Wordless Wednesday: A little drink - lol!!

She is such a little sneaky girl!!
Don't worry - it is sparkling cider, apple-cranberry! She really liked it - lol!!

Hope you all had a great Christmas too!!

I'm back!

Ok, I am back. Sorry it has been so long since I last updated my blog, it has just been crazy around here! So, I have a few things to tell you, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and spend a few minutes with me!

*I hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. We had a great Christmas. On Christmas morning we spent time with my husband's parents and his brother (Blake) and sister-in-law (Angela). It was great. Last year we were not able to spend with Blake and Angela, so this year felt even more blessed, it was wonderful to have them back "home"! Later, Christmas afternoon, my mom came over and we visited for a bit and had dinner - it was YUMMY!


*Last Tuesday afternoon, Emily started to get a bit sick. She had gone out in the snow and played, had a good time - came inside and had a tea party with her sister and Uncle Blake, then started vomiting...yay! (Sarcasm anyone?) Tuesday evening Emily was having a terrible time breathing and was HOT. We gave her an albuterol treatment and decided not to take her to the ER, but to get her to the doctor first thing in the morning. To make a long story short, the doctor was worried about her oxygen saturation levels and her labored breathing. He gave her a bunch of medication - antibiotics, steroid syrup, albuterol, and some steroid that goes into the nebulizer. He scared the heck out of me by saying that if she wasn't breathing BETTER in just a few hours that she would have to be hospitalized for a night or two...Christmas Eve and Christmas? No bueno. Thank God, the medication is working wonders on her, but the steroids turn her into a raging lunatic! Any prayers for her would be appriciated!

*I am feeling much better, the nausea comes and goes, but thankfully it goes away for a while at a time! I have my doctor's appointment in a couple of hours to find out how far along I am and get an estimated due date...even though they have never been right yet!!!

*I miss my family who is not here. A lot. I wish that I, sometimes, had really long arms so that I could hug everyone! So for those of you who are not close enough to get a hug from me, please hug yourself or someone you love and imagine a hug from me!

*I wish you all a very safe New Year. We will probably be at church - we are having worship, word, fun, and games! But I am not yet set on going, I think it would be just as easy to stay home so that we didn't have to drive after 12 with all the people who have been out drinking...still praying about it.

Thanks for taking a minute to catch up with me. I will have more for you later.
I just posted a giveaway for Anti-Monkey Butt Powder and am soon to post a review & giveaway of Pre-Histin, a natural allergy product; a giveaway of eCover; and a review of a Tassimo Hot Beverage System!!!

Anti-Monkey Butt Powder **Giveaway**

There is almost nothing worse than chaffed skin. It hurts and seems like EVERYTHING irritates it. Painful, to say the least.
There have been times when my thighs get irritated from the friction of exercise, walking long distances and stuff like that in the summer heat - it hurts, for DAYS!! Anti Monkey Butt Powder is made to absorb sweat and give a cooling sensation - sounds good to me!!!
There is the original Anti-Monkey Butt Powder, Lady Anti-Monkey Butt Powder, and Baby Anti-Monkey Butt Powder
From the website:

Anti Monkey Butt Powder is specially formulated to absorb excess sweat and reduce frictional skin irritation. It is Ideal for butt busting activities such as truck driving, motorcycling, bicycling, horse back riding, and extreme sports. May also be applied inside footwear, under sports pads, and other areas prone to chafing. Indoors or outdoors, work or play, or on occasions when you sit on your butt all day, don’t let your buns get red, use Anti Monkey Butt Powder instead!

One reader is going to get the opportunity to feel the relief of Anti-Monkey Butt Powder FREE! For the rest of you, there are many retail locations that carry this product, in both the USA and Canada, see here for more information!
GIVEAWAY RULES Open until 2/06/10, 8PM PST
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will select another winner!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Tell me a time that this product would come in handy for you or someone in your family.
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.
Disclaimer - I was sent a sample product for review purposes.

Wordless Wednesday - Who needs teeth?

When we went to Montana this year, the girls thought it was awesome that there were vegetable gardens! Natalie still had no teeth at that time, but she didn't let a silly thing like that get in her way!!!

I have been feeling like the world is about to end

I am not talking about any of the "2012 is the end of the world" type nonsense, I have been feeling so sick. I have been incredibly nauseous, I get dizzy, I am tired.
When I sit perfectly still and don't talk, think, or move, I feel fine.
When I am sleeping, I feel fine.
So, I was sure that I had the dreaded swine flu or that I had some kind of stomach cancer - I know, it's a bit dramatic.
I know what it is, though, and I will not likely die from it or feel better any time soon. EPT gave me a +, yup, we are going to have another baby.
Let me give you a little bit of my pregnancy history - morning sickness, BAD, for about 4 1/2 months, with both of the girls. So, yes I am excited, but I will be much more excited when I am able to quit feeling like I am about to die or vomit!
I really am excited though!

I like it...I hate it...I like it

The snow and I have a love/hate relationship.
Today, we are going more for hate.
Yesterday, we were in love. Yesterday, it was awesome! My kids got all dressed up in warm clothes and layers, and went out and played. I pretended to shovel snow for about three minutes until my husband so kindly offered to take over! ;)
Emily and Natalie both had such wonderful times in the snow that it was hard to bring them in. Natalie had to come first because, well, she was taking her boots off...and you just can't do that in the snow! She cried and banged on the door, pleading for someone to open it so that she could excape back into her winter wonderland! Emily learned how to make a snow angel, but didn't really care for the snow falling on her face as she made it.
It was great, we had fun.

How was your weekend?

Thankful Thursday - Selah

Selah.
Stop, take a minute to reflect.

Selah is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen". "Let those with eyes see and with ears hear" is most concise. According to Wikipedia

I am so thankful for the times in my life where selah seems so appropriate. As in the Psalms, after a particular meaningful passage, selah is used to command, remind, allow...us to stop and let something sink in.
I have had a lot of "particularly important/meaningful" moments as of late, and I am thankful for Selah. It is in the quite moments after things are calm that I really let things sink in.
My daughter turned 3 on Sunday, I have had this child and loved her for THREE years. That deserves a moment of reflection.
Marriage is hard, relationships are not perfect, people change. Thankfully, the Lord does NOT change! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and He will not give me more than I can bear. Selah.

For those of you who are reading this, please take a moment to say a prayer of encouragement for me, for God to make His presence felt and put His hands around my family? I thank you for any prayers you offer up on my behalf.
And as Christmas draws nearer, I pray for the families who are not going to be together for one reason or another and ask that everyone feel the true Spirit of Christmas in their lives, at this time of year and always!



Feel free to leave links in your comments so that I can visit your posts!
Have a blessed week!

E-Cover, Ecological Laundry Products *Review*

Have you ever heard of Ecover? It is a company that makes ecological cleaners for virtually every need: hand soap, dish soap, automatic dish soap, laundry detergent and softeners, all-purpose cleansers, bathroom cleansers, car wash and wax, boat wash and wax, and more! WOW!
Here is a little bit about Ecover from their website:

Ecover is an international company active in the production of ecological cleaners. Founded in 1980 in Belgium,we have been a trendsetter from the very start: as a pioneering company, marketing a phosphate-free washing powder even before phosphates were branded as a problem.
Since then, Ecover, under the ownership of Jørgen Philip Sørensen CBE, has developed into the world’s largest producer of ecological cleaning products. Besides its headquarters outside of Antwerp, Belgium, Ecover has sites in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Switzerland, and our products are marketed in more than 26 countries.

I was excited to have the opportunity to review some of Ecover's products, as I am all for companies that take extra steps to ensure that their production is not causing great harm to the environment and their products are more natural, and safer for our families!
I was sent for review one bottle each of Ecover's Delicate Wash HE, 32 oz and Fabric Softener HE, 32 oz. Let me start off by confessing that my washing machine is not a HE machine. None the less, the delicate wash and fabric softener both worked wonderfully. I washed some winter sweaters and wool socks first, and the delicate wash was gentle enough and the fabric softener was great enough that all of my "delicates" came out clean, soft, and smelling fresh. The delicate wash says that it is also great to use on hand-wash items, so I used it to spot clean Emily's princess dress (spot clean only) and it was easy to use and worked great!
Ecover products not only work and smell great, but they are affordable as well! That is always a concern, as it seems the "better" a product is for you or the Earth, the more it costs. Judging by the prices at the online retailer that sells Ecover products, they are fairly priced and worth the little bit extra! Shopping local is always a good option too, and there is a store locater to make that easier! And, something that I like, Ecover offers printable coupons to make their products an even better value!!

Community Coffee Company ***Review and Giveaway***

I love a good cup of coffee, that is no secret here! So when the opportunity presented itself to work with another amzing coffee company, Community Coffee Company (CCC) I was excited to say the least!

So let me start this review off by telling you a little bit about the Community Coffee Company. They are the largest family-owned retail coffee brand in the US! They have been opperating for more than 88 years, four generations, in Baton Rouge, LA. The mission of the CCC, from their website, is to share their passion for great coffee with you!

For review, I was sent a Community Coffee Company 16 oz Holiday Tumbler, a 12 oz Café Special® Ground Coffee, and a Private Reserve Holiday Duo.
I am in love with the tumbler because it holds a good amount of coffee, is festive, and is microwaveable! I am one of those people who might, occasionally, pour a cup of coffee and get distracted (can you tell I'm a mom? lol) only to come back later to a cold cup of coffee - so microwaveable is a HUGE bonus for me!
My husband and I are right now enjoying a pot of Holiday Jazz®! It is a great medium-dark roasted coffee, with a pleasant aroma and a full-bodied flavor that doesn't disappoint! The other 12 ounce ground coffee that came in the Private Reserve Holiday Duo is Bread Pudding. I am a bit more reserved about flavored coffees, but this has a pleasant aroma and is not too overpoweing in the flavoring that I can't enjoy the coffee flavor as well. If you are a person who likes flavored coffee, you will probably enjoy this more than we did.
The Café Special® Ground Coffee is a very pleasant coffee, with a very pleasant price tag! This coffee could easily replace the Breakfast Blend that we have been drinking. Café Special® Ground Coffee is a full bodied coffee with a medium-low acidity. It is smooth and delicious!
Community Coffee Company has many amazing products available on their website form coffee to coffee presses and tumblers to canisters and more. They also have an assortment of Gift Sets for every taste, budget, and preference! I am going to share a couple of my favorites with you:

Private Reserve® Gormet Holiday Gift Basket For the coffee lover on your list, our Private Reserve® gourmet coffees will make the perfect treat. This basket includes three 12-oz. whole bean specialty coffees (Breakfast Blend, Louisiana Blend® and House Blend), a 2-oz. bag of Pecan Praline flavored coffee and a 2-oz. bag of French Roast coffee. The set also includes a Coffee-Fresh Canister, ceramic Community Coffee Collectible 1960s mug, premium travel tumbler, logo coffee scoop and a black Bodum coffee grinder. All of this in a beautiful willow basket wrapped for the holidays

All of this for only $69.95!!

Private Reserve Holiday DuoFor all coffee connoisseurs who would love to enhance their coffee experience. We have paired our 12-oz Private Reserve® House Blend ground coffee, a Kenya 12-oz French Press, along with a premium scoop for that perfect measure. All of this is in a festive holiday box with a gift card. (Regularly priced at 28.95)

This gift set for only $23.95!
Another wonderful service that is offered on the CCC website is Military Match Gift Boxes, where if you buy 4, 16 ounce bags ($21.96-$23.96 TOTAL plus flat rate shipping) of coffee for a military person OVERSEAS and send it to an overseas military address (APO/FPO) Community Coffee Company will DOUBLE your order! How cool is that!

Military Match program is our way of demonstrating support for those serving overseas, and are away from home, family and friends during this time.

As you can see, there is no shortage of great products or prices from Community Coffee Company! And to sweeten your holiday shopping you can receive 20% off your entire order and FREE shipping with the promo code: SPECIAL

Today, Community Coffee Company is so much a part of people's lives and spans so many generations that it has been dubbed the State Coffee of Louisiana™. We invite you to enjoy this family tradition and experience a little bit of Louisiana in every cup.

And to prove this, Communit Coffee Company is offering one of you wonderful Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife readers the chance to win a Private Reserve Holiday Duo Gift Pack of your own!
GIVEAWAY RULES
Giveaway open until 9PM, PST on 12/17/09!!
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to the Community Coffee Company website and tell me one gift box that someone on your list would love to receive for Christmas this year!
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (right sidebar, only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen 9PM PST on 12/17/09 based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

Wordless Wednesday - Disney Princesses On Ice

Emily and Natalie had a BLAST when we went to see Disney Classics - Princesses on Ice last month! Here is a picture of the end and a picture of each girl enjoying herself!!

Cook's Ham for the Holidays! Win one!!

I love the holidays - turkey at Thanksgiving and ham at Christmas...it's a great tradition! This year, my family will be enjoying a Cook's ham for our Christmas meal. Of course, this is not the first Cook's ham that I've cooked. My daughters and I think that ham is one of the best foods ever created, and Cook's Ham is a great brand that is reasonably priced!
The wonderful people at Cook's Ham have given my family a coupon for a free ham and have given me one to give to one of my readers! You can check the store locater to find a retailer who carries Cook's Ham near you!

*****WIN A HAM*****
This is going to be a rather quick qiveaway - only open for a week to ensure that the winner will receive their coupon for a free Cook's Ham (up to $30 value) and has time to purchase it before Christmas. So this giveaway will end December 15 at 9PM PST - Good luck to all who enter!!
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN EVERY ENTRY IF IT IS NOT VISIBLE IN YOUR BLOGGER PROFILE, OR I WILL PICK ANOTHER WINNER!
~~Mandatory Entry~~
All you have to do to enter is check out the recipe section of the Cook's website and if you find something that looks good to you, share it with the rest of us, or share a recipe of your own using your leftover Cook's Ham!
~Additional Entries~ One entry each unless stated otherwise!
*Follow My Blog
*Subscribe to e-mail updates by entering your email in the box in the top, right sidebar(only activated emails count)
*Sign up for the Cook's Newsletter - promotions, recipies, and more

Snow Day in the Desert

Yesterday was Emily's 3rd birthday and we had a birthday tea party for her, and before anybody got here, Zack had asked her what she wanted for her birthday. Her answer was simple, "A snowman." Zack looked outside and told her that she just might get it! Well, not yesterday on her birthday, but today definately has snowman potential.
When Emily saw the snow this morning she wanted to go out and play in it. Anyone else want to swing with her? Hehe. One thing that we have yet to invest in is a snow shovel. Yup, all that snow and no shovel. Zack actually had to "dig" the truck out this morning with my broom. Poor guy! Times like these, I get a new appreciation for the maintenence crew at the appartments we used to live in!
I hope that you all have a wonderfully blessed day and enjoy your weather, whatever it may be!

Thankful Thursday - Holidays

I love this time of the year. I love when families come together and spend time. I wish that more of my family lived close enough to come together for the holidays, but I am still thankful that we are all just a phone call away! I am thankful that my Aunt Jody moved back to Helena and is going back to church, I think that the move for her will turn into the best gift ever!
I am thankful for what the holidays mean. I am eternally thankful for Christmas - for the birth of Christ, a perfect being into a sinful world. I am thankful that He lived a perfect, sinless life so that he would have no blemish as he was crusified, for the sins of the world.
I am thankful that I learned and embraced the truth of Christ when I did, or chances are I would have never seen my 20th birthday, gotten married, had my amazing children... I am thankful that my children are developing a love for and a relationship with God at young ages and I pray that they are saved from sin rather than through sin.
The holiday season is an time for joy and thanksgiving and I love to see the smiles on people's faces as I am out and about. There is much that I am thankful for. It always seems that on Thursdays when I begin this post, I could go on forever...and I really believe that if I did, I would have many more smiles on my face!



Have a Blessed week, and remember to count your blessings, it puts the rest into perspective!!

The Adoption is FINAL!!!

I would like to introduce you to my grandparents and their daughter. That is right, their daughter, today they went to court to finalize the adotion! Praise the Lord!


Robert, Felicitas, and Sierra White!

I got the most amazing phone call this morning from Sierra. When I answered the phone she said to me "Hello this is Sierra Paige White!" The joy in her voice matched that in my heart and I can only imagine how it compares to the joy that my Oma and Papa are feeling right now. They have had this child sinse she was 18 months old. They have loved her and taken care of her for years, and now she is their child in every sinse of the word! I am so thankful, and would love and appreciate any encouraging thoughts and prayers sent their way!!!

Love you guys!!

Wordless Wednesday - Christmas Card Worthy?

So, what do you think - is this pic Christmas card worthy?

We had a family pic on the cards last year, but I am leaning more towards just the girls this year...what do you think??

If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, please leave me a link so I can check it out!!

While you are here, check out the giveaways in the right sidebar!

Natalie's Big Girl Bed - WOW, time flies!!

Natalie turned one year old in September, and now she is in a big girl bed. With Emily, there was no toddler bed until well after her 2nd birthday. But with all the drama involved with Natalie's crib, we decided to just make the switch.
So over the past like week and a half, you have heard me talk about the Stork craft crib recall and my irritation about their lack of responsibility. We heard that the fix for the crib made is a stationary side. I am short. There, I said it. But I have a really hard time getting Natalie into the crib when the side is up, it is just too high for someone who is almost 5'2". Glad we made the switch because Natalie loves having a bed like her sisters!

Kidorable **Review & Giveaway**

Emily was sent the most beautiful raincoat and rain boot set that I have ever seen! Kidorable is an adorable company with much more than raincoats and boots!

They have umbrellas, backpacks, knit hats, hanger sets, and more! Each of the product lines have beautiful, creative styles - from butterfly, mermaid, fairy, ladybug, to dinosaur, fireman, frog, pirate, and more! The kidorable products are so stylish and fun that Emily had a really hard time picking which was her favorite! They make rainy days beautiful, hanging up clothes fun, they even have bookends that can brighten up the shelf!!
This is an amazing company!
The products that we were sent are great quality and will definitely be able to be passed down to Natalie.
One thing that I thought was great about Kidorable is that they also have a "My First" collection, so if you have a little baby, like a year or so old, they have a line of firsts - first raincoat, first rain boots. So if you have a little one with an older sibling, they can both be stylish in the rain!!
Kidorable also has a Facebook Fan Page where there is usually something fun going on and a twitter account.

You can view and purchase any of the kidorable products on their website.

The people at Kidorable have generously offered a Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader a chance to win an umbrella of your choice! There are a lot of really cute ones, so it might be hard to decide!!

GIVEAWAY RULES - Starts now and ends Monday, 12/7 at 12 NOON, PST
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to the Kidorable website and check out the umbrellas and come back and tell me which one you would want if you win, chose carefully as this will be your prize!!
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Fan Kidorable's Face book Fan Page and write on their wall letting them know that you are coming over from Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife
• Follow Kidorable on twitter
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen 12 NOON PST on 12/7. Winner is picked based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

50 FREE 4x8 photo cards **Expires SOON**

Ok, I know that this is very last minute, but as long as you have a photo that you want to use, it doesn't take any time at all. Fuji Film and SeeHere.com are giving you 50 FREE 4x8 photo greeting cards (either horizontal or vertical) all you have to pay is shipping and handling - which is very reasonable, I paid $3.16. All you have to do is either register for an account at SeeHere.com or sign in to your existing account, create your greeting card, and at check out enter this promo code: freebie4mom-1109
I became aware of this great deal through NPRA, and there was some discussion about the code only working if you actually type it in, don't copy and paste.
I hope that  you have a picture that you would like to use so that you can take advantage of this wonderful deal, as it expires 11-30...yup, Monday is the last day to use it, so you'd better hurry!
Merry Christmas and Be Blessed!!!

Thankful Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a wonderful day, all over the country there are people giving thanks. For many different reasons, people, events, and hopefully for God!




I recently read a verse that has been on my mind ever since:
Always be ready, because you don't know the day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42

I am thankful that I have a wonderful family. That we are able to share joy, laughter, love, and pain, tears, and worries. I am thankful that no matter what has come our way thus far, we have prevailed - not because we are just that amazing, but because the Lord is on our side. I am thankful that this Thanksgiving we have two healthy, beautiful children. And that we are in our own home for the first time. I am thankful for all that we have accomplished this year, even though it was not easy. I am thankful for the verse above because it reminds me to live each day as though it were THE day - to smile at people, seek & praise the Lord, love my family, love others, and share the good news:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:8-11

I hope that you have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Extreme Irritation with Stork Craft Regarding Recalled Cribs

Earlier this week, Stork Craft recalled a VERY LARGE number of cribs, you can find more information on that here. I happen to own one, and my daughter has been sleeping in it sinse she was born, but at the urging of the recall we have sinse had to find other safe sleeping arrangments for Natalie, which pretty much translates right to she is sleeping in our bed with us. I love snuggling and cuddling as much as the next person, but really I am not a huge fan of Natalie in bed with Zack and I.
Anyways, the reason that I am SO incredibly irritated is that the phone number given n the recall notice, the same number I posted in the last post, is always busy - there is no one answering them. AND the website doesn't load. I contacted the CPSC and they said that they are aware of the situation and urging parents to be patient.
I am normally pretty patient, at least I try :), but this is rediculous and I am out of patience. My sister bought it for us before Natalie was born, and this was not a cheap crib. (Not saying that cheap cribs would wearrant this lack either, besides have you seen a cheap crib? Me either!)
I am very disappointed in the Stork Craft brand at this point and am pretty sure that I will never purchase any of their products ever, ever again! Thanks for listening!

IBW Interactive books - **Review and Giveaway**

IBW Interactive books are tons of fun! They are very age-appropriate and entertaining for children. It is really a neat concept, each of their books has a web address at the end of each chapter. After your child, or you and your child, read each chapter, you get on the Internet and go to the address given. Each web scene is a short animation that corresponds to the chapter that was just read.
We were sent one book from the KA Reader series and one book from the Busy Preschoolers series.
My oldest daughter will be 3 on December 6 and she absolutely enjoyed each of these books. She loved the webscenes from the KA Reader book, and the story. She was able to connect the chapters with the pictures and tell me information about the pictures that came from the book.
The Busy Preschooler book was wonderful!! There is an activity for each letter, they are simple yet fun and educational. There is also a webscene for each letter, and an ABC-TRACE. The ABC TRACE really got Emily's attention because she is into learning letters right now. The ABC TRACE has little "tracer pacers" at each touch point of the letter. The child uses the mouse to click and drag, as if they were writing the letter.
I have a video of Emily doing the "H" activity, but am having trouble getting it to upload. :( I will figure it out, and when I do, I will post it too!
So that you can get the idea, I am going to tell you briefly about the activity and will give you the address of the webscene: The activity was a riddle where the child had to guess what body part was being talked about, they had to act out the phrases as you read them (ex. It can count and clap and wave) and at the end guess what it was - hands! Here is the webscene, at the bottom is the link to the ABC TRACER.

IBW Books has very generously offered one of you lucky readers the opportunity to win your own interactive books! You will be able to chose from the following prizes:

The Busy Preschooler’s Guide to Learning – fun activities built around the 26 letters of the alphabet, with step-by-step help to guide parents in how to use everyday situations to teach 105 skills their kids need before they walk in the kindergarten door.

~~OR~~

THREE (3) KA Readers – beginning readers that use a new kind of storytelling where kids see an animation unfold at the close of every chapter! Dr. Seuss-like rhyming hooks kids on the fun of words. Online activities help parents assess a child’s reading and comprehension.

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing

MANDATORY ENTRIES – there are 2 (must be completed for any extra entries to count): *Go to IBW books’ website and have a look around, then come back and tell me which of the series’ is your favorite. *Tell me which of the prizes you will want if you win.
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen at 12 NOON, PST on 12/09 based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

Wordless Wednesday - Why Zack loves Montana...

Papa took Zack fishing, and the first year Zack could not believe the size of the trout they were catching. Here is one from the last time we went this fall. This is a beautiful fish...yummy too!

The Friendship Stone **Review and Giveaway**

I recently came across a wonderful company whose products represent lifelong friendship and positive thinking! Sounds great, right? Not to mention that through this link, feel free to bookmark the site when you get there ;) they donate 20% of sales to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America! It gets even better, the founders of the company are best friends, and sisters! (I am a succer for close families!) And another 10% is given back to the villages in Africa where the stones originated to help make the villager's lives better!

I was sent this wonderful Friendship Stone. The Tiger's Eye is beautiful! When you look at the stone from different angels, the colors seem to change. In the booklet that came with the stone, there is a story of a mother who gave one of these Friendship Stones to her children. The color changing was explained to the children as representing their power to change their feelings by changing their viewpoint. WOW. Holding the stone in my hand and just rubbing it is very calming, I really enjoy the friendship stone and everything it stands for!
Cathy Raff, the owner/founder of My Stone Company has a heartwarming story of her own, and I would like to share part of it with you. In her first year of college, Cathy was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus and had a total colectomy (removal of large intestine) on her 21st birthday. Cathy says, "I knew this was really my birthday, as I felt re-born on the day after I awoke from surgery." When Cathy was 31, she she fell in love and got married. After 4 years and 12 unsuccessful IVF treatments, the couple had three children through surrigacy. Through all of the medical challenges that Cathy has been through, she began thinking of her disease as a gift. She began thinking of what was important to her, and the amazing feeling of being pain free! In 2004, the friendship stone journey began when she was on a business trip with her husband to South Africa.
The Friendship Stone has generously offered to give one of my readers a Power of Two - Friendship Stone Gift Pack a $24.95 value. Also, remember that if you purchase a power of two gift pack, 20% of net sales gets donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - 15% to your local agency and 5% to National, when you order through the BBBSA-TFS site.
GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to The Friendship Stone website and come back and tell me one thing you learned about the company, products, or anything that interested you
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen at 12 NOON, PST 12/08 based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

Crib recall - Storkcraft

Stork craft cribs are being recalled. 535,000 (approximately) are being recalled, including some 92,000 with the Fisher Price logo. ANY stork craft that was manufactured and distributed between May 2000 and November 2008. The reason that these cribs are being recalled:

The metal support brackets used to support the crib mattress and mattress board can crack and break. When one or more support brackets break, the mattress can collapse and create a dangerous gap between the mattress and crib rails, in which a child can become entrapped and suffocate.

No children have died because of this defect, thank God, but one child sustained bruising to his head and another became trapped.
Parents are urged to stop using these cribs and to find a safe sleep method for their child. The remedy suggested is to contact Stork Craft to receive a free replacement kit with new mattress support brackets. The contact information for stork craft is:

Contact Stork Craft toll-free at (866) 361-3321 anytime to order the free replacement kit or log on to www.storkcraft.com

This information was taken from www.cpsc.gov, here is a direct link to the recall notice including pictures.

We have one of these cribs for Natalie. I am getting incredibly frustrated, this is the second recalled crib that we have had. The first was Emily's - it worked fine for us, but after it was in the garage we found out that it had been recalled. Luckily this recall is fixable!

Jambasta

Zack has our Dish set to automatically record Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals. So I was sitting on the couch putting the girls to sleep for their nap and decided to watch an episode that was titled "Fire and Ice" - sounds good right? Well Rachael was making Jambasta, a dish that she created for her dad's birthday that combines jambalaya and pasta.

The ingredients for this dish are:
1 pkg andouille (we used linguica) sausage
1 chicken breast
3-4 large deveined shrimp per person
celery - we used about 6 stalks
half an onion
some (1t +/- to taste) garlic
1 red bell pepper (we used yellow)
1 poblano pepper
1T butter
2-4 t flour
about 1/2C beer
about 1 C chicken stock
a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
a couple sprigs of thyme
about 1/2C cream
1 pound of any short-bodied pasta (we used whole grain penne).
**Liquid measurements are estimates, Rachael Ray did "turns around the pan" rather than measurements. A turn around the pan starts at one spot near the edge of the pan and goes around to that point again.**
To make Jambasta
You start out by removing the casing from your sausage and cutting it up into small pieces. In a large, deep skillet brown the sausage until it is crisp, set aside. While cooking sausage, cut up your veggies.
In the same pan, melt some butter - maybe a tablespoon, and then put your garlic, onion, celery, bell pepper, and poblano pieces in there, sprinkle with flour (maybe 2-4 t) and mix well to combine.
Don't forget to start a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
Pour some beer over the top of your veggies - not really sure how much, about one turn around the pan.
Then pour some chicken stock in, about two turns around the pan. Open the can of crushed tomatoes and add that, mix. Add a couple of sprigs of thyme, when getting ready to serve you are going to remove the stems.
Now is the time to cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, and add them to the sauce. Add the raw shrimp at this time too. The chicken and shrimp are going to cook in the sauce and add a bunch of flavor! Put in one turn around the pan of cream, and stir.
Add your pasta to the water which should now be boiling. Cook according to the package directions, but you want to drain the pasta just shy of "al dente" because it is still going to cook when added to the sauce.
When the pasta is cooked, pick out the thyme sprigs from your sauce. Combine the pasta in with the sauce and mix gently to combine.
Put in your serving dish, and top with linguisa!
ENJOY!!!!

This was an absolutely delicious meal!
Rachael Ray paired this dish with individual pecan ice cream pies, but to be honest with you, we were so full that desert wasn't even on our minds! I hope that if you decide to try Jambasta, that you enjoy it as much as we did!
Thank you for reading this and have a blessed day!

Another Thankful Thursday!

Today is again Thursday, and it happened at the perfect time! You might think that is a strange thing to say, but really - I am thankful that today is (thankful) Thursday!
I have so much to be thankful for, and even right now when times are tough, there is so much that is amazing in my life and the lives of my family - all because of the love, mercy, and grace that has been bestowed upon us by the Lord! I am thankful that we have a warm, safe place to call home. That we are free to believe whatever we choose, and that we were given the faith to believe in God! I am incredibly thankful that no matter the amount of sin that is in my past - Jesus CHOSE to cleanse ME of all of it! I am thankful that I have learned to break many cycles and hope and pray that there will be even more cycles broken by my children and future generations, while at the same time reinforcing cycles of love, respect, faith, humility, and more! There really are so many things that I have to be thankful for, that I honestly cannot count them all! Another thing that I am incredibly thankful for is the support that I have, that my family has, that encourages us in the Lord!


Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I am thankful for any comments you feel like leaving! Have a blessed day!

Soft Lips **Review and Giveaway**

One thing that I think every woman loves is to have soft lips! And I might even say that men love it too! ;)
I was fortunate enough to be sent the new winter line of SoftLips Lip Balm with SPF 20 and their new flavors in the PURE line. I have loved SoftLips lip balm for years, and my favorite flavor has ALWAYS been cherry, but with these new winter limited edition flavors, I think that the cherry has some major competition!

The new Winter Limited Edition flavors are: Sugar & Spice, Sugar Plum Berry, Winter Mint and Sugar Cookie. They are all great, but my favorite is the sugar plum berry...what can I say, I am a sweet flavor kind of girl! I really like that all of these amazing flavored lip balms have an SPF 20 to protect your lips while leaving them feeling moist for hours!
The Softlips PURE line is 100% natural and is USDA-certified organic. This line of lip conditioners also expanded with four new flavors: papaya, peppermint, acai berry and chai tea. The PURE line also includes pomegranate, which is my favorite of the line, with Chai Tea coming in close!!
SoftLips is a pretty inexpensive way to protect your lips and indulge at the same time! With prices around $3.69 for a pack of 2 (at drugstore.com) they would also make great stocking stuffers or gifts for the girls and ladies on your list! You can purchase SoftLips lip balms with SPF at most major retailers and drug stores, even some gas stations!
One lucky Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader is going to win their very own set of the new SoftLips Winter Limited Edition flavors!!! How awesome is that?!?!

As if that wasn't enough, SoftLips is currently having their 4th annual Picture Perfect Lips Contest, where the winner will receive $2500 cash and a year's supply of SoftLips, there are also prizes for runners up. You can read about and enter the contest here, even if you don't enter, you can go vote for your favorite set of lips! :)
Also, SoftLips has a Facebook fan page that you can use to stay up to date on the new flavors, great deals, and giveaways - hurry and fan them, when they reach 3200 fans they are giving away the winter line and a cute Dooney & Bourke small, patent-leather cosmetic case!!

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing - Giveaway closes at 12 NOON on 12/4/09!

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to the SoftLips website and tell me one product they have that you would love to try that I did not mention.
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Fan the Softlips Facebook Page and mention that Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife sent you!
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen. Good luck to all who enter!

Healthy Mouth - Happy Mouth **Review & Giveaway**

I hate when my mouth gets dry and uncomfortable, I really do hate it. These patches are an all-natural way to prevent that from happening, or to moisten your mouth when it is already dry. Cotton-mouth is what we always called it when our mouths would become incredibly dry, but it is actually called xerostomia, and effects 10% of the population - not counting those who may be taking medications that cause their mouths to dry out. It is easy to apply - it simply sticks in your mouth, either the roof of your mouth or on the inside of your cheek. It then lasts for 2-4 hours. This patch works by releasing ingredients that cause you to salivate - moistening your mouth, and creating a more healthy oral environment.
This product worked great for me!

OraMoist Dry Mouth Patch has been clinically proven effective in terms of increased saliva production and improved feeling of moistness. Suggested retail price is $9.99 for a box of 16 patches; available at Rite Aid, Albertson’s LLC and Raley’s, and online at www.oramoist.com.

Have you ever had a canker sore - a painful blister that forms on the inside of the mouth, cheeks, and inner lips, as well as on the tongue? I have and they are miserable, and can last as long as 7-21 days when untreated! Luckily, I have not had a canker sore lately, so I haven't been able to try Canker Cover, but I am definitely putting these in the medicine chest for the next time... Here is a little bit of information that I was provided with:

Canker Cover is the only over-the-counter canker sore treatment shown in clinical studies to significantly speed treatment. The pill shaped patch adheres to the sore and forms a gel patch that protects the sore, relieves the pain, and speeds treatment. In two separate clinical studies, Canker Cover was shown to heal most canker sores within 24 hours and to be more effective than benzocaine, the active ingredient in most canker sores products, at eliminating pain. No other canker sore products in the world have shown this result.

Canker Cover is also made from natural ingredients including natural menthol, citrus oil and sea salt, which dissolves over time, offering immediate pain relief upon application while covering and protecting the lesion from bacteria and other irritants (e.g., movement, food, drink, orthodontia/dental appliances, etc.) for eight to 12 hours. Canker Cover provides immediate and long-lasting pain relief by steadily releasing pain-numbing menthol and other ingredients on the sore. In most cases, one patch completely treats a canker sore within 24 hours. Suggested retail price is $9.99 for a box of six patches; available at drug stores, supermarkets and health food stores nationwide, and online at www.cankercover.com.

Again, I know that cold sores are not fun. I have never yet had a cold sore, but know plenty of people who have. They say that they hurt, burn, tingle, and obviously are unsightly. They last up to 2 weeks and are extremely contagious. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (hsv1), unfortunately there is no cure for this virus. So the best thing that cold sore sufferers can hope for is fast healing times, and Lystine+ cut healing time in half, to under four days. Doesn't that sound amazing, completely healed from your cold sore in 3 days??

LIP CLEAR’s unique combination of natural ingredients provides immediate relief from symptomatic burning, itching and tingling upon application. LIP CLEAR Lysine+ is all-natural, has a non-chemical flavor, goes on clear, can be worn under lipstick and doesn’t burn on application. It provides immediate soothing relief of burning and itching.
Suggested retail price is $6.99 for a 7-gram tube; available at drug stores, supermarkets and health food stores nationwide, and online at www.LipClear.com.

One person is going to win a Healthy Mouth, Happy Mouth Package containing all three of these products! For the rest of you, I wanted to let you know that on the respective websites above, each of these products has either a coupon for purchase or a BOGO offer!!

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Tell me which of these products you would like best and what is the closest place to you to get it.

EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen. Giveaway will close 12/4/09 at 12 NOON PST. Good luck!!

Advice too good not to share!

Last night there was a blood drive at church and Zack and I had signed up to give blood. I wasn't able to give blood because it hasn't been a year since I got a (totally cute) tattoo. So I sat and knitted a scarf for a while and then ended up talking to Pastor Pat for a few minutes.
I am not going to tell you everything that we talked about...but I feel compelled to share with you some wisdom that should put a smile on your face - and keep it there!
The Bible says that the thoughts God has for you outnumber the sands of the seas. Guess what...no where does it say that God ever has a bad thought about you. Yes, that means that GOD, our creator, who is amazing, wonderful, merciful, and all-mighty thinks so many good thoughts about you that it is CRAZY for you not to think (at least) a few good thoughts about yourself.
Thank you Pastor Pat for always having something wonderful to say that is based in the Bible, but hits home!

Self esteem is a sore spot for many women. I have heard it said from many sources that one of woman's greatest faults is forgetting or underestimating their worth. There are women all over the world who have crap happen in their lives and as a result create crappier lives for themselves. My prayer is that every once in a while, we would all stop to realize that we were created for a purpose divine - God did not make a mistake in creating ANY one of us - man or woman. Sometimes we are allowed to live through things that should never have been, but there is a reason. As I said in last week's Thankful Thursday post, when we persevere through life's trials, we are later able to help another get through something similar. But when we start getting down, and need to remember that we are worth something, please remember that the thoughts God thinks of YOU outnumber the sands of the seas, and not one of them is bad.
Be Blessed!

Wannabe French Hot Chocolate

Oh. my. gosh. This was awesome! For days now, Emily and I have been talking about making Wannabe French hot chocolate, a recipe from Max Brenner's cookbook Chocolate: A Love Story that we got for review a few weeks ago.
Our expectations have been building for days, as we read the recipe, bought the ingredients that we didn't have, and actually got around to making this. Most of the ingredients are those that you would commonly have in your kitchen/pantry: milk, corn starch, sugar, egg (yolks), chocolate (your choice, chopped), cocoa powder, and heavy cream.


We started making our hot chocolate and were to the second step of the recipe when I realized that I had not read the directions very well and had to start over. No problem, except I don't have any milk left now! :) Once I read the directions more carefully, it was easy. Emily had fun helping me mix ingredients in, and lick the adjustable measuring cup after we put the sugar in!

I think that it took us less than 10 minutes from start to finish - granted, we enlisted Zack to chop our chocolate and whip our cream! This was a WHOLE family job!

The Wannabe French hot chocolate was amazing!

Seriously, it has a custard base that you melt the chocolate into, and then a "generous dollop" of whipped cream on top, with cocoa powder (we used finely grated chocolate) sprinkled on top! The hot chocolate was incredibly rich, but not with an over-powering chocolate flavor. The
cream on top was a great compliment to the chocolate underneath, it kept the flavor rich while mellowing out the sweetness.

Zack doesn't generally like hot chocolate, but loved this! So we had fun, and our efforts paid off! Did I mention that I love weekends!

I l-o-v-e weekends

There are so many reasons that I love weekends, but I think that the biggest reason is that my husband doesn't have to work so we get to have family time.
I love waking up in the morning knowing that I can have a (couple) cup(s) of coffee with Zack while the girls get their bearrings about them - usually while watching a morning cartoon.
I love that there is no rush to fix breakfast - really, the only 2 days of the week that Zack gets something good for breakfast!
I love watching Emily and Natalie playing with their Daddy, knowing that he doesn't have to leave us today.
I wish that every day were a weekend. Not just for me, not just for the girls, but for Zack too! It must be even better for him - not having to go to work, but getting to spend the days with his ladies instead.
Another part of the weekends that always makes me happy is going to church. I have a terrible time getting where I need to be on time, I am late a lot. But I have been working on it, and for the last few weeks, I am happy to say that we have been on time! I love seeing Emily's face light up when she gets dismissed for children's church - watching her for a minute as she smiles with the other kids as they being their worship songs. I love seeing the fire in my husband as he hears and learns God's word. And I love the peace and comfort of Christ totally transform me.
You know, I could have most of what I love about the weekends everyday! That is right, everyday. I am still working on transforming our house into our home, and that is going to take a while, but it is going to be a home built with love!
I love my Gog, I love my husband, I love my daughters, and I am even learning to love myself!
I l-o-v-e everyday!

I hope that you smiled as you were reading this, while you realized how much you love your days too! What are some of the things you love?

MyClyns germ protection spray - review & giveaway!

With it being flu season, and add to that the Swine Flu -N1H1-, I am open for suggestions as to how to keep my family healthy. Of course, hand washing is the number one way to avoid getting and spreading any virus. But is it enough? I do not believe that it is. So when I was approached about reviewing MyClyns, a germ protection spray, I was intrigued. It is a bit uncoventional in its application, but seems to be worth the new routine.

MyClyns is a non-toxic, alcohol-free, non burning spray that kills 99.99% of MRSA and other germs. It is safe to use in the eyes, nose, and mouth - where germs typically enter the body.
To use it, you simply spray the area of the body that is affected: Imagine that you are in a store, doing your Black Friday shopping :) and the person in front of you starts coughing and sneezing, instantly germs fill the air around you. In this instance you would remove the cap and spray the MyClyns on the nose/mouth area of your face, preventing those germs from entering your body. Say that you are shopping and your child puts their mouth on the cart (happens to me a lot) all you have to do then is spray the mouth area on your child.
You might be thinking "WOW, spray them in the face - really?" But as I was reminded, when hand sanitizer first came out the thought of using a thick, sticky, alcohol-based goop was also if-y.
Emily, my "almost 3 year-old" is skiddish about water going in her eyes, and she handles this well. There is no alcohol in it, so there is no burning...it is almost like a game to the kids, and reassuring to me to know that they/we are being protected from more than 60 dangerous germs!

MyClyns is the only germ defense for use in the eyes, nose and mouth – offering protection where you need it most – common entry points for most germs. MyClyns is safe to spray directly onto the face and even into open wounds. It’s safe for people of all ages – even those who wear contact lenses.

One of you lucky readers is going to get your very own spray bottle of MyClyns, a $9.99 value! For those of you who don't win, you can buy yours here or look for it at CVS and other drug stores near you (ARV $7.99-9.99).

Please leave a seperate comment for each thing you do to enter (each is worth one entry unless noted!
Be sure to leave an email address if one is not visible in your blogger profile!
**Mandatory Entry: Go to the MyClyns website and come back and tell me one thing you learned.

**Extra Entries (mandatory entry must be done first):*Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
*Follow through Face Book's Networked blogs (left sidebar)
*Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway
*Tell me of an instance that your family would use the MyClyns germ protection spray
*Sign up for the mailing list on the My Clyns website and come back telling me you did
*Subscribe to email updates, leave the email address you subscribed (2 extra entries)
*Enter to win the set of 4 hardcover childrens' books (before 11/27) and comment telling me you did
*Blog about this giveaway and link it here or email 4 people and CC tinymansmom (at) sbcglobal (dot) net (5 extra entries)
*Comment on any non-giveaway post and tell me the title of that post (1 entry each, up to 2 extra entries)

Giveaway ends 11/27 at 12 NOON PST, and is open to legal US residents who are at least age 18. Winner will be chosen from the random integer generator on random.org. Good luck to all who enter.
I was provided with a sample of this product for review purposes, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Win a Kindle!!

A perfect holiday gift for you or someone you love (valued at $259)
That's why Noobie is excited to announce they are giving away a brand-new Kindle, valued at $259.00, just in time for the holidays. All you need to do is fill out the form. Noobie will take care of the rest!

Here's how to enter
To enter, simply fill out the form by clicking the link. When you are done, click the Submit Form button at the bottom of that page to send your contest submission to Noobie. That's all there is to it! What are you waiting for? You have absolutely nothing to lose.

Noobie's Kindle Giveaway will end on December 10th, 2009 at 11:59 P.M. ET. The drawing for the Kindle will take place on or about December 14th, 2009.

~ Thankful Thursday ~

I love Thursdays, I enjoy writing and reading posts that are all about the positive things in life. At church this month, Pastor Pat challenged us to make November a "no complaint month." This might sound easy, or it might sound hard - it depends on how much you complain! To me, it did not sound too easy! It makes since though, and I love the idea. If we spend all of our time being thankful, grateful, appreciative of what Christ did for us - all the He went trough being mocked, tortured, and crucified - how can we say anything other than Thank You Lord!
It seems like when I fall into a mood where I want to complain about things, I am most certainly NOT thinking about what Jesus did. So the challenge is to think more about God and how much He loves us, think about the choices that Jesus made that proves His love for us; and then what is there to complain about? I love it! If you need help remembering to think about Jesus rather than the events that make you want to complain, try something simple like tying a piece of red yarn on your wrists.
I am thankful for this reminder.
I am thankful of all the things I have to be thankful for!
I am thankful that you are taking the time out of your life to read this, and pray that you are thankful as well! Have a great Thursday ~ be Blessed!

Wordless Wednesday - HELP, I'm stuck!

Natalie is in the stage where climbing is fun - on everything. She was climbing up the chairs, onto the table, to get at the candy corn, so we started pushing the chairs in all the way, all the time. This is what we get now:

If you have a Wordless Wednesday post, leave me a link, and I will check it out!

Children's Hardcover Books - Pretty Please Press - ***Review and Giveaway***

I was sent a set of four children's hardcover books from Pretty Please Press to review with my family.
This is a collection of books that are designed for reading aloud, and are fun to read. Each of the four books teaches a different concept through the characters and the story.

Bella Basset Ballerina by Laura Aimee Garn (founder of Pretty Please Press), Illustrated by Valerie Sokolova
This is a great story of a Basset hound who aspires to be a ballerina. Bella, the Basset, hears from many people that she is not going to be a ballerina - she is too short, low to the ground, etc - and that there are paths that each dog is supposed to take. Because Bella was willing to work hard and make some sacrifices, she was able to defy all odds in this heartwarming story, giving the reader encouragement to follow their dreams. A great book to teach perseverance!


The Scritchy Little Twitchell Sisters by Laura Aimee Garn, Illustrated by Erik Brooks
This is a story of two sisters who cannot get along to save their lives! It gets so bad that the parents literally divide the house in half and label everything with one of the sisters' names. One day, Mr and Mrs Twitchell take the girls to "Travelstead's Variety Show" and when Emmeline was picked to assist the magician, Lavinia immediately caused a scene and the girls began throwing water, eggs, and anything within reach at each other. The magician saw how the crowd reacted to the girls' "performance" and they sign a contract and go on tour doing what they do best - fighting with each other. After a while, the girls realize that they love each other and want to have a sister to play with rather than fighting all the time. The character building theme in this book is conflict resolution, and as my daughter Emily says - being nice to your sister.

Kick Block Punch written and illustrated by Jacquie Hann
This was actually a really good book, and my girls enjoyed it - wasn't so sure at first since it is about karate. Through this book, Sam (a beginning karate student) learns that it takes practice, discipline, and respect to advance in karate. Sam showed up the first day, kicked one of his friends and punched another and then asked for his black belt. His instructor tells/shows him that only through practice, will he be able to get what he wants - a black belt. I was impressed with this book because Sam went from a rambunctious kid who hits/kicks his friends and brother when he firsts starts karate, to a respectful boy who learns that he is not trying to hurt other people but discipline himself (through practice) to attain his next belt. There is also a glossary of karate terms at the end of the story, and a great statement: "YOU NEVER USE KARATE TO START A FIGHT!" Kick, Block, Punch has a few character building themes that I can see, but the one that is developed through the additional resources on the website is setting goals.


Pynx written and illustrated by Jeffrey Greene
From the Pretty Please Press website:

In a distant galaxy, on a very colorful planet, a brilliant purple Pynx settles into her new home in the jungle. But her noisy arrival upsets the other fanciful creatures who are already living there quite happily. When the Pynx expands her family with dozens of new babies, her neighbors are very upset. The very vocal Pynx has had this problem before, but this time, with a little luck, she finds a real home. This is a story about being tolerant, learning to appreciate differences, and about finding ways to communicate.

The creatures on this far away planet learn to appreciate the new, loud Pynx when she saves the colony from Shovelsnouts. It is a good book, totally fictional, imagination inspiring, and tolerance teaching. The character building theme of this book is tolerance.


Each of the books also has wonderful FREE downloadable tools from the Pretty Please Press website to accompany the book:
■Download Free Vocabulary Building Cards
■Download Free Concept Building Cards
■Download Free Character Building Lesson Plan

My thoughts:I think that this would be a great set of books for a homeschooling family to use, or for extra reinforcement of any child's vocabulary, reading ability, concept and character building skills. For now, we mainly just enjoy reading the stories and we talk about each of the character building themes - a little. I plan to utilize all of the extras as my children get to an age where it is more appropriate.

Buy it These books are for sale directly from Pretty Please Press at a 20% discount on the cover price. They also have a great offer - buy 3 books and get 1 FREE!
Win it!
The wonderful people at Pretty Please Press is offering one reader a chance to win a set of all four of these books!!
Be sure to leave an email address if one is not visible in your blogger profile!
**Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to the Pretty Please Press website and tell me one of the tips they give for parents; or if you are an educator, a tip they have for educators.
**Extra Entries (mandatory entry must be done first) Please leave a seperate comment for each thing you do (each is worth one entry unless noted):
*Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
*Follow through Face Book's Networked blogs (left sidebar)
*Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway using this tweet or your own: Win a set of 4 kids hardcover books (ARV $63.80) from Pretty Please Press @tinymansmom #Giveaway closes 11/27 http://bit.ly/7ddTc
*Sign up for the mailing list on the Pretty Please Press website and come back telling me you did
*Subscribe to email updates, leave the email address you subscribed (2 extra entries)
*Enter to win a Little Music Lovers CD (before 11/13) and comment telling me you did
*Blog about this giveaway and link it here or email 4 people and CC tinymansmom (at) sbcglobal (dot) net (5 extra entries)
*Comment on any non-giveaway post and tell me the title of that post (1 entry each, up to 2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to legal US residents, age 18+. Giveaway will close at 12 NOON PST on 11/27/2009 and winner will be chosen using random.org then notified via email and will have 48 hours to get back with me or another winner will be selected.
I was sent a copy of each of these books for review purposes, all opinions are my own.