Get Into Everywhereness with TracFone's Affordable Coverage and Features

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Peace of Mind at a Price You Can Afford:

It's time to Get into Everywhereness  - What's Everywhereness?  No - It's not a word on a vocabulary test.  Though, you will want to add it to your daily use of words once you discover the TracFone. 

As a busy homeschooling mom of growing children, it's important to know where my kids are and to be able to reach them at all times.  It's also important that they are safe.  TracFone's features and plans make it convenient and affordable for every family to connect when necessary.  

Get Grandma a Phone!  

Every family can benefit from this phone, especially families of the sandwich generation (where a parent takes care of, not only her children, but her ailing parents as well).  TracFone offers Senior Value, making it cost-effective to put a phone in the hands of your aging parent, or grandparent.  Whether they are bed-ridden or on-the-go, TracFone's Senior Value, great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity makes it possible to make sure grandma is always just a phone call away.

911 allows help to know exactly where you are.

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TracFone is Affordable!

TracFone is said to be "the least expensive way to own and use a cell phone in America."  If you have struggled to find a phone with a bill you can afford to pay at the end of the month, Tracfone is here to help.  Most cell phone plans don't allow this kind of peace of mind at an affordable price.  Tracfone is a big help for families.  You can get everyone in your family a Tracfone at a very little cost with no contracts.  Better yet, there's no hidden fees, such as activation charges, cancellation fees or credit checks.  TracFone makes billing easy.  You simply pay as you go.  You can choose to pay online or with cards that are available at thousands of retail stores across the country.

Quality Phones:

Whether you want a simple "Candy Bar" phone or a feature-packed Bluetooth-enabled "Smart" phone, TracFone offers you the choice from brand name phones you already know and trust:

• Motorola
• LG
• Kyocera
• Nokia
• Samsung

TracFone offers you a simple phone with calling and texting for under $10.00.  Or, you can get bells and whistles packed with features complete with cameras, video recorders, access to the web, app ready, mp3 players, or a full QWERTY keyboard for just $29.99.

Double your Time

Need 200 minutes a month, choose a monthly plan for $9.99 to under $30.00.  "Double minutes for the life of your phone" is an additional feature that you can purchase separately for only $19.99 (some phones include it).  TracFone offers 1-year service cards that give you double minutes for the life of your Tracfone and 800 minutes for $119.00.

Say Hello From The Other Side of the World

Are you a traveling, or military family?  If so, you can say hello to daddy on his business trip across the world, or stay in touch with family members while stationed overseas.  Get into Everywhereness with TracFone's International Neighbors program, you can give your Canadian and Mexican family and friends connection with a local phone number to reach you in the United States.  TracFone is the only wireless service that allows international calling for the same price as a regular call.  And, there are over 60 international destinations you can call at no extra cost. 

Don't Even Think Of It! Those Heelys are Mama's This Time

The weather was beautiful this week with a cold front on the way.  So, I figured it was the perfect time to try out my pair of Heelys.  Heelys sent me a pair in exchange for an honest review.  I will share my Heelys experience with you by writing 100% my opinion.  But, here's the one thing they asked - That I review them (not my kids).  They wanted me, an average stay at home, work at home, homeschooling mama to put on these wheels under my feet and tell them what I thought. 

 Could this mama really make a pair of Heelys sing?  Oh, imagine how I could zoom through my daily errands.  Maybe I could actually save enough time to have more snuggle time with my little one.  Imagine that I could actually stay one step ahead of my fast-moving kids.  The true test was upon me. 

Before I tell you how it went, I want to mention that Heelys is throwing a Black Friday special!! Between Nov 25-Nov 28, Buy any pair of Heelys, get the second pair for $25. Or buy a Nano, and get a pair of shoes for $25, and get free ground shipping on all orders!


I was very excited to receive my Heelys in the mail.  I was already familiar with this semi-roller skate shoe because my daughter had a pair.  However, I had never seen one with two wheels on each shoe.  The kind I reviewed were the X2 style.  I figured this would provide more stability a I set out to try them out.  You can see all the styles and learn more about Heelys in their helpful guide, complete with pictures.

If you have never experienced the Heely difference before, you'll want to check out their complete instruction guide and their safety guide booklet

Visit Heely on Facebook
Or, follow them on Twitter @Heelysworldwide

Here's my experience with the Heelys:

My first attempt out on the path at our local park, I felt a bit like Bambi.  I needed Thumper standing by stating, "Looks a little wobbly, doesn't he?"  I could not figure out how to balance on them without holding onto something.  Thankfully, I had my daughter sitting in her stroller.  I grabbed the handlebar and began to walk behind the stroller, and then try the Heelys wheels.  It didn't take long before I leaned back on the wheels and began to roll.  I do think I could get the hang of them because after only a few short minutes, I was already zooming along pushing the stroller with my little one squealing "Whee, this is fun!" I continued till I reached a bench where I replaced the Heelys with my flip flops.  Funny thing was that once I took the Heelys off, I had gotten just enough hang of the feel of them that I wished I had kept them on to speed along back down the path.  I made this extremely unflattering video of the entire adventure.

Snowmen Movie Review: The Family Movie To See in 2011

Have you ever thought about snow?  It falls in the winter and creates so much fun - with snowmen building, making snow angels, and enjoying all it's amazing qualities.

Have you ever built a snowman, and then stepped back to watch it melt in the days that follow?  Snowmen don't last, but the enrichment they leave in our lives, like footprints in the snow, last a lifetime.  Oh, how our lives are much like that of a snowman.

On Friday, October 21, MPower Pictures presents Snowmen, a brand new movie for you and your family!



It's about bullies.  It's about friends.  It's about life, death, family and what matters most in the time you are given.

Snowmen is one of the best family movies to see.  Though, you may not think so as the movie begins.  An early movie tragedy leads a 10 year-old boy to get his dying wish - to break a world's record of the number of snowmen built in one day.  But, the day ends differently.  It has so many twists and turns that mostly happen during the last 10 minutes of the movie, that you'll be sure to want to stay to see how it ends.

The movie will draw you into the characters' lives, and leave you feeling as though you grew up and accomplished something big right alongside them.

Some of the characters will be familiar with names like:


Christopher Lloyd (from Back to the Future and Angels in the Outfield) who makes a surprise appearance as a care taker
Josh Flitter (from Ace Ventura Pet  Detective and Horton Hears a Who) plays Jason, a bully
Doug E. Doug (from Cool Runnings and Operation Dumbo Drop) plays Leonard, a Jamaican Dad.
Ray Liotta (Field of Dreams) plays Reggie,Billy's dad
Bobb'e J. Thompson (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) plays a Jamaican Kid named Howard
Christian Martyn plays a friend of Billy, named Lucas
Bobby Coleman plays the main character - Billy
Demi Peterson makes her film debut as Gwen, Billy's girlfriend

The movie is rated PG, but there are only 3 minor questionable words and no other distasteful moments.  But, it does deal with the topic of death.

I had the privilege to preview this movie as a request from homeschool.com.  I received nothing in exchange for this review other than the movie preview for the purpose of writing an honest review.  The above review is 100% my opinion.

My GPS Is Trying To Kill Me - Episodes 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

We received the most wonderful gift for Christmas last year - a GPS.  This is wonderful because my family loves to travel.  However, normally I play the role as co-pilot.  I actually enjoy finding the way on the map and getting us out of traffic by finding off roads.  I find pleasure in my skill bringing us successfully to our destination time and time again.  So, somewhat reluctantly, I handed over my role to this technological advance.  We set the voice to a female American voice.

We thought the GPS was our friend as we headed out to test it out on a fairly short trip to a family reunion.  The journey was a familiar one, but we were leaving late in the evening due to my husband's work schedule.  We should have known something was up when the GPS took us round about through a parking lot off a stretch of newly-developed highway near our house.  We had been in the parking lot for a short amount of time when the GPS voice announced that we should simply follow the highlighted route.  She had given up on street names as she did not recognize where we were.

Forwarning We Should Have Heeded:

We should have probably given up right then and there and turned to the trustworthy map.  Silly, trusting souls that we are, we continued on with her instruction.  Happily we continued, until we reached a familiar city - Hannibal, MO.  Normally, we would have continued down the highway.  The GPS, however, told us to make a right turn when we reached an intersection.  So, we did!

Episode 1 - Oncoming Train:

The road was unfamiliar and ran parallel to the river.  It was a 2-lane road, and it was dark.  Pretty soon we began to see a large light headed right at us.  My husband questioned - "Is that a train?"  My half-awake eyes looked up to see what appeared to be a light coming right at us on the other side of the road.  The curve in the road and the light of an oncoming train had created an optical illusion that made it look as if the train was traveling on the road, in the left lane, headed directly toward us.  This was not, in reality, true.  However, the truth of it was not much more settling.  We heard the loud warning whistle blow as the train sped past us - on the railroad tracks, which were only feet from us and the shoulder of the road.  Yikes!  I am now in complete panic, with my hands over my eyes ready to crash.  We did not!  The train chugged past in a hurry while we scurried on down the road in hopes to come upon a familiar highway soon.

Episode 2 - The Turnaround Follower:

We, then, found ourselves in a small downtown section of the area near the railroad tracks.  Trying to find where the highway was that would take us to where we were going (without a train too close for comfort) we meandered through small-town streets, as the GPS recalculated many times.  She eventually took us in a huge square and plopped us right back on the 2-lane road where we were before.  To add to the adventure, it was the dark of night; and there was a car trailing us.  Feeling extremely uncomfortable with this new development, we wanted to get them off of our tail.  We succeeded, only to discover that we were now headed toward a dead end.  The only possibility of turning around was to turn into a driveway...As we looked up at the driveway, we noticed the car that had been trailing us had also turned into that driveway.  Now, we were beginning to feel as though we would be terrifying them as there was just the 2 cars on this dark road, in the middle of the night.  To make matters worse - the driveway happened to be the entrance to a cemetery.  As we gingerly pulled in to make our turnaround without getting too close to the previous vehicle, we began to laugh at the thought of how the other car must be following the GPS instructions as well.  We both traveled down the road until we managed upon the open highway we would have originally been on 30 minutes prior had we not trusted our GPS.

On a humorous note:  We noticed just before our arrival at the hotel, the GPS recalculated the estimated time for arrival so that it was, of course, correct instead of being off by a couple minutes had it not done so.

Episode 3 - Corn Field Railroad Hill

We should have learned our lesson by now, but while traveling home from a 3-week vacation, we asked the GPS to find a gas station.  It happily directed us off of the highway and toward the gas station - so we thought.  What it really did was take us around in a huge circle - Exit Highway - Turn Right - Turn Right again (onto a gravel road that looks like someone's driveway - Keep going till corn is on both sides of the narrow road, taller than the van with a car carrier on top - Keep going till there is absolutely no visibility on either side of the van (other than corn), and a steep gravel hill in front of you.  On top of that hill?  Railroad tracks.  Remembering our previous railroad/GPS experience, we fearfully crossed the tracks - Turn Right again, down the outer road - Turn Right Again (this time back onto the highway where we had originally been - to the Exit ramp - and make a Left!)  There's a thought - A Left turn!  We could have just turned left from the start!  Argh!  But, then where would the adventure be in that?

It's Great as long as you don't want Starbucks or Pizza Hut - Another humorous note is that the GPS does not like Starbucks or Pizza Hut.  It was a simple request, or so he thought.  My husband was in Wisconsin, just finished a performance, and wanted some coffee for the next morning.  No problem!  I have a GPS.  The GPS took him around remote country roads until bringing him to his original requested location:  Starbucks.  The Starbucks was located in the same plaza where he had begun his journey......Same thing happened with Pizza Hut in Michigan.

Episode 4 - Gravel Road

The 4th encounter with our GPS trying to kill me happened last night.  My husband was traveling to perform music at a wedding reception located at a resort in the country, about 70 miles south of our home.  He followed the GPS precisely, as he turned onto a gravel road.  He thought it must just be unpaved for a short distance before turning back into blacktop.  Wrong!  He continued to travel in a 1994 van with original suspension and shocks (no give) loaded with DJ and musical gear, as he bumped down this rough terrain where the GPS had directed him.  He continued.  He continued, praying the van would hold out with all the bumps.  He kept going for 6 long miles till he reached pavement again, as the road narrowed over creeks and through fields on both sides.....When he left the job, he took the advice of the man at the guard shack.  He enjoyed paved roads all the way home.

I will continue to notate our GPS journey as they come, because we are convinced that our GPS wants to give us a rich adventure - or worse!  So far, we've made it out alive.

Book Review: Heroes and Villains of the Bible

Adventure and charm is what you will find in this amazing book from Tommy Nelson Publishers:  Heroes and Villains of the Bible is exactly as its title implies.  It is a comprehensive book complete with individual stories of a collection of heroes and villains from the Bible.  It is laid out in an easy-to-read format, captivating to young and old. You will find yourself absorbed in each story as you read it aloud to your child.  Or, you might just find an otherwise non-interested reader begging to read just one more story before turning out the light.

The Bible is full of dos and don'ts, but it also includes some of the most action-packed stories of all time.  This book uncovers the best and the worst from actual Bible accounts.  It is no small book, with its jam-packed numerous pages you will find a new story every day or night for quite sometime.

Just in case your child has trouble visualizing the action, it also includes a colorful picture for each story. 

It is perfect to use for a Bible study with your child/tween as it is broken down into short stories with a moral.  It takes the stories straight from the Bible, so you don't have to worry about an odd twist added or taken away. 

If you are looking for a Bible study program for your homeschool, this is a great way to infuse the good and the not-so-good characters of the Bible in your lessons.  It would also be a great way to send your kiddos off to bedtime each night.  It will certainly open up discussions about good v. evil and right and wrong choices.

I received the e-book of Heroes and Villains of the Bible from the Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review.  The review I have provided is 100% my opinion.

Discover The Magic of Homeschooling While Owning Your Own Business: Guest Blog Post From Pixie Dusted Homeschool

As I posted in a blog from last week, I am in the process of putting together a business directory of homeschoolers who own their own business and/or blog.  Following is my very first feature guest blog post from a homeschooler who manages teaching her two children during the day while maintaining a blog and a travel business.

Find out how your business can be included in the directory and featured here!

This blog features homeschooler and business owner and blogger:  Naomi Maclaren.  Hear what she has to say:

 

My name is Naomi Maclaren, and I am a homeschooling mother of two children (ages 8 and 12).  My family and I have been navigating the homeschool journey for 6 years.  Due to our children's special needs, we utilize a more eclectic approach to our homeschool curriculum.

In December, 2010, I started blogging under the Homeschooling Disney Style name.  Due to starting a new career, I changed my blog name to Pixie Dusted Homeschool in August, 2011.  I am currently on The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew reviewing homeschool products, so please stop by my blog to read some of my reviews.

From the time that my husband and I decided that I would stay home full time, I have been watching for a career that I could do from home.  I wanted to find something that I would enjoy, but I just didn’t see any options that suited me.  After taking my family on many trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World and helping several friends plan their own trips, I realized that the Disney Parks were something that I knew very well.  So, I found an online travel agency (The Magic For Less Travel) that specializes in travel to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Lines.  Of course, this agency does arrange vacations to many other destinations, as well.  I was so fortunate that the owners of The Magic For Less Travel "hired" me on to work as an independent contractor (agent) for them.  Technically, I am an Independent Travel Consultant affiliated with The Magic For Less Travel.  I would love to help you plan your next vacation!

You can visit Naomi at:

 

Attention All Homeschoolers: Do you Blog or Own A Business?

In my 6 years of homeschooling, I have discovered that homeschoolers tend to be independent, go-getters.  Often, we are even entrepreneurs and own our own business.  These are wonderful traits.  However, I have also found that even among homeschool support groups, we can tend to bring each other down rather than build each other up.

I have been going it alone as a parent and homeschooler since 2000, when my first child was born.  I have been writing online, on the subject of homeschooling, since May 2009.  I am a homeschool blogger who also writes as the St. Louis Homeschooling Examiner as well as on the homeschooling channel for Bright Hub.  I have also been featured and counted as a parenting expert on Factoidz.

It's time to branch out and offer what I can to pull together the homeschooling community.  I want to use my online presence to benefit all homeschoolers.  Here's what I am attempting to do - Will you join me?

• I have added 2 new tabs to my blog:  Homeschooler-Owned Business Directory AND Homeschool Bloggers.
• I want to add links to your family-owned business and/or your homeschool blog
• To do this, I have started a very slight skeleton outline of a list.  Check it out on the above tabs.
• Ideally, I would also like to feature each business-owner (to do this, I will need to ask you to submit a guest blog about you, your homeschool, and your business and/or blog.
• Pictures make this more delightful.  However, I cannot use your pictures without your permission.  So, please provide pictures you are willing to display (logos, etc.) that you have rights to use.  I will only use the pictures for a feature article and as part of your ad.  That's it!  The pictures will go no further.  I just don't want a copyrighter, like istock, coming back to haunt me for using a photo that was not legally yours/mine to use.
• It is all FREE TO YOU!  Really!  I want to just have a one-stop directory and connect with other homeschoolers along the way.  No other hidden agenda.

I am looking for homeschoolers who own a business and/or write a blog - From all states, and even foreign countries.

A special note to St. Louis, Missouri homeschoolers:

• Since I write as the St. Louis Homeschool Examiner, I would love to feature each and every St. Louis homeschool-owned business on my Examiner page.  I will also provide a link (ad) on this blog, under the Missouri section.

If you want to be listed, featured, or both - Please email me @joyfulsoundsdj@gmail.com.  Please put in the subject line:  HS DIRECTORY/BLOG.  Thank you!

Max Lucado's 'Thank You, God, For Blessing Me' Read 2 Me Hermie Review

A new little board book perfect for bedtime story telling!  This adorable book is a sweet way to put your toddler/preschooler to sleep.  Mom and Dad just might be counting their blessings too, as they read this "'Read 2 Me Little Hermie" book to their child.

The book, perfect for little hands, is based on the full-length story of Hermie (a caterpillar who discovers God has a lot more in store for him than met the eye).  With amazingly sweet illustrations, your child is sure to fall in love with this little caterpillar.  But, what makes the story even more endearing is the fact that the little green creature recounts all the things he's thankful for - While still in his worm-like state.  He has not even transitioned into becoming a beautiful butterfly.  Yet, he discovers many things he is already thankful for right there in his garden.

As you walk through this book, you may notice it has the rhythm of a child's poem or prayer book.  Why not turn it into a prayer your child can learn and recite by heart.  By the end of the story, your child will be counting her own little blessings.  Mom and dad might think of a blessing or two as well.  It's the perfect send off to dreamland, with a thankful heart!

I was able to review the book as part of the Booksneeze program.  I received a hard cover, board book in exchange for my thoughts on the book.  I have read it, fallen in love with it, and everything I have shared is 100% my opinion.

Your Child's 'Nutrition What Every Parent Needs to Know' Review

The book, that was originally published 10 years ago, has made its return in a 2nd edition.  Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know is back and newly revised.  It leaves very little, if any, questions unanswered about children and nutrition.

Just a note:  If you lean toward a more natural/organic lifestyle, you will have to overlook the blatant medical slant the book takes on.  Being put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics, this makes sense that the authors would take this approach.  Having said that, the book is overall the most comprehensive guide to nutrition I have ever seen.  It begins with breastfeeding and continues through your child's teenage years (a time in a child's life that seems to be often overlooked in nutrition advice).

Inside this book, some of the tips I found most helpful were:

• An extensive chapter on breastfeeding and addresses numerous issues that some books do not cover.
• Wonderful weight/height and BMI Index charts that are sometimes otherwise hard to locate.
• An extensive explanation of the new government My Plate nutrition guide
• A comprehensive coverage to pre-teen and teenage eating habits
• A list of food substitution choices when eating at popular restaurants

The only downside to the book includes:

One thing that I would have liked to have seen in the book is more practical help for a parent with a truly picky eater - not because the child is manipulative, but because the child has textural issues due to Asperger's/Autism, or other disorders.  There is one reference to dealing with a picky eater that could leave a parent feeling as though it is completely their fault, when sometimes it isn't.

The book is put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  This explains why it seems to make tiresome references to "check with your pediatrician first" before making any healthcare decision.  A comment thrown in here and there would have been acceptable.  However, I grew tired after the first chapter of several references touting the importance of checking with your pediatrician before making any decision - including ones that seem very obvious.  There are also subtle comments throughout the book that might not sit well with parents who enjoy a natural lifestyle of home births, co-sleeping, raw foods, and selective or no vaccinations.  For instance, the book slips in that, "In an ideal world, you should deliver your baby at a hospital..."  Later, it makes a subtle reference to nursing your baby on your side and then to make sure you put the baby back into her crib where it is the "safest".  And, when talking about raw nutrition, the book may step on toes of those who believe in non-pasteurized milk and everything in its raw state.

I received the book in exchange for an honest review.  I received nothing additional, and the review is 100% my own opinion.