Pride

I’m missing the Olympics to bring you this important message. 

I feel nauseous. (It took me forever to figure out the correct spelling of that word that describes my day week.)

Just kidding.  Well, not really.  But that is not why I am choosing to blog instead of watching the Olympics.

I started a new Bible Study today.  Yet another Beth Moore book . . .

Breaking Free

by Beth Moore

I got the Bible from Paperback Swap.  (If you ever sign up, will you list me as your referral?  I get a credit.  Which means I can get a free book.  And I know you want to support my book habit.  The Hottie Hubby will really thank you.  Not!)

Anyway, I was excited to start this study a few weeks back when I regularly did my P90x workout while eating healthy in order to get all of my pregnancy, mothering, and “I got married” weight off. 

But God blessed us with The Surprise!

So when I started this study today, I wondered:

Self, why does God still want you to do this study?  What does He have in store?  It’s not like you are having eating issues right now.  There is a lack of appetite going on here.

I don’t have the answer to the question, but at the end of the lesson, Beth (we are on a first name basis) asked me how I would respond to what God showed me today. 

I said that I would blog about it. 

Of course.  Was that any surprise?

So here are some thoughts and a few things that I highlighted.

• Isaiah means The Lord Saves.  What a cool name.
• 2 Chronicles tells us of how mighty Uzziah was, so long as he sought the Lord.  At some point, Uzziah became a little a lot prideful.  Due to his pride, he thought he could walk into the Lord’s temple and take care of business.  Umm.  Wrong.  Duh.  (Actually though – when you become prideful you don’t see the “duh” moments.)  The guy was struck with leprosy and . . . he was anxious to leave the temple.  I’ll bet. 
• God hates pride because it involved dethroning Him and putting ourselves at the center of our universe. 
• God’s hatred of pride really expresses His love for us.  Pride slights Him but it destroys us.
• God does not enjoy humbling us any more than we enjoy being humbled, but pride is so crippling to the believer that He often has little choice.
• Oh, and think about this.  (Thanks Beth.)  God’s hatred of pride doesn’t mean He wants you to feel bad about yourself.  In fact, putting ourselves down represents another TWISTED form of pride. (Hello . . . anyone a martyr out there?  Guilty!)

I’m going to go an ponder some more. 

What are your thoughts?

Technorati Tags: Breaking Free,Beth Moore

Beehive Reader: A Review

Ya’ll know that I am quite the book snob.  I willingly admit it. 

I have a new book to add to my collection. 

I have yet to decide if it is a school book or a sustainable book.  I suppose it could legally fall into both categories.  But a school book has the designation of “it might get sold one day.” 

I don’t plan on selling this book.

It is mine, mine, mine.

Errr . . . theirs, mine, theirs.

I received this book from Marie Rippel, author of the All About Spelling curriculum, that Mr. Me-Too is using.  (To refresh your memory you can re-read this post.)

This book is not only a great supplement to the All About Spelling curriculum BUT it is simply a great beginning reader book – almost like a modern day Dick and Jane.  I anticipate my children associating this book with fond memories as it launched them into the world of exploration and imagination. 

According to Rippel, she created The Beehive Reader because she

discovered that there isn't an interesting reading series designed for children who need a solid, incremental approach. Most of the "easy reader" type of books aren't truly decodable. They throw in too many sight words that the child isn't ready for yet. And too many new reading concepts are added in at once. Or the story lines just don't make sense, and the books were not enjoyable to read.

To see how each story correlates to the All About Spelling steps you can view the word list here.  Without a doubt, this is a quality book.  Every single aspect of the design of this book from the hard cover, to the font, to the paper used was planned with young readers in mind.

You can purchase The Beehive Reader for $19.95 at All About Spelling.

Click on the Homeschool Crew banner to read other reviews on this product.

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, I was given this product to review, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are delightfully mine. And I am keeping this book!

Technorati Tags: The Beehive Reader,All About Spelling,Marie Rippel

You’re Gonna Love Me: Tropical Traditions Lavender Liquid Soap

For a long time, I never liked the smell of lavender.  I guess it reminded me of old women. 

Or perhaps I had never smelled pure lavender essential oil.  When you smell the good stuff . . . ahh, it is pure nostril enjoyment. 

I use lavender essential oil for a variety of body ailments and for relaxation.  I have only successfully grown lavender in my garden once. 

Lavender and I are friends.  When I discovered that Tropical Traditions had combined lavender with their coconut liquid foam soap . . . my hands begged me to try it out. 

And they weren’t disappointed.

I wash my hands a lot throughout the day.  During the winter season, I used to DREAD washing my hands.  They would become painfully dry and split from all of the times I had to wash my hands after changing a diaper to washing dishes for five people . . .

BUT I just realized that this year I have YET to have this problem. 

I have the Tropical Traditions liquid soap foam pump at my kitchen sink.  And I hope that I don’t gross you out, but often I wait to wash my hands from a dirty diaper that was changed upstairs until I get to the kitchen sink downstairs.  The lavender hand soap smells good and leaves my hands feeling soft and moisturized without using lotion! 

You won’t believe the ingredient list – organic virgin coconut oil and an organic essential oil, if that is what you ordered!  They are packaged in a foam pump dispenser that adds air to the soap, causing a rich lather of foam to come out.  You can also purchase a 32 oz refill container and use the foaming pump over and over again (that is what we do for our bathroom dispenser).

Want to win a

Tropical Traditions Lavender Liquid Foam Soap Pump?

RULES
Please, please, please . . .do not put more than one entry per comment. I will be using www.random.org to pick the winners. So if you would like for your comments to count, leave individual comments ON THE BLOG (click on that link), NOT FACEBOOK.

All options are worth 1 entry, unless otherwise stated. My real-life friends can enter this giveaway.

1. (Mandatory) Click on the link and subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter.
2. Become one of my fans through Google Connect if you aren't already! (It’s over there on your right . . . see all of the little people?)
3. Grab my Granola Mom 4 God button and place it on your blog for all to see!
4. Tell me the three scents of Tropical Traditions foaming soap that are available.
5. Buy something from Tropical Traditions. When they ask you how you heard about Tropical Traditions, list my sponsor id (5498794). I won't make any money off of this . . . but I will get a coupon for other Tropical Traditions products.)
6. Tell me your tip for dealing with pregnancy nausea. 

Remember, only #1 is mandatory. The rest of the entries are optional, but you MUST comment separately for each one.

The Fine Print: I will email you when you have won. I must have your email address to alert you to your prize. You can include that in your comment or email me separately at thegranolamom4god at gmail dot com. You must respond within 48 hours.

Contest ends 03/01/10 at Midnight

Author's Note: I was given this product to review from Tropical Traditions, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine unless otherwise noted.

 

Technorati Tags: Tropical Traditions,Lavender Liquid Foam Pump

Winners

And the winner of the Crave book is . . .

Congrats, Julie of My Life With Boys!  Please send me your snail mail address, and I would love to hear what your pastor said about Crave . . . and how he got a hold of this great book!

And I actually have one more winner to post . . . I kind of forgot about it.  You know we went to Utah, got sick, found out we were having a baby, and I sleep a lot these days . . .

Remember this book?

I never posted a winner. And Brian is done reading the book.

And the winner is . . .

Congrats,  Sela Fenske Young !  Please send me your snail mail address so that I can ship this out to you!

If you ladies need my email, here it is:  thegranolamom4god at gmail dot com.

Be sure to check out my next giveaway: Tropical Traditions Lavender Liquid Foaming Soap Pump.

Math Mammoth: A Review

I can’t find something.  I can’t find the pictures that I was going to share with you of Mr. Smackdown doing his math. 

I had a certain curriculum picked out for mathematics this year.  It told me exactly what to do and used a bunch of manipulatives.  We kind of lost interest.  Perhaps I should have started with the first grade curriculum. 

I never intended to use Math Mammoth, a math curriculum I received to review,  as our core math component, and use other curriculums as a supplement.  I expected to randomly use Math Mammoth.

But Mr. Smackdown loves Math Mammoth.

What is Math Mammoth?

There are four different affordable color-coded series of books:

• Light Blue Series - a complete curriculum that goes by grade levels.
• Blue Series - shorter worktexts for different topics from
    addition to decimals.  

The above work well for review, reinforcement, filling in gaps, etc.  The light blue and blue series are similar to regular math having explanations of the concepts and practice problems.

• Golden Series - worksheet collections (or workbooks)
    for grades 3-8. These worksheets contain very variable
    problems in each sheet, and are not script-made.
• Green Series - as above, but by topic, not by grade.

Currently we are working through Math Mammoth Grade 1-A Complete Worktext, part of the light blue series. 

Topics included in this worktext are:

• addition and subtraction concept and basic facts within 0-10
• place value with 2-digit numbers (a.k.a. tens and ones)
• some adding and subtracting within 0-100
• some geometry and measuring topics
• reading clock to the half-hour
• counting and using coins (US, Euro, or Canadian)

Mr. Smackdown likes it because in a nutshell, he likes worksheets.  He knows what to expect by simply looking at the page.  He is feeling very comfortable doing addition sentences/problems. 

I am pleased with what I have seen so far . . . however, I have noticed that there isn’t much explanation regarding the particular concept we are learning.  But what he is doing doesn’t require a lot of explaining.  It lacks frills and designer graphics . . . but the pictures used do the job.  I think I would prefer something simple to keep the price low. 

So would I recommend it?  I like it.  BUT if you have an older child, I couldn’t recommend it without seeing how the more difficult concepts are introduced and explained.

Visit Math Mammoth to learn more about their products and to see if they have something you might be able to  use in your schoolroom.

For more reviews, visit The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. 

Chicken Piccata

I figured it was time that I gave you a new recipe to try. 

This is my very favorite main dish in the entire world America.  Because when I am in India my favorite meal is a toss up between momos or butter chicken. 

EVERYONE but Mr. Smiley hearts this gourmet chicken meal.

 

Chicken Piccata

6 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

capers (optional)

1.  Pound chicken breast to flatten. 

Here is the before picture:

 

Here is the after picture.  By the way, this is an excellent meal to make if you are in a bad mood or angry!

2.  Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl (or plastic bag).  Dip chicken in mixture to coat.  Shake off excess flour.  Chill.

Note:  You don’t have to chill the chicken, but chilling seems to retard burning when sautéing.

3.  Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it sizzles. 

4.  Sauté chicken breast, 3 at a time, for 2-3 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels.  Keep war until all are cooked.

 

(Yes, I know that there are more than three in the pan.  But I have made this dish so many times that I take a little bit of liberty with the directions.)

5.  Stir wine and lemon juice into drippings and scrape bottom of skillet to deglaze.  Heat, but do not boil. 

 

6.  Return chicken to pan and turn to coat.  Remove from pan.  Pour pan juices over chicken.  Sprinkle with parsley and capers, if desired.

(see first picture – minus the parsley!)

Enjoy!!!

P.S.  Don’t forget to enter to win a copy of Crave.  Come on!  It’s a good book and it’s free!

Technorati Tags: recipe,chicken piccata

A Nice Round Number

It is hard to believe that I wrote this post. 

In fact just recently, I was asked either how many pregnancies or children I had.  I said five.  The lady, who I struggled to get along with, said, “Is your fourth in school right now?”  No.  I miscarried.  She said, “Oh.”

Some of you have noted that I keep mentioning pregnancy in my posts.  Kind of like I am dropping hints. 

Well, I haven’t been meaning to drop hints or to tease you.  I just have pregnancy on my mind because . . . . well . . . .

I AM PREGNANT! 

Can you believe it?

We were what you would say . . .

A little surprised.

 

And to think that I wasn’t supposed to have any children.  Wow.  With God, nothing is impossible.  Though I am over-the-top excited, I am a tiny bit overwhelmed at His GENEROUSITY.

The boys told the Hottie Hubby.  I wanted the boys to feel involved . . . a part of the process . . . to be excited. 

Here’s how it went. 

Brian walked in the door, returning home to his quiet sanctuary loving zoo.  He was greeted at the door by three very excited little boys who all appear to have eaten a lot that day.  Mind you, I was upstairs hiding . . . wanting only to hear the conversation and stay out of the initial “telling.”

Brian:  What’s up with your big bellies? 

Mr. Smackdown:  We’re having a baby!

Brian:  A baby?  Who’s having a baby?

Mr. Smackdown:  We are Daddy!  Mommy’s having a baby!

I hear a nervous laugh from the Hottie Hubby.   Followed by my howls of laughter at this verbal interchange.  When I arrive downstairs, I see my very dazed husband methodically repeating the words, “Eye-yigh-yigh-yigh-yigh,” as he fell onto the couch.

Welcome home!

Can you believe it? 

Don’t worry.  I’ve already played the pregnancy card a few times!

Technorati Tags: pregnancy

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling: A Review

I'm thankful that my professional background is education.  Otherwise entering the arena of homeschooling with our 3+ children would have been overwhelming. 

• Where does one begin?  
• How do you set up a school room?  
• What curriculum do you use?  
• Can I lawfully educate my own child?

There are many resources that you can glean wisdom from as you are trying to decide if the Lord wants you to create your own schoolhouse.  One such resource is Debra Bell's book, The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling printed and given to me by Apologia Press.  (Remember, I've talked about Apologia Press before.)

According to the Apologia website,

Debra Bell's best-selling manual has been revised and updated for a new generation of home educators! This indispensable resource belongs on the shelf of every family taking part in home-based learning. Inside you will find:

• Six ingredients of a successful homeschool
• Subject-by-subject guidelines and program recommendations
• Keys to unlocking your child's learning potential
• Ten ways to motivate the reluctant learner
• Creative solutions for burnout, budgeting, and managing your time

This new edition includes a guide to using the Internet and new technology in your home school. You will also get the latest information on teaching middle school and high school courses, including a list of academic contests and competitions. Tips on multilevel teaching and engaging toddlers and a resource guide with up-to-date contact information round out this amazing tool!

Because we are mostly at home these days due to naps and the nature of having young children, I appreciate Bell's book because in many ways . . . she is my current mentor.  I am not around seasoned and "more mature" women who have been at this thing called homeschooling a lot longer than me.   She has gone down the path I desire to take and she provides me with tips, trick, and bargains.  Bell has largly taken a lot of my leg work out of the way and provides fast information.  This is a book that I can use throughout our entire homeschooling career--useful knowledge until my children graduate from The Granola School House.

To see what other Crew members thought of this book, visit The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew blog.

I received this product from Apologia Press along with all of the other Crew Mates.  I do not have to return this product nor was I paid for this post.

In the Land of Odds: A Review

We are a bit picky about what we allow our children to watch on TV.  They can watch SOME PBS morning shows . . . but not all of them.  Mainstream cartoons . . . Disney . . . even Ronald McDonald – they would struggle to tell you who is popular.

And I am OK with that. 

It means less TV for me.  If they are watching TV then that means I am watching TV.  I want to be there if they don’t understand something.  I want to be there to discuss if a character acted according to God’s Word . . . or if the character needed to change  their behavior and ask for forgiveness.

My children are young and I can’t expect them to make value and moral judgments by themselves right now.  My job as their mom is to act as their guide and teach them how to view a show in light of eternity.  When they are older, I will know that I will have given them the tools to view life through a Christian worldview and act accordingly.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to review, with my children, In the Land of Odds DVD, through my participation with MamaBzz. 

Rising Star Studios could have just sent me the DVD . . . but they actually went the extra mile and included a note, fruit snacks and popcorn. 

They didn’t have to do that . . . but they did.  I may be jumping the gun, but if they pay attention to the tiny details included in a package to me, then they probably pay attention to tiny content details in their video. 

You could argue that the tiny details may have a negative impact on my children. 

However, after watching this DVD three times . . . overall I am pleased with the positive content and beneficial character training.  My children enjoyed the characters, especially excited that they were allowed to watch some talking cars.   We were able to discuss what happened, how the cars made poor choices, and what the particular car should have done instead.

I do have two issues, not deal breakers . . . but they slightly annoyed me. 

Cali, a very feminine car, is a complete Valley Girl and talks like one.  I already struggle with saying “like” in unnecessary places, and really do not wish to encourage my children to speak unintelligently. 

Secondly, one of the bonus episodes features a car who gets her feelings hurt because no one shows up for her talent show.  The episode ends with this yellow car demonstrating, I would venture to say, un-forgiveness, over her friend’s neglect.  As she goes inside her house, the cars drive down the street discussing what occurred.  The closing line from the scientific car is, “I wish I could invent a relationship repair mechanism.” 

The abrupt ending saddened me.  In our house, this story would not be over.  There is a relationship repair mechanism and His name is Jesus.  If we have hurt someone it is important to confess our wrong and ask for forgiveness.  The offender makes an ERNEST effort to repair the relationship  before walking away. 

BUT other than that . . . I liked this series.  I would let my children watch more Auto-B-Good episodes . . . but I would still sit with them . . . but then again, I always do.  Or I am at least hovering . . .

_________________________________

The Legit Low-Down

 

Auto-B-Good is a five time Emmy Award winning series that can be seen on public television and all around the world. The series is based on the adventures of 9 vehicles, each with their own unique personality, who live in the City of Auto. Each episode is centered around a different Character Development Trait, such as honesty, respect, caring, fairness and many more.

There are currently six DVD’s available (Seasons one and two). Each DVD has four episodes on it.

Ages: 3-10

Price: $7.99

Put out by: Rising Star Studios

Addtional Links for Auto-B-Good include the following:

• Youtube Video
• Auto-B-Good Site
• Purchase In the Land of Odds
• Become a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter

Technorati Tags: MamaBzz,The Land of Odds,Auto-B-Good,Rising Star Studios

Ray’s Arithmetic : A Review

Sometimes progress doesn’t necessarily mean improvement. 

I guess it depends on who you ask. 

In the public school system, we have new school initiatives, an increase in pressure upon teachers to raise test scores, and who knows what else.  TV’s are in classrooms; smelly white boards have replaced textured and dusty chalk boards; kids must learn to be inclusive and politically correct. 

I’ve seen children have a cell phone before they are 6 years of age.  I imagine they can text better than pass a spelling test. 

Progress.

But there is one company who offers educators a return to the basics.  A return to tried and tested methods.

 

Dollar Homeschool sent us Ray’s Arithmetic to review through The Old Schoohouse Homeschool Crew.  Ray’s Arithmetic boasts of 38 books including 12 core Textbooks, + Answer Key's, Teachers Editions, and several intriguing books of mathematical pursuits for the aspiring student, such as Surveying and Navigation, Astronomy, Book Keeping, and Physics.  According to the Dollar Homeschool website, Ray’s Arthmetic is

A Complete K-12 math curriculum, from counting to calculus (all for $59).  The Ray's math series begins at a preliterate level with counting; then takes the child through addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and so upward until calculus, teaching concepts with thorough explanations followed by ample problem sets. The Ray's series provides a very full-bodied course of mathematics.

We have started at the VERY beginning, though I am confident that this will be a tool that will be used throughout the boys’ entire schooling IF I am disciplined to wade through the vast amount of material.  And if we sit down to apply ourselves. 

This 95 page book will help reinforce counting, assist in teaching the boys to answer simple problems, starting “with addition, then subtraction, then multiplication and division. The problems are very simple, so that the child can learn the concepts involved.”  The books were designed so that once a child could read, they basically could educate themselves, without a school teacher.  Each lesson builds upon itself.

It has challenged me to steer away from using a page or a consumable to teach.  But like many things we do, it has encouraged me to use practical everyday life objects to teach a lesson.

Dollar Homeschool has many other quality and antique curriculums.  I encourage you to check out their website.  You won’t find any evolution in their material, satisfaction is guaranteed, and they are offering free shipping right now!

Find out what the other Homeschool Crew members think of Ray’s Arithmetic and other Homeschool Dollar products by clicking on the below picture!

I was not paid for this post.  I received this product as part of my participation with The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.

Technorati Tags: Homeschool Dollar,Ray's Arthmetic,The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew

Crave: Wanting So Much More of God

Anyone who has eaten with a pregnant woman knows that she is apt to crave some unusual delicacies.  Husbands joke (after the fact) about midnight runs to the grocery store for pickles in an attempt to satisfy the woman who is carrying his child.

The Hottie Hubby has learned that the more detailed the description of my particular craving and the more involved my hands become in creating this imaginary food, the stronger my lust for a particular food.

Though I do have cravings when I am pregnant, they typically aren’t all that unusual.  But there is Someone I have CRAVED throughout all of my previous pregnancies:  more of God.  I feel a compulsive need to have hour to two hour long quiet times, as if I am storing up time in the Word to be used for an upcoming lean season when I have a newborn. 

As author Chris Tomlinson states towards the end of his book, Crave, {cravings} “are signs that lead us to Him.” 

 

When I am pregnant I have such thoughts as,

• Will the baby be OK?
• Is it a boy or a girl?
• Will my midwife get here in time for the delivery?
• What if I bleed to much?
• What if my midwife is sick?
• What will we name the baby?

All of these questions and thoughts are not mine to worry about.  They are things that I must present to the Lord, and trust that He will give us a safe delivery of Wisdom at the proper time. 

Yet God uses my pregnancies to become aware of my daily need for Him.  I CRAVE God like no other time (except when the Hottie is away on a trip and I feel like I might pull my hair out parenting by myself).  When I am working for two, I get tired, grouchy, selfish, stubborn, and emotional.  I need God in order to not be a monster to my children.  I’ve learned that seemingly attainable cravings such as comforting food, extra sleep, TV time, mommy-time, only last momentarily and never provide lasting fulfillment. 

Chris states,

Our craving for happiness and joy is from God.  He created us with a craving that longs to be filled.  And when we fill this hole with anything but Him, we realize none of it works.  We find ourselves in a story that has been told for centuries.  As the pages turn in our lives, each chapter brings a new pursuit that eventually ends in disappointment.  The plot twists and turns, but the cast of characters remains the same: security, comfort, wealth, power, sex, success, popularity, status. . .anything and everything we believe will bring us fulfillment.  We fail to read between the line, to see the beauty of the story behind the story.  I think we misunderstand the point of the craving itself.

It is a funny little process.  I used to crave having kids because I was told that I would not be able to have children.  But once I became pregnant, I craved comfort.  When I was comfortable, I wanted to be thin.  When I didn’t instantly become thin, I craved a Dairy Queen Blizzard.  Once I had a Blizzard, I craved another kid.  And so on and so on.  And now I crave peace and quiet contentment with JUST the Lord.

Now that my 200 word review has snowballed into an essay, let me ask you the same thing Chris asked me as I read his book.  What do you crave?  Are you always looking towards the next event?  Do you struggle to be present in the moment?  Are your thoughts consumed with idols, things that you dwell upon that distract you from what your soul REALLY wants?

As you read Crave, Chris will take you on a tour through various venues within his heart that are revealing, thought provoking, and even piercing.  Be prepared to be lured into reading chapter after chapter, because he hooks you with either sometimes shocking or at least visually descriptive sentences that will arouse your curiosity to read on.

If you are craving a new book . . . why don’t you try and win this book?  I have an extra copy laying around that Harvest House Publishers sent me (for free) after Chris asked me to review his book.  I’m keeping my copy, but I’ll give you my spare.  I will ship it directly to you (cheaply, of course, media mail style.)

The Rules

How to Enter (and yes my friends and family can enter . . . I use www.random.org to pick the winner . . . and you aren't friends with Mr. Random.  No one is. So enter to win ON MY BLOG NOT through a FACEBOOK COMMENT.)

Mandatory:  Visit Chris Tomlinson’s website, www.cravesomethingmore.org, and tell me something about it. 

Optional Entries (meaning write a new and separate comment)

1. Become a fan of my blog (look over on the right sidebar) and tell me that you are new or already were a fan.
2. Tell me how often you floss your teeth (you’ll understand this question when you read the book).
3. Describe a time when God asked you to do something that seemed utterly foolish but you obeyed anyway (Chris has a lot of these moments).
4. Blog about this giveaway.
5. Put my Granola Mom badge/button on your blog in a continuously visible location.
6. Describe to me the food you often crave.

Giveaway Ends:  Monday, February 21, 2010

Sorry US residents only!

 

Technorati Tags: Chris Tomlinson,Crave,book giveaway

He Can’t Get Out To Play

I have a feeling that my dad probably won’t get out today to play in the snow today.  So I am going to bring the snow to him. 

When morning greeted me after another restless night, I was fully anticipating seeing grey snowmelt.  But instead God had created a fairly land . . . or really a land of snowy chenille wire trees. 

Stunning.

It seemed like the perfect morning to experiment with the lens my dad gave me.

So, good morning dad!  I’m bringing the snow to you.  I hope you feel like you are playing in it!

Technorati Tags: photography

Tommee Tippee: A Happy Mom Review

I just sat down.  Then I hear,

“Mommy, can you get me some water?”

Grrr.

We have Siggs; we have Kleen Kanteens; we have Avent bottles; we have Playtex Sippy cups.  Do you know what one thing they all have in common besides being made for kids and holding liquid?

At some point during use they leak.

It is a constant frustration of mine but a delight to my dog. 

Please just give me a cup that doesn’t leak and magically refills itself. 

I know that latter is a pipe dream . . . but surely the former exists?

Are you ready for a commercial, inquiring Mom?  Because I am ready to film one.

Does Tommee Tippee bring back any childhood memories? 

Apparently, according to my mommy, I grew up on this brand of cup.  It was a cup that forever stood up.  If you knocked it over it bobbled back up.   My mom has been desperately searching for my old cup to show you, but has yet to find it.  Back when my grandma was sick, she used it basically because it couldn’t be permanently knocked over, which is good when you are bedridden.

Well, Tommee Tippee has come back bigger and better, with a great line of products from what I can tell.  Already a common household name in the UK, my prediction is that they will soon be a hit here in the USA. 

Let me show you what we received in the mail (free – to review) from Tommee Tippee through the Mom Bloggers Club. 

(A Tommee Tippee cup for the older two boys.)

(And a Closer to Nature Tommee Tippee baby bottle with a pack of 6+ month nipples– might I add that the structure of the top of the bottle really does resemble the real thing . . . if you know what I mean.)

I am NEVER buying a different “sippy cup” again.  It has to be a Tommee Tippee.  Why?

Kid tested and kid approved. 

• they liked the designs on the cups
• the beverage didn’t leak on them, which meant the dog didn’t lick them
• they especially like the flow of the liquid (seriously, Mr. Smackdown said this – not mommy lingo)

There are two main reasons why I like the cups.  First, the products are  Bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalate free.  Secondly,  they don’t leak.  Let me show you why.

 

See where the tiny air hole is above the drinking spout?  If you flip the lid over you will see that the air hole is covered by a plastic piece.  That air hole is strictly an air hole, not a milk hole. 

And the baby bottle, well the way the nipple fits into the bottle lid is also pretty baby proof. . . Mr. Smiley can’t push the nipple down into the bottle and subsequently spill the entire contents of the bottle all over his bed, or in the car, or on the carpet.  Bonus!  (Not that this has happened in our house.) 

And if I were ever to have a new baby anytime soon . . . I’m pretty certain that the design of this bottle would serve  as an acceptable route to transport mommy milk during the short time the Hottie Husband and I were away on our first date night post baby.

I know.  I am acting pretty excited about a couple of bottles.  But they seriously have made my life easier this week.  There hasn’t been any fighting over cups.  Each child knows their cup.  No spills or leaks.

Thank you to Tommee Tippee for providing new cups for ALL three of my children and bubble wrap to play with.  We love the cups and you can bet that I will be giving these cups (new ones of course) as baby shower gifts.  Also thank you to the Mom Bloggers Club for providing this review opportunity for my family and myself.

Tommee Tippee products may be purchased at Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us where you can find them at a stinkin’ reasonable price!

Technorati Tags: Tommee Tippee,Mom Blogger Club,Sippy Cup

I Know, I'm Sorry.

I know.  I'm sorry.

I've been cranking out a lot of reviews.

It won't always be like this.

It will simmer down in about 2 weeks. 

Here is a pretty picture to make up for it.

I have a few really heartfelt posts coming up.

Stay tuned.

I think you might like them. 

Presidential Penmanship: A Review

Copy work. 

Is it possible that I have a child that old? 

Apparently. 

Zeezok Publishing allowed us the opportunity to review their Presidential Penmanship HWOT Style Complete Program (complete meaning grades first through twelfth grade complete!).

Who is Zeezok Publishing?

Established in 2003, we believe "It is better to build children than to repair men." To that end we strive to provide quality literature and educational books for use in training the next generation. We trust our products will assist you in developing your family's love for God and country.

After receiving our copy of Presidential Penmanship, I set about printing the entire book for Mr. Smackdown.  I could have printed each page as needed, but I knew that having his very own book would promote a sense of pride in Mr. Smackdown and an opportunity to easily survey all that he had written—not to mention how his handwriting had improved!

(OK . . . yes, I know his pencil grip isn’t right and his paper isn’t slanted and he has poor posture – but I was trying to take a picture! It was his first day!) 

To date . . . we are still enjoying this curriculum.  The presidential quotes have provided stimulating conversation and it has been fun to show Daddy Mr. Smackdown’s writing success at the end of the day!

What does Zeezok have to say about their program?

Originally released as an eBook, this Complete Program CD contains handwriting practice pages in a font similar to another popular writing style for first grade through senior high. Print what you need, when you need it. Using presidential quotes and speeches along with famous documents from American history, Presidential Penmanship seeks to enlighten students on the principles of our nation's founding and history while reinforcing character qualities of good citizenship. Great for memorization or discussion as well as penmanship practice.

You can choose from six different styles of penmanship:

• AB Handwriting Style
• BJ Handwriting Style
• DN Handwriting Style
• HWOT Handwriting Style
• Italic Handwriting Style
• ZB Handwriting Style

And the costs?

The complete program (remember it takes you from first grade through senior high) is $39.99 or you can order each grade separately for $9.99. 

Thumbs up for this program! 

Note:  it doesn’t provide instruction on handwriting . . . only quality opportunities for practice!

Find out what the other Homeschool Crew members think of this product and other Zeezok Publishing products by clicking on the below picture!

I was not paid for this post.  I am thankful for this company sending me such a quality product.

Technorati Tags: Zeezok Publishing,Handwriting Without Tears,Presidential Penmanship. The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew