Whatever Wanda! - A FlyBy Promotions Book Review and Giveaway

All my life I have been an avid reader.  I have fond memories of my mom reading me Little Golden Books and Dr. Seuss, and "torturing" my grandmother by having her read me Peter Rabbit countless times.  I knew the stories by heart.  Don't you dare try to skip a page!  As I grew, my love for reading only increased.  I spent many a summer's day reading under the tree in the backyard.

My book collection has grown immensely over the years, but something within me has changed.  I no longer read everything under the sun.  I'm selective and intentional about the things I read.  Raising this next batch of children and sharing my love of reading with them reflects that internal shift.  I seek out quality books with timeless messages, good morals, and quality content.  It is my desire to foster a genuine love for reading within these three, and I can see no better way to do so than to provide quality literature.

Whatever Wanda! by Christy Ziglar is a wonderful book that all three of my children (ages 4, 5, and 9) enjoy.  It's a wonderful message about the power of attitude and how we control how we think.  It is a choice that we make to be positive, and Whatever Wanda! illustrates the benefit to ourselves and those around it in a fun and easy way for children to understand.

About the Author:

Christy Ziglar, financial planner, mother of twins, and niece of legendary motivator and the world's original optimist, Zig Ziglar, is bringing the same timeless wisdom and ageless advice to an entirely new, younger audience through her Shine Bright Kids picture book series.  Christy, her husband, and their twins live in Atlanta, Georgia.

About the Illustrator:

Paige Billin-Frye lives with her husband in Washington, D.C. where she gardens and grows food in her city yard.  She has illustrated numerous children's books and works in a studio over a neighborhood hardware store.  Coincidentally, Paige has amassed a collection of rubber duckies of all sizes across the years.

About the Book:

32 Pages

Wanda is in serious need of an attitude adjustment!  She doesn't want to accompany her family to the Rubber Duck Days Festival, and once there, she won't participate in any of the events or join in with her friends.  Soon Wanda receives some helpful advice and learns that:

"Sometimes you have to believe something will be great before it actually is.  Being positive is a choice that makes everything better, not to mention, a whole lot more fun!"

On a personal level I enjoy this book even more because "whatever" is one of my least favorite words.  I've never liked it, as my older children can attest.  It has always indicated a very negative, and even disrespectful, attitude by my perspective.  I love the way they use it to convey Wanda's negative attitude.  It's the perfect choice.  I also like the role of the adults in the story.  They are not judgmental, and they don't get angry or frustrated.  Rather, they remain kind and encouraging.  Ultimately, an adult helps her on the path to a positive attitude through kindness and gentle guidance.  It's a wonderful lesson not only for the children, but also for the adults.

The kids and I look forward to reading more books by Christy Ziglar in the Shine Bright Kids series.  If you would like to win your own FREE copy of Whatever Wanda! by Christy Ziglar, please share the title of your favorite childhood book in the comments section below by April 10th to be entered in the random drawing.


You can find the other titles of the Shine Bright Kids series here.

Disclosure:

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Happy Kids Review

We LOVE music in our home.  Harmony, the resident nine-year-old is almost literally ALWAYS singing.  With our plan to include character and virtue studies in our 2014-15 school year the three Happy Kids Songs digital album downloads are a natural fit.  The decades of experience brought to this project with Dr. Mac and Brian Mann is instantly evident.  The songs are amazing!



Each album is true to its title in the most literal sense.  Happiness & Attitude, Friends & Sharing, and Manners & Character are all fun to listen to and teach exactly what the title says.  The entire family enjoys listening to them over an over again.  For me they have a kind of fun, Broadway musical feel to them that makes listening to the songs with the kids even more enjoyable.  Each song is written in its own unique style making each one fun and interesting all on its own.  The songs touch on tough topics that kids face frequently as a normal part of growing up.  The sweet thing is there is always a solution given which models kind and upstanding behavior.  Listening to the songs provides a wonderful platform for discussing possible challenges our children may face before they actually happen.  The music also creates a peaceful atmosphere to discuss a challenge our child may be dealing with in the present.  Listening to the music is a fun way to introduce our children to making decisions and problem solving with respect for others and ourselves.


The Happy Kids Songs Workbook in softcover has already taken its rightful place on our bookshelf that holds all the materials we will be using in our homeschool this year.  The workbook provides complimentary materials for all eight of the albums available.  I love that the words to all the songs are printed in the workbook.  It's helpful to look at while learning to sing the songs with the kids.  I would love to have the actual sheet music just to aid in learning to sing the songs, but the words in and of themselves are helpful.  There are reproducible activity sheets, allowing you to make copies for each child in your homeschool, or even a co-op, to go along with each individual song as well as multiple learning activities to compliment each album.

Downloading the songs is relatively simple, especially if you are familiar with doing this sort of thing.  For me it was a bit of a learning curve.  My first lesson was that all burnable CD's are NOT created equal.  You simply MUST have the appropriate burnable CD for the playing medium you plan to use.  It also is possible to listen to the songs directly from you computer without having to play them individually.  It took me a little more effort to figure out how to create a playlist, but once I did that listening to the songs was a snap.  The kids can have them playing in the background while they do their math on my laptop.  We love to have them playing in the background while we work on projects, especially learning activities from the Happy Kids Songs Workbook.

The Happy Kids Songs Workbook is available to purchase for $12.56, and you can choose how you purchase the songs.  If you would like to just get a few individual songs they can be downloaded for $.99 a piece.  Alternatively, you can purchase each five-song CD for download for $4.95 which includes FREE downloads of the corresponding lyrics, coloring, and activity pages.  Samples of the songs are available on the website so you can listen before you decide on your purchase.

The songs and materials are geared for ages three through eight years old.  However, children outside of that age range are likely to enjoy them as well.  Mine are three, four, and nine, and it was an absolute perfect fit.  With our age gap it is so nice when we find products like this that appeal to such a wide age span.

All three of the kids enjoyed making the name mobile from page 91 of the workbook.  It corresponds with the song Bye, Bye Bully which is NOT a song from one of the albums in our review, but the lesson was applicable enough.  It helps children reflect on what it's like to be a new kid in the neighborhood and helps them think about positive things they can do to make someone new feel welcome.  We discussed this together, and then we made the mobile together.  The little ones, with a little help from me, got to cut, glue, and use glitter.  Bonus!  Harmony was able to create hers 100% on her own.

Happy Kids Songs and the Happy Kids Songs Workbook has a secure place on our curriculum bookshelf.  We will be learning about character and virtues for years to come.  Having this as a resource will provide the element of fun that we are always looking to incorporate in our adventures in learning.

To learn more about Happy Kids Songs you can check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  Also, be sure to check out the other Crew Reviews to see how other homeschool families are using Happy Kids Songs in their homes.

Focus on What Matters

Anyone that has poked around The Zoo Crew, even the slightest little bit, surely has discovered that we are living a life a little less ordinary.  Life has a way of catching us off guard, turning us on our heels, and sending us in a whole different and unexpected direction.  I am not saying this is bad, per say.  It does however pose some challenges.  As the years have gone by we have learned more and more how to respond more effectively and transition more quickly to our new found place in life.

I have learned to pray more; more often, more fervently, and more specifically.  Life is SO MUCH easier when I start my day with prayer and bible study.  It is AMAZING the difference this one act can make on the quality of my day.  Beginning in prayer sets the tone for the day, and it centers my focus.  I am more conscious of my purpose and much more aware of what is truly important.

Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament
Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 

─ Psalms 5:1-3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

─ Phillipians 4:6-7

Our newest transition involves two beautiful girls and a headfirst dive back into active homeschooling.  We have learned some things along the way, and we are working on making a safe and stable home for the entire family.  This means some trial and error has taken place, and we have had to learn a new way of living.  One thing that we do is to begin and end our day with biblical focus.  The kids love it, and it brings us together as a family.  So, not only am I beginning my day in the bible, but the children are as well.

Currently, we are reading the book of Luke.  We have traveled our way through the Old Testament over the last year, learning lessons through our previous curriculum. We loved it and look forward to more in depth study in the future.  Now, we are beginning the day with me reading an entire book from the bible.  Then Harmony reads aloud a complementary bit from another source reinforcing what we just read and helping her to grasp the scripture more fully.  All of the kids enjoy this part of our day, and it sets a nice tone.

I share this with you to demonstrate that we are focusing on what is important and cutting a lot of slack in other areas.  The biggest lesson that I have learned is that there are seasons in all of our lives, and the areas of most importance change with those seasons.  Through it all our foundation, our relationship with Christ, holds the highest importance.  It matters not if we travel the valley, climb the hills, or rest on a plateau.  Our connection with Christ is our life force.  It is our purpose; our guiding light.

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: 

but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

- Ephesians 6:4

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, 

but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

- Mark 10:45

For our family it has become essential to get back to the basics, find our center, and focus on the core.  Your basics, your center, and your core are very likely different than ours.  What it means for us now, during this season of our lives, is to slow down and focus on the basics.  We are learning to lean on Christ, respect ourselves and others, and to live life with an others focus instead of a self focus.  It is more challenging than you might think.

What does this mean for our family?

Aside from putting Christ first in our daily lives, each day we keep the same "schedule".  This means we try to have the same flow throughout each day.  The exact time on the clock may not be the same, but the order in which we do things is consistent.  This fosters a sense of security and stability for the kids, and it is remarkable the effect it has on their behavior.  This becomes completely evident when we stray from it too long!

You see?  I am really not a schedule person.  I am a total unschooler at heart, and I LOVE freedom!  However, the most important thing in the happiness, well being, and educating of my children is by far for me to maintain a consistent schedule.  This means 24/7, even on Sabbath!  UGH!  I do it kicking and screaming all the way, but each time I get too "relaxed" with my approach I am quickly reminded of the error of my ways.  So, we keep a schedule of sorts, and the kids thrive in knowing what to expect next.  

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, 

but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

- Proverbs 10:4

In regard to "academics" I have also discovered that there is a season for things of a school nature as well.  We follow a basic outline, but it changes greatly based on our current circumstances, the needs and desires of our children, and even the weather.  Yes, the weather!  Life is seasonal, and learning is life.  So, it makes perfect sense that what we learn flows with the seasons.  I am excited for spring this year for possibly the first time ever.  We are on land now, and we have young children, and this winter was C-O-L-D.  We have projects waiting to be done, and we have children desperate to be outside.  This year will be my first year purchasing rain coats.  We will be outside rain or shine, as long as it is warm enough, all spring, summer, and fall for the first time ever in my life.  The land will not wait for us.  It will do its thing whether or not we are outside and active, so if we want to achieve the plans we have we need to work diligently.

In academics, now is a time for us to explore writing, reading, and math with excitement and interest, not drudgery.  I strive to create an environment rich with opportunity for learning in order to foster natural curiosity and interest.  So far, so good.  The difference is that we are fitting these core subjects in AROUND the things that foster character and family bonding.  Things like cooking, household responsibilities, playing games and doing puzzles, free play, writing to friends and family, doing kind deeds, and being helpful.

Trust me.  There was a time when I could not have approached life in this manner.  I was too busy washing the dishes and folding laundry to focus on the character building opportunity before me with my children.  Our unique circumstances have fostered a new desire for this batch of children currently in my charge.  I am more concerned about their heart, their soul, and their spirit.  I recognize that all those other things, the academics, will come in their own time, naturally.  They need not be forced, and it is all learning, all connected, and all important.  Sometimes we just need to adjust our focus.

Happy Father's Day!

Today's sermon at church was about Joseph the earthly father of Jesus. We hear a lot about Mary, but not much is said about Joseph. There is a lot we can learn from his willingness to follow God, accept a pregnant wife, and father a child not of his own seed.

Did God have a purpose in choosing Joseph as the earthly father of Jesus? All of God's actions are with purpose. Joseph was a loving man. He made Mary his priority. Joseph protected Jesus despite the fact that he was not his biological son. He was a man of faith.

What do we learn about faith from our parents? Whether or not we realize it we are constantly influenced by the actions of those around us. Who better to determine our character than our parents.

What kind of role model are you to your children and the youth of your community?

How do you live your life?

What ethics are you teaching?

What do you teach the next generation?

You may not have a lot of time. What are you doing with yours?

Joseph was a man of character and strong morals. Maybe it is time we thought about Joseph and the example he set before us. Our society has been systematically destroying the integrity of our families. We need our fathers. Fathers are protectors, teachers of the proper use of power, instillers of work ethic, demonstrators of respect, and examples of morality.

What kind of father are you?