Frog's Lilypad

~My Kindle Cover~

2012-01-28T19:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, when I wrote about sewing my Kindle cover, I did not expect any questions or comments on it. What a surprise for me when I opened the comment notice in my email.

This is the inside of the cover. When I sewed this, I kept thinking that there was a lot of extra room in the tabs. So I did what any good seamstress would do ~ I got my scissors and I began cutting. Actually, the space would have been taken up when I sewed all the pieces together and finished with the top stitching. This flower fabric, is something that I have a ton of and I totally love it! It's so hip! yeah, right...

As you can see in the picture above, the Kindle sits very snug in the tabs. I really like this, since I have a fear of it falling out. Now that I have this and am using it, I think the next one I make will not have the extra flap. That flap was suppose to be the home of a pocket, but since I cut the cover to where it would close snug, I left the pocket off. Since I whipped this up rather quickly, I used round velcro since that is what I pulled out of the basket first.

In the last picture, you can see when it is closed that my cutting was not completely straight, but I was flying blind on this project. I love denim! It's one of my favorite fabrics to sew with and I'm a denim kind of girl. Nothing fancy schmancy for me. I finished it off with a pink button that goes with my contrast fabric.

As for selling these in my shop... I'm still thinking about it. With a little arm twisting, I might could be persuaded into listing a few. If you are seriously interested in one, let me know and I'll be happy to come up with something for you.

~Two Days ~

2012-01-27T14:36:00.000-05:00

In my life this week…

I had to deal with our internet company after our county accidentally bush hogged our wiring that was suppose to be buried 8 months ago. I learned rather quickly, that many of the people that answer the phones as a customer service representative need to have an IQ test, before being given a cubicle and a headset. Let's just say after dealing with five people, and a stern lecture by my husband to the supervisor, our wiring was repaired this morning at 8:30 after spending two days with no internet.

In our homeschool this week…

I did something that I said I would never do at this stage in our schooling. I turned my son loose with his books and an assignment sheet and told him what I expected to be finished, so I could work on some sewing and knitting for my shop. This actually worked except for the lagging around in Math, since it is the dreaded subject. He came to me several times saying, "Momma, did you know...?" Science was about snakes and lizards in this lesson and he was actually interested in the snakes ~ after I sticky noted all the pictures. Yep, he is terrified of snakes!

My favorite thing this week was…

The spring like weather we are having. It's amazing!

Things I’m working on…

I sewed a cover for my Kindle Fire. I bought a pattern for e-readers and had to adapt the pattern to actually fit the reader. It was huge, so I cut it down a little and it fit perfectly. I'm thinking about adding a couple of my SHOP to see how they sell. ~Who knows?!

I’m reading…

Well, I haven't started them, but this morning I downloaded all the Five Little Peppers books by Margaret Sidney at Amazon. I even snagged Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott for *FREE*

I’m cooking…

It's Friday ~ we eat out every other Friday and today's that day!

I’m praying for…

An opportunity that is going to be opening up at the end of the year. My husband is the first in line for it. We are seriously praying about taking this huge step.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

There are more journals found at the Homeschool Chick.

~Gentleness - A Soft Answer~

2012-01-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

This past week I have learned something while working on being more GENTLE. I learned my son actually listens when I'm not talking in an elevated voice with my hands and arms pointing and moving around. He didn't put up that wall of defense and tune me out. I also learned that no matter what, if my son is not taught how to do something, he is more than likely not going to do it. How could I expect him to sit down at a piano and play something, if he has never been taught? This is the same thing with obedience; our children have to be taught to obey.

We all have a sin nature; no one has to be taught to sin. But we do have to be taught how and when to obey. If we expect our children to obey immediately ~ we have to train them. Think for just a minute ~ The last time you were asked to do something, did you do it? Did you do it immediately? What's the difference in us and our children? There is none. If we expect our children to obey immediately, then we must be willing to PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH. We can't have it both ways.

We can stand over our children with a belt or a paddle and scream at the top of our lungs to get them to do something. But is this really working? Think about it... We are teaching our children to obey only when they are being screamed at. We are not keeping our cool so we can use a situation to help guide them into obedience. We are also teaching them to be a screamer. What? Yes, we are. We are teaching them that it is alright to scream at others to get their point across. We are also planting bitterness into their tender hearts. This bitterness is going to be a huge mess when it is full blown and it is not going to hurt just them, but everyone around them.

How can we teach our children about God and His wonderful love, when all they hear coming from our mouth is hateful sin? We need to remember the saying, "Like parent, like child." Our daily walk is what our children are learning from us. Are they seeing the Fruits of the Spirit in our lives?

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

~A Little Fun and a Pickle~

2012-01-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

In my life this week…

I was a recluse this week as of Tuesday morning. Since my husband is off on Monday and works on Saturday, we tend to spend Monday doing the things that we would normally do on a Saturday, like grocery shopping and other errands. Since our Mondays are our Saturdays; we have school Tuesday - Saturday. When Tuesday morning came, my school week began and I have not left the house for anything and it actually feels good.

In our homeschool this week…

We've been studying about the Civil War in our History. The Civil War is one of my favorite subjects to study and it is extremely interesting if it is presented in a way for the eyes of a 12 year old to be opened. For this chapter in our book from Abeka, I wanted to think outside the box. So I took the chapter and began searching for helpful and exciting things to do according to what we would be reading. I actually found quite a few helpful ideas and videos. I have them pinned in my Homeschool Pinterest board.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

If something is not working, be diligent in finding another method. Don't feel the need to keep using that something. The internet is loaded with tons of ideas and helps.

My favorite thing this week was…

The funny moments that this momma and her son share during the week. The funniest would have to be when I asked my son this question ~"What can you learn from the life of Abraham Lincoln?" His response,"To never run for president, so I won't be assassinated." Of course that was not the answer I was looking for, but boy, did it have me laughing.

Questions/thoughts I have…

I can't believe that it is already the middle of January. I need to start my planning for the new school year in the fall. I told myself last summer, that I was not going to wait until the summer to start ordering books. So hopefully, I'll have my lists ready to begin in February. ~ Hopefully!

Things I’m working on…

I'm still working on the infamous afghan. I thought that I would be finished with it for Christmas. But as I began laying out all the squares, I realized that I needed about thirty more. This is no small afghan, it has to meet my husband's length. Hopefully, I can have them knitted up within the next few months. I'm beginning to wonder if I need to call the a bedspread/blanket instead of afghan because of it's size...

I’m reading…

I have several books going at the moment. Something that I'm not usually known to do. But I have allowed myself to get in a pickle with several book reviews that I unknowingly realized I caused. I think this is a perfect place where I need to learn to say ~ Not this time.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

~A Vote~

2012-01-19T06:45:00.000-05:00

If you visited Frog's Lilypad yesterday you were rerouted to the Strike Against Sopa and Pipa page. I'm pretty sure some of you were probably scratching your head and wondering what is going on. Yesterday was a blackout day against censorship on the internet. I'm a small blogger and really don't get that many visitors but I wanted to show whomever watches this type of stuff, I'm not too thrilled about this. There are tons of other sites that joined in on this. Many completely closed their sites down like Wikipedia,while some only blacked out their logo like Google. We took a stand against the government and those in Hollywood who are funding these bills.

Still confused? I was when my husband and I were talking about this a couple of weeks ago.
My friend and fellow homeschool mom, Tiany summed it all up quite simply. ~

SOPA & PIPA may sound like cute cartoon characters, but no, no warm-n-fuzzy going on here. SOPA is an acronym for Stop Online Piracy Act and PIPA is an acronym for Protect IP Act. So why are online users, business owners, bloggers and social media enthusiasts in an uproar? Here’s why…

SOPA and PIPA are two bills backed by movie studios & Time Warner, that have been introduced to Congress. These bills would basically censor the web and impose regulations on American businesses.

As written, authorities and rights holders would be able to get court orders to force broadband providers, hosting companies, payment services and search engines to cut off websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement. Currently rogue websites based overseas can offer pirated material such as unlicensed film streams out of reach of American law.

The problem is that these bills are flawed, there are simple ways to get around them. These bills will allow US businesses to be shot down with the “YAY” of one judge… frightening!

Can you imagine YouTube going black, frozen, dead?

Unfortunately, my Senators are cosponsors for this bill. It's amazing when money talks what people will do. I'm not big into politics as most of you know, but I will speak out on something that is going to take a freedom/right away from me. I signed a couple of online petitions yesterday and I sent emails to both of my Senators. I saw a comment on another site regarding this,"Does Piracy go on? Yep. But is it the government's job to stop it? Nope. Piracy is a private sector problem. It needs to be solved in the private sector. Not through the government." Too much government control is one of our country's problems.

If you enjoy surfing the web and watching all those "how to" videos, I urge you to send a letter to your Senator and ask them to not vote for these bills. I read somewhere the voting is to take place on the 24th; now I can't seem to find that date. Don't wait too late to let your voice be heard on this matter.

~Gentleness~

2012-01-17T13:00:00.001-05:00

For a couple weeks, I had some friends talking about a Gentleness Challenge that had started.When I first heard about it I thought, "whatever", and pushed it aside. I mean, I'm a gentle person, I consider the feelings of others, I try to be sweet and kind. Last week, after reading several blog posts, I decided to check it out.

What I read, showed me some things in my life where I'm not so gentle. There have been times, where I have found myself yelling at my son when it comes to school work, keeping his room clean, and obeying. When I think back on those times, it makes me shudder. I want my son to fear me as a form of respect, but I do not want him to be scared of me. I want him to know, he can come to me and we can talk about anything, without me flying off the handle at him, or stopping him before he can say what he wants or needs to. This kind of action quickly closes the door to open communication and I want that door to stay open for us.

When I read the following paragraphs, it dawned on me, that it is not only children that do this, but adults also. Really, who likes to be yelled at?!

Are you baffled at the fact that your children are not listening to you? Research has shown that when a parent raises their voice at a child – a defense mechanism kicks in that helps the child emotionally protect themselves by tuning out what you are actually saying. When we as moms go on a long rant about something the child has done wrong – we may feel better because we got our feelings out – but our child has not been brought any closer to wisdom and understanding.

Surprisingly, when we harshly tell our children we do not like something they are doing – all they hear is – “you don’t like me“- period. It’s the harshness that accompanies the correction that causes the child to take personal offense and not listen.

For the past week, I have worked on slowing down and breathing. I've worked on my body language and lowering my voice. You may not be screaming at the top of your lungs, but your body language will show the real reaction you are having. I've done a lot of praying this past week. I've made sure that I have my morning devotions and prayed before my son begins moving around. My days are much smoother when I complete those two things before hand. Since I've started working on being more gentle, I've noticed a difference in my home.

This week, I'm going to be working on :

Expectations ~ making sure I'm not expecting too much from my son.
Exhaustion ~ making sure I am getting enough rest.
Disorganization ~ making sure I'm prepared.
Bitterness in your marriage ~ making sure that I'm not allowing something between my husband me to filter into my relationship with my son.
Proverbs ~I'm going to work on marking all the verses in Proverbs that deals with communication and speech and memorizing some.

~A Lot of Work~

2012-01-12T09:32:00.000-05:00

Having the freedom of home educating my son is something I don't take lightly. I am the one who chooses the curriculum that is being taught in our home. I am the one who decides when it is time to toss something or to try something different. We are an independent home educating family. We are not under the control of the government or another institution. ** I will say this ~ I am a legal home educator. I do follow the laws of Georgia by sending in all the required paper work. Our family is also a member of the HLA. I honestly believe that it is the best money any home educating family can spend on protecting their family.

Over the past week or so, I have seen more and more information coming out about Virtual School. When my son was in third grade, I was first introduced to this option of home educating. After looking this over I knew that it was not an option for us. We met two pastor's families that use this type of education, while we were on deputation; I was intrigued by what I heard, but yet a little leery.

Home educating is not an easy job. It takes time and effort for it to work. As a parent, I spend several hours a week preparing for lessons. I spend countless hours throughout the year surfing the internet for more ~ more ideas, helps, tips, lesson plans, the list goes on. We start school around 9:30 every morning and we work until everything is finished, usually around 2:00. I will be the first to say, I wish I had more hours in the day. There are so many things that I would love to be able to work on but at this moment in my life, the most important thing is my son's education.

Last week over at Google + someone had a link to a story about Rick Santorum and how his children were "homeschooled". Before I go on, I am not throwing punches, nor am I putting my stamp of approval on anyone. You can read the article HERE. Of course, most Americans know for anyone to be in politics there has to be some dishonesty (that's a whole different story). You will see it in this article.

This morning, I found a very interesting post written by my friend Betty over at the Peace Creek on the Prairie on the differences of home schooling and virtual schooling. Be sure to read watch the video and read the New York Post link ~ very eye opening!

If you missed why we chose to home educate, you can read about it HERE and HERE. I am a proud Traditional Home Educator!

~My Emily ~

2012-01-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to write this review because it is the first book that I downloaded on to my Kindle Fire that I received for Christmas. My Emily is the second book that I read from the many downloads that I have. It is the first book that I read all the way through and really enjoyed even through all the tears.

This book tells the story of a hurting family, an amazing little girl and a mysteriously faithful God. Emily wasn't born perfect - so one might think. She was born with Down Syndrome and many would jump to the conclusion that she would have very little hope for a life with any significance. Two years later came the diagnosis of leukemia. What little hope remaining turned to no hope whatsoever - or so one might think.
The life of this little girl, with all its perceived imperfections, had great meaning. Her loving nature and courage touched the hearts of everyone she met. She also taught them how to value their own lives - even with their many "imperfections."

Matt Patterson tells the story of the life of his daughter Emily. Emily was born with Down Syndrome and faced many trials as a precious little girl. When others thought that she was not perfect, Matt and his wife knew that Emily was perfect; she was created by God.

Matt explains his emotions and feelings while taking care of his little girl and her health concerns. His way of writing and expression pulls the reader into the lives and emotions of this family.

No matter what was going on in Emily's life, the Patterson family had One they could cling to. While going through the emotional roller coaster of caring for a child with a disability, Matt clings to the Lord and holds tightly to his faith.

This is definitely a book you do not want to miss out on.

~Happy New Year~

2012-01-01T07:31:00.000-05:00

~Quickly Speeding By~

2011-12-30T08:50:00.000-05:00

I'm in awe of how fast this week has flown by. I still can't believe today is Friday! Just last week, I was looking forward to all that I had planned on doing around the house. I guess having my husband home for two days, helped speed the passing time.

My house is back to normal ~ all of my Christmas decorations came down on Sunday night. I honestly dislike the decorating and undecorating part of any holiday season. It all comes down rather quickly!

I am almost finished with everything that I had planned for this week. I dropped my sewing machine off to have it looked at. I'm thinking that I'll probably wish I spent that money on a new one. I'll know when I get it back. My sewing room has been thoroughly cleaned. I'm a little surprised at myself for allowing it to get in the shape it was, but I'm so happy to see the tables and all the fall and Christmas fabrics put away.

Today, I'll be planning school work. I'm excited about this and I'm dreading this. Every time I plan, things change. Of course I dislike change! So I decided that I'm using erasable ink! Yes, you read that correctly, I'm not losing my sanity. In the past, I was always a Pencil Mom, but I've moved on to being a Pen Mom and to keep from having to buy stock in white out/correction tape, I'm going to be using erasable ink on the actual lesson plans. Permanent ink on the planning notes, so I can be reminded of what changes I make. I know, shocking isn't it?!

The last thing that I'll be doing either tonight or in the morning, I'll be moving all of my 2010 photos from off the computer and I'll be going through pdf files that I've saved and never used. My laptop will thank me for this, I'm sure.

I hope you all have a safe Happy New Year!

~Merry Christmas~

2011-12-25T05:00:00.007-05:00

~What We Find In Jesus~

2011-12-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

We find peace, and the PRINCE OF PEACE;

We find righteousness, and the RIGHTEOUS ONE;

We find wonders, and the WONDERFUL ONE;

We find counsel, and the COUNSELOR;

We find salvation, and the SAVIOUR;

We find the Kingdom, and the KING.

~Roy Lessin

~One Last Peek~

2011-12-21T06:00:00.006-05:00

Here is one last peek of our Christmas decorations. Today is all about the tree. As you recall from my other posts HERE and HERE, I've decorated in a primitive style. I really love this rustic, colonial, old fashion look!

This year, I placed a bird's nest with pine cones and berries around the tree.

I'm sure everyone has that one Christmas ornament that is never left off the tree, no matter what. This is our ornament; an antique santa. He belonged to my Maw Maw and hung on her tree as far back as I can remember. My Momma remembers this ornament when she was a little girl. I've done some research on this santa; he is mercury glass and made in the late 20's to early 30's and comes from either Japan/Austria/Russia. I'm thinking he was made in Japan since there is no marking on the ornament or the round piece.

My tree is also decorated with some Pintrest ideas that I came across. You can find the spool ornaments HERE and the light garland HERE.

This is my Christmas card holder. I also found the idea on the internet somewhere, I can't remember where. All I did was take a long piece of ribbon and fold it in half and tie a knot. I made a bow (not my best craft ability) and hot glued it to the ribbon. I then cut the ribbon loops in half and paper clipped my cards to the strands of ribbon.

~Merry Christmas!~

~Another Peek~

2011-12-15T13:47:00.001-05:00

I started a tradition for my son when he was still in a crib. We love counting down the days until Christmas. We do not celebrate Advent, we just pull a ring every night or every morning until Christmas Day.

Counting down can bring excitement along with OH NO's! (excitement for him, OH NO's for me) In the past, we always cut out red and green paper and made a chain that attached to a paper bell. Well, our bell is beginning to look a little worn, so I decided to make a felt chain and bell for this year. I love how it turned out. I used velcro for the rings. If I ever make another, I'm thinking buttons would be adorable.

Here is a closeup of the bell ~

Up next is my Children Nativity Scene; a former student gave these to me one Christmas. I love using them every year. That's my Charlie Brown Christmas Tree that I pulled from the woods. The star my husband made for me out of aluminum foil. Those ornaments are actually GRAPES from a cluster that I bought for a project. The little stems were perfect for hanging on the limbs. I made the Christmas banner with Photoshop and a little digital scrapbook paper. I used red embroidery thread to tie the letters on to the jute string. ** Sorry about the photo... the battery was about to croak when I took this.

Of all my most treasured items that I have, my sewing machine is at the top of the list along with some pink depression dishes that I have. I collect snowmen and these are just a few. In front of the lamp is a set of primitive peppermint sticks. The banner I made a couple of years ago. I swapped out the ribbon for jute, since I wanted to add a little prim to the scene. The words on the banner are ~ Son of the Most High, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, The Mighty God, Saviour, Wonderful, Jesus, Glory to God in the Highest

~A Curious Neighbor~

2011-12-13T12:57:00.000-05:00

This morning while I was sitting at the table looking through some email, I heard a knocking on the window in the kitchen. When I looked up I was surprised at what I saw...

My little cardinal window magnet attracted a curious fur neighbor. I was able to snap a few pictures before he gave up on trying to decide what the bird was doing. Of all the years that I've had this little bird, this year has been by far the most entertaining. During the summer I saw our hummingbirds fly up to it a several times and I've had several curious cardinals flying around it. As long as I don't have anything that slithers up to it, I'll be happy.

~ Twenty Six Years Later~

2011-12-12T05:00:00.001-05:00

Twenty six years ago, President Ronald Reagan gave the following speech before the lighting of the White House Christmas tree. It's an eye opening speech for someone my age and younger because we have grown accustom to the idea of being "politically correct" and not wanting to offend others with our faith and beliefs ~ how sad! Can you imagine these words being spoken today?

My fellow Americans, thank you for joining Nancy and me on this festive evening. The menorah stands lighted in Lafayette Park, for this is also the time of Hanukkah, and this season is rich in the meaning of our Judeo-Christian tradition. In a moment we'll be lighting the National Christmas Tree, carrying forward what is now a 62-year tradition first begun by Calvin Coolidge.

Tonight we're drawn in warmth to one another as we reflect upon the deeply holy meaning of the miracle we shall soon celebrate. We know that Mary and Joseph reached the stable in Bethlehem sometime after sunset. We do not know the exact moment the Christ Child was born, only what we would have seen if we'd been standing there as we stand here now: Suddenly, a star from heaven shining in our eyes, shining with brilliant beauty across the skies, a star pointing toward eternity in the night, like a great ring of pure and endless light, and then all was calm, and all was bright. Such was the beginning of one solitary life that would shake the world as never before or since. When we speak of Jesus and of His life, we speak of a man revered as a prophet and teacher by people of all religions, and Christians speak of someone greater—a man who was and is divine. He brought forth a power that is infinite and a promise that is eternal, a power greater than all mankind's military might, for His power is Godly love, love that can lift our hearts and soothe our sorrows and heal our wounds and drive away our fears. He promised there will never be a long night that does not end. He promised to deliver us from dark torment and tragedy into the warming sunlight of human happiness, and beyond that, into paradise. He's never been a halfway giver; His generosity is pure and perfect and sure.

This, then, expresses the true meaning of Christmas. If each of us could give but a fraction to one another of what He gave to the whole human family, how many hearts could heal, how much sorrow and pain could be driven away? There's still time for joy and gladness to touch a sad and lonely soul, still time to feed a hungry child, to wrap a present for a kind old man feeling forlorn and afraid, and to reach out to an abandoned mother raising children on her own. There's still time to remember our Armed Forces, to express our profound gratitude to those keeping watch on faraway frontiers of freedom, and to redouble our energies to account for our MIA's. They are not and never will be forgotten. And there's still time to remember the deepest truth of all: that there can be no prisons, no walls, no boundaries separating the members of God's family.

Let us reach out tonight to every person who is persecuted; let us embrace and comfort, support and love them. Let us come together as one family under the fatherhood of God, binding ourselves in a communion of hearts, for tonight and tomorrow and for all time. May we give thanks for an America abundantly blessed, for a nation united, free, and at peace. May we carry forward the happiness of the Christmas spirit as the guiding star of our endeavors 365 days a year. And as we light this magnificent tree, may all the youthful hope and joy of America light up the heavens and make the angels sing.

Merry Christmas, and God bless you all. And now we're going to light the tree.

~Oops!~

2011-12-05T16:57:00.000-05:00

The mishaps never end as TJ’s “helpers” from the 23rd century—Tuna and Herby—continue to study TJ as she learns the valuable lessons she’ll need to become a future world leader. In Oops!, TJ learns the importance of speaking and thinking well of people even when they are difficult, thanks to the Thought Broadcaster Pen, which exposes the thoughts of everyone it hits. As usual, Tuna and Herby’s attempts to fix the pen only make things worse—now all of TJ’s thoughts become reality! As she fights not to return meanness to others (and to clean up the disasters her thoughts cause, like turning whiny TV star Hesper Breakahart into a giant baby), TJ learns from her dad a little more about how her mother handled things: She kept reminding herself that each of us is God’s creation. And no matter how mean people may be, we all need to be loved. The same message also unfolds through a side story of classmate Chad Steel learning to treat a mean boy better.

I usually like Bill Myers' books. But this one just didn't do it for me. Maybe the bouncing around, I don't know. I had my son read it and he really didn't care for it either. I guess were just big Wally McDoogle fans. There is always the clean family reading with Bill Myers and that is plus for me.

I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest opinion.

~Decision Points~

2011-12-05T16:25:00.000-05:00

Our nation has been led by many men who have either failed at their job or they came out on top. Of course those that failed will have supporters that feel they succeeded, while those that came out on top will have those that feel they failed. We all have our own opinions about George W. Bush and his presidency but this review is not about the man, it is about his book, Decision Points.

There were two things that I loved about this book. The first, Mr. Bush explains that he wanted his memoirs to be about some of the decisions that he had to make in his life; not just his life story. These decisions were made before and during his presidency; a look into the life of this man that carried a load on his shoulders. The second, is how the book is written. The simplicity of the writing is as if he is actually speaking to you. I know there is a lot being said about a ghost writer regarding this book. There are many "authors" who have used them, but that is not the point here. Simplicity is something that I like when reading, if I can't understand it, I won't read it. The descriptions of many situations were so vivid, that I could almost feel the anxiety, stress, and compassion that was felt during those moments.

Media doesn't show all the details that goes on behind the doors of the White House. There are many decisions that are made on the behalf of our country every day; many of which we never hear about. The outcome of some of the decisions are not always the best, while others work out for the good. Yes, the President may have the final say in the matter, but he is not the only one in on making decisions. These men and women are human just like you and me. Reading about whether to pursue a terrorist and vicious dictator or choose to learn more about stem cell research or when to send in the extra help after a disaster where decisions that were hard press.

Overall the book is definitely a book you would want to read. Especially if you are interested in reading the "behind the scenes" of certain situations that President Bush faced during his presidency.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

~Softly and Tenderly ~

2011-12-05T14:43:00.003-05:00

Maybe out there in the country she could catch her breath, learn to breathe again. Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son—who he wants her to help raise— Jade’s life is turned upside down.

She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There—while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger—Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past but in the goodness of God's tender mercies.

I didn't know what to expect when I chose Softly and Tenderly by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck. After reading a couple of chapters, I had to close the book. I just did not like it! After reading another book, I came back to Softly and Tenderly and still could not get into the book.

I really thought that the book would go the route with Jade digging deeper into her faith with all the problems she and her family faced. Instead Jade's faith was put on the back burner while she dealt with the family problems. There's really not enough Christianity in the book, for it to be called a Christian fiction. It's a clean, easy read.

I received this book from Book Sneeze for free in return for my honest opinion.

~A Pinteresting Find~

2011-12-02T15:23:00.001-05:00

Back a few weeks ago, I was reading over at the PrairieFrog Blog about a Pinterest Challenge. In this challenge, all you have to do is create one of your "pins" weekly or monthly. Well, I chose to do a monthly challenge, because it takes me a while to get into the crafting mode. Once I'm in the mode, there is no looking back.This has been one of those not looking back weeks.

Not too many people know of my love for Primitives. I love the old worn look of items that seem to have been around since the Mayflower. I even have a Primitive board on Pinterest. Some of the pins, I'm working on.

For the challenge I chose this pin. I so love the tin cup arch decoration. I knew when I pinned this, I would have to make it some how without spending hardly any money. And come up with a way that I would not have to store it for the future.

After looking at the photo for several days and being in the woods helping my husband with a deer stand. It dawned on me that I can make one without spending a dime for this project. Now, mine is different and it is so adorable, if I should say so myself. I finished it today and I can't wait for my husband to come home, so he can give me his thoughts. I can't bring myself to hanging this on the front door. I just love it above the fireplace!

Here is my version~

I sprayed painted some tin cans silver and tied aged cheesecloth around each one. We have several huge evergreen trees in the yard. So I cut several limbs to use across the top of the mantel and glued little sprigs around the top of the can. I painted pine cones gold and acorns red and glued those around the greenery. I even added a sprig of mistletoe that my husband shot out of the tree for me. I used jute for the holders on the cans and the stick and wrapped a piece of homespun fabric around it. The curved stick was found while I was cutting pine cones down. What a surprise!

Since I'm showing some of our Christmas decorations, here is one of my favorite Christmas decorations. I found these little guys at a flea market and only paid $2.00 for them.

Here are some of my prim candy canes, that I've made. I have these for sale in the Etsy store.

I was so hung up on the tin can holder and I knew that I wanted to go with something similar for the front door. This is what I came up with.

During the early part of fall, I collected some of the white oak tree acorns and placed them along with some pine cones in an old jar. This is going to be sitting on the table beside the sofa. This is perfect, since it can stay out year round.

I've not put up our Christmas tree yet. We are planning to go and cut one at a near by farm next week. Once it is up, I'll take a few pictures.

If you'd like to join the Pinterest Challenge, and not be just a pin hoarder. You can join in, just click the challenge graphic and see what others are working on.

~A Kindle Give A Way~

2011-11-26T18:15:00.000-05:00

Freely Educate is giving a way a Kindle to one of their readers. Lori does an awesome job on tracking down and sharing all the wonderful free sites and ideas to help homeschooling families. If you've never visited their SITE, I highly recommend it. You can enter also for this awesome giveaway, just head on over to FREELY EDUCATE.

~The House of Hope~

2011-11-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

One couple’s powerful ministry to some of China’s most vulnerable children. Robin and Joyce Hill lived in a gated community in Beijing. Their family’s life was marked by luxury and the security of Robin's job as an engineer. Then one day, as members of their church, they had a chance to tour a state-run orphanage. Haunted by the needs of the children they saw there, for the next four years they tried to help the institute in meaningful ways.

In 1998 the Hills planned to leave China, but instead felt a sudden call from God on their lives. They left their gated community--reserved for only non-Chinese residents--moved their family into a small apartment miles outside of Beijing and immediately began to take in foster children.

They took in any child, but especially those that needed extra care—terminally ill children that couldn't receive care elsewhere, and those that needed complicated and expensive surgeries that the Hills soon began to coordinate and sometimes pay for out of their own savings.

What began as Hope Foster Home is now New Hope Foundation. As they continue their work, the Hills enjoy support from major corporations and high-profile philanthropists as well as the trust of the Chinese authorities. The Hills' story is an inspiring example of God's care and provision for those whom society does not value. Learn more about Hope Foster Homes here: http://www.hopefosterhome.com.

"I strongly support Robin and Joyce Hill's New Hope Foundation which is saving so many orphan lives in China. Read this amazing story of God's grace and accept the challenge to make a difference!"
--Steven Curtis Chapman

"I had the privilege of going to China and witnessing the work that God is doing through Robin and Joyce Hill. They are wonderful servants of God who lovingly care for the 'least of these.' I hope that many will read this book and consider their example."
--Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love

ABOUT THE AUTHOR~ Elisabeth Gifford is a journalist who has written for the London Times and the Independent Newspapers. She lives in Kingston, England, and teaches children with dyslexia.

MY THOUGHTS~ The story of this couple and the work they are doing in China is wonderful. All over the world, children are being abandoned for one reason or another. Fortunately, for the precious children in China the Hills are able to make a difference in many of their lives. Reading about some of the tiny children makes you want to pack everything up and move to China to help save their lives.

ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY~ The publisher is sponsoring a $50 “GET / GIVE” GIVEAWAY: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate for themselves AND $50 will be given in the winner’s name to Hope Foster Home.

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #HFH) about The House of Hope or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet, Litfuse will capture your entry when you use #HFH. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email litfuse and let them know (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com). For more information, visit Litfuse.

BUY THE BOOK~ All proceeds from the book go of this book go to fund the work at Hope Foster Home. You can see the ongoing work here http://www.hopefosterhome.com/. You can buy the book at Amazon.

**I received this book for free from Litfuse in return for my honest opinion.**

~Not So Frazzled~

2011-11-25T10:52:00.001-05:00

I am thankful to say, that I do not feel like this lady looks on Black Friday. I am not one of these people who have to hit the mall at midnight and keep going until late into the evening. When I was younger I did that kind of shopping and loved it, but not anymore.

On the infamous day after Thanksgiving, you will not find me at the mall or at the local Walmart. Usually, I visit my local Hancock's Fabric store and Hobby Lobby. I did just that this morning, only I didn't go to Hancock's.

I bought fabric and dowel rods along with some plastic candy cane ornaments for some Christmas decoration ideas that I'll be working on today. I can't wait to get them completed so I can show you what I'll be making.

I was pleasantly surprised at driving through Athens, at 7:45 there was no traffic and many of the shopping center parking lots were either empty or not full. I suppose many took advantage of the midnight opening of some of the major stores. The only parking lot that was packed to the gills, was Walmart. Thankfully, I did not have to go anywhere near there.

My family had a good Thanksgiving, I hope yours did too. We spent the day together, just us three. My husband and son spent a good deal of the day in the woods hunting. I was even informed that if it were seven days later, I would be the proud owner of a fox to have mounted. I've been wanting a fox mount to go along with the deer heads and the fish for several years now, so I'm excited to know that I may get one this year. I cooked a Thanksgiving meal that we all enjoyed, some more than others; that's a holiday meal for you.

I can't believe that there are 36 days left of this year. It's hard to taken in how another year has flown by. I remember as a child how I couldn't wait for Christmas, now it's like Christmas was just last week. With time moving right along at a rather fast speed, that means that I'll have another birthday to face in a couple of months. I would love to be able to slow down birthdays. I think that is a very good idea, what do ya think?

I have a few more days left for writing for the NaNoWriMo. At this moment it doesn't look like I'm going to make the word limit. But that is okay because if I don't make it, I'll be able to finish it up at my own pace and I'll be able to pass my thoughts along to my son one day.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the Thanksgiving weekend.

~Happy Thanksgiving~

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you and your familyhave a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100

~It's About Time~

2011-11-18T17:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late in showing some of my fall decor. This year, I didn't put out all that I have since I really don't have as much space as I did in the past. But you can see that I did decorate. I decorated for fall at the beginning of October since I don't decorate for Halloween. I almost forgot to put up my Thanksgiving banner. I finally got it up this week. Please excuse the tiny "A" leaf. I had a malfunction with the leaves and the printing. I did finally get it straightened out this afternoon.

This is the extra counter space that seems to find itself becoming the home of junk that is laid there during the day. So I finally decided to put something out to keep the mess from gathering up.

This is my new fall piece. Isn't it amazing? It's a quilted runner with candy corn ~ my favorite fall candy! I won this in a contest, believe me when I say that I was surprised. I was~ I never win anything.

Can you believe that there are only 6 days until Thanksgiving? Since we're counting down the days... How about those 36 days until Christmas? I know, I've not started my Christmas shopping. But I never start until after Thanksgiving, unless I find an item at a ridiculously low price. This year has gone by crazy fast. I'm off to finish up my grocery list for next week. I've been working on it all day!

~Honoring Those~

2011-11-11T05:00:00.001-05:00

A veteran is someone who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including their life. Regardless of personal political views, that is an honor and there are too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact.

THANK YOU to all our veterans who have served this great nation.

~Ten Days In~

2011-11-10T08:16:00.001-05:00

I am ten days into the NaNoWriMo and I'm not doing as well as I hoped, but I'm still plugging along. I knew this would be a little difficult, since I can't just sit and write until my heart is content; I have a family and home to care for.

Since I've not posted since last week, I thought I'd pop in and tell you how it's going. As of today, I should be around 17,000 words. I'm not, I'm only at about 8,000 words. Hopefully, I'll be able to make up for it some today and definitely on Saturday, since my husband has to work.

I will leave you with a peek of our fall pictures, that my husband took on Monday...

I had to resize this picture and to me it is fuzzy. Wondering if it is a PicasaWeb thing?

~NANOWRIMO~

2011-11-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

I started this blog, to share a little bit about me and my family and our ministry. Since the beginning, a few things have changed and have been put on hold until further notice. Since blogging, I've "met" new friends and learned about some amazing things. One thing I learned about is NaNoWriMo, The National Novel Writing Month. When I first heard about it last year, I thought ~ HOW NEAT! I've always wanted to be an author (a published author is a little dream tucked away) but have never been compelled to try. I decided last year that I wanted to give NaNoWriMo a try. I was determined that I was going to come up with a good idea on what I wanted to write. Well, that didn't happen. Today snuck up on me without any real information. So I decided I was going to give the 50,000 word novel a try about my family's life. Nothing personal, just a look into the life of a normal home educating family. With all it's ups and downs and complete craziness that falls in between.

The awesome thing about NaNoWriMo is that my novel doesn't have to make complete sense. The grammar doesn't have to be perfect. The only thing that I have to make sure of ~ 50,000 words. Can you imagine? I'll definitely keep you posted.

~Behind the Veils of Yemen~

2011-10-31T09:52:00.000-04:00

Women began to arrive in the entry hall, peeling away their black outer coverings. I watched in amazement as shimmering bodies emerged from the black shrouds. One woman sparkled in a purple silk caftan, her arms gleaming with gold jewelry. I smiled to myself. If people only knew what was under those veils. I looked at their faces, artfully painted with makeup, not at all how they appeared in public: dark eyes in narrow black slits. They were like the beauties of Arab folklore. I was awed by the transformation.

With only prayer and a faith that always seemed too small, Audra Grace Shelby departed with her husband and children on a one-way flight to Yemen...deep into the heart of conservative Islam.

With honesty and passion, she shares her harrowing journey as a Christian woman thrust into a culture dangerously different from her own. From the friendships she forged, to her gnawing doubt and fear, to her offers of hope when her new friends' religion failed them, she gives us glimpses of a world most have never seen: behind the veils of real Muslim women--and how the grace of God touches lives in the midst of an Islamic stronghold.

What an amazing story! I have a heart for missions and after reading this book I feel differently for those who go in behind the walls of a closed nation. These missionaries need to be bathed in prayer every day. Reading about the dangers and the prejudice situations that these missionaries may face is heart wrenching. Audra Grace Shelby tells the story of how her family becomes missionaries to Yemen. She describes the cultural and religious traditions among the Muslims. She goes on to tell how she was able to use the Muslim prayer time to show ladies that she too, prays but in a different manner and to a God that is alive and hears her prayers. Audra also introduces the reader to her language tutor who at first is not willing to hear about Jesus. But after giving birth to a son with physical problems, Audra is allowed to pray for this tiny boy.

Audra is an excellent writer. She describes the scenes to where the reader can visualize what is being read. She goes in detail about traditions of how the women are treated. She mentions a couple of times questions that she asked in prayer, “Lord, if I had been raised to believe Islam, would I believe Mohammed to be God’s messenger as strongly as I believe Jesus is the Messiah?” and “If I had been raised to believe Islam, would I be a devout Muslim instead of a devout Christian? Was the difference only in what we had been taught?”. These were questions that arose in Audra’s heart while dealing with the Yemeni women. These women are so devout in their religion but yet they are fearful of things around them, such a sad way to live. During the times she was asking these questions, the Lord was able to show Himself to Audra.

This is a must read book for everyone, whether you are in the process of becoming a missionary or one of the many who are at home praying for those who are sent out to work. The book gives more insight on how the Muslim people believe. It opened my eyes even more on how much these people need the Saviour.

** I received this book for free from Bethany House in return for my honest opinion.**

~God Makes Lemonade~

2011-10-27T06:00:00.002-04:00

I bet you could use a little good news right about now. We have just the book for you! In God Makes Lemonade™ you'll read stories from everyday folks who discover unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances.

Some of these real-life stories are laugh-out-loud funny, others are sobering, and more than a few will have you reaching for a tissue. We sure did!

But these true stories all have one thing in common: hope.
There's no question that life gives us "lemons," like issues with health, employment, and relationships-truly sour circumstances we wouldn't wish on anyone. But when those lemons become lemonade, it's as refreshing as an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day.

About the Author ~
Don Jacobson's twenty-five years in publishing included serving as the president and owner of Multnomah Publishers, where he oversaw the production of more than 1000 titles, including the five-million-plus-selling series Stories for the Heart. He's had the pleasure of working with such best-selling authors as Randy Alcorn, Joni Eareckson Tada, Henry Blackaby, Robin Jones Gunn, Karen Kingsbury, Andy Stanley, and Bruce Wilkinson. Don's wife, Brenda, has been mentoring mothers for more than a decade.

Jacobson and his wife are passionate about helping single mothers and their children, so the royalties from God Makes Lemonade will benefit these unsung heroes through the LemonAid Foundation.

My Thoughts ~

God Makes Lemonade is a very sweet book. If you are a little sappy like me, you'll need a box of tissues. The book is full of inspirational stories of families that overcame hardships. We all face situations in our lives and we tend to bury ourselves in our self pity party. The true stories that are compiled together, show that we are not the only ones facing difficult times. Just to name a few of my favorite stories ~ Held By Love, Can I Call You Mom?, and Katie's Gift.

I received this book for free from Glass Road Publications, in return for my honest opinion.

~A Fitted Title~

2011-10-25T19:03:00.000-04:00

When my husband and I were first married, I was at a loss on folding fitted sheets. I was never taught how to "fold" fold them, I was taught how to "roll" them. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. You have everything nice and neat in the linen closet and then all of a sudden you see that horrible eyesore.

After I found out I was expecting, a friend and I were talking about getting the nursery ready. I admitted that I could not fold fitted sheets and I had several newly washed baby bed sheets that just would not stay together in the drawer. My sweet friend, told me that she could me teach how, all I had to do was bring a sheet to school. So I did. After work the next day, she laid the sheet out on her desk and began showing me how to fold the sheet. At first I was a little skeptical, she continued on folding. I was amazed at how the little bundle of untidiness became a neatly folded package. I had my turn at it. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H-!!! I heard the angels singing when I finished. I couldn't believe how easy that was.

I know that there is someone out there who is still fighting the battle with the fitted sheet. STOP! There is no need for it. It's super easy and it doesn't take any extra time. Well, it does if you are the guy in the video. He must be a perfectionist!

There are tons of videos on how to fold a fitted sheet. Of all the ones that I watched for this post, this is probably the easiest to understand and follow along.

~A Bragging Moment~

2011-10-24T18:46:00.000-04:00

This year for our son's birthday, my husband shot some photos of him. I love watching my husband work. When he is shooting, he is a perfectionist. Photography is a God given talent for him.

He learned all the techniques while using film. When digital cameras started popping up, he swore he would never have one, since the cameras are designed to do all the work for the eye. It's funny how we eat our words, some times. My husband does have a digital camera, in fact he has two. I've been tinkering with learning and all I can say is, I don't have it, not like he does. I'm so thankful for my PHD (push here dummy) camera, even if my pictures don't turn out like his. ~

~New Changes~

2011-10-17T15:03:00.000-04:00

I love being a home educating mom! It's the best thing that we've done for our family. Not too long ago, I was asked what we do for our school at the 6th grade level. This person was trying to see if they were up to where she thought they need to be. Now, that I look back on what I told her, I began wondering if we were where we needed to be. It's funny how when you really look at what you're doing, and you begin to doubt yourself. Actually, it's not funny and it's something that I really dislike!

After spending some time on The Homeschool Lounge last week, I began to see a little something that I need to try and work on and that is independence. Just a little plug for THL, if you are a home educating mom and you are not a member there, I highly recommend it. I've learned so much from other moms who are just like me, trying to do what is best for our children. There are many groups that pertain to so many different things, you'll find just the right one or two or three.**I'm not being paid for this.**

Now, back to the independence ~ I'm an involved Momma. I like to be sure the work is being completed before the end of the day and I like to know immediately if there is some "not understanding" going on. For me, that meant for every subject, I was right there ~ involved. As of today, that has changed. I was going to try and start this in January but I thought about it over the weekend, I decided I needed to just go for it. So I got a few folders and began working on Sunday afternoon. Here is what our day looks like now.

Together Time

Bible ~ We pray and read the Bible along with our verse memorization. At the moment we are reading through the book of John and we are working on Different by Design written by Cary Schmidt. We were given this book by our new church. The teen group is working on it on Sundays and there is a family section that goes with each lesson. So I'm able to be involved in this.

Language Arts ~ We are still using Learning Language Arts Through Literature and we love it! We work together on the grammar and the book study. This is the main book that I read aloud. The books in this year's lessons, I've never read, so I'm enjoying reading them out loud. I'm also reading classic out loud. As for our reading...I don't pick books for my son to read. I allow him to pick the books. I want him to learn to love reading and if I pick the book, then it may not be something that is pleasing to him. I want him to read something that he likes. I do have a list of books I'm compiling that might spark an interest. He will have to hold the book and decide if it is for him. Spelling changed rather quickly! I felt my son was having problems with spelling, so I purchased Sequential Spelling. Well, that was the wrong thing to do. I was asked, "Momma, am I such a bad speller, that I need this. This is something that a kindergartener would do." Let's just say that I put that book quickly away. We are using an online spelling list along with Spelling City. I'm also using Winston Grammar three days a week as an added kick to our grammar.

Writing ~ I scrapped the Writing Strands book. It was all me ~ I did not care for this way of teaching. Good writing is complicated enough for a lot of people and it's not easy for my son. So I went back to the trusty concept map and note cards and allowing him to write on a topic that he chooses to learn more about.

Activities/Experiments ~We spend time working on the activity pages in our Science Journal and anything else that sparks an interest.

Review Time ~ At the end of our school hours, we spend a few minutes reviewing over what was read in History and Science. I also use this time to go over our maps, historical documents and review for any quizzes or tests.

Independent Time

This is what I have a hard time with. I like to be the one teaching these subjects.

Math we use Teaching Textbooks. I'm not actually involved, but I can be if needed. (Not so bad)

History and Science I assign the daily pages that need to be read and questions that need to be answered. This is not too bad for History, since we are using Abeka and they have comprehension checks throughout the chapter. Science is another thing, we use Apologia Young Explorer Series and there are not really any questions throughout the chapter, since they have a narration section after so many sections.The review questions are at the end of the chapter. Because of this, I come up with my own questions. Both History and Science have a folder where questions are answered and kept until the end of the week, when I remove them and place them in the BIG folder, where I store all the papers for the year.

Copywork/Penmanship is very similar to the other two. I have a folder with the papers ready for the week.

I have an assignment form that is filled in every morning and all my son has to do is check off what is completed and he can bring me his work and the form when he is finished. You can see it HERE.

I was faced with a little resistance this morning with the new changes. It was quickly nipped and our day went smoothly.

I will admit, I don't care for change, I can see my son is the same way. But our school day went quickly and I see that this change is a good thing.

~ A Little Find~

2011-10-16T07:36:00.001-04:00

We've not had a lot going on here at home. Just our same old routine. But I'm sharing a picture of what my husband and I found on Saturday evening. The trees are still full of the pods not quite ready to open. If I can keep the squirrel neighbors from stealing them all, I should have a nice collection of pecans. I can't wait for an afternoon with some added snake boots to tromp through the woods behind our house to the Big Daddy of all pecan trees. ~This tree is HUGE!

~The Homeschool Mother's Journal~

2011-10-07T13:05:00.000-04:00

In my life this week…

How can I say this without it being negative ~ I hate going back to school after a week long break! There, I said it. There is no way around not being negative with that statement. I am not one of these perky moms who looks at everything with a smile on her face and ready to face the world. Are they even normal? I think they are a breed all their own. Really, I'm a normal mom who has a ton of things going on in her life and having a week off from something frees up so much time for all the other things, I really like that extra time. This was the case at our home this week, it was almost like the first day of school all over again.

In our homeschool this week…

We've had a good week. We started off a little bumpy but it ended up a smooth ride. Thankfully, it's now over with a new week on the horizon.

My favorite thing this week was…

Celebrating my son's twelfth birthday. It's hard to believe that he is already 12, and taller than me by about 2 inches and I'm 5'4".

Things I’m working on…

I'm still working on my Prayer/Devotion journal. I have the background image all set and some of the pages ready. I've been working on the divider pages, trying to set the tabs in the correct place without too much overlapping is not quite that easy. Hopefully, it will be finished soon. I'm also working on an adorable little knitted cap.

I’m reading…

I'm working on two books at the moment both are for reviews. God Makes Lemonade by Don Jacobson and The House of Hope by Elisabeth Gifford.

I’m cooking…

I found HUGE baking potatoes at the store last weekend. So we are having a potato bar for our supper tonight. YEE HAW!! Super EASY!

I’m grateful for…

I'm thankful for answered prayers. My husband was able to move to another contractor with his job this week. It's a blessing to see that he is not hating his job any longer.

I’m praying for…

We are now praying for the Lord to open the door for us to move closer to our church. We want to be in the half way area of church and my husband's job. Forty miles (one way)to church on Sunday is not so bad, but when you think about driving it for both Sunday morning and Sunday night, it becomes a nightmare on the gas budget. We are having to be creative for the afternoons, so we don't have to drive back and forth.

~Twelve Years Ago~

2011-10-06T09:54:00.000-04:00

I remember this day twelve years ago, quite clearly.

To begin with I need to tell you what happened on October 5th ~I sent your Daddy off to work, I laid down to take a nap. When I awoke, I washed the breakfast dishes and did some light house keeping. I ate a can of Spaghetti O's for lunch ( I ate those all the time, no wonder you like them so much!) and I went to Walmart to pick up a layaway. While waiting in line, a man asked me, "How much longer?" I told him, I didn't know, since I just walked up. He laughed and said (while pointing) "When's the baby due?" I told him that he was due in two days. The lady behind him, piped up with, "You won't be waiting that long." We all talked back and forth while waiting for our turn in line. I cooked supper for myself and Daddy. After supper, we walked around the neighborhood. When we got back home, we ate some ice cream. I added sour cream and onion chips to my chocolate ice cream. It was a crazy concoction that your Aunt Lisa and I came up with when we were younger. Something that I've passed on to you. Of course, you have an odd creation of your own ~ Peanut Butter & Jelly, Mayonnaise and Pickle sandwiches. Hopefully, you'll be able to pass it on to your children one day.

Later that night I was admitted into the hospital in labor. (Daddy swears it was from the ice cream and chips.) I spent all day October 6th walking and resting, waiting on you. Finally at 11:57 that night, you were born. You were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. Daddy and I couldn't get enough of you. It was the first time, I ever saw your Daddy cry. He was so happy! When Granny and PawPaw came in to hold you, they both said that you were the prettiest of all the grand children at this age. They could not believe how beautiful your head and skin color was. They talked about the peach fuzz on your head. Really, there wasn't much, but you weren't an onion head! That's what PawPaw always called babies with no hair.

Twelve years may seem like a long time to you, but it's not. These past twelve years have flown by bringing with them many happy times ~like being able to talk again after all the months of therapy, learning to ride your bike, killing your first deer and accepting Jesus as your Saviour. Of course, those years have also brought some scary and sad times ~ like falling into the car and biting the inside of your mouth open which required over 25 stitches, ripping your hand open on a piece of jagged wood and the passing of MawMaw and Paw. We've even seen some funny times ~ like learning to "gobble your gizzard" like Daddy, trying to cook Ramen Noodles in the microwave without water ~ boy, was that a real stinker! and watching Copper fight with the broom under my bed ~ crazy dog!

Daddy and I have always tried to make our home a safe haven for you. A place where you find LOVE, HAPPINESS, SAFETY, TOGETHERNESS and THE LORD. We both pray that you will take this year and use it wisely. Don't waste your time on nonsense. Grow closer to the Lord, seek Him daily. We will do all we can to help you, but the Lord is the one that truly can help.

Psalm 55:16 As for me,I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Happy Birthday, my Sweet Son!

~Educational Ideas~

2011-10-05T15:27:00.001-04:00

I love being at home and teaching my son. I love having the freedom to spend a whole day on one particular subject to remedy the curiosity that is overflowing about something as interesting as primates or as uninteresting as adverbs and adjectives. We had that kind of day, today. It started off a little bumpy but ended up on a rather high note.

It's hard to believe that we are in our 10th week of school and our 7th year of home educating. We are now at the age/grade level where all the really cutesy craft ideas are a big, "That's so lame!". Trying to make learning fun for this age is a little different from what it was in the past. I've been on the look out for things that will help in this area while looking for things that will help with some of the weaker areas like math and grammar. Thankfully, at the moment, we are not on a low with math. Since we use Teaching Textbooks, I'm not having to pull out my hair trying to come up with a way to explain something that is not so easy to a child that has my math ability. PTL!

I'm not getting paid for this ~ If you have never seen Teaching Textbooks, or you think that it is way out of your price range, go look at it. As a home educating mom, I completely understand the school budget. This year is the first year that I have actually looked at our books needed list and began to worry about how we were going to do it. In the past, we've been financially able to buy the needed items and then some. Things changed back in January and while I was researching for this year, I found myself in tears, not knowing what we were going to do. The only thing I did know ~ Math was the most important on that list. If I had to do more research on new curriculum for other subjects or come up with my own thing, I would. ~ I did and I made some changes. The Lord worked everything out and I did not have to come up with my own. :)

Back to what I wanted to show you. For the past couple of days, I've been on Pintrest searching for school related ideas. WOWZERS!!!! is all I can say. I'm still scrolling through other people's pins related to home education. I'm finding some of the cutest ideas for educating younger children with not so much good return on older kids. But still, I've found some really neat things. If you click on the Pinterest link in this paragraph or over on the sidebar, you can see all the pinning I've been doing.

We made a Parts of Speech minibook, this morning and I love it! I wish I would have thought of this sooner, with Jamie. Adverbs and Adjectives are his weak point. While working on this, he began to see how they both work. While working on the book, we watched some of the SchoolHouse Rock videos on Youtube. It's neat how those "ancient" three minute cartoons helped so many young people learn grammar and math while watching Saturday morning cartoons. ~ I was one of those young people. Conjunction Function is still my favorite! Here's a picture of our book...

I'm definitely not the photographer in the family. Can you tell?

I mentioned in an earlier post about our Bible memory system that we started this year. It's amazing! Again, I wish I would have started this sooner. I put ours together a little differently than what is on the website. This is a system that is easy to use and easy to personalize. Here is a picture of my system...

~I Am a Chosen Generation~

2011-10-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

When I was in college I took two Bible classes on the Epistles. I loved both classes. I just wish I would have kept all my college notes, now that I'm older and would love to look back on what I wrote down regarding a book. But I do have my Bible that went to these classes with me and I have all the highlighted/underlined/circled/marked verses there for me to read. Some of them I wonder why I marked them while others are obvious why they are marked.

I started reading the Epistles on August 18th. This time, I made sure that I wrote my notes in a journal that I will keep. It's kinda funny, I'm not a journal kind of person. I've tried writing about my life, throughout my life and it didn't work. I even tried writing a journal about books that I've read, no trying to fool you on that one, it just didn't stick. I tried writing about our deputation trail, well, let's just say that there were more discouraging moments than I care to remember. So I only wrote about the good things that happened. Some of those good things came out of bad things. I definitely could not write about the good without including the bad. I did put that journal away, I wanted to keep it and look back on those moments, when I need to remember how God worked in our lives.

This morning, I was reading in I Peter and when I looked across the notes and markings, my heart was thrilled. I found things like; Disallowed~ to examine then say I don't want it. Holy~ set apart, Gracious~ excellent, Confounded~ not to put to shame, Thankworthy ~ beyond what is expected, Froward~ can't reason with, Glory~ pleasure. The one thing that really brings back a memory is I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: I remember my professor standing there and repeating "YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, WE ARE THE CHOSEN GENERATION".

When I look at the markings in this Bible, I compare my new Bible and see if there are verses that I've marked in it that was marked in the older one. I found ten verses in chapters one and two that are marked in both Bibles. I guess, I need to realize that they are doubly important for my life.

Two weeks ago, I started the I John Bible study with a group of ladies on Facebook. I am so loving it! Today, I just about had a running fit (I personally, don't agree with those but...)when I was reading I John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I don't live a perfect life, no one does. But I try to do all that I can to live as perfectly as I can. When I came across those verses this morning. Knowing no matter how big a goof up I make, I have an advocate. He is at the throne of God pleading my case. I would really hate to know, that I had to face God without Jesus. Can you imagine? My heart is pounding in my chest, just trying to imagine it. I'm thankful, that I am not the only one who has Jesus as their advocate.

~Heiress~

2011-10-03T09:10:00.002-04:00

They can buy anything they want—fame, power, beauty, even loyalty. But they can’t buy love.

The beautiful and wealthy heiress daughters of August Price can buy everything their hearts desire. But what if their desire is to be loved, without an enormous price tag attached? When one sister betrays another for the sake of love, will she find happiness? And what happens when the other sets out across the still untamed frontier to find it—will she discover she’s left it behind in the glamorous world of the New York gilded society? What price will each woman pay for being an heiress?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, two women discover that being an heiress just might cost them everything they love.

About the Author ~ Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

My Thoughts~ This is the second book by this author that I have read. Susan's writing has won me over. She includes so many realistic feelings in the characters. The way she describes places/scenes, it makes you feel that you are right there watching from the sidelines. I love this in a writer! This story deals with a very sad situation that a lot of writers would steer clear from, but it is included in such a way that my heart was so heavy for these girls. It shows that money does not buy true happiness and love. I can't wait for the second installment on the Price sisters.

Giveaway~
Heiress, a richly complex historical romance, is the first in Susan's three book Daughters of Fortune series. In honor of Heiress’ debut, Susan is hosting a FABULOUS Gilded Age Giveaway and giving away an opulent prize pack fit for an heiress!

Enter 9/22-10/5!

Win an opulent Gilded Age Prize Pack fit for an Heiress from Susan May Warren!

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest historical book, Heiress!

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

Heiress, a richly complex historical romance, is the first in Susan's three book Daughters of Fortune series. In honor of Heiress’ debut, Susan is hosting a FABULOUS Gilded Age Giveaway and giving away an opulent prize pack fit for an heiress!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $100 gift certificate to ModCloth.com
A sleek silver iPod™ Shuffle
A beautiful strand of Pearls
Titanic DVD
Speakeasy Compilation Music CD from Starbucks™
Heiress by Susan May Warren

Click one of the icons below to enter. But do so soon - this giveaway ends 10/5/11. The winner will be announced Thursday, October 6 on Susan’s blog.

**I received this book for free from Litfuse, in return for my honest opinion.**

~The Harvest of Grace~

2011-09-28T11:16:00.000-04:00

The Harvest of Grace is third and final book in Ada’s House, and it is now available! Come join us for the conclusion of this New York Times bestselling series as beloved characters from The Hope of Refuge and The Bridge of Peace continue to grow in their love and commitment to one another.

In The Harvest of Grace, you’ll be introduced to two unique characters ~

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever?

Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed’s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron’s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life.

Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture— a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love.

I wish I would have been able to read the first two books of this series before starting The Harvest of Grace. I really would have liked to have known more about the people in the community around Sylvia and Aaron. I did not feel totally lost in the story, since Cindy included a main characters list with a short detail regarding the character.

My heart went out to Sylvia as she chose to wait on marriage and the emotional roller coaster she faced regarding her former fiance and family. Aaron's dreams of owning a business and not following in his father's footsteps as a farmer were so real. Something many people face today. Watching these two "stubborn" people in their daily life, makes you want to just shake some pliancy into them. The outcome was actually a little surprising to me.

This is my second Cindy Woodsmall book. And my third or fourth Amish fiction book. If Cindy continues writing about the Amish community, I may be hooked! She has a way of bringing this way of life into reality for those of us who are nowhere near an Amish community.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

~ A Lancaster County Christmas~

2011-09-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do--in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.

Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?

With her trademark plot twists and attention to detail, Suzanne Woods Fisher offers readers a beautiful Christmas story of love, forgiveness, and what truly matters in life.

My Thoughts~ The story was not what I was expecting and that's alright because it is a good story. It is a story of hope, forgiveness and communication. The story is not just about the helping of one couple but both couples receive much needed help.

About the Author~
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

It’s Christmas in September!

To celebrate the release of her first Christmas book, Suzanne Woods Fisher has teamed up with her publisher, Revell, to bring you the "Christmas in September" iPad Giveaway! The winner will be announced on 9/27 at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party! Details below. Tell your friends and join in the fun (9/7-9/27).

Oh and be sure to follow the blog tour here - many of the bloggers have copies of the book to giveaway!

Suzanne and Revell will be presenting one merry winner with a Christmas Prize Pack (valued at over $600):

A Brand New iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
$25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of A Lancaster County Christmas

To enter, click one of the icons below. But, hurry the giveaway ends on 9/26.

But, wait! There's more! The winner will be announced at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party on 9/27 at Suzanne's author page. During the party she'll be revealing something *BIG* - you won't want to miss it. She'll also be hosting a book chat, trivia contest and giving away a few early Christmas presents! Hope to see you there.

~Thankful Thursday~

2011-09-22T14:04:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned being thankful for answered prayers before. But this week, our family has a greater feeling about answered prayers. For nine months I've been praying about a special burden that has been on my heart. I really did not get serious about praying until a month after starting my prayer. Everyday, for the past eight months in my morning devotions, I prayed about my husband's job. I prayed anytime I thought about it. Every time his job was mentioned, I prayed silently.

My husband works for FedEx. Now, FedEx is not like UPS. The delivery routes are individually owned by contractors and there is no Union. Having to deal with individual contractors, a deliverer may get hired on with a really good contractor who believes in the "old ways" of making sure their employees earn enough to make a living and support their families while not having them as a work mule. Then there are some who do not agree with the "old ways", greed is in their eyes and their employees are work mules.(My precious husband ended up working for this kind of contractor for the past 10 months.) While these contractors have a huge turn over, the "old ways" contractors seem to keep their workers as long as they want to work. All this time, my husband stayed faithful to his job. He stayed faith in respecting his bosses. ** I honestly, do not believe I would have stayed so faithful, but he did.**

To make a really L-O-N-G story short. A contractor that my husband worked for a little bit last year while working under FedEx had an opening come up. My husband had heard about the possibility of this opening and pursued it. He went back and forth for about three weeks and finally we got the call on Monday morning. My husband will be going to work for the new contractor on October 3rd.

I am so Thankful that I have a Lord and Saviour who hears and answers every prayer that I pray. He does answer all of our prayers. He may not answer them the way we want or when we want. But he does answer them all.

~We Have So Much To Be Thankful For~

~ Praying for Our Children~

2011-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

From the day I found out that I was going to have a baby, I began praying for his salvation and his spouse. If you're like me, there are some days that I just don't pray for him like I should. When I think about that, it makes me cringe. To know that there is "something" that is more important than my son, to take me away from praying for him like I should ~ I'm horrible!

For several weeks, I've been busily working on creating a Prayer/Devotional Journal. I want to be able to keep everything together for as long as I can, instead of having 100 books to store when I'm finished using them. While I've been working on this journal, I came across many ways to pray for my son. Anywhere from 10 to 40 ways. I personally like the 12 ways that I found. These are things that I can pray about each day, instead of breaking them down into a certain day.

1. Nothing will hinder my son from accepting Christ as his personal Saviour early in life. (Matthew 19:14)

2. My son will learn to know the true and living God and have a deep desire to do God’s will all his life. (Psalm 119:26, 30, 34 –35)

3. As my son hears stories from the Bible, a love for God and His Word develops and becomes the basis for his entire decision making. (Ecclesiastes 12:1; Psalm 71:17)

4. My son will develop a keen sense of what is right and wrong and will abhor evil and cling to that which is good. (Romans 12:9; Psalm 139:23-24; 51:10)

5. For my son's total development: an increase in wisdom (mentally), in stature (physically) and in favor with God (spiritually) and man (socially). (Luke 2:52)

6. That God will create in my son a thankful heart and positive mental attitude. (Psalm 126:2-3; Romans 8:31)

7. God will protect my son from Satan in every area of life. (physically, mentally, spiritually) (John 17:15; Psalm 121)

8. God would reveal the tendencies to sin in my son and enable him to overcome them before they become sinful habits. (Psalm 120:2; 119:133; I John 1:8-9)

9. God would make my son successful in the work God has planned for him to do. (Psalm 118:25;139: 9-10; Ephesians 2:10)

10. My son will have and value a strong sense of belonging to a family that is loving and dwells together in unity. (Psalm 133; Colossians 3:12-14)

11. My son will respect those in authority over him. (Romans 13:1; Ephesians 6:1-4)

12. My son’s entire life will be a testimony of the greatness and love of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

You can download a copy of this HERE.

~Fairer Than Morning~

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.

On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliott.com/

About the Author~
Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

My Thoughts ~ I wish I would have written this review sooner since it has been almost month since I read the book. I began reading this book as soon as I received it and I couldn't put it down. The story is well written with a little secret buried within the story regarding Ann's father ~ keep a look out for that! I think my most memorable part of the story is how Ann came across the letters and gave them back to Will. Without going in detail of the story, you would not want to pass this book up. It is absolutely a little gem!

About the Giveaway~

Win a custom made period dress ... and a KINDLE from Rosslyn Elliott!

Enter 9/1-9/20!
To celebrate the release of her debut novel, Fairer Than Morning, Rosslyn Elliott is giving away two fabulous prize packages. The first is brand new KINDLE in her Fairer Than Morning Kindle Giveaway. Then on September 20th she's giving away a $200 gift certificate toward a Custom-Made Historical Reproduction Dress (from Recollections) during the Fairer Than Morning Book Club Chat Party on Facebook! Sigh...romantic.

Fairer Than Morning is receiving wonderful reviews - Library Journal said, "A well-written historical series debut…". Read more reviews here.

Be sure to join the fun and enter the Kindle contest -

One winner will receive:

* Kindle with Wi-Fi

* Fairer Than Morning (for Kindle)

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, giveaway ends on 9/19. Winner will be announced on 9/20 at Rosslyn's Book Club Facebook Party. Details and official rules can be found when entering the contest.

Then be sure to RSVP for Rosslyn's Facebook Party! During the party Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, hosting a book chat about Fairer Than Morning (don't worry if you haven't read the book yet - you could win a copy!) & historical Fiction, testing your trivia skills. She'll also be giving away that $200 gift certificate toward a FABULOUS custom-made period dress from Recollections!

I received this book for free from Litfuse in return of my honest opinion.