Great Posts I Came Across This Week- March 13th

Each week I read a lot of blog entries filled with things that make me think, grows as mom, give me activities to do, and more.

Here are some that I really enjoyed this week:

what if this is as good as it gets? has up an amazing poem called I AM THE CENTER OF MY UNIVERSE that talks about how everything we do effects our world.

Blue Cotton Memory has a great post on Divine Re-Design on My Heart. It is a very moving piece on motherhood and the need to have God redesign our hearts to love as He does.

Totally Tots has great activities to go along with the book The Crunching Munching Caterpillar. I am going to have to try the caterpillar bead activity with JDaniel.

Feels Like Home has wonderful tips on Improving Your SEO for Bloggers.

One Little Word She Knew is hosting a great project called Bake and Take Day on the 27th of March. Bloggers who participate are invited to link to her site to share your recipe, photos, and who you took the baked goods to.

Ma,What’s for Dinner is offering 15% of the proceeds from her book to go straight to Fight SMA in Billy’s name to find a cure. Billy is the son of a family friend. I love her recipes and visit her blog regularly.

Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers- Review

I have recently being doing my bible studies in a bible called Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers. Traditionally I have used a NIV version of the bible. This particular bible is in the New Century Version. There is a difference is the text. The NIV is definitely not written in modern language. The New Century is written with modern words and language. It is very easy to read. The meaning of the text is not lost in this translation. In the introduction it mentions that the authors of the New Century Version worked off of the original Greek and Hebrew text. It is easy for busy moms to read.

The Mom’s Bible has great features.

• There is a feature called Insights. They are text boxes scattered throughout the bible. They really help you apply the passages they feature to your everyday life.
  


• There is a feature called Wonderful Counselor that has insight from Christian therapist on tough issues. I really loved the essay on How to Be a Good Mother When You Weren’t Mothered Well. It is linked to Isaiah 41:10: “So don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you.”
  


• There is a feature called Our God Is that works on building your knowledge of God.
  


• There is a feature called Walk In that looks at having balance in your life.
  


• There is a feature called Moms in the Bible that helps you sharpen your understanding of your role as a mother.
  


• There is a feature called Passing It On that helps with you principles you want to teach your children.

There is so much to this bible.
If you have a busy mom who loves the Lord, this would be a great book to have.

Disclaimer: Thomas Nelson (Book Sneeze) provided a complimentary copy of this Bible for the purpose of review.

Friday Fill-In #167

Friday Fill-Ins is a meme. You are given incomplete sentences to fill-in. I love trying to come up with fill-ins that fit the theme of the week. This week I just completed the sentences.

1. I am so looking forward to seeing my sisters when they visit in two weeks!

2. Housework can be done later.

3. When you get right down to it, I would rather play with JDaniel.

4. My relationship with God is a big part of my life.

5. If you need anything I can try to help you find it.

6. It is time to plan a trip to Virginia and New York.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Curious George with my family right before bedtime, tomorrow my plans include getting my house in order and Sunday, I want to go to church and a cookout at my friend Leila’s house to celebrate her son’s birthday!

Friday Follow

This week I decided to offically follow the Friday Follow.

Welcome Friday Followers. Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to visiting your sites.

Click on the icon below to join in the fun!

Today's follow is sponsored by .

Two General Mills Winners Selected!

The winners of the Two Boxes of General Mills Cereal are Roxie and Checkers. I have contacted each of you via e-mail.

Kroger Cart Buster Saving Event- $25 GC Giveaway (2 winners)

The last time I went to visit my sister Michelle in Georgia I stop by the Kroger right near her house to pick up a few things JDaniel was going to need to enjoy his visit. I was impressed by the vast array of items available at the store and the great prices. As a follower of the Coupon Mom and Southern Savers, I see great deals listed for Kroger all the time. I just hadn’t spent anytime going up and down the aisles. I love to wander up and down the aisles of grocery stores. With a toddler I don’t do a lot of wandering any more. If I had the time, Kroger would be a place I would love to wander.

From now through March 14th, shop the Cart Buster Savings Event and find the hottest prices around on your favorite name-brand products in over 60 categories at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes Kroger, Ralph´s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy.

Here are just a few of the great brands participating in the event: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Progresso, Totino´s, Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, Tide, Charmin, Bounty, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, Iams, Febreze, Old Spice and many more!

I may have to visit my sister Michelle again soon.

Would you love to shop at Kroger with a $25 GC?

Here is how you can win one:

*Tell me what you plan to stock up on. Please make sure if your email address is not visible in your blogger profile you leave one in your initial entry!

For extra entries do any or all of the following leaving a separate comment for each entry.

*Tell me the location of the closest Kroger Family store to you. (1 entry)

*Write about this giveaway with a link back to it on Facebook or another social network site. (1 entry)

*Enter another giveaway that I am hosting. (1 entry for each giveaway your enter)

*Leave a comment on a blog entry that is not a giveway. (1 entry)

*Follow my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you now follow or that you already do. (1 entry)

* Twitter about this giveaway with a link back, you must also be following me on Twitter. Copy and paste: $25KrogerGC@JDaniel4smom. (1 entry per day)

* Subscribe to my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you have subscribed or that you already do. (1 entry)

*Add me to your blogroll. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

*Add my button to your blog. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

Disclosure: I was provided a Kroger Family of Stores gift card and information about the Cart Buster Savings Event by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills through MyBlogSpark. The $25 GC for Kroger I was sent for participating in this event is being passed on to one of you. They will also be providing a second gift card to Kroger for the giveaway.

This giveaway begins March 10th and ends March 25th.

Hands On Thank You Notes

My sister Michelle used to have her children’s hand traced at the bottom of their thank you notes. It was a great alternative to having them scribble all over the card. Yesterday afternoon I finally sat down to write thank you notes for all of JDaniel’s wonderful birthday gifts. Last night after dinner we sat down to do his hand tracings. He loved that he was getting to leave a handprint on the cards that were going out to thank his friends and family. JDaniel was very patient as I traced his hand over and over again.

Lion and Lamb Songs

Like a Lion - sung to "Mary had a little Lamb"

March comes in like a lion,like a lion, like a lion.

March come in like a lion,and goes out like a lamb.

March comes in with a great big wind,great big wind, great big wind

March comes in with a great big wind,and goes out with a breeze.

Taken from http://stepbystepcc.com/animals/lionlamb.html

Jungle Song I'm A Lion Sung to tune of Three Blind Mice

I'm a lion, I'm a lion Hear me roar, hear me roar I love to sleep out in the sun

And chase other animals just for fun In all the jungle I'm Number One, I'm a lion!

Taken from http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/preschool_themes/jungle/jungle_songs.htm

Building Character from the Start Giveaway and Review

Does your child act like a lion or a lamb? Does the answer to that question change from minute to minute? Right now it changes from minute to minute at my house. Sometimes JDaniel is a love. He loves to learn, explore, share hugs, and follow directions. Sometimes he can roar like a lion throwing a temper tantrum. I hope to help him learn and explore all aspects of his character. I hope to help him learn why he does things and how to hone the great assets of his character.

I was given the opportunity to preview a great tool for parents, teachers, and counselors called Building Character from the Start: 201 Activities to Foster Creativity, Literacy, and Play in K-3 by Susan Ragsdale and Ann Saylor. As someone who taught primary aged children for twenty years, I found a lot of reason to love this book. You can open this book and start on an activity with very little preparation. The books include almost everything you would need. There alternative ways listed to complete activities. There is a wide variety of activities described. Each activity works on a particular set of character traits or what the author’s call assets.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is Finish the Pieces and Masterpiece Creations. It contains worksheet like pages with a coloring area and Let’s Talk Section. The Let’s Talk section offers questions you can ask a child about the picture they have created to fit the theme at the top of the page. The second section is Experience Books. It is my favorite section. Why? It takes wonderful children’s books and applies their lessons to everyday life. This section also contains a Let’s Talk section as well as an Explore More section. The Explore More section asks children to create or participate in activities that helps further put feet on the character trait you are working on. The final section is called Play and Move. This section is filled with games and activities to do with a class or group of children that will help them work on an aspect of their character. There are word games, team building, scavenger hunts, Olympic events, and more. There is also a Let’s Talk section with each activity.

You don’t have to be a classroom teacher or counselor to use and enjoy this book. A mom who wants to help her children be the best they can be would love it too.

Would you like a copy?

Buy it? Amazon is selling this book for $22.76.

Win it?

Here’s how?

*Tell me why you would love this book.( 1 entry)

For extra entries do any or all of the following leaving a separate comment for each entry.

•Tell me something you learned from their website.(1 entry)

•Leave a comment on their newsletter. (1 entry)

•Write about this giveaway with a link back to it on Facebook or another social network site. (1 entry)

•Leave comment on non-giveaway blog post. (1 entry)

•Follow my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you now follow or that you already do. (1 entry)

•Twitter about this giveaway with a link back, you must also be following me on Twitter. Copy and paste: BuildingCharacterGiveaway@JDaniel4’sMom(1 entry per day)

•Subscribe to my blog. Leave me a comment saying that you have subscribed or that you already do. (1 entry)

•Add me to your blog roll. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

•Add my button to your blog. Please leave a link to your site.(2 entries)

That is 12 ways to win. The winner will be chosen by using the random number generator at http://www.random.org/. )

This giveaway begins March 10th and ends March 18th.


Disclaimer: I was sent two copies of this book. There was a preview copy and one to giveaway.