Six Flags Read to Succeed is Back!

The registration for the Six Flags Read to Succeed is almost back up.  If you want free tickets for you (teacher) and each student you have then be sure to check it out and apply.  We have done this for 2 years now an it is very simple to do.

https://feedback.sixflags.com/rts/default.aspx

Talking Rock Caverns Branson MO Trip

Where: Talking Rocks Cavern

              423 Fairy Cave Ln

              Branson West, MO 65737

Hours: Monday-Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm

About: Talking Rocks Cavern was named Fairy Cave by a cave developer by the name of Truman Powell. However in 1969 Silver Dollar City bought the cave and renamed it Talking Rocks Cavern. The cave is a vertical cave and is constructed with concrete walkways and railings. The cave sits at a comfortable 62 degrees year round. The tour consists of lots of stairs and about an hour long exploration. Each group has a tour guide that tells you about the history and the development of the cave. There is also miniature golf, walking trials, gem mining, and some speleo boxes. 

Our Fun: we arrived to Talking Rocks Cavern and checked into the desk. Each tour leaves every 30 minutes and so we had time to have a quick lunch at the picnic tables. No food or drinks are allowed inside the cave, with the exception of bottled water. They give you a brief about the cave and how there are lots of steps and some tight spaces. So if you are claustrophobic you may want to second going in. Then the tour begins. It is a downward hike to start but there is lots of stops with the tour guide to talk to you about the cave. This helps if you need a rest going down or even back up. 

Our tour guide was amazing and he added some fun humor to keep everyone on their toes. We took all 9 kids with us ranging in ages from 16 to 1 and everyone enjoyed it. 

The beautiful cathedral that you actually get to walk through as well. 

The tour was amazing and some amazing views. At the end they turned off all the lights and they had different spot lights pointing to different views which was magical. At the end of the tour,while still in the cave, they do take a photo of your group that you can purchase for $10. I of course got one because it isn't often you can get a whole family picture with 11 people and everyone looking forward. 

Once we finished up inside we came out and let the kids explore the speleo boxes. There is a smaller one inside the building and one outside. They are fun for all ages and most sizes. You just have to think about how to move and twist to get through some right spots. 

I think the kids went through these each several times. It was hot out but it didn't stop them from enjoying every minute of it. 

We then got to enjoy a fun game of miniature golf. It is a nice little set up and a fun way to wind down from all the excitement from our trip. 

This is also fun for all ages, even the young ones that carry the ball to the hole when they can't hit it there. I don't think anyone left without having a good time.

My family and I would have to give this place 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Be sure to set a day aside so you can enjoy all the perks that this place has to offer. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy. Their are restrooms as well as a water station to get a drink if needed. If you want to walk the trails you may want to choose a day that isn't so hot. Just remember anytime of the year the cave is going to be great. If you love caves you need to make sure you get this one of your list of to explore ones. All the staff were very friendly and inviting. They welcomed my big family in with no issues and we had no issues our entire day. 

There is also a gift shop that has a large variety of things. They have toys for kids and amazing gems to so much more. 

Relationship Memes

Relationship goal memes are all the rage on Facebook these days. The response to them are generally mixed with love and hate. Some people in this world have been lucky enough to find the love of their life, who treats them like royalty. You also have some that have lived in the dungeons of hell and couldn't imagine anything more. As most of my readers know I am one of the latter. I had been abused for many years before I was able to get away. Things still are not easy and those fears always loom in the back of your mind. The above meme is one I always see and I always pray that I will experience. 

Though it is hard to learn you will see that only you can love yourselves that much. I am never going to find anyone that will heal me. No one will ever be so magical that my world instantly goes perfect. I am damaged from my past so I have to heal myself. Well it is going to take a lot of Jesus too. I do hope that my partner in life will be by my side cheering me on with my battle. That is all I could ask for. 

So if you need your broken pieces to stick back together, you need to pull out some self hugs. Love yourself and know that you are good enough and worthy of the world. When you do you will be able to strive and choose a better mate and you will also not settle for less than the best because you know how to make yourself happy. 

Talking Rocks Cavern Branson Missouri

FAMILY FUN at Talking Rocks Cavern! Explore the world underground in "Missouri's Most Beautiful Cave" where fun, knowledgeable guides take you along lighted paths to view amazing crystal formations. Budget friendly Rock/Gift Shop, gemstone mining, and Cave Country Mini-Golf. Enjoy the nature trails, lookout tower, picnic areas and indoor and outdoor SpeleoBox cave crawls, which are free to our guests.

$2.00 OFF EACH CAVE ADMISSION - Save $2.00 off each regular price admission. Not vaild with other offers. Valid for up to 10 people!
http://bransonkidsguide.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=12885&dealid=2801 
@usfg

Get to the Garden!

It is time!

It is time!

It is time to get to planting.  The kids and I went and got some seed to plant in the house until we get the garden tilled up.  Some things we will buy that are already grown though.  

So we picked out:

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Broccoli

Squash

Zucks

Corn

Spinach

We all love to garden. It gives us something to do together as a family as well as feeling like we done something great when we pick food WE grew.  Not to mention it is cheaper to feed us during garden time!

I was working hard sitting on that ground in the sun!

Any time she can stick her hands in dirt and not get in trouble this girl is there!

All of them planted!

Now we wait for them to grow!

Do you grow a garden?

ACTIVA Products Review

Vendor: ACTIVA Products
Product:
Rigid Wrap and CelluClay Quik Sculpting Kit

ACTIVA Products' Favorite Sculpture Kids Craft Ebook
Price: $11.90
Age: School age but parental help maybe more oress depending on age

About: ACTIVA Products gave the wonderful chance to review their Rigid Wrap and CelluClay Quik Sculpt Starter Kit.  This is a paper mache kit that comes with the rigid wrap cloth and the CelluClay. Also included is 12 ideas on products to make with your kit. You can always choose your own if uyou wish as well. This however helps those less artistic parents or those that are not good with ideas for things off their heads. The CelluClay is 8oz and the Wrap comes with 2 which are 4" rolls. I think this would be a fun family art time. Younger kids can use this with more parental help and older kids can do this all on their own.

The Rigid Wrap is super easy to use and not messy. It is like cheese cloth like material that is already been dipped in plaster so all you have to do is cut it in strips and soak in some warm water and apply into the form that you want it for whatever product you are making. Now the CelluClay is a powder substance that you have to mix water in and make to the desired consistency that you want. This is more of a messy option but you have a bigger range of things you can make with it. The ebook has Loran's of additional ideas on things to make. Like a beat cake which would be fun to try, except in not that artistic haha. The ebook is definitely homeschool friendly as it does give each steps so it can be taught easily or learned easily for the kids.

We made a volcano. My kids can't resist making something we can make into an explosive. We used the Rigid Wrap which was easier for us to form the volcano.  We did use some of the CelluClay at a real thin consistency to go over it to make sure that it was all covered well and thick and sturdy so when we did make a volcano it would last for a few tries. I think you could have made some just out of the CelluClay but we made a prettt big one. We ended up going over it with some basic paints to liven it up some.


I think this would be fun for all. From those not good with art or those that love it and just want to try something new out. I am sure you won't be disappointed. And be sure to check out the ebook as well because it has some pretty neat stuff in it as well.


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YWAM Publishing Review

Vendor: YWAM Publishing
Product: Heroes of History - Benjamin Franklin
Study Guide
Price: $7.50
Age Range: 10 and above


About: YWAM Publishing offered us several choices from their Heroes of History series of books and we chose to review Heroes of History - Benjamin Franklin. YWAM Publishing is a wonderful Christian company that makes lots of amazing activities and books for homeschoolers.

This book is paperback and 108 pages in length. The book is only $7.50 currently. YWAM Publishing also has a Study Guide that goes along with the book, if you wish to further explore the study. This guide is over 80 pages of wonderful topics to dive into. The study guide has some of the following sections:

Key Quotes
Social studies
Display options
Books and Resources
Community Link
Student exploration
As well as 6 related questions to each chapter.

Each section dives further into learning from having essay practice, art, drama, geography, and etc.

The book I read out loud to my 10 year old. She is dyslexic and has issues processing what the book is saying if she tries to read it alone. The book goes over the life of Benjamin Franklin starting from when he was a boy. Full packed with lots of amazing facts this book continues on through the death of Mr. Franklin. Though this is a study book and one packed full of all those facts, it is written in a story format. This helps engage children in the story versus just trying to just them full of a list of fact about Benjamin Franklin.

I think this was a fun and wonderful book. I really think this book and study guide would be great for someone that is going to be doing a report on Benjamin Franklin. There is so much good information in the book and there is some great starter topics in the study guide. Would work well for a homeschool student or a public school child that needed to study more on him.

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