were freebies, and sewed just fine.  Shoes aren't the easiest always, but I got by.  SweetPea has two tips in this, the Jack and Jill, that is worth the entire price of the pattern!! Anyway, I found some fabric left over from skirts I made my niece five or six years ago, and away we went.

Just to tell you how small the sweet peach's feet are, I put the pattern to her, and the 12-18 month size was GINORMOUS! The 9-12 month size was HUGE. The 6-9 month seems slightly big, and the 3-6 looked like it would be a perfect fit.  She's almost 14 months old y'all.  I went ahead and made the 6-9 month size to give her room to grow. Plus her feet are really tall fat.  Does that make sense?  They aren't wide, and not really like fat.  But they are tall. Fat.  Well, that makes sense to me, and I was the one sewing, so that's the decision I stuck with.  They are a little too big.  She can rub her heel on the floor and the shoe slides right off.  But for the most part, they work great.  The sole isn't sewn in to this shoe.  I really like the look of a sole, and so I keep trying to keep it in the shoe.  My glue gun mysteriously doesn't work (AACK!), so for now, I just set the sole in the shoe each time she wears them. Other than that, I am SO pleased with the shoes! Sew on the vintage buttons I found in my Great-grandmother's sewing box, and you've got a recipe for success!

Now, hopefully I will have time to make her a few more shoes. I have a couple more patterns I'm dying to try out!

Beth