a glimpse of our life

First book review: Creative Slow-Cooker Meals

2012-02-24T08:42:00.000-06:00

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Cheryl Moeller

and the book:

Creative Slow-Cooker Meals:
Use Two Slow Cookers for
Tasty and Easy Dinners [Spiral-Bound]

Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Karri James, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cheryl Moeller is a seasoned mother and a standup comic. She is also a syndicated columnist with her own blog (www.momlaughs.blogspot.com) and contributes monthly to several online parent websites. Cheryl has coauthored two books on marriage with her husband and has written for www.mops.org and Marriage Partnership. Cheryl does comedy for parenting classes, MOPS groups, wedding or baby showers, church retreats, women’s conferences, and those in line at the grocery store.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the celebrated coauthor of The Marriage Miracle comes a new kind of cookbook and a new attitude toward planning meals. With an eye toward the whole menu, not just part of it, columnist Cheryl Moeller teaches cooks to use two crockpots to easily create healthy, homemade dinners.

Don’t worry about your dinner being reduced to a mushy stew. Each of the more than 200 recipes has been taste-tested at Cheryl’s table. Join the Moeller family as you dig into:

Harvest-time Halibut Chowder
Salmon and Gingered Carrots
Mediterranean Rice Pilaf
Indian Chicken Curry
Apricot-Pistachio Bread
Shrimp Creole
Rhubarb Crisp

... and many more! Perfect for the frazzled mom who never has enough time in the day, Creative Slow-Cooker Meals gives readers more time around the table with delicious, healthy, frugal, and easy meals!

Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Spiral-bound: 272 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736944915
ISBN-13: 978-0736944915

AND NOW...THE FIFTH CHAPTER (click on pages to enlarge):

Vineyard Music's Miami LIVE Worship album

2012-02-23T21:33:00.001-06:00

Vineyard Music's Miami LIVE Worship album has a tropical flavor that makes it distinctly different from anything else in my stack of Cds. The music reminds me of what was played on our trip to the Bahamas, but with words of worship. There are also different instruments than I typically hear on the radio. My favorite vacation is the beach, and while listening to this I can imagine worshiping Jesus with the sand between my toes.

Miami Vineyard LIVE (released 10/18)

Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/miami-live

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/miamivineyardLIVE

Purchase: http://www.vineyardresources.com/equip/content/miami-vineyard-live-cd

Video: http://vimeo.com/28995392

About Miami Vineyard LIVE:

"What happens when a group of 20+ musicians and 10+ songwriters steeped deep in their own musical traditions of Black Gospel, Latin, Caribbean, and Anglo come together to create a new tradition and sound? What happens when the fusion of Black, Anglo, Latino, Caribbean, and Cuban voices unite together to worship in one voice? Among the 2000 people that attend the Miami Vineyard Community Church, there are over a hundred singers, instrumentalists and songwriters that make up its eclectic worship ministry. For one night, these musicians joined together in worship and invited the church to document the sound that is uniquely MIAMI VINEYARD LIVE.

This distinctive bi-lingual liturgy is filled with many flavors, from Latino claves to gospel two-step to funk and soul to delay-laden rock guitars of modern worship, yet they all work together seamlessly to create a new sound and voice that is authentic and refreshing. From anthems of praise and proclamation to songs of intimacy and adoration, there is a common thread running deep throughout this recording and that is true worship of the Living God as an expression of His Kingdom breaking in on the streets and beaches of Miami, FL."

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I received a CD and have another available to share with one of you! For the giveaway, visit one of the linked sites above and leave a comment here. For an additional chance, follow this blog and leave a comment (or comment if you already do so.) Be sure to leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win. One winner will receive a CD of this music! Winner will be announced Feb 29th.

Three Hearts

2012-02-22T22:34:00.001-06:00

Many of you, like me, may be familiar with Samaritan's Purse through Operation Christmas Child. Another of their ministries is the Children's Heart Project.

The movie Three Hearts shares an up close look into The Children's Heart Project. Franklin Graham's daughter Cissie Graham Lynch is showcased on her internship with CHP. She is filmed through the complete process with three children in the program from choosing a child for the program, coordinating care with the doctor, and even the actual surgeries.

These children presented are from Mongolia, and interviews with the children and their family are featured in their homes. A clear explanation of the heart defects are provided with graphics to illustrate the problems. The children cared for with this project cannot get the care that they need in their own country. They are brought to America for a procedure that can change their life, and for the youngest girl it can save her life!

Subtitles are provided that translate as you watch a mongolian boy say "I just want to be a normal boy." and pray to God "Please heal me." His Mom shares how she is unable to provide the care that her son desperately needs, and you get to see her joy as she finds out that her son has been accepted into the program.

Beyond the story of the children, also shared is the story of Cissie's new marriage and choices she makes related to travel based on situations in her new marriage. A bit of the Mongolian culture is shared including Budist influences.

I enjoyed the brief clip of the young Mongolian girl playing in the water in the sink, her delight was contagious in this experieence we take for granted but which was completely new to her. I also loved watching the medical team grasping hands and praying together with the boy and his family before the surgery- so powerful!

Real emotions were shared throughout this life changing film.

Warning- graphic live videos of the surgerys are shared, those views are enlighteening but not for the faint of heart.

About Three Hearts:

"A passionate team of people work to save the lives of three Mongolian children with life-threatening heart defects.

Graduating college senior, Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, takes on an internship at Samaritan’s Purse working with the Children’s Heart Project. This project is dedicated to saving the lives of children by providing medical procedures that aren’t available in many countries. Cissie is charged with supervising the arrival and surgeries of three Mongolian children suffering from fatal congenital heart defects.

But the task is not easy and filled with unexpected challenges. Cissie balances responsibilities as a newly married wife to a professional football player and her tasks with the internship. Meanwhile the Children’s Heart team turns to a Texas family who travels to Mongolia for the adventure of a lifetime to help bring the children to San Antonio for their surgeries. In Texas, two host families make sacrifices to care for these children and their mothers, while a team of doctors and nurses volunteer their time only to stare directly into the face of life and death. How far would you go to save a life?

It’s a fight for survival, a fight of faith, and a fight for a new life for these three hearts."

For more information, click these links:

Three Hearts DVD

Youtube Trailer Links: http://youtu.be/sMUA8lbbkDU

Youtube Trailer Links: http://youtu.be/1aUxbJd15fk

Christian Book Distributors Link: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=320721

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I watched an online link preview of this movie, but have a DVD for one of you! For the giveaway, visit one of the linked sites above and leave a comment here. For an additional chance, follow this blog and leave a comment (or comment if you already do so.) Be sure to leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win. One winner will receive a download link of this music! Winner will be announced Feb 29th.

First book review: Six Ways to Keep the "Good" in Your Boy

2012-02-20T11:18:00.001-06:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Dannah Gresh

and the book:

Six Ways to Keep the "Good" in Your Boy: Guiding Your Son from His Tweens to His Teens

Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Karri James, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dannah Gresh is a bestselling author, a speaker, and the creator of the Secret Keeper Girl live events. Her books include Six Ways to Keep the “Little” in Your Girl, 8 Great Dates for Moms and Daughters, And the Bride Wore White, and Lies Young Women Believe (coauthored with Nancy Leigh DeMoss). She and her husband have a son and two daughters and live in Pennsylvania.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Bestselling author Dannah Gresh empowers moms of with six proactive ways to raise sons age 8-12 to be honest, confident, and respectful. This encouraging, practical resource shows how the formative years can shape a godly, healthy teen and adult. Includes engaging activity ideas, and Scriptures to pray over sons.

Product Details:
List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736945792
ISBN-13: 978-0736945790

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Is There a Mouse in
That Cookie Box?

A box of cookies and a dead mouse.

The combination conjures up one of the proudest memories of mothering my wonderful son, Robby. (If you meet him, you can call him Rob. But I can’t. He’s still my Robby even if he’s the size of a linebacker.) He was a freshman at Grace Prep high school and was just returning from a school-assigned Random Act of Kindness when these two mismatched objects—mouse and cookies—mingled together to create an equally odd mixture of emotions.

Just hours earlier, armed with nothing more than a few boxes of cookies and several rakes, he and a few friends had set out to do some good. They’d come back a little flustered, but laughing their experience off like four cool 15-year-old boys should.

“We just got yelled at,” said Robby, wearing the words like a badge of courage.

“By whom?” I asked.

“Some crazy woman who thought there must be a mouse in the cookies we were trying to give her,” he answered defensively.

“What!” I was just a little aggravated, having been the one who had issued the assignment. How could anyone react with anger and suspicion (particularly in our small, friendly town) to a box of cookies and an offer to do yard work? Surely they must have misunderstood. “Tell me what happened. Play-by-play,” I said.

“Well, we knocked on the lady’s door to give her the cookies and ask permission to rake her leaves,” Robby answered. “When we tried to hand her the cookies she looked afraid and angrily said, ‘Is there a dead mouse in that box?’ ”

The other boys snickered. I could see that they thought it was funny, but that it also bothered them.

I was having a hard time believing it.

“We promised there wasn’t a mouse in there, but she just couldn’t believe we were there to do anything good. So one of the guys said, ‘Look, we just want to show you God’s love in a practical way.’ ”

This made me smile. It was what they’d been taught. “Transfer the credit of this good act to God,” I’d said in class.

“What’d she say when you said that?” I asked.

“She grabbed the cookies, said, ‘Rake if you want to,’ and slammed the door in our faces!” said Robby. “So, we raked.”

I could tell that the guys were still a bit shaken, and I was a bit angry that they hadn’t been met with the reward of a simple “thank you.”

A few weeks later, God brought the whole thing full circle with a letter that came in the mail. One of the members of Robby’s group got to read it out loud in chapel. I wish I still had it. It went something like this:

Dear Grace Prep:

Recently some boys from your school came here to deliver cookies to my daughter and me. They also raked our leaves. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t trust them. I am sorry. (For the record, they were really yummy cookies.)

I think God sent those boys here.

You see, my husband—my daughter’s father—died recently and it has been tough. Just that morning my daughter and I kind of put a test out there for God. We prayed, saying, “If you’re really there and you really see us, show up!”

When he did, we didn’t recognize him right away. But I have no doubt that God sent those high-school boys to remind us that he sees us.

Thank you.

You could have heard a pin drop in that room of high-school kids when the letter was read. We were all simply struck with the power of goodness.

But here’s why this wonderful memory not only floods my heart with pride, but also makes me sad: We’ve lost our faith in the goodness of boys and men. And not wholly without reason.

Where Have All the Good Men Gone?

A title of a recent Wall Street Journal article inquired, “Where Have the Good Men Gone?” A current Amazon bestseller seeks to answer the question, Is There Anything Good About Men? Since the 2004 coining of the word “adultescent,”¹ we’ve had something to call the young adult male who is so busy playing Call of Duty on his PlayStation 4 that he has no real-life call of duty. No honor. No integrity. No goodness. Just a seventh-grade mind-set and responsibility level trapped in the flabby body of an adult who often still lives at home or in a tacky bachelor pad with other adultescents. The phenomenon is what caused Kay S. Hymowitz to pen the book Manning Up, in which she writes,

Not so long ago, average mid-twentysomethings, both male and female, had achieved most of the milestones of adulthood: high school diploma, financial independence, marriage, and children. These days [the males] hang out in a novel sort of limbo, a hybrid state of semi-hormonal adolescence and responsible self-reliance.²

High-school English teacher Joe Carmichiel has written a book entitled Permanent Adolescence: Why Boys Don’t Grow Up, because “a large number of today’s teenagers, especially boys, see no reason to accept or pursue adulthood since it is of so little value to the larger culture.”³ So, with no motivation todo anything, many of these young men remain in a state of wimpy complacency well into their twenties, even thirties.

Along with this state of immaturity that many boys will embrace as they grow older is a culturally acceptable pressure for boys to be bad—both complacent and void of character. By the time a boy is finished with high school, he is likely to have three crucial areas of character ripped right out of him:

Over 50 percent of young men will have become sexually active in a casual-sex culture where they’re likely to have an average of 9.7 sexual partners before they graduate from college.⁴ (There goes his purity.)
Most of them will be exposed to porn as a tween or early teen, with the median age of first exposure being about 11. This catapults many of them into a world of double-mindedness where they are one boy at home and in public—and another entirely in their private world. (There goes his integrity.)
Many will have succumbed to an emasculated version of manhood that strips them of their drive to be leaders and protectors who do good. (There goes his honor.)

Our boys need to be taught to grow up.

And to be good.

While Six Ways to Keep the “Little” in Your Girl cried
out for us to band together against the culture’s pressure for our little girls to grow up too fast, this book pleads with you to join us in raising sons who are prepared to embrace the responsibility of growing up.

It’s been our goal to create a character base for our son to be a man of integrity, honor, and purity. Bob and I want him to be good. Fortunately, our life work led me into the depths of research, and I learned that we had to start building a foundation for our son to rise to the call of manhood…when he was still just our “good boy”! Raising a son to reflect your value system when he is a man is—in part—a matter of introducing those values to him in an age-appropriate manner when he is a tween. Social science offers us statistical lines of footprints showing how a boy will turn out based on what he is exposed to and when. Sadly, our boys have got a tough battle ahead. It’s been a long time since they’ve seen anything but “adultescent” or “bad” examples of manhood dominating our culture.

Why Are Boys “Bad”?

Robert Coles, a pioneer in the field of moral intelligence, brings clarity to the definition badness when he writes,

Bad boys display a “heightened destructive self-absorption, in all its melancholy stages.” In essence, we go bad when “we lose sight of our obligation to others.”⁵

Badness is not simply the loss of innocence, purity, integrity, and honor, but also the loss of vision to see the needs of others and to act on them. It’s a complacent, self-absorbed lifestyle that is void of character.

I think we have a bad-boy mentality in our culture for two primary reasons.

The first reason boys become bad is that the feminist movement has told us they are bad. Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder of Boys, though seeming to embrace the feminist movement as a whole, points out a few devastating myths it introduced to convince our boys that they are “bad.” Here are two that resonate with me:

Myth Number One: “that masculinity is responsible for the world’s ills and femininity is the world’s salvation.”⁶

Myth Number Two: “males destroy, females create; males stand in the way of positive spiritual/social values; males are inherently violent.”⁷

While a deeper study of the feminist movement would betray an agenda to introduce these fallacies, we don’t have to get that academic to see how much we are influenced to believe these myths in our politically correct culture.

Just consider how prevalently they are portrayed in the media. Television alone reinforces them. Two and a Half Men, “the biggest hit comedy of the past decade” according to the New York Times, features a hedonist formerly played by Charlie Sheen. After eight seasons, the show was stalled when Sheen went into rehab for drug use. He was then fired for making disparaging remarks about the show’s producers. On and off screen he was self-absorbed and void of character. Other shows display the contrast of the valuable female to the valueless male. Reruns of The Simpsons portray Lisa as bright and beautiful and Bart as out of shape and selfish. Co-ed television commercials often portray the guy as a doofus and the girl as smart. It’s funny. It really is. But how much of it can we expose ourselves to before we believe it? And that takes me to my next concern.

The second reason boys are “bad” is that they have become what has been expected of them, just like any individual tends to fulfill what has been prophesied about them. Of course, they’ve had help from their parents (or lack thereof), their culture (and its emasculation), their economy (and its consumeristic “me” mentality), and their churches (who haven’t done much to stand against the feminist untruths). But today’s men as a whole have pretty much rolled over and taken it.

It’s probably a good idea for me, Bob, to step in here. I’m a guy. If anyone’s going to throw us under the bus, it should be me. It has always befuddled me that the prettiest, nicest girls are always attracted to the bad boys. From the jock who bullies everyone at school to the kid in a leather jacket who doles out drugs after school, nice girls often go after the bad boys. In the Twilight series, bad boy Edward Cullen makes good girl Bella Swan swoon. In real life, the stars live out the scenario. Kevin Federline was the top bad boy of the tabloids when he nabbed the most famous girl on the planet at the height of her career, Britney Spears. Katy Perry, former Christian music artist gone sexual tease, pledged herself to bad boy Russell Brand.

I think that the constant drip of these scenarios into our spirits makes us want to be bad boys. Let’s be real: A guy desires a beautiful girl, and while the ones in the headlines might not be all that chaste, they’re often portrayed as the good girl taken by the bad boy. And guess what? Guys want nice girls. So, we begin to believe that maybe we’re supposed to be bad.

And if we’re not, we’re boring.

Come on. The media glorifies the bad boys—from Grease’s Danny Zuko to Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow—not the plain-vanilla good guys. I didn’t watch this show, but Dannah says Gilmore Girls played to this big time when Rory fell for beautiful boy Dean until bad boy Jess came to town. The bad boy is so often the one the girl wants and celebrates.

Conversely, there aren’t a lot of movies being made about Billy Graham, the kid who called 9-1-1 and delivered his mom’s baby, or the apostle Paul. These are true heroes…but they’re good. And good is boring, according to movie producers. Since no one rises up to celebrate the good, most guys—though innately built to be conquerors—roll over and become boring.

In some twisted place in our minds, we’d much rather be bad than boring because that’s how you get the girl. But many of us are afraid of being the real bad boy. So we just get complacent. We roll over and stay in some limbo—a state of in-between. Not really bad. Not really good. Or so we think.

In reality, this complacency is the absolute root of badness.

The Tree

Complacency was at the root of the first bad move among men. (Yes—the bad move of all time.) Adam had the most complacent moment of all when he stood at the foot of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was Eve who wore the pants in the first family during this catastrophic moment. She took the lead and reached for the fruit of the Tree. Adam just got all quiet, passive and…well, boring. The Scriptures don’t note that he was deceived, tempted, or lied to like Eve. Just that he went along with it.

Some theologians believe that there was something in the way that Eve was crafted which made her more vulnerable to deception. (Just consider how often we women are prone to think things like “I’m fat!” Haven’t seen too many guys obsessing over that thought. Or maybe you’ve been prone to believe the lie “No one really likes me.” Men don’t struggle with that as often or as easily. Women are just prone to believing lies.) However, many believe that Satan approached Eve because he was attempting to throw over the created order by getting her to take leadership over her husband. And Adam seemed to passively accept this evil situation to gratify his flesh. Sounds a bit too much like many men of today.

Complacency led to the first sin. (Perhaps, had Adam chosen to speak truth to Eve, he could have led her away from that horrible original sin.) His failure to lead changed the course of history. We believe that the same kind of complacency that showed itself at the foot of the Tree still leads men to badness.

Goodness vs. Badness

While a bad boy’s greatest desire is to live according to his desires, a good boy, according to Robert Coles, has an outward focus:

Good…boys…have learned to take seriously the very notion, the desirability of goodness—living up to the Golden Rule.⁸

The Greek word for goodness (used in our take-to-heart verse, Romans 12:21) appears in the New Testament in three forms, all of which are rooted in the Hebrew word tod, which means “usefulness” or “beneficialness.” Are we bringing up boys who understand their call of duty to be useful contributors to society, to be beneficial to others?

Goodness is the quality that makes us put others ahead of ourselves. It’s the moral compass that keeps the world safe, happy, and working. It’s the drive that makes us want to function in families rather than isolation. It’s the internal road sign that takes us away from our own desires and toward the destiny of meeting the needs of others. Without it, we are “bad.” That’s probably why all of us—male and female—are called to goodness.

Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

God is good

The ultimate reason we must raise our boys to be good is that it reflects the character of God. His goodness is a bedrock truth of Scripture and is inseparable from his nature. If we are to be a picture of him, we must possess goodness. He is good not only in a general sense, but he is good to us and forus. This element of his character expresses his selflessness and desire to exist on behalf of others. When people are good, they act toward and for others, as opposed to losing sight of others as their own needs and desires consume them.

Valentine's Day treats

2012-02-15T23:12:00.001-06:00

Often my children shop with me, but I went shopping by myself early Tuesday morning to get the ingredients we would need for a special Valentine's surprise. My children and I enjoy making treats for my Grandparents, but as both of them are diabetic we have to change recipes up a bit so they can enjoy them. Heather likes to make a layered pudding pie, and Emily often shares her bread. For Valentine's Day, though, we made a few changes to a yummy cookie recipe. Equal's new Sucralose was perfect to try out in their cookies.

The kids helped me. Heather had the flour ready. Emily adjusted measurements so we could double the recipe then she helped me mix everything together.

Joseph and Emily worked together to shape the cookies.

After making two trays of almond cookies we added lemon zest and lemon juice to change up the last tray. I have made recipes for my Grandparents before using Splenda and this seems comparable. Neither of the products brown the same way as sugar, but with these cookies the whole wheat flour helped them look a little browner than they would with white flour. It was easy to scoop the sweetener from the canister and less messy than the bagged product I have cooked with before. All of the cookies turned out delicious, though my Grandpa preferred the almond ones. Somehow I missed getting a picture of his cards. The kids each made pictures for him and for Granny, and we brought them the lemon and almond cookies and their own Equal Sucralose canister.

We enjoyed a few cookies with them with hot tea while watching the birds outside their dining room window. Click here to see my Google + album with more pictures of our #EqualSucralose Valentine's surprises.

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias #CBias and with #EqualSucralose at Walmart in McComb, Ms. All opinions are my own.

Aleks Math

2012-02-13T00:35:00.000-06:00

One of my first reviews my first year on the TOS Homeschool Review Crew was of Aleks math. I shared it with friends as well as on my blog and later had a teacher friend share that it worked with her son when she purchased a subscription to help her son. The online program includes math from third grade through higher education. A parent or teacher sets up an administration account and then can track the student's progress, time spent on the program, and even see what types of problems are difficult for the student.

master account homepage:

When first signed up, students take an assessment which helps place them in a level. They can change levels, but the initial mastered components follow them as they change, visible in a pie chart format. Quizzes are built into the program. In the Learning Mode students practice problems and can view explanations of topics as needed. Once a student has demonstrated mastry in the Learning Mode, the item is added to the Aleks Pie, and new material becomes available for lessons.

One great feature is the "explain this" option available with a click. If a problem is not understood, it will take the student step by step through the steps and then give opportunities to practice similar problems until mastered. Students receive immediate feedback and sometimes suggestions for correcting mistakes.

from the website:

What is ALEKS?

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course she is taking.
ALEKS also provides the advantages of one-on-one instruction, 24/7, from virtually any Web-based computer for a fraction of the cost of a human tutor.

Many ALEKS courses are correlated with the corresponding standards for all 50 states.When an ALEKS course is integrated with a given state's standard, you will see a report precisely detailing each student's knowledge in terms of that standard.

Subscriptions are available for $19.95 a month, $99.95 for 6 months of access, or $179.95 for 12 months. For families with more than one child, discount pricing is available.

To get your Free Trial :

I was not compensated in any way for this informational review.

Homeschool Crew Review: See N Read/ See N Spell

2012-02-12T22:20:00.000-06:00

"Look it up in the dictionary." Who has not either heard that or said it regarding spelling a word? The See-N-Spell Spelling and Vocabulary Quick Reference Guide is a tool designed to make looking up spelling words a bit easier.

The layout is straightforward without unnecessary extra fluff. I was able to hand the 40 page softcover book to my daughter who could easily use it after a brief explanation. At the bottom of each letter's section is a list of homophones and their definitions. The guide is set up alphabetically and the index in the front of the book includes listings for each letter as well as the sections of commonly misspelled words and special interest words (where students can list their own words.)

See-N-Spell™ Spelling and Vocabulary Quick Reference Guide

* available for 9.99 on their website.
From the company:
"40-page resource booklet helps writers to enhance spelling skills and expand "academic vocabulary"

Quickly find the correct spelling of the 300+ most commonly used American English words...arranged in alphabetical order by usage

Lists correct spelling and usage of ‘sound-alike’ words (homophones)

Alphabetical list of the most commonly misspelled words

FREE See-N-Read® Reading Tool included with every See-N-Spell™"

Read about their other tools here.

Emily used the See-N-Read tool to look through the words in the See-N-Spell Spelling and Vocabulary Quick Reference Guide. She said it is easier than using the dictionary to look up words.

Disclaimer: As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, we received the aforementioned product for this review. Be sure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

2012-02-09T22:54:00.000-06:00

Wendy at Homeschool Blessings shared some of the great hair styles she and her daughter are wearing with their new Lilla Rose hair jewelry. Click here and see her pretty pictures.

True Success

2012-02-06T13:16:00.000-06:00

The topic was suggested for our latest blog cruise: what is success in our homeschool; how do I measure it?

There are times when I give my children placement tests. I use them as a tool, but not as an indicator of success. I learned long ago education is subjective, and someone trained to excel at standardized tests may have a head full of useless information. I want my children to be able to converse intelligently about many subjects, but I don't count that "success."

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,

but have not love,

I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

I Corinthians 13:1

My ultimate goal for all of my children is for them to be able to confidently lovingly share the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When I was little my Grandmother shared that she wanted wisdom like Solomon. I didn't understand then, especially when I was fishing for a gift idea. "What can I give you?" I would ask, expecting her to say something like a new pair of slippers. Looking back, she was one of the wisest people I ever knew.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the glorious Father,

may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,

so that you may know him better.

Ephesians 1:17

As a parent, as a teacher, as an example, I want so much for my children. I wonder about their future. But success isn't up to me. I can help prepare them for what ever is ahead of them. I can lead them to memorize Scripture for them to recall years from now. Their success, though, isn't so much up to me that it should be a weight on my shoulders.

Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

For now, day by day, a glimpse of success is when the kids listen and obey the first time my husband or I give them an instruction, when instead of arguing they show each other love, or when my own example is more good than bad. Success is measured in every day little things but ultimately the true measure is their life.

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1: 9b-12

To see what other TOS homeschool crew reviewers share about measuring success, click here (links will be available Tuesday.)

thankfulness

2012-02-06T07:51:00.000-06:00

List time again, have you considered sharing what you are thankful for?

...a few of my favorite things:

my hubby grilling and cleaning up!
my daughter's anticipation of a new project to work on together
watching her lovingly create something for her sister
the week ahead
garden planning
flowers blooming
understanding friend
a wonderfully restful weekend at home
the friendly violin repairman again making Em's instrument better than before
motivation to exercise and the ability to do it
coffee from my son
lesson plans

2001 and counting
This post is linked to:

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

2012-02-04T10:47:00.005-06:00

In my life this week…

We have had a lot of rain, so we have spent more time inside the house this week. We resumed music lessons which led to our routine of more visiting with extended family that afternoon. I love that! We also enjoyed a meal out for Pappy's birthday.

In our homeschool this week…

We strayed from our human anatomy course temporarily to study birds and stars. (I blogged about both if you want to read more.)

One new online program we are currently reviewing included an eye opening placement type test which showed me some specific things to focus on with two of my children.

Our two year subscription to an online math program ended, and I've been re-evaluating how I teach math. Some things are working well, but I know I need more. I did see improvement in their understanding of fractions after "playing" fractions with the Fractazmic deck with my younger two kids.

My favorite thing this week was…

A return to "normal." This morning my husband left for work, the kids are all still sleeping (one climbed up in my bed and is snoring beside me,) and the house is very quiet so I've had more moments for quiet contemplation than has been the norm. Last week I worked every single day. Though the work was rewarding, it confirmed for me that now is not the time for me to be working away from home full time (or more.) This week felt like we were finally getting back on track which included my typical part time work schedule. The normal things have been my favorite: time to sit and discuss a little more about our history cards than I planned, catching up on housework, and little arms hugging me tightly.

Questions/thoughts I have…

Other thoughts I have are about hard topics. When I went to a Christian school, my classmates and I went with our school several times to the state capital to protest abortion. Until my big sis learned that my first grade niece had done the same thing many years later, our parents were unaware of those "field trips." I am against abortion. But as I was questioned many years ago, what about the people who have already had one? "Above all else, love."

Susan Koman's organization has been in the news a lot lately with their changing announcements. Two years ago my girls and I participated in a 5K fundraiser. One friend shared then that she wouldn't sponsor us because "they fund Planned Parenthood." All of my research then led me to believe that all funding was tied into the purpose of breast cancer research and treatment, which was my reason for participating. Now I'm not so sure. Friends have been sharing articles, and what I read now is not agreeing with my previous conclusion. Earlier this week I shared about my son realizing that what he thought was not true. Now I'm in that same position.

So how does this relate to our homeschooling? Several years ago our family read The Thinking Toolbox out loud together and we led the kids through the logic discussions. When questions revolved around abortion and murder, we skipped them. It is time to discuss topics like these with our kids.

I'm reading...

I'm catching up with the book of Ephesians with Good Morning Girls. As a family we are enjoying many selections from My Audio School. The girls enjoyed some of the Just So Stories.

I’m cooking…

What I'm not cooking: "Pizza stuffed inside a turkey, the whole thing deep fried and dipped in chocolate." We watched what my son later called "The Food World Movie" (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) for the first time this week.

About once a week one or more of the kids will help make something for dinner. I've started asking them when I shop to come up with something they are interested in preparing and figure out what ingredients we need. Last week Heather made her Semi-Homemade style quiche. This week Em's taco soup was enjoyed on a rainy day. Joseph's request above was emphatically denied, so he went with his second choice and we now have plans and supplies for homemade stuffed crust cheese pizza.

Picture to share…

Homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls, made by Heather.

I enjoyed one of these right out of the oven yesterday morning with Heather on our front porch swing before leaving for work. They are delicious!

This post linked to:

Celestial Almanack

2012-02-03T03:00:00.002-06:00

Late one night last week my husband built us a warm bonfire. We sat around it enjoying toasted heart shaped marshmallows and watching the stars. I couldn't answer the kids simple questions, though, beyond my uncertain pointing out of the big dipper and observation of a falling star. With our unanswered questions, I was delighted to be offered the review opportunity of February's edition of Jay Ryan's Celestial Almanack. I even purchased the January edition.

What I learned immediately from the Celestial Almanack: Classical Astronomy is what you can see without a telescope. This fit my needs, being able to share more about the stars while looking together in our back yard. Another item of interest in the Feb. edition- a lesson on how our modern calendar was developed. On the vintage style calendar moon phases as well as remarkable days in history are shared.

This study isn't only about stars and the night sky. Several pages taught about the sun. Illustrations and graphs help clarify the points discussed. The night sky, though, is covered in depth. Constellations are explained and again illustrated to further demonstrate the lessons. Check it out for yourself to find out which two planets are visible this month, and read about the waxing and waning moon.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? ― Psalm 8: 3-4

Jay Ryan's February (Vol. 2) Celestial Almanack for the northern hemisphere is available now for $3.00 from CurrClick. You can also see his other resources at his website.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Disclaimer: As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, we received a download version of this product for this review. Be sure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs

2012-02-02T22:42:00.000-06:00

We started the day laughing. Joseph hopped up into our bed before I was fully awake, and him lifting his arms is an automatic request to be tickled. He found his Bible story book and read it out loud to me, and we laughed together more at mispronunciations. The girls practiced music and we all searched for their metronome/tuner. More giggles when it appeared right on top of the keyboard keys. There was a little more subdued laughter from Joseph when he realized that what he thinks is not always the way things are. I showed him pictures that a friend's daughters had made of dragons. "Dragons aren't real, Mommy." My response first made his eyes open wide at the thought of dragons in the Bible. "But the kind that breathe fire?"

If you or your children have an interest in dragons, you may also want to see this book for yourself.

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs

This huge hardback book is filled with extra surprises, the kind that can keep my kids' attention. Little envelopes with mini drawings, fold out pages bigger than four feet wide, mini books within the pages, and flaps disguised as antique doors reveal even more.

Obviously written from a Biblical viewpoint, I enjoyed the references to the Bible throughout the book. As much as I appreciated that, there were also references to the easily changeable wikipedia cited in the book. The illustrations are stunning. There are references to historical documents and maps, and even a "dragon timeline." I enjoyed the facts, but there are a lot of theories included in the book as well.

From the publisher:

A fascinating presentation on dragons and their biblical connection will shed light on the truth of their existence and connection to the last living dinosaurs. Powerful, fire-breathing, fantastic beings that have left their legacy on this world and can now only be found in the pages of ancient texts. DRAGONS!

Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs is a juvenile nonfiction title enjoyable for all ages! It takes you back to the days of these amazing creatures and their presence in various cultures including Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Read of thrilling historical battles between dragons, and saints, and their ability to terrorize medieval castles. Mystical fantasies brought to life, as the truth is revealed.

This title is casebound and beautifully presented using original illustrations, envelopes, fold-outs, gatefolds, and more! 24 pages and 11 spreads of substantial quality, unique content, and all at a great price!

Finalist in the ‘Children’s Religious’ Category of the USA Book News “Best Books 2011” Awards

11 1/2 x 10 1/2 • 11 Spreads + Paper Elements • Casebound

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Are You Ready For The Backyard Bird Count?

2012-02-01T06:38:00.000-06:00

Two years ago a blog friend shared about the annual Backyard Bird Count and my kids had fun trying to identify the few birds that we spotted.

Have you heard of it? The Great Backyard Bird Count website has activities and information for all ages. We entered our zipcode and printed the checklist designed for our area. We chose the option to include rare species. This afternoon we will look through my Granny's bird book and read about some of the birds on the list. The event lasts for four days from February 16- February 20, and I'm hoping for some pretty weather and planning a few hikes with the children. One of my favorite birds to watch is the blue heron that I see early on rare mornings, on the edge of the pond bank.

This Audubon website also has additional information which may be helpful for those of you wanting to turn this into a lesson. Deep Space Sparkle has a how-to draw a bird lesson using bright oil pastels on black. My Louisiana friends may find this LSU website interesting, too. There is even a photo contest! If you sign up, come back and tell me about the birds that you see.

Offer to earn...

2012-01-31T21:43:00.000-06:00

One of our new resources this year was a purchase of Veritas Press history cards to coordinate with our Classical Conversations timeline. Tonight I learned of a wonderful offer from Veritas Press and couldn't wait to share with you.

If you follow this link and add your e-mail, you will automatically get a $5 gift certificate from Veritas Press. It is legit- they confirm this on their twitter page and in the follow-up e-mail. Here is the cool part, when you sign up you also receive a link to share. For everyone who clicks through your link you get an additional $5 credit! That means all of you who click through my link and add your e-mail help me out, too. Thanks!

'I Love Your Presence' album

2012-01-30T23:29:00.002-06:00

My girls and I just enjoyed an amazing weekend of worship and sharing with a church full of like minded women. This wasn't the group there leading our worship, but the feeling is the same: worship of our One True God all to His glory.

Vineyard Music's album 'I Love Your Presence' is at times peaceful, at times joyful, always worshipful. I enjoyed a pre-release review of this new live album. You can access the music on iTunes now or enjoy the album 2/7.

Website: http://www.vineyardmusic.com/vm/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiscoverVineyard

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/VineyardMusic

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-love-your-presence-live/id491711353

About 'I Love Your Presence':

I LOVE YOUR PRESENCE was recorded live at the Burn Bright: Worship and The Kingdom Of God conference, hosted by Vineyard Worship. Several hundred worship leaders and worshippers gathered in the Arizona desert to explore the nature of God’s kingdom through music and teaching with some of the Vineyard’s most gifted communicators and musicians. This inspiring collection of songs recorded live at the The Vineyard Church North Phoenix will immerse listeners in the powerful worship that was the highlight of the event. I LOVE YOUR PRESENCE reminds us to not just think of worship as singing songs, but also laying down our lives for Him.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

For the giveaway, visit one of the linked sites above and leave a comment here including what song you think you might enjoy the most. For an additional chance, follow this blog and leave a comment (or comment if you already do so.) Be sure to leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win. One winner will receive a download link of this music! Winner will be announced Feb 6th.

More thankful...

2012-01-30T01:01:00.000-06:00

weekend in Houston
meeting Siesta sisters!
verses learned
words spoken to my heart
worship of the One True God
hands lifted high
memories of a lifetime
room service
beautiful encouraging story shared by a Mama friend of her daughter's choice, standing up for her what she knew was right
visit with friends
encouragement
more right choices
glimpse of how it could be making me even more thankful for present blessings
healing
words of hope
happy memories of the past, shared
prayers heard!!!
hand held
sunshine
swinging with friend
girls' excitement
texting with my girls, another unexpected link of joy
hearts shared
pink heart shaped marshmallows, roasted
"leftover" sparklers
shooting star
late night bonfire
... with late night coffee
... which led to late night blogging
yummy Nutella
pretty melodies
deer!!!
yummy roast
heart dissection done by my Mom, I'll spare you those pictures
family together

1977 and counting
This post is linked to:

Book review: Wright in Time Book 3 Wyoming

2012-01-30T00:50:00.000-06:00

My 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son both enjoyed this series. We got to visit Wyoming when we vacationed last fall, but Aiden and Nadia explored much more of the state than we were able to see. (We didn't make it to Yellowstone.) My children enjoyed reading about this homeschooling family's continued adventures. This chapter book continues the story of the Wright family as shared in the previous books Arizona and Utah.

The Wright On Time series by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley continues with the Wright family's travels in Wyoming. Through the Wright family’s experiences you are exposed to attractions, terrain, animals, and more found in each state. A map is shared that includes facts and features about the state, too. This book shares the children's explorations combined with their Dad's alternative energy work for an educational tale. The glossary in this one is extensive.

Tanja Bauerle's illustrations again captured the kid's attention. Her drawing of the typical hydroelectric dam helped it be more understandable. My children are continuing to enjoy the stories about this family that is travelling through all 50 states in an RV.

Read about the whole series at their website: http://www.wrightontimebooks.com/. They even have character biographies, games, and a section for RV families.

from the website:

About the Author
Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley has been writing since she was a child, winning her first writing contest at age 9. Lisa and her daughters spent many hours searching for children’s books about homeschoolers, but found very few. So, they decided to create their own. As they discussed their dream storylines, the Wright on Time series took shape. Beginning in their native southwest, the Wright family intends to take readers on a fun road trip that explores the entire USA!

Disclaimer: The author shared a copy of this book with me for the purpose of this review.

Book review: Wright in Time Book 2 Utah

2012-01-30T00:14:00.000-06:00

My 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son both enjoyed this series. Utah is another state we have yet to visit as a family, so much that was shared was new to my children. It is fun to read of this homeschooling family's travels through our country. This chapter book continues the story of the Wright family as shared in Book 1 Arizona.

The Wright On Time series by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley continues with a trip to Utah. Through the Wright family’s experiences you are exposed to attractions, terrain, animals, and more found in each state. A map is shared that includes facts and features about the state, too. This book shares the excitement of a dinosaur dig. The glossary includes many words about archaeology.

These chapter books are filled with attention grabbing illustrations by Tanja Bauerle. The day we received a package with a set of three of these books my daughter started and finished the first one. She smiled while sharing with me about the adventures of 11 year old Nadia and her 7 year old brother Aidan. “They moved into an RV and are going to travel to all 50 states." That was one of the things that attracted Em to this series, as that is something we have discussed doing as a family. That mysterious device that intrigued her in the first book continues in this one, too.

Read about the whole series at their website: http://www.wrightontimebooks.com/. They even have character biographies, games, and a section for RV families.

from the website:

Disclaimer: The author shared a copy of this book with me for the purpose of this review.

First book review: Growing Great Kids

2012-01-24T02:25:00.000-06:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Kate Battistelli

and the book:

Growing Great Kids: Partner with God to cultivate His purpose in your child's life

Charisma House (January 3, 2012)

***Special thanks to Jon Wooten of Charisma House for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Battistelli is a wife, former Broadway actress, and mom to one of Christian music’s most celebrated new recording artists—Grammy-nominated, Christian contemporary singer-songwriter Francesca Battistelli. Kate currently writes a popular blog at TheKitchenPrincess.com, volunteers at ESTHER Single Mothers Outreach, and is thoroughly enjoying her newest role as grandmother to Francesca’s first child, Matthew Elijah.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Help your child become everything God made them to be.

Successful adults don’t happen by accident. It takes wisdom to raise your children with a strong sense of their destiny in God and a deep knowledge of their gifts and callings.

In Growing Great Kids, Kate Battistelli shares what she and her husband, Mike, learned about parenting during the journey of raising their daughter—Dove Award–winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli. Using anecdotes to illustrate the insights she and her husband gained, she provides practical advice including:

* How to dream God’s big dream for your child
* The value of humility and integrity
* How to interpret God’s seasons in a child’s life
* The power of a parent’s words, and more

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Charisma House (January 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616386541
ISBN-13: 978-1616386542

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Chapter 1: Gifts and Callings
When my daughter was little, she definitely had a flair for the dramatic. She was fun-loving but with a serious side and a true sense of right and wrong. There was a Burger King commercial on television back then and the tag line was “Sometimes you just gotta break the rules!” Each time it would come on TV, Franny would loudly shout, “No, you don’t! You don’t break the rules!”
She loved to sing and dance and change her outfit half a dozen times a day, and I began to have a sense that maybe my little drama queen was inclined toward the performing arts. So like millions of moms do every day, I signed her up for ballet lessons. To say she loved it would be an understatement. She took to it like a duck to water—loving the pink tights, the hair in a bun, and especially when Miss Gina would single her out for a word of encouragement!
As time went on I started getting the sense that maybe God had something more for her in the performing arts. That’s when we intentionally began to take steps to expose her to the arts in a variety of small ways such as seeing the annual production of The Nutcracker at Christmas, watching old movie musicals, and taking her to children’s theater productions. We didn’t take huge steps, but we made small investments to see how she responded and to see if my hunch was right. For her seventh birthday we took her to see the Broadway production of The Secret Garden, and she was completely captivated with the show and with musical theater in general from that moment on. That’s when my husband and I really began praying about her future and what more we might do to help mine the treasure in her.
Mining the Greatness
Mine (noun):
1.an excavation made in the earth for the purpose of extracting ores, coal, precious stones, etc.
2. a place where such minerals may be obtained, either by excavation or by washing the soil.
3. a natural deposit of such minerals.1
Precious metals and precious stones are embedded in rocks and have to be extracted. Metals especially don’t generally appear in nature in their pure form. Shafts and tunnels are cut into the earth. The rock is quarried and then smelted with heat to remove the dross from the ore. It’s a difficult, tedious process, and it takes time and effort. The results, however, are certainly worth the effort to tap those precious veins beneath the earth.
Our children’s gifts are sometimes buried deep. It’s up to us to mine the gift in them, extract it, and allow it to be shaped and polished to be useful in building the kingdom of God. The effort requires selfless dedication on our part and an investment of time and finances, but one that pays lifelong dividends in the life of your child.
What is God showing you about your child? What traits is he expressing? What most interests or intrigues him? Is he outgoing or introspective? Is he intellectual or athletic? Is he artistic and creative or mechanically minded and good with his hands? And what are the dreams you have inside for him? Do you have a knowing deep inside about his life? Has God given you a glimpse into his future? What do you see when you pray for him?
I believe it’s my job to find out who God made my child to be. What particular path has He set for him? What’s unique about his personality, gifts, talents, and aspirations? How do I help him find the life God has already planned for him? What is God’s purpose for his life and how do I train him to accomplish his purpose?
Psalm 139:13–16 says it so beautifully:
      For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
He knows our paths and has already written them in His book!
I don’t claim to be an expert in child rearing, but I am an expert in raising my child. Just as you are an expert in raising your child. The fact is, no one knows your child better than you, and as your child grows and develops, his gifts and talents will be more obvious to you than to anyone else.

Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. —Proverbs 22:6, amp
Parents, we are the trainers, and train is an active word! We train the whole child in the Word and godliness, in faith and biblical principles. We train them to obey and honor Him in thought, word, and deed. We train them to pursue their future careers and callings. We do them a great disservice if we take this responsibility lightly. God has given us a sacred trust by allowing us to be the stewards of our children. Here is the note on this scripture in my Spirit -Filled Life Bible: “Train up” has the idea of a parent graciously investing in a child whatever wisdom, love, nurture, and discipline is needed for him to become fully committed to God. It presupposes the emotional and spiritual maturity of the parent to do so. “In the way he should go” is to do the training according to the unique personality, gifts, and aspirations of the child. It also means to train the child to avoid whatever natural tendencies he might have that would prevent total commitment to God (for example, a weak
will, a lack of discipline, a susceptibility to depression). Hence, the promise is that proper development
insures the child will stay committed to God.2  There are many good resources available on how to raise your child in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4, kjv).I’m trying to convey something else in this book. If you are a Christian parent, it’s a given that you will raise your child to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. Teaching our children to know and love God and to delight in Him should be our highest aim as we raise our kids.
My goal is to inspire you to partner with God to mine the greatness that’s lying dormant in your child. Each of us is capable of far more than we think we are. I truly believe we are capable of greatness and we shouldn’t be afraid to pursue it. God will show you the gifts and talents, the callings and destiny residing in your child. For your children to become all that God has designed them to be, means you have to be willing to go the extra mile and not assume they will simply “figure it out” when they are grown.
Too many parents seem content to allow their children to drift into young adulthood and then wonder what turned them into adultolescents (a person who has physically matured to adulthood, yet still behaves like an adolescent) and why they seem to have no direction in life. Childhood is an innocent time of wonder and discovery and endless possibilities, and it desperately requires our care, nurturing, and firm direction! Helping your child to explore life’s endless possibilities will open the floodgates to dreaming big dreams. As time goes on, with your guidance, he will narrow his choices, focus on what really interests him and embark on the path to building a future in the center of God’s will for his life.
I firmly believe God shows parents from the time their kids are small what He has invested in them. He shows us their bent and our job is to dig deep and find the depth of the gifts and callings buried inside. It is important we are not too busy or distracted with life to see what God is eager to reveal to us in each of our children.
Bumps Along the Road
When Franny had just turned twenty years old she backed into a lawyer’s car, in the lawyer’s driveway, after the lawyer had warned her to “be careful not to back into my car.” Naturally she felt foolish and was extremely upset. She knew Dad was likely to ask his famous twenty questions when she got home and was not looking forward to it. As she was driving home, she began crying and praying. The Lord began to speak to her heart,
reminding her she wasn’t perfect and it was OK with Him. He made her the way she was and to just relax and trust Him. She began singing this chorus: “I got a couple dents in my fender, got a couple rips in my jeans, try to fit the pieces together but perfection is my enemy. And on my own I’m so clumsy, but on Your shoulders I can see, I’m free to be me.”3
The next day she sat on the end of her bed and played for her dad and me the finished song God had dropped in her spirit during the drive home the day before. It might sound crazy, but as soon as I heard it, I knew this was a hit song. This occurred way before Franny moved to Nashville, had signed a record deal, or had any inkling anything like that was even possible. But I knew, because God knew and was just sharing my daughter’s
future with me. Three years later, “Free to Be Me” was the first single by a female artist to hit number one at Christian radio in eight years, remaining at number one for ten weeks!
Grammy Story
People ask me all the time, “Did you ever think your daughter would do so well?” “Did you ever think you would hear her on the radio?” or “Are you surprised by her success?” The answers are yes, yes, and no! Mike and I always had a “knowing” deep inside about her career path as she got older. We sensed where God was going, and we let Him plant big dreams in us for her. From the time she was fifteen and beginning to pursue music more seriously, we would watch the televised Grammy Awards every year and every year I would say to her, “You’re going to be up there one day.” I don’t know why I said it; I just knew deep down it was true and, knowing words have creative power, I believed it important to actually speak it out.
I found an old journal recently and in thumbing through it, came across this entry. February 28, 2002:
      Hi, Lord. It’s me, bugging You! Last night we watched the
      Grammys and Franny’s emotions were so stirred she cried
      through much of it. Mike says I set her expectations too high,
      but I believe if You are going to go for something, go for the
      highest. It’s not that it’s so important to win an award but
      winning represents being at a level where you have respect
      and acceptance. I know she is willing to work hard and
      she will work hard. Show her mercy and encourage her in
      all her hard work. Let her redouble her efforts and give it
      everything she’s got. Show her Your favor and love. Raise
      her up in the music business and let her be a shining, warm,
      beautiful light. Give Mike and I wisdom with how to guide
      her. Thanks, Lord!
In December 2009, seven years after I wrote in my journal, Franny was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Performance category for her song “Free to Be Me”! People asked me if I was surprised and truly I can say I wasn’t. I’d been praying about it for seven years! I was thrilled of course, but not surprised. It was just one more confirmation of what I already knew. She hasn’t won a Grammy yet, but I’m still praying!
My Story and I’m Sticking to It
Franny comes by her gifts naturally. She has the added benefit of parents who happened to stumble upon, believe in, and latch onto God’s principles for growing great kids. While it is certainly an unmistakable advantage to be raised immersed in these principles, successful adults can and do spring from circumstances where these principles are absent, but perhaps at play to some degree in the background. I didn’t have parents who followed these principles, yet I was able to dig down deep and define what I wanted in life and pursue it. However, I wouldn’t recommend rolling the dice with your children by failing to employ every asset in your parenting arsenal to stack the deck in favor of your child’s future.
I grew up in circumstances quite different from those I trumpet on these pages, and yet somehow found a successful future in spite of it. My life’s circumstances led me on a journey that took its inevitable detours, but it’s my life story and I’m sticking to it! Just so you have a little background and can understand better where I’m coming from, here’s my story.
I grew up in an encouragement vacuum. My parents had four kids, and I assumed my place tucked right in the middle at number three. As a child of the 1950s and 1960s and the conventional worldview of parenting in quasi-Christian homes during that era, my parents were busy with the social priorities of their all-American suburban lives.
As far as spirituality and growing up, I remember two things vividly about God. I remember being in Sunday school at maybe four or five years old and singing “Jesus Loves Me This I Know,” and completely believing it was true. Whoever Jesus was, I knew He loved me. The other thing I recall was thinking to myself when I was about six that I didn’t ever want to die and if there was a way to live forever, I was going to find it.
I grew up attending the Episcopal Church. I learned all about the life of Jesus, but I never knew Him in a personal way and I didn’t know He could live in my heart. I enjoyed church. The mystery and beauty of the liturgy, the candles and communion, the fragrant flowers, beautiful stained glass, and impressive organ music all contributed to my feeling of awe about God and awareness of my insignificance. Our church had beautiful stone
floors so your footsteps echoed as you walked along. I loved the hymns we sang and the readings from the Book of Common Prayer and the mystery of taking communion. I knew God was contained in all those things, but I didn’t sense a clear pathway to meet Him. It was His house after all, but how did you take Him home?
To her credit, my mom had us kneel by our beds every night to say the Lord’s Prayer and blessings over the family. My grandfather was a man of strong faith. He used to read Bible stories to us when we stayed over, and he would make them come alive. We would beg him for just one more! He would write in his Bible and underline scripture, something I take after him in. We could often find Grandpa stretched out over the couch in his office praying for what seemed like hours. We always knew not to disturb him during those times. He was not a perfect man by any means but those things I witnessed in him. His love for God and his devotion to his church and family have stuck with me all these years.
My childhood was pleasant with the typical ups and downs but no major traumas or tragedies. I rarely heard words that affirmed my value and potential or words encouraging me to believe the world was my oyster and I could be anything I wanted to be. There were lots of arguments between my parents and all the siblings. Expectations were high of course, but there was precious little praise and encouragement to attain them and far too much criticism. Somewhere in adolescence my self-esteem began to suffer, and I no longer felt comfortable sharing openly with my parents. My future lacked any kind of shape with no real direction. I didn’t have a clear cut path to run on with lots of support and nurturing. So I floated through high school. I floated through four colleges in two years. I was adrift with no focus and no goals.
I knew from the time I was a little girl that I loved to sing. It was my one passion, and I did what I could to develop my singing in high school. I joined the choir and did the yearly high school musical. We happened to have a wonderful and dedicated voice teacher at my high school, so I took advantage of her lessons. But I was pretty much on my own in my pursuit of music.
I asked my mom years later why she never pushed me or encouraged me in music and her response was fairly typical for her generation. She felt if it was really something I wanted to do, I’d pull myself up by my own initiative and make it happen. Actually, she was right. It’s exactly what I did, but I think I would have avoided a great many pitfalls along the way if I’d had her support.
As it happened, I discovered musical theater when I turned twenty. I began working in a local community theater where I lived in New Jersey and in two years performed in more than fifteen productions. I got a crash course in musical theater to say the least! I stumbled on an article in a magazine about goal setting and because it made logical sense to me, I started setting some practical goals. Not long after, I was auditioning for roles in New York City. I got my Actors’ Equity card and started doing lots of regional theater, actually surviving as a working
actor—barely.
I began working with an agent, and he secured me an audition for the Broadway national tour of The King and I starring Yul Brynner. My audition was for the role of the understudy for the part of “Anna,” played by Deborah Kerr in the movie. I was a young actress in my twenties, and this was by far the biggest thing that had come along for me. To make a long story short, I got the role of the understudy and happily packed my steamer trunk and went out on the road. I faithfully rehearsed my part never thinking I would ever really get the chance to perform. But when preparation meets opportunity, miracles can happen!
Life Comes at You Fast
About two months into the run of the show, I arrived at the theater around 7:15 p.m. for the 8:00 p.m. curtain only to find out the leading lady was sick and I was going on for the first time as the leading lady in forty-five minutes! I knew my part well but had never worn the costumes or handled the props, let alone been onstage with Yul Brynner! I was freaking out, but I had to focus and get ready. The night turned out well and I got to perform the role of Anna for two weeks while the leading lady was out with pneumonia. In the end, Yul Brynner (who not only starred in the show but was also one of its producers) preferred me in the role so he bought out the leading lady’s contract and offered me the role of a lifetime! It was an amazing time for me. I was privileged to play the part of Anna more than a thousand times, before more than a million theatergoers, over the next two-and-a-half years!
The best part of the entire experience though, was meeting my husband, Mike. He joined the tour about six months into the run of the show as the associate conductor and, as he likes to say, we literally fell in love across the footlights!
After performing eight shows a week for the next two-and-ahalf years, we left the tour, moved back to New York City, got married, bought a little condo in Greenwich Village and began our new life together. A year later, we found ourselves answering an altar call and giving our hearts to the Lord. Franny was born a year later, and we thoroughly enjoyed our new little family amid all the excitement of living and working in the hustle and bustle of New York’s music and theater world.
It wasn’t long, though, before we began to feel the tug on our hearts to lay down the business we had worked so hard to find our way in and follow what God had in store for us next. Bucking conventional wisdom, but following what we believed was God’s best for our family, we eventually left New York and our careers behind to embark on building a new life that included moving to the suburbs, starting a new business, and homeschooling our little girl.
Meet My Husband, Mike
Mike comes from a family without a rich musical heritage. In his case, however, his parents were very encouraging and supported his early interest in music. They purchased the finest musical instruments they could afford, drove him to weekly trumpet lessons at the Juilliard School preparatory division, and sacrificed to send him to National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan, during the summer. He later graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, received his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, and went on to earn his master’s and doctorate in music. He was a studio musician and played trumpet and flugelhorn in Broadway pit orchestras and musically directed and conducted on Broadway, on national tour, and at Radio City Music Hall. In his case, he was the first in his family who expressed any gifting in music. Often children inherit their parents’ gifts and carry on the family business, and other times they plow new ground.
With both her parents involved in musical theater professionally, you could say Francesca was destined to go into the arts, and specifically music. It was more likely in her case because of the very musical environment in which she was raised, not to mention being thrown into the deep end of her parent’s gene pool! But not every child’s course is as easy to recognize.
With our daughter, obviously she inherited gifts and talent in music and the performing arts. Our job was to take those gifts and give them shape; give her opportunities to be trained in those areas; and expose her to teachers, classes, and mentors who would take her where God called her to go. We couldn’t assume she was going to follow exactly in our footsteps. And we had to make sure she knew her gifts and talents weren’t what defined her. We were going to love her no matter what life she chose. We had to seek God for His wisdom in her unique expression of her gifts in the performing arts. Our part was to mine those gifts and talents, and her part was to be diligent with what God entrusted to her. Success doesn’t happen by accident. It takes years of hard work.
I believe if we seek Him, God is faithful to put a dream in parents’ hearts for their children. He gives us a sense as they grow. Sometimes it’s just an inkling that turns into a knowing, and over time becomes a certainty. He entrusts the dream to us and gives us the responsibility to dig it out and give it shape. Kids don’t become successful adults by accident.
Success and Environment
In Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, he writes: People don’t rise from nothing. We do owe something to parentage and patronage. The people who stand before kings may look like they did it all by themselves. But in fact they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot. It makes a difference where and when we grew up. The culture we belong to and the legacies passed down by our forebears shape the patterns of our achievement in ways we cannot begin to imagine. It’s not enough to ask what successful people are like, in other words. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn’t.4
The first place your child is from is you. You will have the biggest impact on his future. How you live, how you love, how you handle money, what you do in your free time, and the standard of integrity and honesty you set in your life—all these things and many more will shape your child into the adult he will become. You alone can give him the “hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities,” and as you seek the Lord, He’ll show them to you.
How many families do you know whose adult children can’t seem to commit to their own future? And parents who don’t have a clue as to how to guide them? There is a culture of drift all around us—adults with no goals or dreams who are living out their lives in mediocre jobs, having little impact on society. If parents abdicate their responsibility and give it over to the school system or the church, they contribute to the drift. We aren’t supposed to be going nowhere. Destiny connotes a destination. But God won’t do it for you. You have to do it in partnership with God.
Who you are is going to shape who your child becomes. If education is important to you, you will raise your child expecting him to go to college and get good grades, barring any serious learning disabilities. If learning to manage money is important in your family then you will teach your child about budgeting at an early age and require him to earn the money to buy the things he wants and get a job when he is old enough. If parents
are extravagant in their spending their kids will be too! If sports are important in your family, you will set an example by making exercise a priority and being available to coach your child and take him to games and sporting events. If the arts are your passion, you will expose him to great music, museums, ballet, and theatrical productions. If you believe there is greatness in your child, you will find it and find ways to mine it!
It’s All in the Name
When Franny was a preteen, I became curious about what her name meant. I knew that Battistelli meant “to hit the stars” and I wondered what the name Francesca meant. So I looked it up at the bookstore in one of those baby name books. I found out the name Francesca means “free.” I was stunned! It was one more confirmation of what I was beginning to sense about her future, and I excitedly told her and Mike what I’d found. Her name
meant “free to hit the stars.” Talk about a prophetic picture! I was able to encourage her and remind her during down times just what her name meant and the destiny it conveyed.
Personality—Who Is She Like?
One thing that fascinated me when my daughter was young was the difference in our personalities. I’m pretty steady emotionally, calm, cool, and very practical and unsentimental. I love home, family, and the homemaking arts such as cooking, gardening, and so on. My husband is more of a type-A personality. He is a leader, strong-willed, and independent with a strong work ethic and a dedication to personal integrity. Our daughter isn’t exactly like either of us. She is sensitive, emotional, analytical, introverted, and a bit of a perfectionist. She has pieces of both of us but not a full distillation of either mom or dad.
God gave her a unique personality and our job was to parent who she was, not who we may have wanted her to be. Also, we had to be mindful not to superimpose our unfulfilled dreams onto her life. Remember, we had achieved a measure of success in the music and musical theater worlds. It would have been easy to assume she would follow in our footsteps and go into the theater in order to fill up some leftover longing or regret in us. Actually, in our case, knowing what we knew about that world, we purposely tried to steer her away from “the business” early on and focus her on dance. However, by the time she was eleven, she was already involved in professional theater here in Orlando, Florida. She even got mom to be in several shows with her! Often, the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree!
If your children are young, then now is the time to really be seeking God about their future. It’s never too early to begin, in fact, the earlier the better! You probably already have an idea what their gifts and talents are. Ask God to give you a glimpse into their future. He will lead you step by step as you seek His wisdom in raising your unique child.
There is so much more in our children than we realize, and they are capable of far more than we give them credit for. There are precious metals and rare jewels deep inside your child. You will have to dig them out, but it will be well worth it when you launch them out into life knowing you did everything you could to equip them for success. And by success I mean doing what God has called them to do with passion and purpose and with Christ at the center. Perhaps God will call them into fulltime ministry as a missionary. Maybe He’ll give them a platform in Christian music to influence other young people to pursue God with passion and purity. Maybe your child is called to be a political leader, teacher, business owner, or inventor of something that will change the world. Maybe your daughter wants more than anything to grow up and be a mom, a noble and worthy goal. Whatever God shows you, believe it and get moving. Nothing is more exciting than partnering with God!
Questions to Ask Yourself
Has God given you a dream deep inside for your child?
What gifts and talents is your child expressing?What has God put in your heart about your child’s future?
What personality traits have you observed?
What practical steps can you take to train your child, both in godly principles and in helping them achieve his dreams?
Are you being proactive about your child’s future or are you letting him drift?
Do you believe that greatness resides in your child?
Prayer
Lord, I come humbly before You with wonder and amazement at the precious gift of my child that You have entrusted
to me. The course of this life is in Your hands, and I ask for wisdom and discernment in raising him. Help me to
uncover all the gifts, talents, and callings You have placed deep inside him. I know my child is fearfully and wonderfully
made, and I am excited to discover all You created him to be. Help me to be the parent he needs me to be and to have the ability to equip him to fulfill every dream in Your heart for him. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear as I raise him. Help me to be an example of integrity, humility, honesty, and diligence in all that I do. I pray this in Jesus’s name!

history, up close

2012-01-23T00:19:00.005-06:00

Our history studies took an interesting detour. When she learned we would be visiting Houston, a friend shared about the Tutankhamen exhibit and we made plans to meet there. The kids helped me search the shelves of two libraries and we read through a tall stack of books about mummies, pharaohs, and Egypt before our trip. We even watched a TV show about ancient Egypt which explained a lot about the pharaoh Ramses.

In our unplanned unit study we all learned such disgusting facts such as this gem Emily read to us "the brain was usually extracted through the nose." Another she shared "coarse bread was the ancient Egyptian's staple food. Many mummies have badly worn teeth from eating it every day." Mummified crocodiles and cats also led to more discussion.

Using the Veritas Press History Cards and Classical Conversations, the kids have been learning facts for a history timeline. The multiple periods in Egypt have a bit more meaning when specific events can be learned that coordinate with them. King Tut lived and ruled approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC during the New Kingdom of Egypt.

My husband enjoys watching Storage Wars. I had this mental image comparing the people who discovered King Tut's tomb acting excited like the people in his show. I know, far stretch, but just imagine looking into that excavation and finding all of those "treasures" piled up, well, similar to the storage units being opened.

I hoped to find out more information about which pharaoh was the one during Moses's lifetime, but nothing in this exhibit of pharaohs and King Tut related any history to the Bible. I've looked it up online, too, but still don't have a definitive answer, so if you have more insight in this please share.

The exhibit even changed the BC designation to BCE which the tour guide shared is "designated for nonbelievers." Though I was disappointed with what was left out, there was still a lot included that we all found interesting. The glimpse into how things were, including models of boats- 35 buried with him that were supposed to "magically" turn into life size boats when needed. Interesting, but sad. Obviously King Tut was after Noah.

Some things I found most unusual were solid gold toe and finger coverings. The last room of the exhibit contained a replica of the mummy and displays of the scientific exploration done on the actual mummy of King Tut. The latest one shared was DNA testing which seemed to prove who his father was. DNA amazes me.

Statues of many other pharaohs were on exhibit. The color in the art that lasted thousands of years surprised me. Many of the statues were cracked and broken, and even holes were left in the eyes of one where there had been jewels. Though the Bible was not mentioned, over and over there was reference to "the book of the dead." One verse that came to mind when contemplating the display was Isaiah 40:8. This one forgotten tomb, unearthed thousands of years later, shows the futility of all of the "magic" they believed in.

This post is linked to:

Memory Making by Christine @ Crunchy CountryCatholic

LearningArt at Our House by Jessica @ Modest Mama

history,up close by Jennifer @ a glimpse of our life

Fittingin the Arts When Homeschooling by Laura O in AK @ Day by Day inOur World

TheArt of Exploration by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

Appreciatingthe Arts by Cindy Horton @ Fenced in Family

Beautyin Homeschooling? by Cindy @ For One Another

Heartof Dakota- The Fine Details- Part 4 Poetry & Bible by Lynn @Ladybug Chronicles

TheArt of Art by Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning

TheBeauty of the Arts - Where Does It Fit? by Joelle @ Homeschoolingfor His Glory

Learningand Art Library by Angie @ Petra School

SeekingBeauty: The Arts and Everything that Brings Beauty to Our World

by Christa Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy

Howto Fit "The Arts" in School by Christine @ Our Homeschool Reviews

and to the

Book Review: Small Space Organizing

2012-01-19T00:35:00.002-06:00

Organizing clutter always seems to turn into a huge job once I get started. The pile with receipts needed to be filed with this year's tax information, so I cleaned out the box in front of the cabinet containing that tax folder. Then I sorted through everything behind the door of that same cabinet. Two boxes with older year's tax folders and other things that weren't exactly needed but couldn't yet be thrown away got packed and labeled for the attic. I have more than one book about getting rid of clutter, but this one is a little different.

Small Space Organizing is all about organizing. Tips are shared for small homes, but equally applicable to any area. Her recommendations include how to use less and organize the things that you really use. Ideas are shared on how to utilize furniture for multiple purposes and even organizing storage in drawers.

The author shared these tips that give you an idea of the book's content:

Q: What are your two best small space organizingtips?

A: 1. Keep yourgadgets and appliances simple by buying only what you'll truly use.

2. Use all-whitedishes and clear glassware to cut down on how many dish sets you buy. If a dish breaks, you can easily find a newsimilar white piece and not have to get a whole new set.

Q: How in the world can you create a"spa-like" experience in a teeny-tiny bathroom, especially if thekids' rubber duckies have taken up residence?

A: In a small home, especially if there is onlyone bathroom, the bathroom should ideally be totally free of clutter andtoys. You can achieve that by givingeach family member a plastic basket or tote to hold their toiletries andtoys. Instead of being stored in thebathroom, each family member keeps their basket in their bedroom and carries itto and from the bathroom. They also keeptheir own towel and washcloth in their bedroom--hang it on a hook in thecloset. Many of us used this M.O. incollege. Assign time slots for eachfamily member to bathe for 30=45 minutes daily each so there is no squabblingabout sis taking too long in the bathroom. Set a timer if need be. Make it afamily rule that each member will respect others' time in the bathroom and notinterrupt so each family member feels they can have their private bathroom"spa time." And last but notleast, each family member cleans up after themselves immediately after theirbathroom time so it's clean for the next person.

Kathryn Bechen is an award-winning professional writer whosearticles have appeared in popular national and regional magazines andnewspapers. She specializes in lifestyle feature articles and has alsopublished several organizing and decorating e-books. The lifestyle companiesshe founded, Organized with Ease and Kathryn Bechen Designs, have servedclients worldwide. Kathryn has organized and decorated 13 personal small spaceresidences together with her husband Steve, and they currently live in theirfavorite small space ever: a 1,200-square-foot high-rise apartment in beautifulSan Diego, California. She blogs about timely lifestyle topics at http://kathrynbechenink.blogspot.com/.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.

Ephesians...online

2012-01-18T17:46:00.000-06:00

A friend invited me to join a Bible study. Where we live now, one thing I miss a lot from our city life is the weekly fellowship and getting into God's Word with other ladies. When we met within a few short miles of our house, it was such a blessing. This is a different season in my life, and even though I am sad when I see notification of that same group starting a new Bible study now 200+ miles away and there is no way I can join, I am thankful to again have the opportunity for an online group study. Good Morning Girls is reading and learning from the book of Ephesians together. It is designed to be studied a few verses a day and discussed within small groups.

The website organizing this study has a Women in the Word Wednesdays link-up and encourages sharing about what we are learning. The lady leading our small group is not only not a few minutes away, she is over 7,000 miles away! Our small group just happens to be a Facebook group.

In the first verses that I read this week I love this assurance that I shared with my small group: What first stood out:" He chose us… to be blameless…in love." I also love the similarity to the beginning of Colossians, which I'm still learning. When we hide God's Word in our heart, it is a comfort, a friend, and finding these similarities is like seeing an old friend. More that I love- Paul's greeting "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." What if we greeted others that way all the time? What if we heard that blessing "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." I almost said it today to my kiddo's music teacher's Mom, and I just couldn't make it come out naturally.

There are so many blessings in these verses. He chose us! Read the beautiful promise in verse 7: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace."

What about you? Do you ever speak in Scriptures? Do you have a small group to study your Bible together?

a mindset of thankfulness

2012-01-16T22:23:00.000-06:00

So, still not those pictures I mentioned last week, but I have enjoyed:
rest
hot wassail
friends visiting
words from sermon speaking to my heart
stacks of books
lists
more plans with friends
finally embracing the fun of texting
deer!
biology dissections done by my kids' Daddy!
painting with my Mom
wind through chimes
a new Bible study with a new group of friends

1934 and counting
This post is linked to:

A Mile in His Shoes Movie

2012-01-15T22:23:00.002-06:00

A Mile in His Shoes is an inspirational movie about a coach who sees ability more than diagnosis and helps his team do the same. At first it seemed almost too good to be true, as in this could never happen in real life. A villain was introduced though, hidden among the friends. This is a good movie for discussion about strengths, differences, acceptance, and sportsmanship.

This was our family night movie Saturday and our whole family enjoyed watching it. My oldest daughter discussed it with me and shared that she liked that the main character kept trying. Joseph enjoyed the pig, which had an interesting role in inspiring the main character. Emily liked the coach's encouragement.

A Mile in His Shoes

Website: http://www.watchgmctv.com/video/mile-his-shoes#biography

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Mile-In-His-Shoes/270101973014772?sk=wall

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev2T0BFetH4

Dove Foundation Review: http://www.dove.org/reviewmasterframe.asp

About Mile in His Shoes:

From the director of "Angels In the Outfield" comes an inspiring story about a special boy with an amazing gift, and the coach who believed. Dean Cain and Luke Schroder star in the gmc movie based on the book "The Legend of Mickey Tussler".

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

For the giveaway, visit one of the linked sites above and leave a comment here including what interests you in this movie. For an additional chance, follow this blog and leave a comment (or comment if you already do so.) Be sure to leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win. One winner will receive a copy of this DVD! Winner will be announced Jan. 23rd.

Diamond Candle review and giveaway

2012-01-15T21:22:00.000-06:00

My girls have been enjoying our Diamond Candle as much as I have. We received a Carnival Candy scented soy candle which is a pretty pink color and smells just like cotton candy! The first night that I burned it I noticed how evenly it burned, all the way to the edge of the glass jar. The second time we tried it (today,) we burned it for hours until the ring was in the soft part of the soy wax. I lifted it out with a plastic spoon and found the ring securely wrapped in a tiny zip closure bag inside two layers of foil.

It was such a huge stone that it seems obviously fake, but both girls still had fun trying it, and Em wore it until she went out to ride on the zip line a few hours later. Diamond Candles has one of these candles for 30 of you with their huge giveaway event.

From the company:

Soy Candles by Diamond Candles ~ If you don't know much about us yet we have real rings worth $10, $100, $1,000, or $5,000 in every single earth friendly, all natural soy candle that we make.

The combination of highly fragrant premium quality soy candles, an exciting and fun 'ring reveal' experience (what ring will you find?), and a ring to wear for months and years to come means making something as boring as burning candles in your home something to look forward to.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received a Carnival Candy jar candle from Diamond Candles for the purpose of this review.

Homeschool Crew review ~ Z-Guides to the Movies

2012-01-10T23:56:00.002-06:00

One of the many enjoyable excursions on our vacation last fall was touring some of the Minuteman Missile museums in South Dakota. Our family was able to view videos and walk through shelters and even discuss how it had been with a man who had worked in the launch control center we were touring. Being inside the government's shelter gave me a better understanding of that part of history than I had before. That experience also sparked my interest in this review opportunity.

The Movie that this Z-Guide was written for is K-19: The Widowmaker, rated PG-13. Though the film is fictional, it is based on facts. The Z-Guide elaborated on the facts surrounding these historical events. This guide is not yet available on their website but will be in February. Current Z-Guides to the movies are available for $12.99 on the Zeezok website.

from the company:

"Zeezok Publishing’s Z-guide is a great way to incorporate media into your social studies curriculum. Designed for the high school student, this guide contains a topic overview, a movie synopsis, and ten learning activities based on a famous film."

High School Topics:
Cold War
U.S./Soviet Relations
Dealing with Difficult Situations/Crises
Leadership, Doing Your Duty
Conflict Resolution

There were many components to this that helped us get a glimpse of how it might have been. I learned from the included reproduction of Family Fallout Shelter Booklet. A topic overview, movie synopsis, and review questions are provided for reading prior to watching the movie. The one and a half page topic overview gave a concise summary of the countries involved in the Cold War. Ten activities are planned to be covered in a five day period. Some of the lesson topics include: More About the K-19, Life Aboard A Submarine, and Cold War News Flash. A worldview activity is one of the final lessons. These lessons can be adapted to fit your student's needs.

Some of the activities are lists of questions which answers can be found in the movie. Others are role play while imagining they are in that time period, thought provoking questions, and recommended tasks. It wraps up with more questions to promote family discussion and of course answers to all of the questions.

Disclaimer: As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, we received a download version of this product for this review. Be sure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

always thankful #1000gifts

2012-01-10T00:17:00.000-06:00

Tears flow more freely lately. They ran down my face as I read Ann Voskamp's blog post today. One person can make a difference in so many lives. "God is love: now experience it." Before we moved here my husband joined a missions team and traveled to Guatemala a few times. I stayed home with the kids, though my heart was there with him. Now Ann tells me that the books I purchased for my Mom, my sister, and even my blog readers made a difference in Guatemala for the glory of God. Look around you. Experience God's love; now share it!

Ann's post gave me new ideas for sharing with you, pictures of thanks through the year. Maybe next week I'll have pictures with the thankful post. Today, one of her suggestions was "a gift you sat with." Heather woke up earlier than my other two kids this morning. She and I shared a sweet visit on the front porch swing together while we ate our slices of sourdough bread which she had toasted. Later Joseph and I sat on that same swing and discussed sentence structure. Emily sat across from me at the table as we all quietly read our Bibles. I have no pictures of those, but am thankful for the special times and for my dear children.

Continuing to count one by one...

cooking together with my family
my husband's giving nature, giving his time and talents for my family
my son's excitement, looking toward me to see if I recognize too, when our pastor quoted a Bible verse and Joseph recognized it as one he had memorized, that sweet expression
clean sheets
anticipation of fellowship with other ladies who completed the challenge and will meet together soon, Siestas!
reservations made
burden lifted, laid down at the feet of Jesus
wild ducks on the pond
fresh squeezed orange juice
a new study to help me get healthier
windows open again
sunlight through crystal in the window making multiple rainbows on the floor, walls, ceiling
being able to fulfill Pappy and Grandmommie's request
worn out boy, asleep so peacefully before the last goodnight kiss

1915 and counting
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changes

2012-01-08T23:43:00.001-06:00

This new year is bringing changes, already several big ones. One change that will be effective now on my blog is cancelling the two link-ups. I've enjoyed trying new recipes that have been shared on Tasty Tuesday, and have gained a lot of new ideas from the art link-up each Wednesday. Those of you who have joined in with those, thank you! For now, though, both are being discontinued. I've also stopped posting every day. Right now my kids are here with me, learning from me. I'll keep sharing highlights, but I've been spending too much time on the computer and that is changing. Some things will stay the same. Changing my focus to one of thankfulness opened my eyes. I'm continuing to count blessings. Reviews are continuing. I hope you enjoy seeing what works for us and that what I share can help you make decisions about books and homeschool products, and a few other things. While I take down our Christmas tree and spend more time with my kiddos, click on the page here with links and visit a few of my blog friends.
This video/commercial has become a family favorite- enjoy.
Blessings!

2012-01-05T15:15:00.002-06:00

Early in the morning I awakened when the house was still quiet. Sitting in the living room, dark except for the softly blinking lights on the Christmas tree, my thoughts are many. I was actually awakened by the ding of my phone, a message coming from a friend letting me know she prayed for me today. Comfort. Six months ago my Daddy died. Christmas was completely without him for the first time in my life. Today I scattered dried rose petals on the pond and watched the wind carry them. Sometimes I feel peace. Most of the time, though, I just feel loss.

Introducing Our New Business ~ Lilla Rose ~ Pretty Hair

2012-01-05T14:10:00.000-06:00

New year ~ new business!

http://www.lillarose.biz/prettyhair/

We actually signed up with Lilla Rose last fall but are jumping in now with a big kick off.

This is a joint business venture with my daughters, who signed up as a fun money making opportunity. My thoughts were a bit different than theirs. I'm hoping it turns into a useful hands on economics course. I've been involved in quite a few home businesses, and this is by far one of the simplest and most affordable to get into. There are no minimums as a consultant. Once you sign up, you are in. The company immediately provides your business website. Your profit is determined by your activity. The girls each contributed half of the initial start up cost ($25. each.) They are also splitting the profits and already making decisions about how much they should put back into their business expenses, such as inventory on hand.

We are kicking off our grand opening with a virtual party. For the month of January, all orders placed with a party have free shipping! Lilla Rose currently ships within the USA as well as to Canada and Mexico.

Click here to visit the party website.

This party closes Jan 22^nd and all party orderswill be shipped at that time. (As opposed to individual orders placed directly from thewebsite which are shipped when the order is completed.)

Heather shared "I am having fun with ourLilla Rose business! We are learning so many things by having this business. Wejust learned about keeping track of our inventory. I am also having fun tryingnew styles with my flexi clips. I like wearing my hair all up in a twist, but Ialso like wearing it in a quick ponytail. I like picking out what flexi to wearand how to do my hair with it. Lilla Rose even makes other hair accessories like headbands.All of the lilla rose clips that I have tried are very comfortable! Usually Iget a headache when I wear my hair up, but not with the lilla roseflexi clips! I like the way thatthe bobby pins are made, where one is turned one way and the other is turnedthe other way, so that if you stick one bobby pin in one side and one in fromthe other side, one isn't upside down. I also like the flexi style: Princess TiaraFreestyle, pictured here."

Emily shared "I have had fun with this new business. I have enjoyed showingthese clips to other people and watching their reaction when they try them. My favoritehairstyle is to bring my hair up into a French twist then put the flexi-clip in it. One of my favoritedesigns is the divinely framed jewel."

Let me know if you are interested in learning more about the consultant or hostess opportunity or have any questions about the products.

Virtual Refrigerator

2012-01-04T03:05:00.001-06:00

<a border="0" href="http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-refrigerator.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Virtual Refridgerator" src="http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/minksmiller/2011%20blog%20personal/DSCN5887-2-1.jpg" /></a>

Happy New Year! Joseph recently discovered the Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot book series, and along with reading them he has enjoyed following the included drawing guide for Ricky.

Please link up your art projects this week.

new plans...ongoing thanksgiving

2012-01-02T20:51:00.000-06:00

Continuing to count one by one, into the new year with a fresh start

tea with Granny
practical lessons
an entire week at home
more late nights
movie marathon with my girls
plans to return to our abnormal routine
my children's excitement about hunting with Daddy
cabbage and black eyed peas from my Granny and my Mom (since no one in my house wants to even smell cabbage cooking)
a plan to clean
homemade fudge
laughter in the kitchen
gumbo from Mama
prayers of friends

1885 and counting
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Homeschool Crew Review: Homeschool Spanish

2012-01-02T11:47:00.000-06:00

This curriculum is designed specifically for homeschoolers!

Our download included the Curriculum Book, the Activity Book, the Daily Curriculum Guide and the Audio files for the program. Dr. Karyn Williamson-Coria is a homeschool Mother of three boys. You can read more about her and how she developed the curriculum by linking here. The program is designed for parents to learn along with their children.

The activity guide is presented in game format to engage your child. Word search, crossword puzzles, and similar tasks fill the 179 pages. The 50 page curriculum guide specifies which audio component to listen to as well as suggestions for enhancing the program. The guide is set up to be followed 5 days each week for 48 weeks, but you are encouraged to make adjustments as needed to fit your own family.

My oldest daughter and I listened to the audio component together. The voice is easy to understand. The audio is fast paced, but can be listened to repeatedly. She liked the fun factor of the activity guide. Vocabulary words are built into the program, beginning with typical greetings.

From the author:
"The material is meant to be used in an interactive manner with the children using the material with each other and with you! I feel that the homeschool setting is ideal for using and speaking the language in context and in the ways that fit each individual learner. Not every child is a visual learner just as not every child learns by listening. You can prepare your ‘Homeschool Spanish’ to fit your own family’s learning styles."

On the Real Homeschool Spanish website you can also sign up for their newsletter which includes such resources as interactive maps, tips for teaching, and tongue twisters. There are also samples you can view. Homeschool Spanish is available for $49.95 as a download or a hard copy for $89.95.

Disclaimer: As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, we received a download version of this product for this review. Be sure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

the end

2011-12-31T19:06:00.000-06:00

2011 is ending tonight. This year has been full and fast and at times overwhelming. I'm looking forward to a fresh start.

It doesn't feel like winter here. Though we had a few freezing days and nights over the past month, we are back to open windows and shorts weather. Yesterday we found this first flower on the Camelia bush that Powpow transplanted for me and a promise of more to come:

Blessings to all of you as we begin a new year with so much more to come...Happy New Year!

31 Days to Clean

2011-12-30T00:18:00.009-06:00

I'm going to try again with the 31 Days to Clean. I keep reading that a new challenge is beginning. I need this.
"Journey with me for 31 Days as we get our homes and our hearts in order. Give me 31 days and I’ll give you not only a cleaner home, but a vision for one."
Click here to view more details
Added- current discount code for the e-book: SPECIAL OFFER: Take 50% off with code WINTERCHALLENGE
Affiliate link above.

baked granola ~ four versions

2011-12-29T00:38:00.001-06:00

A friend shared this link recently and that opened my eyes to just how easy making homemade granola can be. When I searched online I found many versions, even one that used 14 cups of oats! We tried four varieties, and all are a hit. This will definitely be a repeated recipe as we work toward healthier eating in our house.

basic granola:
1/2 c. sucanat
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 c. oats
3 1/2 c. brown rice cereal

Combine sucanat, oils and honey in a small saucepan. Mix remaining dry ingredients in large bowl. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oats; stir until all pieces are coated. Pour onto jellyroll pan lined with foil. Bake at 375 for 10 min. Stir and return pan to oven. Leave in closed oven (which has been turned off) for at least 3 hours.

kid's favorite granola:
1/2 c. sucanat
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 c. oats
4 c. brown rice cereal
1 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

Combine sucanat, oils, peanut butter, and honey in a small saucepan. Mix cereals and cinnamon in large bowl. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oats; stir until all pieces are coated. Pour onto jellyroll pan lined with foil. Bake at 375 for 10 min. Stir and return pan to oven. Leave in closed oven (which has been turned off) for at least 3 hours. After it has completely cooled, stir in chocolate chips.

(melted chocolate chips from adding them too soon)

fruity and fat free granola:
This one was attempted because Heather and I have enjoyed an apple granola found in the self serve bins at Whole Foods. This homemade version didn't have as much crunch; maybe the oil is necessary for that. Just as applesauce can be substituted for oil in baked goods, I read of substituting it in granola. To this I added coconut before it was baked then stirred in dehydrated apple pieces and dried cranberries after it had completely cooled.

1/2 c. sucanat
1/4 2. applesauce
1/2 c. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. coconut
5 c. oats
3 c. brown rice cereal
1/2 c. dried apple pieces
1/2 c. dried cranberries

Combine sucanat, oils and honey in a small saucepan. Mix spices, cereal, and coconut in large bowl. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oats; stir until all pieces are coated. Pour onto jellyroll pan lined with foil. Bake at 375 for 10 min. Stir and return pan to oven. Leave in closed oven (which has been turned off) for at least 3 hours. When cooled, stir in dried fruit.

When I shared with my Granny about how yummy the granola turned out, she requested a sugar free version. I mixed applesauce, Splenda, and just a spoonful of coconut oil, added vanilla after heating that, then stirred enough oats into the pot to all be covered without still being juicy. I baked it on a cookie sheet as before, and she showed her enjoyment by eating it soon after it was delivered.

We have enjoyed this for breakfast and at snack time. It is delicious paired with fresh orange juice or fruit, yogurt, or homemade applesauce.

fruit in season

2011-12-28T10:10:00.000-06:00

We have no bananas today, but we have bushels of oranges. (All of the bananas on the tree froze, even with the blanket.) I've read of programs like Bountiful Baskets and other produce co-ops. There is nothing like that close to us, but we heard of an opportunity too good to pass up for oranges.

A friend offered to pick up oranges at an almost unbelievable price. We chose "seconds" which I thought would have a few blemishes. Some did, but another surprise was the size. The ones too large to go to the groceries were included in that label!

My morning drink has been replaced. I couldn't find a baseball, so you can see the comparison to my normal breakfast drink. The kids all appreciate freshly squeezed orange juice. I hope it will help to keep winter colds far away. The only negative has been a few cuts to my thumb while peeling the oranges.

My favorite version includes a little of whatever we have in the fridge: orange, carrot, grapefruit, celery, apple, and even a bit of pineapple thawed from the freezer.

Yummy!

Virtual Refrigerator

2011-12-28T10:09:00.001-06:00

<a border="0" href="http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-refrigerator.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Virtual Refridgerator" src="http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/minksmiller/2011%20blog%20personal/DSCN5887-2-1.jpg" /></a>

Last week we took a break from the meme for Christmas. Welcome back. Do you have holiday crafts and pictures to share? My children have been enjoying late nights off this week and have done a few crafty things together. These are creations they made with clay, some beeswax clay and some with a kit Joseph received for Christmas from a cousin.

fun, countrified

2011-12-27T07:36:00.002-06:00

We had a quiet morning the day after Christmas with fresh orange juice with eggs for brunch prepared by my husband, all while listening to Teddy's Button. We didn't take down the Christmas decorations; we enjoyed the family time together. It was a special treat to have Mitch home from work on a weekday.

The big excitement started yesterday afternoon. Despite the rain (the most in over a month) and the mud (enough to pull Heather's tennis shoe right off of her foot) my husband was determined to put up the big gift for the kids outside. He had the tractor out preparing the yard earlier this week, and the kids had no idea of the reason behind it.

help from the girls:

Above the tree house:

Have you guessed yet?

I'll give you two more hints:

The kids got a zip line! Of course I have all kinds of question about safety, but Mitch tried it out first.

His next plan is to build a small platform on the tree house balcony so the ladder won't be necessary. It was almost as much fun listening to the kids share all of the details with Grandma and Grandpa over the phone last night, especially Joseph's step by step instructions on how they can try it out when they visit next spring!

always thankful

2011-12-26T00:04:00.000-06:00

long ago baby in swaddling clothes in a manger, my Savior
family together
extended family worshiping together at church for the first time in over 4 years
repeated holiday dinners
blue heron returned to pond on Christmas morning
rain beating on tin roof
jingle of bells
light saber battles, huge smile on my son's face
surprises
my husband's obvious happiness
gifts made with love
traditions
words of comfort
and joy
staying up late
sleeping in late tomorrow :)

1833 and counting
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Blessed Christmas Day

2011-12-24T22:52:00.001-06:00

For to us a child is born,

   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
   and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
   with justice and righteousness
   from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
   will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)

ornaments

2011-12-23T23:11:00.001-06:00

We decorated our tree the first Sunday of this month. I found a special package in the mailbox sent from my cousin, ornaments that had been our Grandmother's. I am blessed to have so many happy memories of a loving family.

A friend shared one of these festive goodies with each of my children:

Joseph immediately began eating the gumdrops off of his, but the girls' ornaments survived and stayed pretty a little longer.

This cute one came from my secret Santa at Collective Bias:

We tried making cinnamon applesauce ornaments once before in the past, but this time I included a secret ingredient that made a huge difference. The house smelled wonderful while they were drying, and the ornaments still have a light cinnamon fragrance. We may add a drop of cinnamon essential oil to each one when we unpack them next year.

These are so fun to make, kind of like playing with play dough. First drain all liquid from applesauce. Mix in enough cinnamon to form a thick dough. Ready for the secret? Elmer's glue! Squirt a bit of glue and work it into the dough to help hold it all together.

Book Review: Love You More

2011-12-21T08:26:00.000-06:00

Love You MoreThe Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter

By Jennifer Grant

My view:
This author shares her adoption journey, but she also shares so much more. Jennifer Grant paints a picture with words of how her marriage was before children and how she and her husband changed. She shares doubts, dreams, and reality in a way that is easy to understand and relate to. She shares comments others have made about her choice to adopt a child of another nationality. This author writes in a way that leads to more introspection. The first part of the book is about their family before adoption, the next about the long period of waiting and the adoption process. Resources are also shared.

From the publisher:

Book Description

Following the invisible thread of connection between people who are seemingly intended to become family, journalist Jennifer Grant shares the deeply personal, often humorous story of adopting a fifteen-month-old girl from Guatemala when she was already the mother of three very young children.

Her family's journey is captured in stories that will encourage not only adoptive families but those who are curious about adoption or whose lives have been indirectly touched by it. Love You More explores universal themes such as parenthood, marriage, miscarriage, infertility, connection, destiny, true self, failure and stumbling, and redemption.

Sections include:

A Whisper

The Waiting

Learning to Know

In Love You More, Jennifer describes the way she feels God has brought her family together and completed it with the adoption of her daughter.

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

Lego Nativity

2011-12-20T23:59:00.002-06:00

chocolate toffee bars

2011-12-19T20:25:00.001-06:00

This recipe should come with a warning: These are addicting! A friend at my first job as an OT gave me this recipe after she shared her delicious toffee at a holiday party.

Chocolate toffee bars

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
chocolate chips (about half a bag)

For ease of clean-up, line a jellyroll pan with foil. Lay the crackers on top of the foil in even rows.

Melt the butter and sugar together in a medium pot on the stove on medium heat. Cook it until it begins to thicken. Make sure the sugar gets completely combined with the butter or you will end up with this:

The grainy sugar still tastes good, but isn't exactly what you want to share. It should be smooth. Pour the smooth butter/sugar candy over the crackers evenly.

Place the pan in the oven (preheated to 350) and cook until bubbly, about 8-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. If you want a thick chocolate layer, sprinkle more.

The chocolate melts quickly. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top.

Set in a cool place to harden. Break or cut apart. They break fairly easily into squares where each cracker is separated, but we cut some into triangles this time for a pretty presentation.

Variations:
The original recipe called for white sugar, but we have used brown sugar and succanat and they all taste delicious.
The chocolate layer can be melted candy bars, white chocolate, whatever your favorite is.
You can top them off while the chocolate is still melted with a layer of chopped pecans, toasted coconut, really anything here.
Share!

Movie review: Journey To Christmas

2011-12-17T21:04:00.000-06:00

Journey to Christmas is a DVD documentary which filmed five unique perspectives as people from different faiths walked where Jesus was born. You see from their different points of view this land as it is today.

From the publisher:

Journey to Christmas

Binding:

2 DVDs

ISBN:

978-1-4143-6508-4

List Price:

$19.99

Release Date:

December 2011

Journey to Christmas is a fascinating new reality DVD series that invites you to explore Jesus’ birth through five modern-day explorers. Shot on ultra-high-definition film and packaged as a four-part DVD church curriculum, this unique study series chronicles the experiences of five very different people—a messianic Jew, a First Nations woman, a poet, a Christian radio personality, and an agnostic lawyer—as they journey through the Holy Land to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Guided by a local historian (Nizar Shaheen) with on-camera commentary from a team of Bible experts (astronomer Dr. Hugh Ross, ancient history expert Dr. Paul Maier, archeologist and New Testament scholar Dr. Craig Evans, Biblical times culture expert Claire Pfann, and others), viewers will see the Christmas story unfold though the eyes of each member on this unique pilgrimage. Journey to Christmas lets you immerse yourself in the culture, places, and people surrounding the Nativity. Stunning photography, a reality show format, exotic locations, and fascinating commentary from a team of Bible experts make this an unforgettable Bible learning experience!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD for the purpose of this review.

Homeschool Crew Review: World's Greatest Stories

2011-12-16T00:03:00.000-06:00

"The stories are special... taken word for word from the Bible."

We received the NIV version of Volume 1 The Prophets from The World's Greatest Stories which includes:
The Blazing Furnace
The Handwriting on the Wall
Daniel in the Lion's Den
Elijah & the Prophets of Baal
The Prophecy of Jonah

These Bible stories are shared directly from Scripture (Daniel 3, 5, 6, I Kings 17-18, and the book of Jonah) and are available in NIV or KJV. Click the version to hear a brief sample. Samples of other "stories" are also available on the website. The CDs (6 volumes available) are $7.95 each.

Each story is narrated in a way unlike any other audio Bible I've heard before. Music and sound effects are included in the background, but the drama is in the voice of the narrator. Actor George Sarris changes his voice to illustrate each character and situation. As you listen to the story of Jonah, you can hear fear in his voice and imagine the situation with the sound effects. Because these stories are taken straight from Scripture, children (or adults) can even read along in their Bibles as they listen.

Our whole family has enjoyed listening to the first CD and I've added the others to my wish list. Joseph has asked to listen to this CD again and again.

Disclaimer: As a reviewer for the 2011-2012 TOS Homeschool ReviewCrew, I was given a copy of The Prophets for the purpose of this review. Besure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Advent Reading

2011-12-15T22:35:00.001-06:00

Several years ago a friend shared about Jotham's Journey: A Storybook for Advent. We started it this year and have been reading it right before bedtime each night. This is the first story that all of my children have listened to equally absorbed, and my son asks for more every night. I wish all of our reading kept their interest so completely.

Earlier this week I bookmarked a page to share. The reading is divided into chapters, designed to be read one chapter each night through all of Advent and concluding on Christmas day. Each chapter ends with a short devotion such as this excerpt:
"As we celebrate the Christmas season, remember that there wouldn't be a Christmas season if it weren't for God's merciful love. Because he loves us, he has shown us mercy by sending his only son to us. ... What this story does tell us is that God provided (a) way for all people to come to Jesus."

This post is linked to the Reading Aloud Challenge at Footprints in the Butter and to:

Virtual Refrigerator

2011-12-14T00:02:00.003-06:00

<a border="0" href="http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-refrigerator.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Virtual Refridgerator" src="http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/minksmiller/2011%20blog%20personal/DSCN5887-2-1.jpg" /></a>

Share your own posts about creative and crafty gifts or art activities that your children have been enjoying.

Homeschool Crew Review: Vintage Remedies for Girls

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

After attending a huge homeschool convention last spring, a friend came home and shared with me about many things that she had learned. One of the speakers she most enjoyed was Jessie Hawkins, and my friend let me look through her copy of this book as she shared. I was excited to learn of this review opportunity and delighted when my package arrived in the mail wrapped within the outer packing in brown paper tied with string.

My daughters and I have been enjoying Vintage Remedies 4 Girls which is designed as a complete year's program. Of course for a fairly quick review we did not use it as intended, instead I read through it then had my daughters read and try several of the recipes. The workbook is a combined text for student and guide for teachers/parents. The course is divided into three main topics: food, nutrition, and culinary skills; health and body; and natural living. Quizzes are included as well as recommended schedules and resources.

We began with the real food section. Her recipes are shared the way I share recipes with my girls as I cook which is a bit unclear. I do it that way because I don't usually use recipes for things I prepare frequently and often change my ingredients each time. When following a new recipe however, it would be easier to follow more precise instructions. Two of the first three we attempted were actually unsuccessful. The cream cheese did turn out well and was delicious. The girls thought it wasn't going to work as we got the temperature a bit to high during the process, but both of them enjoyed it. Supervision from an adult is suggested for the kitchen tasks.

The book is written to young girls and includes many extras as if an adult was standing with them as they attempted the task, giving extra tips as needed. I learned from her tip about reading labels after the recommendation to not use puffed rice cereal because of the added sugar. All my life I have considered that a healthy sugar free cereal. Other tips include such things as clean hands and why thorough hand washing is important.

Health information is liberally sprinkled throughout the lessons. Not all of the lessons are recipes and cooking. The grow your own food chapter gives an in depth description of how to grow garlic and many uses of the plant. In the health and body section preparation of calendula balm is clearly explained. We made this successfully, but my oldest daughter did exhibit a severe allergic reaction (which was included in the book as a possibility.)

Overall this has been an enjoyable curriculum to review with my 6th and 8th grade daughters. The company also offers additional books in this series for guys and for kids. Vintage Remedies 4 Girls is available for $45. On the website right now the guys and girls book have been combined into a new book for tweens for $29.95.

from the Vintage Remedies website:

Price: $45.00

"Vintage Remedies for Girls teaches healthy and natural living to girls ages 7-13. Our new workbook is packed with over 200 pages covering every aspect of natural living including wellness, nutrition, herbal medicine, immunity, natural cleaning and body care, and the conservative use of valuable natural resources. Girls will learn how to identify unhealthy foods, how to create a healthy real foods menu (and prepare it for some friends!), how to make natural cleaning supplies and skin care, how to make cheese, how to grow culinary and medicinal herbs, how to create basic herbal preparations, and much, much more! This workbook is flexible and can be used for existing scouting groups, to form new girls groups, as a homeschooling curriculum, or to create fun mommy - daughter projects throughout the year. Each of the 18 chapters includes a brief lesson on the topic, a featured project, instructions for moms or group leaders, and a selection of additional projects on the topic for in depth learning. The book also contains sample schedules to adapt for homeschooling families, scouting groups, etc as well as convenient shopping lists for each project, complete with a resource guide and tips for parents and leaders. 202 pages / Thistle Publications / 2010"

Disclaimer: As a reviewer for the 2011-2012 TOS Homeschool ReviewCrew, I was given a copy of Vintage Remedies for Girls for the purpose of this review. Besure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

sadness turned to joy

2011-12-12T17:38:00.000-06:00

Though I'd rather be almost anywhere than reclined in the dentist chair, today I am thankful for my dentist. About two years ago I tried out a new dentist closer to home (20 minutes instead of 45 minutes away.) Simply put, it turned into a horrible situation for my son and caused a lot of tears for both of us. We returned to my dentist for the following visits, and today for the first time since then my son and I had cavities filled. No tears, quickly completed, amazingly completely different situation.

A bigger thanks is being covered in prayer by friends and family. Knowing that others are praying helps fill me with peace. Today for both me and Joseph the dentist told us that the filling was tiny and would hurt less than the shot for the fat lip. Without that shot we were both finished in under 10 minutes. Almost unbelievable.

Before we left home this morning, Joseph said he wanted to draw a picture for Dr. Price on one of his Christmas cards. He drew a snowman, a Christmas tree, and a tooth. After the dentist received it he sent it to the front office to be shared. Mounted on the wall mixed in with beautiful professional cards from local businesses is a handmade card from Joseph. :)

The girls stayed home with Pappy while Joseph and I spent the day together. We shopped just a little, enjoyed a lunch for two, and redeemed a gift certificate for a movie which the whole family will enjoy watching later tonight. He helped me tape up some special packages at the post office. It is pretty rare for me to have time with just Joseph without the girls, and today I enjoyed talking with him and not hearing any whining at all.

I'm also thankful that the girls got to spend the whole day with Pappy. They did their independent schoolwork then helped him with a few projects. My Mom was at work, but we all got to cook together while Pappy hunted last weekend. I love that my kids enjoy the time they spend with them and vice-versa.

1798 and counting
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Homeschool Crew Review: Pitsco

2011-12-07T23:01:00.000-06:00

For this Pitsco review, we received the Medieval Machines Pack which includes a Trebuchet Kit, a Catapult Kit, Siege Machines book, and counterweights for the Trebuchet. Also included with the shipment was a box of Klean Clay used to make projectiles for the kits. The package of clay is sold separately from this particular kit. The current price for this kit is $21.95. Additional teachers guides are also available for both the Trebuchet Kit and the Catapult Kit .

Some "basic household items" were listed as requirements such as glue and scissors. The projects also required some intricate cutting of the laser cut wood pieces and wire provided. If you don't follow directions exactly, you may also need some strong thread. We improvised with polyester thread found in Grandmommie's sewing supplies.

My kids completed the trebuchet kit with Pappy while I observed and read out loud to them from the Siege Machines book. I turned some of the statements into questions for the kids and Pappy discussed history. Do you know who was the first to combine the science and engineering necessary to use siege craft as effective weapons of war? My 7 year old son quickly made his own association with Narnia.

These activities are designed for middle school students, but as usual my son joined his big sisters. Below, see him duck while experimenting as the initial trials didn't always have the anticipated outcome.

After a bit of practice, the cereal box target was successfully hit!

Our completed trebuchet!

"Pitsco offers a variety of hands on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) products and curriculum including several kit and curriculum packages specifically for Homeschoolers."

from the website:

From The Lord of the Rings to Night at the Museum, we are fascinated by these medieval devices. Now, use that interest to teach basic math, science, and problem-solving skills. With this pack, your child learns about catapults and trebuchets through hands-on activities that cover three areas:

Science: Tension versus torsion, elasticity, gravity and levers, and force and motion

Math: Metric conversion, calculating averages, and prediction

Experiments: Mass versus distance, testing rubber bands, targeting, and more

They will discover the history of medieval siege machines as well as the concepts required to build and use them.

Disclaimer: As part of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew, we received the Medieval Machines Pack. Be sure to check out other reviews at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Virtual Refrigerator

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-06:00

<a border="0" href="http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-refrigerator.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Virtual Refridgerator" src="http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/minksmiller/2011%20blog%20personal/DSCN5887-2-1.jpg" /></a>

Art at our house has been a bit secretive lately. All 5 of us are working on presents, putting the finishing touches on gifts made with love. Maybe (if I'm sure my Mom isn't reading) I'll share a few things we have been making before Christmas. Until then, share your own posts about creative and crafty gifts or art activities that your children have been enjoying.

TASTY TUESDAY

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

It is Tasty Tuesday again! Do you have any favorite holiday recipes to share? I'll give you a few extra days to link up, too.

One of our most enjoyed holiday drinks is hot spiced cider. My cousin shared her crock-pot recipe. Mix apple cider, pineapple juice, and red hots in your crock pot. Heat and serve. You can leave it simmering and it makes the house smell wonderful. If you like more spice, add more red hots. More pineapple juice makes it sweeter. Enjoy!

TOS Christmas Digital Issue

2011-12-05T07:50:00.001-06:00

The TOS Christmas Digital Issue is live and totally free! Enjoy!

beyond 1000

2011-12-04T13:43:00.000-06:00

friends visiting
hubby's birthday
laughing with my kids
holiday recipes
Mitch grilling extra for my Grandparents
tree trimming
festive colorful strings of lights
new craft projects with my kids
more quilt ideas
sisters playing harmony and melody

1756 and counting
This post is linked to:

2011-12-04T09:07:00.000-06:00

In this season of giving and gifts, celebrate the gift of love. The girls and I joined the Siesta Scripture Memory team in January, and this is the 23rd verse that Beth has shared. I chose to memorize this verse, too, this time as another reminder of what my focus should be.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 NIV

First Book Review: The Story Template

2011-12-02T03:52:00.000-06:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Amy Deardon

and the book:

The Story Template: Conquer Writer's Block Using the Universal Structure of Story

Taegais Publishing, LLC (July 25, 2011)

***Special thanks to Amy Deardon for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Deardon is married with two children, and spends much time taking care of her family. In her life BC (before children) she was a scientist who did bench research. She is also a Christian who came to faith under protest through studying the historic circumstances surrounding the death of Jesus.

Amy has written one novel, A LEVER LONG ENOUGH, about a small military team that travels back in time to film the theft of Jesus' body from the tomb. This book won two awards.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

THE STORY TEMPLATE is a programmed learner that allows the writer to develop her story from chaos. The book uses a series of exercises for the writer to construct her story’s four foundational pillars; learn how to use the “secret weapon” of story structure: the story template; build character depth and believable change; and construct subplots. THE STORY TEMPLATE then reviews writing techniques, and finishes with discussions of editing, writing the synopsis and query letter, submitting one’s work to agents, and types of publishing that the writer may wish to pursue.

Product Details:

List Price: $15.95
Paperback: 260 pages
Publisher: Taegais Publishing, LLC (July 25, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981899730
ISBN-13: 978-0981899732

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Writing a novel or screenplay sounds like a great idea until you sit down to start. Where do you start? Many different methods exist to write the story, ranging from extensive preplanning to venturing onto the first page without an idea. This book describes an approach to developing story--laid out as a sequential series of exercises to facilitate implementation--that you can use whether you prefer a structured or loose approach to writing. You can use it at the start to develop an idea fragment, or later to rescue a partial or completed manuscript that doesn't seem to be working. The method works whether you want to write plot-driven (genre) or character-driven (literary) stories. It enables you to efficiently use your time and creativity by breaking down the process of story building into a logical plan. You will not waste time sitting at your keyboard, wondering what you should write and how you can organize your ideas into a complete manuscript.

The idea for this book originated from my own learning process in producing a novel. Having written scientific articles, newspaper columns, and other nonfiction, when I decided to write a novel I was surprised by how difficult it was to get the words down. I tried outlining, and I tried just going ahead. I had wonderful ideas, but although the scenes I wrote were exciting the story itself often seemed somehow “wrong.” I threw out more pages than I care to remember. Through sheer grit I finished the novel, but when I thought about writing another my heart sank. I decided to first solve the problem of understanding how story worked.

I chose twenty entertaining, modern novels in different genres, and fifteen more-or-less recent films (and I've since confirmed my preliminary observations with tens of more stories). One at a time, I took them apart: I made a list of each scene, then did a word count or timed the scene, calculated percentages and other statistics, and graphed each story onto a five page chart. I studied each story's progression, then compared the progressions of different stories to determine common pathways. I also read all that I could on constructing stories. The writing how-to literature was heavy on techniques (plotting, point of view, characterization, dialogue)--all of which are important--but there wasn't much on blending it all together. Screenwriting how-to books were stronger on structure, but still didn't give me all I needed.

I studied story after story, puzzling out how they were built. First, I identified elements called story posts, and found that these posts fell reliably within the timing of the whole. Then I found consistent trends of progression in the plot, as well as consistent trends of development and interactions in the characters. My biggest surprise, in fact, was finding just how unvarying were the underlying levels of the story. I also identified a unit of story construction I call a “bubble” that bridges the gap between the high concept ideas for the story and individual scenes.

Once I had my background knowledge, I coached students to develop their stories, and thereby constructed an algorithm for the practical application of this theory.

So, what is this “story template” that is the title of this book? Is this a formula or blueprint you can mindlessly follow, like a paint-by-numbers canvas?

In a word, no. I like to call what I found a template since it describes the shape or progression, on a deep level, of virtually all stories. Recognizing this pattern in a story is something I liken to sketching a face. An artist will tell you that a person's eyes are about halfway down the head, and are separated by another eye width. The bottom of the nose is halfway between the eyes and the chin, the mouth is proportionally between the nose and the chin and extends to imaginary vertical lines drawn below the eyes' pupils, the tips of the ears hit about eyelid level, earlobe tips at bottom-nose level, and on and on. Faces are infinitely varied, yet if the artist ignores these rough proportions, no matter how carefully sketched the face will always look “wrong.” Similarly, you will use the template to ensure that your story elements are proportionally correct and all present. The template gives you a guide, but never dictates, what you can write.

Getting the story shape right is the first, and (in my opinion) the hardest step to writing a gripping novel or screenplay. Without good structure, the story tends to meander without a point: although it may have high action, it is characterized by low tension.

You may want to first read this entire book to get an overview of story before starting with the exercises. Keep in mind that shaping a story is intensive work, and it will take you weeks or even months to get your story organized. This is normal. Don't get discouraged, and don't skimp on the exercises. Take your time to thoroughly work through each step. At the end, your story will be much stronger, and the actual writing will go like a dream.

This book is not sufficient for producing a finished story ready for publication or production. You will need to master further writing techniques such as characterization, description, dialogue, transitions, editing, etc. I will touch upon a few of these to give you some direction, but the only way to get really good is to practice. Fortunately, many excellent books are available for help. See Appendix One to start.
Outline of The Plan

I like to use the metaphor of constructing a house to envision building a story. To assemble a house, you move from larger to smaller elements to sequentially put something together. Only after you have worked through many tasks is it finally time to do the fine details of painting the windowsills and installing the wallpaper. Similarly, while you have ideas about character arcs and plot twists, and maybe you've even written some scenes, you will be well served to develop a direction before writing through your manuscript. If you write your first draft as the ideas occur to you, then this will comprise your story planning. You'll find that you probably don't have enough material to form an entire novel or screenplay, and even if you do it may not hang together. Believe me, this is a laborious and frustrating way to go.

The Story Template gives a series of actions for you to do that will allow you to develop your story ideas with a minimum of angst and wasted energy. Some exercises will be quick, others will require a great deal of thought, and perhaps even a marination of thought, before finishing. Don't be in a rush--some of your best ideas will come as you play with character or event possibilities. As you continue to develop your story you will probably revisit different components of these exercises, going back and changing previous work, as you move through this programmed story outliner. That's okay. Just go with the flow, and have fun.

When you've finished with these exercises, you will be ready to start writing your manuscript, with ease and flow and speed, because you will have already done the hard organizational work. Even if you want to change the story as you're writing, you'll be able to do so with an understanding of how to balance the changes. You will have a detailed roadmap that will allow you to bring your vision--your book or screenplay--to completion.
Writing Tools

You are a writer. Before you start, you need to assemble the following items:

1. A tool with which to do your major writing, either a computer, an old-fashioned typewriter, or paper and pencil. If you do handwrite your notes, you may want to treat yourself to a special pen that you love, and is only to be used for your magnus opus.

2. A system to organize your template exercises. I prefer hard copy: printing out computer files, or writing on loose leaf paper, then placing the sheets in a three-ringed binder. This notebook may inspire you and give you a sense of accomplishment as you look through to see how much you've done. Not as recommended is keeping files only on computer because they're harder to flip through, mark up, and juxtapose ideas; or a spiral or bound notebook because you can't replace pages or change their order. But do what works for you.

3. A small notebook to carry with you at all times. Use this to jot down any thoughts that come to you.

4. Index cards. Get two packs, and we'll go over how to use them to story board. Also get a roll of masking tape and a permanent marker (thin tip) for bold marks. Finally, you may want to purchase an index card binder to permanently keep your cards in order.

Getting the Words Down

Here are some tips to help you get the words down:

1. Decide on a daily quota of words that is manageable. A good starting goal might be 300, but remember to keep pushing this number up as you become accustomed to the writing process. Create a log to record your daily output. Post this on your refrigerator or otherwise keep it prominent in your daily life.

2. Set aside at least fifteen minutes at a time in which you can remain undisturbed. Aim for an hour or more if you can.

3. Don't start your writing session by checking your e-mail or doing anything else except for writing.

4. Turn off anything that might distract you--music, radio, or television. Some people can write through these things, but try without for a few days to see if you do better.

5. If you're stuck, do free-writing where you talk to yourself on paper. Something like, “I'm trying to figure out what Jason's problems with Mike might be in this scene. I was thinking about…”

Let's get started.

When I first read of this book I thought it would be a perfect precurser to NaNoWriMo. It arrived the week before November, and my oldest daughter and I quickly skimmed through it together for ideas. I went back and slowly read it, and continued to refer to this while writing. One of the concepts from The Story Template that I had my girls try before writing in November was a "logline." We each followed the author's examples and came up with a 15 word statement condensing the main idea of our books. We can now use the resource to edit the girls' novels.

The Periodic Table of Elements Coloring Book

2011-12-02T00:02:00.001-06:00

When I teach my children in a way that is fun, I feel like they enjoy learning without the "hard" mindset about subjects that can easily be perceived difficult. I struggled with chemistry in college, so I look for tools to make that subject more understandable for my children. Teresa Bondora's Periodic Table of Elements Coloring Book fills that need.

Teresa Bondora actually recommends that we post a table of the elements on the wall in the same way that we display letters and math facts, so they become familiar from a young age. That was just one of the easy to implement ideas that I learned from this author.

The Periodic Table of Elements Coloring Book is now available for $25 on Amazon. This book is set up as a coloring book with large pictures for your child to color and then associate with each element. The cover picture shows a good example of how each element is presented. 1-2 pages with large print describe each element in easily understandable terms. The coloring sheet includes a large image of the element's symbol, the complete name, and pictures of items associated with that element.

The 172 page book begins with a blank table in which the children can write each element as they are learned. It is written on an introductory level, but beneficial for all ages. Though my 8th grader is enjoying this as a complement to her current Biology curriculum, it is equally enjoyed by my 2nd and 6th grade children. I recommend this to any parent or teacher who wants to make chemistry more understandable and enjoyable.

Disclaimer/ per FTC guidelines
"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a download copy of the book mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Affiliate links are included in my posts.

Big Toydle Giveaway!

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is giving away 3 Big Toydle Forts!

Is this great or what? Three lucky winners will have fun with the toy every kid (and kid-at-heart) would love to own. To find out more information about the Toydle Forts and enter the giveaway stop by the TOS Homeschool Review Crew blog.

You can also visit Toydle on Facebook.

NOTE: This contest is open to residents of the United States ONLY. TOS Staff and TOS Crew Members (and their families) are not eligible to enter this contest.

What a wonderful Christmas, birthday or just-for-fun gift for anyone! Click now, what are you waiting for?