Many like to believe that we Christians have it all together. That once we turn our lives to Christ, our problems magically disappear. The truth is, regardless of our relationship with Christ, there is sin in the world, and even as Christians, we need to deal with the consequences of sin…sometimes our sin, and sometimes someone else’s.

The bottom line is, though, that even through the tough times, God is there, loving us and guiding us. Redeeming us. And that is the gist of the personal memoir of Sundi Jo Graham: Dear Dad, did you know I was a Princess? (affiliate link).

About Dear Dad by Sundi Jo Graham

Sundi Jo’s life was not ideal. She grew up in a home with an alcoholic father. Even though she is a Christian, when her father dies, she begins spiraling into a life of despair and alcohol dependence herself. When she enters rehab she is forced to deal with underlying issues from her childhood.

Sundi Jo writes Dear Dad as a series of letters to her dad, spanning the time from right after her dad passed away to the time she gets out of rehabilitation. She chronicles her ups, her downs, and finally her victory over the issues plaguing her. And she comes out a stronger person, wanting to pass on her hope to others.

My Thoughts on Dear Dad by Sundi Jo Graham

Dear Dad, did you know I was a Princess? is a quick and engaging read. I finished it in an evening. For the most part, it’s easy to follow, though I found myself lost at some points in the book.

All in all, though, I think Dear Dad does what Sundi Jo wanted it to do: give hope to others who may be struggling with their past or their present situations. The main message of the book comes through loud and clear: you are never so far gone as to separate yourself from God’s love.

And that’s what I love about this book. So often we beat ourselves up about our sins, thinking that God can’t possible love us after we’ve done (insert sin here). But the truth is, God is always there, ready to love and redeem us, if only we will run to Him.

That’s what Sundi Jo did, and that’s what you can do too. I appreciate her willingness to put herself out there in this highly personal story. It was a definite encouragement to me.

About Sundi Jo Graham

Sundi Jo is an author, speaker, and small business owner. She often writes from coffee shops in her hometown of Branson, Missouri. She has previously written two e-books Step Away from that Diet and Liar Liar (affiliate link).

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll be honest. I’ve been slacking on my workouts lately. I haven’t been walking, biking, or doing my HIIT routines. At all. Part of the reason has been a busy schedule, but mostly I’m just unmotivated. I have to do better.

At the same time, I need to come up with a PE credit for my daughter next year. So I see visions of us working out together, beginning as soon as school gets out in a few weeks. (I know you’re wondering what this has to do with Rit Dye, and I promise I’m getting to it.)

One thing that makes working out more fun is cute workout clothes. When Walmart and Rit Dye offered to let me try out Rit Dye in fun colors, I figured I’d brighten up some workout clothes for Stargirl and me.

I was sent three colors of Rit Dye: Aquamarine, Purple, and Fuchsia, which are all bright colors, perfect for brightening up a workout!

Rit recently came out with a tutorial for dying clothing with an ombre effect, so I thought I’d try it out.

I went to Walmart and shopped around for some inexpensive workout shirts. I came up with a Faded Glory tank and a Danskin tee for me and a No Boundaries tank for Stargirl, all in white. All three came to under $15 total. Rit sent me the dye, but if I were to buy it, each 8 ounce bottle would cost $2.87 at Walmart.

I had all the other supplies I needed on hand: salt, dishwashing detergent, water, and a dowel or yardstick.

How to Dye Clothing with an Ombre Effect

Before you begin, make sure you wash the clothes to be dyed. This removes anything that might prevent the dye from adhering to the fabric.

The dying process is really easy. I just did everything in my stainless steel kitchen sink, but if you’re worried about stains, you could easily use a plastic bucket in your yard. I mostly followed the instructions on the Rit Dye page, but I switched up the ingredient mixing order to make it less messy.

First, heat four cups of water in a tea kettle or microwave. While the water is heating, dump a cup of salt in the sink. Once the water is nice and hot, dump four cups of water in the sink and add half a bottle of dye. Mix it all up.

Then add two gallons of hot tap water with a squirt of dishwashing detergent. Mix it again.

Now for the fun part. Wet down the item to be dyed under warm water and squeeze it out. Then insert the yardstick through the sleeves, so you can hold the shirt up evenly while dying it.

Dip the bottom third of the shirt in the dye and hold it there for 10 minutes. You can move it up and down and back and forth a little, so you don’t have a stick-straight line when you’re done dying. When 10 minutes are up, lower the next third of the shirt into the dye and hold there for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, slide the shirt off the yardstick and keep it in the dye just long enough to tint it a light color.

Drain the dye out of the sink and rinse the shirt under cold water. Hold the shirt so that the lightest color is toward the top. That way the dye will run down toward the darker part of the shirt. Once the water runs clear, rinse some more under warm water. Once the warm water runs clear, wash the shirt in the washing machine (warm water) and tumble dry.

And that’s it! Now Stargirl and I will look fashionable while we workout this summer! Dying an ombre effect with Rit Dye is super easy. If I can do it, anyone can!

I’m not an artsy person. My husband isn’t artsy. Neither are my oldest two children. When we adopted our youngest, we were thrilled that she loved to color, paint, and otherwise create…until she took her artistic talent to every surface in the house she could find. See what I mean?

When Walmart and Crayola offered to send me some Color Wonder products to try out with my family, I JUMPED at the chance. I literally squealed for joy. I just knew little Boo would love the products. And I knew my walls would love them, too.

What is Crayola Color Wonder?

If you’ve never experienced Crayola Color Wonder, let me tell you, it is a mother’s dream. Color Wonder is a series of markers and paint that only color on special Color Wonder paper. Products include:

• Markers
• Brush Tip Markers
• Mini Markers
• Gel Paints
• Various Coloring Pads
• Plain Color Wonder Paper
• and more.

Coloring pads come in a variety of popular character themes, such as Toy Story, Hello Kitty, and Hotwheels,

My Thoughts on Crayola Color Wonder

Like I said before, Color Wonder is a mother’s dream! I can turn my almost three year old loose with markers and a Color Wonder pad and let her draw to her heart’s content, without worrying about my walls getting “decorated” unexpectedly.

At the moment, Boo has been sitting quietly at the table for 30 minutes, painting with the Color Wonder Gel Paint on a Hello Kitty coloring pad. 30 minutes! With no painted walls, painted clothes, or painted furniture. That’s a record at my house!

Color Wonder products are not the kind of art products that will create beautiful, intricate masterpieces, but they’re great for younger children who haven’t quite learned the concept that coloring is to be done on paper only.

Color Wonder is also great to take on long car trips. Kids can color, and parents don’t have to worry about crayons melting into the seats. Just hand the kids Color Wonder markers and a Color Wonder pad, and they can color away while you drive to your destination.

Crayola Color Wonder isn’t cheap, so I’m always looking for a great deal on the product. And right now through the end of the month, Mess Free Color Wonder Licensed Activity Sets are on Rollback at Walmart. Just in time for summer!

Once upon a time (about 8 years ago), I attended a morning Bible study. I had a toddler at the time, and because of that, I always hauled a big diaper bag to Bible study. In it I packed the usual: diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, snacks, and a sippy cup full of water.

One day, I threw my Bible in the diaper bag when I picked my son up from the nursery after Bible study. The next day, when I fished my Bible out of the diaper bag, I was devastated to find that the sippy cup had spilled, and my Bible was soaked through. Eventually it dried, but it was forever warped by the water damage.

Because of this experience, I was super excited for the opportunity to review the Waterproof Bible. Is there really a Bible that can stand up to rain, the ocean, and maybe even the occasional sippy cup spill?

About the Waterproof Bible

The Waterproof Bible is just what it sounds like: a Bible that is waterproof inside and out. It was born out of a desire by Bobby Bardin to create a Bible that could be taken out into God’s creation without being ruined. Bardin, an avid backpacker, found that he frequently left his Bible at home when he went on backpacking trips, because he knew his Bible would likely get ruined in the elements. His goal was to create a Bible that would withstand the elements, so people who like to worship God while backpacking, at the beach, or mountain climbing, could do just that.

The Waterproof Bible is made of synthetic paper that repels liquid. The binding is sewn with synthetic thread and glued with waterproof glue. Not only is it waterproof, but it is also stain and tear resistant. The text is very clear and readable, and if you write in your Bible or highlight words (with a dry highlighter), the ink won’t bleed through to the other side.

Published by Bardin & Marsee Publishing, the Waterproof Bible truly is a Bible you can take anywhere.

My Experience with the Waterproof Bible

I was sent a lovely pink ESV New Testament (plus Psalms & Proverbs) to test out. The first thing I noticed is that it is a good portable size: about 4″ x 7″. It would fit nicely in a backpack or medium to large size purse.

I also noticed that even though the pages feel a bit different than typical Bible pages, they are still very thin, so the Bible isn’t very thick – about 3/4″.

But I know the question you really want answered is “Is the Waterproof Bible really waterproof?”

Of course I put it to the test. But before I let you know how the test went, I just have to say, I had a really hard time testing this product. It just seems so wrong to dunk, dip, and otherwise try to desecrate the Bible. But I did it anyway. Watch the video for my rainstorm simulation.

Not only did the Waterproof Bible survive my fake rainstorm, you can’t even tell it was every wet! I was expecting that it would show some kind of wear after being soaked and dried off, but it doesn’t. It still looks brand new!

I actually tried it out in a real rainstorm, too, and the results were the same – the Bible dried off easily and looked as good as new. In fact, the publisher also sent me a waterproof bookmark that fell out of the Bible while I was testing it in the rainstorm. I didn’t notice it was gone until the next day, when I found it on our deck, having spent the night in the rain. It, too, dried right off and looked like new.

The Waterproof Bible Review at a Glance

The Pros:

• Completely waterproof!
• Comes in 5 different translations
• Three different cover patterns
• Safe for dry highlighting
• Reasonably priced
• Portable

The Cons:

• None, really, unless you want a different translation or different cover than what they offer.

My Overall Opinion: I love this Bible! I think it’s a great Bible for kids and teens, because it is so durable. I also love the portability. It’s the perfect Bible for camping, hiking, or taking to the beach. I actually want to buy a complete Bible for myself. If/when I do, it will become my “take-along” Bible that travels with me everywhere.

Important Information on the Waterproof Bible

Website: WaterproofBible.com

Price: $39.95 for the full Bible, $24.95 for the NT plus Psalms & Proverbs

Versions: NIV, KJV, NKJV, NLT, and ESV

Accessories and Other Items are Available

When I was a teen, I developed lactose intolerance. Anytime I drank milk, ate ice cream, or drank hot chocolate, my stomach would rebel. It took me a long time to figure out why I always felt so sick, but once I determined the cause, I pretty much stopped eating dairy. Eventually I was able to eat cheese, some brands of ice cream, and certain brands of hot chocolate milk, but I haven’t drank a glass of milk in years.

Fast forward to this year. It seems my teen daughter has inherited the same tendency toward lactose intolerance that I have. And her lactose intolerance is just as bad as mine was when I was a teen. Milk? Out of the question. Ice cream? A terrible idea. Even the cheese on pizza gives her trouble.

For a teen, that is a nightmare! How many youth events are centered around pizza and ice cream? A lot!

I recently discovered that Stargirl does not need to be dairy free! The Motherhood offered me the opportunity to get involved with LACTAID. I asked my daughter if she wanted to do it, and she said yes!

About LACTAID Products

Last week I attended a conference call with Melissa D’Arabian, celebrity chef and spokesperson for LACTAID products. She shared a bit about the variety of LACTAID products out there, how they work for the lactose intolerant, and how she uses them.

LACTAID products are real dairy products. The difference between LACTAID products and other dairy products is that LACTAID adds the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, making the products lactose-free. Because the lactose is broken down, lactose intolerant people can consume LACTAID without any problems.

I had heard of LACTAID milk before, but LACTAID products now include ice cream in five flavors, chocolate milk, cottage cheese, eggnog, and dietary supplements to help digest foods that contain lactose. My daughter is so happy that she can eat ice cream again!

How To Use LACTAID in Cooking

According to Melissa D’Arabian, you can substitute LACTAID for any recipe that calls for regular milk (or even buttermilk or cream*). The breaking down of lactose in the milk makes it taste a bit sweeter than regular milk, but not enough to make a noticeable difference in most recipes. In fact, according to D’Arabian, LACTAID makes for wonderful smoothies.

In fact, here is Melissa D’Arabian on the Today show, demonstrating what you can do with LACTAID.

LACTAID Coupon Giveaway

This week I’m going to be picking up some LACTAID for my daughter to try. (I’d try it too, but LACTAID has too many carbs for this diabetic).

I’m also giving away a coupon for a free LACTAID product to one lucky reader! To enter, just follow the instructions in the Raffecopter form below.

Giveaway is limited to residents of the United States only. The winner will have three days after being notified to forward me a mailing address, or another winner will be chosen. The Motherhood will be shipping the coupon.

If you’re lactose intolerant (or even if you just know someone who is), be sure to enter. It’s easy, and it’s free!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Howdy Ho, Good Readers!

May means spring cleaning, and I’m spring cleaning some blogging related tasks this week. If you are reading this in an email or in a feed reader, you will want to pay attention, because I have some important information for you.

Email Readers

Attention all email subscribers: I am changing email newsletter services and will now be sending my blog updates through MailChimp. Don’t worry. Blog updates are still (and will always be) free. However, after I make the change today, you will likely get a notice in your inbox asking you to confirm your subscription. Please do that, so you can continue to receive updates. And thanks so much for being a subscriber to Freelance Homeschool Mom!

RSS Readers

If you are reading this in Google Reader or another feed reader, I have important information for you, too. For years I have been running my feed through Feedburner, but I’ve decided it’s time Feedburner and I part ways. So, what you will need to do is add my new feed to your feed reader. The new feed address is http://www.freelancehomeschoolmom.com/feed. Just add that link address to the place in your reader where it says, “add a feed.” Easy, right? But if you don’t add it, you will no longer receive RSS updates from Freelance Homeschool Mom. And that would be sad.

Alternately, you could sign up for my email newsletter. Then you wouldn’t have to mess with RSS at all!

Well, that’s enough change for me in one day. If you have any trouble making these changes, feel free to contact me, and I will be glad to help.

Friday Best of the Web

I really can’t believe it’s Friday already! But it is, and I know you want some good reading for the weekend. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! These are my favorite picks of the week.

My dear friend Jemelene wrote a timely post for her local newspaper giving readers a reminder about motherhood. I’ve been there, and many of you have, too. Be sure you read the article before Mother’s Day.

And now that you’ve read Jemelene’s article, make sure you read An Open Letter to Pastors {a non mom speaks about Mother’s Day} by Amy at The Messy Middle. If you want to know how to respond to those who are hurting on Mother’s Day, Amy lays it out for you.

‘Tis the season for buying homeschool curriculum and Renita at HomeDaze has written a funny, yet oh-so-true, article on How NOT to Pick Curriculum.

Jennifer at Faith, Hope, and Homeschool wrote a wonderful piece on resting in Him alone. We busy moms need to read this and read it often!

Do we still need Titus 2 women in our society? The answer is a resounding YES! and Andrea tells us exactly why at Mom Heart Online.

That should keep you busy for a while!

Giveaways

I don’t have any giveaways going at the moment, but I do have two winners to announce! Jessica won a copy of Altar Ego by Craig Groeschel, and Kayla won the DVD Ring the Bell! Congratulations!

Coming Up Next Week

Look for a review of a cool new Bible and a neat craft project using Rit Dye! Until then, have a great weekend, and a Happy Mother’s Day! And RSS subscribers, don’t forget to change your RSS feed reader settings!

One of the most overwhelming aspects of being a homeschool family is all the school related “stuff.” Pens, pencils, erasers, scissors, markers…I find them everywhere. And then there’s the art related stuff: paintbrushes, more markers, crayons, paint pens…it all adds up quickly, and when the toddler gets into it, it all scatters quickly.

I was looking for a great way to organize my art supplies when I was offered a chance to review Rust-Oleum’s new American Accents Ultra Cover 2x spray paint. Could I turn this painting project into some form of art supply organization to help with my spring cleaning?

I read the literature on Rust-Oleum American Accent spray paint to see how I could use it. It works on metal, concrete, wicker, glass, wood, and almost anything else. It also provides twice the square foot coverage of other spray paints and is resistant to scratches and chips. Perfect! I put my thinking cap on, went to Walmart, checked out the colors, and came up with an idea.

How to Spray Paint Jars for Organization or Decoration

To begin this project, I bought my supplies:

• Rust-Oleum American Accent spray paint in Apple Red, Deep Blue, and Sun Yellow – $3.77 per can
• Mainstays pint-sized canning jars – $6.97 for a set of 12
• Frog Tape – (already had on hand)
• Drop cloth (already owned)
• Paint Brushes (already owned)
• Paper bowls (already owned)

Instructions:

I waited for a sunny day. When the sun finally came out in Oregon, I took my supplies outside. Following the directions on the Rust-Oleum paint can, I sprayed one canning jar each color. It only took a few minutes for the paint to dry enough to apply a second and then third coat.

I turned the jars over and gave them one last blast of spray paint and then let them dry overnight. I was really impressed with how they looked! The paint went on evenly and provided full coverage!

I got this brilliant idea to paint “A,” “B,” and “C” on the jars in freehand to make it look like a child painted it. Being the perfectionist I am, I wanted the colors to match exactly.

I placed Frog Tape on the jars where I wanted the letters to go, so the letters would be of uniform size.

I spray painted a big blast of yellow paint into a paper bowl and used the liquid that gathered to paint a “C” on the blue jar. It didn’t turn out quite as well as I had hoped (you have to be quick, because the Rust-Oleum dries so quickly, plus I don’t have the most steady hands in the world. Still, it worked for my purposes.

I did the same with the other paint colors, painting “A,” and “B” on the remaining jars. In retrospect, I probably would have been better off using stencils and acrylic paints, but you live and learn. I still think my jars are cute, don’t you? And now I have a way to organize my art supplies on a shelf. A high shelf. A shelf the toddler can’t reach.

I think I’m going to use the remaining paints to paint more containers for organization. Spray painting is an addicting activity! And spray painting jars is a really versatile project. You could dress up the jars by using metallic paint or stencils, or keep it basic like I did. The possibilities are endless!

When Bug was in preschool, he made me the most lovely gift for Mother’s Day. It was a tiny painted flower pot with a picture of his cute little face in the middle of the flower.

I thought I’d try to recreate the project on a much larger scale. And I must say, I’m pretty impressed with the way it turned out!

How to Make a Flower Pot Full o’ Pictures

First, gather your supplies. I picked up all my supplies at Walmart with a gift card provided to the Walmart Moms to complete this Mother’s Day project.

• Flower pot - $1.24
• Flower picture frames (in the craft section) – $1.00 each
• Wooden dowel or bamboo skewers (for the stems) – 27 cents
• Floral foam – 97 cents
• Craft glue – 97 cents
• Acrylic paint in your chosen colors – 57 cents (small bottles) to $3.77 (large bottle)
• Bag of decor rocks – $4.77
• Card Stock for printing your pictures – $5.48
• Paintbrushes (I had these on hand at home)

The total cost for this project was right under $25.

Step 1: Paint

Paint your flower pot and flower frames in your desired colors or designs. I decided to go with a plaid-type design on the pot and polka dots on the flowers.

If you’re using a wooden dowel for the stem, now is the time to cut it into stem-length pieces. If you’re using bamboo skewers, no cutting is necessary. Once your stems are the right length (just guesstimate), paint them green.

Step 2: Insert Photos

Once the paint is dry, it’s time to insert your photos. Print off pictures of each of your kids. I cropped and edited my photos in Photoshop, but a free program like PicMonkey would work just as well. Size your photos to 2.5″ x 2.5″ squares.

Print them out, trim them into circles, and insert into the frames.

Step 3: Attach the Stems

After your pictures are in the frames, flip the frames over and attach the wooden stems to the back with craft glue. I wanted one of my flowers to sit lower in the pot, so I adjusted stem placement accordingly. You can adjust the height of each flower when you insert it into the pot, too, but if you have a lot of flowers, adjusting stem placement on the back of the frame helps to get different flower heights.

If you’d like a more finished look, feel free to paint the back of the frame before attaching the stem.

Step 4: Finish it Up

After the glue dries, fill the bottom portion of the pot with rocks, to give your floral foam some support. Then place the floral foam on top of the rocks.

Insert each flower stem into the foam at your desired angle and height. Once your flowers are arranged to your liking, fill the rest of the pot with rocks.

This brilliant display of child-flowers looks wonderful placed on a shelf and makes a great gift for moms and grandmothers!

It is often said that manners are caught, rather than taught, but what do you do if your child just isn’t catching on? And what if you, the homeschool parent, were never taught the ins and outs of proper etiquette? Sometimes having an etiquette curriculum would be nice.

That’s where The Etiquette Factory comes in. It’s the latest item I’ve received for review through Mosaic Reviews. Is it possible that The Etiquette Factory could teach my kids, from 2 to 15, proper etiquette? When I began this review, I was sure hopeful. But to find out, you’ll have to read on.

About The Etiquette Factory

The Etiquette Factory is a three phase learning program.

The first is geared toward kids in preschool through fourth grade. It consists of a Teacher’s Manual, which contains basic lessons on topics such as sharing, cleaning up, and table manners. Each lesson takes a week to complete and involves various activities such as a story, a song, an activity, and a special treat. The beginner’s level comes with an accompanying DVD, which features The Etiquette Factory creator, Monica Irvine (playing Mary Manners), telling the weekly story and The Ettiquette Factory kids singing and dancing to the weekly song. You can also purchase an optional CD to review the songs while you’re in the car or away from the TV.

The second phase is the intermediate level, designed for use in fourth grade and up. It consists of a book with 125 short etiquette lessons. Each lesson is to be read and then taught by the student, so that the student takes some responsibility in his own learning. There is a short activity after each lesson to help kids retain what they learn.

For the lesson on setting the table, you can purchase optional place mats, which show kids exactly where to put each utensil and plate.

Finally, the third phase is the Masters program for teens. It’s just a short book containing quick lessons on subjects teens may encounter as they enter college or the working world.

The levels can be used in succession, or you can choose to do only one phase of the program. Levels one and two contain many of the same topics, with level two going into more depth. Level three stands on it’s own.

In a conference call with the Mosaic Reviews Team, Monica Irvine stated that The Etiquette Factory works best when kids see the benefit of learning manners. She also mentioned that the second level of the program is beneficial to kids on the autism spectrum, who may need a little extra help with social skills. After reviewing the program, I can see where that might be true.

To hear about The Etiquette Factory in more detail, watch Monica Irvine explain the program in the video below.

My Thoughts on The Etiquette Factory

I received all three levels of The Etiquette Factory for review. My youngest, who is two and a half, is just a little bit young for the recommended age range, but we thought we’d try it anyway.

Phase One

Boo didn’t really get into the stories much, as they were over her head. But she LOVED the music videos. Every day she would beg to put on her “Manners DVD.” Though Boo may not be Princess Etiquette yet, by memorizing the songs, she’s off to a good start in learning the rules of etiquette.

Though we mainly just focused on the songs with Boo, we’ll be returning to the book and DVD in a year or two, when she understands a bit more.

Phase Two

The bulk of our product testing revolved around the intermediate program. The text is very comprehensive, containing 125 lessons on topics such as Integrity, Telephone Manners and Safety, When to Send Cards, and When to Use Forks vs. Fingers. Did I mention it was comprehensive? Some of these etiquette rules I wasn’t even aware of!

Since everyone can use an etiquette lesson here and there, we decided to work our way through the book as a family. After dinner each night, we would read one lesson and discuss it. If there was an activity, we would do it together.

The lessons are short, so it’s easy to work this curriculum into a tight schedule. And we loved the conversations the etiquette lessons sparked. Frequently the lessons would lead into a discussion of Biblical principles, too. An example is the lesson on addressing grown-ups, which led to a discussion on why it’s important to respect our elders.

The Intermediate program is geared toward ages 4th grade and up, and it’s definitely appropriate to both upper elementary students and young adults. Or even grown adults. There’s a lot of good material, and I know that after we finish the course, we will be returning to it again and again.

Phase Three

The final component of The Etiquette Factory is the Masters curriculum for teens. The Level 3 book is just a short 36 pages. It’s filled with etiquette lessons appropriate for teens, such as cell phone etiquette, dating etiquette, and etiquette when you have a college roommate.

It’s a quick and easy read, with no accompanying lessons, but it contains lots of important information for high school students that will soon be entering college or the real world. It can be done independently or read together and discussed. My daughter chose to read it independently, and so far she seems to be retaining a lot of the information. We’ll go over the lessons in more detail in a couple of years, as she prepares for a job or college. The Masters book is a great reference to have on hand.

So are my children now etiquette experts? Well, not yet, but they’re on their way. The most important thing is that they understand the reason behind good etiquette, and they want to learn more. Mastery of the lessons will come in due time.

The Etiquette Factory Review in a Nutshell

The Pros:

• Comprehensive
• Adaptable to a wide variety of ages
• Short lessons make the curriculum more doable
• Songs are catchy
• Reasonably Priced

The Cons:

• Lessons aren’t really in-depth for someone who wants a more involved curriculum. You can easily add your own activities to it though.

My Overall Opinion: I love The Etiquette Factory! This is a curriculum that will stay on my shelf until my youngest graduates, many years from now. If you can only afford one level, definitely buy the Intermediate level. That’s where most of the meat of the program is. And for $29.95, the 125 lessons in the Level 2 book are well worth it. The other levels are good, too, but the Intermediate level is the one you absolutely can’t miss.

Important Information About the Etiquette Factory

Website: www.theetiquettefactory.com

Ages:

• Level 1: Preschool – 4th Grade
• Level 2: 4th grade and up
• Level 3: High School

Price: $99.95 for the three phase package. Individual levels cost less and vary, depending on which components you buy.

Other Products:

• Life Skills Videos Online Learning
• Etiquette Posters
• A Whole Lot More!

To see what others have to say about The Etiquette Factory, watch for the Mosaic Reviews post, highlighting all team Etiquette Factory reviews, that will be up on May 10.

We live in a day and age that’s wonderful for homeschooling. If we need curriculum, there are many companies from which to choose. Need help? There are blogs, forums, and Facebook friends. How about creative homeschooling ideas? Well, Pinterest is great for that!

Though all these resources are wonderful for homeschooling, they can be awful for a woman’s self esteem. What happens when your homeschool seems somehow inferior to the other homeschooling families you see on Pinterest and on internet forums?

Maybe your homeschool is:

• less rigorous
• less creative
• less organized
• less happy
• less Biblically focused
• less…less…LESS

Here’s the thing. Your homeschool, YOU, are not less. There are a million reasons why everyone else seems to be doing it better, but it’s all an illusion. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Pinterest is Like Dating

Pinterest? Like dating? Yes! When you are first dating someone, you put your best foot forward. The object of your attraction doesn’t see your bare face or your bedhead hair in the morning. They see you after you’ve taken the time to lovingly pick the right outfit, apply your makeup to make your skin look flawless, and meticulously style your hair.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but I know when I create a project that I hope to pin to Pinterest, I take a lot of time to get it right. I may do it two or three times before it comes out the way I want it to. Then I take time with photography: getting the right lighting and angles. After that comes the photo editing. The end result is beautiful, but it takes a lot more work than most women, including myself, would put into a project on a regular homeschooling day.

Reality is that homeschool is messy. It’s not always beautiful and Pinterest worthy. And that’s OK. We’re human. We’re messy. And that’s part of the beauty of homeschooling: trying things that don’t turn out. Learning from the experience.

Curriculum can be Like the Apple in the Garden

Now hear me out. Homeschool curricula is not bad. Most if it is pretty good, in fact. But the value we place on curricula can be bad. I know that I browse homeschooling forums and see all the things other people are using in their homeschools, and then I begin to wonder. Is that curriculum better than what I’m using? Should I be teaching this subject? Because it seems like everyone else is! Am I educating my child to a high enough standard?

I’ve learned to ask myself why I’m looking at other curriculum, when what I have is working. And for me, frequently the answer is found in what the curriculum represents: more knowledge, more opportunities, just plain MORE.

But isn’t that what got Adam and Eve into trouble in the garden? God had given them everything they needed, yet the serpent convinced them they needed more. So they wanted more. There’s no doubt there’s lots of curricula out there that promises amazing results in teaching our children. But the reality is, we don’t need it all. In fact, it’s possible to teach kids well with a bare bones curriculum. Don’t get caught in the trap of wanting more.

You are the One God Chose

This is perhaps the most important reason to stop comparing yourself to other homeschooling parents. You are the one God chose to parent your children. You know them better than anyone else. You know their strengths, their weaknesses, their likes, their dislikes, what motivates them, what frustrates them…and the list goes on and on.

When you look at that Pinterest project and wonder why projects like that never turn out in your homeschool, remind yourself that God has gifted you and your children differently. Perhaps you’re not the incredibly crafty type (I’m not). And perhaps your children aren’t into the artsy stuff (with the exception of my youngest, mine are not). But we have different gifts.

And when you read those message boards where women list the advanced classical curriculum they are using, don’t fret because your academics aren’t measuring up. Maybe God’s plan for that child is to go to an Ivy League school and become the scientist that discovers the cure for cancer. Be happy for that family.

But maybe God’s plan for your child is different. Maybe your child will be the gifted musician, who is not strong in academics, but who has a gift for bringing people close to the Lord in worship. Is that any less than the scientist? No, it’s just different.

Our value is not wrapped up in what we achieve. Our value is in who created us. Let’s let go of the comparison trap and just live to be the people God created us to be.