30 Days of Gratitude- Days 15 and 16

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 15-16: 

Today I am thankful for words and for the silliness of my kids. 

Almost a year ago, Benjamin was saying very few words (probably less than 10) and the words he was saying, he was not saying the whole word. He has been having speech therapy and let me tell you, lately he is a little chatter box. Tonight he melted my heart when I was putting him to bed and he looked at me, gave me a big hug, and said "I love you too Mama." Unprompted. That boy melts my heart every time he tells me something like that! 

And not to be outdone, his brother had a bought of silliness tonight, when he went to get into the bathtub and still had his shirt and glasses on. Jacob couldn't get over the shock. When I told him he wasn't in trouble and started laughing about it, he started laughing about how silly he is. And then Rebecca decided to go to bed with a pair of white cat ear shaped earmuffs on. Silly kids! 

They melt my heart and they give me reason to them. And for them I am so thankful! 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

The Legend of the Christmas Cookie

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

The Legend of the Christmas Cookie tells the story of a young boy named Jack who learns from his generous mother the story behind the Christmas cookie. The family who began the tradition of baking the special cookies gave them to the needy and shared the story of the very first Christmas. This sweet holiday book offers inspiration for readers to become cheerful givers themselves and encourages them to share the true tale of Jesus' birth. A delicious recipe is included on the jacket flap so readers can make their own Christmas sugar cookies.

 

MY THOUGHTS:

The Legend of the Christmas Cookie by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Richard Cowdrey shares an important message in this upcoming Christmas season. Times are hard, parents have to cut back on extras as wages are low, bills are high, food prices are soaring, and many families have had to tighten their budgets in order to afford necessities in life. Such is the story of Jack, whose father has had to leave the family to travel West to find work so that his family could have money. Jack is upset because they have just found out his father will not be home for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Jack walks into his home to find his mother making cookies...however, the cookies are not for them, they are for the needy in his church, even though Jack and his mother are also very needy. Jack's mother, asks Jack to help her make the cookies and during this process she tells him the story of the first cookies, made in religious shapes that were meant to tell people about the message of the birth of Jesus. On Christmas morning, Jack is happy to see that his mother has given him one of the cookies, shaped like an Angel. However, before he could eat it, there came a knock on the door and there was a stranger who asked for a bite to eat...Jack had to make a decision about his cookie and in doing so found the true meaning of Christmas. 

I will admit the first time I read this story, it struck me as almost cold-hearted. However, as I read it again and reflected on it, it struck me as a faith-filled story about sharing the message of Christmas with those who may not know about it. It is about the self-less act of giving to others in this Christmas season, as there is always someone who has less than you do. My children loved the pictures and after reading it, they began asking if we could make cookies for others this Christmas. It invoked in them a sense of sharing instead of always asking for things. 

Overall, I would recommend this story to be added to your Christmas library. 

DISCLAIMER: I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher Zondervan and their Zonderkidz division in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

Heroines of the Old Testament Coloring Book

 

DESCRIPTION: 

Let your heart be encouraged and your creative passions engaged as you color the lives of ten remarkable women from the Old Testament. Each unique section lets you reflect upon their Biblical stories through illustrations that are both symbolic and ornate. From Eve, the mother of mankind, enveloped in the flora of Eden, to the opulent world of Queen Esther's Persian Empire, these artistic designs enable endless hours of creative coloring enjoyment and peaceful contemplation. Inspire your soul by exploring the miraculous journeys of these heroines of faith and those of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Miriam, Rahab, Deborah, Ruth, and Hannah.

Includes:

• Geometric patterns
• Portraits
• Botanical designs
• Narrative scenes
• Artist tips, and more!

MY THOUGHTS:

One of the things that I have been trying to do is build in more relaxation times for myself. I have found that by looking back over my childhood, I wanted to look at the hobbies that brought me pleasure. One of those hobbies was reading, so I am trying to do more reading for fun in my life. Another hobby that brought me pleasure was coloring. Growing up, I could sit and color for hours on end. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many coloring book publishers are now publishing coloring books for adults, with more complex patterns and themes. Many of these books are meant to help with getting the adult to relax and be less stressed.

I was happy to be asked to review a new coloring book, Heroines of the Old Testament by Betsy Karounos. I have been coloring on Friday nights, while the kids are watching their weekly movie. I have taken to coloring on Sundays when I am trying to relax and the kids are playing and my husband is watching the NFL. I love the format of Heroines of the Old Testament, as it leads the reader through the story of Eve to Esther. The designs and outlines are beautiful and just aching for someone to color them.

I have only colored a couple of the pictures and I will say that I am unconventional in that sometimes I prefer to color with markers over colored pencils. I am pleased that the paper quality in this book is great. The paper is a nice quality, so the markers don't bleed through to the other side, like ordinary coloring book pages. And I will say that this coloring book has re-ignited my love of coloring that I had when I was a child, and it is helping me to relax!

If you are looking to get into the art of coloring, I would highly recommend you start with Heroines of the Old Testament by Betsy Karounos.  

DISCLAIMER: I was sent a copy of this book by Hachette Book Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.  

 

Our family is giving up fast food for a year!

So today we did the thing that is typical for us on the weekend... around 12:30 the kids start hollering for lunch and we decide let's just get fast food. Or we ask the kids what they want for lunch and the overwhelming response is "Donald's" (McDonald's), even from Ben, who is only 3. So off Bill goes to get fast food and he brings back McDonald's for us and Taco Bell for himself. On opening the McDonald's, we realize they gave us the wrong size fries in one order and didn't fill the fry container up in another. Upon eating the lunch, I realized that it just didn't taste good, but I kept eating it anyways. Replay this once or twice more per week and you will get what has become the norm in our family. 

I am not proud of that fact at all. In fact, today it hit me. Why do we keep doing this? Why do we keep spending lots of money each week on food that is sub-par and is not good? Why has it become norm in our family to have fast food at least 2 times a week and sometimes more? When did getting McDonald's stop becoming a treat, and started becoming the norm? Bill and I complain about our weight all the time, however we still continue to order fries and hamburgers and greasy tacos from fast food places. Why? Something has got to stop.

As we were sitting around the lunch table, I was thinking about all this and I am sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time. So I decided to bring up the idea of not having fast food at all during the next year to Bill. At first, Bill was talking about not having it for the rest of this year. But why stop there, I suggested that we give it up for an entire year. Surprisingly my husband agreed, with a few exceptions. 

So basically, starting today, November 14, 2015, our family is giving up fast food for one year. This means no McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc. We will also be limiting our eating out to sit down restaurants to maybe once a month or so. Like I said, I did agree to a few exceptions. Those are: 

• we let the kids pick out a special lunch on their birthdays. If they choose to go to a fast food place, we will do that.
• if we are in a group gathering and the group decides to get fast food, we will do that.
• if we are traveling for vacation, we reserve the right to stop and get fast food on the trip. When we get to our destinations we try very hard not to eat fast food, but to eat at restaurants we can't eat at in our hometown. 
• my husband can stop and get Subway if he is working one of his 15-20 hour days during tournament time, if he forgets to take food with him from home. But he can only get Subway, no burger joint.  
• We always get Wendy's on trick-or-treat night so we will continue to do that. 

I am hoping we can do this. I feel different, more determined going into this. I need to do this so that my kids can see that getting fast food is a treat. I need to do this so we can improve our eating habits and become healthier. I need to do that so that we aren't wasting our money on food that isn't worth it. 

I know that it will be hard. I know that we may fail at times. But I am ready to do this! Wish us luck! 

Have you ever given up anything for a year? 

 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 14

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 14: 

Today I am thankful for a country that has security measures in place to protect their own citizens and who reaches out to help others who are affected by hatred of terrorists. As I read and watch the horrors that have occurred in Paris, I am reminded that these attacks can happen anywhere. I am thankful that, while probably not perfect, we have administrators in our own government who are looking to stop acts of terrorism on American soil. Intelligence is working day in and day out to stop senseless acts of terrorism to form on American soil. I am grateful for our government. I am also thankful for all those who put their lives on the lines fighting these terrorists day in and day out. These people are heroes. 

 

I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach the horrors that happened in Paris. However, I will say this, I pray for the people of Paris and France. I pray for humankind...I fear that we are in the throes of what very well may be World War III. I pray that we has humankind can band together and not allow fear and hatred cloud who we are and that love of humankind can prevail. 


If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones, Song of the Stars Christmas picture book is now available in the popular board book format.

This board book edition of Song of the Stars, written by New York Times bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Alison Jay, is a Christmas book that explores the joy and celebration in all of creation at the coming of Jesus.

They’ve been waiting with eager longing for the coming of God’s promised Son, and when at last he arrives, the whole earth holds its breath: their Creator, Jesus, Emmanuel has come to the world that he made. Trees, seas, skies, stars, animals—they all spread the news that at last the time has come. It’s time! He’s here!

MY THOUGHTS:

I love being able to add new Christmas books to our rotation. I try to add at least one new one every year, so I was pleased to be able to review Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd- Jones. This is a beautifully written and illustrated children's book that tells the Christmas story from a unique and new perspective-- the perspective of the animals and flowers and the things in nature. So many Christmas stories that retell the story of the birth of Jesus, tell the story from the point of view from a human, almost forgetting that the world does not revolve around humans. Song of the Stars tells the story of how the woodland creatures, the little flowers, the tiny sandpipers, the blades of grass, the lion, and the Angels (all over the world) shouted "It's time!" to announce the birth of Jesus and were ALL part of the miracle that is the Christmas story. Personally, I LOVE the perspective that this book takes and I think it is a beautifully written take on the Christmas story.

This is a board book and Amazon.com has the age range of it to be between 4-7 years old. I have a 3 year old, a 6 year old and a soon to be 9 year old. Yes, this is a board book, which means it is made of sturdy material so that younger children can't really tear it up easily. The illustrations are great for the younger crowd as they can point out animals, etc while you are reading. The text on the pages is longer than most board books but are perfect for older children to read to their younger siblings. In fact, my 6 year old and my 9 year old were able to read it to their little brother with no issues. All 3 of my children enjoyed this book very much.

Overall, I, as well as my children, fell in love with this book. It is a welcome addition to our Christmas library and should be added to yours as well! 

DISCLAIMER:   The publisher, Zondervan, provided me a free copy of this book through Booklook Bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 13: Good Friends

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 13: 
Today I am thankful for good friends. 
I will admit that there are times that I am awkward in social situations. Looking back, my growing up years were painful when trying to find and keep friends. College was a little better, but even then I wasn't one who had a ton of friends. Lots of aquantices but not a lot of people I was comfortable calling friends. OVer the last few years, there were only a handful of people that I would consider close friends. Over the past year, I have come to find out who was true friends and whose colors I never really knew. 

Source

I will say that I could probably count on 2 hands the number of friends that I consider that I am really, really close too. I am discovering as I am getting older, that that is okay. There are a few of these friends who live on the other side of the world-- in Australia and Singapore. We don't always talk, but when we do, it is like we are back in time and we just start right where we left off. There are friends, who have stood by my side in the last few months, who understand my side of the story and support me and my family. 

Source

So today, I am thankful for those people whom I consider good friends! 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 12: Understanding

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

Sorry this is being posted late. When you read what I was thankful for yesterday, you will understand...

DAY 12: 

Today I am thankful for the understanding that people show towards me, including my husband. I had an awful headache all day yesterday. Tylenol didn't help. Caffeine didn't help. Nothing seemed to help. Tylenol and caffeine would dull the pain, but it was there all day yesterday. At one point, my head was throbbing! When I came home from tutoring and picking the kids up from school, I asked my hubby if he would mind if I went and  laid down. He said of course not. I felt bad because it was supposed to be date night (at home) but I just felt that bad. After sleeping for a couple of hours, I was able to get up and eat dinner with Bill (so we had a semi-date night) but then I felt awful again so I went back to bed for the night. Bill was so understanding...he was able to get the kids all bathed and made them do their chores and he cleaned up the kitchen so I wouldn't have to deal with it this morning. Thankfully, this morning when I woke up my head felt 1000 times lighter and no headache at all. I am grateful that I have a husband who shows understanding and compassion when I am not feeling well. 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 11: Veterans

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 11: 

Today I am thankful for all those men and women who have served in the military so that I am able to live in a free country. I live in a country that allows freedom of speech and of religion, among other liberties. I am free to work, to wear pants, to vote, to go to the church of my choosing due to the sacrifices that Veterans made in the past. I am free to be mad at the new minimalist Starbucks coffee cup and to express that opinion on social media if I wanted to because of our Veterans. (Just so you know, I could care less about what Starbucks puts on their coffee cups....people need to get over it, as there are bigger issues in this world.) 

Today is Veteran's Day in the USA, and I for one am grateful for all the sacrifices that these Veterans made so that I can raise my children in what I believe is a great nation. 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 10: my tutoring clients

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 10: 

Today I am thankful for my tutoring clients and their parents. When I quit my part time job in May, I was scared to death that this tutoring business was going to be a failure. While it hasn't grown as fast as I would like, I am grateful for the clients that I do have. These kids' parents put their trust in me to help their child bridge the gap between where they are academically and where they need to be. I hope that I am doing them the service that they need. I have seen some real growth in several of these kids and that makes it so much worth it.

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

30 Days of Gratitude- Day 9: Kids' laughter

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 9: 

Today I am thankful for the laughter of my kids. 

Today, Ben and I walked to get Rebecca and Jacob from school. We arrived at school a few minutes early, so I let Ben play in the leaves. He thought it was the greatest thing in the world to throw then up in the air over his head. 

 Then when we were almost home, the 3 kids took off running and laughing hysterically with no care in the world. It was the sweetest sound to my ears. I am so thankful that my kids love to laugh. 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today? 

A to Z about me....

I saw this on Carla's blog this morning and I thought I would play along and link up with her....If you decide to play along as well, go visit Carla for the original posting. 

It is A to Z about me....

A- Age: 36

B- Biggest Fear: not seeing my children grow up or having something bad happen to them or to my husband.

C- Current time: 10:27 am

D- Drink you last had: caffiene-free Coke

E- Every day starts with: my alarm going off...

F- Favorite song: "Is There Life Out There?" by Reba

G- Ghosts, are they real?: Yes! I have seen several in my own lifetime both known and unknown.

H- Hometown: Columbus, OH

I- In love with: my husband

J- Jealous of: I hate to admit it, but I am jealous of those who get to live by the ocean in North Carolina. Would love to be able to make that dream come true one day

K- Killed someone?: Nope

L- Last time you cried?: Last week, while watching a TV show..yes I am a sap like that.

M- Middle name: Marie

N- Number of siblings: 3..I am the oldest, then a brother, then a sister, then a brother

O- One wish: That my family is happy

P- Person you last called: The president of our AHG troop

Q- Question you're always asked: What's wrong?

R- Reason to smile: The sun is out, and I have a loving family.

S- Song last sang: Does "This Little Light of Mine" being sung in the van with Jacob count?

T- Time you woke up: Which time?...I kept waking up almost every hour last night. My alarm went off at 7:15am. 

U- Underwear color: black

V- Vacation destination: I love the beaches of North Carolina

W- Worst habit: Being anxious about things that are not in my control.

X-X-Rays: Yep. My last one was in July when I had to have one on my kidneys to see if I still had any kidney stones.

Y- Your favorite food: Chocolate

Z- Zodiac sign: Leo. 

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about me today. Thanks Carla for the idea! 

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 8: Lazy Sundays

As I shared, for the month of November, I am going to try to post at least 1 thing each day that I am thankful for. I invite each of you to do the same, either on your own blogs or in the comments section. I hope that it will help me to see that I have a lots of things to be thankful for....

DAY 8: 

Today I am thankful for lazy Sundays. 

This afternoon, after lunch, I laid down on the couch with my head on my husbands lap and I napped on and off for almost 2 hours, while he watched football on TV and the kiddos played. There are days you just need to take a day of rest and just relax. Today was a good day for it. 
How do you relax? Do you take a day of rest? 

If you are joining in with being thankful....what are you thankful for today?