Homeschooling Archives - Page 7 of 14

Review: AIMS Solve It! 3rd

Posted on September 22, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill Leave a Comment

I don’t know about your house, but at ours, math and science can be a bit of a challenge. It’s not that MA isn’t good at these subjects, it’s just that she doesn’t find them very practical. She hasn’t yet asked, “When am I ever going to use this?” But that is the body language I get from her sometimes. Last year we used a supplemental math curriculum that she LOVED because it gave practical application to the math facts she was learning. However, we were given that curriculum, and I wasn’t interested in paying for it this year, as we are already paying for one set of math books. Enter my opportunity to review AIMS Solve It! 3rd: Problem Solving Strategies.

I was sent a copy of this workbook by AIMS (Activities in Math and Science), an organization that promotes hands-on learning as the most effective way to develop conceptual understanding of math and science. They have a ton of workbooks on different math and science subjects available for grades K-12. The book I reviewed, Solve It! 3rd: Problem Solving Strategies, is available in their online store for $24.95. I happen to feel it is worth every penny because it teaches problem-solving concepts in a clear, systematic way that I really believe most 3rd-4th grade students can easily grasp.

The workbook gives students nine different approaches to solving problems. The strategies are using manipulatives, writing a number sentence, drawing out the problem, guessing and checking, organizing the information, looking for patterns, using logical thinking, working backwards, and wishing for an easier problem. The workbook introduces each strategy and then gives three hands-on activities to teach that particular skill. As the book is set up for classroom teachers (but easily adaptable for homeschoolers), there is an accompanying CD that contains all reproducibles needed for each lesson, along with the rights to make 200 copies of each activity. If your classroom not have a manipulatives set, there may be additional products you need to buy, but they are all available through the AIMS online store.

We will continue to use this book, doing an activity each week, until we’ve completed them all. I really think that knowing practical application of math is an invaluable skill. This book goes SO FAR in teaching those critical skills. If you’d like to read more reviews of AIMS workbooks by my fellow Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crewmates, you can click here.

Although AIMS sent me a copy of this workbook in exchange for writing this post, all the opinions about the materials are strictly my own.

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Review: Before Five In A Row

Posted on September 16, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 1 Comment

When I first began homeschooling my oldest daughter, I kept hearing about a fun literature-based curriculum called Five In A Row. Everybody that used it raved about it. It’s a unit study approach that uses classic children’s books as a starting point. Each unit study uses a different classic book and expounds on that book to teach geography, art, language, math, and science. Since I always knew I wanted a literature-rich curriculum, I thought it would be a perfect fit.

One of the things I found out very quickly about homeschooling is that there is a TON of fabulous curricula, and you can never get around to using everything you’ve heard good reviews about. Unfortunately, this was the case with Five In A Row. However, not long ago the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew sent me a copy of Before Five In A Row, their version of Five In A Row for 2-4 year olds. Excited? Yes, I was.

Before Five In A Row by Jane Claire Lambert is one of the best resources I have ever used with my little Pitter Patter. She loves classic children’s books, and BFIAR uses some of her favorites like Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?; Blueberries for Sal; Goodnight Moon; The Runaway Bunny; and Corduroy. She wants me to read the same book over and over for a week, so this is the PERFECT set-up for Before Five In A Row. You can tailor the book to your way of doing things, but here’s how we would do it: The first night we’d read the book at bedtime. The next day we’d read it again and tie in the scripture passage that the book suggests. The next day we’d read it again and focus on the artwork in the book. BFIAR gives great probing questions for you to ask your child as you read. The next day we’d read and point out different shapes that are found in the illustrations. All of these are suggestions that the book gives. It was fantastic and made the book more interesting to read from a different perspective each time. There are twenty-three mini-units, so you could use a different book each week for almost six months.

The second half of the book is a section titled “Activities for Reading Readiness”. It has forty pages of activities for parent and child to do together to prepare the child for a lifelong love of reading. It also has activities for enhancing large and small motor skills, cooking ideas, art and music activities, and a list of additional resources for use with small children. Such good stuff!

If you’d like to take a closer look at Before Five In A Row, please see their website. You may read other reviews of BFIAR here. BFIAR is available from Rainbow Resources for $35.00.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for writing this blog review. The thoughts and opinions, however, are my own.

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Review: Big IQ Kids

Posted on September 15, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill Leave a Comment

A few months ago, I was chosen by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to be a product review blogger for many of their educational products. That might not sound like any big whoop-dee-doo at first, but it means that I will be able to review for you (and sometimes GIVE AWAY!!!!) some fabulous educational materials. There will be books, curricula, puzzles, games, website memberships, and more. Good times for all of us.

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The first item I was sent for review is an educational website called www.BigIQKids.com. We were given the premium version to review, but they also have a free version. Both versions provide daily lessons in the areas of math, spelling, vocabulary, and US geography for students in kindergarten – adult age ranges. Students can complete each day’s lesson in order to earn a coin that can be used to play a fun game in the gaming area. The game coins provide good motivation for the kiddos to learn and master the day’s skills. The spelling and vocabulary sections are included in the free version, and they are fully customizable with your own words, or you can use their bank of over 40,000 words. The math and US geography sections have both a free and a premium version. You can see the comparison chart for free vs. premium here for math.

I set up the account for Mary Anneliese to have a grade-level review of math facts, her current spelling words, and a beginning level of US geography. She created her Big IQ Buddy, which is what they call their avatar, and set right out on her day’s lesson.

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The math skills review looks a little like this, but is fully customizable to your student’s abilities:

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The spelling looks a little like this:

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And US Geography:

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She was able to finish each lesson within about 10-15 minutes, and she could review the ones she missed. They even sent me an email letting me know the concepts she missed and needed additional practice on. Sweet!

If you’re wondering whether www.BigIQKids.com would work for your children, I suggest you try out the free version and see if you need to upgrade to the premium version. Again, the spelling and vocabulary components are free. If you need to upgrade the math section to a premium level, you can do so for $9.99/month or a yearly deal of $49.99. If you need the junior spelling program, you can add it for $7.99/month or a yearly deal of $39.99. For US Geography, it’s $39.99/year. There are also classroom packages available for teachers, which you can see here.

Mary Anneliese spent a good deal of time getting used to the program. There is a quirky computerized voice that she first found funny, but quickly adapted to it. The coins she earned for completing the day’s lesson were good motivation for her. I liked the fact that I got email reports of her progress (only available with premium option.) It could be a little more user-friendly, as I had a hard time figuring out how to configure some things. There are training videos to watch, but I really didn’t have time to watch the whole video to figure out how to do one thing. A homeschooling mama is busy, you know!

If your student needs a little help in math, spelling, vocab, or US geography skills, give Big IQ Kids a try, especially if computer games are a motivation for them! It just might be a winner for your family!

If you’d like to read a few other reviews of this product before trying it out, click here.

I was provided a premium membership to Big IQ Kids in exchange for writing this review. All opinions, however, are my own.

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Catching My Breath and Catching Up

Posted on August 25, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 1 Comment

So, I guess you can see by my absence from the online Hill Hangout, that life at the in-real-life Hill Hangout has been a little hectic. We are back in full swing with school and all of our fall activities are kicking off as well. We started school a couple of weeks ago. So far, this year has started off as our best year yet! Mary Anneliese is super-duper focused and taking the initiative to get her work done. I hardly have to motivate her at all.

Soccer practice is in full swing. We LOVE our new competitive team. The other girls are really sweet. The parents are fun and Jonathan and I have really had fun hanging out with them on the sidelines. Our coach is really laid-back and, while he definitely drills soccer technique, he also wants to teach the girls to love the game. We really couldn’t have asked or a better soccer experience. And that’s a VERY good thing. With three hour-and-a-half practices each week and games on Saturdays, we really needed to love everybody involved.

Patterson has started back to gymnastics. She has a new teacher this year, since her teacher from last year is now preggo with a sweet baby girl after trying for years to have a baby and finally adopting a little boy two years ago. Precious little Cooper is going to have a sweet baby sister, and we are so thrilled for Mrs. Jessa and her family.

Ballet starts next week, with MA going twice each week and Patti going once. I was thrilled that Patti was able to get into a class at Briarwood Ballet because we adore their ballet ministry. Mary Anneliese will have the privilege of being in Mrs. Barbara Barker’s class this year. Mrs. Barker (wife of Dr. Frank Barker, long-time pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church) founded the Briarwood Ballet many years ago, and it has been her “baby” for a long time. We are honored that she sees the importance of her ballet ministry to the younger classes, as well as the “big girl” travelling troupe.

Pitter Patter starts “church” next week. She has an aversion to “school” and does not want to go, but she loves church, so starting next week, she’ll be in “church” two days. She is excited and has told everyone that she gets to take a lunchbox and walk in by herself (from the carpool line). She feels like a big girl. Of course, she thinks MA and I will be at church, too, but we haven’t gotten around to letting her in on that little secret yet. Actually, we will be spending that time being very focused on schoolwork. I think it’s going to be a good fit for us all.

In other news, my parents were here last weekend. We had a great time with them. We celebrated our niece Lexi’s birthday with a fun little party at my brother’s house. Sunday morning, Mom and Dad packed up and left while we were at church. When we got home, my mother-in-law’s car was parked in front of our house. Since she lives in Mississippi and wasn’t supposed to be in town, I was totally confused. Jonathan sent me into the house while he switched around car seats for my girls to go to lunch with her. After they were on the road, he came in the house and told me to pack an overnight bag and load up. I had no idea what he was talking about because we didn’t have plans to go anywhere. Of course, he had to help me pack, because he wouldn’t tell me where we were going. He’s a sneaky one.

So after much ado, we ended up in Chattanooga at a Selah concert. Have I ever mentioned that they are my absolute favorite Christian group EVER? So yes, my husband and I spent the night in Chattanooga with the fine folks at Red Banks Baptist Church worshipping with Selah. We had an unbelievable time, and I was mucho impressed with his ability to pull off a surprise this big.

We ate at Fuji Sushi and The Acropolis, which were both excellent. Fuji is a hibachi/sushi place that was fun and really, really good. The Acropolis is a restaurant owned by a Greek family. Y’all, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. No kidding! And I’ve eaten a lot of good food. The spanakopita was homemade. It was papery flaky, and the spinach filling was to-die-for. The kalamata olives were fabulous, and the fresh feta on the salad was the best feta I’ve ever had, hands down. It was a fantastic ending to a really fun surprise trip.

And now I want to move to Greece and eat real kalamata olives and fresh feta with every meal.

Amen.

Filed Under: Family, Homeschooling, Travels

2011 “Not” Back-to-School Blog Hop: Curriculum Week

Posted on August 1, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill Leave a Comment

I’m not really sure where our summer went, but it’s once again time to start getting our things together for school. Overall, I was very pleased with our curriculum choices last year. I have mulled over our choices and decided to tweak only a few things. MA (9) is entering fourth grade and is nine years old. She is a good student who tries hard, is focused on her work, and does pretty well in school. She picks up most new concepts easily, so that makes curriculum choices a little easier. Patterson (3) will be going to preschool two days each week at our church, which she is very excited about. We don’t call it “school”, because that freaks her out a little bit, but when we talk about going to “church” on Tuesdays and Thursdays she lights up. Even though she is in preschool, I will add in some additional work with her on the days she doesn’t go.

So, without further ado, here are our curriculum choices for the 2011 school year at the Hill Preparatory Academy for Girls:

Math: Saxon has been such a fantastic choice for us, and we are sticking with it. We love the repetition of spiral math. We love that the pages are uncluttered. We have been very happy with Saxon.

Bible: We are once again reading straight from the Bible. We finished Esther last year and will pick up in Job this year. We’ll probably do Job-Isaiah, but if we do more or less, I’m okay with that. We spend time each day reading the scripture and discussing it. We memorize verses each week and review all of our old verses.

Grammar: I was very happy with the Rod and Staff curriculum we went with last year, so we’re using it again. I thought she learned more from the Rod and Staff grammar books last year than she did with other books. Grammar has been a tricky subject for us in terms of finding a curriculum we liked. We have used two others that we ended up trashing. I feel like Rod and Staff is the real deal.

History: We adore Story of the World! We are big fans of Susan Wise Bauer. This is our fourth year with her series, and we are eager to get started on Modern Times. I feel like history is going to be very robust for us this year, as there are so many resources available. We plan to discover as much as we can about the US and the world around us!

Latin: Last year, we used Prima Latina. We are continuing their series with Latina Christiana this year. We have been very happy with this video series. It has been great for MA to see and hear the teacher while learning a new language. We will definitely have to be more diligent and intentional about memorizing vocabulary and phrases, however. I see notecards in our future.

Science: Those of you who have followed my blog a while know that I have never found a science curriculum that I love. I have used several in the past, but have never felt like they were enough. I have always ended up supplementing with library books on various subjects, but I’ve never felt like my approach was organized and systematic enough. It just felt sort of jumbled.This year we are going with Apologia’s Young Explorer Series. My books arrived today, and I have flipped through them just a bit. I have high hopes that this might be the one! We are starting with Exploring Creation with Astronomy. It looks very promising. We have the book and workbook, which go hand in hand. I’m excited to start digging in to this one.

Memory Work: Besides memorizing our weekly Bible verses/passages, we will also memorize other poetry, speeches, and documents. Since much of our history lessons will be about modern American history (from the Revolution to the present time), there are many important bodies of work from which we can choose. Some of my favorites are the Gettysburg Address, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, the Preamble to the Constitution, and parts of speeches given by US presidents.

Spelling: I was very happy with All About Spelling last year. We began using this curriculum mid-year, and finished through level three in a few short months. We will begin with level four and go at Mary Anneliese’s pace. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if we finish this series early in the year and move onto something else.

Fine Arts: We will continue with ballet lessons at the Briarwood Ballet. This has been one of the great joys of our year, and we look forward to having two days each week with Mrs. Barbara Barker, the founder of the Briarwood Ballet, as our teacher this year. I have wanted MA to take Mrs. Barker’s class for some time, but we never could get it to work out. This year is our time, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Mrs. Barker is very disciplined and requires her girls to be the same, so I am looking forward to the structure and rigor of her class. We will also attend as many of the Birmingham Children’s Theater productions as we can. This year we will see “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, “Willie Wonka”, and “Sacagawea”. I’d love for MA to be able to participate in another play or musical this year, but we haven’t had luck finding an avenue for that to happen. We will continue with choir each week as well.

Physical Education/Health: There was a time when we struggled to get enough PE done. Not anymore. MA is playing on a competitive soccer team this year. That means 3 practices per week at an hour and a half each, and weekly soccer games. Some weekends we will play in tournaments, where the girls keep playing until they either lose or win the whole shebang. That’s a ton of running!! Of course, the Briarwood Ballet lessons are also very active. We have decided to take a wait-and-see approach to gymnastics for MA. If the new soccer commitment isn’t too much, we might add in a day or two of gymnastics each week. She really hates to give it up, but also really wanted to play competitive soccer. But, of course, her favorite PE activity is the two playdates we have each week on the church playground. Bliss for a nine-year-old.

Home/Service/Social: We continue to consider home activities/chores/responsibilities as one of our subjects. We continue to keep up with our service projects so that we can be sure we aren’t being too inward-focused. Doing for others has become one of my girls’ favorite activities. And as always, we monitor social activities to be sure we are getting enough down time with friends.

Now on to Pitter Patter…

As I said earlier, my little one is going to preschool twice each week, and she couldn’t be more thrilled! I’m excited for her because I know how much she adores Sunday school and VBS. This will be right up her alley, and it will give MA and me time to focus on getting some teaching time. How we look forward to doing math without someone whining that they want to play with us! 😉

In addition to preschool, I will be using Beyond Five in a Row with her. I received this curriculum in the mail today, and I think it’s something she is really going to enjoy. And, of course, she will still go with MA and me on all of our field trips and outings.

So there you have it. The Hill Preparatory Academy for Girls is ready to be back in full swing. I pray you will have a fantastic school year!

I’m linking this post to:

Filed Under: Family, Homeschooling

Great Summer Reading Giveaway: Billy Graham in Quotes

Posted on July 26, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 7 Comments

Billy Graham is quite possibly one of the most admired men of all time, certainly of this century. His ministry has spanned over seven, SEVEN decades. He was called by God into ministry when he was a young farm boy in North Carolina and has followed preached the gospel of Jesus Christ ever since. What a testimony!

Billy’s son Franklin, an anointed evangelist in his own right, put together this volume of quotes from his daddy’s many thousands of writings and sermons delivered over the years. I love Billy Graham’s humility in delivering the gospel. He knows full well that a mere man, no matter how eloquent an orator, cannot possibly speak words that have more impact on people’s lives than scripture itself does. And he makes it clear that he does not have the authority to make claims on his own apart from what the Word of God claims. When he speaks the Word of truth, it carries its own authority to work in people’s lives. That’s why his sermons and writings are full of phrases like “the Bible says” instead of “my opinion on that is…” His own words: “People do not come to hear what Billy Graham has to say; they want to hear what God has to say.” His writings and teachings are clearly full of scripture so that what he preaches is God’s Word, and not his own flawed ideas.

This book is more of a reference book than a sit-down-and-read-it-all-the-way-through book. It is divided into topics with titles like Billy Graham on Grace, Billy Graham on Hope, Billy Graham on Persecution, and Billy Graham on Pride. Each section then contains several pages of quotes on each subject. Some of my favorites are:

“When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented with authority – quoting from the very Word of God – He takes that message and drives it supernaturally into the human heart.”

“The secret strength to a nation is found in the faith that abides in the hearts and homes of the country.”

“Some people seem to put the devil on a par with God. Actually, Satan is a fallen angel.”

“The church has lost its ability to discipline members who live openly in sin. Consequently, we have lost our witness in the community.”

“Do you want your aith to grow? Then let the Bible begin to saturate your mind and soul.”

“If you are ignorant of God’s Word, you will always be ignorant of God’s will.”

Thomas Nelson Publishers has made one copy of Billy Graham in Quotes available for me to give away. If you’d like to have it, there are several ways you can enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite pet. (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to The Hill Hangout through Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand column of this page.) Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. If you’re already subscribed, leave a post letting me know. (1 entry)
3. Follow @TheHillHangout on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it.If you’re already a follower, leave a comment letting me know. (1 entry)
4. Share this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. You can use the share button at the bottom of each post or write your own, however it MUST include the permalink of the giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (Limit of two extra entries).
5. Comment on any other post on www.TheHillHangout.com and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling which post you’ve commented on. You must leave a comment on both the older post AND the giveaway post for this entry to be included. (Limit of three additional entries.)
6. Like our facebook page. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. Already a “liker”? Leave me a comment and let me know. (1 entry)

You have until noon on Wednesday, July 27 to enter.

I really think you’ll enjoy having this book in your library!

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Great Summer Reading Giveaway: Read & Share Devotional for Kids

Posted on July 22, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 9 Comments

I love the kids’ devotional books by Tommy Nelson Publishers. I have given away other books and DVDs in the Read and Share Bible series, and they are always a reader FAVORITE. The Read and Share Devotional is a devotional book for children ages 3-ish to 8-ish. There are 52 devotionals based on Bible stories. Each section features a Bible story, a few questions based on the Bible story, an accompanying activity, and a prayer. They are short and sweet enough to hold little ones’ attention. My girls have loved this book as much as they have loved the rest of this series. I hope your little ones will, too!

Once again, there are several ways you can enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite pet. (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to The Hill Hangout through Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand column of this page.) Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. If you’re already subscribed, leave a post letting me know. (1 entry)
3. Follow @TheHillHangout on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it.If you’re already a follower, leave a comment letting me know. (1 entry)
4. Share this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. You can use the share button at the bottom of each post or write your own, however it MUST include the permalink of the giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (Limit of two extra entries).
5. Comment on any other post on www.TheHillHangout.com and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling which post you’ve commented on. You must leave a comment on both the older post AND the giveaway post for this entry to be included. (Limit of three additional entries.)
6. Like our facebook page. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. Already a “liker”? Leave me a comment and let me know. (1 entry)

You have until Sunday at noon to enter. Winner will be announced on Sunday.

Good luck, and happy reading!!

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Great Summer Reading Giveaway: Family Affair by Debbie Macomber

Posted on July 22, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 4 Comments

I was excited when HarperCollins Publishers sent me a copy of Debbie Macomber’s book Family Affair to review and giveaway. I like Debbie Macomber’s books. They are usually light-hearted and fun.

Her newest book is the story of lacey, a young divorcee whose world was shattered when she discovered that her husband was having an affair. Broken and bitter, Lacey moved to San Fransisco to start over and recover. Her Abyssinian cat, Cleo, is the perfect companion to help Lacey get back on her feet again. While Lacey longs for peace, quiet, and refuge, her impossible neighbor Jack is constantly annoying her by fighting with his girlfriend about moving in together.

The situation comes to a head one day when Cleo, whom Lacey wants to breed, is paid a “visit” by Jack’s ragamuffin cat named Dog. Lacey storms over to Jack’s apartment to force him to take responsibility for his cat’s actions, but what she discovers is not what she expected. A beautiful friendship forms when Lacey decides to let her guard down a little.

HarperCollins has made one copy of Family Affairs available to one of you. Here’s how to enter to win:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite pet. (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to The Hill Hangout through Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand column of this page.) Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. If you’re already subscribed, leave a post letting me know. (1 entry)
3. Follow @TheHillHangout on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it.If you’re already a follower, leave a comment letting me know. (1 entry)
4. Share this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. You can use the share button at the bottom of each post or write your own, however it MUST include the permalink of the giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (Limit of two extra entries).
5. Comment on any other post on www.TheHillHangout.com and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling which post you’ve commented on. You must leave a comment on both the older post AND the giveaway post for this entry to be included. (Limit of three additional entries.)
6. Like our facebook page. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. Already a “liker”? Leave me a comment and let me know. (1 entry)

You have until noon on Saturday to enter. Winner will be announced on Saturday.

We have several other books to give away this week, including some wonderful children’s books. Check back often and ENTER!!

Happy reading!

Filed Under: Homeschooling

Great Summer Reading Giveaway #2 (Ends 6/24)

Posted on June 22, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 13 Comments

Thanks so much to all of you who joined us and participated in the giveaway for Daddy Dates. If you didn’t win that one, please be sure to check it out at your local bookstore. It’s worth the investment.

Now on to our next giveaway. Our second title also comes by way of Thomas Nelson Publishers, who supplied the book for us. In March of 2008, Ron Hall and Denver Moore took the publishing world by storm when their book Same Kind of Different As Me hit the market. I read that book in about two sittings and was inspired and transfixed and enlightened and shamed all at the same time as I read the story of how Ron and Debra Hall answered God’s call to minister to the homeless and along the way met a very special friend named Denver Moore. Denver had been raised on a plantation in Louisiana, but through a series of events ended up living on the streets in Dallas. The stories he shared in Same Kind of Different As Me give insight into how he became homeless and what his life was like on the streets. He also shares, along with Ron Hall, the story of how he was saved from that life and given a second chance. God’s grace was made manifest in a lady named Debra Hall who decided to stop turning a blind eye to the poor and reach out to them instead. Debra’s life was cut short by cancer, but her husband Ron continues her ministry to those she loved so much.

What Difference Do It Make?: Stories of Hope and Healing is the follow-up to that remarkable story. It continues the story of Ron and Denver’s friendship, and it also tells the stories of so many others who were inspired by the first book to reach out in ministry to others. Because of Debra’s legacy of obedience, many other people around the world have become involved in helping the homeless and downtrodden. This book tells their tales.

Thomas Nelson has given us a copy of this book to give away to you. You have several ways to enter.

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me the book you are most looking forward to reading this summer. (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to The Hill Hangout through Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand column of this page.) Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (1 entry)
3. Follow @TheHillHangout on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it.(1 entry)
4. Share this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. You can use the share button at the bottom of each post or write your own, however it MUST include the permalink of the giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (Limit of two extra entries).
5. Comment on any other post on www.TheHillHangout.com and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling which post you’ve commented on. You must leave a comment on both the older post AND the giveaway post for this entry to be included. (Limit of three additional entries.)
6. Like our facebook page. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you’ve done it. (1 entry)

There’s no doubt you will love What Difference Do It Make? Now let the commenting commence!!

Filed Under: Homeschooling

The Great Summer Reading Giveaway #1

Posted on June 20, 2011 Written by Ashley Mills Hill 15 Comments

Alrighty, blog readers! As promised, here is the first in a series of fantstic summer reading giveaways. Summer is the BEST time of year to catch up on those titles you’ve been wanting to read. Now is the time to stock up your library! There are several ways to enter, and you can receive multiple entries by completing any of the following:

1. Subscribe to The Hill Hangout through Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand column of this page.) Those of you who already follow will be automatically entered. (1 entry)
2. Follow @TheHillHangout on Twitter. (1 entry)
3. Share this giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog. You can use the share button at the bottom of each post or write your own, however it MUST include the permalink of the giveaway. (Limit of two extra entries).
4. Comment on any other post on www.TheHillHangout.com and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling which post you’ve commented on. You must leave a comment on both the older post AND the giveaway post for this entry to be included. (Limit of three additional entries.)
5. Like our facebook page. (1 entry)
6. Leave a comment on this post. (1 entry)

I will compile all entries and randomly select a winner using www.Random.org on Tuesday, June 21. If this particular book isn’t your cup of tea, please check back often. We have LOTS of books to give away over the next few weeks.

Our first giveaway is for a new book by Greg Wright called Daddy Dates. It’s the story of one guy who came to the realization that God had made him daddy to four young girls, and he had NO IDEA how to do that job successfully. He deeply wanted to know his children intimately, but realized he knew little more than their best friend’s name and their favorite color. He desperately needed a plan! He recalled the time spent courting their mother, how he’d longed to know everything about her, and realized he could use the same ideas to win the hearts of his girls. Thirteen years ago he began the tradition known in the Wright household as Daddy Dates.

Now, before you shrug this book off as just another parenting book, let me assure you that it is anything but. Greg Wright has written an incredibly practical idea-packed book about using everything in your toolbox to engage your girls. Greg is a pretty funny guy, and his writing style makes this a fun read. But besides being fun, this book will change the course that your relationship with your daughter is on. It’s all about how to pursue a relationship with her that will allow Dad to be the go-to man in her life until the time she is handed off to her husband. He speaks candidly and humorously about dating, puberty, self-image, fears, dreams, and a dad’s role in his family. He’s an average guy who has screwed up plenty, so his advice is from the heart and definitely NOT preachy. However, he does speak with wisdom, albeit presented in a cool way, about how important a dad’s role is in the successfully navigating the pre-teen and teenage years with his daughter.

Dads, your role in your daughter’s success in life cannot be understated. You are THE man in her life from birth until she is married. Yes, that’s a HUGELY overwhelming thought, but Greg Wright’s ideas and advice can take some of the pressure off. He tells you exactly how to do it! He gives insight into different personality types and how to navigate each one. He gives a list of date ideas that will get your girls opening up to you so that you can indeed take on the role God has given you as their leader. He shows you how to build trust with your daughters so that they can come to you about anything and everything.

Dads, here’s the essence of the book: Do you want to be the go-to guy for your girls? Greg Wright tells you how to accomplish it. You don’t want to miss out on this life-changing book! Whether you are a dad who wants to plug in more to your daughter’s life, a stepdad who needs to really get to know the heart of this new-to-you daughter, a divorced dad who doesn’t get as much time as you’d like with your girl, or a dad doing his best and just needs a few more ideas, this book is for you.

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Homeschooling

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