Gratitude

I'm grateful that today is the last day of NaNo WriMo and that I finished the challenge! 

I'm also grateful that I can use my son's laptop while my husband is working on our main computer. 

And I'm grateful that my husband knows how to fix almost anything!

Countdown To Christmas Swag and Advent Activities

Last year we started the tradition of advent and a daily gift or family activity.  I set up a swag using things I had on hand.  Here is how it works. 

I numbered tags from 1 - 27 since we started our countdown on Sunday.  I had the children hang a small ornament with each tag.

We will take one ornament off each evening and hang it on the Christmas tree.

I planned one activity or gift for each night. 

We read our devotion and then we get to remove the ornament for the day and open a gift or card.

The advent gifts waiting to be opened

I used some nice paper and stickers that I had to make the cards look more festive.  The children will take turns choosing the card or opening the gift.  The cards list an activity on the inside.  We decorated the Christmas tree the first night and tonight we will set up the Nativity scene.

I'll list our activities and gifts in case you want some ideas.  I wrapped whatever we would need for craft night, etc.  The more gifts to open the better!  Everything in the photos below ended up wrapped and placed on the gift shelves to keep the children guessing what each night will bring. 

1. Decorate Christmas tree
2. Read story of Jesus' birth and set up Nativity
3. Make ornaments- pipe cleaner candy canes
4. Bake cookies and play a game
5. Gift- glow in the dark bracelets

I found these ornament craft kits at Michaels

6. Movie night
7. Ornament craft- drip paint into clear glass balls
8. Wii game night - David gets a squishy ball since he's too little to play

We found these calendars for $0.50 each.

 9. Gingerbread man craft
10. Puzzle night- David gets a toddler puzzle

We don't let the children eat sweets very often so candy is a big surprise!

11. Game night- David gets a wooden car to play with
12. Treat night vanilla wafers and special tea
13. Movie night
14. Ornament craft- candy cane
15. Go look at lights and drink hot chocolate when we come home

Have you tried these teas?  Yummy!

16. Game night
17. Decorate gingerbread tree
18. Movie night and special tea
19. Treat- candy
20. Ornament craft- jingle bell candy cane

We went with the tree because houses can be difficult to put together.

21. Bake cookies to give away
22. Finish baking cookies
23. Deliver cookies to neighbors and firehouse
24. Treat- calendars
25. Game night

26. Movie night
27. Bake birthday cake for Christmas tomorrow.

I found a free Jesse tree devotional and we will got through it each night.  I have a small Christmas tree next to our advent wreath which we will decorate with the ornaments.

I think I'm as excited as the children and I know what's behind the wrapping paper.

I used to love opening one window each night on our advent calendar when I was a little girl and now I get to share that excitement with my own children!

And now I must go.  The children have had to hang out in the living room while I wrote this so they wouldn't see any surprises.

Use What You Have Advent Wreath

Gratitude

I'm grateful that I made it through my second day of T-Tapp boot camp using the total workout and I hope I can make it through two more days!  I'm also grateful that my body is shrinking and that I have to start wearing a belt with my jeans.

And I'm grateful that TerriG told me how to make the challenge photo a button!

Gratitude

You have to click here to join 'cause I can't figure out how to post a picture as a link.

I am grateful for a little bit of everything today.  A warm house, time to write each day for NaNo WriMo, Pandora streaming Christmas music, and a new month about to begin so we can start over with our budget.

Use What You Have Advent Wreath

Advent starts today.  We started using an advent wreath last year.  I was raised as a Lutheran but we are nondenominational.  I have missed some of the traditions that I grew up with so I added advent to our celebration of Christmas last year. 

I came up with this wreath out of desperation and lack of money last year.  I didn't have a candle holder wreath or even short taper holders so I looked around the house and used what I had.

2009 Wreath

This year I searched for a candle holder wreath and didn't find one so I made the same wreath I made last year and took step by step pictures this time.  I found the candles at Hobby Lobby, they were 1/2 price.  I should have bought extras for my other candle holders but I didn't think of it 'till I got home.

Supplies: candles, greenery, pie plate, something to raise a short pillar- nothing for a tall one, and play dough(clay would work better if you have some).

Step 1: Divide the play dough into four pieces and shape them into balls.  Place playdough balls at equal distances in pie plate and push candles into them.  Place pillar in center.  Muster up lots of patience for the next step.

Step 2: Add greenery.  I use my largest pieces first. 

Step 3: Move wreath to your final location and continue adding greenery.  Don't panic if your candles fall over.  Just keep working with everything until you have the greenery placed and then tighten the playdough around the candles.

Step 4:Enjoy!  Last year I added water to the pie plate to help the greenery stay fresh this year I didn't.  I might refresh the wreath with fresh cutting in a few weeks.

We will be setting up our Nativity set Monday night as one of our countdown activities.  I found a plaster paint it yourself set last year and we painted it together as one of our advent gifts last year.  Please excuse my toddlers lovely artwork on the wall.  I've never had a toddler enjoy coloring the walls more than this one!

Right before bedtime I noticed that the toddler had taken all of the candles and a piece of playdough out of the wreath!  I quickly fixed it and will have a talk with him about not touching it again!

Book Review: Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

Mosab Hassan Yousef takes us on a journey through his life.  We begin with his grandfather and father and the influence they had over those around them.  He shows us how his father became an influential leader in Hamas.  He shares the hardships his family went through each time his father was put into prison which was for most of Mosab's childhood.

One day Mosab gets picked up by the Israelis and is imprisoned where he makes a deal with Israel's Internal intelligence service.  He helps to avert some of the mindless bloodshed he hates.  Mosab is able to keep his father safe and out of prison and enjoys working beside him even though he is giving intelligence to Israel.  He and his father meet with some of the most influential leaders in the region and he explains some of the major events that happened in the last few years. 

He meets a Christian one day and starts going to Bible studies which puts him on the path to eventual faith in Christ.

After many years he decides to leave his country and is now living in the United States and sharing his story with others in the hope that this new knowledge of the conflict will help to end it.

I was fascinated by this book.  It opened my eyes to many things I hadn't know about the fight over Israel and the religion of Islam.

I think Mosab is right about his understanding of the struggle over the land of Israel.  He explains it from his viewpoint which is that of the son of a high ranking Hamas leader and someone working with Israel intelligence.  He also questions everything that he believes when he begins the journey towards Christ.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to see this conflict from the inside.  I am encouraging my sons to read this book so they can understand more of our world and the conflicts different cultures can have. 

The sense of freedom Mosab says he has now that he has left his country is hard to understand because we are used to it but after taking this journey with him I understand it more.  I also appreciate the freedom I have to worship God without having to keep it a secret.

I received a free copy of the book from Tyndale in order to write this review which is my honest opinion.

Fit Mommy Friday

Join us over at Got Chai?

Not such a great week exercise wise.  I did lose 1 whole inch.  I lost .25" each from my abs, upper thighs, and right calf.  Oh, so, exciting, but at least I'm still shrinking.

Friday- BWO+, walk 30mins+
Saturday- 45 mins garden
Sunday- rest
Monday- BWO+, 1 hour wii
Tuesday- too sore and didn't feel well  
Wednesday-BWO+
Thursday- nada, besides working in the kitchen most of the morning and early afternoon

I think my new exercise goal will be to do something everyday along with my T-Tapp every other day.  My exercise choices will be gardening, walking,bike riding,  wii fit or sport.  I was going to start a 4 day T-Tapp total workout boot camp today but I'm too tired so I will attempt it tomorrow.  The last time I did the total workout was about 4 years ago.  I think it's time to try it again! 

I did attempt to go on a bike ride with the youngsters this week but all of their bikes are in need of repair so it didn't happen.  I guess I could just take the youngest two in the bike trailer but I don't like riding by myself. 

Winners!

Random.org has chosen and the winners are:
 
1. Prairiemaid
2.Heather@Marine Corps Nomads
3. Trish
4. Kimberly Kovach
5. Our Village Is A Little Bit Different

Congratulations ladies and I hope you enjoy the DVDs!

Gratitude

I'm tired today so I am grateful for my nice warm bed which I will be visiting tonight.  I'm too lazy to upload the picture that belongs with this post but you know where to go.

Last Day to Enter to Win Making Herbs Simple!

Head on over to my giveaway post.  I'll be choosing five winners tomorrow!

First Snow Family Tradition

I don't know when we started this tradition but we keep it every year*.  On our first snow day, even if it is just a few flakes, we go outside to watch the wonder of sow falling from the sky and then come back inside for a hot cup of homemade hot chocolate.

O.K., I confess, it isn't always homemade but most of the time it is.  I like to make my own hot chocolate so I can make it sugar free and use whole milk.  It is a treat but I can still make it as wholesome as possible!  I just use the recipe on the outside of the cocoa box and substitute a few scoops of stevia instead of the sugar. 

I enjoy having family traditions and hope that some of my children carry them on with their own children.  Do you have any special traditions?  Please share!

*We spent a few years living in Andalusia, Alabama and Goodyear, Arizona and couldn't keep this tradition until we moved to New Mexico.  I grew up in Orange, California which is in the southern part of the state and I didn't get to see snow very often until, as an adult, I moved to Colorado.

Gratitude: Spaghetti Madness Thursday

No, we are not having spaghetti madness tonight but it is the last thursday of the gratitude challenge and I wanted to use these pictures.  I am grateful for spaghetti madness night because the children like to prepare the sauce and noodles and it simplifies the menu planning for me. 

The older boys and I got this idea from the movie Hancock.  

Yummy!

You can't get a picture of me eating!

Gratitude: Helpers

I'm grateful for all the help the children are today.  They want to help me make pies and cranberry sauce and are helping me clean the house.

I am also thankful for free tea sample from The Bulk Herb Store.  The children are having fun sampling them each day.  We received Passionfruit flavored black tea, tropical flavored black tea, and mandarin flavored red rooibos tea.  They have liked all of them very much.  And now you know that Bulk Herb Store sells teas as well as herbs!

*Remember to enter my giveaway for Volumes 1 & 2 of Making Herbs Simple!*

Gratitude: A Week Off School

Garden of Learning Blog

I'm grateful that I decided to take this week off our homeschool.  I am getting lots of little jobs taken care of, sewing, and writing.  The children are enjoying their time off and have helped me do some extra cleaning.

I always forget how much easier it is to keep our home when I don't have to homeschool.  

Making Herbs Simple DVD Volume 1 Review and Giveaway

Inside the cover is a companion guidebook which lists herbs along with clear pictures to help with identification.  Each herb page lists description, part of herb to use, properties, where it grows, and whether or not you can grow it, uses and an interesting tidbit.  It also gives directions on preparing remedies and tinctures.

Now on to the video!

The first part shows you how to find herbs.  Shoshana takes you out to different locations to show you the herbs and where they like to grow.  She points out the characteristics of each plant to help you identify them on your own.  She also tells you how each one is used.

The next section is on using the herbs.  She demonstrates drying and storing the herbs and then teaches you how to make glycerin and alcohol tinctures.  Her mother and a friend join her in different segments and they discuss what the herbs are used for.  She also shows you how to make and apply a poultice.  She demonstrates both a garlic and a plantain poultice.

In the extras section we watch as she applies a beautiful hair treatment to her friend's hair and receive a recipe for peppermint tea.

Below is the making poultices segment from the DVD.



I enjoyed this DVD.  Shoshana explains how to find and use the herbs in an engaging, friendly manner.  The demonstrations on making tinctures and poultices show how simple and easy they are to make.  I wish I had learned about tincture making from this video instead of reading the directions from a book.  Watching someone demonstrate exactly how to do it takes the fear out of making a mistake away.

Even though I have been using herbs for over five years I still learned a few things I hadn't read about in my studies.  I have never harvested herbs from the wild but now I am more confident about my ability to identify one of the herbs Shoshana shared.

I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in learning how to use herbs.  My daughters(10, 6) watched the video with me and were interested in everything Shoshana taught about.

The Bulk Herb Store gave me 5 sets of Making Herbs Simple Volume 1 & 2 to giveaway.  You can enter to win on this post.  You can enter through Friday.  

I received a free copy of this DVD in order to write this review and I have expressed my honest opinion.

Gratitude: Late Due Date Time

Join here

Since I just finished writing up the review that was due today I am grateful that we have all day on the due date to post!

Bright Ideas Press TOS Crew Review

Bright Ideas Press let us choose what we wanted to review.  I chose Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space by Stephanie L. Redmond. 

This book teaches science from a classical perspective.  Each lesson includes additional books to read, vocabulary and Bible verses to memorize,and reproducibles to print and use.

Here is how we used the book.  At the beginning of each unit I passed out the coloring page.  We also received the student activity book digital download so I was able to print all of the resources for each lesson easily.  The coloring pages are very detailed drawings that my children enjoyed coloring.

As the children colored I read the lesson which is a few pages long and easy to understand without the usual dumbing down.  I explained anything that they didn't understand further and that was the end of day 1. 

On day 2 I reviewed vocabulary words with them and asked them to tell me what they remembered about the lesson.  We also did the activities in the side bar.

On day 3 we reviewed and wrote about the lesson in science notebooks.  On day 4 we did the experiment and day 5 we wrote about it in the notebooks.  I asked them the review questions at the end of each unit and we discussed anything they hadn't understood or forgotten.

I like this book and we will continue to use it until we have finished all of the lessons.  I think it's a great overview of the subject and we used it without further resources.  If my children are interested in a topic we can use the resource list at the end of the book to find books at the library for further reading. 

I used Earth & Space with my students who are in 1, 3, and 5th grades.  My four year old also listened and participated in the activities.  The activities were interesting to the children and helped them understand the topics.  One thing I really appreciated was that I didn't have to do a lot of extra work to use this book.  The activities used basic household items I had on hand so I didn't have to plan them well in advance. 

This is a flexible science curriculum and i think it would work for many different teaching styles.  It has all of the things I always wished science was when I was in school.

CKE Earth & Space contains 6 units covering; Getting Started(creation), The Lithosphere, The Hydrosphere, The Atmosphere, Earth's Weather, and Beyond Earth.  The units are broken down into 24 lessons which you can use at your own pace.  Each lesson is designed to be completed in one week but you could easily stretch them out if you wanted to cover the topic more in depth. The book recommends the lessons be broken up into two days but I preferred to do a little bit each day instead. 

My son Elijah had this to say when I asked him what he thought about CKE Earth and Space, "I think it was awesome!"

And my daughter said, "It was cool!". 

To purchase, visit Bright Ideas Press.  On this product page you can see the table of contents, how to use this book, and the materials list.

Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space
$29.95

Activity Book as a digital download
$12.95

Visit TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews. 

I received a free copy of CKE Earth & Space along with the student workbook in order to review this product and I have expressed my honest opinion.

Shuterfly For Christmas Cards Order

Here is the Christmas card I ordered from shutterfly.

Rejoice Lord King Religious Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Gratitude: Double Trouble

I took some photos this morning for Christmas cards.  Here's one I'm calling Double Trouble.  These two little guys are a little over two years apart and are really starting to play together.

They remind me of my first two sons who are 17 months apart.  Our children are boy, boy, boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, boy.  But only two sets of boys were close enough together to be good friends.  These guys remind me of my young mom years and also remind me of the many challenges those first two boys presented me with.  Fun little guys!

*Remember to enter my giveaway for Making Herbs Simple Two DVD Set!

Join here

Giveaway! Making Herbs Simple DVDs

I have been given five sets of the DVD Making Herbs Simple Volumes 1 and 2 by the Bulk Herb Store to give away.  I will be posting a review soon but wanted to get this giveaway started ASAP.

To win, leave a comment on this post.  For extra entries share this post on facebook, tweet it, follow me, or even blog about it.  Just leave a comment for each extra entry.

You can enter through next Friday and I will announce the winner on Saturday.

***This giveaway is sponsored by The Bulk Herb Store.***

Gratitude: First Knitting Project Finished

Join in

I'm so glad I'm finished with this washcloth.  I can't believe how long it took me to knit.  I'm grateful that I am learning to knit and now I get to make a scarf. 

Oh, this is a washcloth.  I will probably use it as a potholder instead.

Gratitude: My Bible

I'm grateful for my Bible.  My husband bought it for me as a Mother's day gift 7 years ago.  I'm grateful that it is looking cozy and worn in from use.  I'm grateful that I live in a country where I can have a Bible.  I'm grateful that every child who can read in our home has their own Bible. 

What are you grateful for today?

Join here

Fit Mommy Friday

Join up at Denise's blog, Got Chai?

Decent week, didn't shrink much.

Friday- walked 45 min
Saturday- Wii fit 30 min
Sunday- nada
Monday- T-Tapp Basic workout +(BWO+)
Tuesday- garden work 35 min
Wednesday- BWO+ and garden work 15 min
Thursday- Wii fit 30 min

I lost .25" from my bust, pecs, and right upper thigh.  It looks like taking last week off has caught up with me.  Hopefully, next week I will see some loss from my waist, abs, and hips. 

Workout notes- I noticed that my T-Tapp workout was harder this week than the last week that I did it.  I'm going to concentrate on pulling in my tummy muscles.  I think I am doing well holding my lats tight and that is why I keep losing from my upper body.

Diet notes- I still haven't introduced raw foods.  My gut is a little touchy during certain times of the month so that is why I didn't try it last week.  I'm wondering if I should stay where I am in the intro diet until my gut is fine no matter what day it is.  I might even have to go back a step or two, I'm not sure.  I'll have to do some research to find out.  I am happy that I can have some pumpkin pie type filling on Thanksgiving.  Pumpkin pie is my favorite!

One of my favorite GAPS snacks.  A baked apple with almond butter, coconut milk and cinnamon.

I guess I should do a post on the GAPS(Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet and why I am doing it.  The short reason is that I am trying to heal my gut and some stress issues.  I am feeling much better physically and mentally and my family has noticed the changes also. 

How did your week go?

Not Much Going On Here Lately, My Apologies.

I can't believe how much homeschooling, keeping a house, and writing gets in the way of my blogging!  I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately.  I'm also trying to sew, knit, and quilt a little each day. 

I am giving everyone all of next week off so hopefully I will be able to put up a few real posts. 

NaNo WriMo is sucking all of my writing out of me and there is not much left to blog with.  After this month I will continue to write but some of that writing energy will be spent on my blog instead of all of it going to stories. 

What am I writing about, you ask?  I started out putting my early days of mothering and marriage on paper and then started a goofy story about a brain.  I finished the brain story yesterday and started a series of stories about misbehaving bunnies and their mother today.  I'm writing for my captive audience(my children) now.  Someday I would like to write a tale of a Mother's progress from young woman to mother and all of the things she learns along the way about herself. 

So that is all for today.  I promised to watch 1900 House with the children and they have called me twice three four times(who's in charge anyway!) so I must go. 

Oh, and sorry for the lack of photos!

Gratitude

I'm grateful for two washer and dryer sets.  It makes life so much easier for a large family!

Gratitude Challenge

Join here

I'm grateful for this challenge because it makes me think of everything I am grateful for.  I like thinking about the less obvious things I value each day.  There are so many I'm sure we could do this for a full year and still find more to think of. 

Each day brings a different perspective to my life and I see new things that I am happy to have as a part of my life that I hadn't noticed before.  Be grateful, that's such an easy thing to tell someone but to truly think of the many things in your life to be grateful for changes your perspective.