Academics in a Box January Theme is "Shake it Up!"

Image Used with Permission via the Academics in a Box Affiliate Program

What Is This Month's Theme For Groovy Lab in a Box?

Shake it Up

Shake It Up: Engineering Design Challenge - A Lesson in Earthquakes : You are a groovy earthquake engineer who has been contracted by the city of Los Angeles. Using only the materials from your Groovy Lab in a Box, can you design and build the tallest skyscraper that can withstand the next BIG quake? During your ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS, you will investigate what causes earthquakes while constructing a groovy seismograph and shake table. You will explore S and P waves, fault planes, famous earthquake-proof structures around the world, and much, much more!

Emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)

 

Experience extended learning through our exclusive online portal.

This box is for children ages 8 and up.

As always, the "Shake It Up" box will have a Groovy Lab Notebook where your kids can read about the investigations and Engineering Design Challenge. Plus, all subscribers get access to the Beyond...in a Box web portal for additional groovy learning and STEM fun.

Be sure to start your subscription today so you can receive "Shakeitup" before it ships on January 29.

Image Used with Permission via the Academics in a Box Affiliate Program

My word is COURAGE. What is your word for 2019?

Image Credit:  Samuel Scrimshaw - Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

Courage

Happy New Year

A few years ago, a friend brought it to my attention that she had been challenged to choose one word to focus on for the year.  This "one word" was intended to take the place of her New Year's resolution.  New Year's resolutions are made with good intentions and if you are still rocking yours, more power to you!  Keep up the good work!  For many people, though, a New Year's resolution is a source of stress and then ends up becoming the cause of much frustration and a sense of failure when the criteria for said resolution isn't met successfully.

What if, instead of a New Year's resolution, we choose a word to focus on throughout the year?  What if we choose a word that helps us stay focused on deepening our relationship with our Lord from January to December?

Since my son is deployed this year, I had thought about choosing the word "courage."   This word was confirmed for me a on December 30th when I took the Dayspring 2019 Word of the Year Quiz.  My result was . . . you guessed it . . . COURAGE.

This is the perfect word for me for 2019 because courage is something I will truly need to focus on in order to get through the year.  This separation from my son, the young man I still see as my baby boy (boy mom's understand - haha) is much harder than I expected.  I thought I would handle it better since we had so much time to prepare, but can any mother really prepare to send her son off to war?

I won't lie.  I'm struggling.  I need courage:

to face each day without my boy.

to stand firm when everything within me wants to crouch down in paralyzing fear.

to rest in the promises of God when I am weary from anxiety.

to trust God with my son's future when my mama's heart just wants to bring him home to safety.

to encourage other young wives and moms when I feel like I'm the one who needs encouragement.

to follow the advice of one of my military mom friends when she told me to remember to turn my times of fear into times of worship and praise.

Perhaps you have already chosen your word for 2019.  Perhaps your word is "courage" like mine.  If you have not chosen your word for 2019, consider taking the Dayspring Word of the Year Quiz.  Obviously I thought it was a helpful tool.  I'd love to know what your word is so feel free to tell me in the comments below!

Happy New Year!

Usborne Books Winter Customer Specials

Usborne Books has released the new Customer Specials! 

You may purchase 1 Customer Special item for each $40.00 you spend.

 

 Information about each book.

Baby's Very First Box Set

Baby’s Very First Collection includes: Eight board books, 10 pages each, measuring 4 ¾” w X 5 1/8” h.
Little Book of Baby Farm Animals
Little Book of Baby Animals
Baby’s Very First Getting Dressed Book
Baby’s Very First 1 2 3 Book
Baby’s Very First Colors Book
Baby’s Very First Little Book of Little Babies
Baby’s Very First Animals Book
and Baby’s Very First Outdoors Book.

Packaged in a keepsake box with velcro closure, this little collection makes a great gift!

Was $49.99.  Now only $25.00 when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

D is for Duck 

D is for Duck: thirty-three words total but completely uncommon, this an alphabet book like no other. It’s a wonderfully funny story, filled with letters, magic and vibrant color.

Duck is a magician. Abracadabra! He can conjure up a bunny, a chicken and even the king of the jungle! But can he make a dragon disappear?

D is for Duck has huge appeal across age ranges – there is so much to discover and explore in this book, and kids will want to do it all, from talking about what happens next, to using the book as a springboard for writing their own stories.

Age	3-7
Size	8 x 10
Pages	32
Series
Author	David Melling

Was $12.99.  Now only $7.00 when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

Let's Go to Playgroup!

Let’s Go to Playgroup! Everyone will want to go once they’ve read Caryl Hart and Lauren Tobias’s charming new picture book! Lauren Tobia is brilliant at capturing young children’s expressions and these bright and friendly spreads are perfect for little ones experiencing the ranges of emotions that come with new experiences, new people, new places.

The text is simple, gentle, and rhyming, and there’s a friendly, welcoming tone that lets readers know it’s OK to be shy, it’s OK to be nervous, it’s OK to make messes, because what you’ll also make, at playgroup, is friends.

Age	2-4
Size	9 1/2 x 9
Pages	32
Series
Author	Carly Hart

Was $11.99.  Now only $6.00 when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

Ludwig the Space Dog

Ludwig lives in a book with his friends, and everything in their world is made of paper – including them. Ludwig loves to read about different galaxies and planets; he wants to be an explorer. Then one day, something from another dimension crashes into Ludwig's life . . . and he may finally get the chance to take off.

Put on the included 3-D glasses and watch the world of Ludwig and his friends - both close to home and far away - come alive.

Ludwig the Space Dog is a magical picture book. Even without the 3-D glasses, the illustrations are rich and layered, bursting with details. And even without the illustrations, the text is a beautiful, accessible homage to the power (both literally and figuratively) of books.

Age	3-8
Size	9 1/4 x 13
Pages	32
Series
Author	Henning Löhlein

Was $12.99.  Now only $7.00 when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

Usborne Phonics Collection

The Usborne Phonics Collection includes: Twelve paperback books, 24 pages each, measuring 6 3/4” w X 6 3/4” h.

Croc Gets a Shock
Bee Makes Tea
Bug In a Rug
Crow in the Sow
Goat in a Boat
Hyena Ballerina
Kangaroo at the Zoo
Llamas in Pajamas
Mole in a Hole
Raccoon On the Moon
Snail Brings the Mail
and Underpants for Ants

Packaged in a slipcase, this little collection makes a great gift! A total retail value of $29.99 for $14.99!

Was $29.99.  Now only $14.99 when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

Write Your Own Storybook Box Set

In this box you will find everything you need to start your writing career: two books loaded with tips and prompts for writing stories, poems and essays, and a handy journal to write down your notes, observations and chapters. Includes Creative Writing Book, Write Your Own Storybook, and Writing Journal.

Was $34.99.  Now only $17.50  when you purchase $40 in regularly priced books.

Keep in mind that you can purchase one customer special for every $40 you spend.  When you spend $40, you may purchase one customer special item.  When you spend $80, you may purchase two customer special items and so forth.

Customer specials are only available while supplies lasts so be sure to order quickly! 

Shop my entire Usborne Books website here.