EEME: Project Genius Light ~ a TOS review

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Now I know you’re wondering what could possibly be so big in this tiny little box? I will give you a hint, it's a hands on project paired with an online video curriculum designed to teach your child awesome concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This tiny little box holds a big project inside from EEME called the Project Genius Light.

Can you tell why I am excited about this review, we love science! Madison was the main reviewer for this project and she had a blast! Anytime I can add in a little STEM to our homeschool it excites me.

EEME's monthly hands-on project kits teach kids about electronics. Each project kit is paired with online curricula to not only teach kids how to assemble projects like lights, buzzers, and more, but to also teach them how the electronics works – website

Once your little box arrives, open it up to find your contents inside. Everything you need for your project is included inside a  Ziploc baggie.

   
The components include:

• wires
• resistors
• LED light
• photo resistor
• bread board
• batteries
• battery case
• project box
• screws and nuts to hold it all together

The video to completing the project is online. It's about 45minutes long and takes you step by step to completing your project. With clear and concise instructions it was really simple to complete. If needed you can pause and rewind the video if you missed a step. I liked that feature.

So, it’s expensive, right? Nope! You can sign up for a 5 month subscription for just $18.95 per month. With this subscription you will receive from EEME:
- a new kit every month complete with all the electronic components needed to build a new project.
- Each month's project builds on the previous month's knowledge
- interactive quizzes reinforce kids' understanding of the why's and the how's.

If all this sounds fine and dandy to you then Sign up for FREE at http://eeme.co to preview EEME's video curricula. If you think EEME is the right fit for your family, email dad@eeme.co for the latest promotional offer towards their monthly subscription and Just let them know you came from my blog.

EEME's goal is to provide a curricula that teaches kids the fundamentals of electronics, while fostering their critical thinking skills and curiosity and I for one think they nailed it! Madison loved this project and is eager for more. She has a birthday coming up and she will be getting a 5 month subscription as one of her gifts. Learning doesn't have to be boring and EEME makes it fun!

Hands down I recommend this company and the products they produce. If you are looking for STEM related activities for your child this is the go to company. The quality of the material along with the price range make this an affordable extra for our homeschool that I don't mind spending money on. Be sure to check out what my CrewMates thought of this product by clicking the banner below.

Company ~ EEME
Product ~ Project Genius Light Kit
Price ~ $18.95 per month for a 5 month subscription
Ages ~ recommended for 7 - 12 year olds

Fruit ~ #FMSphotoaday

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Wow, it’s November already! I am really hoping to keep up with the photo a day challenge for November.

 

First up is fruit. This year during Apple Fest we walked away with 3 bushels of apples in total in four different varieties, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Winesap, and Granny Smith. That’s a whole lot of apples but they are going to good use. The majority of them we like to eat but this year I am trying my hand at making applesauce. This time around with no skins as the girls and the Lt did not like the texture with the skins left on. I also made some pie fillings for the holiday pie.

Rosie’s Doll Clothes Patterns ~ a TOS review

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Do you have little girls that love to play with dolls? I do! My three little ones drool over the popular doll magazine that comes in the mail filled with all the things a baby doll could possibly imagine. However, some of those items are quite expensive even though they are oh so cute!

Have you ever wanted to sew your own doll clothes but you did not know where to start? Over the last few weeks several we were blessed to be able to learn how to sew doll clothes right in the comfort of our own home with the help of Rosie's Doll Clothes Patterns.  

Rose's Doll Clothes Patterns Online Video Course is geared towards children ages 8 and up and retails for  $47.23 USD. Not only does this subscription give you 12 month access to over 130 step by step video tutorials, you also get 8 free downloadable doll clothes patterns that include:

• Halloween Pumpkin pattern

Sports Shorts pattern

Crop Top pattern

Frill Hat pattern

Summer Nightie pattern

Underpants pattern

Halter Top pattern

Sarong pattern

Rosie’s product is a complete six-week step-by-step video course on how to sew clothes for your very own 18 inch doll. If you prefer to have Cabbage Patch Doll sized clothes there is an option for that too. Each week you will learn new sewing terms all the while learning new tips on how to make cute clothing to add to your doll’s wardrobe.

 

The videos are live-streamed directly on the website so once you purchase there is nothing else to download. The videos are nice and short too to keep those attention spans of the younger crowd.

The videos cover the following topics:

 

~ setting up your sewing room

~ tools that make sewing easier and how to use them

~ how to print out the available patterns, cut them out, and sew with them

~how to use both a straight and zigzag stitch

~understanding fabric and elastic

~sewing hems and seams

~ making straps

~ working with buttons  and more!

From how to choose fabric to how to sew a straight line you will have one on one tutoring from Rosie as she shares her secrets to sewing doll clothes in an easy way!

For this review I enlisted the help of Mikayla (10), Montana (7). Montana LOVEs it! After getting a refresher course earlier this year in sewing I was really excited to get started with Montana on this. She loves her dolls and her imagination is wild about what she wants for their wardrobes.

At the time of writing this review we have misplaced the blue flowered crop top that we made. Note to self, take pictures after the finished product :) We were able to make a cute pair of shorts and Mikayla figured out how to modify the pattern and  make a skirt (***Please note the shirt is not one that we made ourselves). Although it is a little too short, the concept is great and I am glad she attempted it. This review has sparked Montana’s interested in searching for other patterns and thinking of what she can make for her baby dolls. Next up for her is a hospital gown, she has already drawn her pattern, we just need to get to the local fabric store for the material.

Overall, I am completely pleased with this product and I think it is an amazing springboard for your little girls imagination. Once you have the basics down the possibilities are endless of what you can create. I definitely think you should check out what Rosie has to offer. It would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift for any doll loving fan. Also be sure to check out what my Crewmates thought of this product by clicking the banner below.

Company ~ Rosie's Doll Clothes Patterns

Product ~

Learn How to Make Doll Clothes Video Course with 8 Free Doll Clothes Patterns

Price ~ $47.23 USD

Ages ~ 8 and up

 

Candy Day reinstated

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Earlier this week the Lt. said that the girls could go out Trick or Treating this year.  To say that Montana and McKenzie were excited would be a slight understatement. This would be McKenzie’s first time ever going out.

So, because of the short timing of the announcement we got creative with costumes this year. Marie, who according to our town’s law is not allowed to Trick or Treat dolled up herself as a Magic Zebra with a wand to walk around the neighborhood with us. Madison had lots of wild and crazy ideas but finally decided on being a nerd. While Mikayla was a 50’s diner hop girl.

Montana and McKenzie’s costume choices where the easiest of all since they were dolled up as their favorite princesses when we went to Disney World in September. Montana as Jasmine and McKenzie as Cinderella.

The girls had a blast and McKenzie walked majority of the neighborhood. She was so excited after visiting each house. Towards the end she did say that her feet didn’t like Halloween and that they were tired in her glass slippers. So, she hoped in her royal chariot for a ride home. We now have enough candy to last until Easter!

While I am not fully convinced about the benefits of celebrating Halloween, I will go along with my husbands wishes.

Mr. Evan’s Pumpkin farm

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We ventured out to Mr. Evan’s Farm this morning so the girls could pick out their pumpkins.  Marie and McKenzie always pick small ones but this year the other 3 girls went JUMBO!

Next year we hope to have a bountiful crop of our own pumpkins but it is always nice to support Mr. Evan’s Farm.

     

It took all three big girls to lift Mikayla’s monster of a pumpkin!

 

Because Madison, Mikayla, & Montana choose such huge, heavy pumpkins they had to stay in the back of the van until the Lt. came home to get them out. No need to hurt my back trying :)

Bridgeway Academy: Magic Tree House:Middle Ages Learning Lab ~ a TOS review

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For the past several weeks Montana (7) has been taking a history class from Bridgeway Academy. It's always good to have the opportunity to have interaction with other kids In a classroom setting and this fulfills that need for her.

Join Jack and Annie as we travel back in time to visit with kings, queens, lords and ladies, knights and squires! Learn fascinating facts about the lives of ordinary people during the Middle Ages as we journey through the countryside, towns and cities of medieval Europe. Music, art, literature, science and war are all explored as we explore this fascinating period in history using Knight at Dawn to jumpstart our learning.                                     ~ website

We were truly blessed to be apart of the 8 week Magic Tree House: Middle Ages Learning Lab. Bridgeway Academy's  Learning Labs are weekly virtual co-op classes taught by certified teachers who have a passion for what they teach. Normally classes are 9 weeks long and between 45 minutes to 1 hour each week. Classes are available for $145 per session. Our class was taught by Kathy Thomas and we logged in for class On Monday afternoons from 1-2pm. Quick and easy to complete homework was assigned each week along with a big final project.

Here are some of the topics covered in this class. . .

Overview of the Middle Ages
Life on a Medieval Manor
Life in a Medieval City
Knights and the Crusades
Castles
The End of the Middle Ages
Art & Music

Getting set up in the learning lab was quick and easy. You just log on to the website given and it will tell you if you need to make any further enhancements to your system, like a Java update. It is recommended that you have available a pair of headphones with microphone to keep out background noise. However, we had trouble getting our microphone to work simultaneously with the headphones so we chose to go without. I made sure the girls were especially quite when it was time for Montana's class so there was no background noise.

Since Montana was one of the younger kids in the class she had a bit of trouble staying focused on the computer screen. That was no fault of our teacher, Mrs. Thomas, just an attention span/age thing. She was paying attention she just needed to be able to play with something small during her class.

Montana says her favorite part of the class was:
Making the castle! McKenzie (4) and I used a lot of Popsicle sticks. We didn't get to eat Popsicles, my mom bought them from the store. It took a long time to glue each one on. I used my Littlest Pet Shop toys for my King and Queen. I also made a menu for another project and Pig Stew was my special of the day.

I would consider Bridgeway learning Labs again in the future for Montana or any of my girls. It's like going to co-op within your own home. I would however, like to see the age range a little tighter such as 1st-3rd and 4th -5th just because of the varying abilities of the children. However, this would not deter me from signing up if the grade ranges stayed as they are listed.

I definitely think you should check out all the courses Bridgeway has to offer, there is something for everyone! Also be sure to check out what my CrewMates thought of this class and the other ones being reviewed, Marine Biology (Grades 5-8), and Easy Essay (Grades 9-12) by clicking the banner below to read the reviews.

Company ~ Bridgeway Academy

Product ~ Magic Tree House: Middle Ages

Price ~ $145.00 per 9 week session

    Ages ~ grades 1st - 5th