Zazzle for the Confirmation Gift Win!

What do you do when you want to give many of your child's friends a token for their Confirmation but know they all have plenty of rosaries, saint cards, medals, and more?

How about designing an oversized commemorative bookmark that can be used in their Bible, missal, journal, or wherever? That's what we did for my son's friends this year.

And what can you do for your child's confirmation sponsor?

We designed a personalized card for my son's to give along with a gift.

While we were at it, I designed a commemorative card for my son...

...and one for my godchild...

I also found a mug for my godchild to use every day to remind her of her Confirmation saint.

Plus, I made a commemorative baseball for my son, which I shared about already last week with 3 Gift Ideas for when a Child Chooses an Obscure Confirmation Saint.

All this was courtesy of Zazzle - my new go-to place for personalized gifts.

If you'd like to try them, too, you can click through this referral link to get 30% off all products in your first $25 or more order. 

I'd also suggest ordering early, because even with expedited shipping, some pieces of your order can get delayed. (This happened to us, but Zazzle made things right.)

I truly appreciated being able to find and design unique Confirmation gifts and cards with Zazzle! I think you may as well.

3 Gift Ideas when a Child Chooses an Obscure Confirmation Saint

{Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.}

What do you get a boy who chooses an obscure saint for his Confirmation and already has a Bible, multiple rosaries, saint statues, saint books, and more?

That was a question around here when my son chose St. Peter Yu Tae-Chol as his Confirmation saint.

As we considered what gifts we might give him to commemorate his Confirmation, we were stymied.

He already had the one book I could find that shares St. peter Yu Tae-Chol's story: Radiate: More Stories of Daring Saints.

And, in searching for gifts, we only found one St. Peter Yu Tae-Chol item - a cute little wooden block by Almond Toys, a gift my parents ordered for my son.

Thus we had to get creative, and...

1 - A Medal with a Sport or Activity Your Child Likes

My folks decided to just get a baseball player medal for my son and to have it blessed. Why? So he could remember something he was enjoying and getting stronger with around the same time as his Confirmation.

My son loved the gift and wears it regularly!

2 - A Journal with a Related Quote

Meanwhile, I decided to go with a Be Strong & Courageous journal, because my son's patron saint was, indeed strong and courageous and I figured the Scripture passage would remind him of his saint's fortitude and intercession whenever he looked at it.

3 - An Unconventional Zazzle Design

Stuck for another idea, I happened upon baseballs at Zazzle and decided to design one for our son to remind him to always hit the mark of following Christ and, in doing so, to soar with the Spirit.

He absolutely loved it!

What are some of your favorite gifts to give confirmandi with obscure saints?

Are You Looking for an Offline Stand-Alone Algebra Resource? {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

 Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Math may not change, but approaches to learning it often get tweaked - at least in my family they do. If the same goes for your family, and if in your current season of life and learning you are looking for an offscreen resource for learning math,  The Critical Thinking Co.™ is worth a look. 

My 11-year-old son and I recently had the chance to review Understanding Algebra, I from The Critical Thinking Co.™ and, although it was not a right-fit-for-right-now resource for my family, I can see its merit and am saving the rest of it for another season here. I also believe the book could be right-for-right for others, so let me explain more about it. Maybe it will be just what you are looking for!
 
What is Understanding Algebra 1?

Understanding Algebra, I is a 380+ page, full-color, soft-covered, reproducible student math book with answers included.  It was written by award-winning math teacher Terri Husted - who has over 30 years of teaching experience - and is targeted for students in grades 7-9.

The book presents all the essential concepts and skills needed to master Algebra I, highlights vocabulary and notation, and has examples from math history. In doing so, it aims to help students see the connection between the math they already know and algebra.

In moving through the books, students work on:

•  Set and Set Notation      •  Number Lines      •  Graphing      •  Rationals      •  Operations      •  Expressions      •  Equations      •  Inequalities      •  Word Problem      •  Percent Problems      •  Ratio Problems      •  Motion Problems

•  Work Problems      •  Absolute Value      •  Polynomials      •  Factoring      •  Radicals      •  Linear Functions      •  Slope      •  Elimination      •  Graphing      •  Substitution      •  Absolute Value      •  Algebraic Fractions

So, as you can see, the book truly hits all the important aspects of an Algebra 1 curriculum. 

Plus, since it is reproducible, families can use it for more than one child. For me - because I am using it with my youngest - this is not as big a deal, but for families with many children, it can be a huge boon - saving families money! 

The answer key can also help students use the book independently or help older siblings help younger siblings with it.

Mom Made a Mistake, not the Writer of Understanding Algebra, 1

Because I want my 11-year-old son offline for math and thought he was ready to try Algebra concepts even if technically "young" for them, I was eager to review Understanding Algebra, I with him.

What I did not realize, however, is that he is stronger at computation than he is at vocabulary and theory and that his current online program - which has been working fairly well for him at his age and level - has somewhat trained him to see only one problem at a time and looking at a whole page of concepts and/or problems can be daunting to him. So, I quickly discovered that I was premature in introducing Understanding Algebra, I to my son.

Basically, the first time we used the book, we sat on a swing outside reading the beginning lessons together and working through the listed questions orally and on scratch paper.

Because the first lesson was heavy on text about sets, set notation, types of numbers, and vocabulary - which are not things my son favors - we had a rockier start with the book than I had hoped for and my son was not excited about continuing to use it.

Still, we carried on... Sometimes, I worked with my son again and sometimes I asked him to set a timer, read the text, and do problems on his own, coming to me when he struggled. One of the times when he did this, he chose to start the entire book over again from the start.

In this manner, we persisted enough to honor this review, but, due to the hard start and the temptations of warm weather, my son, sadly, has yet to take to the curriculum.

When I asked him his thoughts about it, he frankly said:

When I first started this book, my mom and I did it together and I did not like it. When I continued, it got a little better, but I still did not fully enjoy it. I felt like there were too many questions on a page and in a chapter, and it made me feel frustrated and bored... I am used to a math program that gives on problem at a time in very short lessons.

 

Even though I did not like the beginning at first, I began to like how they explained everything at the beginning so you could go back and review it.  

 

I would recommend the book to Algebra enthusiasts and those who enjoy workbooks. I might try it again later... just not right now.

Partial Mom fail! NOT Terri Husted (the author) fail.

Partial for me (Mom) because I prematurely introduced this book to my son and did not do so in a way to draw him in, but somehow he is still willing to try it again later.

Not a fail on the author's part, because Terri Husted has written a sound curriculum which I am confident could work well for my son later and for many presently. 

Would I Recommend Understanding Algebra, 1?

If you are looking for something that is offline, can be used with multiple students in the same family or classroom, has perforated pages for ease of use/copying, and, of course, covers Algebra 1 completely as a stand-alone resource, despite my son's current lack of favor for Understanding Algebra, I, I would recommend looking at it. 

I have examined different chapters in the book, think it is well-presented, and believe it can be quite helpful in teaching students who are ready for Algebra 1. 

If, however, you have students that don't do well with vocabulary, etc., you may want to start with computations and then double back to the initial pages of the first lesson as I wish I had done. 

Further, if you have a child who does not favor many words or problems on a page, you might need to work together or cut things up a bit.

All things considered, though, Understanding Algebra, I is sound in my opinion.

Learn More

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Get this Exciting New Saint Book with a Discount Code! {A Holy Heroes / Blessed Carlo Acutis Review}

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Holy Heroes.

I have some exciting news for fellow lovers of the Eucharist and of saints and saints-in-the-making: One of my long-time favorite Catholic companies, Holy Heroes has a new book out called Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven and it is fantastic.

Better yet, to celebrate the release of this new book, you can use use the discount code CARLO15 to get a 15% off discount when ordering this new Blessed Carlo book plus any additional Blessed Carlo resources. Love it!

Not Just Another Saint Biography

This story of the brief but beautiful life of Blessed Carlo Acutis captures children and adults as it unfolds with details about this teen saint's relatable and inspirational life, death, and cause for sainthood. In text and photos, we see Carlo as an everyday kid with favorite pets, a passion for computer programming, a love for film making, and a host of struggles and successes.

We also get to know his inspirational side - his Eucharistic devotion, his respect for others, his charity work, his virtues, his acceptance of God's will, and the miracles that have been attributed to him.

Further, the book includes information on how and why the Church investigates who is in Heaven, what some of Carlo's favorite sayings were, Carlo's "kit" for becoming a saint, and more.

Well-written and put together, the book is more than just a saint biography. It is also a wonderful window into causes for sainthood, prayers, devotions, relics, saints, and more.

Having drawn on Church documents and interviews - especially personal interviews with Carlo’s mother, author Sabrina Arena Ferrisi brings Blessed Carlo Acutis to life in text and photos and also includes practical explanations on the canonization process, growing in holiness, and more. She did a fantastic job creating a book that can engage, inspire, and teach, drawing us closer to Christ through the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a modern-day teen saint in blue jeans.

 

Not Just Another Saint Biography

Having just had my youngest prepare for and receive Confirmation, I wish this book had come out earlier, for I think Confirmandi would definitely benefit from reading it and recommend it for others who are preparing for Confirmation.

I would also recommend the book for homeschool families, Catholic teachers and students, and just about anyone who would like to learn more about an inspiring modern day saint who inspires love for the Eucharist.

The book is written in such a way that it could be used with elementary-aged students. The translated documents, additions to Carlo's biography and more in it also make it suitable for middle- and high school-aged students. Adults can enjoy it, too. In fact, I picked up the book to browse through one night while waiting for my son at baseball and ended up reading it straight through. Interesting, informative, and inspiring - acting as a 3-n-1 saint biography, prayer book, and apologetics book on how the Church determines sainthood, I recommend Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven.

Imagine if we all lived like Blessed Carlo "without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn't please God." Many of us might fall short with us, but all of us can be inspired by Carlo's example!

Things You May Especially Like about the Book

• Quotes by Carlo inspire us and help us see his spirituality in succinct thought nuggets.

• It is well written, easy to understand, and engaging, capturing the everyday aspects of Carlos Acutis as well a the extraordinary ones.

• There is practical information about how Carlos aimed for Heaven which can act as a roadmap to motivate you and yours to do the same.

• Appealing to those in our modern, visual age, there are many photos of Carlo and his family included.

• It can introduce you to a wide variety of religious practices, devotions, and saints.

• The book appeals to children and adults alike so it is good for the whole family.

Before I Introduce This Book to My Children and You to Yours...

• If you, like me, have a child that struggles with dyslexia, be aware that this book has glossy pages and a relatively small font. Such formatting can be challenging for some kids, so it might be good to read the book together - or at least begin it as a read aloud - if this is the case in your home.

• If you have children who like a story, I might suggest skipping the first portion of the book - which offers information about the process of becoming a saint, and getting right into Blessed Carlo Acutis' story. Then, you could go back to  read the beginning right before reading the second-to-last section of the book, “What comes next?” For while the order of the book makes sense from an adult perspective, I think some children - including some of mine - prefer to be engaged by a story before getting into the details and meat of things that relate to it, such as the process for canonization.

I am grateful to have Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven in my family's collection of spiritual reading books and think you will be, too, should you choose to get the book. Don't forget that for a limited time beingyou can use use the discount code CARLO15 to get a 15% off discount when ordering this new Blessed Carlo book plus any additional Blessed Carlo resources. 

Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us!

Happy Confirmation Day!

 Happy Pentecost - and, here, Confirmation day!

For oh so many reasons, preparing for my youngest's confirmation this year was a challenge, but the day itself - what a blessing! 

The Confirmation, held after High Mass, was beautiful.

Grammy, Grampy, Godmum, and cousin were all able to come for it.

Then, we celebrated with the parish at an extended "Coffee and..."

After that, friends gathered in a backyard celebration...

... where some of our priests and and a seminarian stopped by and, towards the end of the celebration, led us in a Rosary.

The day was truly replete with the blessings of faith, family, and friendship.

Please join me in praying that all the newly confirmed remain strong in the Spirit!