My Blessings From Above

First Wild Card Tour~Love Out Loud 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself and Loving Others

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0000

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:

Joyce Meyer

and the book:

Love Out Loud: 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself, and Loving Others

FaithWords (November 2, 2011)

***Special thanks to Sarah Reck, Web Publicist | FaithWords & Center Street | Hachette Book Group, for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than eighty inspirational books, including The Secret to True Happiness, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life, the entire Battlefield of the Mind family of books, her first venture into fiction with The Penny, and many others. She has also released thousands of audio teachings, as well as a complete video library. Joyce’s Enjoying Everyday Life radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

Visit the author's website. Visit the author's twitter. Visit the author's Facebook.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Jesus said, "You must love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." - Luke10:27

If one had to choose a single verse in the Bible that is a formula for successful living, this would be the one to live by, says Joyce Meyer: love God, yourself and others - in that order.

Many Christians get mixed up about love. They know they should love God and others, but many do not understand that loving oneself is one-third of God's equation. They mistakenly think of it as selfishness or self-aggrandizement.

Joyce Meyer believes that this misconception is one of the greatest pitfalls in the Christian journey. Loving oneself in a balanced, healthy manner is essential in order to have healthy relationships with God, ourselves and others.

Drawing upon her previous work and teaching series as well as original devotions, the author of Power Thoughts examines the three loves that we've been commanded to exhibit.

Product Details:

List Price: $16.99

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: FaithWords (November 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446538477
ISBN-13: 978-0446538473

AND NOW...Press the Browse Button to Read THE FIRST CHAPTER:

My Thoughts:

Love Out Loud is a wonderful little devotional. Each devotion is short, just one page. Each day starts out with a Bible verse and then a commentary about that verse. At the bottom of each page is a short prayer for Loving God, Loving Yourself or Loving Others. The commentary is meaty and gives you much food for thought that you can ponder over though out your day. The Love Out Loud devotional would make a wonderful gift.

disclosure: I was given a copy of Love Out Loud as a member of First Wild Card for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions in this post and on this blog are my own.

Still here!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Is anyone still out there? I know I have woefully neglected my blog over the past month or so! I have been busy packing and packing and packing for our move! We are nearing the finish (not that I am anywhere near finished packing) and will be in our new home in about a week! YAY!

Have I mentioned that we have entirely too much STUFF?! We do. Guess what is on my reading list for the next few weeks as we figure out where to put all our stuff? Books on organizing!

My brother Jake recommended the book Organizing from the Inside Out and on my Kindle I have Organized Simplicity (I was so excited to pick this up for free a couple of weeks ago from Amazon!) I also have One Bite at A Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. I think that will be enough reading to get me started on the path to organizing!

Oh and I have been letting many things go. I took a carload of items to the thrift store on Monday and I have another carload ready to go at the end of the week!

I have so many ideas swirling around in my brain for the new house and we are beyond excited to be moving to a home with more space! Once we get settled I’ll take you on a little tour.

We are thankful that the weather has been very mild here for our move!

Over the next week or so I won’t be posting too much here on the blog. I do have a couple of reviews due and will have those up. For now though I’ll be pretty scarce! Thank you so much for sticking around!

Unhallowed Ground~Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:17:00 +0000

Unhallowed Ground is the fourth book in the Hugh de Singleton series. If you are a fan of this series by Mel Starr you won’t be disappointed!

Hugh de Singleton is bailiff to Sir Gilbert in addition to being a surgeon and a detective in 14th century Bampton, England. Hugh and Katie are now married. (Hugh and Katie met and courted in the previous book A Trail of Ink) Thomas atte Bridge has apparently committed suicide. Hugh is not so sure and finds clues that seem to point to murder and not suicide.

I really enjoy the characters in these stories. They are very well thought out. Mel Starr has done an excellent job in researching the time period and I really enjoy reading about medieval England. I really like the 5 page glossary in the front of the book to help with terms that may be unfamiliar to the reader.

I am also excited to know there will be a 5th book in this series! As I mentioned these books are a series but are easily read as a stand alone book. If you love the medieval time period along with some mystery and suspense you won’t be disappointed!

Read an excerpt of Unhallowed Ground here.

disclosure: I received a copy of Unhallowed Ground from Kregel Publications for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions in this post and on this blog are my own.

First Wild Card Tour~Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries)

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lori Copeland

and the book:

Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries)

Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori Copeland is the author of more than 90 titles, both historical and contemporary fiction. With more than 3 million copies of her books in print, she has developed a loyal following among her rapidly growing fans in the inspirational market. She has been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. In 2000, Lori was inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame. She lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband, Lance, and their three children and five grandchildren.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This new romance from bestselling author Lori Copeland portrays God’s miraculous provision when none seems possible. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more adventure than Tom Curtis is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter with God in charge.

1892—Mae Wilkey’s sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can’t recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.

Tom can’t remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he’s a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0736930191

ISBN-13: 978-0736930192

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Dwadlo, North Dakota, 1892

The winter of ’92 is gonna go down as one of the worst Dwadlo’s ever seen,” Hal Murphy grumbled as he dumped the sack of flour he got for his wife on the store counter. “Mark my words.” He turned toward Mae Wilkey, the petite postmistress, who was stuffing mail in wooden slots.

“Spring can’t come soon enough for me.” She stepped back, straightening the row of letters and flyers. She didn’t have to record Hal’s prediction; it was the same every year. “I’d rather plant flowers than shovel snow any day of the week.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hal nodded to the store owner, Dale Smith, who stood five foot seven inches with a rounded belly and salt-and-pepper hair swept to a wide front bang. “Add a couple of those dill pickles, will you?” Hal watched as Dale went over to the barrel and fished around inside, coming up with two fat pickles.

“That’ll fix me up.” Hal turned his attention back to the mail cage, his eyes fixed on the lovely sight. “Can’t understand why you’re still single, Mae. You’re as pretty as a raindrop on a lily pad.” He sniffed the air. “And you smell as good.”

Smiling, Mae moved from the letter boxes to the cash box. Icy weather may have delayed the train this morning, but she still had to count money and record the day’s inventory. “Now, Hal, you know I’d marry you in a wink if you weren’t already taken.” Hal and Clara had been married forty-two years, but Mae’s usual comeback never failed to put a sparkle in the farmer’s eye. Truth be, she put a smile on every man’s face, but she wasn’t often aware of the flattering looks she received. Her heart belonged to Jake Mallory, Dwadlo’s up-and-coming attorney.

Hal nodded. “I know. All the good ones are taken, aren’t they?”

She nodded. “Every single one. Especially in Dwadlo.”

The little prairie town was formed when the Chicago & North Western Railroad came through five years ago. Where abundant grass, wild flowers, and waterfalls had once flourished, hundreds of miles of steel rail crisscrossed the land, making way for big, black steam engines that hauled folks and supplies. Before the railroad came through, only three homesteads had dotted the rugged Dakota Territory: Mae’s family’s, Hal and Clara’s, and Pauline Wilson’s.

But in ’87 life changed, and formerly platted sites became bustling towns. Pine Grove and Branch Springs followed, and Dwadlo suddenly thrived with immigrants, opportunists, and adventure-seeking folks staking claims out West. A new world opened when the Dakota Boom started.

Hal’s gaze focused on Mae’s left hand. “Jake still hasn’t popped the question?”

Mae sighed. Hal was a pleasant sort, but she really wished the townspeople would occupy their thoughts with something other than her and Jake’s pending engagement. True, they had been courting for six years and Jake still hadn’t proposed, but she was confident he would. He’d said so, and he was a man of his word—though every holiday, when a ring would have been an appropriate gift, that special token of his intentions failed to materialize. Mae had more lockets than any one woman could wear, but Jake apparently thought that she could always use another one. What she could really use was his hand in marriage. The bloom was swiftly fading from her youth, and it would be nice if her younger brother, Jeremy, had a man’s presence in his life.

“Be patient, Hal. He’s busy trying to establish a business.”

“Good lands. How long does it take a man to open a law office?”

“Apparently six years and counting.” She didn’t like the uncertainty but she understood it, even if the town’s population didn’t. She had a good life, what with work, church, and the occasional social. Jake accompanied her to all public events, came over two or three times a week, and never failed to extend a hand when she needed something. It was almost as though they were already married.

“The man’s a fool,” Hal declared. “He’d better slap a ring on that finger before someone else comes along and does it for him.”

“Not likely in Dwadlo,” Mae mused. The town itself was made up of less than a hundred residents, but other folks lived in the surrounding areas and did their banking and shopping here. Main Street consisted of the General Store, Smith’s Grain and Feed, the livery, the mortuary, the town hall and jail (which was almost always empty), Doc Swede’s office, Rosie’s Café, and an empty building that had once housed the saloon. Mae hadn’t spotted a sign on any business yet advertising “Husbands,” but she was certain her patience would eventually win out.

With a final smile Hal moved off to pay for his goods. Mae hummed a little as she put the money box in the safe. Looking out the window, she noticed a stiff November wind snapping the red canvas awning that sheltered the store’s porch. Across the square, a large gazebo absorbed the battering wind. The usually active gathering place was now empty under a gray sky. On summer nights music played, and the smell of popcorn and roasted peanuts filled the air. Today the structure looked as though it were bracing for another winter storm. Sighing, Mae realized she already longed for green grass, blooming flowers, and warm breezes.

After Hal left Mae finished up the last of the chores and then reached for her warm wool cape. She usually enjoyed the short walk home from work, but today she was tired—and her feet hurt because of the new boots she’d purchased from the Montgomery Ward catalog. On the page they had looked comfortable with their high tops and polished leather, but on her feet they felt like a vise.

Slipping the cape’s hood over her hair, she said goodbye to Dale and then paused when her hand touched the doorknob. “Oh, dear. I really do need to check on Pauline again.”

“How’s she doing?” The store owner paused and leaned on his broom. “I noticed she hasn’t been in church recently.”

Dale always reminded Mae of an owl perching on a tree limb, his big, dark blue eyes swiveling here and there. He might not talk a body’s leg off, but he kept up on town issues. She admired the quiet little man for what he did for the community and respected the way he preached to the congregation on Sundays.

How was Pauline doing? Mae worried the question over in her mind. Pauline lived alone, and she shouldn’t. The elderly woman was Mae’s neighbor, and she checked on her daily, but Pauline was steadily losing ground.

“She’s getting more and more fragile, I’m afraid. Dale, have you ever heard Pauline speak of kin?”

The small man didn’t take even a moment to ponder the question. “Never heard her mention a single word about family of any kind.”

“Hmm…me neither. But surely she must have some.” Someone who should be here, in Dwadlo, looking after the frail soul. Mae didn’t resent the extra work, but the post office and her brother kept her busy, and she really didn’t have the right to make important decisions regarding the elderly woman’s rapidly failing health.

Striding back to the bread rack, she picked up a fresh loaf. Dale had private rooms at the back of the store where he made his home, and he was often up before dawn baking bread, pies, and cakes for the community. Most folks in town baked their own goods, but there were a few, widowers and such, who depended on Dale’s culinary skills. By this hour of the day the goods were usually gone, but a few remained. Placing a cherry pie in her basket as well, she called, “Add these things to my account, please, Dale. And pray for Pauline too.”

Nodding, he continued sweeping, methodically running the stiff broomcorn bristles across the warped wood floor.

The numbing wind hit Mae full force when she stepped off the porch. Her hood flew off her head and an icy gust of air snatched away her breath. Putting down her basket, she retied the hood before setting off for the brief walk home. Dwadlo was laid out in a rather strange pattern, a point everyone agreed on. Businesses and homes were built close together, partly as shelter from the howling prairie winds and partly because there wasn’t much forethought given to town planning. Residents’ homes sat not a hundred feet from the store. The whole community encompassed less than five acres.

Halfway to her house, snowflakes began swirling in the air. Huddling deeper into her wrap, Mae concentrated on the path as the flakes grew bigger.

She quickly covered the short distance to Pauline’s. The dwelling was little more than a front room, tiny kitchen, and bedroom, but she was a small woman. Pauline pinned her yellow-white hair in a tight knot at the base of her skull, and she didn’t have a tooth in her head. She chewed snuff, which she freely admitted was an awful habit, but Mae had never heard her speak of giving it up.

Her faded blue eyes were as round as buttons, and no matter what kind of day she was having, it was always a new one to her, filled with wonders. Her mind wasn’t what it used to be. She had good and bad days, but mostly days when her moods changed as swift as summer lightning. She could be talking about tomatoes in the garden patch when suddenly she would be discussing how to spin wool.

Mae noted a soft wisp of smoke curling up from the chimney and smiled. Pauline had remembered to feed the fire this afternoon, so this was a good day.

Unlatching the gate, she followed the path to the front porch. In summertime the white railings hung heavy with red roses, and the scent of honeysuckle filled the air. This afternoon the wind howled across the barren flower beds Pauline carefully nurtured during warmer weather. Often she planted okra where petunias should be, but she enjoyed puttering in the soil and the earth loved her. She brought fresh tomatoes, corn, and beans to the store during spring and summer, and pumpkins and squash lined the railings in the fall.

In earlier days Pauline’s quilts were known throughout the area. She and her quilting group had made quite a name for themselves when Dwadlo first became a town. Four women excelled in the craft. One had lived in Pine Grove, and two others came from as far away as Branch Springs once a month to break bread together and stitch quilts. But one by one the women had died off, leaving Pauline to sew alone in her narrowing world.

Stomping her boots on the porch, Mae said under her breath, “I don’t mind winter, Lord, but could we perhaps have a little less of it?” The only answer was the wind whipping her garments. Tapping lightly on the door, she called, “Pauline?”

Mae stepped back and waited to hear the shuffle of feet. Pauline used to answer the door in less than twenty seconds. It took longer now. Mae made a fist with her gloved hand and banged a little harder. The wind howled around the cottage eaves. She closed her eyes and prayed that Jeremy had remembered to stack sufficient firewood beside the kitchen door. The boy was generally responsible, and she thanked God every day that she had him to lean on. He had been injured by forceps during birth, which left him with special needs. He was a very happy fourteen-year-old with the reasoning power of a child of nine.

A full minute passed. Mae frowned and tried the doorknob. Pauline couldn’t hear herself yell in a churn, but she might also be asleep. The door opened easily, and Mae peeked inside the small living quarters. She saw that a fire burned low in the woodstove, and Pauline’s rocking chair sat empty.

Stepping inside, she closed the door and called again. “Pauline? It’s Mae!”

The ticking of the mantle clock was the only sound that met her ears.

“Pauline?” She lowered her hood and walked through the living room. She paused in the kitchen doorway.

“Oh, Pauline!”

Review coming soon…….

disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for posting about it on my blog. No other compensation was received.

More Children’s books, Games and DVD’s for Sale on my sale blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:35:00 +0000

I’m busy sorting through items and getting rid of what I don’t want! There is a lot! I just added more to my sale blog! Come take a look!

http://michelessaleblog.blogspot.com/

More Children’s Books for Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:31:00 +0000

I have added more children’s books for sale over on my sale blog! Come take a look! There will be more to come!

http://michelessaleblog.blogspot.com/

Organized Simplicity by Tish Oxenreider~Free for Kindle!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:12:00 +0000

Currently Amazon is offering Organized Simplicity by Tish Oxenreider free for Kindle devices! I’m not sure how long Amazon will offer this for free so might want to go snag it!

Remember if you don’t have a Kindle you can download the Kindle for PC app to your computer!

Happy Reading!

My Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I’ve posted this song before but it really resonates with me.

2012 Goals~Read 24 Non-fiction books

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In 2011 I read 40 books as part of the reading challenges I participated in. I love to read and I am rarely without a book or two going.

This year I decided to change things up a bit with my reading. I have decided not to participate in any reading challenges this year and instead have given myself a challenge to read 24 non-fiction books in 2012. You see I love to read fiction and do not read enough non-fiction. I will also be reading non-fiction (I will be sharing that list in a future post) and will continue to review books throughout the year.

Here are the books I have chosen in no particular order.

One Thousand Gifts: Daring to Live Fully Right Where You are ~ Ann Voskamp
Saved Without A Doubt ~ John MacArthur
A Modern Girls Guide to Bible Study ~ Jennifer Hatmaker
One Million Arrows: Raising Your Children to Change the World ~ Julie Ferwerda
Kisses From Katie ~ Katie Davis
After Homeschool ~ Tamra B. Orr
Educating the Whole-Hearted Child ~ Clay & Sally Clarkson
The Ministry of Motherhood ~ Sally Clarkson
Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners ~ Cindy West
Lies Homeschool Moms Believe ~ Todd Wilson
Don’t Make Me Come Up There: Ouiet Moments for Busy Moms ~ Kristen Welch
One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler ~Tish Oxenreider
A Pocketful of Pinecones ~ Karen Andreola
Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home ~ Elizabeth Foss
Life Books: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child ~ Beth O’Malley
Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn From Them ~ Liz Curtis Higgs
What Women Fear: Walking in Faith that Transforms ~ Angie Smith
Letters to Children ~ C.S. Lewis
Enough: Contentment in an Age of Excess ~ Will Samson
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ~ Rebecca Skloot
Lessons At The Blackberry Inn: Adventures with the Gentle Art of Learning ~ Karen Andreola
When I Lay My Isaac Down ~ Carol J Kent
Loving Living Math~Cindy West
Notebooking Success

How about you? Do you have reading goals for 2012? Please share them in the comments!

Books for Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Come on over and visit my sale blog! I am clearing off my homeschool shelves in anticipation of our move in a few weeks! I have listed a ton of children’s books with more to come!

Michele’s Sale Blog

The Shadow of Your Smile~Review

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:09:00 +0000

The Shadow Of Your Smile

About the book:

A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

My Thoughts:

The Shadow of Your Smile is part of the Deep Haven series. The story is set in the small town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. Noelle and Eli Hueston have been married for twenty five years. They have three children, two sons and a daughter and a marriage that is falling apart and headed for a divorce.

Their daughter Kelsey was murdered in a robbery three years prior and as a result of that tragedy their family has slowly been torn apart.

Noelle stops for coffee on her way home from Duluth. No one knew she was headed out of town. The convenience store she stopped at ends up being robbed by two men at gunpoint. Noelle manages to escape the robbers but falls and hits her head during her escape and winds up in the hospital.

When she awakens from a coma, she has amnesia. She does not remember being married to Eli or having children. Noelle thinks she is still in college pursuing her art degree. She is shocked to realize that she has grown sons and a husband. Her family is shocked to realize that she does not remember them at all.

Eli takes Noelle home and she has to pretty much start her life over. A clean slate. Can they save their marriage? Does Noelle regain her memory? Do the memories of the tragedy that tore their family apart destroy the new start they have?

Wow! What a fantastic book! I was hooked after reading the first page! I know you think I am just saying that, but this book just drew me in! The characters are so believable and multi-faceted. Susan May Warren has a style of writing that just draws the reader into the story and makes you feel you are right there with the characters.

I give this book a 5 star rating!

Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren!

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

2012 Goals~Read through the Bible in a year.

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

I mentioned back in my 2012 Goals post about breaking my goals down into manageable sized bites. My first goal on my list is to read through the Bible in a year. This goal was on my list in 2011 as well.

This year I plan to finish what I have started! I have been reading the Bible each day for sometime now. Usually only a chapter each day. I know….my reading is very slow. I am up to the book of Job.

Since the start of the new year I have been reading at least 3 chapters a day. I plan to increase the amount I read each day until I finish later in the year! I will accomplish my goal.

In doing my own personal reading though the Bible in a year I decided that we needed to have this goal for the boys as well.

Instead of reading it ourselves we are listening to the Bible though Gospel.com which is linked with Bible Gateway. The chapters are listed with links to the audio for each day of the year. We are using the NIV translation. If you prefer a different translation, you can go here to choose a different one (there are many to choose from) and how you would like to read, from the beginning, chronological, historical, old to new or new to old. I am so excited to be doing this with the boys!

Do you have plans to read though the Bible this year? I would love to hear how you plan to reach your goal!

Amanda Bennett~Instant Replay Weekend Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Through today, January 8th at 11:59pm you can still purchase any of the units from the 12 days of Christmas sale at the sale price!

The Keeper~Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:18:00 +0000

The Keeper Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the book:

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

My Thoughts:

Come to Stoney Ridge Pennsylvania and meet all of the wonderful characters in this story! You will meet the Lapp family. They live on Windmill Farm. There is Julia and her sisters Sadie and MK (aka Mary Kate), their brother Menno and their father Amos. You will also meet Fern the housekeeper recently come from Ohio to help out while Amos is recovering from his heart attack.

Then there is The Bee Man Roman Troyer who travels though the Amish communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania renting his bees to the farmers in need of pollinators. Julia really has her heart set to marry Paul Fisher, but it looks like hope is dwindling when Paul sees how appealing the bachelor life is that Roman is leading.

This book hooked me on the first page! It really did! It just drew me in! The characters seem real and so believable. The writing is witty and fast-paced. I really enjoy Suzanne Woods Fisher’s writing style. Parts of this story had me laughing out loud! Her writing is very refreshing! If you are a fan of contemporary Amish fiction you will love this story!

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher! Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper!

During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

disclosure: I received a copy of this book as a member of the Litfuse blogger team for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions in this post and this blog are my own.

Goal-Setting for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Each year at the start of the new year I make a list of goals I want to reach during that particular year. I really don’t care for the word resolutions because I never seem to stick with those. Goals seem more attainable for some reason.

Each year though I have the idea that I will blog about my goals each month and what I have accomplished (or not). Seeing it written down in black and white can be very motivating. Seeing that you are making progress gives you the desire to not give up but continue on. However, each year I pretty much fail to write down what I have accomplished and thus I really cannot see how far I’ve come, if I have actually reached any of my goals or not. Which is not motivating at all.

So this year I have decided to do things a bit differently. I am going to follow Money Saving Mom’s advice and break my goals down into monthly pieces. I will probably go as far as breaking them down even further into weekly goals. I like this idea so much better then the method I was using. I think going this route will be much more productive and beneficial to not only me but the way I manage and keep our home.

Here is my master list of goals for 2012. I will be sharing more about them in the next week or so.

My Goals for 2012

Personal
Read through the Bible in one year (this is a goal I have been working on since last year and I intend to finish it this year)
Read at least 25 non-fiction books (I will be sharing my list later in the week
Get enough rest- 7-8 hours of sleep each day
Exercise each day
Read 24 non-fiction books
Read
Listen to 12 audiobooks
Create 12 craft projects
Work throughout the year on Christmas gifts
Improve my photography skills
Start a Project life type of album
Memorize scripture (I will be sharing more about this in a future post)

Marriage
Pray daily for Larry
Plan one date night a month
Watch a movie together once a month
Read aloud together

Children/Homeschooling
Pray daily for my children
Be present with my children
Be intentional with my children
Read through the Bible in one year (more to come about this)
Memorize scripture The 23rd Psalm and the Apostles
Creed
Finish 20 read-aloud books
Plan a fun activity each week
Play more board games
Plan more hands on science
Plan on family field trip per month

Kitchen/Home keeping
Learn to make more types of Korean dishes
Hang a clothes line outside at the new house
Declutter the house of 1/4 of what we have before we move at the end of January.
Do more freezer cooking
Create a monthly cleaning/cooking plan
Create a warm/inviting home
Organize my new home

Friendship/Family
Pray regularly for friends and family
Plan more get togethers with family and friends
Be more hospitable
Be generous-bless someone
Write at least 2 letters/cards to someone each month

Blogging
Be more consistent with my blogging endeavors
Post about topics I enjoy and love
Find more free and frugal items to share with my readers
Grow my blog
Continue with my reviews-only choose those items I really want to review
Create a weekly blog plan

Finances
Pray about our finances
Tithe 10% (we started this in late 2011)
Give generously as much as we can
Convert to using cash only at the grocery store (currently we use a debit card)
Continue our journey to becoming debt free
Save for our late summer/fall vacation
Utilize more coupons
Use what we have before running out and buying something new

Do you make goals each year? Do you find you follow through with your goals or resolutions?

Amanda Bennett~January 3rd

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:19:00 +0000

How about some biographies? Today you can pick up these interesting people in history!

Amanda is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7!

Go here for your chance to win!

Amanda Bennett~1/1/12

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Today’s great unit study deals is: Seasons!

Amanda Bennett is giving away an iPad2 on January 7th. Go here to sign up!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:54:00 +0000

2011 is now but a memory? 2012. A new year, a fresh start, clean slate.

I like the start of a new year. New possibilities, new adventures and even new struggles.

Starting the new year is like opening a brand new spiral notebook. The pages are empty and waiting to be filled. The anticipation of new things to come. Many of us make Resolutions. I prefer to make Goals. Resolutions never seem to work for me. I don’t stick with them. Goals seem more attainable.

I wonder where God will lead me this year. I’m sure in a direction I may not be expecting. More than likely in a direction opposite to what I have planned.

We had so many blessings in 2011. We have been struggling with debt these last couple of years and we are finally making some headway. We have paid off a couple of debts and are working on some others. We have not used a credit card for two years now!Larry has been working and for that we are thankful when many have lost jobs due to the economy.

We have made new friends and have grown closer closer to our best friends.

We have spent more time with family and realize more and more the importance of our family and friends in our lives.

We have learned to be content with what we have and not worry about what we don’t have or what we perceive as others having more. We are rich in family and friends and that is something money can never buy.

For 2012 I am doing things a bit different. I will be sharing my goals in a post later this coming week. I have chosen my word of the year and have been pondering its meaning for the last couple of days and how it applies to my life and what God would have me learn this year.

I will be sharing my thoughts on these things and then some. But for today I am going to just dwell on this new year, 2012 and pray about the direction in which God is leading me.

I wish each and everyone of you a wonderful and prosperous 2012.

Amanda Bennett~December 30th

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Why not travel the world with these bargain unit studies! You still have time to purchase these at a discount! Sale ends 11:59 pm Mountain!

Elementary

Expedition Mexico $3.00

Expedition Canada $4.00

Expedition Africa $4.00

Expedition China $4.00

Passport United Kingdom, Scout $5.00

Passport France, Scout $5.00

Junior/Senior High

Passport United Kingdom, Explorer $5.00

Passport France, Explorer $5.00

Amanda Bennett is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th. Go here to sign up!

Amanda Bennett~December 29th

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0000

Football Frenzy $3

Simply Soccer $4

Handsome Horses $4

Baseball $5

Auto Racing $5

Amanda Bennett is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th! Be sure to sign up for your chance to win!

Free Audiobook!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Through December 31st you can get a free copy of When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper from Christian Audio. Add it to your cart and then use coupon code DG1211 at check out!

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

::Right Now::

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:24:00 +0000

I saw this over at Candace’s blog and I thought I would post my own version here.

Right now I am…..

thinking I really should get dressed
realizing we are moving in a month and I need to get packing….literally!
looking at the pile of dishes that need doing and wishing I had a dishwasher fairy! (Oh I am the dish washing fairy-I forgot)
thinking about the pile of items on my bed that need to be sorted, organized and packed
thinking I need to do a major declutter before we pack
will be glad when the shelf paper is all in at the new house (we worked on this yesterday)
thankful to my mom and aunt who helped me with said shelf paper yesterday
excited and nervous about moving
wondering where all of this stuff came from?
thinking we should just leave all of our stuff for the new homeowner and let her sort it all out?
thinking the boys have too many toys and realizing that they do not want to part with hardly any of them…..sigh….
thankful that God gives me grace that I don’t deserve each and every day
thinking I need to do something special for my dear husband who works so hard for us
planning to buy myself a Kindle fire with out actually spending any money out of pocket. Oh how I love you swagbucks and Amazon!
thinking I guess I need to take the tree down soon. Nah…maybe I’ll leave it up another week
needing to make up a new planner and notebook to keep track of everything I need to do in the next month
trying not to be overwhelmed by previous item on this list!
praying our move will work out and our current house inspection and sale will go through without a hitch (all prayers are appreciated!)
thinking I really do need to grocery shop!
should cook more
and eat out less
should eat healthy
having too many thoughts of moving on my mind

the end!

Amanda Bennett Unit Studies~ 12/28

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Todays Sale!

American Adventures!

Constitution Celebration $3.00

Ben Franklin $4.00

American Government $5.00

Election 2012 $5.00

Amanda is giving away an iPad2 on January 7th! Go sign up for your chance to win!

Keeping a Family Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Last year we started keeping a family journal. It is a way for us to record our days, both the big events and the small everyday things that occur. It is fun to look back and read about vacations we have taken, birthdays or just a fun day or feeling we had. We don’t always write in them each day, but try to write something once a week.

Our Family Journal

I use a regular composition book. You can find them just about anywhere, the Dollar Store, Wal-Mart or Target even the drug store. I buy them during the back to school sales and get them for about 25 cents each.

I used scrapbooking paper I had on hand and Mod Podged it onto our journal. I gave the boys stickers to decorate it and we were all set to start recording our memories!

I encourage the boys to use pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers. What ever they would like to use. They can also draw or cut out a picture to add to their journal entries. The more creative the better.

This particular page was about Kaden’s 6th birthday this past year. He got his first pillow pet a turtle, which he immediately named Gumball. We each wrote about Kaden’s birthday.

Kaden drew a picture of Gumball. He narrated what his favorite part of his birthday was and I wrote it in the journal. I also wrote my favorite part and Justin drew a picture of his favorite part, the Lego cake!

It has been so fun to read what they have written or drawn and it will be fun to look back over the years and see how we grow and change as a family.

For 2012 I am making these Mama & Me journals for both boys that I found at Mamma Jenn’s blog . I thought it would be fun to become pen pals with them. She has a girl version and a boy version you can download at the bottom of her post.

I love the letter that she included in her journal and I plan on using it in our journals.

“Dear ****, Would you like to be pen pals? I thought it would be fun! Instead of mailing letters to each other, we’ll keep them in this notebook.

I will write to you, and leave the notebook on your bed. Then, when you want to write me back, you write on the next page and leave the notebook on my bed. You can write anything you like. It can be funny or serious or anything you want to write. Sound like fun?

Love,

Mom
P.S. Write back soon!”

This will be a fun way to get the boys to write (sneaky, sneaky) and share their thoughts and feelings at the same time!

Do you keep a journal? How to capture those memories to remember in years to come?

Amanda Bennett Unit Studies Sale 12/27~$3, $4, $5

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:07:00 +0000

All of the following unit studies are on sale today only! We have done Terrific Tigers and I have to say it is by far one of our favorites we have done from Amanda Bennett. You can read our review here and here.

Sunny Seashells $3

Astonishing Animals $4

Creation Camouflage $4

Goofy Gecko $4

Dolphin Days $4

Whale Tales $4

Terrific Tigers $4

Dogs $5

Horses $5

Amanda is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th. Be sure to sign up! Go here!