Litfuse Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhan

About The Life Ready Woman:

Are you a ‘Doing it all’ or ‘Do what matters’ woman?

Whether a stay at home; or working mom, an airplane-hopping executive, an empty-nester caring for multiple generations or a single juggling high demands of career and personal life, today's fast-paced modern world leaves women gasping for balance. We as modern Christian women want to look to the Bible for guidance on how to manage our lives -- but because the world of women looks so different today than it did when the Bible was written, it is hard to find chapter and verse that seems to apply to our situation today.

Thankfully, God has given us exactly that timeless, unchanging guidance for how to find peace, clarity, and God's best for our lives once we know where to look! The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World, reveals a profound biblical roadmap for how each of us can find the abundant life we are longing for, rather than the stressful, torn, how-do-I-balance-it-all life we often feel like we are trying to keep up with today. Actually being a LifeReady Woman means that you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God’s best for you, and the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world.

God has given every wonderfully unique woman different skills and abilities, different desires, and different temperaments -- and every woman around the planet and through the ages is certainly living in different circumstances. But no matter what a woman’s life looks like, the Bible says that God has an individual mission and plan that He’s carefully designed for each of us. And He wants us to find it. Starting January 2011, The Life Ready Woman and the Life Ready Woman Video Series will help every wonderfully unique woman to thrive as she identifies and courageously pursues God's unique design and callings for her. LifeReady Woman puts you on a roadmap to make decisions that will lead to relief, delight, and fulfillment instead of regret.

About Shaunti Feldhahn:

Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author of the book For Women Only, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, TNT and Fox News- to name a few. You can learn more about her many activities by visiting her website Shaunti.com or get some great mom advice from her at MomLifeToday.com. She and her husband live with their two young children in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoy every minute of living at warp speed.

About MomLife Today:

At MomLife Today you will enjoy community with real moms experiencing every age and every stage of MomLife—right alongside you.

Moms need friends we can walk through life with, but more importantly we need friends who will encourage us and equip us in our role as moms in an honest and transparent way … and that’s just what you’ll find by becoming part of our MomLife Today community! We believe that every MOMent counts!

We admit it, being a mom 24/7 is not easy. Rather than lament the role of motherhood, however, we choose to embrace that role and learn from each other how to make it through each day with the right attitude. Come share the joys, sorrows, insanity, and special moments of motherhood with us as we live it and candidly write about it…we’ll have lots of fun along the way! Join us, and do tell… What’s happening in your MomLife Today?www.momlifetoday.com

In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!

Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!

Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:

1. 2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
2. 2 Life Ready Woman DVD packs. $149 value each (Two different people will receive this gift.)
3. 5 The Life Ready Woman books. (Book will go to 5 people.)

To enter click one of the icons below then tell your friends. Winner will be announced on March 2nd on the MomLife Today website.

MomLife Today provides encouragement, advice and resources to help YOU with your daily Momlife! Because…every MOMent counts!

DVD Review: Chuck Swindoll’s Paws & Tales “God Cares for You”

Read to the bottom of this post to see how you can get a FREE DVD.

Chuck Swindoll’s Paws & Tales: God Cares for You DVD consists of two series: The Good Shepherd & A Good Foundation. Included in the DVD are coloring pages and lesson plans for the two stories.

Since this is a DVD for children, I am including my children’s personal reviews of this product.

Review by Artsy Princess – 12 years old

I like Paws & Tales because even though I’m 12 years old, I can still relate to the characters. It is like a Bible that you can watch.  I found it entertaining and the songs had very catchy lyrics. The song in The Good Shepherd episode shows how God treats us with tender loving care.

The Good Foundation episode talks about how God is our rock, how He is strong. I like the episode because I saw an easier way to understand how God is a rock. God is my foundation in life.

I think all kids should watch Paws & Tales to understand the Bible better. 

Review by Sunshine Princess – 6 years old

Paws & Tales is pretty and it’s like the Bible. Because the Lord is our Shepherd, I shall not want. We are like the sheep and God takes care of us. God can take care of all of us even if we are a lot of people. I’d like Mommy to help make Paws & Tales really famous.

The Good Foundation is very nice. The club treehouse and the water house is so pretty. Marsha was deep in the water because it’s so cold. I think the water is ice. I learned that they should pick a tree that is not going to break. The tree should be strong. They should pick a pond that is not cold so when they got dipped in the pond, they won’t be freezing.

I like Paws & Tales very much because it’s like a Bible shown on TV. I want to watch more Paws & Tales!

MY THOUGHTS

I confess that my children like to watch a lot of TV. And I don’t always watch the TV shows with them. 

When I do watch it with them, sometimes I’m shocked at what they are watching - cartoon shows with stories that are not appropriate for little children. The one thing that I have concluded from all that TV watching is that with all the beautiful graphics on these shows, it’ll be hard to compete for children’s attention.

That is not the case for Chuck Swindoll’s Paws & Tales God Cares for You DVD. My children found it very entertaining, the animal characters are relatable and the stories very relevant. Since the episodes included Bible verses recited by the children, now I hear Sunshine Princess reciting Psalm 23. The songs are also easy to follow along to so that my 3 year old Flash Boy can also sing along. I find the stories a great way to cement the teachings of the Bible to children. 

To continue in the fun, Paws & Tales also have an online membership club where children can play fun games for free and learn more about God. You can check out this club here: http://www.tyndale.com/pawsandtales/

I highly recommend Chuck Swindoll’s Paws & Tales God Cares for You for parents who want their children grounded in God’s word.

GIVEAWAY (for Philippines only)

Feb. 24 – Mar. 3, 2011

I am giving away a certificate for this same DVD. The winner of this certificate will have to mail it to Tyndale USA to claim the DVD.  Here are the mechanics to join this giveaway.

1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect = 1 raffle
2. Follow me on Networked Blogs = 1 raffle
3. Subscribe to my blog = 1 raffle
4. Sign up for free Paws & Tales Club Membership = 1 raffle
    Go here to sign up - http://www.tyndale.com/pawsandtales/
5. You can do all of the above or just pick one or two, then leave me a comment here telling me what you have done. For example:
   “Hello Michelle! I’d like to join this giveaway. I have done numbers 1,2,3, 4. ”
6. Don’t forget to include your email in your comment so that I will have a way to contact you. The last day to post your comments here is Mar. 3, 2011, 11:59PM local time.


Disclosure: I received a free copy of this DVD from Tyndale as part of their Blogger Review Program. I am not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Seeds of Turmoil by Bryant Wright

I’ve told the Bible stories of Moses, Abraham, Sarah & Hagar, Ishmael & Isaac, Jacob & Esau and the Israelites’ exodus to God’s promised land countless times to my children. I,too, have known and read those Bible stories since I was a child but I have not been able to connect them to what is currently happening in the Middle East. It was only after reading Seeds of Turmoil – The Biblical Roots of the Inevitable Crisis in the Middle East by Bryant Wright that I understood the connection.

Part 1 traces the roots of the Middle East conflict to the one major decision that Abraham and Sarah made to try to ‘help’ God in giving them a child. Through Sarah’s maidservant Hagar, Ishmael was born. Then after many years, God’s covenant child through Sarah, Isaac, was born. Bryant Wright wrote clearly why this became the root of the conflict. The he goes on to explain how Isaac’s heirs, Jacob and Esau’s conflict, grew from that seed of sin that came from Abraham and Sarah. The author then clearly explains the history of the following generations connecting it to the current crisis we see in the Middle East.

Part 2 of the book explains the Jewish, Islamic and Christian perspective. These last three chapters gives voice to each of these group’s perspectives and gives reasons for why they act that way. The book ends with the author’s final thoughts – three important questions that will help us more to understand God.

MY THOUGHTS:

Having had the opportunity in the past to do an in-depth study on the Old Testament, I was very excited to read Seeds of Turmoil – The Biblical Roots of the Inevitable Crisis in the Middle East by Bryant Wright. The book did not disappoint me because everything was explained so clearly. The author also provided maps to help in understanding history. Though there were a few pages when it started to become cumbersome, it also quickly picked up when I read the three different perspectives.

I believe that this is a book that every Christian has to read so that we can see and understand how God works. Especially the last part of the book where the author answers three important questions about God. Bryant Wright did a great job in pointing out how the sin of unbelief can affect all of us in the years to come. I can’t say enough good things about this book. I am highly recommending Seeds of Turmoil – The Biblical Roots of the Inevitable Crisis in the Middle East by Bryant Wright.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Socialization in the Eyes of a Homeschooled Teen

Here is an essay by Guitar Babe about socialization. Since socialization is one of the first things we get questioned about, I thought I’d ask my teenager to share her thoughts on this. Online casino Ireland. ###

They say homeschoolers are unsociable. I don’t believe so. I think homeschoolers are actually very sociable. Why do I say this? Because I am a homeschooler. It is not hard for me to make friends outside my home. My mom taught my siblings and me to be expressive of ourselves. So, whenever we’re in public, we are not shy around people. We are also capable of holding a whole conversation with a person much older than us.

 People have questioned me, “Since you’re homeschooled, do you have any friends?” or “Do you get exposed to people outside your home?” or “What about your social life?” I’ve been asked those questions countless number of times. I get relieved when they ask me those, because some people just judge us right off the bat. “Ah, homeschooler yan, walang mga kaibigan ang mga homeschoolers.” (Oh she’s a homeschooler, she probably doesn’t have any friends.) Pretty offensive, right? And when that happens, I have to defend myself and tell them, “No, that’s not true. We have friends. We get exposed (to people) a lot.”

Homeschoolers participate in a lot of extra activities that get us exposed to other people. We join sports, arts and crafts, music, etc. We also have a support group with other homeschoolers. It’s nice to know that we are much alike and different at the same time. We have different personalities, but we still get along with each other very well. And they agree too, that homeschoolers are sociable.

The other homeschoolers I’ve met are outgoing, friendly, and sociable. They also have lots of friends like me. So it is not true that homeschoolers don’t have many friends.

 

*Photos courtesy of J. Tanael*

Guitar Babe plays the guitar and sings for our church’s Praise and Worship Team for the last three years. She actively participates in the Youth Group in two of our churches. She is currently one of the popular youths in a group of about 150. The church we go to is at the 4th level of a mall. The moment we arrive in the mall and on our way to the 4th floor, she is constantly greeted by many friends.

She also participates in 3 sports groups where she has met many friends. The third sports group is one that she has observed practicing diligently at the park. She was very interested to join the group. With my help, she introduced herself to one of the members and inquired about joining. She is now learning a new sport with this group.

TOS Crew Blog Walk Week 16

Finally, my blog is now a part of this Blog Walk! I am so excited. Here are the featured blogs for this week. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Our Best Daze
2. The Joy of School
3. Spell Outloud
4. to the sea with me
5. Half Dozen Mama
6. Creative Learning
7. Homeschooling My Miracles
8. Beyond The Silver and The Gold - A Filipino Family's Homeschool Journey (This is mine.)
9. My Own Sense and Sensibility
10. Happily Homeschooling

TOS Review: Kid Scoop’s Reluctant Reader Solution

If you have been following my blog, you would know that I’m a wide reader. When I had children, it was important to me that my children grow up with a love for reading. At this point, I can say that both my older kids have inherited my reading habits – the good and the bad. I say this because I don’t like reading the newspaper. So both Guitar Babe and Artsy Princess are not reluctant readers, but reading the newspaper was the one thing that I was unable to pass on. How can I when I can’t model it for them?

Kid Scoop’s Reluctant Reader Solution became the solution for that. The Reluctant Reader Solution comes in two parts:

Part 1 – The Reluctant Reader Solution E-book: A downloadable PDF File

This massive e-book is filled with 365 worksheets that your child can use for the whole year. Every set is 5-7 pages and is in newspaper format. It is in black and white for economical printing. Each worksheet is based on one high-interest topic and is filled with fun puzzles, short articles, great graphics, math activities and vocabulary builders. The worksheets are designed to spark interest in the child in a fun way. Learning truly happens while the children are having fun.

There was one particularly stressful day for me when the children were just teasing each other to tears. I was at my wits end which lead to some screaming (by me) and more tears (by the children). A few days later, I checked out my Reluctant Reader Solution E-book and found a topic about teasing. I printed two copies for my children and we spent time reading through it and discussing it. It was good because instead of me sermonizing down to the kids, we had a discussion about teasing. Guitar Babe did feel that the activities were too young for her, but the topic was relevant.

Part 2 – The Reluctant Reader Solution Online Newspaper for Kids

This online newspaper was something that sparked much interest and provided fun for Artsy Princess. This is the monthly subscription to Kid Scoop News. Kid Scoop News can be read online or may be printed out.

The online version is just like reading an actual newspaper online complete with the flipping sounds of turning pages. Each Kid Scoop News can be downloaded and saved to your PC in PDF. It also features an audio for kids who may want to have it read to them. I didn’t like the audio, however, because of its robotic quality.

The better option would be to print it out so that the child can do all the pencil activities. Artsy Princess definitely enjoyed the Kid Scoop News and says “They make reading the newspaper not boring. I’d like to have this every month, Mom.”

The Kid Scoop’s Reluctant Reader Solution can be purchased for the price of $97.00. This price is for both the ebook and the monthly subscription to Kid Scoop News. The best part about this is that the owner is offering a one-year, full money-back, no questions asked, guarantee.

If you are not yet sure, you can also check out the Kid Scoop website and sign up for the FREE 30 Awesome Exercises and Ideas to Make Reading Fun. Once you sign up, you will get in your inbox, for the next 30 days, a daily delivery of different activities to encourage your children to read the newspaper. The activities are all fun and easy, the children won’t even notice that they are already reading a newspaper!

To find out how my other TOS Crewmates reviewed this product, please visit our TOS Crew Blog.

Disclosure: I received this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew in exchange for this review.

Our Sweet Valentine’s Celebration

Gary D. and I had planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day by visiting the Manila Ocean Park during the day and capping it off with a romantic dinner at a nearby hotel. Both of us were looking forward to a relaxing day enjoying the Oceanarium's collection of sea creatures and getting our feet’s dead cells sloughed off by the fishes at the Fish Spa.

*Photos are from the Manila Ocean Park Website*

God had different plans for us, however. Last Saturday, while caring for my children, I suddenly felt lightheaded followed by difficulty of breathing. As it worsened, I decided to go to the hospital ER. On Saturday night, I was confined again in the hospital for an asthma attack. We ended up spending Valentine’s day at the hospital.

Gary D. will not be stopped with his affectionate shower of love for me. He arrived at the hospital from work one night with a beautiful bouquet of roses.

The next night at home, he came bearing more sweet gifts – a large, heart-shaped gingerbread cookie and my favorite – blueberry cheesecake.

 

Our children were so excited with their Dad’s gifts for me. It was really a sweet Valentine’s celebration for our whole family.

Litfuse Blog Tour: An Unlikely Blessing by Judy Baer

In celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.

(Read to the bottom of this post to find out how to win)

Alex Armstrong, a new pastor and a city-dweller, is hired to pastor two churches in the farming community of Hilltop Township in North Dakota. He is anxious about whether he can adjust to living in a place where you have to drive miles to get to the corner grocery store. Another concern is whether or not the members of Hilltop parish will be able to adjust to a new pastor. An Unlikely Blessing by Judy Baer is the first book in the Forever Hilltop series.

When he arrives there, he, at first, finds the place too quiet for someone who is used to street traffic. Then he meets the people of Hilltop and soon finds himself involved in the lives of his members. He discovers that the two churches that hired him have been at odds with each other for a long time. How he leads the churches, gets to know the members and helps them in their various life problems and how he adjusts to living in the country is what An Unlikely Blessing is about.

MY THOUGHTS

At first, I thought that the book moved a bit slow. However, a few hours after receiving the book in the mail, I found myself still devouring the book with its rich characters. It was interesting getting to know every character. Since I don’t have the luxury of much time to read, I had to put down the book. Next time I pick it up, I always find myself looking forward to how the story would develop. The ending is just right and I am hoping to read the next book in the series.

Ms. Judy Baer is an excellent storyteller, developing every character very well. The setting is described very well so that I can almost feel that I’m there.  This book is a Christian fiction book and is a great read for the whole family.

About Judy: Judy Baer is the author of over seventy-five books for adults and teens. She has won the Romance Writer of America Bronze Medallion and has been a RITA finalist twice. She lives in Elk River, Minnesota with her husband. Follow the Hilltop characters on Judy’s blog and find out more about Judy and her books at http://www.judykbaer.com


Prolific author of over 75 novels, Judy Baer, is launching her new Guideposts series, Forever Hilltop, with a KINDLE giveaway! The first book in the series, An Unlikely Blessing is available now wherever fine books are sold.


Read the reviews here.

In celebration of the release of An Unlikely Blessing, Judy is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.

One lucky winner will receive:

• Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi
• A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com

To enter just click on one the icons below and then tell your friends! Winner will be announced on February 21st on Judy's blog, http://www.judykbaer.com/wordpress

For more information please visit the Litfuse website, www.litfusegroup.com and click {HERE}!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Learning English Grammar with KISS Grammar – FREE

In my past blog posts, I have recommend several FREE resources that can be found online for homeschoolers to use. I have tried a few of them myself but still feel that I have not yet found the best resource for teaching English Grammar to my children.

Until I came across KISS Grammar, that is. KISS Grammar was created by Dr. Ed Vavra, an English professor at The Pennsylvania College of Technology. Disturbed by the way that English is being taught in schools in the US, Dr. Vavra decided to put online his method of teaching English grammar. At this point, KISS Grammar is FREE. Dr. Vavra has been so generous that he created workbooks for every grade level. Although he teaches college students, his workbooks are geared for the elementary learner and onwards.

I’ve been using KISS Grammar for my children since September last year and I am happy to say that it is a treasure indeed. Along with every workbook is a Parent’s Guide. It contains the answers for every exercise and the background explanation for the lessons. A treasure, right?

You will have to read the "An Introduction to KISS and the Master Books" first. You can either read it online or print it as I have because it is very, very long. If you prefer to print, go to this page and download the doc version. If you have older children, maybe you can teach it using the Master Books only. But if you would like to apply it to the children's curriculum on a per level basis, you can use the printable Grade-Level workbooks. If you decide to go with the workbooks, read "An Explanation of the Grade Level Workbooks".

The KISS Grammar website is HUGE! You may be intimidated by it as I have been, but with time and  patience, you will soon understand it. All workbooks/parent’s guides are downloadable, as are all the instructions and background information.

Remember, patience is the key for you parents. Once you start using it, I’m sure you will find it a treasure as many already have.

Dr. Ed Vavra also actively participates in a Yahoo group here. Anyone using KISS Grammar can join this group to participate in the discussions. Any questions directed to Dr. Vavra will be replied to by the author in a timely manner.

Again, here are the links:
KISS Grammar site: http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/KISS.htm
KISS Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KISSGrammarGroup/
An Introduction to KISS and the Master Books (online version): http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/LPlans/Overview_Levels.htm
An Introduction to KISS and the Master Books (doc version): http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/PBooks/index.htm
An Explanation of the Grade Level Workbooks (online version): http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/LPlans/Overview.html
Printable KISS Grammar Books: http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/PBooks/index.htm#Grade_Level

A note from Dr. Ed Vavra:

Michelle,

I really appreciate your blog post. The only thing that worries me is that you suggest that there are already completed books for each grade level. I'm coming close to a complete set for sixth grade, but there is a long way to go before there will be a complete set for every grade from three through eleven.

The other thing that has me wondering is if some people think that fifth graders, for example, are supposed to do ALL the fifth grade books, and then ALL the sixth grade books? That is not the case, but I'm not sure the explanation on the Printable Books page makes that clear enough.


Thanks again,
Ed

MIghty Book Jr. is FREE

Here’s another great FREEBIE! Mighty Book Jr., a site with tons and tons of read aloud classic books is FREE! Just enter the coupon code learntoread and get a one year membership FREE! This one year membership is valued at $99. I’ve signed up for this site and it is just great!

Go to the membership site here: http://www.mightybookjr.com/members/signup.html

TOS Crew Review: The Curiosity Files with Professor Anna Lyze: QUICKSAND

If you remember a few weeks back, I shared here that my sister and I left for an 8-day vacation. Some of you may be wondering, “What about her children’s homeschool? Wouldn’t that delay them?” Actually, all throughout the last schoolyear, I would leave on business trips about every other month. These trips would take between 4-10 days. I’m also concerned about my children’s education while I’m away so what I do is to leave them daily assignments.

For the last trip away, one of the assignments that I left Guitar Babe was The Curiosity Files – Explorations with Professor Anna Lyze, Expert in Outlandish Oddities: QUICKSAND by . Before assigning this unit study, I had a look through it and decided that this is something that she can do by herself. I have reviewed other Curiosity Files (Dung Beetle and Puffer Fish) before I’m confident that Guitar Babe will like it.

Upon coming back, Guitar Babe had finished about half of it. She learned that quicksand is not all that it’s hyped about in movies, that it has four components and that it can make an appearance anywhere as long as the four components are there with the right conditions. Now she knows what to do in case she gets trapped in a quicksand.

She did ask me to help her with the Bible study on quicksand. The problem she had was that the verses included were in King James Version. For someone used to reading the New International Version of the Bible, this can pose a difficulty. Nevertheless, after reading the NIV, we had an interesting discussion on the difference of temptation and sin and why it is important for a person to have God’s Word as their foundation in life.

The Curiosity Files – Explorations with Professor Anna Lyze, Expert in Outlandish Oddities: QUICKSAND was created by Heidi Strawser and her research team and published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Heidi and her team are homeschool moms themselves so they know what would make this unit study interesting for the students. As with all the other Curiosity Files ebooks, Quicksand is a great mixture of important facts, Bible study, history, copywork, math investigations, crafts, and helpful links to the internet. Answer keys are also included.

MY THOUGHTS

I am glad that this unit study can be done with a little less teaching time. Aside from that, no prep time is needed as all the activities are laid out for you.  The facts are well researched and beautifully presented in multi-colors. I really don’t mind printing it out for the children since colorful pictures and illustrations will keep them interested in the study. What made it even more interesting were the puzzles included in the study plus the arts and crafts. Though I only had 15-year old Guitar Babe do this study, it is still appropriate for those who are 8 years old and above.

This ebook is available for sale from The Old Schoolhouse Store for only $6.95 or as part of a 9-Pack Bundle for $46.00. For other reviews, please go to our TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

Disclosure: I received this ebook for free as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew in exchange for a review. I am not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Double Shot by Erynn Mangum

Double Shot by Erynn Mangum is the last of the Maya Davis Novel series published by NavPress. Maya Davis, who is now engaged to the love of her life, Jack, believes that all will go well from then on. Little did she know that planning their wedding is a complicated matter by itself. Add to that the prospect of a major life change brought on by getting married. But when Jack is offered a better job which entails a transfer to another city, Maya begins to doubt if marrying Jack is God’s will for her. She is resistant to the thought of having to leave her family, her job and her church family. What will she do?

Double Shot is a feel-good story that is appropriate for the older teens and the mature singles. The manner in which Jack and Maya carried on in their relationship is very refreshing. Jack and Maya have promised to each other that they will wait until getting married to be intimate. So they spend their time working hard, getting to know each other better, caring for their family and ministering to others in their church.

MY THOUGHTS

I have not read the other books in this series, but I believe that each book can stand on its own. There are no parts where I have wondered what happened in the past books, and I think that’s a good thing. It is good to read a book about Christian singles who have made loving and serving God a vital part of their lives. I love the family dynamics shown in this book where love flows in and through the whole family. The relationships with their friends and churchmates are a joy to read about. I would highly recommend this book for parents to get for their growing teens and for Christian singles.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

My Energizers

I thank the good Lord for these four children of ours. Last year, when I was so exhausted from all the Christmas activities that all I wanted to do was stay in bed, they are the ones that kept me energized. Every morning I’d wake up so weary from the activities of the day before, the little ones would come to me and kiss me good morning. The big ones, too, would come to my bed and greet me. Their laughter, their hope for the day, their excitement always rubbed off on me. I always find myself getting up for them, knowing that they also put their hopes in me.

Thank you, Lord, for each of these children whom You have entrusted to my care.

Q&A Time: 10 Reasons Why We Like Kreative Kids, Moms & Dads

Some time ago, I received a follow-up email from Inquiring Mom. I already answered some of her emails in the past here. She asked me why we decided to enroll our kids at Kid’s World Integrated School/Kreative Kids, Moms and Dads after going independent for two years. I’ve decided to share here the reasons why we like KWIS/KKMD. Here it goes:

1. MAPE – Every Saturday, we go all the way to Ortigas where all the homeschoolers meet. They have floorball, music, arts, performing arts and a lot of other extras. All these activities are included in our low enrollment fee.

2. Open curriculum – KWIS/KKMD does not impose what curriculum we would like to use for our children. We are all free to choose what we want to use, how we homeschool our children. The negative side of this is that if you are a new homeschooler, choosing homeschool materials from the thousands available out there may be difficult at first. But talking with other homeschool families can solve this dilemma.

3. DepEd Records – Children enrolled at KWIS/KKMD will not be classified as Out of School Youth by our Department of Education because of Kid’s World Integrated School. They are enrolled and will receive report cards every end of the school year.

4. Mommy Support – The friendship and camaraderie that parents share at KKMD is tremendous. We share our lives, we pray for each other, we share our hopes for our children, we look out for each others’ kids. I love it. This is not to say that there is no friction. Any place where you’ve been there for some time will cause friction among its members. It just depends on your maturity how you will handle the friction.

5. Friendship among homeschoolers – Our children have all learned to be comfortable with each other. They still experience the awkwardness of making new friends, but once they overcome that, they learn to accept and love each other. The thing I’ve noticed is that there is also no negative peer pressure amongst the children. And since they are all of different ages, the children learn to respect each other despite their age.

6. Meeting other people of different professions – Ms. Ane Palaruan, the directress, and her team, have brought in people of different professions to speak to the children. This way, the children are exposed to many professionals giving them the chance also to see how they can grow up to be in the future.

7. Involvement in extra activities held at Union Church of Manila – Since our directress’ husband works at the UCM in Makati, we are constantly invited to activities held at UCM. My children have participated in several and have enjoyed it so much! Not only that, they grow in their knowledge of the Lord in these activities.

8. Support of Greenhills Christian Fellowship – Our Saturday classes are held at GCF in Ortigas, Pasig City. To my knowledge, we are not charged for the use of their facilities. If we are, it is very minimal. Our children are able to use their airconditioned classrooms giving them comfort while learning.

9. Low cost of tuition fee – The tuition fee is very low. You can email me to ask how much. For a low tuition fee, the children are enrolled at KWIS and KKMD’s Saturday activities.

10. Dedication of our directress and her support group – I cannot say enough thanks to Ms. Ane Palaruan, her sister Ms. Lucy Andes and her team for their dedication to KKMD. They are all very creative, very helpful and are determined to help homeschool families in every way they can. They are not perfect, they are people who also make mistakes, but you can count on them to be there for you all along the way.

There are more reasons I can list down here, but that’s already for the next time I post about KKMD.

Disclosure: This blog post about KKMD is not a paid post. These are my own honest opinion. KWIS/KKMD did not require me to write a post about them.

TOS Crew Blog Walk Week 15

Have you been walking the TOS Crew Blogs? I hope you are. I’ve visited each of the blogs featured this week and it’s fun to see what different families are up to. I’ve also seen some really great blogs that are full of information about homeschooling. Expect to see homeschool reviews and some book reviews, too. Happy blogwalking!

1. Heritage Homestead and Homeschool Academy
2. The McClanahan 7
3. The Happy Homeschool Mom
4. Books \'n Other Stuff
5. The Midlife Housewife
6. Because of Our Children
7. This Day Has Great Potential
8. Ladybug Chronicles
9. Freelance Homeschool Mom
10. Ben & Me

Q&A Time: Living on a Single Income

Early last year, I had someone write to me asking how we managed to homeschool despite the difficult time here in the Philippines. He and his family were about to come home from another country and are convinced that homeschooling was the way to go. However, he and his wife are not sure how they can manage it since both of them work outside the home. I looked back on this email today and thought that my reply to his email was blog worthy so I’m sharing my reply here:

Well, as to your question on how we have managed it financially, my only answer is that God provides. Now, my husband has a well-paying job so we can afford for me to stay at home. It's really just good enough for our family, sobrang tipid din kami (we are very thrifty). You see, my husband and I believe that no matter how much I can earn working outside the home, it will not replace the time lost or time away from our children.

When we first got married, I was still working. When the children came, I decided to stop working although my husband preferred me to work. At that time, about a year before we started homeschooling, my husband was just an ordinary employee earning a little above the minimum wage. Because of my desire to stay at home, then eventually homeschool, we just made it work. And God has been faithful. He really provided all that we need and even want.

As my husband got promoted and the income increased, our family also grew. In time, my husband also decided that he preferred for me to stay home with the kids. He has not wavered in that decision since he saw how good for our family that I'm home.

You know, in the US and Canada, the trend now among homeschool families is that Mom finds either a part time work or work full time from home. I'm doing the same thing. It's not easy but because we want this, we just make things work.

Another thing, my husband came home from New Zealand two years ago. When he came home, it was supposedly for vacation only. He only had 3 weeks off from his job in NZ. But he was already gone from us for two years and we badly missed each other. So, after much prayer, we decided for him to give up his job in NZ and just stay home. He had no work for the first half of 2009. I was not working also. But God has been so good to us, He really saw us through. Mahirap, pero doable naman(It was very difficult but doable and not impossible). God touched a lot of family and friends to help us while hubby was looking for a job. Honestly, walang panahon na hindi kami kumain. At laging masarap ang pagkain namin (There was never a time that we were unable to eat and our food was always delicious). We did not have to leave our rented home.

God did not allow us to live without dignity.

God is good and His love endures forever.

TOS Crew Blog Walk Week 14

Here are this week’s list of blogs for everyone to visit and follow. As always, this is a collection of bloggers sharing their homeschool activities, reviews and more. Very interesting indeed. Enjoy your Blog Walk! Feel free to make comments, the blog owners would be glad to hear from you.

1. Homeschooling In Nova Scotia, Canada
2. Clever Title TBA
3. Until the Day Dawn Weblog
4. RubySlippersSchool.com
5. Smooth Stones Christian
6. Clothesline Musings
7. Four Little Penguins
8. Laurie's School Days
9. Sunshine to Flowers
10. One Big, Healthy Family