Dec. 7, 2009 - The Simple Woman's Daybook - December 7th, 2009

Outside my window... cold, cloudy and finally some snow!

I am thinking... how much there is that needs done and praying my daughter does not have bronchitis

I am thankful for... a warm house filled with love and Christmas spirit.

I am wearing... still in my nightgown which my DH affectionately calls my moo-moo.

I am remembering... what fun we had last night at Clara's Tea Party and the Birthday Party for Jesus

I am going... to take oldest DD to the dr today and hopefully do some crafting with the littles for the craft fair we're doing.

I am currently reading... Raising Real Men by Hal and Melanie Young, The Fallacy Detective by the Bluedorns, Tresure Hunter (can't remember the author) and there is one more that I can't remember it's title.

I am hoping... for no more sickness and a white Christmas

On my mind... all the Christmas presents I need to sew together

Noticing that... God is so good to me and my family even though we don't deserve it.

Pondering these words... none right now, sorry

From the kitchen... nothing as we haven't gone to the grocery yet (oopps)

Around the house... dishes, laundry, crafting, sewing

One of my favorite things~ is cuddling up with my littles one with the Christmas tree lit, my tart warmer going and watching a T.V. Christmas special

From my picture journal...

My Willow Tree Nativity set my mom gave me as a bday gift awhile ago with my rustic tart warmer - a gift from my inlaws.

**want to participate?  Go to The Simple Woman's Daybook

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Dec. 7, 2009 - Clara's Tea Party and Birthday for Jesus

This weekend was busy.  Saturday the girls and I had Nutcracker rehearsal from 1-3:30 then they all went (first time for Christian and much harder on me than him) to my inlaws so Don and I could go Christmas shopping.  We got all we needed for the children - which isn't much this year but they are items they will appreciate it except for a few stocking stuffers.  I'm hoping to have scrunchies made up for the girls and Christian will have a matchbox car and then we'll get them a few pieces of candy.  Anyway so that took until almost 8 then we picked up the little ones and headed back home.

Sunday brought Clara's tea party and Birthday for Jesus.  Clara's Tea Party is put on by the girls who play Clara and her friends in the Nutcracker and this was our first year going.  The girls really enjoyed themselves - they had a picture taking opportunity but I didn't know they wanted an extra $5.00 regardless if I took my own with my own camera or had the photographer do it!  The tea (I had peach tea) was yummy and they had some celery sticks, carrot, ranch or peanut butter for dipping, tiny tiny finger sandwiches and we each got two cookies.  All the little girls recieved a thank you gift from Clara and her friends in the form of a beautiful purple keepsake bracelet (I'll take pictures later).  They also had a magician.  I'm not real hip on magic but don't mind slight of hand - which is what I was expecting - I wasn't expecting a man dressed as a wizard talking about witches and harry potter.  The slight of hand tricks were fun and I did let the girls participate :(  and we all got back in the vehicle later they both told me they didn't like how the  magician was dressed or his talk of witches and such.  Praising the Lord that my teaching is sinking in and that God is working in their hearts. 

The Birthday Party for Jesus is something our church has done these past two years and the children look forward to it.  This year they did a craft - we didn't finish ours and I'll post pictures later when it's done.  Watched a Veggie Tales movie on the story of St. Nicholas.  We were going to stay for the food but Christian having gotten awakened from his nap twice was not doing so well!  We left and grabbed a Little Ceasar's pizza and rented Night at the Museum 2 - which was good except for the character playing Amelia Earhart used the d word a couple times.  The children did enjoy themselves though and it's a good way to take the emphasis off of presents and back on to Jesus - the real reason we have Christmas!

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Dec. 7, 2009 - Christmas Tree Contest

I've decided to enter the Christmas Tree contest over at Mama Buzz and they are offering three great prizes from 3 different companies, a $50 credit from  The Simple Stencil, two 1/2 pound boxes of toffee from Bella Toffee, and 4 ornaments or basket fillers from  Sent From Heaven.  So all you have to do is take a picture of your Christmas tree put it up on your blog (if you don't have a blog you can still enter as well) and sign the Mr. Linky over at  Mama Buzz.  You have until December 8th to enter, okay I'm the queen of procrastination, and voting will begin at a later date (if you don't enter make sure you vote for me LOL) 

So without further ado, here is the picture of our Christmas tree.  This tree is decorated by little hands and the only orchastration by my husband and I is by me putting up the special "first Christmas" ornaments of each child and my DH's and I first together.  The rest is left to the children - it's more Christmasy when the children get to participate even if that means 20 ornaments are hanging on one branch!  A lot of these ornaments were made by my mom when her and my dad first got married (they divorced several years ago) so they hold special meaning to me and each year I get to tell that story to my children - which makes it all the more special.....okay now really here's the tree :D

Lighted:

Unlighted:

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Dec. 4, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: 12 Days of Christmas Fun Project Pack from Hands of a Child (PreK - 1)

If you are a regular visitor to my blog then you know that I enjoy adding in lapbooks, notebooking and lapnoting to our homeschooling lessons.  They make for a fun and memorable way of learning about a topic, wether it is Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims to doing a unit study on "Make Way for Ducklings" - it gets the student and the teacher out of the teaching rut.  Lapbooks and the like also make retention of the information learned easier to recall later and also make an easy way to show an assessor what your child has learned over the school year.

I was given the chance to review the  12 Days of Christmas Fun Project Pack put out by Hands Of A Child which is geared for grades PreK to 1st but can easily be adjusted if you'd like your older student to work alongside a younger one.  If you've never heard of Hands Of A Child they are one of the leading producers of lapbooks for homeschoolers and they are quality lapbooks.  A project contains everything you'll need to teach about the topic, including lesson plans, extra books that can be obtained at the library, and the printouts needed to complete the lapbook.

 In 12 Days of Christmas Fun you'll get 84 pages chock full of lesson plans for 12 days with a list of all needed supplies broken down by the day.  The Hands Of A Child website says this is the biggest PreK project pack as of yet and with 24 activities and 7 bonus activities to have your child complete an entire lapbook and 12 days of ornaments.  The lapbook contains items relating to the 12 Days of Christmas song, fruits of the Spirit, 10 Commandments, and other Scripture/Bible facts.  There is also some math and science thrown in - so if you wanted to use this as a 'break' from regular teaching to gear up for Christmas you could feel as you are covering all the bases for the 12 days leading up to or following Christmas.

With this being an ebook it is instantly downloadable so you'll have access to the unit and all reproducible materials as soon as you purchase it.  There are several different options for purchasing the unit:

• Ebook $20.00
• Printed $24.00
• CD  $21.50
• Printed/CD combo $27.00
• Kit Pack (all reproducibles printed on different colors of paper and a folder bas already folded) $12.00

There are beautiful clip art that your student(s) can use to decorate his or her lapbook and of course the ornaments while adding a bit more learning and fun are optional as are the bonus activities.  You will find much to do in this lapbook and while the price at first may seem steep with all there is to do in this project pack it is well worth it and if you have multiple students then the price goes down dramatically.  The only thing you'll need to provide is a file folder or two, the printed reproducibles, scissors, pens or pencils, the ornament supplies and glue.

**This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Hands Of A Child  for this review.

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Dec. 3, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: Visions of Sugarplums: A Collection of Christmas Cookery (ebook) by Lizzie Norris

Would you like some new recipes for your Christmas celebrations this year?  Or just new recipes for another special event - a birthday, baptism, etc?  Well look no further A Dusty Frame has put out a wonderful ebook, valued at $7.00, is full of tasty recipes that any family would love to add to their recipe books.  With this being an ebook it is instantly downloadable which means no waiting for it to arrive in the mail - it is yours and you can read it instantly.

Beautiful, old fashioned pictures decorate the pages of this ebook as well as Christmas quotes from authors like Mark Twain, characters from movies like 'It's a Wondeful Life' and Scripture.  All writing is done in a font that is reminscent of times past and adds to the beauty of this book including being in green and red.  I printed mine off and had it bound at a local office supply store for easy access and it's much easier to have the printed version than to take my computer with me in the kitchen, with the beautiful pictures though it's so nice to have a physical copy.

The book is divided into several sections and makes recipes easy to find and get cooking:

1. Beverages, Appetizers and Bread  (Boston Brown Bread, Hot Cocoa Mix, Cranberry Dip)
2. Meats and Side dishes (Milanesa from Argentina, Easy Christmas Eve Lasagna, Cheese potatoes)
3. Cookies, Desserts and Candies (Jumballs, Moravian Cookies, Dorothy's Toffee Squares)
4. Miscellaneous (Apple Cinnamon Dough, Baker's Clay Ornaments, Dog Biscuits)

Of course there are many more recipes than I've listed about and all are just as or more mouthwatering than the others!  Lizzie Norris also includes cooking hints and tips such as measurement equivalents, alcohol substitutions (great for families like mine who don't use alcohol to cook) and turkey cooking tips.  She also includes some of her family's traditions and there is a page where you can include your own traditions also included is a snow day fun page and her list of favorite children's Christmas books.  Again a wonderful resource for any family wanting to add new or different tradtions and recipes into their celebrations.  You can find ordering information at A Dusty Frame.

**This is a MamaBuzz review and I was given a copy of this ebook by Lizzie Norris for my honest review.  

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Dec. 2, 2009 - Book Tour: Treasured/God Gave Us Love/God Gave Us Christmas by Leigh McLeroy/Lisa Tawn Bergren

Are you thinking of some books that you may like to buy for that precious child in your life?  Well look no further - all three of my children enjoyed the "God Gave Us Love" and "God Gave Us Christmas" books.  Beautiful hardcovered books and beautifully illustrated they provide a fun way to teach children more about God.  There is mention of Santa in the Christmas one so for my readers who don't do the Santa thing it's just a warning. These books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

                      In God Gave Us Love, Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, and the young polar bear begins to ask questions like why must we love others . . . even the seemingly unlovable? Why is it easier to love those we like? Where does love come from? And why does God love her so much?
Grampa Bear patiently addresses each one of Little Cub’s curiosities by explaining the different kinds of love we can share: the love between friends, the love between families, the love between moms and dads, and the love for God.
                        He also assured Little Cub that because of the love God has given her through his Son, there’s nothing she can do to make God love her any more or any less. Through Grampa Bear’s encouraging Little Cub to love others with a “God-sized love,” children will be inspired to love others and to be patient, gentle and kind, so that in every way, they too can demonstrate God’s love.

If you'd like more information on purchasing God Gave Us Love please visit the the Random House book's site.
 

        In God Gave Us Christmas, as Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear has something on her mind: “Who invented Christmas?” she asks. “Is God more important than Santa?”
        Her questions reflect the confusion of so many children during the holiday season. And this heartwarming story takes them on a wonderful journey of discovery—right to the heart of Christmas.
Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns that God loves her and everyone— polar bear, moose, or human—so much that he gave us Jesus, the very best gift of all.

If you'd like more information on purchasing this book please visit the God Gave Us Christmas webpage.

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

              In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides readers in discovering evidence in their own lives of his attentive love.
            “The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says McLeroy.
            Drawn from the pages of Scripture, the author considers twelve such treasures and personalizes their meaning for readers, such as a green olive branch that offers  proof of God’s “new every morning” mercy and a scarlet cord that demonstrates his willingness to adopt “strays” of every sort.
            Weaving these treasures together with scenes from her personal history, Leigh McLeroy invites readers to discover God’s heart for them and embrace their unique role in his redemptive story. Treasured offers readers a guided experience of God’s love and character and invites them to consider their own treasures that point to their part in God’s ongoing story. 
 

For information on purchasing Treasured visit Random House.

Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary.  An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy.  A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on www.leighmcleroy.com and www.wednesdaywords.com.

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Nov. 28, 2009 - Thanksgiving 2009

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone and what a wonderful time of being thankful!  I've learned several things over the last few months and to be thankful for much:

1.  That my husband, friend and provider is still here and that God's will is done.

2.  We have a house, no matter how small, lacking in insulation, leaking or flooding we have a house and it's full of love and life and I try daily to keep God at the center of it!

3.  I have three wonderful blessings who each bring a different and beautiful dynamic to our family and God knows that He put them in the right family at the right time.

4.  I live in a country where I can worship the One True Saviour without fear of severe persecution, torture, imprisonment and/or death like my Brothers and Sisters in China, Russia and other countries.  I will forever lift His name up and may His name always be Holy, Holy, Holy!!!!

So these are just some of the things I am thankful for and I know it's late in posting this but it's still timely and it's always wonderful to remember the things and loved ones we are thankful for!

This Thanksgiving like we've done for several years was spent at our home in a time of relaxing.  We have an open invitation to family who wants to stop by and rarely (and sadly) are we ever taken up on this offer.  With three little ones it can be hard and stressful to make several stops (inlaws, my dad's side and my mom) with no time for those who need naps (and need them) and no relaxing time spent, so we decided long ago to stop running around like chickens with their heads cut off and spend it at home.  My mom and one brother will come over and then my inlaws usually stop over later.  There are family who think we are wrong and terrible to stay at home, but for us we need to stay at home and as I said above there is a standing invite for any family who'd like to come over and visit to do so as long as we're here :)

Here are some pictures of our Thanksgiving:

This shows my two homemade pies, deviled eggs, stuffing, homemade mashed potatoes (many thanks to my DH who peeled and quartered them for me) corn, dinner rolls (unfortunately not homemade), homemade pumpkin bread, homemade beer bread, ham and turkey.  Those items in the back right are the children's 'turkeys' they made at the homeschool interest group (I'll get close up pics later)  I left out the relish tray and a couple other food items.

My apple pie with nothing less than, hippo, cut outs to decorate it.

Upclose of my pumpkin pie and some mashed potatoes.  Yes that is 'artwork' on the wall LOL

The day after Thanksgiving was not shopping for me, much to my dismay, it was spent at a surgery center for a diagnostic laprascope.  My OB/GYN and I were suspecting the adehsions that he removed in 2005 during the same type of surgery were back and again causing pain and fertility issues.  Nothing was found, no adhesions and nothing wrong that would prevent me from being pregnant.  I am shocked and probably also my dr.  I'm doing well although I had to stop taking the percocet due to it making me very ill and I'm now taking tylenol w/codiene (sp?) which is much better.  I again had a good experience except the nurse who did my I.V. which felt like she stabbed me (no, I'm not exaggerating) with the needle. I had continous pain everytime I moved with this I.V. line as well - I endured it because I was not going to have her do it again.  This is what I was left with once the I.V. was removed:

This bruise is on the inside of my left arm and is 3 inches wide and 4 inches long!  Craziness and I don't own enough long sleeved shirts to cover it until it disappears :(

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Nov. 28, 2009 - Fun times with an Aunt!

My brother married a wonderful lady and I am so happy she is my Sister-in-Love (Law) and she will one day make a great mom but for now she likes to spoil her nieces and nephews and also teaching (art being her passion).  She offered to come over and make some air dry clay crafts with my children and they really enjoyed it plus I got to work on my inlaws Christmas present.  The children made some Christmas ornaments and Hannah also made a bowl (I'll take pictures of those when they are finished)

So here are my wonderful children blessings and my SIL making their ornaments and 1 bowl.

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Nov. 24, 2009 - MamaBuzz blog tour: Wright On Time: Arizona Book 1 by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley

Have you wondered what it might be like to roadschool instead of just homeschool?  I know we have often talked of it since my husband will be retiring when we still have two full time student and one on the way to graduating and thought buying an RV and selling our home is an awesome idea!  While this book I'm sure doesn't stay true to life in what happens while roadschooling in an RV it sure sounds like fun, especially when the Wrights stop at a cave to mine for stones and semi precious jewels.

This chapter book which is geared to ages 5 to 12 is filled with educational value as well as an entertainment value.  I've always had a hard time differing between stalactites and stalagmites but after reading this book I now have a way to keep them seperated and look forward to planning a trip to a near by cave this summer.  Bats, minerals and a mysterious device are what keeps the reader turning the pages of this fast paced child's novel.  I enjoyed it as well as I read along with my children or at least the ones who would pay attention, and even learned something.  My daughter even came away with more knowledge about certain cave items and like me now knows the difference between the stalactites and stalagmites.  My only word of caution was the use of the word 'freaky' - I do use this word from time to time - but the son in the story had a habit of frequently using the word so it did become tiresome after awhile.  The word could be omitted all together or if a family doesn't want the word used at all it would be easy enough to black out and the story would still flow.

This was an excellent book written by author, Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley who is happily homeschooling her two daughters.  She has been writing since she was a young child so there is a lot of love poured into the Wright On Time series.  I do recommend this series especially with Christmas right around the corner these would make an entertaining and educational resource for your children.  Please visit the author, Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley's  website for more information on her and the series.  These books retail for $12.99 

**This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Lisa Cottrell-Bentley  for this review.

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Nov. 23, 2009 - Not forgotten

I just wanted to say that I have not forgotten to do personal posts.  I'm getting some reviews done as well as dealing with things going on at the home front and working on Christmas presents - so needless to say I'm busy!

The Principal (Dad) gave us the entire week off of school since I have a hard time staying motivated around Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  I'm like a little child when it comes to celebrating.  Hannah is working on her lapbook for the Magic Treehouse book titled Thanksgiving on Thursday - which actually hasn't involved a whole lot of magic except for the children being transported back in time and they also let their parents know they were going out to play.  She must get that finished up and we can move on next week.  I'll get pictures up as soon as she is done and I get batteries for my camera.

I'm having my surgery on Friday the day after Thanksgiving - so we're putting the Christmas tree up the day before Thanksgiving.  I'm praying and hoping that this will take care of my chronic pain that I continue to have as adhesions from my 2002 c-section readhere over time.  This causes a lot of pain and also it seems now problems in concieving - so I also pray this will allow the Lord to bless us again.  I'd love to have at least one more baby - definitely more - but at least :)  we'll see what He decides.

So for now I'm logging off and I'll be updating soon with pictures - after I get batteries and hopefully before Thanksgiving or I'll do it after my surgery while I'm recuperating.

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Nov. 23, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: Tales from Terrestria Book 1: "The Quest for Thunder Mountain" by Ed Dunlop

If you are looking for something that your children both boys and girls can read, however boys may be slightly more interested, and that is Biblically based and sound then look no further than Ed Dunlop's series,  Tales from Terrestria.  This would make a great gift for any family during this Christmas season or a birthday as Mr. Dunlop's purpose in writing this series is to bring honor and glory to the Lord.  There is no magic, sorcery or wizardry in these series.  Although I only recieved the first book in the  Tales from Terrestria I can't wait to read the rest and neither can my daughter who is only 7 at the time of the reading.

"The Quest for Thunder Mountain" was engrossing and made for a fast paced read so that we would could know what was going on - a real page turner.  While geared for ages 10 and up, this series could be easily read by a 7 year old and up, or used as a read aloud to reiterate Biblical lessons and correlate them to the Bible.  I too would also recommend this for an adult who would like an engaging read as I too found myself captivated by the story.  Mr. Dunlop has a true gift for writing that is geared towards Christian youth and using the Bible and the Lord as his guide.  I loved the fact that these books do not need to be read in order and can be read starting at the last, the middle or the first.

At the webiste for  The Terrestria Chronicles there is an abundant array of resources from free coloring pages correlate to the books, free ebooks, God's way to Heaven, teacher books and resources and others.  The price per book is $7.99 and is geared for ages 10 and up (decide based on your child's reading skills) or you can buy all three (so far) for $19.99 with another book coming soon!  I do suggest that if you have a reader - again boys or girls - who you want reading Biblically sound books then you'll want to visit the Ed Dunlop's website and look at his other books - including fiction for youth.

**  This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Mr. Ed Dunlop for this review.

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Nov. 20, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: The Ultimate Cloth **free offer included**

Are you or have you been trying to find a 'green' way to clean around your home?  Or maybe not 'green' but you want to do away with chemicals because a loved one in your house has bad reactions to chemicals and their smells?  Well then look no further than the Ultimate Cloth!   The Ultimate Cloth  is soft so you don't have to worry about scratching surfaces like granite, glass, or even your car or electronics.  No chemicals need to be used, just wet the cloth and clean!  Yes it really is that simple, just plain water and you can remove dirt, grime and other crud around the house as well as germs!  The cloth can be cut without fraying or tearing - which is great if you just need a few smaller cloths for cleaning the tub or sink or wiping up crumbs after lunch or the science experiment gone wrong!

If you're like me and want a way to save money this is an easy way to accomplish that as well.  Even the cheapy grocery store brand can cost precious money each year - buying these reusable and washable cloths can end that drain.  So simple to use by just wetting it, wringing it, wiping then rinsing (or wash it) and your done.  So not only is it chemical free (although you can bleach it if you REALLY wanted to), saves you money but it also cuts cleaning time!  What more could a busy and frugal mom want, except maybe a cheaper iced capp, but seriously this would make a great household item to have on hand.  The children can even be put to work using this since there isn't a fear of them ingesting or breathing in harsh chemical smells.  If you'd like to experience this then keep reading for a FREE offer directly from the  people at The Ultimate Cloth!

Price:  $6

Media Blurb:  
The Ultimate Cloth is eco-friendly solution for homes as well as a money and time saver. The Ultimate Cloth is a brand new technology – in fact, it is the only cloth to receive a new patent in the last 25 years.  The Ultimate Cloth is a simple, green and effective one-step cleaning process.  The Ultimate Cloth cleans any hard surface – glass, wood, granite, stainless steel and many more – with just water!  No longer do you have to use harsh chemicals in your home, nor do you need spend hundreds of dollars per year buying them.  The Ultimate Cloth has been lab tested to remove 96% of bacteria, without the use of chemicals.  And, can cut 50% off your cleaning time.  The Ultimate Cloth is truly the ultimate in green cleaning.  

Additional Details to Include in your review:

All of my readers can receive a FREE Ultimate Cloth! 

All you  need to do is follow Ultimate Cloth America on Twitter or become a fan on facebook:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Ultimate_Cloth
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ultimate-Cloth-America/209222110335?v=wall&ref=ts

We will reveal how to get the free Ultimate Cloths via Twitter and facebook. 

*This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Ryan Richardson for The Ultimate Cloth for this review.

**Picture from The Ultimate Cloth website.

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Nov. 19, 2009 - MamaBuzz Blog Tour: "When Moms Pray Together" by Fern Nichols (Moms In Touch International)

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Maggie Rowe at Tyndale Publishing for this review.

"When Moms Pray Together" by Fern Nichols is a book that encourages praying between moms whose children are in school.  Even though most of these mom's children are in a traditional brick and mortar school there was much for this homeschooling mom to glean from this book - namely I don't pray enough for my children or at all.  I've admitted and I'm ashamed to admit it and I'm glad I had the chance to read this book because it's made me aware that praying for our children wether they are homeschooled or enrolled in a school should be one of our uppermost priorities as moms.

When I started reading this book and how some of these women's children were going astray by getting involved in drugs, promiscuity I thought that this book wouldn't pertain to me because, well, my children won't do that kind of thing.  Then as I kept reading I realized that no matter if we homeschool or not that in and of itself won't keep my children pure - only God has that power and I need to lift my children up to Him, the One who gave them to me in the first place.  This book made me realize, or maybe just drilled it in a bit more, these aren't my children and God is ultimately in control because they are His - like I am His!  He gave these children to me to guide and rear up for Him and that includes me praying for them - no matter is too small.  Wether it's my oldest who struggles with being a perfectionish, my youngest who likes to buck authority or my middle daughter who is very strong willed- I need to pray that Satan cannot win this Spiritual battle.

Wonderful use of Scripture throughout the book makes it so much more relevant to the Christian mom who yearns to know more about praying for her children.  Just because we homeschool doesn't make us immune and this book makes me realize that I did indeed think it would - but I learned by reading this book that regardless God wants me to use Scripture to pray for my children as well as other mom's children.  I and most of my friend's don't have the time to meet weekly at a set date for prayer but we can still be in prayer for each other and our children through emails, phone calls and even Facebook.  I was so glad that even if I didn't think I would learn anything from this book I am so blessed that I did!

Product/Book Name:   When Moms Pray Together by Fern Nichols

Ages:    Moms

Price:   $13.99

Put out by:  Tyndale

To buy your own copy go to Tyndale's media center.  If you'd like more information on the author please visit her  author bio page at Tyndale.

If you'd like more information on Moms In Touch International visit the MITI website.

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Nov. 16, 2009 - The Simple Woman's Daybook - November 16, 2009

Outside my window... it's dark out now but it was a wonderfully, warm Autumn day.

I am thinking... how wonderful it is to have lost 16 pounds and God is giving me the ability to go off the diabetic meds.

I am thankful for... my children, three wonderful blessings from the Lord and my husband who is a wonderful provider.

I am wearing... my favorite skirt from CJ Banks, my 20th Anniversary OPAI Nutcracker shirt and brown crocs

I am remembering... the fun of past holidays and how to make wonderful holiday memories with my family now

I am going... to go to my tap dance class tomorrow and have reviews to do.

I am reading... When Moms Pray Together by Fern Nichols, Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie Montana by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss

I am hoping... to get my inlaws Christmas present finished by Wednesday and start my mom's present

On my mind... the reviews I need to get done and balancing that with family life

From the learning rooms... struggling to stay focused amidst bronchitis and the holidays coming up

Noticing that... I need to study God's Word more

Pondering these words... hmmmmm, nothing right now

From the kitchen... BLT's for dinner

Around the house... trying to get school done as well as housework

One of my favorite things... reading to my children while cuddled on the couch.

From my picture journal...
A beautiful sunset:

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Nov. 16, 2009 - Timberdoodle Police Blockade Game - MamaBuzz Tour

I'm always on the lookout for new educational games and when I had the chance to review   Police Blockade for Timberdoodle through MamaBuzz reviews then I jumped at the chance!  My children have played this online before but with a different objective and so I thought they would have fun with this - I was very happy when this thought came to fruition.  Timberdoodle sells quality homeschool and educational supplies and materials for all ages! As soon as I recieved the package the children were into it and fascinated by it - my husband is quoted as saying "this is AWESOME!"  He is quickly working his way through to master level and my 5 year old is becoming fast at figuring out the solutions as well.  My 7 year old has sat for an hour and played this game of logic and my 3 year old likes to just play with it as he builds a city.  This would be a wonderful gift for Christmas and disguised as a toy this wonderful educational tool is so much fun!

Here is more information from the Timberdoodle site:

Police Blockade
Sirens screaming and tires screeching, there is nothing like a little police actionto liven up a road trip. Police Blockade lets you keep it legal but is just as exciting.

Your Job: Block Him
An elegant red sports carhas been stolen and the police force is scrambling to jam every escape route. As police chief, your child will be asked to coordinate all available units in order to prevent a getaway. His career is on the line; can he block the perpetrator's escape and avoid unnecessary bloodshed?

60 Challenges!
With 60 fast-paced easy to expert challenges he will have plenty of chances for a "do over"! For 1 player. Includes game board, clear plastic lid, one red sports car, six police cars, and four sets of buildings, game booklet, and a nifty elastic band to hold it all together.

Logic, Thinking Skills, Visual Perception...
This one-player game develops logical reasoning, builds higher cognitive thinking, and strengthens visual and spatial perception. It is self-contained, includes solutions, and makes an ideal travel companion. Plus, it offers an amazing amount of fun for all ages! 
                                                                                                                                                
Game includes:
·   Game board
·   60 puzzles with four levels of difficulty
·   One red sports car
·   Six police cars
·   Four sets of buildings
·   Solution booklet

Publisher: Educational Insights
Ages: 7+
Time To Play: 5-20 minutes
Players: 1

The spiral bounded book with set up, directions and solutions is well made and will hold up for hours of play even by some of the roughest children - my 3 year old is VERY hard on his toys and the book has held up very well as has the band that holds the entire set together.  There is nothing violent about this game and doesn't deal with anything that some would find objectionable like violence, crime and bloodshed.  With the band that holds it all together, it can be taken in the vehicle and transported easily and without losing pieces - which will keep the children entertained for hours.  With 60 puzzles this game can go on for hours, I would like to see if there were more puzzles online though to keep the game going.

**This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Timberdoole for this review.

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Nov. 16, 2009 - Five Star Finger Puppets - MamaBuzz Tour

Christmas is around the corner and if you're like me you may be wanting to avoid the commercialism that can occur in the stores and shopping online can seem like a way to avoid all that.  If you want a gift that children will enjoy and also be educational and fun then Five Star Publications can help.  These are a set of 5 finger puppets that children will use over and over and not thrown away after getting broken or losing interest plus they are intriguing enough that if they don't get the latest or greatest 'new' toy they won't be too upset.

Here is what I recieved in the email regarding the  Five Star Publications finger puppets:  " Parents and teachers looking to inspire children to read more – and have more fun while doing it – get a hand with Five Star Finger Puppets. Handmade in the U.S. with soft, durable, hand-washable yarn, they are child safe with no removable parts and come in packages of five that include owl, snake, child, dog and cat characters. Retail: $12.95."

My children really enjoy these finger puppets and while they fit their fingers they also fit mine - so if you're a homeschooling parent these would make a wonderful addition to story time with your children.  If you do unit studies based on living books - these puppets make a wonderful way for the story to come 'alive'.  Of course they are also good for just imaginative play time, as most children enjoy using their imagination and it allows for brain development as well.

The puppets are soft and I would have no problem letting a young child play with these as there are no small, loose parts that could pose a choking hazard.  The fact that they are also washable is a great benefit with young children so that if they get dropped on the ground (or in a food dish) they can be easily washed and then played with again.  Simply put them in a mesh laundry bag (I suggest this so they don't end up like those missing socks) and throw in the washer.  I definitely would recommend these for a nice Christmas present or even as a home school material that is well worth it.

Again you can find these at Five Star Publications website along with books and other gifts.

*The picture above is from the  Five Star Publications website.

**  This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Five Star Publications for this review.

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Nov. 15, 2009 - Sewing and field trip to the Resevoir

A few months ago I won a pattern from Squiggly Twigs Designs to make a 3 tiered twirly, girly skirt.  I was so happy as I've seen these sold in stores and ebay for ....um....lots of money so I got a free pattern and let the girls pick out some tutti fruitti fabric at JoAnn's.  Thanks to a friend, I was finally able to make Hannah's plus I have enough fabric left to make some scrunchies for her to match (I'm thinking a nice stocking stuffer for Christmas)  Anyway here is pictures of the skirt:

Last week we took a field trip to the local Resevoir where there are several hiking trails, fishing areas and other items of interest to see and do.  We stopped by the visitor center to get permission from a Ranger to collect some items to include for the art scavenger hunt.  The visitor center has many hands on educational items for the children to do so we did some of those and then went on our hike.  We found nuts, seed pods, leaves, twigs and we also saw several fresh deer tracks, a half eaten 'money brain' fruit which looked like we interrupted something's breakfast.  Below are some pictures of what we found including the Honey Locust tree which has the needle like thorns on it's trunk.

This fish was in a tank in the visior's center.  Part of the scavenger hunt was to find a live fish - it didn't specify if it had to be in a tank or body of water.  By the way our 'art' lesson turned into science and math as well - I love homeschooling!

I will be doing a different post with some other things we've done lately - but I don't want to overwhelm one post with a bunch of pictures so I'll spread it out.  I hope you enjoyed 'seeing' our field trip!

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Nov. 13, 2009 - Kathy Carlton Willis Communications "Set Apart" Bible Study blog tour!

About the Book:
 
(Marion, Kentucky) - In a world of self-love and materialism it's reassuring to know that God's Word has a better plan for living. Renowned author and speaker, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, provides insight to the life of Christ, specifically the Sermon on the Mount, in her new book, Set Apart: A 6 Week Study of the Beatitudes.
 
Through careful study of the Hebrew traditions of biblical times, Dean leads participants into a deeper awareness of this early ministry sermon series by Christ.
 
Jennifer guides readers to a heightened understanding of each beatitude, correlating the Ten Commandments with the Sermon on the Mount to tie these Old and New Testament principles together. Dean shares how living the Set Apart Life is an exciting and life-changing spiritual journey. Participants surrendered to Christ will see a total transformation: outward actions of holiness as well as inward attitudes of joy. Believers following along in this workbook will experience the life God intends. This blessedness comes from seeking and knowing God.  Anything outside the realm of Jesus Christ results in emptiness--the ultimate opposite of blessing.
 
Each chapter includes interactive questions for readers to answer, emphasizing God's desire to reproduce the character and attitudes of Jesus in each Christian's life. Along with the Bible study book, there is a Leader Kit that includes six DVD sessions and a CD with bonus material for small-group leaders. Jennifer's website, www.prayinglife.org, provides opportunities for previewing the Set Apart materials and extra resources for pastors and leaders.

 About the Author:

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is Executive director of The Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. She is the author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation. Her book Heart’s Cry has been named National Day of Prayer’s signature book. You’ll find articles and daily quotes from Jennifer at the National Day of Prayer website. Her book, Live a Praying Life, has been called a flagship work on prayer.
 
Jennifer was widowed in 2005 after 26 years of marriage to Wayne Dean, her partner both in life and ministry. They are the parents of three grown sons. Jennifer makes her home in Marion, KY.

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Nov. 10, 2009 - Kathy Carlton Willis Communication Christmas Miracles blog tour!!!

(Atlanta, GA) Many ordinary people experience Christmas miracles—those special moments during the season of giving and receiving when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday. In Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press, October 2009), Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson share the stories of those who have recognized the special moments that transcend daily experience and transform their lives.
In these stories, people overcome desperate situations through a miraculous twist of fate—all during the most wonderful time of the year. A young boy sits down to read a Christmas book and discovers that his learning disability has vanished. A woman stranded in a blizzard is rescued by a mysterious stranger who she suspects is an angel. And a woman living far from home gets an answer to her prayer in the form of an unexpected gift.
 
Bestselling author Cecil Murphey says, “We all face discouraging times, whether it's the lack of money, being stuck on a road in a snowstorm, feeling stress, or being hungry and homeless. But God's help is available. I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural. We start by asking, and in strange and wonderful ways God tiptoes into our dark nights; we experience renewed joy in life and witness God in action through people and unexpected events.”

Interview with Cecil “Cec” Murphey
by Marley Gibson
Co-authors of Christmas Miracles, from St. Martin’s Press

I am extremely privileged to have the opportunity today to talk to my friend and co-author, Cecil “Cec” Murphey, and to chat about our upcoming book, Christmas Miracles.

Marley:  Cec, thanks for spending some time with me today.

Cec:    Marley, it's great that you could take time away from important things like making a living to spend a little time with me.

Marley:  I’m so jazzed about our Christmas Miracles book that’s coming out soon. I’ve had a lot of questions from folks wanting to know how we met, what brought us together, etc. So, I thought we’d do a back and forth on how it all came to be. Of course, I have to give props to our amazing agent and friend, Deidre Knight, for bringing us together. For those of you who don’t know, Cec co-authored the runaway New York Times bestselling hit 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper.

Cec:  I have to say thanks to Deidre Knight as well. Between Deidre and my assistant, Twila Belk, I've been able to sell quite a few books. 90 Minutes in Heaven has been my big book. I'm also proud of a book I wrote in 1990 called Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. The book has never been out of print and has hit close to four million in sales. Early this year, Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in the made-for-TV film version.

Marley:  That’s amazing! You are truly prophetic and definitely “the man behind the words.” Now, people ask how we teamed up. Sadly, there was a personal tragedy that brought Cec and me together as friends.

Cec:  True. In early 2007, our house burned and our son-in-law died. Aside from the grief over Alan, we lost everything. Deidre and Jan, my-then-assistant, sent the word out of our tragedy without telling me. I'm immensely grateful for every gift people sent, but I probably wouldn't have admitted I needed help and wouldn't have asked. They taught me how much we need other people.

Marley:  Deidre put out a call to other clients of The Knight Agency, to help Cec and his family out in any way in their time of need. At the time, my company was moving and we were cleaning house. We had a ton of office supplies that we were either going to throw away or give to some of the charities the company worked with.  I got my boss’ permission to send a large care package to Cec…full of office supplies for him to re-stock his writer’s office. You name it…post-its, staples, paper clips, pens, pencils, markers, white out, ruler, scissors, paper, notebooks, notepads, envelopes, a laptop case, tape, glue, folders, binder clips…etc. A veritable potpourri of office delights.  I was hoping that it would help Cec have a sense of getting his office back so he could keep working.

Cec: Marley's gift was the most unexpected I received. We hadn't met, although Deidre Knight had spoken of her many times and kept telling me she was wonderful. I wonder if you can imagine what it was like for me to open that box from someone I didn't know. I saw all those practical things for my office and yelled for my wife.  I felt as if I were reading a first-grade book. "Look! Look and see! Oh, look!" I was overwhelmed by the gift and even more to receive it from a stranger. Those supplies were the most practical gift anyone could have given me. I'm still using black paper clips and red folders from Marley.

Marley:  Awww…thanks, Cec! I didn’t have to think twice about doing it. Writing is such a solitary “sport,” but the writing community always astounds me with how they help their own.  Not long after that, over plates of spinach and Gouda omelets, Deidre introduced me to Cec in person and I was thrilled to finally meet the man behind the words. Deidre knew we needed to work on a project together and thus began our brainstorming. What did you think of that first meeting, Cec, and cooking up the idea to work together?

Cec:  Deidre and I had already spoken about a Christmas book and I had some idea about what it should contain, but nothing had come together. One day Deidre told me that Marley was coming to visit her and she wanted us to work together on a Christmas project. Marley and I talked before we ate and again during the meal. Everything felt right to me. I knew my strengths and Marley knew hers (and Deidre knew both of us). Everything clicked. Marley, a far better networker than I am, immediately sent out the word for submissions. Within days she had almost four times more than we could use. (She read every one of them!)

Marley:  I was truly impressed with the submissions we received and it was hard narrowing it down to the ones we chose for the book. We’re fortunate to have such a go-getter agent in Deidre Knight. Cec, can you share how the whole idea of Christmas Miracles came about and what you thought of the project originally?

Cec:  For me, it actually started while I was on the rapid-rail train from the Atlanta airport when I listened to teens talk about Christmas and it was mostly about gifts. I had the idea then, but nothing really came together. Months later when Deidre I and had a meeting, she brought up the idea of a compilation and mentioned my working with Marley. I've been Deidre Knight's client since 1997 and I've learned to listen carefully when she comes up with an idea. I said yes before she gave me all the information.

Marley:  That’s the truth about Deidre! Getting back to those submissions, I want to say we got more than two hundred submissions for Christmas Miracles. So many wonderful stories to read through and select for the book. It was a challenge to pick and choose which ones were right for the book, but I loved every minute of it. After I chose the entries that would go into the book, Cec toiled long hours editing the works for a unified voice. What was the biggest challenge you found in the editing process, Cec?

Cec:   I've been a ghostwriter and collaborator for twenty-plus years and this was a switch to give the book a unified voice—which was mine. It would have been easier to stay with each writer's voice, but the book—like many compilations—would have been uneven in tone and quality. When I discussed this via email with our delightful editor, Rose Hilliard, she was (to my surprise) familiar with my work. She told me she liked the warm tone of my writing and that I don't waste words. "That's the voice we want," she said. It still wasn't easy, but it was an exciting challenge. After Marley and I agreed on the stories and gave them that unified voice, our editor pulled six contributions. Although different, Rose felt they were too similar to other stories.

Marley:  Can you give our readers a preview of the book? A favorite story perhaps…or one that moved you to tears?  (I have to say the little boy who wished for nothing but to be able to read a book all the way through because of his stutter had me bawling when I read the submission.)

Cec:  That's not fair! I liked them all. The one that touched me most, however, is the last story in the book, "Sean's Question." We had almost finished the book and I was teaching at a conference in Florida. I felt we needed one strong story at the end. Despite all the good ones, I didn't feel fully satisfied to conclude the book. On the last day of the conference, I met a conferee named Sara Zinn for a consultation. As we talked, I mentioned Christmas Miracles and that I still needed one more story. "I have a Christmas story," she said and told me about Sean. As I listened, tears filled my eyes—but, being the macho type I am, I was sure it was an allergy. Sara wrote the story, and it became the one I sought.

Marley:  Oh yes…that one is an emotional one all right. It was meant to be in the book because of how you met at the conference. Now, you and I have both had challenges in our lives that others might have found too much to take, but we are both very strong in our faith and our relationship with God. How do you think Christmas Miracles is going to help others feel closer to God and experience His miracles in their own lives?

Cec: Awareness and appreciation are the two things I want readers to grasp. Awareness means for them to realize that they're never totally alone in life. Those unexpected, out-of-the-ordinary events remind us of that. Appreciation means to be thankful for what we already have. Too often, and especially at Christmas, we focus on what we'd like or what is supposed to make us happy. Christmas Miracles gently reminds readers of both.

Marley:  In this day and age when our country is fighting two wars, unemployment is high, and a lot of people have a lack of hope and faith for their future, what do you want readers of the book to take away from Christmas Miracles and how can the stories in our book help provide comfort to those struggling?

Cec:  I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural (as in one of Marley's stories). I call myself a serious Christian. For me, the world's greatest miracle began with the birth of Jesus. Regardless of a person's religion, this book encourages readers to think about life during the Christmas season and see that life as more than gifts and celebrations. It's also a reminder that God loves us and hears our needy cries.

Marley:  Beautifully put, Cec, and I couldn’t agree with you more. Can we share what’s next after Christmas Miracles? J

Cec:  Why it's the Cec and Marley show, of course. Because of our go-getter agent and our enthusiastic editor, we've already received thumbs up for The Christmas Spirit. This will be stories of people who express the true spirit of Christmas by acts of love and kindness, for release in the fall of 2011.

Marley:  And I can’t wait to start working on that project!  Thank you so much for your time, Cec, and answering my questions. It was a privilege and honor to work with you and I look forward to our future projects together. You’ve helped me along during a trying time and I appreciate your friendship and support.

Cec:  I liked this project because Marley had to send out the word, collect submissions, read them, and discard the weaker ones. I get to see only the better-written stories. (Don't tell her that I have the better job.) Although I mentioned only one story, all of those in the book touched me because of the poignancy of their situations and the miraculous answers. I won't say the stories increased my faith, but they increased my appreciation for the delightful mix of human need and divine intervention.

Marley: Thanks again, Cec! God Bless! And to our readers, please be sure to pick up a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, out October 13, 2009 from St. Martin’s Press. It’s a great stocking stuffer or gift basket filler. We hope you, too, will discover your own Christmas Miracles in your life.

Leave a comment for a chance to win the Christmas Miracles gift basket.
Wouldn’t you love to take home this amazing basket filled with Christmas goodies galore? This amazing gift basket contains everything you’ll need to make your Christmas holiday a success. Inside you’ll find a stocking stuffed with hard candies, kitchen towels and oven mitts, seasonal potpourri, holiday-colored candles, stuffed animals that talk, snowman candle, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, gift bags, gift tags, gift bows, ornament hangers, Christmas cookie cutters, a Merry Christmas doorstopper, a picture frame, Christmas cards, Santa ear muffs, and not just one, but two copies of Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson’s Christmas Miracles – one to keep and one to give away to someone special.

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Nov. 8, 2009 - MamaBuzz Tour: "Mothering Heights" by Keitha Smith and Susan Brereton

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Judson Press for this review.

Author Information:

Susan Brereton is a former New Zealand resident currently living in England. She is a wife, mother of five children, and an interior designer. For many years, Susan has run a Bible study for mothers of preschool children, and has had a long association with the Navigators and Moms-in-Touch.

Keitha Smith lives in New Zealand with her husband and two children, including one with special needs. With a background in training and education, Keitha leads the women's ministry group at her church and serves on the local school's board of trustees.
Check out Keitha's fictional Mother's Prayer Blog ,The Jonah Tree. Also visit www.MotheringHeights.org.

My opinion:

"Mothering Heights" was a quick read that was enjoyable even if I didn't agree with everything that the authors wrote about.  I liked the fact that several classic books were used to glean knowledge from such as Pride and Prejudice, Pilgrim's Progess and several others.  The quotes used from the books were very much aligned with the theme of the book, mothering. 

Using Scripture Smith and Brereton do back up their writing with Biblical basis - again some of their applications of Scripture were not what I had interpreted them to be but I definitely did find myself gleaning some inspiration from the book.  This book was not geared toward moms who homeschool and it does include several mentions of having alone time and how good that is for the mom - one of the things I disagree with - but I can't throw the baby out with the bath water - because overall this book was loaded with uplifting writings to speak to the heart of a mom.

Wether you are a first time mom or a mom three times over this book will have something to speak to your heart.  With study questions that can help to see how you view motherhood and your expectations of others, it could be used as a guided Bible study as well.  Again it's a fast read which any mom will appreciate and the insight in the book will be well worth the time that it takes to read it.

Price: $15.00

Available at  Judson Press.  A sample chapter is available at the mothering heights website.

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