To see more Christmas pics, go here   About our tree go here.

I thought this looked like fun, I have already missed a couple of days but thats okay.  I can't promise a new pic everyday but I will try.  Everyday until Christmas you are supposed to post a picture of Christmas.  My first one is our new real tree, just decorated it last night!  Its really beauiful this year, the pic really don't do it justice.  Details here if you would like to join in!

Don't forget to enter my contest here for a pair of Polliwalks!

Wow, this week's assignment is fun!  We get to tell you our favorite candy!  I LOVE it!

Do you notice a trend here?  I LOVE Chocolate!  I really don't think any other candy exist, does it?

 Don't forget to scroll down to the next post to get a chance to win a pair of Polliwalks!

If you have a product, book, curriculum, anything that makes life better  for you please write a review and then leave a comment and sign Mr. Linky so we can all see the product you are reviewing.  I love to write reviews and love to read them so I think this will be so much fun!  Feel free to copy the picture above and add it to your sidebar or just use it for your review entry

 If would like to do a review but Tuesday is not good for you please feel free to link up to Mr. Linky any day this week, we would love to read your review regardless the day you post it!

Today I'm reviewing RimeToRead.  This is a website of 20 books online that your child can read.  You can read them online or print them out and make them into the book.  My son really enjoyed the books that he could read, he is just learning so some are still a challenge for him.  I loved the fact that my son who is a just learning could actually read a whole book with words he could do.  He was excited that he read a book, it was really neat to see.  The books have some wonderful pictures too so that reading comprehension is there and they are able to put faces to their stories.    The only down side is the website would be too expensive for some on tight budgets but you can read the first book for free to see if it is something your interested in.  If you have a child that needs extra reading help it would be a great site to check out too!  Here are the prices:

The Rime to Read online reading program costs $44.99 for the complete set of 20 books. Or you can purchase each 4-book vowel set for $9.99.

Here are some features that the website shares:

• Highly effective approach to beginning reading
• Emphasizing word families (rimes)
• Unique color-coded system
• Structured for success
• Having trouble reading a word? CLICK it and it will be read back to you.

Thanks to the Homeschool Crew and RimetoRead for this opportunity!

I received two pairs of shoes from Polliwalks.  Wow!  Are these fun shoes, my daughter LOVES them.  She can't wait to go somewhere now just to wear the shoes.  These shoes are shaped like animals, she received the kitties in pink with fur.  Polliwalks really wanted to make shoes fun and comfortable for kids and they have done just that!  Each pair have pawprints on the bottom so when the kids walk in the snow or sand there will be pawprints left by your child.   These shoes are so comfortable and my daughter can totally put them on and off herself!

This is what the website says about Polliwalks

Introducing Polliwalks™, a company that is committed to
innovation, design, and FUN!
We believe that shoes shoudn't just be shoes;
they should be toys for feet!

We have created a brand that is driven by an unending desire
to design fun products from a kid's perspective. Something
that goes beyond comfort, function,quality and fit, something
that also speaks to the playful side of being a child, something
that reaches the core of a child's imagination.

Polliwalks™ shoes are available in several colorful animal styles
and all feature our patent pending Footprinter™ Bottom.  Children will step in dirt, firm sand, water or snow and leave a trail of tiny Polliwalks™ footprints wherever they go. 

Wearing Polliwalks™ shoes is like wearing little animals on your feet!  They are constant companions for all of life’s little adventures at home, school or play

For the Christmas season Dillards and Zappos.com are going to have two of the new spring syles in for the holidays.  
(the Fish Lips and Firefly) .  The fish lips change color in the sun..  And the Firefly tail lights up, these are so so cool!  My daughter received a pair of the fish lips too.  They come with a strap so you wear them with our without the strap.

We LOVE these shoes, everything about them is fun fun!  The best part is I get to give a pair in a giveaway!  This is open to US residents only.    The contest will end Monday December 8th at midnight.

All you have to do is go to the website www.polliwalks.com and tell me what pair of shoes you think are the cutest, I will tell you it will be hard, they are all adorable.  In the giveaway there are only a limited selection that they are giving away but you can't go wrong with ANY of them-after you win I will let you know your choices. 

If you post this contest on your blog, come back and leave another comment and I will give you another chance to win!

Make sure you leave me an email or blog address so I can contact you, if you don't I will have to reject it!

Thanks so much to polliwalks and Family Review Network for this opportunity!

Wow!  Another year has passed and my oldest is now 10, half way to adulthood, does that ever make me want to weep?  Sam is such a sweet child and we are so proud of him!  He is truly becoming a young man and we love him more then he could ever know!  I remember 10 yrs ago right before he was born, he was due the 16th and we always put the tree up on the 1st.  I thought maybe we should put it up a day after Thanksgiving that year just so everything would be done in case and thank God I did because on the 1st day of December is when he made his arrival.  It was tough and ended in an emergency c-section but we had our first son in our arms and it was so wonderful and now he is almost as tall as I am (he is very tall for his age) and I couldn't carry him if I tried.  They always tell you time flies and you don't really believe it until your grown and you see it with your own eyes, I truly can't believe Sam is now 10-Happy Birthday baby boy, well you will always be my baby!

Share Something Sweet is a partnership between chocolate company Ferrero and Share Our Strength, a leading hunger-relief organization. You can learn more about this at:

www.sharesomethingsweet.com

This partnership is in its second year, and this year Ferrero has donated $150,000 to Share Our Strength and is giving others a chance to add to that donation. Right now, if you log on to Share Something Sweet and use it to "send something sweet" (that is, a customizable e-card), Ferrero will donate another $1 per e-card sent, up to $10,000. And for every person that joins the Ferrero Facebook page, "Ferrero Lovers Unite," Ferrero will donate another $1 to Share Our Strength (up to $1,000):

http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/FerreroR-Lovers-Unite/26098488476

There's also a chocolate personality quiz, product offers and event news.

Thanks to Family Review Network for sharing the campaign.

The winner of Purry Logic is Pottershand!   Congrats and enjoy your book on cats!

THIS IS A STICKY POST!  PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW ENTRIES!

Thanks to the Family Review Network and Purry Logic.   I was given the opportunity to review a delightful book call Purry Logic.  If you or your children love cats you will love this book.  Its wriiten by Jane Seabrook and has beautiful paintings in it of many cats. 

I personally love cats, they are truly my favorite pet and I have to say I enjoyed every page of this book celebrating them!

 With each two page spread there is a beautiful painted cat and a saying to go with it.  

 I love this one:

"Why can't you need my eternal devotion at a more convenient time"?  Now does that sound like a cat or what? 

The illustrations are beautiful, there are at least thirty eclectic cats-I'm sure you will find one in the book similar to the look of you own precious feline.  Its a great coffeetable book or bedtime story and wonderful for adults and children.  Its a very quick read.

The best part is I get to have a giveaway for one of these books.    This is open to US addresses only. So here is how to enter.

Leave a comment and tell me one thing you love about cats.  Make sure you leave me a way to contact you, entries with no blog address or email will be rejected!  I will pick using the random number generator.

To have you name entered twice:

Post this contest on your blog to get another chance to win.

I will pick the winner on Friday Novemember 28th, so you have until midnight the 27th to enter.

Keep checking my blog, I have some more giveaways coming soon!

This week's assignment to to name 27 things we are thankful for since Thanksgiving fall on the 27th this year so here goes!

1.  God, I know thats the right answer and we feel sometimes we have to put that, but let me tell you without him I wouldn't make it through each day, this year especially after losing my mom-in-law.  I have so needed him to comfort me and to fill a void in my life only HE could fill!

2.  My family-I know each day how blessed I am to have three beautiful children and a husband that loves me, I don't ever want to take that for granted.  Thank God for them, even when I'm messed up they still love me.

3.  My church and church family-I have been there since the age of 7 and I continue to be blessed that every week I still hear the Old Old Story out of the Word of God.  That I have truly learned what the hymn says, I'm getting to used to the family I'll spend eternity with! 

4.  My extended family- my brother, my husbands brother, 2 wonderful sister in laws, a niece and nephew who I adore, 2 dads (one each), and a mom and even though my mother in law is in heaven waiting our arrival I will ALWAYS be thankful for the time I had on earth with her!  She NEVER leaves me!  We have such a great times as a family and I cherish every celebration, dinner, outing, visiting and everything else I do with this crew!  I love you all!

5.  Our health-  We really want to strive to lose weigh here at home this coming year but we have truly been blessed with good health, I'm thankful for it!

6.  My friends-the ones I know personally and the ones I have met here online or in my blog world.  I feel so blessed in this area.  I have friends that pray for me, have truly held me up when I thought I would crash, they have encouraged me and wept alongside of me.  You know how blessed you are when your friends weep with you just because they know you hurt so much!  Thank you so much for all of you!

7.  My new jobs working at home.  We very much needed the money and now I'm working for my brother and doing some freelance work for the Old Schoolhouse, I'm thankful God provided these so I could be home with my children to educate and train them!

8.  Homeschooling-what an honor and privelage it is to homeschool my children.  I truly LOVE it and can not picture them not here with me.  I know this is a right I can not take for granted and I'm thankful I can do it.

9.  My country- I am concerned about my country, I hope we never lose focus on our freedom and never forget who gave it ALL to us.  But I'm very thankful to live in a free nation, I'm thankful for the troops and their families who sacrifice it all to make it happen.

10.  My home-I know how fragile times are and I'm thankful that my family have a roof over their heads and beds to sleep in.  We so often take these things for granted but I know that there are many this holiday season with no home!

11.  God's Word-it lifts me up and gives me Wisdom

12.  Our pets who bring us joy and companionship

13.  The Homeschool Crew and other review companies I review for-I cherish every product that comes through my door, I just can't believe people are giving me things to just share about their product.  This blesses me more then anyone could ever know.  Everytime I get a package I just thank Jesus for providing it for our family.  It's been pure joy to be on this crew!

14. My homeschool coop-I belong to a wonderful coop, I'm very thankful for that.  My kids and I have met so many great people and have learned so much with all the extra classes you can't get in during your busy day.

15.  My blog I know this may sound silly but I really enjoy blogging and I'm thankful for it.  Its a real outlet for me-I have learned so much from other blogs as well, they make you celebrate motherhood!

16.  I know I put this last year but I am still Thankful.  My mini van.  My inlaws bought this van for us in 2004 and it gets our family around everywhere.  And there is plenty of room for our STUFF!

17.  The necessities of life-food, water, clothes, again I know there could be a day where its not so easy to have these, I thank God that we do.

18.  My Fathers World Curriculum-I use several thing in homeschooling but MFW is our core.  I love that it is a biblical worldview mulit age curriculum.  We have learned so much this year reading about missions and how much the world needs Jesus!

19.  Chocolate(you have to be thankful for it)  Its just wonderful!   Dove and Reeses are my all time favorites!

20.  My childrens laughter-I love hearing them down the hall laughing, it bring such joy!

21.  Prayer-I'm thankful its my communication with God, its what keeps us connected and thankful for people who pray for me, don't know what I would do without it.

22.  Christmas- I just LOVE it!  It is truly The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

23.  The Seasons-living where I do you get to enjoy every season, I love that!  There is something I look foward to on every one-even winter!  I'm going to share that on a blog entry later

24. My hubbys cooking.  Wow, does he ever cook good!  I love it.

25.  internet-I know the internet can be a bad thing but if used wisely it can be such a blessing.  We have found so many homeschooling sites, travel, recipes, and just staying connected with groups.  Its been wonderful.  I could get rid of the tv but my computer or internet you would have to pry out of my hands.

26.  Music-I love it, it lifts me up!

27.  My hobbies- Scapbooking especially-I love making something that is going to bless my family years from now!

Wow!  27 is alot, if you made it to the end of my list-I commend you!  Its nice having it though, last year I did a thankful list using the alphabet, if your interested here is the link.

Upcoming Black Friday Sale - you will NOT want to miss this one!

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are drastically reducing their one-year subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore! This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends. Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching. Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home. AND, their Win Big contest is going on so if you just happen to be customer 67,000, you will receive a prize package valued at almost $500 which includes a $150 gift certificate to the Schoolhouse Store! Who couldn't use that? And you can qualify to win it no matter how much or how little you spend! Mark your calendars for November 26 - 30th and do a little shopping from your seat, not your feet at the Schoolhouse Store's Black Friday Sale! www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com

If you have a product, book, curriculum, anything that makes life better  for you please write a review and then leave a comment and sign Mr. Linky so we can all see the product you are reviewing.  I love to write reviews and love to read them so I think this will be so much fun!  Feel free to copy the picture above and add it to your sidebar or just use it for your review entry

 If would like to do a review but Tuesday is not good for you please feel free to link up to Mr. Linky any day this week, we would love to read your review regardless the day you post it!

Make sure you try to visit other's reviews and leave a comment, its the best way to get a comment and we all love those!

Today I'm reviewing a book called The Little Man In The Map With Clues To Remember all 50 states!  It is written by E. Andrew Martonyi.  We are really enjoying this beautiful book, it has pictures that jump off the page and colors that are wonderful.  This book has won several awards as well.  The purpose of the book is to teach your children all 50 states by using a the character of a little man.  And it DOES work!  Your student begins to remember things about the little man and before long he/she is naming states because of the mans hat, face, and even his drinking cup!  The book is also narrated in rhyme which kids love and remember!  Our whole family is enjoying this book, even your youngest children can enjoy the pictures.   This is a must have for your Christmas List! 

Thanks to the homeschool crew and Schoolside Press for allowing me to review this book!

I teach goverment class in my coop.  My 3rd-4th graders had a project due today, the last day of this semester.  Everyone had to pick an American symbol to do a project on.  They are still young to do a lot of research so the main thing was learning to collect information.  My husband and son worked on this project to help relieve mom, they did such a great job!  Sam had the eagle!

The wire frame my husband made Eagle shape (not easy)

Paper Mache

The finished Eagle

Our board showing our Eagle Facts and all the symbols the Eagle is used in America!  Plus we have a lapbook at the top, I LOVE how this turned out!

The inside of our lapbook!

This weeks assignment is to award our family members with special titles that they have earned in the family!

First there is my dh!  He is awarded with the title Super Chef!  We would starve if it wasn't for is great cooking!  I do cook but he does it more and better!  We all love his cooking and we do not take it for granted.  I know how blessed I am to have a hubby that loves to cook!  His dad and brother love to also, its in the family.

 My Sam gets the Hook us Up Reward.  He is our electronic KIng.  Mom doesn't know how to make the dvd/vcr work or minor computer issues and he is on it!  He sets up the kids computer games, videos, etc.  He also gets my Sweet Spirit Award, he is a very loving kind hearted child and feels deeply for people and animals.

 Our Zach gets the build it mechanic award.  He loves to build with legos and knex and LOVES cars.  He already knows many makes and models and he is only 6.   

My Allie gets the best imagination award.  She makes up great stories and sometimes she asked me to write them down.  They are so sweet!  I know we will treasure having them someday.  She loves to play pretend and dress up!

A fun trip with their Uncle and Aunt to the Fire Department!  They loved getting in the firetruck, can't you tell?

If you have a product, book, curriculum, anything that makes life better  for you please write a review and then leave a comment and sign Mr. Linky so we can all see the product you are reviewing.  I love to write reviews and love to read them so I think this will be so much fun!  Feel free to copy the picture above and add it to your sidebar or just use it for your review entry

 If would like to do a review but Tuesday is not good for you please feel free to link up to Mr. Linky any day this week, we would love to read your review regardless the day you post it!

Make sure you try to visit other's reviews and leave a comment, its the best way to get a comment and we all love those!

Are you looking for good books for the young people in your house?  The teens?  It is so hard to find books that we as Christian parents approve of.  Well Media Angels wants to help you in that area.  This book is called The Missing Link Found.  The author Christina Gerwitz is a homeschooler herself so this will be a fun read for your child knowing another fellow homeschooler and her mother Felice Gerwitz  wrote the book.  This is the first book in the series The Truth Seekers Mystery Series, so if you like this book there is two more to read.    There is also a literature guide you can get with this book!

The one is an adventure book with the Murphy teens and it has many twist and turns in it.  There is a full speed boat chase and encounter with the FBI. I like the fact that it talks about really exciting things like salt water fishing, archeology,  and paleoanthropology.  The book also talks about creation v/s evolution, The Missing Link has been discovered finally providing evidence of Evolution but what about the Bible and Creation?  The teens have to find out!  It will have you guessing what is going to happen! 

The ages for this book is probably around 10-12, or young teens.  If your children love to read about adventure this is a great read!  Check out the Media Angels website to learn more about this book and others that they sell!  

Thanks to the Homeschool Crew for providing this opportunity for this review!

I love Christmas music!  I have started listening to my great finetune collection that I put together last year so I thought I would share with you, my readers some Christmas spirit.  We just don't get to enjoy it for very long so I thought putting it on a little earlier would be nice!  So turn up your volume buttons, take your mute off and enjoy some Christmas cheer!  It truly is the Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

I used to only like to light my scented candles when my house was clean, it was like an award to myself-like my home only deserved this pleasure if the house was clean, however I have realized that my candles don't get lit too much this way, lol so I have found lighting a candle while I'm cleaning and listening to some Chrismas music with it is just the perfect enviroment for cleaning!  Besides if you have a real mess sometimes lighting a candle can be a little spirit lifter for tackling a hard job!  So this week turn up the music, light your candle and get to work.  Let me know if it helped you at all getting it done!  And again enjoy the music!

I was asked from Family Review Network to review a shaving product from Pacific Shaving.  You just take a few drops of the shaving oil and lather up your legs and shave.  The great thing about this product is that it is all natural ingredients.  Many people are becoming more and more concerned about the chemicals in our products that we use or ourselves and our homes and rightly so.  This product prides itself in being all natural.  My legs feel very smooth after using it and I didn't once cut myself.  You have a very small bottle and it covers at least 100 shaves!  It's great for travel too, who wants to carry around a big can of shaving cream?  I also received a small nick stick, its for those cuts you get when shaving.  You just roll it on the cut and it helps it soothe and heal faster.    These products are for both men and women.  There are many reviews on the site from men who really enjoy this product.  The company also has a gurantee,

 Customer Service Guarantee:
Try All Natural Shaving Oil™ for up to 60 days and if you are not completely satisfied, you can return the oil to Pacific Shaving Company™ for a full refund.  You can check out more about the company here at

/http://www.pacificshaving.com

This bottle is $6.95-a great value for 100 shaves.

The Nick Stick is 5.95

Here are the ingredients:

Hybrid Sunflower Oil, Laureth-4 (purified, no dioxane and derived from coconut), Cyclopentasiloxane (cousin of mineral oil), Bergamot Fruit Oil, Avocado Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Kukui Nut Oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Tangerine Peel Oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Menthol