The Tea Party

You may remember, I blogged about my Girls' weekend with Lydia, and we went shopping for antique teacups and saucers.

We had our special "Girls' Tea Party"!

The cups were specially suited to each of my daughters.  Lydia had a hard time keeping it a secret, but we pulled it off.



We read "A Cup of Christmas Tea" - one of our Christmas favorites, enjoyed our tea and cookies, and made more wonderful memories together!

Tales from the Circle C Ranch from Circle C Adventures : A TOS Crew Review

 

Tales from the Circle C Ranch by Susan K. Marlow from Circle C Adventures  with Andrea Carter's Tales from the Circle C Ranch Learning Lapbook
 

  The Bentz Test Laboratory could not wait to get their hands on this one!  My 12 year old tester disappeared immediately with Tales from the Circle C Ranch by Susan K. Marlow. 

This collection of 11 short stories is a perfect companion book to Andi’s  (the main character) adventures from the Circle C Beginnings (ages 6-9) and Circle C Adventures (ages 9-14)  to an older Andi in the Circle C Milestones (ages 12+).  The stories actually came from questions that readers had submitted to the author.  My tester has been a HUGE fan of Andi's since the beginning, so this was a great read for her.  But, you could read this as a stand alone book, even if you haven't read the others (but, you'll want to...trust me!)

This is great, wholesome, Christian fiction for your daughters.  My daughter is wild about horses - so, Andi's life is her dream.  I love that these books are teaching character values and history as well.  A California ranch in the 1800's is the setting, and there are quite a few things she has learned about this time period by reading these books. You can read a chapter for free here.

 

We also received the PDF download of Andrea Carter's Tales from the Circle C Ranch Learning Lapbook. We LOVE lapbooks, and this was the perfect companion to this book. Each short story featured a printable mini-book for the lapbook. My tester was excited to build her very own Andi Carter theme lapbook.  Some of the topics included in the lapbook are:

girls dress styles during the 1800's

 

the general store

 

history of photography

 

state fairs

 

history of fireworks

 

how to write a limerick

 

crabs

 

 

 

Lapbooks are easy to make, just a couple of file folders (yippee...finally, a use for my obsession with "pretty" folders), some glue and colored pencils. This is a really well done, color lapbook.  All the hard work is done for you, all you need to do is cut and assemble.  Information about each topic is included in the PDF, so they are learning too. 

 
  This is why I'm a huge fan of lapbooking, you get a hands-on, memorable way to reinforce the learning that they are proud to show off! (ever do that with a book report before?...nope.)

I think this is a great summer project, my tester really enjoyed the book - and loved the lapbook. Lots of learning, no grumbling!

 You can purchase the lapbook here for $7.00 (It is also available in print for $12 plus shipping and handling or you can buy a combination of the book and lapbook for $19 plus shipping and handling) You can find all of them here. You can also have your book personalized!

    There is also a series of books for boys ages 8-12 from Susan K. Marlow to check out - Goldtown Adventures
   

Find Circle C Adventures on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CircleCAdventures

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SuzyScribbles
 

See what other members of the Crew thought here      

Thick as Thieves from Circle C Milestones: A TOS Crew Review

Thick as Thieves - Circle C Milestones - $9.99 plus $2.50 shipping & handling

Thick as Thieves is the first book in the Circle C Milestones series.  This 176 page, 26 chapter book is set in the 1880's.  Circle C is a ranch in California.  The main character, Andrea Carter, is a horse-loving 14 year-old girl.   To begin Andi's saga - check out the Circle C Beginnings (ages 6-9), Circle C Adventures (ages 9-14) Circle C Milestones are great for ages 12 and up.  For your sons, check out Goldtown Adventures (ages 8-12).
Horses, Horses, Horses!  Anyone else out there have a horse-crazy daughter like me?  My newly 12 year old daughter has an equine love affair going on... 
When I told her that Susan K. Marlow has a new series,  she jumped up and down!  A huge fan of her other books - she begged (yes, really!) for the new book - Thick as Thieves.  When the book arrived, my daughter disappeared.  She could not put it down!
From the first pages, you are caught up into Andi's world.  She is a plucky, strong, and Godly character.  My tester loves Andi - she's a horse lover, she's got annoying older brothers, and she loves Palominos (so, basically - "she's just like me, Mom!")  This is one of the parts I love best!  It's hard to find fiction for our young ladies that shows them a character that they can use as a role model.  However, this series is a perfect fit - great characters, interesting settings, and a plot that draws you in.  
This is a great addition to our American history studies.  Historical fiction brings the time period to life - the 1880's.  The author weaves suspense and surprise into the story and has you at the edge of your seat.
My tester has really enjoyed growing up with Andi - and living the horse-lovin' life through her eyes.  Since we are smack dab in the middle of suburbia,  this is a wonderful way for her to escape to a different time and place.
Susan K. Marlow's books are more than just an enjoyable read,  woven throughout are valuable life lessons for your children to learn as well.  Friendship is a main theme in this story as Andi must learn to overcome differences and trust others.
Be sure to check out the FREE - downloadable Study Guide - 40-page study guide contains not only vocabulary and comprehension questions, but also further explorations of the themes in the book, including the care of horses and a closer look at some of the places that Andi would have been exposed to in her late 19th century lifetime. There are crossword puzzles, diagrams, a foal timeline to fill in, and even math problems from 1880. We learned about lice, cattle rustling, and the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. This additional resource turns this into a fun unit study for your horse lovers!
You can also check out Andi's Blog - a fun way to learn more about her and her life.  Pictures of Andi and her family, ranch news and more - a great place to visit!
You can read a sample chapter of the book here - Warning - you'll be hooked!

Circle C Milestones Book 2, Heartbreak Trail, coming July 2015

Find Thick as Thieves - Circle C Milestones   on Social Media: 
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/CircleCAdventures
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SuzyScribbles 
Read what other members of the Crew thought here