Jesus Calling Bible Storybook Review & $25 Family Christian Giveaway

Have you heard of the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook?  I am currently reading through this Bible with the kids and we are really enjoying it.  Like most Bible storybooks for children, Sarah Young includes a short devotion with each Bible story.  However, unlike most devotionals, these are written in first person, as Jesus speaking to the reader.

Hmm.  I flipped through and read a bunch of the devotions, and so far I have to say that they all line up just fine with the Bible.  In the introduction, she explains that in her personal life her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue as she grew in her time with God.  And, she emphasizes that these writings are not inspired like Scripture but they have helped her grow and become more intimate with God.  And of course, she published Jesus Calling (which I have not read at all.)

B reading to D about Moses.

One story that I particularly like in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  Often times children's Bibles will water down this story or simply get it wrong.  However, Sarah Young nails it.  "Our God is able to save us from that furnace, but even if He doesn't, we will serve Him anyway," the men said.  Yes!

I have not finished this book.  However, I have read through quite a bit so far with my kids.  We are not reading it in order either; when we sit down to read it I let different kids pick different stories.  We read it and then discuss it aloud.  I do have my own classroom :).

Keep reading to see more Jesus Calling books.  Oh, and I have to tell you about the upcoming sale.  These books are ALL going to be 50% off starting November 14th.  What a great opportunity to get a great price.
And are you familiar with twitter parties?  On November 14th at 1-2 pm EST there will be a #JesusCalling twitter party.  There will be PRIZES!  Five participants will win the beautiful 10th anniversary edition of Jesus Calling and a $50 Appreciation Certificate.  Five other participants will each win a $50 Appreciation Certificate for a total of 10 prizes during the party!  I hope to see you there.


Jesus Calling Devotional for Kids


10th Anniversary Edition

Ready for a giveaway?  Family Christian is generously providing a $25 Certificate to their store.  Just enter the giveaway below and good luck!  Open to US/CAN residents.

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Disclosure: I am proud to be a Family Christian Blogger and Affiliate.  This post contains affiliate links.  I was provided with my own copy of Jesus Calling Bible Storybook to facilitate my review and Family Christian is sponsoring this giveaway.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Saving Christmas Review & Giveaway

Okay, I know you have heard of Kirk Cameron.  I remember Growing Pains well from my childhood.  Last week I was honored to be on a teleconference call with none other than Kirk Cameron himself.  It was awesome!  He poured out his heart, shared about his family and told us more about his upcoming movie, Saving Christmas!  Being a homeschool Mom of six children is such an amazing blessing - but it is not always easy.  I have my ups and down just like everyone else.  And last week, I was having a hard day.  My kids were doing great in school that day but I had a hard time shaking off a conversation I had the night before, where a total stranger felt the need to give me their opinion about why homeschooling may not be the best idea.  Well, I was so encouraged in this phone call; it was refreshing to hear that Kirk homeschools his own six children for many of the same reasons we choose to homeschool. 

 Kirk how I remember him on TV growing up.

Another awesome thing that happened is that I was able to pre-screen Kirk's new movie, Saving Christmas which hits theaters in just two days on November 14th for two weeks only!

The premise of the movie is simple.  At a family gathering in his own home, Kirk's brother-in-law is having a hard time celebrating Christmas.  He is struggling with being a Christian and feeling that our traditional and cultural celebrations do not honor Christ or the true meaning of Christmas.  Topics discussed include:  Who is Santa Claus and what does he have to do with Christ?  Why do we decorate and display Christmas trees in our homes?  What about materialism and presents?

I, like Kirk, love Christmas!  I too love the food, baking, decorations, music, atmosphere and spirit of giving.  And as a Christian David and I have definitely talked through our family Christmas traditions and what we want to do and what we prefer to leave out.  We were interested to see things that we both already knew and to see some things in a new way.

Please read more about the movie below and enter to win Saving Christmas swag.

About the movie:
This Christmas, have your family join with Kirk Cameron's family and dive headfirst into all the joys, dancing, celebration, feasting, imagination, and traditions that glorify the true "reason for the season."  Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas is an engaging story that provided a biblical basis for our time-honored traditions and celebrations, and the inspiration to stand strongly against a culture that wants to trivialize and eliminate the faith elements of this holy season.  So take in the splendor; take in the majesty; take in the story.  Take it all in...and let's put Christ back in Christmas!

You can watch the trailer here, visit the official website here and visit the official facebook page here.

Saving Christmas Swag Prize

Ready for the swag giveaway!  One reader will win some Saving Christmas swag which includes a signed Saving Christmas movie poster, the soundtrack to the film and a car air freshener that smells like Christmas trees.  Just enter the giveaway below and good luck!

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Disclosure:  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for this giveaway.  Choice of winners are 100% my own and not influenced by monetary compensation.  I was able to pre-screen Saving Christmas in exchange for this review and post.  Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. 

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates

Have you heard of Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates?  Mrs. Cavanaugh's candies have earned a reputation for unquestionable excellence....Ask chocolate aficionados.  They will direct those seeking the best chocolates to the popular Mrs. Cavanaugh's Candies.  I have not tried them but I am looking forward to receiving a box.  I know the kids will be excited.  You too can receive 1 lb FREE of Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolates when you Buy 1 lb.  Just use promo code: usfamily2014 http://www.mrscavanaughs.com/

They do look delicious!

Keep reading to learn more about Mrs. Cavanaugh.

Time was when Marie Cavanaugh spent hours in her South Dakota farmhouse each Christmas season making pecan rolls and homemade chocolates for holiday gifting.

"It started when my aunt sent her pecan-rolls recipe," Mrs. Cavanaugh recalled. "I gave the recipe my own touch and started making the yummy specialties. Then I began dipping chocolates. Our friends and neighbors loved these treats, encouraging me to start a candy business. Finally, I decided it might be a good idea.'"

Her husband George and children Carla, Lorraine, Calvin, Colene and Genise rallied, helping Mrs. Cavanaugh fill demands for her homemade sweets.

...In 1972, the family moved to Utah, leaving good friends and their beloved cattle ranch.

"It was a difficult decision, especially for George," Mrs. Cavanaugh said. "He was excited about making our new venture, which we chose to call Mrs. Cavanaugh's Candies, a great success. We felt Utah was blessed with good chocolates and that we would enjoy - and could compete with - those who pride themselves on making excellent chocolates."

Disclosure:  Thanks so much to USFamilyGuide for allowing me to participate in this campaign.  I will receive a 1 lb box of Mrs. Cavanaugh's chocolates for review as part of this campaign.

Dress Up Your Chick-fil-A Nuggets

Do your kids love Chick-fil-A?  More specifically, do they love their nuggets?  I know mine do.  I wanted to show you a few ways to dress up your Chick-fil-A nuggets.  The kids and I made two creations, one with the new grilled nuggets and one with the traditional nuggets.  Of course these are interchangeable between the two kinds of nuggets, whatever you prefer.

1.  Nugget Pinwheels

Kids love pinwheels!  They are bite sized and they always look fun.  I came up with this idea because I have no problem getting my kids to eat nuggets but it can be a challenge to get them to eat spinach.  Why not, combine the two and see what happens.  I used a whole wheat tortilla, Chick-fil-A sauce, spinach, Chick-fil-A grilled chicken nuggets and shredded cheese.  Of course you can vary your spread of choice, cheese and even add more veggies.

Whole wheat tortilla and Chick-fil-A sauce

After spreading the sauce on the tortilla, I added spinach and Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets.

I decided to go ahead and add a little cheese.

Roll up the tortilla and cut in slices to make your pinwheels.

Finished Pinwheels

Delicious!

2.  Nugget Nachos

Our family loves nachos.  The kids typically like them more plain with a little cheese.  I thought it would be fun to add their favorite Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets to the mix.  I used tortilla chips, salsa, cheese and Chick-fil-A original chicken nuggets.  Again, you can vary this up quite a bit but this should get you started.

 

 Tortilla Chips

 Add salsa and cheese

 Add chicken

 Melt together

 Finished chicken nachos

What do you think?  Do you have a creative way to dress up your nuggets?

2014 Holiday Gift Guide with Family Christian & $25 Gift Card Giveaway

I know it is only the first week of November but Christmas is right around the corner.  Family Christian is a store that I visit every year!  Last year David and I got new Bibles for A, B and C and that has been awesome.  David has them read passages of the Bible on our way to church.

Here are some Holiday Gift ideas from Family Christian:

1.  Beauty and The Beet


You know our family loves VeggieTales!  In this one, Mirabelle and her traveling family band, the Veggie Tones, are determined to get to their next gig.  When a fierce winter storm hits they get stuck at a run down resort.  Mr. Beet, the grumpy resort manager, has them clean and sing for their supper.  Why is Mr. Beet a beast?  Can Mirabelle's kind heart change him?  Find out in this tail of unconditional love.

Our kids really like the songs.

2.  Love Ran Red by Chris Tomlin



We are huge Chris Tomlin fans!  In fact, our church sings several of his songs.  How Great is Our God and God of this City are two of my favorites.  I haven't purchased this CD yet but it is definitely on my list!

3.  A Christmas to Believe In


This is a Family Christian exclusive!  This holiday CD will help you get in the spirit of Christmas and remind you of God’s love and faithfulness this season.  Matthew West’s new song, the title track "A Christmas to Believe In," was written especially for A Christmas to Believe In, which also features songs by Mandisa, Kari Jobe, Jeremy Camp, Colton Dixon, tobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman, Hillsong, Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin and the David Crowder Band.  We already have this and it is awesome!

 I cannot believe this CD was only $5!

4.  Fisher Price Little People Nativity



We have had our Fisher Price Little People Nativity for at least 10 years.  The kids love it!  It is wonderful to have a nativity that is the perfect size for children.  It is a great way to introduce the Christmas story and give them an opportunity to role play.

5.  Veggie Tales DVDs



I know I already listed Beauty and The Beet but Family Christian has an amazing sale on other VeggieTales that it is worth mentioning.  If you have veggie lovers on your shopping list, you might want to pick up one of these amazingly priced DVDs.

6.  Adventure Bibles

Family Christian has an array of Bibles to choose from.  If you are looking for a new Bible or trying to find your child's first Bible they have a nice selection to do so.

Last year we purchased the NIrV Adventure Bibles for B and C and they love them.  They are designed for children ages 6-10 who are ready to explore the Bible on their own.

 I like having B and C read passages together.

And another thing I have to mention, Family Christian is partnering with Destiny Rescue this year.  Destiny Rescue is a grassroots, internationally recognized, Christian based, non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing children from human trafficking and sexual exploitation.  Family Christian hopes to raise the funds to fully fund Destiny Rescue in the Dominican Republic for a year.  All their profits from November 22-30 will go to this cause.  What a great opportunity to shop Family Christian and support this cause.  Maybe you will buy some of the above mentioned items!

Ready for a giveaway?  How about something to help you get a heads up on your Christmas shopping?  Family Christian is generously providing a $25 Certificate to their store.  Just enter the giveaway below and good luck!  Open to US/CAN residents.

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Disclosure: I am proud to be a Family Christian Blogger and Affiliate.  This post contains affiliate links.  I was provided with a Family Christian Certificate for my own use and Family Christian is sponsoring this giveaway.  All opinions expressed are my own.

New Purex Crystals Aromatherapy Review & $10 Gift Card Giveaway

It's about that time again!  The time for me to tell you about one of the latest Purex products.  As a Purex Insider I was able to try the new Purex Crystals Aromatherapy scent infusions.  Purex Crystals Aromatherapy comes in three different scents - Well Being (fragrance of fresh blossoms), Energy (citrus) and Serenity (gentle scent of water-lilies). 

I am using the Energy scent which is great because I love citrus!

 My first load with these Crystals.

How do you use Purex Crystals Aromatherapy?  Simply add your Purex Crystals into the washer's tub at the beginning of the wash to supplement your laundry detergent.  The Crystals will permeate your clothing with an aroma that will last much longer than a few days, more like weeks!

You already know that I have six children and as a family of 8 we generate a lot of laundry.  Sometimes I feel as though our dirty laundry breeds :).  I know it doesn't but it sure feels like it.  I have been using my new Crystals for the last several weeks in at least 30 loads of laundry.

So, what do I think of them?  I really like the smell or aroma.  I thought it might be a bit strong at first when I added them to my first load but it wasn't.  The Energy variety is not overly citrus but I can smell the citrus vibe.  My clothes came out fresh and clean with a nice aroma - not overpowering but strong enough to notice.  I really like that the Purex Crystals are safe to use on towels, active wear, sleepwear, etc.  And I found the aroma to last longer as stated.  Now, I am not really sure if it lasts weeks and weeks because remember we are a household of 8 and our laundry doesn't sit around without use - we use it!  I am extra excited that these are safe on my work out gear and my towels always seem to need extra refreshing so this is perfect.

Ready for a quick giveaway?  I was given 3 free product coupons for Purex Crystals Aromatherapy to give out.  However, since their expiration is 11/31/14, I decided to give those to friends and I am giving a $10 gift card to one of you to try Purex Crystals Aromatherapy for yourself!  Winner's choice of Walmart or Target gift card.  All you have to do is enter the form below.  Good luck!

Want to check out the latest Purex news?  You can connect with them on facebook, twitter and instagram!

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Disclosure:  Thanks so much to the Purex Insiders program for allowing me to be a part of this campaign and providing me with a sample of the New Purex Crystals Aromatherapy for my review along with coupons to give out!  As part of this campaign I am eligible to win prizes!

A Great Christmas Gift - Remembering Teddy Ruxpin

My Cousin and I at Christmas time.

When I think about Christmas when I was younger there are many things that come to my mind - midnight mass, date nut rock cookies, family gatherings, the hallway being wrapped and presents.  Yes, every year my Dad would wrap the hallway with wrapping paper from the floor to the ceiling so that children could not get up and peek in the middle of the night.  This tradition has actually carried over as David and I have done this several years now.

Me in front of our Christmas tree.

My parents "spoiled" us when we were younger.  I didn't understand that times were tough and they worked hard to provide a wonderful Christmas every year.  It is only as an adult that I understand how difficult this was and truly appreciate how much they sacrificed for us.  One gift that really stands out in my mind when I was a kid was the year my grandfather sent me a Teddy Ruxpin.  Do you remember him?  He was an animatronic bear that would read stories from cassette tapes that were inserted into his back.

This is what my Teddy Ruxpin looked liked.

I was so mesmerized by my talking bear.  I loved listening to him tell stories and sometimes I would just stare and watch his mouth and eyes as they moved.  I had no idea I was getting him for Christmas and it was such a happy surprise.  Unfortunately, I have no idea what became of my Teddy.  Hopefully he was passed along to someone else who was able to enjoy him.  Do you have a favorite gift memory when you were younger?

If you have been in the stores lately it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  I am so excited about celebrating Christmas, with my family and friends, and making new friends along the way.  Gifts are important, "God so loved the world that He gave ..." of Himself on Christmas, and there is much joy and blessing in giving and receiving.  But I do understand that the Holiday season is about much more than a gift.  I do love to see the kids' faces light up though. 

I am excited to take the kids to the Walmart Holiday Toyland event next Saturday, November 8th.  During the event, we will get to test out the hottest holiday toys, find out more about the free Walmart Layaway program, and take photos with our favorite toys.  I am really interested to see what the new toys are and interact with them and the kids.  We just might be picking up something for our Operation Christmas Child boxes at the event.  You can share your photos using #chosenbykids.  Go here to see the list of participating stores and event dates.  I hope to see you there!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post as part of the Walmart Holiday Toyland campaign through Sverve.  All opinions expressed are my own.