By His Grace

oh kitty kitty

2012-02-08T16:20:00.004-06:00

I have several plants and a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table. Our dear kitty cat loves to investigate. I love the look she is giving me. Sitting there where she doesn't belong, trying to 'blend in', sniffing the fruit while glancing me to see if I notice her. Yep! Busted!

Once she realized she was busted she got up to get ready to flee if necessary but continued to investigate until fleeing was required!

Aren't cats funny!

2012-02-07T22:26:00.002-06:00

See the grumpy look. My husband didn't want the dog to sit in the chair (actually he doesn't like any of the animals to sit in the chair) - so he piled it with pillows. The cat was completely put out that she couldn't sit in her favorite spot! She perched on the end of the chair and grumped at me. I felt so bad for her - I moved the pillows. She curled right in.

Paper Angels by Billy Coffey

2012-02-05T21:51:00.002-06:00

This is Billy Coffey's second novel. I find I really enjoy his writing style. You can tell he is a man of faith - that shines through. It is nice to see. Andy is the main character in the book and the story begins with him in the hospital. He meets with a councilor who tries to help him piece together why it all happened. It is a great path of discovery.

Heaven is Real

2012-01-19T09:46:00.004-06:00

Heaven is Real by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey

Really excellent book but I do recommend reading 90 Minutes in Heaven first. This is the sequel that gives more insights and also shares stories of others that have contacted Don Piper since his first book came out. He shares the powerful impact that 90 Minutes in Heaven has had on others and how it has touched others lives. He talks about going through tragedies in life and being able to find a new normal. Life won't be like it was before. Things will be different but it can be better.

juicing - going GREEN

2012-01-19T09:30:00.005-06:00

One of the healthy things that has been suggested to me is to work at raising my PH level. I got the test strips and my level was at the bottom of the acceptable range - which isn't horrible but I want to make sure it is well into that range. Green veggies help to make the body more alkaline. So it was recommended I do Green Smoothies with green supplements added in. Here it is in the blender.

Below is the concoction as it is starting to get blended.

This is the final product. It looks just awful doesn't it!! Well, surprise, surprise - I actually like it. My family thinks I am nuts but it really does taste much better than it looks.

If you are interested in giving this a try - here is the recipe from a friend's website: click here

I made the Basic Green Smoothie. I did not add any honey and I only added one apple - as I am not doing that much 'sweet' stuff. I cut out all soy and all sugar for now - until I get my body more stabilized - sugar will come back in moderation later. Actually I am hoping to add in more fruits soon. Anyway, since I have been off all sugar for 2 months now, adding just one apple made it seem incredibly sweet to me. I used just a little bit of kale and then I used collard leaves. The green powder came from here. Enjoy - it really is quite taste - ya just have to get past the look of it.

Book Review

2012-01-13T06:44:00.003-06:00

The Scroll by Jeffrey and Gansky.

This book is different from others I have read lately. It is about a biblical archaeologists who is excavating treasures in Israel. This time the search is to find artifacts that would be part of the temple that was destroyed when the Romans came and took over. Additionally, the main archaeologist, David, has lost his faith in God. This last dig helps him to come to terms with the reasons that he lost his faith and to find a way to reconnect with God. There is lots of intrigue as there are many that do not want the artifacts to be found. They are willing even to resort to murder to prevent the dig from being successful. It gives a bit of insight into conditions in Israel. This was a very good book and very suspenseful. I couldn't put it down.

The author, Grant Jeffrey, is one of the leading authorities on biblical prophecy. If you would like to know more about him - here is a weblink: click here.

2012-01-05T07:14:00.001-06:00

Book review - Valeria's Cross

2012-01-03T21:51:00.002-06:00

by Kathi Macias and Susan Wales

A very powerful book - and after reading it - I realize how grateful I am that I live in the times I do and not back in Roman times. Women were not always treated very well and had little recourse. Christians were not treated well at all and many were tortured or killed for their beliefs. This book takes place during the reign of Diocletian - one of the greatest persecutors of Christians. His daughter was Valeria and both she and her mother were Christians. Valeria's first love is killed by her father - for being a Christian. Valeria is then ordered / forced to marry for political reasons. The man chosen for her is a great military leader and a pagan. This book focuses on Valeria's choice to try to honor God through her marriage, to pray for her husband's salvation and to forgive him for the horrors he commits against Christians. A tall order! I admire Valeria for her ability to live for God and question whether I would be able to be as kind and forgiving of the man who killed many of my friends just because of their faith. How do you forgive that kind of evil? And while I could get to the point of forgiveness - going on to reconcile and have a happy marriage when the evil continues - that would be really hard.

This was a wonderful book. Very hard to put down. Very well written. The book does take some liberties as thoughts or feelings of women of this time period were not written down or documented. It does truthfully portray how Christians were martyred during this time period. Shocking to read and really 'feel' what they went through. Glad I didn't live in Roman times.

Heaven is for Real for Kids

2012-01-01T23:55:00.003-06:00

I have been reading the longer, adult version of this book and have really been enjoying it. When I saw this book, I decided to get it to read to my youngest. Kids need to really know and understand that heaven is real! We loved that Colton's picture was at the end of the book - so my son could firmly grasp that Colton is a real person and that this really happened to him - he got to visit heaven. As a parent, I liked that there were bible verses included. We know that the bible is true. If Colton's story had had elements in it that were clearly against things taught in the bible then we would know it to be false. Listing the bible verses, helps to show that the things Colton saw could very well have happened to him and are true. This was a very good book. My son did have more questions such as what happened to Colton, why was he in the hospital, etc. A bit more on what lead up to his visit to heaven would have been nice. Overall, this was a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. Great book as a read aloud for kids.

BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network book review (BookSneeze) bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Where is God? by Dr. John Townsend

2012-01-01T22:08:00.006-06:00

I have had this book for awhile to review but I have had a difficult time getting through it. It was not because it wasn't a good book - it is very good. It was because the book hit really close to home for me. It was amazing. As our family went through some of our trials, I was asking some of the same questions - and this book really was very good. It was helpful to have things said that I knew but in the time of trouble had put in the back of my mind. One of the chapters I really enjoyed was The God of Faith When there are No Answers. Sometimes bad things happen and there are just no answers. At that point, we just have to cling to Him, knowing He is carrying us though and have faith that there is some good that will come out of it. It is an amazing book and I really recommend reading it.

Book review - A Sound Among the Trees

2012-01-01T17:42:00.002-06:00

This book is very well written and keeps your attention. It is a lovely story. It is a wonderful story about a new bride finding her way and also respecting the traditions and people that are part of the family she married heritage. It bounces back and forth between the present day and the past - specifically the Civil War era. The story takes place in Virginia. The family had divided loyalties with some of the members fighting on each side in the war. While the war in the backdrop, the main thrust of the story is the women in the family, their roles and survival.

It also speaks to the fact that people aren't always what we think they are. It is hard to truly know the inner feelings of another person - and it also speaks to forgiveness and the power of God to work in ones life to bring about positive change.

Book - The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright

2011-12-18T14:02:00.005-06:00

It only takes 17 seconds to change a life. That is the premise of this book. Cole's father decides to be intentional. Most random acts of kindness only take a few seconds. Whenever Rex, Cole's father, sees the opportunity to help someone he does it. He instills this value in his son, Cole, who then uses the lessons learned to teach high school students in a discussion group forum. It is really a good book.

While the subject is not specifically about Christmas or Christ's birth, I believe that since Christ is love this book is a great Christmas read. It is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that we can find it within ourselves to love those that seem 'unlovable'. Yet, often those are also the souls that most often need a 'seventeen second miracle' in their life. As we perform those small but meaningful miracles, we point others toward Christ.

So have you done your seventeen second miracle today?

Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

2011-10-12T21:06:00.005-05:00

An anonymous gift - begins a wonderful journey of healing for one woman and brings an entire community together. It all begins when Julia receives a gift - a bag of starter and a recipe for friendship bread. She wants to toss it out but her daughter loves the idea - and wants to follow the directions to eventually make the bread with her Mom in ten days. At the end though Julia ends up with more starter bags and gifts those to others. Pretty soon the entire community is making friendship bread. The book bounces telling you a bit about the people who receive these bags of starter - letting you into their lives. It is a great book about friendship, healing and love.

This was a really great book. I very much enjoyed it. And the best part is that there are recipes at the end for making the starter and the friendship bread. I can't wait to try them.

Video tribute

2011-09-18T13:30:00.001-05:00

Very cool video ---

click here

Dinner

2011-09-16T21:34:00.003-05:00

We had just a fabulous dinner tonight. It was a rather unusual combination but really tasted well together. We had asparagus & green beans (for those in the family that just won't eat asparagus), corn beef (baked in the oven - it was so nice to turn the oven on to take the chill out of the air), Smoky Three-Bean Bake and Hot Potato Salad. The bean bake and the tater salad were new recipes - and WOW were they good. Highly recommend both. Here they are:

This is the link for the recipe for the Hot Potato Salad (really good!).

This is the link for the Smoky Three Bean Bake (also really good!).

I wanted to make a nice dinner for the family as it was the first time in several weeks that we were able to sit down all of us together. It seemed like we should have a special dinner. Normally, we always try to have family dinners - sitting down, praying, eating and sharing what happened in our day. Since my oldest is now going to school - things have changed, schedules have changed and we don't always get to have family dinners together. I miss that.

A Dog Named Christmas & Christmas with Tucker

2011-09-04T20:49:00.002-05:00

A Dog Named Christmas & Christmas with Tucker

By Greg Kincaid

I love a good story that involves animals - especially dogs! I have had a dog almost all my life. The joy of owning a house vs. renting is the ability to have pets! We (our family) shares our lives with a wonderful friend - Tanner - a Siberian Husky. We love him.

Both of these stories are really great. They speak to the wonderful place dogs hold in our hearts and lives. Dogs really are wonderful friends. Both books are enjoyable reads. Neither are overly long.

Snow Day by Billy Coffey

2011-09-04T20:17:00.002-05:00

Really enjoyed this book. It is fun. The author has a wonderfully, delightful, sense of humor. Living in a northern state like we do, we love snow days! They make life fun. A time to totally put live on hold and just go play in the snow. A time to go sledding. A time to help neighbors shovel out. A time to reconnect with neighbors as we all shovel together. Our family loves snow days!

Snow Day is a book that capitalizes on the fact that snow days are so much fun for kids (because school gets put aside for one day - and it is a day of play). Yet, it is many times a day of headaches for adults. We think of still trying to get to work - navigating through the snow. All the work to shovel out passes through our minds. Snow brings more work and headaches for adults. Not a day of play. In Snow Day, Peter decides to set his normal day aside and enjoy a snow day. It becomes a day of reflection and a self evaluation for Peter. Through basic encounters with others he reflects and evaluates his life, values, focus, goals and ultimately his relationship with Christ. The author does this with such a great sense of humor. It is insightful and funny.

Sewing project long overdue

2011-08-07T23:07:00.002-05:00

Okay - sewing isn't my thing. And yet - I end up having to sew on all the patches and badges for our Cub and Boy Scouts. I am (of course) behind (because who rushes to do the dreaded tasks in life) --- and decided to force myself to do it tonight. I had to get my older son's shirt to see where to sew stuff on. And so the project begins.

I love my kids and do this for them --- but I would rather be doing anything else! These badges were not created to sew on easily or nicely. Then after I get them all sewed on - I look and usually something is crooked or off. Ahhhhhh! It is agony! Agony, I tell you! Plus I usually stab myself with the needle at least 4 times -- and then have to try to not bleed all over the shirt. (My oldest son tells me that some moms hot glue the badges! I am tempted I tell you. Tempted!)

Red Glove Series by Karen Kingsbury

2011-07-14T12:11:00.002-05:00

What a great series. All of the books are very heartwarming stories. Not very long stories. Easy to read in a day or two but very, very good stories. Kind of nice for a quick, easy summer read.

The books are:

Gideon's Gift

Hannah's Hope

Maggie's Miracle

Sarah's Song

Read them all - they are all very good. At the end, they have ideas for doing your own red glove project. The red gloves represent the gift of giving. Red - the color of our savior's blood. Through that He gave us the greatest gift of all - eternal life. The red gloves show up as a symbol in all the books. In Hannah's Hope the red gloves were a Christmas present that Hannah had received. They had the word 'believe' embroidered inside them so that Hannah would remember that she to continue to have faith and believe in God and that He has the ability to do miracles.

Great video

2011-07-13T09:19:00.001-05:00

What a great video - wonderful photography! Great testament to God's creation.

Click here to view

Roasted Cumin & Chickpea Salad

2011-07-10T19:53:00.002-05:00

3/4 tsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Salt and Pepper

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 oz feta, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)

1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin and cook, stirring until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add the oil, lime juice, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to the bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Add the chickpeas, celery, tomato and onion. Toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally for 15 minutes.

4. Fold in the feta before serving.

I found this recipe in a Woman's Day magazine - and was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. I am always looking for new and interesting things to make for the family. Salads are so nice during the summer. No turning on the oven! A huge plus when it has been rather hot here lately.

Spicy Skillet Chicken

2011-07-03T14:55:00.004-05:00

Spicy Skillet Chicken by Betty Crocker --- I tried this for the first time and my husband absolutely loved it. Thought it was one of the best recipes I have made in a long time. Even I loved it - as it was flavorful but not really spicy.

Here is a link to the recipe: link to recipe

It is really quick and easy to make. And very, very good.

Book review - The Girl in the Green Sweater

2011-07-02T22:46:00.003-05:00

The Girl in the Green Sweater

by Krystyna Chiger

What an amazing survival story. This is a true story told by a survivor of the holocaust. She and her family survived by living underground in the sewer system of Lvov, Poland. A sewer worker, Leopold Socha, feels that he will find redemption by helping this family out. He comes every day and brings supplies and food. It is a nasty, dirty place to live but they do survive. It is an amazing story. I recommend reading this story. We need to remember and never forget - we can never let it happen again.

4th of July - let us remember

2011-07-02T22:36:00.002-05:00

Wave On, Old Glory, Wave On

Pray for our troop and their families.

May God bless all who serve and keep them safe.

Fresh Corn Salad

2011-07-02T21:45:00.002-05:00

This was really delicious. A great salad to make for the summer. Light, fresh. Does have a bit of a zip to it. Be warned though - it makes quite a lot. I am showing a small portion here in the picture - that I packed up for my parents to take home.

8 ears of corn, shucked

6 fresh tomatoes, chopped (I used Roma tomatoes)

2 cucumbers (The recipe said to peel, seed and chop - I didn't do that. I used only one cucumber but I used the whole thing. I did not peel or seed the cucumber.)

2 green onions, chopped

1 green sweet pepper, seeded and chopped. (I also added a red, yellow and orange sweet pepper - seeded and chopped)

1 jalapeno - seeded and chopped. (I don't like things too spicy so I only used 1/2 of the jalapeno.)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush corn with a little olive oil. Grill corn until lightly browned, turning to cook evenly. Cool. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cobs.

2. Toss corn with tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, vinegar and the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

The Walk Series by Richard Paul Evans

2011-06-25T23:14:00.003-05:00

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans (Book 1)

Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans (Book 2)

This is really a great series. I can't wait for the next 3 books to come out. In the books we meet Alan. He has it all. He is a very successful advertising person who started his own ad agency. He married his high school sweetheart - and the love of his life. They live in a big, expensive home. They have it all.

Then, in less then two weeks Alan loses everything. His wife, his home and his ad agency. There is nothing left to live for. He decides against suicide and decides instead to walk. He picks the furthest place on the map from Seattle and decides to walk there - Key West, Florida. In book one, he doesn't even get out of the state before something bad happens. (I don't want to give it away and spoil book one.)

Then we pick up the story in book two where he meets Angel. She is a true angel of mercy sent by God to help him in his time of need. And the story continues. It is a great series. I love his writing style.

You Know When the Men are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

2011-06-17T18:04:00.002-05:00

A very interesting book that helps those of us that are not in the military get a better understanding of how deployment affects those left at home and affects the family relationships of those deployed. I really loved the book. It is a collection of short stories about various families and it takes place at Fort Hood. I did find myself wishing that she had continued a few of the stories and gave us more of a completed picture. I do find that with really good books I want more - to follow up with the characters and see what happens next. I was left with that feeling after this book.

Tunneled in

2011-06-12T18:58:00.005-05:00

Here's a good one for you. I came home and found pieces of cardboard on the counter. They were small, scrap like pieces. Hmmmmm - what is this? Where did it come from? (I asked.)

My husband pipes up and says - 'ya, about that. I tunneled in.'

What? You tunneled in where?

We wanted burgers and it is too hard to get them out of the top of the box. So I tunneled in. I opened the freezer and saw --- it honestly looks like a mouse chewed through the box to the goodies inside.

Libby

2011-06-12T18:50:00.003-05:00

I had opened the cabinet in the bathroom - it is a small cabinet - where we keep a small garbage container. I was emptying the garbage and Libby decided to take advantage of the opportunity to climb on in. The second picture shows Libby leaving but give a better idea of the size of the cabinet. It is not a large space - but large enough for a cat!

When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent

2011-06-11T23:35:00.004-05:00

What an unbelievably good book! And but for the grace of God there go I.............

The parents had done everything right - raised their son to know the Lord. Their son graduated from the US Naval Academy and was a Navy Lieutenant. Late one night they got the call that their son had shot and killed the ex-husband of his wife. This book does not defend the action but walks through the devastation the parents faced - the guilt, the shame, anger and grief. She talks about how this became her Isaac situation - just like Abraham had to lay down his Isaac in order to fully trust God, in this book she relates to having to lay her own son down -- and learning to trust God fully, to lean on him. And learning how to forgive.

We all want our kids to turn out well, knowing and following Christ. But they will make mistakes --- we hope they won't be huge, life altering or even life ending mistakes. As parents we all have the potential to be prideful --- see I was a good parent --- see how well my child has turned out. But what if you were a good parent and yet your child turns from the Lord, commits a crime, does something horrible? How often have I looked on a scene where a child is out of control and thought ill of that parent - without knowing all the struggles, without any knowledge of what that child is really like. Maybe the child was having a bad day, maybe the child was sick. Maybe no matter what was taught the child strayed. As parents we all wrestle with the guilt of not having that perfect child. I often think of how God must feel - we are all his children. He is our Father and yet we can't even for one second of the day be perfect for him. We sin, we stray.

This book was very good and recommend reading it. She told the story very well. And dealt with the emotions but never once defended the act.

Kids say the funniest things

2011-06-11T23:13:00.003-05:00

First to set the scene - my oldest son is 15 and my youngest is 7.

My youngest loves to pass wind --- thinks it is just the most hysterical thing in the world.

(It must be a 7 year old boy thing!)

Well, my youngest and oldest were riding in the car with my husband a few days before. They were also taking a friend of my oldest - who happens to be a girl. They are truly just friends. Our family is friends with her family.

Now we fast forward the few days and our youngest is at home passing wind in the house. Horribly smelly wind. My oldest finds it offensive and proceeds to tell my youngest that the girl who road with them found it horribly offensive when he had passed wind in the car. It smelled so bad that the girl was sliding all the way over away from my youngest. (He was thinking that letting my youngest know girls find it offensive would be an incentive to stop it.) My oldest said, 'yah, she was almost on my lap, cause she wanted to get away from you.'

My youngest (without missing a beat!) says, "you're welcome!" (with a dry kind of amused voice).

My husband who heard this whole thing about about split a gut laughing.

Great sign

2011-06-11T23:09:00.001-05:00

A local church has this sign - I really loved it!

The Very First Easter - great book for kids

2011-03-28T23:32:00.003-05:00

The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier

This is a wonderful book to read during lent. It has very nice pictures and it is told in story form. Mom and Dad are telling Chris (their son) about the first Easter. It is backed up with scripture. It is very nicely done book.

Book Review - Plain Wisdom

2011-03-22T19:32:00.005-05:00

Plain Wisdom

By Cindy Woodsmall & Miriam Flaud

This was such a wonderful book. I really enjoyed reading it. Miriam is an Old Order Amish woman. She and Cindy teamed up to write the book. Each chapter begins with a scripture verse that ties into the subject of the chapter. Then, both Miriam and Cindy will share their individual thoughts on the subject. What I found interesting is how universal many of the ideas are. Even though the women are from completely different cultures both share the same God & Jesus. Additionally, so many feelings and emotions were shared by both - for example one chapter dealt with the worry / concern for the safety of family members traveling. It really impressed upon me how much we (as humans) are alike even though we might live in different cultures. We all hope, dream, live, laugh, love, fear.

They also shared many of their favorite recipes. I can't wait to make the Amish Friendship Bread starter and share it with others. Many, many years ago I had received a starter from a friend and it made such wonderful bread. I am excited to try the one listed in the book.

This book was very endearing and insightful. It is full of wisdom - much of it biblical wisdom. It is neat to see a friendship that has survived the obstacles of time, distance, cultural differences, the busyness of raising a family - and still it has endured and been strengthened over time.

New study

2011-03-22T01:49:00.002-05:00

Mercola has a very informative article on a new study that links Breast cancer to aluminum.

He lists vaccines as a major source of aluminum.

Here is a link to the article:

article

There are two other sources of aluminum that I have found. Aluminum is found in deodorant and baking powder. A few years ago I switched to using Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Deodorant. It is aluminum free and can be found at most grocery stores. Tom's is another good brand that I have used.

The baking powder is harder to find - I have not found it in the local grocery stores but Trader Joe's carries Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder. They don't have it all the time but seem to stock it during the holiday baking season. It was fairly inexpensive there. I am sure you can find it at your local health food store, too.

Just wanted to share a few products that I have found that work well and are aluminum free.

The Five P's

2011-03-20T21:07:00.004-05:00

I try to live by the 5 P's ------ have you heard this one?

Prior

Planning

Prevents

Pissed off

People

A friend of mine doesn't like the 'pissed off' and prefers to say 'perturbed' - so prior planning prevents perturbed people. So if you find that to be more word friendly - use that version. Either way the thought is the same. It is something that I try to live by as a little bit of planning can easily prevent a good day from turning bad. When you have little ones, it entailed making sure enough diapers and baby food are taken along. Hungry babies and 'messy' babies make for a very unpleasant day! Nothing can ruin a trip faster. I have a child with a dairy allergy. It is important to bring along foods he can eat. We can't always guarantee we can get the foods that are safe for him when we are out and about.

Lately, I have also been thinking about the economy and all the 'bad' reports I have been reading. Plus, there have been so many disasters around the world lately. One of our IT people at church has a son that has been living in Japan for awhile. He is not in the quake area but south of it. They have black outs for 3 hours about 2 times a day. There are food shortages and long lines to get gas. Plus gas is being rationed. (Please pray for Japan.)

It got me to thinking about how prepared should we be for various situations here in the states. Most of the time, disasters tend to affect only a certain region - and not the whole country. I also doubt that the level of devastation that is affecting Japan would happen here. Still, how prepared are we? What preparations have you done?

feeding teenaged boys

2011-03-20T20:46:00.003-05:00

Wow - it is amazing to me how very much a teenaged boy will eat!!

I have found a few things that are cost affective, filling and cheap!

Potatoes - I buy them in the 10 pound bag - usually not overly expensive. I think the last bag was round $3.00 or so. Whenever I make a meal in the oven, I throw in potatoes to bake. These are then used the next day to make hash brown potatoes. I put some olive oil in the pan. Add some onions and green peppers. Then cut up the already cooked potatoes into slices. Throw those in. Cook until warm and slightly brown (or crispy if you like).

While I don't recommend it for adults as we don't need all the carbs, for a teenaged growing boy that works out all the time and burns off all that fuel --- it is a great side dish for lunch and not to expensive. It is very filling!

I also make a special treat for the boys - because they always seem to need snacks! Honestly, we can finish a meal and as I am still doing the dishes they are in looking to eat! I have started taking apples and dehydrating them! It is a wonderful, healthy snack. They love them and they aren't took expensive.

Just sharing a few ideas! What have you found that works?

Cross Country Skiing

2011-03-20T20:25:00.006-05:00

My youngest has some wonderful Cub Scout leaders that took their den on a cross country skiing outing. He had just so much fun. So much fun! Above you can see him giving me the 'do I have to pose for a picture', look. Below one of the older scouts is helping to get his skis on.

Ready, set, go!

The group relaxing in front of the fire in the lodge afterwards.

What a great outing!

new recipe

2011-03-20T19:44:00.002-05:00

I tried a great new recipe for chicken ---- and I took a great picture of it. I can 'see' the picture on my camera but can't download it to my computer. My husband is working on fixing the problem. I decided to blog on - and just go with clip art.

Don't you love my chicken! Yep I cooked her up!

Anyway, the whole family loved this even my picky eaters!

Take French's Original French Fried Onions - about 2 cups. Crush with a rolling pin (or a glass will work).

Take boneless chicken breasts and dip them into an egg.

Then coat with onion crumbs, pressing them to the chicken if they don't stick well.

Place chicken on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 50 minutes. (Or however long it takes for the chicken to no longer be pink in the center.) I had really large chicken breasts and they were still partially frozen - so they took about 50 minutes. If they are smaller and completely thawed I would think 30 minutes would do the trick.

The chicken tasted delicious. I actually have to confess that I heard this on TV on a commercial for French's Fried Onions. I hate to even admit that the commercials 'sell' anything. I truly try to blot most commercials out. For some reason, I was listening and this commercial caught my eye. I actually sent my husband to the store to buy French's Fried Onions today just to make this. Sadly, the commercial did the trick. It was good though.

A sign........

2011-03-20T19:34:00.002-05:00

That yes I am getting older ------- I have had to get glasses for driving ------ for distance. I would like to say they make me seem like...........

--------- a wise owl

Sadly, I think reality is they are more of a sign of getting older. They aren't quite grandma glasses as those are the ones you need to magnify the print. And those must be perched on the end of the nose to really get the full grandma affect. Mine, I feel, are more stylish than that! I can't wait until I need them for distance and for reading. (Bifocals! - Yuk!) Or better yet I can have two pairs and perch the one I am not actually using at the time on the top of my head - for safe storage. That would look very hip, wouldn't it!

Herbal tea for colds

2011-03-20T19:25:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful find! We tried this for the first time this year and both brands worked fabulous.

Traditional Medicinals Gypsy Cold Care &

Yogi Cold Season

Both are organic, caffeine free, herbal teas specifically blended to help cold symptoms. It is amazing but you can feel your airways opening up as you drink them. We are huge fans of the Yogi teas but found the Traditional Medicinals Gypsy Cold care to be just as good.

Lenten bible study for adults

2011-03-20T19:10:00.003-05:00

Bread & Broth by Cynthia E. Cowen

Again, I was hoping to share about this wonderful study before lent began. Our Christcare group is doing this study and it has been such a joy. It is food, fellowship and biblical study all rolled up into one. We have just so enjoyed it. The study is done very well.

There are 6 sessions. For each session a soup or stew is suggested to serve along with studying about the lives Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elisha, John the Baptist and Jesus. We normally meet at 7:00 but for this study are meeting earlier at dinner time. We do change it up and serve the dinner first as most of us can't wait that long. We wouldn't be able to focus on God's word as we would be too hungry to think straight. So we have changed up the order listed in the study. We discuss why that particular meal was served after we have eaten it but we all get the concept. It has been working very well and is such a wonderful way to share God's word. We are nourishing ourselves with God's word and with bread & broth! Nourishing our spirit and our bodies.

2011-03-20T18:55:00.003-05:00

I was hoping to blog about this book BEFORE lent began but sadly just didn't get to it. I am so sorry about that. Still, I have to say we really are enjoying this story and I highly recommend picking it up for next year's lenten season.

Have you heard of or read Jotham's Journey? That is an advent study. This story, Amon's Adventures, takes place roughly 30 years later. Amon is Jotham's son. Jotham gets accused of stealing money from the temple and is sentenced to die. Amon, as the oldest son, sets out to try to prove his father's innocence. The book is set up in a similar way as Jotham's Journey --- each day you read a chapter. The chapter ends with a bible verse and a lesson to be learned. We often have a hard time just reading one chapter a day as it does leave you hanging to find out the 'rest of the story'. It is very, very well written and has been just a joy to read.

So much to say........

2011-03-20T18:40:00.002-05:00

Hockey season is coming to an end and while we love the sport - it is sooooo nice to have time back. Hockey is quite a time consuming sport and more so for our family as we have 3 boys in the sport. Our middle son did make an elite team where 65 kids from this region tried out and he was one of 15 to make the team. They have practices this week and a tournament this weekend. And then (breathe a sigh of relief!) we are done for awhile!

And I will be back to blogging more frequently! I have been composing blog entries in my mind - just not had time to get them on the blog! My kids always laugh at me when this happens - I don't blog for a while and then whammo - many, many updates! So hang on ....... here they come!

Blogging for books

2011-03-12T09:24:00.003-06:00

I blog for books and love doing it. This is the latest book that just arrived. I really enjoy reading about the Amish. What is so exciting about this one is that it is an advanced copy! I have never gotten an advanced copy before - it can't even be bought in the store until March 15th. How cool is that!!! I am halfway through it already and really enjoy the book. There are some really great recipes in the book! I will do a full book review soon - so stay tuned!

drive in theater

2011-02-24T21:49:00.005-06:00

At AWANAs tonight it was drive in movie night. They were to create a 'car' using a box or laundry basket. Our middle child helped our youngest make his car. It turned out really cute. It was a large box which turned out to be a real blessings. Another boy forgot that it was drive in movie night and didn't have a car. JJ's car was large enough to allow a friend to sit with him during the movie. JJ thought that was very special. The kids get popcorn, bottled water and a movie. How cool is that! We love our AWANAs.

Isn't it cute - they thought up the idea of doing a windshield / window all on their own. You can't see it in this picture very easily but they taped mirrors on the side to act as rearview mirrors. I am happy to see that even as young as they are they are 'using their mirrors' when driving! Good job!

Book Review - The Dragon and The Turtle Go on Safari - children's book

2011-02-18T20:16:00.005-06:00

This was a very cute, lovable story about two friends who decide to conquer their fears by camping out all night at the base of the mountain in the jungle. There are lots of animal sounds but the friends identify the sounds so they become less scary. At the end of the book Deuteronomy 31:6 is quoted "Be strong and courageous". When I was reading this I was thinking of Joshua 1:9 where it says "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." The friends didn't need to be discouraged or afraid. All they had to do was pray to God. He would never leave them nor forsake them.

This book was very well illustrated. I like that many of the picture had the boys shining their flashlights - a light shining in the darkness scaring away the evil - kind of like Christ is our light in the world fending off evil. My son talked about a light of truth blowing forth into the world. I thought that was a great analogy.

I received this book from WaterBrook Maltnomah Publishers for the sole purpose of reading and doing this review.

Book Review - Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere

2011-02-08T22:26:00.003-06:00

Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere

This book is a call to women to wake up and change the world. Lisa Bevere uses the lioness as a symbol for women to follow. She shows many of the lioness's characteristics and then uses scripture to demonstrate that women should take on many of the lioness's qualities for the betterment of the world. For example, lionesses are fiercely protective of their young - but not just their young - all young. She calls women to be passionate about children being abused and to rise up to fight against it.

I really enjoyed her look at the lioness. It gave me an insight into the role of women that I hadn't thought about before. She does question the role of the wife in regards to submission - and she talks to what God really wants that to look like by quoting scripture. She challenges the notion that women can't hold positions of leadership within the church. She says that "gender alone does not qualify a man to lead, just as gender alone should not disqualify a woman. Virtue qualifies both male and female." (p. 97) She gave me alot to think about and all of her points she backs up with scripture. I can see both sides of this issue though and can see where some Christians will take issue with her conclusions. Our church has walked this line by allowing women in many positions of leadership including serving communion. We just do not have women pastors. Only men fill the role of pastor in our church. Again, there is much disagreement in the church community on this issue --- I can see all sides but I personally am most comfortable with the stance our church has taken on this.

The book is very well written and very engaging. I do hope you will read it. It was very enjoyable. I received this book from WaterBrook Maltnomah Publishers for the sole purpose of reading and doing this review.

Too much shoveling

2011-02-02T14:05:00.001-06:00

Makes for one tired Hubby! Who says naps are just for kids!

class at the zoo on animals in the Rainforest

2011-02-02T13:42:00.010-06:00

It was hard to get a good shot of the kids due to the glare from the windows. It was a nice sunny day outside - and it was so nice to see the sun.

After the classroom portion we then walked around to see the primates that live in the Rainforest. It was very nice for the kids to get to see the animals.

Afterwards, we had some extra time before we had to get to piano lessons - so we went to the bird house. We actually got to see one of the baby penguins - that was only 2 1/2 weeks old. They also had to more babies - one was 3 days and one was a week or two. I couldn't get a good picture of them through the glass. It was very amazing to see though.

At this section of the bird house, the birds are not behind glass. They fly all around you. They are so used to people coming through they rather expect you to move - and they will just stay on the paths. Here is one cleaning himself right on the walkway. Couldn't care less that we were there. Kind of amazing!

Clearly I was in his way. This was his house after all!

Science project

2011-02-02T13:38:00.002-06:00

My middle son is in Apologia's General Science. One of the projects is to make a model of DNA out of pipe cleaners and beads. To help it keep it's shape, we taped it to the table for a few hours. He really enjoyed doing this.

Happy Birthday

2011-02-02T13:33:00.002-06:00

It was my middle son's birthday. Happy Birthday!

One thing that he has really wanted is a mummy type sleeping bag for camping. My oldest son got him that for his birthday. Here he is trying it out. It does look warm and snuggly - doesn't it!

Libby's helping open

2011-02-02T13:29:00.003-06:00

Libby loves to be in the thick of things. She was helping my son open his presents.

Sled Hockey

2011-02-02T13:10:00.009-06:00

This was such a fun game for one of my son's team. The team we played - their kids are disabled and they bring the sleds for the teams they play. Our kids had never done this before. It is interesting - mostly because ya really don't think about this - our kids had developed their leg muscles but their upper body isn't as strong - as they don't use their arms to get around. On the sled - the kids utilize more of the arms and upper body muscles. By the end of the game our kids were just tired.

This is what the sled looks like. It has two blades underneath. The kids strap themselves in.

The kids are given two smaller sticks and those are used for both getting around and for shooting the puck.

Our kids did not win the game but this was one of the most fun games they have played. Once in a while the kids would tip over on their sides - they reminded me of a turtle stuck on its back. 'I have fallen and I can't get up.'

The Big Snow

2011-02-02T13:01:00.011-06:00

Our area had between 12 to 23 inches of snow - depending on what part of town you were in. Plus lots of winds - creating some high drifts. Some of the drifts were 5 feet tall. Everything is closed today - even the stores. Honestly, it is very pretty outside. It is a heavy snow though. Tough to shovel. We had a smaller snowblower and it had a hard time going through some of the drifts. We have a neighbor that has a very big snowblower - even that had a bit of a hard time. He did the alley for us. We did all the sidewalks for him, us and the other neighbor next to us.

This is the neighbor across the way - and you can see just how buried things are. The snow is up to the tops of the windows on the car.

Just look at what we shoveled through. Amazing, isn't it!

making bread

2011-01-17T22:18:00.008-06:00

Funny little tidbit - I have struggled to make bread for years. Couldn't do it! I killed the yeast every time. I have only been successful making bread in the breadmaker. Yet, honestly for all the homemade foods that I make bread just shouldn't be that hard for me. A very good friend of mine gave me a recipe she uses and some helpful hints on the phone. And glory be but it worked. I have since made several batches of bread! It is amazing. My youngest wanted to help out with today's batch. The kids think it is absolutely great that we now have fresh homemade bread - and what a great smell when cooking! Love it.

The loaves didn't turn out perfectly shaped but that is cause I had help - and it was more important to let the 7 year old help then to worry about it being perfect. Plus, we only care that the bread rises - not that the loaf is shaped perfectly. Rising is a big deal --- because when you kill the yeast like I am known to do --- ya get a lump of dough and it just sits there. Starring at you! Almost laughing in your face! Yuk!

Here is the recipe - in case any of you want to try it. I find it is much better tasting than store bought bread and far cheaper.

6 to 7 cups of wheat flour - I use 3 1/2 cups of whole wheat and 3 cups of a lighter, white wheat.

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt (I use sea salt)

2 tablespoon shortening

4 1/2 teaspoons regular or quick action dry yeast

2 1/4 cups very warm water (microwave water for 2 minutes - then use)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup of honey

In a large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed.
Add the warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping the bowl frequently.
Add honey and beat/mix with electric mixer
Stir in enough remaining flour - 1 cup at a time to make dough easy to handle - I add 3 cups
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 minutes.
Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place about 60 minutes. (I plan it that when I am making bread I have something else going in the oven - then I put the bread to rise on top - it is warm there and rises nicely) Let it rise until the dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x5 or 9x5 inch loaf pans
Gently push fist into dough to deflate it. Divide into two.
Flatten each half with rolling pin into roughly 18x9 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly beginning at 9-inch side. Press thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan.
Brush loaves with butter.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise on stove top another 50 to 60 minutes (or until dough has doubled in size)
Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be center of the oven. Oven should be preheated to 425 degrees.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Very, very tasty! I have found that cutting the bread with an electric knife works incredibly well.

I tried a variation - and added 1/2 cup of Bob's Red Mill Oat Bran Hot Cereal (basically it is adding fiber to the bread) - and cut the wheat amount by 1/2 cup. My oldest son loves it even better than the regular recipe. The bread was softer and he likes that. Plus it has a slightly different but very good taste (according to my son). So give that a try if you are looking for a healthy variation.

getting it all done

2011-01-15T21:11:00.003-06:00

Do you every feel harried? How do you get it all done?

One trick that I have learned regarding housework is to not try to do it all at once. I do a bit here and a bit there. I don't try to clean the whole house as I never seem to have a block of time to accomplish that and it seems too overwhelming, too daunting. I pick an area and hit that! I do the bathroom about every other day. I also clean the kitchen quite often also. I find I always have 10 or 15 minutes here or there. I use that to target an area and make it better.

Second, I enlist the children to help. Again, everyone takes an area. It doesn't always make my children happy. For example, tonight we are watching the football game. During half time, I cleaned the kitchen floor and sent my oldest down to clean the downstairs bathroom. By the time, half time was over we were back and two areas were cleaner.

And Mom is happy!

Do you have any tricks to fitting it all in? What makes your life easier?

I do have one other trick --- I make grocery shopping lists and send my husband. He will often even take a child or two with him. It is a great stress reliever to have a bit of time for myself or to have that time to get something else done. Plus, he really does a great job especially with the grocery shopping. He tends to stick more closely to the list and we tend to save more money that way!

cost of food

2011-01-15T19:20:00.003-06:00

Have you found food to be going up lately?

I have decided to share deals when I find them. (If you live in my area hopefully you too can take advantage of the deals!)

At our local Piggly Wiggly I found chicken breasts for $1.29 a pound but you had to buy the 10 pound bag. And they had leg quarters for $.49 a pound but again only in 10 pound bags.

I was fine with buying a 10 pound bag - as I have a foodsaver - so I just repackaged into smaller bags for our family use.

I thought the price was good. Haven't seen chicken that low in a long time. What is chicken going for in your area?

Christmas gift

2011-01-15T18:32:00.006-06:00

Guess what I got for Christmas?

a dehydrator

It is very cool!

I tried bananas and they weren't our favorite - but then I tried the apples. Wow - fabulous! I did one batch the other day and they are almost gone! They were very good and everyone loved them. Here my son is helping. Below you can see them all laid out. My husband got me a square shaped dehydrator and apparently they are better than the round ones - more space to lay out the food. Things fit better.

When I did the first batch of apples, I tried two different ways. One way (clearly the healthier way) - I cut them up and soaked them in lemon water for a bit as I cut up the rest. They were good. Turned out really nice. The other way, I cut them up and sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar. They turned out fabulous. While I don't always like to encourage adding extra sugar - these I feel are better than eating a candy bar and taste so much better than candy. The kids loved them so much they asked me to make another batch. One of the best things is the smell - the whole house smells like apples and cinnamon! What a wonderfully delicious smell!

This is what they looked like - this is the healthier batch.

The kids ate up the cinnamon and sugar batch - so until the second batch is done - I don't have anything to take a picture of. Just goes to show how good they are - they are gone before the picture could be snapped!

couch school

2011-01-15T16:53:00.004-06:00

School - in a comfortable position and with a wonderful treat. What better way to do math! In German class, we learned the word Pfefferminze and our wonderful German teacher found a cute peppermint candy in the shape of a tree. That is what my JJ has in his hands and eating while doing math.

Here is a our wonderful Pfefferminze - prior to Christmas we had been learning O Tannenbaum. So when our German teacher saw these in the shape of a tree she just had to get them for all the students! We have a wonderful German teacher - isn't she thoughtful!

2011-01-12T16:40:00.002-06:00

I was in one of those moods and just decided to let the bible fall open to any page - and let God's word speak to me. I have actually been pondering a situation and trying to determine if I should speak up or not. Interesting that the bible fell open to this:

Psalm 141

O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me.

Hear my voice when I call to you.

May my prayer be set before you like incense;

may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;

keep watch over the door of my lips.

Sometimes God just speaks to us in the most amazing of ways. I had stopped to pray earlier today to ask if something else I had read in another book was speaking to this issue and if I should speak up. Then when I got home I opened the bible and this is what page fell open. I am pretty sure I have my answer - in a very clear voice!

I also just love the part of the verse about setting a guard over the mouth. Don't you think that should also apply to emails --- they didn't have email when the bible was written - but I think that verse could also say 'set a guard over our typing fingers!'

The Word of the New Year

2011-01-05T21:50:00.004-06:00

I haven't been one to do New Year resolutions as I don't find them to be very successful. A blogger friend that I follow had a great posting on Memorial Stones. Click here for more info. She posted something about it last year and it got me to thinking. I decided I really like the idea of picking a word with a bible verse to focus in on for the year. God really spoke to my heart. I had felt frazzled and crazy at that time. Felt like things weren't going well with the children - lots of bickering and fighting between them. And I just felt like I needed to slooooooow down and really be still so I could listen to God speaking to me, listen for his guidance and direction. Just be still and calm my soul. So the word I picked was 'be still' (I couldn't limit it to just one word, of course!) and the bible verse that tied into that for last year was

Psalm 46:10 - Be still and know that I am God.

That verse really, really applied to this last year for our family. My husband (although not thrilled about it) had major surgery and then had time to just be still, sitting in his chair, waiting to heal. It was his time to 'be still' and know that God was with him, healing him and carrying him through his ordeal. We had bickering issues with the kids and really had time to work through those this last year. Through it, I felt that we (my husband and I) really had to be still and listen for God to direct us in how to approach the situation. God did amazing things and really helped to heal the situation.

Now with a new year upon us, I want to again find a word with a verse that I feel God is calling our family to concentrate on. This has been very hard. Last year, when I saw her post on Memorial Stones I knew - just knew - felt it right away that 'Be Still' was it. This year in some ways alot is speaking to me and yet also nothing has profoundly reached my heart. So I have been searching. Many themes seem to be popping up for me but I seem to have narrowed it down to two:

1) potential - I love this verse and hadn't really thought of it in this light - Matthew 13:31-32

"He told them another parable: the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." What is our individual potential and potential as a family? "All of the potential is in the seed - God placed it there to begin with. Each seed has the possibility within it of becoming a huge tree. The amount of potential we recognize in ourselves makes a big difference in how much we grow and how much we allow God to use us." (Making Life Count by Robert E. Logan and Tara Miller p. 35)

Isn't that amazing to think about. The smallest seed - and through God - the potential is amazing. We all, with God's help, have amazing potential. Potential to be witnesses for Christ, ambassadors for the kingdom. I think of my own kids and their potential - what will they grow to become - how will they turn out - they remind me so much of that small mustard seed just waiting to be watered and fed so they can grow into amazing young Christian adults. I pray for God to grab hold of them and hold them so tightly that they remain His through the turbulent teenage years.

So that is one thing speaking to me.

The other one that is most certainly speaking to me is:

2) Hope - (or lack therefore) I don't feel very hopefully about this coming year. I see hopefully things for our family but also see many unhopeful, almost scary things for our nation. Yet, I also know that our hope is in HIM. No matter what will happen, God will see the faithful through the situation. He helped Daniel when he was sent into captivity in Babylon. He is ever faithful to those who are His children. I found Psalm 42 and 43 speaking to me. I won't post all of it here but it is fabulous. Take a moment (please) to go read it. I found it to be so uplifting but specifically found these verses really speaking to me:

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God."

It is a great reminder to praise him even if we aren't hopeful, even if we are feeling anxious and worried, even if times are a struggle. And to continue to place our faith, trust and hope in Him.

Maybe this year is a two word year? I will continue to pray about it and see what God has in store. If you do something like this - a word / bible verse for the year - or memorial stones --- I would love to hear about it. I would love to know what your word of the new year is.

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor

2011-01-02T22:53:00.004-06:00

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor by Chuck Black

My boys love books with swords and men fighting. I like a book to have a good moral lesson. In this book we both win. This is the 5th book in The Knights of Arrethtrae series but each book in the series seems to stand alone. We have not read any of the other books in the series and yet have not been 'lost' in the story or feel like we are missing something.

This book is an allegory where characters represent figures in the bible. The two main characters are Tav and Twitch. Both characters have 'real' names but Tav and Twitch are their nicknames. When Twitch starts to follow what God is calling him to do, his name switches to his real name. It kind of reminded me of Paul / Saul - when Paul was doing God's work he was called Paul but when he was not following God's will for his life he was called Saul.

The names of many of the characters are significant and mean something beyond just being a name. Bli is short for blindness and is a character that causes Tav and Twitch to be blind toward their purpose in life. Bli is leading them astray but they are too blind to realize it.

This book has wonderful discussion questions found in the back at the book. It would actually make a great book for a middle school level book discussion. Great for the homeschooling crowd. Currently, I am using this book as a read aloud with my 11 and 7 year old. My 11 year old could easily read this book himself but we are enjoying reading it together - and then going through the questions at the end of each chapter. There are many scripture references listed and we take the time to look them up and read them aloud. My kids love the book. I highly recommend this book.

It is just so wonderful to find a great book for middle school aged boys that also is Christ-centered. That is so rare in today's world and so appreciated. My family loves this book so much we are looking to buy the rest in the series. I am just thrilled to find a series that is intriguing to boys - it has chivalry, knights, weapons, sword fighting, a code of honor --- what wonderful appealing things for boys! Yet, it is also seeking to lead the reader to the bible and Christ.

I received this book from WaterBrook Maltnomah Publishers for the sole purpose of reading and doing this review.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

2010-12-22T21:40:00.003-06:00

I just love books by Nicholas Sparks. I really like his writing style. His characters are very real. I just think he is a fantastic writer. This latest book of his --- another winner. I finished it in two days - just couldn't put it down. There are parts that you expect but also a certain twist at the end that is totally unexpected.

Katie comes to Southport, North Carolina. She has a secret and is trying to start over. She meets Alex. Alex seems to see into her sole, understands her and loves her. It is a great story about overcoming the past and moving forward to a new life. Really a wonderful book.

Impossibly Easy Taco Pie

2010-12-20T19:45:00.005-06:00

This is a recipe that I got from the Betty Crocker website - and it was so easy - and tasted fabulous. I didn't have any green chiles - so I used mild jalapenos - cut up. It was nice and mild - which we loved. I topped it with fresh cut up tomatoes, salsa and sour cream. I would think black olives on top would be good, too!

1	pound lean ground beef
1	medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1	package (1 ounce) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
1	can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
1	cup milk
2	eggs
1/2	cup Original Bisquick mix
3/4	cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
	Old El Paso® salsa (any variety)
	Sour cream, if desired Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Cook ground beef and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in seasoning mix (dry). Spoon into pie plate; top with chilies. Stir milk, eggs and Bisquick mix until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

2010-12-19T21:47:00.003-06:00

Oh I really loved this book. Very good story. It is a story about forgiveness and about finding the way back after being lost. Lena Markham was just released from prison. She feels like God has not been there for her because what kind of God would allow her to pay the price for a crime she didn't do. She struggles with understanding what God is like and why He allows bad things to happen to people like her.

She gets a second chance and arrives by bus in New Haven. She is suppose to work at Harrington's but the department store is not doing well. It has laid some of its employees off. Still, Lena is a perfect fit for playing Mrs. Santa at the store so she gets a job. She thinks that life is finally turning around for her but then someone complains that she is an ex-con. She gets fired.

The story is a great story about second chances and about healing. A nice story with a great holiday spirit. It does end upbeat. A nice holiday novel.

The reason for the season

2010-12-17T22:58:00.000-06:00

Book Review and Giveaway

2010-12-11T22:07:00.007-06:00

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul

I received this book from WaterBrook Maltnomah Publishers for the sole purpose of reading and doing this review.

This was a cute, whimsical story. The story begins with two lonely hearts that meet in a book store. Although, they work together they really don't know each other. They both receive a ticket to the Christmas ball. The Christmas ball is a magical ball designed to draw lonely hearts together and fall in love. I really enjoyed the story and found it a fun book to read. It is light hearted romance. I really like that in the story Simon, one of the two main characters, believes in courting and not dating. That is a nice aspect to the story. On the other hand, the author also portrayed wizards as being different from witches. It is kind of implied that witches are evil but that wizards are okay. I find this troubling and don't really agree with that interpretation.

A quote from the book (p. 108) "Of course I'm not in favor of witches and goblins and dealing with the dead. Actually, the Anglo-Saxon term 'wizard' simply refers to older, wise people, as in 'wizened.' So wizards are not closely associated with witches."

Hmmmm. I believe this is splitting hairs especially since in the book the wizards had the power of knowing things about people and events. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 it states "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord." God very broadly defines what is detestable to Him and while the exact term of wizard is not used it seems to me to fall into this category. In the book the wizards are good and are portrayed as doing God's work. I believe that angels are sent to do that job and not wizards.

Now while I will say that I draw this distinction, I do also recognize that there is much debate in the Christian world on this subject. Many Christians read and believe Harry Potter is okay and many others do not. My personal beliefs are that witches and wizards exist so I do not say that books shouldn't have them in the story. I just prefer for them to be shown in a negative or evil light instead of portraying them as something good. (My opinion.)

This book didn't bother me as much as some that have witchcraft in them as the wizards weren't really of this world and although they were shown to be 'good' (which I debate) at least the powers were more behind the scenes and not obvious. The main aspect of the story is the budding romance between Cora and Simon. And that is a wonderful, lovely romance. The romance is handled in a very tasteful light.

The story is well written. It really is a delightful read and an enjoyable story. I just wanted to be clear about the 'magic' aspect that is in the book.

I am giving away my copy of the book to one of my blog readers. I don't want my review to scare you away as it really is a delightful read. I just wanted to be clear that there is magic in the book. If you are interested in the book, leave me a comment about one of your most favorite Christmas traditions!

I will tell you one of mine --- I love to get a good book. I stay up late reading - wrapped in a blanket with the wonderful beauty of the Christmas tree lights on in the room. It is my special time and I just love the quiet time to enjoy the lights, a good book and a warm cup of herbal tea!

Giveaway ends December 17th. And please be sure to include your email so I have a way to contact you if you win!

Decorating the tree

2010-12-10T20:10:00.004-06:00

Many of our ornaments have special memories attached --- many are ornaments that the kids made over the year, some are ornaments from places we visited or traveled to. It is so special to reminisce as we hang the ornaments. I shared some of my special memories with my youngest. Really enjoyed it.

Art class - Rose Windows

2010-12-10T18:41:00.004-06:00

We are so blessed to have a wonderful art teacher --- she is fabulous! She taught the kids about Rose windows - which tied in nicely as we had recently visited/toured one of the beautiful Catholic churches in the area - that has beautiful stain glass windows - one of them is a Rose window. Click here to see the posting on the tour & a picture of the Rose window. It was wonderful to have the kids learn more about Rose windows and then have the opportunity to make one.

We used a black board with oil pastels for the 'glass' and glue for the tracery. They focused on radial design and learned about Gothic windows and churches. Our art teacher had been to Europe and had slides of churches that had Rose windows. One of the most famous is Notre Dame Cathedral.

ornament exchange

2010-12-10T18:23:00.003-06:00

I belong to an on-line homeschool group. It is really a fun group and I gain alot of insight from them. Every Christmas, there is an ornament exchange for those that want to participate. My kids and I get a kick out of figuring out on a map where the ornament I am sending off is heading. And they just love it when the package arrives in the mail. I think they enjoy it as much as I do.

My ornament arrived recently and it is gorgeous! It is from Katrina - thank you Katrina. We love it. Below is a picture of the ornament.

Pork Sausage Apple Loaf

2010-12-09T17:35:00.004-06:00

I made this tonight - it was really good.

It is from Betty Crocker - and you can find the recipe by clicking here.

Christmas - Candy Cane legend

2010-12-09T12:32:00.002-06:00

I posted about the Candy Cane legend - with two books to read. A blog friend of mine has a wonderful craft and a treat to make.

Check it out - Lamp Unto My Feet blog.

more Christmas favorites for kids

2010-12-07T08:07:00.003-06:00

The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg

This is a different story than the one I posted about before. This one a new man moves into town and they aren't sure what type of business he is setting up. Turns out, to the delight of the children, it is a candy store. One of the candies he sells is the candy cane and he tells the significance of the candy cane to the girl helping him unpack. The illustrations are wonderful.

The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne

This one is really a favorite. In the story, Dad is upset by all the commercialization of the Christmas holiday. They end up at a Christmas tree farm where there are 3 trees already set up at the entrance. The man in charge tells the significance of the trees and why it all ties in to the birth of Christ. Neat to use a tree as a way to tell the story of Christ. It is really a nice book. He also has one called The Legend of the Christmas Stocking. I just ordered that one from the library. We haven't read that one yet.

Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo

This story is the legend of tinsel. It is a very cute story. The setting of the story is in Germany. After reading this story, many years ago, I find I still walk around and say, "it's time to make Christmas" when I make Christmas cookies.

Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant

This is an Appalachian Christmas story. It is about giving back. And has a great message about God fulfilling our needs at just the right time we need them fulfilled. God is not specifically mentioned and given the credit but it is an easy tie in to talk about with your child.

Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco

This one is about a pastor's family. They move to a new location which is in Detroit. The church needs to be revived and he is the pastor to do it. The son is upset about leaving their home and sees nothing good about their new location especially the church itself - it is rundown. A leak in the roof causes damage to the wall. The son is devastated. Then, they are to go pick up Christmas decorations that the mom ordered and the car doesn't start. The father and son take the bus. It is due to the journey - and who they meet along the way that a wonderful story unfolds. In the end, they realize it was all part of God's plan - that all the pieces were beautifully woven into a tapestry and each part of daily life was a thread in that tapestry that when woven together made a beautiful picture. Really a very wonderful story.

There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed books

2010-12-07T08:01:00.003-06:00

My son just loved these books. They are really kind of funny. Great rhyming books.

Both are by Lucille Colandro.

Libby

2010-12-04T16:29:00.003-06:00

Isn't Libby a hoot! She loves to crawl into the case of bottle water! Then she will lay upside down and play with the wrapper. I think it makes a cool crinkly sound that she loves.

fun treats

2010-12-04T16:18:00.001-06:00

Our dog loves peanut butter. We let him lick the empty peanut butter container. He thinks it is quite a treat! Here he is ---- if only he had a longer tongue!

excellent recipe - potatoes

2010-12-03T22:58:00.002-06:00

A friend from church told me his wife makes this for him and he loves it. I decided to give it a try and it was truly wonderful tasting. (Sorry no picture - I completely forgot to get the camera out!) Trust me though - these are really good.

And so simple ---

Take some potatoes.

Now my friend said to peel them first but I think the skins are good - plus lots of vitamins in the skins. So I kept the skins on. Washed the potatoes and then cut them into wedges.

Put some olive oil in a bowl.

Also take some cornflakes - I took a glass and rolled it over the cornflakes so that it crushed them up.

Dunk / roll the potatoes in the olive oil.

And then roll them in the cornflakes.

Put on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil.

Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes at 375. My friend just said cook it until it seems done. I choose 375 and they were done in about 50 minutes. Basically, they should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

They were very, very good. My husband and oldest son were 'fighting' over them. My two youngest didn't eat them - but they are not a good judge of things - they are my picky eaters. If we all ate what they liked we would all have to live on peanut butter and jelly.

World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler

2010-12-02T13:16:00.004-06:00

World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler

This book is similar to One Second After. It is about survival after the grid collapses. In One Second After the grid collapses due to an EMP being set off. In World Made by Hand there is a crisis with oil --- there is not enough oil and countries begin fighting over the world's resources of oil. It leads to war. In the book, it does talk about Washington D.C. being hit and gone. Both books are kind of futuristic. They remind me of Brave New World - and how when that first came out no one thought that look into the future could ever happen. Now, looking back we can see that some of it did come true. I do pray that none of the things in either of these books comes true. I had trouble getting through this book - it wasn't a hard read but hard to think about any of this happening. Then I kept thinking about how our family would survive. It is just a tough subject.

This book is written from a more liberal point of view than One Second After. In World Made by Hand several of the main characters find God to be distant and not very helpful - after all He allowed their world to collapse (their perspective - not mine). There is a group that knows Jesus but they are portrayed as a religious cult. Still, in the end they are shown as being very helpful to the community.

I really enjoyed the book. It is very well written. I think it offers up alot of 'food for thought'. One interesting note is that in both books after the grid collapses a major flu epidemic sweeps through killing a good portion of the population. Interesting to think about the flu being that deadly. We have such a good standard of living that the flu really is no big deal. Yet, in the past, there have been major epidemics of the flu that have killed alot of people. I know there has been alot of talk about a flu epidemic - such as bird flu, swine flu, et. Still, they haven't amounted to much. A major collapse in the standard of living where fresh water isn't available would certainly create a breeding ground for an epidemic to occur.

Advent book for kids

2010-11-29T21:28:00.003-06:00

One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham.

This is really two stories in one. First story is about a boy who goes out walking in the woods in the mountains. The weather gets bad and he makes it to a neighbor's house. He ends up spending several days as they are snowed in.

While he is there the lady of the house entertains him with the story of Christmas. She starts with creation and Adam and Eve. After all, if sin hadn't entered the world there would be no need for a savior. To truly understand the meaning of Christmas we have to understand why we need a savior in the first place. I love how she walks through many of the important events of the Old Testament. Then she gets to the birth of Christ. But she doesn't stop there as that is just the beginning. She talks about his death and resurrection. This is a great book that will really tie in the true meaning of Christmas for children. We really enjoyed reading this book. The pictures in the book are marvelous too.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

2010-11-29T19:54:00.003-06:00

A wonderful, delightful book. The book is based on the fact that guardian angels exist and play an active role to help people. Emily Merkle is just such an angel. Her name on her name tag gets missed spelled and she becomes Mrs. Miracle. And she works to bring the spirit of Christmas and love into Jake and Holly's lives. The book starts each chapter with a quote from the characters of the book. They are really neat and fun.

Here are a few:

Exercise daily - walk with the Lord. - Mrs. Miracle

If God is your copilot, trade places. - Mrs. Miracle (I loved this one!)

Lead me not into temptation. I can find the way myself. - J.R. Finley.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. - Mrs. Miracle.

She also includes a couple of recipes. The one for sugar cookies looks very good.

This was just a great book to get in the Christmas spirit. I hope you will read it. It is very enjoyable.

Advent book - The Candymaker's Gift

2010-11-26T18:03:00.003-06:00

by David and Helen Haidle

The Meaning of the Candy Cane - (this is from a card that I got - this attaches to an actual candy cane so that you can pass the meaning on to others).

"Many years ago a candy maker wanted to make a candy that would symbolize the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus.

The hard candy was shaped like a "J" to represent that Jesus is our rock of all ages. The candy was made of white to stand for the pureness of Jesus. The red represents the blood that Jesus shed to save us from our sins.

So the next time you see a candy cane take a minute to remember the real meaning of Christmas."

This book tells the story of the candy maker wanting to come up with a candy that would explain about Christmas to the children in the village whom he loved so much. He prayed to God for a solution and as he talked to his Granddaughter the idea came to him. It is a wonderful book and at the end the author lists the meaning of the candy cane with bible verses to go along with the meanings.

Here are a few of them -

Hard Candy

This reminds us that Jesus is like a "rock," strong and dependable.

Read Psalm 31:3

Peppermint Flavor:

This reminds us of the gift of spices from the wise men.

Read Matthew 2:11

Cane:

This reminds us of a staff used by shepherds in caring for sheep. Jesus is our "Good Shepherd."

Read John 10:1-18, 27-30.

This is really a great book to talk about the meaning of Christmas - Jesus.

Wonderful book. Enjoyable story and there is a recipe for Candy Cane Cookies at the end. This would be a fun project to do.

Advent books

2010-11-22T22:35:00.003-06:00

I just wanted to share a few of the books that we enjoy reading during Advent. These are all wonderful stories. Hope you enjoy them also.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski. This is really one of our most favorite books of the season. Jonathan is a grumpy man because he is sad. His wife and child died and he is grieving. Jonathan is a woodcarver and it is through the carving of a nativity set that the healing begins.

Bright Christmas An Angel Remembers by Andrew Clements

Many times when God has wanted to send a message to the people on earth He has sent angels. The story of Jesus's birth is told from by an angel. Very nice story.

This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar

Rhyming poetry. My son really enjoyed this one and started to say the lines with me.

Josie's Gift by Kathleen Long Bostrom

A very nice story that takes place during the depression. The father of the family has recently died and it is the first Christmas without him. Things are tough, money is tight. Still, this family is better off than many in the depression era - they have a farm and food. Josie really wants a blue, store bought sweater for Christmas. Her mother is not sure she can afford it. In the end, Josie sees a family that is without shelter and has very little - all they have they are carrying with them. It is through meeting this family that Josie realizes how much God has blessed her. She learns that "Christmas is not about what we want. It's about what we have." And being thankful for what we have. It was a very good story.

great meal - Tortellini with Fresh Vegetables

2010-11-22T21:20:00.003-06:00

A friend of mine posted about a new meal she made. I tried it tonight and it was really, really good. Here is a link to her blog click here. Give it a try. It was very good!

A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury

2010-11-22T20:49:00.002-06:00

These are true stories that show God's presence in people's lives. It is a very touching, warm hearted book. (Okay - be sure to have a box of tissues close by when reading it!) I really loved this book because I like to know that God reaches down and helps us in tangible ways. Some times they are just little, small miracles and sometimes bigger miracles. But they are miracles and I love knowing that miracles are possible. That they still happen. And that God is actively taking part in people's lives. These stories re-affirmed that for me. It was a very good book and I hope you will take time to read it this holiday season.

Tree of thanksgiving (or Thankful Tree)

2010-11-17T15:38:00.008-06:00

We read this book which was just delightful. Then we read Psalms 92 and talked about that. Then we made a thankful tree.

Here JJ is hard at work writing "Give thanks to the Lord" on his thankful tree.

He is 'thankful' (and excited!) he is done!

We then hung up the tree. JJ came up with things he was thankful for and we wrote them on leaves and taped the leaves to the tree. Throughout the coming week we will continue to add things we are thankful for. As I thought about it our tree is the opposite of what happens in fall. In fall the leaves fall off - ours the colorful leaves keep adding to the tree! It is a neat, visual reminder that we have much to thank God for each and every day.

Waiting for Christmas - Advent story for kids

2010-11-16T22:12:00.003-06:00

Waiting for Christmas

A Story about the Advent Calendar

by Kathleen Long Bostrom

There is an author's note at the start of this book explaining how and when the first Advent calendars came into being. Very neat information. The story told in the book is based on the tradition of how the first Advent calendars started. It is a very cute story. A wonderful read. Aimed more at younger children.

At the end of the book are five suggestions for creating your own Advent calendar, chains, and pictures of art wall. Great ideas. I recommend getting this book now so that you can utilize the ideas and be ready for the coming Advent season. Great suggestions. One I will share here because my youngest wants me to do this for him. All my children love the Advent calendars that have the chocolate candies in them but my youngest is allergic to dairy. He can't eat that chocolate. He is such a good sport - he asks if he can be the opener and they can be the eaters. Isn't that the sweetest thing. Children who live with allergies, I find are so used to not being able to eat certain things that it just become accepted to them. It has just always been that way for my youngest and he just knows that is how life is. I do try to do things just for him (to the point where the others actually comment on why is it all about what he can eat! Moms can never win!)

Anyway, the one idea from the book for an Advent calendar is to make a treat calendar. Tie twenty-four pieces of candy or cookies onto a piece of cardboard that has been decorated for Christmas. Remove one treat each day! Since we would make this ourself we could ensure that only things JJ can eat would be on it. I am thinking of doing this one this year! I will take a picture if I get it done. We first have to do our Thanksgiving Tree. More on that in a day or two!

a gift from my husband

2010-11-13T23:21:00.002-06:00

What a wonderful day.

I was suppose to take my son to hockey late this afternoon. My husband made it home from my older son's hockey game early - he actually had time to fix the leaky faucet in the kitchen. And then volunteered to take both kids to their evening games. I love to see them play but sometimes it is a treat have some Mommy time. And that is the gift my husband gave me this afternoon and evening. Roughly 6 hours of Mommy alone time! I read a whole book. Did some laundry and just had time to myself. It was fabulous! Thank you, my dearest hubby!

A Plain & Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

2010-11-13T22:58:00.003-06:00

A wonderful Christmas story about the power of forgiveness. Very heartwarming story about the reconciliation of a family. The youngest daughter of the family, Anna Mae, leaves the Amish community to marry an Englisher. Her father is the Bishop of the Amish community and he feels betrayed that one of his daughters left the Amish faith. Being the Bishop he feels this reflects badly on him and his teachings. He feels betrayed and hurt by her actions. Anna Mae didn't do it to cause pain but because she truly loves Kellan, her husband. He is a good, Christian man - but not Amish. It is a quick easy read and a very enjoyable book.

I am not sure about the 'rules' of shunning though. Found that interesting. In this book, it states that "the shunning tradition dictates that we can't eat at the same table as she does and we can't conduct business with her. It says nothing about visiting with her...." p. 110. In other words, they were allowed to talk and have contact with the shunned person. I guess I didn't realize this was the case. I thought shunning was more along the lines of completely not acknowledging the shunned person at all - no contact. No reading their letters. No correspondence. No seeing and visiting them. That was not what was indicated in the book. So now I am curious - do different Amish communities have different rules regarding shunning? What are the rules? I guess I will have to do a bit of research. Anyone have any insight on this?

Art class - Ancient Greek Architecture

2010-11-12T22:37:00.007-06:00

This art class ties in with our history studies. She taught them about Ancient Greek architecture. They learned about the column types - Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. They were to create the facade of the building using foam core and paper.

zoo class

2010-11-12T22:23:00.007-06:00

Our local zoo has wonderful classes and they are simply wonderful to homeschoolers. We really appreciate them. And the classes are so affordable. This class is for 1st through 4th graders. It was called Animal Body Coverings and it taught them to distinguish the types of coverings that mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish have.

Fun book for Thanksgiving

2010-11-12T21:51:00.009-06:00

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson

What a fun book! My 7 year old and I read the book and then we made Pumpkin Pie Bites (basically bite size pies --- so they could swallow a pie too!)

Don't they look delicious!

This was such a fun book and a fun activity --- but (don't laugh) the child I did this with is actually allergic to dairy. So he couldn't eat the pumpkin bites. I made the pie crust from scratch instead (the recipe called for refrigerator ready to roll pies). Since I made it myself I knew there was no dairy in the crust - so I made extra. Then I let JJ roll it out, cut it into strips. He put cinnamon and sugar on them --- and baked. Mmmmmm Mmmmm good! That was JJ's treat and he was very happy with it.

Putting the cinnamon and sugar on is quite the process and totally fun when you are 7!

Recipe for Pumpkin Pie Bites

I made my own pie crust dough.

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1/2 sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use a cookie cutter to cut out 24 round shapes from each pie crust. Make sure the dough is rolled very thin.

Press dough into mini muffin tray. It is recommended that you use a 24 cup mini muffin tray - make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don't overlap each other. I only had a 12 cup mini muffin tray and just decided to go for it. I made all 12 at once.

Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edge of each pie.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes --- I don't know what was up on this --- but mine took closer to 30 minutes each.

Remove pies to cool and repeat. Place muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use. (I didn't do this. I actually washed and dried the tray - then re-used. Maybe a bit of anal-retentiveness there but hey!)

This is the site I got the recipe from - click here

One of the best things about making fun treats is sharing!

JJ is all set - he took some of the wonderful treats plus Whipped Cream to our dear, sweet, wonderful neighbor. We hope they enjoyed them.

The Christmas Bus by Melody Carlson

2010-11-10T15:12:00.004-06:00

This is a really fun read. I enjoyed it alot. Melody Carlson is a Christian and writes from that perspective.

The story takes place in Christmas Valley. It is a small town in the mountains. They named it that to attract tourists to their town as there isn't much in the way of industry to create jobs. The bus belongs to a very, young, but poor couple, Amy and Collin, that show up in the town. They get stranded as their bus breaks down. Amy is very pregnant. They have no job and are very short on money. It is interesting the emotions that take place - first the town is critical of the bus because it looks out of place and they don't like it in their town. They question the type of people that would own such a bus. Very negative emotions. Then, after listening to her husband's sermon in church, Edith feels that the town is being called to offer assistance to the couple - for the couple is no different than Mary and Joseph had been at the time when Jesus was born.

It is really a delightful, enjoyable book to read. Great moral lessons. My favorite part from the book when many from the town realize that God can use someone that is unexpected and unconventional to touch our lives.

Great book to read during Advent Season

2010-11-09T17:50:00.003-06:00

(Okay I guess I have to admit I am rushing the season a bit - but I find we have to start early. We have 3 boys all in hockey and I never seem to find time to get everyone together for our Advent readings. We tended to do it only 3 days a week instead of the 7. I was literally going all through January to finish the books. I decided to allow our 'anticipation' of the coming of Christ, i.e our family Advent time, to be longer than traditional Advent. This way we get in all the wonderful readings! We, therefore, start in November. My husband teases me about being like the retail stores! Pretty soon I will be decorating in October like they do!)

We just read a wonderful book called The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans. He is the same author of the Christmas Box (another great read).

This story is very endearing. It is about a boy, Alexander, that walks to town to see the Keeper of the Flame come to light the torch. On his way, he sees an old man lying in the snow - cold and alone. Alexander can't be late as the gates to the city will close. He would then miss the ceremony. Alexander gives the man his extra cloak and a sip of his hot cider to warm the man. He knows he can't lift the man himself - so he heads into town to find help. No one from town will leave to help as they would be locked outside the gates and miss the ceremony. The boy decides he has to go back to help the man himself.

This story is very much like the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. Our family read the Light of Christmas and then followed that up with the reading from the bible on the Good Samaritan. It was a wonderful lesson. My kids enjoyed the book. The book is very colorful and very nicely illustrated. Kids (and adults) will love it. I thought the lesson was wonderful.

Advent reading for kids

2010-11-05T22:17:00.006-05:00

This was an amazing book. We did this as a read aloud and talked about it as we read. It has some recipes included and at the end of the book the Christmas story is told from selections of Matthew and Luke. The main story is about Timmy who is in the foster care system. He comes to live with Mary and David Holmes. Everywhere Timmy goes he takes a shoe box with Running Shoes marked on it. Everyone wonders what is in the box but Timmy doesn't want to talk about it. When Timmy is finally able to trust God and have faith in Him - he is then able to turn his box over to Jesus. What a heartwarming story. Very endearing. Lots of good things to discuss with the kids.

And the recipes look fabulous. Great ideas to follow up with and talk about while making the various Christmas treats. She talks about her favorite Christmas song being Handel's Messiah. She give the history of the song and how it was created in 24 days - which is (in her words) "nothing short of miraculous". Below is Handel's Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus.

This next one is Handel: Messiah, For unto us a child is born

some up close shots of the butterflies

2010-11-03T19:51:00.003-05:00

They really are so beautiful. God really is amazing - so many various colors and designs. It is hard to get such great shots out in the wild - but with so many butterflies in a confined space - I got quite a few good shots.

field trip to the museum

2010-11-03T19:44:00.006-05:00

Our local museum has a butterfly exhibit and my kids just love it. It never gets old for them.

They love that the butterflies will land on them.

science experiment

2010-11-03T19:20:00.007-05:00

JL (middle child) has been enjoying being in the position of older brother and teaching his younger brother how to do the experiments. The idea of this experiment was to put in tablespoons of salt until the egg floats. It was very fun.

Kids asked me after - 'what do we do with the egg?' Hmmmmm let me think?! Breakfast anyone? Just kidding - it was thrown out. :)

The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

2010-11-03T15:55:00.003-05:00

A very, warm-hearted Christmas story. A stray dog works in the hearts of all to bring together a neighborhood, plus a grandma and her granddaughter. I just love Christmas stories. This one is a quick read but a nice story. The dog on the cover of the book is just adorable - isn't he!

Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

2010-10-31T17:21:00.002-05:00

Here is a summary from the author:

Beth Cardall has a secret. For eighteen years, she has had no choice but to keep it to herself, but on Christmas Eve 2008, all that is about to change.

For Beth, 1989 was a year marked by tragedy. Her life was falling apart: her six-year-old daughter, Charlotte, was suffering from an unidentifiable illness; her marriage transformed from a seemingly happy and loving relationship to one full of betrayal and pain; her job at the dry cleaners was increasingly at risk; and she had lost any ability to trust, to hope, or to believe in herself. Then, on Christmas Day, as she rushed through a blizzard to the nearest 7-Eleven, Beth encountered Matthew, a strikingly handsome, mysterious stranger, who would single-handedly change the course of her life.

Who is this man, and how does he seem to know so much about her? He pursues her relentlessly, and only after she’s fallen deeply in love with him does she learn his incredible secret, changing the world as she knows it, as well as her own destiny.

I really enjoyed this book - very different type of book from the last book I just read. This one is far more light hearted and fun. It has a very interesting twist. Very much keeps your interest and I had a hard time putting it down. Stayed up late, reading to the end.