We found this super cool (and HUGE) electronic game at a neighborhood park in Atlanta.  I wish our parks were this cool!

A few days ago, I ran across Libre tea glasses somewhere on the internet.  (If I remembered where, I’d give credit and thanks, but it was a case of following one link after another and I lost track!)  This might sound strange, but I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind since!  They are very functional glasses, of course, as they allow you to brew and drink loose-leaf teas all in one travel container, but they’re also beautiful.  I love the simplicity of the design.

I also love that they are eco-friendly and the parts of the glass that come in contact with hot liquids are all health conscious – glass, stainless steel, or BPA-free polycarbonate.  The outside wall of  the glass ‘n poly option is made from BPA-free polycarbonate for added durability.  If you’re braver than I am and/or don’t have small children, the glass ‘n glass option is also available and just as beautiful.

I can’t tell you how well the Libre functions…yet!  There aren’t any local retailers in my area, but I hope to be able to order one from Libre soon!  I’ll make sure to report back once I get my hands on one and try it out!  If you get one before I do, please let me know what you think.

Disclosure:  I don’t have any kind of relationship with Libre, other than a love for their products!

When I was offered the chance to review a new book about getting yourself organized in a practical way, I jumped at it!  Pretty Neat – the buttoned-up way to get organized & let go of perfection is a new book from authors Alicia Rockmore and Sarah Welch.  You might recognize Alicia and Sarah as the women behind Buttoned Up organizational products, too.

This book was exactly what I needed to read!  The first part of the book discusses the ideas that many women have about organization.  Many of us, whether we admit it or not, believe that our homes need to be perfect and pristine.  That idea really isn’t very practical when we are living in our houses, especially when there are children living there, too!  Alicia and Sarah offer anecdotes, quizzes, and conversations with women who have battled the feelings of perfection – and won.  Most of all, they offer practical advice to helping you overcome those feelings and then give you the tools to move forward.

The chapter I’m struggling with right now deals with clearing out the clutter at home.  This is a HUGE problem at our house.  For the first time, though, I feel like I can tackle it successfully by following The Four R’s that Alicia and Sarah have put forth as a cure for clutter – Routines, Rules, Regards, and Review.  I’m going to implement this at our house and I hope you’ll check back to see how we’re progressing!

Would you like to join me in the adventure to let go of your ideas of perfection?  Great!

BUY IT:  You can buy a copy of Pretty Neat for $14.95 from the Buttoned Up website here.  They also have a bunch of great organizational products, so take a minute to check those out, too.  I’m a big list-maker and many of their list pads are on my wishlist!

WIN IT!

One reader can win their own copy of Pretty Neat AND be entered to win a $200 gift card (same as cash) and a selection of Buttoned Up organizational products (ARV $50)!!

To enter, leave a comment on this post sharing the area of your home/life that has become a source of stress for you.  If you’ve been successful in changing it in any way, please share your ideas, too!

This giveaway will end on Sunday, March 20th at 10:59 Central time.  The winner will be notified by email, so please make sure to include a valid email address with your comment.  Winner will have 24 hours to reply back to me and claim their prize, or a new winner will be chosen.  Good luck!

EDIT:  Congratulations to Cindy T., winner of the Pretty Neat book.  I hope it will help you with your organizational goals – and ease some of that stress on your husband

Disclosure:  I was provided with a copy of Pretty Neat to review.  I was not required to give the book a positive review and the opinions above are my own.

I recently had the opportunity to review The Velveteen Bible from Tommy Nelson Publishers, and it could not have been at a better time!  My older son has his Bible that he takes to church every week.  Lately, my younger son has been asking where *his* Bible is when we get ready to leave.  I’m thrilled that he has this adorable version to take to class with him.

The book itself is perfectly sized for smaller hands and features fuzzy flocking on the hard-bound cover.  Artwork, featuring the adorable cover bunny and friends, is spread through the book.   The text inside is the New King James version of the Bible.  It’s important to note that this is not a book of  stories for children, but is the full text of the scriptures.  Our personal family preference is for the ESV version and I think that could be a better choice for a Bible geared specifically toward children, but the text itself (font, size, etc.) is very readable.  The book comes in a keepsake box that also has the fuzzy features of the book cover.  Declan carries his Bible with him around the house and asks to take it with us when we head out, too.  The Velveteen Bible is suggested for children 4-8 years old, though Declan is only 3 and does very well with it.  I think it would make a great gift anytime, but would look especially adorable in an Easter basket!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I was fortunate to have many truly great teachers all through my education.  For that reason, I never fully understood what a true blessing a great teacher can be in the life of a student.  When my older son, Alex, first started pre-school, it was a rocky road.  For various reasons, Alex is not the ideal student for most teachers.  We encountered a few teachers who were up to the challenge at the beginning, but quickly grew weary and gave up.  One teacher, though, stuck with him and tried and tried again until we found something that worked for Alex…and then tried once more when that wasn’t the long-term solution.  We are grateful that Ms. April was so willing to work with Alex and has a genuine love for kids.  Thanks, April!

It’s already back-to-school time and Tiny Prints is helping teachers kick of the year in an exciting new way!  Tiny Prints, a leader in online stationery products, has created a new line just for teachers.  They can send students a personalized welcome greeting card, send personalized thank you cards to parents, and celebrate student successes with award cards.  In support of building a connection between parents, students, and teachers, Tiny Prints is offering these personalized greeting cards for FREE to teachers beginning tomorrow, Monday, August 2, 2010 and running through October, 31, 2010.  In order to take part in this offer, teachers will just need apply the code:  Apple2010 at checkout.

If that isn’t enough fun for you, please also join Tiny Prints Teacher Greeting Card Twitter Party this week!  The party will be happening this Wednesday from 4:00pm – 5:00pm Eastern.  Just log on to Twitter or your favorite Twitter platform and use the hashtag #makeitpersonal to participate.  I hope I’ll see you there!

Disclosure:  This information in this post is provided as part of my affiliation with Global Influence.  I was not compensated for this post, though I do have a chance to win a gift card as a result of my participation.  The opinions expressed are my own – we really do love Ms. April!

This isn’t a great photo, but this is the water slide at the Hilton Fallsview in Niagara Falls.  Alex had such a great time on this slide!

What is it?

In What’s In the Bible #3, Wanderin’ in the Desert, Buck Denver and his cast of friends take us through the next three books of the Bible—Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—helping kids understand how these books fit in with Genesis and Exodus to make up the Pentateuch and to set the stage for the trials and victories of God’s people. The question “Did this stuff really happen?” is also answered.

From the man who made vegetables talk (and sing and dance and tell Bible stories) comes this third release in the engaging new series that walks kids through the entire Bible! Each DVD is filled with an entertaining cast of characters who bring the most powerful Bible stories to life using humor, creative storytelling, and fun songs. Join VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer on a wild and zany journey and see the world’s most amazing book come to life.

What do we think?

We were invited to review Wanderin’ in the Desert by Tyndale House Publishers for the What’s In the Bible Blog Tour.  I was really excited because I had seen the first two DVDs in the series in our local bookstore and considered getting them, but the boys never seemed to be all that excited about them.  I wish I had purchased them!  These would have been a perfect addition to our homeschool curriculum last year.  There is so much great information packed in each episode there AND the boys loved them!  Alex watched Wanderin’ in the Desert three times in a row and I found myself watching it when the boys weren’t even home!  I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, so there are still many things that I’m learning.  I think the What’s In the Bible series would be a great resource for new believers, too!

We’re on our official summer break from homeschooling, but I can see many opportunities to use these DVDs in our curriculum.  When it’s complete, there will be 13 DVDs to cover the entire Bible, so there will be a lot of material!  Each DVD is broken up into smaller episodes and includes a song or two that can be watched without searching the episodes to find it.  For this particular DVD, I think we would use it first to do a study on the word “holy.”  This is one thing that Alex pulled out of this episode.  There is more than one meaning and this was something I had totally missed — until I watched the DVD!  Since there is sure to be a lot of discussion surrounding each of the DVDs, as there already has been, we will probably use these as part of our family worship time and not as part of our structured school day.

There is something new for everyone in our family to learn from the What’s In the Bible series and I’m looking forward to the upcoming episodes!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of What’s In the Bible #3, Wanderin’ in the Desert, as well as the first two DVDs in the series, from Tyndale House Publishers for our review.  My review is my own opinion and the opinion of my family.  You may have a different opinion.

This is the lake in my hometown.  I’ve spent many summers swimming in the water and many winters skating on the ice.  My mom remembers when one family moved their house across the frozen lake one winter.  Crazy!