About Miracle in East Texas

Inspired by one of the most improbable true stories ever, this is the entertaining tale of two aging con men at the dawn of the Great Depression and the biggest oil strike in the history of the world.

Irving Tanner, Jr. (Lou Gossett, Jr.) recounts the 1930 legend. Times are hard when the unluckiest wildcatter in the world, Dad Everett (John Ratzenberger), teams up with Doc Boyd (Kevin Sorbo), a charming snake oil salesman. Together they convince several new widows (Sam Sorbo, Paula Boudreau, and others) to invest in their worthless oil wells.

Then, the unthinkable happens! Now our two Casanovas faced with a challenge: declare another dry hole for a clean escape, or bring the well in like genuine oil men and likely spend the rest of their lives in jail?

Meanwhile, some of their investors are angry and fixing to do something about it. And one of them is truly a “mountain” of a man (Tyler Mane).

What happens next? Doc preaches, the Good Lord teaches, and a judge reaches a surprising conclusion. The mostly true story will make you laugh, shed a tear, and give you pride in the God-blessed American way.

Sorbo Studios

This movie is produced by Sorbo Studios. Miracle in East Texas is directed by Kevin Sorbo. It stars Kevin Sorbo, John Ratzenberger, Lou Gossett Jr., Tyler Mane, Sam Sorbo, and Braeden Sorbo.

Miracle in East Texas is only in theaters THIS WEEKEND October 29-30, 2023 so get your tickets NOW!

Who Should See Miracle in East Texas

If you are a US history buff, homeschool family studying American History, someone who enjoys uplifting entertainment or a lover of movies based on true stories, then this film is for you.

Homeschoolers, you can download free curricula for the movie here. There is also a discussion guide available here.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

You know I am always honest in my reviews…I dozed off several times during this movie. While the underlying message of redemption and God’s provision is there and the acting is good, the story is slow and very repetitive.

The first part of the movie is Dad and Doc pulling the same scam over and over again on different widows, it felt like seeing this twice would have gotten the point across without boring the viewer.

We enjoyed the ending and seeing how God showed up for His people, I’m all for a happy ending-even in an historical piece. It is an important story from American history that needs to be told, one I wasn’t aware of, as a homeschool mom who taught a lot of American history, I enjoyed learning something new!

Make plans to go see this movie this weekend. You will learn some American history and see a story about hope, redemption, forgiveness and God’s provision.

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This set includes a set of 48 pebbles in 4 sizes and 6 colors plus 12 double sided activity cards. The cards follow through a few levels that include:

• Matching Shapes
• Matching Colors and Shapes
• Stacking Challenge

This activity set can be used for a lot of educational activities including patterning, color recognition, sorting, sequencing, counting and creative play. The pebbles are great for tactile learners and sensory play, building, math manipulatives, and even language development and descriptive skills.

Harmony also practices sharing when we play with the Rainbow Pebbles. She plays alone for a while and then she usually hands me a pile of pebbles and says that those are mine and asks me to create with her. That is a very important skill for a big sister to initiate!

Since I introduced this toy to Harmony, it is one of her favorites every time she comes over. She loves to play with her “rocks”. The small pebbles are a chocking hazard so she plays with adult supervision and we don’t play with them when her little brother Reuben is with us.

I highly recommend Rainbow Pebbles for kids ages 3+, especially 3-5 year olds and tactile learners will benefit from the different levels of play. The smooth pebbles are almost soothing to the touch, making play more enjoyable. You can get this toy at Amazon and Walmart for about $25.

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Our Homeschool Journey

In a nutshell, because I could talk for days on this subject. I went to college to be an elementary school teacher. My degree is in Elementary Education, Music Education, and Vocal Performance. During my internships and first job as an elementary music teacher in the late 1980s, I saw a lot of things happening in public schools that I didn’t like. The top of the list was the lack of respect for authority, or anyone really and the beginnings of the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality. I later taught music at a private Christian school and I taught private music lessons, mostly to homeschoolers. This is when my eyes were opened.

The homeschool families I taught were wonderful! I had never heard of homeschooling before. At the time I was pregnant with my second child and my oldest was 2. I spent that year getting to know these families, learning about homeschooling ( I had never heard of it before). By the fall of that year, after lots of prayer and many confirmations from God, the decision was made to homeschool our boys instead of put them in Christian school.

We homeschooled all the way through, birth-high school graduation, 16 years in total. My youngest graduated in 2012 and I still miss homeschooling every single day. Now I mentor new families who are thinking about homeschooling. I’m also excited that my daughter-in-law plans on homeschooling my grandkids!

About Homeschool Awakening

THE HOMESCHOOL AWAKENING releases in theaters nationwide June 13 & 14! Get your tickets NOW! Hear more about the value of homeschooling from a homeschool dad himself: Kirk Cameron! Homeschooling is a lifestyle first and an educational philosophy second. God gave your children to you, you are their primary teacher.

Synopsis

Families across the nation are experiencing the homeschool awakening, taking advantage of the freedom and opportunities for self-discovery — with the world as their classroom. Join award-winning actor, Kirk Cameron, as he dives into the adventures of dynamic American families on a mission to put fun and faith back into learning. The Homeschool Awakening explores the ins, outs, and honest answers to homeschooling’s most frequently asked questions.

The Homeschool Awakening is only in theaters for 2 days so make plans to attend and get your tickets.

Who Should See This?

• Everyone-the general public needs to have their eyes opened about the truths of homeschooling.
• If you’ve ever considered homeschooling, even for one second-this is for you.
• Homeschoolers-your resolve to homeschool will be stronger after viewing this film.

The Mom Maven’s Thoughts

This film made me wish I had more kids! LOL I miss homeschooling, the bonds we built with our boys are so strong because of the time we spent together as a family learning, traveling, and working.

There are so many incorrect things currently being taught in government schools, I wanted my kids to know the truth. To be able to do that, we start with the One True God and His Word. Education that starts with God and a Christian worldview is devoid of all of the immoral teachings that are currently in classrooms.

The Homeschool Awakening shows real families, many of whom have brought their children home from public schools for one reason or another. You will see the freedoms homeschoolers have to school on their schedule in whatever way suits their children. You will be encouraged and inspired to invest in your child’s future.

Homeschooling doesn’t make life perfect, you will still have hard days and days you wish your child was gone for 6 hours BUT the relationships built and lessons learned far outweigh the struggles.

Giveaway

One winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card! The winner will be confirmed and then emailed. They will have 24 hours to respond to the email to claim their prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Spurred on by his passion for others, at the age of 8 Zach formed the Little Red Wagon Foundation to help homeless kids across the country. In 2007 Zach kicked off his “My House to the White House” campaign walked from Tampa to Tallahassee (280 miles) to raise awareness of the plight of homeless children. In 2008 he walked from Tallahassee to Atlanta (250 miles) and in 2009 from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. (668 miles). Once he completed that 3 year goal he decided to walk across the United States! From March 23-September 14, 2010 Zach walked from Tampa, FL to Los Angeles, CA (2448 miles).

The Philanthropy Project has partnered with Zach Bonner to tell his story and inspire young people to help others by creating the film Little Red Wagon. The film opens tomorrow, November 9, 2012 in Tampa and St Louis in limited release and in other cities at the end of the month. I had the opportunity to watch the film and I feel this inspirational film should be shown to kids across this country to see that one person can make a difference.

Soon Zach will be visiting schools in the Tampa area and showing the students how to put together “Zach packs” or bag packs filled with essentials we take for granted (food, socks, toothbrushes, combs, band-aids) that the schools will then give away to homeless kids and their families.

Keep your eyes and ears open for when/if this film comes to your area. You and your kids will be inspired by this story of one passionate young man.

Disclosure: I received a screener of this movie for the purpose of this blog post. All opinions are 100% mine.

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This past spring I told you about the game Spot It! by Blue Orange Games, it has become a staple for family game nights. Now I’m going to tell you about Tell Tale Fairy Tales. Tell Tale Fairy Tales is a great game for families with kids ages 5+. I played it with a group of 3rd-5th graders and they keep begging to play it again.

Tell Tale Fairy Tales is a progressive story telling game that helps kids with literary development, storytelling, creativity and imagination. There are four different ways to play this game which includes 60 two-sided picture cards to aid in story creation. The games can be played with 1-8 players depending on how you use it. This game has great re-playability which is only limited by the player’s imaginations. We played eight games the first night we played and the kids wanted to play more, but we ran out of time.
To tell a new personalized bedtime story each night, parents can improvise a tale based on 10 cards selected by the child. No matter how you play it, the wonderful illustrations and library of images will whisk you away to another time and place in just a few words. This is a fun and educational games suitable for play at home, school, daycare and in homeschooling situations and at $12.99 it is an affordable addition to your family game collection.

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May 17, 2012

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Jordan 12 mos

In the fall of 1996 when we began our homeschool journey with 3yr old Aaron and pre-k, Jordan was just 15 months old. Back then when asked how long I would homeschool my answer was always, “As long as God tells me to.” Here we are 16 school years later and my 16yo “baby” graduates tonight with 6 other homeschoolers from our umbrella school, Hope Presbyterian School.

It has been a long, fulfilling, fun and sometimes difficult road but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” That mandate to train up my children is one I have never taken lightly. Now that my children are older and more independent it is amazing to watch them be the thoughtful, helpful caring young men we have raised them to be.

One thing you learn when you homeschool more than one child is that every child is different. They learn differently, they have different strengths and weaknesses and different likes and dislikes. One joy of homeschooling is tailoring my child’s education to fit their needs.

Jordan age 16

Homeschooling Jordan aka “The Goof” has been a fun ride. I think one of his goals is to make everyone he comes in contact with, laugh. He has always been a gentle, caring, fun-loving child and he has become a gentle, caring, fun-loving young man. Outside of the classroom he volunteers as a Junior Bible Quiz coach, assistant Children’s Pastor and as a chat host for LightforceRadio.com. He is truly a servant leader who doesn’t seek the spotlight, though it often finds him.

In the fall Jordan will be attending State College of Florida majoring in Business Management. His love for automobiles has led him to want to manage, and some day own a Ford dealership. He will continue his volunteer efforts at church and in the community bringing the Light of Christ with him wherever he goes.

Jordan, I am proud to be your mom. Congratulations on your high school graduation.

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Since I couldn’t do that, I ordered myself a shirt instead. Their shirts for parents aren’t nearly as cute or pithy as the ones for kids, but I like it. This t-shirt is made of 100% preshrunk cotton jersey fabric and sells for $19.29. It is a very comfortable shirt and I will wear it with pride…even though in 3 days I will no longer be a homeschool mom, I will be the mom of 2 college students. Yikes!

Disclosure: I received this t-shirt for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

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We have spent hours on Tiny Prints looking at all of their graduation announcements. I love that I can see what they will look like, personalized with Jordan’s picture before I place my order because sometimes a specific photo just doesn’t fit with some card layouts. We have narrowed it down to two designs.

Bold Beginnings

Stenciled Scholar

They both look great with Jordan’s graduation picture and they both fit his personality. Leave me a comment and let me know which one you like best, we need help making up our minds.

This will be the third time I’ve used Tiny Prints and I love their prompt professional service and their high quality product. Tiny Prints has an extensive online presence so make sure you like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter and Pin them on Pinterest to stay up to date with all of their latest deals and design.

Disclosure: This post is part of a compensated campaign in conjunction with Global Influence. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Usually, I am a very organized person but last year life got in the way of our homeschooling and it was the most unorganized year we ever had. This year I am trying the organizational website AboutOne.com.  AboutOne is a digital filing system and more. I have entered all of Jordan’s curriculum for the year, I really wish I had this 16 years ago and I could have a full record of everything we used-it would come in handy when I mentor new homeschooling moms. I can also enter his extracurricular activities, his volunteer service and even scans or photos of any projects he does.

AboutOne isn’t just for recording your kid’s school information either. On the site you can set up info for all of your family members, even your pets! You can keep track of medical histories, mailing lists, home improvement projects, even your possessions  are all stored on a secure site in one place. On AboutOne you can learn how to declutter and save all those stray papers right on the website. There are articles and videos on AboutOne that show you how to get organized using their site too.

You can get a 17 day free trial to check out AboutOne and see how it will help keep you more organized this school year. The 17 day Free Passport gives you 17 full days of usage with no expiration date (requires no credit card information). Use each of your 17 days whenever you like. Our Yearly Plan gives you a full year of access to AboutOne for the low price of $30 per year.

Also Global Influence is hosting an awesome giveaway from AboutOne.

Rules: One winner will be chosen at random from all entries across all blogs to receive the following prize: $500 AMEX gift card and an upgrade to a free subscription to AboutOne.com to 1 grand prize winner + a $250 donation to the school of their choice.  All other entries will receive an email with a code for 25% off a one year subscription to AboutOne.com.  This giveaway ends September 9th at 11:59 p.m. ET and is open to U.S. residents age 18 or older.

Mandatory contest entry: sign up for AboutOne free trial (absolutely no credit card info required). Then fill out this form

Please leave me a comment so I know you entered from my site. Good luck!

I am participating in this project as a member of Global Influence. I received a 1 year subscription to AboutOne.com and compensation for my time.

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