When I first saw the Fridge Locker locking storage device at www.FridgeLocker.com my first thought wasn’t hiding my snacks from roomates, protecting my lunch from co-workers, or hiding special treats from my children.  I’m a pretty sharing person, so these sorts of thoughts don’t really appeal to me.

What I DID think about was an email I remember reading from a dear woman who was parenting some children with a case of attachment disorder.  These little ones would destroy her home, go into the fridge at all times of day and night, and she had resorted to locking her cabinets each evening.  Seeing the Fridge Locker made me think about how surely other parents who are living with children who have some behavioral problems – whether fostered children, adopted, special needs, etc. – could use a device like this.  Well, hey, come to think of it – I – can use a device like this when it comes to my very busy toddler who can climb anywhere and is always finding my paperwork and throwing it on the floor!

In such cases it can be effectively used to keep medications, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and anything else that would be harmful to the child (I can think of so much!) out of their reach by encasing it in durable polyurethane with a sturdy combination lock.  Working equally well in the fridge, freezer, or pantry, the Fridge Locker can easily fulfill needs beyond those that it’s primarily marketed for.

Okay ladies, here’s the low-down, we don’t get television reception of any kind, but apparently WE tv is airing an episode in their “Secret Lives of Women” series tonight at 10 p.m. (not sure about time-zones, so if you’d like to watch check into it) about the Quiverfull movement.

Entitled “Born to Breed” (ugh, oversimplification much?), three different mothers will be interviewed and profiled, as well as author Kathryn Joyce, author of the book Quiverfull (I understand it’s written from the point-of-view of a woman who is studying cultural trends, not as a fellow believer).

That normally would put me on guard somewhat, but as there are some somewhat well-known Quiverfull moms appearing on the show as well, I’m thinking it will likely be a balanced presentation.

You can find the details and some clips from the show here.  If you get a chance to watch the show, can you let me know what you think, and how it was?

At this time of year many people are thinking about traveling to see loved ones.  Until November 19th British Airways is having a November Flight Sale sale for travelers departing from the U.S. and Canada for the travel dates of November 17, 2009 – March 28, 2010 (with some exceptions).  I checked out the prices, and while I’m not a big traveler, it seems like $596 round-trip from Calgary (our closest point of departure) to London is a decent price; particularly when British Airways upgraded experience is taken into account.  BA doesn’t only travel to Britain though, you can also hop one of their planes to he Middle East, India and Africa.

Of all the destinations they have on sale, our family would be most eager to travel to London, England.  We have a family-oriented travelogue that my oldest daughter LOVES.  She’d like to go see the Cabinet War Rooms, the war-ship, and Big Ben – I would like to take a day trip to Bath!  My husband would like to scope out the English landscape where James Herriot lived.

I’ve never traveled with British Airways, but their level of service sounds exceptional. They keep you supplied with food and beverages, seats with built in lumbar-supports, and they even have flight socks! Okay – I have no idea what flight socks are, but don’t they sound cool?  Sounds like a luxurious experience.

Hello faithful readers!  I know you’re out there even though you are largely silent (my stats tell me from 230 – 270 unique visitors daily) .  So to the silent masses, what do you like reading here the most?  As sole writer of this blog I have ultimate control over my content…BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

But seriously…what blend of content turns your crank?  Family photos?  Farm updates?  Book reviews?  Educational DVD reviews? Music reviews? Giveaways?  Children’s books?  Adult fiction and non-fiction books?  Homeschooling reviews?  News from our homeschooling adventures?  Reviews for family-friendly products?

I try to keep things somewhat balanced, though I always feel like I should include more photos, but I have the notion that people prefer adult-oriented reviews, and so I just sprinkle reviews for children’s titles in lightly.  Still… I wonder, most of us are moms, should I be going for a 50/50 blend?

Here’s your chance to weigh in informally, hit me with your best shot!

Laser vision correction keeps coming down in price (at least up here in Canada).  Though it isn’t funded through the regular avenues of the public health care system, increasing numbers of individuals are signing up to have their eyes fixed up so that they can live without corrective lenses.  My husband’s brother had laser surgery on his eyes around ten years ago, and he’s still doing well.  On the other hand I’ve also heard some stories of surgeries that haven’t been successful and have reverted to the previous state (sometimes with night blindness added into the mix).

So, I’ve heard the good, and the bad, but for those who are interested in joining the police forces, or becoming a pilot – laser surgery is about the only path to fulfilling their dreams!  Can you think of other ways laser surgery could help you experience more freedom in your daily life, or do you have a personal success story?  If so, read on.

Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction, wants to know how better vision could improve — or has improved — people’s lives.  They’ve recently launched an iLASIK Video Contest “You Gotta See This”, where people can submit their own digital videos  showcasing the benefits (potential or actual) of laser vision surgery in their lives.  So far they have received music videos, sporting videos, and daily life videos, and they’re looking for more.

Prizes include a $5,000 grand prize, as well as a $2,500 HDTV set awarded in each video category for a first prize, and a FLIP camcorder as second prize in each category.  The three categories are: “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”, “My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision”, “You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure”.  Winners are determined largely by vote, so if you participate you’ll want to round up your friends to cast some votes for you!

Best Wishes!

I know I’m posting my Bible reading updates somewhat randomly, I’m trying to aim for once a week, but maybe I should pick a specific day to post on?

In any case, I’m very happy to have read Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers in their entirety since October.  I’ve read a good chunk of Deuteronomy in the past week (11 or so chapters), and am now tackling the rest of Deuteronomy and Leviticus together for the next month in a combined topical organization of the Laws.  The Bible I’m using does things a little bit differently!

This week I’ve been blessed to read how God’s choosing of the Israelite nation reflects His choice of us as His adopted children.  He chose them – not because they were great or mighty – but so that He could show His glory through a set-apart nation.  He would make them holy despite their stiff-necked ways, He would drive out the giants before them, He would give them a land filled with good things they had not built or made by the works of their own hands.  He would do it all.

What has He been showing you through your time in scripture this week?

Care to join us at Operation Actually Read Bible?

T.L. Higley’s historical novels exploring the Seven Wonders of the World takes readers back to ancient Egypt, where the Pharoah Khufu and his Grand Vizier Hemiunu are both remodeling the religious beliefs of their people as they carefully construct the Great Pyramid at Giza (c. 2500 B.C.) in City of the Dead.

When a serial killer begins decimating Hemi’s close circle of friends, his carefully ordered world begins to crumble around him. With the identify of the killer somehow linked to a day in the past that no one speaks of, the lives of all those Hemi holds dear are in danger until the truth is revealed. Though the second in a series, City of the Dead is a fine stand-alone novel that is completely independent of the first Seven Wonders title, In the Shadow of Colossus.

Rather than depicting Egypt through the life of an anonymous labourer, Higley boldly steps into the story of a well-known historical figure by choosing the Grand Pyramid’s architect – Hemiunu – as her main character. A fascinating man, Higley sketches him as one who models himself after his work; hard as stone, full of precise angles, yet sheltering a hidden interior landscape of emotion. With such a prominent character at the fore, some readers may find it difficult to fully buy in to his shift in spiritual allegiance.

Where Hemi, Khufu, and their series of close friends is vividly portrayed, there is a slight, but noticeable tendency for Higley’s believers to be portrayed as somewhat idealized. Where complex motives and currents of emotion run rampant throughout the noble classes, the People of the One seem slightly ‘touched-up’ in comparison to the full range of emotion found in their counterparts.

Deftly interweaving the threads of suspense, romance, and historical accuracy, Higley’s recreation of ancient Egypt is utterly engrossing. I called upon a great degree of self-discipline to refrain from pulling an all-nighter, and instead broke the novel into two reading sessions. The heady combination of unrequited love and mystery that emanates from the pages of City of the Dead rapidly attaches readers to the characters, and keeps the pages flying.

Our family has been studying ancient history this year, so it is with some degree of certainty that I can attest to the large amounts of research that have been poured into this novel. What is even more amazing is Higley’s effortless coverage of a broad span of knowledge-worthy topics without lecturing; the education she offers is carefully integrated within the story’s natural flow.

As I read more of Higley’s work, I’m becoming increasingly entranced with her vision of re-imagining the Seven Wonders within a faith-based context. While I will admit to harboring some feelings of ambivalence following In the Shadow of Colossus, City of the Dead has won me over entirely to Higley’s storytelling. She must surely be amongst the most excellent writers of Christian historical fiction today.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT CHRISTIANBOOK, AMAZON.COM, or AMAZON.CA!

Burdensome chores, wild hair days, and bizarre animals — all have served as inspiration for modern children’s poets. Husband and wife team, Tom and Tess Hannah, have combined their talents to pen a collection of their own entertaining rhymes for school-aged children in a slender, black-and-white volume.

The Hannah’s are admitted fans of Shel Silverstein and The Endless String displays clear evidences of this admiration. From the black and white line drawings on starkly white pages, to a certain sense of zany fun in the poems themselves, those who have also enjoyed his work can glimpse echoes of Silverstein’s work in these pages.

Having served as a language arts teacher for nearly twenty years, Tess Hannah’s familiarity with the English language is a boon for this collection. While many works of amateur poets struggle through awkward rhyme schemes and imperfect rhythms, the Hannah’s work is largely free of these stumbling blocks to the oral sharing of enjoyable poetry. Tess’ drawings also enliven the pages with interest grabbing, off-the-wall illustrations. My children always want to read the poems that have accompanying pictures over those without.

The Endless String provided the first piece of poetry my daughter loved enough to memorize. A nameless poem involving a girl and her horsie rings with the cadence of hoofbeats when recited. A true treasure that can be performed with shifts in speed, and counts on the unstated as much as the apparent for humor, this little gem has brought much excitement and laughter into the life of our family.

With fully 69 poems included of varying lengths, from limericks, to free-form, and those as long as nine stanzas, a wide range of material is covered. However, with no table of contents or index it may be difficult to locate favorites, or topically appropriate poems for educational use. At only 60 pages there’s always the option of simply flipping through the pages, but this want of a navigational system is surely felt.

By exaggerating common childhood predicaments and emotions and mixing the world of the mundane with the fantastical, the Hannah’s have captured a spirit of playful exploration that will delight both young and old.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT AMAZON.COM OR AMAZON.CA!

CONTEST CLOSED

Thanks to everyone who entered!  Congratulations to ky2here who is looking forward to buying a branch raft boat from Naturalpod.com!  Please

Upon first glance tree blocks seem rather unimpressive.  Open a sack of various pieces of tree trunk and branches, dump it in front of an adult and expect mystified expressions.  Open the same sack in front of a child, and watch the imaginative play begin!  When our bag of Tree Branch Blocks (the small set with 14 pieces) from Naturalpod.com arrived, my children dumped the bag and started building.

“I’m going to make a castle!” were the first words out of my three-year-old’s mouth, and my three girls set to work building castles, towers, tractors, ramps, cars, and so much more.  With only organic, flowing forms to work with, and no clear ‘interlocking’ mechanisms for the Branch Blocks, my children’s imaginations ran wild.  They built with abandon, in many free-form imaginative constructs, delighting in the joy of exploration.

Made from kiln-dried alder with an all natural finish, these one-of-a-kind sets of branch blocks have recently received an inclusion as one of 2009′s top 10 Eco-Toys.  No need to worry about pthalates or other concerns from imported plastics etc.  even baby can put these in her mouth with no parental concern needed.  They even come with their own, natural fabric storage sack!

Tree blocks are growing in popularity, and if you haven’t tried them with your own children yet, now’s the time.  It only takes  a few minutes to see the unlimited potential that simple, natural playthings hold, and the resulting joy that comes from play.  My only caveat would be to buy a large set to avoid arguments amongst your children!

Natural Pod also offers an excellent array of naturally-inspired products for children and their families, from clothing to playsilks, art supplies, dolls, and much more!

CONTEST DETAILS:

Thanks to Naturalpod.com I have a $25.00 gift certificate for their online store to give away to a blessed winner in the U.S. or Canada!  To enter, visit Naturalpod.com online and let me know what you’d most like to spend the gift certificate on.

For additional entries:

1. Subscribe to this blog for updates – see the left hand sidebar. Leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve subscribed (or if you already subscribe).

2. Write a post on your blog promoting and linking to this contest. Leave an additional comment with a link to your post.

3. Add the Quiverfull Family button (see the code box in the right hand sidebar under BUTTON UP!) to your blog’s sidebar, or let me know if you already have the button displayed. Leave an additional comment with a link to your post.

4. Digg, Stumble, Tweet, Facebook or otherwise share this post on a social networking site. Leave an additional comment indicating how you shared this post.

5. Follow me on Twitter or let me know if you are an existing follower.

Each additional step taken counts for 1 additional entry. A total of 6 entries are available if you complete all of these steps. Please leave a separate comment for each entry!

The contest will close at 12 a.m. MST on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009. One (1) winner will be randomly drawn for the $25.00 Natural Pod gift certificate on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 and notified by email. Please fill your email address in the comment form when you are completing your comment so that I can contact you. The winners must respond with a mailing address within 72 hours of my email, or new winners will be chosen. This contest is open to those living in the US/Canada.

I look forward to seeing God bless a reader with this gift certificate!

* Mama Buzz, and reviewers, were provided with a complimentary copy of this book for blog tour purposes*


Big Thoughts for Little People by Kenneth N. Taylor
Ages 3-7
Hardcover retails for $14.99

Kenneth Taylor – well known as the author of The Living Bible, and founder of Tyndale House publishers – was a man dedicated to conveying the Christian message to children (he had 10 himself) in simple, understandable truths. Big Thoughts for Little People, a much-loved, best-selling picture book has now received fresh new illustrations while maintaining Taylor’s text from the original edition.

Many readers my age may be familiar with the original version of this classic title, which was wildly popular during the ‘80s, and be looking forward with nostalgic fondness to sharing this new release with their own children. I however, missed out on the first edition as a child, so it was with fresh eyes that my daughters and I dug into it together. My first impression was that this vibrantly illustrated hardcover filled with bright, action-filled paintings of children with simple text and discussion questions might appeal to my three-year-old, I was wrong. Every time I open its pages I’m surrounded by a flock of eager faces – 6, 3, and 1, as all of my children adore this newly revised classic.

Arranged around the letters of the alphabet, each letter features a lesson relating to Christian character and moral development. A is for Asking, B is for Behave, C is for Crying and so on. Introduced by a four lines of rhyming verse:

D is for doing
What needs to be done.
So please do it cheerfully.
Then you’ll have fun.

At this points all parents are saying, “Huzzah!” Who can argue with reading this to their children? But, how do the children react? I was afraid that the simple, direct, and pull-no punches moral teachings might be considered boring for my little ones, but if we take it one letter at a time and allow the lessons to sink in, they eat it right up.

A paragraph discussing the concept and relating it to the accompanying illustration follows the rhyme. Three brief, age-appropriate questions are then asked. At times these questions encourage children to examine and interact with the artwork (“What are some good things the children are doing? Tell about each one.”). At other times the questions encourage the child to engage in personal reflection and encourage brainstorming ways to do better (“What kind of thing could you do to help someone?”). Each letter closes with a scripture verse from Taylor’s own The Living Bible.

At times my three-year-old needs some guidance through the more contemplative questions, my six-year-old dives right in (they actually can’t wait for their turn to tackle each question), and my one-year-old slaps at the bright illustrations and tries to turn pages (I have the page tears to prove it). Who would have guessed? My children have been captivated by this seemingly simple formula that repeats throughout the book.

Does it work? If taken a letter at a time and reinforced by the parent, I’m going to say yes! After reading, “C is for Crying”, in which Taylor explains that crying isn’t really necessary unless an injury has been sustained, I started asking my three-year-old if she’d been hurt when she was sniffling to herself. Sometimes she said yes, I kissed her better, and she went on with her day happily. Other times she didn’t say anything, thought about it, and stopped crying. Wow.

Andrea Petrlik Huseinovic new illustrations for the classic text certainly provide much of the appeal found within the pages of Big Thoughts. Her use of thickly layered bright paints, and ‘toothy’ paper lend her bold palette a highly developed sense of texture and motion. Busy paintings filled with a plethora of active children, activities and objects that start with the target letter, and hidden ladybugs to count give equally busy eyes something to keep them busy while little minds absorb the lesson embedded in the text.

Big Thoughts for Little People can easily serve as a comprehensive, back-to-basics course in proper behaviour for preschoolers, and a launching pad into further discussions with any early-primary students who may want to listen in and chime in when it’s time to answer the questions. Ken Taylor went home in 2005, years after the first edition of this enduring title was published. One of his life’s goals was to reach children with the knowledge of God and instruct them in Christian living. It’s clear that his vision is an enduring one which will continue to reach many children for years to come.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT CHRISTIANBOOK, AMAZON.COM, OR AMAZON.CA!