Carter Chaos

A Little Fun....and Movies Too!

2012-01-26T15:34:00.000-06:00

Do you use Redbox? We do. We love renting the newest movies for a little more than a $1 a night. We don't get to go to the movie theater much anymore so as soon as Apple and Speedy realize a movie is on DVD, they can't wait to get their hands on it! We love to rent a movie before we buy it to make sure it's one we will allow them to watch again and again. It's also hard to beat the convenience of Redbox. We have 3 kiosks within 3 miles of our house so they're easy to pick up and drop off. I also love my Redbox app on my smartphone to check to see if the movie we want is available before we drive to the nearest location.

Now I'm not a big watcher of the movie awards that happen around this time of year but I'm sure a lot of you are. Redbox has a fun new Facebook game called Redbox Movie Awards. This little app is easy to use, fun, and you could win FREE Redbox rentals for 1 month, 2 or even 3 years! WOW! What a great deal that would be! The game is simple, you select pick your choices for the upcoming movie awards. I just played and it only took me a few minutes to complete! Use this link to play!

Smiley360 and Redbox are graciously giving away 1 night DVD rentals to 3 Carter Chaos readers! Fill out the simple Rafflecopter form below for your chance at one of these codes! Please read the disclaimer at the bottom of the form and follow the rules!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun Pretzel Snacks

2012-01-25T14:40:00.000-06:00

With our resolution to have a healthier lifestyle as a family, I've had to become a little more creative in our snack times. Since we are only eating dessert one time a week as a family, we've needed more healthy snacks to fill that void. Fresh fruits and veggies are terrific but we have to spice it up a little more than that to keep the kids involved. They've been so good natured about the lack of dessert, that I want to surprise them with fun treats and snacks. Pretzels, like the ones from Snyder's, are great snacks and healthy too.

Since my kids are still fairly young and we homeschool, I like to incorporate our snacks into the themes we are studying. We try to think of snacks that correspond with the stories we're reading or subjects we're studying. Pretzels make great math manipulatives for counting or adding and subtracting. Dress up simple snacks with a little creativity! Most moms have heard of ants on a log, celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins on top, make a variation by putting peanut butter and raisins on top of pretzel sticks. Make "windows" on your child's sandwich with the square shaped pretzels. Place a grape on a pretzel for a salty/ sweet combination. For healthier yogurt covered pretzels, serve a bowl of plain yogurt with pretzel sticks for dipping. Cheese and pretzels is more fun than cheese and crackers. Pretzels are great for on the go snacking too!

It's simple and easy to engage your children with their food in a fun way. Pretzels are versatile and tasty and a healthy treat. Let your kids be creative with snack time by putting out a variety of items, inculding their favorite Snyder's pretzels, and see what they can come up with on their own. Let your children use their imaginations and see what kind of fun you can have being healthy! I think you'll be surprised by how creative they can be and how much fun they will have. Let their first "cooking" lessons be with fruit, pretzels, cheese, and veggies. Sometimes when we have a night with just the kids and I, we have a dinner made out of "snacks." Mine is usually a salad but the kids love thinking their munching on "snacks" instead of a regular meal. Pretzels, veggies, and fruit are the great makings of a meal or a snack and will keep you on track with your own healthy lifestyle.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Snyder’s of Hanover blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

My Fave Netflix Shows!

2012-01-25T11:29:00.000-06:00

Netflix is so wonderful! No commercials, we can handpick what our children watch, we can pause, start, or stop anytime we want, and it's so affordable! My personal favorite feature is that I can watch episode after episode of a show without waiting a week or a month or a season to find out what happens next! The only downside to Netflix is that occassionally we run out of things to watch! Seems impossible with all the choices but it does happen. Right now we are waiting on new episodes of several shows to be added so we can jump back into them. Just for fun I thought I'd share with you our favorite shows to watch on Netflix (maybe this will help you if you're looking for something new to enjoy!):

The very first show Hubby and I watched from episode 1 together, Law & Order SVU drew us in. We have always liked crime shows and the cast of this one got us! We love Benson and Stabler and hated Casey Novak together. We cried when Alexandra Cabot was killed (we rejoiced later! ;). It was amazing how quickly we made it through over 200 episodes. We rarely catch the newest episodes on TV since they air on Wednesday night but we look forward to the newest seasons coming to Netflix.

We actually own the first 4 seasons of The Office on DVD but we got Netflix around the time we were looking at buying season 5. Instead of buying it, we just watched it! The Office is still one of our favorite sitcoms and while I've tried to keep up with the newer episodes, it'll be so much easier when they are added to our Instant Queue. The Office will never be the same without Michael but I'm not ready to end my "relationship" with Jim and Pam just yet.

Mad Men.......that's all I can say about that.

So this one night I was whining on Facebook about being out of shows to watch and my wacky friend Randa recommended Raising Hope. I watched the first episode and decided Randa was even wackier than I though because the first episode is .....well.....pretty stupid. However I decided when I was very bored the next night to try just one more episode and it was HILARIOUS! In a very non-intelligent, redneck, this stuff could really happen and vaguely reminds me of my childhood sort of way, it is funny. I told my Mom and stepdad to watch it to see if it reminded them of my childhood too....they didn't think it was very funny. PUT YOUR SHIRT BACK ON MAWMAW!

We liked Everybody Loves Raymond so we decided to try 'Til Death. The first set of episodes are really funny. The relationship between the Woodcocks and the Starks makes the show. Then in the middle of the episode list things get wonky and shows are backwards and new characters appear out of nowhere and the Woodcocks disappear. That is one bad thing about not following shows when they appear on TV. You get lost if a show is cancelled and then brought back with a different format. We tried a couple of episodes after the Woodcocks mysteriously vanished, but the humor was gone and the storylines were lame.

Downton Abbey is a show that EVERYONE has been talking about and I refused to watch. I mean it's PBS and probably requires lots of thought, right? WRONG! This show is fantastic! I loved the 7 episodes on Netflix and I've been holding my breath from Sunday to Sunday waiting for the newest episodes. All in all this is an English soap opera set in the early 1900s but it is so good! The characters are well developed and so are the plots. Don't miss a glance, a word, or a gesture- they all mean something! The characters grow and progress from episode to episode but I'm not so quick to forget their original natures- I still think everything Edith does has spite in it! You will not be disappointed if you watch Downton Abbey. Hubby even watches with me!

We watched several episodes of 24. Let me just say, this show is much too intense to watch episode after episode. After the kids go to bed, Hubby and I like to watch a couple of hours of TV while we talk and spend time together. Most of the shows above work great to watch a couple of episodes each night. 24 does not. It's just overwhelming and honestly after the first season we were rolling our eyes. Something about watching them back to back makes all the murder, kidnapping, and intrigue just come across as silly and overdone. We may return to it someday but we left in the middle of season 2.

Law & Order, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent just don't hold a candle to SVU. Law & Order began sooooo long ago that it's funny. We just couldn't relate to the characters of those two shows like we did Benson and Stabler. In the crime genre, I also began watching Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. I love Criminal Minds and it isn't on Netflix so I thought this would be a good substitute. I knew Penelope was on this spin off too. I watched the whole thing (I think 13 episodes) and was stunned by the cliffhanger at the end. I started searching online to see if there was somewhere I could find the conclusion to the cliffhanger only......in dismay I found out it was cancelled (although I could see why) and the conclusion never aired. Sigh.....wish I would have known that before I watched them all.

Hubby has also enjoyed Top Shot, MacGyver, The A-Team, and Swamp People. I passed on those. I've enjoyed Hoarders, Hoarding: Buried Alive, and we've found tons of movies on streaming for the whole family.

Shows I would love to see added to Netflix: The Middle, Criminal Minds, Golden Girls, and Castle. Seriously Netflix, I NEED those shows! :)

What are your favorite Netflix shows and movies? We are always looking for new ones! Currently we are working our way through Bones.

Another Winner!

2012-01-23T12:47:00.000-06:00

A new winner was selected in the Purex/ Jockey giveaway! Congrats to Cheryl who will be receiving the Purex Crystals and Jockey sports bra! Thank you to everyone who has entered!

Please add carterchaosblog@gmail.com to your email account to ensure you always received our emails.

What I Learned on Pinterest this week.......

2012-01-21T15:16:00.000-06:00

How to make homemade liquid hand soap from The Farmer's Nest. I made a big ol batch using my favorite soap Lever 2000 with Aloe.

How to make Apple's bunk bed even cooler! I was inspired by Delightful Distractions. Below was how ours turned out.

How to make EASY egg mcmuffins at home from Macheesmo! We had these for dinner Wednesday night and everyone RAVED over them! So easy and so good!

I found TONS of other great ideas that I can't wait to try!!! Find me on Pinterest here!

Other exciting parts of our week:

Apple lost her other front tooth! Four down! :)

He is First, I am Second

2012-01-21T14:56:00.000-06:00

When I received I AM SECOND by Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett, I wasn't really sure what it was going to be about. I cracked it open and saw a name for each chapter. Some of the names were extremely familiar like Bethany Hamilton and Michael W. Smith but some I had never heard like Brian "Head" Welch. I started to read planning to only get through one or two chapters before going to bed. 15 chapters later I didn't want to put it down but I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore! I finished it early the next day.

The concept is simple, a group of people from different walks of life sharing their stories about how God has touched their lives. People giving their testimony of why they are second and He is first. While the concept is simple, the stories are anything but. These testimonies are gut wrenching, some familiar, and all awe inspiring. What miracles God has performed from the greatest of these to the least of these. I held my breath as I turned page after page. I cried, I laughed, I was inspired. I learned about people like "Head" Welch who was once a member of Korn. I learned more about people like Michael W. Smith. And I related in a new way to each one of them. They opened their lives (which is SO hard to do) and shared about their struggles.

What a fabulous reminder that we all struggle. We all have needed and do need the amazing saving grace of Jesus. Are you struggling? Have you always wanted to know more about the one that is called Savior? Have you wondered if any "regular" people believe in Him? Do you just need your fire for Him renewed? Read I AM SECOND, learn more about the concept and see more testimony on the website http://www.iamsecond.com/. I just watched the video on the website of Josh Turner's testimony and it is wonderful! Grab a tissue!

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

Nutrition

2012-01-13T13:14:00.000-06:00

I find it really hard to talk about nutrition with Apple. I have tried in the past to stick to the topics of the Food Pyramid and more recently MyPlate ideals. Of course as many of you know, those generic discussions aren't really enough to help my children understand how important it is to eat healthy, exercise, and take care of their bodies. Despite my best efforts I have one child that undereats and one child that overeats. Part of my reluctance to delve into these topics is due to my own self image issues. I don't want my daughter in particular to struggle in that area like I have so in the past I have thought silence was the best option.

Well our "lifestyle" goal for 2012 has made the subject all the more important. We have decided on a "special" dessert only once a week as a family. The other 6 days of the week, sweets are off the menu. I'm not keeping them in the house to avoid temptation. Now there are already places and times when my children have been given sweet snacks by others or candy as a treat at church. I'm not harping on those events and we are taking them as they come. We did however get all the candy out of the cabinents (I am amazed at how much accumulates) and we booted the rest of the sweets out as well. Now I'm really proud of how well the kids have been doing with it. It has led to lots of talks about food and what is good for us vs what isn't good for us.

I think the most interesting thing for me is that the word I felt like God gave me for the year is so integral in this topic. Balance. It's all about balance. I probably talk about balance in reference to food at least once a day with Apple and Speedy. See I printed this really awesome list of 100 Zero/ Negative Calorie foods (I found it on Pinterest of course!) and posted it on the fridge. Now I was posting it for myself but Apple immediately read it and asked about 100 questions. The next day she was literally trying to eat all day from the list and as much of each item as she could! I talked with her about the list again and explained (again) that the list was full of good ideas for snacks BUT we have to eat more than just what is on the list AND we only eat when we are hungry even if the food is zero calorie.

I know adults that have trouble understanding these concepts so I know it's even harder for a 6 yr old and a 4 yr old. It's so important that we implement balance in our diets and the diets of our children. It's important to "eat the rainbow" and to incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables into our plate but it is JUST AS IMPORTANT that we have and our children have portions of protein, dairy, grain, and even some fat. I see a trend with parents only feeding their toddlers fruits and veggies. Those are totally necessary in every toddler diet but if you only feed your child these "zero" calorie foods then their bodies and brains will not develop properly. When Apple was little I clipped tons of feeding plans, charts, etc from magazines so that I had lots of ideas on what to feed her. As a first time mom, I needed all the help I could get. I loved seeing that she should have a little of each food group for 3 meals a day as well as 3-4 snacks throughout the day. I needed to know how much whole milk she needed and that it was okay to give her something more than fruit in her diet.

Balance. It means it's just as important to not underfeed your child as it is to not overfeed your child. Children don't belong on "diets" and we won't be putting ours on one anytime soon. Instead we are modeling and living a better lifestyle and that's what we want for Apple and Speedy too.

How do you deal with nutrition at your house?

New Year, New Lifestyle

2012-01-12T15:40:00.001-06:00

I shared some of my goals for the new year with you in a previous post. One of the biggest goals is a healthier lifestyle for our whole family which we are hoping will result in a 50 lb weight loss each for Hubby and I. In the first 12 days, I have dropped 6 lbs so I am well on my way to a slow and steady drop.

There are 2 big parts to a healthy lifestyle- diet and exercise. I have jumped back into Zumba 2 days a week and I love it as much as I did a year and a half ago! It is just so much fun! I have lots of friends (including my mom) in the class and I love our instructor! In order to properly enjoy Zumba, it is necessary to have the proper gear. I was more than thrilled when I received a special package from Jockey and Purex that contained a new sports bra and a bottle of Purex Crystals fabric softener.

Most modern exercise gear is made with moisture wicking material. Jockey Tech Terry Performance Sports bras are no exception. Did you know that traditional dryer sheets contain oil that prevents the wicking material from working properly? I didn't know that! So basically by using "regular" fabric softener or sheets with your workout gear, you are destroying the specialized fabric that keeps sweat off your skin. Purex Crystals meet this need because they don't contain oil! And if you haven't used Purex Crystals, you are totally missing out. Purex Crystals are easy to use, smell FANTASTIC, and come in 3 great scents. I will only be using Purex Crystals on my workout clothes from now on because I want to retain the moisture wicking properties.

The Jockey Tech Terry Performance sports bra is by far the best workout bra I've had. I am a well endowed girl and finding a bra that keeps the ladies in place while I jump and exercise isn't easy. This bra kept everything in place and I didn't need to tug on it or adjust it at all during the hour class. If you'd like to learn more AND for a 20% off coupon for Jockey sports bra use the link. Thanks Jockey and Purex for 2 great products!

Drum roll please..............

Would you like to win an awesome pack just like the one I received? Of course you would! One lucky reader will receive their own brand new Jockey Tech Terry sports bra AND a bottle of Purex Crystals Tropical Splash! WOOO HOOO! Follow the brand new Rafflecopter form below and TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Week of January

2012-01-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy week around the Carter household! We got back into homeschool after a lovely 3 week vacation. We started back with a short session on Monday to get back into the swing of things. While the first 2 days weren't ideal by any means, we made it through! It's been a week of new things for us......

1. We decided to implement a new disciplinary tactic. With Apple, we must always be creative and do new things. Any particular punishment only works for a short time with her. She is very smart and quickly finds a way to make the punishment ineffective. So we instituted a "Toy Time Out Box." They are so enarmored with all their new Christmas gadgets that I decided they would make wonderful tools. I took an empty tote box, put it in the laundry room, and declared it the time out toy box. Whenever the kids break a rule, begin to fight, or have a bad attitude. I pick one of their possessions to place in the box. The choice is mine. In order to get a toy back from the box, they have to exhibit good behavior by doing a chore without being asked or following the rules without being reminded. So far, so good. They like the level of "control" they have over getting the toys back. It is also very effective to just walk into their room and choose something. The rule is that they can only pick a toy that is their own when they get one out. Some days the box is practically empty. Right now it is overflowing mostly due to bad attitudes during the first two days of school. I will try to keep you informed to the effectiveness of this punishment.

2. On Monday we began our lifestyle change as a family. Smaller portions, healthier choices, more exercise, and dessert only one day a week as a family. Because we are only having dessert one day a week, it will be something special like ice cream or a homemade treat, etc. I personally have also dropped down to one Diet DP a day and eventually I hope to cut them out all together. I know they are no good for me, I just wish they didn't taste so darn good! I've already dropped 4 lbs and plan to keep it going!

3. Apple cut over 9 inches of hair off for a donation to Pantene Beautiful Lengths! She's been so patient growing it out for a donation. I was ready for it to be cut the last few weeks because it was staying so tangled. Here's her before and after! I'm so proud of her for doing this! She actually prefers her hair on the shorter side but she was concerned today that it was too short. I let her know that she is BEAUTIFUL inside and out! :)

We are BALANCING things just fine these first 5 days of January. I have tons of energy now that I'm eating cleaner and working out again (Zumba!). Today we got so much accomplished. We did homeschool, rearranged Speedy's room and sorted all his toys, cleaned mine and Hubby's room, did laundry, cooked dinner, Zumba, worked for awhile, now blogging, and still have lots of energy. I love it!

How is your January going?

Ahhh That's Easy....

2012-01-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

If you are like me, you are a busy bee! Most days I start going at 7 am and stop until 10:30 pm. Between homeschool, cleaning, cooking, blogging, working part time, etc there just aren't too many extra minutes in the day. As part of my 2012 new routine, I'm determined to wash, dry, and fold 2 loads of laundry everyday. That is the magic number for our family to stay on top of the wash and not get behind. I despise days when I need to do laundry all day because I'm chained to the washer and dryer.

Getting in 2 loads a day sounds like an easy addition but it takes time just like everything else. My new ally is the Purex Triple Action UltraPacks laundry detergent. These nifty little packets are similar to ones you use in a dishwasher, they are premeasured liquid detergent packs. When you get ready to run a load of wash just toss in a pack when you start the water. Then toss in your load and you're finished! The UltraPacks work so WELL! I have been really impressed with them. They work just as well as the regular liquid Purex and they take less time and there is NO MESS at all! They are so easy that anyone could use them! Apple occassionally helps me with the laundry and UltraPacks would definately make that easier for her.

Look for Purex UltraPacks coming in February 2012!!! Purex UltraPacks are formulated for all machines including HE.

Purex provided a free sample of their UltraPacks laundry detergent so I could write a review. However all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

Balance

2011-12-29T09:56:00.000-06:00

Ahh it is almost the New Year. I was really a grumpy person throughout the Christmas season this year. I just could not get into the spirit of things. I wanted Christmas to be over and done! I even took down the tree and all the decorations the day after Christmas. It felt so good to pack it all away. I hope this was just an off year for me and that in 2012 I will resume enjoying Christmas as my favorite time of year! Anyhow I am really looking forward to sweeping 2011 off my feet and embarking on a new year with new plans and goals!

My word for 2011 was purpose. Looking back over the year, I think we did a good job of being purposeful with our time and resources. We spent more quality time together and with others and we found activities that had a purpose other than pleasing us. We could have done more but purpose will continue to be a work in progress for us. I think our biggest accomplishment was letting go of several fluff activities and that gave us more time for purposeful activities. I also put a lot of purposeful planning into homeschool this year and it has really shown. Things have flowed smoothly even though we have become 3 in the schoolroom instead of just 2. I also "repurposed" some of the rooms and spaces into our home (like the schoolroom) and that has been a wonderful blessing to all of us.

I have been praying and listening and waiting and God has given me my word for 2012. It will be balance. I am the serious parent, the one who stays on task and tries to keep everyone else there, the one that scoffs fun for responsibility. I need to better balance that. Fun activities can be purposeful and are important not only to my health and stress level but also to the other family members. This year I hope to balance some fun with our responsibilities and also to encourage the other members of the family to do the same.

Hubby and I have set some lofty New Years goals and we will both need lots of balance to accomplish them. We are coming up with a healthier eating plan for the whole family, and he and I both are setting a goal to lose 50 lbs each. It will not be easy but after losing 30 lbs 2 years ago, I know we can do it! We also have big plans of getting our finances in order and we are praying some big things to God for Him to help us succeed in that area. The economy issues have not been kind to us and after struggling for 3 years, we need God to intercede in that area.

Balance is an important goal in every area of life, we need to learn to be balanced in our temperments, our diets, our finances, and more. Balance is also necessary in our lives as we strive to serve the Lord while living in the world.

Are you making any goals for 2012?

Still Emotionally Involved

2011-12-27T12:29:00.000-06:00

When I read When the Heart Cries, I became totally involved in the story of Hannah Lapp. Very few series grab my attention and hold onto it like the tale of Hannah, a young Amish girl who suffers a terrible attack and ends up shunned by her community. After finishing the first book in the series, I quickly scooped up the second and finished it in one night. I could barely wait for the third installment to arrive in the mail! When the Soul Mends did not disappoint. Although I was feeling very impatient in finding out Hannah's end result, Cindy Woodsmall did a terrific job of weaving the tale and leaving me guessing about Hannah's future until the very end.

What a mess things have become as Hannah is drawn to return to Owl's Perch after a frantic call from her sister Sarah. Hannah doesn't want to leave the comfort of her home and her life as a nurse and student. Hannah is quickly confronted with all the pains from her past- Paul, her Daed, Sarah, and the community that is still shunning her. How will Hannah work her painful past into her content present? How will she balance her life with Martin versus the care her sister needs? Will Hannah run away again?

The Sisters of the Quilt series is one I won't quickly forget. The stories are intriguing and well written. Cindy Woodsmall has a great voice to share the Amish community with the "Englischer" world. Pick up the series today and you won't put it down until you reach the very end!

I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.

Biblical A-Z for Littles

2011-12-27T11:36:00.001-06:00

There is nothing better to get a preschooler or kindergartner's attention than a big colorful flip board! I was so excited when I saw A is for Adam! It is a homeschooler's dream! This colorful BIG flip board book covers the alphabet from A to Z using the book of Genesis to correlate a story to each letter. Of course it begins with Adam and it goes all the way through "Z is for Zip, so quick will it be, When Jesus comes back for you and for me." Each letter is given a full size colorful illustration and a "quick guide" for discussion, verses, questions, activities, etc. If you want to expand this beyond PreK or K, there is an additional page of discussion and more for each letter.

The more I explore this teaching tool, the more excited I get! The possibilities for using this to learn are endless. This resource is perfect for homeschool, Sunday school, before bedtime devos, and more! If your child isn't quite ready to learn letters yet, use this to introduce the beautiful illustrations and stories from Genesis. With all the activities, discussion ideas, and more, this book will last you a long time. Once Speedy is reading, I will use it for daily short readings for him since the wording on the pictures is only a sentence or two.

Master Books brings us so many great homeschool resources and this is just another fine example!

I received this book for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinons are my own.

We Can All Use a Little Help....

2011-12-27T11:14:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite books of all time is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It is a terrific book and I'm constantly recommending it. When I came across Happily Ever After I was so excited to see another marriage book by Gary Chapman. I will be the first to tell you that reading books about marriage should be a constant. Marriage is not easy and if you wait until there's a problem, you're going to need a lot more than a book to help you. I'd say marriage is mostly a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and Hubby and I have had our share of each over the past 10 years.

Happily Ever After contains six steps to make your marriage successful. Mr. Chapman explores each step in length with real life stories, tips, and applications. From conflicts to intimacy to in laws, it feels like he covers it all. The conflicts chapter had to be my favorite. I think we all probably know these things but we all need reminders so we can use them. My spouse is my mate for life and I want our relationship to be at its best.

Of course the number one need in every marriage is Christ as the center and Mr. Chapman certainly understands and implements that. If I was the one doling out the advice my next would be "Love your neighbor as yourself" and as our Sunday School teacher says, your closest neighbor is your spouse. That's about the extent of good advice except read Happily Ever After and then pass it to your spouse so they can read it also.

I received this book from Tyndale Publishers for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.

Triple Action

2011-12-27T10:25:00.000-06:00

Are you looking for a laundry detergent that is easy on your wallet but tough on stains? Look no farther than Purex Triple Action! I was so excited when this bottle arrived just in time for the holidays. Apple and Speedy love to dress up for all the Christmas gatherings but they are messy eaters when there are so many desserts around! I cringe everytime they pick up a plate wearing their holiday best. However Purex Triple Action let me relax the last few weeks. It got every crumb, art mistake, and more out of their clothes. It was gentle on Apple's intricate dresses but tough on Speedy's dirty knees on his pants.

I used it for mine and Hubby's clothes too (since I throw all our clothes together) and it worked great. Generally smell is a concern after being in and out of families homes with pets, cigarette smoke, and more. This was the first holiday where I did not have to run some clothes through the wash twice. As expensive as detergent and electricity is (not to mention time) I do NOT want to do a load more than once! I was so pleased with the Triple Action.

Purex always is a great value with a price way lower than most competitors. I tried Mountain Breeze scent and thought it was fantastic but Purex offers Triple Action in several scents and varities like Natural Elements. Purex Triple Action is good for all machines including HE. Look for coupons and special sales on Purex items in your local Sunday papers.

Purex provided a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so I could write a review. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own. I love being a Purex Insider!

Little Scientists

2011-12-27T09:58:00.000-06:00

My kids take after my husband in the science department. I'm not a huge science person. I always made good grades in science but it's a little too.....messy for me! Plus I just don't think my mind operates the way "scientists" do. I found a Science cheat sheet though! World of Science is a big ol book of scientific facts based on Christian principles! It is filled with section after section of eye catching pictures and mind filling information. Given the chance, Hubby would sit and read this cover to cover!

Apple and Speedy love science. They go on walks with Hubby and learn all kinds of little intricate information about rocks and leaves and the sky. Now they can reinforce all that information with this book! While we are totally enjoying the Science co-op we are in this year, the curriculum we are using is fantastic but it isn't all inclusive since it is for a range of ages. Now when Apple asks one of intense science questions, I can look up the answer in minutes! I'm so thankful for the extensive index in the back.

World of Science is divided into section and includes science project ideas and more. Learn how sharks sense electrical signals and how the North Pole moves. This is a terrific resource for homeschoolers, families, or just those more scientifically inclined than I!

I received this book from New Leaf Publishing for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.

Emotionally Involved

2011-12-19T08:26:00.002-06:00

I love to read and there's nothing better than a great fiction story that I can fall right into. When the Heart Cries did more than draw me in, I fell into this book! I picked it up planning to read just a little and then go to bed. I stayed up past midnight finishing it! It's been a long time since I got so emotionally involved with characters. Cindy Woodsmall paints a beautiful portrait of an Amish girl who is set apart.

Although Hannah is stepping outside of the norm, she is woefully mistreated by circumstances beyond her own control. The journey that she takes emotionally and physically following her abuse is heart wrenching. The series of events that take place are so frustrating as she is met with misunderstanding after complicated misunderstanding. Just when you think it can't get any worse, new tragedies strike her family and then Hannah. Cindy Woodsmall again has done a great job of bringing you into an Amish community. This story focuses mostly on one family but you can see the influences of the bigger group.

If you looking for a fiction read that you won't be able to put down, pick up When the Heart Cries. Make sure you have a few hours to finish it!

I received this book for the purpose of review from Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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Really?!?!?!

2011-12-13T22:46:00.000-06:00

So I just caught a preview for a new series that will be airing soon. It's called "I Hate My Teenage Daugher" and the description basically said the series is about 2 single moms that allow their teen daughters to do whatever they want. Sigh......and we wonder why our teens are all rebelling, why the family structure is totally breaking down, and why we can't communicate with our children. Here is the show's information site http://www.fox.com/i-hate-my-teenage-daughter/.

Dear Hollywood, we have NO NO NO NO NO use, need, or want of these ridiculous shows. If you can't do any better than this then please just rerun episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show", "The Cosby Show", and "Little House on the Prairie." Thanks. UGH!

#Smurftastic

2011-12-13T22:06:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the Smurfs movie? We were given the chance to hold a Smurftastic bash complete with coloring pages, blue foods, the movie and more!! Our original party plan had to be cancelled due to obligations this time of year, but we were able to host a fun sleepover with some favorite friends!!

The kids enjoyed blue punch, blue yogurt, blue and white cookies, and popcorn with blue M&Ms! They were so excited! They watched the movie and then colored some of the great coloring pages we were sent. Their favorite scene in the movie involved a Smurf loose in a toy store! Everyone wanted to buy him!

This movie is fun, family friendly, and made me remember all the great times I had watching the Smurfs as a little girl! It's available now on Blu Ray and DVD!

Old Navy Bundle Up Bash

2011-12-12T14:32:00.000-06:00

I was SO SUPER EXCITED when I was given the opportunity to host an Old Navy Bundle Up Bash! Old Navy and Crowdtap gave me the opportunity to take 3 friends into my local ON and have a great Girls Night Out!! We spent a couple of hours in the store, trying on TONS of great clothes, laughing, chatting with employees, and eventually choosing an outfit each to take home. The managers and other employees were so accomodating. They made sure we had everything we needed and then set us free to invade the store, take tons of pictures, tweet live from the party, and try on almost everything in the ladies department!!

Right now Old Navy is FILLED to the brim with cute hats, cuddly sweaters, fantastic jeans, and lovely scarves! Between the 4 of us I think we tried on everything! We planned out all sorts of different looks from super casual to super dressy! Our favorites were jeans paired with all different sorts of shirts and sweaters with hats, gloves, and scarves to accessorize!

Is that the Wendy's girl?

Sherri actually tried on jeans!!!

She got mad model moves in her green sweater!

Hoodie style!

My mama got all bundled up!

This was the 70s look!

I was going for the snow sled look..... could only pull it off in the Antartic!!!

Here is a much cuter look on me but everyone else was looking for more great clothes so I had to take my own picture!!

At the end we were all so excited!!!!! We were given coupons for one outfit each and we loved choosing them!! Total saved thanks to Old Navy and Crowdtap- almost $400!!!! THANK YOU ON & CROWDTAP!!!!!!

If you want great clothes at reasonable prices for the whole family- check out Old Navy! If you want to try free clothes and more check out Crowdtap!

I received coupons for free products in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review and I was not required to blog about it.

NLT Bible Giveaway.....plus a chance for an Apple iPad 2!!!!!!

2011-12-08T11:14:00.000-06:00

WOW look at the details of this Giveaway by Tyndale!!!!

We wanted to let you know about a great giveaway happening over at the New Living Translation Facebook page!!!

Here are the NLT Facebook page giveaway details:

Starting on November 29th until December 24th at the New Living Translation Facebook page we're giving away lots of great prizes and something free for you just for singing up.

By visiting the giveaway entry page (located on the NLT Facebook page, the link is under the profile picture) and entering your name and e-mail address you'll be entered to win the following prizes:
One random person each day will win a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack (Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc).
One Random person each week will win an Apple iPad 2!

Everyone that signs up gets a free download copy of the Life Application Bible Study – Book of Luke!

I Didn't Know That!

2011-12-04T15:24:00.000-06:00

My kids LOVE animals. No seriously they LOVE LOVE LOVE learning about animals, seeing different kinds of animals, and asking millions of questions about animals. Hubby is very interested in reptiles and has owned several different types of reptiles over the years so I think they got their fascination from him. Anyhow when this HUGE book called World of Animals arrived with a very cool picture of a tiger on the front, Apple & Speedy were stoked! They plopped down and dug right in.

World of Animals is full of interesting animal facts. What poisonous fish is considered a delicacy in some Asian countries? What bug surrounds itself with a froth known as "snake spit"? These and many more unusual facts can be found throughout this reference book. Best of all the book is broken into sections by animal classifications which we just studied in our homeschool science co-op! So the book begins with protists and ends with mammals! And within each animal group the pages are broken down into specific animals like African monkeys and colubrid snakes. This is just a terrific reference book that will supplement so many science curriculums and studies.

I may not be as obsessed with animals as my kids are but I love books like this on our homeschool shelves. That way when my kids are asking those million questions that I don't know the answer to, it's right at my fingertips! There is something timeless about opening a book to find an answer!

I received this book from New Leaf Publishing for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Is it December?

2011-12-02T11:12:00.000-06:00

Seems like I was just posting the woes of it being November and here it is December already! We've even had a snow already which is just unheard of in TN! It was a couple of inches of accumulation and my kids loved every minute of it! Apple will probably live in a state that gets feet of snow at a time when she is older. She just LOVES it. Speedy likes the snow but hates the cold so it's a short lived romance for him.

Anyhow we had a lovely Thanksgiving and we were able to enjoy 3 feasts with different parts of the family. I went Black Friday shopping which I have done every year for at least 13 years but may never do again after this year (that's a tale for a different post). The kids and I had a nice long week off to celebrate our thanks and the turkey. And now my shopping is mostly done, the wrapping is caught up until more packages arrive, and tonight we will go to our first Christmas party of the season. But we will and it will be a clear definition of a new semester.

Speedy has begun Math U See Primer and he is really enjoying it. He's finishing up his 5th lesson and has done very well. He will be finished with our modified version of Hooked on Phonics PreK before we go on Christmas break and he's looking very forward to beginning the "purple" Hooked on Phonics. He is progressing much better than I had expected he would. Speedy is enjoying school and has gotten right into the habit. The only place that his progression is painfully slow is writing. He just has little to no interest in it. He's never enjoyed coloring or drawing and it really shows now that he is beginning writing. He can write his name but he doesn't like to so he never does. I've really been pushing him to practice, and he just makes it a very painful process. Sigh......

Apple's painful process is still math. I think it always will be. She has the ability but just no drive. We are still working through Math U See Beta and she will be finishing it up in the spring. We will then move straight into Gamma. I think to keep her on track with math, it will have to be constant. No long summer breaks for math this year. She is doing very well with an English textbook, a Spelling textbook, a Social Studies textbook, and a Health textbook. I have those lessons laid out for the rest of the school year and she will be completed with some of them by spring. She's still consuming books. We went to the library the Wednesday before our Thanksgiving break and I let her get 8 books. I was hoping they would get her through the week we didn't have class. Instead she was finished with all 8 by Sunday night and our break didn't begin until Monday! We are blessed to have TONS of books here at home and many of them she still hasn't read. She is also still reading her way through the Little House series. She's a big mystery book lover and those are the ones she seeks at the library.

Together they completed their Science co-op lessons and we will begin a new book in January! This school semester has really gone well. We've had some tough days (didn't think Apple & I were going to make it through subtraction with regrouping earlier this week) but we have more good days than bad. I can really see that they are learning and I love spending time with each of them. Budget restraints have kept us at home more than ever before but it's been a blessing.

We began our Jesse Tree yesterday and they just absorb the word of God. They love each little symbol and it's wonderful this year to see them rejoice in the true meaning of Christmas!

Get Fresh!

2011-11-29T16:33:00.001-06:00

How often do you need to freshen up but you don't have time for a shower? Or you get ready to head out to dinner and realize your kids smell like little wet puppies? Qwik Shower is the perfect solution! These aren't just wipes! These are HUGE wet clothes with a lemony fresh scent terrific for a quick clean up!

Hunter Hubby is ready to put a few of these in his hunting pack. It's hard to wiped up after prepping a deer but these big wipes are sure to get him cleaned up. I wish we had these when soccer was happening as well! Since there was soccer every Saturday, we almost always needed to be somewhere right after a game. Qwik Showers would have been fantastic for getting Apple and Speedy cleaned up before they changed clothes.

In this day and age, we are all on the run. It's inevitable that we will have times we need to clean up but we won't have the time or resources to do it. Qwik Shower Big Wet Wipes are individually wrapped so you can stick them in your glove box, diaper bag, purse, wallet, or other convenient places. They are also great for your kids to carry to school to clean up after gym class!

Qwik Shower Wipes are affordable and can be purchased online here. Free shipping is available on their site! Qwik Shower is also generously going to give one Carter Chaos reader a 6 pk of Big Wet Wipes! Follow the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to enter the giveaway!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Princess Apple

2011-11-29T15:41:00.000-06:00

If you've been reading my blog any length of time at all you know that 6 yr old Apple fancies herself a little princess and she LOVES to read. She absorbs written words as though they were food to her soul. As an avid reader myself, I can attest that good books can be food to the mind and soul! When I say Sheri Rose Shepherd's new book His Little Princess: Treasure Letters From Your King, I knew Apple would want to read it. I didn't expect it to be such a wonderful treasure!

The idea of princesses is becoming overused to an extent. Princesses are a HOT trend right now and it seems as though there are princess themed everythings! We try not to overincourage the princess idea with Apple because....well because she can be quite the diva and it isn't always lovely and cute. This book however does NOT emphasize a demanding diva who gets all her wishes. No no! This lovely read is letters "from the King." Little letters to encourage your princess to dwell righteously in the eyes of God. Each letter is mirrored by a pray for your princess to pray. Both the letters and the prayers reflect teachings from the Bible and will encourage your daughter while teaching her or reminding her of God's commandments.

With 50 letters and responses, your daughter can reread these words again and again. Apple has seen the book but I haven't let her begin reading it yet. I'm going to encourage her to put it on her nightstand and read a letter and prayer every morning before she gets out of bed. What a wonderful resource to help her begin having a private morning devotion!

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.