Something to be thankful for...

Silliness on this  chilly morning...

{Book Review & a Giveaway}

An Untamed Heart 

by Lauraine Snelling

About the book:

Ingeborg Strand lives in Norway with her family, she fears that she will be an old maid. She carries a lot of responsibility in her family, including watching over those who go to their mountain home to watch over the sheep in the summer months. During the summer in the mountains, she falls in love when she least expected but when that love is lost, she must decide how to move on.

This book is a prequel to the Red River of the North Series, which I have not read. I enjoyed the aspects of the culture and time period of this book but struggled to follow the story at times. If you have read the series already, this might offer great background to answer questions created along the way. I appreciated the aspects of Ingeborg's family relationships and her desire to honor her family even in difficult situations.

If anyone is interested in reading this book, leave me a note and we will draw for someone to get it on Friday.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions my own. 

{Bible Review}

The Wayfinding Bible

Helping you navigate God's Word

I received The Wayfinding Bible about a month ago free from Tyndale House in return for my honest review. Wow! That is the first words that came to mind when I opened this new Bible to look through the first time. This Bible is set up to guide you through to scripture to really learn and gives great directions a long the way.

There are 3 options of reading plans to choose from (there is a fourth- to read cover to cover but that's not one they present.) 

The Flyover Route- 54 readings that help you see what took place when in Biblical History.

The Direct Route- 215 readings through scripture that give perspective of the Bible, what happened and how it fits together in less than a year.

The Scenic Route- 386 readings that dives deep into scripture to help you learn and grow as you read your way through.

Each route is clearly marked with an emblem throughout the Bible with instructions on where to go for your next reading. ALong the way, you can also choose to follow Side Trips that are topic specific. Other study helps are included such as Historical Markers and Scenic Overlooks that tell about locations, events in history and the role they played in the big story.

This short video does a great job showing you how this Bible and it's reading plans work!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-I7r-mGCTE&feature=youtu.be

I think this is an awesome Bible to head into the New Year with, many start the year with grand plans of reading through scripture but soon fail. In that failure, we tend to just quit. With this Bible, you can choose you plan, it can be realistic for each individual and the extra resources and information it provides along the way will encourage you to keep coming back for more.

I am loving working my way through the Scenic route as I take Old Testament this fall. I recommend this Bible to anyone who wants to dive into scripture and learn. It is also a great resource for families who want to follow a reading plan together for devotions or for an accountability group who wants to read through scriptures together. 

*I recieved a free copy of this Bible to review from Tyndale House in return for my honest review. Thoughts are all my own.

{For this Friday, Nov. 22, 2013}

This time of year seems to get so busy here.
I am far behind on my blogging but thought I'd share a bit from today...

We went from Fall to Winter rapidly yesterday afternoon and woke to snow this morning and it is still snowing!

 My kitchen seems a little empty as the microwave died... 

but ham & beans on the stove and homemade rolls rising still make it wonderful...

Candles ready to package, we have craft fairs the next 3 weekends that we are selling them at. All the funds raised from the candle sales are to raise funds for our mission trip to Eastern Europe in Feb. Shawn has served at the SHARE Education Conference for missionary families the last 5 years and has taken a couple of our kids with him each trip. This year, we are going to serve as a family! We are excited, but are working to raise support for it. We have many Thanksgiving and Christmas Scents, email me if you are interested:) 

Our fireplace doesn't work as a fireplace, but we love to keep it filled with candles, it just makes life seem  a little warmer when the "real feel" outside is 11 degrees.

 It's also wonderful to curl up in front of for a little nap...

Yesterday, several packages arrived at our house... one was our Christmas Cards!
They are here in plenty of time... we'll see if they make it to you by Christmas!

Still limping along here, but my heel fracture is healing. That is good news! I get to keep this little friends for awhile longer though.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving next week, are you?
We have a stack of read aloud books to enjoy together, here are a few...

{Fall Leaves}

We live in a part of the country that doesn't get to experience fall color very often...

The leaves that do fall, the wind carries away quickly!

This past weekend, we went to visit friends and the weather was beautiful!

The kids had a great time playing in their leaves in the front yard and they got a clean yard, at least briefly before more leaves fall!

Thanks Jeff & Ina!

They raked and jumped in pile after pile!

 Then Mr. Jeff got out the "big boy toy..."

and the boys started cleaning up the piles...

{The gift of friendship...}

Testing a science experiment...

 Weaving and laughing together while enjoying the beautiful weather together...

{with Thanksgiving...}

Fall is here.
 Leaves are turning shades of yellow, orange and red and dropping from the trees.
Mornings are frosty with delicate ice crystals on the blades of grass, limbs and leaves.
With fall comes football, decorations and Christmas music already in the stores.
I love this time of year but it is also busy, often too busy I think.

Lately, I haven't taken the time to give thanks.

Instead I have been wrapped up in the chaos of life...

Running to doctor appointments for the kids here and there, living rural means that often the doctor we need to see maybe a long car trip.

Focusing on what we need to get through in school instead of really seeing what we are learning and finding joy in it.

Worried about studying for my test in Old Testament and getting behind instead of really diving into the Word and learning and seeing God in the words and the pages.

Worried about the way my house looks instead of focusing on it being "home," a place of peace, joy & memories that we can share with those around us...


Sometimes Satan steals our Joy by drawing our focus to the craziness instead of the rest in Him...


So this morning, I am choosing to find the things I am thankful for and make note of them...

Here is my list this morning...

*the rainbow over the weekend, a reminder of His promises...

* Fancy Nancy... I love reading her books to my girls. At one point, each of them have loved them, right now, it is Clara who wants Fancy Nancy read to her every day! Abigayl is also enjoying the new Nancy Clancy series too!

*Cardinals in the backyard...

*Fresh pressed coffee each morning... right now we are enjoying the Thanksgiving Roast from Mystic Monk Coffee.

*Baked doughnuts! Yesterday we celebrated "Doughnut Day"and made baked donuts- Apple Cider Donuts & Cinnamon Roll Donuts. We enjoyed the left overs for breakfast this morning... YUMMY!!!

*frosty mornings...

*boys working on math together as they practice counting money...

*Filipino food brought by a friend...

*soft yarn, waiting to be used on the loom...

*Organizations like A Child's Voice, who are taking a stand to make a difference in the lives of children around the world. They have a great auction going on here right now!

What are you thankful for today?

{Trunk or Treat}

The Avengers & The Princesses had a great time last night...

We headed to truck or treat at our church to hand out candy and go trick or treating...

 Even daddy got in on the fun....

Together at home handing out candy later...