Author Archives: GirlMeetsPaper
LinkedIn password change confirmation
LinkedIn Hi Andy, You’ve successfully changed your password. Thank you, The LinkedIn Team This email was intended for Andy Losik. Learn why we included this. © 2012, LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin Ct. Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
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Reset Your LinkedIn Password
LinkedIn Hi Andy, Changing your password is simple. Please use the link below within 24 hours. https://www.linkedin.com/e/rpw/13684353/?hs=true&tok=0FN9nsG8zkPlk1 Thank you, The LinkedIn Team This email was intended for Andy Losik. Learn why we included this. © 2012, LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin … Continue reading
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On to Bigger and Better things!!
Friends and Faithful Readers!! I write this with a sliver of sadness… but an overwhelming sense of purpose and hope. After two years of calling this place home, I’ve started a NEW BLOG called “Girl Meets Paper” which I hope … Continue reading
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A NEW PLACE TO SHARE!
Friends, it is going to be an exciting week around here! Today I’d like to invite you to visit my new blog, The Unofficial Homeschooler. This is the place where, from now on, I’ll be sharing creative ideas to try at … Continue reading
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O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Not many songs bring me closer to the cross than this ancient hymn penned by a shrouded, unknown figure and set to music sometime in around 1600. Bach himself composed the harmony, but the text is what tears at my heart. … Continue reading
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Pro Kadima Invasion
Well, the game that was meant to be played while shuffling through powdery sand slathered in Panama Jack sunscreen has hit our living room. Pro Kadima is a ping-pongy game played with large wooden paddles and a hard foam ball. … Continue reading
Posted in Contest, CRAZY kids, Family Activities, Home, Kids, Play, Random Fun
Tagged beach games, games, Panama Jack, ping pong, Pro Kadima, World Series
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Pippi Longstocking and Praise Dancing
I saw him twirling out of the corner of my eye. On the table, in socks, arms raised like a praise dancer. I opened my mouth to tell him to get off, but the words got stuck. Why not let … Continue reading
Posted in CRAZY kids, Family, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play
Tagged baseball, Baseball card, Pippi Longstocking, praise dancing, Sports, United States
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The Scrambled States of America
If you want to teach your gang geography, encourage them to value travel and well…possess the general knowledge that a reference to ”Washington” does not necessarily denote a conversation about our first president…then you’ll appreciate The Scrambled States of America, by Laurie … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Book Review, Education, Family, Kids, Literature/Books, Things I Love!, writing/work
Tagged Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Laurie Keller, Scrambled States of America, Uncle Sam, Washington
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Ten Reasons I’ve Been MIA
It’s been awhile since I’ve gone ten days without a blog post! For you hangers-on, here are ten reasons for my absence: 1. We went to Florida for Spring Break, and in some comically-timed [or divinely ordained] sequence of events, … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Family, Family Activities, Food, God, gratitude, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Nature/Outdoors, Play, Vacation
Tagged Florida, Recreation, Spring Break, Travel
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Family Friday: Supporting Adoptive Families
Ever since my husband and I went to Zambia, Africa in 2004, my heart has remained softened to the hearts and faces of countless orphans awaiting families to call their own. And while the Lord first imprinted my heart on … Continue reading
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A New Kind Of Chore Chart [and a Freebie for you!]
Moms, if you’re anything like me you’re always trying to figure out new ways to motivate your kids to help, hold them accountable, and land on an appropriate reward or compensation. Do we pay an allowance? Do kids work on … Continue reading
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5 Easy Ways To Use Notes With Your Kids
I’ve told you before that I love paper in all forms. In fact, next month I’m looking forward to a blog makeover, and my name will change to Girl Meets Paper to reflect my love of writing–and because I use … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Family Activities, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Random Fun, Uncategorized
Tagged communication with kids, gift, greeting cards, Hallmark, Holiday, Mail, notecards, notes, Paper, Staples, United States, United States Postal Service, Valentine's Day
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Great Minds and Lost Souls
Last month our family swam through years of history together, dodging slave traders and rabid dogs courtesy of the pages of a Harriet Tubman biography. We spent evenings imagining how cold and frightening it would have been to slink through southern … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Deep Thoughts, Discoveries, Faith, Family Activities, God, Heartbreak, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Social Justice, Uncategorized
Tagged Dancing on the Ceiling, Dorchester County Maryland, Harriet Tubman, Lionel Richie, Lionel Ritchie, Moses, North Star, Slavery, Underground Railroad, United States
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OWL MOON Winner!
My, My! What astute readers have I! Last week Friday I shared a fun family idea and opened a contest to those of you who could correctly identify the name of the audio book our family listened to. All entrants … Continue reading
Posted in Book Lists, Book Review, Contest, Discoveries, Education, Family, Family Activities, Family Friday, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, Home, Kids, Kids in School, Literature/Books, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Things I Love!, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged audio books, Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Caldecott Award Winner, Contest, family activities, FREE BOOK, Hardware random number generator, Jane Yolen, Owl Moon
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Morning by Morning
This past week while I was stuffing my pie hole with a loaded baked potato at our BSF Fellowship, our leader posed a question: “Looking back over this year’s study of Isaiah, what do you think the Lord’s been teaching … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged Asia, Bible, BSF, BSF Fellowship, Christian, God, Isaiah, Isaiah 50:4, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Scripture memory
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Anatomy 101 with Zac Brown
It’s been interesting to watch my oldest child grow up. He’s slowly interjected his fashion sensibilities, voiced desires for new hair styles, and independently changed the radio station away from my channels to those he enjoys. Seeing a unique personality … Continue reading
Up on the Watershed
My head is cloudy. I’m realizing with sorrow and unwillingness that even the sweetest things in life evolve and change. Of course we’ve been heading toward this fork for some time now, however the prongs of decision continue to force … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged bittersweet, Bunk bed, Bunkbeds, Children, emotions, Indigo Girls, Storms, Watershed
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Second Chances
My CONTEST is begging for a second chance! I’d love for more people will have the opportunity to get involved, so the deadline is being extended. Please tell your friends that they may enter their comment until midnight on Thursday, … Continue reading
Family Friday: Crayons and a CONTEST!
In the spirit of loving competition, my husband started “Super Fun Dad Nights” when our kids were little. On evenings I was out he’d plan something spectacular to do together, usually involving candy, balloons, and duct tape. It won the … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Book Lists, Contest, crafts, Discoveries, Education, Family Activities, Family Friday, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, Home, Kids, Kids in School, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Random Fun, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged Arts, audio books, books on tape, Crayon, Duct tape, Eggo, Fine motor skill, Michigan, Paper, shopping
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Leaving Breakfast at Tiffany’s
I’ve never been a big “shopper”…if by shopper you’re picturing a classy, well-manicured Breakfast at Tiffany’s 30-something clicking through the mall with a bouquet of bags bursting from the nook in her elbow. I prefer flip-flops and I’m not all that … Continue reading
Posted in Discipline Issues, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Uncategorized
Tagged Audrey Hepburn, Banana Republic, breakfast at tiffany's, budget, Costco, Easter, Florida, God, Kohl's, Lent, sacrifice, snorkeling
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Michigan Maple Syrup!
The dormant, hibernating teacher in me is creeping to the surface once again. I may not be clawing to get back into the classroom, but I do love to turn our living room, kitchen, and the nearby woods into places where … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Education, Family, Family Activities, God, gratitude, Kids, Kids in School, Living Green, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Nature/Outdoors, Random Fun, Uncategorized
Tagged Business, Food, homeschooing, Maple, Maple syrup, michigan maple syrup association, shopping, Sugar house, Sugar Shack, Sweeteners, VandeBunte Maple
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Family Friday: Math at Dinner
Do you remember memorizing your math facts in elementary school? I clearly recall my second grade teacher walking us up one-by-one to the front of the room to recite addition and subtraction facts. With breath suspended and heart pounding my … Continue reading
Counting the Cost at Lent
My school year has been transformative for several reasons, but the most notable has been joining BSF, Bible Study Fellowship. This international Bible study brings over 200,000 students together over 38 countries each week; it’s truly mind-boggling to think that … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Discipline Issues, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life
Tagged Africa, Bible Study Fellowship, God, Jesus, Lent, Pharisees, South America, West Michigan
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Easy Recycling and Repurposing Craft
This past weekend my son was given a homework assignment to find an object that could be recycled or repurposed into something new and useful. [DISCLAIMER: by useful, we don’t mean turning a regular piece of paper into a paper … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, crafts, Discoveries, Education, Family, Home, Kids, Kids in School, Living Green, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Nature/Outdoors, Random Fun
Tagged 2 Liter, Bird, Bird feeder, Business, craft, homemade bird feeder, Jimmy John's, Paper, paper airplanes, Recycling, repurposing, Waste management, X-Acto
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What Are You Craving?
Today I’m tooting horns and celebrating with an acquaintance/church friend of mine awaiting the release of her first book, Craving Grace. I’m honored to have been given the opportunity to review this book in the next month or so…just in time … Continue reading
Posted in Book Lists, Faith, God, Growing Pains, Matters of the Heart, Seasons of Life, writing/work
Tagged Craving Grace, Lisa Velthouse, memoir, Tyndale Publishers
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ICD Revisted
In August 2009 I posted a humorous take on my own made-up disorder: ICD–”Inter-Connectivity Disorder.” I purported that this disorder subconsciously connects faces into a criss-crossing web that leads me to exclaim, “You know who he LOOKS like?!” at least … Continue reading
Posted in Random Fun, Silly Lists, Social Justice, Uncategorized
Tagged disorders, facial recognition, gadhafi, ICD, ICD disease, interconnectivity disorder, libya, moammar gahafi
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Building Trust in the Small Things
When the lights fall and I’m lying motionless in a smudge of darkness, my prayers become loose and frayed and worry sets in. While many contend that worrying is “normal,” I know that many more would suggest it reveals my … Continue reading
Posted in CRAZY kids, Discipline Issues, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged aluminum in deodorant, Christian, computers, God, hyperactivity, Jesus, Luke 16:10, Parent, Playboy, red meat, Television program, Trust, Worry
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Family Friday: Book Nights
Pop some popcorn and get in your jammies for Book Night! My husband and I first considered taking story time beyond Officer Buckle and Gloria when one of his friends from work shared this simple idea: instead of “movie night” … Continue reading
Posted in Book Lists, Book Review, Education, Faith, Family, Family Friday, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Things I Love!, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged Chapter book, Children, Children's literature, CS Lewis, Island of the Blue Dolphins, reading, shopping, The Chronicles of Narnia, Where The Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls
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Shovel It In, Kids. And Quiet Down While You’re At It.
How long does it take you to eat your lunch? And what’s on your lunch menu, generally speaking? Today I surprised my oldest and snuck up to school with a bag of processed goodness from a certain “Clown-Based Establishment” in … Continue reading
Posted in CRAZY kids, Discoveries, Education, Family, Food, Kids in School, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Rants, Things I Don't Understand Thursday, Things that are STUPID
Tagged Capri Sun, Chips 'Ahoy, cookies, Eating, Food, Golden Arches, Lunch, lunch box, McDonald's, Potato chip, school, school cafeteria
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Your Baby Doesn’t Come With Instructions
Do you find it rather unbelievable that we are asked to fill out nearly every detail of our existence to rent a movie from Blockbuster, that we are legally bound to take hunting and boating safety classes if we wish … Continue reading
Posted in Book Lists, Book Review, CRAZY kids, Discipline Issues, Faith, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged Baby Wise, Bible, Blockbuster, Bringing Up Boys, Bringing Up Girls, Child abuse, David Staal, Discipline, James Dobson, Parent, parenting, purposeful parenting, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp, United States, Words Kids Need to Hear
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On Jobs and Polished Nails
I went to college at a time when I thought I had six job choices: nurse, lawyer, doctor, teacher, church-something-or-other, or the mysterious “business” person. It never occurred to me that there might be other fields outside the scope of my … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, Decor/Organizing, Discoveries, Education, Family, Growing Pains, Home, Marriage, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged Bibhu Mohapatra, Business, careers, Church, decisions, doctor, dreams and fantasies, Fashion Group International, fork in the road, job changes, Kate Middleton, Lavender and Lilies, lawyer, Marc Jacobs, Michael Bastian, Nail polish, nurse, office spaces, offices, Peter Som, stay-at-home mom, teacher, working moms
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Hearing Isaiah in a Painted Sky
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Faith, God, gratitude, Home, Matters of the Heart, Nature/Outdoors, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!
Tagged beauty, Faith, God, Great power, Holy Spirit, Isaiah, Isaiah 40, Jesus, Nature, Religion and Spirituality, Sunsets
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Valentine’s Day Part 2: Hunting for Treasure
It’s probably the hibernating teacher within that brings me round to setting up riddles and scavenger hunts for my kids. Yes, after all these years of standing in slippers wiping butts and noses, there are moments when that alter-ego is … Continue reading
Posted in Contest, CRAZY kids, Education, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, Gifts, God, Holidays, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Random Fun, Seasons of Life, Silly Lists, Things I Love!, Uncategorized
Tagged alter-ego, Bible, Bible verses, bingo, Classroom, Genesis, gift, Holiday, Home, John 3:16, Kids, look up 3:16, Opinions, Religion and Spirituality, Riddle, scavenger hunt, Spiritual Development, spiritual formation, teacher, the story of St. Valentine, valentine day
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Valentine’s Day Part 1: Spread Some Love
Don’t we all wish there was a fool-proof recipe or some sort of silicon mold that promised to shape our children into the caring, generous, love-filled humans we want them to be? Or perhaps some magic powder we could sprinkle … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, CRAZY kids, Decor/Organizing, Discipline Issues, Education, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, Food, God, gratitude, Holidays, Home, Kids, Kitchen/Culinary Woes, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Neighbors, Play, Random Fun, Recipe/Kitchen Success!, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!
Tagged Awana, character education, compassion, cookies, Family Fun, Family Time, generosity, Home, kindness, Love Wins, sharing love, Spreading Love, teaching your kids, Valentine's Day
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Easy Meal Idea With a Side of Smiles
If you’ve been a long-time reader, you will know that my kitchen prowess is, well, a bit unpolished. That is to say, I should have auditioned for Anne Burrell’s Worst Cook in America. I’m sure I could put on quite … Continue reading
Family Friday: Compassion Project
I don’t know about where you live, but the past few weeks have blasted West Michigan with painfully icy wind and record-breaking snowfall. I wish I could say that I’m loving it, but in truth, I’m counting the days until … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, CRAZY kids, Education, Faith, Family, Family Friday, Following Jesus, Gifts, gratitude, Home, Kids, Marriage, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Neighbors, Random Fun, Seasons of Life, Social Justice, Things I Love!
Tagged blankets, donations, faith training, Florida, God, Homeless, homeless shelter, Homelessness, Jesus, Love, Mel Trotter, Michigan, projects, quilts, sharing love, Spiritual Development, spiritual formation, United States, West Michigan
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An Our Final Winner Is…
KAREN SILVA! Karen, you will soon be the proud new owner of Keri Wyatt Kent’s book, Simple Compassion. I’ll be contacting you to make arrangements for shipping! Hope it’s a blessing! Thanks for playing
Posted in Book Review, Compassion, Contest, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, Uncategorized
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Peanuts in the Morning
Do you remember the sound of Charlie Brown‘s teacher on The Peanuts? She had that muffled “whaa-whaa-whaa” of an expertly muted trumpet combined with some sort of nasally resonance never before heard on earth–much less in a classroom. How Linus ever … Continue reading
Posted in CRAZY kids, Discipline Issues, Family, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Random Fun, Rants, Seasons of Life, Silly Lists, Uncategorized
Tagged Arts, Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown, Christmas, crazy mornings, Kids, miss the bus, Peanuts, Peppermint Patty, school, shopping, Snoopy
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Thin Places goes to…
DENA! Congratulations! You’re the new owner of my gently-used copy of Mary DeMuth’s Thin Places. I’ll be contacting you for further details soon!
Posted in Contest, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, Literature/Books
Tagged Contest, FREE BOOK, giveaway, Mary DeMuth, Thin Places, Zondervan Publishers
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And Monday’s Winner Is…
Terri from nanasfaith.blogspot.com ! You are the proud new owner of my Defiance Texas Trilogy set, by Mary DeMuth. I’ll be contacting you for your shipping information so that I can get the books in the mail by the end of … Continue reading
Posted in Contest, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, writing/work
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And The Winner Is…
Terri from nanasfaith.blogspot.com ! You are the proud new owner of my Defiance, Texas Trilogy set, by Mary DeMuth. I’ll be contacting you for your shipping information so that I can get the books in the mail by the end of … Continue reading
Posted in Contest, FREE BOOK, Giveaway!, writing/work
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Take Care of Your ‘Neighbs With Some Simple Compassion
Today, one of our local news reporters delivered his thoughts on this record-breaking weather while stationed up to his thighs in snow on a fake deck. Nice touch, I thought. One leg was in a “normal” section of the snow … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, Book Review, Compassion, Contest, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, FREE BOOK, Friends, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, gratitude, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!, writing/work
Tagged Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, Contests, Faith, Family, FREE BOOK, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, spiritual formation, Zondervan Publishers
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More Exciting Than A Blizzard? A FREE BOOK!
It seems that nothing has the power to transform meteorologists into giddy children like a rollicking storm. Weathermen and women posted outdoors in the bluster seem thrilled to be at the center of such epic developments, their stern admonitions to skedaddle … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Contest, Discoveries, Faith, Family, FREE BOOK, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Holidays, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged blizzard of 2011, Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, Contest, facebook, FREE BOOK, Grocery store, Mary DeMuth, Meteorology, Online Communities, school closings, Snow Day, snow storm, storm, Thin Places, Twitter, Zondervan, Zondervan Publishers
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Book Giveaway Week!
This past week while huffing through a morning deathmatch with our eliptical machine, my gaze fell on the nearby spines of several books have been given to me over the years to review. Having gotten them with the intention of … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Contest, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, FREE BOOK, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Things I Love!, writing/work
Tagged Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, books, Contest, Daisy Chain, Defiance Texas Trilogy, FREE BOOK, Life In Defiance, Literature, Mary DeMuth, Slow Burn, Zondervan Publishers
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Family Friday: Indoor Skeet Shooting
I have to give major props to my husband for this one–it’s totally his brain and creativity that adds so much color and life to our home. What can I say–he has a PhD. I guess you have to be … Continue reading
Posted in CRAZY kids, Discoveries, Family, Family Friday, Holidays, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Random Fun, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!, Uncategorized
Tagged Balloon, chew, Christmas, Claire-Modern Family, cowboy, Family Fun, games, Guns, Kentucky, Luke-Modern Family, Modern Family, Nerf, Nerf Guns, Recreation, skeet shoot, Skeet shooting, Toy
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What a Great Idea!
I love to share great ideas. If it’s something that can encourage or edify–I’m your blogger. [keep that in mind and send my your besties!] Recently my dear friend Lyndsey sent me a link to her friend’s design blog–you know–the … Continue reading
Family Friday: Spiritual Formation
I’ve been thinking about posting this for awhile now, and thanks to the encouragement of a friend am finally getting around to it. This Friday I thought I’d share an idea I had for bringing Scripture into the kitchen–which we … Continue reading
Posted in Art/Beautiful Things, crafts, CRAZY kids, Decor/Organizing, Discoveries, Faith, Family, Family Friday, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Recipe/Kitchen Success!, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Candice Olsen, Christian, Divine Design, Family, Genevieve Gorder, God, Holland, Home, Home and Company, Kids, MI, Mothers, Parents, prayer, Scripture, spiritual formation, teaching your kids
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