Small Change(little bits that add up!)

Menu Planning Monday January 17, 2011 (meatballs, chicken cacciatore, pizza)

2011-01-17T19:19:00.002-05:00

Whoa... it's been a long time since I've done this! I can tell, too, by how long it was taking me to decide what to cook tonight ;)

So, here we go~ This is my "Workweek" menu~ Not sure what the weekend will bring~ :)
Oh, and I think I"m going to try to figure out how to create a page with recipes, but in the meantime, if there are any that you'd like to see, comment, and I'll type it up here... :)

Monday~ Turkey Meatballs, Buttered Pasta, and Steamed Broccoli with sauteed onions
Turkey Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg beaten with a fork
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Form meatballs by hand, OR use a handy/dandy cookie scoop! This time I used the little one I received for review from CSN Stores before Christmas. I like the smaller size(looks like more on the plate, you know... ;) ), and I LOVE keeping my hands relatively clean! :D (Works great for cookies, muffins and little ice cream portions, too!)
4. Cook for about 20 minutes, till browned.

Tuesday~ Grilled Pork Chops, Wild Rice/Lentil mixes from Trader Joes, Carrot Pennies, and Apple Sauce on the side

Wednesday~ Rolled Chicken Cacciatore (I haven't made this since we've had kids, I think... YUM!) and Salad

Thursday~ Potentially a "Leftover Soup" with Beer Bread Toast. :)

Friday~ Pizza(Also likely a "Left-over" variety.... love those!)

Have a Fabulous week!
Blessings~

12 Days of Christmas~ all unwrapped......

2011-01-07T01:55:00.000-05:00

In honor or Epiphany I thought I would share a little bit about how the 12 Days of Christmas look at our house. Initially the thought of 12 days of presents may seem like a lot to some, but since we don't purchase books on a whim, and save some clothing and personal care purchases for Christmas presents, it really isn't as crazy as it might seem.

My favorite thing is that the kids actually enjoy and appreciate each thing they open, as they focus on that one gift per day. No crazy wrapping paper flurry (I know... some people love it, but I hate it), and no let-down the day after Christmas... plus, they exhibit gratefulness for each present, whether large or small.

Tonight, (Epihany is also our wedding anniversary, another reason we like the 12 Days of Christmas...) we opened our last gifts under the tree. We will enjoy the lights for a another couple of weeks, and then we'll finally take the Christmas Decorations down.

I thought it might be fun to share what everyone opened this year. I will mention that I don't think that I paid list price for hardly anything (In case there are frugal shoppers out there... retailmenot.com is a great place to look for coupon codes when shopping online, and Amazon had some great deals!). In addition to the retailmenot coupons, I also used gift cards that were "Free with purchase" earlier in the year, and membership discounts from bookstores and book clubs. I may post again, with some of our "hits" and more details, but for now... without further ado, here is what our 12 Days of Christmas looked like from a concrete perspective:

Eldest

Christmas Day~ Stocking and Quilling Books, supplies, carrying bag and cutting mat
1st Day~ 1 small mermaid set Playmobil from Middlest
2nd Day~ Heart Charm~ traditional gift from Daddy~
3rd Day~ Littlest Pet Shop from Youngest
4th Day~ Penguin Pin
5th Day~ Lemon Vanilla B&BW shower gel and body cream
6th Day~ Glow in the Dark "Aura" Thinking Putty
7th Day~ Mattimeo book by Brian Jacques from Middlest
8th Day~ Black long sleeve T-shirt and knee socks
9th Day~ Pajamas
10th Day~ Hallmark Ornament (13th in the series "A Pony for Christmas")
11th Day~ Thomas Kinkaid puzzle
12th Day~ Susan Cooper's "The Dark Is Rising Series" in one volume

Middlest

Christmas Day~ Stocking and Skateboard Ramp and Element Hat
1st Day~ 2 small Playmobil "Wolf Knight" sets from Eldest
2nd Day~ Tech-Deck set with 2 boards & DVD
3rd Day~ Medium Playmobil set~Skateboarder/Biker/Rollerblader from Littlest
4th Day~ Detective's Handbook
5th Day~ Ryan Sheckler Warehouse Tech-deck Set
6th Day~ Hypercolors "Chameleon" Thinking Putty
7th Day~ Collapsible Axe (For camping) :)
8th Day~ "The Art of the Catapult"
9th Day~ Camping tool(Compass/shovel/pick/axe/saw) and Camping book
10th Day~ Hallmark Ornament (10th in the series "Snowball and Tuxedo")
11th Day~ Guitar Praise
12th Day~ Lego Contraptions Book

Youngest

Christmas Day~ Stocking and Viewfinder/Binoculars
1st Day~ Thomas the Tank Engine Turntable/Percy and Gordon
2nd Day~ Melissa and Doug Wooden Cookie Playset from Eldest
3rd Day~ Littlest Pet shop set (8 animals)
4th Day~ Little wooden "Quack-Quack" Call of the Farm Game
5th Day~ Ryan Sheckler Warehouse Tech-deck Set from Middlest
6th Day~ Color-shifting "Scarab" Thinking Putty
7th Day~ Brown Bear-Panda Bear What do you See Board Game
8th Day~ Build-a-Bear Fishing Rod from Middlest
9th Day~ Dinosaur ABC Book
10th Day~ Hallmark Ornament (3rd in the Noel Nutcracker Series)
11th Day~ Carson "Eric Carle Art set" (That I won for free! Love the help with presents!)
12th Day~ Blues Clues Big Musical VHS tape(From his sibs) and a Discovery Store Play tent and Tunnel

Mom

Christmas Day~ Stocking and Pretty White shirt
1st Day~ Velvety Black Pants
2nd Day~Calphalon roasting pan
3rd Day~ Teapot from Middlest
4th Day~ $10 GC to Local knitting store from Eldest
5th Day~ Teal Shirt
6th Day~ Opened presents from SIL families
7th Day~ Josh Groban "Illuminations" CD
8th Day~ Turtleneck
9th Day~ Pin (From yard sale.. savvy shopper!) and handmade bracelet from Middlest
10th Day~ Brown Rose Long Sleeve Shirt
11th Day~ Padded Travel Case for my laptop
12th Day~ Pretty Freshwater Pearl/sterling silver necklace

Dad

Christmas Day~ Stocking and Digital Video Camera
1st Day~ Adagio Teas
2nd Day~2 Pocket knives... one for work and one for home from Middlest
3rd Day~ Screw-driver set from Middlest
4th Day~Max Lucado Study Bible
5th Day~Turtleneck
6th Day~Opened gifts from his sisters
7th Day~Memory Card for Video Camera
8th Day~ Flannel shirt and T-Shirt
9th Day~ More Adagio Teas
10th Day~ Snare Drum Ornament
11th Day~ Steven Curtis Chapman "Cinderella" CD
12th Day~ Waffle Cone Ice Cream Cups from Eldest

My only pet peeve was the kids' shopping at our local toy store (Learning Express in Salem, NH). Eldest did a fair amount of online research, and figured out prices, and decided to purchase there. However, AT the store, they had added on what looked like $2 to every Playmobil item. Not a big deal percentage-wise if you're purchasing a larger item, but when it's added to what should be $6, and you have a $10-$12 budget, well.. that stinks! (WOM marketing works both ways.. this time in the negative... :\ Eldest chose to use $ from her savings, but Middlest opted to only purchase one item there, and used the little he had left buy her a book. All in all not a bad plan, but not his original desire.)

So there you have it.... the 12 Days of Christmas, all unwrapped!
Blessings!

New way to donate to the charity of YOUR choice

2010-12-17T23:57:00.000-05:00

Hey, friends~

I recently joined a website that allows me to in essence create my own "Foundation" and give to the charity(ies) of my choice. GiveBack.org helps individuals to choose their favorite charities, and donate to them online. What's different from writing out a check directly, you might ask?

Well, one thing is is that not only can you donate directly, but you can harness your online purchases to "Give Back" to the organizations of your choice. In addition, everyone who signs up (At the time of this writing), has some "Seed money" in the amount of $5 to give right away... at no cost to yourself.

Oh, and 100% of the money goes directly to your organization(s), not to GiveBack.org, which is fully supported by sponsors. And those same sponsors choose organizations to give even more money to, so if you get involved, and become a vocal advocate, you could be responsible for even more money to advance the cause you are interested in.

Here's a good page to tell you how it works, in their words, which are more succinct than mine.

What I can tell you is who I have chosen to support in my foundation.
My first $5 dollars, that were waiting in my account went to Reece's Rainbow, an organization that promotes the international adoption and rescue of children with Down syndrome exclusively.

I have also added Shilys Promise Youth Ranch that helps troubled youth through work and therapy with horses. (Started and owned by a Five In A Row Homeschooling Alumni Family)

And at the moment the third organization that I would like to direct funds to is the Adoption Charity set up by Steven Curtis Chapman and his family, Shaohanna's Hope, Inc. Their mission is to come alongside families who are adopting and help reduce the financial barriers to adoption through adoption assistance grants.

There are so many deserving charities, and in my case, only a limited amount of funds, but this is one small way that my family and I can help to make a difference in someone else's life.

Here's a little more about GiveBack.org

Please, in this season of Giving, and remembering the birth of a homeless child, think about checking out GiveBack.org and setting up your own, personalized foundation to assist you in donating to the charity (large OR small) of your choice.

Blessings~

Addendum~ I was introduced to GiveBack.org by being a member of One2OneNetwork.com . One2OneNetwork is running a promotion to bloggers to get the word out about GiveBack.org. Since I think it is a great idea myself, I am happy to participate.

Skateboarding anyone? (Gift Book Review)

2010-12-16T14:27:00.000-05:00

Well, here's not a typical book review for me! My son is very interested in skateboarding, so when American Modern Books asked if I would like to preview/review a copy of photographer Hugh Holland's "locals only" I was very curious.

First a bit about the book~ "locals only"is a 76 page pictorial snapshot of the mid-1970's skateboard "Culture" of southern California. The photos focus on the years 1975-1978. When I read the interview with the author in the front-pages of the book, I learned some things I didn't know... a bit of the "history" of the start of modern skateboarding, before it became "Commercial." Drought, empty drainage bowls and swimming pools were responsible in part for the rise of skateboarding as a sport. My son was familiar with the names Dogtown and Z-Boys, but they were all new to me.

Here's a little more information from the publisher:
LOCALS ONLY
by Hugh Holland
edited by Steve Crist

One afternoon in 1975, a young photographer named Hugh Holland drove up Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Los Angeles and encountered skateboarders carving up the drainage ditches along the side of the canyon. Immediately transfixed by their grace and athleticism, he knew he had found an amazing subject. Although not a skateboarder himself, for the next three years Holland never tired of documenting skateboarders surfing the streets of Los Angeles, parts of the San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach, and as far away as San Francisco and Baja California, Mexico.

During the mid-1970s, Southern California was experiencing a serious drought, leaving an abundance of empty swimming pools available for trespassing skateboarders to practice their tricks. From these suburban backyard haunts to the asphalt streets that connected them, this was the place that created the legendary Dogtown and Z-Boys skateboarders. With their requisite bleached blonde hair, tanned bodies, tube socks and Vans, these young outsiders are masterfully captured against a sometimes harsh but always sunny Southern California landscape.

I was surprised when it arrived, in a rather large box. This book is "Coffee-table" style, at 16x12 inches, and 76 pages. Kind of hides my son when he's looking at it! ;)

Now... on to the photos~ My one concern before agreeing to review this book was the appropriateness of the photos for a young skateboarder. The cover is one of my least favorite, as we aren't keen on bikini-clad bodies at our home (My son is inclined to use a sharpie to make it more "suitable" to his frame of mind, but we haven't gone there yet. I'm more inclined to use post-it note style "cover-ups").
Although there are a few photos that show kids making bad choices (like smoking and trespassing), by and large, I felt it was appropriate to use those photos as a "Conversation" starter, to talk about things like how a few bad choices can color a whole group's image ~ Explanations for why "No Skateboarding" signs are so prevalent.

It's very interesting to see how the photos progress from very informal skating without helmets, pads, or even shoes (!) to wearing more safety gear... another good learning point.

To sum up, if you or someone you love is interested in skateboarding and/or the history of skateboarding, "locals only" would make a pretty cool Christmas gift.

Skateboards, sweatbands, streetwear and other relics of the '70s are perfectly preserved in Holland's action shots of rail-riding teens." —Time Out New York (review of Hugh Holland's 2006 gallery show)

If you don't care for "Skin" and boys without shirts, then this wouldn't be a good choice... it is VERY Southern CA....

"locals only" lists at $39.95, and can be purchased on www.ammobooks.com, as well as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and many other locations.

I hope you enjoyed this review of a not-so-typical book.
Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Puzzling Good Time~ Review/Gift idea

2010-12-13T19:26:00.000-05:00

My family and I were gifted with this Puzzle Book "Bible Jumble for kids" by Tyndale Publishing for the purpose of reviewing it. I have to say that it served up some fun alongside!

Both of my older kids enjoy puzzles, although I'd have to say that RJP (13) enjoys them the most, so we looked forward to the opportunity to check some jumbles out that have a Biblical perspective, instead of just your regular, everyday puzzles. This book is for ages 8 and up,

I have to say that some of the typical jumble puzzles have content that is beyond my children's scope of interest (large amounts of Pop culture, etc...), so I figured this could be a good alternative. What I didn't reckon on was the amount of material that is beyond my children's current scope of familiarity with the Bible! BTW, I'm taking this as a GOOD thing! Each puzzle includes the Scripture reference for the specific topic or story, which is a great help if it isn't familiar.

There are 6 different Jumble Puzzle variations included~

Traditional Jumbles (Find the Mystery Answer)
Mystery Person Jumbles (Find the Mystery Person)
Jumble Detective (Find the answer to a Mystery Question)
Jumble Criss-Cross (Use the answers to fill out a Crossword-style Puzzle)
Find the Jumbles (Use the answers to complete a Word-Search Puzzle)
Bible Passage Jumbles (Similar in style to a Traditional Jumble, but with the Bible Passage printed on the page, rather than only the reference)

My children have enjoyed using this as a "Keep-busy-but-engaged" item for a few church services when I felt it was appropriate. It has also been a "Travel" item. When there were some tricky questions, we enjoyed the opportunity to use the puzzles for "Family time" with Mom or Dad helping to look up the answers. I appreciate the ability to have a fun item to pull out for the kids that reinforces and/or teaches Biblical principles and stories. A+ in MY Book!

I have decided that there are three levels of "play" that can occur with these puzzles, making them appropriate for a variety of skill levels.

Challenge (Just go to it, without looking at the hints)
Clueless (Needs those clues/hints to complete the puzzle)
Scrutinize (Making use of the Bible verses for additional research to help answer the questions)

This could be a great gift for the older "puzzling" child or adult. Bible Jumble for Kids can be purchased at the normal online outlets. List price is $9.99, but you may find it for less at places like cbd.com and buy.com.

Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

CSN GC Winner~

2010-12-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends~

Sorry that it took me so long to get this post done.. we've had one small series of crisis after another at our house (Starting with the skunks next to our foundation... stinking up our house like you wouldn't believe!), a boy with a fever, and my only pair of glasses broke last night! But... before we head off to the optometrist, I figured I should post~

Random.org chose number 16 by follower bridgestranslation.
(I've sent you an email~ Please let me know that you received it!)

Congratulations, and thank you all for entering! :)

Review of the cookware coming up, AFTER I get new eyewear and can see to type! :)

Blessings~

CSN Store Preview~ and Giveaway

2010-12-02T13:20:00.000-05:00

I promised to let you know what I was going to review from CSN Stores, and since I put my order in yesterday, I thought I'd let you know what should be shipping to my house shortly! I'm excited to be trying out some silicon bakeware. I chose this set, Trademark Global Smartware 19 Piece Bakeware Set in Gray, in part because it is made in the USA, which I prefer to trust over "made in China" products. The only silicon products I currently own are some stand-alone muffin cups that I've been using, and have been impressed with. Now I am looking forward to seeing how the pans and the mat perform.

I'm also getting a new SMALL cookie scoop! I love my middle and larger-sized scoops, and am interested to see how this OXO grip scoop compares to them.

Let the Christmas Cookie and Baking season commence! :)

And now
~~~ The Giveaway~~~
CSN Stores has provided me with a $30 Certificate to give away to one of my readers, just in time to do some Christmas Shopping! (Sorry that this is running too late for Hannukah~ But I hope that my Jewish friends and readers have a wonderful Celebration of Light!)

Mandatory~ (two parts)

Publicly follow my blog, and leave a comment telling me how you are following, (If you already follow, please note that in your comment)
AND visit CSN Stores , then tell me what you think you might use your $30 for if you win the give-away. (Leave both comments at the same time, in one comment box)

Extra entries:

Leave a comment telling me where you heard about the giveaway (1 entry)
Follow my homeschool reviews blog, Acorns, or Homeschooling Nuggets of Gold (1 entry) (if you already follow, please note that in your comment)
Post an extra comment with your favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe (Limit 1 per person)
Post an extra comment telling me who you plan to bake for this December(limit 1 per person)
Post on any non-giveaway post with a "thoughtful" comment (come back and tell me which post you commented on, so that I can include it in my "random" number draw) (now, wasn't that clear as mud??? ;) (1 entry per comment per post)
Blog about this giveaway (1 entry) and leave me a comment with the link to your post.

That gives you 7 opportunities to be entered in the draw for this giveaway! Comments will be open for a week + a day. Entries must be in by10pm EST on Friday, December 10th.
(Here are some of my favorite giveaway site, if you'd like to check out what else is being given away in the Blog-O-Sphere Contesting Monday, Frugal Living and Having Fun, and Money Saving Mom )

Looking forward to Blessings!

Disclosure: CSN Stores provided me with the opportunity to write this post, and offer a $30 certificate to my readers. I was not required to write any of the above!

Jesus Calling Winner~

2010-11-30T12:19:00.000-05:00

Hello, there!

I did my drawing from the 28 qualified entries today. Congratulations to the winner, Our Homeschool Reviews, with comment # 9, telling me her favorite Bible verse, John 3:16 . Our Homeschool Reviews, I'm sending an email to you~ please reply within 2 days with your mailing address.

Keep your eyes out here for a few more reviews, "Gift List Ideas" for 3, 10, and 13 year olds (As well as a few others thrown in for fun~ and even a few more drawings~

Blessings

A CSN Stores Review/Giveaway coming up!

2010-11-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

Now that Thanksgiving Day is behind us, it is time to focus on Advent and the Joy of Celebrating the Light of the world! I have some plans to share a fun review and giveaway from CSN Stores with you SOON, that may help with the "Joy of Giving" aspect of this season. Keep watching here, to see if I'll be reviewing something from Sling Backpacks, Baking Mats, Building sets, or something else from any one of the 200+ CSN stores.

Hope you all are having a fun Black Friday, or Decorating for Christmas, or just hanging out on your birthday day, like me!

Blessings~

Black Friday Homeschool/Family-Friendly Style (Shop from your seat!)

2010-11-24T13:12:00.000-05:00

I thought I would post a bunch of the homeschool related Black Friday sales that are actually current NOW! Hope that they are helpful!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine~

By now you probably know that I like this magazine, the support and encouragement received quarterly from the likes of Ruth Beechick. I also appreciate "Chapel" time, as well as the variety of articles included in each magazine. Although I don't spend quite as much time scrutinizing the new product reviews, now that I get some of them to review myself, that was one of my favorite features when I first subscribed to TOS. I like to see what new things the homeschool community is producing (since many of these products are the brainchild of current and/or former homeschoolers).

So... on with the deal~

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is extending an extraordinary subscription offer to homeschool families. U.S. and Canadian residents can receive

a one-year print subscription and a
FREE Homeschooling with Heat tote bag,
FREE Schoolhouse Planner of your choice, and
FREE E-Book: Cranberry Christmas for just $19.95.

One-year subscriptions start with the winter issue. It makes a perfect gift for yourself and a friend. There are a limited number of tote bags available from November 24 through midnight on November 29-once they're gone, they're gone! Hurry and grab this tremendous value today! It's over $80 in free gifts--one of them the gorgeous Cranberries & Cream tote bag.

While you are at the store, make sure to check out their Black Friday "Sales" and doorbusters (They will be changing regularly, with savings from 10%-70%).

Lapbooks from "In the Hands of Child"
Language software from Auralog
Books from Creation Ministries International
Draw and Write through History(These look neat!)
and heaps and scads of e-books.

BTW, if you are wondering about the ebook phenomenon, here is... well.... a free ebook that will "educate you on the many advantages of E-Books". I'll mention one last great Freebie offered by TOS (There are more...)~ The 176-page 2010 Digital Holiday Supplement! It is packed with all new content for 2010 and takes you around the world to explore Christmas in other lands. Inside you'll discover festive ideas, fun crafts, special recipes, and activity pages for your children. Plus, as a special bonus, they've included articles full of homeschooling advice and encouragement from their 2010 Fall Schoolhouse Expo speakers(Linking to the "Expo To Go" page in case you want to check it out)

Plus, one family is going to win a getaway package to Great Wolf Lodge! Join in the savings and fun-- Check it out!

Currclick Is not offering their amazing Black Friday Freebies as in years past, but they ARE having a "Season of Giving Sale" with items discounted up to 70% off, and 5% of proceeds being donated to World Vision.

Homeschool Library Builder has all items on their entire site on sale for 25% off through November 30. This is a great place to pick up used books for a variety of curriculum, and you can even search by curriculum.These ladies give great service, and I've been happy with all the books I've purchased from them (And they've saved me a bundle!).

Vision Forum has a sale going on from now through midnight, Saturday, November 27~ mix and match any two items* and receive a third item of your choice absolutely free!* Your free product can be any item* that is equal to, or less than, the lowest price of your two purchased products. There is no limit to the number of free items you can receive during this mix-and-match sale — every third item is free!*

Salem Ridge Press is offering a sale through Tuesday, November 30~ Buy 5 books, get the 6th book free as well as free shipping. on orders over $30. They mostly reprint books from the late 1800's to early 1900's, with Philippians 4:8 being the standard they use to choose (And lightly edit) their books.

Franklin Springs' Black Friday sales start now! For your holiday shopping needs, they are making available a special 35% off coupon code ALLFILMS35 good toward any purchase at Franklin Springs*. In addition to that they are also offering FREE SHIPPING on orders of $50 or more.* (Note: Our HAH Library owns George Washington Carver and the Stonewall Jackson story)

Timberdoodle has a 5 day sale going on (Ends November 27) with some great deals to be had, and some FUN stocking stuffers!

Amanda Bennett is offering a $5 Unit Study Sale (3 different unit studies on sale each day through Friday). I have enjoyed using the units that we have purchased from her, (Today...Thursday, she has the Digital Photography unit that I purchased, and plan to have Oldest use as we go through "School Light" in December)

Blessings~

Giveaway~ Jesus Calling 365 Devotions for Kids

2010-11-17T13:35:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I have an extra copy of "Jesus Calling 365 Devotions for Kids" that I am going to send, at my expense, to one reader of my blog. (I'm keeping my own copy, though... we are enjoying using it with some modifications)

Entries~ Leave a comment for each one.(US only~ Sorry that I can't send internationally)
(Note~ Comments are being moderated currently due to spam and obnoxious comments~ Thank you for keeping your comments family friendly and "clean")

Mandatory~ Publicly follow my blog, and leave a comment telling me what YOUR favorite "kid-devotional" is that you've used so far, or what you think you will enjoy most about "Jesus Calling". (If you already follow, please note that in your comment)

Extra entries:

Leave a comment telling me where you heard about the giveaway (1 entry)
Follow my homeschool reviews blog,: http://acornsnuggetsofgold.blogspot.com/ (1 entry)
Post an extra comment with one of your favorite Bible Verses (Limit one per person)
Post an extra comment completing the phrase "I am thankful for ______" (limit 2 per person)
Post on any non-giveaway post with a "thoughtful" comment (come back and tell me which post you commented on, so that I can include it in my "random" number draw) (now, wasn't that clear as mud??? ;) (1 entry per comment per post)
Blog about this giveaway (1 entry) and leave me a comment with the link to your post.

Entries must be in by10pm EST on Monday, November 29th.
(For more interesting Contests, check out Contesting Monday )

Blessings~

GratiTuesday~ Kids, Savings, and a Book

2010-11-17T12:42:00.000-05:00

Oh dear, I am a day late AGAIN!!! But here is my list for this week!

Little boys who say "Thank You!" with great feeling, for even the smallest actions(like covering their chilly toes with a blanket while mostly asleep)
Young ladies who ENJOY peeling potatoes!
CVS' "Extra Care", and Rite Aid's "Wellness" programs, which help save $ on regular purchases, especially when combined with coupons.
Tying in with the previous item... sites like couponmom.com which let me sort the sales at drugstores and even some grocery stores by percent saved.... makes it easier to make a "smart" purchase. :)
Challenging and eye-opening books like Safely Home

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Blessings~

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids By Sarah Young (Review)

2010-11-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

Our school day "Starts" with "Bible Time". I find it rather humorous that my kids get their spelling and sometimes their math done before breakfast, but they consider our devotional time to truly be the start of our day. They have even been known to ask if we were ready to "Start our day yet?" when other things get in the way, like doctor or orthodontist appointments. This is a good thing, I think.

This year we have been using, among a couple of other items, the book "Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids." It is adapted from the adult version of the book by the same title, written by missionary Sarah Young, based on her written prayer journals through the years.

Each page is dated, given a topic, with scripture at the beginning and the end of the devotional.(See widget below for a look inside!)

CONS:

The devotions are written in the "voice" or from the perspective of Jesus, speaking directly to the reader. This is an interesting concept, but one that I found disturbing on a daily basis. I understand the intent, but I felt that what God may have been saying to someone else isn't necessarily what He would be saying to me or my kids (Certain devotions were too "Specific", and didn't apply to my children or our circumstances....). I have changed the "voice" to third person upon some occasions.
We also found instances where the scriptures used to back up the devotion were taken out of context, which is not a practice I am fond of.

PROS:

That being said, we were amazed the number of times that the devotion correlated to the sermon on Sunday, something else that we were reading during our devotion time, or some other thing we had read about or heard that week or even day.
The scriptures are one of our very favorite parts of the day, as I have turned them into "Sword Drills" for my kids... they race to see who can find the reference the fastest. They like the competition, and I like that they are learning to find their way around the Bible quickly and easily.
Although not fond of the consistent use of the first person, I have appreciated the commitment to showing my children that God does use His Word to speak to us on a daily basis if we will only hear Him.

This might be an excellent choice for a family Christmas Gift. I personally would recommend using it as a read-aloud, vs individual devotions, due to some themes that may not apply to every family. (not bad... just not applicable).

"Jesus Calling" can be purchased from a variety of booksellers, including ChristianBook.com, Barnes & Nobles, Borders, Family Christian, Amazon.com and others.

List price is $14.99, but I found most of these booksellers are offering it for an average of 20% off.

I hope that you enjoyed this review.
Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

2+2=$10???? (TOS Subscription Special)

2010-11-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

Um.... 2+2=10???? Well, it does if you are interested in a subscription to the Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and are quick about it! ;) Click on the banner above to go right to the TOS site right away, or continue reading to get the details. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is one of my favorite sources of encouragement~ Articles include the practical ( Ruth Beechick), the Spiritual (The "Chapel" column), and a variety of different topics in each quarterly magazine. I kind of consider this magazine my answer to the public schools' "Teacher Training" days, and a "Teachers' Lounge".

Here are the details~

On Monday, November 15, the price for a one-year U.S. or Canadian print subscription to
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine® Magazine is $10.

On Tuesday, November 16, the price goes to $12.

On Wednesday, November 17, the price is $14.

Each day we add $2 until Saturday and Sunday, when the price is $20. At midnight PST on Sunday, November 21, the price goes back to its regular level.

Plus, every 12th customer to purchase a subscription gets a tote bag. (These are really nice! I like the ones I own!)
Every 14th customer to purchase a subscription gets a copy of the E-Book: The 2010-2011 Schoolhouse Planner.

Every 16th customer to purchase a subscription gets a $25 gift card to the Totally TOS category in the Schoolhouse Store. This excludes Molly Green and Download N Go™.

As an added bonus, the highest ticket of the day on Monday, November 15 through Wednesday, November 17, will win a $200 gift card to the Schoolhouse Store. This can be used for any company in the Store,except Download N Go™.

So, put 2 and 2 together and shop early! The earlier you grab your one-year new or renewing
subscription, the better the price you'll pay. Plus, you could receive one of the bonus gifts. Or, you might be the highest ticket of the day! Click on the banner below to get started!

If you are eligible for a bonus gift, you will receive an email from a member of the Schoolhouse Store team.

Blessings~

*Note~ My "Extra-curricular Activities budget" that pays for Irish Step Dance and Sports Activities appreciates your purchase through my affiliate links.

Some Potentially Overlooked Good Children's/Young Adult Fiction Reads

2010-11-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

OK, So I haven't made good on my promise to create our own "Top 100 Children's Books" list yet , but We'll be working on it. In the meantime, in honor of "Works For Me Wednesday", here are some books that I pulled out from the library bookshelves for RJP to read in the past few months , that subsequently received good reviews from her...(Although they aren't written for the most part... sorry)
Christopher Mouse, the Tale of a Small Traveler by William Wise ~ The story of a mouse who begins his life in the home of a woman who breeds mice for scientific research and pet stores. His adventures range from a pet store to being a pet to running loose at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is probably a great read-aloud for boys or girls aged 7 and on up to "Filler" for your pre-teen/voracious reading teen.

Hope these work for you this Wednesday, to give you some new ideas for good wholesome tween/teen reading... I'll add more as I get to it~

Blessings~

Note: I used affiliate Amazon images because it was super easy to add the books this way. I appreciate any purchases made through the links, but please note that at least one of the books is not available for purchase... Check out your public LIBRARY! :)

GratiTuesday, on Wednesday~ Take 10(or more)! Kids/Veterans/Bargains

2010-11-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

I am a grateful person, however, I don't always find time to write a post about it!

Because I missed last week, I'll add 10 things I'm grateful for~In no particular order....

Little 3 year-old boys who randomly start singing portions of "He is Mighty to Save", and "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?" as well as "Jesus Loves Me", and "Jesus Loves the Little Children"
A sister who "likes" rainy days so she can spend time with her brother (Who would otherwise be outside skateboarding with his friends)
Children who are maturing and "Serving" when asked, even if they don't care for the task, without grumbling! WOW! I've been waiting for this! :)
Friends who bless us with music that is (mostly) just our cup of tea Wow Hymns
A Cortisone shot that hurt like crazy on Friday, but improved hand mobility by Sunday! (Now praying that it continues to be efficacious for awhile)
Some "Freebies" offered by giant corporations(Amazon in this case)~ For my kids~ (Veggie Tales Singing Christmas Tree Download) and for me ( Randy Alcorn's "Safely Home" Kindle version downloaded to my itouch) (You might want to pick these up for yourself!)
Experimenting with recipes that turn out yummy! (Apple Pie/Crisp with a Cheesy Brown Rice Crust)
In honor of our Veteran's, I am so thankful for all those who are serving or have served, so that we can be free
I am thankful for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice
I am thankful for the families of those in the military who sacrifice "life with mommy or daddy" on a daily basis
And an extra... Thankful for those who support and show "kindness" and "respect" to those who protect our nation, and ultimately, our freedom.

So, there you have it... my list for this week and last.... :)

What are YOU Grateful for this week? If you want a little more inspiration, check out the other posts linked up at Heavenly Homemaker's GratiTuesday .

Blessings~

CSN Stores~ Review~ Finally!

2010-11-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Remember back in August I mentioned that I was going to get something from CSN Stores to review?? Due to my computer/camera combo not playing nicely together it has taken me far too long to get this review written. However.... Here is what we chose:

The lovely yellow swing ($27.99)with the coated chains:

This is GREAT! Not only are the chains "no pinch", due to the rubbery coating, they are long enough that littlest can just about get on by himself. He likes "his" swing, and I'm happy that he isn't sitting on slippery hard plastic any more!(Now I'm not afraid that he'll fall off every time I give him a push, because the swing hugs his bum.) BONUS~ The seat fits mom, dad, our neighbor 'C' (who is much taller than I).. one at a time of course... :)

The other item that we picked up to review was the Crescendo Fitness 36" Mini Jump Trampoline. (The version we got had a blue cover which is no longer available. However, I expect the black cover to perform the same as the blue... ;) ) The trampoline is a HUGE hit here! This is going to be a super item to have in the house this winter when I need kiddos to burn a little extra energy. $39.95 is a small price to pay for the convenience of expending that energy inside! I also understand that "Rebounding" can greatly benefit your immune system. I plan to look into that more!

I'm very happy with how sturdy this unit seems to be, and I really like the fact that the legs screw off, so that the whole unit can be stored easily. Littlest has decided that this is his "stage", and he'll happily bounce "around" in circles, changing his expression each time he comes around. VERY fun! Eldest and Middlest enjoy it as well, and if we leave it out, I frequently find someone SITTING on it, reading a book! (Yes... we are seriously lacking seating in our home!)

I will say that I was careful to choose items that were listed as in stock and shipping within 3-5 days, and CSN delivered as promised. All in all, I was very happy with the entire process.

Oh, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I was able to add another item to my order that I paid for myself~ A folding chair with attached cooler underneath ($16.99). We haven't had opportunity to use this yet, but expect that it will come in handy as extra seating when Eldest goes Feis'n (Irish Step Dance Competition).

So there you have it! Stay tuned~ I may have something else interesting coming up from the wealth of products that CSN provides soon! :)

Disclosure of Material Connection: CSN Stores provided the Swing and Trampoline free of Charge. I was not required to post or to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

GratiTuesday~ Children , Shoes, and Real Friends

2010-10-26T21:01:00.000-04:00

Continuing to count my blessings(5 at a time) on GratiTuesday~ because, as I said last week~ His mercies are new every morning~ it is good to acknowledge it... ;) This week I am thankful for:

Last Gasp of "Summery/Fall" days, filled with sunshine and warmth, and "School" on the front porch, since it's so pleasant outside.
Brand New hard shoes for our Irish dancer-girl. This is one of those things where I am ever so grateful because this is the first time in 5 years of dance that we've had to pay that Brand New price tag! This ties into my next item~
Children who are growing steadily(hence the need for those clothes and shoes, etc...), and are healthy.
Children who are learning how to quickly find their way around the Bible. We've incorporated "Sword Drills" into our daily devotions, and it has been so fun to watch them improve in their speed and knowledge.
The Blessings of cyber-friends who join together to make a positive impact on the lives of people that they may have never met "in real life" Read here to get a glimpse into the world of my "Five In a Row" (FIAR) sisters~ I am so grateful to have been a part of this group of ladies, reaching out to touch a hurting family~

What are YOU grateful for this Tuesday?
You can reply here, or link up your own post at GratiTuesday~ hosted by Heavenly Homemakers.
Blessings~

Gratituesday~ Because they are new every morning....

2010-10-19T17:57:00.000-04:00

Hey~ This is a new (To me) meme that I thought I might try to take part in on a regular basis... after all, nothing grows a spirit of contentment and peace more than an attitude of gratitude, right?

So~ Today, I am grateful for many things~ I'll limit myself to 5 per post, some mundane, and some less, so that I actually get the post published! :D

My children~ who while they occasionally drive me nuts, more regularly amaze me with their words and behavior~ I DO love my kids, but I also LIKE my kids!
My husband~ who is so thoughtful and caring~ who willingly does the dishes every night, and spends time with his kids~ (He likes them too! :) )
For the amazing palette of color that God uses on His creation every Autumn.... from the leaves to the surprise late flowers to the apples of many hues~ often with a brilliant background of bright blue sky~ He is definitely an Artist, who caters to our souls just because He loves us. (No other reason for all that color, right? )
I am grateful for a house with a heating system that works when the chilly breezes blow.
I am grateful for the ability to put tasty, nutritious food on the table to keep my family fed and healthy.

So, there you go~ 5 reasons to be grateful this Tuesday~ If you'd like to be inspired by other's please visit Gratituesday.

Blessings~

Pork Stoganoff(?) Cranberry Chicken, and Curried Carrot Soup to name a few....

2010-10-18T17:07:00.001-04:00

Monday, Monday! What meals to cook??? Monday, Monday~ Menu Plan Monday, Let's take a look~

Monday~ a Pork Stroganoff sort of dish that I'm planning to make up to use left-over roast pork, served over egg noodles, with possibly green beans or broccoli on the side(All depends on what comes home from the grocery store!)
Tuesday~ Stealing the idea from my friend Lori(Thanks for posting on Menu Plan Monday, early! I needed some "inspiration"!), I'm also going with No-Bean Chili. I will use basically the same recipe, except that I will add green chiles, 2 cans of hominy, and Worcestershire sauce to the mix. Hmmm.... is this becoming my own recipe? Not sure about that at this point, but should be good. :) (Also thinking of doing it in the crockpot, but we shall see)
Wednesday~ Chicken Crockpot dish~ probably cranberry-ish (my recipe is fromFix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining Cookbook , but it's basically the same as the recipe I linked if you use the "Suggestion" ) and salad.
Thursday~Curried Carrot Soup (This is similar to the recipe I'll use)with crusty bread~ YUM!
Friday~ Left-overs or "Left-over Pizza".... something QUICK! I will definitely be using my favorite pizza crust recipe, tho'.

Whew! Now that I have that written down hopefully my week will go smoothly! :)
Blessings~

Edit: This just in~ The Chicken will move to Thursday and Wednesday will be Soup Day, with a Broccoli soup utilizing left-over Broccoli from tonight~ LOTS of broccoli! YUM!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine~ Cranberry Christmas Subscription Sale

2010-10-02T00:23:00.000-04:00

Hey, Friends~ Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner? The folks at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine have been getting ready for months to create this offer for you. I'm sorry that I missed getting this information out to you as soon as I heard(What can I say... it was Tuesday or Wednesday, and we had grandparents visiting, so I have a little excuse), but it is good through Saturday, October 2~

TOS is offering a great bargain. You can receive two years plus the fall issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Packed with more than 200 pages, it is a resource homeschoolers treasure. Subscribers will also receive the Homeschooling With Heart tote bag (I LOVE my TOS Bags! They are sturdy, and come with me just about everywhere!) and a copy of the E-Book Cranberry Christmas, available for immediate download. You’ll get all of these inspirational, festive, and fun goodies for only $19.95. This price is good for new subscribers, renewals, gift subscriptions, and U.S. or Canadian customers. The sale lasts just through Saturday, October 2.

However, if you couldn't get to it by Saturday, there is still a good deal~ October 3 through October 5, even though the sale drops down to a one-year subscription plus the fall issue, you still receive the tote and the e-book Cranberry Christmas.

Here is a little more information about Cranberry Christmas. This is a great “idea book” to get your family ready for the upcoming holidays!

The staff and friends of The Old Schoolhouse® have come together to share their favorite family traditions, recipes, and more with you.

It’s your FREE gift!

WOW . . . a gorgeous holiday/Christmas digital magazine filled with inspirational and “how-to” articles, along with a fabulous lineup of planning, recipe, gift, and craft ideas you’ll love.

If you’re familiar with The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, you know what an inspiring, incredible resource it is. This digital holiday supplement is our gift to you—a unique way to support, encourage, and inspire you and your family during this wondrous time of year.

This 100-page digital holiday magazine is not your typical E-Book. Because this supplement is created with the same high-quality format that’s used in the digital version of our print magazine, you can even “turn” its lavishly illustrated, full-color pages. And we hope you will enjoy this timeless, practical, and beautiful resource for years to come.

Its seasonally rich content will boost your creativity and show you how to make the most of the holiday season! Dive right in and start using the wonderful new craft and recipe ideas to enhance your family's holiday experience.

Will you bring back old traditions or start some new ones? We’d like to help you plan some meaningful holiday memories that the whole family will enjoy.

Get a free limited edition, cranberry and cream, Homeschooling with Heart tote bag and a two-year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for just $19.95. Offer good only through midnight on October 2, 2010.

Old Standbys, and eating out...

2010-09-20T23:08:00.000-04:00

OK, I've been rather absent posting these lately, but thought maybe I'd take a shot at it this week...
Now things are a little "in flux" because we have company (My dad and his bride) coming this week, but I'm going to do my best~

Monday~ Pizza with Pesto and Sausage, and Pizza with Pesto and carmelized Onion
Tuesday~ Tuna Salad Sandwiches and Salad!
Wednesday~ Airport pick-up.... probably dinner out
Thursday~ Maybe... possibly....hopefully.... Seafood! (Possbily Lobster, steamers, Corn on the Cob, and Potato Salad... maybe even Watermelon! ;) DH cooks the seagood, I'll make the Potato Salad )
Friday~ French Fry Soup and Salad before our first AWANA club meeting of the year~ it's a family affair at our house! :)
Saturday~ Dinner with both FIL's... likely out (Or carry out), and based on what I know of both fathers.... Seafood again! :)
Sunday we have a double digit birthday boy, and he'd like to go to Texas Roadhouse. I'm going to try to dissuade him, and suggest a nice picnic instead, but we shall see.... birthdays only come once a year.

YIPES! Dinner out possibly 3 times??? EGADS! However, this is what often happens when famly visits infrequently... should be fun! :)

Be sure to check out lots of other menu plans by clicking the picture/link at the top of my post~ Blessings~

Homeschool 2010~ (or Ode to the Mighty Glue Stick)

2010-09-15T00:11:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd try to keep a little record here of what we're doing this year. My fingers aren't so grand at typing right now (Have a "Ganglion cyst" at the base of my right wrist that is causing me some trouble~ going to see a hand/wrist ortho guy on Friday...), and adding pictures is a little difficult, but I will make an effort. ;)

Today we started by reading an overview of Gladys Aylward in Dave and Neta Jackson's Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes** . I am looking forward to this series, which will I will use to incorporate Bible, history, and Character education. Very Cool!

Both kids whipped through their spelling, and math. While Middlest was still at his math, Eldest read Littlest his Before Five In a Row (BFIAR) book with him, and started on his first lapbook (from the Homeschool Share site). Excellent! He is soooo loving this! Then Eldest went right to work on her science, and Middlest was working on his writing.

After 1.5 hours of paining my right wrist(grrr.... printer cover is too heavy!), and trying to get my printer software and my computer to cooperate, I finally was able to reproduce some timeline pics (legally allowed) from Ultimate Geography And Timeline Guide** (my understanding is that the newest printing of this book includes the images on CD-Rom... YAY!) , and finally get to History. We just decided on what course to do today, so how is that for last minute? The kids wanted to actually go through a complete era in History for a change (instead of our patchwork history via reviews for the TOS Crew the past 2 years), so we are just "Reading" in Story of the World Vol 1 to catch us up to where we left off in Mystery of History Vol 1. We then plan to combine the two together using this schedule (BTW, that site, Paula's Archives" has a wealth of information~ I often forget to check there, and then slap myself upside the head when I finally remember! ;) )

So that was it for the day, time to eat a quick bite and get Eldest off to Irish Step-dance, for her first class of the week. Then to the voting booth, and a quick run to CVS and Market Basket.

One most excellent benefit to the start of the "official school year" that I am noticing right away, is that Littlest isn't clamoring for PBS television right off the bat, and Eldest isn't trying to use it to "Babysit"... everyone is too busy! :)

On the other hand, I may have to buy stock in one adhesive company or another.... I put a glue stick in each child's new school supplies~ we've frequently had glues sticks dry up at our house from lack of use, so I only bought one package when they were on sale at Staples. Major miscalculation! Littlest does NOT follow his siblings inclination to keep their fingers clean! It's only "Day 2", and he's gone through a half a stick of glue! Yikes! (At least "some" of it was used very purposefully on the lapbook, but this kid just loves to cut scraps of paper, and then glue them in stacks... piece on top of piece....)

So... on with the adventure~ we shall see what tomorrow brings, as my plans are laid as we walk through this week. (Next week should go MUCH more smoothly from MY perspective at least.)

Blessings~

The First Day of Homeschool Year 2010-2011

2010-09-14T21:30:00.001-04:00

Well... FINALLY~ Monday we started off RJP's 8th grade, JDP 1's 5th Grade, and JDP 2's Pre-K3 grade of school!

The kids took their traditional photos on the front steps,

and then dug into their new bags with new school supplies and t-shirts.

Then they had to change INTO their shirts for a new photo shoot! ;)

For mom really feeling behind the 8-ball and not all that organized, we did pretty well~
Morning Missions/Bible (Have you heard of the Garifuna peoples? We hadn't, but now they are on our radar screen! )
Spelling tests~
Math (RJP picked right up where she left off in Video Text, and JDP 1 had his first Saxon lesson... no tears from either one, so that was a good sign!)
RJP read JDP 2 his first B4FIAR book, "Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?" and did a "Bear hunt" through the book with him.
RJP also did her first day's work in Apologia General Science(Wow~ what a difference in her understanding and clarity of thought from 6th grade when we reviewed this book to 8th grade!), while JDP worked on proofreading a portion of the short story he's writing.

All in all, I'd say it was a fairly profitable 1st day of school. :)

Then it was time to make dinner, and head over to my back-yard neighbor's house for our first Homeschool Support Group meeting of the 2010/2011 school year. We had a devotional (From One Hundred and One Devotions for Homeschool Moms) on being "confident" but not "proud" or "Judgmental" towards those who make other schooling choices. Great topic and discussion.

MyBlogSpark~ A Surprise Dinner!

2010-08-13T13:16:00.001-04:00

Well~ I suppose that this could apply as a Frugal Friday post in some ways, and not so much in others... ;)

I have enjoyed trying out various products and reviewing them, so I thought that signing up with MyBlogspark.com would be a good idea. Imagine my surprise when I received the following email:

"Dinner’s on us, you deserve it! As a thank you for being a member of the MyBlogSpark network, we would like to treat you and a guest to a night out.
You and a guest are invited to a special dinner at Myers + Chang in Boston where you will have the chance to meet other local members of the MyBlogSpark network. The exclusive dining experience includes a special four-course dinner and drinks for two (limit of one alcoholic drink per person) as well as a $50 gift card to cover any incidental costs such as transportation or parking. Guests must be 21 years of age or older."

I mean... really?? I hadn't had the chance to review anything for them yet, and they were taking me out to dinner??? That's awfully nice! :)

I invited my friend and next door neighbor to come with me for a "Girls' Night Out", since our hubbies were willing to get kiddos to and from their various activities. Then it was time to RSVP and mapquest the directions to Myers & Chang.

Most of our "Adventures" related to actually GETTING to our location... (Who knew that there is a "U-turn" on the Mass Pike in Cambridge for those who mistakenly got on in Boston because the signs are seriously lacking!!!) but thankfully parking was a breeze, and we ended up less than a block away. :)

When we arrived at Myers & Chang, we were welcomed by members of MyBlogSpark, and given a seat at a table near the window. the table was set with a cute silver fortune-cookie place card, holding our special menu choices. The waiter took our drink orders (WOW! House-made Sodas... lychee-vanilla was far and away my favorite, although the mint lime rickey was good as well ~ @ $5 a pop, this would be the part that is NOT so frugal... but oh the yumminess!).

We started with mama chang's pork dumplings, followed by wok-roasted lemongrass mussels and thai ginger chicken salad with rice vermicelli. We then had a choice of about 8 entrees. We decided to go with the Shrimp Lo Mein and the Orange Chicken.

All during dinner there was a film crew roaming and videoing various tables and diners (And their dinners). They didn't stop at our table, but it was fun to watch.

Finally, round about dessert time (coconut cream pie with lime whipped cream and chocolate and cocoa nib terrine with vietnamese coffee sauce), the MyBlogSpark folks started handing out fortune cookies~ and therein lay the second surprise~ our entrees were not crafted by Myers & Chang (I have to admit to having been surprised by the "Typical-ness" of the options, but didn't really think about it at the time), but were frozen Wanchai Ferry dinners! Hello! I didn't expect that curve ball! I have to say that while the sauces were rather more sweet than spicy, overall the dishes were very good, and I wouldn't have guessed that they were frozen dinner kits. I am pretty sure that my boys would enjoy the orange chicken, and the shrimp lo mein was VERY good (the shrimp was delightfully tasty and tender, if just a little saltier than I like), and would be a hit with the other seafood lovers in my house.

We WERE interviewed after the surprise was revealed to find out what our reactions were... fun~ fun~ Hope I don't end up on TV in a Wanchai Ferry commercial!

As we left the restaurant we were each given little plastic chinese take out containers in which were enclosed coupons for 3 free Wanchai Ferry dinners. I contemplated doing a give-away for these on my blog, but my DH convinced me that he would like to have the opportunity to try the shrimp lo mein as well, so we're keeping them to feed the family one night. However, if YOU are interested in trying them out, I have noticed a number of coupon sites with printable Wanchai Ferry coupons. Check it out the next time you're in the mood for Chinese at home! :) (Hence the frugal aspect of this post)

Disclosure of Material Connection: MyBlogSpark provided the dining experience, $50 gift card, coupons, and the fortune cookie place card holders. I was not required to post or to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

CSN Stores~ Sets~ Dining, Swing, Bedding and more!

2010-08-05T14:18:00.001-04:00

Remember the $40 Gift Certificate giveaway I did a few weeks back from CSN stores? Well, I've been offered the chance to review an item for them, so I've been perusing their site(s). With over a million products to choose from, it's difficult to narrow down my choices. They have dinnerware sets(The holiday dinnerware caught me eye, and they are all on sale right now for 20-50% off! Time to start thinking about Christmas! :) ), swing sets (yup.. still looking at those swings~ and trampolines, too!), and bedding sets!

Stay tuned to see what I picked to review, and go check out their stores... you will be amazed at the variety offered. :) Right now looks like a good time to shop, too, because many of the CSN stores are running sales right now, AND there are promotional codes for various categories.

Oh, and I have to mention... they are also offering a bunch of Hatch a New Habitat contests... from bedrooms (Closed to entering, open for voting Here's my cyber-friend's entry If you want to vote for her, click "rate this item" at the top, and give her some stars. :) ), to bathrooms to backyards... I might have to think about entering one of those, too! ;)

OK, time to let you get back to your important web-work/browsing/playing, and time for me to get back to my kids and the real world. :)

Blessings~

Busy summertime~ Cultural Exchange!

2010-08-05T14:08:00.001-04:00

Hey~ have you all been wondering where I've been for awhile? Well, in addition to New England actually benefitting from real "Summery" weather (hence... outdoors, not inside at the computer...), we are once again hosting a Japanese exchange student.

This year we have a sweet 13 year old girl named Yukino, from the Yamaguchi province (Southwestern tip) of Japan. She is quiet and shy, but gets along well with my crew. So far Blokus, Dutch Blitz, Uno and drawing with colored pencils have been the most regular, DAILY, activities.

We were very busy her first week here~

Saturday was an Irish Step Dance Competition, and swimming at Bigga Bob's
Sunday was Church, and swimming at M's
Monday was a minor league baseball game (New Hampshire Fisher Cats... we'll do that again! What a venue!)

Tuesday was Dadda's birthday, and Mini Golf
Wednesday we caught an outdoor concert in Newburyport
Thursday we went shell-hunting at Plum Island (And I scraped up my ankle but good on some barnacles... OUCH!)
Friday we went to Boston... Swan boats and the MFA (And you never know what you'll see on Charles St.... Spike Red Heels and Black Dresses on the Bridesmaids, who definitely had a job to do!)
Saturday was the Japanese Exchange Group Picnic in CT with Uncle Pappa's family~ great fun (The Nerf Swords were new to me!)
Sunday was church again, then home for family game night on Dadda's last day of vacation.

This week has been much more mellow, with mostly home time, some "Window shopping" for presents to go back to Japan, and games, games, games. :)

How is YOUR Summer going?
Blessings~

Wanderin' In the Desert~ What's in the Bible? (DVD Review)

2010-07-18T23:59:00.001-04:00

"Wanderin' in the Desert" is the 3rd volume of Phil Vischer's (Creator of Veggie Tales) new series What's in the Bible (With Buck Denver). Being great fans of Veggie Tales, we were happy to have the chance to preview this series.

Just a little background on the series to date.
The first two DVD's in the series cover some foundations (What IS the Bible?" , "Who WROTE the Bible?" and some Basic Biblical vocabulary, as well as giving kids the "Big picture" of, well... What's in the Bible! (Genesis and Exodus, to be precise) The Volume that I was sent to actually review was volume 3, which continues on through Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy~ to finish out the Pentateuch. The plan is to have 13 DVDs in the series that will walk the younger generation through every book of the Bible, to give them a general overview of the entire Bible. (Each DVD retails for $14.99)

I am both impressed but also vaguely dissatisfied:

Great concept ~giving kids that big picture~ What each book is really about, not just a snippet about each character.
There is an EXCELLENT bonus feature that explores our miraculous universe against a scientific background~
Some "characters" are more fun to watch than others. I found the introductions with "Michael" to be annoying, not something I want my kids to mimic. The rest of the muppet-like characters provide an interesting cast, & I enjoy the way that Phil Vischer interacts with them.
Each episode is split into 5 "chapters", enabling you to use just a portion of the episode at a time.The music is catchy, as would be expected from Phil Vischer. One Caveat ~ I wish the theme song didn't introduce the questions of "Is it true? Is it reliable?" to young children. At early ages I don't feel they need to wrestle with those questions. (Same reason we study myths later)
One section troubled me~ "Tricky Questions with Phil". In and of themselves, I think the "Tricky Questions" are good, and the answers were typically well thought out and presented. However, given that I do subscribe lightly to the Classical Education idea that the early years should be spent learning and memorizing facts, I felt that the raising of these questions is more suitable for the middle years (12-14 years) where this sort of thinking and analyzing are more appropriate.

Summary~

The Good: The message~ I feel that "What's in the Bible" could be an excellent vehicle for beginning apologetics, viewed chapter by chapter for Jr High aged students(in Sunday school or during home-school) who are "walking through the Bible" to gel certain concepts and facts about each book.
The Bad: ~ The dichotomy between some of the message and the presentation for the ages it is appropriate for~ I may yet change my opinion on this, but this is my gut reaction.(I received a free copy for review from Tyndale)

Because I really like the content and the concept, I will most likely use these videos, in "Chapter format" with my 13 yo, to serve as introductions and summaries to these books of the Bible. Because most of the content is applicable to all ages, I wish I didn't feel the need to "filter" out the bits that I feel raise questions that I am not ready to broach with my children under the age of 12.

If your family and/or church has a different set of "filters", you may be able to tell from what I've said that this is just what you are looking for. Please visit the What's in the Bible website for more information about this video, as well as others in the series. You can watch a few video clips that will give you a feel for "What's in the Bible". The "Store" also offers individual episodes and video shorts for purchase and download.

Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Making the internet "work" for you

2010-07-14T10:34:00.001-04:00

Hey, I figured I ought to send out a post about some of the money-saving aspects of the internet that I have benefited from. Some of these programs DO have referral benefits(Signified with a **) , so if you haven't signed up, I'd really appreciate it if you used my referral links. Others are just great ideas~ So, here goes:

Earn Cash back for purchases through Ebates**~ This is one that I sometimes forget to check out, but I'm almost always glad when I DO remember. (Then there are the days like today, where I ordered directly from Snapfish with one of their "Deals", but would have payed the same price going through Ebates, PLUS I would have gotten 7.5% cash back),
PLUS
2.5% "Rewards" for shopping with my American Express Card. I love using this, because I can (And have, many times), cash in the precentages earned for Home Depot Gift Cards (Usually in $50 denominations) If your Credit Card Company offers a rewards program, I recommend joining it!

Which leads me to my Bank's Debit Card. I haven't figured out yet if there is a detriment to me in this, but my Bank offers a similar program to the American Express Rewards program, when I remember to use my Debit card as a Credit Card... Cash Back/Points accumulated. I haven't been doing it very long, and don't always remember, but I figure if I can get a little bit back, it is a good thing.

OK, I have to mention Swagbucks** now. You can see my thoughts over on the right-hand sidebar. I recently updated and mentioned that I cashed in a bunch of points for a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate. That money was all earned just by using Swagbucks as my search engine. Since I typically do a fair amount of searching, this is a nice way to help pay for all that time spent in front of the 'puter! :)

Another "Shopping Portal" is MyPoints**, but I tend to do less shopping there(Unless there is a store that Ebates doesn't partner with), but I do accumulate points by clicking through emails. I don't waste a lot of time on it, but when I see an interesting offer, I definitely click through, and eventually I get enough points to cash in for decent Gift Cards. (There is a way to refer freinds and get a little credit, but I think it involves email addresses, rather than just clicking links~ If you're interested let me know, otherwise, just check it out anyway!)

A couple of other sites that are very helpful (And FREE to sign up ) BEFORE I go shopping at the Brick and Mortar Stores are:

Couponmom which lets you see the current weeks deals combining coupons from the Sunday Paper inserts with the sales at grocery stores as well as the big chain drug stores. I really enjoy sorting by percent saved, and trying to keep my purchases above the 50% saved mark. (And yes, I do some couponing... because toothpaste and toothbrushes, floss, and the occasional paper product, dishwashing liquid are included in the coupon deals, not just the processed junk that I don't tend to buy... ;) )
MyGrocerydeals ~ This site is only for grocery stores, and doesn't offer any coupon information, but if you're trying to figure out which store has the best deal on a certain GROCERY item, this is a great place to check out. They unfortunately don't carry our local frugal store, Market Basket, but it makes it the only flyer that I have to look when comparing the prices of the other stores online... GREAT!

Oh, and lest I forget here are a few more sites to check out before shopping ANYWHERE, online OR B&M

Retailmenot(The most reliable source for searching coupon codes that I've found)
Fishing For Deals(I've found some good deals in the "Catch of the Day" forum)
Hot Coupon World (one more grocery/coupon site that I use on a semi regular basis.

Well, I hope this helps you take advantage of some of the money-saving capabilities of the 'net.
This Works for me! For more great ideas, both frugal and otherwise, check out more posts at Works For Me Wednesday.

Blessings~

Book Review~ Somewhere to Belong

2010-07-13T13:23:00.001-04:00

Here's another Bethany House Christian Fiction review. This time it is a novel by Judith Miller : Somewhere to Belong : Daughters of Amana #1

This was a pleasant read that I could recommend on more than one basis~

Historically: I learned about the Amana colonies, a religious colony/commune similar in some ways to the Amish, but very different in others~ (Ever heard of Amana Radar Ranges? So, they don't show up in this book, but there is history here)
Relationally: There are a number of great lessons to be drawn from this book, from parent/young adult to "seasoned" marital/emotional bonds
Character-building: Again, some great action/consequence type lessons with themes like honesty and responsibility.

The Story is told from the first person viewpoint of the two main characters ~ fairly "opposite" girls, Berta, and Johanna. They are both faced with choices and decisions that will affect their lives. There is a side-story going on between Berta's parents that I greatly enjoyed as well. Over-arching themes of love, honesty, forgiveness and responsibility, crafted into a well-told, engaging story.

I think this would be a great mid-older teen/mother book club book~ The potential for interesting discussions is huge! :)

Somewhere to Belong is available from Bethany House, Amazon **, CBD, and other booksellers.
Blessings~

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Bethany House Book Reviewers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
** affiliate link

Menu Monday~ Pizza, Quiche with Rice crust, Popcorn Chicken (links)u

2010-07-12T16:45:00.001-04:00

http://orgjunkie.com/2010/07/menu-plan-monday-july-12th.htmlHmmm... let's see what we're going to think about eating this week~

Monday~ Salad and Pizza (Using leftover crust I made on Saturday, topped with onions and zucchini)
Tuesday~ Quiche with a rice crust ~I made something along these lines a couple of weeks ago, but with different "fillings', and it was YUMMY! I used advice on this website for cooking the rice a little more quickly that the typical 50 minutes.
Wednesday~ Didn't get to this one the last time, so I think I'll plan for it again! Popcorn Chicken
Thursday~ Pork Tenderloin and rice
Friday~ Taco "Something"... either "traveling" or pasta, we'll see what we feel like.

We've been enjoying fresh cherries, watermelon, and some delicious plums that my daughter and I have dubbed Plumbanapples because they have flavors reminiscent of those three fruits~ And Youngest son has declared a need for carrots by his continual snacking on them! :) (Not a bad thing)

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkie for hundreds of other families' menu plans for this week if you are looking for some inspiration. :)

Blessings~

CSN Stores Giveaway~ We have a winner!

2010-07-08T10:36:00.000-04:00

First~ thank you all for entering my give-away, and I'm happy to say that most of the entries followed through the two-step mandatory entry process. :) There were only a couple that I would have had to disqualify if they were chosen by random.org, but thankfully, that scenario didn't come up! :)

SO....... I am delighted to announce that the winning number, picked by random.org was number 17, which corresponds to Beverly's entry telling me what she would like to apply that $40 certificate towards.

Beverly, I am sending you an email to get contact info. Please reply within 48 hours, and CONGRATULATIONS!

Blessings~

CSN Stores~ $40 Gift Card Giveaway~ How DeLIGHTful! :)

2010-07-02T00:37:00.005-04:00

Now this is fun! I have won a few little giveaways over the past couple of years, so it is really nice to be able to offer one to my readers! :)

The folks at CSN stores (There are over 200 different stores! WOW!) have an incredible number of items and options to browse through, and their prices seem reasonable as well(in fact, some of them are most excellent!). I was checking out their solar lights , since our neighbors have installed some great lighting in their landscape.
Look at this fun little item that caught my eye ~ could be great for camping! I mean... wouldn't the kids get a kick out of a solar charged flashlight? (It claims to hold a charge for 3 hours... I wonder if that would be just about right? )

Of course, next I felt the need to browse a couple of other stores, and I think I know where I'll be picking up some replacement swings for the little guy!

This is what we have(not so great for the grown-ups that want to swing, or for the toddler that slips off)

These are what I'm looking at~

A. $36.95 B. $27.99

C. $27.99 D. $19.99-$24.99

Looks like fun, eh? ;)
So... on to the $40 Giftcard Giveaway~

DETAILS
Deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 7.

ENTRIES
Mandatory entries~ (Must do both~ but you get two entries that way also! :) )

Visit any of the CSN "stores" and come back here to leave a comment telling me what item you might like to use $40 towards.
Follow this blog, preferrably with Google Friend Connect

Please leave a seperate post for each of the following optional entries (some may require posting the same comment twice)

Leave a comment with your opinion on which swing seat I should think about purchasing (A~ blue B~ yellow C~ green or D~Standing)
Follow my Homeschool Items Review Blog, preferrably with Google Friend Connect (2 entries~ leave 2 comments)
post about this specific giveaway on your blog

I will be pulling the winning comment number from random.org by Thursday, July 8. I will post the winner, as well as send them a direct email(So be sure I can reach you that way...). If I don't hear back from the winner by 10 am, July 10, 2010, I will draw another number.

Thanks for visiting! If you'd like to enter some other giveaways, check out
Contesting Mondays
A Weekly Dose of Giveaways
Mom Giveaways

Note~ I did not receive anything from CSN, other than the opportunity to write this post and offer this give-away for the benefit of my readers.

Simple Woman's Day Book

2010-06-22T13:31:00.001-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... chattering birds, breezy leaves
I am thinking... that I wish I had more hours in the day
I am thankful for... the hours that I have
From the kitchen... Pasta will be steaming soon for cold pasta salad
I am wearing...blue with white polkadots, and a "creamsicle" jean skort
I am creating... order out of chaos..(? I hope!)
I am going... shopping soon for 13th birthday party foods
I am reading... my computer and many blogs
I am hoping... that I am done with what needs to be done by tomorrow
I am hearing... basketballs bouncing, children's footsteps
Around the house... still too much chaos, but it's getting better
One of my favorite things... making breakfast cookies and smoothies
A few plans for the rest of the week: finish preparing for the party, and then~ BREATHE!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

For more "Simple Thoughts"~
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Menu Monday~ 6/21/10

2010-06-21T12:48:00.000-04:00

Well~ I'd better make this quick, because this week is crazy/busy, just like the last few weeks when I've been MIA with menu-planning~ Here's my hopeful plan for the "work week". :)

Monday~ left overs from dinner out yesterday, and a big salad~ no outside plans, thank goodness~
Tuesday~ Little League playoff game~ pasta salad(Maybe a curried tuna or swordfish pasta salad)
Wednesday~ sleepover birthday party~ Tortilla Chip Casserole, chips & salsa, and Chocolate Suffle' Roll for cake
Thursday~ Breakfast for the girlies~ maybe pikelets, maybe muffins(pumpkin chocolate chip if I can find the canned pumpkin~ apparently it is strictly "Seasonal" in some grocery stores :/) Dinner~ I'm thinking hot dogs before the hopeful Championship Little League Game. Potato Salad if I get the potatoes...
Friday~ Hmmm.. this looks interesting! Looking for a good idea for our night with no major outside plans... Popcorn Chicken

Be sure to check out Organizing Junkie for hundreds of other families' menu plans for this week if you are looking for some inspiration. :)

Oh, and visit Heavenly Homemakers for some cute, free, printable "summer themed" menu planners and grocery lists~ I like the beachy theme at the bottom! :)

Blessings~

Character Classics Winner

2010-06-07T15:18:00.000-04:00

I have a winner for the Character Classics Books and Music~ The Burkherts had comment # 12 :)

Congratulations and Blessings!

Book Review~ She Walks in Beauty

2010-06-03T16:45:00.001-04:00

Now that the 2009/2010 year of TOS Crew reviewing has come to a close, I have a little bit of time to do some recreational reading and reviewing.

Thanks to the good folks at Bethany House, I have received a copy of Siri Mitchell's novel She Walks in Beauty for review.

She Walks in Beauty is set in 1891. In this novel, Clara Carter, a physician's daughter, would rather be studying her books and conducting experiments, with an eye to attending Vassar College. However, it is her father and aunt's wish to see her poised to be the season's most desirable debutante, with the goal of snagging the most coveted heir in the city "To restore the family's honor".

The "Gilded Age" of New York was a time where your entry to fashionable society was dictated by the gloved fingers of the Vanderbilts, the Asters, and their like. As is still the case, sometimes it's who you know, or WHAT(about others) you know that seems to matter more than who you ARE. I appreciated that the most impoverished and the most wealthy can both feel like so much "merchandise", but the reality is that God loves us, and knows each one as an individual who matters. This did come through in a few parts of the book, without being "preachy".

I would consider this a "light reading" book, with a few moments that gave me pause to ponder. In addition to being an easy read, this book gives an interesting (and educational) insight into exactly HOW those famed 18-inch hour-glass figures were formed, as well as a brief look at the corruption of Tammany Hall. I felt that this book would be most particularly interesting to an older teen/twenty-something, as they deal with the expectations of today's society.
You can find She Walks In Beauty at Bethany House, Amazon**, CBD, and other book sellers

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Bethany House Book Reviewers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
** affiliate link

Top 100 Children's books from the School Library Journal

2010-05-31T22:35:00.000-04:00

With Summer-time upon us, and lazy reading days ahead, I thought that this was an appropriate time to post this~ A few friends have posted this list on their blogs, and I thought I'd join the fun~

I'm going to list them with this "code"

*****Read 1st time as a Kid and Loved it

****Read 1st time as an Adult and Loved it

***Read 1st time as a Kid ~ Bleh

**Read 1st Time as an Adult~ Bleh

*Started, but never finished
*****(Children read and loved) **(Child did not care for)

**********#1 Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
*****#2 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
#3 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
**********#4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
*********#5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
**#6 Holes by Louis Sachar
*****#7 The Giver by Lois Lowry
**********#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
*********#9 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
*********#10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
#11 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
*#12 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
***#13 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#14 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
#15 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
#16 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
#17 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
#18 Matilda by Roald Dahl
****#19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
*********#20 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
#21 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan
****-****#22 The Tale of Despereaux: by Kate DiCamillo
**********#23 Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#24 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
**********#25 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
#26 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
**********#27 A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
**********#28 Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne
**********#29 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
*****#30 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
#31 Half Magic by Edward Eager
*********#32 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
#33 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#34 Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
#35 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire JK Rowling
**#36 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
*********#37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
#38 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
#39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
**********#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
*****#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
**********#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
**********#43 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
***#44 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
#45 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
***#46 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
#47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
*********#48 The Penderwicks: by Jeanne Birdsall
#49 Frindle by Andrew Clements
***#50 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
*********#51 The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
*****#52 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
**********#53 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
#54 The BFG by Roald Dahl
#55 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
****#56 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
**********#57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
#58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
#59 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
**-****#60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
#61 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
#62 The Secret of the Old Clock (The Nancy Drew mysteries) by Caroline Keene
*********#63 Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
#64 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
*********#65 Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
*********#66 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
#67 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville
**-****#68 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
*****#69 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
*********#70 Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
****#71 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
**********#72 My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
*********#73 My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
*********#74 The Borrowers by Mary Norton
#75 Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
#76 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
#77 City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
**********#78 Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
*********#79 All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
#80 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
#81 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
*****#82 The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
#83 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
#84 Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
**********#85 On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
#86 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
#87 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
*****#88 The High King by Lloyd Alexander
**********#89 Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary
****#90 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
#91 Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
**-****#92 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
****#93 Caddie Woodlawn by C. R. Brink
*********#94 Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
**********#95 Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
#96 The Witches by Roald Dahl
*****#97: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

#98 Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
*********#99 The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
#100 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Hmmmm... not too bad~ Out of 100 I have read 56. There also needs to be an extra single * on one of the Harry Potter books, but I don't recall the name of the 1st one. I just know that I started it as an adult, but had no desire to finish it ~ so that would be 6 books that I wouldn't include on MY top 100, and I think I would add to that "The Golden Compass". By that token, I've read 56/93. ;) And at least my eldest has read 39 of the 93... not too shabby! :)

Some books I would add to the list... (to make up for the ones that I didn't care for ^)

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
Redwall by Brian Jacques
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Rascal by Sterling North
The Wheel On the School by Meindert DeJong

Ok... so this makes me think that I need to write up another post with my own list of MY top 100 Children's Books, and then possibly my top 100 Picture Books as well! :)

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and maybe you'll be inspired to go pick up a book, and READ! :)

Blessings~

Give-Away~ Character Classics

2010-05-31T19:07:00.003-04:00

Wow~ I've been pretty quiet over here for a bit... must be that end-of-the-school-year craziness getting to me (Plus planning my FIL's surprise 80th birthday party, getting ready for an Irish Step-Dance Recital, oh, yeah, and Little League has kicked in! )...;)

So, anyway, now that I have a minute on this Memorial Day, I'd like to offer up a contest for you all(My first, I think!) ~ One that makes me think of the type of person we should be thinking of and memorializing today~ Those that have served our country, and given their all, so that we can live free. Those men and women were people of great character~ something that I am hoping to raise my children to be as well.

In the midst of some "Cleaning up", I discovered that I had duplicates of two "Character Classic" books and workbooks. If you'd like to get an idea of what I'm talking about, here are a couple of links for you to check out. The official "Character Classics Website", and the National Character Education Center. The last link has a sample or two for you to listen to....

So~ My contest is for the "Self Control" set with activity book, Hardcover Storybook, and CD of music, and for the "Obedience" set with activity book, hardcover storybook, and CASSETTE tape of music.

If you think you'd be interested in these two sets for your kiddos, here's what you need to do to enter~

Entry #1~Follow me on this Blog, AND leave a comment telling me so

Extra Entries~

Visit either one of the two websites above, and come back to leave a Comment telling me what other top two Character Traits/Classics you would like to work on, BESIDES Self-Control and Obedience.
Follow my Homeschooling Reviews blog Acorns~ Or Homeschooling Nuggets of Gold and come back HERE to leave me a comment telling me that you are following me over there.
Post about this give-away on your blog
Post on facebook about this give-away

This contest will close on Sunday, June 6.Hopefully I've thought of everything I need to do to run a give-away here on my blog! :)

Thanks for joining me!
Blessings~

Ultimate Blog Party 2010~ Better Late than Never!

2010-04-16T12:57:00.000-04:00

I me oh my! I almost missed out on this one~ (It's been a bit of a crazy hectic week, but then, what week isn't... no excuse really~)

Anyway, there is this one event that happens every year that is a lot of fun~

This is a great way to find some new blogs, new products, and be entered to win one of almost 200 great prizes. All it takes is a little bit of time, and possibly a post on your blog. Sorry that I am catching up to this on the LAST day to post, tho'. :p If you want to join in, do it quick!

Here are the prizes I would love to win in order~

USC 17 – CmomGo is offering up a $200 Apple Gift certificate. (Because we could spend so much $ at the Apple store, if only we had the $)
US80 – A collection of inspirational pewter Treasures charms (Would be FUN for my soon-to-be 13 year old!)
US75 – $100 Gift Certificate to SummitCampingGear.com (Our family has recently begun an annual camping trip... this would be helpful, I'm sure!)
US101 – One lucky winner will get this $450 Human Touch Foot and Calf Massager (oh... just because! :) )
US8 – Buds to Bloom Photo Tile Necklace (This is really Pretty~ I like!)
US112 – $50 Amazon Gift card (or any other Amazon Gift Card, because these are the economic times we're in... )
USC 35 - $50.00 CASH ~ Paypal Transfer (Or any othercash/Visa Gift Card~ Same as above~ Every little bit helps!)
USC 3 – A $50.00 Target Gift Card.(or any other Target Gift Card.... same reasons as previous 2)
US20 – $50.00 in jewelry from Cookie Lee (one of my favorite bracelets is Cookie Lee)
US71 – A $50 Bear Bucks Card to Build A Bear Workshop.(because I have 3 BAB fans!)
USC 25 -$25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card (Because we're all bookworms over here!)
INTL 14 – Complete custom blog makeover for Blogger.com(ummm... can you tell from my blog design that I need help? :) )
US113 – $25 Walmart Gift Certificate (I'd take this as well! Diapers aren't cheap!)

Failing any of these.... well, I have an almost teen girl~ jewelry would be fun, a 9 year old boy, and an almost 3 year old boy, so anything that would be applicable would be wonderful. :)

Thank you, Susan and Janice for sponsoring this again! :) And Thank you, Pamela for all the work you're putting in as well!

Hey, it's not too late for YOU to go check it out as well... you still have 10 + hours... ;)
Happy Friday!
Lis

Review~ Adventures in Odyssey CDs~ Take it From the Top

2010-04-09T13:53:00.001-04:00

My kids were very excited to receive the Adventures in Odyssey "Take it From the Top" CD set from the Tyndale Blog Network to listen to for review purposes. The set includes 4 CDs with over 5 hours of audio, and 12 stories on Serving God and more....

The stories on these CD's include humorous looks at characters that my kids can identify with.
The stories and lessons with a few "notes" from me:

The Inspiration Station~ "Inspiration"
Clutter~ "Storing up treasures in heaven" (My kids could identify with this family a little too much, perhaps...)
Game for a Mystery~ "Procrastination"(Hmmm.. not sure RJP and JDP1 got the point the first time listening, but I'm hoping it will sink in.. :) )
Target of the Week~ "The folly of revenge"
For the Birds~ "Responsibility"
When You're Right, You're Right~ "Pride"
Grandma's Visit~ "The importance of family"
Finish What You.....~ "Responsibility"(And time-management)
The Jubilee Singers~ "Perseverance" (This one may be a little too intense for the younger kids. My 9 yo thought it was a little scary. My 12 yo thought that it was really good tho', so perhaps that gives you a little insight~)

We had some Adventures in Odyssey stories from YEARS ago that I wasn't overly thrilled with, due to the usage of words (like "boring") and "name-calling" that were not promoted, but seemed somewhat gratuitous(ie, didn't have anything to do with the story line). I was interested to see how things have progressed, and I think there is a combination of fewer unwarranted "attitudes" on the CD, and maturity on the part of my kids~ They've "grown into" Adventures in Odyssey. ;)

This set gets a thumbs up, 5 star rating with a note from mom that it is probably most appropriate for ages 6-12, with the Jubilee Singers possibly requiring a "preview" to see how it fits with your family. (My children are admittedly a little more "sensitive" than some, so that is the "lens" I am looking through.)

Take it from the Top (Adventures in Odyssey) CD's retail for $24.99, but can be purchased from Amazon for $16.49, and may be available for less at sites like CBD....:)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Tyndale contest/giveaway~ Bibles, Ipads, Hawaii and more!

2010-03-23T13:33:00.003-04:00

Here's an interesting contest/giveaway from Tyndale that I thought you might be interested in....
(Boy, wouldn't I love to win an ipad or a trip to Hawaii so I could visit my brother and meet my niece and nephew for the first time!!!)

Blessings~

The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway

Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation

and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes”

Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.
With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.

Grand Prize
Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00

2nd Prize - Already awarded
32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00

3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500
Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00

4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00

5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD
Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00

Prize Eligibility – Recently updated to include more countries
Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India. In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company.

Sweepstakes Starts
March 17, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends
April 30, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Wait, there’s more!
Visit http://biblecontest.newlivingtranslation.com/index.php for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii!

Here are the details:
Choose one of six passages of Scripture from the New Living Translation and consider:
How do these verses encourage you to know God better?
What is God teaching you in this passage?
How does this passage apply to your life?
Submit your answer and you’ll be entered to win.

Just for signing up: Everybody Wins! Win a Free .mp3 download from the NLT’s new Red Letters Project. It’s the dynamic, new presentation of the sung and narrated words of the Gospel of Matthew. You win the download just for entering! Or choose to download the NLT Philippians Bible Study, complete with the Book of Philippians in the NLT.

Every day, one person will win the best-selling Life Application Study Bible!

The grand prize: One person will win a fantastic trip for two to the crystal clear waters of the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore in beautiful Hawaii.

Menu Monday 3/22/10 (no recipes this week, but ask me!)

2010-03-22T17:47:00.003-04:00

Hello, folks~

It's that time of the week again~
BTW, the Bubble and Squeak with AlFresco Chicken Sausages were the hit of the week last week. :)

So, here we go~

Monday~ We're having chicken and rice enchiladas with leftover chicken and rice from Saturday
Tuesday~ Pasta with Al Fresco Chicken Sausage and corn niblets
Wednesday~ Ground Turkey and Barley Soup
Thursday~Mexican Pizza with leftover (Frozen) chicken
Friday~ Leftovers and/or Cheese Toast OR Mexican casserole because a couple of weeks ago I made this Mex Casserole with Ground Turkey, and used the leftovers to make a soup, and it was YUMMO!

I don't really have recipe for any of these, and plan to just "Wing it", but if anything looks interesting to you let me know, and I'll try to write it down and post it. :)

So~ There you have it~ Be sure to head on over to Menu Plan Monday to get some inspiration for your week this week or next!

Blessings~

Menu Monday 3/15/10 Tuna, Chicken, Bubble& Squeak

2010-03-15T17:52:00.005-04:00

OK, Let's see if I can get my brain wrapped around a menu this week~ I love heading over to orgjunkie.com to help me get organized for the week ahead... it seems to go much more smoothly when I do!

Monday~ Creamed Tuna over Crackers (I'm going to try to use coconut flour to thicken it instead of regular flour~ We shall see what we think), with sliced cucumber and carrots on the side, maybe even some broccoli, for broccoli boy
Tuesday~Thai Crockpot Chicken (Thanks, Laura at orgjunkie.com) and rice
Wednesday~ I know~ It's St. Patty's Day, and I usually make Bubble & Squeak, but DD is out performing with her Irish Dance School all afternoon and evening, so... maybe something terrible like hot dogs or .... pasta salad?
Thursday~ Bubble & squeak, and MAYBE some Corned beef if we pick some up. if not some sausage would go well..
Friday~ Leftovers from the week(Hmmmmm.. Thai Chicken Pizza sounds good!:)

Have a great week! Blessings~

Alpaca, knitting and felting~ Mittens!

2010-03-13T18:14:00.005-05:00

Well, we had a very blustery day, Pooh, and since JDP1 is such a sicky boy, we aren't at the planned birthday party. This means that I've had a little gift of unexpected "Free" time today to take some pictures of past projects to share~

These are some mittens that I made last year and the year before. The tiny felted red mittens were made originally for JDP1~ he used them a LOT and they felted down tiny~ now JDP2 gets to use them.

The long red mittens are the pair that I knit for JDP1 last winter, but didn't get around to felting~ you can see the huge size differential from knit to felted... ;)

The purple and blue mittens are a combo of wool and alpaca~ the alpaca portions are the more pinky stripes~ These I knit for RJP last winter. She LOVES them still, and with good reason, I think~ Even though snow sticks to them, and they get wet, when everyone else's fingers are freezing, hers are toasty warm! Oh, and the alpaca is sooooooo soft! NICE!

Sorry that I didn't take pictures in process~ I knit them on circular knitting looms. It's been long enough that I don't recall if I used the knifty knitter or one of the wooden sock looms I got for my birthday a couple of years ago. I used this pattern but felted them down, and there are some other interesting patterns on this site.

Just thought you might be interested! :)
Blessings~

Looking for "Followers".... want to join?

2010-03-13T11:29:00.006-05:00

OK, here's a little plea~

If you actually read my blog regularly (or even not so regularly, but occasionally), but haven't officially "Followed" me, would you mind doing so? I'm trying to get a gig reviewing other products (Mom and family related), but I have to have 50 "Official" followers for them to consider my blog.

Tutorial~ There are three ways to "Follow"

In the address bar at the top there is a little blue square with lines~ you can click on that and subscribe that way.
At the top of the actual blog page there is a navy blue line across the top, with a link "Follow"
Along the left-hand side, second item down, is "Google Friend Connect", and you can follow that way as well...

For those of you that take the time, thank you! :)

Blessings~

Random ramblings....

2010-03-13T11:11:00.003-05:00

Poor JDP1~ He's sick again.. tonsils are gone, but now he has an eye infection ~ always seems to happen around birthdays~ {sigh} (I think we need to teach him to blow his nose better.... he's always "Stuffed up".) :\

School has been interesting this year again, due to the TOS Crew reviews that I've been doing.... a little eclectic, and some of the things that I love and WANT to do have been taking a bit of a back seat these past two years, but that will change next year~ a "normal" schedule, and we'll be able to REALLY take advantage of those TOS Crew products that we have loved, but had to set aside for ongoing reviews, as well as our beloved FIAR.... maybe even more art and science~ I'm looking forward to it!

R is dancing like crazy~ I hear feet thumping and clicking all over the house. When you're on the floor below, it sounds like elephants~ hard to believe that on the same floor it's actually graceful! :) She thrives on competition, which I * think* is a good thing... (??) , and she only has one more dance to place 1st in before she is prizewinner the whole way across~ COOL! :) (I don't mind if she takes her time a little, though.. Irish Dance is expensive! (The dresses are crazy $$, and I don't know how we're going to afford the next one... more $ than my own wedding dress! And we're doing this why? .... Oh yeah, because she loves it! :) )

Baseball tryouts in two weeks for JDP1~ glad he's sick this week and not then... (Although there were tryouts this week as well..)

JDP2 is cracking us all up these days
.... collecting books before following his brother down the hall~ hears the door shut~ and shouts "knock! knock! J! What you doin'? " ;)
....waiting for Curious George to come on TV (R says~"It will be on in an hour, J") his reply? "Tick, Tock! It's Curious George time!" ... love his use of onomatopoeia! :)

DH is off today~ Going to play some drums on a few songs for his brother~ I don't like Saturdays without him! :( At least we'll have him all day tomorrow. :)

OK~ So now, I should go figure out what to do on this gray Saturday~ maybe something creative! :) If so, I'll post about it here. :)

Blessings~

Online Homeschool Convention~

2010-03-10T13:29:00.004-05:00

Hey, friends~ here's something new to check out. I've heard about a few of the online homeschool conventions, but I haven't been certain how they work. Well, thanks to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and as part of the TOS Crew, I have been given the opportunity to check out their "Schoolhouse Expo" that will be happening online in May, in exchange for letting you all know about it. I wanted to be sure to let you know about it early, tho', because they are offering a discounted rate, and other bonuses to early registrations (See below....)

In addition, there are a number of other things happening at The Old Schoolhouse~

Right now March Madness and Win Big are going on in the Schoolhouse Store. During March Madness, over 240 items are 10 to 40 percent off! Click here

Then, if you're customer 139,000, 139,500, or 140,000, you will win over $348 in prizes. Prizes include a 5 year subscription to TOS (U.S. only), Scripture Sleuth literature series(my daughter has one of these that we bought for Christmas a couple of years ago... she and her brother both like them, and would like to read more!), guitar lessons on CD, and more! Hurry, they are just past customer #137,818.

The BIGGEST news of all--
The Schoolhouse Expo is coming in May!
Pre-register now and save $5!

As homeschool teachers, what do you need to learn?
More about teaching multiple grades?
All about different homeschool methods?
Transcripts?
Could you use some help with reading, language arts, math, and more?
Are you intimidated by the idea of teaching middle school and high school?
Those dreaded, advanced courses?
Would some encouraging words and motivational Scripture help you on your way?

Get answers when you attend The Schoolhouse Expo, an 3-day, online conference, presented by The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse® Speaker's Bureau.

Pre-register today for only $19.99 through March 31.You do not want to miss this unbelievable, virtual homeschool convention! PLUS, you'll receive over $300 in free gifts when you register.
Get the details and preregister here http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com

The speaker line-up looks most excellent! People like Mark Hamby, Amanda Bennett, Diana Waring (I've never heard her, but I like her books!), and Susan Wise Bauer, to name a few~ You can check the full line up here. (For those interested in the Workbox system, Sue Patrick is one of the speakers as well.)(Now, if only they included Steve and Jane Lambert, I would be ever so content! :) )

Even better you don't actually have to be "live" to get the benefits~ MP3 audios will be available for download, and listening at your convenience~ just like the CDs from the MassHOPE convention!

And check out the free gifts! (the ones pictured above are just a sampling) They are all ebooks and downloads, with many of them ones that I've been interested in checking out, so WOW! Awesome! (Well worth the $19 early bird registration! Oh, and there is another freebie ebook for registering early, the TOS Creative Nature Study E-Book) This is one that I already had, and what a good reminder to take it out and USE it! :) ... I think I'll put it on my itouch! There are so many great ideas in this book. (The New Testament Timeline is most excellent~ you can read how we used it with our Japanese Exchange student last summer, here I reviewed the entire "overview", but the Timeline was one of the most useful components for my purposes.)

One more "Extra" I just saw~ For those who register early, there are two bonus pre-conference sessions in April, one with Malia Russell (Who I am not familiar with), and the other with Clay and Sally Clarkson of Wholehearted Ministries.. I've never heard them speak, but I love their book "Educating the Wholehearted Child", so I'm excited about this one! :)

Check it out, and maybe I'll "See" you there as an attendee in a live workshop or two! :) (Let me know if you sign up, so I can look for you there! )
Blessings~

Wordless Wednesday~ Saying Goodbye to Winter

2010-03-10T13:07:00.004-05:00

French Fry Soup

2010-03-01T22:09:00.002-05:00

French Fry Soup

It's a little bit of a glorified (Fast) version of potato soup that I came up with last winter.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Butter
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 bag of frozen French Fries (The healthier the better...)
2 qts chicken broth (I used these great boxes of Rachel Ray's Natural Chicken Stock)

Melt your butter with the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy stockpot over medium low heat.

Chop your onion (don't cry too hard), and saute in the hot oil/butter mixture until transparent and starting to turn golden. (They should just about melt in your mouth)

Add your bag of frozen french fries and your chicken broth/stock and bring to a boil. Then let it simmer for about 15 minutes, to cook the potatoes.

Mash your potatoes up to the consistency you prefer (Or really pulverize it in the blender, if you want CREAMY.... I prefer some chuncks in mine), and serve with yummy, crusty, toasted bread.

Variations on a theme: You can use any frozen french fries you like, but I highly recommend the less "processed", closer to the garden varieties. Some that we have used, all from Trader Joe's: Garlic French Fries, Chipotle French Fries, Sweet Potato French Fries

Sometimes I add some Basil... but then it is less "French Fry" soup.

Now, I have to say, this particular batch of French Fry Soup that I used for the photos (the last time I made it) was going to be another experimental batch... we were going to try a bit with a dollop of blue cheese dressing on top when serving (Since most of our family dips their french fries in blue cheese dressing instead of ketchup), and my son was going to try a squirt of ketchup (Since he's more traditional). Sad story.... we didn't get to try it yet, because I had to throw the soup out. We had to leave the house unexpectedly before dinner, so I tossed the soup in the crockpot on low to keep it warm.... but when we returned to the house hours later, we discovered that the crockpot had come unplugged (a slightly pesky outlet...),the soup was cold, and potentially hazardous. :( So, not only did we not get to try our experiments, but I had to come up with something else to feed my tired family.... ERGH! Next time I make it, I'll post an update with our findings.

Blessings~

Menu Monday 3/1/10

2010-03-01T17:08:00.004-05:00

So... tomorrow would be the mathematical equation day that my daughter will enjoy... 3-2-10 :)

First, here's a post up with my French Fry Soup recipe from a couple of weeks ago, and now
~ See what I'm doing this week :

Monday~ Left over Seafood Chowder and Salad
Tuesday~ Shepherd's Pie using rotisserie chicken and leftover IRIO from our African meal last week as the topping
Wednesday~ Pizza with leftover Rotisserie Chicken on top(And maybe red peppers???mmm) and raw carrots on the side
Thursday~ Possibly dinner out... we're going skiing for the 1st time as a family! (Woohoo! I haven't been on skis in over 13 years...)
Friday~ Mexican pasta with "Chili" using Trader Joe's frozen "Succotash" mix (Corn, edamame, and red peppers) in place of beans

So, we'll see how it goes~
click on the pic to visit hundreds of other blogs and reap some great ideas!

Blessings~

Foto Friday : Hearts

2010-02-19T15:36:00.002-05:00

OK, so I've just discovered Foto Friday (Thanks, Marine Corps Nomad ! :) ) and while I didn't exactly participate in the challenge I hope that it is ok to share this photo that I took 3.5 years ago on a cross country trip.... I had great plans to use it as a valentine the following February, but life interfered, so I'd love to share it now. :)

Location: Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO.

Thanks for letting me play. Now that I've discovered this challenge, I hope to actually REALLY participate every now and again! :)

Blessings~

Works for Me Wednesday

2010-02-10T23:34:00.005-05:00

Ummmmm..... Have I mentioned that my little family pooled their funds and bought me an itouch for my birthday in November? It is one of the best little tools! (And if we were fans of AT&T, I'd *almost* (gasp) consider the cost of an iphone....well... then again, maybe not, but it could be tempting)

So anyway.... here is a little of What Works for Me this Wednesday....

I can read "out of print" books (ie... classics, among others) in "ebook" format.... my favorite app is Stanza, but did you know that the itouch/phone can also function as a Kindle? COOL!!!

I can carry multiple versions of the Bible in the palm of my hand(How awesome is that? I can even "highlight" in different colors!)

Did I mention that my kids LOVE to look up definitions on the dictionary that comes already installed? It used to be a chore to get them to use the dictionary... in part because most of the ones we had seldom had the words they were looking for! (Come on... the oldest is only in 7th grade.... this shouldn't be that difficult!)

And the maps app? It has been so cool at AWANA, when my little Sparkies get to their Missionary sections to pull out the itouch and zoom in to the country and city that their missionaries live and work in!
These are just some of my favorites on the first screen~ I'll save some for another Wednesday, but for now... this is what works for me!

(To see "What Works" for other families, check out

Blessings~

Menu Planning Monday, 2 + 8 = 10 ;)

2010-02-09T00:21:00.004-05:00

So, my daughter likes to see patterns in the dates.... and today was 2/8/10, hence my equation in the title. :)

Ah... menu for the week? Haven't done this for a while and need to start back! You can see what about 300 other families have on their menus this week at orgjunkie.com.... just click the banner above.

Monday~ A Turkey Chili concoction that I made using a frozen veggie mix from Trader Joes.... it has edamame, corn and red peppers in it... edamame, because dried beans don't like DH, but edamame seem to be fine! :) It was yum, served with cornbread and sauteed greenbeans with caramelized onions.
Tuesday~ Soup... either French Fry or Broccoli... I have fixin's for either
Wednesday~ Turkey Meatballs and rice with salad
Thursday~ Creamed Tuna over Crackers and steamed asparagus
Friday~ Turkey Burgers
Saturday~ Hmmm..... not sure yet~
Sunday~ Possibly dinner out with the family & friends~ or maybe we'll come up with a menu plan... have to chat.

If I get the chance, I'll add in some recipes later~
Blessings~

Wordless Wednesday~ Winter Schminter! :)

2010-02-03T14:54:00.002-05:00

Booking Through Thursdays~ Favorite "Unknown"

2010-01-21T23:06:00.006-05:00

Hopping in on Booking Through Thursdays before it gets too late... so I haven't put a ton of thought into this one, but the first author that came to mind was Van Reid , author of the Moosepath League series, set in Maine

Fiddler's Green and Peter Loon complete his offerings so far.

These are a rather fun perhaps Quixotic look at the late 19-early 20th century Maine, written in a style that reminds me a little of Jane Austin.

If you decide to read them, let me know what you think.
Blessings~

UHU Glue Roller and a Notebook

2010-01-20T13:39:00.004-05:00

Back in October I received a free sample, the UHU Glue Roller ($6.65)from Glue with UHU. This is a pretty nifty little item, which takes messy permanent glue and turns it into little micro-dots of glue on a tape that you can roll out and apply to.... whatever. I understand that it is good for scrapbooking due to its acid free and solvent free formula, but the application I used it for doesn't require quite as much longevity.

I have some little notebooks sitting around, waiting to be turned into something special, and this particular glue just fit the ticket. I had previously tried using another glue to adhere scrapbook paper to the hard plastic/Vinyl cover of the notebook, and while it was "Adequate", it didn't work quite as well as I had hoped. Then I tried the UHU Glue Roller, and was very pleased with the results.

First I took the coil out, and covered the entire frontpiece with red scrapbook paper.
The paper adhered to the cover quite nicely, and didn't "gape" along the bottom edge.
Then I added the contrast, that created a pocket on the inside, as well as adding to interest on the front. This picture shows that piece ready to put on the front cover~

Here is the front piece before I finished poking holes, and put everything back together~

Here is the notebook opened up to the inside

And here is the completed notebook with the embellishment of a heart

The back flap is covered on both sides with that block rose paper. (Sorry, no picture of that...)

Here's another notebook I helped my daughter to make as part of a birthday gift for a friend~

(We used the UHU Glue Roller to help cover the pencil before modge podging it...)

I only had one caveat~ The roller has an 'Adjustment screw" to help with the tension on the tape, and I think there might be a learning curve to using this, as I did have some trouble with the tape doubling up. However, I was still able to use it, and would definitely be happy to use it again!

If you are interested in applying for free UHU samples, and blogging about your projects, be sure to head on over to Glue with UHU around the first of the month, to find out what's new, and request yours!

Blessings~

WFMW~ Moring Coffee

2010-01-20T13:06:00.004-05:00

So, here's a plug-in that really works for me~
Morning Coffee created by Shane Liesegang is a very useful Firefox application if you are like me and have websites/blogs, etc that you like to visit regularly, but sometimes forget about. You can configure them to open up daily or weekly on specific days. Very cool for getting to blog posts like Works for Me Wednesday or Wordless Wednesday, or Freebie Friday, or Menu Planning Monday. I also like it for reminding me to check pages like Homeschool Freebie of the Day, and such.

Check it out~ You may find that it works for you as well!
Blessings~

“Strong and Happy” Drawing Contest Entry

2010-01-19T11:47:00.012-05:00

5Minutesformom is sponsoring a drawing contest in conjunction with Yoplait Yogurt:

Since Yoplait Kids is a tasty yogurt snack with 25% less sugar and calcium and Vitamin D in every serving – have your little ones draw a picture showing themselves as the happy and strong kids that Yoplait Kids can help them become!

We are sponsoring the “Strong and Happy” Drawing Contest, and offering an exciting prize courtesy of Yoplait Kids for our winning artwork: $1,000 to use towards classes (including sports) and/or education material for the child(ren).

We will also award a prize to our second place drawing: $300.00 to use toward classes (including sports) and/or educational material for the child(ren).

In our household, we know that yogurt not only helps your bones to be strong and healthy (Very important for skateboarders and Irish stepdancers and baseball players!), but is also very important for keeping your immune system strong, and for putting the GOOD bacteria back in when you have to take antibiotics. Middle child/skateboarder boy has had 6 bouts with tonsillitis since June 2009, with accompanying antibiotics... YUCK! Lots of yogurt by the cupful, and in smoothies, to help keep him strong and happy inbetween....He is currently recovering from a tonsillectomy, and yogurt is playing a huge part in his diet right now(to replace that good bacteria AND because it goes down EASY!)

So, now that you have way more information than you might have needed~ on to the contest :)

There was no mention of an age bracket, so my 12 year old who would like to help pay for her Irish Step-dancing classes~ which help to make her both strong(She has MUSCLES in her calves!) and happy(This IS her favorite thing to do....) would like to enter her drawing of healthy happy children making a snowman.

Hope you like it!

Random thoughts on the collapse of Rome

2009-10-21T12:09:00.007-04:00

**Diocletian's Rome ~ *Modern US ~ Parallels
When will we learn from HISTORY?????

**Colosseum *Sports/entertainment arenas (This one has been building for MANY years...)

**Diocletian Fixed prices/salaries *Obama's Capping Salaries/ fixing Prices

causing

**Inflation/Collapse of the economy *Inflation/ Collapse of the economy(?)

**In an attempt to reduce the chances of internal disorder, Diocletian demanded that his subjects worship him *Current President's discontent/ridicule with those who disagree with him/ Press' adoration is close to worship....

**In yet another attempt to unify the empire, Diocletian began to issue widespread restrictive laws on Christians *Current legislation attempts to vilify and criminalize Christian beliefs and morals (sanctity of life/"Thought crimes")

Diocletians rule perhaps best marks the end of the Roman Empire.
Facts on Diocletian taken from Here

The American Public should WAKE UP!!! Apathay should be a crime, lest History repeat itself AGAIN!

UHU Glues... a belated review!

2009-10-19T20:41:00.006-04:00

We have had a free sample of UHU Twist and Glue for some months, and have been using it, but I finally got my camera working, and pictures uploaded. This is a sample of the cards that my daughter has been making for her etsy shop, Penney For Your Thoughts.

We decided that the Twist and Glue works really well for paper piecing and card stock, not as well for felt pieces, or for gluing large areas of regular paper (Tended to wrinkle....). We especially like the small tip for getting "Just the right amount" of glue on some of those tiny bits of paper! And..... when you get just a little too much on, it washes off very nicely, even on these nice cards! EXCELLENT!

$3.95 for this bottle, and it is still going strong...
Enjoy! :)

Menu Monday~ Fall!

2009-10-19T19:46:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to get back into menu planning, now that the school/fall schedule is back into full swing. We have too many nights that are "out" nights, so I can use the help to plan ahead!

Monday~ Chicken/vegetable chowder with easy cheesy scones
Modified from the above recipes
Tuesday~ Pasta with Al Fresco Sausage and Salad (And crockpot yogurt for breakfasts)
Wednesday~ Shepherd's Pie(?) or "Stuffed Meatloaf" (Potato filled meatloaf.. YUM!)
Thursday~ Indian-style chicken in the crockpot (I hope~ Utilizing some of that crockpot yogurt!)
Friday~ Sandwich Night~ racing from Oireachtas practice to AWANA

So there you have it... I am hoping to actually make the Tandoori Chicken, since I've "planned" to at least 2 times and haven't gotten to it... we shall see~ At least the chicken is paid for (That's part of the problem... it's in the freezer and needs defrosting.... )

Check out all the other Menu plans for this week at Organizing Junkie at get inspired to make some food and save some change!

Menu Monday, June 15

2009-06-15T13:17:00.003-04:00

Hey, I did pretty well last week!

BTW, those cold Chicken Satay Noodles that Laura has on her menu this week are yummy! We had them last week, and everyone liked! Check out her site for more great menus!

This week:
Monday Little League Playoff Game night: Chicken and Broccoli casserole with leftover chicken and broccoli from Friday
Tuesday Irish Step Dance Practice night: Crockpot Tandoori Chicken (Chicken legs/thighs are on sale for $0.69/lb this week!)
Wednesday night:
Thursday Little League Championship or Consolation Game night: pizza at the field!
Friday:
Saturday: Oldest's Birthday....something "out" perhaps?
Sunday Father's Day: probably a cook-out sort of thing? or maybe Indian food? Have to check with our friends~~~ :)

Well, I'm missing a couple of spots here... I'll post for now, and fill them in when I get the chance! (Which means I'm going to go scout around a few other posts, and see what looks good!)

Blessings~
Lis

Menu Monday, June 8

2009-06-08T21:34:00.003-04:00

Well, I did "ok" last week, with a couple of misses~ so now I'll try for this week, and see how we go~

Monday: Cold-cut subs with leftovers from Sunday's church business meeting
Tuesday: Homemade pizza with leftovers from the porkchops on Saturday
Wednesday: Baseball game~ Hot dogs? Not sure on this one....
Thursday: Homeschool meeting~ Maybe the Cold Chicken Satay noodles that Laura referenced
Friday: Last regular Little League game of the season~ Rebecca's Tortilla casserole(From Honest Pretzels) with leftover chicken,
Saturday: Eek... I still have to work on my grocery shopping/sales this week
Sunday: leftovers or eating out... we'll see...

Pretty skimpy this week, not feeling as "planned", but I'm still trying!

Any help would be great!
Blessings~
Lis

Booking Through Thursday

2009-06-04T16:40:00.006-04:00

OK, this is the first time that I've joined in on this one.... it's all about books!

“This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.”

The Bible
Rose in Bloom(And others) by Louisa May Alcott
Rivets and Sprockets by A. Key
The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Wizard of Oz books by Frank L. Baum
The Moosepath League books by Van Reid
Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman
Madeleine L'Engle's "Meet the Austins"
Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard
Dark Horse by John Fischer
The Body by Chuck Colson
The Pecan Tree (by ??? picture book from grade school)
Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Well.. lots of these are considered "Children's books", but I guess that a good book is a good book, regardless of the age that it is written for.

If you want to see what books have affected other folks, hop on over to http://btt2.wordpress.com/ and check it out. Feel free to leave me a comment or two, as well, if you'd like. ;)

Blessings~

Works for Me Wednesday~ Summer fun(chalk drawing)

2009-06-03T10:52:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite activities with my kiddos in the "good weather" is to make great sidewalk chalk drawings. Rather than just hopscotch or generic scribbles, we like to pull out this book

and create some fun critters on our sidewalk. It is especially fun to have an 8 foot turtle and six foot frog on your front walkway! :) For really colorful drawings, we like to dip our chalk in water to make it a little wet, and then draw.... it covers REALLY well that way!

For your more advanced artists, this is another good pick (Although I really *do* like the animals best...)

I'm going to look for some pictures to add as examples, but I'll post in the meantime.. just check back later, if you want to see what we've done. (I'm also going to look for a nifty Peter Rabbit chalk drawing that I did some time ago... )

This works for us!

For more summer fun, check out my Frugal Friday post, and all the Great ideas at

Menu Monday

2009-06-01T22:17:00.004-04:00

OK, we did pretty well last week, although I didn't get around to making the Tandoori Chicken(didn't buy the chicken when it was on sale) or the Shepherd's Pie(Ran out of time). However things definitely ran more smoothly with a plan, so here we go again.

Monday: Chicken Quesadilla's (With chicken intended for Shepherd's Pie) and raw carrots
Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie with the rest of the Chicken
Wednesday: Quiche (Possibly a rainy day, so a good day for baking), carrots, cucumbers
Thursday: Mussels in white wine with Garlic and Scallions and salad
Friday: Pasta and sausage, asparagus
Saturday: Pork Chops on the grill or in the crock-pot, with baked sweet potatoes
Sunday: ?? Not sure on that one yet.

So, here you have it.
Oh... a funny from last week.
Littlest's favorite vegetable is steamed broccoli, which we haven't had for a couple of weeks. When we brought it to the table on Friday, he started pumping his arms up and down, kicking his legs out, and chanting "o-cco-li! o-cco-li! o-cco-li!" It was just so funny, especially since I don't remember teaching him a "Cheer" for anything, much less his vegetables. Makes a mamma's heart sing to see something like that, tho'. :)

Blessings~

Frugal Friday~ Summer fun on Small change~

2009-05-29T04:15:00.002-04:00

Well, I figure that a Frugal Friday is a good time to post some frugal summer fun ideas. (For more Frugal ideas check out Frugal Friday at www.LifeasMOM.com)

I will continue to add to this list as I find more:

Summer Reading Programs:

Check out your local library.... most of them have summer reading programs with fun prizes, etc.

BARNES AND NOBLE
Read 8 books and get a free pick

FREE/REDUCED RATES MOVIES
Regal Entertainment
AMC Theaters
National Amusements

KIDS BOWL FREE

Music Festivals (searchable database)

Check out your local minor league baseball team for fun and inexpensive family entertainment!
Local to me are Lowell Spinners Games~ Tickets are $5-$8 dollars, so not free, but definitely cheap! ☺This just in~ (Thanks the gals at shopwithoutmoney.blogspot.com for pointing this out) Kraft has teamed up with minor league baseball for this promotion: Buy 1 ticket get 1 ticket free on Tuesdays, at participating ballparks.

Boston Area Activities if you are local to Boston, check this out. If you live somewhere else, you can search for local activities, check out your local newspaper "Calendars"

Hope this helps you especially if you are planning a frugal "Stay-cation" this year...

Blessings~
Lis

Works for Me Wednesday~ Pandora

2009-05-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

Hey, have you heard of Pandora? It's an online "radio station" that you can personalize! You can even create any number of "Stations" that you want to listen to. (Thanks, Nathan, for the tip about Pandora... we've been loving it!) I wasn't so sure about it at first, given the Greek Myth of Pandora

Here's a snippet from their website about the name:

The name Pandora means "all gifted" in Greek. In ancient Greek mythology, Pandora received many gifts from the Gods, including the gift of music, from Apollo. She was also, as we all know, very curious. Unlike those Gods of old, however, we celebrate that virtue and have made it our mission to reward the musically curious among us with a never-ending experience of music discovery.

So, the basic idea is that you type in an artist or song that you like, and Pandora searches the "Music Genome Project". While you may not instantly hear that song or artist, you WILL hear a song with similar qualities. Then you have the option of rating it thumbs up, or thumbs down, and Pandora will continue playing songs, using your feedback to create your personal station.

I have an Alison Krauss station that is fantastic (With *mostly* Alison Krauss music, although I've heard JT, EmmyLou Harris, etc... and some new names that I'm enjoying getting to know).

I created a Josh Groban station for mellow music to school to, A "Boppin' Praise" station with the likes of Chris Rice and Casting Crowns, and a couple of folk stations. I have yet to create a classical station or two, but that's a thought, and I bet that I'll get a Christmas station going in the later fall!

I really enjoy being able to hear new music that is in a style that I appreciate. I think this is a great thing, and my kids are loving it too.

Check it out!

Lis

Menu Planning Monday

2009-05-25T21:55:00.003-04:00

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope that everyone had a good day, remembering and being thankful for those who gave their lives for the freedom of our country, and countless others, AND appreciating those who are currently serving.

I'm going to take a stab at menu-planning... we'll see how it goes. I really *should* get organized, because I now have two kids in activities, and both of them are 2-3 times/ week! ACK!

OK, so here we go:
Monday: Tonight we had left over Texas Roadhouse Pulled Pork sandwiches, potato salad, and corn on the cob.

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza and salad

Wednesday: Grilled sirloin tips and chicken, potato salad (Again... I made a big batch!) and corn on the cob.

Thursday: Pasta "bake" with leftover meat, raw carrots and cucumber on the side

Friday: Tandoori Chicken in the crockpot(From crockpot365), rice, and cucumbers.

Saturday: Salad with Roasted Chicken from the store, Hummus and chips

Sunday: Shepherd's Pie made with leftover Chicken and a bag of veggies from the freezer

So, there you have it.... hopefully I'll manage to stick to it! :)

Library book sales and discards...

2009-05-25T21:51:00.001-04:00

I've been reading some books we picked up at the Library Book Sale a couple of weeks ago, and I am wondering.... how does a library choose which books to discard?

We found in the stacks 2 books that we had requested, checked out, and returned about 2 weeks prior. Yes, I'm sure that these were the same two books that had visited our home. If we hadn't checked them out, and they weren't on the reshelving cart, would they have remained in the library for others to peruse and use? These were basic information, non-fiction books that went with a unit study on homesteading on the American Prairie.... kind of the type of book that one would prefer to see at the library, not taking up personal book-shelf space. And I don't think that there's much "updating" that needs to be done on history books like these. I suppose they look "Dated", but in my opinion, that's a GOOD THING.

Now for the other two that I considered, and wondered about... these are by a "current" author, AVI, and are in fantastic shape, great historical stories, very readable, and interesting.
Beyond the Western Sea, Book 1: The Escape From Home
Beyond the Western Sea, Book2: Lord Kirkle's Money
When I read that the author was inspired to write these, in part, based on the fact that so many kids were reading Stephen King novels, I feel two emotions. Profound disappointment that these books found their way to the discard pile at the Library....and Gratitude that there are current authors writing good literature without all the ick and gore, and that I found these books, and am able to save them for my daughter to read.

So... what gives? Does anyone know? I so dislike going to the library and seeing shelves filled with more "Twaddle" than good literature for my children to read and digest. I'd love to see the Arthur Ransome Series, for instance, and they are actually currently in print!

Well, my "vent" is over... feel free to leave me a comment or two~
Blessings~
Lis

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure~ It's About Being Unique By Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends

2009-04-27T22:55:00.004-04:00

Well, it’s taken us a little while to get to viewing this DVD, simply because we don’t spend a lot of time in front of the TV screen. As a result, I am fairly selective about what my children view. Because we had recently seen a Hermie movie at our AWANA club, I was pretty sure that Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure would be A-OK!

The story has to do with two brothers, Skeeter and Sinclair. Sinclair is debonair and something of a world traveler with a distinguished reputation. Skeeter is… a “homegrown” mosquito with a crooked stinger… lovable, but with a penchant for getting lost. The moral of the story has much to do with the fact that God created each one of us, just the way we are. We each have strengths and weaknesses, but if we focus on the strengths and work together to overcome our challenges, we are much more likely to reach a common goal.

My children* enjoyed the story, from the 21-month old(The animations kept his attention) to the 8 and 11 year olds(Who ended up thinking about the "Message", and it left us (Mom and Dad) with smiles on our faces as well. If you are looking for “Family viewing” that will entertain a variety of ages, including the littlest in the family, this could be a good choice for you.

*My kids are very happy that we were afforded the opportunity to review this DVD as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Molly's Money-Saving Digest, May 2009

2009-04-27T22:12:00.002-04:00

Well, this was the first time that I was able to check out Molly's Money-Saving Digest, (As a review item for The Old Schoolhouse Store/ and Econobusters )and I enjoyed the chance! I feel like Molly's Money-Saving Digest is the new "Tightwad Gazette" with a homeschooling family "bent".

Molly's Minute summarizes what you'll find in this month's Digest
Begin with the Basics is a "Strawberry Primer" for May and June
One Sale This Month tracks what typically goes on sale each month. I particularly enjoyed this section, and I even scored a new handmixer (To replace the one that died back in December...), feeling fairly confident that I got it for a pretty rock-bottom price~ worth the cost of the digest, and then some!
Keeping It All Together covers some budgeting basics, that follow on the heels of previous digest "Assignments"
Parenting that Pays is a sweet tribute of women sharing what they learned from their moms and/or mother-figures
Feather Your Nest Frugally, Pull Up a Chair, Goal Getter Spotlight, Readers Write In, and Something Old, Something New all offer hints, tips and inspiration for frugal home-making (With topics touching on decorating, organizing, budgeting/cutting back on expenses, recipes, and celebrating special days)
This month's feature~ Learning for Life~ Your Child's Education includes articles and interviews that cover parenting preschoolers all the way up to "post-high school". I particularly enjoyed hearing about the post-high school opportunities, and reading the interview with Paula Reetz and Sherri MacLean, co-authors of Preschool Activities in a Bag.

All in all, I enjoyed reading through, learning a few things, being reminded of a few things, and finding a few new and relevant online links to explore.

Thanks, Molly!

Blessings~
Lis

The Noticer~ Book Review

2009-04-27T16:51:00.003-04:00

Perspective~ From Latin~ past participle of perspicere : to look through, see clearly, from per- through + specere to look. A mental view or prospect

Andy Andrews’ inspirational new book The Noticer was my introduction to his writing, and a first rate first read. He tells the story of a small town filled with individuals whose lives are changed for the better due to the interest and observations of a man named Jones, whose favorite phrase is “Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.”

How true that we all too often are looking at matters through a microscope, when we would be better backing off so that we could see the “Big Picture” clearly. Like the blind men and the elephant, we sometimes need someone to help us see our circumstances from a bird’s-eye view, and that is what Jones does throughout this narrative. Like Robert Frost, in The Road Not Taken, he points out that the choices we make affect not only our immediate circumstances, but those of future generations.

In a society where everyone seems to question the motives of others, but seldom search their own souls, are quick to cast blame, but anxious to avoid it, Andy Andrews has posed an introspective question: “What is it about me that other people would change if they could.” Jones suggests that the answer and one’s decision to act on that answer, or not, can be a source of magnifying one’s focus on the positive or the negative in one’s life.

Of course, the hope is that people choose to take positive steps forward, and make a positive impact on their lives, families, communities, states, countries, and our world. One way to do so, is to check out The Noticer Project, and take a little bit of time to publicly “notice” those who have had a positive impact on your life. It may be a small step, but sometimes that is all it takes to make something good happen.

*I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

Wordless Wednesday......I can't wait!

2009-04-15T10:41:00.003-04:00

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009

2009-03-19T12:47:00.006-04:00

Hey, Hi, and Howdy!

The 2009 Ultimate Blog Party is over, but if you want to see who was there, feel free to click on the banner and check out some blogs~

Blessings~
Lis

SPRING is definitely on the way!

2009-03-13T15:28:00.002-04:00

Guess what we saw today??? Our first two snowdrops! Hurrah!

Our tulip bulbs and daffodils are "sprouting", and this year we're trying "Squirrel Stopper" spray, to see if we can save our tulip bud this year...

And... I noticed something I hadn't noticed before~ we have two lilac trees~ Two colors, and guess what? They have different colored leaf buds as well! The white lilac's buds are a light green, and the purple lilac has maroon leaf buds. COOL! :)

Just wanted to share~

Lis

Want to help build up an adoption fund?

2009-03-13T14:53:00.004-04:00

Denice, one of my fellow TOS "Crewmates", has asked a "Favor" from the rest of the crew, and I am happy to oblige. She has asked us to spread the word about a raffle/fundraiser that will help them with their adoption fund. Read what she has to say:

My husband and I adopted our youngest daughter from Kazakhstan 2 1/2 years ago. We have always known that we'd like to adopt again, but didn't think that right now was the best time, since we are hopeful to move to WI sometime this year. Anyway, in Dec. the urge to adopt was hitting me very hard, so I asked the Lord to either remove it (until it was the right time) or show us that it actually WAS the right time!! Well, a week later, we received a phone call from our adoption agency and they asked us if we'd consider being a "test" family for a "pilot" program they were starting in Taiwan! I'd say that was an answer to prayer!!! (And luckily, so did my husband!)

I've been making custom made bags with all proceeds going towards our adoption. This month I am raffling off a custom bag (it'll be custom made to the winner's liking!), tickets are only $5.00 each. All bag styles and sizes are on http://denicescreations.blogspot.com/ .

Since we are the first family to go through this new program, everything is happening at a very accelerated rate! VERY FAST!!! I know that Lord will provide, just kind of freaking my poor husband out! (And I guess me a little too!)

Thanks for taking the time to look! And any prayers would be greatly appreciated too!!!

If you feel led, please contact Denice...

Blessings~
Lis

Our favorite Pizza....

2009-03-11T16:31:00.004-04:00

Well, this blog hasn't gotten as much use as my TOS Crew reviews blog, but I'm going to try to remedy that. One of my "Crew-mates" introduced me to the world of "memes", so I'm joining my first with this "Works For Me Wednesday" post.

Due to frantic Friday evenings getting out to AWANA, last year was the year of the frozen Schwann's pizza. This year, in trying to "Save some dough", I decided to try making my OWN dough. I searched for a recipe for "Quick Pizza Crust" and found this . I have played with it and modified it over the months, so what follows is my version of quick and easy and TASTY pizza, with no preservatives, and only whole wheat goodness! (Editing to add in another variation that we like right now!)

Friday's Fabulous Fast Fixin's(aka Speedy Pizza)
This recipe makes enough to fill two large rectangular bar pans from Pampered chef(I suppose it would work for two round pizza stones, too, but I don't have any of those, so we eat rectangular pizza!)

4 1/2 tsp yeast
2 tsp sugar(I used Florida's Naturals)
2 cups warm water
5 cups whole wheat flour OR 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups white wheat flour, and 1 cup cornmeal (This is our current favorite crust combo)
4 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded cheese(Optional)
2 tsp dried basil OR 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds (Optional)
extra olive oil

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
Mix the flour, salt, cheese, and basil in a medium sized bowl, while the yeast is "activating".
When the timer goes off, the yeast mixture should be "creamy", if it is,
Add the yeast mixture and the oil to the dried ingredients, and beat until smooth.
Split in half (I save one half in an airtight container or ziplock baggie for another night)
Let the dough "relax" for 5 minutes, so that it will be easier to roll out.

Shape your pizza, and brush with the extra olive oil, then add the rest of your desired toppings. My kids aren't fans of red sauce, so we tend to go with some combination of the following:
(We always have cheese and sauteed onion slices)

meat of some sort (leftover meatballs(sliced), rotisserie chicken, slices of Al Fresco chicken sausages, etc...)
sliced grape tomatoes
roasted red pepper strips
slices of calamata olives
sauteed mushrooms
steamed broccoli
minced garlic

Pop it into the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Be sure to let it cool a couple of minutes after baking, so that nobody burns the roof of their mouth.

So... this is what works for us, and I thought I'd share! :) You can find out what works for other families at We are THAT Family which is hosting "Works For Me Wednesday" posts

Blessings~
Lis

We get to review a Hermie DVD!

2009-03-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

We just saw our first Hermie Movie at our AWANA club a few weeks ago (During "Drive in Movie"/"Car" night), and everyone enjoyed it, so I am very excited to say that Thomas Nelson is sending us a Hermie DVD (Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure: It's About Being Unique) to review. If you want to "preview" what we will "Review", just click on the title of this post, and we'll keep you "posted"... ;)

Blessings~
Lis

March 2009 Update

2009-03-03T15:47:00.005-05:00

I am keeping quite busy:
*With my other blog, Acorns~ Or Homeschooling Nuggets of Gold which has reviews of homeschooling products
*Heading up my local Homeschool Support Group
*Helping out at AWANA as a leader, with my husband, providing music for "council time"
*Helping to lead music every 3rd Sunday at church
*Keeping up with my new toddler
*Carting my oldest to Step-Dance classes 2x per week
*Oh, yes, and homeschooling my oldest two...

We recently attended an educational opera production of Mozart's Magic Flute, put on by the Boston Lyric Opera~ it was great fun, even if Littlest only lasted through 1/2 of the performance before the size of the hall got to him... Oldest and Middlest found it interesting to note the differences from the performance they had seen 4 years previously.

Littlest had his first sledding experience a couple of weeks ago, and he enjoyed himself once he got to sit in his siblings inflated Tube sleds, where he appeared to feel safe and secure, cradled by rubber. ;)

We're planning on taking the kids skiing/snowboarding for the first time ever next week, as well as our traditional maple sugaring tour at the Audubon Sanctuary.

All in all, we're keeping quite busy!
Hopefully I'll be able to update a little more often, and I may even have some literature reviews(non-homeschooling related) to post here... we shall see.
And if I can get my Canon camera fixed, or my "stop-gap" Kodak Easy share(Not so "easy-to-share" I'm finding... :( ) to actually upload to my MAC, I might even make this blog more "pretty" with new photos.

Blessings,
Lis

Schooling week 3

2008-09-24T12:01:00.002-04:00

Well, we are into our third week of school, and we still haven't had a "normal" week (ie, without interruption.. or is that actually "normal"??).

First week we had 1st day of school "Stuff" like pictures, new supplies and things to organize, plus a (forgotten.. oops) quick trip to the doctor for blood work before my physical.

Second week... well there was that physical that I mentioned from the week before, but that was the only major interruption.

This week we had a unicyle to return, a trip to the used clothing store, and the library book sale(All yesterday... Tuesdays are ending up being our "interruption" day!).

Now, I'm hoping for a reasonable rest of the week, except for the fact that we are taking Friday off to celebrate "Birthday # Eight!" before AWANA begins Friday night..... hmmm... maybe next week will be uniterrupted?

However, in spite of all this, we have managed to get all of our math, spelling done, we've finished Hind's Feet in High Places, and are going to start Wisdom With the Millers (As soon as I locate it in the stacks of books), and we've kept mostly on task with the rest of our studies.

Week 1... Helen Keller is our Beyond FIAR selection, Harold and the Purple Crayon was our FIAR selection.

Week 2... Continuing Helen Keller, and FIAR was Henry the Castaway.

Week 3... Helen Keller, and Andy and the Circus. This is timely, because Helen Keller has a Circus study, and we are hoping to go to Ringling Bros. Circus next week! We've been having fun working on Juggling (No success yet, but we're trying), and "Balancing" so far this week. Great fun!

The other thing that we've added to our "Schedule" this year is a regular walk around the neighborhood, observing the flowers, and animal life we happen to see, and the main thing has been checking out the trees. We have determined that European Beech Trees as well as Birch Trees, and Ginko Trees are our favorites. We also discovered two trees we didn't notice before.. the Eastern Catalpa, and the Tulip Tree. I am really enjoying this, and so are the kids!

Well, I'll finish this off for now. Hopefully I can keep it up, to some degree...