• Book Character Parade

    For the Book Character Parade at school the girls their class featured the book “The Crayon Box that Talked” by Shane Derolf.  The kids and teachers dressed up as crayons for the parade.  Every class featured a different book.  It was a neat seeing the kids get excited about their book.  A lot of parents, grandparents, extended family and friends came to watch the kids in the parade.

    They each got to pick and color the crayon of their choice.  Brina was a pink crayon and Karlie was a blue crayon.  It was cute watching them walk in the parade with their classmates.  Thankfully the weather was beautiful that day too.  I always enjoy participating in the fun events at the girls school.  The kiddos are growing up so quickly!

  • Book: Better Homes and Gardens

    Grandma Willa gave me this cook book –  Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book as a wedding gift and we use it all the time.  Grandma Willa is one of the most amazing cooks I know.  I am thankful for the times we had cooking together.  Grandma is still cooking a lot of meals for family and friends but due to distance I am not able to participate in her cooking adventures as often as I like.  Below is the note she put in my cook book, which I treasure even more then the cook book itself:

    What’s Cooking?

    Bridgette,

    My Aunt Zell Body, gave me a BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS cook book as a Wedding gift.  It was my first and faithful cook book, and I found it to have many helpful hints as well as great recipes.

    I and the girls wore one out, and almost the second one over the many years.  If I couldn’t find something, needed to substitute, know cuts of meat etc….. I’d go to old faithful BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS.  I hope this new version is as good or better than my old one was.

    Happy Cooking!!!

    Love,

    Grandma Willa

    “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35

  • Book: “Cooking for Kids, Kids’ Party Food”

    My Mom gave me this book for Christmas 2005 Favorite Brand Name: Cooking for Kids, Kids’ Party Food.  The girls were still small then but it has been a great book that all of us have enjoyed over the past few years.  We love looking through it and have tried many of the recipes; several have become family favorites.  It has creative recipes that the girls love helping me with and some they can do almost on their own with a little adult supervision.  Once they start reading it will be even easier for them.  There are are pictures along with creative ideas for cooking and parties. If you are looking for a great gift for a young child or Mom and they like to cook this may be an awesome book for them.

  • Borders 50% Off Coupon (12/14 to 12/16)

    Borders has a coupon that takes 50% off the list price of any one item.  Good from December 14, 2010 to December 16, 2010. In store use only.   Must be a Border Rewards member, free to sign up for a Membership.

    Terms and conditions:

    Valid with Borders Rewards membership only. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion, sale pricing, coupon, or discount, including group discounts, except Borders Bucks, Borders Rewards Plus 10% off purchase-price and Personal Shopping Day 10% off purchase-price discounts (10% off purchase-price discounts are taken after all other discounts are applied, including this offer and Borders Bucks, if any). Offer Excludes: Borders Rewards Plus memberships, previous purchases, special orders, shipping, gift cards, coupon books, newspapers, magazines, comics, eBooks, audiobook downloads, music downloads, vinyl LPs, Rosetta Stone® software, video games, and all electronics (including eReaders), and eReader Protection Plan Packs. Single-use only: One coupon per customer during the valid period. Original coupon must be relinquished at time of purchase. Void if copied, transferred, and where prohibited by law. Any other use constitutes fraud. Cash value .01¢. Not redeemable for cash. Valid 12/14/10–12/16/10 at U.S. Borders, Borders Express, and Waldenbooks stores only. Not valid at Borders.com.

    Looking for a Borders location near you – Store Locator

  • Free Tickets to Six Flags (Students & Teachers)

    Six Flags is offering free tickets to students and teachers.  Six Flags and Discovery Education are encouraging students to read through their Read to Succeed Program.   More details about the program below:

    Read to Succeed is a free educational program sponsored by Six Flags to inspire kids in grades K through 6 to engage in recreational reading. Students who complete six hours of recreational, nonschool-related reading are eligible to earn a free admission ticket to a participating Six Flags theme park. Teachers whose classes participate and complete the program are also eligible to earn a free ticket. Schools must be within a 250-mile radius of a participating Six Flags theme park in order to participate.

    Check to see if your school is participating.  It looks like even those homeschooling can participate in this program.  They are starting this program in January 2011, but you can go ahead and sign up now. It is wonderful seeing companies rewarding students for reading. 

    Thanks Money Saving Mom and The Freebie Blogger!

  • Free Audio Book: “Handel’s Messiah” by Calvin R. Stapert

    FREE Audio Book Download:

    For the month of December Christian Audio is offering a free download of their audio book “Handel’s Messiah: Comfort for God’s People” by Calvin R. Stapert.  His music is well known, the book gives more insight into this great musician’s life and masterpieces.  Make sure to submit your order by December 31, 2010 to get your free audio book.  Thanks Christian Audio!

  • Gift Giving: 12 Days of Christmas

    This year we decided to spread the Holiday Cheer out at our house this year by doing the 12 Days of Christmas.  Christmas morning can be so busy and this allows an opportunity to spread the fun over 12 days instead of packing everything into one day.  Starting December 13th the girls will be able to open one a day until Christmas.  The cost was less than $20 total, including boxes and wrapping paper.  Most of the gifts were bought on clearance over the past year.  We did a joint stack for both of our girls, however, you can choose to do a stack for each person.

    Here is what our 12 Days of Christmas includes:

    • Day 1:   A Labrador Puppy Christmas Ornament for each (purchased with rewards last year after Christmas on clearance).
    • Day 2: A CD with Songs and Stories – 1 on Traveling and 1 on Classical Stories and Songs (purchased with rewards in $1 section)
    • Day 3: Travel Game for 2 – Connect 4 (found on clearance at Bi-Lo for 49 cents)
    • Day 4: 4 Plastic Christmas Cups – Red with Snowmen (purchased with rewards on clearance last year)
    • Day 5: Books – 1 on “Helping Others” and 1 on “Forgiving” (purchased at Dollar Tree)
    • Day 6: Christmas Craft with Stickers (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 7: 2 Mini Mouse Candy Canes filled with Christmas Tree Candy (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 8: 2 Snowman Coloring Books and 1 Princess & 1 Cars Coloring Craft Ornaments (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 9: 2 Snowman Headbands (purchased with rewards on clearance)
    • Day 10: Rub on Color Pattern Craft (received free with a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Deal)
    • Day 11: A pair of Fuzzy Slippers for each – 1 Pink Set and 1 Purple Set. (Picked Up on Black Friday)
    • Day 12: PJs for each to wear Christmas Eve – 1 with Owls and 1 with Rockets (Picked Up on Sale and used a Coupon)

    Other Ideas for 12 Days of Christmas:

    • Hair Accessories
    • Facial Cleansers or Make Up – if you have a teenager just starting to wear makeup or want to update your collection my Mary Kay contact is doing a 12 Day of Christmas set!  If your husband is looking for something awesome to get you he may want to contact Ann too.
    • Socks or Tights
    • Chapstick
    • Socks
    • Gloves or Scarf
    • Card Game
    • Construction Paper
    • Markers or Crayons
    • Matchbox cars
    • Small Toys
    • Baby Doll Clothes
    • Christmas Underwear
    • The ideas are endless!

    I wrapped them in the original boxes or found ones around the house to put the items into.  The Christmas paper was purchased on clearance last year with rewards.  Many of the items we purchased on clearance throughout the year and / or used CVS – ECBs and Walgreens – Register Rewards.  I cannot remember the price for all the items but with the rewards it may have been under $10 out of pocket for the entire set of 12 gifts and some days had multiple items in them.  We did a joint stack for our girls to save money, however, the items we picked match their individual interests (for example the craft with one being princess and the other being cars).  When the girls walked into the room and saw the stack of gifts they were super excited.  Now they are counting down the days to Monday, December 13th to start the 12 Days of Christmas celebration.

  • Book: “Speaking Mom-ese” by Lisa Whelchel

    This book was given to me after I had the girls, Speaking Mom-ese by Lisa Whelchel.  The first few months after the girls were born were a blur after having 12 weeks of bed rest, followed by an early delivery, complications, and time in the NICU.  It was encouraging to have a devotional from a Mom’s perspective even though a lot of the stories were regarding older kids.   The devotionals were short, sweet, and hit home during those exhausting months.  Since then I have gone through the book again and different devotionals touched my heart this time around.