Our family is fairly new to lapbooking, but what we’ve done we’ve loved!  My oldest is totally into hands-on learning, she loves to knit, make jewelry, sew, craft, and …make lapbooks .

A Journey Through Learning has quite a nice selection, including the lapbooks for Circle C Adventures by Susan Marlow!  I need to get some reviews for these books written; in short the ‘Andi Books’ as they’re called in our house are lots of fun – particularly for horse and adventure loving girls.  We’ve read the first four in the series, and will definitely be buying the lapbooks when the children are a bit older (they’re for grades 2 – 6)

They also have some very fun looking pocket games lapbooks – again, games are always a huge hit here in our house!

So if you enjoy hands-on learning with your children, stop by and check out the wide selection available at A Journey Through Learning!

Congratulations to Shawtele, the winner of our Heartily Homeschooled contest!

Shawntele said: “I love reading about the adventures of other homeschooling families!”

I’m sending you an email, please get back to me with your mailing address within 72 hours!  This is a really fun and encouraging read, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

Thanks to all who entered, check back soon for more fun contests!

And it’s been a long love-affair.  Ever since my first experiences with iced coffee in high school (when I needed LOTS of cream and sugar), I’ve enjoyed the ocassional cup ever since.  After my second baby was born, I started indulging more frequently, and NOW, well – I enjoy it daily!  Thankfully coffee also has high-levels of antioxidants, so I have a good excuse now .

We just use a plain ole coffee machine, but…check this out! The NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machine produces hot and cold coffee-house style beverages with it’s 15 bar pressure system (okay – that basically means it’s high pressure so you get all the oils out, and can make really frothy milk). It’s a single-serving machine, which means you use those little cuppies full of neat types of coffee – Caffè Lungo, Espresso, Americano, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Cappucino, Café Mocha…even Chococino (hot chocolate) for the kids.  It comes in three colors – white, black, and red (bring it on!)  Available in 2 models, the Krups retails for $199 and the T-Fal for $179.

And dear Canadian readers – you can enter to win one of six machines at sweetspot.ca, woohoo!  I just entered, if you want to just click on that blue link above.  I love those steamed milk, frothy milk confections too, yummy yummy yummy.   I can almost taste the coffee goodness now.

I just found out about a new online directory that lists quiverfull families according to location. It’s members only, and all applications are approved by the site owner. I just submitted my application, and think it sounds like there’s a lot of potential for reaching out to other families within our geographic areas (we all know it can be isolating at times!)

Anyways, if you want to check it out, it’s at: http://www.arrowcollectors.com

Maybe you and your family (and me and mine) can be enjoying a QF bbq/picnic/afternoon tea sooner than you think! I’m excited!

Please share the news as you are able (if you have a blog, please link up), the more we spread the news the more likely it is that we’ll be able to find like-minded friends nearby in the future!

Queen Vernita of Oceaneer – originally encountered in Queen Vernita’s Visitors — is about to depart upon a twelve-month voyage of discovery to the Blue Ice Mountains. Each month she will entertain a new guest as they explore the plants, animals, and natural features of the Northern landscape together.

Using the same pattern as its predecessor for reinforcing the names of the months, days of the week, and number of days in a month, Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains provides additional drills within a story-like environment. This second installment shines in comparison though, as Menge keeps the content of this sequel tightly focused by putting more educational content into her work, rather than imparting funny topics of interest from her family members and friends.

This new degree of relevance to educators is a great improvement from her first effort. The twelve characters who visit with Queen Vernita as she vacations in the Blue Ice Mountains are still based upon those she knows and loves, but the activities they share as they learn about the world around them are far more sensible.

Illustrator Bobbi Switzer has returned as well to cast Queen Vernita and her crew in their educational adventures. Some of the perspective issues have been thankfully resolved from the first title (huge hands and inconsistently sized heads), though some quirks remain, such as Vernita’s eyes being black in the majority of the illustrations and blue in one or two. The same bright, two-pages per month spread is used throughout, with the illustration on one side, and the text on a color-coordinating facing page beside, resulting in a colourful reading experience.

Somewhat surprisingly, my 3.5 year old is totally into Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains she’s brought it to me several times to read to her. While it’s too wordy to make it through the year in a single sitting, she’s claimed it as a favourite. Although the text presents educational facts in a very straightforward fashion — on Monday they learned this, on Tuesday they learned that, and so on — my daughter is still picking up bits and pieces of knowledge.

When we were reading October’s two-page spread I mentioned that seals were mammals (as we were learning about seals that month with Queen Vernita), which prompted her to quickly flip back to July — when Queen Vernita was learning about whales — saying “Just like these are mammals, mommy!” Taking some time to discuss and build upon the educational topics shared will increase the likelihood of such ‘a-ha!’ moments.

While Menge’s work seems to be developing into a charming entry into the world of children’s literature, it unfortunately remains priced far above the market norm for a slender paperback volume.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT AMAZON.COM!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Prisoner of Versaille
Thomas Nelson (September 1, 2009)
by
Golden Keyes Parsons

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In her deep plowing of the heart, moving from tears one moment to laughter the next, Golden will touch your heart with her dynamic Bible teaching, combined with her vivid personal examples, moving from tears one moment, to laughter the next, all the while communicating the message that God is faithful–keep trusting Him. She has a passion to communicate the Word of God in such a manner that will lead to godly living.

Golden, and her husband, Blaine, have just retired as pastors at Faith Mountain Fellowship Church in Red River, NM. They have three grown daughters and eight grandchildren. Her testimony and myriad of life experiences lend a touch of authenticity to her teaching. She loves to speak for women’s conferences, seminars, luncheons, retreats and Mother/Daughter events.

If deep Bible teaching that brings the Scriptures alive is what you want, Golden is the speaker you need.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Madeleine’s faith puts her at odds with an intimidating rival: King Louis XIV.

Having fled their homeland of France because of the persecution by Louis XIV, the Clavell family seeks refuge in Switzerland. However, the king is not about to let the recently widowed Madeleine, his childhood sweetheart, escape that easily. He sends musketeers to kidnap her and her oldest son, Philippe, holding them captive in his opulent palace. King Louis is suspicious that Philippe could be his son, and he’s enraged by the growing affection of one of his courtiers for Madeleine.

Will Madeleine escape the king with her life or lose everything that she’s fought so hard to keep?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Prisoner of Versaille , go HERE

My Note: I’ve been wanting to read Golden’s work since last year, and now’s my chance!  I just picked up my copy from the big city yesterday, so I’m looking forward to reading this!  Please note – it is a sequel.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

My Note: I don’t seem to have received this title yet, but it sounds like one I’d like to read if it shows up .

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

and the book:

Leaning into God When Life Is Pushing You Away

FaithWords (November 12, 2009)

***Special thanks to Valerie M. Russo of the Hachette Book Group for sending me a review copy.***

Robert A. Schuller is the former senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. He has written twelve books, including the bestseller Walking in Your Own Shoes. His most recent book, coauthored with Dr. Douglas DiSiena, is entitled Possibility Living. Schuller has four children and resides in Laguna Beach, California, with his wife, Donna.

Product Details:

List Price: $22.99
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: FaithWords (November 12, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446580988
ISBN-13: 978-0446580984

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Well, we’re back from a two day trip to the city again, but things didn’t exactly go as we expected!  As soon as we arrived Kaelynn became violently ill and remained so for the entire day – fever, throwing-up repeatedly etc. etc.  I stayed with her and the girls at my grandparents (thanks grandma and grandpa!) while Larry did some shopping.  It seemed to be a throw-back to the illness she had a week ago, but thankfully only lasted 12 or so hours.  Today she’s felling much better – praise the Lord – so we did a bit of grocery shopping and picked up some beads for her to make more jewelry with (we had a kit, but she ran out of supplies), and some lace to make some headbands with too (she likes pretty things!)  Rosie picked up some larger beads as well, but neither of our little girls are too interested in frillies yet (I blame Louisa May Alcott’s Jack and Jill for Kaelynn’s penchant for pretties, but it’s really quite sweet).

Home again, home again, jiggety jig.

Book Name: Jantsen’s Gift by Pam Cope

Price: $24.99

Published by: Hachette Book Group

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Hachette Book Group for this review.

Jantsen’s Gift should be waiting for me to read it at my grandmother’s home in the city.  I’m looking forward to digging in and hopefully I’ll be picking it up there on Friday.  Pam Cope has penned a story born of her own experiences and struggles.

When her fifteen year old son died unexpectedly, she found herself sinking into the mire of deep depression and grief.  A visit to Vietnam forever changed her life when she encountered first-hand the poverty and abuse that is found outside of the ‘bubble’ many North Americans spend their entire lives in.  Adopting two Vietnamese orphans, she went on to establish an outreach to orphans, and victims of human trafficking.

If you’ve been reading here for any length of time you may have noticed my passion for titles exploring the efforts that are being made to care for orphans, and to free children in slavery, to support those living in poverty.  While you’re waiting for my full review, feel free to page through the book online with the widget below.  You can also visit Mama Buzz to read reviews from those who’ve already finished reading their copies.

Some of my fondest memories of childhood are the romping and cuddling times that we shared with our parents and siblings.  Some evenings we’d climb into my parents bed and play – we’d tickle Mom and Dad, much to their protest, snuggle tight and have our heads scratched, laugh, and enjoy time together as a family.

In the wild, fallen world in which we live, life can seem chaotic – even when we’re small.  Compounding that sense of chaos is our own relative inability to control our own environments as little people (as if we ever truly can!)  The family is a safe haven, a safe port when the ocean waves are roaring around you.  My sweetest, safest, most joy-filled moments of childhood revolve around this time of togetherness, it’s a great gift that my parents have given to me, and I’m determined to pass the experience on to my own children.

Today you can find our family sharing the same fun-filled romps – tickling, tossing, trapping, hugging, pouncing, and so on.  It’s my hope that these times together will lay a firm foundation for an ongoing relationship of love, comfort and reassurance.  Have you been pounced yet today?