Through My "I"s

My Lenten Arsenal

2012-02-10T08:15:00.000-05:00

Do you do anything to prepare for Lent? I usually buy a book to read and focus on during Lent each year. Last year I readJesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection
by Pope Benedict XVI. Though I ultimately loved the book, it was a hard read! This year I plan to do some simpler Lenten reading. I just got in my Lenten shipment from Amazon and I won a book from Kathleen Basi's blog that will arrive any day. I think I am all set for reading my way through Lent. With two family devotionals, we should not be at a loss for spiritual exercises. Did I also mention that I am working my way through Lisa Hendey's book "Saints for Catholic Moms"? Yes, I have plenty of devotional material!

Here is a list of books in my Lenten arsenal:

I think this will be a great addition because I always "Spring Clean" during Lent and this book is supposed to be a great support for cleaning and organizing.

Can you believe this is selling for $2.50? I was absolutely blown away when I opened my box and saw that this is a full size book. It looks really interesting too!

I am seriously thinking about getting more of these for my REP students. I already glanced through this little booklet today and I can tell you that it is great if you are trying to get your kids to start sacrificing for Lent.

This is the one that I won. I cannot wait to get it. I was considering purchasing it when I won it.

Please leave a comment or link to let me know what you will be focusing on this Lent...

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Review: A Child's First Communion

2012-02-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

I had the opportunity to review "A Child's First Communion And So Much More" featuring Father Joe Kempf. There are two sections to this DVD. In the first section entitled "For Adults", Father Joe explains to parents the importance of Communion and reasons that they should attend Mass regularly and take Communion. In the second section, entitled "For Children", Father Joe and Big Al explain Communion to the children. At the end there is a guided opportunity for children to silence themselves and meditate

My middle son will be recieving his First Communion this April. I am very excited and that is the reason that I requested the opportunity to review this DVD. I really enjoyed the part for parents and I think that some of the things that Father Joe says are things that need to be said more often. In the children's section, Father Joe explained things to the children in a way that they can understand. I love that Father Joe speaks in such a mild manner and he really seems to have a true love for the Eucharist. I admire that. Although I am only a parent, I think that this DVD would be a better resource for a First Communion teacher and will be forwarding this copy to my son's teacher.

There are even more resources located here.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Respect Life

2012-02-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

In celebration of Respect Life Sunday, my fourth grade REP class created posters. As you can see, some of them went along with the themew and some came up with thier own versions. We got a few of our ideas from Catholic Icing's "Pro-Life" section.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia
I'm Linking up at:

Book Review: A Catholic Christmas

2012-01-31T16:22:00.000-05:00

I know what you are probably thinking while reading the title of this post. You are wondering what took so long for me to write a review on a Christmas book! Well, Christmas only ended a few weeks ago! This easy-to-understand book by Kathleen M Carroll has information about Saints from Advent throughout the Christmas Season. Each chapter focuses on one Saint whose feast day occurs during the Advent/Christmas Season.

I enjoyed this little pocket-sized book. My favorite part about this book was it's size. It was easy to keep in my purse and pull out while waiting at the doctor's office or while relaxing before bed. The chapters are not long and are chock full of interesting facts about the saints. This book could be used as a mini devotional or it could be used as I did- as a refresher throughout the Advent season. It gave me some spiritual medicine in-between Sundays. This helped me to keep my heart and my mind focused on the real reason for the season- Jesus! I recommend that you put this book on next year's Christmas gift list. It would be a perfect gift along with a small Bible or Rosary and possibly even a cup of hot cocoa mix!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on A Catholic Christmas. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: The Sneezy, Wheezy Day

2012-01-23T17:47:00.001-05:00

The newest installment in the Cougar Cubs Tales series is, “The Sneezy, Wheezy Day”. Author of “Lost and Alone” and “I’m Just Like You”, Sharon Cramer once again published a book that encourages children to love one another.

In this story, brother cub is getting sick and he and sister cub are searching for a cure. The animals in the forest have many different ideas but none of them seem to work. In the end, sister’s TLC makes the difference for brother cub.

This book is very colorful and has beautiful illustrations. I like that this story introduces new vocabulary words. I also think that Ms. Cramer’s choice of animals was perfect for introducing new animals to young children. I am planning to use this book in my classroom. I can read it when talking about health and also when we are discussing families. The only negative that I have to share about this book was that I had a hard time making the words rhyme while reading it. I can see this being frustrating to a new reader.

I was given an advance copy of “The Sneezy Wheezy Day” in exchange for my honest review and I was also offered a copy to share with one of my readers! To enter to win, please leave a comment below along with an e-mail address so that I can contact you if you are the winner!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: The Song of Unmaking

2011-11-15T09:45:00.001-05:00

The second book in a three part series, “The Song of Unmaking” follows the trials and tribulations of four “Outlanders”, humans who have entered the realm of Karac Tor, who must use their special powers to fight against evil. With many easy-to-follow references to Biblical passages, this book is an interesting take on Religious Fiction.

I must admit that I am not a fantasy reader. This is a genre that I have never really had much experience with but I was interested to see what a Christian Fantasy book would look like. It took me a while to get into the story but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the fact that the characters favored those of the Bible but the fantasy part of the story was not watered down to make room for the Christian part of the writing. It blended together seamlessly. Although I was informed that I would easily follow along with this book even though I never read the first book in the series, I disagree. There were many references to the first book that I did not understand and was left wondering. Overall, this book would be a great Christmas (or other) gift for a fantasy reader. The fact that it blends fantasy with Christianity makes it a great choice for a teenage son or daughter.

Check out Dean Brigg's site and enter his awesome contest all this month!!! He will be giving away a complete fantasy library and a Kindle Fire!!! I LOVE my Kindle!!
Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Santa's Secret Story

2011-11-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

Do you know Santa’s secret? If not, you will want to grab a copy of “Santa’s Secret Story”. This children’s book tells of Santa’s secret through a helpful guardian angel. Included in the text is a prayer to Saint Nicholas and short bio on the beloved saint. Also, in the story, the guardian angel prayer is recited.

I love this book! I don’t even know where to begin. First off, this story totally dispels the myth that Santa does not exist! No more worries about someone telling my kids that lie! Santa existed as Saint Nicholas 1700 years ago. The book details the life of Saint Nick and tells how he became Santa.

This book is great for kids of all ages (including parents!). The book is completely orthodox and is interesting. The illustrations are attractive. I cannot say enough great things about this book.

I plan to use this book on December 6, the feast of Saint Nicholas. Last year I made my boys some Saint Nicholas treat bags and I am planning to continue the tradition. I am thinking of bringing this book to REP with me and teaching my fourth graders about the life of the real Santa!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Santa's Secret Story. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Review: Life Application Study Bible

2011-11-01T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Life Application Study Bible Devotional that I had the priviledge of reviewing is one that focuses on the Gospels and the life of Jesus. The book is divided into 52 weeks and then sub-divided into individual days. Each day includes a reading from the Bible, a devotional message, some reflection questions, and a single verse to memorize or meditate upon. This devotional is intended to read from beginning to end within a year but also has both a topical and a scripture index so that the reader can jump to passages that pertain to his or her current life situation.

I found this book to be a very useful resource for personal Bible study. I am planning to continue reading this devotional for an entire year. When I finish studying the Gospels using this fantastic resource, I will keep it available on my shelf for reference. I enjoy reading and owning different Bible translations and this is my first experience with the New Living Translation of the Bible and I found it very easy to understand. If you have not experienced any of the Life Application Study Bible series, I suggest that you look into it. This is the best devotional I have tried.

I would like to thank Tyndale publishers for offering this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Patron Saints

2011-11-01T13:27:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for a patron Saint? Do you have a child who will be celebrating Confirmation this year? Do you want to learn more about the saints of the Catholic Church? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you must get a copy of the book “Patron Saints” by Thomas J Craughwell. This book features hundreds of patron saints for almost any cause or interest that you can imagine. Each entry includes the feast day and interesting facts about the saint. The book is separated into chapters and covers 11 different domains including “Patron Saints for the family” and “Patron Saints for the Nations of the World”. The comprehensive list of saints and little known facts will keep any Catholic intrigued.

I started reading this book by scanning for interesting topics and reading about saints who pertained to my interests and circumstances. I then started reading the book from cover to cover and have learned a lot about the saints of the Church. I am planning on introducing some new saints to my boys who have not chosen a patron saint yet. I love how the book is laid out into chapters and then there are topics within the chapters. It makes it easy to read and also very user friendly. If I want to find the patron saint of dogs, I just turn to the chapter on animals and then cruise through the topics which are arranged in alphabetical order until I get to “dogs”. Very simple. Overall, this is the best book on saints that I have seen and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great reference book on patron saints.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Patron Saints. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: The Opposite of Art

2011-10-28T16:26:00.000-04:00

I was recently given the opportunity (priviledge?) of reading "The Opposite of Art" by Athol Dickson. The book is about the life of a man who is a world-renowned artist whose life is becoming out of control. He loses his woman and - unbeknownst to him- his best friend is plotting to kill him. He ends up having a vision of what he terms "Glory" and travels the world trying to rein it.

I don't want to give away too much information about this book as to ruin the ending. I can tell you it is full of plot twists and is very unpredictable. I fell into the story and was like a junkie needing a "fix" every few hours to see what would happen next! This book is very deep and is best if read slowly and in small doses. The Opposite of Art is a must read!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Product Review: Cat Chat

2011-10-17T06:18:00.001-04:00

I was given the great opportunity to review Cat Chat Vol 4. The Cat Chat program is an ingenious way to teach children about thier faith in a fun and non-threatening manner. In Vol 4, "The Mass Comes Alive", the family is participating in a Catholic Conference. The cat, Moses, narrates the entire event and children are given information about the Eucharist. I also thought it was neat how they even added an excerpt from one of Jeff Cavins talks.
In the past, I have heard a lot about "Cat Chat". Though I heard great things about this catechism on CD, I am reluctant to buy CD's for my boys because they ussually get tossed aside in favor of upbeat music (some religious, some not). When given the opportunity to review Cat Chat, I jumped on it!
I am so thankful that I did! After listening to Cat Chat Volume 4 in the car on the way to our annual Parish Picnic, my boys now ask for it when we get in the car! I am embarrrased to mention that I listen to the songs when they are not in the car. I recommend the Cat Chat CDs to all Catholic families!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

All Saint's Day Plans

2011-10-16T07:10:00.000-04:00

I have always thought that it was so cool that some Catholic parishes offer an All Saint's Day party for the children. Our parish has never done anything like that and I have decided it is time for a change. A gradual change...

This year I am the fourth grade REP teacher at my parish. I am really loving it! We have classes on Wednesday nights and the first class in November happens to be on Nov 2. I thought it would be fun to have a class celebration!

First I had the boys choose a Saint last Wednesday. Of couse almost all of them have swords, but whatever gets them interested, right? They will spend some time in class and home researching the Saint and learn the birth and death dates, feast day, and at least on interesting fact about the Saint. They will then create a poster (any size) about the Saint. On November 2, they will share about thier Saint and dress up as thier Saint.

I am planning to have some Saint party games I found online for my boys to play and I am thinking of having some Saintly snacks. If this works out as planned, next year I will push for a parish-wide celebration.... baby steps....

Finally I plan to get photos of the boys and post the posters and photos in the Narthex at the church for everyone to see. I will probably post something in the bulletin too. I am hoping to get everyone excited over the idea!

Stop by November 3 (or later) to see what we did!

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

Book Review: Legacy of Love

2011-10-08T07:37:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading Kimberly Hahn's newest installment in her Life-Nurturing Love series, "Legacy of Love: Biblical Wisdom for Parenting Teens". The series also includes, "Beloved and Blessed: Biblical Wisdom for Family Life", "Graced and Gifted: Biblical Wisdom for the Homemaker's HEart", and "Chosen and Cherished: Biblical Wisdom for your Mariage". "Legacy of Love" is the second book in her Life-Nurturing Love series that I have had the priviledge of reading. This book takes mothers from the preteen years through the young adult years of parenting. Kimberly gives practical ideas for mothers-in-law to keep the peace in the family and to nurture the new family that our child will embark into.

I was impressed with this book. I have read a few of Kimberly Hahn's books before and also read reviews on some that I have not read and sometimes her books are repetative. She is passionate about her ideas and so she tends to revisit them often. This book was different. All of the information presented was fresh and inspiring. I really enjoyed reading how to help teenager through the turbulent years because I will soon have a teenager in my home. My oldest son is almost 12. The practical advice that Kimberly offered was easy to implement.

My faorite chapter is chapter 2, "Works of Mercy". I am always looking for practical ways to implement the Spiritual Works of Mercy and this chapter is jammed with them! For example, under the "Feed the Hungry" heading, she tells us to invite large families to dinner at our home because they are often left out. She also mentions that pizza parties and Super Bowl parties are ways that we can offer hospitality.

Overall, this book was a joy to read. I love the Hahn's and all that they are doing to draw people closer to the Catholic Church. Kimberly has really impressed me with "Legacy of Love" and I know I will be referring back to it in the future!

I just had to include this photo from the time I met the Hahn's in person! I was SO excited! Scott Hahn's Bible studies were the first I ever read as an RCIA student and then a Catholic. I was in RCIA when this photo was taken!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Legacy of Love :Biblical Wisdom for Parenting Teen. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.
Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Falling to Pieces

2011-10-03T06:15:00.001-04:00

"Falling to Pieces" by Vanetta Chapman is an Amish story like none I have ever read. Instead of the usual Amish romance, this is an Amish mystery. The Englich and Amish come together to clear the name of the newest owner of "Daisy's Quilt Shop".

This book was a quick read for me! I totally loved the fact that it was not a romance and that it weaved the lives of Englich and Amish people together. There was more Pennsylvania Dutch in this book than previous ones I have read but the words were easy to figure out (and there is a glossary at the beginning of the book!). I recommned this book to Amish and mystery lovers alike!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Yard Sale Bargains!!

2011-09-24T16:44:00.000-04:00

My mom and I were out this morning running a few errands when I remembered that my co-worker mentioned that her church would be holding a yard sale this morning to raise money for Operation Christmas Child. I am a huge supporter of OCC and also a huge fan of yard sales so I knew it would be a win-win situation! Anyway, I mentioned it to my mom and we decided to swing by and see what we would find. Well, first we went to the wrong yard sale. They were selling TRASH. Then we made our way back and stopped at another sale. We hit a small jackpot there.

I found a few things on the $1 table and some things in the 50 cent bin for a total of $4 spent. Here's what I got there:

a half of a football shaped cake pan (still works for a flat bottom cake!)
a sylicone bundt pan
a football shaped chip bowl
a football themed curtain
a backpack full of army guys (not pictured, oops!)
a CD holder thing that holds the cases too

The football shaped things are for Jacob's upcoming football themed party! I think it is going to turn out GREAT on the cheap! (Look for it in an upcoming post!)

Finally we figured out where the yard sale we were supposed to go to was and I racked up! I aimed to spend $7 because that's how much it costs to ship a OCC shoebox. Here is what I got:

3 "Life of Jesus" flash card resource packets. The flash cards are 8x10 and will be great for my REP class!
1 Old Testament reproducible book
Alabaster's Song: Christmas Through the Eyes of an Angel by Max Lucado
Jello Recipe Book
A double "Murder She Wrote" book
A Homeschooling book (I am a total Wannabe!)
2 little metal buckets
A caterpillar toy for when I do "The Very hungry Caterpillar" with my class
A teachers daily word book
A little monkey in a circus wagon. It was too cute for 25 cents, I had to buy it!

My mom also got a Hershey Kiss shaped candy dish and an electric stapler for 75cents. To top off our $7 donation, we bought 2 chocolate chip cookies!

So, for $11, I got a bunch of useful items! I am really excited! We need to go yard-saling more often!!

P.S. I am ADDICTED to Pinterest! I am so addicted that I think I am going to set a goal to complete one Pinterest Project per week! I should be posting more often so please keep checking back!!
Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: World's Greatest Christmas Cookies

2011-09-19T04:05:00.001-04:00

The book,"World's Greatest Christmas Cookies" is a yummy compilation of Christmas cookie recipes! The book is divided into sections by type of cookie including no-bake and bar cookies. All of the cookies are perfect for sharing and the recipes are easy to understand.

I cannot wait to get started on my Christmas baking! This book is the most comprehensive cookie recipe book I have seen. This book includes old favorite recipes and new recipes that look interesting and tasty. If you are planning to bake a lot of cookies this Christmas season, I recommend that you grab a copy of this book!

Thanks to the publisher for offering this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review through Netgalley.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Christmas Is Not Your Birthday

2011-09-12T03:49:00.001-04:00

"Christmas is Not Your Birthday" by Mike Slaughter is a wake up call to all of us who have lost the true meaning of Christmas. Mike warns us against the consumerist approach to Christmas by pulling together pieces of Scripture to remind us that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, not ours.

This book was a great refresher to get me in the mood for a Jesus-centered Christmas. It was not as easy to read as I expected and I was a little disappointed that there was not more "how to" info. The author tells the readers what they must do but tells them very little about how to do it. Overall, I think this book is worth a read, especially if you tend to go overboard at Christmas time!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love

2011-09-10T16:25:00.001-04:00

"Smack dab in the Middle of God's Love" by Brennan Manning and John Blase is a cute book appropriate for young children. The main characters are an elderly couple who cannot have children. They love children and are surrounded by them daily. The children love Ana's sopapillas. Juan, Ana's husband, tells the children that the delicious sopapillas are an expression of "Abba's" love for them.

The pictures in the book are beautiful even though I only had the opportunity to see them on my Kindle. I love that the book is multicultural and would be great to read on the hispanic Catholic feast days of Juan Diego or Our Lady of Guadalupe. My youngest son enjoyed the simple storyline and we were able to introduce new vocabulary words. I think it would be a wonderful add-on activity to create some sopapillas to eat after reading the story. This would reinforce the concepts presented in the book. A fiesta would also be a great additional activity. I would reccommend this book to parents of preschoolers. It would also make a wonderful gift!

Thank you to Booksneeze.com for offering this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Christmas Stories

2011-09-06T03:49:00.003-04:00

I just finished reading the book "Christmas Stories" by Max Lucado. It is a collection of heartwarming stories about the real meaning of Christmas- the birth of Jesus Christ. The stories all come from previous works of Max Lucado's and have been combined to create this book.

While it was not one of Max Lucado's best books, it is a good book for getting into the Christmas spirit. I originally read it hoping to find something good to read during Advent. There are a few stories that I plan to share with my children this Advent but it did not deliver like I expected.

If you are an avid Max Lucado reader, you have already read the stories that are included in this book. Overall I would consider this a good gift but not something I would suggest for a personal purchase.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Catholic ABC plaque

2011-09-04T13:15:00.000-04:00

When I was preparing to start back to work at Head Start, I created this awesome $3 ABC plaque for my wall. I loved it so much that when I saw these Catholic ABC's, I wanted to create a Catholic set. I didn't know what I was going to do with them and I quickly set the idea on the backburner.

Well, I was perusing the church bulletin last week and noticed an ad looking for REP teachers. I have been feeling like God has been calling me to teach religion for a while but I never felt "ready" until now. I called and I am now officially a fourth grade REP teacher!

Even though my children will be well past learning thier ABC's, I think it would make a cute decoration for my classroom. I used the same technique as with the "regular" ABC plaques with the exception of the following:

I used the Catholic A-Z posters from "That Resource Site". I printed them as 3x5 sheets of photo paper and then cut them out, leaving the bottom part off.

I used some plaques that were on my wall in the kitchen before I created my plates (I haen't posted them yet!) I also found them in the Dollar Tree.

Here are the results:

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

I am linking up to CatholicIcing's First Friday Link Up!

Book review: Black, White, Other

2011-09-02T02:06:00.002-04:00

Black, White, Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong

In the book, “Black, White, Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong”, the author, Joan Steinau Lester explores the lives of a modern day bi-racial teenager and the life of her great great grandmother, a slave who found her way to freedom. Nina, the main character, is going through the changes of divorce and entering her first year of high school. With everything going on around her, Nina starts to question her identity. She wonders, “Am I black? Or am I white?”. She goes on a soul-searching journey, hoping to discover who she really is.

“Black, White, Other” is the author’s first fiction novel. This book is intended for young teens but I can tell you that this is one of those kids books that you will want to share with your child! I love that there is an actual story within the story (that is based on truth!). The story within is as interesting as the main storyline. My favorite things about this book are that it is completely safe for any young teen to read. My son is 11 years old and bi-racial so I was really hoping that this would be a good book to share with him. I was not disappointed! There are a few stereotypes written about both races in order to present the story accurately but they are also dispelled within the story. There is no bad language and the religious parts of the book are respectful to all religions. There is actually a visit to a Catholic Church that contributes greatly to the story!

There are not enough great things I can say about this book. There are not enough books written to help biracial children learn about themselves. If you are raising a teen of any race, I recommend this book. If you are raising a biracial teen, this one is a must read!!

related links:
http://www.joanlester.com/
Black, White, Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong

Thank you to Zondervan and NetGalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: School of the Family

2011-09-01T15:34:00.001-04:00

The book, School of the Family, written by Chantal R. Howard is a memoir about growing up in a homeschooling family and later becoming a homeschooling mom herself. Chantal’s parents had a special affection for the Eucharist and passed the love to their daughter.The stories are interesting and follow a logical order, taking the reader from Chantal's parents early lives to the present. Through stories about her youth and experieces as a homeschooling mother, she tells readers of the ups and downs of life and how they overcame it all with the love of Jesus.

The book was truly inspirational, especially to a homeschooling mom wannabe like me! I especially loved that Chantal included a “Family Rule” blue print at the end. It has some great suggestions for ideas to add to daily life to make it more focused on Jesus.

I really wish that Chantal had dedicated more than one chapter to this topic. I think that it would be a wonderful idea for another book. “School of the Family” also portrays Chantal’s family as real people, not perfect people who never make mistakes. Her father struggled with alcoholiusm and her sister had many problems in her youth before reverting back to her Catholic faith. Chantal also has a brother who suffers from a birth defect. She tells how all of these things have worked to teach her about her faith.

The only thing that I did not like about the book was that the summary on the back of the book described the book as a hands-on manual for moms. I would describe the book more as an inspiration for moms. The only hands-on material was the final chapter, describing the "Family Rule". Overall the book was a wonderful read and I would recommend it to all moms, especially those who are interested in homeschooling.

You can purchase this book here.

I wrote this review of The School of the Family for the free Catholic Book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source for Baptism Gifts and Oplatki Christmas Wafers.
Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Scheduling Link-Up

2011-08-31T17:36:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned the other day, I am participating in a "Scheduling Link-Up" over at Catholic Icing. I posted about my plans for my schedule and showed you the areas I need to work on. Well, I do not do well with time based schedules so I created a "Checklist" style schedule instead. I thought of using my computer but I thought it would be fun to create my own with pen and paper.

On my schedule, I listed the daily activities that I need to accomplish. These are things in addition to my normal work like doing to work, coming home, and cooking dinner. As you can see, we are a home-based family- we do not have a lot of sports and extra-curricular things going on.

I made sure to include some places for my plans. I am wanting to focus on a Bible verse each week and a character trait. I also added a place to plan my crafts, reading, and research. By research, I mean my teacher stuff and Pinterest searches. I also left room for "special things to remember"- these are things that I want to remember but do not need to be checked off. Lastly, there is a blank space for whatever strikes my fancy! I am hoping to put this schedule to good use. Feel free to print a copy yourself.

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Review: Best-loved Catholic Prayers CD

2011-08-30T06:28:00.000-04:00

Holyheroes.com was offering a give 2 cents promotion where you pay 2 cents and recieve "Best-Loved Catholic Prayers CD" for review. I paid my 2 cents and now I am giving you my 2 cents!

I think that this CD is unique and very useful. It even has the NEW Mass Responses and Latin Prayers! I tthink that all Catholic parents should own a copy. Led by the children of the creators of Holy Heroes, each prayer includes information about when the prayer is used and background information. Run over to HolyHeroes.com to grab a copy!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Bring Out the Best in Your Child and Your Self

2011-08-29T00:07:00.001-04:00

Bring Out the Best in Your Child and Your Self

This is a parenting/self-improvement book like no other. Using the principles set forth in the "Quality Parenting" program that the author designed, this book serves as an at-home guide to bringing these principles into your family. Based on mutual respect, this book teaches parents that there is a better way to communicate with their children.

I thought that this book was very interesting. The first few chapters whizzed by as I learned about the biological and psychological aspects to our negative behavior. The book slowed a little for me in the middle because the principles were ones that I pretty much already use. I loved the information about family meetings and I learned a lot of new information to add to my parenting repertoire. I recommend this book emphatically to all parents. I wish all parents used a method like this one. It would make the world a much better place!

To order this book, click on the link below the picture above!

Some Links to check out:
Quality Parenting Program Info
Bring Out The Best Website

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Scheduling Link Up

2011-08-28T01:52:00.030-04:00

Have you missed me? I sure have missed posting! I am hoping after this post, I will have some time organized in my schedule for my blog! We shall see...

Information about making schedules and budgets are two things that I am always on the lookout for. I am the type of person who researches and researches and never seems to get to the actual “doing” part of the equation. That is going to stop today. When I saw my crafty Catholic homeschooling blogger-friend, Lacy was hosting a Scheduling Link Up Party, I knew I had to get on board and finally create the schedule that I so desperately need to create. I am doing my pre-writing now. I will post the completed schedule soon!

Although I am not a homeschooling mom (just a wannabe), I am a preschool teacher and also a mom who wants to supplement the one hour CCD classes my children attend during the school year. I am hoping to get better organized and have the time and opportunity to do more with and for my family.

Using Lacy’s list of important scheduling factors, I evaluated what I have been doing and what I want to change. Here is what I came up with: (I am being totally honest here!)

1. God.

Are you giving the time you should to God and your relationship with Him?

No :( I have been doing well in getting in the word and reading lots and lots of books (my book reviews!) but I have not been attending Mass like I should. I have actually been working through some things in my heart with my dear Lord and He has been patient. It is time to show Him that I am serious! I am making the commitment here to attend Mass every Sunday (like I am SUPPOSED to!)

Are you finding time to have a personal prayer life, regardless of the chaos motherhood brings into your life?

I have been reading a lot and that has led to some prayer but I would also like to carve out more time for prayer. I would also like to get started on my Rosary Workout book, if possible.

2. Husband.

Am I being the best wife I can be?

No! This is something I think I can always work on.

The kind of wife that God wants me to be? Am I being selfless and kind?

Sometimes.

Am I leading my husband to the Lord?

I really need to work on this one! I think going back to #1 (going to Mass every week) will show him what a good Christian looks like. I am praying he will begin to attend with me…. Maybe Jacob’s First Holy Communion?

Do I have time to grow my love for him?

Always

3. Children.

Am I loving them and steering them towards heaven?

Loving them, yes, steering? I would love to say yes but I know I need to add some things into our day that will bring us closer to the Lord as a family!

Are they getting enough 1 on 1 time with me?

Hmmm… not really…. Add it to the schedule!

Am I paying enough attention to them, feeding them nutritionally enough, and giving them everything they need?

I tend to immerse myself in other things. I think a family game time would be great and maybe something each day to reconnect us. I am doing well in the nutrition area and they are growing into wonderful young men so I am doing something right (with God’s help of course!)

4. Everything Else.

Ok, now that I've taken care of the big things, when am I going to shake out those kitchen rugs?

Need days/times for:

Washing clothes
Creating Grocery List
Housework (general)
Organizing my week
Family Game Night
Bible Story
Crafts and Activities
Learning Together
My Blog
My School Work (online classes- College)
Kids Homework

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: God's Story, Your Story

2011-08-27T09:34:00.000-04:00

Take a walk with Max Lucado through the New Testament in the books, “God’s Story, Your Story” and “God’s Story, Your Story: Youth Edition”. Max explores each book of the New Testament by relating the stories to the reader through real life situations. Each chapter is the perfect length for night time reading and easy enough to read daily.

I have been enjoying every book I have read lately but I am always amazed at how quickly I zoom through Max Lucado’s books. He is a world class author. This book had no Catholic bashing and would make a wonderful ten-night family devotional. I love that Max chose a story from each book of the New Testament to create this book. Each chapter teaches a lesson and brings the lesson home with the addition of a personal story from Max’s own memory. A must-read book from a must-read author!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to review this book free of charge through NetGalley!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: The Amish Nanny

2011-08-22T12:01:00.006-04:00

The Amish Nanny (The Women of Lancaster County)

Ada is a young woman who never had a chance to grow up. From suffering from a blood disease, to dealing with a hovering mother, to unrequited love, to finding out that she is adopted, she has gone through her share of hardships. She is ready for an adventure and an adventure is what she gets!

This story is well-written. The storyline is addictive and will have you up all night reading to find out what will happen next. The characters in the book are dimensional and varied and the story is a unique one full of twists and turns. This book is not your average romance but definitely a must-read for all you Amish lovers out there!!

Thank you to Harvest House and NetGalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: Holy Women

2011-08-20T16:28:00.000-04:00

"Holy Women" by Pope Bendict XVI is a library of mini biographical sketches of some of the most well-known holy women in the Catholic Church. Included are Saints and Blesseds from the third century to the twentieth century.

If you have ever read any of Pope Benedict's work, you know that he has a way with words and you also know that it sometimes takes a minute for it to make sense. He writes in such a deep manner that it often takes me a long time to read his works. This book was no exception. Some of the stories were straightforward but some others were hard for me to grasp until I spent extra time on them. Overall, the book was interesting and informative. Modern women should be inspired by these Holy Women of the past!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Holy Women. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.
Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Treasuring Emma

2011-08-18T18:14:00.000-04:00

“Treasuring Emma” by Kathleen Fuller is a heartwarming Amish romance about a young girl who thought she lost it all when she is suddenly thrust into more turmoil. Only weeks after the funeral of Emma’s mother, her first love comes back from his “Yankee” lifestyle and her sister comes up with a plan to demolish her memories of her beloved grandfather. Emma is confused and unsure of what to do.

“Treasuring Emma” is a great read. If you love Amish romances, this one is a good one! The only thing I did not like about the book was that there were a few loose ends that were left at the end of the story. An epilogue could have possibly cured the problem. The characters were very dimensional and remind the reader of real people. The plot was interesting and only a little predictable. I love that Emma is a robust woman who finds true love in someone who appreciates her for the person she is. The “Pennsylvania Dutch” dialogue is easy to understand and adds to the “Amish” feel of the book. I think that any Amish book enthusiast would greatly enjoy reading this story of a girl who must believe that, in the end, God will provide!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review!

Book Review: The Missional Mom

2011-08-17T07:07:00.000-04:00

The Missional Mom: Living with Purpose at Home & in the World

I just finished reading "The Missional Mom" by Helen Lee. This is a guide for mothers who are struggling with feeling that there is more to life than changing diapers. This guidebook leads mothers to think more deeply about what they are doing to help others and obey the commandments to love God and neighbor.

This book is a useful resource for all moms but I felt that it was directed towards upper-class women. Some of the chapters were irrelevant for me because I already do the things mentioned or they did not apply to me. For example, one chapter tells me to go out and meet people of other races. Living in a multi-racial family and working in a low-income preschool has afforded me many opportunities to meet people of different races and cultures.
My favorite chapter in the book is chapter 5. As a Catholic, I have heard that we should evangelize by living our lives as God intended. I have never heard this in a non-Catholic forum. This chapter (and other chapters) show practical ways to do this. That is what I needed to learn.

Overall, I think the book is one of a kind and I really enjoyed completing the discussion guide that I downloaded free from the website (see links below!). If you are unsure whether you want to purchase this book, check out the links below and download a free chapter!

I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own

Related Links:
The Missional Mom Resources
The Missional Mom Blog

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: God Calling

2011-08-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

"God Calling" was originally written by two anonymous women known as "Two Listeners". The devotional has been out of print for two years and there are many "original" readers who need new copies because the old ones are so tattered from use. The devotional is written from the point of view of God talking to the reader. The new expanded edition includes prayers and scripture references.

I see why there are so many people who read "God Calling" daily for years. The devotional is like none other. The words truly sound as if they came from the lips of God Himself. I can see myself reading this for years. The only thing that I didn't like was that there were only dates on every other day. I honestly don't know if this was a formatting error on the advanced copy I recieved for my Kindle or if this is how the book will be published.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

I'm still here!!

2011-08-14T18:30:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you know that I am here! I have been reading like crazy and that is why I have so many reviews posting. I am currently in school full-time, working, and preparing my boys to go back to school. I am planning to get a plan together so that I can post some crafts and other stuff in case you're tired of all the book reviews!

See you soon!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: My First Hands-On Bible

2011-08-12T08:54:00.000-04:00

My First Hands-On Bible

My First Hands-On Bible is a Bible especially for preschoolers. Usiung the New Living Translation, the My First Hands-On Bible illistrates key stories of the Bible in an easy to understand format. Included in the Bible are Hands On Activities, Prayers and Conversation Starters, and a “Jesus Connection”. With over 80 different Bible stories, children are lead through the Old and New Testaments.

I reviewed this book alongg with my 5 year old son. There are quite a few activity ideas so we chose ones that were more appropriate for his age. Some of the activities would be great for infants and toddlers, too. There are simple things like hand motions and there are more involved activities like creating things or exploring places. The little prayer at the end of each story is very simple and great for a toddler or an energetic preschooler! The stories are short and held my son’s attention and the pictures are colorful and fun. The pages are glossy and not too thin so that they would easily tear. This is important when you are planning to share this book often with your small child. Also, the cover opens easily so that you do not have to hold the book open when you get closer to the middle. This book would be a great investment for a growing preschool Christian!

Check out these websites:
http://www.4everybuddy.com/
www.tyndale.com/kids

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for offering this book to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

Book Review: 1105 Yakima Street

2011-08-08T00:01:00.003-04:00

The tenth book in the "Cedar Cove" series, "1105 Yakima Street" follows the lives of some of the residents of Cedar Cove. The stories are all intertwined as are the characters. One woman struggles with an unplanned pregnancy, another finds true love.

I have always enjoyed books written by Debbie Macomber and this one was no exception. This is the tenth book in the "Cedar Cove" series but the first I have read. Fortunately, the books are written so that the reader can begin anywhere in the series and not be lost. I have plans to hit up my local library for some of the first books in this series. There will also be a final book released one month from the release of "1105 Yakima Street". I absolutely loved this book. Even though it is a romance, it is not "trashy" and there are no descriptions of love scenes. If you are looking for a great romance, this is the one to buy!

Click on the picture above to view this book at Amazon.com

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: what are you waiting for?

2011-08-06T15:21:00.001-04:00

WARNING: This post contains some explicit sexual references and is not appropriate for children!

“What are you Waiting for?” by Dannah Gresh is a revolutionary new book about the importance of abstinence before marriage. Intended for young adults, this book explores what sex really is and encourages non-virgins that it is never too late to start over. Topics explored in this book are masturbation, oral sex, and same-sex relationships. Dannah discusses whether these are considered sex and whether they are sinful acts.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. The discription made me think of “Theology of the Body” type things- hether something is appropriate during marriage or considered a no-no even after matrimony. That is not what this book is about. This book explores the “before marriage” aspect of common sexual practices in the 21st century. With that said, I still learned a TON of information from this book and think it would be great for someone like my friend who has three young adult daughters who are all struggling with topics from this book. It is also a great resource for anyone who wants to know what God intended theologically for the sexual act.

My Catholic take:
This book has a few things I want to mention to my Catholic friends. The first thing is that the book states:

“If you are controlled by ir enslaved by anything other than God, it is a sin” (pg 74)

When I read this, a red flag went off for me because I thought that the Catholic view was that once something is an addiction, it is no longer considered an intentional act or sin. I looked it up and found an answer on one of my favorite sites, Catholic.com:

“Certainly, there are severe cases where one’s culpability can be diminished partially or even completely. In such cases the confessor will inform the penitent that a sin has not been committed. Indeed, a regular confessor or spiritual director is a very real necessity in such extreme situations. But for most people addictive behavior is far less a threat to our freedom than our permissive, victim-oriented culture is inclined to have us believe”

I like that definition- there is sometimes a little grey area! I would hate for a young person who is truly addicted to something impure to deal with such guilty as thinking that they are committing a huge sin even when they cannot stop themselves no matter how hard they try.

One more thing for my Catholic readers: Dannah quoted Scott Hahn! I thought that was awesome! She quoted an excerpt from his book, “The Lamb’s Supper” (one of my all-time favs!).

The following are some resources related to the book that you may want to check out!
Catholic resource for pornography addiction
Pornography Addiction Support Group
Impurity Addiction Support Group
Dannah Gresh's Website (FULL of awesome info!!)
Read the First Chapter Here!

“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Power of a Praying Wife Devotional

2011-08-05T00:02:00.001-04:00

The Power of a Praying® Wife Devotional: New Ways to Pray for Yourself, Your Husband, and Your Marriage

Stormie OMarrtian, author of tons of "The Power of a Praying..." books, has written a devotional based on her popular book, "The Power of a Praying Wife". This devotional is not a day-to-day devotional but a subject devotional. Covering over 100 different subjects, this devotional helps a prayerful wife pray for her husband, herself, and her marriage.

I like that each devotion has a scripture, a story, and a prayer. The topics are relevant to todays married couples. I kind of enjoyed the fact that this is not a day to day type of devotional. I can look up in the table of contents whatever I am going through in my marriage and find a scripture, a story, and a prayer. I recommend this book to wives out there who are looking for something they can do to improve thier marriages. Also, if you already own "The Power of a Praying Wife", you want to check this out!

Visit the Stormie OMartian website!

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Homeward by Melody Carlson

2011-08-04T18:36:00.001-04:00

I just read one of the best fiction books ever! "Homeward" by Melody Carlson is an inspirational book about a woman who must learn to forgive herself as she ventures back to her hometown after 20 years estranged from her family. Anyone who struggles with unforgiveness can relate to the main character, Meg. She leaves her hometown only to return 20 years later and finds out she may have gotten there too late.

This book was one of the best I have ever read! I love that it is very spiritual but not "preachy". I could not put the book down! There were references to the Bible and the book is clearly Christian. This book is also a romance yet it does not have that "romance" predictability. As a matter of fact, nothing in this book is predictable! There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting and enough mystery to keep you wanting more! I recommend this book to any book enthusiast!

Guess what? This novel was a RITA award winner and is now available as an e-book for only $2.99! You cannot beat that price!!

I was provided a copy of this book for free from Glass Road PR as part of a blog tour in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

Book Review: The Digital Mom Handbook

2011-08-01T10:36:00.008-04:00

"The Digital Mom Handbook" by Audrey McClelland and Colleen Padilla is a resource for moms who love social media and want to make a living out of it. Thier tips and sucess stories fill the book with a "You can do it!" attitude. The women come across as being energetic and truly want to help other moms make it in the social media world.

I mentioned this book in a post I wrote last month. After reading this book, I was inspired to work harder on my blog and increasing traffic. I am not really interested in making money from my blog but would love to have more subscribers and more opportunities to try out free product. I have seen too many of my favorite blogs deleted from my favorites because they ":made it big" and the blog was never the same. It turned into a daily advertisement instead of a source of inspiration. I know I don't want that!

This book tells moms how to "make it big" in the blogging and social media circles. They give some great insider info and let readers know that it takes a lot of time to become a huge success, sometimes sacrificing family time for computer time. There were dozens of sucess stories in the book. I think that it would have been better with less sucess stories. It got redundant. I recommend this book to moms who are interested in turning thier social media into a business. It is also useful for us novice bloggers to get a few tips, too!

This book comes out TODAY! Click on the picture above to snag a copy for yourself or a friend!

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

50 cent Pen Caddy

2011-07-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

I found it! My MoJo is back!!

I was looking around in my craft area for something to create today when I came across a bunch of metal buckets I bought at Dollar General YEARS ago for 50 cents each (maybe cheaper, I can't remember!). They came in purple or black with glitter circles all over them. They were a Halloween decoration placed on clearance when I bought them. They sat in my mom's house for a few more years until ~~she threw them away and I dug them out of the trash~~ we came across them and I took them home to live in my closet for another 4 years!

I originally wanted to cover the bucket with some patterned paper and use it to hold my pens for my sign-in sheet at work (as a Head Start teacher). I couldn't figure out how to just attach a piece of paper around the bucket. And that's how the project began.....

I started out with some patterned paper from the "Nana's Kids" stack from DCWV, scissors, modpodge, and a bucket. I cut the patterned paper into squares using the pattern in the paper as a guide. Then I covered a part of my bucket with modpodge and coated the back of the first piece with Modpodge. I pressed the piece on and then brushed Modpodge over the top. I made a pattern with my pieces and covered all of those glittery dots.

I let that dry and then pulled out my ribbon! I chose all the ribbons that looked like they would coordinate with my bucket.

I tied ribbons around the handle. I made sure to keep it even visually by tying a ribbon on the left when I tied one on the right. I used the thin pink ribbon more generously than the other colors because it was thin and also my only pink! (I didn't use all of the ribbons pictured)

Now, if you know me, you know that good enough is never enough! I decided I needed some personalized pens to go inside the bucket!

You can buy some "RSVP" pens pretty inexpensively and put your patterned paper INSIDE the barrel of the pen. I did something a little different because:

a. I wanted to personalize them with a "return to:" label

b. I wanted to use cheap pens I already own bacuse they will

eventually walk off even with my name on them!

So I got some patterned papers together (I actually didn't use the ones pictured because they were so thick that I decided to use something thinner and easier to wrap around a pen! I printed the "return to:" labels on Microsoft Word in an 8 point Arial font. I cut them into tiny little strips. I also cut my patterned paper into 4x1-3/4 inch strips.

I then used my adhesive to adhere the patterned paper to the outside of each pen. I cut a 4 inch strip of packing tape and wrapped it around the pen. I cut the excess off with a pair of sharp scissors. I then poured some clear acrylic stones in the bottom of the bucket to hold the pens upright and to make them "stick up" out of the top of the bucket.

This is a close up of my little personalization. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: 14 Secrets to a Better Marriage

2011-07-25T00:01:00.002-04:00

After reading and reviewing "14 Secrets to Better Parenting", I was excited to have a chance to read and review "14 Secrets to a Better Marriage". This book sets forth 14 principles that all couples should follow. This book covers everything from spirituality to daily living.

I loved this book! Even more than "14 Secrets to Better Parenting". It is appropriate for couples who are struggling in the marriage game and for those who are happily married. I think it would be a wonderful book for engaged couples to read together. Each chapter has practical applocations for couples and wonderful suggestions for getting to know each other better. I recommend this book to anyone who plans to ever get married or is already married!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book free of charge!
Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Amazing Love

2011-07-22T08:10:00.000-04:00

"Amazing Love: True Stories of the Power of Forgiveness" by Corrie Ten Boom is a compilation of true life experiences of the author. She was once held prisoner in a Concentration Camp in Germany during the Holocaust. After she leaves the camp, she shares her love of Jesus with people around the world.

This book was amazing. The stories were incredible! I love the way that the stories were presented to the reader (listener) as if we are friends and sharing a cup of tea together. Each story she tells is a conversion story in which she had a part. The author, through these stories, causes the reader to realize that God is an awesome God. When she asked for something, He usually provided it. If He didn’t, she tells us later in the story how it was not His will. I recommend this book emphatically!!

I recieved this book as an audio book free of charge in exchange for my honest review from Christianaudio.com

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Resource Round Up: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2011-07-21T00:42:00.001-04:00

I have gone "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

CRAZY!

I love this story. I don't know if it's because of the yummy food, the beautiful pictures, the bright colors, or the endless possibilities for teaching young children...

I have a new idea that I am thinking of implementing in my classroom this coming school year. I am thinking of focusing on one REALLY GOOD book per month as my literacy activity and intergrating it into my science and other activities. We must have one literacy activity per day at our center. Of course I would read other books throughout the day but I want to ficus on ONE book per month at Literacy time. My first choice is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.

I have found HUNDREDS of cool resources! I will feature some of the projects below and then at the end of the post will be links to the printables that I have found!

This is a FREE crochet pattern. I am going to make at least one of these for my classroom and possibly more for the other classes depending on the difficulty once I get started. I think this guy is too cute and would be fun for the children! I also found a knitted scarf pattern that I think is cute and could easiy be crocheted too!

A healthy caterpillar snack! Perfect for a nutrition activity and a great way to encourage kids to eat thier veggies!

Okay, this beautiful Hungry Caterpillar bracelet was not for the kids in my class. I thought it would be really cute for ME to wear! I love theme stuff and it is hard to look like a modern teacher and wear themed items but I think this one would be an exception!

I was impressed with this interactive "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" game! I can see someone getting some old pegboard and making it into this game for the classroom! Anyone have any pegboard to donate???

Something else I thought would be cute for me at Helping Little Hands. I can't sew but I would love to have this on the pocket of a polo shirt... I could rock this!

This guy from Craft Blog doesn't look too hard to create! I think he would be another great addition to the classroom. Maybe even on a shelf as a decoration!

Crafts and Things for children had this great idea to decorate a paper bag for the manipulative pieces (link below)

My students would love to role play with something like this!

This interactive book from My Oatmeal Kisses would be a lot of fun too! I could see my kids working on this for two weeks worth of literacy activities! (Day 1:cover, Day 2-8: days of the week, Day 9: caterpillar, Day 10: finish)

{FREE PRINTABLE} rEsOuRcEs:

Sparkle Box has tons of gorgeous printables! I love the banner! I think it will look great in my new classroom!

The AAP is offering some cute stuff for you to print! How cute would that growth chart be for each child to chart growth throughout the year?

Carson-Dellosa is offering some great freebies too! They have bulletin board printables and lesson plans and craft ideas!

Scroll all the way down the Penguin Group page to find wallpaper and widgets for your computer! Wouldn't these look great on the classroom computer? PS save the wallpaper as a graphic and print to create your own scrapbook paper!

DLTK always has great stuff! I spent hours looking over everything they have to offer- for THIS book!

Another one of my favorite, Making Learning Fun has tons of great printables!

You can print up to 5 items free at the Teacher Vision website. This is a link to their "Very Hungry Caterpillar" resource.

Need some free printable foods for your activity? Check these out!

Confessions of a homeschooler has some great printables! One is a graph sheet and the other is some cute manipulative cards!

Some cute puzzles from an unknown source. These would be great for the classroom. I would only use numbers 1-10 though.

A coloring sheet from the eric carle website. I don't use many coloring sheets but it would be a great pattern for other crafts!

Last but not least, some worksheets for handwriting practice! I can use these during my small group time! Our school system uses D'Nealean so that would be the ones I would print!

That Resource Site has some go-alongs to the story

ISBC (Scholastic in UK) has a few printables, too!

This Youtube video would be great if you have a smartboard in your room or another way to play it!

I hope you enjoyed my very first Resource Round-Up! I am planning on more soon! I have a "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" in the works!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

1 Peter 2:20

2011-07-20T00:41:00.002-04:00

But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God

This weekend as I was preparing for Good Morning Girls Book Club/Bible Study, I came across

1 Peter 2:20. As I read it, my eyes began to burn with tears.

I thought, “How many times have I screamed to God said to myself ‘I am trying to be a good person, why do I have to suffer so?’ I have even had the audacity to say ‘If did something wrong, I wouldn’t complain so much’”

God stuck His finger in my face with this reading and said, “Hey, Alicia. Wake Up! You can receive more of my grace if you would just deal with it quietly”

This is the Biblical way of saying “Put on your big girl panties and deal with it!”

So, this Wednesday. I challenge myself- and you dear readers- to slip on those big girl panties and see how good God really is!

God Bless!
Alicia

P.S. Check back later this week for a link to my GRAND OPENING for my Preschool teacher blog!!

I am participating in:

Book Review: Too Blessed To Be Stressed

2011-07-18T00:43:00.004-04:00

"Too Blessed To Be Stressed", written by Debora Coty, is a humorous take on the stresses of life. Debora takes the reader on a 40 day journey of funny and eye-opening self-discovery.

This book would be useful as a daily devotional. It is 40 chapters long and would be a great pick for Lent. The chapters were well-organized and there were discovery questions at the end of each one. I felt that the book began lagging near the end. The chapters about menopause and friends didn't really pertain to me.I am a late-twenties mom who doesn't have a lot of "extra" friends. Other than that, I loved this book. I would recommend this book to any woman who is looking to de-stress.

Thank you to the publisher, Barbour Publishing, for offering this book to me free of charge through NetGalley!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

BSS: St. George the Dragon Slayer and {FREE PRINTABLE}

2011-07-17T00:30:00.003-04:00

I was planning to post "Jonah and the Whale" this weekend but it has been overcast (yes, in Georgia, in the summer!! unbelievable!) and I was planning to make it a pool game for my boys so maybe I'll post it next weekend. Anywho, today I am posting an idea that has been ruminating in my head for a few years.

I based this activity loosely on an idea I found in Pack O Fun magazine in October 2006. It was a finger puppet craft but mine is a popsicle stick craft. I created the patterns on my own and did not "borrow" them from the magazine.
Here's a photo of my inspiration:

Who was Saint George?
Saint George is a Catholic Saint but his story is appropriate for all Christians. He is also the Patron of England! Saint George is a saint because he was a Roman soldier and was killed for protesting the torture od Christians. The legend of Saint George says that a dragon was bothering a maiden and Saint George battled the dragon to save the maiden. All George had was the sign of the cross to protect him.

St. George the Dragon Slayer Craft Tutorial

What you need:

FREE PRINTABLE! (just save as a picture and print it full page. Please link to my blog if you'd like to share this pattern. Thanks!)

popsicle sticks (I used colored ones from Dollar Tree)

glue

wiggly eyes
assorted craft items to decorate with (including papers)

To create "castle":
red ink

craft foam pieces

acrylic block
clean, empty tin can

1. First, create the castle starting with your tin can and a piece of grey cardstock. Cut the card stock to about 3-3/4 inches by 9-1/2 inches. Wrap around your can to make sure it fits good.

2. Lay cardstock piece out. Cut fun foam pieces (i used scraps) into 1x2 inch rectangles. Using temporary adhesive, attach the fun foam pieces to your acrylic block (or another sturdy item). Make your first row then place the next rectangles in an off-set pattern above. You can stop at two rows.

3. Using your red ink pad, rub ink onto your new brick stamp. Turn stamp over and stamp onto lower left hand corner of your cardstock. Rub ink across again and stamp to the right of the first impression. Continue until the first row is done. Then you will repeat the process up the piece of cardstock until it is covered with your brick impressions. Adhere paper to your can and you are done! (unless you want to add more details, etc)

YOU CAN SKIP STEPS 1-3 AND DRAW BRICKS OR NOT CREATE "CASTLE"

4. To create your playset, print the {FREE PRINTABLE} at the top of this post by right clicking it. Click on "save picture as.." and save it. Then you can print it from your computer as a full page photo.

5. Decide what pieces you want to paper piece and which ones you will just color with markers or crayons. You can choose to paper piece all, color all, or a combination. I used a combination.

6. Cut out the pieces you want to paper piece. Color the ones that you want to color- then cut them out too. There are color suggestions on the printable. "skin tone" refers to whatever color you would like to use as a skin tone. This can be brown, tan, pink, etc. I suggest you cut and assemble one character at a time.

7. Using the following samples, assemble your characters. I then added some wiggly eyes, a golden rod to George, some yellow acrylic beads to the dragon, and I made bangs for my queen and gave her a pipe cleaner crown instead of the one on the pattern.

DRAGON

PRINCESS / MAIDEN

ST GEORGE

Want to know the story of Saint George? Check out the links below for more info and more printables!
St. George Story FREE downloads
St George's Day activities
Knight Theme Printables and Learning Activities

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

I am participating in the following:

Piggy Giggles - Crafts for Kids

Book Review: Saving Savvy

2011-07-15T00:09:00.002-04:00

Saving Savvy: Smary and Easy Ways to Cut Your Spending in Half and Raise Your Standard of Livingand Giving

I absolutely LOVE books about saving money. A few of the books I have read sounded like they just wrote the script to the show "Extreme Couponers", making saving money a full-time job. But, at last, I found a book full of practical ideas for the average money-saving mom! "Saving Savvy" by Kelly Hancock is the resource we have all been looking for!

This book is full of great ideas for moms who want to save money. I love that she does not advocate any immoral means of getting coupons, either. This book is written from a Christian perspective and has great tips for sharing your savings with the less fortunate. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to save money or increase charitable giving.

You can pre-order your own copy by clicking the link under the book cover!

Check out the Faithful Provisions Blog

Thank you to Worthy Publishing for offering this book to me free of charge through NetGalley!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Mother Teresa:CEO Giveaway!

2011-07-14T09:33:00.003-04:00

I am SO happy to have the opportunity to offer this book to you as a giveaway! The wonderful people at Berrett-Koehler Publishers were gracious enough to offer a hardcover copy of "Mother Teresa: CEO" by Ruma Bose (a $21.95 value) to one of my lovely blog readers! You can check out my review of "Mother Teresa CEO" here.

Even if you are not interested in starting a business, this book is an awesome insight into the workings of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity and also great for all of those CEO's of the home, moms!

There are 5 ways to win! Using the form below, check off what you have done to share the love and you will be entered to win up to 5 times!!

This giveaway ends Wednesday, July 20 at midnight EST. Enter Today!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia
PS would you "like" VAnce's Photography in Dublin, GA on facebook and then "like" the photo of my son, ANTONIO WHITFIELD?? Pleasse?? Thanks!

I linked up to the following:

Thirsty Thursday

It's Almost Friday!

WIWW: Psalm 22:6

2011-07-13T00:01:00.003-04:00

Monday's scripture in the Ministry of Motherhood Book Club was Psalm 22:6. Last Saturday, my children went to an all day VBS at my friend's church. When I went to pick them up, my friend said that my oldest son's teacher stopped her. She said that the teacher asked if she knew me. My friend said that she did. The teacher then went on to tell my friend that my son

was well mannered

answered her biblical questions correctly

was well-behaved

I was proud of him and took this as a hint from God that I am on the right track in raising my children as Christians! What a relief!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Freedom from Performing

2011-07-12T11:30:00.001-04:00

Freedom from Performing: Grace in an Applause-Driven World

"Freedom from Performing: Grace in an Applause-Driven World", written by Becky Harling, is a Bible study like no other. The book is jam-packed with insightful information for all of us "performers". Included in this book is a 12 week Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Words from our Savior, and prayers using Scripture. Becky also showcases a parable of Jesus in each chapter!

This book is the perfect Bible Study for groups or individuals! I can see myself leading a Bible Study using only this book and a Bible. There are chapters that can be read and discussed as a group and then there are individual daily studies to bring it all home. I was very impressed with this book. It was an easy read. I understood everything that Becky was saying and often felt that she must know me personally. She tells all "performers" how to let go of past hurts and move on to a grace filled life! I recommend this book to anyone who is a "performer"- someone who is looking for the approval of others.

I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son

2011-07-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

Just from the title, you can imagine why I, a mother of three sons, would be interested in reading this book. This is a parenting advice book with 17 chapters of information about raising godly sons from early childhood to adulthood. There are 5 "Cenversation" topics and background information about why these discussions are important.

When I started reading this book, I was excited to learn more about parenting boys. In the 21st century, unlike in Biblical times, it is almost taboo to have sons. Males are the "lesser" sex these days. The book started off discussing this exact topic! I was a little discouraged, though, when I read a lot of references to other author's books about raising boys. I was afraid that this book would end up a giant quote of other books I could have read instead. As the book goes on, the author picks up momentum and there are less references to other works. I was a little unsure about the chapters regarding the sexual development of boys. She placed a lot of emphasis on the hormones and such, possibly to offer a wake up call to some parents who think thier sons will always think girls have "cooties". I was actually a little scared and teary-eyed when I finished those chapters.... Overall, I think this book would be a good investment for a mother who is interested in a very religious approach to rearing boys.

Thank you to the publisher, B&H Publishing Group, for offering this book to me free of charge through NetGalley!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II

2011-07-07T18:20:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a Catholic Devotional? Do you want to learn more about what Blessed John Paul II thought about popular issues? Are you a lover of quotes? If you said "yes" to any of these questions, I have just read the perfect book for you.

"Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II" by Amy Welborn is a useful book for all Catholics. It is the perfect companion for prayer time and would make a great little book for family readings. There are 100 quotes straight from John Paul II and every one of them is adorned with a scripture verse. I would recommend this book to anyone, Catholic or not, who is interested in a deeper faith.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Listening to God with Blessed John Paul II . They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: The Blessing

2011-07-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

The Blessing

I just finished reading "The Blessing" by John Trent and Gary Smalley. Little did I realize that this book is actually a reprint of a 25 year old book. The subject matter is just as applicable today as it was back then. The book covers the what, why, and how of blessing your children. It also gives practical advise to those who may not have ever recieved a blessing from thier parents. The entire book is packed with links to the book’s website and at the end, parents are challenged to change the life of one child. There are even challenges for churches and young adults.

I am glad that the authors decided to reprint this book! I have been blessed just by reading it. I am in the midst of writing blessings for my own children and plan to share them with them on their baptism anniversary in two months. I think that all parents should consider the implications of blessing and cursing our children. This book made so much sense to me and I just hope that you consider picking up a copy!

Want to check out the challenge website?

The Blessing Website

Thank you to the publisher and Booksneeze for offering this book to me free of charge.

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Family Love

2011-07-06T18:03:00.001-04:00

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus -Phillipians 1:6

When I saw the linky for "Scripture and a snapshot", I thought it would be really fun to integrate it into my "Women in the Word Wednesday" post. All you have to do is link up a picture with a scripture verse and post! I wanted to use a verse from this weeks Ministry of Mothers Book Club so I chose Fridays verse.

My cousins came down from Maine to visit thier grandparents and spent the day with us today. We had lots of fun and took this snapshot of all the little cousins together. I just thought about the love of our family and the love of God being so similar yet so different. God loves us more than our families ever could.... that's a WHOLE LOT!!

God Bless!
Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: 14 Secrets to Better Parenting

2011-07-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading “14 Secrets to Better Parenting” by Dave Earley. It is a book detailing the author’s Christian perspective to training children. Each chapter had questions at the end for concerned parents to gain insight into their parenting styles.

I enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot of information about child “training” that I can apply in raising my children. The book talks a lot about discipline and controlled spankings. I personally do not feel that spankings are necessary as often as the author suggests. The author provides information for raising children of all ages and almost all of the information was useful to me. I would recommend this book to all Christian parents. It is well researched and informative. Thank you to Barbour Publishing, Inc for offering this book to me free of charge through netgalley!

If you would like to buy a copy for yourself, please click on the picture of the book at the top of the post!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Vintage Alphabet Wall Hanging Tutorial {Christmas in July}

2011-07-03T12:56:00.004-04:00

I love Christmas! My favorit holiday is Easter but Christmas runs a very close second! It is the day our Savior was born and an entire season for sharing and giving. I don't know about you, but I cannot afford to buy gifts for all of the people that I want. Hopefully, by creating my gifts this year and starting early, I will be able to give as much as I want to.

All this month I am going to post easy crafts that are very inexpensive. I think that they would all make great Christmas gifts (as a matter of fact, many of them will be Christmas gifts). The crafts will include crochet (with simple stitches), scrapbooking, and general crafts. I will include a tutorial with them all. Also, keep an eye out for some link round-ups for even more ideas that I have found while searching the 'net.

I was perusing through blogland the other day and saw the CUTEST vintage alphabet wall hanging at "That's my Alphabet". I knew immediately I had to make this for my new classroom this coming school year.

I used my swagbucks search engine to look for some free printable vintage flash cards. Imagine my squeals of delight when I found these beautiful free cards at "The Handmade Home"!

Okay, now I knew I had to get to Dollar Tree and PRAY that they had some wall plaques I could re-cover. I ran in and flew down the picture frame aisle (I am not exaggerating!) and almost missed the perfect plaques hidden in the back of the shelf! Score for me!

Want to make one? Here's what I did:

Vintage Alphabet Wall Hanging Tutorial

what you need:

3- 10 x 10 pieces of board, heavy cardboard, plaques, etc

vintage or regular alphabet flash cards (I have some freebie flash cards linked below too!)

Mod-Podge

scrapbook paper that coordinates with the cards you choose

misc inks to distress your cards (optional)- I used "always apricot", "old olive", and "chocolate chip" Stampin' Up inks to do mine

old nail file or fine sandpaper

These are the plaques I found at the Dollar Tree. They were 10x10 inches- perfect!

What to do:

1. Print out your flashcards onto index cards or cardstock. I printed mine as 3x5 photos so that they would be the right size for my board.

2. Cut out the flashcards. I cut mine to 3x3. You can adjust your size to your liking but remember to adjust your backing piece to fit your cards!

Click on the images above to see the difference between a distressed card and one that is not. The "b" card is distressed.

3. Measure, cut, and Mod-Podge your scrapbook paper to the background. Next I distressed this entire piece. First I used my nail file to rub the edges smooth and I ran it over the entire piece to give it a worn look. Then I inked it. Check out my distressing tutorial if you don't have any distressing ink. I never use distressing ink!

4. Next, I distressed all of my images. I used the ink method mentioned above.

5. Using Mod-Podge, I attached my alphabet cards to my background pieces. Placing them in this order helps keep everything straight and even:

left top, right top, middle top; left bottom, right bottom, middle bottom; right middle, left middle, center piece

6. Coat the entire think in Mod-Podge one more time and allow it to dry. I sprayed a little clear sealant on mine to add some gloss because I have matte Mod-Podge.

That's it! Your Wall Hangings are ready!! Hope you enjoyed my little tutorial and give this a try! For $3, you cannot go wrong!

Some {FREE} alphabet flashcards:

Vintage Flash Cards

Regular Printable Flash Cards

Cute Flash Cards

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

I am participating in:

Bible Story Summer! David and Goliath Craft {FREE PRINTABLE}

2011-07-01T10:51:00.002-04:00

I looked back at all my posts for this month and realized that I need to get to work crafting and posting! I decided I need to finish my David and Goliath craft so that I can participate in Catholic Icing's First Friday link up! I love linky parties and I love Catholic Icing so I try hard to have at least one craft to post each month!

This craft is part of my "Bible Story Summer" activities that I created to teach my sons about the stories of the Bible.

I simply printed out my {FREE} David and Goliath pattern, colored it with Sharpie markers, cut them out and used packing tape to attach Goliath to a 2 liter soda bottle and david to a medicine bottle. I foudn some unsharpened pencils with no erasers (useless!) and used the packing tape to attach them to the sides of the medicine bottle. We used rocks from our yard (5- like David) and used the David sling shot to shoot them at Goliath.

Just print this pattern as a full page photo. Also, if you would like to share it, please share the link to this post, not my picture. Thanks!

My 7 year old had a lot of fun trying to figure out the sling shot!

he finally got it!

watch out Goliath!

Yes, 5 year olds can do it too!

missed...

Yay! Knock down!

It's even fun for preteens! See that tongue? He wants to be like Michael Jordan so I guess it's appropriate!

Davey and Goliath
"You're big... I'm little... little kids can do big things too!" (Veggie Tales song!)

I am linking up at the following:

God Bless!
Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

WIWW: A Simple Life

2011-06-29T10:34:00.001-04:00

I notice a theme in this week's Bible readings. They all point to leaving the "world's" treasures behind for those in Heaven. I have noticed that there are many books being published about the Amish way of life and that there are people buying these books as fast as they are printed. Why? I think it is because so many people are looking for "the simple life".

Every Spring I strive to simplify my life by clearing away the physical clutter in my home. At least once per month, I have a bag of "stuff" to be donated. I often wonder how all this "stuff" gets into my home. All of this waste. Things we don't need.

When do we let go of the spiritual clutter? The negative thoughts, the extra "clutter" that we don't need. Retreats are a wonderful way of purging spiritual clutter and we should all make a point to participate in one at least once a year. Our "Spring Cleaning".

What about those little junk piles that accumulate though? I think maybe some spiritual reading, volunteering, and some self-made retreats are in order. Once per month I think we should find a way to get away from the "junk" in our heads and focus on God. Simplify things a bit.

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Prioritize

2011-06-28T10:56:00.000-04:00

I am in the midst of reading a book for review entitled "The Digital Mom's Handbook" (will link my review as soon as it is posted!). The book goes way beyond the scope of blogging that I am interested in persuing and into making a business out of blogging. As I was reading, I was thinking that none of it really pertained to me, a simple blogger who is looking to connect with and share with other like-minded moms.

As I read, I began to notice that I was "highlighting" more and more as the chapters progressed and that there were some things that I can implement to make my blog better and more popular. Soooo..... I am prioritizing and re-organizing my blog. Everything that is here is staying but I added some "pages" to the top of my blog, I changed the "tags" on some of my posts and I plan to visit and comment on other people's blogs more often in hopes of attracting attention to my little place in cyber space.

I will be posting a review soon so that you can pre-order this book if you are looking to increase your blog numbers and amke some revenue. Or, if you're like me, attract a little more attention and make some more friends!

God Bless!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Wanda Brunsetter's Amish Friends Cookbook: Desserts

2011-06-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

When I saw the title to this book, I knew I had to review it. I am an “all things Amish” junkie. I have been since visiting Lancaster, PA on a field trip as a child. The book offers recipes for all of the well’known Amish desserts like boyfriend cookies and shoo-fly pie. There were also recipes for interesting desserts such as Ice Cream Jello and Honey Bun Cake.

I decided to test out the recipe for Honey Bun Cake. My husband and children love honey buns so it seemed like a good choice. I baked the cake following the directions exactly. The cake turned out smelling and looking wonderful. I allowed my family to give their opinions on the taste. My boys thought that the cake was delicious. My husband and I were disappointed that it was not as sweet as we expected. I think that it could be remedied by making a double batch of glaze.

The recipes in the book are all written in easy to understand terms. Some of them are very simple and none of them look extremely difficult. I would love to check out Wanda Brunstetter’s other Amish cookbooks after sampling this one. Thank you to Barbour Publishing, Inc for offering this book to me free of charge through netgalley!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Book Review: It's Not About Me

2011-06-26T12:02:00.002-04:00

Max Lucado does it again! In the book "It's Not About Me", Max Lucado convinces readers that they should shed their "me, me, me" lifestyle with a "Him, Him, Him" lifestyle. He lets readers know that "God does not exist to make a big deal out of us. We exist to make a big deal out of him. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's all about him."

This book was a really inspiring piece of literature. It is a great book for anyone who is looking for a close relationship with God and new Christians. It's written in an easy to understand format. My only negatives about this book were the few anti-Catholic undertones. Once it was mentioned that the man in the balcony of St.Peter's Square cannot stop change. Although we Catholics know that this is true, I feel Lucado was implying that we think that the Pope can offer God's grace to us. He can help lead us to God but he cannot sit in for God.

Another instance of anti-Catholic undertone was when Lucado was speaking of legalism. He says, "Jesus + mysticism: You do offer penance and pray to the Virgin Mary, don't you". I feel I must clarify again that Catholics do not believe that penance or prayers to the Virgin Mary "save us" or send us to Heaven. We feel that these are tools that help us get closer to God. We also believe that reading the Bible and prayer draw us closer. Also, we, as Catholics are not compelled to pray to the Virgin Mary . These are personal decisions that some Catholics make. Other than those few points wanted to clarify, the book is wonderful for people of all Christian faiths. Just please be wary of the anti-Catholicism. We are Christians too!

Thank you to the publisher for offering this book to me free of charge from booksneeze.com!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Modesty

2011-06-22T14:55:00.000-04:00

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"Therefor I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat. Or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and body more than clothing?"
Matthew 6:25

Modesty is a topic that has piqued my interest for quite a while. The modesty spectrum is so large and the opinions are varied. I researched modesty a lot last summer and it changed many of my views and some of my behavior. After reading Monday's passage in the Ministry of Motherhood Book Club, I started contemplating modesty again.

My opinions of modesty

Since the spectrum is so large, I decided I will state my personal opinions about how I feel based on the research I have done. My opinons are not hard and fast rules- actually there are none! Modesty is a personal choice.

I have read that modest attire varies from showing no skin at all, nothing above the ankles or elbows, to no cleavage or see through clothing. Some people think that modesty is wearing skirts, feminine clothing, or head coverings. I feel that an appropriate modest dress would incorporate all of these aspects depending on your thoughts on the following guidelines I developed.

A modest outfit would follow these guidelines:

1. Whatever your husband considers modest. Most husbands have an opinion and want their wives to be modest. Some husbands prefer skirts only. Some think that skirts are too sexy. Your husbands opinion is very important when choosing your modesty approach.

2. No sexy skin! By this I mean no cleavage, belly, or back. Also, I feel that anything above the knee is too short for a modest woman.

3. Cover your chest. Just because your clevage isn’t showing, doesn’t mean that you aren’t flashing every man you bend in front of!

For more information, I recommend the following book:

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Bible Story Summer!

2011-06-21T08:34:00.000-04:00

Last Summer, the boys and I participated in the Holy Heroes free Summer Faith Adventure and had lots of fun. We also made a few crafts and made our own 4th of July "Sacred Heart of Jesus" t-shirts.

This year I wanted to do something with the boys again. I had some great ideas for teaching my boys some Bible stories that I decided I will implement it as a summer program. I am planning on showcasing one Bible Story each week. Depending on what I think up next, I may also cover a few Saints.

As a mom to boys, it is often hard to get them interested in "listening" so I am going to create this simple program using hands-on activities. Please feel free to join me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

Book Review: Mother Teresa, CEO

2011-06-20T01:06:00.001-04:00

Mother Teresa, CEO: Unexpected Principles for Practical Leadership (Bk Business)

“Mother Teresa, CEO”, written by Ruma Bose was a very unique approach to presenting a business model and to share the life of the beautiful saint. The ideas presented were geared to anyone who wanted to set a goal and succeed. I used the ideas to create a business model for the place where I am the CEO, my home.

The ideas were clear and precise. There were was a myriad of practical examples. First, the reader was presented with a story about Mother Teresa and how she applied the principle. Then, the authors gave their own examples from their experiences as CEO’s of organizations.

The only thing that I did not like was the fact that they did not take Mother Teresa’s great devotion to God into consideration. Without God’s guidance and help, I don’t think Mother Teresa would have been as successful as she was.

Overall, I think this book would be useful for anyone who wants to start their own business, especially a home based or direct sales business. I think it is too simplified for starting a large business.

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Book Review: Strike It Rich With Pocket Change

2011-06-18T19:39:00.001-04:00

Just from the title of the book, I knew I wanted to read it! "Strike It Rich With Pocket Change" is an informative book chock full of the information necessary to become an amateur coin collector! The book details the distinction between coins we all have in our homes that are valuable and those that are not. Some pennies, for example, are worth $1 each (a 100% increase!) and some are worth thousands of dollars! There is also an extensive list of other resources if the reader is interested in learning more.

This book was much more than I expected. I was worried that it would just be a book detailing stories of ways that the authors "Struck it rich" and there would be no application for those of us who are interested in possibly becoming collectors. That is not so! There is so much information packed into this book that it is well worth the purchase price. More than likely, in time, the reader will earn the purchase price back just from coins that are identified using this guide. I know that my family will be taking up the old past time of coin collecting by simply sorting through our pennies before they hit the penny bucket!

A HUGE Thank you to the publisher and BookSneeze for offering this book to me free of charge!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

My $1 Rosette Purse

2011-06-16T04:26:00.001-04:00

Yes, you read it right, I have a Rosette Purse that cost me $1 out of pocket! Recently I saw a woman with a cute white purse with rosettes on it. I doubt I would have noticed it except I have been seeing rosettes online EVERYWHERE! Well, the sight of the purse made me think of this brand new white purse I bought at Wal-Mart for $1 over the winter.

Now, I needed some rosettes. I perused the internet for instructions and found none that involved hot glue. I wasn't going to give up that easily. I pulled out my hot glue gun and a cute scarf I got for free a few months ago. I cut the scarf into strips about 3 inches wide and got to work.

I started with a dab of hot glue on the end and I squished the fabric together to form a starting place. Then I twisted the fabric loosely and wrapped it around my starting place using tiny dabs of hot glue every inch or so. After my rosette was about 2 inches in diameter, I glued it onto my purse before I continued. I continued to wrap and glue and twist until it was the size I wanted.

I then cut off my fabric piece and glued the end under my rosette. After that, I repeated these steps to create 3 more rosettes.
One glue stick and two burnt fingers later, I had this cheery summer purse that cost me $1!

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

WIWW: Thank God for Good Morning Girls!

2011-06-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

This week, instead of discussing a Bible verse that touched me, I thought I would share with you what the Good Morning Girls ministry has done for me in the four short weeks I have been participating in the book club.
Before I joined the Good Morning Girls book club, I was struggling to read my Bible. I don't come from a religious family so I never learned how to read the Bible, let alone study it. I've read tons of books about the Bible, Christianity, and Catholicism where the author tells of all the benefits of studying the Bible but doesn't tell me how.

One day, I was perusing my blogger feed, looking for interesting posts on the blogs I follow and I saw Jolanthe's post inviting her readers to join her in this book club. I immediately figured out a way to get the book loaded onto my Kindle and was ready to join in. I don't know why I felt called to join other than that God must have wanted me there.

So, I joined the book club and learned the SOAP method. This was my saving grace! Since learning the SOAP method, I understand scripture much better and I look forward to my Bible study time each day. I have enjoyed this book club immensly and can only pray that Good Morning Girls offers them every season from her on out!

Thank God for Good Morning Girls!

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless!
Alicia

Book Review: My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife

2011-06-13T09:27:00.001-04:00

"My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife" by Sara Horn was a refreshing take on my favorite Proverb passage. Sara dubbed the Proverbs 31 wife as "Martha 31" and compared her to a early version of Martha Stewart. Readers follow Sara for one year as she attempts to emulate Martha 31 in her home.

I thought this book was insightful. To watch a woman transform from a career-driven wife and mother to a family-oriented wife and mother was rewarding. Of course, Sara never became the Proverbs 31 wife but she learned much from trying. I recommend this to all wives but especially those who feel that they are inadequate.

Things I liked:

1. Sara was honest with the reader. Brutally honest at times.

2. Sara is a normal person. Her husband was unemployed and she was taking the slack. Many women can identify with this situation.

Things I didn't Like:

1. There is only one thing. Even though the author informs the reader at the beginning of the book that the book is notplanning to teach you anything, I wish she would have added some practical applications or at least some Bible verses.

Thank you to Harvest House publishers for offering this book to me free of charge! Click on the picture above to pre-order the book!

ETA: Sara Horn commented and said that she may be offering a Bible study on her website and that she will be offering a challenge when the book is published. I will be posting something when it is closer to the publishing date.

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Reflections: What in the world is the "World"?

2011-06-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

This week I have come across many references to "the world", "worldly views", and worshipping something other than God. Truthfully, they are all pretty much the same thing.

When we have "Worldly Views", this means that we are looking at things from the perspective of those around us. We should be looking at things from the perspective of Jesus. When He lived on Earth, he warned us all that we should not adopt the views of the world. Jesus took a lot of flack for this! He was crucified, in essence, for His views.

I notice when others have worldly views when I hear them speak negatively about another person's life. For example, we are to love everyone as Jesus did, but I often hear people who are Christians speaking negatively about other races. Particularly of person's from Mexico. It hurts me to hear these things from people who are supposed to be giving up the worldly view and loving ALL souls unconditionally.

How does it sound for someone to be pro-life and then say that a person who is desperate to give his or her family a better life should be treated in an inhumane way? Sounds like a hippocrite to me.... To non-Christians, this can be the one thing that keeps them from joining us in our worship and love of God.

My challenge to you, my readers, (and to myself) is to watch what we say, especially when in the prescence of non-believers or those who no longer attend church. Let's speak the views of Christ so that we may encourage others to adopt Christ's view instead of the World's view.

P.S. Please take notice of the new tab at the top of my blog entitled "Book Reviews". I just started reviewing books and I will be posting reviews of books relevant to my blog and linking them in that tab! There are a few there already you may want to check out!

Thanks for stopping by! God Bless You!
Alicia

I am linking up to:

Book Review: Money Secrets of the Amish

2011-06-07T10:38:00.001-04:00

Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving

I just finished reading "Money Secrets of the Amish" by Lorilee Craker. It is a non-fiction book chock full of money saving advice. The author visits an Amish community in hopes of gleaning some ideas for surviving the Recession. She came home with tips for saving hundreds of dollars per year!

I was very interested in this book because I have been reading many books about the Amish in hopes of capturing some of thier simplicity in my own life. If you are a newbie to the frugal living bandwagon, this book is for you! On the other hand, if you have been living the frugal life for a while, this book is probably not a good choice.

What I liked about the book:

1. It is written in a very friendly format. It is like your best friend is talking to you and sharing her knowledge with you.

2. The ideas are easy to implement. She doesn't offer outlandish ways to save money, the ideas are all things that everyone can do.

3. There are practical applications at the end of each section. You know I LOVE practical applications!

Things I didn't like about the book:

1. The author said some things about the Amish in jest that I did not think was funny. I felt that she was a little offensive.

2. The ideas are for those who have no clue about frugal living. Those of us who are experienced in this area will not glean much from the book.

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Thank you to Book Sneeze for offering this book to me free of charge!

MOM Book Club- Week 3 Wrap-Up {and free printable}

2011-06-03T10:57:00.002-04:00

Oh, what a week! I have been catching myself with my nose in the five books I am currently reading instead of paying close attention to my children. I do notice that when they call on me, I hear a voice say "drop everything and pay attention" and I ussually do it!

The verses this week have been a little harder for me. There is more "reading between the lines". Being the worry-awart I am, I always worry I'm reading the "wrong thing" into it. Then I remind myself that this is the Bible and God may very well say something unique to me through it. It's okay to be different!

So, you are probably wanting me to get to the wrap up, huh? Well, I wrote earlier this week about John 21:4-14. Now I am going to give you my personal insight into John 14:1.

Week Three

I chose today’s passage: John 14:1

S- Write out the scripture passage for the day

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me"

O- Write down 1-2 observations from the passage

1. Faith= trust even when you don't know what is going to happen

2. "Do not let your hearts be troubled"- why? because it is unnecessary. Faith makes it so your heart need not be troubled.

A-Write down 1-2 applications from the passage

1. Stop Worrying!!! If you are not a "good mom", your faith in God and Christ will overcome that!

2. Practice faith- Trust in God!

P- Pray over what you learned from today’s passage

Prayers for the week

Monday: Lord, I love you! I love my children. Please help me to love everyone I encounter intensly, even when I don't "feel" like it. Amen

Tuesday: Lord, thank you for all of your blessings. Please continue to bless me as I strive to show your love to my children and the world. Amen.

Wednesday: Dear Lord, I know I don't show you how much I love you nearly enough. Please forgive me. I try to love my neighbors, please help me discern who needs my help... Amen

Thursday: Dear Lord, I hold you in high esteem in my heart. Please help me to show you and the world how I feel about you! Amen

Friday: Lord, I place all of my worries at your feet. I have faith that you will take care of me. Amen.

(I use the New American Bible Translation)

FREE PRINTABLES

Here are some print outs I made for the Introduction and Part One questions in the Ministry of Motherhood book. Please overlook the watermark but I have been seeing a lot of my blog friends have thier work stolen by people who are supposed to be of Christian faith...

Introduction Questions

Part One Questions

Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

I am linked up to the following:

Reflections: Throw your nets to the other side....

2011-06-01T13:00:00.001-04:00

Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So He said to them, "cast your net to the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.
-John 21:5-6

Today I just wanted to talk about a scripture verse that stuck with me. While studying with "Good Morning Girls", I was reading John 21:4-14 yesterday. The part that really struck me was when the disciples listened to Jesus, they were not just blessed with thier next meal, they were blessed with enough to feast upon and to share with others.

How often do we recieve abundant blessings when we do as Christ instructs us? EVERY time! How often do we share them? Well.... that's a little harder to answer, isn't it? I know that I do not share my blessings nearly enough. When I get extra money, I tend to buy things I have been wanting for a long time. Instead, I should be giving some of it to charity, to my church, or to the church building fund.

How often to we actually listen to God? Another tough question. I often catch myself saying to God, "But... I don't want to... I don't like it... it's not fun...choose someone else..." Do you hear yourself saying these things? If we would do the things God is asking of us, we would not only be doing God's will, we would also recieve ABUNDANT blessings!

FUN FACT: Did you know that the fish that Peter caught were Talapia?

I am really enjoying this Bible Study and Book Club at Good Morning Girls. If you are interested, it is never too late to join in! It has been a true blessing in my life in the past three weeks and I know that it would be for you too.

God Bless!
Alicia

I am participating in:

Book Review: A Well Behaved Woman's LIfe

2011-05-30T00:57:00.004-04:00

When I ordered the recently reviewed book, Biblical Women and Who They Hooked Up With, author Susan McGeown sent me a bonus book! It is a fiction book entitled, A Well Behaved Woman's Life. After finishing "Biblical Women", I was ready to devour A Well Behaved Woman's Life! Here are my thoughts:

My favorite things:

1. The characters are realistic. As soon as I started reading the book, I had no problem remembering who each character was. They all had personalities and reminded me of people I know.

2. Engaging. After chapter one, I couldn't put the book down! The story had twists and turns and kept me hooked!

3. It is informative. I love how Ms. McGeown included Biblical information in the story. Each chapter introduces a new Biblical character and then they are applied to the main characters. It was a wonderful re-inforcement for the lessons I learned in "Biblical Women".

My least favorite things:

1. Hmm... I cannot think of anything. Maybe there should be a sequel? I really enjoyed this book!

A look inside:

FROM AMAZON: What do you do when you discover that your entire adult life has been a lie? What do you do when you realize everything you believed in and trusted in was nothing but an illusion painted with deceit and framed in your own stupidity? At fifty-two, the only fact that she is certain of is that her life is just about over. Standing, looking at herself in the mirror, the ravages of time and The Truth have turned her into a bitter, lonely, hateful, spiteful old woman. The peaceful, proper, well-behaved existence that has defined her entire life has gotten her absolutely nothing except an ocean of tears and a lifetime filled with regrets. However, whether she likes it or not, Bee must gradually begin to face the fact that perhaps God has not quite finished with her . yet. A Well Behaved Woman's Life is a story that reminds us that even in our darkest times, God has anticipated our needs, reassuring us that anything is possible and it is never too late - even for love, dreams, laughter and happiness.

Thank you to Susan McGeown for offering this book to me free of charge! If you would like to order a copy, click on the picture at the top of the page!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

Summer Reading Incentives!! {FREE PRINTABLE}

2011-05-28T12:39:00.001-04:00

I LOVE to read. I think my middle son has started to love reading now that he can read on his own. My other two boys couldn't care less about whether they read or not. I really want to make summer reading a priority. I came up with this cute incentive chart idea that I hope you will like!

I started with some scraps of cardstock in coordinating colors. I used one piece for my base. It is about 4 inches by 10 inches. Using my Cuttle Kids, I cut out some little critters to decorate the chart. I also cut the words "I TO READ" and then cut my son's pictures in the shape of a heart. I assembled it so it says I {heart} TO READ and then added the critters to the bottom.

Flip the chart over and decorate. I used a piece of Stampin Up border sticker and a scalloped circle decorated with another critter piece. I then matted my "incentive Chart" and glued it on.

Now, to laminate the chart.... I used PACKING TAPE! Yes, on small projects, instead of spending the time to go to the local school resource center for laminating, I use packing tape.

I added a hole to the top and threaded some ribbon through to create an oversized bookmark. The boys will stick a sticker on one of the squares each time they read a book. Every so often, there is a very simple and inexpensive incentive to earn. Our library also has a Summer Reading Program so that is where "Library Prize" comes in.

I hope you enjoy this idea and give it a try with our children. It can also be modified for other things such as Bible reading.

HERE is the FREE Printable Incentive chart!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

MOM Book Club- Week 2 Wrap-up

2011-05-27T11:22:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned previously, I am participating in an online book club through Good Morning Girls using the book "Ministry of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. Each day we have a scripture passage that we use the "SOAP" method to meditate upon. Each week I will post a "wrap-up" about what I have learned. I will choose my favorite verse and share my “SOAP” entries with you. I will also share the Bible references and my personal prayers for the entire week. Feel free to check out my previous posts too!

Week Two

I chose Thursday’s passage: Proverbs 14:1

S- Write out the scripture passage for the day

"Wisdom builds her house but Folly tears it down with her own hands"

O- Write down 1-2 observations from the passage

1. what is building? productivity, moving forward to better things

2. what is tearing down? destructive thoughts and actions

A-Write down 1-2 applications from the passage

1. Act with wisdom-

think before you speak
Make wise choices
be productive
know the Lord

2. Find ways to bring wisdom, wise choices into daily life. Keep learning to become wiser.

P- Pray over what you learned from today’s passage

Prayers for the week

Monday: Dear Lord, thank you for the gifts of my children. You rewarded me, an unworthy woman with these precious gifts that I must raise to become Saints. Thank you Lord! Amen.

Tuesday: Lord, please help me to make my children into Your disciples. Give me the grace to know how to teach them Your ways. Amen.

Wednesday: Please, Lord, lead me in a way that I may learn everything I can from you, the Ultimate Teacher. Please show me ways to pass my knowledge on to my children. Amen.

Thursday: Dear Lord, please give me the grace to make wise choices and build my home. Help me to avoid being foolish in my decision making. Amen.

Friday: Dear Lord, please help me to speak wisely to my family. Please give me the grace to be patient and think before I speak. Also, Lord, please help me to find ways to turn my idleness into productivity. Help me to build my house with You, Lord. Amen.

(I use the New American Bible Translation)

PS I also made a print out for the "introduction" questions and I am making one for the Part One questions this week. If you are interested, the Introduction Questions are here!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless you!!

Alicia

I am participating in link up @

Teacher Gift Idea

2011-05-26T15:17:00.001-04:00

Today is my children's last day of school. It has been a pretty good year for them. Jacob's teacher has constantly been on my mind this school term. I don't normally make teacher gifts for Valentine's Day but this year I was inclined to purchase a few things for Jacob's teacher. I was at a loss about what I wanted to do as end of the year gifts for thier teachers until I talked to Jacob;s teacher one day. She mentioned to me that she never discouraged the kids from reading. She obviously loves reading herself. I would love to afford to buy her a Kindle or even a gift card but I am on a VERY tight budget so I am making something.

I decided that I would make one of my favorite's- a name frame! For this one I scanned a stamped image and reprinted it larger. I added a quote, colored it, and decorated it. Here it is:

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

Children are a gift!

2011-05-25T08:08:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned previously, I am participating in an online book club through Good Morning Girls using the book "Ministry of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. Each day we have a scripture passage that we use the "SOAP" method to meditate upon. My plan was to meditate on my scripture passages each week and then post a blog post at the end of the week featuring my favorite and all of my prayers for the week. Well, God had another plan! I am still going to do my end of the week post but this week I HAD to share my favorite passage so far.

Monday's reading was Psalm 127:3:

"Children too are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward."

This got me to thinking.... how do we treat gifts and rewards that we recieve from "worldly" sources? We often treasure them. Sometimes we keep them just because they were a gift or reward, no matter how ugly or cumbersome it is. We build trophy cases to show off our rewards for things like basketball and soccer. When we recieve a gift from a friend or family member, we anticipate the moment that we open the gift to reveal what our friends think is "perfect" for us.

Now think about this- GOD gave us the gifts of our children! He knows what is perfect for us! He doesn't give ugly or cumbersome gifts! Why do we not treasure our children like we do those worldly gifts sometimes? There are times when we choose the worldly gifts over our children. Like when your son breaks your vase that your great-grandmother gave you. He is punished harshly for an accident, not because of what he did, but because of what he broke.

This passage revealed to me that women (and men) everywhere (including me!) tend to forget that children are a gift. An undeserved reward. I know I do not deserve these beautiful souls that fill my home. Yet, sometimes I take them for granted! May we all remember that our children are a perfect gift from God.

Thanks for stopping by! God Bless!!
Alicia

I am participating in:

Mimistry of Motherhood Book Club

2011-05-21T12:28:00.002-04:00

This past Monday, I joined a Summer Book Club online at the Good Morning Girls website. It is a Bible Study and book club rolled into one. We will be reading the book, “Ministry of Motherhood” by Sally Clarkson and also doing daily bible studies for the next 12 weeks. I am planning to do a weekly review post about what I have learned each week. I will choose my favorite verse and share my “SOAP” entries with you. I will also share the Bible references and my personal prayers for the entire week. If you are interested in joining in, you can do so at anytime! Just go check out the website!

Week One

I chose Tuesday’s passage: John 15:4-5.

S- Write out the scripture passage for the day

Remain in me as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on it’s own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

O- Write down 1-2 observations from the passage

1. When branches are taken from the vine, they begin the process of rotting. Even when a branch is wilted and brown, as long as it’s attached to the vine, it still has life within it. But when the branch is detached, there is no hope of life.

2. I cannot do anything without Jesus.

A-Write down 1-2 applications from the passage

1. If we do something without God or against His will, it may look okay for a few days but will start to “rot”. There will be no life in it.

2. Consult God before making descisions to see if it is in line with His will.

P- Pray over what you learned from today’s passage

Lord, please show me the way to stay within your will for me. Continue to give me life so that I may bear much fruit for you! Amen.

Prayers for the week

Monday: Psalm 127:1- Lord, please direct me (with BIG BLACK ARROWS) in the way you wish for me to build my house. Amen.

Tuesday: John 15:4-5- Lord, please show me the way to stay within your will for me. Continue to give me life so that I may bear much fruit for you. Amen.

Wednesday: Matthew 6:33- Lord, please direct me in the righteous ways you taught in the Bible and please, Lord, give me the grace to do your will. Amen.

Thursday: 2 Timothy 1:5- Lord, please show me what I can learn from Christians of past generations. Please, Lord, help me to pass my sincere faith in you on to my children and grandchildren. Amen.

Friday: Proverbs 6:20-22- Lord, please help me show my children the way to holiness. Amen.

(I use the New American Bible Translation)Thanks for stopping by!

Alicia

Book Review: Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With

2011-05-19T09:29:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading this inspirational book and I just had to share! I recently went to Sue McGeown's website to request a free Kindle book that she was sharing. Well, she actually was offering all of her books for free! All I had to do was choose one and ask! I chose "Biblical Women and Who They Hooked Up With". It is non-fiction and about women of the Bible, two of my favorite things!

Sooooo, let me tell you about the book...

My favorite things:
1. The book is organized in a very reader-friendly manner. Each chapter is broken into sections. This makes it perfect for moms on the go. Read a portion while waiting in line to pick up the kids, read some before bed, read some while waiting at the doctor, you get the point....

2. The stories are written in a girlfriend-to-girlfriend kind of way. Sue talks to the reader as if she is sitting in front of you. She uses very simple terminology but sounds very educated on her subject.

3. There are scripture references. I really like this because I am Catholic and I love to read all Christian books but sometimes I am unsure as to how the books fit into the Catholic view. With scripture references, I can easily pull out my favorite version of the Bible and be sure that the story is correct.

4. Homework! I absolutely love books that offer a practical applications of the principles set forth. Oftentimes I read books and get nothing from them because there is no application. Sue's homework makes me think about what I just read... but not TOO much.

My least favorite things:
1. Only one- the Mary section does not quite go along with the Catholic teaching of Immaculate Conception. There is nothing blatently against it but it is not mentioned at all. Sue does not claim to be Catholic so this is nothing that she did wrong in her research or writing.

A look inside:

The book is set up in bite sized morsels for easy reading. Here are the sections that are included in every chapter:

1. Lessons to be learned- At the beginning of each chapter, there is a brief introduction to the woman being discussed and the lesson that she learned

2. "First Things First"- This is the Bible Reference section. There are also quotes and, my favorite, "Questions we may never know the answers to"

3. "The Core Story"

4. "For all of you ______ out there"- This section tells you more about the lesson that the woman learned and what you can learn from her story

5. Homework- Practical application of the material. Many of the "homework" pages are simply check off sheets. You check whatever applies to you. Very simple but also insightful.

I reccomend this book to any woman who is interested in learning more about the women of the Bible. There are many lessons to be learned from Eve, Sarah, Leah, Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, and Mary!

Thank you to Susan McGeown for offering this book to me free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

"Walk With Jesus" craft tutorial

2011-05-17T13:44:00.002-04:00

I am ready for my kids to get out of school for the summer! I am off already and I am now rested enough to start the Summer fun!!
When I think of summer, I think of bright colors, warm water, and flip flops! Here is my flip flop inspired craft:

"Walk With Jesus" Tutorial

What you need:

scrapbook paper

construction paper or cardstock

pipe cleaner

scissors

glue

hole punch

marker

What to do:

1. On construction paper or cardstock, have your child or you trace around your child's foot with or without shoes on. (I traced my son's shoe)

2. Cut out (or have your child cut if he/she is old enough) the foot shape. Glue it to scrapbook paper (if desired. This makes the flip flop a little stronger and allows you to cover any mistakes. Now cut around shape again.

3. Using hole puncher, punch one hole closer to the side of the flip flop where the big toe would go. Then punch two more holes DIRECTLY across from one another further down.

4. Fold your pipe cleaner in half and thread the center through the top hole. Twist the pipe cleaner on the back of the shoe a bit and then fold down.

5. Now you will thread the two remaining ends of the pipe cleaner into the other two holes. Turn flip flop over and again twist ends and then fold down so that they stay secure. You may want to use a little tape on the back to hold the ends.

6. How's it looking? Now you just need to add your sentiment! "Walk With Jesus" is the one I chose.

I am a flip flop fan and also a kid at heart so I hung my flip flop on my inspiration wall in my craft area!

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

My Baby Blankets

2011-05-15T12:51:00.000-04:00

I have been talking about these baby blankets for quite a while. Well, I finally finished them and donated 13 blankets to ABC Women's Clinic. You may wonder why I am so dedicated to donating to the clinic. I have donated 100 baby themeed cards to them in the past and now I am donating blankets. What's up with that? Well, the ABC Women's Clinic made the difference in my life from believing in God and becoming a Christian.
I was always sure that God and Jesus existed. I never really "knew" God and surely didn't know him as a close friend. After sessions with my counselor at ABC Clinic, I wanted that relationship so bad that it hurt. I first visited the clinic because, at the time, they offered free maternity and baby clothes. I was unexpectedly pregnant with my third son and was running into a problem finding pants to fit my growing body. I walked into the clinic, afraid and unsure. After weeks of attending the "Earn While You Learn" program, I discovered who God was and what He wanted from me. A relationship. I also earned a lot of clothing and accessories for my son! Only 16 months after my son's birth, on Easter, I was Baptised and became a "real" Christian! What a wonderful day!
So, now you know why I love the Clinic so very much. Now I shall show you pictures of the blankets! Here they are:

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

FREE Printable Mary Cupcake Toppers!

2011-05-06T06:49:00.002-04:00

Hello again!! In celebration of Mother's Day, I decided to make my own crude version of cupcake toppers using our Mother, Mary. I hope you enjoy them. Just print them out on cardstock, punch with a 2.35" scalloped punch, and tape them to toothpicks!
Mary Cupcake Toppers

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia
I am linking to:

First Communion Cards and Update

2011-05-05T12:48:00.001-04:00

I know I keep saying that I will post more often and then it seems like I get lost somewhere... well, I have actually been crafting- I ran out of adhesive twice! I made 12 baby blankets and have one more to finish by Sunday. I think after that, I will start on some blankets for Christmas to my children in my class next school term. I usually have 17 or 18 so I need to start now!

I have also been working on cards. I have been so "out of it" that I haven't been keeping up with my stash and it is low! I also haven't been mailing as many as I like. I made several cards size 5x7 instead of the standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I have a million 5x7 envelopes that need to get used up. I also found out that I enjoy making the larger cards more. I think it's because I can use more patterned paper! I challenged myself to use up a lot of the scraps in my scrap box and I have been having a ball with it! I used 4 patterns on one card!!

The cards I have to show you today are not patterned paper combos but they are all made from scrap papers. Every year, I make cards for the First Communion class at my church. This year there are 7 girls! In the past few years there has only been 1 girl in each First Communion class! Now my younger boys will have a choice of Catholic girls to date when they are older! :)

As I went to my pictures to upload them, I realized that I didn't take any pictures of my boy cards!! There are 4 boys receiving First Holy Communion this year. hmmm..... well, They are similar to the girl cards except I used a black background patterned paper with colorful crosses on it and bright blue paper to mat the "I am a child of God" image. The image comes from my very favorite retired Stampin' Up! stamp set, "Child of God".

Here are the cards I made for the girls:

Thanks for stopping by! Alicia

I am linking to:

Pope John Paul II Beatification Cupcake Toppers!

2011-04-29T18:01:00.001-04:00

Yes, I am down to the wire posting this one! Yes, I have actually been doing crafts again lately!

I am excited about the beatification of Pope John Paul II on Sunday, May1. He was a face I knew way before I became a Catholic. He was an extraordinary man. I want to celebrate his beatification on Sunday, along with the Divine Mercy Sunday Dedication. The two celebrations go hand-in-hand because John Paul II beatified St Faustina and, essentially, started the devotion of Divine Mercy Sunday.

I am not a cupcake topper maker by trade and I am having trouble with Word, which is the only way I know to add the frills to my clip art. Instead, these are simple circles I created that you can cut out and create your own toppers. Here is how:

Pope John Paul II Cupcake Toppers Tutorial

What you need:

printable JPII pictures
1 3/4 circle punch or scissors
scalloped circle punch or decorative scissors
cardstock in coordinating colors
adhesive or glue stick
toothpicks

How to do it:

This is another simple tutorial. All you have to do is print off the printable pictures of JPII or even find your own favorites in Google Images.

Then you want to carefully cut out each picture using a circle punch or scissors

Using coordinating colored cardstock, punch out scalloped circles (2 for each topper). If you do not have a punch, glue your picture to the cardstock, back it with another piece of cardstock, and use decorative scissors to cut a thin border around each. This should create your backing pice too.

Next you want to glue your picture if you used a punch

Lastly, you add the toothpick to create the topper. All you need to do is sandwich the toothpick between the front scalloped circle (with picture) and back scalloped circle (blank one)

I hope you enjoy this modest freebie! Thanks for stopping by!
Alicia

I am linking to: