Today’s Mosaic Reviews review is the Waterproof Bible. I was sent a Waterproof New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs so I could review it here on the blog.

The Waterproof Bible

The Waterproof Bible is exactly what it sounds like. It is a Bible printed on 100% plastic so that water does not cause harm to the Bible. It is also tear-proof (within normal reason). It is not indestructible, temperatures above 150 degrees F “adversely affect” the material. Um, I guess I won’t be baking my Bible… Also, petroleum products can cause the ink to smear, which includes bug spray.

Regular highlighters and gel pens won’t work in this Bible, but dry highlighters, ballpoint pens, and pencils will work just fine.

The Waterproof Bible came from a heart’s desire to take God’s Word into every nation, no matter the weather conditions. This is something I admit I’ve never thought about. I agree with the mission of taking the Bible all nations and peoples, but I never thought about what weather conditions those Bibles would face. My Bibles are your standard paper Bibles that would not hold up to rain leaking through a hut roof. This Bible will do that.

And they are taking the Waterproof Bible into the nations. Currently they are partnering with donors to send Bibles to Christ School Bundibugyo in Uganda. You can read about past causes on their website.

The Waterproof Bible is published by Bardin & Marsee Publishing. It is available in the King James Version, New King James Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, and the English Standard Version. A full Bible is $44.95 and the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs is $24.95. All are available in a selection of covers and personalization is available. There is also a selection of accessories available.

You can find The Waterproof Bible on Facebook and Twitter.

My Thoughts on The Waterproof Bible

I like this. I like the size of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs version. I love that it is a King James Version. The text is on the small side, but very clear to see. It isn’t very heavy. And it’s WATERPROOF.

Waterproof means that it can go just about anywhere, like say, poolside, a nice long bath, and camping. It also means that even my littlest kid isn’t going to hurt this Bible. Unlike the one he ripped pages out of a couple days ago…

I bought a standard Bible recently, and the price is not any more than the average Bible cost. I do recommend this Bible as a great gift for those Christians who love the outdoors.

So tell me, where would you take your Waterproof Bible?

I started a new thing on the Vicki Arnold blog’s Facebook page where I feature one of my blogging friends and some of their posts each Monday. Today I am doing something similar here on the blog. I am not the only blogger going to Teach Them Diligently in Nashville. I look forward to meeting many of these ladies at a get-together while we are there. You can meet their blogs now and maybe find a new favorite blog to follow.

• Our Abundant Blessings
• Meghan Tucker
• His Mercy is New
• Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling and Free Homeschool Deals
• Gricefully Homeschooling
• LaToya Edwards
• Bowmania
• Raising Arrows
• Mom’s Mustard Seeds
• iGoBogo
• Montessori Tidbits
• Special Needs Homeschooling
• Sam’s Noggin
• Kathy’s Cluttered Mind
• Ben and Me
• A Classic Housewife in a Modern World
• Serving From Home
• Homeschoolin’ Mama
• Jennifer A. Janes
• Adventurez in Child Rearing

I also have a Pinterest board where I pin content from all the Teach Them Diligently blogging team. Be sure to check that out, too!

10 Reasons to Go to Teach Them Diligently Nashville

1. I will start with this one: I will be there. I just convinced you, didn’t I?

2. The heart of Teach Them Diligently is discipleship. Discipling our children for Jesus Christ. Academics are secondary. The focus that Christ is first is one that we would all do well to remember. I struggle to focus on that when my kids aren’t doing as well as they “should be”. Heck, I struggle to remember that when I don’t measure up to my standards. Christ = first.

3. Connect with other like-minded families. Homeschooling isn’t the norm in this country, we are the odd-man-out by default. I am blessed to have a homeschool community to connect with locally, but I know this isn’t the case for everyone. Community is important.

4. Be encouraged. Speakers, vendors, and even other attendees can provide encouragement for your weary self. Come be encouraged that you CAN, in fact, do this. Sometimes the end of the homeschool year leaves us dried up, feeling like we have nothing left to give. Or that we’ve hit a brick wall. Come, be encouraged!

5. Find solutions. No home school is perfect. Every teacher, student, and family has problems that need solving. Teach Them Diligently is not just about finding a better-for-your-student curriculum, though you can certainly do that. You can also hear godly advice on raising your children, solving discipline issues, and saving money on your groceries.

6. The speakers. Some of these speakers are like the rock stars of the homeschool world. My kids were more excited to meet Dr. Jobe Martin this past April than if he was Justin Bieber. Dr. Martin isn’t going to be in Nashville, but Ken Ham, Debra Bell (you may remember how much I loved her planner…), Clay and Sally Clarkson, Heidi St. John, and Crystal Paine are!

7. Vendors. It is amazing to talk with the creators of homeschool products. You get to know things like why they chose a specific resource, how the program works (or doesn’t) with multiple learning styles, and how the curriculum works (or doesn’t) for teaching multiple grade levels.

8. The venue: Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Seriously, check that place out.

9. Be blessed. After Spartanburg closed at the beginning of May, the one word that kept creeping into blog posts and Facebook conversations was blessed. Read Rebecca’s post and you will see what I mean.

10. Did I mention I will be there? Oh, I did, well then let me tell you about all the awesome bloggers that I know are going to be there…tomorrow.

Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this post.

By now, you have figured out that I am an affiliate for Teach Them Diligently. You have probably also figured out that I am super, super excited to be headed to Nashville THIS week to meet some online friends in REAL LIFE and hear some encouraging speaking sessions. I kicked off my Teach Them Diligently posts with tips for preparing for your first homeschool convention from my learning experience of attending MY first homeschool convention.

You will be hearing more about Teach Them Diligently and homeschooling in general here on the blog. I have been praying lately for guidance to figure out (again) just what God has for me in the blogging world. I’m excited to see some of the direction He seems to be pointing me in. Would you consider lifting me in prayer as I seek His will? Please and thank you.

Teach Them Diligently Nashville!

Back to Nashville. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this because you probably would just think I’m crazy. You would be right, but I don’t need anyone else telling me so. Ahem.

The list of vendors for Nashville is rather long. I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here and repost it in its entirety. What I thought I would do is give you a little insight into what I will be looking for in the vendor hall next week. I have “specific to our next home school year” needs and “oh this looks interesting” wants. There is also an “I’d love to review this on my blog so I’m going to go talk with the vendor” needs/wants category, but there is a lot of overlap with the previously mentioned two lists. Hey, I’m nothing if not honest…

Curriculum Needs for 2013-2014 Home School Year

• Apologia :: I was serious when I said we would be using the Ultimate Student Daily Planners in our home school. I need to purchase one for my 4th grader and they are offering 25% off in booth purchases. I kind of wish I had more to buy because they are also giving away a free tote with every $75 you spend.
• Miller Pads and Paper :: They have PAPER, people. I kind of love paper. Also, my kids are looking forward to their selection of Dover coloring books and craft kits. We also are needing some geography related items.
• YWAM Publishing :: I am looking for biographies that will go with our history curriculum.
• Rainbow Resource Center :: I have several odds and ends to look for here.
• Write Shop :: I am interested in their Wordsmith Apprentice workbook.

The “Oh, This Looks Interesting” List

• Maestro Classics :: My kids take piano lessons, but I am wanting to add some music/composer study to our home school. They are having convention specials, too.
• Pick and Draw :: I am also taking a look at various art programs. My kids LOVE art and I would like to offer them something more this year.
• Creating a Masterpiece :: Art program.
• See The Light :: Did I mention I was looking at various art programs?
• Master Books :: There is a book that I am wanting to flip through called the Stargazer’s Guide to the Night Sky. Also, Passport to the World could work for our geography needs.
• Operation Christmas Child :: I would LOVE to work with this ministry. We fill boxes each year and I love the purpose behind this ministry.
• Raising Real Men :: Because I want to raise my boys right. Amen?
• ShatterPoint Entertainment :: Because Legos, that’s why. My older son is looking forward to this vendor.
• Seeds Family Worship :: Music and scripture. Yes, please.

Coming Up Next!

So there you have it, my list of vendors to see at Teach Them Diligently homeschool convention in Nashville this week! Tomorrow I’m going to give you a list of reasons why I am attending this convention. And then on Wednesday, I will be showing you a list of awesome blogging friends that I will hopefully get to meet while I’m there!

After that, there will be a break in convention specific posts. I created some printables to use for my home school planning and I’m going to share those with you. I am also going to share some frugal info homeschool parents won’t want to miss. Add in some reviews, a giveaway, and that affiliate explanation post I’ve been promising, and I have a lot of writing to do!

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Today I am back with a review of Ooka Island Adventure reading program for Mosaic Reviews. I was given a free two month trial to try out the program and share my review with you lovely people.

About Ooka Island

“Ooka Island Inc. is an educational company committed to using science-based reading methods and technology to increase literacy skills for children. Our goal is to teach children to read fluently and well through reading instruction that is fun and compelling.”

Ooka Island was founded by Dr. Kay MacPhee and Jim Barber. Dr. MacPhee spent 25 years developing techniques to help hearing-impaired students develop language skills and learn to read. She was directly inspired by her son, who was born profoundly deaf. And if there is one thing I’ve learned in life, there is nothing quite as passionate as a motivated parent. Amen?

Jim Barber authored all 95 of the Ooka Island Books and is the creative brain behind Ooka Island. You can read more about the credentials of the Ooka Island team on their website.

Ooka Island Adventure

The part of the program that I reviewed is the Ooka Island Adventure game. It is a Pre-K to Second grade learn-to-read game. You install the program onto your computer, log in with your password, and then Zobot guides your student through the program. The program keeps track of your student’s scores and skills, which you can monitor in the Ooka Island Lighthouse online. While this part is online, the program itself is self-contained so you do not have to worry about little fingers clicking around and finding things they should be seeing on the internet.

The Ooka Island learning flow cycle goes like this: the student is guided through lessons by Zobot, then reads an ebook, and then they have a free play session. Progress is automatically saved so if a lesson is interrupted, your student will not have to start all over again. This is handy for younger computer users who do not understand the process of “saving” their progress.

Also, all the activities on Ooka Island are point and click, so those who don’t know how to use the keyboard can use this without problems.

Pricing & Other Ooka Island Products

The pricing for Ooka Island Adventure depends on how you will use the program. For example, for an individual student to use the program, the cost is $12.95/month or $124.95/year. For a family edition that includes 2-4 students, the cost is $19.95/month or $149.95/year. Ooka Island Adventure is available for schools as well.

For homeschoolers, there are a variety of helps to go along with the game. You can download a guidebook. You can also print coloring pages to go along with some of the books, maps and completion certificates to track the ebook reading progress, and workbooks to help with vocabulary and reading comprehension. There is even a free sing-along song app that you can download.

Ooka Island Adventure is not the only product offered. There are also many book packages available.

What Did I Think?

Oh, boy. My daughter loved this game. She repeatedly said, “This is awesome!” as she played. Her favorite part of the game was the Cave of Sounds. She asked daily to play the game.

What I loved most was the ability to track how she is doing without having to sit there the whole time. I loved that she loved it. I liked that I saw progress being made. The game is engaging and fun, my student doesn’t enjoy sitting to do reading lessons. Often times her reading lessons include her wiggling around as she reads. With the game, her eyes, hands, and brain are engaged.

The only thing I go back and forth on is the pricing. For one student, $12.95/month seems kind of high. I do like the flexibility and lower initial expense of monthly payments verses the lump sum of a year. It is more cost effective if you have more than one student (essentially 2 students = $10/month, 3 students = $7/month, and 4 students = $5/month). I would like to see better pricing for those with only one student.

Overall, I really like the program and am considering keeping it for my soon-to-be 2nd grader. If you would like to try it, you can save an additional 30% through June 1, 2013 (you need to click through that link to save the 30%).