Explore Russia

You know how Russia is always in the news lately for being...difficult? Well, I've been having my own personal struggle with Russia that has absolutely nothing to do with the Russians. My newest Geography Explorer book, Explore Russia, was set to be published in May, before our summer trip. In fact, I even submitted it for publication THREE TIMES, but it kept coming back with technical difficulties, which made it unpublishable. So, I decided to leave it alone over the summer and come back to it later. When we got back from our travels, I set to work trying to unravel the problem. Basically, I had to start over with parts of it. Finally, I got the technical issues worked out and ordered my proof. Unfortunately, it came back with some glaring mistakes, and I had try again. AND AGAIN! But, I am proud to announce that persistence does pay off and the book has finally, FINALLY been published. The truth is, even though it was a pain, it may be my favorite Geography Explorer book to date. If you have a kid in your life who likes to learn about far-away places, or if you would just like to read something positive about an amazing country, check out Explore Russia on Amazon.

Catching Up

The last several days have been a whirlwind of fun and excitement! On Friday, Jeff took Ruth to Tyler to attend the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) college fair and horse show. They were able to visit with several college recruiters and learn a little more about riding options post high school. On Saturday, Ruth rode in the show and won first place in both of her classes, high point for her division, and high point for the entire show. In addition to two blue ribbons to add to her collection, she also received a gift card to her favorite riding gear store, a beautiful bridle, and a $500 college scholarship. We are so proud of her! On Sunday, Jeff dropped her off with her veterinarian aunt in Houston, so she can spend the week working in the clinic and getting some hands-on experience.

High Point Rider, 1st Place Winner, and all-around amazing young lady

Meanwhile, I stayed behind with the boys so they could attend their weekend practices. I got a wild hair on Friday afternoon and ripped out our grape arbor, took down all the window screens, and pulled up all the dead shrubs around the house, all of which made me happy in so many ways. But it wasn't a weekend of all work. We also managed to squeeze in quite a lot of fun, with pizza and a viewing of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure on Friday evening, a trip to our favorite movie theater on Saturday to see The Batman Lego Movie, and a full day of fun on Sunday, which started with brunch at The Snooty Pig, followed by some quality time at Barnes and Noble, and ended with the library's monthly game day.  

No more arbor means more light inside my house!
(It also means I don't constantly have to worry about that rickety thing falling down on my kiddos!)

Movie date with my boys

Brunch at The Snooty Pig

A variety of reading positions at Barnes and Noble

Game Day at the library

On Monday, Clay realized how close he was to finishing the first book (of two) for first grade math, and he started working math problems like a crazy man. He ended up doing 14 lessons in that one day, knowing there would be a celebration held in his honor when he finished. He worked so hard, and we are so proud of him! He chose the revolving sushi restaurant for his reward, and we had a blast selecting items off the conveyor belt and trying them out. 

So proud of this hard worker for accomplishing his goal and finishing the first half of his first grade math curriculum!
(I don't know many 5-year-olds who would chose sushi for a celebration, but this kid loves it!)

As you math nerds were no doubt aware, yesterday was Pi Day, which happens to be one of our family's favorite "holidays." On the recommendation of several people, we decided to try out Mama's Daughters' Diner in Lewisville. The pies were not in the same league with my Granny's or Jeff's mom's, but the party was fun nonetheless!

Pi Day 

Finally, I'm having a big giveaway of all of my books this week, in an effort to beef up my reviews on Amazon. I still have some of the Geography books to give away, and I'd like to give them to you guys! All you have to do is leave a comment here or on Facebook stating the country--China, Hong Kong, Thailand, or Mongolia--you are interested in. Your comment is your promise to leave a review on Amazon. It's just that simple. Feel free to tell your geography loving friends. 

Favorites on the First

My nails (on both feet and hands) are a disaster.
This cuticle cream helps more than anything else. And, it smells like dessert!

I thought about featuring one oil or oil blend, but it was too hard to choose!
I love all my oils, but right now I'm especially loving Breathe oil and drops,
OnGuard oil, drops and toothpaste, Frankincense oil, Correct X ointment,
Lemon oil, and Serenity blend. Click the link to find out more about essential oils.

Most cleaners overwhelm me and some even give me a headache,
but this one smells heavenly and actually makes cleaning enjoyable. 

We absolutely love our 2016 Honda Pilot,
which is the first truly new car we've bought since we've had kids.! 

I thought it was a little ridiculous when we jumped on the Instant Pot
bandwagon on Black Friday, but I have to tell you, this little piece of
equipment is pretty awesome. In fact, it's kind of a game-changer. 

This is one of the things keeping my brain from turning to mush right now.
Es muy bueno.

At almost any time of the day, you can find myself or one of my family
members plopped down in the Seat of Happiness. 

These flip-flops are super comfortable, and the two-pack means instant variety.

Music: getting me through the endless meal prep that goes on around here.

Max and Clay are thoroughly enjoying the Around the World Stories.
They eagerly wait for new ones and sit entranced through each episode.
These stories are a good way to travel the world when you can't travel the world. 

So many things

First: As you can see, I'm experimenting with a new look and name for the blog. I would really love your feedback! Feel free to tell me what you like as well as what you don't like.

Second: A huge piece of my heart just walked out the door to catch a plane to New York. I'm so proud of my girl and excited for the opportunity she has to attend a special camp at Skidmore College during the next three weeks, but the letting-gos are always a little hard on a momma's heart.

Third: Yesterday morning, I published the third Geography Explorer book, Explore Thailand. If you have a kid in your life who might be interested in that part of the world, check it out.

Fourth: Yesterday afternoon, we continued our explorations of the island. We visited the Hanapepe swinging bridge and Glass Beach, which is partly made up of a huge deposit of sea glass. We also popped into the Kauai Chocolate shop, before boarding our Napali Coast tour boat. We spent several lovely hours cruising around the island and taking in the stunning scenery of the Napali Coast. We also had appetizers, drinks, and dinner aboard the boat, and ended our tour with an amazing Kauai sunset.

Hanapepe Bridge

Glass Beach

The less glassy side of Glass Beach

Kauai Chocolate

Napali Coast Cruise

Sneaky Rainbow

Can you guess why they call this Kong Point?

Find the owl hidden in the rocks.

The lovely Napali Coast

There are two sea caves at the base of the brown mountain in the center.
These were created by lava tubes, and they are constantly growing.

The entrance to an awesome sea cave that has no ceiling

Another beautiful rainbow

A mother monk seal and her pup catch some rays on the beach

Sunset at sea

Explore Hong Kong Winner

You haven't been hearing much from me, because there truly hasn't been much to report. We spent the last few days lounging around the pool at the resort, and yesterday and today the oldest three kids were taking their annual grade-level SAT tests, while Jeff and I assisted with the administration of tests for other grades. My kids were just as thrilled as you might imagine to have to take standardized tests while we are visiting Hawaii. But there was just no way around it, since we couldn't find a place to have them tested overseas, and the testing season will be completely over by the time we get back to Texas. They were doubly thrilled because we have not been doing school on a regular basis for a while now. But, they survived and lived to see another Hawaiian sunset, this time on Oahu's North Shore.

But enough about what we've been up to. I have a book winner to announce.

Congratulations, Jhenisa!!

You are the winner of my lastest Geography Explorer book, Explore Hong Kong. Thank you so much for commenting and for following our travels! I will be mailing the book to you soon.

For the rest of you, you can find the book on Amazon, if you are interested, and you can get there quicker if you click on the picture of the book in the sidebar. Also, keep an eye out for Explore Thailand, which will be published soon.

Aloha!

Explore Hong Kong

Just before we left New Zealand, I published the second book in the Geography Explorer series: Explore Hong Kong. With all our moving around, I almost forgot to tell you. I'd love to give a copy away to one of you. For a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post, telling me something you are looking forward to this summer. I will announce the winner on June 16.

Do you have a kid in your life who might like to learn about the culture and geography of Hong Kong?
Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this helpful, interactive workbook.

优胜者! (WINNER!)

You may remember that there is a giveaway happening here today for my new book, Explore China. For me, it is the 18th already, but I didn't do my drawing until this morning, because I wanted to give everyone on the other side of the world a fair chance to get your name in the drawing. I would like to thank everyone who submitted a comment and for the many others who have shown support for this project in other ways. The winner has been chosen using Random.org, and I'm pleased to announce that the winner is...

Stacy Allen!

Congratulations! You will be receiving a free copy of Explore China in the mail very soon. 

If you didn't win but had your heart set on owning this book, you may purchase it on Amazon (using the link or by clicking on the image of the book on the right hand sidebar). The next Geography Explorer book (Explore Hong Kong) will be published soon, so keep an eye out for that one. 

Congratulations, Stacy!
I hope you and your kids enjoy the book!

Explore China

A couple of months ago, I was hit with the inspiration to write a series of children's geography workbooks. Since that time, I have been working very hard to put together the first book of the Geography Explorer series, "Explore China," and I am excited to announce that it is finally finished and live on Amazon. I think it is perfect for students looking for supplemental material for an existing geography program, young travelers preparing for a trip, and kids interested in expanding their knowledge of the world. In the book, kids are invited to explore China in a variety of ways, including map exercises, recipes, book recommendations, craft projects, and other fun, interactive activities. 

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to combine my passions for travel and education, and to celebrate the marriage of the two, I'd like to give away a copy of Explore China to one of you. To be eligible to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post (Facebook comments won't count for the drawing), telling me your favorite Chinese food. (If you don't like Chinese food, or if you've never tried it, don't despair. You will still be eligible if you simply leave a comment.) A winner will be randomly selected on May 17, which means he or she should have a copy in hand by June 1, which is Children's Day in China. So perfect, right?!

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Explore China