Praises of a Wife and Mommy

Today as I was driving home from work and enjoying listening to the radio this verse just hit me on the head.                                              James 4:8a- "Draw near to God and He will Draw near to you."    I have had so many people young and old tell me some of these things, "Where is God, I don't feel him anymore."  "I don't think I'm a christian anymore because God is so distant."  "Why is this happening in my life, where is God."   Now my immediate response is, "those are all lies from the enemy wanting you to feel those things."  Which I do believe is true but when I sit and think about James 4:8 it now unravels so many more questions to ask those people and to encourage those people.  Or even remind myself!!  Are you truly drawing near to God?  When was your last devotional time?  What was the last book of the Bible you were reading?  When did you have some quiet time and soak and really listen fo

                              Book Description:  Jesus Enters Jerusalem and He Is Risen are the two Bible story favorites in this unique The Beginner’s Bible flip-book format. The story of the Jesus and his disciples going into Jerusalem until Jesus’ death and the story of the resurrection and Jesus’ visits and gifts to his disciples will help young children learn the true meaning of Easter and salvation. Two sticker sheets are included for added fun!   Using the beloved The Beginner’s Bible artwork to bring the stories to life for young readers and their families, this book is sure to become a favorite holiday read!  My Review: This fun flip book captures the true meaning of Easter in an easy to understand format for young readers.  :)  It captures the true sadness and heartache but also really focuses on the RESURRECTION and JOY that came!  This would make a great present in any Easter Basket to ensure your children are hearing the true meaning of Easter.   The artwork is b

If you are a business owner or a blogger or anyone trying to promote a product or site then please keep reading.  I am trying to raise funds to walk at the Light the Night event for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I am hoping to help promote your site, your products, your social media from each donation!  PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING to such a wonderful cause!!!   Read below to see where you can fit in.     Bronze- $25 donation will get public thank-you's on my personal and fan Facebook pages, twitter, and one bulk bronze sponsor post at the end of the fundraising highlighting all the companies who donated in this range with a link back to your site.  Silver- $50 Donation will get all of bronze package and a single blog post with your business links and banner thank you.  Also, one big post at the end highlighting all the Silver donors.  Gold-  Above $50 donation will get you all of Bronze and Silver but will get a month of a button on my side b

Thank-you Little Green Pouch for sending me your product to conduct my review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine. The Story behind Little Green Pouch :  "With Maggie’s first son, Kelley, trips to the grocery store were definitely on her “dread” list. When she had her second son, Finnegan, aka the Finn-A-Monster, it moved to the top of that list. But then Maggie’s grocery store began stocking those food pouches you've probably seen. On one particular visit, after substantial clamoring, Maggie caved and popped the tops of two pouches. A miracle ensued - she watched in amazement as her boys sat quietly in the cart, working out ounces of healthy fruits and veggies, which they wouldn’t dare eat out of a bowl. Never missing an opportunity, she sped through the remaining grocery store aisles in relative peace. By the time the shriveled pouches moved along the conveyor belt to checkout (yes, she paid for them) Maggie realized that sh

So you have to agree that my dog is smiling, right?  She is such a funny dog, and really has become a vital part of our family.  :)   Our dogs name is Kiah, what is your pets name? 

Boylan Bottling Company has a new seasonal flavor that will not be on the shelves long!  The Shirley Temple will only be at stores for a limited time so be sure to pick up yours today!   If you remember I did review Boylan Drinks back in December so feel free to read that review HERE .    I loved them because they use a natural Cane Sugar in their drinks so no HIGH FRUCTOSE is involved!  :)  This season they made the Shirley Temple (virgin of course)!!  If you are a fan of sweet cherries then this is the drink for you.  The sweet cherry taste may have been a bit too sweet for my taste buds but my husband and two children enjoyed the drink!  It's nice to serve something sweet that is not chalk full of gross preservatives and High Fructose Corn Syrup, Boylan uses a natural Cane Sugar which makes this mama happy!  :)  Make sure to stay connected with Boylan Bottling Company to see what flavors are coming out and deals they post often.   FACEBOOK TWITTER

This Easter, youngsters will embrace the true meaning of the season with a new book by Crystal Bowman, the Teachers’ Choice Award-winning author of  The One Year Book of Devotions for Preschoolers . LILY'S EASTER PARTY: THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION EGGS® (Zonderkidz; $7.99; February 2013)  is inspired by the bestselling  FamilyLife ® Resurrection Eggs kit, which is  a set of plastic eggs filled with objects that symbolize the Easter story and teaches children about Jesus' death and resurrection. In the book, Lily and her friends learn there is far more to Easter than jelly beans and chocolate bunnies when Lily’s parents plan an egg hunt in the family’s backyard. As Lily and the neighborhood children eagerly collect all 12 hidden eggs and place them in an Easter basket, they come to realize that each egg contains a special surprise. In a color-coded order that coincides with the Resurrection Eggs by FamilyLife ®,  the children open their eggs to find a differ

It was a nice surprise to go to the mall and see lots of dogs there.  They were having a service dog awareness day at the mall and had several types of dogs that did lots of special tasks.   My daughter loved the size of this Newfoundland dog!  :) Look at her head size!  :)  We found out that this dog was a water rescue dog, what a cool job!   Anyone else amazed at how animals can help us in so many different areas of life from rescue situations to comfort to socialization!   Thanks dogs for being man's true best friend!  :) 

The first thing I have to say is THANK YOU JESUS for a wonderful husband who is also an amazing daddy!   Yesterday my hubby took my 5 year old daughter on a date.  They went out to eat, played at the mall, danced and ate at Cherry Berry for Dessert, and he bought her a special ring.  I am most certain that the ring is going to stay on that little finger for a long time!   The big reason my hubby and I value this one on one time is very simple, we want our daughter to realize how she should be treated when she gets to the dating age.  A boy is going to have to work really hard because my daughters Daddy is truly a gentlemen and is creating life long bonds with her that no young boy will be able to come between.  We truly believe that girls/daughters who are brought up with a trusting and good relationship with their fathers will pick and choose boys who will respect them the way their daddy's do.   As we raise our daughter up to know our Papa God in heaven we are a

Since you all loved the other cookie giveaway I did last week I thought a St. Patrick's Cookie Giveaway would be another great one for those of you who have a sugar tooth.  :) This giveaway is sponsored by Gourmet Cookie Bouquets !  I personally have not tried these cookies but looking at the pictures of all the cookie bouquets made me ready to try them!  I absolutely love the creativity in all their Holiday Bouquets!    2 Lucky winners will win a fun St. Patrick's Day Bouquet that is valued at $50.  GOOD LUCK!  I hope one of my readers wins!! Use the rafflecopter widget below to enter the St. Patrick's Day cookie giveaway. The mandatory entry is commenting on this post, but once that entry is completed, various other entry options will become available. Any option is acceptable, but the number of entries per person are limited to the number indicated in the contest rafflecopter form. Entries will be reviewed and duplicate or uncompleted ones will be removed

New Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser is tough on stains, yet gentle on surfaces.  The new and improved formula has more whitening power and less residue, for better rinsing.  That means better cleaning and faster rinsing for your tile, grout, sinks, and tubs.  The all new bottle and cap design improve dispensing, preventing spills and making for a more efficient cleaning experiences.   From sinks and shower to bathtubs and faucets, this cleanser will blow you away with its versatility and fresh , lemon scent.   No one likes a dirty household.  Make  your surfaces happy.  Fight grease and grime with the strength of New Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath and Kitchen Cleanser.  Your surfaces will thank you.   My Review:   Soft Scrub provided a free sample of their Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath and Kitchen cleanser so I could review it.  However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.  The new bottle designed was easy to dispense and the

The tradition lives on!!!  One of our Ice Cream Chains closes during the winter months but always reopens mid February and we always walk in the middle of winter to get ice cream.  We did move last year and so we were not as close but my husband rallied the group and the still walked from one store to this one for a cold treat on a cold and snowy day.  I had not eaten a Funky Monkey in ages and I was very excited to get one.  My husband bought me the biggest... not sure I needed it but it was my dinner that night!  NAUGHTY!!!   So whats in a Funky Monkey?? Vanilla ice cream Peanut butter Bananas Crunch topping YUMMY GOODNESS IN MY BELLY!   Ice cream is my weakness! 

Honey Bunches of Oats has developed a new flavor that will make you smile!  The new combination includes crispy mango flavored flakes with real coconut shavings and coconut flavored granola clusters to make a tropical explosion in your mouth.   Each serving provides: 10g Whole Grain 120 Calories 6g sugar 9 essential vitamins and Minerals 4 wholesome grains Heart Healthy Ron find more information out about Honey Bunches of Oats please check out their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HoneyBunchesofOats Winter here in the North Woods of Wisconsin sure is feeling long this year but with the help of Honey Bunches of Oats and their new Tropical Blends we can feel a bit more warm.  :)  So to be honest here I am not a huge fan of coconut so I will stick to my favorite Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds.  My husband and one of our youth group students though gave this cereal two thumbs up.   They both commented that the blend provided a nice sweet wake up call to their taste buds

Painting our own hair clips sure made for an evening of fun!  :)  We found some plain brown clips at the Dollar Tree and we thought we would make the BEAUTIFUL with nail polish!  :)  I really wanted my daughter to practice painting with her nail polish since she is more of a dabber instead of brushing down neatly on the finger nail so a little practice with hair clips would be fun! So far the clips have kept the paint on nicely!  We used a color and a glitter layer on each clip.   If you are trying to find a fun and cheap activity to do look no further and get the hair clips out and embellish them with your own flair!  :) 

CANCER CURED... I bet we all can agree that when a cure for Cancer is found there will be lots of celebrations world wide!  I remember in high school my teacher said in only a couple years you will know someone who has or had cancer, sadly I never thought it would be my mother.  Whats worse is being able to count more and more people I know who have battled this disease!  If you have followed my blog you have seen a post here or there especially in the month of October hearing about the loss of my mother due to her battle with leukemia.   Ten years may have passed since her going home to Jesus party but the heart ache still is present.  This year my family is helping to make a difference.  We have formed team Bette Boop, thanks to my sister who started this team last year!  I am so proud of her efforts last year that it made me so eager to jump on board the team and get raising funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.   For more then 60 years, The Leukemia &

I had the pleasure of reviewing another item from "The Orb Factory."  Some of you might have seen my review on the Veggie Tales Sticky Mosaics Review and recall how much fun it was to create each Veggie Tale character.   This time we were able to review the Fairy Box, another Sticky Mosaics item but in a fun jewelry box,  perfect for my little girl.   Thank-you Orb Factory for sending me the Fairy Box to conduct my review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine. My daughter was in need of a jewelry box and being able to help create it was fun for her.  It took her quite awhile to get all the stickers on but she enjoyed it a tremendous amount.  She did need help with the jewel type stickers.  They were harder to peel off then the foam kind.   I thought we were going to run out of the stickers for each color but sure enough we never did and always had extra's to spare.  :)  Every little girl needs a jewelry box and this one tops the ca

If you have a little girl and have not heard of the Knot Genie then you need to watch the following video:   "The Knot Genie™ and Teeny Genie™ Detangling Brushes were created for every mom that has endured the foot stomping and screaming matches that come with brushing their child's hair. With the Knot Genie, even the curliest, most knotted up hair practically slips through the unique bristle configuration – gently and painlessly. Try the Knot Genie on your kids (or on yourself) – you'll be amazed by the ease of brushing, as well as how it virtually stops breakage and split ends. You've wished for hair brushing standoffs to end. Wish granted." My Review:  Thanks to the Knot Genie for sending me the product to conduct my review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions expressed are 100% mine.  I know I have grown so tired of my daughter coming to tears every morning when we did her hair. I was becoming to think she was the most

Prolific author and poet Eileen Spinelli has written more than 40 celebrated books for kids.   Now she’s using her talent to reimagine a favorite Bible story in the new children’s book,  NORA’S ARK   (Zonderkidz; $14.99; February 2013) .  With beautiful purple-hued artwork designed by award-winning illustrator Nora Hilb,  NORA’S ARK  introduces an ambitious young girl who attempts to recreate the biblical story of Noah’s Ark in her own backyard. My Review:  I absolutely love the story line in this brand new children's book!  I know one time my kids and I reenacted the "Jonah" Bible story which reminded me of this story.   As a parent it is exciting to hear or see your child retell or react a story they have heard, and even more proud when it is a Bible Story.  Nora is an adorable girl who is pretending to be Noah and even though she does  not do it exact her imagination runs wild with the story and her innocence shines through.   My kids both en

Author Joyce Magnin Continues to Inspire Young Readers with a Magically Sweet New Book “Magnin’s riotous imagination is fun to run with; she’s cooked up a sweet story.”— Publishers Weekly “Magnin maintains a delicate balance between a fablelike fantasy and reality fiction.”— Kirkus Reviews Many would consider a moist, icing-topped slice of cake the ultimate comfort food. Now, in Joyce Magnin’s  CAKE (Zonderkidz; $14.99) , the delectable treat takes on a new meaning when a young girl discovers the secret behind the tasty baked items prepared with a special recipe. In her new book, the celebrated author of  Carrying Mason  tells the story of 12-year-old prankster, Wilma Sue, an orphan who fears she’s destined to hop from one foster home to the next for the rest of her young life. When she is sent to live with sisters and missionaries, Naomi and Ruth, Wilma Sue hopes she’s finally found a home to call her own. As she adjusts to her new surroundings, Wilma Sue learns - th

Who knew we would spend about 45 minutes playing with this yellow ball and kids cooking pot.  My little guy has a pretty well known obsession with all balls!  He see's one and he is after it.  I actually had to leave Target one day because he was having a melt down because of a ball...sigh!   In our hallway we simply played several throw and catch games.  We used the pot to bounce the ball and throw the ball.  We bounced the ball off the wall and off each others tummies, and he laid on the ball for some fun rolling and balancing too!  You can believe we will be doing this activity again and probably soon!  He has several other balls that I'm sure he will want to try these games with.  :)  You can see the pure fun and joy on his face in the picture below.  :)   Today, I encourage you to find a ball and find some new ways to play with it.