Our Hope Is In The Lord

Miami Science Museum

2012-01-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

Well this was a last minute day to go the museum. My friend called me at 8:45am and we were ready by 9:30 to go to the museum. We had a great time. God has been teaching to me to be open and sometimes we have to give our kids the opportunity or we might not ever have them again.

D Man and Ducky in front entrance.

Ducky with the catapult.

Exploring our world!!

D Man- How much can you lift?

They had a Lego Table, always a hit.

Ducky built a pyramid

They had this big tire inside the museum, she looks so tiny in there.

What's a day without gymnastics:)

They had a tank with Stingrays that you could touch. They also talked about them. This was a nice feature because we are studying Stingrays and Sharks this month.

Contenders-Tennis Skill

2012-01-16T20:11:00.000-05:00

D Man learning the different technique's of Tennis. My friend does an awesome job with instructing our children.

D Man trying to keep the ball off the tennis court.

Practice Run!!

Ducky doing Hopscotch, I remember playing this as a child. It brought back memories.

So cute:)

D Man practicing hitting the ball off the wall.

We still have one more week of Tennis so I will post more pictures.

Thank you for looking at our blog.

KNOCK YOUR BLOCKS OFF GAMEWRIGHT REVIEW

2012-01-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

Ages 8+

Two to Four Players

Rules in Spanish

Knock Your Blocks Off brilliantly combines two seemingly disparate elements into one powerhouse game. In a sense, you’re getting two games in one: a fast-paced visual puzzle and a fine-motor dexterity challenge. At first one might not expect “brains and brawn” to work well together, but as our play testers told us – they give the game depth as well as the opportunity for players with different strengths to shine. Strategy tip: Think carefully about which structures will benefit you the most as the game progresses.

Stack ‘em up … Knock ‘em down! First, race to build a structure by matching up the patterns on your blocks. Then use the battle die to knock off your opponent's crown! Depending on your roll, you may get to attack with an avalanche of boulders, a wall-smashing ogre, or even a fire-breathing dragon! Rack up the most victory points and crown yourself king of the block.

Hand-Eye Coordination
Strategic Thinking

My Review:

Thank you to GameWright for letting us review Knock Your Blocks Off.

Knock Your Socks Off is played over a series of rounds. The two

parts are: The Building Phase and the Destruction Phase, anything to do with destruction our son is ready for.

The goal of the building phase is to be the first player to finish matching up his blocks and to grab the demolition die and get his crown on top. This phase is then finished. The Destruction Phase is to attack the other player's structure. Victory tokens are taken after each attack. The first player to get 8 victory tokens is the Winner!!!

Not only is this game fun but your children will be learning pattern recognition, how to listen, follow instructions, helping the mind to stay active. To our family this is why playing games like this is very important. All games help build lasting moments for your family. I definitely recommend GameWright Games. Please check out there other games at:

GameWright.

Please follow Gamewright on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/gamewright

Please follow Gamewright on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/gamewright

Check out there Blog at:
http://gamewright.wordpress.com/

Thank you again to Gamewright.

Olympic Training Center-Future Stars Nationals-Colorodo Springs

2012-01-08T20:19:00.000-05:00

In front of the Olympic Training Center with Coach

United States of America

Pause the audio to hear the video

D Man on Rings

Straddle on P Bars

Plage on P Bars

V position

Pommel Horse

Waiting his turn before next event.

Thank You Coach!!!

MARRIED ON A CRUCIFIX

2012-01-06T23:22:00.001-05:00

I thought this was a great article to share. It is from Catholic.net.

MARRIED ON A CRUCIFIX

Imagine a world without divorce. Imagine families without separation. Imagine no children or hearts torn apart.

by Michael Mullan, LC | Source: Catholic.net

Imagine a world without divorce. Imagine families without separation. Imagine no children or hearts torn apart.

People of one place in this world do not have to imagine.

In the town of Siroki-Brijeg in Herzegovina not one of the 13,000 inhabitants can recall a single divorce or broken family.

What is their secret? One look at their marriage rite says it all.

When the bride and bridegroom go to the church to be married they carry a crucifix with them. The priest blesses the crucifix and exclaims, “You have found your cross! It is a cross to love, to carry with you, a cross that is not thrown off but rather treasured.”

When they interchange the marital vows, the bride puts her right hand on this crucifix and the groom puts his right hand over hers. Both are united to the cross. The priest covers their hands with his stole while they pronounce their promises to love each other in good times and in bad.

Then they both first kiss the cross, not each other. If one abandons the other, they abandon Christ on the cross.

Afterwards, the newly-weds cross the threshold of their home to enthrone that same crucifix in a place of honor. It becomes the reference point of their lives and the place of family prayer.

In times of difficulty and misunderstandings, as all human relationships experience, they do not turn immediately to the lawyer or psychologist, they turn to the cross. They kneel, cry and open up their hearts begging for the strength to pardon and implore the Lord’s help.

The children are taught to reverently kiss the crucifix daily and to thank him for the day before going to bed. These children dream of enthroning one day a crucifix of their own.
The family is indissolubly united to the cross of Christ. Is this simply a morbid outlook on marital and family life? Or is it a piece of wisdom that few in our modern world can understand. Until our world does, it will continue to imagine and long for the unbroken hearth.

-Information taken from Marian Observer Feb. 2002.

Nature Study at Local Nature Preserve

2012-01-01T20:56:00.000-05:00

Daddy and Ducky

DMan up in a tree. They Love climbing trees.

Ducky in a tree to.

D Man and his friend, heading to boardwalk.

Hiking Trail

A Tree I thought was cool looking.

I wonder what kind of animal lives here.

Ducky by a tree,Beautiful.

Gulf Fritillary

We think this is a snake hole or a mole hole, it was big

Serenity

Daddy and Ducky

Proverbs 8:20-21

I walk in the path of righteousness, in the pathway of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill there treasuries.

DMan and his staff

Snapping Turtle came right up to the dock.

Ducky, DMan and Friend

My Friend and her daughter

D Man

Relaxing in there favorite tree.

Thank you to my friend that shared this wonderful place that we have never been to but have lived so close to it. We are grateful to find new places to explore:)

Cashin' In the New Year ( Worldwide Giveaway)

2011-12-30T00:01:00.005-05:00

Hostessed by http://www.blogger.com/Mama and http://www.blogger.com/Home with the help of several other fantastic group of bloggers we bring you Cashin' in the New Year! This giveaway runs from 12:01 AM on Friday 12/30 and will run until Monday, 1/2 at 11:59 PM (all Eastern times). One winner will receive $190 Cash into their paypal!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colorado Springs Day 2 Part 2 - Practice at Olympic Training Center

2011-12-29T08:50:00.000-05:00

DMan at the entrance

Inside the Training Center

Just sayin'

Gold Metalist Display

Country Flags

DMan in front of the Olympic Rings

Pommel Practice

Swingin' on the Rings

Chalkin' Up

Serious Pike

Full extension on PBars

High Bar Giants

Be sure to come back for Day 3 the Competition!!!!!

Christmas Crafts

2011-12-23T08:54:00.000-05:00

Ducky with Easy Angel Craft from DLTK

D Man with Angel Craft

Ducky with Hand print tree

D Man with Hand print Tree

Christian Candy Cane Craft from Catholic Icing

D Man with Candy Cane

Ducky with Manager Scene she drew at art class.

Our neighbor bought these for our children, they painted them. They also light up but need to get a bulb.

Christmas Tree Ornament that Ducky made with Popsicle sticks

D Man Christmas Tree Ornament

Ducky likes to craft this is a ornament from the Bendaroos

Candy Cane from Pipe Cleaner, Ducky's creation.

Merry Christmas!!!!

GRAPEVINE STUDIES REVIEW- BIRTH OF JESUS

2011-12-21T20:56:00.001-05:00

Students will begin in Nazareth with the angel's announcement to Mary. Then they will follow along as Jesus and His family escape from Herod by fleeing to Egypt, and later as they return to Nazareth after Herod's death.

Birth of Jesus studies teach:

The chronology of the Nativity
The people involved
Where Jesus traveled
Scriptures related to the Birth of Jesus

Great for:

Family Devotions
Bible Class
Outreach
Mid-Week Studies

This is a perfect study for the Advent season or any time of the year!

THANK YOU TO GRAPEVINE STUDIES FOR LETTING US REVIEW THE BIRTH OF JESUS MULTI-LEVEL AND BEGINNER.

WE HAVE A 9 YEAR OLD AND A 6 YEAR OLD. OUR DAUGHTER IS ONLY 6 BUT SHE IS A TRUE ARTIST. THIS IS WHY WE CHOOSE THE MULTI-LEVEL BECAUSE I KNEW OUR DAUGHTER COULD HANDLE IT. GRAPEVINE STUDIES IS AWESOME FOR OUR CHILDREN.

WOW, I TOTALLY LOVE THIS CURRICULUM. OUR CHILDREN LEARNED THE WHOLE STORY OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS THROUGH READING THE WORD OF GOD AND APPLY IT BY DRAWING STICK PEOPLE ( EXAMPLE MARY AND GABRIEL). THE OTHER THING I LOVE IS THAT GRAPEVINE STUDIES HAS A TIMELINE THAT GOES WITH THE STORY, THEY DRAW STICK HERE TO. OUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING BIBLICAL HISTORY THROUGH SCRIPTURES AND DRAWING THE STICK PEOPLE IS THE VISUAL PART OF LESSON.THEY HAVE YOU FILL OUT THE MAP FOR WHERE MARY AND JOSEPH TRAVELED, SO THEY ARE LEARNING GEOGRAPHY. OUR CHILDREN HAD TO MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE FOR EACH LESSON, VERY IMPORTANT TO HIDE GOD'S WORD IN YOUR HEART. AFTER EACH LESSON AND BEFORE THE START OF YOUR NEXT LESSON GRAPEVINE STUDIES HAS A TIMELINE REVIEW,MEMORY REVIEW AND LESSON REVIEW WITH QUESTIONS YOU CAN HAVE CHILDREN NARRATE BACK TO YOU. AT THE END OF THE 5 LESSONS THEY HAVE A FINAL REVIEW.OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE REFRESHED. ANOTHER PART OF THIS CURRICULUM I LOVED IS THAT IT HAS WORDS TO LOOK UP IN THE DICTIONARY WHICH IS SPELLING AND READING. GRAPEVINE STUDIES HAS A GREAT TEACHER GUIDE ALSO. AT THE END OF EACH LESSON THEY HAVE THEM DRAW THERE FAVORITE SCENE THEY DREW. GRAPEVINE STUDIES IS A GREAT CURRICULUM FOR ALL AGES.

HERE ARE SOME SAMPLES OF OUR WORK:

DUCKY'S TIMELINE REVIEW

DMAN TIMELINE- LOVE ELIZABETH PREGNANT

THE BIRTH OF JESUS (DUCKY'S)

DMAN'S 1ST LESSON

DUCKY'S FAVORITE SCENE.

DUCKY'S TIMELINE REVIEW

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THERE PRODUCTS AT:

GRAPEVINE STUDIES

AIR FORCE ACADEMY-COLORADO NATIONALS -2ND DAY-1 OR 2

2011-12-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

AIR FORCE ACADEMY

THROWING A SNOWBALL AT DADDY

STANDING IN FRONT OF THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY MUSEUM

INSIDE THE MUSEUM

THE CHAPEL

B52 PLANE

THE FOOTBALL FIELD

INSIDE THE CHAPEL

COME BACK FOR THE 2ND PART. NOW WE ARE GETTING IN THE FUTURE COMPETITION.

ORAL B STAGES III/ ORAL B CREST PRO HEALTH FOR ME PARTY

2011-12-18T00:02:00.000-05:00

WE HAD A ORAL B STAGES II/ ORAL-B CREST PRO HEALTH FOR ME MOMMY PARTY.

Crest Pro-Health For Me Fluoride Anticavity Toothpaste helps prevent cavities and freshens breath—all with a light herbal mint flavor and cool packaging they’ll love. It protects all these areas dentists check in kids:

• Fights cavities

• Strengthens teeth enamel

• Freshens breath

Oral-B Pro-Health For Me Floss Picks transform flossing into an easy routine. When flossing is quick and mess-free, kids don’t mind doing it.

• Easy to use

• Ideal size and shape for kids’ hands

• Neater than traditional floss

• Minty flavor

Oral-B Stages Disney Princess Flossers—Flossers designed for kids ages 5 to 7 years.

Flossers designed for kids.

Flossing can be a challenge for kids. Similar to a floss pick, Stages 3 Flossers are easy to use and specially designed to make flossing fun for kids.

Easy for kids to hold
Designed to make flossing fun with Disney Princess characters

Oral-B Stages Disney Toy Story Flossers—Flossers designed for kids ages 5 to 7 years.

Flossers designed for kids.

Flossing can be a challenge for kids. Similar to a floss pick, Stages 3 Flossers are easy to use and specially designed to make flossing fun for kids.

Easy for kids to hold
Designed to make flossing fun with Disney Toy Story characters

Oral-B Stages 3 Disney Princess Toothbrush—A toothbrush designed for kids ages 5 to 7 years.

Stages 3: A toothbrush designed for kids ages 5 to 7 years.

At this stage, molars start to grow in while some baby teeth are lost. Kids can brush, but they're still learning good technique. Sometimes they brush only one side of teeth, and they can’t always reach back teeth. The Stages 3 Disney Princess Toothbrush helps kids brush their best.

Helps protect tender gums
Surrounds and cleans teeth
Helps kids reach their back teeth
Fits little hands still learning to brush
Makes brushing fun with Disney Princess characters

Crest Pro-Health For Me Anticavity Fluoride Rinse fights cavities and freshens breath. It also reaches places your child may have missed while brushing.

• Fights cavities

• Reaches where brushing may miss

• Freshens breath

• Strengthens teeth enamel

• Alcohol-free

The Oral-B Pro-Health For Me CrossAction Toothbrush has soft, angled CrissCross bristles that clean between the gaps in kids’ changing teeth (like teeth with braces) and remove plaque in hard to reach areas.

• Textured tongue cleaner removes odor-causing germs

• Smaller brush handle designed to fit easily in kids’ hands

• Comes in four colors

For child's healthy growth & development

Provides 11 vitamins & minerals

Great taste & fun to eat

WE HAD A GREAT TIME HOSTING A ORAL/CREST PRO HEALTH FOR ME PARTY.

WE ENJOY HAVING PARTIES IN OUR HOME THAT WHY THIS WAS PERFECT FOR OUR FAMILY. THE CHILDREN AND I WERE EXCITED TO HAVE THE PARTY THE MOMENT WE RECEIVED THE PRODUCTS. WHEN WE INVITED OUR GUEST THEY WERE EXCITED TO JOIN US FOR EXCITING FUN FILLED DAY.

THANKS TO ORAL B AND CREST. WE HOSTED A CARS 2 VIEWING PARTY AND WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO A DELIGHTFUL TIME TOGETHER.

UPON OUR GUESTS ARRIVING WE FILLED OUR GOODIES BAGS WITH ORAL B STAGES III/ORAL B CREST PRO HEALTH FOR ME PRODUCTS( TOOTHPASTE, FLOSSERS, TOOTHBRUSHES, CARS MULTI VITAMINS, INFO ON THE PRODUCTS THEMSELVES). WE ALSO WE HAD A GREAT FEAST TO HAVE WITH OUR CARS 2 MOVIE THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR US ALONG WITH POPCORN AND BALLOONS.

OUR GUESTS BROUGHT THERE TICKETS WITH THEM TO THE PARTY AND WE COLLECTED THE TICKETS WHEN THEY ARRIVED AS YOUR SEE BELOW.

PARTY TIME!!!

ORAL B PRO HEALTH FOR ME AND ORAL B STAGES SENT 26 TIPS AND TRIVIA FOR HEALTHIER TEETH. WHEN OUR GUESTS ARRIVED WE FIRST PLAYED A GAME YUCKY MOUTH VS HEALTHY MOUTH. THERE WERE PICTURES OF ITEMS SUCH AS TOOTHPASTE VS A COOKIE AND WE HAD TO MATCH IT UP TO YUCKY MOUTH OR HEALTHY MOUTH. THE CHILDREN LOVED PLAYING THIS GAME. AFTERWARD WE WENT OVER THE 26 TIPS AND TRIVIA FOR HEALTHIER TEETH. THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW. I KNOW US MOMS ARE LEARNING RIGHT ALONG WITH OUR CHILDREN.

DID YOU KNOW: LIKE FINGERPRINTS, EVERYONE'S TONGUE PRINT IS DIFFERENT

AFTER THE YUCKY MOUTH VS HEALTHY MOUTH GAME WE SETTLED DOWN FOR SOME POPCORN AND THE CARS 2 MOVIE.

AS THE CHILDREN SAT AND WATCHED THE MOVIE AND ATE THERE POPCORN. I THEN EXPLAINED TO THE MOMS THAT EACH OF THERE CHILDREN WOULD BE GOING HOME WITH A BUNCH OF GREAT HEALTHY TEETH PRODUCTS9 LISTED ABOVE), THEY ARE SO EXCITED TO RECEIVE ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL PRODUCTS FOR THERE CHILDREN. THEY SAID IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO PROMOTE THERE PRODUCTS. I ALSO EXPLAINED THAT ORAL B AND CREST SPONSORED THE PARTY VIA MOMMY PARTIES.

AFTER THE CARS 2 MOVIE I HAD ALL THE CHILDREN FLOSS THERE TEETH.

THREE STEPS IN A HEALTHY ORAL CARE REGIMEN INCLUDE:

BRUSHING TWICE A DAY

FLOSSING ONCE A DAY

RINSING TWICE A DAY

ORAL B STAGES #1 RECOMMENDED TOOTHBRUSH BY DENTISTS.

ORAL B PRO HEALTH FOR ME IS THE FIRST AND ONLY COMPLETE LINE FOR TWEENS.

THEN I HAD THEM RINSE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME OUR DAUGHTER HAS EVER RINSED, I WAS AFRAID SHE WOULD SHALLOW IT, BUT SHE DID GREAT, THEY ALL DID GREAT.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH EVERY THREE MONTHS.

WELL IT'S TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE, WE HAD A GREAT TIME TOGETHER. PARTIES ARE ALWAYS FUN, ESPECIALLY MOMMY PARTIES.

ALL OF OUR GUESTS HAVE ENJOYED THERE ORAL B STAGES III/ ORAL B CREST PRO HEALTH FOR ME.

THANKS AGAIN TO ORAL B , CREST AND MOMMY PARTIES FOR LETTING US ALL DO THIS PARTY:)

FOLLOW ORAL B AND CREST ON TWITTER.

THOMAS NELSON- SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD'S LOVE E BOOK REVIEW

2011-12-13T20:48:00.000-05:00

SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD'S LOVE

BY: BRENNAN MANNING AND JOHN BLASE

ISBN-13: 9781400317134

Age range: 4 - 8 Years

THANK YOU TO THOMAS NELSON FOR LETTING US REVIEW SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD'S LOVE E-BOOK.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Willie Juan said, "Little friends, what is one thing you think Abba will ask you someday when you are in heaven?"
Willie Juan and Ana couldn't have children of their own, but somehow, their home is always full of children and laughter and love. One day, when gathered together enjoying a beautiful evening and Ana's most delicious sopapillas, Willie Juan asks this most curious question.
As the group discusses the question, all come to the wonderful realization that Abba loves each of us, and we are all smack-dab in the middle of His love.
"Abba loves you so much and wants you to enjoy his gifts every day. Gifts like Ana's absolute best, most delicious sopapillas. And the hummingbirds and burros. And abuelas."
The first of Manning's children's books, this tender message is right on brand for the popular speaker and author who has traveled the world sharing Abba's incredible love for His children.

MY REVIEW:

SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD'S LOVE SHARES THAT WE ARE ALWAYS LOVED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS WHAT BEST FOR YOU. GOD WANTS US ALL TO ENJOY A HAPPY AND JOYFUL LIFE. I LIKE HOW THEY TALK ABOUT HEAVEN AND WHAT WILL OUR CHILDREN ASK

WHEN THEY ARE IN HEAVEN TO. JUAN AND ANA KNEW THEY COULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN BUT THEY WERE CONTENT WITH MINISTERING TO OTHER CHILDREN AND SHARING HIS LOVE WITH THEM.. THIS BOOK TEACHES OUR CHILDREN NO MATTER WHERE GOD HAS US IN OUR WALK WE ARE ALWAYS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS LOVE:)

Colorado Trip( Pikes Peak)- Nationals Future Stars- 1st Day- Part 2 of 2

2011-12-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

D Man with the beautiful background of Pikes Peak.

They were on there way up the mountain.

As they went up the mountain it got colder and colder, D Man was throwing a snowball at his dad, Oh by the way this is first time ever to see, feel snow.

D Man climbing up the mountain.

D Man loved the snow scraper, we don't need that in Florida.

Love this picture, the ice is so much bigger than him.

Gift Shop along the way.

Statue of Big Foot with D Man.

This day it was 60 degrees and as they went up the mountain it was 20-30 degress. They couldn't go all the way up due to the weather but what a great expereince for them.

Please come back for Day 2 Part 1:)

Colorado Trip Future Stars Nationals-1st Day-Part 1

2011-12-09T10:05:00.000-05:00

D Man's first plane trip ever. He had the window seat, he loved it.

They had a lay over in Dallas, D Man is talking to me on the phone, I missd him so much.

D Man and Daddy on the plane.

At the airport waiting for his flight to leave.

Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

Ducky on Thanksgiving day doing a turkey craft I got at Micheal's.

D Man also doing a turkey craft

D Man acting silly, he didn't want his picture taken.

Ducky with her finished Turkey craft

This was a craft my friend sent me from http://pinterest.com/search/?q=thanksgiving

You cut out the corn pattern.

Have them glue to construction paper.

Have child put lentils on the middle corn piece and then paint with orange,gold and yellow.

Easy and fun.

My mom brought this turkey cake to Thanksgiving for the kids. It was a pull away brownie's with frosting cake. It was awesome.

HEARTHSONG ANTHILL REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

2011-11-29T14:09:00.001-05:00

THANK YOU TO HEARTHSONG FOR LETTING US REVIEW THE ANT HILL.

For any child who has ever wondered what goes on under the surface (or maybe hasn't yet even realized all that hustle and bustle under ground), the Ant Hill offers a small window into an ant colony's wondrous world.

Realistic double-sided habitat with a stable base and locking lid allows kids to see the intricate tunnels and the busy inhabitants at work.

Includes certificate to send away for live ants (pay only Shipping & Handling)

For ages 8 and up.

Size
10"L x 3"W x 10"H

$ 19.98

DMAN AND DUCKY WITH ANT HILL BEFORE WE

OPENED IT.

D MAN WITH ANT HILL FRONT AND BACK.

DUCKY WITH ANT HILL FRONT AND BACK.

THIS IS THE LIVE ANT CERTIFICATE TO SEND IN FOR YOUR ANTS

INSTRUCTIONS AND ACTIVITY BOOK

D MAN AND DUCKY TRYING TO FIND ANTS OUTSIDE

MY REVIEW:

WE HOME SCHOOL OUR CHILDREN AND THIS IS WHY THE ANT HILL IS THE PERFECT ADDITION FOR OUR HOME. OUR CHILDREN LOVE NATURE, WHEN WE GOT THE ANT HILL THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO RECEIVE IT. ONCE I OPENED IT AND TOOK THERE PICTURE WITH IT, THEY WENT STRAIGHT OUTSIDE TO FIND ANTS. WE PLAN ON SENDING THE LIVE ANT CERTIFICATE WHICH COMES WITH IT. THE ANTHILL SUPPLY OF ANTS COSTS $4.00. WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE ANTS IN ACTION IN OUR ANT HILL. THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO BRING GOD'S CREATION IN YOUR HOME. MY FRIEND HAD THE ANT HILL AND IT WAS FASCINATING TO SEE THE ANTS BUILD AND CARRY AND WHAT THEY DO THAT WE DON'T GET TO SEE. THE ANT HILL HAS AN EASY TO USE INSTRUCTIONS AND ACTIVITY BOOK. WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN WITH THE ANT HILL.WE HAVE WANTED THE ANT HILL SINCE MAY AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO HAVE HEARTHSONG LET US REVIEW THE ANT HILL. I'M SO BLESSED TO REVIEW THIS ITEM:)

HEARTHSONG CARRIES MANY OTHER WONDERFUL PRODUCTS. I FIND THERE PRODUCTS ARE VERY EDUCATIONAL AND FUN FOR CHILDREN.

DO YOU WANT TO WIN THE ANTHILL?

Please only enter this giveaway by using Rafflecopter, comments are not included in the entries. Thank you!

Hurt Ankle and Shoulder Last Week

2011-11-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

Last week it was a crazy week:

D Man had a hurt ankle and shoulder.

We had to ice it every night after gym. Praise God

it is feeling better now.

D Man is leaving for Nationals in Colorado tomorrow. I can't believe it's already here.

This past week I had vertigo and was so dizzy. It was hard preparing for Thanksgiving with dizziness. I didn't get alot done because of it. Well I'm glad that's over with.

APOLOGIA-SWIMMING CREATURES-LESSON 3- SEALS,SEA COWS AND WALRUSES

2011-11-21T14:38:00.000-05:00

SEALS,SEA LIONS AND WALRUSES ARE MAMMALS THAT SCIENTISTS CALL PINNIPEDS.

WHALES AND PINNIPEDS HAVE A LAYER OF FAT CALLED BLUBBER.

THIS EXPERIMENT WAS IN THE BOOK:

WE PUT ONE GLOVE ON ONE HAND AND PUT IT INTO ICE WATER AND PUT THE TIMER ON TO SEE HOW LONG YOU COULD HOLD YOUR HAND IN THE WATER.

THEY WERE ABLE TO HOLD THERE HAND IN THE ICE WATER FOR 30 SECONDS.

BELOW

DUCKY HAS TWO GLOVES ON HER HAND WITH VASELINE IN BETWEEN IN ICE WATER. SHE WAS ABLE TO HOLD HER HAND IN THE WATER FOR 8 MINUTES. WOW, NOW WE KNOW HOW WHALES AND PINNIPEDS STAY WARM IN THE ICE COLD WATER. GOD IS A MASTER DESIGNER.

D MAN AND DUCKY THEN TOOK VASELINE AND PUT IT ON THE TIP OF THERE FINGER AND WAS TRYING TO SEE HOW LONG THEY HELD IT, IT WAS AWHILE. THE VASELINE GOT SEMI HARD IN THE ICE WATER ON THERE FINGER. OUR EXPERIMENT WENT FURTHUR THAN I THOUGHT, THIS IS WHY I LOVE HOME SCHOOLING.

Walrus Craft I found here:

http://www.daniellesplace.com/HTML/paperplate.html

Seal Craft my friend Nicole found at:

http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/2011/11/apologia-swimming-creatures-pennipeds.html

Local State Park Homeschool Tour

2011-11-21T14:32:00.001-05:00

Above is a Old Cypress Tree.

We had a tour with our local home school group.

They talked about how different plants gave them food from berries etc and many other items that the Native Americans used.

D Man collecting things on the tour.

Ducky walking on the trail. She had sandals on and she was walking in the mud.

D Man and Ducky on an Old Cypress Tree

Ducky on the Cypress Tree

1st Gymnatsics Meet-Level 3

2011-11-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

Ducky had an awesome meet.

This was her first Level 3 meet for the season.

She placed 2nd All Around.

Vault- 9.2

Bars-9.4

Bean-9.35

Floor- 9.30

10 is the highest score. I'm so proud of Ducky!!!!

ORGANA KIDS REVIEW

2011-11-21T10:59:00.000-05:00

ORGANA KIDS REVIEW

Farm Girl and Piggy always have a chore or a quest. However, they often get a little bit distracted! They may begin with the aim of mending the fence and end by admiring a butterfly. Or, perhaps instead of collecting eggs they spend time wondering is a new puddle is wobbly water or silver soup. When they have a problem they go to Unicorn for help. Farm girl is practical, no-nonsense and feisty. She’s more than happy up to her knees in mud! She can’t wait to get up very early in the morning and see what the day holds! Piggy is Farm Girls’ best friend. A sensitive, lovely pig who gets very embarrassed easily. He is young like you and asks a lot of questions. Leonard, the chief cow hand, is usually up to something. His main desire is the get his hands on Unicorn’s gold, but does he ever succeed? He’s a big scaredy cat really!

A charming and educational new pre-school series for children aged two to five years. Happy Valley is set in a beautiful countryside by the sea. Using traditional and contemporary nursery rhymes and songs, each episode tells a story about the children who live in the valley. In each episode they go about their daily lives and learn about the world around them, whether it’s the seasons, the weather or the animals. The series focuses on experiences familiar to young viewers, such as a school trip to the farm, a visit to grandma to look at old photos, a shopping expedition with mother or a walk in the woods to see the falling leaves. A single narrator tells the story in an endearing and soothing way that will captivate children the world over. Its simple designs and vibrant colors will appeal to even the youngest viewers.

For her birthday a little girl is given a pink piggy bank, a shiny new coin, a picture book about pirates and two tiny dolls – an Angel and a Soldier Boy. While she sleeps, the pirates jump out of the picture book and steal the shiny coin out of her piggy bank. The noise wakes the Soldier Boy who chases after them, but he is overpowered and taken prisoner. The Angel sets off bravely to rescue her love and we follow their adventures, out to sea and back again, as they retrieve the coin and bring it safely home to the little girl.
“The animation is superb… ideal for younger viewers”
~The Independent
“This captivating package will enchant both parents and toddlers”
~Variety

Music by Clannad
Story by Peter Collington
Winner of an ACE Award in Hollywood for “International Children’s Programming Special”

On Christmas Eve, a poor old woman plays her accordion in the street. Apart from two children, the passers-by ignore her and by the end of the day she has to sell her accordion to buy some food. Worse is to come. On her way home a thief steals her money. She discovers that he has also vandalized the church—the little Nativity figures lie scattered on the floor and the collection box is empty. The old woman restores order and sets off exhausted towards her caravan. But before long she collapses in the snow. And now the magic begins. The little Nativity figures come to life and carry her safely home. They make sure that her good deeds are rewarded so that in the morning she wakes to the most wonderful Christmas she could ever imagine. The traditional nativity characters feature in the story but the setting is contemporary and the plot touching and original.

MY REVIEW:

THANK YOU TO ORGANA KIDS FOR LETTING US REVIEW THESE WONDERFUL MOVIES. ALL FOUR OF THESE MOVIES WILL CAPTURE YOUR CHILDREN'S HEARTS. ORGANA KIDS MISSION IS TO INTRODUCE AMERICAN FAMILIES TO CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD. OUR CHILDREN LOVED WATCHING THESE DELIGHTFUL MOVIES. OUR DAUGHTERS FAVORITE IS CASTLE FARM. THANKS AGAIN ORGANA KIDS:) WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE THESE IN OUR HOME:)

Our 11th Weddding Anniversary on 11/11/11

2011-11-11T15:32:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been 11 years.

I'm very blessed with a wonderful husband.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!!!!

BETTY LUKENS FELT BOARD REVIEW

2011-11-08T14:06:00.000-05:00

For over 30 years Betty Lukens, Inc. has been manufacturing quality felt visuals.

Best known for our Through the Bible Felt Sets, which continue to be shipped and used all around the world, is a valuable teaching resource. With over 600 figures and objects, this is the most complete Bible felt set available. Our focus is on providing an interactive teaching tool that helps parents, grandparents, teachers and missionaries bring the Bible to life. Bright and colorful Bible stories in felt are eye catching and appealing to captivate an audience. The Bible story manual with over 180 stories is a wonderful guide and teaching resource. The Through the Bible in Felt manual covers both the Old and New Testament which allows for a strong foundation in Biblical teachings and principles.

Our Learning Fun with Felt line includes over 30 sets to inspire children's creativity. With the moveable pieces and personal-sized play boards, they can engage in imaginative play by arranging and rearranging the pre-cut felt pieces over and over again. Each time they create new and exciting stories as they experience the fun and magic of felt and leaves a lasting impression.

PART OF MY REVIEW:

THIS YEAR WE ARE STUDYING SEA CREATURES, I WAS VERY EXCITED TO RECEIVE THIS FELT BOARD. I LOVE THIS FELT BOARD BECAUSE WE CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO OUR LESSON. WE TAKE EACH PIECE AND TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN PLACE IT ON THE BOARD. IT'S FUN AND EXCITING FOR OUR CHILDREN.

Splash into an under water world where scuba divers explore the colorful creatures of the coral reef or venture into open waters and find magnificent giant mammals and fish.

All Sets Include:
- 13" x 15" Felt Play Board
- Over 20 Pre-cut Felt Pieces
- Plastic Storage Bag (for easy clean up!)

These educational felt board stories provide endless hours of creativity and storytelling. They are great as a travel toy or for play time at home, preschool and day care. Flannel board sets are also great resources for home school and special education. Felt manipulative pieces develop hands-on learning and hand-eye coordination. Inspire creativity with a Learning Fun with Felt set today!

Price

$ 16.95

THE OTHER PART OF MY REVIEW:

THIS TIME OF YEAR WE ARE STUDYING THE NATIVE AMERICANS AND THIS MONTH WE ARE STUDYING THE FIRST THANKSGIVNG. THIS FELT BOARD BROUGHT TO LIFE IN BEING IN THIS AGE. THIS TIME OF YEAR IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE THINGS WE ARE THANKFUL FOR. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO INCORPORATE THE FIRST THANKSGIVING INTO YOUR LESSON OR JUST FOR FUN.

We celebrate this holiday every year, but help bring it to life with this illustration of the very first Thanksgiving. Enjoy a meal shared between the newly arrived pilgrims and their native neighbors.

All Sets Include:
- 13" x 15" Felt Play Board
- Over 20 Pre-cut Felt Pieces
- Plastic Storage Bag (for easy clean up!)

These educational felt board stories provide endless hours of creativity and storytelling. They are great as a travel toy or for play time at home, preschool and day care. Flannel board sets are also great resources for homeschool and special education. Felt manipulative pieces develop hands-on learning and hand-eye coordination. Inspire creativity with a Learning Fun with Felt set today!

Price

$ 16.95

THE REST OF MY REVIEW:

THANK YOU TO BETTY LUKENS FOR LETTING US REVIEW THERE FELT BOARDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

OUR CHILDREN LOVED PLAYING WITH VERY REALISTIC FELT BOARD. BETTY LUKENS FELT BOARD ARE DESIGNED FOR HOURS OF FUN. WHERE YOUR CHILD CAN USE THERE IMAGINATION. WHERE THE STORY NEVER ENDS. THE FELT BOARD ARE MADE IN THE USA. I ALSO LOVE THAT THEY ARE PORTABLE.THEY ARE DURABLE AND WASHABLE. BETTY LUKENS HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF FELT BOARDS TO CHOOSE FROM. OUR CHILDREN LOVE TO PLAY THAT WHY BETTY LUKENS FELT BOARDS ARE WONDERFUL FOR OUR CHILDREN. WHAT KID DOESN'T LIKE TO HAVE FUN WHILE LEARNING. THAT'S WHY I WOULD CHOOSE BETTY LUKENS FELT BOARDS.

Tea Party 11/5/11

2011-11-05T21:32:00.000-04:00

Tea Party Today with friends

Ducky staring at her hot tea.

Our spread of food.

We had:

Tea Sandwiches

( Peanut Butter and Jelly, Egg Salad Sandwiches and Cucumber and Cream cheese Sandwiches)

Salad

Fruit

( Strawberries and Peaches)

Pizza Bites and Potato Bites

Our Dessert

Little Tea Cakes

Then we did Spa day, next time we will do nails but today was Cucumber on there eyes. They were laughing so hard. It was great.

Then we did a Fall Craft.

Lastly we played the Tea Party game, They are so silly they eat the plates at the end of the game.

This a time to make them feel special and I know I succeeded.

Horses Part 1

2011-11-05T21:14:00.000-04:00

Our current skill is:

Horses

Last week was our first week but I didn't my camera to take pictures. Last week they got to feed the horses, clean a there stall, groom the horse and ride a tractor.

This week we went back to my friend's house and they went over the parts of a horse with felt board and then the equipment you put on to ride them. They watched a horse video, read a a horse book and did a scavenger hunt for horse equipment.

Another great day of FUN!!!!

These are two of there horses,

Muzzle for the horse mouth, they can feed them in this to.

D Man holding a horse card.

English Saddle

Bit and Reigns

Pad for saddle

Western saddle

Here are some things Horses eat:

Carrotts

Peppermints

Granola Bars

Apples

Horse Treats

The children got to make goody bags for a local Horse Farm to donate.

Below are the bags to give away.

Thanks Natalie:)

Thank you to our Leader Suzy for all you do for our group:)

I couldn't leave Ducky out, she is the only girl there but she finds some fun on the playground.

All Things Beautiful

2011-11-05T20:46:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Face, She was helping her brother with the Tile Hammering for Mosaics.

Beautiful Girl, She looks so big to me.

Why do they have to grow up.

Mosaics-October

2011-11-05T20:43:00.000-04:00

D Man first skill for the school year- Mosasics

D Man is hammering pieces of tile into smaller pieces for his Mosaic pot.

D Man putting the cement on the pot.

He is so intense when he works, looking nice

D Man still working hard.

He earned his pin for Mosiacs.

The Navajo Rug

2011-11-05T20:31:00.000-04:00

The Navajo

By: Therese DeAngelis

We read all the facts about Navajos and then we made Navajo rugs.

I love that this book because it has a craft and a recipe for the Indian Tribe ( The Navajos).

D Man's Navajo Rug

made with cereal box,tape and markers.

Ducky's Navajo Rug

D Man and Ducky's Navajo Tug together.

They often do this type of craft independently. We have all the resources available and they go to town.

The Plains Indians-Part 2

2011-11-05T20:19:00.000-04:00

Projects About Plains Indians

By: Marian Broida

In the old day, they used to sew pouches from buffalo hide and clothes from deerskin.

D Man made his sewed a felt pouch and then sewed beads on the felt bag, The beads are in Braille from a Helen Keller book he found.

Ducky sewed her bag also and she has a few beads that she sewed on her felt pouch.

Ducky Model Shield

DMan and Ducky made there very own Model Shield.

This protected them in battle.

D Man drew a picture of God sitting on the throne with his angels.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-01T12:29:00.000-04:00

In front of the Pumpkin Patch entrance

Ducky is getting so tall.

D Man is getting so tall to.

My husband and I

D Man holding his pumpkin

Ducky holding her pumpkin.

Our Family

Happy Fall!!

Institute For Excellence in Writing Review

2011-10-26T12:25:00.002-04:00

Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, a homeschooling father of seven, and a grandfather of three. Presenting throughout North America, he addresses issues relating to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students and teachers have helped transform many reluctant writers into competent communicators and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students' skills.
Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan (Suzuki Method) and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him "the funny man with the wonderful words." He and his beautiful, heroic wife Robin currently teach their three youngest children at home in Locust Grove, Oklahoma.

My Review:

Thank you to Institute For Excellence in Writing for letting us review the Structure and Style Overview and the Student Writing Intensive A Notebook and Packet.

We are doing this curriculum with one other family. At first was wasn't convinced to have my child (9yrs old, boy) do any structured writing other than copy work. But when I reviewed this program and realized that my child needed to learn how to write and the why behind it. They start pulling out the key words and build upon that afterwards. Some of the things they cover are dress-ups,"ly" adverb,banned words, which clause and much more. I'm so impressed with this program and how our son is having fun doing writing which has always been a struggle for him. I highly recommend this program. Andrew integrates grammar into the writing in a discrete way. This program doesn't hinder the child but rather they let the child develop at there own pace.

Our Son's Story:

The Selfish Boy
By: D Man

A young boy reached his hand into a pitcher of nuts. He grabbed a big handful of nuts and tried to pull his hand out which his fist was bulging with nuts and he could not get his hand out. Unwilling to let go of any nuts he was unable to pull his hand out. He burst into tears. A nearby man quietly came up to the boy that was cryign and said you will have to be satisfied with fewer nuts. Sometimes you ahve to give a little to get what you wish.

Bear of the Mountainside

By: D Man

In the video Teaching Writing: Structure and Style method of teaching writing Andrew is very informative and very inspirtual and encouraging. . This video definitely gave me an overview of the program and what there beliefs are of teaching writing. I loved what Andrew said: You can't help a child to much. There is a wealth of information in this video, definitely worth it.

In this 2 hour and 20 minute DVD and accompanying handouts, Andrew Pudewa introduces you to the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style method of teaching writing. Briefly covering the nine units of structure and introducing several stylistic techniques, Andrew gives the audience insight into why this method is so effective in teaching even the most reluctant writer.
Ideal for teachers to give to the parents of students in their classes

Andrew teaches in such a way that is understandable to the child. Andrew makes it fun so it's not like work. Andrew is very knowledgeable about writing so you know your child is getting what he needs.

Please check out there website for more resources and information.
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/about-us

You will be pleasantly delighted with Institute For Excellence in Writing.

Thank you again for the opportunity to review this wonderful product:)

GEORGIA AQUARIUM OCTOBER 2011

2011-10-26T08:36:00.001-04:00

WORLDS LARGEST AQUARIUM

GEORGIA AQUARIUM

2011

(Before you play DMan's commentary, pause the music)

TIGER SHARK!!

SAW FISH

D MAN IN FRONT OF FISH

WHALE SHARK

IT'S AMAZING SEEING THIS, THEY SAID.

MANTA RAY

6 FT WING SPAN

D MAN AND HIS FRIEND POINTING AT SOMETHING.

WHALE SHARK AGAIN

TOUCH TANK

THEY GOT TO TOUCH STARFISH.

HUGE CRAB

LEAFY SEA DRAGON

COOL MAN

YOU COULD TOUCH THE STINGRAY

D MAN TOUCHING A SNAIL

D Man's Commentary on the Piranha

D Man's Commentary on the Lion Fish

THE END!!

IF YOU EVER GET A CHANGE TO GO TO THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM IT'S WORTH IT. I HOPE OUR WHOLE FAMILY GETS TO GO NEXT TIME BUT I'M GLAD THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WHILE THEY WERE THERE FOR THE GYMNASTICS MEET.

FUTURE STARS STATES AND REGIONALS 2011

2011-10-23T17:32:00.000-04:00

FUTURE STARS STATES 2011

FLORIDA

2ND ALL AROUND

FUTURE STARS REGIONALS 2011

ROSWELL GEORGIA

3RD ALL AROUND

NATIONALS QUALIFIER

D MAN IS GOING TO COLORADO SPRINGS IN DECEMBER.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU DMAN!!!!

Apolgia Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day-Lesson 2 Dolphins and Whales

2011-10-16T16:56:00.001-04:00

Paper Mache Dolphins

I got this from http://dltk-kids.com/

Mini Flower Pot Whales

My friend Nicole and I are doing ocean crafts together a couple times a month. She found this craft on someone blog. Check out her blog to get the info.

http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/

Thank you Nicole, we had fun and love the craft:)

How do whales communicate?

D Man and Ducky are using megaphones to communicate with each other with through the wall.

We also made a paper cup telephone system that they could communicate with.

You can't hear each other very well.

Some objects reflect sound while others don't.

This shows how Toothed Whales use sound to determine what kind of object is near.

Construction of Our Ocean Box for the Year.

I had them write the verse on the top of the box.

Genesis 1:21

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

D Man drawing a whale from the Draw Write Now books.

http://www.drawyourworld.com/

The Plains Indians

2011-10-12T11:37:00.000-04:00

Projects about the Plains Indians

By: Marian Broida

We decided to take a break from Mystery of History and move on over to The Native Americans. We were almost there anyways. I thought it would be a perfect time to study the Native Americans with Thanksgiving around the corner.

This book has some awesome crafts in it, with a story.

The Cheyenne

There tipi's were made out of buffalo hides.

This is our version of the tipi's with some decorations on it.

The Lakota

They harnessed a pair of tipi poles to a horse and between the poles is a platform made from willow saplings.

This is called a Travois.

Winner of the Zoobies Blanket Pet

2011-10-12T11:13:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who participated.

The Winner is Dee at Two of a kind working on a full house.

http://www.twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.com/2010/01/about-me.html

Dee said:

I am pregnant with #3 and we will be doing a cowboy theme...I would LOVE the cow!

Please email your address within 24 hours, as I will pick a new winner after that.

Thank You:)

Our Schoolroom 2011-2012

2011-10-08T16:03:00.000-04:00

This is our schoolroom.

As you can see we have lots of resources.

This is our spare bedroom, our children like to be close to us so they like to sleep on the couch. I know sooner or later we will have to get a bigger place but for now it works great.

This is our craft section that gets used ALL the time.

Ducky loves to craft. A friend of mine once shared with me that in other to build creativity you need to leave things out for them to create. So that's what this section is all about. It's messy but worth it.

A different view of our room.

In this section we shore our markers,crayons and some other craft items.

Also the boxes are crafts that have been done.

The Big Black Cabinet has our games, glue,paint and misc items.

Zoobies Review and Giveaway

2011-09-28T13:13:00.000-04:00

Thank you to Zoobies for letting us review our Koala Blanklet Pet.

Khimba the Koala™ & Baby Kai™

From the diverse land Down Under comes this cuddly mother koala and her lovable baby. Sure to become your child's best friend, not only is Khimba™ an adorable koala, but also a comfy pillow and super-soft blanket all in one. Perfect for road excursions or just cuddling in bed. Khimba™ and Kai™ also makes for the ideal baby shower gift.

$35.00
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Microbead stuffed head for ultimate squishability™
Large, super-soft coral fleece blanket zipped inside: 44" x 34"
Khimba: W: 13.8" x H: 6.5" x W: 5.7", Kai: L: 7" x W: 4" x H: 5"
100% polyester (additional materials)
Washing-Blanket: Machine wash, tumble dry. Blanket zips off for easy washing.
Washing-Outer pouch: Spot wash (if machine washed, using a laundry bag designed for delicates is recommended).
Two bottom hook-and-loop Velcro tabs gather Blanket Pet™ into animal shape.
Recommended for ages 3 and up, but safely tested for all ages.

Thank you again to Zoobies for letting us review the Khimba the Koala and Baby Kai.
Both of our children loved this soft blanklet pet. Zoobies puts great quality into there product.
The pillow and blanklet are so soft and cuddly, our children sleep with Khimba the Koala EVERY night. I love that the Zoobies are Eco Friendly.The Zoobies Blanket pet is a three in one ( Plush Toy, Soft Pillow and a Warm Blanklet. It has been a pleasure to recieve such a wonderful product.

Would you like to win this Zoobie Soft Blanket Pet?

Grab my button for your blog: Leave a comment- 2 entries

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Giveway ends 10/5/11 at 11:59 PM Once a winner is chosen, please respond within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen. This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own may vary from others. This Gievaway is for US residents Only!! Thank you to Zoobies for offering product to review and the giveaway.

Review-My Cape Cod Magic By: J Bean and Chris Palmer

2011-09-14T17:19:00.002-04:00

My Cape Cod Magic

By: J Bean and Chris Palmer

Illustrated by: Jenny Kelley

Published by Holly Hill Press

ISBN: 978-0-578-08282-0

Ages Birth to 6 Years old

Thank you to J Bean Palmer and Chris Palmer for sending us this signed copy of My Cape Cod Magic.

We have fully enjoyed the illustrations in this book.

My Cape Cod Magic goes through the may things that you would experience by visiting Cape Cod.

The beauty of the sea, waves and boats.

The beauty of the animals that you will see.

The beauty of looking out into the ocean sea.

The beauty of the sand between your toes.

The beauty of the ocean life you can catch.

The beauty of the ocean floor.

The beauty of the lighthouse, being a beacon of light.

The beauty of having a picnic and picking delicious fruit.

The beauty of seeing dolphins in Cape Cod.

The beauty of the fresh air.

The beauty of Cape Cod and beauty of imagination.

We have fully enjoyed the illustrations in this book.

This book shares the magic of Cape Cod, It makes me want to be there.

This year we are studying Swimming Creatures of the 5th day and I love this book because we can incorporate it with our ocean study.

My Cape Cod Magic book brings to life the beauty of Cape Cod in a manor that is understandable to the children.

Our 6 year old daughter can read with some help the My Cape Cod Magic. This is a great book for early readers. The words are large and simple enough to encouarge a young reader without getting frustrted. My Cape Cod Magic has a poetic style that is really awesome.

We have fully enjoyed My Cape Cod Magic and our very blessed to have gotten to review this book.

A portion of the proceeds of this book goes to the Cape Cod Cultural Center for educational programs for children.

You can purchase My Cape Cod Magic at Amazon for $9.95.

Happy Birthday Sissy!!

2011-09-14T16:38:00.000-04:00

We had a party for my bonus child, Sissy

It was her 21st birthday on the 6th.

D Man and Ducky helping blowing out the candles.

Crazy Boy, He can't eat cake without getting it all over himself.

Really....

Fishing wiith Daddy

2011-09-12T09:26:00.000-04:00

D man holding his fish

D Man taking out the hook out of the fish.

Releasing the fish back to his home.

D Man running back to his fishing pole.

Morning Nature Study and Evening Nature Study

2011-09-03T08:40:00.000-04:00

I think this is some kind of lichen, we have to look it up.

This old tree has been used by a woodpecker. Later you will see that Ducky drew a picture of the tree with a woodpecker.

Grasshopper, Ducky holding the grasshopper.

Beauty Berry

The berries on this tree can be used for:

food

paint

and I'm sure for other things.

Caterpillar on a caution sign. Not sure what kind either, need to look it up.

We saw a turtle in the water also.

This bird was so funny it was posing for me.

Flower with a bee drinking the nectar.

You never know what you will see on any given day.

Ducky's tree with a woodpecker drawing

Ducky's turtle drawing

D Man's drawing of the woodpecker.

Last night we went out to look at the moon, that we couldn't get a good picture of it.

We saw this spider right outside our house. Not sure what kind it is, if you know please let me know. Even through I'm very afraid of spiders they are so fascinating. Did you know that the Female spider eats the Male when they mate? Interesting.

Thomas Nelson Publishers-How to Be God's Little Princess Review

2011-08-30T20:33:00.002-04:00

How to Be God's Little Princess

By: Sheila Walsh

Royal Tips for manners, etiquette, and true beauty

ISBN: 978-1-4003-1644-1

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishers to letting us review this product.

Contents:

How to Dress Like a Princess

How to Wear a Tiara ( and other princess necessities)

How a Princess Perfects Her Poise

How to Be Friends Princess Style

How to Dine with Royal Success

How to Sparkle Like a Princess

How to Have a Rockin Royal Party

How to Be Media Wise

How to Be a Perfectly Polite Princess

How to Be a Princess at Home

How a Princess Sports a Good Attitude

How a Princess Knows She Needs an Inner Beauty Makeover

Song of Solomon 6:10

Who is that young woman?

She shines out like the dawn.

She's as pretty as the moon.

She's as bright as the sun...

Sheila Walsh explains how we as parents we need to be our girls royal advisors in training our girls to act like real princess'. It is a our responsibility to train our girls to act like God would them to act like a real princess.

How to Dress Like a Princess

This is the section in the book.

This chapter is very important because the way our girls dress is a reflection of us.

It's very important for our girls to know how to dress and what is a appropriate to wear.

Isaiah 61:10

The Lord makes me very happy.

All that I am I am rejoices in my God.

The Lord has covered me with clothes of salvation.

He has covered me with a coat of goodness.

In every section they have a QUIZ and sometimes two.

They have several questions with multiple answers to choose from.

In this section Shelia Walsh is teaching our girls how to match, color coordinating, mix and match, what shoes to wear and to BE MODEST.

Step back and look at yourself to see if you are well coordinated and have honored God with your chooses.

There is a Tye-Dyed Shirt craft in this section.

How to make a Tye-Dyed shirts and what materials are needed.

Design your own jewelry.

How to make Bangle bracelets, paper beads, and book bag charms.

There is also a community project that you can do with your church or with other princess'

This has a shell necklace craft also.

Psalm 69:34

Heaven and earth should praise him.

The seas and everything in them should also.

I love that God is ALL over this book. I have meet Sheila Walsh at Women of Faith and her love for God evident. I have almost all of her books and our daughter brings them to me often, this adds to our collection.

I will definitely be using this our 6 year old daughter. I know it's my responsibility to train up our girl to be God's Little Princess.

Thank you again to Thomas Nelson Publishers for letting us review this wonderful book.

Morning Nature Study

2011-08-25T12:39:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene is churning out there but here in Florida we are feeling the affects. The wind and rain. We are praying for all of the East Coast for safety and protection from Our Almighty Father.

I captured this picture outside our home.

My husband was leaving in the morning and saw these cute baby ducks. We went outside to get a peek. We decided to feed them. The babies stay right next to her mommy, it reminds me how we need to stay close to our Heavenly Father.

D Man loving the wind.

Ducky feeding the ducks, so cute.

D Man and Ducky feeding the ducks.

I love these opportunities and it reminds why nature is so important to all of us. Breathing the fresh air, looking at whats around us and feeling the wind on our faces.

Science Musuem

2011-08-22T16:12:00.000-04:00

D Man loves snakes, he is helping hold the snake.

D Man and Ducky building with bolts and magnets.

He figured it out, the nail trick.

Albino Snake

Friends of ours http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/

went to the museum with us.

My husband dislikes snakes so this was a big move for him.

Ducky up in a tree house play area.

She wouldn't come down, She loved it.

Ducky and her best buddy from http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/ at the museum.

Ducky loves this little girl. She mothers her, it's great. So Cute.

D Man and his buddy from http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/

checking out something. I thought this picture was great, I wonder what they are talking about.

D Man in simulated plane.

Our great finds

2011-08-11T09:29:00.000-04:00

I went to a used curriculum sale this past weekend and these are some of our finds.

This weather kit is awesome, D Man went right outside to work on it.

Ducky loves her little Ello set.

She loves to be creative.

She is always working on something.

Hats for the hurting

2011-08-10T08:00:00.002-04:00

Our son has decided he is going to make hats for babies in Miami Children's Hospital. These children have some kind of heart problem. He wants to give something special to these children from his heart.

I think it is a great idea and I love his serving heart.

This is the loom in which he uses to make the hats with.

Recycled Girly Craft Rings

2011-08-09T15:30:00.000-04:00

This wasn't my idea, I found it on someones blog but can't remember where.

Materials needed:

pull ring from almond milk or milk carton

glue

glitter

accents (rhinestones etc)

Have child drip top of the pull ring into glitter and then add accents.

Very easy, our daughter loves this craft. She had a blast making these recycled rings.

A Day at the Beach

2011-08-05T08:14:00.003-04:00

We saw this caterpillar on the boardwalk, not sure what kind it is.

Crabs, we saw two this day.

We also found a shark tooth and a bunch of nice shells.

D Man and Ducky with the crab.

D Man building a sand castle.

Ducky building a sand castle.

What summer fun!!!!

Apologia Swimming Creatures-Lesson 1(Aquatic Animals)

2011-08-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

Try This!!

This experiment was about learning about pressure in the ocean.

Steping on the bottle simulates what happens to your lungs when you dive down in the depths of the ocean. Your lungs get smaller when you dive deeper into the ocean and the pressure on your body increases. When you release the pressure from the bottle this is what happens to your lungs when you surface back to the top of the ocean. Now you can see why divers use oxygen tanks to breathe under the water. They also use them to increase the pressure in a diver's lungs so they won't collaspe as he dives deeper into the ocean.

Experiment:

Which is heavier: hot or cold water?

Our Weekend

2011-07-11T08:59:00.000-04:00

Fishing with Daddy

We went to a birthday party and the party favor was shrinky dinks.

Ducky got a princess one and D Man got Space.

Look what we found when we got home from church last night.

We think the snake is a some kind of water snake.

It was so funny this woodpecker was looking at the snake to.

I wonder what he was thinking.

The Moon before sunset.

Interesting picture of the sky my husband took.

God's Amazing Creation.

Fun in the Summer Fun Kid Friendly Craft with Linky

2011-07-11T08:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 1st of our Fun in the Summer Fun event! Each Monday until September 7th Mama to 4 Blessings along with Adventures of Mommydom, Sweet Diva, Harvest Moon By Hand, and Sweet Phenomena will be hosting Fun in the Summer Fun link up events.

Here's the line up:

The 1st Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer activities"

The 2nd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer crafts"

The 3rd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer recipes"

The 4th Monday of each month: link up your "How to stay cool in the summer heat"

This week's topic is Summer kid friendly crafts:

We made a mini beach scene from

http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/minibeach/minibeach.html

D Man beach scene

with man on the towel and shark out of the water.

Ducky's beach scene with pink dolphin and shark.

There is a starfish and sand dollar to.

Daddy, D Man and Ducky beach scenes.

Fun In The Summer Sun--Kid Friendly Summer Activities With Linky

2011-07-04T20:49:00.000-04:00

Here's the line up:

The 1st Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer activities"

The 2nd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer crafts"

The 3rd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer receipes"

The 4th Monday of each month: link up your "How to stay cool in the summer heat"

Sanibel Island

Take a short for the weekend to refresh whether in the sun or just to have some fun.

D Man searching for treasures in the Gulf Coast of Florida

Sea Slug and some kind of coral.

This coral felt a little slimy. Priceless face. D Man was totally in his element.

Ducky holding the coral.

D Man with Shell Casing and a Oyster.

Ducky with some kind of shell casing.

Can't forget the hand stand contest.

D Man and His Daddy having a handstand contest. Guess who won?

Not bad Daddy:)

Ducky doing a hand stand on the beach.

Ducky and D Man holding a LIVE sand dollar.

Our niece found it in the water, How cool was that. I have never seen a LIVE one before.

We found this sponge on the shoreline and in the sponge there were:

Starfish(3), Crabs (15 or more), Shrimp.

This was definitely a treasure.

Sea Star

D Man holding the Sea Star.

Giant Oyster, Sponge and Sea Star in our bucket.

The Oyster was alive.

We DON"T keep anything that is alive. We ALWAYS put it back after we observe it.

What's so neat about this trip is that WE prayed to see alot of sea life and we did. Thank you God!

Also this school year we are studying Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day.

This is a lesson in action, I love this kind of learning.

Hope you have a place to explore and enjoy God's creation!

Blessings for the Summer!!!

AAU National Gymnastics

2011-07-04T20:11:00.000-04:00

Ducky before her meet.

Ducky during the meet on after her bar routine.

Ducky before her beam routine.

1st Place on Beam

7th on Floor

4th on Vault and 6th All Around.

Great Job Ducky!!!! We are proud of you:)

AAU Nationals in Orlando

2011-06-30T13:12:00.000-04:00

Florida Gold

Tomorrow Ducky will be competing in Orlando at The AAU National Meet.

Above is her Leo, All of Florida wears the same Leo.

Below I made a hair tie to match the Leo. Thank You Clarice for your help:)

I also made sandals to match her Leo, I'm proud of myself because I didn't think I would do a good job and it came out GREAT!!!

Thanks for looking and reading our blog.

Winner of the Sea Life and Sweet Shoppe Peaceable Kingdom Reuseable Sticker Set

2011-06-26T19:25:00.001-04:00

Thank you all for participating.

The Winner of the Sea Life and Sweet Shoppe Peaceable Kingdom Set is:

Lisa at

http://weidknecht.blogspot.com/

Lisa said:
I like the Mix and Match Animals reusable sticker pack because my preschoolers would love making silly animals over and over, 1

Congrats on winning a wonderful product!!!!

Please email your address within 48 hrs or a new winner will be picked after that.

Shake It Up Vacation Bible School

2011-06-24T08:39:00.000-04:00

This week D Man and Ducky had VBS.

Each day they learned something new.

Day 1- Believe Fully in Jesus

John 14:1

Believe in God, Believe also in me.

Day 2- Celebrate God forever

Psalm 45:17

I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations: therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

Day 3- Remember Jesus Often

Luke 22:19

Do this in remembrance of me

Day 4- Be Ready for God

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord" be strong, and let your heart take courage: wait for the Lord!!

Day 5- Give Happily to God

Hebrews 13:16

Don't forget to do good and to share what you have, because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifies.

Everyday they had snack time, craft and playtime( bounce house etc.)

The first day they made a Father's Day card for there daddy . That was nice. My husband loved it of course.The second day they made Chef hat's. The third day they made a canvas painting that says: Believe in God. The fourth day they made Cross Shrinky Dinks. And yesterday was there last day and they made Books that was called This is Me.

Praise be to God!!!!

Reasons to homeschool-from a teacher's point of view

2011-06-24T08:05:00.001-04:00

I thought this was a great article of encouragement for all of us homeschoolers.
I think those of you that homeschool will enjoy it to.

Jump Put Your Faith In Motion

2011-06-19T15:21:00.001-04:00

This month are children are learning to put there faith in motion.

What does that mean to you?

If I do what's right, will things be better for me?

It's not about me. It's what God wants me to do in the world around me.

Read:

Act's 16:16-34

Paul and Silas in Jail

What are some things you can do to make a difference in this world?

Memorize:

1Timonthy 4:12

Day 1

Read:

Jeremiah 29:11

If there was one question you would ask God, what would it be?

Do your children has questions for God? Ask them you would be surprised what they are thinking in there heads.

Day 2

Read Ephesians 4:29

One of the biggest ways that we can impact is through our words.

We can chose our words. Talk to your children about how there words can hurt or lift others up.

Day 3

Read:

Philippians 2:4

When we think of others before ourselves, we are putting our faith in motion.

Ask your children how will they put others before themselves this week.

Day 4

Read:

Matthew 28:19-20

When Jesus left the earth, He gave the people who were with Him some last instructions.

1. Make Disciples

2. Baptize them

3. Teach them to Obey

Show others this week by following one if these examples above.

We hope you have a BLESSED week in The Lord by yourself and with the children:)

Gymnastics Awards Banquet

2011-06-13T10:01:00.002-04:00

Every Year our gym has a awards banquet, this year we were able to go to it. The theme was New's Year Eve, so we got all fancy. Thank you to the Susan at The Tux Shop for helping us go in style.
Thank you to the gym for letting our train at your facility.

Daddy, Mommy, D Man and Ducky

Look how beautiful she is.

Thank you Clarice for letting us borrow your daughter's dress:)

Daddy and D Man in the hotel where the banquet was held.

Mommy and D Man

Daddy and Ducky

Coach Francisco with D Man Thank you for all your hard work:)

Ducky with Award

Most Improved on Vault

D Man with Award.

Most Improved on High Bar

Coach Sally and Ducky.

Thank you for all your hard work.

This was a funny award:

"On Your Toes Award"

Coach Francisco, Coach Joe, and D Man.

D Man got the Gymnast of the Year Award.

D Man got a funny Award:

"Never Say "No" Award"

D Man even wants to work out when he is hurt, he is so funny.

Ducky with her cousins before the banquet.

Homeschool Promotion

2011-06-06T09:01:00.000-04:00

I can't believe another year has gone by.

Every year we have a promotion with Our Home school Group.

This is a time of encouragement and to reflect over the last year.

I will print out certificates and hand them out to the children.

This year we had the children sing praise music up on stage.

Thank you Mrs. Jacobs!!!

We always have a speaker come to give us encouragement for the upcoming year, as you will see in the pictures. Our speaker this year had carried the Olympic torch in the 2002 Salt Lake City, All of the children got to hold the torch.

Our speaker also handed out 4 things:

Popsicle stick with the word pray- Always Pray

Gospel of John- Always read your Bible

A Medal- Never Give Up

A Tiny Starfish- One life at Time.

Our speaker is also is the founder of our local PE program for homeschoolers.

Thank you Coach Rick!!!

D Man and Ducky looking handsome and beautiful.

D Man with his certificate.

Ducky with her certificate.

Ducky touching the Olympic Torch.

Coach Rick and D Man together holding the Olympic Torch.

Coach Rick, D Man and Ducky holding the Olympic Torch.

I'm a Guest Host

2011-06-06T07:03:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Magnificent Monday! Our linky will open every Sunday night so you can join us for a Magnificent Monday. Let’s try to make the beginning of the week a bit better by finding some great new blogs and making some new blogging friends!

Do you notice anything different about Magnificent Monday? Please say hello to our newest host, Lynda from 2 Against 1. Lynda is a mommy to two beautiful twins and blogs about her experience providing “customer service” to her two kids, along with starting to host giveaways. We’ve also decided to change the image for Magnificent Monday. If you’d like to let the awesome photographer know what a great image she took, stop by her blog at 1 at Play.

Would you like to be featured as a Guest Host for Magnificent Monday? Just fill out this form by clicking here.

To join us in Magnificent Monday, follow these 4 easy steps!

#1 Follow your three hosts on GFC and then leave a comment to let them know you’re following (If you already follow on GFC, then follow on Facebook, Twitter, or Networked Blogs)

#2 Follow our Guest Hosts

Karen blogs about Avon, anything and everything!! She is am a wife (24 years), a mom to two teenagers and works at an engineering firm in Nashville, TN. She has been blogging about 9 months and is really enjoying it. Karen loves doing reviews and especially Giveaways!!! She is currently involved in Blog Bash 2011 where she is giving away several packages totaling about $1,500.

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April is a mother of 2 beautiful children that she homeschools and is trying to bring them up in the Lord. Her blog is centered on God first, crafts, curriculum that we use, field trips, reviews, co-op,sports and much more.

#3 Add your blog to the linky

#4 Follow the 3 blogs directly above yours

Please stop by as many blogs as you can. It also helps if you leave a comment on the blogs that you visit so they can stop by yours and say hello.

We’d love it if you would place the linky to the Blog Hop somewhere on your page, whether its on your sidebar, a “Blog Hops” page, or a separate post. Please help us support this blog hop!

Have fun hopping and please stop by to join us each week for Magnificent Monday!