Praises of a Wife and Mommy

One day she might get really mad at me for posting this picture but at the same time she smiled and said, "cheese."  
I guess the reason behind this post is to remind my lil girl that she will always be beautiful inside and out...no matter what.  
I love you Selah!

I had fun with this easy one so much that I did it at home and at school with my students.   
Simply get paint and a fork, dip your fork in paint and use it as a stamp to make colorful flowers.  
My daughter got creative using more than one color on her flower where my son's flowers look like the wind is blowing.   I love them both.  

These flowers would make a great homemade gift to send some family!  Get your creative juices flowing and get the paint out! 

Overview:
From the creator of the Read with Me Bible comes The First Easter Ever, a simple retelling of the mission, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This colorful holiday book is sure to become a favorite of little ones.

My Review:

This is a cute comic book looking story on the life of Jesus.  The art work makes me giggle a little and it makes it fun for kids.   The story does not hide the truth of the brutal death Jesus endured for us.   It is a story that is perfect to share and discuss the true meaning of Easter.  This is a very affordable book through Zondervan- $1.99!   I know this story will be pulled out often and will for sure be used to describe and discuss Easter.   

I got a very silly boy on my hands.  One minute he is telling me I am "weird" when he saw me using my eye lash curler.  The next he grabs it and tries to curl his eyebrows...LOL! 
What are some fun and silly things your kids have done lately?

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY TITUS!!!
My little guy was blessed with his own beautiful sunrise on his special day!  
We started our day with this view and then moved on to yummy donuts for                       breakfast.  

Sadly, I had to go to work after this but daddy spoiled him and took him to a jumpy place in town.  He also got ice cream that day too!
Later in the week we went to Chuckee Cheese for a birthday party!
Yes, he did wear his Hulk costume to his party!  Why would I want to argue his creativity?
At Chuckee Cheese they have some fun new birthday things such as this cool super hero cut out and of course the pizza and games!     
This guy right here is 4 and these last 4 years have been awesome.  I am blessed to be your mom!


Dear Titus,
You are my little super hero!  You find joy and fun where ever you are!   You love to be silly and joke around all the time.  There are days where you want to cuddle and be a mommy's boy and other days where independence in the name of the game.   You…

Just because a person has beautiful, straight, white teeth, doesn’t mean their mouth is a picture of health. There are several components people should address if they wish to have the healthiest smile possible and ward off potential health problems as they age. The mouth is tremendously important, as it is a key element of delivering nutrition to the rest of the body. It is a key component of delivering affection to others, and is the avenue through which we communicate. It’s important to stay current with dentist appointments and invest in having the healthiest mouth possible. Dental problems will only multiply as you get older, if left untreated, and they can have dire consequences. Here are a few important components to having a healthy mouth. Healthy GumsYour gums are made of a soft skin around your teeth, designed to keep bacteria away. If you have a build-up of plaque that is left untreated, your gums can become infected, which causes gingivitis. Toxins can irritate and inflame …

Well it might not feel like spring this morning with the snow/ice mixture... especially since last Monday it was 81 degrees!   What a difference a few days can make.   
My beautiful girl is almost done with 1st grade.  This year she has made many good friends!   Her heart is sweet and tender and her attitude always seems positive.   She is an awesome big sister!   Right now her favorite things are pink, American Girl Doll stuff, playing games on her tablet, singing, and any crafty stuff.  

The Beginner’s Bible Stories about Jesus follows the story of Jesus’ life from his humble birth to his life as an adult as he preaches and teaches the people. Using the classic iconic art and simple text from The Beginner’s Bible, this padded board book will appeal to the youngest reader with its message of God’s love and its stories of the miracles and words of Jesus.

My Review:
This wonderful book shows the birth, miracles, and death of Jesus.   It is a great book with wonderful illustrations.  This is a board book which is great for those little hands!   Overall your son or daughter will hear some of the key stories of Jesus in this little beginner Bible.  My favorite story included in this Bible is Jesus and the Children.   I love being able to remind my kids how much Jesus loves them and this story always leads to that special message.   

Thank-you Zondervan for sending me this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.  I was not paid for this review and all opinions are…

About the Book:
Based on Psalm 1:1-3:
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit in each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. Oliver loves pretending to be a pirate, but learns that blindly following others doesn’t leave him with a good feeling inside. In this Scripture adventure, kids join Oliver as he rights the wrongs done by his so-called Pirate friends. Though it all, Captain Oliver learns that following God’s way is the true way to wisdom! The second book in the Firefly Chronicle series brings entire sections of Scripture to life via imaginative, fantastical stories that use a passage from Psalms to help children understand and applly biblical truths to their lives. Each book in the series will depict Oliver wearing a different costume as he imag…

Who is ready to win some skincare items?  
If you are like me then winter has dried your skin out a little too much and the thought of summer oily skin is make you smile!   (seriously though I have had some major dry skin!) 



One lucky winner will have a choice between the Vitamin C Serum or the Hyaluronic Acid Serum.  

Is Your Hyaluronic Acid Serum Safe? Beware of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Serum products that use harmful fillers/additives which damage your skin! At Joy & Karma, our hyaluronic acid serum only has safe & awesome ingredients like... ★ Aloe Vera: Soothing moisturizer packed with beneficial nutrients
★ Witch Hazel: Dr. Oz recommends witch hazel for treating acne & insect bites
★ MSM: Helps body manufacture glutathione - a powerful antioxidant
★ Jojoba Oil: Helps regulate sebum resulting in less oily skin
★ Green Tea: Combats free radicals with its antioxidant properties
★ Geranium Essential Oil: Stimulates wound healing and reduces inflammation
★ Vitamin C: Need we say more?
…

Are you craving more Jesus?    



If you watched that video I hope you are more excited to purchase this great Bible Study DVD and book!  
As a pastor's wife I am always trying to find more things to do with our ladies group that will encourage them but give them more understanding of their true identity with Daddy God.   This video series is inspiring and life changing!  
We have completed week 1 of a 12 week study using this resource.   I have previewed each video and love the variety each women brings as she delivers a timely message for a variety of women.  
The book also gives a brief bio on each woman who shares.   They six ladies all have different backgrounds and are a wide range in ages.   
In each video they include a testimony from a lady- I was awe inspired by the boldness that each lady brought to share their sometimes very hard struggle they endured but so encouraged by their faith and trust in Daddy God.   
The book provides great discussion questions that will help take th…

The snow is melting and spring is near and Easter is fast approaching!  I am so excited!!!   Excited for all the above but also to bring you this 4 book giveaway from Zondervan. 

I love finding non candy or junk food items to put in my kids Easter baskets... so I hope you will be blessed to win these four awesome books to put in your child's basket!  Some other non candy items I have put in my kids baskets include:  DVD, colors, chalk, coloring books, books, Easter outfit for church, hats, sunglasses, headbands or hair clips, shes, and yes a little bit of chocolate.  What have you put in your kids baskets?  



The giveaway includes: 
Tiny Bear's Bible
The Beginners Bible Miracles of Jesus Princess Faith

A bear to hug, a Bible to love, and a promise to treasure: God loves you! Tiny Bear’s Bible is a warm and fuzzy reminder of how God loves his children—in a format kids can cuddle. Together with their friend Tiny Bear, children discover eleven Bible stories in a book they can carry with …

For many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home. This is why updates in this part of the home usually pay off. You can get back well over 150 per cent of your investment on the upgrade of your kitchen, as long as you avoid going overboard.  It is counterproductive to make the kitchen fancier than other parts of the house, but a great kitchen can also help a house more quickly. Why you should carefully consider before taking the plunge into a deluxe kitchen There are many occasions where houses put up for sale have remained in the market longer than they should simply because the owners made the mistake of making the kitchen look miles better than other parts of the house. Imagine spending tens of thousands to upgrade the kitchen of a 1900 home to one from 2015; then realising that it just doesn’t fit. Such remodelling will see the introduction of appliances, countertops and features that will make the kitchen feel like it was dropped in from a high scale restaurant kitchen. This ne…

You know your child is not feeling well when....

It was so hard to see him like this.   He thankfully only threw up one time and slept through the whole night.   

Only God Can Make A Kitten, written by award-winning author Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by bestselling artist Laura J. Bryant, follows a conversation between a mother and child as the child repeatedly asks "Mama, who made . . . ?" In the end, children learn that God is responsible for everything in creation—including kittens!

My Review:
Thanks Zondervan for sending me this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.   I was not paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine.  
If you are searching for a fun rhyming book then this is one that is sure to please all ages.   The author writes in a whimsical way that is fun for all audiences. 
I really like it because the story walks through an adventure that a child and mother walk through.   It reminds me of my walks and adventures with my own children.  
This is a story that is sure to please!   It retails on Zondervan for $12.99.

Can you find me in the video?

After a long week with conferences and cold weather it was fun to come to work and have a little fun with a dress up day--- 80's Style!   
I was born in 1984 so I really don't remember much... I mean I do remember: ET Karate Kid The Great Outdoors- Had to watch this the night before as it is a favorite! 16 Candles Smurfs Care Bears I guess there is a lot to remember even if I was young!  


If you couldn't find me in the video I am the one on the left.   

My husband can come up with some of the best illustrations for church and this particular one has been one of my favorites.   This was his last sermon in his series "Make me Love."

As you can see we have star stickers and circle stickers.  First he asked us to think of things we didn't like about us or things God needed to change in us and use the white stickers.   Then he asked us to use the star stickers for things we did like.   Then we had to go around and do that for others.   Obviously most people hand out the star compliments.   It felt really nice to hear some nice things about myself but it was fun to see others get excited when a compliment was given to them.  

Along with that activity he also read the book, "You Are Special" by Max Lucado.   It was adorable! It is a great story that explains the above illustration!    
Overall we have to remember we are made in the image of Christ!  Many of us though have been deformed- corrupted by sin and this world a…